"... Neph woke up a few days after that, and I was all 'Look behind you' and the dark city was right there."
Sunny finished the story with a lazy flick of his wrist, then took a sip of his tea. The whole cohort had squeezed into his usual café booth, Kai and Effie on one side, Nephis, Sunny, and Cassie on the other.
"So anyway," Sunny continued, "why did you want to know about our journey to the Bright Castle, Kai?"
Kai smiled under his sunglasses and cap, pen still in hand as he finished scribbling down Sunny's version of events. He closed the notebook with a soft snap and set it on the table.
"Oh, just a little project I'm working on. Nothing to concern yourself about."
He tilted his head, studying Sunny over the rim of his shades.
"Though, I noticed there was a lack of your usual… embellishment… Are you feeling alright Sunny?"
Sunny set his cup down and stared at his hands.
"...Yes and no. I've just got some things on my mind."
And he did, after inheriting Shadow God's lineage he had never been stronger, he tested it, every single part about him has become better, more perfect. But at the same time, he had never felt weaker, experiencing a Sacred body had left him feeling as if he was… lacking. Like he'd glimpsed a mountain and realized he was still crawling in the dirt.
He didn't know if that feeling would ever go away.
Nephis put a hand on his thigh and Cassie turned towards him as Kai nodded slowly.
"I see," Kai said. "Well, if you ever need a friendly ear, I'm here."
"...is that…"
Sunny smirked. "Thanks, I'll be sure to remember and grace you with my presence sometime."
Kai returned the smirk with a genuine smile "I'll look forward to it."
"...It totally is!..."
Effie, who had been demolishing a pastry, swallowed and pointed her fork at Sunny.
"So… are we not gonna address the whole-" she waved the fork vaguely at him, "-edgy vibe you've got now? Before you were all emo heart‑throb, but now… I dunno, something's different."
"...go get his autograph…"
Sunny sputtered. "I'm not some emo heart-throb! What does that even mean!?"
The rest of the cohort exchanged smiles as Nephis patted his hand.
"...why me!?..."
"Sorry, Sunny but you are probably the definition of an emo heart-throb."
He opened his mouth to protest, but she leaned in, whispering with a faint, sly smirk
"But don't worry, that's my type."
Effie wiggled her eyebrows at him while Cassie and Kai kept smiling.
His ears turned red and he cleared his throat. "Well, in that case it has to be a good thing. Anyway, about that 'vibe' …it's not something I'm willing to talk about here."
Effie waved him off. "Ah, don't worry about it, even I know this isn't exactly the place to talk about that sort of thing."
She turned to Kai. "But forget about that, you gonna greet your guest?"
The entire table turned to the girl in a school uniform clutching a notebook to her chest who had approached their booth at the encouragement of her friends, Kai and Effie immediately turned back to Sunny, then back to the girl who was almost an exact copy of him if Sunny was the opposite gender and younger.
"Um! C-could I get an autograph Sir Nightingale?" She squeaked.
Kai flashed a dazzling smile. "Of course! And who's the special lady it's for?" He said as he took the notebook and pulled out his pen.
"I-It's to Rain!" She said excitedly.
Cassie's head snapped toward Sunny so fast it was a miracle she didn't sprain something. She tilted her ear toward Rain, listening intently.
"Rain! What a lovely name." Kai said warmly.
He took the notebook and signed with elegant, practiced strokes.
Rain bounced on her toes as Kai returned the notebook with a wink. Her face turned bright red.
She squealed.
Then her eyes rolled back and she fainted.
"Damnation!" Sunny shouted as he shadow-stepped and caught her before she hit the ground.
"Rain!" her friends shrieked, rushing forward.
Effie looked to Kai. "Is that normal."
He scratched his cheek. "It sometimes happens."
Nephis approached Sunny and Rain. "Is she alright."
Sunny nodded, removing his hand from her neck where he'd checked her pulse.
"Yeah, looks like she just fainted." He turned to Rains friends. "You two, call her parents or something." He paused, then frowned. "Wait. Shouldn't you be in school right now?"
"Um, that, uh, we, we heard that Nightingale was in the area… so we, kinda… skipped school." One of them murmured out while fidgeting.
Sunny stared at them blankly.
'Oh gods, my sister is a delinquent.'
He shook his head. "Never mind that, just call someone."
They flushed under his gaze and one of them hurriedly pulled out their communicator.
Sighing, Sunny started looking around for a place to put down Rain, he couldn't just put her on the floor after all. Eventually he settled for sitting her in the booth.
"Neph, could you hold on to her?"
Nephis nodded. "Of course."
She slid into the seat, taking Sunny's place, and held Rain upright with an arm around her shoulders.
Effie looked between Rain and Sunny.
"...It's almost like there's a factory somewhere in the city releasing whole batches of tiny, pale, bony teenagers. That girl is almost as pale as you, Sunny! I can't believe it…"
Kai chuckled. "Indeed, if I didn't know any better I'd think you two are related."
Sunny rubbed the back of his head nervously and exchanged a glance with Nephis.
"Haha, yeah…"
"E-excuse me, mister awakened sir." One of Rain's friends called out.
"Hmm?" Sunny turned to face them.
"I've called Rain's mom and she's on her way…" The girl said unable to keep eye contact with him and twirling a finger in her hair.
"Ah, that's good then." He nodded, when she kept fidgeting and glancing at him, he raised his brow. "Was there anything else?"
Her face turned scarlet.
"C-could I get your number?" She asked quietly.
Sunny looked at her baffled. "...Why on earth do you need my number?" He asked perplexed.
The girl visibly recoiled as if struck and tears started to form in her eyes.
"Oof, that was rough Doofus." Effie winced from her wheelchair.
Kai nodded along with her. "You could have let her down a bit more gently…"
Sunny looked between them and tilted his head. "What?"
Effie shook her head and sighed. "Never mind, you're too dense to get it. Honestly, how you and princess got together I'll never know."
Cassie suddenly straightened. "Rain is about to wake up."
Sunny turned just in time to see his sister stir. After a few seconds, her eyes snapped open.
"Hwuh?"
She blinked rapidly, taking in the café, the cohort, the fact that she was being held upright by Nephis, and her face went crimson.
"Oh, oh no, I am so sorry!" She scrambled upright and gave a frantic bow to each member of the cohort in turn. "I didn't mean to faint! I swear I'm not usually like this!"
Sunny put a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back into the seat.
"It's fine, how are you feeling brat?"
She whipped her head toward him
"Wha! Brat!? Says the one who looks like he crawled out of a tomb!" Rain shot back indignantly and Effie burst into laughter.
Sunny raised a brow and Rain immediately shrank under his gaze, her bravado evaporating.
"I-I mean, thank you for your concern kind awakened sir…"
Effie wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh, I like her. She's like a shorter Sunny."
"RAIN!"
The door to the café slammed open, and a haggard woman rushed past Sunny to Rain, and immediately began fussing over her
"Moooom." Rain whined. "I'm fine! Really!"
Rain's mother kept fussing over her, once satisfied that her daughter was well she stood tall and narrowed her eyes at the girl.
"You have a lot of explaining to do young lady!"
Rain swallowed hard.
"M-Mom, it's not what it looks like!"
Her mother raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So it doesn't look like you skipped school and fainted in public?"
Rain flailed. "I- okay, yes, but it wasn't my fault!"
Her mother crossed her arms. "Really."
Rain pointed at Kai. "Look! Nightingale is here! I had to come!"
Her mother turned to Kai and her eyes widened. "Oh my god, it is him…" She turned back to Rain. "You're still grounded."
Rain gasped. "WHAT?! But, but, MOM!"
"No buts." Her mother said as she grabbed Rain and started pulling her away.
She paused as she noticed Sunny standing nearby.
"Oh, you're the awakened who moved into the neighborhood recently, thank you so much for taking care of Rainy."
Sunny waved a hand awkwardly. "It was no trouble, really. Take care."
She nodded gratefully and pulled a dejected Rain out of the café, Rains friends following them.
"Well…" Kai started. "That was entertaining, but I really should be heading back now. My agent is probably wondering what's taking me so long."
Effie stretched her arms above her head. "Me too, as nice as the food in the Waking World is I still prefer the Dream Realm."
After saying their goodbyes, Kai grabbed the handles of Effie's wheelchair and the two of them left the café.
Sunny watched the door for a few moments.
'Look after your sister.'
The words from the vision echoed in his mind, and an idea slowly began to take shape.
"-o do Sunny?" Cassie's voice cut through his thoughts.
"Hmm? Sorry, what did you say?" He turned to her.
She leaned on the table with her chin in her hand. "I asked if there was anything to do today."
"Right, sorry." He rubbed the back of his head. "...Yeah, I… want to visit my parents."
Nephis stood and helped Cassie out of the booth. "Then, let's go."
The girls flanked either side of him as they left the café. Nephis slipped her fingers between his and Cassie wrapped her arm around his own, letting him guide her through the city
The trio drew far more attention than Sunny would have liked. Heads turned. Whispers followed them. Most of the gazes were envious, some admiring, some resentful, but he couldn't exactly blame them. He had two astounding beauties on each arm after all.
They boarded a tram heading toward the city's edge and found a seat in the back. Nephis leaned against him, watching the city blur past the window. Cassie rested her head lightly on his other shoulder, her sightless eyes turned toward him.
"How does it feel?" she asked softly. "Returning to the outskirts?"
Sunny looked out the window. They were still some distance away, but the skyline was already changing, the pristine towers giving way to older, patched‑up structures.
"…I don't know," he admitted. "I'll tell you when we get there."
Cassie nodded and settled in for the ride.
***
The tram eventually rattled to a stop at the end of the line. They stepped off and continued on foot, moving past the city limits and through the outer wall checkpoint. The buildings grew more run‑down with every block. Cracked windows. Rusted doors. Graffiti layered over older graffiti. A black, oily slush coated the streets, and the air smelled foul, like rot mixed with industrial runoff.
Both girls wrinkled their noses.
Nephis grimaced and reluctantly released his hand so she could scan the area, her instincts kicking in. "You lived here?"
Sunny nodded, taking in the familiar decay. "Yeah. Feels strange coming back. Nostalgic, even…"
He took a deep breath, then smirked at her. "We're lucky it's still winter. It's way worse in the summer."
Nephis pursed her lips and Cassie's face went a bit green.
"Sunny." The seer said weakly. "Can we please hurry?"
He laughed, "Sure, I don't miss this place, c'mon, it's this way."
Soon the streets opened up to a plot, and one of the rare parks in the outskirts. There were a few bushes, a frozen pond, and a lonely tree that somehow clung to life despite all reason. Currently, it stood bare devoid its crown of leaves.
The park was surrounded by tall buildings, making it seem as if it was situated on the bottom of a deep well. Sparse sunlight fell on the tree from far above, illuminating its thin branches and the grey snowflakes that swirled in the air around them. There were several clean pathways through the snow, as well as a few damaged and vandalized benches here and there.
Nephis studied the park for a few moments, then glanced at Sunny.
"Aren't you wary that something can happen?"
He took a look at her, then Cassie, then at himself. They were obviously out of place, considering their physical appearance and expensive clothes. Everything about them screamed of wealth, status, and citizenship.
He shrugged.
"What can happen? Even if some idiots decide to try and rob us, the worst they can do is shoot at us with cheap firearms."
"I'm not worried about us. I'm worried about… the idiots."
Sunny smiled.
"Well, don't be. If there is one thing we outskirt rats are good at, it's self-preservation."
Changing Star gave him a hesitant nod.
A few moments later, she asked. "Is that the tree?"
Sunny nodded. "Come…"
He headed toward the tree. As they approached, Sunny sighed and said in a neutral tone:
"I don't really understand why I wanted to come here. I guess I expected to feel something… and I do. It's just not what I thought I would feel."
Nephis lingered for a few moments. Eventually, he said with a hint of hesitation in her voice.
"Do you maybe want to say something to your mother?"
Sunny lingered for a while, then shook his head.
"What is the point? She is dead, and the dead can't hear anything. They are simply gone. They only exist in the memories of the past. I would rather concentrate on the future."
He sighed, then walked over to the tree and touched it for a brief moment.
'Hey, mom. It's me. I am… doing well, I guess. Rain is well, too. She looks like you very much. You would have been really proud of her.'
Sunny felt rather stupid at that moment, but at the same time, strangely soothed. He hesitated for a few seconds, and then thought:
'Anyway, I don't think I will be able to visit again for a long time. Not that you're really here. Oh… that young woman right there is Nephis. She is my… well… my girlfriend I think you would have liked her. The blond one is Cassie, she's my friend, I have few more friends too, there's Kai and Effie, but… they're different from Cass, I don't really know how to describe it… so I am in good hands. You don't have to worry about me…'
He closed his eyes.
'Also… I got a message, a vision really, from an immensely powerful man, he… knew things. I think he might be related to us. He gave me a lot to think about… I like not standing out, I like being underestimated…"
The idea that had been forming earlier solidified.
'But I can't afford to do either, Neph has too many enemies, they're strong too, they'll notice me, and that might lead them to Rain. I can't protect her alone…'
He opened his eyes, keeping his hand on the tree he spoke.
"I've been thinking."
Nephis and Cassie gave him their full attention.
"You are both right, Neph, you said that if the Shadow Clan exists, it is weak, and Cass, you said if I'm not the heir to the Shadow Clan, nobody is… so… I want to fix that."
He stepped away from the tree and turned to face them his expression determined.
"I'm going to found the Shadow Clan, the true Shadow Clan, will you both help me?"
***
A/N: This one was a bastard to write, I got stuck for like three days on the Rain part, I even considered cutting that section entirely.
Let me know what you thought of the chapter!