Exio (?)(narrating): What are heroes? Great men who save the weak from danger? Eh, I guess. People who use superpowers to kill Monsters? Ehh, I GUESS. At least that's what reality says in this universe. But what qualifies someone to be a hero? Not by being awesomely competent or brave. The actual commonality is having a crazy ass conviction to make something happen despite having no evidence it can be done. They just HAVE to go for it. People who can be heroes are great, what with that precious kind of madness. But that's also why I think Heroes shouldn't exist. What I think about them is...
Present, Parallel Flight
Crowne: What do you MEAN, someone from Zero Trust came by!?
Mokdai: I know what you mean, but that's what the ID card said.
Crowne: Are you being sued for Space Twitch crimes?
Mokdai: What!? No! But it was some tech guy who seemed really calm who visited.
MC: Is Zero Trust the people in a meeting with us now? / hold up what
(A) Mokdai: Oh, yeah. They're the company managing the streaming service we use, Live@Hero.
(BC) Mokdai: Zero Trust is the company that manages the streaming service we use. The Prez is in a meeting with their rep now.
Crowne: Sooo, WHY are they contacting up an individual hero agency like this again?
Mokdai: (shrug)
Crowne: Well it can't be some business offer from their side.
Sui: But isn't that how businesses work though?
Akashi: Are they really that big a deal?
Crowne: Hmm. I guess they're a public org, but they don't really seem to do the capitalist thing of trying to make money.
Mokdai: They say one of their goals is to record hero work so they don't reach out to agencies much. They're definitely a private enterprise though and the biggest streaming business involved with hero stuff. They span the whole universe.
Melide: Oh, so that's why Huckle and Ryekie seemed on edge today.
MC: Ooh... / Exciting!
(C) Akashi: Is Ryekie rubbing off on you? I mean, I get it tho
Monomasa: This doesn't seem like a regular business deal to me.
Yoshiori: Yeah. I hope they don't string us up.
Mokdai: I'm worried about that too...
Meeting room door's opened up!
Grigory: mmmkay give it some though, kthnbai
It's Grigory! He's got drones flying around him.
Grigory: hmmmm?
Grigory spots MC.
Grigory: Ooh, are you the famous Observer? Let's talk next time, mkaaay? ...oh wait I forgot to turn off my cameras. Oh well whatever, they aren't streaming anywhere anyways. Okay byeeee. (leaves)
Akashi: ...THAT was a giant space corp business rep?
Mokdai: He could be. Maybe.
MC: uh, he had like no tension / maybe work did that to him? / mmm, softboi cutie
(C) Monomasa: What?
Melide: MC's just like that sometimes...
Ryekie and Huckle walk out.
Ryekie: Huckle, was that really okay!? Man's had like no reaction to anything!
Huckle: I know how you feel, but calm down. I'm a little unclear still, but I don't think he's up to anything bad. Still, we'll have to really think about our planning...
MC: Rough going?
Huckle: Oh hi MC. I see everyone else is here too. (faces everyone) We need to do some rescheduling, but we're all going to have a business trip. I want as many of us to go, so let us know if you have plans already.
MC: wait
Everyone Else: WHAT
That night, PF overnight room
This room's normally used for night duty and sometimes for doing first aid. MC and Exio are here alone.
Exio: Good. Keep doing that. (exhales and looks up)
Exio: I wasn't expecting a business trip for a powwow with Zero Trust. But it's worth it since we need info after the Osaka incident and need to get on the same page. Huckle's such a workaholic.
MC: I guess... / what a letdown... / It's still a vacation on paper!
(C) Exio: What an optimist. I guess life blowing up on you so much has made you bold.
Exio: Wait, you're overdoing it now. Shrink the Path.
MC: Oops! Got it!
Exio: ...good, you're learning fast.
Exio's been giving MC regular Observer training when there's time. Right now it's Path Control, practicing keeping the bare minimum Path open by sight. There's a tiny Path in front of MC now.
Exio: That Path is connected to a parallel world. Careful about fluctuations in size since it's not oriented around someone specific. But I'm here too and there's a guard outside. Relax. (sits down next to MC)
Exio: It's a relief you're working on Path control training with me. You don't have the knowledge but you can see it and feel it. You're unbalanced since you don't know what it is you're doing when you do things.
MC: what?
Exio: You're a danger to your surroundings, but that's not your fault. Lots of Observers have to flail their way around to figuring their powers out.
MC: How'd you learn?
Exio: I just...learned by experience. This practice is similar, but a lot of what I did came up out of necessity.
MC: Hmm...
Exio: It's fine, no need to approve of me. Oh, wait your Path is getting bigger again. Focus. (slides closer)
MC: TOO CLOSE
Exio: Don't stiffen up like that. Monsters do this too.
MC: What?
Exio: Lots of Monsters open up Paths all the time. They aren't that big though. They're not originally from this world, and unevolved ones can't even stay materialized. So they use Paths to send themselves in, even if they're ghostlike. Existing here requires existential declaration, so they eat things here and store Recognition in their cores.
MC: Is that why they disappear when their cores are destroyed? / How do you know this?
(C) Exio: The Broker.
Exio: Existence verification is similar to what we're doing now here. You'll figure it out soon. (puts hand on MC's hand)
MC: UHHHH / help, police
---
(C) Exio: Aww, cute. Anyways I'm kidding. Let me tell you something.
---
Exio: You can see lots of hero possibilities, right? Even little ones that fade quickly.
MC: Y-yeah? For some reason.
Exio: Hmm...
Sudden tension.
Exio: What do I look like to you?
MC: Exio? / ... / (wait what just happened?)
Exio: ...never mind, sorry.
The tension disappears.
Exio: Let's call it a day. Nice job, MC.
MC: Exio?
Exio: Hmm?
Exio looks like nothing's wrong at all. MC decides not to ask.
Weeks later. Orient City Spaceport
Huckle: Everyone here?
Ryekie: Yep, all here!
Sui: Kind of exciting for us all to be here, even if it was a surprise we're having more of a business meeting than business trip.
Mokdai: Oh wow you really did dress up more for this!
Sui: S-so? It's not that big a deal...
Akashi: You dressed up?
Sui: !?
Sui: Oh. Right. You're just like that.
Akashi: RUDE
MC: Hmm, perfume? / I can't tell... / She's at that age...
Monomasa: Is it really okay for us to be here too? (looks at Exio's group)
Huckle: It's fine, we're all invited to exchange information about all the weird stuff happening since the Osaka incident. It's more the things about the events themselves and not us unless we need to know that to understand things.
Monomasa: Oh, okay then. (looks at Melide)
Sui: Wow, I haven't played that board game in so long.
Melide: I read in a book lots of people play this game on trips so I bought it.
Crowne: Ooh, let's play it!
Monomasa: Let's not ruin her fun.
Huckle: Right. I'll try my best so she can enjoy the trip.
Yoshiori: Pffft, look at you worrying about the little things.
Monomasa: Monomasa and I want Melide to be as happy as possible.
Mokdai: Prez, is it really okay for us to talk about what we saw and felt?
Huckle: Yes, they said they wanted a majority judgment, which is why they had us bring everyone who was there for Osaka and Mt. Fuji. Somehow me and MC get caught up in a lot of really weird things.
Mokdai: Oh yeah, you did go back to being a hero after being an Observer.
Akashi: We also have Monomasa doing the Venom thing and Yoshiori being half-eaten and... (looks at MC)
Akashi: A really WEIRD Observer.
MC: RUDE
Melide: Sounds about right for MC.
MC: (GASP!) SENPAI!
Melide: W-what?
MC: Exio's teaching me now, so I guess you're Senpai. / Don't like it?
(C) Melide: ...no, just surprised.
Melide: MC's like a little sibling to me now. Weird.
Exio: (stares)
Ryekie: We're waiting for three people, right? Where are they?
Mokdai: Wait, it's not just us?
Ryekie: Yeah, one person fron Zero Trust, then--
???: Oh! There they are, Milord!
???: I see them...oh wait, they're all here?
Jingle jangling bling! Footsteps of nice shoes!
Yoshiori: Wait what
Seiichirou: Hello, sorry to keep you waiting. Tenma Seiichirou here.
Danzo: S'up Parallel Flight peeps!
MC: Seiichirou!? / Yay, Danzo! / wait what
(A) Seiichirou: Hello again MC, looking lost as always. Good to see things haven't changed, assuming you don't cut too loose.
(B) Danzo: Yoooo! Damn, you're not bad at this huh? ...wait why do you look like you agree!?
Huckle: Sir Seiichirou, thank you for joining us. I was surprised to hear you were coming.
Seiichirou: Well Zero Trust business interests me as both personally and UEHA Japan's leader. I have some time to spare from my regular work and I felt bad about making you explain everything that happened in Osaka.
Danzo: I'm bodyguarding from the shadows!
Yoshiori: Dressed like that? Really?
Danzo: Said Mr. Dressed-To-Travel-Party!
Yoshiori: GET OUT OF MY BAGS
Danzo: Hey I gotta make sure there ain't anything dangerous near my boss, so I'm checking the biggest sus's stuff first!
Yoshiori: I AIN'T SOME GOLD DIGGING ASSASSIN
Mokdai: Please stop projecting, Yoshiori.
Monomasa: I wasn't expecting to travel with Weed Groover...
MC: Know him? / You don't like him? / He's your total oppositie
(A) Monomasa: No, I just heard of him. I think Monomasa likes ninjas or something?
(B) Monomasa: No, I never even talked to him. I'm glad he's with us, not that I want something to happen.
(C) Monomasa: Maybe? Maybe I should show excitement more like him...why are you making that face?
Huckle: If that's all from our side, is the Zero Trust rep coming soon?
???: hmmmm? Whoops, did I keep y'all waiting?
Huckle: There he is!
Grigory: Hey y'aaaall. I'm Grigory from Zero Trust. Sorry, I spaced out too long watching the drones here.
Mokdai: w-wow
Huckle: Thank you for having us, Grigory. I should introduce everyone. So--
Grigory: Nah it's cool, I've seen pictures and profiles already. I'mma just skip over the introduction bit, mkaaaay?
Yoshiori: oh my god I thought he was just super high
MC: He really CAN work? / SOFTBOI
(C) Grigory: Yeeeaaah, people usually call me laid back when they first meet me for some reason. I mean, I can work my ass off when I need too.
Akashi: Oh. So he knows what people say of him at least.
Grigory: Thanks for coming y'aaaall. Okay let's go.
Huckle: Sure. What planet? You only told us to come here to the spaceport.
Grigory: Oh, right. Hmmmm... uh, I'm under NDA, can't talk here.
Huckle: Oh okay. I guess a Zero Trust facility might be confidential like that.
Grigory: Thanks for understanding, I know it sucks mkaaaay? Also thanks for coming, Seiichirou.
Seiichirou: Thank you for having me, even if I'm here as an UEHA rep. Are you sure I can be here?
Grigory: It's cool, I cleared it with your real job. My company wants whatever info you can give, mkaaay.
Seiichirou: Wow, direct. But helpful.
Grigory: It really is all about the info sharing~! Also someone else may be using us, so.
Seiichirou: ...well okay then.
Grigory: Whooooa, just like that?
MC: (Alliance stuff?) / wait what
(A) Danzo: Wow, you get it MC? Nice.
(BC) Akashi: Dunno. Mokdai?
Mokdai: I guess it's Defense Department stuff?
Sui: And Grigory knows all about that going in. Or something?
Grigory: Okay, let's goooo! But toilet break calls and luggage checks first!
MC: what are you, a tour guide? / softboi again / Can I bring snacks?
---
(AB) Grigory: Oooh, maybe I need a little flag to wave around too.
(C) Grigory: Okay! Price cap 500 space yen. Kidding.
Melide: Should I ask if bananas count? The book said they did.
Sui: ...what book?
---
Grigory leads everyone to a ship. Hours later, the ship stops somewhere
Grigory: We're here! Warp gates are awesome.
MC: ...there's nothing outside tho.
Crowne: I don't see anything either.
Sure looks like empty space out there.
Crowne: Are we docking onto some other ship?
Grigory: Nope! Now let's go to the computer room.
MC: what
Grigory: Mkaaay now, I'mma connect us through.
Grigory types onto a space keyboard and makes a door frame machine from Matrix code!
Grigory: Now I need an Observer sooo... MC, help? Take this door frame doohickey and look at it like it's a real door.
MC: Okay! / i-is this gonna be okay?
(A) Akashi: OMG don't just go along with whatever this is! Grigory is this safe!?
Grigory: Whoops. Yeah, it's allll cool. It's just in sleep mode and needs an Observer to observe it open.
(C) Grigory: Yuuup. It just needs an Observer looking at it to wake up from sleep mode.
Grigory: yeah I know it looks ugly. Still a WIP, only in house people have been using it. Okay, I'mma connect it now!
Exio: ...wait is that--
A dark spot appears in the door frame!
MC: Uh, is that a Path?
Grigory: Okay thanks, MC! You feeling okaaay?
MC: Y-yeah / Is that a goddamn Path!?
---
(A) Grigory: Oh cool. It'd be weird if you didn't.
(B) Grigory: Yup! Fun fact it was already open though.
---
The Path fills the door frame and starts shining from within.
Computer: Coordinates confirmed. Science babble initiated.
Grigory: So, like, we first found this Path by accident? (watches monitor) We do checks and modding of Paths, but sometimes we can see inside. (hits button)
The Path opens up to some grass field!
Melide: ...is that a parallel world?
Computer: Safe Mode on. Monitoring.
Shocked party!
MC: WHAT
Grigory: Mkaaay now, welcome to Zero Trust's research lab in the Imaginary Point.
End of Episode
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