Shadow Slave- Back in time.

Ch.27

  Sunny didn't want to leave the bed and wake up for another day. It had just been so long since he'd had the pleasure of sleeping like one of Medusa's victims – Sunny remembered something about her being some kind of ancient creature that could turn people into stone, or whatever Nephis had told him- in his bed. His bed! Not the random ones he'd found in the Academy, or the one in the Bright Castle. It was different on a fundamental plane. The texture of the mattress, its softness, the way it held his body at the perfect temperature, neither cold nor hot, the elegant design on the wood... It all just couldn't be compared to the others.

The sun had long risen high in the sky, but the room Sunny was sleeping in offered no way for the rays to enter. In his previous life, he had had a turbulent sleep cycle, most of the time resting during the day and hunting during the night. He used the Ordinary Rock to wake himself up... unfortunately, he had forgotten. Due to said reason, he was currently still cocooned in his blanket, delighted to have the comfortable bed embrace him.

Still half-unconscious, he heard someone talking to him. She seemed a little worried.

Where are you, Sunny? You told me we'd be back by lunch.

Mmmm... 5 more minutes, Neph...

A note of slight disbelief flooded the mental connection.

What?

Sleep a little bit more...

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In the outskirt of the Bright Castle, a tanned tall woman was enthusiastically munching on an enormous piece of neatly cooked meat... Next to her laid a pile of bones. Suddenly, she heard a quiet giggle from the house – if it could be called that- she was leaning against. Turning slightly, she saw the usually serious Changing Star covering her mouth, her chest trembling.

' She can laugh too, then! But, wait a second, what is she laughing at?'

Effie glanced at Nephis again. Her eyebrows scrunched up. There was absolutely nobody or nothing in the room.

'Is she mad.'

With a sigh, she raised her snack towards the sky.

'Ah, well, here in the Forgotten Shore, everyone is bit crazy.' She lingered for a moment. 'I'm toasting alone, after all!'

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As Sunny heard his lover laugh softly through their bond reality dawned on him. He bolted and stood up, massaging the back of his neck, embarrassed.

Erm... Good morning, Neph.

Apparently, he hadn't noticed yet that it wasn't morning anymore through the shadow of the Crimson Spire.

Good afternoon to you too, little vampire.

If Sunny were in a comic, an interrogative point would have appeared above him as he tilted his head. Good afternoon...?

His eyes went wide open again. 'Little vampire!?'

Who are you calling a vampire!? I'll let you know that...

What? You are pale, bony, sleeps during day and lives in the shadows. The only difference between you and Dracula is that you are short.

The tone of her voice was even and composed, not at all hinting at the words exiting her mouth- or rather, being spoken in his mind.

W-what!? I'm not —

His tongue was blocked by his Flaw, making him stagger.

See, you can't even deny it.