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.'

It was a manifestation of his Aspect Ability. So instead of asking the shadow, he really should have been

going to talk, are

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

verge of his consciousness,

A completely new sense.

a whole other world opened to him. It was hard to describe with words, just like one would

of both their own shape and the surrounding space, guided by the different degrees of pressure they exerted on

naturally and

largest one, but the deepest — didn't feel like an external entity. It

just like he sensed his limbs. The only thing was that his limbs were made out of flesh, and the shadow was made from the absence of

at the shadow. Then, with

shadow raised an

turn around, kick. Then he willed it to change shape, turning into a circle, then a line, then a monster. And finally,

"Ha! How about that?"

pouted, then reluctantly raised its

are

the shadow to strike the towel rack. It obediently moved and delivered a powerful kick. Of course, since it was just a shadow, its leg passed over the towels harmlessly, not even causing them

that… all you can

mighty tyrant into little pieces cracked and shattered mercilessly.

How regretful.

with disdain. Then it shrugged and

and took a

will explore it

***

few minutes after that, he was wearing a clean police-issued tracksuit and heading for the cafeteria. Master Jet was waiting for him at one

"Help yourself."

used to consume in the outskirts, and sighed. Somehow, he had expected his first meal after becoming a Sleeper to

Still, it was food.

down the gruel ravenously. He

his thoughts began to wander. Sunny stole a glance at Jet and wondered. The Spell told him to find a master, and the next

started to appear in

Sunny,' he thought with dark irony. 'Knowing your luck, this would be a perfect moment

you

into staying silent. A second passed without him saying anything. Then a weird pressure appeared in

perfect moment for you to ask me

gave him a weird

you almost finished with

Sunny nodded.

a few things.

glanced at

no shame in asking for help. Your mind is as important as your body — it's only right to keep it

his head. Jet shrugged

talk

How could he answer?

I expected and exactly

satisfied with

won't pry any further. Us outskirt rats are way more