Sleeper Sunless.
It had been a long time since Sunny had heard himself referred to by that title. Just days ago, the woman in front of him was his peer. Now, that connection only existed in his memories.
'Jet is strong, and she isn't beholden to the Sovereigns. It should be easy to befriend her again when I make it back from the Dream Realm.'
Jet stood and approached the reinforced medical bed. She offered Sunny her hand and helped him stand.
Sunny rubbed his wrists and let his gaze fall upon his mangled restraints on the floor.
'Hopefully I won't be billed for that.'
"Since you seemed to have realized I'm an Ascended already, allow me to introduce myself. You may call me Master Jet. These past three days, I was on watch duty due to your Nightmare."
Sunny nodded along, speaking up when Jet finished.
"Master Jet? Why would a Master be put on watch duty? Isn't it... below your pay grade?"
Jet shot him a dark look.
"Recently, there were a lot of Gates opening in this sector. Most of the local Awakened are either wounded or occupied with the clean-up. Or dead. It's always like that close to the winter solstice."
Jet began collecting the restraints from the floor and placing them on the metal bed.
"Plus, there's not a lot of Awakened who, like me, directly work for the government. It's by far the least lucrative or glorious career one of us can choose. Would you abandon wealth and fame to work abysmal hours and risk your life, fueled only by altruism and sense of duty?"
Sunny answered confidently, "Of course not, I'm not an idiot. If I have it my way, I'll be making much more money than some government peon."
Jet laughed.
"See, I was right. You really are smart. Now go take a shower, you smell of Nightmare."
***
Sunny paid extra attention to his grooming while in the police showers. His appearance had to be in order when he saw Nephis in front of the academy. More important than that, he had to seriously consider how he would handle his flaw while interacting with her.
'Jet only said she saw vague emotions. Hopefully that's how it works. Neph won't know my emotions are about her, so... It'll probably work out.'
Sunny shivered, groaned, and slapped his face several times.
He looked through his shadow to view himself from all angles, determined to make the best impression he possibly could, Flaw be damned.
"Well, Gloomy, at least I've still got you"
Gloomy shrugged.
"Figures."
***
After he was done, Sunny was taken to the cafeteria. He collected a meal and sat down across from Jet.
"As per protocol, I am obliged to inform you of a few things. It's mostly a formality. First of all, concerning your Nightmare... You are entitled to receive free psychological counseling. No matter what traumatic experience you have encountered, there is no shame in asking for help. Your mind is as important as your body — it's only right to keep it healthy. Are you interested?"
Sunny shook his head. Jet shrugged and continued:
"As you wish. You can also talk to me. Was it very hard?"
Sunny was much more adept at navigating around this part of his flaw, and he knew Jet was someone who could be trusted. It wouldn't hurt to tease her curiosity early.
"Oh, absolutely. The creature it pitted me against was beyond what even the average Awakened could kill. Luckily, the trial was testing me on wit, not my ability to fight. Running away until I could use the environment as a trap was enough to pass."
Jet's expression betrayed a hint of curiosity, and she took note of the boy's relaxed demeanor, but calculating mind. The boy's flaw would undoubtedly be a curse.
"Makes sense. Us outskirt rats are way more resilient than people think. Legacies train much of their lives to fight, but it does them little good when they're up against things not meant to be fought."
Sunny didn't bother feigning surprise, knowing it wouldn't be conveyed in his emotions.
"Master Jet, you grew up in the outskirts?"
She grinned.
"Well of course. You don't seem shocked by the revelation though."
Sunny shook his head and put a finger to his chin, as if in thought.
"Well, I didn't know until you told me. I guess it makes sense though; your manners are a bit rough around the edges. I don't imagine there are many like us."
Jet's smile disappeared.
"No. There's not. In fact, they can be counted on one hand."
Sunny nodded thoughtfully.
"Well, I'll do my part to push that number past five. Is there anything else to talk about? Or is it time for me to go to the Academy?"
Jet's smile returned just as fast as it was lost.
"No, I suppose there isn't. I read your file. You don't have any family for us to sort details out with, so nothing else needs done but your enrollment. I am glad to see you want to attend the Academy. You only have four weeks to spend there, but I hope you make the most of it."
***
On the drive to the Academy, Sunny grew impatient. Jet spoke at length to him about refusing psychological counseling, enrolling in wilderness survival, and finding trustworthy comrades. Sunny still conversed with her, of course, but his mind was elsewhere.
Namely, he would soon be seeing Nephis and Cassie again. These first interactions would be crucial, and Sunny new Flaw left him more nervous now than he had ever been before. Not when Harper asked for his True Name, not during his escape from LO49, nor before any of the impossible battles he fought.
It was the end of the road.
Metaphorically, but also literally.
At some point, Jet stopped the car and guided Sunny towards the gate.
"This is as far as I go," she said, looking cheerlessly at the walls of the Academy. "I've already notified them. Someone will come fetch you in a while."
She smiled and patted him on the shoulder.
"You've done well to survive until now. Make sure to keep yourself alive going forward. I'm holding you to that promise you made. And quit being so nervous! Its a bad look if you want to make friends."
'Especially with that Flaw' She thought.
She didn't voice the addendum, judging it would only leave the boy in a worse state. After patting his shoulder, she returned to her PTV and drove off.
The massive red gates of the Awakened Academy towered over Sunny. The imposing, seemingly indestructible figure demanded the attention of all who stood before it; and yet... the short boy standing in front of it was distracted.
Sunny's mind began to race, and his heart began to sink.
Cold snow fell silently in front of the Academy gates, undisturbed but for a single set of footprints.
Where a certain silver-haired girl should have been listening to music, there was nothing. Nephis wasn't there.