Halloween Police Epilogue (Abridged)

The weekend after the prankster incident. Clear skies, fireworks sounds, bright sunshine!
At Shinjuku
Ziz (over the PA): Hello thank you for coming on the last day of the Shinjuku Halloween Festival. Every other school is done with their festivals and volunteers are over here now. Please see a staff member if you find a lost child or have a problem. Have fun!
Ziz and Shennong: now what do we say on Halloween?
Nezha, Ashigara, and Sanat Kumara: Trick or Treat! Happy Halloween!
Ziz: time to start the last festival day!
Arslan: finish strong people!
Vending Machine: beep boop welcome y'all. Halloween treats and stamp cards for everyone!
Random kids: yay!
Vending Machine: have fun y'all!

Later
Boy A: u gaiz I filled out the stamp card and they gave me so much candy
Boy B: cool let's go everywhere!
Ryouta: don't run and fall! be good, kids!
Chouji: there's plenty of sweets! Enjoy!
Maria: Oh Chouji your food is always so delicious! It's nice being on the customer side for once. Also I have pudding for people.
Kids: yay!

Classroom
Shirou: Happy Halloween! Welcome, try our handmade pumpkin cookies!
Evils: shriek
Leib: nice. maybe I'll buy some for the enclosed life form science department...actually would it be fine to give them pumpkin stuff? seems unbalanced.
Shirou: How about this Ainu pumpkin rataskep?
Leib: boiled pumpkin? Ooh, nutty.
Shirou: Kimun Kamui taught us how to make it
Behemoth: check out our handmade mini-plushes, dudes!
Oniwaka: !
Oniwaka: I heard Master's school was doing a festival...I'll take one!
Behemoth and random classmates: Thank you! Yisss! 

School's front gate
Cu Sith, Arslan, and Zabaniya: Boo! Trick or--
Random Kids: wow real monsters! Trick or Treat!
Cu Sith: hey wait they trick or treated us first. oh okay where's that candy
Arslan: Wahaha, nice! Here you go.
Zabaniya: Happy Halloween. Don't go overboard with the tricks.
Random Kids: yay! here's candy for you guys too! No tricks from anybody!
Arslan: wow, nice! keep that consideration in your hearts, kiddos!
Zabaniya: ...thank you. This is kind of embarrassing.
Cu Sith: let's play! the next stamp is...over there! they have good sweets at each stamp place!

School roof
Alice: new jobs for the Halloween detective. and lots of new assistants too, right?
Hanuman: yes I'll be good and help if you give me candy!
Nezha: I'll play tricks if you don't give me treats! and if you do I'll be quiet ha ha.
Sarutahiko: sorry about my schoolmates have a free ticket to my bathhouse
Alice: smooth. Okay then, Assistant #1, give them candy. Also randomly passing Jambavan make us all tea.
Volos and Jambavan: Okay!
Jambavan: WAIT WHY AM I DOING THIS I'M JUST HERE FOR FUN
Volos: sorry friends, we need hot drinks since it's chilly up here
Makara: ooh this smells nice. Also you two look like you're having fun, Eita and Captain.
Ahab: I can't believe you guys dragged me from a nap on my ship to chaperone
Eita: hey where's Ebisu's stall? I came to cheer for him!
Gouryou: Babe alert!

Front gate again
Ebisu: Hello this is a stamp rally point! I'm here on business from Toyosu Marine Academy!
Tetsugyuu: I'm here from Umamichi! We have grilled whatever!
Yasuyori: pumpkin chanko from Yoyogi's sumo team! come get some!
Chernobog: hello and welcome. The Shinjuku Mountaineer club offers a pumpkin stew for you to feast on!
Ebisu: oh a new delivery order! Delivery people, thank you!
Tanngrisnir: Gullinbursti I challenge you to a delivery race!
Gullinbursti: bring it on
Both zoom off.
Durga: OMG they're fast, I can't let myself lose! But first an Ebisu-maki...they're so good.
Ebisu: thanks Durga! I have more if you want any.
Durga: oh but then I'd be number one in calorie count. ugh why does that have to be a thing
Ebisu: oh I just noticed my necklace fell off
Durga: oh my god Ebisu there was a dark hand just behind you what was that
Ebisu: huh, was someone there? did they undo the necklace? oh no wait I have customers!

Eita: yo hottie wanna eat an Ebisu-maki with me on the grass?
Gouryou: hey good lookin', wanna get grilled squid with me?
Harlot: you what pig
Gouryou: FORGIVE ME I HAVE THE WRONG PERSON Eita wegottagonow
Eita: but I didn't even score yet!
Harlot: ooh, Patissier Iimori is open. Sorry to make you carry stuff Arc.
Arc: it's cool mom. helping like this is what families do.
Harlot: good child. let's have something to eat when we get back to our seats.
Azathoth: god I'm finally back. Gimme pumpkin pie and cookies!
Surtr: Surprising. Did you always like pumpkin that much?
Azathoth: well they ain't bad. Memory correction maybe?
Surtr: I see. Then Father shall make a full course pumpkin dinner tonight!
Harlot: Oh, so you do come up with good ideas from time to time. We could have pumpkin gratin and stuff.
Arc: umm dad, a request?
Surtr: I understand. I'll make you your favorite macoroni gratin in Béchamel sauce
Arc: o-oh, thank you for that too but...can I invite friends over?
Surtr: Of course!
Harlot: how nice...maybe I should make something too.
Arc and Surtr: NO
Azathoth: LMFAO

Inside
Li Chou: Motosumi
Motosumi: what
Li: It is HALLOWEEN WHY ARE WE BABYSITTING!?
Motosumi: PIPE DOWN JACKASS WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN THEY ASKED ME TO DO THAT
Li: but you're even louder than me! ugh I'm getting more candy as we go around
Motosumi: we work good together! how about I treat you to something?
Li: starving. gimme three Ebisu-maki! Actually make that five!
Motosumi: you sure about that fatty?
Moritaka: now now Li, Halloween is a celebration for children.
Li: I guess...and you're weird for joining the babysitting too.
Moritaka: o-okay little babies, Class President gave me his handmade pumpkin paste for you to wean on! Come now Li, play peek-a-boo with us!
Li: Peek-a-boo! Aww, they're cute...NO WAIT I DIDN'T JUST SAY THAT SHUT UP

Some classroom
Wakan Tanka: hello we have lost children here
Magami: bark bark thank you for coming! I'll take care of them.
Daisuke: wait there's an actual policeman here instead of school staff?
Tajikarao: Excuse the surprise! We're here to help with security and directions.
(Kioh students are here now that hotline calls have stopped)
Wakan: Oh. Then how about I help too?
Touji: I'm back
Daisuke: wait don't you go here? Are you in police costume?
Wakan: oh yeah you were dressed like that when you came to our school too. And now you have two kids with you.
Touji: I transferred to Kioh, and these kids are lost. Found them on patrol. Senpais could you take care of them for me? I keep scaring them and making them cry.
Tajikarao: really? well okay then.
Magami: bark bark! Come here kids! See how soft my fur is!
Kids: (grab onto Touji)
Touji: wait what
Tajikarao: I think they like you. So what do you want to do?
Touji: ...okay, I'll try to find their families myself. Okay?
Kids: (nod)
Touji: Alright.

Hallway
Daikoku: Wow Hougen you can smile like that?
Hougen: Ruuude. I can be happy about my students growing too. By the way I noticed you hiding inside earlier. Feeling guilty about something?
Daikoku: ...ha ha oh you. Daikoku has no dark secrets in the closet here, nope! I just thought an old man like me might need to hold a hand out if need be.
Hougen: You don't say. Hey you're one of the Seven Lucky Gods, right?
Daikoku:
Hougen: There's another of you guys here. Why don't you say hello to them?
Daikoku: oh hey do you smell something nice? I smell something nice. What's in that bag?
Hougen: A subordinate gave me some snacks. Ebisu-maki, it's called. Did you want one? How about we go see the seller to make a fresh one, ehh?
Daikoku: ...well played, but no thank you

Outside
Gabriel: Hello everybody it's time for my concert! We have a dance group with us today!
Fenrir: DARKNESS! I will play the keyboard and dance.
Ashigara: yo peeps the playah is back! Check out my phat beats!
Kengo: I have no idea why I'm here but sure I'll dance
Alp: Hey you guys! Halloween Dance Time!
Dancers: YEAAAAH
Gabriel: I gotta step it up too! Time for the first song, start clapping with the beat everyone!
Audience cheers.
Alp: My dream continues on! Watch me you guys! Hip Hop Boom!
Gabriel: Clap clap, people! Yay!

Later
Ebisu: oh there you are Azathoth. Got a moment?
Azathoth: what up
Ebisu: I came to give the necklace back
Azathoth: wait it came off??? oh no wait
Ebisu: so it WAS you who gave it to me in that dream
Azathoth: oh this was a trick. no takebacks
Ebisu: n-no I wanted to thank you. I couldn't figure out how to say it, but you helped me.
Azathoth: how nice ARE you? You're the first person to die in a war game lmao
Ebisu leaves
Azathoth: (speaks CHAOS into the void)
Nyarlathotep: (answers back in CHAOS from the necklace)

Classroom
Sandayu: well I'll be damned, you pulled a miracle outta yer hat MC. And you went above and beyond what an organizer would do. Good job kiddo. Mononobe says--wait why are you fidgeting like that? Oh you have plans? Alright alright, go hang out with yer friends...you really do look like a normal student in times like these.
School roof
Hotei is lying on his bag and staring at the sky.
Hotei: ya heard, Kaishi? this the first step to yer dream. Let's go together and make everyone happy. I never worried, but I might run into a wall and start worrying like you one day. But I won't be alone then. There's us, Touji, Alp, Azathoth, and Alp! Also--
MC: are you napping up here? having fun? I was wondering where you were.
Hotei: MC is with us too! We are so gonna save the world with smiles!

Hotei picks up his bag and looks at you.
Hotei: got some last business to finish up, return the anger calmed down in my bag
MC: wait what
Hotei: the fragments of the two bags that hold the material and immaterial sunk to the bottom of my consciousness. If Kaishi is in me, I can switch bags and access his! I just can't use both at the same time. And here's the important part: the anger in my bag turns into luck as time passes, becoming a store of patience. That's the true nature of my original artifact.
That's why it's both a lucky bag and a bag of patience. It's the faith born of the life of the mad monk.
Hotei: I open my bag up and boom! All that luck comes spilling out. Happiness is about how much you can laugh about, but that ain't all I reckon.
MC: sounds like you / sounds nice / fortune isn't just smiles
(AB) Hotei: Right? I knew you'd get it!
(C): Hotei: I thought you'd say that. I ain't giving up!

Hotei: I'm gonna save the world with laughter! Blessings upon y'all! On Maitreya Sowaka!
Countless motes of light fly out of the opened bag. Few are going to know or care about what it is. But this light will surely bring someone in Tokyo happiness. That might be it for now, but maybe one day that person will smile for real. Hotei saw the light of the lucky bag and couldn't help but make a wish. Halloween will soon end like a dream and people will go back to their normal days, but the memories will surely bring a smile to someone's face. That was the little wish from the heart of the wandering monk.
Hotei: See y'all later!
The End

Halloween Police Episode 6 Part 3 (Abridged)

Toyosu
Li Chou: THE TREASURE SHIP IS IN TOKYO I AM GOING TO PISS MYSELF
Arc: I've confirmed the party is present too! Also, Hotei is glowing for some reason!
Dagon: Wait how is he up there if his body is over here!?
Kioh
Magami: Everyone, there's a ship shining in the sky!
Tajikarao: It's the legendary dream-crossing, luck-bringing ship!
Daikoku: ...oh.
Yoyogi
Durga: OMGWAT
Ashigara, Wakan Tanka, Daisuke: HWUUUT
Daikanyama
Maria: Look!
Arslan: Nice
Zabaniya: It's like a dream...I feel its faith. It can make anyone think this is all a dream.

Ueno
Cu Sith: Wooow! Look Leib!
Leib: Yeah yeah I'm looking. I'll be damned, Alp did it.
Umamichi
Hanuman: MIND BLOWN
Nezha: I wanna ride that ship and crash it!
Motosumi: Wow. Quick, pray to it!
Sarutahiko, Gouryou, and Tetsugyuu: worship, worship...
Somewhere in Tokyo
Tricksters: whooooa! Best trick ever!
Umamichi again
Harlot: The children are smiling. Good job MC.
Shinjuku
Ryouta: you guys look there's a ship shining in the sky!
The gang plus Sandayu: :D 8O :] :O

Back to the party
Ebisu: Hotei!
Hotei: (nods)
Hotei: Showtime! Hotei's bag, perfect form! ...one, two, THREE!
Hotei's artifact has the same power to collect negative emotions and nightmares the Treasure Ship does. It is a bag that holds necessary material things for traveling and it is a bag that holds immaterial things like fortune and madness. And now that Hotei and Kaishi have fused, the bag can now hold anything.
Hotei: Here we go! Take in all the negative feelings!
(The people's fears, anger, madness, and nightmares get taken into the bag)
Ebisu: Hotei, Alp can't hold out much more!
Alp: I can still do it!
Touji: Do it, Hotei!
Hotei: WHEEEEW! Okay thanks, Alp! Take us to my dream!
Toyosu
Dagon: Hey they're gone. Did they go back to the dream world?

(The party takes a short break. Everyone is side-eyeing Hotei's bag.)
Azathoth: so what now? Dump it overboard since we're in a dream?
Hotei: NOOOO! We gotta finish this for real!
MC: but aren't we already done?
Hotei: no I just concentrated all that anger into one place. now it has to be calmed down.
Touji: So, what? We deify it?
Hotei: Maybe! Okay I'm worried now.
Azathoth: LMAO of course you would! (nods)
Touji: ...what does that mean?
Azathoth: you guys we are so close to a bad ending here. The bag can take in anything, material or not, right? Anything able to take in any class or power into itself would have to be an All-Mighty All-Knowing being! Look here it comes!
MC: wait what
Suddenly...
Giant Hotei: WHAT THE HELL Y'ALL

Party: !?
Azathoth: LMFAO what a dumb looking god! Still a real god though even if this is the best the VR goggles can show us
The bag artifact has amassed a large amount of faith. It is a power without borders or limits, a dangerous being that can destroy Tokyo's System. As is, it is as powerful as an Exception that can't be summoned in Tokyo.
MC: a giant Hotei! What do we do!?
Azathoth: lul I got this, I have experience with this situation! Follow my lead!
Hotei: Fine! We finish this, it'll be all over! Last battle for the Halloween Police!
Touji: this has been a farce the whole way through. But fine, I'll stick it out to the end!
Alp: Tee hee, the Halloween Police protect the peace even in dreams
Ebisu: So if we win, the prank incident should stop and Shinjuku can do its Halloween festival too.
Azathoth: okay once the party's formed, bailing out is a dick move! We're in it all the way!
(The party looks at one another and grabs their shining badge)
MC: HEN! SHIN!
(The party transforms)
Party: Halloween Police, last battle go!
BATTLE START (more happens afterwards)

Kaishi: Pain and suffering is in every world I go to. I was born in Hourai, and wandered around everywhere with just my bag. My bag had the strange power to store suffering and anxiety, meant to help those carrying maddening amounts of grief and spread the word of Buddha. But again pain and suffering was everywhere, and my bag just kept filling up with the stuff. The more there was, the slower I walked. On the other hand, there'd one day be a person revered in another world who walked alone based only on my reputation, Hotei the avatar of the Maitreya Buddha. They'd say his bag is a lucky bag that holds fortune, and they'd talk about him as if he were someone completely different. What was I? Chopped liver? Maybe I'd start to hate him some day. Then one day I found a rainbow bridge. I couldn't cross it because I was carrying too much. That was when my other self appeared.

Flashback some time later
Hotei: Howdy doody, thanks a bunch! Workin' hard or hardly workin'?
Kaishi (narrating): This is so unbelievable that I voiced the wish I'd given up on.
Hotei: Now hold yer horses, boy! It's unreasonable to want to make everyone sufferin' smile. You ain't smilin'. How could anyone feel better if you tried to help lookin' like that?
Kaishi: I ain't...? (oh my god when did I stop smiling?)
Hotei: Y'know what? I'll go with you! I wanna make people smile too!
Kaishi: You do?
Hotei: This has gotta be fate! We have the same looking bags and all! And y'know what? Laughter will save the world!

Kaishi (narrating): I laughed. It's been so long since I've thought about that. It's funny how I was saved by a faith-based being with no real body born from myself like you. So we crossed the rainbow bridge together...except I fell off. Now I know that the world somebody wanted the two of us to walk different paths and divide the power to store dreams and reality. Maybe you meeting me made your goals and memory change, but I still pray for your safety. Let me thank you for saving me and giving me back my smile.

The present
Giant Hotei: WHAT THE HELL Y'ALL (continues rampaging for no apparent reason)
Touji: Being angry all the time isn't appropriate for Halloween! Time for an attitude adjustment, then some candy! My exorcist--actually, my Demonic Nature of Oni power will cut you down! (cuts a big hole and destroys a small part of Giant Hotei)
Touji: Not enough, huh? Whatever, it'll be over soon.
Giant Hotei: WHAT THE HELL Y'ALL (swings around causing shockwaves)
Alp: Stop that! Let's have fun with my dancing, yo! (summons winds with his dance to deflect the shockwaves)
Alp: YAY! My dancing is invincible in the dream world!

Ebisu: Wow he's so energetic. Well it is Halloween. My turn! True Ebisu-maki, go!
Dark hands from Ebisu's necklace take the Ebisu-maki to Giant Hotei.
Giant Hotei: WHAT THE HELL Y'ALL (gulp) THAT'S GOOD Y'ALL (partly dissipates into light)
Ebisu: Ehehe. Did you like it?
Azathoth: top kek, I bet you don't know what the purpose was in everyone doing what they were doing, huh new god?
MC: no really, is there a point? is this okay Azathoth? I mean we are following your instructions
Azathoth: yeah it's good. You know why the last boss is giving into insanity? Because it can't do anything if it doesn't pretend to be mad lmao! All according to keiken! (keiken means experience lol)
If a person becomes capable of doing anything, then nothing they do matters. In that case, they disappear as a matter of course.

Azathoth: that's why it keeps going on with the insanity. It's the same thing as doing a self-imposed challenge run on a game you platinum trophied! And that means stopping this thing is a matter of making it stop acting insane.
If cause and effect is in place, the madness will disappear. Trick or Treat!
Azathoth: take this candy! (finger snaps and turns Giant Hotei into candy)
Giant Hotei: WHAT THE HELL Y'ALL
Azathoth: it doesn't mean anything, it's Halloween. don't think about it.
Hotei: Y'all are making me uncomfortable with your follow-ups! And why does it look like me? What the hell y'all!?
MC: god you're late to the party / well it's easy to figure out / it's nice that it's easy to play off that
Hotei: that ain't a compliment at all, is it!?

Giant Hotei attempts to squish Hotei and MC with his hands.
MC: it being mad all the time makes it easy to ready. let's go! (super jumps) I'm gonna cut everyone's prankster mindset. Now CHIIIIIILLL! (cuts Giant Hotei's bag to split it back into dreams and reality)
Hotei and Giant Hotei: OW
Hotei: oh uh I'm not really hurt. Except maybe in my heart!
Azathoth: yeah a real god isn't that easy to attack, but that thing is different.
Even in a world that lost its borders between dream and reality, the people can tell themselves apart from one another. Hotei is from the dream side and Kaishi is from the physical side, so that border can be cut.
Azathoth: not bad you lazy deadbeat
Hotei: okay finally it's almost over. I'm gonna take the best part here!

Giant Hotei is half dispelled of the madness creating it, making it unstable and struggling to maintain itself.
Giant Hotei: why...tricks should be...okay...
Hotei: Prankster Halloween ends here, but that ain't the end of Halloween. After trick comes treat, and smiles wait for everyone! (pulls out his anchor artifact)
Hotei: and now for my next trick! (sends chains out from the anchor to tie up Giant Hotei)
Giant Hotei: why
Hotei's eyes are filled with compassion and the desire to save people. But are they his feelings or Kaishi's?
Hotei: OKAY WOW THIS IS HEAVY

MC: ...I'll help
Hotei: Thanks MC!
Azathoth: hey new guy! hint for you! you don't have to clear all the challenge mode quests on your own. If something's heavy you can just share the weight with someone! Not like I knew that back then myself but whatevs. It'd have been great if you figured that out before I did!
Hotei: Noble Phantasm, activate! Sink, o anchor! Sink, o anger so fortune will come calling! Benevolence Anchor: The Greatest Anchor!
This is one of the artifacts held by the Seven Lucky Gods member Hotei, the thing that plunges deep into dreams and appeases negative emotions. And so the divided fragment of Hotei and Kaishi's artifact sank into the bottom of the sea of dreams...

Later, at Toyosu
Surtr: Welcome back. Good job boys, Tokyo should calm down soon.
Arc: welcome back Azathoth. Had a nice adventure?
Li Chou: hell yeah, mad props bro!
Aegir: hell of a job you guys did! I was damned surprised when the Treasure Ship appeared in Tokyo!
Dagon: the net rumors are tying themselves up, so the children must be helping to put a stop to them
Touji: Hey my oni side fell asleep. Must have tired himself out. ...thanks, see you next time. Happy Halloween.
Hougen: good job everybody!
Touji: Master, why are you here!?
Hougen: well things cleared up all at once, even all the calls. Now I can enjoy the sexy Halloween costumes aga--I MEAN I was worried about you guys, yup!
Touji: I'm so touched by your concern!

Toyosu campus grounds
Harlot (with Ziz and Shennong): nice work MC. Everything work out okay?
MC: you guys! / hi, yeah. and you guys?
Harlot: yes we had it hard too, so we had to split ourselves up. Show us some appreciation later, okay? Is it going to be a cute trick or some sweet candy? Tee hee.
Touji: Case closed, time to retire the Halloween Po--
Hotei: but Halloween ain't over yet!
Alp: Yeah! Ueno's getting rave reviews! I gotta go back and put my dance show on!
Ebisu: I have to cook more Ebisu-maki. I know I'm an organizer but I still feel bad for the others.
MC: Shinjuku can do its own Halloween Festival too now! Gotta make it a success!

Hotei: okay, how about we check out Toyosu's Halloween festival?
Azathoth: I'm so in! I want more pumpkin pie!
Alp: Yay, let's go eat together! Oh wait, but first...
Hotei: haha, got to end this right!
MC: All together!
Party: Halloween Police! Protecting Halloween's peace!
Everyone laughs, and tomorrow Shinjuku's Halloween will finally begin
To be continued in the Epilogue!

Halloween Police Episode 6 Part 2 (Abridged)

Hotei: There. There. No wait, too far. Go here! Now there! That way!
Ebisu: What does that even MEAN!?
Alp: hey sailing's been a lot smoother since we got here
Hotei: inorite? Once we got here I got a real good reading on where my body is
Touji: The mind and body are normally one thing. If they separate, it's normal for them to be drawn to each other.
MC: But why was Hotei split to begin with?
Azathoth: kek

Touji: By the way...why do we have to change our clothes and iron them here? We aren't technically in Tokyo anymore, so why do we have to dress like pretend police officers?
Hotei: Psssh, this is variety to spice things up!
Touji: What?
Alp: I think I get it! The aesthetics of sentai transformation!
MC: Hotei you got these costumes for us from your bag, right?
Hotei: the police guess was around earlier about the costumes. Oh Ebisu turn right. But anyways I was sitting on a bench at the park thinking about it when a wild fashion designer fainted in front of me. She told me she was up four nights straight with nothing to eat, so I gave her something from my bag.
Azathoth: what dev galaxybrained that plot point
Touji: It hurts to agree with him

Hotei: so anyways she made the three-size fitting Halloween Police costumes as thanks!
Ebisu: For all of us here!? Is that why we're all in police costumes?
Hotei: Yup! SSR custom item! Once it's done I gotta pack it away neatly!
Touji: We're getting off topic but I appreciate the thought put into it
Hotei: Same brain! Now iron this one too
Touji: >:C

Later
Touji: How beautiful. This place looks like something from a fukutsui ink painting
Alp: a what
Touji: It comes from the words for counting scrolls and for two things joining into one. Picture scrolls have always been a symbol of fortune in Japan.
MC: mountain water in the sea? this place isn't real, right? it's just what the goggles are showing us
Alp: dream pro speaking! That's what dreams are like! The motifs look chaotic, but there is something connecting them.
Touji: Hmm, mind and body make one person. Very symbolic.
Hotei: my body is definitely down below us! but...
Azathoth: lel, time for free diving with no time limit?
Hotei: we'll die!

MC: we can't dive here! but we have to, don't we? Hotei you good to go alone?
Hotei: well I AM a spirit so maybe I'll be okay? Well we have no time, so I'll do it!
Touji: How optimistic are you? Well come back if anything happens
Ebisu: Wait Hotei, it's dangerous to go alone. Take this.
Hotei: A fishing hook? I ain't no fish!
Ebisu: It's my artifact, joker. We don't have the anchor so the Treasure Ship can't stay in place, so there's a risk we might drift away without this to connect us. Pull when you find your body. I can fish you back from anywhere.
Ebisu looks more confident than he did in the past

Hotei: ...thanks. Wait for me here, guys!
Party:
Hotei: here I go!
Party:
Hotei:
Party:
Hotei: I said, here I go!
Hotei: One...two...thr--
Azathoth: get out there already you goober! (shove)
Hotei: AAAAaaaaahhhh nicefollowupthanks
MC: welp
Touji: Time to wait and believe in him

Later
Hotei: is my body really down here?
Hotei: Hotei Radar! ...just a bit further
...
Hotei: There it is! ...hm?
Body!Hotei: Well damn y'all really came. Things are awful terrible!

Back at the Treasure Ship
Azathoth: is he back yet? HP check! oh wait lmao he's a ghost and ghosts don't have HP!
MC: you seem to be in a good mood. Hotei's doing?
Azathoth: well we're sorta similar from a certain point of view. Saving the world with laughs is kinda nice lul
Alp: I love how bright and cheery he is all the way! we should have a dance concert together sometime!
Touji: I agree with his optimism. I can't do headstands though.
Ebisu: Hmm...Hotei seems different from how he used to be. I mean he always liked getting laughs but it felt like he hid something where--
Azathoth: lmao whoops it's game over for the world now

Back in Tokyo
Arc: Everyone! I see cracks in the sky!
Li Chou: OH MY GOD this is worse than an overworld shift!
Dagon: It's coming! Tokyo's border between dream and reality is crumbling!
Aegir: Calm down bitches, they'll make it in the last second!
Surtr: Agreed. They cannot give up until the very end.

Hotei's side
Hotei: why's everything shaking!? Is time up!?
Body!Hotei: oh my, Tokyo is in danger...whoa
Hotei: Huh. I thought you were empty since you're my body but I guess not?
Body!Hotei: I was never originally your body. I'm just part of the being who gave birth to you, and that's the best way I know how to explain it.
Hotei: But you look just like me. Aside from being all anxious and scared.
Body!Hotei: This humble servant of Buddha is a collection of anxiety. My stomach is filled with weight and gloom.
Hotei: oh I seeee. So when you cut me off from you, you also cut out my brains too huh? Kidding!
Body!Hotei: ...you are so casual and cheery. I'm jealous.

Hotei's body is holding a bag
Hotei: oh hey you have that bag thing Dagon talked about. Come with me and solve our problems
Body!Hotei: ...is it really okay for me to leave here?
Hotei: wat
Body!Hotei: I can feel it in my bones. Something terrible will happen if I leave...
Hotei: a feeling?
Body!Hotei: yes...I have to stay forev--
Hotei: Y'ALL DAMN SHUT YOUR PIE HOLE. You can't make anyone smile down here! I can't take it I'm gonna cry through a box o' tissues!

Hotei: ...hey, look at yourself. I can't leave you if you look like that! I have to make everyone smile, and that includes you!
Body!Hotei: ... (smiles for just a moment)
Body!Hotei: you haven't changed at all, Maitreya born from me. You told me that before.
Hotei: really? I don't remember that. Head empty! ...kidding!
Body!Hotei: okay you win. use your body however you want. You can have the driver's seat and my power.
Hotei: MY BAG IS CHANGING!?
Both bags shine and fuse into one. It can now hold the material and immaterial.
Hotei: hell yeah! Have a front row seat to my special performance!
Body!Hotei: (inside Hotei's head) okay
Hotei: what's your name anyway?
Body!Hotei: I am the mad monk who gathers the grief and anger that drives people insane. In Japan my name is Kaishi. In China, I dunno.

At the Treasure Ship
Ebisu: Oh! Hotei is giving the sign! Everyone help me pull!
MC: Time for the big one!
Ebisu: Noble Phantasm activate!
Everyone joins in to help, including the dark hand from the necklace
Hotei: Never fear, Perfect Hotei is here! Eh? Ehh? Ehhh!?
MC: Oh my god Hotei you're shining! T-the pressure...!
Hotei: my big debut! Gotta get some time to be smug about it!
Azathoth: yeah yeah yeah, just do your stupid thing already we're out of time, sorry to rain on your parade
Touji: We won't make it back in time! Hotei, what's the plan!?
Hotei: It's all good, we just need to get back! Alp, help!
Alp: Got it! I'll switch dreams and reality! Just make it quick since I can't hold it for long! Noble Phantasm, yay!
The party returns to Tokyo...
End of Episode Part

Halloween Police Episode 6 Part 1 (Abridged)

Someone laughs endlessly because he can do nothing else. The king has lost his body, leaving only his throne. The true nature of Old Ones is endlessly close to that of the sea since it is infinite space the spans across even the borders of the self. Azathoth's Dream has broken the border of dreams and reality, causing everything to become as one. And with Azathoth becoming Old Ones itself, his hands can reach everywhere since everything is a dream. This is what people of other worlds call Teleportation. That's why he's insane.

The world has reached a standstill, and it had a trap waiting for an All-Mighty All-Knowing one. Anyone like that no longer had anything to do, and there was no point to birthing a brood of various beings. If there is one All-Mighty All-Knowing being, then majorities stop mattering. In that case, being All-Knowing also has no significance, and therefore nothing Azathoth did mattered anymore. This is the dead end trap that befalls beings of such power and knowledge, and this became the world's bad end for Old Ones. The Omnipotence Paradox goes against Azathoth's being, and with a system that rejects contradictions in the world, Azathoth was trapped in an inescapable deadlock. He can't do anything meaningful because everything he did was meaningless. All he could do as a result was laugh at pointless dreams and games.

Azathoth then detached part of himself to be his family, there to help him enjoy the pointlessness of it all. They all lived in his dream. No matter how strong they were, they could never leave. But one of the divine children was decidedly different from the others. He was in charge of a little blue planet, which he promptly did nothing with as he went to sleep. He's nothing special, yet somehow his name is known because he had the power of telepathy, the ability to cross the border of dream and reality while sleeping. He is Cthulhu, and he awaits the echoing laughs.

Back to the present
Nyarlathoteps: HAPPY HALLOWEEN U GAIZ (cackles loudly enough to shake the air)
Alp: oh em gee why are there so many!?
MC: OMG / STFU / hey does this mean we're in Old Ones?
Azathoth: lolno stupid, that isn't really Nyarlathotep. It's just junk data here that just gets replaced in your mind by something that looks similar. And this is just some Other World that came to a similar end to Old Ones.
Hotei: but why do they all gotta laugh louder than an angry donkey!?
Azathoth: oh look guys Mr. Everyone-Gotta-Smile-and-Laugh is complaining about other people laughing
Hotei: um
Azathoth: they're just doing that because they can't do anything else. Just. Like. You.
Hotei: w-wait wha--(cut off by Nyarlathotep Tsunami)

Azathoth: map check! ...oh wow there's a thousand of them covering the minimap!
MC: overdoing it much!? This is a nightmare!
Hotei: hey Ebisu can we just ignore them and ride straight towards my body?
Ebisu: you CAN'T be serious! we're surrounded with no way to break out!
Touji: where would we even GO?
Alp: oh no we have to figure out where to go at least! We're gonna get buried alive!

Nyar: I hope you brought your tools!
Lat: The sea is scary dangerous, and so is Dream Land!
Hotep: Now strap your life jackets on and ride the sound wave!
Nyarlathotep: (MAD CACKLE)
The Treasure Ship gets rocked.
Ebisu: oh no grab on, I lost control of the ship!
Azathoth: hmmmm things losing all meaning and dreams invading reality sounds like that one time. Whatcha guys gonna do about it?
Nyarlathotep: hey it's almost time for a new Halloween. Let's dance boys! (Nyarlathotep Clone spam)

Touji: there's too many of them! We're surrounded and lost sight of our goal!
Hotei: does that mean this problem will fix itself if we have an idea of where to go!?
Azathoth: you gotta know that much at least when you get dropped on the giant world map.
Alp: We gotta think of something! Sooo anyone have any good ideas?
Azathoth: haha buck passer
Azathoth stops laughing and rolls his eyes back while opening his mouth
???: This world gone mad is still a world, so none can escape the hierarchy. Majority rule determines the truth. If False Nyarlathotep is the majority, then the only thing that will matter is meaningless, mad laughter!

MC: WHAT JUST HAPPENED
Hotei: uhh, maybe it means we'll win if we laugh more than them? Easy peasy, lemme handle our destination!
MC: well we're after Hotei's body. Maybe his body and mind are drawn to each other?
Ebisu: WHATEVER, just tell me what to do!
Everyone looks at Hotei.
Hotei: (deep breath)
Hotei: HEY Y'ALL HOTEI, CALL BACK IF YOU CAN HEAR ME
Hotei?: BOY HOWDY
Everyone else: !!!???
Hotei: there we go, y'all! Time to go that a way!
Everyone else: ...
Hotei: w-what, did I bomb that?

Ebisu: Haha, oh Hotei you're so crazy
Azathoth: Teehee that was dumb. Oh no wait it's because it was dumb that worked...
MC: good going Hotei / that was so dumb it was great / behold the Treasure Ship Comedians!
(A) Hotei: I know right? Whew, I thought I was dying there
(B) Hotei: I know right? Ahaha--wait that wasn't a compliment was it?
(C) Ebisu: NOOO my reputation...!

Touji: s-so anyways we have a direction now! We charge towards where Hotei's voice came from!
Alp: right! time to believe in ourselves and go through!
Ebisu: turning the ship around! It'll be hard to push through, but I'll move the ship as fast as I can!
Hotei: umm I know you said you'll do it yourself but you sure, Ebisu? it's hard moving the ship, ain't it?
Ebisu: I've gotten used to it. The Seven Lucky Gods always say "believe!" And so is the memories of everyone the ship carried! You should know too!
Hotei: wat?
Ebisu: well I guess you'll remember when you get your lucky bag back since artifacts hold our memories

Hotei looks over the Treasure Ship and faintly remembers his old memories
Ebisu: it was rough a lot of times too, but...
Ebisu remembers a faint pain in his feet, and sometimes his legs would hurt since it became Halloween. He must have forgotten things too. It wasn't all fun and games back then, but he never stopped and made his way to this point. He didn't accept that point as an ending point, so the continuation of the legend of the Treasure Ship must be further ahead. He goes on seeking something that never existed before because there was something he was missing.
Ebisu: I don't want Tokyo and this journey to end. I want to talk with you more, Hotei.
Hotei: ...you got me there! There's gotta be more in the future!

Ebisu: moving the ship towards our goal! Time to cut through the waves and--ahh, what!? (gets pulled from behind)
Azathoth: No Ebisu, people don't just CUT through the winds and waves
Ebisu: w-what?
Azathoth: fine I'll say it since we don't have a navigator. RIDE the winds and waves, scrub!
Ebisu: ...oh! That is something Benten would say!
MC: wat / I get it!
(A) Azathoth: what did I JUST say, squirt?
(B) Azathoth: Bingo, squirt! We have only one option.

Azathoth: we laugh, together with them. We ride their wave, get them in a good mood, and he'll take us to where you guys wanna go. But don't get overtaken by madness as you do, or else it's game over.
Ebisu: I'll explain. So sailboats and yachts don't only go where the wind takes them. You can also zigzag into the direction of the wind and go at an angle. So we can just use the force of the data waves instead, right Azathoth?
Hotei: uhhhh, does this mean laughter can save the world!?
Alp: I'm gonna save Tokyo! With my dancing!
Touji: I suck at laughing, so Persona Change go!
Oni Touji: My time has come!
Hotei: let's go boys!

The Treasure Ship starts heading towards the voice, faster than before but still not fast enough.
Nyarlathotep: oooh, where we going?
Azathoth: hey you can defy me and laugh can't you? I collect bad ends because I have nothing else to do. But you know what? What kinda gamer would I be if I keep hitting the same bad end!?
Ebisu: There's a ton of them! I'm pushing the ship forward, but be careful of the guys coming from above too!
MC: Let's cut our way through!
Azathoth: That's not gonna be enough. Point your sword this way! Then we're going to move forward by cutting through dreams, further than the end I left off at!
Nyarlathotep: Wave battle, ride on!
BATTLE START (more happens after)

There was once a wandering monk in Hourai who carried a lucky bag. He was open-minded, never getting angry at anything. They say the lucky bag gained the faith as a bag of forgiveness that stowed away anger. The monk himself eventually gained a new name in another world, one of the Seven Lucky Gods, Hotei. The bag they say he has a bag that holds fortune instead. But if there's only one bag, then which one is real? That's why they split. That's all there was to it. And if this Halloween incident never happened, it probably would have stayed that way.

The present
Nyar: Wouldn't it be nice to keep laughing and if Halloween kept going on?
Lat: The world is so unfair! It doesn't care what you think!
Hotep: That's what trends are! Society can't see what's ahead!
Nyarlathoteps: If things end if you get candy, then things will never end if you don't! Let's laugh like crazy!
MC: I won't let Tokyo be destroyed! Police Henshin!
Oni Touji: Yes...ha ha ha...YES!
Alp: Dreams are brighter than this! That's how everyone's dreams I saw were like!
Hotei: Y'all I just got some new determination it's too early to retire! I wouldn't die even if I were killed! Ghost joke!
Azathoth: Hey, God of a Thousand Forms! Wouldn't you get sick of doing the same thing over and over!
Nyarlathotep: ...
Ebisu: Life can suck a lot, but we get past that! The Treasure Ship won't stop here because we are gonna go further on, to somewhere that isn't here! 

MC: Ebisu, your necklace is glowing again!
Ebisu: What!?
Nyarlathotep: What? Nyarl feels...love!?
Infinite hands reach out from the necklace.
Necklace: WHAT THE HELL Y'ALL WHAT THE HELL Y'ALL (bitchslaps the Nyarlathoteps)
Azathoth: ha ha the real one's mad y'all
Nyarlathoteps: we give up!
MC: I can't believe they're getting whipped like this / what IS that necklace / chaos, chaos!

Ebisu: yeah I've never seen these hands before. But I have a memory anyway. Someone I paired with a lot who also had dark hands. Please help!
Necklace: (mimes a gesture)
Ebisu: (mimics the reverse handclap)
Ebisu performed the Ama no Sakate, the magic that hides everything!
Necklace: (seizes all the Nyarlahoteps, drags them into itself)
Nyarlathoteps: !!!???
Last Nyarlathotep to be dragged away: You win! Press shoot to advance to next stage! :)))
The party is teleported back to the ship. Cracks are appearing in the area.
Azathoth: lolbye Nyarlathotep and Not Nyarlathotep
Nyarlathotep: I SIIIIIMP! BON VOYAGE! (pop)

The next moment
Touji: so are we in the dream world now? It looks like another world instead
Alp: I think I've seen this somewhere before. Somewhere.
Azathoth: welp I haven't been to this stage before. Not like I know anything lmao
Ebisu: Today is just full of surprises. MC, do you know where this is?
MC: No / Yes I think
Hotei: y'all I think I know this joint
Ebisu: You DO? I mean it makes sense if this were Wa no Kuni
Hotei: I see this place in my dreams. I think it's called...Hourai.
---
Other Hotei: Oooh this servant of the Buddha walks a long long path until I reach the world I see in my dreams
Someone quietly gives thanks and makes wishes at the bottom of the sea, and he looks above to the sky-like surface of the water...
End of Episode Part

Halloween Police Episode 5 Part 2

Did you know that the word "sea" doesn't necessarily refer to a stupidly large body of water? True story. You can also use it to refer to something big and unknown that stretches far as the eye can see, something that hasn't been given some sort of meaning yet. The big stretch of water that covers our world filled with mysteries still comes to mind of course, but then there's the sea of stars far above the sky above us. There's also the artificially created world of cyberspace that's new and unknown to us, the cyber sea. Then there's the vast expanse of minds and dreams we still don't fully know. All of these reach out far away with no borders visible to us, and everyone who approaches them gets lost. That's what a sea is.

Back to the present, Dagon picks up and says back in Old Ones, dreams and space are also seas, though this may be a hard to grasp concept for people of other worlds. But App Users here in Tokyo would have heard of surfing on the internet, and that's sort of the same thing here. Dagon pulls out some goggles of some kind and hands them over, and Ebisu asks what they are as he notes it's dark when he puts them on. Alp figures out it's some cyber stuff and cheers about how cool that is. It's so shiny that he's excited about getting in the spotlight with them. Touji says he's not good with this kind of thing, saying he can't get used to this cold, inorganic feeling.

Arc notes that Azathoth has something similar to the goggles and starts to ask Dagon and Aegir about them. Dagon preempts her by explaining they're special VR goggles that can visualize the imaginary sea, something developed by Toyosu's marine architectural research department. Development was recently finished thanks in part to the tech given by the Kamata and Tougou schools, though the thing was originally made for deep sea investigation simulations. Hotei is impressed and asks how it's supposed to be used underwater, prompting Ebisu to comment that regular goggles would be enough then. Aegir says that with Tokyo Bay mixed with several worlds, any pro is liable to get lost there. Because of that, the plan is to use the VR goggles to navigate through the dream-mixed sea. Dagon says Aegir's done tons of deep sea investigations, so he made the goggles hoping it'd help students. You either sympathize with Dagon and say Aegir never considers the dangers, or you say that's what's so great about him. In A and B, Aegir says jumping into danger is the best part of being a treasure hunter, as being in life-threatening situations is an experience he treasures. In C, Aegir is glad you like that and asks if you'll join his next trip out.

Anyways, Dagon explains that the goggles will automatically visually replace things you can't make sense of with things that you can. Azathoth takes an interest in this, then lines up the goggles and makes a tapping motion at them with his pointer finger. Surtr asks what he just did, so Azathoth says he did something like move the data he had on bad endings into the goggles. No dying the same way twice, ya hear!? Dagon says he won't think too hard about that, then suggests getting started. It's fine if you guys stay seated in your chairs, you just need to get the goggles on. Hotei excitedly complies as he says comedians got guts. The party follows suit, and once everyone is equipped, Aegir and Dagon hook up the cable to turn the goggles on and auto-link the observation monitor.

Time passes a bit and all you see is black, so you call out and ask for someone to turn on the light because it's so dark. Static starts buzzing as the system calibrates or whatever, and soon the party is dumped at what looks like Toyosu Academy. You initially wonder if the dive was a failure, but Dagon opens up a window to tell you guys things are fine. You guys are in a recreation of the school, and Dagon figured it'd be easier to grasp if you guys took off from there. You are all already inside Hotei's dream, and Dagon reads off that the cyber substitution system is working normally. After a moment's thought though, he comments that 'normal' may be the wrong word to use as a bunch of data is influencing things. He's not sure why something as meaningless as a dream is showing up so clearly like this. It's because of Azathoth's data actually.

Dagon sighs about how the moniker Almighty Idiot seems to be a misnomer, though he then muses that nobody knows what the difference is between All Knowing and Know Nothing. Touji meanwhile is surprised at how close to reality cyberspace looks like, and Alp in turn is impressed by it all. Azathoth brags that he can make stuff like this if he bothered to do something. He can create stages (re: worlds) all before breakfast! You compliment Azathoth's gamer skills and/or offer to pat him on the head. Azathoth responds by saying being complimented by a game junkie isn't half bad.

Anyways Dagon asks if you guys are ready, then prompts Ebisu to summon the Treasure Ship. Ebisu seems preoccupied, necessitating Dagon to talk to him again. Ebisu tunes back in this time and faces the ship in front of you guys, chanting the activation command to use Sublimation Sail. A shining sail appears and attaches itself to the ship, which then causes golden light to bathe everything and cover the ship. The ship then becomes the Treasure Ship, the ship that carried the Seven Lucky Gods and carries away painful emotions.

Ebisu gets a little nostalgic at seeing the ship again and asks for its help again. After smiling at it for a moment, he turns back to the party and says it's time to get on. Alp's mind is blown as he says the aura of a star is visibly glowing from it. Touji gets excited about seeing the Treasure Ship himself and mentions how it reminds him of how he used to sleep with a picture book of the thing underneath his pillow when he was younger. Azathoth is impressed too as he says it feels like the last vehicle a game gives you to tool around in and explore the world map. Ebisu says once the party is on, you'll need to assign jobs since everyone is needed to move it. Almost everyone responds affirmatively, except for Hotei who is talking to himself about remembering how he used to ride that ship with everyone. Said memories are hazy though, which he compares to having them somehow taken out of him from the way it feels. He decides to dismiss it as something that happened while become a spirit, then psyches up for setting sail.

Some time later, Touji asks how you guys are supposed to actually get into Hotei's dream. Ebisu says that's normally the navigator's job to deal with, but unfortunately you guys don't have that slot filled out. Hotei freaks out a little about you guys not having a plan, then asks whether the Treasure Ship has some super special power it can use. Ebisu protests that he can't do much about that. Moving from dream to dream is one thing, but he's clueless on how to move from the imaginary sea to the dream instead.

You comment on how things are looking grim, say it'd be great if someone could act as a navigator, then comment you guys are so shorthanded you'd take a cat on to help. Ebisu comments that Benten actually is rather whimsical like a cat, but his attention is caught by Azathoth's laughing. Azathoth says that if you want something like a cat then you guys have a hyena around already, and he points at Ebisu's necklace. Ebisu is confused until the necklace starts going off, extending an infinite number of hands to help run the ship.

You react in shock at the hands as you ask what's happening or say you've seen those hands somewhere before, like from someone's tail. While that's going on, either Ebisu or Nyarlathotep call out that the path and route has been mapped out, but then Azathoth laughs and tells everyone to man their battle stations because enemies have been sighted. The party is taken aback at this, and in the next moment a blue trickster pops up to declare it's time for the Bad Brats Brigade's counterattack. He was gonna get started on the pranks, but since there's a glowing ship sitting there he's gonna go after that beforehand. The vending machines he's riding on cheer.

Hotei is shocked that the tricksters are here along with some vending machines. Azathoth sort of explains that the data of whatever they rode on got replaced by some other past data and ended up like that. Bugs like these happen when you cheat in a retro game, just go with it. Out in the real world, Aegir is surprised to see the tricksters in cyberspace too since he kicked them out of Toyosu earlier, though he's impressed that they're surfing on vending machines. Surtr asks in surprise about how they're there, so Dagon says it's not that easy to get into a dream. Them being there however proves to him that there is someone behind all this who can go into dreams since it'd be impossible otherwise.

Back in cyberspace, the vending machines beep about thanking you for your business and ask you to receive your selected item. Blue excitedly eggs them on to keep firing out cans, several of which hit the Treasure Ship. They hit has hard as they would in reality while Blue laughs and has a good time. Alp however is freaking out at juice cans being fired like missiles, and Azathoth calls it a buggy ocean and a battle where anything really can happen. Touji asks if there's anything on board to shoot them down, but Ebisu sadly tells him the Treasure Ship was originally a transport ship and doesn't have anything like that.

Hotei attempts to talk the trickster out of what he's doing by saying he'll destroy the world if he keeps up with the pranks. Blue however disbelieves him thinking it's some bizarre lie, and Hotei admits he can't really do much else besides insist he's telling the truth. Ebisu can't believe he got shut down so fast, and you say you guys have to fight back and ask if anyone can fight in the air or water. Azathoth laughs in response at you and asks if you forgot that the sea is basically his territory, then pulls a keyboard out of nowhere to hit a button on it.

Some time later, Blue notices that the party has gone quiet and asks if things are over already. Hotei, Azathoth, Alp, and Touji all jump up in response keeping up with the sentai aesthetic for the team as they call out their transformations. Li Chou declares things will be different this time since he missed out on joining in with the group transformation, then follows suit. Arc pointedly says they won't join in on the shenanigans, but they do say they'll handle the ship.

Blue is shocked at seeing the away party is flying in the sky, and the party says they won't let him go overboard with the tricks even in the cyber sea. Alp then starts cheering in excitement at how he's flying while Touji grumbles at how off the wall everything is. Halloween can only excuse so much, dammit. You point out that you guys can now pull something off though.

Blue complains about wanting to fly too. Azathoth cackles about how this ocean is easy to glitch out and argues if cans can fly, so can he. Ebisu informs you guys over the VR goggles that he, Li Chou, and Arc will be standing back to keep the Treasure Ship on track. Touji nods, then urges the away party to take the kid down quick and give him candy so he'll go away. Hotei responds affirmatively as he refers to himself as Halloween 1 and calls Touji Halloween 6, then cheers everyone forward. You roll with it as you call yourself Halloween 2 and also urge the party on. Touji gets confused by the call signs, but he sets that aside as everyone else calls back in affirmation. Blue starts rallying his side up for battle, and the episode battle begins as Touji tells everyone to be careful of the cans being shot out. More happens afterwards.

After the battle, the ghosts possessing the vending machines get knocked loose from them as they start begging for mercy and promising to stop. You tell them to ease up on the pranks since it's Trick OR Treat. Blue gets frustrated at how their gang has never managed to beat you at all. The others lost all motivation to continue and looked like they were having fun after getting some candy, and it's totally not like he wants candy either or anything! Hotei however stops him from rambling any further by pointing out that Blue himself is already just pouting about having lost sight of the chance to quit while it'd be easy to do so. But he can still do so now, and Hotei says he can enjoy Halloween more than he currently is, handing over digitalized candy to the kid.

Blue doesn't react much at first, so Hotei tries to tease him into taking it by saying how good the candy made by his friend is. Blue protests that he didn't actually refuse the treat, then demands Hotei give it to him already. Hotei however holds out and says he has something he'll have to say loudly for the class before he will. Blue pouts some more, then gives in as he yells out an apology for going overboard on the tricks and politely requests he be given the candy. Hotei obliges as he tells Blue he's a good kid and wishes him a Happy Halloween. Blue is disgruntled, but he sighs and talks to himself about going back and enjoying sweets with everyone else, and he disconnects with the ghosts who cheerfully thank you guys for the candy and wish you a Happy Halloween.

A moment after they go, Azathoth announces that he's confirmed Blue and the mobs have logged out, so now it's time for you guys to head to the ends of the sea. You thank Hotei, note the trickster left without issue, and wonder if he'll stop with the tricks. Hotei suggests it'll be alright as he calls himself a total optimist. He's got no anxieties whatsoever, and he starts to talk about how the people he met on his journey would be so gracious and charitable to him no matter how hard things are on them when a flash of his other self flits into his head and derails his train of thought.

Hotei is confused enough to ask what he was talking about, so you either ask if he's okay or say he was talking about charity or kindness before he stopped. Hotei thinks on it for a moment longer before he decides to give up and figures he'll know later. He prompts you to get ready to keep going towards his dream. You are less than assured by his lack of concern about this, though you note that it is like him to be that way.

Time passes, and Alp is acting as a guide for the party by literally sniffing the way towards Hotei's dream. Dagon phones in to warn you guys to be careful. Once you get in you will actually be within someone's dream, which will mean you'll be cut off from the Toyosu side in terms of communication. He apologizes for not being able to follow along any further and says he'll pray for Cthulhu's profane protection for you all. Aegir is less worried as he tells you guys to look out as you go in, sure that you'll be fine since you beat him before. Surtr also asks the party to be careful, saying that while there isn't that much time, you shouldn't rush things.

Dagon says they'll continue electronically verifying your existences back at the classroom, which should help in keeping your identities defined and distinct from one another. But to do that he'll need two more helpers with a deep bond with you guys to decipher the data, so Dagon asks for two people besides Hotei to come back. It's just a matter of willing yourselves back, and they're still standing next to your bodies.

Arc volunteers to go back and ties their chain to the Treasure Ship, saying that might help guide you guys back home. Dagon decides to ask Li Chou to come back too since he figures he looks smart, and Li is flattered as hell as he says he'll do it. Arc asks you to watch over Azathoth before they go since he's their adorable little brother. Azathoth is pleased by this but comments that there's no room for family at an esports tournament. You wave bye to the two and say you'll be back soon. Ebisu says he'll turn the Treasure Ship towards Hotei's dream, then cautions everyone to be careful since there's no telling what's in there, and Dagon watches the rest of you sail on ahead.

Time passes as you reach Hotei's dream, which puts you in the dream lands area. You express confusion upon seeing it, noting you feel like you've seen it before. Nyarlathotep pops in cackling and welcoming you guys to the place. Nyarl Clone 2 asks if you're looking for a real body or a bad end memory of the world. Clone 3 says a lonely king twisted in love indulges in clownery, so how far will you go to entertain him? Taking the same route is boring, so how about a new one? Interested in getting buried by the sea of imaginary numbers Azathoth? And so the episode ends, with Hotei's dream covered in Lost Data, a large amount of chaos.

Halloween Police Episode 5 Part 1

Hotei tunes in on a dream he's been having lately, one he's been having every night where some monk has fallen into the deep vast sea after a long, long journey. He comments on how lonely the place is, and he wonders who the monk even is. It's been happening so often that he's gotten used to this dream. But more on the location, it's some featureless blue expanse where directionality and gravity have no meaning. He keeps coming back here though, like he's been tied there somehow.

Hotei comments that the place is pretty, but seeing it so often has made it pretty boring. He's not even floating in a current, but rather fluttering around in place on an all express trip to Dullsville. All he really can do is wait for the dream to end already and accompany himself with his thoughts. And for lack of anything better to do he starts hoping he hasn't wet the bed when he wakes up and gets out of there. He never once considers that being so unbothered by this sequence of events might be strange in itself, at least on his own. He does however decide to think back to what happened at Umamichi earlier in the day.

Flashback kicks in to Harlot showing up, greeting everyone by being glad you could all see her as promised and thanking you guys for hanging out with Azathoth. She's also glad that Azathoth is looking entertained since things go to hell when he isn't. Harlot thanks Arc for showing her the way there since she was in a hurry, then finally gets down to business as she asks you how Halloween has been with it being different than usual. You ask Harlot if she's the incident mastermind, ask if she manipulated the children, or stay quiet. Harlot brings up the state of the world and asks if you really think so when you look at it, so you either say yes or no. Her answer only slightly changes in response as she says after a moment that she'd never choose to make use of children even if it were to save them.

Harlot says that if things are left alone, Tokyo will be destroyed once Halloween ends. That's what she and the other Top Seven Pranksters have concluded from their findings. You express shock at the terms Harlot throws around and can ask if she's messing with you. C gets an extra bit with Harlot being somewhat taken aback as she calls you rude and denies toying with you whatsoever in this situation.

Anyways, Harlot starts explaining that the group she's in is a group of trick-playing pioneers who surprise and trick everyone, and that they have been observing the little kids' tricks up close this Halloween. She finds it rather deplorable that some children have been influenced to copy them, and she tells you guys the top pranksters have been working behind the scenes while you guys have been up front as the Halloween Police. You either complain about all the nuisance things have been, ask if it's okay to arrest her, or shrug and ask Harlot to go on.

Harlot chuckles that those on the cutting edge are always hard to understand, but sometimes people like that can see certain things. She asks if you've noticed that Something is Different this Halloween too. Things like stuff that normally stays hidden getting brought out, or people you thought were alive turned out to be dead, or a dream of something you yourself have never seen before. Touji, Ebisu, and Hotei react in shock at this. Alp is merely confused and says he's never seen any weird dreams not his own, but then he remembers he never has since he lives in other people's dreams to begin with. Azathoth just has a little laugh to himself. You agree with that but point out that there's not enough commonalities, or you gasp as you realize something. C has an extra bit of Harlot laughing, pleased to see you have picked up on things after all.

Harlot agrees that it's all been a nonsensical mess, and at first glance nothing seems to be connected. There definitely is a connection though, and Harlot rhetorically asks you what a trick is on a basic level. You suggest something that surprises someone, a practical joke, or something pointless. Harlot then asks why tricks are considered mean-spirited and surprising before saying it's because they tread upon taboos and rules that shouldn't be broken.

You think on Harlot's last point some more, and she continues talking about how bad and shocking they are when at first they were harmless jokes. Trick or Treat is turning into Trick and Treat this Halloween, and she compares this to a revolutionary uprising against the rules of Halloween with the dead coming back to life. She was fine with indulging the children in all the tricks and candy they'd want, but whoops the revolution got too out of hand.

Harlot says she can't sufficiently explain the truth herself, but she will tell you what she's learned. She talks about how rules are binding commands you put upon yourself, things that define and give meaning to people's lives and actions. When these rules are broken, the border the dead and the living, the self and the others can blur. You can also extend this to the border of dreams and reality. A sealed oni and a self that isn't supposed to be are things that can show up in anyone's dreams. Harlot and the other top pranksters have confirmed that these things may have been dreams of people's past selves. While she may always prioritize the children who are alone, she isn't necessarily forsaking everyone else not fitting that description. She asks if you understand that she currently isn't despairing in Tokyo, and that's the reason why she doesn't want everything in it to be destroyed.

Harlot says that when the thin wall of fantasy that is Halloween is torn down, the reality of Tokyo will be laid bare. She believes no one will be able to handle that as they'll madden from fear and anxiety of life losing all meaning. That's what it means to know about everything being made clear, and it's the same as knowing nothing she says as she turns to Azathoth the Almighty Idiot. Azathoth starts cackling madly, and Harlot sighs before changing the subject of you taking Azathoth to Toyosu Marine Academy. There's a specialist you can talk to there, someone more logical than her. Azathoth should be able to help there better than anyone in Tokyo. While there are several world saviors in Tokyo, Azathoth is also a world destroyer, different from her and Surt who she describes as perfectly fulfilled.

Things tune back to the present over at Toyosu Marine Academy, a school built facing the mouth of a river that runs through the city and filled with the scent of the tide and endless ocean. Their curriculum revolves around the fields of study that relate to the seas of Tokyo and the other worlds, and the knowledge of many otherworld seas collect here as Transients who come from these seas gather at this school. And here, Halloween is in full swing too.

Title card pops up, and this episode is titled VR Infiltration! Halloween Cyberspace!

Makara and some mermaids greets you as they welcome you to Toyosu Academy. Makara asks what you guys think and hopes you all enjoy things here since they've worked hard on making it happen. Azathoth laughs madly about being near the sea and how illegal it is to be there despite it being Halloween. Alp cheers about grilled squid being sold and asks if Azathoth wants some too, but Azathoth looks discomfited at the offer and declines since it'll look like cannibalism coming from him. His home is the sea after all.

You react excitedly at the school, say this might be your first time coming there, or say you always smell the tides whenever you come over. Li Chou looks around in interest as he tells you he's looking forward to the place. He quickly adds that he's totally talking about scoping the place out and not about playing around. Eita is around advertising the Ebisu-maki being sold at the school, and some kids chatter in excitement about how cute they are. Hotei placidly notes that Ebisu's new food item is being sold and is happy that the children are so taken with it. Alp asks Ebisu if he's fine with not going over there since this could be a chance for him to get some attention and popularity. Ebisu answers it's enough for him if people enjoy his food. He's already given them the recipe, so he'll just leave them to it.

Hotei comments that it's been a bumpy road, but you guys made it here to Toyosu. He asks how you guys are supposed to save the world now. Touji adds that he was told by Hougen to help save the city from destruction, though for whatever reason Hougen hasn't actually told him why they'd be going here. He asks what's at Toyosu, so Arc asks him not to stress out as they're just doing what they've been asked to do too. Hotei casually says you guys can't just brush off being told the world will end, and Ebisu comments that the Halloween Police work can be a lot like how being one of the Seven Lucky Gods was. Hotei agrees, and since he doesn't have an idea of what to do he suggests trusting in Arc and following along. Arc thanks him, and Azathoth laughs again.

Time passes as the party heads over to the college department's sea research area, which Ebisu internally notes with some surprise. A voice calls out to you guys about finally arriving and calling you his beloved treasures as he urges you all to get in. Aegir welcomes you all to his research auditorium and greets you a Happy Halloween. Ebisu reacts in recognition of him and corrects himself to refer to Aegir more formally as a professor when he initially just calls him by name. Surtr's here too, and he thanks you all for coming as he refers to you all as the Halloween Police and brave children.

You react in surprise to seeing Surtr and Aegir, and Azathoth cackles about how it's suddenly a boss rush of last bosses. Arc greets Surtr and thanks Aegir for helping you guys. Aegir prompts you all to sit down so he can start explaining things, saying it's been a while before backtracking and asking if he saw you lately. Aegir also notices that Benten isn't around, so Ebisu says she's off doing something else. He's about to ask Aegir something when Aegir says he can stop calling him Professor since he knows how good he is. But anyways, Aegir notes that there's people here he doesn't know either and asks for an introduction, so you go ahead and tell him who everyone is.

After everyone introduces themselves to Aegir, everyone pulls up some chairs and sits in a circle. Aegir takes interest in Hotei being another member of the Treasure Ship and calls him another quirky treasure. Hotei laughs as he says he's heard Aegir's done a lot for Ebisu too, but Ebisu freaks out in embarrassment and asks him to stop. Surtr says he's bought a bunch of different foods from the stalls outside and a cake he made for dessert, then starts lining them up on the table.

Alp giggles about how tasty the Ebisu-maki is and says he could eat tons of them. Hotei compliments the salt level and nori on the rice balls and says he likes how it's called Makara's Omusubi. Ebisu compliments Surtr's cake and asks if he'll teach him how to make Western sweets another time. Aegir laughs about how into the food everyone is and says his students in the fishery department would be happy to see this too. Hotei asks if there's anything in the room given how plain it is compare to the decorations outside. Aegir says there's some research equipment and that there's plenty he wants to show off soon, but he stops to smirk and glance at Azathoth when he says the healing items taste great and asks what was used in the tsukudani.

After everyone's done eating, Aegir prompts you all to open your ears up as he says it's true that Tokyo is facing destruction. Hotei asks about why and wonders if the Bad Brats Brigade really is that powerful, but Aegir says it's because of the rumor going around Tokyo. He asks if you know what he's talking about, so Ebisu asks if he's talking about the one about how you can play as many tricks as you want if you don't get candy. Surtr confirms as he says it spread on social media and was some joke that children started believing in. At first it was just some passing thought, but then more and more people started believing in it. Alp says he can understand that since he's the type to get swept up in things. Leib always scolds him after that happens.

Surtr talks about how many children in Tokyo are divided into smaller closed-off communities like clubs, sports, and cram school. And sometimes, people start puzzling over what-ifs and maybes. Aegir says that's where the talks of suspending the school Halloween events, and when the police started doing something its credibility went up. Touji is taken aback and asks if he's saying the police trying to keep things peaceful turned out to be counterproductive, but Aegir tells him to slow down and points out that's just the end result. But that said nothing is impossible in Tokyo, so people believed and that's how we got this incident on our hands.

You ask about the rumor having snowballed from there and spread, so Aegir says it gained the influence of being a majority belief. Alp however jumps in to defend the kids involved, saying they're good kids who do regret what they've done and have been given candy. Ebisu also agrees as he tries to bring up how everyone is doing their best and solving problems at the school. Aegir however says it's only delayed things when considering the spread of information. Surtr adds that the rumor is spreading even faster, but what you guys have done hasn't been a waste of time. It's bought them the time to figure out how to solve the whole incident between your efforts as the Halloween Police and the people who believe in you.

You notice that Toyosu looks fine and ask if the trickster brigade never came by. Aegir assures you he took care of them, which shocks the entire party as he calls them promising and mentioning they ran away when he gave them candy. You express sympathy for the tricksters, say they had a bad matchup, and/or comment on how Aegir likes his own little tricks.

Touji brings up how that would still just be stalling for time based on what Aegir and Surtr said earlier, which Surtr gives a light nod to. Surtr brings up how Harlot probably told you guys already about Tokyo being on the brink of destruction. With it being Halloween now, the holiday's faith is overtaking common sense and bringing the world to one without rules. Aegir says it won't be limited to the dead returning alive, as even meaningless dreams will become reality. Even things that would be thought impossible in Tokyo could happen. There is one world out there that's much like that, and you react in horror as you turn to Azathoth.

Aegir confirms that he was talking about Old Ones, though he concedes its situation is pretty similar to what he's talking about. Tokyo is currently being eroded by madness, and he's sure he doesn't need to say what would happen next for you to know. Old Ones is a world where the border of dreams and reality has been lost, so random meaningless things happen there all the time. Nightmares happen as well. Alp yells as he realizes what's happening and asks if that's why he's been faintly smelling a dream. You express alarm about having to stop that, worry about Tokyo being turned upside down, or ask to no one in particular about Halloween being the cause of all that.

Hotei yells that this cannot stand, surprising the party with his outburst. Ebisu tries to talk to him, and Hotei rants that Halloween is an event where people get candy and everyone smiles. A nightmare has no place in that, and he asks Aegir and Surtr what you guys can do about it. A voice joins in apologizing for being late and says they'll explain that part, and you either express surprise at Dagon showing up or note to yourself that he's a teacher at Toyosu too.

Dagon greets you with a smile in response before turning back to the party in general to continue. Dagon starts by introducing himself to everyone as Toyosu's marine construction professor and saying he believes his past experience can explain what's happening. As Aegir mentioned before, what's happening now is eerily similar to what happened before in Old Ones, with Azathoth's nightmares fusing with reality. Dagon is noted to deliberately not look at Azathoth while saying this, like he believes looking at him would cause him to go insane.

Dagon says that if you look at it another way, people from Old Ones are the only ones to know their past failures and are able to pick a new path. But anyways, Dagon says he'll skip to the end and say the main problem here is the continually escalating pranks. You guys will need to collect that faith, and to do that you'll need a power that can endlessly store immaterial concepts. That in turn means you'll need Hotei's lucky bag artifact, but Hotei himself is confused by the specific mention of the lucky bag part. Ebisu asks Dagon why he knows about Hotei's old artifact, so Dagon explains he specializes in structures related to the sea, which extends to the people who use and ride them. Dagon says he'll explain more later and prompts Hotei to bring the lucky bag out, but you stop to ask him what that actually is. Dagon is confused, so Ebisu says he'll step in to explain the artifact Hotei currently has.

One explanation later, Dagon is surprised to hear the artifact Hotei has is referred to as a carry-all bag. Hotei says it's what he's always had, and nothing he can do can change that fact. It's the carry-all bag that can store anything that has shape to it, which means it can't work on something immaterial like pranks. Arc says it's not that weird a story, but at this point they ask if Hotei could prove that. Hotei awkwardly apologizes, so Arc quickly apologizes themselves saying that they weren't pushing for Hotei to say sorry or anything. It does make figuring out what to do next hard though.

Surtr is quiet for a moment before he brings up that he's heard that Hotei is currently a spirit. He asks where his actual body is and asks if Hotei had always been like that before he was summoned over. Ebisu says that Hotei wasn't a spirit when they were on the Treasure Ship at least, so Surtr suggests that maybe his body still has the other bag. Dagon nods at this and suggests looking for the body first, asking Hotei if he has any ideas as to where it is.

Hotei is surprised at being put on the spot, protesting at the idea he could think up where his body could be before a flash of the bottom of the sea crosses his mind, which he vocalizes. Touji is surprised at that, and Hotei says he doesn't know why he thinks that, but that's what's coming to him. Ebisu questions if this is okay, and Hotei adds that he saw it in a dream. Ebisu is surprised at that, and Hotei elaborates on how weird the dream is with him just wavering down there in place. Y'all have no idea how BORING it is until he wakes up! Surtr wonders if that means his body has sunk down there, though given how fat he is he ought to be good at floating. Dagon says it could be passed off as a dream, but there's still something off about it.

Ebisu starts bringing up the possibility that it could be an effect of the artifact Hotei got from the Treasure Ship. You ask Ebisu what he means or remember what he's talking about, and either way Ebisu explains that each of the Seven Lucky Gods took an artifact that moves the Treasure Ship before splitting off. Ebisu has the sail, and he says Hotei has the anchor. Aegir finds that cool. Dagon says that makes things sound more believable as he asks if the anchor is why Hotei's body is sinking. Ebisu thinks that should be the case, but Hotei wonders if he ever had anything like that. He's not sure, but it feels both familiar and not.

Anyways, Aegir gets fired up now that there's an apparent lead, by which he means diving into Hotei's dream to find his body. His lucky bag artifact should be there too, so bring that back too. You are baffled at this plan and wonder how you guys can even do that. Touji suggests using Alp's artifact to switch around dream and reality, but Dagon suggests against it given how thin the border is. Maybe you can use it as a ace in the hole at the last moment, but not now. Arc asks Aegir if he has a plan to get to dreamworld. Aegir says he does, but technically it's not based on his power as he turns to Ebisu. Ebisu nods and says it's time to use his artifact, and the episode part ends as he says it's time to set sail with the his Treasure Ship Sail and its power to cross dreams.

Halloween Police Episode 4 Part 4

Up on Umamichi's roof Touji can hear things are starting and regrets being unable to move and join in the fight. He settles for staring at the sky, and soon after Sanat Kumara pops up back to the sun to comment on how dumb he's looking. Touji is unable to make out a face given how Sanat is standing, but based on voice and silhouette he's positive Hougen turned up to talk to him. Sanat makes no attempt to correct this as he stays silent.

Touji asks 'Hougen' if he also knew that Touji was being given the Lord Impaler's relic. Sanat Kumara doesn't give a straight answer as he asks what Touji would do if he did. Touji is taken aback as he says his inner oni would have stayed sealed if he never took the thing. It's noted that the Sakimori barrier techniques are used to make walls in hearts and minds, which is what Touji was using to seal his oni side.

Touji says that he's been living to make the world a place where anyone can live happily, and he's frustrated that even trying to do the right thing and living for the future has blown up on him like this. Sanat Kumara however says that killing something within yourself for the sake of the world is wrong, which Touji is confused by. Sanat then talks about how things being cut away over and over again is a bald faced repetition, a mistake the world and history has continued to redo. He advises Touji to use everything within himself, and he says how his oni self over there and the part of him here do not make up everything about him.

Sanat Kumara opens his hand and takes Touji into a soulscape of the universe or something to synch with him on a mental level. Touji is baffled by the change in scenery and location, so Sanat explains that it is the world and little universe inside Touji himself. Sanat then prompts Touji to look at all the little lights, the lives that live inside him just like how many people live inside Tokyo. The awakened oni is just one of them. This place is also where many possibilities and pasts people can't look back upon reside. Things that are true or false, things that are material and immaterial, and any other descriptor you could come up with are things that exist inside this inner world.

Sanat Kumara says everyone has their own world inside of them, then talks about how Touji viewed his oni side as an enemy he sealed away with walls. Since those walls are made by the mind, there are times when they falter. Sanat tells Touji to remember that only he can save this small world and everything that lives within in, and he asks him why he'd save Tokyo but not save anything here. Touji is taken aback at the question, and Sanat says that if he was given the Lord Impaler's relic, he must need it for something. He also questions whether the oni is actually Touji's enemy. Sanat's psychedelic space vision ends there as Touji tunes back to Umamichi alone. He thinks about Hougen, the guy he's aware is called stuff like Horny Tengu and Bad Touch For Life, but he also knows about that serious side of him just now. Touji sees he can move now, so he gets up and wills himself to head out and regroup with the party.

Scene then shifts to your end as a battle has broken out. Hanuman and Nezha are laughing and spouting the trickster gang's catchphrase, exasperating Li Chou into telling them not to believe the goddamn rumor. Li then attempts to take the two of them back with him and snap them out of hit by going in with a kick. He gets bounced back so hard he gets sent spinning as Alp notes in horror. Ebisu goes oh no at that, and Hotei yells to Li that he's only wearing a police costume even if he's calling himself a police officer, meaning he didn't get a buff or anything. Azathoth laughs and agrees, saying it's just a skin change. Li protests in embarrassment that he knows and just wanted to do it, then complains about this being a regular battle. You either try to sugarcoat Li's behavior and say he got caught up in things, or point out it's just a costume again. Li insists that dressing up is very important, but catches himself as he says this isn't the time to discuss that.

The vending machines come charging at the party again, moving fast enough to kick up dust clouds. Jiangshi laugh and spout the trickster catchphrase, which prompts Li Chou to tell the stupid kids to stay away because vending machines are chasing after them. With little time to do anything else, Li jumps forward, determined but resigned to use himself as a shield for the kids, which Oni Touji laughs about. Li says he's in charge of Halloween this year, so he can't let little kids from elsewhere get hurt. Plus as a guy who tried to leave a civil servant post only to crawl back to it, he knows painfully well how event scandals can lead to promotions.

Li Chou dares the vending machines to come at him, bracing himself for impact. That impact never comes as Touji has come to help, surprising the party. You are happy to see Touji there, and Touji looks discomfited for a moment before turning his attention back to his other half. Oni Touji is intrigued that he's shown up, and Touji says he knows what it is he needs to do. 

Touji pulls out something he's been keeping in his chest pocket up until now, and Hotei is shocked to find out that Touji's had it all this time. Touji starts talking to you and begins asking for a favor if he ever loses sight of himself. You assure him you'll cut him however many times it takes, so Touji says he'll be counting on you and joins in whole ham on the sentai police thing the party is doing. Once he's changed he initially declares himself the exorcist before rethinking it and saying the protector of Halloween's peace, the Halloween Police. He says the trick and treat thing the tricksters have been doing ends now, and he tells his oni self it's time to settle things as he starts the episode battle. More happens afterwards.

After the battle, things tune near the end as Oni Touji laughs as he is impressed at how much harder you guys fought against him compared to earlier. He asks if you guys came to cut him down, then points out that this would be the same as cutting Touji himself. Touji however rejects the idea saying they aren't here to cut him. Oni Touji gets offended at him saying so while using the power of an oni, so Touji admits he's hated himself for being part oni at some point. But then he met people who knew he was part oni and still trusted in him, and he met people who had faith in his dreams and saw him off with a smile on their faces. And then there was someone who worked together with him despite barely just meeting him. These are all people who wish for him to be happy in life.

Touji says he had always planned to live his life alone because he never believed in himself. On some level, he believed he'd go on some blood rage and start attacking everyone around him. Now though, he's got people who will believe in him even if he doesn't believe in himself. And if he goes on a rampage? He has faith that someone will stop him. Touji then starts up his NP, comparing his swords to oni horns and saying they'll always be with him. He talks about how he'll accept his other half, telling Oni Touji he can run wild as many times as he likes, he won't fear him anymore. He reaches out to him, and you activate your own NP to separate Oni Touji from the memories of the Lord Impaler, which goes back into the vampire costume.

Oni Touji admits that he was also afraid of going crazy and hurting people, notably dropping the high born speaking style he had as Vampire Touji. Because of this fear he distanced himself from everyone, thinking of himself as some bloodsucking demon. But if there's a future out there where he doesn't have to be that way, then maybe he was wrong too. That time has already passed though, washed away like a message in the sand. Oni Touji then sighs about how it's been so long he had fun, and he compares the night to a dream. He disappears like mist in the wind, and Touji tells the Lord Impaler he'll carry on his regrets. He starts to say he'll do something else one day when you tell Touji he did great and/or ask if it's all over. Touji says there's still one last thing to do, so he asks you to watch him as he goes.

A little time later, Hanuman slowly wakes up from apparently getting knocked on the head, then wonders why he and the others were going so hard on pranks earlier. Nezha laughs about how much fun they had, though they too think that maybe they've had enough. Black slowly gets up from getting beaten, complaining about how tough the Halloween Police are. The possessed vending machines beep a little and say they're sold out of tricks for the day.

Touji walks up and points out how the pranks are stopping now for the Bad Brats Brigade and others. He orders them all to surrender and put their hands out, though he offers to listen to anything that they have to say first. Hanuman freaks out and attempts to excuse himself about hearing how Halloween is a day it's okay to play tricks. Nezha actually seems concerned about this predicament and tries to remember what to say here, and Black asks if they're getting arrested in shock. The vending machines beep, and Azathoth starts laughing as he wonders whether getting arrested means getting banned or something else.

Hanuman, Nezha, and Black all start apologizing and beg not to be arrested. Touji actually agrees to this to their surprise, so he explains he'll believe them if they say they regret it and won't repeat their behaviors. But if they do go back to shenanigans, he'll come back to face them as many times as it takes. He then reveals the reason he told them to put their hands out is to give them some wrapped Halloween candy, wishing them a happy Halloween and tells them to stop there with all the tricks as he smiles. And so the outbreak of pranks at Umamichi is contained, and the festival resumes as normal.

Out front, Motosumi is making and selling yakisoba for people, hyping up how big the portions are. Tetsugyuu is also running a stand selling Umamichi's newest local specialty, grilled pumpkin. Jiangshi are bouncing around acting as sales assistants giving people their food orders, and Ebisu accepts some as he thanks the kids. Hotei expresses surprise at all the things around besides the pumpkin, like that corn he's getting a good whiff of.

Li Chou says Halloween is originally a harvest festival, so he figured the school could put out a bunch of stalls for people to enjoy. It's been hugely popular, though he says it's still important to pray for the dead. Li talks some more about how food always gets attention, which goes well with how everyone at Umamichi wants to stand out and likes festival activities. Li goes on to start eating whatever it is he bought, which is so hot and fresh off the grill or whatever he burns himself.

Alp is starting up a dance that he leads, and some jiangshi join in thinking it looks fun. Hanuman is advertising a Halloween play he's worked on, and Nezha does as well describing it as full of action and including themselves as part of the cast. Gouryou is taken aback at this saying Nezha being in it can only be bad, and he sighs about getting stuck helping out with the play. Sarutahiko tries to placate him saying the ending is important too, asking him to gut up and make everyone happy. Touji talks about how he had forgotten how 'everyone' he wants to protect is supposed to include himself too, and he thanks you for reminding him of that. You politely respond or get shy at that, and Touji thinks to himself for a moment before pretending to be the Impaler Lord again. He asks if you've live with him for eternity as he calls you his bride. You can either react in surprise or agree after a moment. In A, Touji reveals he was kidding, though he admits that he may have been partly serious. In B, Touji is taken aback that you took it seriously and chokes on himself about how you're always messing with him.

Some time later, Arc apologizes and says they have to go for urgent business. Alp tries talking them into staying to enjoy things and asks where they're going. Arc thanks him but says they may need to take a while on something, so you ask if something happened. Arc takes a deep breath and works up the nerve to say something important. They ask for your help as they say they'll start with the end first: at the rate things are going this is going to be the last Halloween ever because Tokyo will end. Azathoth laughs, and Ebisu reacts in surprise as hands start reaching out of his necklace again.

Over at Kioh, Daikoku talks about how even if Halloween were to disappear it won't change what will happen to Tokyo. He pulls on his gloves again as if hiding something, smiling to himself, then talks about how all Enclosed Areas have the same fate whether created by the app's light walls or by schools. Transients and student App users all share a certain faith, which is the idea that if they are the only ones in an area, they can use supernatural powers. Daikoku compares this to playing superhero, and you can have any power you want within that fantasy. If everyone in the Enclosed Area agrees, that becomes the truth of that place.

Daikoku points out how Transients and App Users are increasing by the day, and one day they'll become the majority in Tokyo. It's just an inevitable consequence of population growth, but what happens when that point is reached? The inside and outside of the walls switch places, that's what. Every part of Tokyo becomes a place where you can use superpowers from other worlds, and the rules get applied to the natives. In this case, on Halloween the dead might come back to life, and Daikoku then thinks to himself how this is a problem since he isn't interested in ruling over a ruined hellscape.

Elsewhere Nyarlathotep starts gibbering about dreams and reality mixing up with one another like a marbled cookie. If there isn't enough stimulus, then he just needs to add some colorful, cute spices! If that's what Azathoth wants, then all the Nyarlathoteps will work to make it happen! He laughs about how it's his time to move now, and the episode ends with him cackling about bringing things to a bad end.

Halloween Police Episode 4 Part 3

Things tune in over at Kabukicho Academy where Kresnik is checking in to make sure Ellie is doing her make-up school work. She let things pile up for three days, and he asks if she's gotten anywhere with that. Ellie yawns and responds that she got all of jack done. It's finally nighttime, but having to do work is making her sleepy. Kresnik is taken aback that Ellie brought a pillow with her, saying she got all this work to do because she wanders around at night and sleeps during the day. Shinjuku's Emperor of the Night Tsukuyomi is doing well in class, so Kabukicho's Night Queen could stand to make an effort, he says.

Ellie sighs about how Kresnik just doesn't understand that queens are supposed to be free-spirited and junk. Kresnik is shocked that Ellie would defy a teacher like that and wonders how he's supposed to motivate her. He then asks if she was ever interested in learning about the people who came before her. Ellie is quiet for a moment, but the topic does interest her enough to ask him if there are any other vampires in Tokyo that aren't Transients besides her.

Kresnik is mildly surprised at the question and asks Ellie what she'd do with that information, so Ellie answers that she'd ask if they'd agree as another Night Walker that homework is stupid. Kresnik decides to tell her after a moment that there might have been in the past, but all he knows is of the past. Ellie is interested and asks what happened to them, so Kresnik says it's not really public knowledge, but there was a fair amount of casualties then. It's always been a thing that anyone made out to be an enemy of the world gets shunned as a monster, and the guy Kresnik is talking about was once called the Impaler Count. Information of the incident is still top secret, but rumors say he continues on as an urban legend even here in Tokyo. They also call him a High Daylight Walker, though he notes that Ellie herself could walk around in the day if she felt like it.

Kresnik eyes Ellie as if wondering if she's just a terminal slacker as he says that they both know that it's all the same to the world in the end. Ellie says nothing at that. Narration talks about how oni and monsters live in people's hearts, and how oni and monsters are things created by people. If people call something a monster, then that's what they become. If they have no horns or fangs they're just hiding it, they say as "truth" covers over reality. The monsters then get swallowed up by that "truth," believing that it's their destiny to crave blood.

Ellie asks Kresnik if the Impaler Count is no longer around anymore. Kresnik answers that there aren't any records of him in the general public, but there might be something in society's underworld. He brings up that artifacts can change their owners, like Ellie's blood has. Artifacts collect faith, and when someone inherits one they also inherit the thoughts and feelings that are drawn in by that faith too. 

Kresnik says it's possible the Impaler Count could be sleeping somewhere surprising, like some facility regular people don't go to. Ellie suggests the police station as a possibility, which makes Kresnik laugh at her jumping to that of all things. He then tries to get Ellie to return to her work, but Ellie peaces out instead to have fun, leaving him to futilely call after her before sighing about it all.

Things then tune back to the present I guess as the battle with Vampire Touji continues. Touji laughs evilly and demands flesh and blood be brought forth for his faith, and he has a blood crazed smile on his face you've never seen him wear before. You demand to know who he is, wondering for a second if he's Touji before rejecting the idea. Vampire Touji says he's always been inside him as he takes a moment to punch up the grandiosity of his speech, saying he was always sealed away.

Vampire Touji talks about how Touji carries the blood of oni who once got stuck in this world, and he always lived among people suppressing his instincts to eat people and drink blood. His ancestral barrier magic has kept his other side down, but the seal has weakened today on Halloween, and now his oni side has come out by borrowing the faith of the Impaler Count. So to sum it up, he is both Touji and the warrior the Impaler Count, and he taunts you guys to continue fighting.

Oni Touji laughs about the valor and faith you hold, which he says makes sipping your blood worth it and considers making you his bride. He does notice that you're holding back, so he asks if you're worried about his body or mind. Hotei yells that of course they would be when a friend's body is taken hostage, but Oni Touji scoffs at this as naivety saying you should do whatever you can if you want to survive. He doesn't consider avoiding people and living in isolation to really be living, and for a moment he looks off into the distance.

Li Chou and Sarutahiko attempt to take advantage with a cross attack filled with their school spirit, but this fails as Sarutahiko notes that Oni Touji has been blocking it by turning to mist every time. Li notes that's a standard vampire trick and that they can also turn into bats as a defense too. Sarutahiko compares this power to shifting into another dimension, and then compares it to Ama no Sakate. That would be Kotoshironushi's power to create a shrine to hide himself in.

Sarutahiko starts saying you guys need a power that can destroy any barrier and defense to stand a chance, but Oni Touji scoffs that no such thing exists. He starts to say he's invincible so long as that one vampire hunter isn't fighting him, but Li Chou snaps that if the idea is to just punch his stupid mug in, then there's definitely some way of doing that. Oni Touji takes enough interest to ask about that, so you do the invocation spiel. Oni Touji is alarmed enough to try turning to mist again, but you let loose with your NP and demand Touji's return.

Your attack cuts Something in between Touji and his oni self, and you can feel something working. Touji starts falling over, so Hotei rushes in to catch him with his bag as a cushion. Once he does catch him Hotei loudly asks Touji if he's okay, and he turns out to not be above playing around with Touji's face to find out. Touji is awake and mobile enough to whack him and call him an ass, and Hotei yelps and calls it a good reaction. Touji steps back a bit to admit he did save him, so Hotei expresses amazement at your artifact and says he helped out too. Li Chou cheers about your artifact, and you express relief that Touji is okay before remembering that there's still a bigger problem to deal with. Someone starts laughing about being surprised a power like yours exists, and Hotei points at the mist cut off from Touji as it starts coalescing.

Scene shifts to the other half of the party down on the ground, and they can see something happening as Ebisu asks what's going on above the school. Arc figures you guys must be up there and says they're getting a bad feeling about it. Alp is sniffing like a dog, then expresses confusion about faintly smelling a dream despite not having used his artifact. Azathoth laughs about how it's Halloween, the day where the border between Here and There is gone. Both sides are blending together into a dream land, and which is real and which is true means little because of what day it is.

Black is laughing as he leads the vending machines on a rampage. Hanuman says he still doesn't get what's going on, but he declares himself to be the number one prankster. Nezha laughs and says they won't lose as they're gonna be the ones at the top in terms of cuteness and pranks. Black comments on his surprise at finding some people so talented for tricks over here, and he sniffles about not being lonely now since he was the only one of the stupid gang sent over to play tricks.

Over in Umamichi's gym or whatever, a bunch of jianghshi are tickling Tetsugyuu as part of their trick or treat shenanigans. He does his best to resist and tell them to stop, and he also points out that they're acting different than usual. Motosumi comments on Hanuman and Nezha going wild again and is mad about it because they're going to have a bad influence on people, which makes Testugyuu promptly lampshade his priorities.

Back to your side of things, Vampire Touji starts laughing about how having that faith is enough to manifest himself outside Touji. Hotei says he understands now that Vampire Touji is a ghost or ethereal person. You ask about these terms and/or express shock that Vampire Touji came out of Touji, and Sarutahiko turns to Li Chou to ask him what to do now. Li Chou's mind shorts out in shock for a moment as he agrees to do something before yelling that he can't and calls for an exorcist. Motosumi or Gouryou being around would help, but the former is busy babysitting and the latter is busy playing hooky. Li then resorts to panicking and yelling for Sanat Kumara's help.

Vampire Touji directs you all to gaze upon the body filled with the faith given to the Lord Impaler's artifact, and his mist body starts coming together and materialize into a more solid form. Touji is shocked at seeing it turn out to be a copy of himself, so Vampire Touji says it's because he's him, the oni he had always sealed away inside himself. Sarutahiko is baffled that there are two horned guys now.

Touji says Vampire Touji is talking malarkey and says he's enough on his own, that he doesn't need his oni side. He swears to seal him again, but Oni Touji says that won't actually get rid of him. You can't make something that exists suddenly disappear to nothing. He starts taunting Touji about how he put on a front and talked about leaving a place he loved to protect people, but inside he was afraid of possibly eating the people around him. He's always focusing on the future and turning away from the past. Vampire Touji starts talking about how the vampire costume he refers to as a relic from the Impaler Lord is what let him out, and this causes Touji to sputter in shock that the costume his senpais gave him caused all this. Vampire Touji then tells Touji "I am thou, thou art I" with slightly less antiquated linguistics and says he won't stand to be ignored by him.

You call out to Touji and/or stare at him, and Touji seems ashamed to be seen by you. Oni Touji talks about how this current phenomenon will eventually spread across the whole world, where dreams and reality mix and chaos covers the sky. He's fine with playing with you guys until then, but he notes that some other mad play is happening elsewhere around here. Li Chou asks him if he's talking about the vending machines, and Oni Touji finds this term fascinating for a mount. He decides he should get some himself for a resurrection celebration. It's noted that Oni Touji is acting like the Lord Impaler probably because he's carrying his faith, but you find Oni Touji's ignorance of vending machines to be odd. Hotei wonders if he's just acting stupid as a surprise, though he can sort of see how he could think that. Oni Touji then cackles as he says bye to the group and leaves.

After Oni Touji leaves, Li Chou starts yelling about how Halloween is going beyond chaos in terms of crazy this year. Sarutahiko tries to calm him down and prompts him to take deep breaths while sympathizing. Touji is alarmed at his other side running off and swears to cut it down, but when he tries to move he turns out to be too tired to keep steady as Hotei points out. Touji tries to argue it's no big deal and that it's his job to protect the peace. Plus he feels personally responsible for dealing with his other side, or else dying wouldn't be enough to make up for it.

Touji is shuddering a little, so you tell him he shouldn't push himself, tell him to rest a minute, and/or help support him on his feet. He can't bring himself to say anything as you lie him on a futon Hotei pulls out of his bag, but soon starts asking why his police senpais gave him that costume. He tried to live his life with an eye to the future, but the past will never let him escape.

You tell Touji in concern he shouldn't worry about it too much, so Touji apologizes for his outburst. He also feels you're wasting your concern, which you either protest against or quietly look at him. He apologizes again for upsetting you, then asks you to go after Oni Touji. He says he'll be fine and back at it after a little break, and he promises to come join you guys soon. You agree, then prompt everyone to come along.

Touji thanks you, but before everyone leaves Li Chou decides to make a point of telling Touji he shouldn't be alone when times are tough. Touji is surprised by his concern and sees something in his eyes. Hotei decides to add his own words and says he understands a little bit about Touji's suffering even though he's only known him a few days. It sucks to have so much expectations placed on you by others, but what's worse is your own expectations.

You ask Hotei about personal expectations being worse than external expectations, so he elaborates it's about having confidence in yourself that you can do something. In his case he's always expecting deep down that he can make people laugh and smile, especially with his main gag. This doesn't always happen though, and failing his own expectations would depress him. Sure there are times he succeeds, but in life it's not how it'll go every single time. Sarutahiko says he knows that feeling as he mentions getting caught up in himself at work and messing up because of it. He agrees that being self-confident is important though when you occasionally lose sight of yourself.

You say you sort of understand what the others are getting at and say you lose sight of things when you get stressed. Touji contemplates the thought of personal expectations, and Hotei decides it's time to pull something out. He takes a moment to rummage through his bag, then eventually finds that cold wet towel he had somewhere in there and places it on Touji's head. The chill makes Touji calm down and slow his thoughts down. He looks at himself more analytically, more composed than he was before.

Hotei says it's time for them to go, telling Touji it's times like these that it's fine to leave things to other people. Li Chou gets determined to put a stop to things as an organizer, and he tells Touji to watch you guys. Sarutahiko suggests going to his workplace after everything's over and says he'll get everyone cleaned up nice and proper. You tell Touji you're going and say you'll be back soon. He nods in acknowledgement. Hotei notes how everyone is worried and has their hands full thinking about their lives and living, so you thank Hotei for being so sunny all the time. Hotei then laughs and says not having any worries can be a worry in itself, then says smiles can save the world.

Scene shifts over to Nezha and the others, and Nezha seems to pick up on something. Hanuman asks them what's up since it's unusual for them to make a face like that. Nezha says they feel there was something important that happened, but now they forget. Nezha asks Hanuman if he knows, and Hanuman is slightly taken aback at the question and asks if it's more important than pranks. Nezha laughs that tricks ARE important, and Black agrees as he says having them around him is reassuring. He also refers to them as stars, which Hanuman is flattered by as he notes he was a famous trickster in his home world.

Oni Touji turns up at this point to imperiously ask for the bending muhsheens, threatening to show them the Lord Impaler's true terror otherwise. Hanuman freaks out at Touji being around and asks if he's here to yell at them for their tricks, though he then argues it's cool to play tricks if he doesn't get candy today. But on another note he thinks Touji is into the vampire costume and asks if he came to join them in playing pranks, which confuses Oni Touji.

Hanuman figures that's what's actually going on and calls Touji a rascal. Nezha is impressed Touji jumped up and turned into mist, thinking it's a cool trick that he can't figure out. Black is also impressed and invites Touji to join them, and Oni Touji is intrigued that they'd treat him that way. He decides to tell them to follow after him, and the vending machines all cheer as they move along. Ebisu is surprised that 'Touji' is helping the pranksters, and Alp starts worrying that Touji has gone bad. Arc can sense it's not really Touji and wonders why he feels so sinister. Azathoth starts cackling about how boring it is to hit a bad ending in the fourth chapter, and he gets serious about telling everyone to stop the tricksters. If they manage to get out of the school, it's a quick step away from The End and the end of the event. The episode part ends with Arc being concerned with Azathoth's change in demeanor.