Astar (narrating): I vaguely remember lots of shaking, wherever I was at back then. Somewhere cooped up, with lots of alarms. And then I think something hit me.
What The Hell is That Silhouette: WHY THE FUCK IS THERE A KID IN THE CARGO!?
Astar (narrating): I woke up to bright light. Blinding, really. Then I noticed the cold. And something holding me?
CLAMP Ass Alien Thing: Kid, you can't just lie there in this--
Astar (narrating): It got colder.
Escaped Pokemon Character Design: Oh goddammit, no kid you canNOT pass out on me now of all times! Wake up!
Astar (narrating): Mad as whoever it was, they still stayed with me.
Astar (narrating): Next I woke up, there was a towel on me and the doll with me.
???: S'up kid. Can you talk?
Astar Lily: ....yes, thanks. I'm...Astar. I think.
???: You what? Ugh. I'm Nic, and I work on this ship. Well, ex-ship I guess.
Astar (narrating): Nic jerked his head at a fallen apart ship. Apparently we rode in on a space ship? Which then crashed out on Earth, and we were the only survivors.
Nic: And now I'm tryna fix this thing. Then I found you in some box when I opened it up. Why was your ass in there?
Astar Lily: Um...I don't remember. I only remember the shaking and being inside.
Nic: Huh...can't have been good, but what's it matter anymore? You must be lucky, Astar or whatever.
Astar Lily: Hmm. Maybe.
Astar (narrating): I think that was Nic's way of trying to be comforting after being on a ship that blew up and getting amnesia.
Astar Lily: ...huh?
Nic: What?
Astar Lily: Um, I think the doll just--
Astar (narrating): I was about to say it moved when it apparently got replaced with a cat boy.
Astar Lily: AAAAAA!
Cat Boy: AAARRR
Nic: oh fuck my life
Later
Astar (narrating): And then the cat boy waved his arms around trying to say something. Whatever it was.
Astar Lily: Um...
Nic: Can it not talk, or is it just talking in some language we don't get? Looks just like the doll earlier though.
Cat Boy: (sad cat noises)
Nic: It ain't your fault, stop being sad! What's your name anyway!?
Cat Boy: (confused cat noises)
Nic: Me, Nic. Him, Astar. You?
Astar (narrating): Clarifiying finger pointing included.
Cat Boy: ...Kram! ...[REDACTED]! Kram!
Nic: What was that second part? Eh whatever, Kram it is. Stay with Kram, Astar. God, what a shit hand this is. Astar, I'll be back.
Astar (narrating): And then he left. Apparently he really was busy then, doing stuff like repair work, directions, safety, delivery...anything really. And I just felt strangely calm during all that.
Kram: Asa...?
Astar Lily: Heh. Astar.
Astar (narrating): I think it was me and Kram who warmed up those towels Nic left for us.
Later
Nic: Okay, ship hidden. Parts, washed. That's done, somehow.
Astar (narrating): Nic came back a few days later after he was done with his work.
Nic: Man, I'm GLAD those military police dudes blew us up because it would be a situation if the natives found us.
Astar Lily: Why?
Nic: This Earth place don't have space travel yet. They don't even know aliens are a thing yet either. You know how deep I'll be if the bosses find out I ratted out our being a thing to them? God, I gotta do the repair work on the down low now too.
Astar (narrating): And then Nic started making parts.
Astar Lily: What's that?
Nic: Uhhhh... small car parts to help pick stuff up. Thank fuck the generator device still works.
Astar (narrating): Nic looked at us. We haven't left the tent since we'd break the ship camo if we moved around much.
Nic: Uggggh. So, like, this small car can go out and fly. Wanna come with for a bit?
Astar (narrating): So, I think Nic cared about us. But more than that...?
Nic: Faster! We got a ship to fix!
Astar Lily: Wow, no one can see us!
Astar (narrating): We were all cramped into that little thing.
Nic: No leaning out the flying space mini car unless you wanna fall out!
Astar (narrating): It was warm.
Astar Lily: The city lights look like stars, huh Kram?
Kram: (excited cat noises)
Astar (narrating): We always bugged Nic to take us along when he went scavenging. He'd always take us, even with all his bitching about it. We saw a lot of places and things, and it was always fun.
Later
Nic: Engine Thingy is good and autopilot is back up! Finally I'm done with this shit!
Astar (narrating): Nic fixed up the ship after a couple days' work.
Nic: Okay everybody, please climb aboard in an orderly fashion thank you!
Astar (narrating): And people did. I think they're Nic's acquaintances? They were all polite and thankful as they got on. Kram and I just held hands and stood outside.
Nic: ...what? Get in the damn ship, kiddos.
Astar (narrating): We didn't respond. Nic sighed and scratched his head.
Nic: ...yeah yeah, I know. You don't know where to go, huh?
Astar (narrating): He was right. Where would we even go?
Nic: Well I'm literally on the same ship I guess, floating on the breeze. So...UGGGHHH...I'll be your guarantor!
Astar (narrating): Nic looked like he was sucking on the world's biggest lemon as he said he'll be our guardian. That was great, but also...
Astar Lily: You can go anywhere and be okay?
Nic: what
Astar Lily: Then I don't want to get on! I want to fly around Earth with you more!
Kram: Me too! (cat noises)
Astar (narrating): Kram learned Space Japanglish by this point.
Nic: whaaaat the shit, kiddos.
Astar Lily: If you can be anywhere, then we want to be here because we know what we want to do!
Kram: This! Be [REDACTED]!
Nic: Okay what's this poster? Ummmm... some sorta local thing? Does that say...Santa?
Astar Lily: Santa's amazing!
Kram: Good kids, presents! Naughty kids, punish!
Astar Lily: Let's all be Santa so we don't have to hide like hobos anymore!
Astar (narrating): The decorations were nice, and I wanted to see them from up closer. I didn't have to be included, just closer.
Nic: Who the hell let you learn to speak Space Japanglish so fast? Also I don't really care about being this Santa thingy.
They know he's just saying that.
Nic: What? ...okay fiiiine, I'll do it. I don't have a home either.
Astar Lily: Yay!
Kram: (happy cat noises)
Nic: Welp.
Astar (narrating): And so we started trying to be more like Santa.
Later
Astar Lily: Yay, we made a lot of people happy this year!
Nic: Yeah. People side eyed us at first, but now we're regulars. And we're covering a lot more places, but...
Astar Lily: What's wrong, Nic?
Nic: The hell is with all these different stories about Santa!? Santa gives tReAtS!? Okay FINE, the generator can do that!
Astar Lily: Yay! Let's make even more people happy!
Kram: Yeah! (cat noises)
Nic: Oh sure, it's not like I'm doing anything else or whatever. But I guess it's a regular way of showing new tech, so fine.
Later
Nic: Hmm. Funny Christmas command phrases are a must!
Astar Lily: They're hard to get. Also Nic, you gave some other things some weird names too.
Kram: (concurring cat noises)
Nic: Shut yo damn mouth!
Later
Nic: Okay kiddos, got what you're doing this year?
Astar Lily: Yeah! I'm going to use the Book of Sinterklaas to find children and Kram will punish bad ones, right?
Nic: Yep, our prototype...how's it judge good and bad anyway?
Astar (narrating): Apparently making the Book was really hard.
Nic: Well whatever, the ship's adapativity went up and the generator's now more efficient. 10 years and finally it feels like I'm doing good. Let's make people even happier this year!
Astar Lily: Wow, did you make something new?
Nic: Yeah! I made a new control device!
Astar Lily: The animal thing going in front of the ship? Why?
Nic: We can't let people know we're aliens, you little dumbass! I can only mod the ship so much, so if I put add ons in, I should spruce up its looks with Earth customs!
Astar Lily: Oh yeah, you said something like that before with this Earth thingy. But animals don't fly, right?
Nic: S-shut up, this is just in case someone does see!
Astar Lily: O-okay? Didn't you just say something different though?
Kram: (confused cat noises)
Later
Astar Lily: Hey Nic I bought a book from that town earlier.
Nic: Huh, I was wondering why you went out with the tech disguise cape I made. Wait, Santa's sleigh gets pulled by reindeer!? Oh my god, this explains things now!
Astar Lily: I guess people believe if they wrote about it.
Nic: Nice.
Later
Astar Lily: Nic, why do we have eight reindeer?
Nic: Stability reasons, dumbass!
Astar Lily: Kram, what do you think? I think it's too gaudy.
Kram: Nice. I-I like cool.
Nic: See!? He agrees!
Astar Lily: You're so nice, Kram...
Nic: It IS big though, so maybe I should expand the ship too.
Astar Lily: Maybe I'll get bigger too.
Kram: You will.
Astar (narrating): Those were fun days. Every year, we did more and people hoped for more. We messed up sometimes, but still good times...and during those times, I abandoned myself.
Astar (narrating): It was just an argument at first. Maybe if we changed some stuff, I could be Santa by myself. I was thinking, maybe that way there'd be more Santas.
Nic: That's fucking stupid. Don't look at me like that, you think Santa makes that kinda face? We're already doing silly shit, how's it supposed to work if we take ourselves too seriously?
Astar (narrating): And I took that personally.
Nic: Kram, your thoughts?
Kram: [REDACTED]
Nic: Annnnd he seems to be talking to somebody else again.
Astar (narrating): Kram was looking into space and talking to...someone.
Nic: Anyways, calm down kid. We're just playing around and--
Astar (narrating): I don't remember what else he said, but Santa's not some silly shit. Santa's a miracle! I stopped talking to Nic and Kram after that. And then that thing happened.
One day...
Nic: Holy shit everything is on fire and blowing up! We're gonna crash like this!
Astar (narrating): He desperately tried to fix things. It didn't help.
Nic: Oh no the door blew open! Grab onto something!
Astar (narrating): The pressure sucked hard. We couldn't really breathe.
Kram: Hurts...
Nic: GODDAMMIT
Astar (narrating): Kram fell out first.
Nic: Kram, no!
Astar (narrating): Nic grabbed him, but the machine he was holding onto started cracking. I thought they were both going to fall out when...
Astar Lily: Grab my hand!
Nic: Astar...!
Astar (narrating): The weight intensified on Nic as the machine made more noise. It hurt. I thought my arm would rip off.
Nic: Command...input!
Astar (narrating): Nic tried, but his commands weren't going through. Everything hurt. Everything...went quiet. Maybe I could let go. It wouldn't be my fault. I was just a kid. I can be Santa on my own. I blacked out...did I let go? I woke up after the ship crashed. Next to me was the doll that replaced Kram along with some shiny dust. I picked it up and looked around...but I couldn't find Nic or Kram. I was all alone. Maybe if I held on, I'd have disappeared with them. But I couldn't, and this is my punishment. I can never forget, or I'll lose the memories of all our good times together. So now I have to keep being Santa.
Title Card: The Companions of <---> Nic<--->
MC: (...did I just see Astar's past?)
MC just saw into Astar's Shadow and saw what made him the way he is now.
Monomasa Oosato: Oof!
Monomasa is barfing out black goo everywhere! A cannonball of the stuff shoots towards the party!
Polaris Mask: Damn, what!?
MC: Monomasa!
Monomasa Oosato: Urk! Wha...?
A shining star peeks out of the goo and shines on the party!
Polaris Mask: Oh no!
Melide: Wait, I saw this...
Monomasa Oosato: Drovyne... stop, I want to quit. I can't dream for this... We can't change. We can't be saved!
That's the dream Melide saw!
Melide: Monomasa...is this...both your dream? Both your light and darkness?
The light shines brighter! Also phone alert!
Phone: Path Reconnection detected. Subject: Astar. Connectivity: Very Weak.
MC: Astar...?
Something's in the light...
MC: That's not shadow or atonement...it's what he had all along?
MC sees what Astar brought along for his atonement, but is that what it really is? Is that what Santa was for him?
MC: (No...)
The thing he's always had must be...
Astar: Get back, I'll take him.
Astar steps forward. There's noise in his transformation. His dream is falling apart.
Astar: I...have to keep being Santa.
He's still going for it, joyless as it is for him. He believes that's how he shows value. The phone still shines, his Path open.
Polaris Mask: Get it, Astar! I hate waiting around too!
Polaris Mask is laughing at a time like this.
Polaris Mask: There's something you wanna do, right MC?
Polaris Mask sounds determined as he looks at MC's phone.
MC: You can tell!? / Yeah
Polaris Mask: What, you ain't the only observant guy here.
Melide: MC, if you could see Monomasa's starlight Path, then it must be connected to Monomasa.
MC: Melide...
Polaris Mask: Right, we'll stall for you!
Melide: Please. I'm sure Astar's dream continues on.
Astar: ...what?
MC: Thanks, gimme a sec.
MC understands Astar's baggage, but also the time they spent with Astar this event was not for nothing. What did he think of his time with Nic and Kram? It still isn't enough for what comes after deciding his dream and fate. So MC dives back to the day Astar first met the Voice.
MC: Astar
Astar Lily: Ah! Voice?
Back to the beginning.
Astar Lily: Yay, hehe. You came back again.
MC: Astar, what's Santa to you?
Astar Lily: Um...
Astar Lily thinks.
Astar Lily: Someone who gives presents to good kids and punishes bad kids. I don't know though, and I don't think Nic or Kram know either. I got busy trying to fulfill peoples' wishes along the way...
MC: Not that.
Astar Lily: Huh?
MC: I'm talking about the very first time you thought about what you wanted to do.
Astar Lily: Uhh...
Astar Lily looks surprised as he fidgets with his clothes for a bit.
Astar Lily: Nic saved me. He cusses a lot, but I was happy he did. He really looked after me. I was sad my doll disappeared when Kram came, but he was warm... even when things looked bad, it was still...homey.
Astar's eyebrow fires float toward his hands.
Astar Lily: My fire can't warm things, but if I can smile when it's hard, things feel better. So I hope I can make things better for even one person. And I think that's what Santa's like.
MC: ...right, thanks.
Astar Lily looks surprised as he fidgets with his clothes for a bit.
Astar Lily: Nic saved me. He cusses a lot, but I was happy he did. He really looked after me. I was sad my doll disappeared when Kram came, but he was warm... even when things looked bad, it was still...homey.
Astar's eyebrow fires float toward his hands.
Astar Lily: My fire can't warm things, but if I can smile when it's hard, things feel better. So I hope I can make things better for even one person. And I think that's what Santa's like.
MC: ...right, thanks.
Time to tune in back to the present!
Astar is hanging in there and looking like hell...
Melide: Astar, fall back! Your suit is falling apart!
Astar doesn't fall back.
Astar: Some things I can't do, but I have to keep on going anyways!
Astar feels his worth is only in his never quitting or backing off.
MC: ...that's not all.
Astar: Oh, your brain's back. What the hell are you on about?
He looks like he's hurting.
MC: You've been trying, and that is worth something in itself. I can prove it.
Astar: You don't know me! You can't prove anything!
MC: Doing silly shit is when you need to laugh.
Astar: wait what
MC: When things look bad, you wished that there'd be even one more warmer, happier person.
Astar: W-wait, are you--
Astar thinks about Santa again. The distortion noise disappears from his suit!
Astar: Y-you...could you be...?
MC: Astar. Tell me what it is you want to do. I'll keep my eyes on it.
Astar: !!
Astar: I...
The shadows are long, but there still is light.
Polaris Mask: Cool, you're back! Alright Astar, lay it on us because they ain't moving until you open your mouth!
Polaris Mask steps forward! He's breathing hard from having to tank for everyone so long.
MC: Are you okay, Polaris Mask!? / WHAT
(AB) Polaris Mask: It's cool, you were behind me!
(C) Polaris Mask: What? You did that to me when we talked earlier.
Astar hadn't thought about what he wanted to do in a long time. Monomasa is suffering in front of him. He's just like him...
Astar: I want to stop him. He suffered inside his storm just like I did, but I stopped looking while he kept doing so. And...I...I-I want you to watch me.
MC: Sure.
Astar: T-thank you.
Monomasa Oosato: Melide...MC...leave me alone...everything sucks!
Melide regains her posture.
Melide: Never. MC, let's do this together!
MC: Yeah! Monomasa, stop!
More black goo barfing out!
Monomasa Oosato: Dro...vyne...we...
BATTLE START (more happens after)
Monomasa Oosato: Finally...naptime...
The black goo disappears as Monomasa Oosato changes over to Monomasa!
Monomasa: Oof.
Polaris Mask catches Monomasa!
Polaris Mask: Whoa, you good?
Monomasa: Yeah, thanks. It's me again. Monomasa is sleeping again. Sorry I couldn't stop him...
Polaris Mask: Geez. Well you oughta sit down a bit too.
Astar: ...that was his storm's manifestation just now. He's probably still in it.
Melide: Monomasa, I...
Suddenly alarm sounds!
MC: WHAT
Astar: No!
Astar has a flashback!
Astar: Back to the ship! Now!
The party goes back and Astar pulls up some screens. There's a damage report on part of the ship!
Astar: From the battle? No, there's also ether overcharge?
Polaris Mask: What the hell's happening!?
Melide: Um...aren't we falling?
MC: Yeah...we're screwed, huh?
Astar: Shields down, engine dying, flight units dead...it's that day all over again.
MC: Astar, what's happening!? / oh no
Astar: We're falling, with no shields for protection.
End of Episode
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