Live A Hero Chocolate Circus Episode 8 (Abridged)

Title card: Connected Memories

There's tons of ambulances and police cars at the circus now! People are lined up for medical checks before going home. Also the media is here.
TV Reporter: Vulpecula suddenly showed up and committed an act of destruction! The heroes on the scene have banded together to fight him, but unfortunately the villain escaped. Vulpecula's subordinates have set off lots of smokescreens and escaped too. There are worries about people getting hurt between the ceiling damage and gas smoke, but luckily it was harmless smoke and only some people got hit by falling debris. And now the police are investigating for clues from Vulpecula's escape...
Inside the tent
Gammei: Thanks for working with us. We're going to stop here. (puts phone notes away)
Yasuhiko: Right...thanks...
Gammei: ...sucks what happened to you, and sorry we couldn't get here right away. We were wrong to think a social media rumor was nothing. How'd that dick find out about your family treasure?
MC: Thanks Gammei / It's not your fault... / The police weren't looking here

Gammei: The police really didn't pay any attention here... the thing is gone now, but it's true we didn't realize it because it was documented on record. Maybe we could have figured something out from the last owner's records getting cut off, but... on paper at least, the Yatomi Crystal went missing.
Melide: Right...the last owner was eaten by a Monster...
Gammei: Yeah... and with the crystal destroyed now... I guess no one cares anymore. We'll let you know if there's anything new with the investigation. Excuse me.
The police all leave. Yasuhiko and his troupe, Furlong, and everyone who came from Parallel Flight are the only ones left.
Everyone: ...
No one can say anything. A cold March breeze blows by.
Yasuhiko: ...this is all that's left.
Yasuhiko is holding the empty box the crystal was in. It was found fallen on stage by one of the police, who then gave it to Yasuhiko.

Mokdai: ...sorry. I fought Vulpecula once, but I wasn't any help this time...
Yasuhiko: No, it's not your fault. It's nobody's fault here. I was just wrong. I hated my father this whole time and thought I'd be fine if the crystal was gone. But once it was about to happen, it really started to hit me. Sounds crazy, doesn't it...?
MC: Yasuhiko...
Yasuhiko: You know how Furlong said my dad my have left me a message? I think it was in the crystal. I wanted to check for that at the very least. I say that, but I don't even know how to make the crystal play it.
Furlong: ...
Yasuhiko: Well, I'll treasure the box at least. I'm gonna put it back where it was. And sorry but...can you guys leave me alone for a bit? (walks off)

Akashi: I can't picture what it was, but it must have been important. And Vulpecula was after it so that tracks...
Sui: It's different for me, but I can sort of understand how Yasuhiko is feeling... if Mom left me a message, I'd want to see it no matter what.
Melide: A message from your family...hm...
Monomasa: Melide...
Exio: ...hmm...
Exio is the only one present thinking about something complete with hand on chin.
MC: Something up, Exio?

Exio: ...doesn't something seem off to you? Aside from heroes and Observers, nothing is supposed to resist the memory removal caused by Monster predation. And yet the Yatomi Crystal can?
MC: Right...
Exio: Ether Crystals are deeply connected to heroes and Observers. If Ether Crystals themselves can resist the memory removal, then maybe there are recording devices that can resist it too. But in that case, we should be able to sense Ether Crystals at that place Vulpecula broke the Yatomi Crystal.
Melide: ...now that you mention it, I don't sense any more ether there than there usually is in the atmosphere.
Exio: Right. Which means either the Yatomi Crystal is made of something completely unknown to us, or that wasn't the Yatomi Crystal Vulpecula broke.
MC: I see. So that was a fake...?

Akashi: W-wait, would he really make a show of destroying a fake? He came all the way here to destroy it, so that doesn't make any sense. It'd be totally pointless besides making his fans happy.
Mokdai: ...no, it's not like other possibilities are impossible, but...I don't think Vulpecula is that charitable...
MC: What?
Mokdai: Well...
Yasuhiko: OH MY GOD YOU GUYS (runs back out)
Purple: W-what, Bro?
Yasuhiko: Come look! The crystal!

Yasuhiko's hidden room
The Yatomi Crystal is sitting on top of a desk.
MC: What!?
Akashi: Huh!?
Sui: No way! Isn't that what Vulpecula destroyed!?
Mokdai: Oh my god, Exio was RIGHT!?
Monomasa: No, this one could be a fake. Not that I see why he'd do it besides some trolling.
Melide: Is there any way to check?
Yasuhiko: Uhh...I don't know how to make it replay anything.
Yasuhiko picks up the crystal. And then...

MC: OH MY GOD WHAT
Rainbow light show!
Yasuhiko: I-it's blinding me! But this really is the rainbow light! But I don't get it, it never did this before!
Sui: Wait I see some writing!
Sui points to 3/14 being projected on the ceiling.
Exio: Is that today's date? But what does it mean?
Furlong: Someone's appearing!
A projected person forms as the light dims down.
Yasuhiko: !? ...that's...Dad...!!

A fragmented slideshow starts up.
Janina: Darling, I've called my mother. Yasuhiko and I are going back next week.
Mr. Yatomi: Okay...sorry I'm so busy that I've left Yasuhiko to you.
Janina: It's okay. I know it's your dream to make the circus big. I'm sure Yasuhiko will understand one day. So...be proud and keep at it. I'll be cheering you on, even if I'm far away.
Mr. Yatomi: Thank you...I promise to call you two, no matter what. You two are my support, even if we're apart.
Click.
Mr. Yatomi: Hey you guys. How about orange flavored next time?
Purple: Oh is it time to send your wife and kid marshmallows again? Why is it always marshmallows anyway? Why not chocolate once in a while?
Mr. Yatomi: Because it's White Day...I want to thank them for being the reason I can keep going. It's important to send marshmallows.
Purple: Weeeird.

Click.
Mr. Yatomi: You guys, did you see Yasuhiko's first performance out there!? I knew he could do it!
Purple: Boss you've been saying that for the past half hour. You could tell him that too.
Mr. Yatomi: I-I can't! I'm his hardass dad!
Purple: I don't think you need to stick to playing it THAT hard...
Click.
Mr. Yatomi: Yasuhiko... if anything happens to me, I want you to inherit the circus. You've grown enough, and you've become considerate of your friends. I'm sure you can build the circus up in ways I couldn't think of. I wish I could see more of your shows, and I want to see what your particular shows are like from the audience seats. So... this feels weird... but it's really not like me to write anything while I'm still alive... I wouldn't know how--someday--happy to--on't know...I wis--have been nicer t--BZZT
The crystal stops shining.
Yasuhiko: Ah! No...Daddy...!

MC: He's gone...
Purple: I was there... that really was the old boss... I remember that conversation now...
Furlong: He was harsh... but he really did think the world of you, Yasuhiko. Even if he was terrible at expressing it...
Yasuhiko: Daddy... (hugs the crystal)
Akashi: ...let's give him some space. (puts a hand on MC's back)
MC: ...right.
Everyone leaves the room one after the other. Partway through walking down the hallway, a quiet sobbing could be heard coming from behind.

Mokdai: You know...I think I know why Vulpecula didn't destroy the crystal.
Sui: Huh? Why?
Mokdai: It's true the Yatomi Crystal records the past, and everything Vulpecula destroyed were all things like historical ruins.
Akashi: But...the records in it were changed to be a connection between Yasuhiko and his dad. It was a letter now...
Mokdai: Right. It has no historical value, so it didn't fit the standards he chose for destruction. So he just pretended to destroy something like his calling card video said and returned the crystal to the place only Yasuhiko would know about... this is all just a guess though...
Exio: ...right. We don't understand why Vulpecula keeps destroying things of historical value, so we'd have to ask him about it directly. But... if he has those sorts of feelings, then maybe Mokdai is right. A letter left by someone eaten by Monsters would be...like a miracle object.

Furlong: I'm...getting the urge to see my family after a long time now. My brother closed himself off, but...I'm going to try talking to him again.
Akashi: ...maybe I should see my folks once in a while.
Melide: ...Yasuhiko's family really loved him. I'm...a little jealous of that...
Monomasa: Melide...
Sui: ...I don't know how to say this, but losing the people you care about is always sudden. It's probably how it was for Yasuhiko...and that's how it was for me... so I think it's best to always let them know how you feel so there won't be any regrets. And I don't mean just your family. You should tell it to everyone you're connected to.
MC: Yeah...hmm...

Several days later
MC is walking through that dark park on the way home from work, holding a present they bought for someone they cared about.
MC: When do I give it? Will I see them tomorrow? I should call later.
???: Hi, what a coincidence to see you here.
Vulpecula appears from behind!
Vulpecula: I haven't seen you since that night.
MC: W-who are you? I think I might have seen you before?
Vulpecula: Heh. It's me, MC.
Anime clothes changing trick! Vulpecula even takes his mask off for a second and...
Vulpecula: ...well I need to do this much if I'm to escape the police's attention.
MC: Vulpecula!

Vulpecula: Oh, calling the police now won't help anything. My ride will be here in a few minutes to take me off planet. I'll be gone by the time the police could get here. And besides that, you know you don't have the ability to detain me, right?
MC: So why are you here...?
Vulpecula: ...I came to say goodbye. I've seen your capabilities at the circus, and your unique powers have honestly fascinated me. Long story short...I'm interested in you.
MC: Really!? / Thanks...
(A) Vulpecula: Heh, how kind of you to be so delighted by that.
(B) Vulpecula: Heh. Your face is indescribable. Just what I wanted to see.

Vulpecula: That's all I came to say. Bye.
MC: W-wait!
Vulpecula: Hmm? Did you need something?
MC: Why didn't you destroy the Yatomi Crystal? Why the roundabout way of giving it back?
Vulpecula: ...oh, is that what you were interested in?
Vulpecula thinks for a moment before shrugging.
Vulpecula: It is a mystery! I just lost interested it all of a sudden. Maybe it was a trick of the mind.
MC: What?
Quick flashback!
???: I'm cheering for you. Show me more tricks next time!
Mr. Yatomi: I want to see what your particular shows are like from the audience seats.
Present
Vulpecula: ...
MC: What?
Vulpecula: Whoops! Time to go. I'll come see you again. Bye.
Vulpecula transforms and pulls out his watch Parallel Weapon.
MC: No, wait!
Vulpecula disappears.
MC: What did he mean by that...?
And so MC thinks on what Vulpecula said some more as they walk home.
The End