(Apologies for this being out of order. I forgot I never uploaded this part here.)
One night, you are being pursued by mafia mobs as you run down an alleyway. The group of them work together to chase after you and demand that you stop, and while you refuse to listen, you predictably run into a dead end. The only way out is blockaded by the presence of the villains after you, and they laugh evilly about cornering you. They recognize you as an Operator for Parallel Flight and say it's your fault the rest of their organization is in police lockup. The reason they're after you is to prevent the heroes you're associated with from transforming, and they intend to shoot you. You either call the lot cowards, grit your teeth and wonder if this is your end, or try to tell them to stop. In A, the mobs are unphased by the insult and say they'd never be villains if being called that was enough to stop them. In B, the mobs laugh and say they're going to rough you up a bit. In C, they say they're going to beat you down of course and tear you to pieces.
The mobs menace you as they slowly approach, and you back up against the wall behind you. With no other ideas coming to you, you shut your eyes, at which point someone intervenes and tells the mobs to stop. You are surprised as a voice comes from above you, and the next moment someone jumps down in front of you. A purple wolf mob tells you to hide behind him as he glares at the mafia guys. One of said mafia mobs demands to know who he is and where he came from, and another tells him to piss off because they're busy.
Shadow comments on the mobs outnumbering you and says he wishes they'd have some shame, even if they are villains. Shadow may be an outcast belonging to nowhere, but he says even he can't turn a blind eye to this. You ask if he's a villain too, though you're more curious as to who he even is. The mafia thugs decide they don't care anymore and figure they'll just bop the both of you and be done with it as they transform.
Shadow snorts at this turning into a fight and agrees to face them. He turns to face you, saying he'll protect you and asks that you transform him. You comply with some degree of confusion, and once he's suited up he says it's time to get started as he calls the mafia mobs trash clowns. This pisses off the mafia guys into saying they'll kill him, and they proceed to rush him.
Time skips past the battle to the point Barrel has shown up and is walking the mafia mobs to the car so that they can join the rest of their friends in prison. One of the mafia mobs is aggrieved at how strong Shadow was, then complains to Barrel for pulling on him because his arm hurts. One by one, they all get herded into the cars because yes Shadow was strong enough to take them all down by himself. Barrel asks if you're okay, so you say you're fine, express relief that there was a police box so close by, and thank him.
Barrel says that since the station officers have custody of the villains now, he'll escort you home. He then remembers Shadow is involved in all this and thanks him for his help. Shadow doesn't say anything, and you thank him for saving your life. Shadow plays it cool and says it was nothing before departing. Barrel attempts to stop him to ask for an address to send a thank you letter to, but Shadow declines claiming that someone who lives in the shadow has no need of such a thing. He attempts to leave again, only to collapse like three steps away to you and Barrel's surprise.
Time skips again as scene shifts over to the break room in Barrel's police box, where Shadow is snarfing up a cup of noodles and some sweet pastries. You are mildly surprised at how fast he's going through them and comment on how hungry he is, and Barrel is disappointed about having to give up his midnight snacks. He was especially looking forward to the chili con carne cup noodles. Shadow finishes eating and comments that he'd never have expected to be saved by upstanding proper people. Barrel asks how long Shadow went without eating to destroy his snacks like that, though his question is interrupted when he notices that the background check he had done on Shadow has come back, and he proceeds to pull it up on his tablet.
You ask Shadow who he is and why he saved you. Shadow plays it cryptically by calling himself someone who lives in the darkness and appears anywhere needed to save those who live in the light. That is his fate, and he needs no name. Barrel promptly reads off that Shadow moved to Earth five years ago and worked for a security company. You observe that it looks like he hasn't eaten or drank anything in a while, so you ask if he's poor. Shadow says that social outcasts who try to live beneath the sun are punished by having to struggle. As someone from the darkness he has nowhere to go and nothing to eat. Barrel reads off that Shadow was fired from his security job because of some trouble that happened on his night shift, so now he's unemployed.
You ask Shadow where he'll go next, but Shadow shrugs. He says he'll just move from shadow to shadow, floundering to keep his life going while the possibility it ends tomorrow looms over him. Barrel reads that Shadow's rental agreement will be expiring soon and his rent is two months behind. You go quiet and/or ask again if he's sure he's fine, so Shadow comments that the shadow he casts is darker than he believes. People avoid him and hesitate to offer to help, which he shrugs as a part of his fate. Barrel figures that means Shadow has been applying for work but has failed to find anything.
You comment on Barrel's ability to understand Shadow's edgelord speak, so he says he's gotten used to trying to understand what drunk people are trying to say. But that aside, he says he can't leave Shadow on his own since he'll be homeless in a few days, and he starts thinking to himself and making hmm noises. Eventually, Barrel gets an idea and asks if you'll hear him out. You are surprised by this and ask what's up, and narration glosses over him whispering to you what it is. You wonder if it'll work out though since you can't tell for sure yourself. Barrel says if it doesn't work, then he'll try asking his agency. Shadow did manage to go 1v3 (while starving) and win, so Barrel says he's got great talent.
You turn to Shadow and start talking to him. He asks you what's going on, so you ask if he's got any interest in being a hero. He's quiet for a moment before asking if you're inviting him to an agency. You hesitate and say you aren't the one who decides, but you figure you could try hooking him up. Shadow thinks about it to himself for a while, and he faintly blushes a bit when he speaks up again. He says an outcast like him isn't suited to be a hero, but if you're saying you need his help, then he could pitch in several times a week. Barrel asks if you can ask Huckle to hire Shadow on even if it's just for a week. Shadow doesn't seem to have an actual criminal history, and more importantly he can't bring himself to leave Shadow on his own. The episode ends with you conceding and agreeing to try asking Huckle.
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