Shadow Slave : Sunny x Cassie

Sunny & Cassia

On a late Monday afternoon, after he had sent Rain away following their training session, Sunny slowly paced around the lower floor of his home, agitating thoughts filling his mind.

'Damnation...'

Although he knew from a logical point of view that this was the right decision and the best course of action, his stubbornness and spite told him to reconsider.

Though he knew how valuable an oracle was, especially one as powerful as Cassie, and how she had saved him on countless occasions on the Forgotten Shore, his hatred for her betrayal blinded him more than her eyesight did her.

Truth be told, he couldn't imagine a future where he would ever forgive her. Even just working together with her to survive was bound to be difficult...

Damn it all, he had treated her like his own little sister, and she betrayed him like he meant nothing to her! She hadn't been the one to speak those three little words aloud, but she may as well have! Worst of all, she didn't even apologize to him – didn't even try to make amends!

'How did she even find out about it?' Sunny thought as he lapped the kitchen table for what felt like the hundredth time. 'Did she see it in a vision when I said it to Harper?'

...Memories of Harper and how he was forced to brutally murder him left Sunny in a solemn mood. But those feelings were squashed just as quickly as they were born... If Cassie knew about his True Name but decided to do nothing about it, then what other secrets of his was she hoarding? And, more importantly, why was she not taking advantage of them?

But before he realized that he had spent hours trying to fruitlessly convince himself that they didn't need Cassie to beat the Second Nightmare, a knock resounded from his front door.

'Damn it.'

Sunny sighed deeply, then made his way over to the entrance.

His hand hesitated over the handle for just a moment, as if cursing her away, only to end up opening the door regardless.

What greeted him was the lovely, delicate figure of the girl he had once treated as his own sister. She still had the same air and aura of purity and virtue, but her innocence had long left her. Though her eyes were covered by a bandana the color of pearl, he could feel that what hid inside them was nothing but maturity and sobriety – nothing but a cold, calculating mind.

He stepped aside, making room for her to pass, desperately trying to keep his hatred for her at bay. Merely seeing her had filled him with a heavy dose of rancor.

Funnily enough, the girl didn't move – didn't take a step forward. A hint of confusion appeared on her expression. She had definitely heard the door open, but... Was Sunny allowing her inside? Did the door open automatically? Was he holding a weapon to her throat? For obvious reasons, she didn't know.

'Right,' Sunny coughed with a hint of embarrassment, his hatred wavering for a moment.

"Come inside," he said.

"...Not welcoming me in, then," a statement, not a question, as Cassie stepped through the threshold and passed by Sunny. His hatred returned.

"For the sake of civility and efficiency," Sunny commenced, "let us not get into that."

The distaste and contempt in his tone was unmistakable.

Cassie sighed quietly, then continued:

"Very well. Then let's skip the small talk and get right to business... You asked me here so you could convince me to beat the Second Nightmare alongside you."