Let's talk about Simurgh, one of the giant birdfolk from Garothman. He(/They?) are known as a holy guardian who once took in a royal child and raised them to adulthood. He accepts anyone who comes to his nest, loves them as family, and protects them from enemies. However this is only a part of the faith of the Simurgh tribe, or a later development. Before that, Simurgh had an unforgettable terrible memory.
Simurgh (narrating): I still remember the day I became alone. There was fire everywhere, and my mother was in flames. I knew I had to live alone. With no other relatives, I began my life quietly living in a large tree while talking with no one. I thought my days would pass peaceably, but then war suddenly took over my life. The battle of light and darkness between Ahura Mazda and the many demons spread across the whole world.
Simurgh (narrating): I learned in the world, you need power to protect anything as I saw my home fell. With even that gone, I started wandering. Everywhere I went, I lived alone. I did lots of things. I lived...with no idea why I was doing it. Then one day in my empty life, I heard a rumor about how another Simurgh had raised some prince and was living in his kingdom as its guardian and family. I was so jealous I could die. I learned against my will I wanted someone like that. I don't know if that rumor was TRUE, but it hit me like a ton of bricks. I learned you could be family, without any connection or resemblance. Maybe I could make a family that way...
Present
Simurgh: (coughs) And that's how I came to Tokyo and made a family... the guy who shot me was one of the first people I reached out to.
MC: Don't talk... / But why would he...? / Can't you heal yourself?
---
(C) Simurgh: Unfortunately, no.
---
Simurgh: ...still, children are cute.
Simurgh is bleeding onto the snow.
Simurgh: If he really wanted to kill me, he'd have shot me in the head and double tapped me...maybe he still has familial love for a temporary family?
MC: Stop joking and hang in there!
Simurgh: ...never turn on your family. Traitors get theirs. But here I am, and I can't even get mad. No, wait...maybe I broke our bond first...? The blood oath says to give no mercy to anyone who harms the family. Is this what I get for trying to show mercy...? (cough)
Cats show up!
Cat A: There he is!
Cat B: What? Why's he only got one guard?
Cat C: ...! And he's been shot! Luck's on our side now!
Simurgh: ...MC, get out of Arakawa. You'll never be safe here with the family after you.
MC: I can't, I have to fight. It's okay, I'll protect you.
Cat B: What can one person do!? Get them!
MC holds them off!
Cat A: W-what!?
Simurgh: ...not bad, MC. I wish I could hire you as one of our bodyguards.
MC: I don't come cheap / Reinforcements might be coming after hearing the fighting.
Simurgh is walking slowly, so this is gonna be rough. It's easy for the Pete family goons to find him between the blood trail and scent.
MC: Goddammit!
Simurgh's hideout
Zhurong is waiting back at base. The underlings are shouting about something, so Zhurong peeks out the door.
Blue: The don was shot? And he's missing?
Purple: Yeah. We should be helping him at times like these!
Green: Who shot the don!?
Yellow: They said MC did it.
Blue: The one connected to that shady Fuxi bastard? What are they planning...?
Zhurong closes the door in disbelief.
Zhurong: MC shot Uncle? That's impossible! Something's wrong...
Zhurong starts hugging his knees when he sees Santa's bag.
Zhurong: Santa, please...help them!
Teda: MC, you here!? Dammit. You, tell me where MC is!
Purple: That's what we wanna know! We want revenge on them for shooting the don!
Green: Wait, maybe he's an enemy too since he's close with MC...
Teda: How empty ARE your brains, melon heads!? MC could never have done that, you blinded hicks...why are you pointing your guns at me? Outta my sight, I gotta find MC!
Door slam!
Zhurong: Teda, take me with you!
Yellow: Boy!? No, the don told us to look after y--
Zhurong: I'm sorry, but I have to go!
Rainbow birds summoned!
Mobsters: How is the don's power being used!?
Teda: Oh! So that's what absorbing the faith and light of others mean! I can feel the powers of a bunch of other people in your camera now that I look at it closer...
Teda shoots arrows at the mobs trying to stop Zhurong.
Teda: Zhurong, I'm gonna help you see to the end of your path!
Zhurong: Teda! T-thank you!
Teda: Go ahead, show them the light you took from me!
Solar Flare!
Mobsters: CAN'T SEEEE
Zhurong blinds the mobsters with rainbow birds and sunlight, then takes Santa's bag and runs out.
Teda: ...why take that? I thought only Santa and saints can use it.
Zhurong: I don't know...but I'm sure it reacted to my wish! ...Uncle, Santa, please help me again!
Rainbow birds come out of Zhurong's camera again and fly around him and Teda.
Blue: After them, or we'll never be able to look the don in the eye again!
The mobsters panic and try to push through the birds. Zhurong and Teda are gone by then.
Zhurong and Teda are flying in the sky riding on birds.
Teda: Nice! We can see the whole slums from here!
Zhurong: Where's Uncle and MC? We have to find them!
Terrible things are going on in the backstreets!
Blue: Go to hell, fleabags!
And somewhere else in Arakawa...
Koropokkur: ...I win. You never were a front line type. Why'd you come? It's like you came to get beaten up.
Bertro: ...
Back in the sky
Teda: ...why are they fighting?
Bertro doesn't stand on the front lines himself since he's an observer of the World Reps' battles.
Teda: Bertro specializes in predicting the future, so if he's like that, he predicted it would happen...?
Zhurong: Teda...why do they have to fight?
Teda: Old Man Birdy said they had their reasons to, right?
Zhhurong: Oh...what if they had a reason to stop?
Teda: You saying that's a thing? ...wait, look over there! It's MC!
MC is outnumbered at least 10 to 1 and is struggling to defend Simurgh behind them.
Black Cat: Got you!
MC: OH NO
Fuxi saves!
Fuxi: ...whew, I made it in time. Are you hurt, MC?
MC: Big Bro! / Thanks! / You're late!
Fuxi: Yes, I came to save you. It wasn't Teda or Bertro, it was me!
Fuxi sees Simurgh and sees it's too late for him.
MC: You can see the future, right? Couldn't you see this coming?
Fuxi: ...I also knew this would happen. No free lunch, was it? There is no future without sacrifice for anyone. Hatred always falls onto someone, and with Simurgh trying to save children, his family, and even his enemies he would be the one to pay. Even he knew.
MC: No...
Fuxi: Things were supposed to end with me saving you and escaping, and they would have were I the only reader of the future here.
MC: ...what? Then...!
Fuxi: The very act of predicting the future can change it. If someone sees the future I built towards and builds on that, the future changes even more.
Zhurong and Teda look at how badly off Simurgh and Bertro are.
Zhurong: Oh no... (starts shaking)
Teda: ...you okay? Your world will end if you stop.
Zhurong: ...huh?
Teda: Are you okay with letting it end there? Is Heaven's Demon gonna end it like that?
Zhurong: ...no! But, it's impossible for me t--
Teda: Nothing is really impossible. People just lose sight of things. (thinks about someone who disappeared where the sun doesn't shine)
Zhurong: ...are you trying to cheer me up?
Teda: If you cry, you'll move That Thing. Leaving it to just me is fine. (looks to MC)
Teda: You are always loved, and you are not alone in this world...never forget that.
Zhurong: ...I'm not alone...
Zhurong hears a voice inside him! Soul Tuning!
Zhurong Origin: Hey Zhurong. I mean, Color Out of Space from Old Ones. I know this scenery...I've always been looking at it.
Zhurong is the avatar of the aurora, the omen of war and revolution in Hourai. He is believed to be unlucky, a bringing of war wherever he goes.
Zhurong Origin: ...I hated it. I wanted to stop it, but I couldn't do anything alone. But now, you're here too. Let's do it!
Back outside in Tokyo
Zhurong: Zhurong, please! Help me reach everyone!
Zhurong's artifact takes in the view of the slums, then spreads the aurora all over it. It shines like a meteor shower, a miracle that makes everyone believe that Christmas has returned. The children start to send their wishes to Santa.
Zhurong: Let's get along and have a great Christmas!
And so the rainbow birds fly off carrying presents from Santa's bag...
End of Episode half
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