Shadow Slave

Sunny was enjoying a hot shower. After their short conversation, Master Jet had sent him to clean himself, saying that he "reeked of Nightmare". The unnatural slumber of the Spell would slow down the body's metabolism, and the medical apparatus he had been strapped into was supposed to take care of the rest, but he was still asleep for three whole days.

Even if only psychological, the scent of bloodshed and despair lingered around him.

'Ah, I'm in heaven,' Sunny thought, willing himself to temporarily forget about the looming disaster of the Flaw.

He was alone in the police station's showers, relaxing under the streams of hot water. After a bit of time had passed, Sunny reluctantly turned the tap off and walked over to the towel rack. Coincidentally, he saw himself reflecting in the mirror.

The changes in his physique were subtle, but noticeable. His pale skin seemed a little healthier, his muscles a bit more pronounced. He looked slender and lean instead of emaciated and frail, as he did before. There was a slight luster to his dark hair and a shine to his eyes.

However, he was still rather diminutive. Not exactly a picture of masculine handsomeness, to say the least.

'Flower boy, huh?' Sunny thought, full of bitterness.

Then he suddenly froze, noticing something strange. As he was looking at himself in the mirror, the reflection of his shadow seemed to move. It was as though the shadow lowered its head and quietly facepalmed.

Sunny quickly turned around, piercing his shadow with a nervous look. However, everything seemed normal. The shadow was doing exactly what it was supposed to do, repeating his every motion.

"I clearly saw you move," he said, feeling a bit strange. "You have just moved on your own, right?!"

Sunny glared at the shadow, which obediently glared back.

"Did you move or not?"

The shadow enthusiastically shook its head.

'What the?!'

"What do you mean, "no"?! You've just moved your head! Do you think I'm a fool?"

The shadow seemed to think for a bit and then shrugged.

Sunny was left with his mouth agape.

"Your shadow is more independent than most. It is an invaluable helper," he muttered finally.

Right. This was how the Spell had described his Aspect Ability.

But what exactly could his shadow do?

He decided to experiment a little.

"Hey, you. Tell me what you can do."

The shadow was silent and motionless.

'Right. It doesn't have vocal cords.'

As though that made any sense! Shadows were not supposed to have muscles either, and yet it knew how to move.

"Uh… show me?"

No reaction. It seems the shadow was content pretending to be an ordinary, lifeless blob of darkness.

Sunny sighed.

'I'm doing this wrong.'

of his Aspect

going to

closed his eyes and directed his perception within, exploring himself for the first time since returning to the real world. He felt the beating of his heart, the steady rising of his chest, the slight chill of the shower room. He heard droplets of

there, on the verge of his consciousness,

A completely new sense.

and suddenly a whole other world opened to him. It was hard to

both their

naturally and instantaneously, like

them, one — not the largest one, but the deepest — didn't feel like an external entity. It was like a part

like he sensed his limbs. The only thing was that his limbs were made out of flesh,

the shadow. Then, with

shadow raised

around, kick. Then he willed it to change shape, turning into a circle, then a line, then a monster. And finally, back to his own silhouette. The shadow was mercurial and fluid, like water. The only constant

"Ha! How about that?"

shadow pouted, then reluctantly raised

how are you

delivered a powerful kick. Of course, since it was just a

that… all you

tearing the mighty tyrant into little pieces cracked and shattered mercilessly. It seemed he would not be competing with Shadow

How regretful.

him with disdain. Then it shrugged and stopped moving

a towel off the

will explore

***

minutes after that, he was wearing a clean police-issued tracksuit and heading for the cafeteria. Master Jet was waiting for him at one of the tables, with two trays full of steaming synthetic food

"Help yourself."

which was not so different from the stuff he used to consume in the outskirts, and sighed. Somehow, he had expected his

Still, it was food.

wolf down

Jet and wondered. The Spell told him to find a master, and the next thing he knew

to

with dark irony. 'Knowing your luck, this would be a perfect moment for

are you thinking

to open, and put all of his will into staying silent. A second passed without him saying anything. Then a weird pressure appeared in his mind, which soon turned into blinding pain. He endured it

a perfect moment for you to ask me

him a weird

Are you almost finished

Sunny nodded.

I'll begin. As per protocol, I am obligated to inform you of a few things. It is mostly

at him and

have encountered, there is no shame in asking for

head. Jet

can also talk to me. Was it very

How could he answer?

expected and exactly as bad as

satisfied with

Us outskirt