‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍I WILL BE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍SO ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍DAPPER

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍HE HE HE HE. ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍THANK YOU! I'M MORE THAN WELCOME.

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍WHAT AREN'T ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍I?

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍YOU'RE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ON YOUR ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍OWN!

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍I AM ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ANYTHING ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍AND NOTHING.

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍HE HE HE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍AN EXCELLENT ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍FASHION ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍STATEMENT!

DO YOU ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍NOT ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍LIKE IT ?

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍I WILL HAVE A LITTLE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍BRIEFCASE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍AND ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍SUIT

‍‍‍HE HE HE HE HE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍KEEP AN EYE IN

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍I LIKE THAT ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍LOOK ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍IN YOUR EYE WHERE DID YOU ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍GET IT?

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍I HOPE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍YOU GET ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍WHAT YOU WANTED.

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍WELL! ISN'T THAT ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍SOMETHING? ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍AND I DIDN'T ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍EVEN ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍HAVE TO DO ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ANYTHING! ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍HE HE HE HE HE.

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍IF IT SO PLEASES YOU . . . ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍MRRP

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍EVERYONE ‍‍‍SEEMS ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍TO BE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍HAVING FUN.

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍DO YOU KNOW ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍WHO YOU ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ARE?

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍NO ‍‍‍

‍‍‍YOU SEEK ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍GUIDANCE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍SO ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍DESPERATELY ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍AND YET YOU DISMISS ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍THE SHEPHERD'S TAIL.

WHAT'S IN ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍A ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍NAME?

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍WHAT AN EXCELLENT INQUIRY.

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍SHALL I ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍CONTINUE?

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍NONDESCRIPT. ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍FACELESS. ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍SHALLOW. INSIGNIFICANT.

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍WOULDN'T YOU LIKE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍TO KNOW?

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍AND LO, ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍NOT A SOUL ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍CAN HEAR ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍YOUR PLEAS TEARS STAIN YOUR FACE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍AS FRESH WOUND ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍BLEEDS ‍‍‍

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍WHAT'S WITH THAT ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍FACE? ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍DON'T PRETEND ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍YOU DON'T APPRECIATE A ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍LITTLE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍FUN!

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍HE HE HE. ‍‍‍THINGS ARE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍STARTING TO GET ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍INTERESTING ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍AGAIN.

‍‍‍YOU AREN'T OUT OF THE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍FOREST ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍YET.

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍GAMES ARE SUPPOSED ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍TO BE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍FUN! ✱ It lets out another round of piercing laughter, as though it had made a funny joke. ‍‍‍WHAT ARE YOU ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍AFRAID ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍OF?

‍‍‍SUCH ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍VITRIOL! ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍SUCH ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍VENOM!

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍A LARVA!

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍WELL, IT'S NO FUN ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍IF THE SECRET'S REVEALED TO EVERYONE!!

‍‍‍HE HE HE! ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍YOU ARE ALL SO ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍FUN!

‍‍‍IT WAS FUN ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍WHILE IT ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍LASTED.

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍THE STAGE LIGHTS ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ARE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍SHATTERED

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍HA! ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍DONE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ALREADY?

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍THE STAGE LIGHTS ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ARE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍SHATTERED

WHAT'S THERE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍TO BE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍AFRAID OF ‍‍‍WITH ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍A FRIEND?

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE A FRIEND ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍IN ME

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍JUST A SHADOW IN ‍‍‍THE NIGHT! ✱ The laughter rings out again, gratingly. A BUMP ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ON THE WALL. ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍A VOICE IN YOUR ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍EARS. A FACE IN ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍YOUR EYES. ‍‍‍

KRIS! ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍GAMES ARE SUPPOSED ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍TO BE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍FUN.

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍HEAVEN, ‍‍‍ARE YOU ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍WATCHING? ‍‍‍

✱ Shrill laughter echoes from the shadows. SEE ME. ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍TOUCH ME. ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍HEAR ME. ‍‍‍AM I REAL?

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍SHE WAS USED ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍UP

Stop..

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍THE STAGE IS ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍SET. ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍LET THE SHOW ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍BEGIN!

╒════════════════╕   * The stage lights     are blaring. ╘════════════════╛ ══════════════════ EVENT :: SHADOWBOSS!BATTAT

‍‍‍OH? ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍WHO, THEN?

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍YOU ‍‍‍

QUIET! ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍THE SHOW'S ABOUT ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍TO BEGIN. ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍I CAN'T HEAR IT ‍‍‍IF YOU'RE NOT ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍LISTENING.

‍‍‍ ✱ You feel a cold breath against the back of your neck. ✱ . . . But no one is there. ‍‍‍

‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍HA HA HA! ‍‍‍WHAT, INDEED? ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍THE SWORD OF DARKNESS SKEWERS WHAT IT PLEASES. ✱ Darkness seems to lap at your ankles. ✱ Like the tides of the ocean, ebbing and flowing. ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ARE ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍ ‍‍‍YOU?