Third POV;
"Hi.....Sunny."
Nephis was caught off guard, to say the least. She didn't expect Sunny the Guy who was tormenting her mind lately to simply appear out of thin air.
And What Caught her attention was his presence.
Sunny looked... stronger. She didn't know how much soul essence he had been able to absorb while they were separated, but it seemed like it was a lot. Sunny was always tenacious and vicious, but now, his presence has grown to a completely different level.
There was something elusive about him that attracted attention and almost demanded it. He still was a pale young man with dark hair, a small height, a delicate, slender build, and perfect white skin. His dark eyes had a humorous, slightly mischievous spark in them. He wasn't exactly handsome, but due to his small stature, pale complexion, and dark hair, he looked like a beautiful porcelain doll.
His skin looked exceptionally paler which made his dark eyes stand out even more.
His lightless eyes were the eyes of a formidable killer. Like two pools of unfathomable darkness, cold and piercing.
But she can also feel a strong emotion stirring within. Staring at his eyes She recognized an Unrestrained Happiness and inexplicable longing.
Sunny almost seemed.....glad to see her.
Her heart beat quickened.
Something else that caught her attention was his height.
The Sunny She remembered was of a small stature. He was Slightly below average -barely reaching above her elbow- due to his upbringing and the environment he lived in.
But now he was just a head shorter than her
'Why did he become this tall?...'
"You do realize that you said that out loud, do you?"
At the question, Nephis blinked and stared at him. her face Stoic.
"What are you talking about?"
She tilted her head as she completely and shamelessly denied it.
*******
'Every darn time!'
Was it a sin for him to grow a bit taller??
Even in his Second Nightmare, The first thing his companions asked him the moment they met him was:
'Why are you so tall?'
Sunny Sighed.
Looking ahead his eyes fell on Nephis. She appeared radiant and splendid. Her white armor was pristine and graceful, her silver hair clean and combed.
Outwardly, she looked almost the same — tall, firm, and strangely distant, as though existing slightly apart from the rest of the world.
But Nephis looked far different from how he remembered her.
Her eyes were less sharp than how they were in the previous round. Her face was younger and less battle-hardened.
As from the last time they met in this round she sure did change a lot. Her silver hair was much longer, almost reaching her shoulders. Without the short tomboyish cut, she looked mature and feminine, making Sunny's heart beat faster than how it was already beating. Her calm grey eyes were as striking as ever. It shined with resolve and determination, radiating an almost infectious feeling of temperate confidence.
Sunny had long since he spotted her walking through the outer settlement. But He was contemplating how to approach her for a while.
He was nervous and excited to the core.
Sunny still vividly remembers the sheer despair and desperation He felt when Asterion's hand dove through her body and into her soul Sea strangling her by the unbearable pain of her soul being torn open. She looked dejected, defeated, and completely exhausted both emotionally and physically as if she was simply done with life. For the first and only time since he knew her, She had given up. And he wasn't strong enough to support Nephis and help her during her lowest moments. As Sunny watched helplessly through his eyes, Seven pitch-black fingers emerged beside her seven cores. As each finger touched a core, a seed of corruption was forcefully being planted in her pristine soul cores.
That alone was Ignoring and shattering every logic that Sunny knew to that point.
Now, he was in the corner of the outer settlement, watching Nephis walking aimlessly through the slums, seemingly lost in her thoughts.
Sunny desperately wanted to go over, hug her tightly, and tell her how he missed her. He wanted to ask her so many questions and blame her for selfishly using his blade to end her own life. Yet, his feet felt like cinder blocks anchoring him in place.
The logical part of his mind was telling him that This Nephis doesn't remember anything about the previous round. Urging Sunny to go and Greet her.
Yet The emotional part of him couldn't bring himself to approach her, The turmoil of emotions in Sunny's stomach was stealing away his confidence as he looked at her from afar.
Sunny's face became contorted by a terrible grimace. Grief, anger, fear, and longing mixed in his eyes.
But it only took a single glance at her for all of that to be replaced by a profound sense of relief, contentment, gratitude, joy, calmness, and a sense of completeness.
Soon a soft sincere smile crept up his lips.
'It's fine.....she's here.'
He will just have to make sure that she will never face the same fate again.
Sunny Took a step forward toward her.
That would be his first true step toward his goal.
He will make sure to rewrite their fates.
Didn't his Mad Version already do the same?
Sunny will just need to do it again.
************
Sunny smiled with a corner of his mouth.
"You just zoned out and mumbled "Why did he become this Tall?" under your breath. That was not very polite."
Sunny could tell immediately how embarrassed she was by the slight tinge of redness that crept at the tip of her ears.
Just when Sunny thought her face couldn't get any harder, her Face stiffened appearing much more stoic than a monk's.
"I don't know what you're talking about but I'm Glad to see you alive too."
Nephis Said her Voice Even. Giving him a strange look.
Misunderstanding that look Sunny asked, a tinge of playfulness in his voice.
"What? You thought I wouldn't survive?"
She looked at him for a while and slightly shook her head.
"No. On the contrary, I knew that you would be fine."
Then, she paused for a moment and added in a flat tone:
"After all, a cockroach like you is not easy to kill."
Sunny chuckled at her awkward attempt.
"You know Neph...You should at least 'smirk' when trying to say a joke."
Nephis stared at him in confusion for a couple of moments, then uttered.
"Oh, sorry. I meant it as a compliment..."
Sunny stared at her in amusement.
"Well... that was an awful attempt but thanks I guess."
Soon a silence descended upon them. They simply stared at each other, each with his own thoughts. While one of them was awkwardly trying to start a conversation the other was completely lost and Mesmerized.
Soon Nephis asked, her voice hesitant:
"So what brings you to the Bright Castle? Are you... are you back?"
Startled, Sunny was finally able to break out of his Trance and replied:
"Not exactly. I was doing some Shopping."
Nephis Blinked.
"Shopping?"
Sunny went silent for a while and soon he was finally answered :
"Uh, yeah. Shopping. I have some soul shards to spare, so I wanted to buy a Memory. Or few."
Nephis looked at him for a while, then said:
"I see."
Then, she turned away and asked, her voice calm and even, as always:
"Do you want to go somewhere and talk?"
Expecting that Sunny replied.
"Sure, I would love to do some catch-ups but I'm waiting for someone right now."
Nephis lingered for a moment and then asked looking behind and around Sunny.
"Who are you waiting for, Sunny?"
Sensing a familiar shadow approaching Sunny smiled as He waved a hand.
"Oh, you know. A friend."
Neph remained silent for a few moments, then said in an even tone:
"You can just say no. No need to invent some..."
But right at that moment, an enchanting voice came from behind Her :
"Sunny Here you are. And who's this?"
Looking ahead, Sunny saw a beautiful young man with gorgeous auburn hair and mesmerizing green eyes enter the alley. He was wearing an armor made out of burnished brown leather and blue silk clothes beneath, all of which fit him perfectly. On his face, there was a bright smile.
It was Kai...
Sunny said in an exasperated tone.
"What do you mean, "invent"?! See, he's right..."
However, the words died on his lips. Because, when he turned to Nephis, he saw something that he had rarely seen on her face.
Looking at the young man whom he had set free from the bottomless dark well, Nephis took a step back. Her face was pale, and her eyes were wide and glassy.
The same girl that would face a Great creature without flinching, seemed to be consumed by absolute, utter horror...
Sunny decided to sit back and relax with an imaginary set of movie glasses and a popcorn cup. While Savouring Nephis's Expression to his heart's content.