Catoblepas's name means "to look downwards." His eyes have the power to draw eyes to him. Anyone he looks at stop moving as their attention goes to him. In his home world (wherever that is), he was shunned for that and everyone always told him to keep his eyes hidden. So he lived with his head down, face hidden, never looking anyone in the eyes. His heart was always heavy, his feet slow as if caught in swamp.
Then one day Catoblepas came to Tokyo and discovered cosplaying in Akihabara. Through that, he learned about the joy in becoming who you want to be and the fun in pretending to be a fictional self that isn't yourself. He threw himself into it before long. When in costume, he completely fell into character and forgot that he was himself. It was fun spending time with people with the same interests and understood, and he could go the deep end of addiction with it.
But when Catoblepas took the costume off, shadows filled his heart. He feared he was enjoying fiction more than reality. He worried that he was turning away from reality. He felt unsteady, like a dog with a broken collar or a balloon that slipped away...
Akiha Gongen: ...hi Catoblepas. You coming back from another cosplay event?
Catoblepas: A-Akiha Gongen? Uh, umm...y-yes.
Akiha: I just got out of fire fighting drills myself. Let's go home together!
That same grade classmate casually called out to him with a smile. Catoblepas looked away and stepped back. Catoblepas thought of Akiha as a normie, someone with a firm foothold in reality. And then Akiha straightforwardly says:
Akiha: Man, otakus are so passionate! That's what I feel when I look at you, Catoblepas. Your outfits are great, and I bet what you wore today was too!
Every time Akiha sees Catoblepas, he'd shower him in genuine compliments about his hobby while looking straight at him.
Catoblepas: N-no, not really...
Catoblepas always felt embarrassed whenever he heard those words. But...
Catoblepas: B-but...still, t-thank you very much.
This time spent together felt nice. A sense of stability, a sense of disparate feelings mixing together in a strange way. But Catoblepas still can't express it in words...
Present
Enigma: So is the problem here the interoperability of fiction and reality.
Turing: Mostly, love. You always get straight to the point, don't you? So not human...but that fits my tastes so well.
Enigma: Interpreting as compliment, Master.
Turing: Without reality, fiction cannot exist. But without fiction, reality cannot expand. Therefore humans see the future in the Metaverse, but sometimes fiction and reality do not mix well... That's why we need something to bridge the gap between the two! That's why I had the Metaverse technology invested in.
Enigma: ...
Turing: Reality influences fiction, fiction further influences reality. Humans create an AI as good as humans, and AIs push humans up above AI.
Enigma: ...that is also my wish. The point of my existence is to compensate for mankind's incompetence.
Turing: You phrase things so rudely but you actually like people. That's the opposite of me! But I believe that cycle will be the optimal way to bring us to the singularity. It's a way better approach than Having a God Create the World and Arbitrarily Leading Humanity. I want to be something Not Human, but I don't think someone else leading me would be correct. My technology is a long way off from perfection though, which is why this experiment is worthwhile. But experiments always have uncertain things and--oh, something's happening.
Screaming in the distance.
Elsewhere in the Metaverse
Catoblepas is running while carrying canned juice.
Attendees: Oh my god he's hot! Is he an actor or model?
Pro Agents: PLEBS! That's Catoble, a new rising star in the cosplay world! And he's cosplaying as that new show Rescue Double! When his photos went up they started trending!
Catoblepas doesn't notice any of the attention being put on him.
Yellow Trooper: HNNNGH! (stares angrily)
Yellow: Character overlaaaap!
Yellow also picked the same subject Catoblepas was doing for his term project. He made a sand sculpture from a TV show and is dressed as another character from it, but he was only working on it alone instead of with others since no one else he could ask could make it.
Yellow: I need differentiation!
Yellow would take anything that would amaze the attendees, but he drew a blank. Now all that frenetic energy is going to his head.
Yellow: What do other people do in this situation?
No one is around to give him an answer, so Yellow thinks back to a late night livestream...
Tindalos: Hey guys, it's ya cyber boyfriend! If you're worried, you oughta do what your heart tells you! You can't let yourself be held back by common sense in Gensokyo Tokyo, right!?
Present
Yellow: Oh my god he's right! Look out world, I'm gonna bring a huge surprise! Lifeguards can't just sit there and pose and look hot! I'm gonna swim across that ocean because that'll be True Art! YEEEAAAAHH! (jumps into the fictional ocean)
Girl A: Oh no somebody jumped into the water!
Boy B: Yeah it's not real! And is he DROWNING!?
Vapula: How does anyone vapull that off!?
Catoblepas: B-but Enigma said there's still many parts of this technology with undetermined effects!
If someone believes they drowned in this blend of fiction and reality, maybe they really WILL drown.
Yellow: Help! Glug
Vapula: Hey he's a classmate! We have to help! ...no wait, Catoblepas!
Catoblepas also runs in to the ocean.
Vapula: Yeeeah, vaput your back into it Catoblepas! ...wait, can he swim?
Sand Dragon: (confused chirp)
Catoblepas: AGHBRGLGR
Yep. Still sucks at exercise. He can think of himself as a lifeguard, but everyone else knows he's cosplaying.
Vapula: OH NO NOW WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE WE NEED TO VAPULL OUT OF THE WATER
Akiha Gongen: You guys I am here to help! Two people drowning in the water? I see one of our schoolmates and...Catoblepas!?
MC: Oh no! / Calm down Vapula! / We have to help!
Akiha: Two victims! We need to hurry! (turns to MC)
MC: I was taught by a lifeguard at Toyosu / A police teacher taught me old swim techs / My class's assistant teacher drilled me
---
(A) Akiha: Oh wow, you know him? He taught me how to help in ocean emergencies too. Can you get one of them?
(B) Akiha: Well the old ways can be easier to do for water rescues. But this is for real, so be careful you don't lock up!
(C) Akiha: You had a teacher show you how to swim upstream through rapids? Hardcore...but reassuring! But this situation is different, so I'll give you instructions to follow.
---
Akiha hands MC a life vest and flotation ring, eyes the distance needed to go out, then gives MC a quick rundown on rescuing people.
Akiha: Be sure to approach their back, or else they'll drag you down if they grab onto you. If you can grab the back of their neck area, put the vest on them and pull them to shore. Relax your arms and legs to float and conserve energy.
MC: Okay!
Akiha: Let's go!
BATTLE(?) START (more happens after)
At the bottom of Eden is the sky of Gehenna. Long ago, the people of Gehenna looked up and saw a falling shooting star. The books wrote down the legend of the top that connects these two worlds.
At his back was the sign of Eden's greatest angel, the twelve wings also known as the Gravity Cutter. That angel discarded the wings that were a part of himself and passed them off to another. And then he turned into a fiery shooting star jumping from the top of Eden to the depths of Gehenna. Every book called him the Fallen Angel of Flame, the dragon serpent of the paradise Eden.
Vapula wondered why did that angel discarded a part of himself. Or rather, what did he discard them for? Why fall from the top of Eden to the hell of Gehenna? What did he learn in Eden that would drive him to discard his wings? Vapula read from a book that the Serpent of Eden knew the significance of the fruits of the Tree of Knowledge. One book said that the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge was for understanding the hierarchy of good and evil. Some other book said the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge was meant to give Names to all things in nature...
Present
Akiha Gongen: Dammit these waters are rough! Grab my hand!
Akiha grabs Yellow, but...
Akiha: BGRL!?
Gravity starts dragging him down.
MC: Oh no, Akiha!
Sand Dragon: SCREEE (somehow here to channel Solomon!)
Akiha: Hey I got lighter for some reason! Why? Actually never mind! Catoblepas, grab my other hand--
Catoblepas: Akiha Gongen! (cough)
Akiha and Catoblepas are just out of reach from each other. Maybe it's because they hesitated to touch and meet each other's eyes up to this point.
MC: (grab both Akiha and Catoblepas's hands to connect them)
Akiha: MC!?
Later
Akiha Gongen: You guys are okay now, we made it to shore. Calm down and take a deep breath...
Akiha tends to Catoblepas and Yellow.
Yellow: (coughing and sputtering because apparently even robots need to breathe) Dammit...this sucks.
Catoblepas: T-thank you very much. (cough) My leg cramped on the way over... I was so stupid.
Yellow: Sorry for losing my cool. I'm calm now. I was worried about my display the whole time...
Catoblepas: Excuse me, are you cosplaying the same thing I am? Would you like to collab with me?
Yellow: what
Catoblepas: If we like the same things...maybe it would be even more fun if we did them together.
Yellow: Oh...I...yeah, I wanna collab with you.
Later again
Yellow has left. Akiha Gongen squats to talk to Catoblepas.
Akiha: ...you know what I'm going to say, right?
Catoblepas: Yes...I'm really sorry. I got caught up and forgot about what I could do...
Akiha: Well it's also my fault I wasn't there at first. Still, you could've called me. Why'd you do that?
Catoblepas: ...
Akiha: I know you stay away from everyone...so you can't trust in me either?
Catoblepas: N-no, it's not that. But...
MC: You want to be better friends? / You want to be depended on more?
Akiha and Catoblepas: !?
Akiha Gongen: ...really, Catoblepas?
Catoblepas: Ever since I put on this costume, I've been thinking. If I were your buddy, then I want to someone worth relying on.
Akiha: O-oh...umm...
Catoblepas: And then when that accident just happened, it was all I could think of...I was sure you would go help him without thinking about it, so my body did too.
MC: You really became your character, huh? You totally understood Akiha Gongen. Holy crap!
Vapula: (stares in shock)
Akiha: I'm glad you feel that way, but you know you shouldn't be reckless, right?
Catoblepas: Y-yes...sorry. Thank you too, MC.
Akiha: ...you don't have to force yourself to change though. I think you're fine as you are.
Catoblepas: ...huh?
Akiha: ANYWAYS! (casually piggybacks Catoblepas)
Catoblepas: W-what!? I'm fine, I can walk!
Akiha Gongen: As your punishment for recklessness, you're gonna let me carry you to the nurse's office. Got that?
Catoblepas: ...o-okay. I'm sorry...
Sand Dragon: Bark bark!
Vapula: Aww, you want vapraise? Good boy!
MC: Yeah, good boy. I really wanna name you. Hey Vapula, I...wait what?
Vapula: (frown)
MC: Vapula, why are you spacing out?
Vapula: ...sometimes the other Creators say they get a vapeeling of falling when they make something. I've had my moments too from concentrating so hard on my work, but I've never felt like Catoblepas did in chasing after something I didn't have. I mean, I can do anything if I read a book. I can see the end coming and know everything.
Vapula thinks "doesn't that mean there's nothing past it?" When something ends, there's nothing to pick up on it after. Aren't those your limits you feel, he thinks.
Vapula: Do I...really have something like that? What do you think?
MC: Yep / Nope / Let's look together
---
(A) Vapula: Really!? Where!? ...oh, right. That's your thing. There's no guarantee I can see it even if I look at it. But if you say so, I vaputd my hopes up a bit. Maybe I can find it if I look.
(B) Vapula: Really? But I feel like there's a difference between you and me. I feel like...you have a vapiece that I want.
(C) Vapula: You shouldn't make vapromises without thinking about it. Wait, you'll still do it? Umm, wow... But I feel like it might work out!
---
Vapula: ...my chest feels funny. Is this what people mean by feels!?
PA System: Announcing a special program! After breaktime, there will--
Vapula: Break time! Let's go help Tindalos afterwards!
Catoblepas (narrating): I always felt from watching at a distance that my normal self wasn't a Creator. I was different from everyone else who was always a Creator. But it's because of that I felt closer to you. I couldn't let anyone see me in the eye, and you couldn't touch anyone. I always wanted to be better friends with you. But I could never put it into words...
Somewhere in the Metaverse
Catoblepas: ...oh no! Did I fall asleep!?
Akiha Gongen: Don't worry, it was only for a little bit.
Catoblepas: Oh no, that's so embarrassing...I can't believe I fell asleep on your back...
Akiha: ...you've done stuff for me in the past first, so this isn't a big deal.
Catoblepas: ...I did?
Akiha smiled. They never really ever gelled, but...
Akiha Gongen: Hey, if we're gonna bring someone with us, why not bring MC along? Then...maybe things will get better.
Catoblepas: Oh...that's a great idea! Let's do it!
Akiha smiled as he adjusted Catoblepas's weight on his back. He must be smiling too as Akiha felt his arms wrap around him. There's no label for their relationship yet, but they'll probably have one after the season passes.
PA System: Announcing a special program! After breaktime, there will--
Akiha: You know what, I'm hungry. Maybe I'll buy lunch after we get to the nurse's office.
Catoblepas: How about we go buy something right now?
Akiha: Okay! New stop, the school store!
Catoblepas: No wait, please let me down now!
Akiha: It's okay, I'm strong enough to carry you!
Catoblepas: But this is embarrassing! Akiha Gongen are you listening to me!?
And so Akiha walks along carrying the mostly better Catoblepas while remembering how it felt to walk home together with him in the past.
End of Episode
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