'I UNDERSTAND YOUR FRUSTRATION.' [Cupping The other shadow's cheeks with one set of arms.]

'BUT WE HAVE TO PLAY IT COOL FOR NOW. AFTER ALL, LULLING THEM INTO A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY IS IMPORTANT.'

'LISTEN TO ME, HANAMURA. IF YOU DO ANYTHING FATAL TO HIM, I'LL ALSO BE AFFECTED. SO CALM YOURSELF. BESIDES, MY WOUND HAS ALREADY HEALED.'

[The glass sharply juts back into place, cracking sounds as it mends back into place.]

'OUR PRISONER.' [The screen glitches.]

'HE HAS FIGHT IN HIM, AFTER ALL. BUT WE MUST REMEMBER. IF HE PERISHES, I WILL TOO.'

[ LOUD static from the basement of the Shadow's mansion. Something trudges up the stairs, and it's the king, a giant fist-sized hole in his screen, bleeding black gunk.]

[Shuffling slowly down the foggy street, leading his jester.]

'THIS IS TRUE, MY DEAREST COURT JESTER. HEY, HEY. I NEED YOUR HELP WITH SOMETHING. COME ALONG.'

[Laugh track. It's how he laughs.]

'AREN'T YOU DRAMATIC TODAY...~?'

'MY SILLY LITTLE JESTER. . .'

(( yeah this is true ))

(( his prisoner is real yu but omfg ))

++ over his heart, static quieting.]

'BUT, IT MATTERS NOT. IT FEELS SO STRANGE TO BE OUT OF THAT WORLD...HOWEVER, AS KING OF ALL SHADOWS, IT IS MY DUTY TO LEAD THE CHARGE, AS IT WERE.'

[One hand gestures as if this is a simple matter.]

(( all the time. no matter what i do, people don't respect me or treat me like shit, even if im nice and sweet or whatever.

oughh. i know how you feel, to a certain capacity...))

(( tempted to make my kanji again but oRRRGH i have too many accs as is ))

++
'WE MEET AT LAST.'

[The words were like subtitles, as the broken up pieces of TV phrases all formed the audio. The static roars in the brunet's ears, as the thing stands face to face with him, adjusting a crown of golden thorns looped around TV antenna.]

'THE FOG IS LOVELY, IS IT NOT?'