A lonely Shadow

Sunny looked at her with a puzzled expression before realization quickly spread across his face. With a wide smile, Sunny bounded across the room toward Jet, wiping blood off his hands as he stood in front of her.

"What do I get? Money? Please tell me it's money," Sunny pleaded. Jet beamed a smile at him before nodding. It was quite clear that Sunny didn't have a home of his own. After all, it had only been a few days since his return to the dream realm. She had guessed he was living with his friends, but independence was a trait she knew he shared with her.

"You get enough money to buy a house—two houses even!" Jet exclaimed. Sunny almost roared in excitement before grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the room.

"You can call your government guys to clean up the mess. We're going house hunting," Sunny said as he pulled Jet along. She tried to resist at first, but the excited look in Sunny's eyes was impossible to ignore.

Soon enough, Sunny and Jet found themselves in the NQSC, searching for houses fit for a master like him. Noticing the dried blood still present on his body, Sunny summoned the endless spring and ran the water across himself, pulling down his military bodysuit to leave his chest exposed.

Jet curiously studied the tattoo running across Sunny's chest. It was alluring in its own right, but she had no real reason to pry. Especially given her suspicions about Sunny's flaw—she didn't want him revealing anything he didn't want to. Throwing him a conveniently placed towel, Sunny wiped himself down before turning to Jet.

"This place has a dojo, a huge fridge, and an enormous kitchen! It doesn't get any better than this!" he exclaimed. Jet nodded in agreement as her eyes scanned the living room. It was big enough to fit Sunny's hyperactive nature and host a variety of guests, should he ever desire them. The dojo was even more impressive—Sunny suspected it could rival the one in Nephis' home, though it lacked the teleportation feature of a memory.

"Why did you have me come here with you?" Jet asked. She wasn't opposed to a brief break from her government duties, but fighting and killing had become her way of life. While the escape was welcome, it wasn't expected. Sunny's expression grew wistful as he gave her a small, somber smile.

"I enjoy your company."

The sentence was short, but the meaning behind it, paired with the sadness lingering in his expression, unsettled her. A beaming smile quickly returned to Sunny's face as he extended a hand. Shadows coalesced and solidified into a scythe, which he juggled between his palms. "If it's not a bother, could you teach me how to use a scythe?"

Cocking her head, Jet placed a hand on her chin in thought. "Why? I thought you were more of a sword guy," she replied. Sunny shook his head slowly and summoned the midnight shard. In one swift motion, he brought it down over his knee and shattered the memory.

"Using swords reminds me of someone I'd rather not think about. So, I've decided to change."

Jet's expression became even more confused before she sighed. "I'll try, but I was never much of a teacher."

Sunny only beamed in response before rushing to the dojo below the house. Jet followed him at a slower pace. Despite Sunny's energetic demeanor, a deep hunger for murder and blood never left his eyes. To Jet, Sunny seemed like the type to kill with a smile and then play with his victim's corpse for his own amusement.

"To each their own," she muttered as she entered the dojo. Sunny was watching Saint wield her scythe with practiced ease. Her body spun gracefully in the air as she brought the scythe down without mercy, striking down a phantom opponent in one blow. Jet couldn't help but be impressed, clapping at the skill of his echo.

"With an echo that skilled, what do you need me for?" she asked. Sunny shook his head firmly, his gaze sharpening as he turned to her.

"It has to be you. You're my friend, after all."

The statement caught Jet off guard. The affectionate tone he used when calling her his friend was unlike anything she'd heard from him before. Shrugging, she summoned her scythe and began to train him.

A month had passed since Sunny's return to the dream realm. He had spent his time practicing with the scythe alongside Jet and Saint. His mastery of shadow dance grew steadily. He felt as though he could peer into the essence of someone's battle style, replicate it, and perhaps even improve on it. Although Nephis' style was suited for a sword, applying its principles to his scythe had led to significant progress.

Sunny hadn't acquired a scythe-based memory. Instead, he relied on shadow manipulation to conjure his weapons. It was a practical fix, and the experience allowed him to create even more tools from the shadows—chains, swords, and more.

Currently, Sunny was staring blankly at his fridge. He hadn't noticed his lack of food until now. Dinners alone were made slightly more bearable by Saint, who silently enjoyed watching him cook. Sighing, Sunny didn't bother tidying himself up. His long black hair flowed freely, restrained only by a simple string, and he wore a cloak that left his chest and part of the coiling serpent tattoo exposed.

With slow, deliberate steps, Sunny made his way to the door. Upon opening it, he almost lashed out at the figure standing before him.

Silver hair danced in the wind, and impassive gray eyes locked onto his. But Sunny knew Nephis well enough to see the nervous energy emanating from her. She practically radiated it. He remained calm, letting his practiced fake smile settle across his face.

"You're interrupting breakfast, master," Sunny said, his tone devoid of emotion as he met Nephis' gaze.

Nephis shrugged and revealed a basket of ingredients she'd been hiding. "It doesn't matter. I'll cook for you. Do you even have food to cook?"

Her barrage of questions caught Sunny off guard. He didn't have time for this, but his flaw wouldn't let him ignore her.

"No, I don't have food. And I'm not eating your food either. Gods know if you poisoned it to get me out of the way of your masterful plan to take down the Sovereigns."

Nephis didn't respond. She pushed past him and began laying out ingredients on the kitchen counter. Sunny's irritation grew as he summoned a scythe and approached her, a crooked smile on his face. Lazily, he swung the blade toward her neck. One pull, and he'd be free. He could even kill Cassie next, ensuring no one could enslave him again.

But they didn't deserve that. He knew it, so he didn't kill her.

"I'm not a fan of breaking and entering, master. I'm pretty sure slavery comes with some rules. Breaking into my house against my will isn't one of them," Sunny said matter-of-factly. His gaze never left Nephis, who continued prepping ingredients out of the scythe's range with practiced ease.

"Rules? That's part of why I'm here. We need to set some rules about this bond, and you're not brushing me off anymore."

Sunny wondered if it was a command. Before he could speak, Nephis answered his unspoken question.

"It's not a command, but you're going to listen."

Sunny laughed, dismissing his scythe. He bent over with laughter, slamming a hand lightly on the countertop.

"Listen to you? No. I will listen to you! What am I? A member of your cohort? Your friend? Don't make me laugh. Say what you want and leave my house without another word. Whether I listen or not is my choice. Unless you want to take that from me too—I wouldn't put it past you."

Each word reopened old wounds Nephis wished to ignore. She remembered the look in his eyes when he'd begged her not to leave, offering to stay with her. Those eyes haunted her dreams.

"If it interests you, it's about the upcoming ball hosted by Valor."