Shadow Slave

Changing Star frowned. There was a hint of surprise visible in her cold, grey eyes.

"My… goal? Isn't it obvious?"

She gestured to the slum that surrounded them and the magnificent castle towering above it.

"I'm trying to help these people. What else?"

Sunny sighed.

Then, turning his face away, he asked:

"Hey, have I ever told you about my sister?"

Nephis blinked.

"No. Why bring this up all of the sudden?"

He smiled wistfully.

"I just was reminded of her recently, so I thought I'd share. You see… our parents died when we were little. She got adopted, but I ended up on the streets. Life wasn't really sweet for me. In fact, it was nothing but unsavory and bitter. So, young as I was, I simply imagined that it was the same for her. That's why I got obsessed with the idea of finding her. I had this fantasy in my head, you know, of saving and protecting her. Becoming a family again."

Sunny grimaced.

"But how could a penniless undesirable like me find anyone? You know how the city databases are. Even if they're functional, unsealing anything requires you to be a citizen, and one of a considerable rank, too. However, I was ready to do anything to accomplish my goal. So, I saved up money. A street kid can't earn much, but even then, I saved up as much as I could."

A dark expression appeared on his face.

putting away the pathetic amount of credits I had earned through doing all kinds of horrid crap. And after four or five years of this,

He smiled.

hired us nobodies to gather information for him. His services weren't cheap, but I trusted him. Or in him, at least. So I gave all my money to that guy and told him to find my sister. And you know what? He did. One day, about a month after we made the deal, he gave me a piece of paper with an address written on it. So I

few moments,

what happened? Did you meet your

his face, glanced at

her. You see, despite my lofty ideas of being her savior, I couldn't even really remember what she looked like. There was this girl,

for a while,

you imagine? Well, I guess you can. Anyway… there was even a lawn. And a window… a big window that shined light outside. Watching

his own embarrassing astonishment, and tried to smile. However,

real food, and enough of it to never go hungry.

looked at

what did

he remembered how he just stood there, watching those happy people. How he looked down at his own frail body, his dirty and ragged clothes, the bruises on his bloodied knuckles. And realized how

of finding his sister and saving her, he was faced with the simple fact that she… she never really needed him. She probably didn't even remember that he existed. More than that, returning into her life would not bring anything good to her. He didn't have anything

night, while Sunny

this,

he slowly backed away, turned around,

days after that, he began showing the first symptoms

rest

Sunny pretended to be carefree

the only selfless thing that I have ever done. I turned around and went away.

slowly shook

finally finding its way into his

person he wanted to save didn't need his saving. So please tell me, Neph, why is it that you, with all your intelligence

deep frown appearing

that I lied about my intention to help these people? If so,