Slady places his bionic hand on his temple, massaging with a light pressure, Raizer looks at Slady, worried, putting his hands on Elisa's back so the young woman does not fall from Slady's lap.
"You look a little unwell, you should go home."
Raizer goes to Slady, wanting to help him stand.
"I can manage on my own, don't worry."
Slady stands up, holding Elisa in his bionic arm, turns and walks toward the stairs to put the young woman in the bedroom.
Raizer watches the situation, worried about his friend but trusting that he will take good care of his daughter, he sits in the chair and waits.
"That man... why does he refuse any care? He really never changed." Raizer sighs.
On his return, Slady goes to the shopping bag and grabs it with his bionic arm.
"Slady." Raizer calls him.
"Hm?" Slady looks at Raizer.
"You seem to have a headache, don't you need help?"
"No."
He takes the shopping bag and composes himself, giving Raizer one last look.
"I just had... some thoughts, sorry about the scene."
Slady leaves La Taberna, Raizer lets out a sigh, recognizing his friend's stubbornness.
Outside, Slady feels the fresh air of Libretãnhya's streets, walking again through the enormous city. The early morning sun is still warm, so he keeps his coat tied around his waist.
Because it is still early morning, Slady still has a good amount of Lynes to spend...
Midday
In the library, Shaphira had already woken and was in her hybrid form, wearing an apron and cooking.
She looked toward the door, her tail wagging lightly, her ears perked up, ready to hear any sound around her.
Suddenly the door opens, Slady appears carrying some purchases. Shaphira turns off the heat and goes to him, hugging him.
"Master!"
She rubs her face against his chest.
"Oh."
Slady drops the shopping, placing his normal hand on her hair, stroking her ears.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes, I'm great."
Shaphira pulls away, adjusting the apron.
"Did you manage to buy the clothes?"
"Yes."
Slady puts the shopping on the sofa, Shaphira goes to get them immediately.
"Oh!!"
She pulls out a dress, taking off the apron to try it on.
Slady goes to the kitchen, looking at the lunch Shaphira is making, continuing to cook for her.
Shaphira has some difficulty putting on the clothes because her tail gets caught in the dress and her fur becomes hot from the fabric.
"Ahh!!"
Slady watches the scene, almost amused by her struggle.
"Trouble, hm?"
"Yes! I don't know how to put these things on!"
Shaphira grabs the underwear, showing it to Slady with an innocent look.
"Where do I put this, Master?"
Slady sighs, aware that he must help Shaphira with these matters.
A few minutes later
After finishing lunch, Slady turns and sees Shaphira sitting on the sofa with her legs pulled to her chest, the clothes thrown on the floor, crying like a child.
Slady observes the scene in silence, he takes a pair of scissors from the living room counter and grabs the dress, sitting beside Shaphira, beginning to cut a specific circular area.
"Hmmmm~ hmmmm~ hmmm~"
The sounds the man makes are comforting, somehow. She wipes away the tears of frustration and looks at what Slady is doing.
"What are you doing, father?"
Shaphira says unintentionally, covering her mouth and trying to correct herself.
"Sorry, master!"
"Why did you correct yourself?"
He asks without taking his eyes off his work.
"It's... because it's more respectful, I read it in one of the books that are in the library."
"I see..."
Slady lets out a sigh, finishing the job and placing the garment beside her.
"You don't need to call me master, I don't care for titles."
he says with his arms crossed. Shaphira is surprised by his acceptance, then smiles openly.
"I always wanted to call you father... in front of you."
She goes to him, hugging him gently.
Slady closes his eyes, allowing the gesture.
"All right, you can call me that if you want."
"Thank you, I'll start calling you father from today on."
She presses her nose to Slady's neck, enjoying that light scent he always carried.
"I love you."
He hears her words, it feels good to be loved that way. He says nothing, but in his mind he cannot deny how important Shaphira is to him.
After they separate, he places the dress on Shaphira's lap, showing the alteration he made.
"Thanks, Father. I think it will work."
She stands up and goes to the bedroom.
Taking advantage of the moment, Slady goes to organize some of the purchases he had made, most of them food, and begins to serve lunch.
When he finishes, a cough is heard, revealing itself to be Shaphira in her clothes.
It's a simple thing, the tail now swings freely and her fur no longer irritates from the fabric. She looks beautiful.
"It worked!"
Shaphira spins 360 degrees, showing the result.
"How do you like it, father?"
Shaphira poses.
"Hmm..."
Slady crosses his arms, analyzing every detail.
"It looks good."
He raises his thumb in approval.
"I wanted more than that!"
Shaphira complains without true irritation.
"Do you like the dress?"
He asks.
"Uh... it's a bit uncomfortable, but I think it's very pretty."
She sits on the sofa, stretching her legs.
"It's your first time wearing clothes, it's normal to feel uncomfortable."
says Slady, putting the plates and pans on the table.
"Let's eat, child."
"I'm not a child! You told me I'm quite grown!"
says Shaphira, sitting in the chair to eat... what a wonderful meal!
Even while eating, Slady's mind is lost again.
Thirteen years ago...
After the Second Renkai Awakening, Libretãnhya was still rebuilding, Slady found himself in front of a simple but well-kept house.
He knocked on the door carefully.
"Mr. and Mrs. Vick!"
Suddenly the door opens, revealing a lady offering a gentle smile.
"Yes, dear?"
She was the mother of the siblings: Natasha Vick and Jonhye Vick, she did not yet know the fate of her children.
Beside the woman appears a gentleman, the father of the siblings.
"Oh, what brings you here, young man?"
he asked in a stressed tone, but still calm.
In the corner, a little girl sat on the sofa, watching a children's program, her attention focused on the cartoon.
Slady takes a deep breath, knowing it would be difficult to say what he had to say.
"Things must be very hard for you given what happened a few days ago..."
Both nod in agreement, looking at Slady.
"But unfortunately..."
Slady lowers his voice, speaking more quietly, probably so it won't reach the child's ears.
"Your children, Jonhye and Natasha, were killed in the Second Renkai Awakening, defending everyone they could, dying with honor."
The two go into shock, the mother's gentle smile dies instantly, she puts her hand to her mouth, beginning to shed tears.
"No... it can't be!"
She falls to the floor, unable to hold back her crying.
The father is not at all pleased, seeming to recognize Slady.
"You are a friend of theirs... they already told me about you!"
He advances on Slady, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and lifting him into the air.
"Why didn't you save them?!! I know you could have been strong enough to save them! They admired you!"
Slady looks at the man with seriousness.
"I couldn't save them..."
"How dare you—"
He prepares to punch Slady in the face, the woman tries to stop him.
"No, please!"
But she does not stop him, Slady gets a hard punch in the face, thrown to the ground, blood pouring from his nose.
"You should have died in their place!!!"
The man crouches and begins to punch Slady's face, doing it several times, trying to force some expression of pain from Slady... but he shows nothing, Slady remains motionless, impassive, cold.
"..."
The woman cries in silence, too weak to fight, but the little girl appears in the doorway, frightened.
"Daddy?"
she asks, scared.
"Dear, don't watch this."
The man releases Slady, hugging his wife and daughter, bringing them inside, forgetting him there.
Slady simply stares at the sky, abandoned by that family, the feeling of guilt wraps his soul, it is painful, torturous.
'Truly, I should have died in everyone's place.'
The rain that covered the skies falls on Slady's body and face, he remains impassive, he wants to cry, he wants to scream in pain, but he is not able.
Present moment
"Slady...?"
It is Shaphira's voice, kind, nudging Slady's lips with a spoonful of food.
The smell of the food and Shaphira's voice bring him back to consciousness, he shakes his head and opens his mouth.
"You should eat, father. You can't have an empty stomach."
She puts the spoon to Slady's mouth, he closes his lips and chews the food, swallowing.
"Hmmmm..."
Thus, the two return to eating together, the meal making Slady forget the terrible memories of the past.
A few hours later...
It is already night, it was not a very busy day. Shaphira sleeps on the sofa in her hybrid form, her fur protecting her from the cold.
Slady is at the computer, reading some things, mainly some reports about a gang in the city that is being investigated by the Criminal Investigation of Libretãnhya, C.I.L.
Letting out a sigh and reading the crimes committed by the gang, Slady adjusts himself in the chair, looking at Shaphira, knowing she will have a long night's sleep, Slady feels relieved.
He opens a website on the computer, one he administers himself. The site has a simple appearance, with a few ads in the corners.
On the site, in various contacts, there are requests for money for Slady to take certain jobs.
But mostly, these are requests to assassinate criminals who committed crimes against the client or their loved ones, so Slady finds one that pleases him.
"Hello, sir or madam."
(Considering the fact that no one knows Slady's identity on this site, it is common for people to refer to him as "sir or madam.")
"I have a friend who was abused by a man, I don't know who he is, but from the evidence I have, he seems to be a criminal from a gang recently investigated by the police."
"I know they will only arrest him, but I want justice, I can pay you a large amount of Lynes for his head, please."
Looking at the evidence, the accusations are true. It was a video of what happened to the woman's friend, it was very repugnant.
Slady researches the man, managing to access the man's records.
***
Yai Chang
Age: 28 Criminal record: armed robbery, murder, sexual and physical abuse, drug trafficking and torture.
***
Slady only reads this information, then returns to the site and replies to the woman.
"All right, I will send you the proof and you transfer the money."
A few minutes pass, the woman answers the message.
"Thank you, sir or madam. You don't need to send the proof, I know you are trustworthy."
A few seconds later, Slady receives a notification of a large sum of Lynes being transferred to him.
"All right."
Slady sends the message to the woman and shuts off the computer, he grabs the two pistols from the drawer of the counter and looks out the window, watching the rain fall from the sky, it is a wonderful moment.
But wanting to focus on his work, Slady stands and puts on a hat, placing it on his head, the brim shading part of his face.
Before leaving, he looks at Shaphira, who remains asleep.
He leans down a little, running his normal hand across Shaphira's face, she burrows for affection.
"Sleep well, child."
he bids farewell.
Leaving the library, Slady feels the cold wind on his face, the rain falling on his body, then he begins to walk through the forest toward Libretãnhya, his only thought for this night is...
"Tonight, I will spill the blood of humanity's sinners."