Shadow Slave

Projected onto the wall, a languid jade beauty with a slim waist and long eyelashes was traversing a labyrinth of crimson coral, her voluptuous figure barely covered by a flimsy seaweed attire. A teenage boy of about thirteen years of age was scurrying along as he shouted:

"...Are you crazy?!"

Sitting on the sofa near the real Changing Star, Rain felt like sinking into the earth. As the movie went by, her cheeks slowly turned bright red. The daughter of the Immortal Flame clan, on the contrary, became increasingly more deadpan and devoid of emotion. By now, her face was so still that it seemed paralyzed.

Rain awkwardly cleared her throat.

"Uh… come to think of it, the actress they chose does not look like you at all. You are much prettier!"

Nephis shifted and briefly glanced down. Then, she said evenly:

"Thank you."

After a while, she added:

"Why would they cast a child to play Sunny? What a strange decision. Only a complete fool could mistake him for a young boy."

Rain let out a nervous laugh.

"Yeah! Yeah… definitely…"

She looked away in utter embarrassment, and then forced out:

"And what is up with that stupid catchphrase? That does not sound like something Sunny would say at all!"

Changing Star moved, suddenly becoming a little more lively.

"Oh, no. That actually happened. A lot!"

moment of liveliness passed, and instead, Changing Star seemed to grow more

of idiot directed that

shoulders and a noble bearing appeared on the screen. Rain glanced at Lady Nephis curiously, wondering how much of what was

relationship with Sunny fit

there had been

to glimpse anything from Changing Star's stoic face. The movie progressed, slowly reaching its

Holding the grief-stricken jade beauty by the hand,

life does not matter… but yours does! Immortal Flame must never be extinguished! As long as it burns, humanity still

Rain shifted uncomfortably.

is it getting hot in

muscle moved on Changing Star's face.

projection, however,

Rain frowned.

'Huh?'

thought that she smelled smoke. Turning around, the teenage girl noticed a thin stream of it rising from

'That's strange...'

mouth to say

The projector suddenly exploded.

***

was suddenly and violently interrupted, Rain only stayed for long enough to help Changing Star clean up the debris of

what was going

bit, then went back into the guest bedroom and rummaged through Effie's closet. She had no clothes apart from

for the better part of the last

to match it. Sadly, other articles of Effie's clothing did not fit

again felt very

with the disturbing oddity of not being in

for some time,