Kumano Gongen (narrating): So like back when I was still just human...
Totally Not Anchin: What do you MEAN you're in love with me!?
Kumano (narrating): I rolled up in this one village and some girl I literally just met proposed to me. She was all "omg ur so pretty you're my pure soulmate" but I couldn't say yes because Buddhist monks are supposed to be celibate. Girl's mind lived on another planet though, so just saying that didn't work. So my genius ass said...
Totally Not Anchin: Maybe there's someone else better for you?
Kumano (narrating): You know how country villages are. Everyone hears EVERYTHING and everyone's grandma knew about the dumping in fifteen minutes. I claimed I didn't want to embarrass her as I bailed without saying anything, but really...I didn't think we were anywhere close to being the same kind of beings. She turned into a dragon because I kicked her out of my world and wouldn't accept her as an equal, Tenshin Kasho Zanmai'd my ass, then according to local faith unalived herself.
Kumano Gongen (narrating): All that up there is the origin story of Kumano Gongen's faith. Which is to say, this fusion body that's probably my punishment for not picking that one right choice. Back then, back there, yes was the only right answer. But if this was some story, what's the takeaway supposed to be?
Later
Himavat: Kumano, you're too fussy and serious about these things.
Himavat's talking to the Setagaya club members about their futures.
Xi Wang Mu: Yeah, take your human responsibilities and live in that body. Mommy thinks you can forget about what happened already.
Himavat: Yeah, that's what I love about work. But seriously what horror story did you fall into? ...I like your thought patterns like she did, though.
Jersey Devil: Same, captain dude! Your feels ain't my business. Having religious faith and finding god? Pfffft, like that'll get me rich! Whatever work gets you ain't related to faith at all, yo. (leans on Kumano in exaggerated crudeness)
Kumano (narrating): Anyway this is Setagaya's Mountaineering Club. Interpersonal relationships here are dry, but that makes it paradise for me. No one's demanding total honesty with me (and threating to burn my ass over lies).
Kumano: Thanks Jersey Devil. If you want my body as is, I can lend myself out.
Himavat: So that's why you don't care about your body? It's dirty anyways, so it's easier doing everything? I think you care about it being dirty too much.
Kumano: ...I don't think you'll ever get it, Mr. Clean and Upright.
Kumano Gongen thinks Himavat would've managed to finesse Kiyohime's proposal somehow. Look at Mr. Long View over there, always being right. It'd have been nice to be like that, giving his whole heart and soul to someone.
Kumano: (...then again, Himavat's into Zao with all his Zao-ness.)
God it'd be nice to be perfectly right all your life. Not that he can do that.
Himavat: I'm not always right, Kumano.
Kumano: what
Himavat: It's just that I can only take the right way. It's why I like Zao.
Kumano: (stares)
Himavat: Hey Kumano, why did you come to Tokyo?
Kumano (narrating): Yeah I didn't get anything he was saying then. What else is new?
Present
So reminder, the party fell into some interdimensional caldera lake and the wires going up to Mt. Hakone are possessed or something.
Distortion Wyvern Thing: <>?!@#
MC: Another one!
Himavat: (regains clarity) Is it working now? Stay close, MC Fullname.
MC: Whoa how'd you do that? / (chestglomp)
(AB) Himavat: ...uhh, same thing Zao does?
(C) Himavat: !?
Himavat: Not that close.
Himavat: Accepting you as Zao Fan 2 is kind of weird. But anyways, I'm touching you with my artifact so we can now see the same things through memory shenanigans.
MC: You can do that? Sounds familiar. (remembers Pillars)
Himavat: Anyone with a World Pillar can do this. Mind sharing! Communication is a lie, personal cognitions make up the world. So if anyone can't do this, I guess they're stuck looking at glitches.
Distant fighting noises.
MC: Oh no, are the others fighting without knowing what's up!?
Himavat: Unfortunately likely.
MC: But why? What's that dragon thing I keep seeing?
Himavat: TLDR version, cognitive bugs preventing us from seeing each other as lives with value. If we can't communicate we see each other as incomprehensible things. I think.
MC: what
Himavat: Remember how Enigma said he popped out of Tokyo's information pool?
So if human consciousness comes from electric signals going through nerves, you could argue electric signals going through networks could make other consciousnesses. That's not enough for most people in this age though, which is why people attack AI. But anyways mountains are alive! They have dragon vein leylines to work as blood vessels, and Mt. Hakone being a mountain singularity makes it a mountain network. That means it too can spawn life the way Enigma popped out of comm nets and boy is it spawning them.
Himavat: Focus, MC. Do you feel the distortions nearby?
Something squirms.
Himavat: That's what the event singularity caused. Connecting so many leylines in one vessel is like stuffing a bunch of fish into a tiny aquarium. Know what happens?
MC: what / I think I've heard of that...
Himavat: They start attacking each other. Gu, kodoku, that sort of thing. They lose sense of their relations. Other beings having worth comes from there not being too many of them. Otherwise you instinctively get threatened over your survival.
Elsewhere
Kumano and Xi Wang Mu are running from confused event cast members!
Kumano: OH GOD HELP
Xi Wang Mu: Nobody is listening to Mommy! Keep running!
Outside the Singularity
Randos are crowding up to see the news. Mt. Hakone acts like it's a living animal! Some randos start sending secret messages to somewhere.
Somewhere aka Yurakucho
Oscar is getting reports.
Oscar: So...something seems to be trying to break out of the singularity? If it gets recognized as alive, the in and outside states of the overworld shift might flip. Before now, most of the shifts just collapsed because they got outnumbered by the outside.
Back inside the Singularity!
Himavat: So what now, Zao's heir?
MC: Um...
Himavat: Since Zao is gone, the investigation is down to us. I have three probable suggestions. One, the two of us retreat and get outside guidance. No guarantees we'll make it in time to solve anything, but we'll technically complete the job. Two, we drag our parties out, give up on solving the plot, and leave. I can probably fix them after we beat them over the heads, but then the plot still goes unresolved. We can run away and bunker down somewhere else, but who knows what'll happen to Tokyo? Three, we accept the event singularity and join fates.
MC: wait what does that even MEAN
Himavat: So our clubs have gone blind and are attacking each other. If we stop them, maybe whatever's being created here won't attack us either. Maybe it's evolution!
Mr. Incomprehensible To Normal People Galaxy Brain sometimes sounds like he's suggesting giving up. It's just that taking a view that long sometimes says "hey maybe large scale destruction is the right thing."
Himavat: Three is the most realistic if the goal is to preserve life. I don't know what kind of life it'll be though, mind you. So which do you think we should do, MC?
MC: What the hell kind of choice is this!?
Himavat: ...you have to pick even if there isn't a good choice. It's what being in charge and responsible means.
MC: But picking any of them means sacrificing things and--
Himavat: Yes, sacrifices will happen and our job is to carry that burden. (frowns)
MC: (thinks)
Earlier, Enigma noticed that there can be life viewpoints in other directions. Bigfoot showed everything can be replaced. Tanngrisnir showed everyone chooses what is right for them.
MC: And if Zao were here...
Himavat: ...time's up MC. What's your answer?
MC: I reject your suggestions and will come up with my own.
Himavat: wait what
MC: If there's no right answer and things are too cramped for everyone, then we will sidestep it and go some other way. That's what Zao would do.
Himavat: >:(
Plot twist! Something breaks through a nearby wall!
Himavat: Oh there you are, Jersey Devil.
Jersey Devil: (walks up and handshakes) Brooooo, you hit the jackpot again! Made it in by the deadline, so I could show up when you called, dude.
MC: WHOMST / hot
---
(C) Jersey Devil: bruuuuh thanks
---
Himavat: Okay, the Setagaya Mountaineering Club is all here. We're betting on your idea then! This'll be a big two-step plan, so we'll handle the first part! Let's go, team!
BATTLE START (more happens after)
Flashback!
Kumano Gongen: I hate people like you.
Kumano (narrating): I let that slip earlier. Maybe I should've said something else, but I ran off before resolving anything. Ugh, it's like with Kiyohime all over again.
Present
MC: (garbled) this way!
Flashback!
Himavat: MC, go get everyone's attention while we work. Don't worry, Xi Wang Mu will be with you. Even if she can't get through by speaking she can still see things like I do.
Himavat starts scouting for their positions with his artifact.
Himavat: She's one of the longest serving members on our team.
Present
Xi Wang Mu: Is it time for Mommy to do her magic? Okay, Noble Phantasm activate!
Xi Wang Mu flaps her tablecloth and wafts the smell of forbidden fruit to get the attention of all that lives.
Elsewhere
Jersey Devil: Y'all gotten to safety yet? Cool, underground expansion time! Noble Phantasm mining, go!
Jersey Devil starts expanding the Enclosed Area down!
Himavat: Hmm, I don't think I've worked on anything this big in ages. Noble Phantasm activate! Rise, mountains, rise!
Himavat starts expanding the singularity upwards too!
The confusion effect has been dispelled now that it's not too crowded!
Kumano Gongen: wait what just happe--OH GOD
Kumano starts falling!
MC: (save him)
Kumano: MC!
Kumano: (frowns)
Later
Kumano Gongen: Why'd you save me even after I said I hated you?
MC: Let's talk / Oh I hate you too, jackass! / Uhh, hot bod.
---
(A) Kumano: ...you really are an ass, stealing my lines from under me.
(B) Kumano: Damn, harsh. Good thing I never said this to her.
(C) Kumano: Pffft, you can't just say that! I feel relaxed now though.
---
Kumano: ...I wanted you to hate me because I'm afraid of being liked. It's not just with Kiyohime, but with everyone.
Kumano (narrating): This isn't a big deal to the Setagaya Mountaineering Club but I still didn't want to tell them. How can I keep my life going if people knew I worked as an escape? Not when so many people actually like working.
Kumano: I've always been running from my life. God DAMN I suck so much!
Deep feelings.
MC: Can't you run from things? It's how I got here since I didn't want responsibilities.
Kumano: (stares in shock)
Himavat told MC to take responsibility. MC said no. And here we are!
Kumano: HA! Damn you sure told me!
Kumano doesn't know why he's laughing either. But it feels like there's some sort of interpersonal understanding now.
Kumano: You're as dirty as I am. Heh!
Kumano hasn't laughed so hard in forever.
Kumano: ...I feel better now. So this is what it's like to talk to someone on equal footing. Maybe I should've talked to her like this.
MC: I feel more rumbling. Wait, something's wrong!
Kumano: ...it's HER.
Mt. Kumano. Where she left her heart behind.
Kumano: Kiyohime.
Giant dragon! Also she ate Zao or something.
End of Episode part
No comments:
Post a Comment