Fate's Slave - Shadow Slave X Honkai Star Rail

"Oh, hey Shadow Boy. Perfect timing. I was actually going to ask you for a favor."

As Sunny walked into Sparkle’s tent — which was much larger on the inside than the outside — he glanced around. It was kind of like a workshop, with tools and makeshift charms and talismans lying around. She was weirdly knowledgeable about those kinds of things, and although they weren’t Memories, they carried minor mystical effects. She currently seemed to be in the process of carving one.

However, that wasn’t what Sunny was interested in right now. Instead, he was looking for something much more profitable, and infinitely more spiteful.

In the corner of the tent was a pile of Awakened and Ascended Soul Shards, which would be distributed to the Abyss Watchers to either sell, or distribute to the rest of their ranks. The ones that came to the Desecrated Grove already had their Cores saturated, so they couldn’t empower themselves anymore.

"Out of curiosity, how much of those Soul Shards belong to you?"

Sparkle sent him a strange look, before cautiously answering with a perpetual smile:

"None. I already stored mines away."

She must have hid them in her storage Memory. Sunny grinned as he slowly walked towards the pile with greedy hands.

"In that case, you wouldn’t mind if I... seek reparations for defamation, right?"

Sparkle blinked.

"Not really. What are you even talking about?"

"That damn movie!"

"...Actually, it was pretty funny. Too bad they thought it’d be a good idea to make me a one-dimensional character. Geez, it’s almost like they despise me!"

Sunny wasn’t too sure if she was being sarcastic or not, but moved on to another question as he started throwing those beautiful Soul Shards into the Covetous Coffer.

"By the way, who’s H2O? That can’t be their real name."

Sparkle paused in her talisman creation, before shrugging.

"Cowardly Fox? Those guys got rid of her identity since she didn’t want to be revealed. Something about the nature of her work, or whatever."

Sunny clicked his tongue.

"I asked for a name."

"Nope. That’s too boring."

Sunny gaped a little, before huffing. Sparkle continued:

"Oh, and don’t get any ideas! No matter what the movie said, she isn’t a love interest! They just wanted to make a crappy harem story..."

Sunny shivered.

’Why did that sound weirdly specific?’

As he finished stowing away the rest of the Soul Shards, Sparkle sent him an inquisitive look.

"Say... what do you think about killing a Corrupted Monster?"

Dismissing the Covetous Coffer, he stood straight up.

"...I think that’s my cue to leave."

"We need to kill it if we’re going to get to that Nightmare Seed."

Sunny blinked, halfway to the entrance of the tent. He looked back at Sparkle, who was leaning back on her hands.

"...Go on."

She smirked, seeing that she had caught his attention.

"You see, Shipwreck Island, the ship that was once used by the immortal Noctis, is what we’re going to use to get to the Ebony Tower. I happen to know how to repair it, so, after I get the root of one of the World Tree’s saplings, which would circulate Spirit Essence directly from the source, we’ll have a flying ship!"

Sunny nodded along as she spoke, seemingly comprehending each and every word. Then, befuddled, he asked:

"Noctis was immortal? How is he dead? Scratch that, is he even dead in the first place? How do you know how to fix magic ships? What the hell is a World Tree? What’s Spirit Essence? Sounds like Soul Essence."

Sparkle’s smile grew a little crooked at the onslaught of questions.

"Well, uh... I’m not too sure about the first question. I’m a girl with many talents, so consider yourself lucky? Or not. The World Tree is, uh... which one are you asking about? Because there’s Heart God’s World Tree, then there’s a tree that holds an infinite number of realities. And Spirit Essence is like... an external battery? Are Domains just external batteries?"

"What’s a Domain?"

"...Whoops! It looks like my pretty little mouth said too much!"

She awkwardly laughed under Sunny’s suspicious gaze, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of her face.

He sighed.

"So, you need me to get rid of the Corrupted one hiding in the ship."

She rapidly nodded.

"Yep! Pretty much! As our resident crazy kid, I’m sure you could do it! And the Abyss Watchers will be there to distract everything else!"

Sunny crossed his arms as he contemplated her suggestion. It was true that they didn’t have a clear method of reaching the Nightmare Seed. With a flying ship, they’d certainly be able to reach the Tear without falling through any stars like Sunny did. He doubted any of the others could survive that.

It was a necessary step, even if it’d be difficult to complete.

"When do we go?"

Sparkle thought for a few moments, a dark smile rising on her face.

"Give me a couple weeks. It shouldn’t take too long to find the root. Then, we can kill that bitch!"

Sunny blinked. How aggressive and unstylish. He had adopted the form of using creative insults for his foes.

He hesitated for a few seconds, before asking:

"...I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but why did I do anything at the Forgotten Shore? I’m too passive to do anything like that."

That, and the idea that he led hundreds to their deaths didn’t sit right with him. That sounded like the exact opposite of anything he’d do.

Sparkle’s murderous grin faltered slightly, her eyes peering into his own as if searching for something.

"Because you’re mad. In both ways."

’...That doesn’t explain anything.’

At this point, he had learned to accept the fact that he wouldn’t be able to glean much by asking Sparkle questions about the past. With a shrug, he waved goodbye as he exited the tent.

"No goodbye kiss?"

"Shut up."

His eyes lowered to the dirt ground, seeing all his slaves, uh... employees kneeling before him with their hands clasped.

"Please, My Lord! My family won’t last another week!"

"We’ve been feasting on dead rats and shit. Their shit, to be specific."

"I’m not saying she’s a gold digger, but that pretty rock doesn’t mess with a broke ni—"

"Don’t even think about finishing that sentence. The author won’t let you come to the cookout."

"The who?"

Sunny deadpanned as the Abyss Watchers begged for some income. Honestly, it was ridiculous. As Awakened, they had plenty of financial opportunities thanks to their physical capabilities, which would definitely pay them well. After all, the survivors of the Forgotten Shore have recieved a Strategic Asset Designation from the IPC, which meant that they were considered to have a high probability of becoming Masters. The Abyss Watchers were no different.

As for Sunny and Sparkle, they had recieved a Special Strategic Asset Designation, which marks them as people with the potential to become Transcendents. Saints.

So, it was a bit ridiculous to think that they were financially struggling. They could carry heavy objects without the need of machinery, or work at a security firm. That was excluding the specialized services they could grant through their Aspects, which were easy paths to success.

Which meant that they were just messing around.

Sunny internally sighed. Well, he may as well play along. After all, he didn’t need every Soul Shard. Summoning the Covetous Coffer, he held himself with a regal bearing as he threw Soul Shards into the sky.

"Rejoice, my followers. Your prayers have been heard."

His voice was completely monotone as he watched his servants leap for the Soul Shards. Some grabbed them with their teeth like sharks, while others started to wrestle each other for a mere Awakened Shard.

Sunny looked at the lunatics that served him, and sighed. Who the hell thought that insanity needed to be on their resumes?

***

A week later, Sunny was having a very hard time. Currently, he was facing a dilemma that he couldn’t solve with his sword, nor his wit. Instead, he was simply... waiting. For something to happen.

Because, in this snowy landscape, Sunny faced the ultimate challenge in life.

Boredom.

Every day, Sunny would check the empty apartments at Kravax to see if Constance had gotten any victims for him to slaughter. The answer was no.

Every night, he’d train with Seele, which wasn’t very exciting, but it was necessary. At the very least, he was able to increase his skill in controlling his muscles through the Silk Shroud.

He’d practice his skills in making syrup vessels, but he hit a wall. While contemplating the ways he could improve his culinary skills, he’d practice in the Dreamscape arenas. Sunny had gained access to the higher level ones, so his growth in that regard was starting to accelerate. At least people used different styles this time.

He also rendezvoused with March and Dan Heng in the Dream Realm. With Sky Tide’s permission, they were all anchored to the Sanctuary of Noctis. Fortunately, they helped to train Seele as well, sparing him the boring process.

There was also Sunny’s own progress with using a spear.

Previously, Sunny had mistakenly considered the spear to be a rather static weapon, one mostly capable of only straightforward thrusting attacks. And on the surface, it was... more than that, this was actually one of it’s best features.

Anyone could use a spear with a decent level of effectiveness. That was why it ruled the battlefield for thousands of years — unlike the sword, a person didn’t need endless hours of practice to become a proficient amateur with it.

But in the hands of a master... in the hands of a master, the spear was a completely different beast. It was swift, deadly, and unpredictable, capable of a vast variety of attacks at a wide array of ranges. It was a truly versatile weapon capable of dealing devastating damage to anyone who would dare to approach its wielder. What Sunny liked the most, though, was how deceiving a spear could be.

Cruel Sight, in particular, was especially flexible due to it’s long blade, which could both piece and slash. Not to mention the fact that the length of it’s shaft could be changed at will.

...Sunny was still much more comfortable with swords, though. Especially familiar ones, like the Midnight Shard of the great odachi form of the Soul Serpent. He was growing rather fond of the ability to keep his enemies further away from his body that the Cruel Sight gave him, nevertheless.

Still, it was boring. Everything was stable. There was no fights to the death, treacherous encounters, or insidious truths. Just... normal stuff.

Sunny stopped, his leg halfway through the snow of Jarilo-VI’s wastelands. Was he... actually hoping for something dangerous to come to him?

’Is my mind deteriorating?’

He decided that he needed to go back to the Express. Or Belobog. Being alone in the frozen wastes of a post-apocalyptic land wasn’t something that would do good for his mind. Not after falling into the Sky Below.

As he made a turn, his phone let out a grating, echoing ring. A second later, the sound repeated.

Sunny’s chest grew cold.

He knew that sound, of course. Everyone in the world knew and dreaded it.

Looking down as he pulled his phone out, Sunny grit his teeth at the text that appeared.

’I just had to jinx it!’

The notification read:

EMERGENCY ALERT

EMERGENCY ALERT

GATE ACTIVITY DETECTED IN YOUR PROXIMITY

ETA: 201 SECONDS

EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!