This chapter took me longer than the previous one for a variety of reasons, but I'm not gonna bother listing them.
Disclaimer: In no way, shape, or form do I claim ownership to Outlaw Star or other franchises set in the Towards Star universe.
(Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate)
Mankind has long taken pride in its ability to think on complex levels, a quality separating it from all but a few other life forms. But even among sentient species, there are individuals who possess intelligence far above the average members of their race. Genius comes in many different forms. Some brilliant thinkers come up with new theories or inventions that revolutionize society, such as advances in the field of medicine or interplanetary travel. Others utilize their intellect and apply it to certain activities, competing with their fellows in an attempt to prove themselves. All of this often comes at a price, however. When society acknowledges a person's intelligence, high expectations are placed upon them. Pushed to their limits, many bright men, women, and even children struggle to overcome the overwhelming pressure. And sometimes, they may lose themselves completely.
(Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate)
"So what do you feel like doing, Hanmyo?" Jim asked as he and his two companions left the hospital.
"You mean to tell us that after everything that's happened, you still want to do things other than sleep?" a bewildered Gene countered. "If memory serves, you didn't get any sleep last night. How are you even able to hold a conversation right now?"
"I'll be fine, so don't worry about it!" Jim replied before turning his attention back to Hanmyo. "Anyway, you just got out of there, so let's go celebrate and get some breakfast!"
"Okay! That sounds great, Jim!" Hanmyo agreed happily.
Gene just shook his head in exasperation. "Whatever. You two do what you want. I'm going to bed!"
"See you later," responded Hanmyo.
"Yeah, see ya," said Jim.
Chapter 2: The Genius Short-circuits
Five and a half hours later, Melfina knocked on Gene's bedroom door to tell him that breakfast was ready. Pulling himself out of bed, Gene dragged himself to the kitchen where Melfina was cooking while Gilliam sat on the counter keeping her company. Seconds after Gene sat down at the table, Aisha charged in like a speeding bullet before leaping onto a chair, leaning back and forth eagerly. Meanwhile, Suzuka walked in quietly and calmly before taking a seat.
"Oh, breakfast, breakfast, breakfast!" Aisha chanted.
"Repeating the same word over and over again like you're a pirate isn't going to make the food ready any faster, Aisha," Gene muttered.
"If she were truly trying to use Tao magic, I don't believe she's doing it correctly," commented Suzuka plainly.
"Well, that's to be expected," agreed Gene.
"Who the hell gave you two permission to gang up on me like that?!" roared Aisha.
"Aisha, please calm down," begged Melfina, placing a plate in front of Aisha. Luckily, this succeeded in stopping Aisha from yelling anymore, for the Ctarl-Ctarl immediately perked up and started chowing down on the steaming plate of scrambled eggs.
"By the way, where is Jim?" asked Gilliam after everyone had gotten a serving.
"I was wondering about that myself, actually," added Melfina. "When I went to his room to knock on his door, he didn't answer. And when I went in to check if he was alright, his bed was empty."
"That's probably because he's still out with his girlfriend," Gene said offhandedly through a mouthful of eggs.
Upon registering this piece of information, Aisha did a spit take and yelled, "His WHAAAT?!"
(Scene change)
"And that's that," finished Gene. The red-haired captain had just spent the last half hour telling the rest of the crew what had happened earlier. Everyone's reactions varied. Melfina had a hand held over her heart and had donned an expression that was like a cross between sympathy and empathy. Meanwhile, Suzuka and Gilliam seemed to simply take in the new information without much outward reaction. Aisha on the other hand…
"Bwahahahaha! Jimmy's got a little girlfriend!" Aisha roared in laughter.
"Would it kill you to be quiet, animal?" asked Gene.
"For the last time, quit calling me an animal!" snapped Aisha.
"Maybe now you'll understand why I don't like it when you call me Suzu…" Suzuka commented.
Aisha turned towards Suzuka and plainly replied, "Reow? Did you say something, Suzu?" To this Suzuka could only grit her teeth in annoyance.
"So, if I am to understand all of this correctly, Hanmyo is to become a crewmember, correct?" asked Gilliam.
"Yeah, you got it. Speaking of which, could you go ahead and do whatever is necessary in order to split Jim's chair into two?" said Gene.
"Very well," Gilliam answered.
(Scene change)
Jim and Hanmyo were walking back towards the ship, conversing along the way. After they had gotten breakfast at a diner, the pair had gone back to the park and just sat and talked for a few hours before going to a café for lunch. Jim had told Hanmyo a little bit about the rest of the crew, but much to their confusion, certain terms and even NAMES felt slightly familiar to Hanmyo. These included "Ctarl-Ctarl", "assassin", "Melfina", and "Gene Starwind". The last two were found to be the most bizarre amongst what seemed familiar, given that Hanmyo had not yet met the bio-android, while Gene had managed to forget to properly introduce himself earlier and hadn't stated his last name. Jim brushed it off as her mind playing tricks on her, but Hanmyo wasn't so sure.
"Regardless, I can't wait to meet everyone!" said Hanmyo cheerfully as they approached the ship. The pair had reached the dock where the ship was, and after crossing the bridge and arriving at the entrance, Jim looked up and directly into a surveillance camera.
"Hey Gilliam, could you register my friend here as a crew member?" asked Jim.
"Gilliam…that's the Outlaw Star's computer, right?" questioned Hanmyo.
"That is correct, young lady," a polite voice answered, surprising Hanmyo, who was unable to pinpoint the source of the voice. "I take it your name is Hanmyo?"
"Yes, but how did you-" Hanmyo stammered.
"Gene explained your situation to us earlier, and I must say that it is nice to see that Jim has made a new friend. Therefore, now that I have finished registering you as a crew member, please allow me to welcome you aboard the Outlaw Star!" said Gilliam before opening up the hatch.
(Scene change)
"My name is Hanmyo. It's nice to meet all of you!" Hanmyo introduced herself with a bright smile. She was standing alongside Jim while the remaining crew members stood a few feet in front of her. Melfina was the first to speak.
"How do you do, Hanmyo? I'm Melfina, and it's a pleasure to meet you," the bio-android said sweetly.
"And I am the great Ctarl-Ctarl Aisha Clan-Clan!" announced Aisha.
"I am known as 'Twilight' Suzuka," the bokudo-wielding assassin stated simply. Looking at Suzuka's face, Hanmyo felt an odd yet very faint sensation, as if she had either met the calm and collected woman a long time ago or had known someone like her. The purple-haired girl wasn't sure which it was, but decided not to dwell on something so vague.
Unknown to everyone else, however, Suzuka had felt something as well upon seeing Hanmyo and was looking at the girl curiously. What exact thoughts were running through the assassin's mind, though, one could only guess.
"And I'm Gene Starwind," the red-headed captain said proudly before ruffling Hanmyo's hair, much to her embarrassment. "Sorry I didn't tell you my name earlier. It's not like me at all to forget to introduce myself."
"Ain't that the truth," muttered Jim.
"Watch it, Jim," warned Gene. "Anyway, after we've taken off and everything, one of us will give you a tour of the ship. Can you wait until then?"
"Sure!" replied an excited Hanmyo.
"I can't wait to show you around, Hanmyo!" agreed an equally excited Jim. Unfortunately, Gene had other plans.
"Actually, I need you to do something," said Gene. "Fred sent us some data concerning a place that supposedly is related to the Galactic Leyline (yet another name that felt familiar to Hanmyo for some reason). It's in an encoded e-mail addressed to you."
"Yeah, so you better hop to it, Jim!" Aisha chimed in.
"Are you serious?" grumbled Jim. "Aw man! I really wanted to give Hanmyo a tour…"
"I can do that, Jim," said Gilliam.
"Okay," Jim sighed in defeat.
(Scene change)
"We're off to the Galactic Leyline and the treasure!" cheered Aisha about an hour after the Outlaw Star had left Symka 5.
'I wonder if all Ctarl-Ctarl have short-term memory…' pondered Gene, considering how he had said earlier that they were heading somewhere related to the Galactic Leyline, not the Leyline itself. He found it really irritating that while they still had no idea as to where exactly they were going, their enemies were pretty damn good at tracking them down. Admittingly, he admired Aisha's perserverance, but even though he was trying harder not to tease her as much as he used to, some habits die hard.
"Hey, Gilliam?" Gene asked, breaking the silence.
"Yes, Gene?" responded the computer.
"How's our newest recruit doing?" the red-headed captain inquired.
"Hanmyo is doing quite well," responded Gilliam. "She's very enthusiastic about the tour, and she's also very polite. I must say, Jim picked a very good new friend."
"Well it WAS my idea to let her join!" bragged Gene with a smirk on his face.
"Save it, Gene," commented Aisha.
'Forget being nice to the animal. She should be respecting me, not the other way around!' Gene thought angrily while Melfina just laughed lightly and Suzuka allowed herself a small smile.
"I agree. Hanmyo is very nice, and quite cute, too. Jim's lucky to have found her," mentioned the bio-android.
(Scene change)
"And that concludes our tour. I do hope you enjoyed yourself," said Gilliam.
"Oh yes, very much! Jim's lucky to be on such an incredible ship!" confirmed Hanmyo cheerfully. "By the way, may we stop by Jim's room on the way back?"
"Why of course we may, Hanmyo," answered the computer.
(Scene change)
"I'm finally done!" said Jim as he slumped in his chair. "The encryption Fred used was easy enough to figure out, but finding out additional information about the place was such a pain. There wasn't a lot though, and I'm not sure whether or not to be surprised by that." Jim let out a yawn, but to his surprise, this was followed by a brief, yet quite painful, coughing fit.
"Maybe…maybe I should rest instead of going back and joining everyone…" Jim said to himself before shaking his head. "What am I saying? Without me, nothing is going to get done. Well, gotta get goin'!" Jim forced himself up and made his way towards the door of his room. But just at that moment, it opened to reveal Hanmyo.
"Hi, Hanmyo. Are you already done with your tour?" asked Jim.
"Yep! You're ship is amazing, and Gilliam is very nice. I've never before seen a ship's computer that's developed such an emotional personality," answered Hanmyo, who then gasped.
"What's wrong, Hanmyo?" Jim's voice was laced with concern.
"Oh, it's nothing, Jim," Hanmyo reassuringly shook her head while smiling. Internally, however, the young girl was contemplating the statement. 'Why did I say that I'm familiar with computers?' pondered Hanmyo. 'How…How could I even know such things? I don't remember anything like that and yet somehow…I know that I wasn't making it up either. I'm so confused. Who…just who was I before I met Jim?'
"Are you sure you're alright?" asked Jim once again.
"Yeah, I'm fine," replied Hanmyo. "Anyway, are you still working? If it's alright, may I keep you company?"
"Actually, I just fini…huh?" Jim began to say before he suddenly began to feel really weird. His eyelids became very heavy, and he could no longer keep his balance. The boy genius struggled to stand up right, but he proceeded to lose consciousness without warning.
Hanmyo caught his body before he crashed to the floor. "Jim? Jim!" she pleaded in vain.
(Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate)
"Why didn't he say something!?" complained Gene. The entire crew, plus Hanmyo and Gilliam were standing over Jim, who was lying on a bed in the infirmary. Safe to say he wasn't looking very good.
"Poor Jim. How did this happen to you?" Melfina said, her eyes beginning to tear up.
"That's what I'd like to know! Would someone please tell me what's going on around here?" asked Aisha.
"Jim seems to be suffering from a severe case of exhaustion. Not too surprising, given the circumstances," Suzuka commented.
"Circumstances?" questioned Hanmyo.
"Well, Hanmyo," Gilliam explained. "Over the course of the past few days, we have been in to grappler space combat twice. On top of that, after our first battle, Jim stayed up all night planning out a complex strategy and didn't get any rest afterwards. And if I recall correctly, he didn't sleep at all the following night either."
The purple-haired girl took in all of this new information. "So that means…" Hanmyo said before gasping with realization.
"That's right," confirmed Suzuka. "While I'm sure that most of the time the two of you spent together was very enjoyable, it was still most likely very taxing on Jim. Physically, mentally, and emotionally, Jim pushed his limits much harder than he should have and didn't have any opportunities to properly rest and get his energy back."
Before Hanmyo could start blaming herself, however, Melfina placed a comforting hand on the poor girl's shoulder. "Please don't blame yourself, Hanmyo. None of this is your fault. You had no idea how badly he needed to rest."
Hanmyo looked up at the bio-android's kind face, her eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you, Melfina."
"So how long until he wakes up?" Gene interrupted.
"Yeah, Jim's the only one who knows where we're going, right? What are we supposed to do until then?" added Aisha. Upon hearing this, Suzuka closed her eyes, deep in thought, while Melfina looked intently at Gene for answers. The silence didn't even last ten seconds, however, for the newest member of the crew wasn't too happy with the direction this conversation was taking.
"How could any of you say that? Doesn't Jim's wellbeing mean anything to you!?" Hanmyo yelled, completely outraged. The other people present were shocked at this outburst, but the surprises were far from over.
"Jim truly found a wonderful friend in you, Hanmyo. There's not a doubt within my circuitry of that," complimented Gilliam. However, he wasn't quite finished. "I must admit, though, that it is odd that only our newest addition would be so perceptive. Then again, Jim did have a point earlier…" That last remark was probably not something he meant to share out loud, but Gene picked up on it nonetheless.
"What did Jim say? Tell me, Gilliam!"
The pink robot would have sighed if possible. "Oh dear….Jim probably won't be too happy with me for divulging this, but since it technically refers to everyone here, well…"
"Say it already!"
"Very well," the computer adjusted himself so that he could properly address the occupants of the room. "You see, our first night at Symka 5, I could tell Jim was feeling stressed from the grappler fight. On top of all that, he felt that he had to figure out how to defeat our opponent in a future encounter by himself."
"Where would Jim get an idea like that?" asked Aisha.
"There's more, though, isn't there?" Gene's expression was deadly serious.
"Correct, Gene. Jim made it clear that in his mind, this was not unusual for him to have to take on difficult or multiple tasks without anyone else there to help him. And when I sympathized with Jim, he said that there was no one else who noticed the extent to which he pushes himself. But he seemed especially annoyed with you, Gene."
"What? With me? Please! Why the hell would he possibly be so angry with me?"
"I would think that it is quite obvious, Gene, given who you are supposed to be to him," Suzuka hadn't said anything for a while now, so Gene wasn't too pleased that this was apparently the first thing she had to say.
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Simply that you've known him longer than anyone, so why you do not realize his reasons is a mystery in and of itself," the bokudo-wielding assassin replied.
"You still haven't told me what these reasons are yet!"
"Very well then," Suzuka said, her tone like that of a teacher dealing with a student who refused to listen at all. "In order to deal with your way of handling everything, Jim in turn feels that he has no choice but to go beyond what is necessary in order to keep things together and under control. What infuriates him the most is that this has become something he must do regularly, and while he tries to deny it, his body can't handle it."
"Yeah, Gene. He may be a genius, but he's only a kid," added Aisha. "Even young Ctarl-Ctarl aren't capable of doing everything that a fully-grown adult can."
Melfina looked at Gene, her expression sad but otherwise unreadable. "Gene…" she said in a concerned voice.
Gene didn't say anything, but if he had clenched his fists any tighter, his gloves might have been stained red.
(Scene change)
"Dammit! Dammit! DAMMIT!" Gene stormed through the halls of the Outlaw Star, unable to contain his anger.
"Calm down, Gene. This isn't going to accomplish anything" said Suzuka, who was managing to keep in step with Gene. When they had reached the cockpit, Gene turned his head and glared at the assassin.
"Calm down? After what you said, not to mention everything that's happened, you expect me to just calm down? Jim's nearly worked himself to death, and it's all my fault!"
"Gene…?" Suzuka was slightly taken aback by Gene's outburst.
(Scene change)
"Jim…" Melfina said sadly while absentmindedly stroking Jim's face. With the exception of Suzuka, all of the female members of the crew had stayed behind to look after Jim. Presently, Aisha was sitting on a chair near the head of the bed, looking at Jim sadly. Suddenly she stood up.
"There's not really much here for me to do, so I'm gonna go take a walk. See ya later," The crew's resident Ctarl-Ctarl began heading for the door, but stopped when she passed by Hanmyo. Turning towards the young girl, Aisha's mouth changed into a slight grin. "Hey, Hanmyo?"
"Yes, Aisha?"
"You know what, kid, you're not half bad," said Aisha, ruffling the girl's hair. "After all, to a Ctarl-Ctarl, standing up for and protecting one of your own is a sign of utmost loyalty!" With this, Aisha left the room with an expression of absolute joy and pride. Melfina chuckled at this display, mystifying Hanmyo. Seeing the young girl's confusion, the bio-android explained.
"Aisha's never actually said this out loud, but I'm pretty sure she thinks of Jim as her little brother. When Aisha gives you a compliment like the one she just gave you, it means she really likes you!" Melfina's smile was contagious, and Hanmyo could feel the ends of her mouth being tugged upward. Unfortunately, the cheery atmosphere was only temporary. Melfina let out a deep sigh, closing her eyes and frowning sadly. "Jim's always doing such kind things for me, and I never do anything special for him in return. Seeing him lying here sick, I feel horrible."
"Don't be like that, Melfina!" Hanmyo insisted. "I don't think Jim ever blamed you for anything. In fact, I doubt anyone could get mad at you!"
"She's right, Mel…" a soft voice groaned from the bed.
(Scene change)
"You, Gilliam, even Aisha, everyone was right. I knew Jim was biting off more than he could chew, and I didn't do anything to stop him." Gene took a deep sigh. "It's always been like that, me doing all of the dangerous jobs while he just manages everything from behind the scenes. I never once tried doing any of his work. If I had, maybe I would have stepped in a long time ago."
The red-haired captain walked by Jim's seat and ran his hand over the edge. "First with Leilong and now here, I've nearly lost what's important to me when I could have done something before it got to that point." Gene looked up at the ceiling with a contemplative expression on his face. "I've never been one who likes to work, but if people are going to suffer because of it, maybe…maybe I could try to change, at least a little."
(Scene change)
"Jim, how are you feeling?" Melfina asked, worried that he might try to get out of bed.
"Ugh…really tired…and my limbs feel like they're encased in cement."
"If that's the case, then you're definitely not getting out of bed until you're completely better," said Hanmyo.
"But…the ruins…" It was clear that Jim barely had even enough energy to talk.
"They can wait, Jim. We all need…No, we all WANT you to be at your best before we go anywhere else," Melfina assured him.
Jim was surprised, though he wasn't able to show it. "Are you…Are you sure, Mel?"
"Yes, Jim. Although…" Melfina paused for a moment.
"Although what?" asked Jim.
"Jim, please promise me that you'll won't push yourself so hard anymore," requested Melfina. "You're far too important to everyone here for you to work yourself to death."
"That's right, and until you're all better, we're gonna take good care of you!" Hanmyo said with a determined smile.
"You don't ne-" Jim began to argue, but Hanmyo interrupted him, shaking her head.
"Jim, over the past few days, you've done so much just for me. You gave me flowers, you took me to the hospital, and you even let me join your crew. Looking after you is the least I can do to repay your kindness," Hanmyo said sweetly and sincerely, making it impossible for Jim to even want to argue.
"I feel the same way, Jim, so please don't worry about us," Melfina shared a knowing look with Hanmyo and the two smiled happily.
"Yep! It'll be our pleasure!" added Hanmyo.
Jim finally began to relax after that, and slowly his eyes began to close. "Thank you, Hanmyo. And…thank you, too, mom…" the blonde-haired boy whispered. As Jim fell back to sleep, Hanmyo grinned and glanced at Melfina. The bio-android put a hand over her chest while a tear fell from each eye.
"Mom…" Melfina closed her eyes and a ghost of a smile graced her kind face. "He called me mom…"
(To be continued)
Preview: I'm no archeology expert, but for such a primitive world, these ruins are incredible! The Eroba Reo Ruins of Ctarl-Ctarl are still far superior to these buildings, though! But at any rate, if this place really is connected to the Galactic Leyline, then there's BOUND to be tons and tons of treasure here! Huh? What are you saying, Gene?! Are you hiding something? Tell us what you know already!
Next time on Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate: Shattered Seals. You better get ready! Reow!
(Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate)
I've had the idea of Jim pushing himself too hard for a long time, so I definitely wanted to portray that here. I also really wanted to have Jim say aloud how he views Melfina.
With the exception of Kamina the Adventurer, the pace at which this story has been getting the attention it has is far beyond any of my other fanfics. If the rate at which this is happening increases any further, given enough time, Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate may surpass every one of my previous works in total number of hits.
The reviews alone have brought me a level of joy and pride I haven't felt in a long time. My self-esteem has reached a whole new high, and it's thanks to every person who has taken the time to read my story.
A special thank you to Shadow of the Forgotten, who after every time I've posted a chapter so far, has played the role of a beta and points out many of my mistakes. As some may have noticed, along with each update of this story, I also post an edited version of the previous chapter, so whenever I post the next chapter, any revisions made to this one will be posted as well.
Speaking of edits, one thing that occurred about three quarters of the way through this chapter, I realized that the episode title I used for my previous chapter doesn't match the one I said I'd be using in the preview found in my prologue. It's one word difference, but I'm still going to fix that.
I'm literally just about to start college, so I have no way of knowing when I'll be able to update everything, but rest assured, this story will always be near the front of my mind.
