Thursday, January 4, 2024

The Hazardous Private Tutor and the Dangerous Beast Part 1 (Abridged)

 [Note: The FKare 2 collab event is being skipped for the time being due to a personal lack of interest. Maybe someday, but don't hold your breath on that.]

Tokyo, the city of fantastical beings and people.
Shamash: Wow, the Tower of Babel reminds me of the ziggurats of my home world.
Shamash is having a flashback.
His home world was once a world of chaos where heaven and earth, humans and gods, mother and child were not yet separated. Anyways, things happened and Shamash eventually became the tutor for the Sumerian king of Uruk, raising and loving the boy who was meant to be a god. But then the boy lost someone he loved enough to call his other half, then went on a journey to find something he'd never have to give to someone else. Shamash told him "meh, you'll never find what you're looking for" because what he wanted didn't exist. But was that really the best way to communicate that? That question drives him.

Shamash: ...weird twist of fate that I'm doing the private tutor thing again. Speaking of, I have to go!

Later
Fall! The gang's going out to buy seasonal sweets.

Ryouta: We got enough for Touji and everyone else too now!
Shioru: Last week Ikebukuro, today Shinjuku huh?
Ryouta: And next week, Shibuya!
MC: I'm in. We're getting ALL the sweets! / I have plans already
---
(AB) Kengo: Me too. Workout multitasking with Ryouta errands!
(C) Ryouta: Oh, I'll get more for you then! I'm so glad everyone's helping.
Kengo: I'll be your pack mule! Workout time!
---
Shirou: Don't flunk the next test and get stuck with make up classes.
Kengo: Don't remind me about that, god!
Ryouta: Touji said he can come, so we can always buy your share for you!
Kengo: Dammit, don't assume I'm bombing already!
MC: Ooh, you're motivated / Yeah! / I'll help!
---
(AB) Shirou: Ryouta can talk anyone into doing things. But can we really all make it...?
(C) Kengo: Thanks! ...uh, what's the test on?
---
And so the gang heads for the dorms.

Chuo Park
MC: Look, Sitri! Also who's that next to him?
Sitri runs over.

Sitri: Hey Senpais! Out shopping?
Ryouta: Seasonal sweets tour! Here, take some!
Sitri: Oh, thanks! I'll share with the fam when I go home? ...I mean, no wait I left home!
Shamash walks over.
Shamash: Hello. Are you Sitri's friends? I'm his teacher.
MC: Hot...wait WHAT / Ooh, who are you? / Sitri, answer!
(AB) Shamash: !?
Sitri: STAY BACK! Senpais, stop smiling and stop them!

Sitri: Okay, he's Shamash. My parents hired him recently because my grades were dropping.
MC: I'm MC, and these are my friends.
Shamash: Hello MC. Are you a Tokyo nat--!!
Shamash reacts at shaking hands with MC.

Shamash: But how? Why? I touched you and somehow I feel like there was something I didn't understand but I don't know what! I mean, never mind. Sorry. (thinks of Marduk and frowns)
Ryouta: Hey wait I heard about you from social media! Lots of good reviews from test takers and their families!
MC: Look Kengo, a tutor! / How'd your tests go, Sitri?
(A) Kengo: Stop looking at me like that! Anyways, Sitri why are you in a park with him?
(B) Sitri: Shamash is awesome! He can read emotions with a touch!

Sitri: So I didn't know what I didn't know before he started teaching me, but he made it all make sense! And now we're, uh...doing secret private lessons.
MC: what? / oh, working out! / STUDENT-TEACHER RELATIONSHIP
---
(C) Sitri: What!? No! He's teaching me how to bulk up and be my sparring partner!
---
Sitri: Um, don't tell anyone. Also, Shamash is such a badass to be great at school and fighting!
Shamash: I have the magical ability to learn about someone's worries and troubles with a touch. It's not that impressive, I just know what I know. But it works on phys ed as well as book learning. Have you heard of the army prison academy? I go there a lot and now I'm a trainee somehow.
Sitri: I got too focused on working out and let my school work drop, so mom called and told me to hit the books. But the workouts! But Shamash knew and worked those into our lessons! He's cool! Who was that other guy you teach that my senpais know?
It's Gunzou.

Shamash: He's a sports school student. He's very open and straightforward and I even teach him about sports pro contracts. Maybe he's a bit too easy to read sometimes.
MC: Sounds cool, Shirou / Isn't that great, Kengo? / Nice, Sitri
(B) Kengo: Stop looking at me like that! ...Sitri makes a convincing argument tho.
(C) Sitri: No, don't just touch me like that! Harassment!
Shamash: By the way, my best subject is laws and I can't let crimes go unpunished. Except I see Sitri is happy with how you're treating him, so.
Sitri: !! At least give me a heads up first!

Shirou: Oh okay, if Sitri vouches for Shamash I'm all for it.
Shamash: Sure I can take you. Sitri and I are almost done for the day.
Shirou: Wait, that's nice of you but we have budget issues right now!
Shamash: First lesson's free, special offer! I started doing this to help people change their paths in life like this one tyrant did. Also Sitri tells me a lot about you, Kengo.
Ryouta: Cool, it's up to you Kengo!
Kengo: UGH I can't look stupid here then! ...well it's not like I WANT to flunk and be the talk of the gang. Bring it!
Sitri: Senpai, you're so cool!
Shamash: How nice. Okay, let me touch you. How about you too, MC?
Shirou: I think it's a great idea. Also, let us treat you to dinner at least.
Shamash: Oh, thank you. Do you have a test coming up?
Shirou: In two days...
Shamash: THAT SOON!?

And so Shamash goes with the gang to Shinjuku as Sitri leaves. He looks through Kengo's school books to figure out where to start.
Kengo: what is this sorcery
Shamash: Go back five pages. That part isn't on the test, but it'll help you figure out the parts that are. Wait, do you suck at memorization?
Kengo: Why else am I in this position?
Shamash: Oh, then let's go back two pages and work together from there.
MC: Kengo, how's it looking? / details pls, I need help
---
(A) Kengo: :/
Kengo: !!
Kengo: I think I get it???
MC: Cool, now figure out how to do it without him.
Kengo: !?
Shamash: Well MC is right about that.
Kengo: I know, god!
---
Ryouta: It's a miracle!
Shirou: Wow, I want to be taught by Shamash now too.
And so the tutoring continues, with Shamash managing to keep Kengo from bailing out.

That night
Ryouta: Hey it's about dinner time and I asked Chouji to make boxes for us. Here's one for Shamash and a big one for Kengo!
MC: Thanks! Kengo, you good?
Shamash: Thank you. Kengo, I suppose we can stop now.
Kengo: ...wait a minute it's only been an hour!? I'm so done... (falls over)
Ryouta: OH NO HE'S DEAD
Shirou: Well if he actually ever studies I should check outside for flying pigs.
MC: Damn, Shamash flexed on him. Flex on me too!

Shamash: ...heh, next time then.
Everyone cleans up and picks up their dinner time bento boxes. Kengo is alive again.

Shamash: Wow, I should learn how to make something this good. It'd make going to the prison school fun.
MC: Oh yeah, you're a student too? You ever feel like skipping out?
Shamash: Yes, I'm a third year. And I do feel that way sometimes, but having good grades means it's not a problem.
Kengo: Do you clone yourself or something to do all that?
Ryouta: Wow, that sounds like sticking bean jelly in sponge cake.
Shirou: Ryouta that sounds like an abomination mankind was never meant to think about. Oh! We have dessert too if you like.
Shamash: I think it's a funny idea and my schoolmates would think so too. But you can't just get things done with only treats, you know. Anyways, do any of you know about Babil?
MC: Sounds familiar. I think I know someone from there.

Ryouta: Oh right, Pazuzu!
Shirou: I heard that world approves of splitting things in two.
Shamash: Wow, you know that? I'm from there too. I tutored Gilgamesh. Have you heard of him?
Shirou: Wasn't he the most famous king from there?
Gilgamesh was the king who stood between man and god with a Very Good Friend. They did awesome things together, but then some other people disapproved and Gilgamesh's Very Good Friend was unalived.
Shamash: Generally, I actually would like to just motivate with the carrot, but sometimes...I need the stick.
MC: Is that why you work out? / Ah yes / How do you have so much energy!?
(B) Shamash: Oh, I'm glad you noticed.
(C) Shamash: Yes, I do have that. I also want to be able to make things happen.

Shamash: Oops, I dominated the conversation there. Your guys's turn.
Shamash: (stares)
Shamash: (Huh, no reaction to the name Gilgamesh? Do they have no memories then? I think I sense Marduk's enemy, but I Don't Know.)
Shamash asks about the gang's lives but only gets that MC has amnesia.

Shirou: Oh it's late. Do you need to go?
Shamash: ...oh, I do indeed. Thank you, I should go before my jaguar kouhai gives me crap about being late despite my rules knowledge.
MC: oof, straight shot logic / Ixbawhatshisname?
---
(C) Shamash: You know him? Wow.
---
Shamash: Okay, I should go. Thanks Ryouta. Kengo, keep going.
Ryouta: I'll let Chouji know you liked it!
Kengo: Next time let's just fight...
And so the gang partially walks Shamash out and waves him goodbye.

Later
Shamash: My emotion reading power didn't work on MC, and sometimes they felt like Marduk's enemy.
Shamash stops as some other thought takes over his head.

Shamash: Ow. Hey, can I ask you something?
Some mob looks over, obviously despairing in resentment.

Yellow: ...what? Piss off.
Shamash: Thanks for stopping. Can I touch you?
Yellow is shocked and suspicious. Shamash is used to this and doesn't react. Whatever's up seems like not the thing to trauma dump on strangers, but Shamash already feels like it's his business.

Yellow: Go hit someone else up for work because I got no money.
Shamash: No worries. We are not a hitman. We are doing this for ourselves, to avenge against the transgressors of the law. No mercy.
End of Episode part

1 comment:

  1. Don't worry, I wasn't much interested in the FKare event either anyway

    ReplyDelete