Shadow Slave

They stood silently under the tree for a while. Eventually, Nephis looked at him and said evenly:

"You did well."

Sunny glanced at her with a pale smile, then nodded.

"I guess I did, didn't I? My mom would have been very happy. If she was alive, that is. I am healthy, well-fed, and have a house in a good part of the city. I even found my… a student. These things might not sound like much to you, but to her, they would have been like a dream."

He turned to the tree and added after a short pause:

"I don't really remember my dad too well, because I was too little when he passed away. But my mom, I remember her perfectly. She was… like a ray of sunshine. The strangest thing, though, is that when I was a kid, she was the whole world to me. I thought that she knew everything, could do anything. But now, I realize that she was barely older than we are. She was more or less a kid herself."

Nephis looked at him and said:

"But we aren't kids."

Sunny tilted his head, then shrugged.

"That is true, I guess. We are adults, which is a strange thought. I don't really feel very different from how I was before, at least not in terms of being confident and knowing what the hell I am doing."

Changing Star sighed, then shook her head a little.

"That is because you have been an adult for a long time. People like us have to grow up early."

Sunny thought about it for a moment.

"I don't know. I have a suspicion that when I look back on today in a decade or so, I will be dismayed by how big of an idiot I was."

Nephis smiled with the corner of her mouth.

"...That has nothing to do with adulthood."

He spared her a short glance and scoffed.

point where you were supposed to say that I

a deadpan expression, then said in her usual

"I know."

help but

to come here. I guess I expected to feel

lingered for a few moments. Eventually, he said with a hint of hesitation in her

maybe want to say something

a while, then

the dead can't hear anything. They are simply gone. They only exist in the memories of the

not been without a cost. His house, his wealth, and the fridge full of food he

And Nephis.

with her was a dire thing,

was not cloudless at

Sunny's life. He had mostly been in Neph's company, doing nothing but training and spending time

pleasant time was coming

that, they

futures were going to be decided on that

himself standing at a crossroad, not knowing where any of the roads actually led. Even worse, he was

it was so

over to the tree and touched it for a brief

am… doing well, I guess. Rain is well, too. She looks like you very much. You would have been

at the same time, strangely soothed.

time. Not that you're really here. Oh… that young woman right there is Nephis. She is my… well…

stepped back, looked at the lonely tree one

"Let's go."

walked away, Neph looked at him and asked

"Are you alright?"

smiled crookedly

Why wouldn't I

moment, several figures suddenly appeared from behind a corner, surrounding them. They were all dirty and disheveled, looking like typical outskirts thugs. The leader, a muscular man with a chemical scar on his face, pointed a kinetic handgun