Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate

Prologue: Seed of Another Future

The Outlaw Star’s rematch with the mysterious pirate ship was over. The enemy’s grappler arms, which could separate and fight independently from the ship’s main body, had already been destroyed. As for what remained, it was only a matter of time before it exploded due to the heavy damage it had sustained.

In their previous encounter, the crew of the Outlaw Star had been thrown for a loop, for they had never faced an opponent that could effectively split itself into different parts. In a last ditch effort, the crew’s captain, the cocky womanizer Gene Starwind, had the ship fire off all of its remaining projectiles. This forced the pirate ship to counter the overwhelming barrage, giving the Outlaw Star an opportunity to escape.

Upon docking at a nearby space station, Symka 5, the crew’s tactician and youngest member Jim Hawking spent an entire night without sleep developing a strategy designed solely for defeating the opponent they had just faced. Once he finished, instead of going to sleep, Jim decided to explore the station, considering how it was already morning.

After coming across two cats, Jim followed the feline pair to a park. It was at the fountain in the park’s center that he first saw Hanmyo, a young purple-haired girl who was the same age as Jim and was the owner of the two cats. In Jim’s eyes, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever met. For a while, he merely gazed in awe at her, watching her practice what appeared to martial arts, though her form was so graceful one would think she was dancing. Eventually, she stopped and noticed that she had attracted an unexpected audience. Jim tried to talk to Hanmyo, but he was so nervous that he kept stumbling over his words. He even admitted that he liked her, although they had just met. Luckily, Hanmyo didn’t seem to mind at all, and upon finding out that neither of them actually lived on the station, but were both just passing through, even said that their meeting must be fate. Hanmyo then left to feed her cats, whose names were Kemi and Mata, but she and Jim promised to get together at one o’clock later that day.

When they met up again, Jim gave Hanmyo a small, but lovely bouquet of flowers. This present made Hanmyo feel not only flattered, but incredibly happy as well. Jim and Hanmyo spent the entire afternoon playing together in the park, and while they never really spoke about themselves or their backgrounds, the two came to know each other in a way most people didn’t. Hanmyo found Jim to be a cute, honest, and humble boy who was very kind and hard-working, while Jim saw Hanmyo as a pretty, cheerful, and strong girl with a sense of maturity he could easily identify with.

Before they knew it, the sun was setting and the two had to part ways, though they promised to meet each other at the same time and place the following day.

Upon returning to the hangar, Jim learned that the Outlaw Star was already repaired and everyone else was ready to depart. Disappointment and guilt could not begin to sum up how Jim felt at that moment. Soon after leaving Symka 5, the enemy ship from the day before appeared once again. However, the outcome was completely different this time. With Jim’s new strategy, the once formidable foe didn’t stand a chance, with each of its grappler arms being destroyed before the main body was inflicted with massive damage. It would be a matter of seconds before what remained of the pirate ship exploded.

What no one onboard the Outlaw Star knew was the actual identity of their soon-to-be dead opponent: Hanmyo, the girl Jim had met that day and had formed a deep connection with. Would Jim go to their meeting place, only to be confused and heartbroken when Hanmyo doesn’t show up? Would Jim go his entire life never knowing that he took the life of his first love? Or would Hanmyo survive their cruel clash and reunite with Jim at a later point in time? And if either Jim or Hanmyo had known the truth about the other prior to their second confrontation in space, what else would have changed as a result?

These are all possibilities that, along with others, have been explored and their stories told. Here, a new story and a new adventure will begin, similar to some of those before it, yet different all the same. A new seed has been planted, one that will forever change Jim and Hanmyo’s destinies once it sprouts and blooms.

(To be continued)

Preview:

Because of Jim, today has been one annoyance after another. First I wake up with a huge hangover and immediately I am made to work on the ship. Then Jim asks me for dating advice out of the blue, only to get second thoughts and start calling me out. And right when we’re about leave, he suddenly becomes really depressed, yet he STILL tries to act like a big shot, but who’s he trying to fool? Well, at least he cheered up after the fight, but why the hell is he so excited about going back to Symka 5 for repairs? Whatever, it’s not my problem. Huh? Wait a second, Jim! What do you mean you need an ambulance?

Next time on Outlaw Star The Flower of Fate: Miracle of Destiny. You better get ready!