Live A Hero Santa Claus Workout Episode 1 (Abridged)

Astar (narrating): How long can I keep this up if the one watching me isn't here anymore and I don't remember what they sound like? That's a stupid question. I'm doing this until I drop dead. Sure, it wasn't worth much in the beginning and things got twisted on the way, but I'm doing this because I have a dream. This is what I should do with myself... still, part of me wants to see and hear them again. It's all I want at this point.

Title Card: Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Orient City
MC: Is this everything? / Damn it's cold / Wow it's almost Christmas...
---
(A) Monomasa: Yes, everything aside from the donuts the director asked for.
Melide: We were too late for those. Isn't he supposed to be on a diet anyways?
(B) Melide: Yes. Let's have tea when we get back. I bought cake too.
---
MC's out with Melide and Monomasa. It's cold and wintery out.
Monomasa: Halloween sure went by quick.
Melide: I didn't know the city gets busy like this at Christmas. It's nice.
Monomasa: ...yeah, we couldn't see it when we were in hiding. In hindsight, a lot's happened. It's nice to celebrate with everyone.
MC: Want anything for Christmas, Melide? / Any Christmas memories, Monomasa? / I wonder how Yohack and Astosis are?
(A) Melide: Hmm, I never thought about it. Have you already decided?
(B) Monomasa: Not "me" per se, since I'm not from Earth and wasn't here that long back then. I remember something similar from my home planet though. That was nice.

Plot twist!
Monomasa: I sense something.
Monomasa stops and looks serious!
Melide: ...wait.
Suddenly screaming!
Monsters: SCREEEE
MC: Oh my god, Monsters!
Monomasa: Small ones, but this is still public. MC...you have your hands full. Melide, transform me.
Melide: Right. MC, we'll handle it. But if things escalate...
MC: I'll call the office for help. You guys take care.

Monomasa: Right. Good to see how reliable you've gotten. Melide, let's go.
Melide: Don't spoil them, Monomasa. MC, what do Observers do?
MC: Safety first, no pushing things!
Melide: Good. Okay, we're off.
Melide transforms Monomasa, who then carries her and jumps off signs and poles to get to where the Monsters are.
MC: Wow, fast. Okay time to call the office.
MC steps aside to get their phone.
Rando: OH NO THERE'S MORE OF THEM
Monsters: SCREEEE
MC: OH GOD MONOMASA HELLLLP

Elsewhere
Astar: Huh, everything around looks different. Is this really Earth and not some other planet?
Everything looks different to him. So many tall buildings. So many aliens.
Astar: At least I don't have to disguise myself then. Now I need to get to looking for--wait what?
Lots of yelling and screaming! But that's not what gets Astar's attention.
Astar: Them.
Back to MC...
MC: (Safety first, but I wanna make sure everyone else is safe too)
Things seem to be escalating here!
MC: Hello, Observer speaking! Any heroes? HELLLLP!
MC's voice doesn't get far in the screaming crowd, but...

Astar: I hear you.
A stranger steps up!
Astar: (stares)
Maybe he dropped from the sky or something. Then he approaches.
Astar: I'm Astar. You an Observer?
MC: Um, you're a hero? / what? / wow big
Astar: I said, are you an Observer? Answer me.
Quiet, deep, gravelly voice.
MC: U-UH YES
Phone: Path detected. Subject: [REDACTED] Connectivity: Unstable
MC: Weird. Is this what happens without getting a contract sent?
Astar: Hey, they're almost here.
Astar points.
MC: O-okay this is informal but emergency! We'll just do it later!
MC transforms Astar!
Astar: Hm, I normally don't use this when I'm not being Santa but oh well.
MC: ...a Santa suit? That's your dream?
MC: (Something seems off, somehow.)
Astar: (charges flames into fist) I guess I'll try it out. Punishment time.
BATTLE START (more happens after)

Monster: L-lovely... (poof)
Cheering crowd of saved people!
MC: Thanks, good job out there!
Astar: You're an Observer. I'm not gonna turn on you. But anyways, you--
Monomasa: MC! Sorry we're late! Are you okay?
Monomasa is back carrying Melide with him!
Melide: I heard Monsters spawned here too. Are they gone already? Also, who's that?
MC: He fought them off. I literally just met him too.
Monomasa: Ah, I couldn't get to them all myself. Thank you. I'm Monomasa, and I work with MC at Parallel Flight.
Astar: ...I'm Astar. I did this because I felt like it. Anyways, you're MC? You saw how my dream materialized? Is that work of some kind of your society?
MC: Hero stuff? Uh, heroes and Observers work together to fight off Monsters.
Astar: Oh, okay I have a favor to ask then. I'm a foreigner from another universe, and I want you to observe my dream and let me work as Santa.
MC: WHAT
Melide and Monomasa: Work as Santa?

Later
Everyone is back at Parallel Flight!
Astar: ...
Astar is sitting there in his Santa hero suit.
Yoshiori: And that's why you brought him here?
MC: This could turn into another gig and we owe him, okay?
Yoshiori: HE'S A SHADY STRANGER FROM WHO KNOWS WHERE! Why bring him if he turns out to be lying!?
Melide: Now now, Yoshiori. Astar is a reasonable person who helped MC.
Monomasa: He's unclear on points, but he doesn't seem wily.
Yoshiori: You people are going soft. So why he's still in hero mode?
MC: He said he wanted to stay like that / He'd usually be working already
(A) Yoshiori: ...can't anyone communicate around here?
(B) Yoshiori: We literally just turned the calendar the other day! Is he from Space America or something?

Huckle: Okay we're back with all the paperwork for the transformation. You being a parallel world foreigner raises many questions, but we'll start with: what business do you have with us?
Astar: I wanna borrow an Operator(?) until Christmas to observe me being Santa.
Huckle: This...isn't a commercial thing, is it?
Astar: No, not like here. In my world it was something I did, and I wanna keep doing it here.
Sui: What does that even mean?
MC: Astar, do you...actually talk much with people?
Astar: W-what!? I have friends! I talked with people before!
Exio: I see, "before?" He doesn't seem to be lying.
MC: WHERE'D YOU COME FROM / Oh hi Exio.
Exio: Yoshiori called me about some nonsense. You're...like a shooting star. I mean that in the old way.
Big Exio smile.
MC: Is that a compliment? / O-oh / (wait...)
(AB) Exio: ...yes, your optimism is irrepressible. Remarkable.
(C) Exio: Oh you get it? I know how the people around you must feel.

Huckle: Um. So your business thing is handing out presents like Santa Claus?
Astar: Oh, so you guys have Santa Claus too? That works. Uh, will this work as payment?
Astar dumps out a bunch of copper, silver, and some gold coins out of his bag. Some say PFENNIG and MARK. Denominations?
Sui: Pretty. Where's it from?
Huckle: I don't recognize it. Maybe it's from his home world?
Astar: ...oh, this is pretty much all I have. I did pick up some currency upon coming to this world though.
Astar pulls out a cash card that people sometimes use for payment.
Huckle: Oh, that we can use. One moment while I check... !! ...oh, this isn't quite enough to cover our fees.
Astar: Hmm, those are my woodworking job savings. Is it still enough to get an Observer to transform me over the phone?
He's trying hard to figure something out.
Melide: I bet it'd be tough going to another world alone if it were me. Can we do anything for him?
Exio: For you, hmm? We're still a business though.
MC: Hmm...

Ring ring
Huckle: Excuse me. Crowne? What's up? We're in a meeting right now.
Crowne: Oh, sorry. I was wondering if they made it there yet.
Huckle: Someone's coming over?
Crowne: Yeah so I'm at Maculata's office and this guy just slammed out the door and--
BANG
Polaris Mask: YOOOO PARALLEL FLIGHT PEEPS!
Crowne: ...welp.
Huckle: My ears...
MC: Polaris Mask!? What the hell's happening!? / Wow, Winter Polaris Mask!
(AB) Polaris Mask: Hey MC, been a while!
(C) Polaris Mask: Hey MC! I gotta look cool no matter what season it is!

Huckle: Polaris Mask, what's going on all of a sudden!?
Polaris Mask: What do you mean, all of a sudden? I already asked if your schedule was clear!
Huckle: O-oh, is this about the questions you had about our personnel...?
Polaris Mask: Yeah, that! I got things ready, so now I just need a crew!
Exio: Is that how Parallel Flight does things? Weird.
Huckle: N-no!? I didn't expect things to be going this fast! We have done some schedule coordinating and checking but still...
Monomasa: Oh, is that what the Christmas scheduling you were checking on for?
Polaris Mask: Yeah! ...wait.
Polaris Mask starts eying Astar.

Astar: Uhh, what?
Polaris Mask: Oh my god, it's Santa! Awesome! You a hero!? I got a job you'd be perfect for!
Astar: Job? For me?
Yoshiori: OH MY GOD YOU CAN'T JUST JACK OUR CLIENTS
Polaris Mask: Oh, right. Sorry 'bout that. I can ask later after I settle my original stuff first! So, Huckle I got a job I wanna send to you guys! Got a Christmas tour involving transformations, so I wanna hire some on-site Observers and heroes. I also wanna use that Parallel Cue thing or whatever, so can I get MC?
Polaris Mask looks at MC.
MC: You know about that!? / the what now / HELP
(B) Huckle: Oh, did you forget? It only got named recently. It's that thing Crowne and Hisaki made to fish for more situationally appropriate hero forms using your Observer powers. I heard it needs some context programmed into the device to direct its searching. So, was that why you were at Maculata's?

Sui: Oh, is that what that necklace Master designed earlier was for?
Yoshiori: Wait...
Polaris Mask: Yep, it's done! Look!
Polaris Mask pulls out two star necklaces from a bag.
MC: Already!? / Whoa! / Hold up, Team Techies!
Hey, Hisaki and Maculata are also on the line.
Hisaki: Um, did I forget to tell you? Whoops...
Maculata: Same...
Polaris Mask: Gotta get things ready to go when you get to the job filing stage!
Huckle: I'd still have appreciated some sort of notice! *(sigh)* So what's the plan? I only heard that it's happening on Earth.

Polaris Mask: Yep! I wanna do a special feature with Santa Claus! We already got the Santa stuff ready to go, so I thought it was fate when I saw him!
Polaris Mask looks at Astar again.
Astar: You need Santa for a job tour...?
Polaris Mask: Yep! It's the stuff of dreams!
Astar: Hmm...okay. I'm in, except on Christmas Day itself.
Huckle: Hmm...
Thinking Huckle.
Huckle: MC, did anything seem off when you were operating with Astar earlier? And problems working with him?
MC: No, we could communicate just fine. He can fight.

Huckle: I see, thanks... Astar, what do you think of taking on a job using our office as an intermediary?
Polaris Mask: Ooh, good idea!
Astar: Okay? Will that get me what I want too?
Huckle: Yes. We'd like to help, but we can't do it for free. Plus you're apparently a parallel worlder so you have no way of guaranteeing anything, but doing things this way means we can guarantee things for the job period. Also, won't you need money while you look for a way back to your home world?
Astar: ...hmm. What matters most to me is being Santa.
Huckle: Well this does need Polaris Mask's agreement too...
Polaris Mask: It's cool with me!
Huckle: Okay then, let's file it that way. MC, you're fine with taking on this job?
MC: Yep! / Santa and pro wrestling huh? Neat.

Huckle: Monomasa, Melide, would you two go too?
Melide: Sure, although...
Monomasa: It's an unusual situation but okay. I hardly work with MC on these sorts of things.
Exio: Huckle, maybe I should go too just in case.
Huckle: You'd be in the same position I'd be in. We should leave them be. In this agency, it's best we be able to work like always no matter who we work with. It'll be too easy if you go too.
Exio: Oh alright, just stop smiling as you overrule me. This is a co-op team building job, right?
MC: (Hmm...)
Polaris Mask: Oh cool, more Operators and heroes? Nice! Monomasa or whatever, I bet you'll rock whatever suit the Parallel Cue gives you!
Monomasa: R-right. But can I actually use it?
Polaris: Uh, maybe just try it? We got plenty of people watching and MC will be there. No harm in trying!
Exio: Hmm...maybe Melide can also pick out a situational suit if it's for Monomasa?
Melide: Wait, really?
Exio: Yes, you know him well. Maybe you can pick up on the smaller dreams. A materialized dream can be observed as a copy by other Observers, but observing a new dream is hard. Why MC can do something like that is a mystery, but maybe you can hack it with Monomasa with your wide vision.
MC: Huh, so somebody else could do it? Want to give it a try?

Melide: Really? Huh...okay, I'll give it a shot.
Polaris Mask and Monomasa equip Parallel Cues. MC holds their phone up, then Melide holds her hand up to Monomasa.
Phone: Relevant Path found under specified search conditions. Connect?
MC: I got a hit! Can you do it, Melide?
Melide: It looks different from the Path I usually see, but I think so. Let's do it, MC.
click
Ta-dah! Christmas Monomasa and Polaris Mask!
Astar: That's your guys' dreams?
MC: It worked! / ooh cute bear paws / Sexy suit, Monomasa!
Polaris Mask: Yeah, it worked! ...wait what's this
Polaris Mask sideeyes his hands and Monomasa.
MC: What's up?

Polaris Mask: I mean it mostly fits, but both are kinda off from what I ordered? Monomasa's seems separate, and I didn't ask for these gloves in mine. I kinda recognize them... MC, did you see anything weird?
MC: No? You know those paws from somewhere?
Polaris Mask: Yeah. I guess it's because it's Christmas?
Monomasa: This is a Santa suit? Very bold.
Melide: I'm sorry, maybe I messed up somewhere...
Monomasa: No, I like it. Thank you Melide, MC.
Monomasa then whispers to himself.
Monomasa: Besides, this may have come from Both of Us.
Astar: Oh okay, so you both are Santas too? How much experience do you have?
MC: (I think there's a misunderstanding here) / (how do I explain the Parallel Cue) / (suddenly an interview!?)

Polaris Mask: Santa? Oh you talking about the show we're doing in these suits? Nope, gonna be my first time! Even within my agency!
Monomasa: Same. I've never worn this before.
Astar: What? This year's your first time? So like me, back then...
Thinking Astar.
MC: Astar? You're muttering to yourself.
Astar: Hmm...fine. It won't be like my experience. I've been fumbling around doing this for 80 years, even if it's weird and imperfect...
Astar turns to Huckle and looks serious.
Astar: Huckle, was it? Thank you for the offer, I accept.
Huckle: I-I'm glad to hear that?
Astar: BUT!
Everyone is shocked by Astar stomping his foot!
Astar: Polaris Mask. Monomasa. Melide. MC.
Astar looks at each person in turn.
Astar: I'M TEACHING YOU ALL WHAT IT MEANS TO BE SANTA!
Everyone Else: WHAT
MC: excuse me?
End of Episode