A/N: Alright, so if the creation date for Chapter 1's Google doc is accurate, today (4/11/2025) marks the one year anniversary of when I first started writing Shadow Phoenix, which means that the one year anniversary of when the story first popped into my head was two days ago. I couldn't have planned that if I tried.
Throughout history, information has been a valued resource. Be it knowledge of skills necessary for basic survival or intelligence regarding the plans of rival organizations, to know something is to possess an advantage. By that same token, a piece of information considered more important or even dangerous can sometimes be more closely guarded than even the largest collections of dragonite possessed by the various governing powers in the galaxy. And when it comes to exchanging information, those who try to mislead others on the frontier regularly have their deceit discovered far too quickly, paying the price with their lives. But when closely guarded secrets are divulged, it can make all the difference in whether a bond is destroyed or solidified.
Chasing Hidden Truths
Less than 10 minutes after the clash with McCoy, the group had finally returned to the Shadow Phoenix shop, where Melfina, Kanaru, Rei, and Zen were all waiting in the office. The three young women all let out sighs of relief upon seeing their friends were okay, whereas Zen cocked his head to the side in confusion upon noticing the additional guests of the exhausted Aisha and the unconscious McCoy.
"That's the man who was possessed by the Shadow, correct?" asked Zen.
"Yep, and I want you to take him to the basement," said Shinjiro as he walked over and passed the older outlaw over to the dark-skinned young man.
"Understood," said Zen as he watched Gene lay the Ctarl-Ctarl woman on the couch. "But what about her?"
"She helped fight off the Shadow, so we can at least give her some food as thanks," explained Shinjiro.
"It'll take…more than…a measly offering…of food…to appease…a Ctarl-Ctarl," grunted Aisha.
"You'll be singing a different tune once you've had Shinjiro's cooking," said Jim.
"Way to put pressure on a guy," sighed Shinjiro. Just then, the phone behind the office desk started ringing. Kanaru got up from her seat in order to answer, but to her surprise, Rei beat her to it.
"Hello, you've reached Shadow Phoenix! This is Rei speaking!" answered the cheerful blonde, her back to everyone else and hiding the screen displaying the caller from them. "Uh huh…Okay, I'll let everyone know! Thank you!" At this, Rei put the phone down. "That was that Mikey guy you told me about. He said he and Swanzo were on their way over!"
"Guess that means the ship is ready," said Gene as he took a seat near the table. "Won't be much longer now until we finally get some answers."
"Let's eat first, though! I'm starving!" said Jim.
"I agree…" grumbled Aisha.
"Shouldn't we wait for everyone to be here first?" asked Melfina, only for her stomach as well as Aisha's to growl. This caused the raven-haired woman to cover mouth and blush in embarrassment.
"I'll start bringing out some food," sighed Shinjiro. "Kanaru, go get Ryo. And Rei, go tell Zen to make another run to the market once he'd done securing McCoy."
"Securing?" asked Jim.
"Shadows can be unpredictable in general, and what happened with McCoy is way different from my own experiences," explained Shinjiro. "For his own safety as well as ours, we're not taking chances."
"I'm starting to wish we weren't all so hungry so that we could skip straight to the explanation," muttered Gene.
About 20 minutes later, Mikey and Swanzo walked into the office and were greeted with a surprising sight: the Ctarl-Ctarl that had been snooping around the docks before eagerly shoveling bite after bite of shrimp and vegetable fried rice into her mouth. Gene and Jim were watching with exasperation, while protectively guarding their own plates of food.
"Glad you could make it, Mr. Swanzo and Mr. Mikey!" said Kanaru as she picked up a piece of shrimp with her own chopsticks.
"Wasn't expecting you to make friends with her of all people," said a bewildered Swanzo.
"Friends may be a bit of a stretch…" said Jim.
"Had you told me an hour ago we'd be treating her to food, I wouldn't have believed it either," said Gene. "But after what happened in the park, it didn't feel right leaving her out."
"The park? That was you!?" shouted Mikey, his shades slipping down in his nose in shock.
"You guys know about it?" asked Gene.
"Word travels fast around here, kid," said Swanzo. "Details are scarce, but the roads leading up to the park are pretty banged up. And the park itself is one hell of a mess."
"It's gonna take ages to fix all of that, and it's gonna cost a hell of a lot of money," groaned Mikey. "What the hell happened!?"
"We'll get into what happened in the park after we're all done eating," said a new voice. Swanzo and Mikey turned to see a new face: a man in his early to mid twenties with brown hair and glasses. Said man was currently frowning in the direction of the Ctarl-Ctarl. "For now, Ms. Clan-Clan was explaining to us why she was chasing my employees and their friends around town."
"Apparently, because of that mess from when we were trying to leave Blue Heaven before, her people deliberately stranded her here," said Gene.
"They told me I was to be the resident officer here and gather information on the Galactic Leyline," Aisha said through a huge mouthful of food.
"Don't you get some kind of salary, or even a place to stay?" asked Jim, remembering the filthy state of her cloak when she first confronted them. Speaking of which, Zen had offered to put said cloak in the laundry before heading to the grocery store, something the Ctarl-Ctarl had accepted without hesitation.
"Not from the Empire," answered the Ctarl-Ctarl. "I'm completely on my own for that sort of thing, so if I had tried to use my own money to track any of you down, I'd be completely broke!"
"And when's the last time you stayed in the hotel?" asked a concerned Melfina.
"A few days ago, why do you ask?" said Aisha.
"I'd say you're even more broke than we are," chimed in Gene. "But seriously, Hilda didn't tell us anything useful about the Galactic Leyline. She hired us, sure, but trying to get a straight answer from her about even the small stuff was like pulling teeth!"
"And while she did hire us for a previous job, it was only during this one that we even learned Ms. Hilda was looking for the Galactic Leyline," added Kanaru.
"Well then, may I…?" asked a suspiciously demure Aisha.
"May you what?" asked Jim.
"Have seconds?" finished the shamelessly hungry Ctarl-Ctarl, causing the blonde prodigy to face palm.
"Help yourself, Ms. Kitty!" said Rei. "You helped save Gene from that McCoy monster, so you earned some food for all your hard work!"
"Then don't mind if I do!" cheered Aisha as Shinjiro placed another bowl in front of her.
"Hey, it was a team effort to take that guy down!" yelled an indignant Gene. "Besides, don't forget that you're the one who ripped those pipes out of the ground when you were chasing us earlier!
"...What the hell did we miss while we were working on their ship?" asked a baffled Mikey.
"I don't know, but let's find out if it was a good thing we were busy all day at the dock," admitted the Corbonite.
"I'm so stuffed I couldn't possibly eat another bite…" sighed a very happy Aisha.
"You know Ms. Kitty, you're a much more pleasant person when you're not hungry!" said Rei. "Maybe all you needed was some good food. I know eating puts me in a much better mood!"
"Let's hope it stays that way," said a much less optimistic Shinjiro as he started clearing everyone's empty plates. "The floor is yours, Boss."
"Very well," said the man in glasses. "For now, let's start with any questions Mr. Starwind has. Shinjiro here has been telling me just how impatient he's been for answers for some time now."
Gene narrowed his eyes at the brunette. The newcomer hadn't said a whole lot during the meal, even compared to Zen. But it hadn't taken much to figure out that this was their boss Ryo. And while Kanaru had vouched that he wouldn't withhold too much info, something about the way the man carried himself gave the redhead an uncomfortably familiar sense of unease.
"Look, before we agree to any jobs with you or anything, here are my main questions that need answering," Gene stated. "Like what the hell happened to McCoy? What are these powers Kanaru and Shinjiro keep referencing? Why are they so interested in my caster? And just what is Shadow Phoenix?"
"Are you sure you want to ask all that while Ms. Clan-Clan is within earshot?" Ryo said as he gestured at a fuming Aisha. "I can acknowledge that after helping you with McCoy, she deserves to have an explanation for what Shadows are, but the other questions aren't necessarily her business."
"If it'll mean she'll get off our backs, then yes," Gene confirmed shamelessly.
"And depending on what you tell me, I might just grant you leniency for associating with Hilda!" confirmed the Ctarl-Ctarl.
"That'd mean a lot more if you hadn't just stuffed yourself on that free meal," Shinjiro pointed out.
"Shut up, Shinjiro!" complained Aisha, before gesturing at Swanzo and Mikey. "Besides, why am I being singled out? Those two never even left the docks today!"
"Wow, you've managed to learn my name. I'm so flattered," said Shinjiro. "And quite frankly, that's because those two have proven they know how to be reasonable."
"And how much more time have you spent with them than me?" asked Aisha.
"Not a whole lot, but that just says more about you than it does them," Shinjiro shrugged.
"Kid, you've got one hell of a smart mouth," said Mikey before adopting a grin. "And an eye for quality."
"Very well," Ryo interrupted before the conversation could veer any further off topic. "To begin with your first question, what happened with Mr. McCoy was that his tumultuous emotional state seems to have served as a beacon for Shadows."
"Shadows? I kept hearing that term being thrown around before and after the fight. Is that what he turned into? Or is that all that sludge that swallowed him before his transformation?" asked Gene.
"Technically both, but we'll get into that in a bit," said Ryo. "While I myself do not have experience fighting Shadows, many of us at Shadow Phoenix have."
"Well that's obvious," Gene pointed out. "But just what are these Shadows, and what did they do to McCoy?"
"In general, Shadows are beings originating from the collective unconscious. They take many forms, and in most cases, they are extremely dangerous. One common trait among Shadows, especially weaker Shadows, is that they are drawn towards people with internal conflicts, with some of the most powerful Shadows originating from those same individuals." answered Ryo.
"In other words, those Shadows are a physical embodiment of the psychological concept by the same name," chimed in Zen. "A person's Shadow are the aspects of themselves they are either not consciously aware of or that they try to conceal from themselves and others given form. And in many known cases, these Shadows will try to actively antagonize the people they originate from, insisting they are their true selves made manifest."
"And what happens if the original person tries to deny what the Shadow is saying?" Gene asked, remembering McCoy's words just before his transformation.
"Generally speaking, the Shadow goes berserk, draws in any weaker Shadows that are around while mutating into a more monstrous form, and attempts to kill both the person they originate from and anyone else who happens to be present," answered Ryo.
"Huh, that would explain some things…" said Gene. "When McCoy confronted us in the park, he kept ranting about how everything that happened to him and his friends were our fault, Hilda's, or the Ctarl-Ctarl's. But when I pointed out that the only reason he got into this mess was because he took a shady job from MacDougall and wouldn't back out because of his greed and pride, that seemed to push him over the edge and trigger that transformation."
"That does seem to match up with in many regards, but there's so much about this that still seems odd," said Kanaru.
"How so?" asked Melfina.
"Shadows generally inhibit a unique plane of existence, and only emerge in this one under specific circumstances and for brief periods," explained Zen. "Additionally, when a person is being antagonized by their Shadow, it's usually after said Shadow has taken a physical form outside their own body."
"Maybe whatever I said caused McCoy's Shadow to start bickering with him while it was still inside his own head?" offered Gene.
"That would explain why McCoy was incorporated into the berserk Shadow instead of being left out in the open," agreed Zen.
"So let me see if I'm understanding all of this so far," Aisha chimed in. "McCoy tried to deny he was at fault, Gene here pointed out he had himself to blame, this Shadow of his agreed with Gene over McCoy, McCoy tried to deny the truth, his Shadow took over his body, went crazy, turned him into a monster, and tried to kill us all. That's what happened?"
"Yeah, pretty much," Shinjiro agreed.
"And here I thought you Terrans were proponents of therapy, yet something like this happens…" said Aisha with a shake of her head.
"Good therapists are hard to find on the frontier…" sighed Gene.
"And even where we're from on Earth, there's still sometimes a stigma towards seeking out that sort of help…" Shinjiro admitted.
"Really?" asked Jim. "I figured Earth would have gotten past that by now."
"I wish," said Kanaru.
"Regardless, it's still strange for Shadows to be showing up here at all," said Ryo as he brought his hand to his chin. "From what I know, when the circumstances allowing for Shadows to enter our plane of existence are present, generally so are visual differences in the environment. But from what you've described of the battle, any visible changes to the surroundings occurred because of the fight itself, not before it."
"Well, according to some of our other members, it is possible for Shadows to appear without a clear difference to the surroundings, but such instances have been rare and have not occurred for quite some time," added Kanaru.
"Meaning…?" pushed Aisha.
"It's an anomaly on top of another anomaly!" Rei summarized, causing many of the non-Shadow Phoenix employees to groan.
"So wait, is this something we're all going to have to keep an eye out for from now on?" asked Mikey.
"We can't say for sure, but it won't hurt to be prepared," answered Ryo.
"Depending on how much the security cameras at the park caught, you might have to make some sort of public statement," said Swanzo. "While a lot of the residents here are outlaws who can take care of themselves, there are plenty of ordinary civilians who don't know how to fight. If these things are gonna start showing up more often, the locals are gonna need to know how to protect themselves."
"I've already made arrangements to transfer some other members of our company here, and they should be able to help with both providing information and protection to the public," sighed Ryo.
"Oh? Who's coming?" asked Rei.
"Mr. Mochizuki and Mr. Pharos will be relieving you and Mr. Zen," said Ryo. "I intend for the two of you to accompany Mr. Aragaki, Ms. Metis, and Kanaru on their next assignment."
"Very well," said Zen.
"Yeah, Ryoji and Pharos will do a great job looking after things here!" agreed Rei.
"Why are you sending them away? Wouldn't it make more sense to keep them here?" asked Mikey.
"From what my old leaders have told me, either of those two alone would be overkill for protecting Blue Heaven from any Shadows that show up," said Shinjiro before letting out a sigh. "Anyone or anything that tries to attack both of them will be pleading for a quick death."
"Additionally, we don't know where and when other Shadows might show up, so having too many of our members gathered in a single place would mean too many other places would be left unprepared for Shadows," agreed Kanaru.
"...And do these powers of yours have something to do with fighting against Shadows?" asked Gene.
"Indeed," said Ryo with a nod. "There have been many studies of Shadows in the past, as well as the means to combat them, and one of the most reliable methods is summoning a being called a Persona."
"Personas? You mean like putting on an act?" asked Jim.
"There are connections, but in this case, think of a Persona as being a copy of a known historical or mythological figure or creature that represents your inner self," answered the brunette. "Each Persona comes with its own set of skills and abilities, and allows its user to combat Shadows and other threats."
"Additionally, while it's generally easiest for users to summon Personas in the realm Shadows originate from, it is possible to summon it in our own plane of existence as well, albeit requiring far more physical and mental energy," added Kanaru.
"And while most people with the potential to possess a Persona can only have one at a time, there are those who have the ability to carry multiple Personas."
"Like what Kanaru described early, with her having two different Personas," said Melfina.
"...Yes, I had one Persona given to me through the organization that created me, and one I had awakened to through my bond with my new friends," confirmed the purple-haired girl, the melancholy in her voice clear to all.
"Like different aspects of your identity…" realized Melfina.
"Yeah, you mentioned during the meal that you and Melfina were both androids, but I sure as hell wouldn't have figured it out anytime soon," admitted Jim.
"What about that ritual you were talking about before?" asked Gene
"It was meant to see who had the potential to awaken to these sorts of powers," answered Kanaru. "Many members of the group responsible had their own powers, and by extracting the Personas of others, they could increase the strength of their own. But by taking another person's powers, their own Personas became more and more unstable."
"And what happened to the kids who had their powers stolen?" asked Jim.
"They…they…" Kanaru looked incredibly pale.
"Their bodies were turned inside out," Ryo admitted with disgust, a sentiment that was shared by everyone else in the room. Melfina, Aisha, and Mikey looked the most horrified, whereas Rei's reaction was only slightly less so due to having heard about it already along with all of the other Shadow Phoenix members present.
"I am so…so thankful to Shin and everyone for breaking me free from them," Kanaru said with tears in her eyes.
"I don't blame you," admitted Gene.
"In truth, there are several different known methods for determining whether or not someone has the potential to awaken to these powers, but those were undeniably among the more unethical options available," explained Ryo, his sneer becoming even more pronounced. "Unfortunately, the leader of that group only cared about gaining knowledge and power for himself. Whether that meant using orphans as test subjects, downplaying his own surgical skills just to have a cover for experimenting on critically injured twins, or turning his own deceased daughter into a monster…all that mattered was satisfying his twisted curiosity."
"Not that other means of obtaining Personas are all that pleasant," said Shinjiro. "From what Metis has told us, her sister Labrys went through initially rejecting her own Shadow and having to genuinely accept it as a part of her after it went on a rampage before awakening to a Persona she could actually control."
"In other words, she had to overcome an existential crisis in more ways than one," said Swanzo with a shake of his head. "You Terrans really are magnets for trouble sometimes, you know that?"
"Some more than others…" grumbled Jim as he glared at the only redhead in the room.
"But why have you been keeping this all under wraps until now?" asked Aisha.
"These powers and the methods to acquire them tend to be dangerous at the best of times," said Ryo. "And Kanaru, Mr. Aragaki, and I are far from the only people in Shadow Phoenix to have suffered because someone abused knowledge of Personas and Shadows."
"Unfortunately, if Shadows are gonna start showing up in broad daylight, especially while we can't fully summon our Personas, we may not have a choice about keeping this sort of thing secret anymore," sighed Shinjiro.
"Wait, what was that about summoning?" asked Jim.
"...For some time now, any members of Shadow Phoenix who could use Personas can only channel some of their Personas abilities in a far more limited manner, and the Personas themselves no longer physically manifest," explained Ryo, giving the teen with the beanie an annoyed look.
"And trying to manifest them in our reality in the first place already takes a lot out of us, so trying to do so under these new circumstances hurts like hell," added Shinjiro with a shrug, not at all bothered by Ryo.
"That definitely explains why you took the longest to get back on your feet after the MacDougalls attacked us," said Gene. "You tried using your Persona to defend yourself and the Lunar Hierophant, didn't you?"
"Yeah, and the skills I used weren't really meant to be used like that in the first place, so the backlash was even worse," admitted Shinjiro.
"And that's why Kanaru kept looking and sounding ill all those times," added Jim. "Like when she found that tracking spell on Horus!"
"My Persona has some scanning and defensive capabilities, but they're much weaker than those of Little Br-I mean Jun," said Kanaru with a light blush. Ryo could only respond by covering his face with his palm in exasperation.
"That actually sounds a little like caster shells," said Gene. "I keep hearing how the reason they're so rare is that their power source just disappeared one day."
"And that leads into answering your next question, Mr. Starwind," said Ryo. "We haven't found many leads in our pursuit of figuring out why Personas are being affected the way they are. But the similar case with the shells used for spellguns, or casters as they're more commonly referred to, is too great for us to disregard."
"Even so, you gotta admit that's one hell of a leap to make," said Jim.
"It is, but it's sadly the best lead we have at the moment," agreed Kanaru.
"But is that really all there is to it?" asked Gene with narrowed eyes. "I can't imagine that's all your company is after."
"...Mr. Aragaki was right, you are far sharper than any reports would indicate," said Ryo. All this time, the glasses-wearing brunette had remained on his feet, but now he took a seat behind the office desk. "That all ties into your fourth question. Like Starwind & Hawking Enterprises, Shadow Phoenix performs a large variety of tasks, from bodyguard work to transportation of goods. But that is primarily in order to cover our expenses and provide funding for our main specialty and objectives: gathering information and tracking down missing persons."
"Isn't that last one just another form of collecting intel?" asked Jim.
"There is overlap, and we do sometimes take jobs to find people who have gone missing, but there's more to it than that," explained Kanaru. "Many of us who are a part of Shadow Phoenix all come from similar backgrounds and even regions. But after multiple tragedies, we've been separated from our loved ones and scattered across the galaxy."
"I think I get it now," said Jim. "The info gathering is about figuring out how to restore your powers so you can fight against those Shadows and the people you're trying to track down are your lost friends and family."
"Yep!" confirmed Rei. "You're really smart as well, Jim!"
"Wait, what do you mean by all that?" asked Aisha.
"What they're saying is that whatever those 'tragedies' were that caused them all to get separated also likely had something to do with why they can't use their Personas properly anymore," said an exasperated blonde prodigy.
"Indeed," agreed Ryo. "While Mr. Hawking is right that the similarities between our powers and casters may not be that strong, for all of us who could use Personas before, the timing between the tragedies and the decline in our abilities is not a coincidence."
"Well, I'm rooting for you all," said Melfina, with a look in her eyes that made it clear she understood their motivations.
"But in other words, whatever info you've gathered has nothing to do with the Leyline," grumbled Aisha as she stood up from her seat. "What you've all talked about has been interesting, and good to know in case those monsters show up again, but none of what you've said has convinced me to let you off the hook for associating with Hilda."
"So even after all we just went through together, letting you eat with us, and even including you in our meeting, you still want to pick a fight?" groaned Gene.
"You really expected to satisfy me with that mere amount of food?" claimed Aisha.
"Didn't you say you ate so much you couldn't take another bite, Ms. Kitty?" asked Rei.
"T-That's besides the point!" insisted the Ctarl-Ctarl.
"No, it isn't," Shinjiro said bluntly. "And besides, there's no law enforcement here on Blue Heaven, and you yourself said the Ctarl-Ctarl Empire left you behind."
"Where exactly did you plan on holding these kids after arresting them?" asked Swanzo.
"Uh…Er…I'd place them under house arrest right here until the Empire came back to Blue Heaven!" Aisha responded much too quickly.
"I don't even know where tobeginpoking holes in that plan," muttered Mikey.
"Look kiddo, the Empire may have a trade treaty with the dock workers association of Blue Heaven, but part of that agreement involves not extraditing folks from inside Blue Heaven to other planets or space stations," said the Corbonite
"Look, none of this would have happened if they hadn't tried to escape from me before!" shouted Aisha.
"And from what you're saying now, you're admitting to being responsible for all the damage in the streets," pointed out Mikey.
"By your logic, shouldn't you be held accountable for your own actions?" agreed Swanzo.
'...This could be bad,'thought Gene.'From what they told us about Shadows before, she could turn into a monster like McCoy if this keeps going.'
Fortunately, Gene wasn't the only one to be getting nervous, for Ryo intervened. "Ms. Clan-Clan, I can understand your frustration with not receiving the information you seek," said the leader of Shadow Phoenix. "All too often, our own efforts have come up empty. So how about we offer you a deal?"
"What kind of deal?" asked a doubtful Aisha.
"Someone like you clearly values strength," said Zen, quickly catching onto his boss's plan. "So how about we have a fight outside? If you manage to knock me out, you can use our shop as your own base of operations as well as our information network and resources at your own leisure to search for information on the Galactic Leyline."
"We'll even help pay for repairing the roads that were damaged earlier!" added Rei.
"Seriously!?" asked an incredulous Mikey.
"It's already company policy to cover the damages done by Shadows, so this won't be too much different than that," explained Kanaru.
"Glad to know you're willing to help out with returning the park back to normal, at least," said Swanzo.
"However, if Mr. Zen knocks you unconscious instead, you shall become an employee of Shadow Phoenix, having to both work off the damage you dealt during your earlier pursuit and provide aid in whatever jobs we accept, be it protecting civilians or hunting down information," demanded Ryo. "There will be more details regarding what would be expected of you as an employee, but we'll explain in further details should Zen manage to defeat you."
"That's fine with me!" agreed an eager Aisha. "There's no way an immortal Ctarl-Ctarl could be bested by this lanky archer you've got here!"
(Outlaw Star / Persona)
"Guess Aisha will be working for you guys for a while," said Jim as he looked down at the twitching Ctarl-Ctarl. Aisha was lying on the ground next to a single arrow with a flattened tip, her eyes rolled back and bits of static visibly leaping from her hands and feet. Rei was busy poking Aisha in the shoulder as Zen lowered his crossbow and made his way over, picking his former opponent up and carrying her back into the shop. Everyone else was standing off to the side, with Mikey being gobsmacked, Swanzo letting out a groan, Melfina and Kanaru looking concerned for the resident officer, Gene cocking his eyebrow in amusement, and Ryo and Shinjiro looking utterly unphased.
"Sure you'll be able to get her to listen to you?" asked Shinjiro.
"If not me, then I'm sure she'll find Mr. Mochizuki to be much more agreeable," admitted Ryo.
"So you're not sticking around much longer, either?" asked Swanzo.
"Only until Mr. Mochizuki and Mr. Pharos have settled into Blue Heaven and our specialist has had a chance to look at the patient," explained the Shadow Phoenix boss. "I'll need to return to Heifong before too much longer."
"Well, if that's taken care of, let's get back inside and wrap up the meeting," said Gene. "I want to hear about the ship and whatever this job you have for us is supposed to be."
"Very well, but please allow me a moment to speak with Mr. Aragaki in private first, would you?"
"Okay," agreed the redhead, a little wary but willing to let it slide for now. As everyone except for Ryo and Shinjiro went back inside, the glasses-wearing adult brought a hand to his face in exasperation and groaned in annoyance.
"Mr. Sanada would have been so much better at explaining all that than me," Ryo sighed. "I'm not sure I'll ever get used to divulging so much."
"On one hand, I agree that the Aki I know would have been nowhere near that stiff when blabbing about all this crap with people already in the know," said Shinjiro before snorting. "On the other hand, you still sure you're talking about the same Aki? The way you describe him sometimes makes me feel like you're talking about a totally different person."
"Quite frankly, the more I learn about the Akihiko Sanada so many from Tatsumi Port Island knew versus the one those of us from Ayanagi were familiar with, the more often I find myself asking that very question," Ryo agreed. "Given everything you all went through together, there's a lot about his behavior that makes little sense in retrospect."
At this Shinjiro reached out to a pocket in his coat and pulled out two photos. Both photos were of six teenagers, a child, a dog, and an adult male with an eyepatch. The two photos were almost exactly the same, but one had a blue haired boy amongst the teenagers while the other had a red-haired girl in the same spot. Regardless, it was one of the other teenagers that the two Shadow Phoenix operatives were staring at: a young man with short, silver hair that towered over nearly everyone else in both pictures.
"But it's not just the same name, though," said Shinjiro. "You and Kanaru both confirmed that the Aki you guys met is the same one here in the photos, just ten years older."
"So much of our situation makes little sense, and discrepancies like this only complicate things further," said Ryo.
"Tell me about it," groaned Shinjiro, as he made his way back up the front steps. "But at least we don't have it as bad as some of the others. There are times I honestly wonder how their heads haven't exploded yet."
"Speaking of which, I have a message for you from Mr. Yuuki and Ms. Shiomi," said Ryo. "Next time you're on Heifong, swing by Leblanc II."
Shinjiro froze on the doorsteps for several seconds before turning to look at Ryo, a soft smile on his face. "I think that's something I can manage."
"As mentioned earlier, one of the goals of Shadow Phoenix is gathering info," said Ryo as he brought out a projector and placed it on the desk. "While it's primarily in the attempts to learn about our missing loved ones and understand what's happened to our powers, we regularly seek whatever information we can that might be related, however tangentially. While casters and their ammo definitely qualify, so does anything related to Tao magic."
"Yeah, the Kei pirates are the most well-known practitioners of the stuff," agreed Swanzo. "I've heard that some of the Ban pirates might also know how to use it, but that's mostly just those high up the chain. For the Kei, even some of their grunts are experienced in casting spells."
"Sounds about right," said Jim. "From what I've heard, the Ban rely mostly on brute force with weapons and ships, whereas the Kei specialize in sorcery."
"Not to say one group or the other is lacking in either department, but their respective strengths are common knowledge amongst the folks here at Blue Heaven," said Shinjiro.
"Speaking of which, I have something to share on that," said Swanzo. With a nod from Ryo, Kanaru activated the projector and a star chart showing part of the galaxy appeared on the office wall. After handing the Corbonite a laser pointer, he continued. "Right now, we're in Ban territory, which extends all the way to the Heifong System. The Kei pirates who were after Hilda originate past that region in the Hopo System, the heart of the Tempa Empire. They generally don't venture this far into Ban turf, especially since it means crossing through yet another guild's territory, but around the time that Hilda first hired Shadow Phoenix, there began to be more and more sightings of Kei ships around here."
"For years now, the borders between all of the pirates' respective territories has remained fairly consistent, but Ms. Hilda bringing the Outlaw Star and Melfina here from the Kei seems to have made the various guilds much more agitated and aggressive in their general actions," agreed Ryo. "The Kei haven't risked making any appearances near Heifong just yet, but if they're willing to go all the way to Sentinel to track down Ms. Hilda, it may only be a matter of time."
"What's so important about the Heifong System?" asked Melfina.
"Well, little lady, it's easily the most densely populated system in the galaxy," explained Swanzo. "Given that it's smackdab between the systems for four of the homeworlds for the different races here in the galaxy, though, that's not too surprising."
"What also isn't surprising is while not every planet in that system is inhabited, the political situation on all of those that are is far from stable," sighed Ryo. "Shadow Phoenix is currently headquartered in the Heifong System, but quite frankly, it's more out of necessity than anything."
"Yeah, we've only had a shop at Blue Heaven for about a month and a half, but just a week in I could tell being stationed here was like a vacation," groaned Shinjiro.
"Well, I was hoping to head to Heifong at some point soon, but it sounds like we'll need to prepare some more first," said Gene.
"And how do you plan on doing that?" asked Mikey, a raised eyebrow visible above his orange shades.
"I've got some connections back on Sentinel, so I'll see if that'll be enough to arm the Outlaw Star," answered the redhead.
"Oh no, not him…" groaned Jim.
"A broker on Sentinel? Hold on…are you talking about Fred Luo!?" exclaimed the dark-skinned mechanic.
"You know Fred?" asked Jim with surprise.
"His family is famous on the frontier," said Swanzo. "I've had some cool deals with his father over the years."
"And I'll pass on any hot deals with his son," added Mikey with a shudder. "I met Fred once, and that was more than enough."
"Come on, he's not that bad!" insisted Gene.
"Gene, you're only saying that because you've known him since you were kids," grumbled Jim. "Even you get uncomfortable around him!"
"...Okay, we also may not have a choice in the matter," admitted Gene. "But despite all that, there's no denying he's helped me out before. And he's not one of the bad guys, so you really don't need to worry."
"So our background research was correct. You do have history with the Luo family," said Ryo. "That actually pertains to the job we wish to hire Starwind & Hawking Enterprises for."
"We're listening," Jim stated warily.
"As you already know, when we acquired the Lunar Hierophant, it had been abandoned after losing its grappler arms, and we've had difficulty finding someone who can help build new arms for it," explained the glasses-wearing brunette. "And while we are a bit more established on Heifong than we are here, we do not yet possess the clout needed to reach out to the Luo family's Penelope Corporation for a matter like this."
"In other words, you want us to introduce you guys to Fred and see if he can find someone who can help with the Lunar Hierophant," realized the young boy. "I can draft up a referral for you on our way to Sentinel, but it'll be up to Gene to introduce you."
"That would be very much appreciated, Mr. Hawking," said Ryo.
"Hey Boss, you're only planning on staying here until Ryoji and Pharos relieve you and then returning to Heifong, right?" interrupted Shinjiro. "You sure about that? Honestly, you're better off being the one to meet with Fred instead of me."
"All reports indicate that Mr. Luo is a skilled and reliable businessman first and foremost," said Ryo. "He may have a reputation for being…extroverted, but it shouldn't get in the way of establishing positive relationships with other organizations."
"...Well, Gene? What are the odds I'm going to need to punch his lights out?" asked Shinjiro dryly, fixing the redhead with a stern look.
"Hopefully not high," said Gene. "He'll likely hit on me the most since he and I go way back, so you're better off ignoring him if he tries to flirt with you."
"I don't care what he says to me, so long as he minds my personal space," says Shinjiro before turning to look at Jim. "But I better not hear him make a pass at a kid."
"And if he tries to flirt with Zen, I'll clobber him!" said Rei with a pout and crossed arms. Gene, Jim, Kanaru, and Shinjiro couldn't help but smile at the mental image of Rei banging her fists harmlessly against Fred's back.
"...Why would this Fred flirt with me in the first place?" asked the aforementioned crossbow wielder with a tilt of his head. "It'll be our first meeting, so he won't know anything about me."
"Boy do I envy you right now…" sighed Mikey.
"Do I have anything to worry about when we meet him?" asked Melfina.
"Nah," assured Jim. "Fred's not interested in girls the way he is with guys, so he'll be polite with you, Kanaru, Rei, and Metis."
"Regardless, I'm sure that a meeting between you all and Mr. Luo will prove to be beneficial one way or another," said Ryo. "If he's truly as harmless as Mr. Starwind believes, then there should be no issue in trying to make a business deal with him."
"And if Jim's reaction is more accurate than Gene's?" asked Shinjiro, his voice cold as ice.
"...Then it'll be good to have verification that the Penelope Corporation is one to avoid at all costs, and perhaps that is a warning worth spreading to others who might try to make use of their services," came Ryo's response, his tone growing just as frigid.
'Fred, for everyone's sake, especially your own,pleasebehave…'Gene mentally pleaded. Maybe he'd see if he could subtly include a heads up to the merchant when he tried making contact once they reached Sentinel.
"Mr. Starwind, is this sort of job acceptable for you?" asked Ryo, interrupting the redhead's internal musings.
"It is," said Gene. "To be honest, I still feel like you guys aren't telling us everything, but not once has my gut told me that trusting you guys was a mistake. So far it hasn't let me down."
"Thank you, Mr. Starwind," said Ryo with a nod (and if Gene's eyes weren't playing tricks on him, an embarrassed yet extremely brief small smile) before turning to face his employees. "The four of you are to pack what you think you'll need for the trip to Sentinel, and then head to the docks once you're ready."
"Okay!" "Of course." "Understood, Big Bro!" "Got it." Came the responses of said four staff members.
"Mr. Swanzo and Mr. Mikey, do you have any further questions for us?" asked Ryo.
"So what's the plan with the Ctarl-Ctarl woman? How long do you plan on keeping her as an employee?" asked Swanzo.
"At the very least, Ms. Clan-clan will remain an official employee until she's worked off the damages to Blue Heaven," said Ryo. "But I'm not so cold as to throw her back on the streets afterwards. As long as she's willing to remain part of Shadow Phoenix afterwards and pass along any relevant intel she comes across, we'll provide her with meals, lodging, and a salary."
"Hey Gene! Maybe we oughta merge Starwind & Hawking Enterprises with them, too!" said Jim with his eyes wide. "It'd solve a lot of our financial problems!"
"I'm fine just remaining friends with them for now," said Gene with a shake of his head. "Plus I don't really want to give up my autonomy."
"Works for me," agreed Shinjiro. "But even if you worked for us, we wouldn't make you do anything you weren't comfortable with."
"But can you really promise something like that?" asked Mikey. To his surprise, everyone from Shadow Phoenix went silent for several seconds.
"...Yes," Kanaru finally said. "There's not a person in this room who'd do that sort of thing."
"We've all been screwed over too badly to ask someone else to go against their principles for our own sakes," grunted Shinjiro.
"...What the hell is that supposed to mean?" asked the dark-skinned mechanic nervously.
"Honestly, Mikey, it's none of our business at this point," said Swanzo. "If they feel like sharing that, they will, but for now, let's wrap this meeting up and head back to the docks. I think these kids have waited long enough to see our own handiwork."
"Aw yeah! This is what I'm talking about!" applauded Gene.
"Amazing!" said an awestruck Kanaru.
"I thought it looked cool before, but now it's on a whole new level!" cheered Jim, with stars in his eyes.
"Ain't gonna lie, it looks much more badass like this," said Shinjiro with an impressed whistle.
And indeed, the ship looked far different than it had back when they first came across. The basic dark green hull had been coated in a bright red sheen, making it far more eye-catching and highlighting the already impressive design of the ship. Bits of blue had also been added around the nose and cockpit, and the mechanics must have gotten a photo of Gene without his cloak from Swanzo, because on the left side of a cockpit was a giant blue version of the red star tattoo Gene had on his left shoulder.
But not only did the Outlaw Star look far better in everyone's eyes, it was such a stark contrast to the old paint job that even those who had seen the ship before would have to look extremely closely to realize it was the XGP. The bright colors would still make the ship stand out, but now it was on Gene's terms and not those of its previous owners.
"It reminds me of a giant cooked lobster…" said a drooling Rei, whereas Zen merely looked the ship over in quiet fascination.
"Maybe claws are one of the weapons we can see about getting from Fred," mused Gene. "The hands it's got are great from grabbing and even punching, but pincers would be a nice addition."
"I gave all the registration info to the ship's computer," Swanzo informed the redhead, causing him to turn to face the two mechanics.
"Gilliam, right? What's his deal?" asked Mikey. "He's like an old geezer that won't shut up."
"I know, right?" agreed Gene. "The entire trip back, he was constantly nagging me!"
"I was simply checking in every so often to ensure that they would not accidentally do anything to damage me or the ship," chimed in the aforementioned computer. "And Gene, if you are to remain as the Outlaw Star's captain and primary pilot, you will need to consistently prove that you meet the minimal requirements."
"...He's also totally integrated with the ship, so there's really not a whole lot we can do…" sighed the redhead.
"I'm sorry, but was that an indirect insult?" asked Gilliam. "I'm simply worried about my future prospects, Gene."
"UP YOURS, GILLIAM! AND SWAP PLACES WITH HORUS WHILE YOU'RE AT IT!" shouted Gene.
"That would be illogical and inefficient," came Horus' voice from the drop ship. Said lander had been transferred over to the Lunar Hierophant during the refitting process. To everyone's surprise, the lander had also received a new coat of paint. It still possessed the same base colors, but the shades had been altered to match more with those of the Lunar Hierophant. "As much as I would like to directly observe the one Hilda entrusted with her will, the Outlaw Star already has a working synergy system in place between Gilliam and Melfina. It makes far more sense for me to establish one with Metis through the systems of the Lunar Hierophant."
"Wait, you can do something like that?" asked Jim.
"Oh yeah," said Metis, as she made her way over to everyone. "While Mikey was painting the ship, the three of us compared our specs and found that Horus and I have a lot in common."
"Indeed, we are coded with identical philosophies, and our systems are similarly compatible," agreed Horus. "There is no sufficient reason as to why Gilliam and I should try to alter which ships we are designated to, nor is it even possible to do so."
"So much for that idea," groaned Gene before turning back to Swanzo with an honest smile on his face. "I really can't thank you two enough for all the help you've given us."
"Like I said before, you and the Shadow Phoenix kids are already going above and beyond for Hilda's sake," said Swanzo with a shrug. "And now you've fought to protect our home, so I'm more than happy to do this for you all."
"Well, if we need help again the next time we're in the area, we'll know exactly who to call!" assured the redhead.
"Just make sure you actually make it big by then, alright?" teased Mikey. "I still gotta make a living, so I'd rather not work for free ever again."
"That's the plan!" laughed Gene.
"Yeah, and it's been 'the plan' for at least three years," grumbled Jim. "How's it been working out for us so far?"
"Oh lay off, will you?" groaned Gene before ruffling the hacking prodigy's hair.
"Ri to iza dola!" said Swanzo, with everyone turning to face the short mechanic in confusion.
"...I'm sorry, but was that Corbonese?" asked Gene.
"Guess the translator on this suit needs an update," said Swanzo. "I was trying to say 'Bon voyage!' but I only managed to ruin the mood."
"Don't sweat it," assured Shinjiro as he handed Swanzo a glass container with leftover shrimp fried rice. "We all get what you're trying to say and do, and we appreciate it."
"Control room, this is the Outlaw Star, requesting clearance to leave Blue Heaven," said Gene.
"This is the Lunar Hierophant, ready to go as well," came Shinjiro's voice.
"Both of our ships have received clearance from the control room," said Gilliam.
"And all of the guide beacons have been confirmed," said Horus.
"We're all set, so let's go on and get out of here!" said Jim.
"You sure seem excited to return to Sentinel, Jim," Melfina pointed out. The raven-haired beauty was currently sitting at one of the monitors outside the tank she usually occupied, but once they were out of the asteroid belt, she intended to go inside.
"Well yeah, it's been my home for a few years now, and Gene's for even longer," answered the young hacker. "Plus it'll be nice to see Clyde and Iris again, and let them know we're safe."
"Who are Clyde and Iris?" asked Zen over the coms.
"They run a bar on Sentinel, and we're regulars there," said Gene. "Clyde's beer is top notch, but he and Iris also happen to be pretty good cooks."
"I just feel bad that they only seem to get lots of other customers after some jerk tries picking a fight with us there," Jim said sadly. "Their food is definitely good enough to justify a more consistently large clientele."
"Unfortunately, we'll need to swing by Fred's place first, so it'll be a bit before we can introduce you all," admitted Gene.
"Here's hoping your introduction to Fred goes smoother than mine did…" sighed Jim.
"I'm sure it'll go well," said Melfina. "If he and Gene are old friends, I don't think we have anything to worry about."
"I appreciate the vote of confidence, Mel," said Gene, causing the young woman to blush a bit.
"Well,someof us definitely won't…" groaned the boy genius.
"Cheer up, Jim! No sense worrying about it until we get to Sentinel!" assured Gene as he fired up the engines of the Outlaw Star, with the Lunar Hierophant not far behind. "Alright, everyone! It's time to launch! Let's head out for Sentinel III!"
One day later, on Blue Heaven…
"I can't believe I'm stuck doing such menial labor…" whined Aisha. The Ctarl-Ctarl, now wearing a yellow hard hat, was currently mixing cement. "At the very least, Gene Starwind and his friends should have stuck around to help me!"
"Based on the security footage from the street, you were the aggressor in that particular situation," said her current supervisor, an older man who was also wearing a hardhat. "At Blue Heaven, those who make a mess need to be the ones who clean it up."
"Well, what about the park? I shouldn't have to do anything about fixing that!" Aisha pointed out. "That one is all McCoy's fault, not mine!"
"...Yeah, you're not wrong about that," agreed the supervisor before shivering. "But I also happen to agree with your boss that until they're sure there's no risk of McCoy turning into that…thing again, he shouldn't be allowed in the open."
"So can't repairing the park wait until then?" insisted Aisha.
"Unfortunately, considering we don't know when 'then' will be, that's a negative," sighed the supervisor. "But rest assured, McCoy will be made to work off the damage he caused, one way or another. Meanwhile,youwill be compensated for helping repair the damages to the park, at least."
"...Well, at least I'll get paid for that one," Aisha reluctantly admitted.
"Where is your boss, anyway? He didn't even come to escort you here," said the supervisor.
"You got me," groaned Aisha. "Ryo just walked into the office this morning, escorting some red-haired chick, and told me where to go."
"Doesn't sound like the type who enjoys explaining himself," said the supervisor with a shrug. "Well, at least he explained about the damages and the monster, so we know who's responsible for what."
'Yeah, I'm starting to think Ryo giving such a detailed debriefing yesterday was something he was forcing himself to do,'thought Aisha.'But it's clear he knows a lot more than he's letting on. I'll stick with these Shadow Phoenix guys until I know what he's hiding…and then I'll use their information network to find out about the Leyline!'
Suddenly, Aisha began to laugh, much to her supervisor's confusion.
"You know what, Gene Starwind? I might actually have to thank you for this opportunity the next time we meet!" the Ctarl-Ctarl stated, her laughter turning maniacal. "And Zen, mark my words, we'll have a rematch! You won't get the better of me again!"
Meanwhile, deep in the Hopo System…
Three masked men stood in a large chamber that was barely lit. On a raised platform at the head of the chamber was a large man in billowing blue robes. Before him stood a man with bright red hair wearing a white mask with four red eyes along with an older man in a dark mask and a spiked straight jacket.
"Tobigera, report!" commanded the man in the blue robes
"It has been a week now since Soi Len and Roi Fong last reported in, Lord Hazanko," stated the redhead. "And none of our scouts have been able to find the Hu Pao, or even any debris from the ship, in any of the nearby star systems of their last confirmed location."
"What of the remaining members of the Eight Malefics, Jukai?" demanded Hazanko.
"They just finished their most recent assignment, so I have instructed them to join up with Yakuta, Unak, and Gaki," answered the man in the straight jacket.
"Excellent. We cannot allow word of the theft of Melfina and the XGP to spread amongst the frontier, so having a show of force like this in Ban territory will serve as a great cover for our efforts to retrieve them," confirmed their leader.
"And the Tendo King?" asked Tobigera.
"For all of his power, he and the Emperor are too preoccupied with maintaining the status quo here in our own empire," came the response. "It is up to us of the 108 Suns to bring about change."
"Indeed, Lord Hazanko," agreed Jukai. "The galaxy is as predictable as it is chaotic, and it is you who have been far more effective in making a difference."
"And it is for that reason we cannot allow an outlaw such as Hilda to be known as the catalyst for the new future that shall dawn upon our universe," said Hazanko, anger creeping into his voice. "Her acts of defiance cannot be allowed to continue. Jukai, you are to inform Kyokan and Yase that if neither she nor any of her supposed accomplices return to Sentinel, they are to join together with Yakuta and his group so that they can search any stations between Sentinel and Heifong."
"Of course, Lord Hazanko," said Jukai.
"Tobigera, you are to reach out to MacDougall and press him for information," came their leader's decree. "The Tendo King may appreciate the services he and his brother are known to provide, but they clearly already knew more about why we wanted Hilda located than they had any right to. Make sure they understand that if they refuse to cooperate, a lack of future contracts with our organization will be the least of their concerns."
"By your command," said Tobigera. What little light was present in the room dimmed even further for a moment, and by the time it had returned, Jukai and Tobigera had vanished. Left alone, Hazanko removed his mask.
"Hilda, rest assured we will find the XGP, Melfina, and you as well, should you still be among the living," said the Kei pirate leader. "And once we have taken back everything you have stolen from us, we'll make you wish you as well as anyone you care about had died long ago. Outlaws like you have no place in the galaxy I shall cultivate!"
To be continued
Preview: Sometimes, it's great having someone like Fred as an old friend. The guy's a skilled merchant and definitely knows where to get most of the resources we need. But other times, he really doesn't understand that his words and actions have consequences until it's almost too late. Like when a beautiful woman breaks into his office to try and kill him. If I'm gonna have any chance of arming the Outlaw Star or even helping Shinjiro get his grappler arms, I've got to put my distaste for fighting pretty ladies aside and protect the guy. I just hope he actually learns something from all of this for once….What do you mean that's rich coming from me!?
Next time on Shadow Phoenix: The Beautiful Swordmaster! You better get ready!
A/N: And thus concludes the equivalent of the first DVD of the 6 I've owned for over two decades now. I know this chapter is shorter and has less action than the last few, but considering it was originally meant to be part of the previous chapter, I'm not really surprised that that's how it turned out. Regardless, here's hoping I did a decent job with the debrief as well as writing Ryo. Out of all the Persona characters who've appeared so far, he's easily the most challenging to write, and anyone who's seen Trinity Soul will probably understand why. But if there's any bit of dialogue that could use some tweaking, or any typos I missed, don't hesitate to let me know.