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.

I had almost nothing to eat, I would keep 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

He smiled.

Or in him, at least. So I gave all my money to that guy and told him to find my sister. And you

for a few moments, then

what happened? Did

face, glanced at the sky, and

I didn't recognize 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, then

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

remembered the splendor of it, his own embarrassing astonishment, and

had real food, and enough of

at him and

did

people. How he looked down at his own frail body, his dirty and ragged clothes, the bruises on his bloodied knuckles. And realized how utterly out

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

Out there on that dark and rainy night, while Sunny was standing in the shadows, something in his

matter what kind of situation he would find himself in after this, nothing would really compare to the darkness he felt in that single

long time, he slowly

that, he began showing the first symptoms of being infected by

rest

unpleasant memories, Sunny pretended to be carefree

did the only selfless thing that I have ever done. I turned around and went away. Do you know

slowly shook her

finally finding its way into his

wanted to save didn't need his saving. So please

stared at him, a deep frown appearing on her

you implying that I lied about my intention to