Published May 11, 2022

Takes place during "The Daisho Caper."

"Vulnerability"

Carmen had never thought of Shadowsan as vulnerable in any way.

Even aside from the knowledge that he was a skilled assassin, he appeared to be the picture of health. He was not particularly old—in fact, he was the youngest person on the V.I.L.E. Academy faculty. But he did not seem to have any weakness.

This impression only began to change after his defection from V.I.L.E. She did not know whether it was the passage of time since she left the island, or the fact that she was now looking at him as an ally rather than an enemy, but she thought he looked older than she remembered. And when they went to Japan, and he began to open up about his past, she saw real sorrow in his eyes for the first time.

Even though Shadowsan had always expressed fondness and reverence for his native country, Carmen had never thought about him having a life outside of V.I.L.E. Learning that he had a brother gave her an entirely new perspective on his life, his identity. And it revealed to her his vulnerabilities, which V.I.L.E. was ready to exploit in order to wreak their revenge.

She struggled to understand his true values and motives, and she was amazed at what he was willing to do for them. Would he really risk his life for the sake of the stolen daisho? Was it cultural pride, or a sense of honor, or the rift with his brother that motivated him? Maybe it was some combination. Maybe it didn't matter, because they all led him to the same choice. He would risk whatever it took to correct his past wrongdoing.

But that did not mean he could not let Carmen, Ivy and Zack help him. It took a while to convince him of this—he was still reluctant to trust Ivy and Zack, not so much doubting their loyalties as their abilities. But after they reminded him of the success of their previous caper in Rio, he finally agreed to be the decoy in this one.

Their plan worked, though it was a closer call than Shadowsan usually experienced—perhaps the first one in his career. While he lay paralyzed on the floor, Carmen ended up being the one to save him, finally starting to pay him back for the times he had saved her.

He did not protest as Ivy and Zack lifted him together and carried him to safety, while Carmen carried the two swords. As they did, Ivy noticed something alarming. "Hey, Sensei, your clothes are wet. Are you bleeding?"

"No." Shadowsan's usually pale skin turned red, though not as vivid a shade as Carmen's coat. "It seems the paralyzing effects of Lady Dokuso's poison includes—"

"Loss of bladder control?" Carmen guessed.

Shadowsan's only answer was to scowl, a sound that they were becoming increasingly familiar with.

To their credit, the Bostonian siblings did not take this as an opening for making jokes. Ivy even said, "I've been there. It happens to the best of us."

As the only other male, Zack quickly volunteered his help. "Don't worry, we'll get ya cleaned up."

"If you want, I can bring the swords back to the museum now," Carmen suggested.

"No." Shadowsan's voice was stronger now. "Once I have recovered, I must return them myself."

Carmen looked at him in mild concern. "You know you might see your brother again."

He seemed to brace himself. "Yes."

After a pregnant pause, she asked, "Will we see you again?"

Shadowsan did not answer. Nevertheless, Carmen told him which train station they would leave from, and chose a departure time that would give him long enough to go to the museum and meet up with them.

"You'll still be welcome if you want to come with us," she told him.

He nodded curtly. "Domo. You have my thanks."

As they waited for the train, Carmen was not sure what to expect, or hope for, from Shadowsan. If Hideo forgave him, it would make sense for him to stay with his brother. Why would he choose her over his own family? She would have liked to have Shadowsan's guidance as a veteran of V.I.L.E., but if he could have a normal life with a blood relation, she would have been happy for him.

So her feelings were mixed, and perhaps more happy than she should have been, when he appeared at the same time as the train, no longer bearing his sword.

He had seen his brother, and Hideo had not alerted law enforcement or done anything to prevent him from leaving; but they had not truly mended the broken relationship. Perhaps Hideo would forgive him in time, but it was unlikely that they would ever see each other again, and Shadowsan seemed beyond hope.

Carmen finally understood what he had meant when he warned her about the irreversibility of her decision to become a professional thief. He had burned the proverbial bridge, and in so doing destroyed the possibility of returning to his old life, his old family.

In a way, Carmen, Shadowsan, Ivy, and Zack were all outcasts—and ironically, that was part of what united them on this road.

Author's Note: I still have several chapters I want to post in this short story cycle, so I'm going to try to rewatch the show and get back into regular updates. Reviews are appreciated!