Shadow Slave Fanfic: Peaceful Dreams...well...kinda. [New]

Rick found himself pressed against the wall with Jet's hands on his shoulders. His heart raced, and his eyes widened in surprise. Jet leaned in closer to his ear and whispered, "Tell me, Kirk, do you have a girlfriend?"

Rick shook his head, feeling too anxious to respond.

'What is happening? Why is she acting like this?'

Jet smiled and placed a hand on his chest, her fingers trailing downward as she spoke softly. "Good… how about we spend the night together?"

Rick's jaw dropped slightly, and he frowned. "Wha…what do you mean?"

Jet chuckled, rubbing the bulge in his pants, and leaned in closer, her voice dripping with desire. "Sex, Kirk. I'm talking about you sleeping with me. Unlike most people here, you're an adult, and a good-looking one at that. You have an amazing body and are incredibly strong, both of which I find very attractive. So, what do you think?"

'Is she serious? If she knew who I really was, she'd be mortified. But she's already dead, so what does it matter?'

Rick began to laugh, and it quickly turned into a fit of giggles, making it hard for him to breathe for a moment. Jet looked confused, freezing in place, unsure of how to react.

'I've never had someone laugh when I offered them sex. He really is something else.'

After a moment, Rick managed to calm down and took a deep breath, still amused. "This is super awkward, Jet. Seems like you haven't seen Morgan in a while."

Jet looked even more puzzled, scratching her head. "Wha…how do you…who are you?"

Rick chuckled and summoned one of his tails, which captured Jet and hung her upside down. Thankfully, her bathrobe kept everything covered, though it wouldn't have mattered since Rick had seen her naked before. Jet's eyes widened in realization, and she yelled in disbelief, "RICK? WHAT THE FUCK?… WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

He chuckled and replied, "So no one told you? I'm here to help Rain prepare for the Winter Solstice."

Jet felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. She struggled against his tail but soon realized she wouldn't be able to escape. Rick's tails were enhanced by his Aspect, which meant her strength and transformation abilities were restricted. She growled and yelled, "NO ONE TOLD ME YOU WERE GONNA BE HERE TOO. I KNEW SHE WAS, BUT NOT YOU!"

Rick leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "Well, I'm here. I thought you figured out who I was, which is why you wanted to see me in your office. But I'm sorry to say, as you know, I'm in a great relationship, so I have to decline your offer."

Jet let out a heavy sigh, feeling the weight of her embarrassment. "This is the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to me. How do you know about me and Morgan, anyway?"

"Back at Nephi's Mansion, I noticed your scents were all over each other. I figured you spent the night together. Don't worry, though; I talked to Morgan, and we made a deal. So no one knows except me. Not even Rain."

"That's the least of my worries. Why didn't you tell me who you were in the dojo?"

"Because Rain and I wanted to take a couple of your classes. We thought it would be better if you didn't know our real identities, so it wouldn't be weird for you."

Jet shook her head, letting out a defeated sigh. "Thanks for being considerate, but you've managed to put me in an even more awkward situation. Do you have any idea how embarrassed I am?"

Rick laughed and shrugged. "Let me guess, you'd like to just disappear?"

Jet rolled her eyes and scoffed. "No, I'd actually like to kill myself."

"Figured."

He let her down gently, and Jet covered her face with her hands, mumbling, "Can you keep this to yourself? I can't handle Effie finding out about this."

Rick approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I promise not to tell Effie, but as a good boyfriend, I have to inform Rain if a woman pins me to the wall and asks me to sleep with her."

Jet pouted, crossing her arms. "I don't like it, but that's fair, I guess. The memory Sunny gave you is really convincing; you even have the presence of a Sleeper."

"Right? It's pretty impressive. He made it a point to make me and Rain look like siblings because Rain told him he was 'no fun,' so Sunny decided to teach her a lesson about what fun means to him."

Jet chuckled as she walked to her bathroom to grab her clothes, leaving the door open to continue talking to Rick. "You know you two can join my classes if you want, right? But please, try not to hurt the Sleepers too much. They need to be fit for the Winter Solstice."

"Don't worry, I'm not planning on actually sparring with anyone. There's no point."

She sighed in disappointment. "You're right; it's a shame, you can't really learn anything here. But why don't we spar every now and then? That way, we can both get some training in between my classes."

She stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in a comfortable black shirt and white shorts, without a bra. Rick instinctively looked away, and she noticed, chuckling. "Are you serious? You've seen me naked. There's no need to act like a gentleman."

Rick coughed awkwardly and met her gaze, though it was difficult since her shirt was quite revealing. "I actually have to go. It's getting late, and I wanted to visit Rain before…"

Jet placed a hand on her hip, smirking. "Oh, trust me, I know. I also know you and she have figured out how to do that while you're in that body."

Rick sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know. Morgan saw us too. She said if I told Rain about you and her, she'd spill the beans on how we do it when I'm transformed, so we made a deal."

Jet chuckled as she sat down behind her desk. "Well, I wish you a good rest of your evening. But keep it down; the storm won't muffle anything."

Rick laughed heartily as he walked to the door. "Yeah, we know. I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good night."

As she watched him leave, she thought, 'This guy is unbelievable. Ahhhh, I wish he were single.'

Rick made his way back to the Sleeper Facility of the Academy, heading down to his room. He pulled on the invisible chain and suddenly appeared in Rain's room. To his surprise, he found Alya sitting on the bed. She nearly had a heart attack when he materialized out of nowhere.

"WHAT THE… WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?"

Rick facepalmed, realizing he had forgotten to check who was there before teleporting.

Alya frowned, intrigued. "You can teleport? Wow, I want to do that too! Can every Divine Aspect holder teleport?"

Rick let his hand drop and sighed. "No, it's just… ahhh, I can teleport between the ends of my chains, that's all. I know of one other Divine Aspect holder who can teleport too."

"Who?"

Rick chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. "I'm not telling you. I can't just go around revealing well-kept secrets."

'And don't even think I'm going to say their name in my head. Now that I know you can hear my thoughts, I'll be more careful.'

He sat down in one of the chairs next to Rain's desk and asked, "Where's Rain, by the way? Is she still in the gym?"

"No, she left a few minutes ago to grab a snack from the vending machine. She should be back soon."

"Good. Have you talked to her about your flaw?"

"Yes, we talked a lot. She took it rather well. Of course, she was embarrassed since she tends to have a dirty mind around you and thought a lot of wildly inappropriate things."

Rick laughed heartily and nodded. "I bet she did. I'm glad you two figured things out. You're a good person, and Rain likes you a lot. She was worried about you in case I found out you were here to hurt her."

Alya laughed nervously. "What would you have done if that were the case?"

Rick gave her a sinister smile and thought, 'You don't want to know. Let's just say I would have left no trace of your body.'

Alya gulped and nodded subtly. "Then I'm glad we cleared that up. I promise to be a good friend. How did your meeting with Soulreaper Jet go?"

Rick shrugged. "It went well; we talked for a bit, and now she knows who I am and who Rain is."

"Alright, is that all that happened?"

Rick took a deep breath. "I guess there's no point in hiding it, but let's wait for Rain. It's actually pretty hilarious."

Just then, as if summoned by his words, Rain opened the door. She had a few snacks and two soft drinks in hand. After placing them on the table next to Rick, she kissed him and sat down on his lap. Leaning back against his chest, she let out a relieved sigh while Rick wrapped his arms around her. She snuggled in and said softly, "Now I feel at home. Please stay tonight."

Alya chuckled at the scene.

"It's a bit awkward since you both look like siblings, but you make a cute couple."

They both laughed, and Rain smiled before removing the Puppeteer Shroud. Underneath, she wore a shirt and shorts. Instantly, her hair turned raven black again, and her eyes darkened to their onyx shade. Her skin became almost white, creating a striking contrast with her hair and eyes. Alya gazed at her in amazement.

"Wow, is this your real look?"

Rain nodded and smiled.

"Yes, the armor I wear changes my appearance. Rick also has something on to conceal his identity as a Master."

"You look incredible with that black hair and those dark eyes against your pale skin. I wouldn't have recognized you in that jumpsuit."

Rain laughed. "Thanks, but you look great too! Those freckles really suit you, and I love the pink streaks in your blonde hair. Did you dye them, or did they come with your Awakening?"

"Thanks! I got them when I Awakened. Luckily, I like them. Dying my hair would be a hassle, especially at higher ranks. What about you, Rick?"

Rick chuckled and removed the belt he wore under his shorts. His hair and eyes returned to dark brown, and the presence of a Master filled the room. Rain turned to him, gently touching his face, and smiled before looking back at Alya, who gave them an approving grin.

"Much better, now you look like a cute couple instead of siblings."

Rick nodded, chuckling. "Thanks, we haven't had a chance to see each other like this since we arrived. It feels good."

Rain shifted on his lap and asked, "How did the meeting with Jet go?"

"Oh, it was hilarious, thanks to the pictures you sent me, babe."

Rain laughed sarcastically. "Oh really? That wasn't my intention at all. What happened?"

Rick took a deep breath and pulled her closer. "She didn't recognize me. When she saw I was... well, excited by your pictures, she pulled me inside and pinned me to the wall. Turns out she wanted to sleep with me."

Both Alya and Rain were taken aback. It took Rain a moment to realize Alya was still there. She covered her face with her hand and shook her head.

"And what happened next?"

Rick shrugged, his tone amused. "Oh, you know, I gave her what she wanted and left right after. Who am I to refuse a Saint, right?"

Rain playfully zapped him with a spark, hitting him on the chin. He yelped in surprise, rubbing his chin while still chuckling. "Okay, okay, I didn't actually do that. I grabbed her with one of my tails and hung her upside down. She was completely stunned before realizing who I was and nearly died of embarrassment."

Rain burst out laughing while Alya looked confused. "What do you mean 'tails'? You don't have any tails—well, except for one, but I don't think you could lift someone with it."

Rain chuckled, thinking, 'A person? I doubt it, but a towel hangs pretty well from it.'

Alya covered her mouth to suppress her laughter but failed when Rick raised an eyebrow at her. "What's so funny?"

Alya shook her head, waving her hand dismissively while giggling. "Nothing, let's get back to the tail thing. Can you show me? Just not the towel rack."

Rick blushed slightly and sighed in defeat. He looked down at Rain with a mischievous smile. "So that's what was funny, huh?"

He manifested a tail and grabbed her with it. She was in for quite the ride as he swung her around the room, careful not to hit anything. Alya watched in wide-eyed amazement, rubbing her eyes as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Rain was laughing uncontrollably.

"Maybe I should provoke you more often. This is fun."

He tossed her onto the bed next to Alya and dismissed the tail. Alya looked at Rick in awe. "That's so cool! How many of those tails do you have?"

"I can manifest up to six."

She paused for a moment, then asked curiously, "I thought your aspect was about chains?"

"It is, but those tails are part of my flaw."

"Your flaw? What kind of flaw is that?"

He chuckled and stood up from his chair. "Like I said, when you're with Rain in the same area, you'll find out. Until then, I'm going to leave you hanging."

He walked over to Rain and kissed her. "See you tomorrow, babe. Have a good night and don't stay up too late."

Rain pouted. "I thought you were staying here tonight? And don't tell me when I can go to bed. You seem to be getting too into this sibling act."

"I could stay, but then Alya would have to leave soon. I don't want her to see me... you know."

Alya nodded and stood up. "No problem, I can leave if you want me to."

Rick smiled. "I appreciate it."

She nodded and headed for the door. Just as she was about to leave, Rick called out, "Oh, and make sure to keep your schedule free for this Saturday. I have a surprise for you."

Alya chuckled before leaving. "Will do. Have a nice evening, you two."

Rain chuckled to herself. 'Will do.'

The evening went well. They didn't have much time before Rick transformed, but they made the most of it and continued even after the sun set. They got a bit carried away, which meant Alya had a tough time getting some sleep.

The next morning at breakfast, Alya shot Rick and Rain a grumpy look. They were unaware of how far her flaw extended. Rick suspected it reached Rain's room but didn't mention it to avoid making her uncomfortable. Seeing Alya sleep-deprived at the table made him realize they needed to change locations in the future.

'Sorry, Alya. I wasn't sure if your flaw reached into Rain's room, but judging by your state, you had a hard time sleeping, right?'

She nodded, trying not to let Rain know. But since she could conjure illusions, she sent Rick a message he could read. On the table in front of him, radiant orange lines formed a message.

(You good. I put on headphones to muffle your thoughts when it got… intense. You two aren't the only ones having sex around here, so I'm used to it.)

'Oh, neat trick. But still, we'll make sure to change locations next time. Good sleep is important.'

Alya smiled and nodded.

(Thanks, you're very nice for being a "sex monster.")

Rick froze, his jaw dropping. 'Let's pretend you didn't hear that.'

(Not a chance.)

Rick sighed and shook his head. He turned to Rain and asked, "Your classes start today, right?"

Rain was lost in thought and didn't respond immediately. After Alya explained her flaw, she realized that by thinking in pictures instead of using an inner monologue, she could hide her thoughts from Alya. She hadn't considered this last night because she was too focused on controlling herself. After a moment, she gasped quietly, realizing she had been asked a question.

"What?"

Rick chuckled and repeated his question. Rain smiled and replied, "Yeah, they do. I'm mostly going to take physics classes, but since Jet is okay with us visiting her classes, I want to give it a try too."

She glanced at Alya and asked, "Would you like to come with us?"

Alya's expression turned serious. Knowing what her flaw was, Rain quickly understood why. They had gone to breakfast early to avoid crowds since Alya struggled in large groups. She could muffle the noise with headphones, but she couldn't completely eliminate it. There would always be a faint hum of background noise from everyone's thoughts, making it hard for her to hold a conversation while wearing them.

However, there was a way for her to communicate with others—using sign language. Very few people knew it, and Alya had only learned because she had a friend in the orphanage who was deaf. She sighed and said, "I would, but we wouldn't be able to talk unless you know sign language. Otherwise, you'd have to text me everything you want to say. I could conjure an illusion for you like I showed you before."

Rain chuckled and replied in sign language, "No problem, my teacher taught me sign language a while ago."

Fortunately, Sunny was passionate about learning various languages, including the Rune language, and made it a point to teach Rain. There weren't many applications for it, but it was handy to understand and use different forms of communication when needed. Now, one of those situations had finally arisen.

'Thanks, Sunny. You're the best brother in two worlds.'

Alya chuckled and nodded. "Good, then I can go with you. What about you, Rick?"

Rick looked at them in confusion. He didn't know sign language, having never learned it, and there seemed to be no reason to. He had been living as a recluse for years, and his only friend could communicate perfectly well.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know sign language. It's okay, though. If I need to tell you something, I can just send a text. What matters is that you two meet in the Dream Realm, and spending more time together will only increase our chances."

Alya nodded, and they continued their breakfast.

A few hours later, it was time for Rain's third class of the day. She met Rick and Alya at the dojo before Jet's class, and they waited for the Soulreaper to arrive, along with other students. Jet's class was very popular, so they had to arrive at least an hour early to secure a spot. The dojo had limited space, and many Sleepers were eager to attend. While most were there to learn combat techniques, some just wanted to catch a glimpse of the captivating Saint from the Government.

As they waited, more and more Sleepers filled the dojo. Soon, Alya had to put in her headphones to block out the overwhelming thoughts in the room.

After an hour, Jet finally arrived. The room fell silent as she entered. No one spoke, some out of fear of disrespecting her, but most out of respect. Despite Jet's warm smile, the atmosphere felt a bit colder.

Jet scanned the room until her gaze landed on Rick, making her feel slightly nervous.

'It's not a big deal, Jet. He's just the first guy to turn you down, and for a good reason.'

The mistake she made the day before was still fresh in her mind. Being rejected like that was a new experience for her, and it made her uneasy.

She never thought a Master could make her feel that way. Sunny had made her uneasy in the past, but for different reasons. She had recognized Sunny's uniqueness back then, even feeling a chill from his bloodlust, but she had long since forgotten that time.

Taking a deep breath, she addressed the class.

"Welcome to my Combat Instruction Class. Today, I will show you some exercises to refine your combat styles. They're simple but effective for learning how to handle a weapon. Balance is crucial, so we'll start with that, and later I'll introduce different exercises for various weapons."

Everyone stood up and spread out in the dojo, forming rows beside each other. Rain, Alya, and Rick positioned themselves at the back to keep a low profile, which was challenging since Rick was much larger than the other Sleepers and drew attention.

The girls couldn't help but glance at the striking figure of Rick, while some of the guys shot him resentful looks.

"Who is that guy?"

"Even my girlfriend can't stop looking at him. What a jerk."

"Forget that dude. He probably just has muscles and no skills."

The murmurs from the guys were harsh, fueled by envy.

As the class began and everyone started the exercises Jet demonstrated, it became clear that Rick was not just a musclehead but a true combat genius. His skill was evident with every weapon he handled, whether it was a sword, spear, hammer, knife, or scythe. His expertise was especially apparent with the scythe, his main weapon. Although the dojo's scythe was different from his Divine Memory, he adapted quickly and wielded it with precision.

Rain also showcased her cunning and skill, though not to the same extent as Rick. Alya, who had only recently learned to wield a weapon, was already proficient with a sword.

Rain smiled and nodded at Alya as they practiced their exercises together.

After a few hours of training, Jet addressed the group again.

"I think you're all ready for some sparring. Pair up with someone of similar skill levels. Remember, sparring is about learning, not fighting, so don't go too hard on your partner. If you get injured, take a break or seek medical help if needed."

Everyone followed her instructions and paired up, except for Rick, who wasn't interested in sparring with anyone. This earned him more resentful looks from the male students. He sat on a bench and pulled out his communicator, occasionally glancing at Rain, who was still searching for a partner. Alya was good with a sword but not on Rain's level. Eventually, they both found partners.

Alya decided to spar with a boy who looked around 16, with a confident smile and unremarkable features. His short blond hair and light blue eyes stood out.

Rain's partner was more popular. After the latest evaluations, he topped the list, while Rain had scored enough points to place fifth in the top ten.

Rick, on the other hand, had kept a low profile, landing in the thirties. He didn't mind, feeling pleased that his plan to stay under the radar had worked. Rain, however, had sparked more interest from Master Rock, which had boosted her ranking higher than she expected.

When Rain saw her position on the list, she was confused, thinking her achievements weren't impressive enough. She didn't realize that her electricity-related aspect was rare and powerful, making her stand out significantly.

Jacob, her sparring partner, had not received a true name either. While it wasn't common for Sleepers to have one, he must have had an impressive aspect and a remarkable first nightmare, being a Legacy. He always drew a crowd, which surprised Rain when he approached her.

"Hello, I'm Jacob from Clan Maharana of the Song Domain," he said, extending his hand with a smile.

Rain shook his hand but didn't smile back. As Sunny had warned her, Legacies often considered themselves superior, and while they were indeed more skilled, Rain believed greatness wasn't solely defined by strength. She remained skeptical as she assessed him.

'Let's see what he's like. He should be a skilled fighter.'

She nodded and replied, "I'm Ranni, from NQSC."

His smile widened, and he bowed slightly. "Would you honor me by being my sparring partner? I've noticed you're quite skilled and have a high rating."

She considered it for a moment before nodding. "Sure, I want someone equal in skill."

His smile faltered slightly as he pulled his hand back.

'Does she really think we're equal in skill? That's amusing,' he thought with a hint of annoyance.

Fortunately for him, Alya was preoccupied with her music and didn't overhear his thoughts. He masked his annoyance and simply nodded.

"I was thinking the same thing. Are you going to spar with that sword, or do you prefer a different weapon?"

With an expressionless face, she shook her head and replied, "No, I'll stick with this sword. I like it; it has a good balance."

He nodded and stepped back a bit.

'So she's not as defenseless as she seems. This might be more interesting than I anticipated.'

"Ready?"

"Yes."

Their sparring session began, and he quickly realized that Rain was a more formidable fighter than he had expected. However, he was still a Legacy, which meant he had been training for a much longer time than she had. Using a spear gave him a range advantage, and he wielded it with grace, maintaining the upper hand throughout most of the match. Ultimately, Rain found herself on the losing side more often than not, but she certainly wasn't without her own strengths. After a while, both were breathing heavily, and he had to admit that the skill gap wasn't as wide as he had thought. Taking a break, he smiled at her and said, "You're really good. It's enjoyable training with you."

'A compliment? He doesn't seem as much of a jerk as I thought.'

She decided to give him a chance and returned a subtle smile. "Thanks, you too. Are you skilled with other weapons?"

He shrugged and replied, "Sure, I've been training for most of my life. I can handle most weapons with proficiency. It's part of being a Legacy, after all."

"Yeah, I figured as much. How are you with a bow?"

He chuckled and said, "Yes, I'm better with a bow than most people."

"Uh-huh, want to put that to the test? I'm good with a bow too."

He nodded, a wide smile on his face. "Sure, but I'd like to make a bet."

Rain frowned, intrigued. "A competition? Is there a prize for the winner?"

"There is indeed. The winner gets a favor from the other person. How does that sound?"

"What kind of favor?"

"That's up to the winner. You won't have to ask for it right away, though. I'm confident we'll both make it through the Winter Solstice. It's handy to have a favor owed by someone strong."

Rain's smile widened slightly. "Alright, but we'll have to do it another time. I'm heading back to my room now."

"But class isn't over yet. We still have almost an hour left."

"Yeah, I know, but I need to study for other classes, and I've had enough training for today. Plus, my brother seems to be getting bored out of his mind."

That was true. After a while, watching Rain, Alya, and occasionally the other Sleepers became quite dull.

Jacob exchanged glances with Rick, their eyes locking. Jacob sighed and asked, "Why isn't he sparring with anyone else? Is he really that bad at combat?"

Rain couldn't help but laugh. "You think that's the reason? No, Kirk is just too fast and strong for anyone else here. There's no point in him sparring with others."

Jacob frowned. "That's ridiculous. He looks strong, sure, but he's a Sleeper like us. I'll ask him for a spar."

Rain just chuckled. "Good luck."

Jacob raised an eyebrow and approached Rick, introducing himself and extending his hand. "Hello, I'm Jacob, I'm from…"

Rick interrupted, raising a hand. "I know who you are and where you're from. I overheard you and my sister talking. I'm not interested in sparring with you."

Jacob frowned and withdrew his hand. 'Who does he think he is? He should show more respect.'

Putting on a fake smile, Jacob asked, "I see; you must have good hearing. Is that part of your aspect?"

Rick shrugged. "Yes."

"You're not much of a talker, huh? I still want to see what you can do. Your sister was bragging about you."

Taking a deep breath, Jacob said more seriously, "I challenge you to a duel."

Rick smirked. "I refuse."

Jacob was not satisfied with that response. He stepped closer, slightly annoyed. "I insist. You've dishonored me by interrupting, so you owe me this duel."

Rick couldn't help but laugh. "Are you serious? Who cares about honor? That kind of stuff gets you killed."

Jacob gritted his teeth, anger rising. "Being a lowlife like you gets you killed too. Are you scared to lose?"

Rick stood up, towering over Jacob, who was at least a head shorter than him. "No, I'm not scared. I just don't care about honor or anything you have to say. Now, get lost before I show you the way out."

Jacob's anger flared, and he was about to lash out when Jet called from across the room, "SLEEPER JACOB, WHAT IS THE MATTER?"

Jacob calmed down and turned around, still a bit irritated. "He disrespected me and won't accept the duel."

Jet glanced at Rick and nodded. She looked Jacob in the eyes and said, "He doesn't have to accept. How about he apologizes, and you two part ways?"

Jacob turned to Rick. "If you do that, I'll back down."

Rick let out an annoyed sigh, thinking, 'Fine, if that's what it takes for him to back off.'

Rick extended his hand, speaking evenly. "I'm sorry for hurting your honor by interrupting you."

Jacob took his hand and shook it, a clearly fake smile on his face. "Good, that's what I thought."

Jacob tightened his grip on Rick's hand, trying to pull him down, but it was futile. Rick didn't budge at all. Instead, he tightened his grip and said quietly, "If you know what's good for you, you'll accept my apology and leave. You don't want to find out what happens if you don't."

Jacob's expression darkened as he activated his aspect. To Rick's surprise, a strong electric current coursed through his body, causing him to sway slightly, with small sparks of electricity shooting from Jacob and hitting Rick. However, instead of collapsing as Jacob had expected, Rick chuckled darkly. "You're out of luck, pal; I'm used to this by now."

Jet, Alya, and Rain, along with everyone else, watched the scene unfold, each of them thinking the same thing: 'Please don't kill him, Rick.'

Rick flexed his muscles and formed a fist with his free hand. Jacob was too slow to react when it shot upward, connecting with his chin. Jacob was sent flying through the air, landing over ten meters away. Everyone was left speechless by what had just happened. Rick had held back significantly; a full-force punch would have killed Jacob instantly. Instead, he lay on the ground, unconscious.

Rick let out a heavy sigh as he walked toward the exit. As he approached Jet, he asked, "Am I free to go, Saint Soulreaper Jet?"

Jet looked at Jacob's unconscious form and sighed. "Yes, you are. But make sure to keep your distance from Jacob in the future. His family won't be pleased about this incident."

Rick scoffed as he walked toward the door. Without turning around, he replied evenly, "I'll make sure to do that. But someone should tell Jacob the same."

He closed the door behind him and texted Rain. "I'm heading to my room. Sorry for hurting your new friend."

"He definitely isn't a friend after that stunt he just pulled. Don't worry; he'll be fine. See you soon, brother."

Rain put her communicator away and turned to Alya. Using sign language, she said, "Kirk headed back to his room. I'll follow him."

Alya replied in sign language, "Should I come with you?"

Rain glanced at the clock and signed back, "No, I'm sorry. It's getting late. We'll see you tomorrow morning, though. Have a good night, Alya."

When she arrived at Rick's room, she found the door slightly ajar. She stepped inside and closed it behind her. Rick was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling, his face blank. Rain approached him and dismissed the Puppeteer Shroud. She lay down next to him, resting her head on his chest, facing him. She gently rubbed his left cheek and asked softly, "Are you okay?"

Rick took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before responding. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just… I shouldn't have hit him. He's a jerk, no doubt, but he's still a Legacy. This will have consequences."

Rain chuckled, reassuring him. "I think everything will be fine. You were in the right after all. He was the one who used his aspect on you, which is strictly forbidden without both parties' consent."

"I guess you're right, but I know people like him. This isn't over."

"Jet will help you; I'm sure of it. If he decides to pull another stunt or get his family involved, you'll have her support."

Rick pulled her closer and hugged her tightly. "I already feel better with you here. Thanks for being by my side. I don't know what I'd do without you, babe."

Rain chuckled and kissed him. "I could say the same about you. Now let me help you recover. The shock he gave you must have been more intense than anything I've ever done."

Rick laughed heartily. "Well, actually, it wasn't that bad."

Rain raised an eyebrow, doubtful. "So you don't need my help with recovery?"

Rick pretended to cough awkwardly, acting as if he was deeply hurt. "On second thought, I guess he did get me pretty good. Ouch, my whole body hurts."

Rain chuckled and began to pull down his shorts. "You're right; I can already see the swelling under your pants. Let me take care of your injuries, my lovely patient."