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, by the time I was nearly seventeen, I

He smiled.

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

few moments, then asked in a quiet

Did you

face, glanced at the

really remember what she looked like. There was this girl, around twelve years old, wearing a

a while,

The house was situated in a really nice district. They actually had the whole house to themselves. Just one family living in it, can 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,

had real food, and enough of it to

at

what did

How he looked down at his own frail body,

she… she never really needed him. She probably didn't even remember that he existed. More than that,

that dark and rainy night, while Sunny was standing in the shadows, something in his heart was extinguished

find himself in after this,

time, he slowly backed away, turned around, and

days after that, he began showing the

the rest was

memories, Sunny pretended to be

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

slowly shook

grinned, the anger finally finding its way into his

person he wanted to save didn't need his saving. So please tell me, Neph,

a deep frown appearing on

my intention to help these people? If so,