Scenario:Sho - Living Clean

Living Clean

After the incident with the Wild Hooligans, in order to save the SBI and Supermax's reputations, Sho is sent to do community service in juvie. Though reluctant at first, Sho puts his all into his activities, and his earnestness and sincere words lead other delinquents to also have a change of heart. Once his sentence is over, Sho decides to continue his upright activities by traveling with (Captain)'s crew.

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Sho: I came back.

His name is Sho, leader of a gearcycle gang known as the Destiny Nocturnes.

He once did time on Juvenile Detention Island, but today he stands on the deck of the Grandcypher as a free man.

Lyria: Oh! Hi, Sho! Long time no see!

Sho: Yeah. Haven't had a chance to chat since—what—the kerfuffle with the Wild Hooligans?

Vyrn: Good to see ya again, Mr. Busy Bee! Heard you were workin' your tail off.

Sho: Appreciate the kind words, but it's nothing to get excited about. I was just trying to make lemonade out of lemons.

Sho: Still, I can't deny I wanted to get a lungful of the outside world sooner rather than later.

Sho: It was good experience though. Think I developed a taste for it.

1. A taste for what?
2. Uh-oh, what did you do this time?

Choose: A taste for what?

Sho: A clean lifestyle.

Sho: Heh... Just thinking about what I went through in juvie gets me worked up. That sort of inspiration doesn't fade away.

Go to "Continue 1"

Choose: Uh-oh, what did you do this time?

Sho: Hey, c'mon, (Captain). Last thing I need is for you to get the wrong idea.

Continue 1

Sho: If you insist on twisting my arm, then listen up as I give the lowdown on my epic saga!

It all started when I got called into Mysteria Academy's office.

There used to be a time when Sho's beef with Tsubasa spilled over to the crew.

However, after a period of self-reflection, Sho blossomed into a studious pupil at the Mysteria Academy of Magic.

His studies were interrupted when he was framed by Domon, boss of the Wild Hooligans gang. Domon wanted revenge for the humiliation he'd suffered at Sho's hands.

Sho was sent to a supermax facility where inmates are mentally and physically disciplined into conformity rather than rehabilitated.

Luckily he formed close bonds with his fellow inmates, and with their help, he managed to break out and prove his innocence.

But there was still another twist to come.

Elmott: Sho, reps from the Skydom Bureau of Investigation and the supermax have a formal request for you.

Sho: ...

Officials: ...

Sho: They want me to do community service to repay my debt to society?

Elmott: Yep. Charges against you for dealin' illegal substances were dropped, but you did break out of the supermax, a feat no one's ever done before.

Sho: Heh.

Elmott: So from the SBI's position, they can't exactly let you off the hook for that stunt...

Sho: Hyahaha! Are you kidding me? That's some straight-up, grade A nonsense.

Sho: I was the one framed by that dirtbag Domon, remember!

Elmott: Look, they get it. That's why they've come here with their hats in hand.

Senior Investigator: Sho, we sincerely apologize with great remorse.

Warden: From the bottom of our hearts, we humbly ask for your forgiveness! We're on our knees!

Sho: ...

Warden: We're aware of the absurdity, but please understand where we're coming from. For an enrollee to not respond to our discipline—

Warden: Er, rather, to not experience a reformation...

Warden: And to have focused solely on escaping, we have failed as an institution.

Senior Investigator: "All escapees, innocent or not, shall be punished." It's a hard-line that we have no choice but to maintain.

Elmott: Humor me for a sec. Supermax houses kids who've crossed the line when it comes to crime. The facility has a reputation to uphold.

Elmott: What they're tryin' to say is, will you take one for the team in order to help the other inmates rejoin society?

Sho: Sigh... Okay.

Sho: (Me? Performing community service? It's like they're out to dull my edge.)

Sho: (Sometimes they had me chat with the elderly.)

Sho: (Other times I had to cook for snotty brats who needed their diapers changed.)

Sho: (Hyahaha... And they wanted me to teach street safety? No comedian can top that joke, baby.)

Although he views his latest arrangement with cynicism, Sho faithfully performs his duties.

Heh... Those were some hard tasks, but doing things the clean way felt right. One incident in particular left a deep impression on me.

Sho: Sigh... Trash detail... Yeah, this looks fun...

Sho exhales deeply and bends down to collect discarded magazines strewn across the ground.

Sho: (There's no end to this. I pick up one thing and something else takes its place.)

Sho: (So this is what the juvie staff has to deal with. Now I know their pain.)

Sho: (In the past, I'd have felt nothing but anger toward grown-ups. If this is what they gotta endure on the daily though, I get why they'd make it tough on us.)

Sho: Heh, funny how I had to walk in someone else's shoes to figure that out. No fist was heavy enough to knock that kind of sense into me.

Sho: Well, doesn't mean someone's gonna pick up the trash for me. Let's get this over with.

Juvie Punk 1: Huh? Well I'll be damned! It's friggin' Sho!

Sho: Well, well...

Juvie Punk 2: Yo, how you been, man? Thought they released you back to the outside world. Don't tell me you missed the hard-knock life of the joint already?

Sho: Was just thinking about it actually.

Juvie Punk 1: Come on, fill us in! Hell, we used to eat the same slop together, after all!

Juvie Punk 2: I heard about it, man. That you got sent away to the supermax.

Juvie Punk 2: What's it like in there? I gotta know, Chief.

Sho: ...

Juvie Punk 1: Bwahaha, cut that out. Glaring gives you wrinkles.

Juvie Punk 2: Yeah, settle down, my guy. I got a present for ya that'll pep you back up.

The young man cackles as he tosses a crumpled-up piece of paper at Sho.

Sho's rage shoots to its boiling point, but he picks up the litter and stuffs it in his trash bag without a word.

Sho: Got any more on you? If you do, dig it out.

Sho: I don't wanna leave and come back to another mess.

Juvie Punk 1: Ey, we got a problem here? 'Cuz it sounds to me like you're tryin' to start somethin'.

Sho: What are you talking about?

Juvie Punk 2: Lost your edge out in the world, freedom boy? Punch first, ask later!

Sho: Oh, that... Yeah, I used to sock anyone that looked at me funny.

Sho: Something I didn't like? I'd punch it away. Every day, same old story. You wanna talk loneliness? Fists don't make good conversation partners, you know.

Sho: I realized I gain nothing from lashing out like that.

Sho: So I promised myself I wouldn't throw down without a cause anymore.

Sho: If you feel like taking swings, go ahead, dimwits. It's a small price to pay for making you feel good about yourselves.

Sho: As if some loser's fist could hit harder than a wet fart anyway.

Juvie Punk 1: Where do you get off lecturin' us! That highfalutin attitude of yours always got on my nerves!

Sho: There's no redemption when fists do all the talking. All it does is spill blood on the floor, am I right?

Youths: ...

Sho: I've got a ton of trash to pick up. We done here? Then get out of my way.

Juvie Punk 1: Tch. Whatever, man. We got better things to do!

The youths sling insults as they slink off.

Sho: Hmph, way to eat up my time.

Sho: I'd hate to give the staffers any excuse to chew me out for.

Sho: I'll shine this place so good it'll blind them.

Sho: Full throttle!

Sho works in silence past his scheduled hours, taking the initiative to spearhead the cleaning effort on his own.

Day after day he tackles his community service duties with the same fervent zeal.

Sho: Here's to the start of another day. I'll sweep away the litter like nobody's business!

Sho: Hm?

Youths: ...

Sho: What is it now? I don't have time to clean and talk. If it can wait—

Juvie Punk 1: Show us how to waste something.

Juvie Punk 2: What's the best way to tear stuff up?

Sho: What? I don't follow...

Juvie Punk 1: Quit playin' dumb! I'm talkin' about flattening empty boxes, and you know it!

Juvie Punk 2: Dude, stompin' down empty cans is even harder!

Juvie Punk 2: The tiniest pressure in the middle makes 'em bend over like chumps... Stupid cans ain't got no backbone!

Sho: ...

Sho: Haha... Why the sudden change of heart?

Juvie Punk 1: Huh? 'Cause you're a freakin' eyesore, that's why!

Juvie Punk 1: Gotta put up with your stupid, ugly face every day you come to pick up trash!

Juvie Punk 2: So if we take away your precious litter, you got no reason to come by anymore!

Juvie Punk 2: How you like them apples, huh? Are we geniuses or what?

Sho: ...

Sho: Whatever floats your boat. If it cuts down on my workload, I'll show you the ropes.

Sho: But I'd better not catch either of you throwing in the towel halfway through.

Juvie Punk 1: Ain't gonna happen! Just try us!

Juvie Punk 2: ...

Sho: Cat got your tongue? What's on your mind?

Juvie Punk 2: Be straight with us, Sho.

Juvie Punk 2: Do we really got a shot at going clean?

Sho: ...

Sho: Dunno. I see two dudes who are stuck in the muck.

Sho: But you wanna climb out and hose yourselves off, right?

Sho: Then can the chitchat, put your heart into your work, and we'll go from there.

Youths: Gotcha!

Sho teaches the youths how to sort and collect trash. They work diligently as a team.

While the youths quietly concentrate on their tasks, Sho supervises and thinks of his past.

Sho: (This is how I should've been from the start. It was all so simple...)

Sho: (It's never too late to change. All it takes is a single spark of realization.)

Sho suddenly feels a swell of clarity, and a calm smile crosses his face.

Sho: That's basically the gist of it.

Vyrn: Whoa... Totally not what I expected.

Lyria: Ahaha... But it's not out of character for Sho.

Sho: Clean-living's my jam now. What's life without principles? Might as well be a soulless puppet.

Sho: If I travel with you guys, I'll be able to roll up my sleeves in all kinds of locales.

Sho: I swore I'd return to Mysteria someday, but not before giving it my all.

Sho: Come on, now. You can't say no to me.

Sho: Not that such a kind, generous captain would dream of uttering words of rejection anyway.

Feeling cocky, Sho offers his hand for a handshake, to which (Captain) nods and accepts.

Sho: Thanks. I'm in your hands, (Captain).

Thus Sho joins—or rather, semi-forces his way onto—(Captain)'s crew.