[Darin was about to dash back in, dao leading the way when Shiro's form was launched at him. Quickly, he drops his dao and catches his friend, cradling him against his chest as he stumbles backward again. The sharp pains in his knees told him that the kneecaps were, at best, cracked.]
[With his legs shaking like a newborn foal's, Darin struggles to keep himself standing.]
Come on Shiro, come on. Snap out of it buddy. Don't let whatever they're saying get to you. I need you here, with me--
[Darin quickly spins and takes a sharp blow to the side of his head from his own shadow; it sounds like a bat cracking off of granite. The force causes Darin to drop Shiro to the stone, but at least it frees up his hands. Unfortunately, the blow was more than a little disorienting. It took all his strength to keep his wits enough about him to keep himself between his shadow and Shiro.]
[A fact that his shadow delighted in. He was taking measured shots; punches and kicks that would crack and shatter bone, but wouldn't send Darin ragdolling. No, he wanted him standing. Each blow rang out like the sound of cannon fire reverberating off of the stone arena walls.]
Is that so?? That's funny! This one here doesn't think he's trusted at all! And do you wanna know why??
[The shadow raises his voice enough for both Shiros to hear.]
BECAUSE YOU'RE HIDING SOMETHING FROM HIM AND HE KNOWS IT!! BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING YOU HAVEN'T TOLD HIM; SOMETHING SERIOUS, SOMETHING TERRIBLE!! AND BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T TOLD HIM, HE'S PRETENDED TO UNDERSTAND!!!
[A hand shoots out and seizes Darin by the throat, gagging him. Then, with a sharp jerk, Darin is driven headfirst into the stone floor with a sickening crunchsplat, sending cracks and fissures shooting out for several feet in all directions. Darin's shadow turns its black gaze to Shiro.]
All he wants to do is save you. But you're hiding something from him, aren't you? And he knows it. He knows he's not good enough. He knows that your team, your real team, will be the one to save you. Because he's weak. He's a joke. An inconvenience. He's only a part of your team because he's so pitiable.
[The venom and vitriol dripping with each word is in sharp contrast to the heartless grin smeared on the shadow's face. With a grunt, he tosses Darin's body away to tumble in a bloody mess near Shiro's shadow.]
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[With his legs shaking like a newborn foal's, Darin struggles to keep himself standing.]
Come on Shiro, come on. Snap out of it buddy. Don't let whatever they're saying get to you. I need you here, with me--
[Darin quickly spins and takes a sharp blow to the side of his head from his own shadow; it sounds like a bat cracking off of granite. The force causes Darin to drop Shiro to the stone, but at least it frees up his hands. Unfortunately, the blow was more than a little disorienting. It took all his strength to keep his wits enough about him to keep himself between his shadow and Shiro.]
[A fact that his shadow delighted in. He was taking measured shots; punches and kicks that would crack and shatter bone, but wouldn't send Darin ragdolling. No, he wanted him standing. Each blow rang out like the sound of cannon fire reverberating off of the stone arena walls.]
Is that so?? That's funny! This one here doesn't think he's trusted at all! And do you wanna know why??
[The shadow raises his voice enough for both Shiros to hear.]
BECAUSE YOU'RE HIDING SOMETHING FROM HIM AND HE KNOWS IT!! BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING YOU HAVEN'T TOLD HIM; SOMETHING SERIOUS, SOMETHING TERRIBLE!! AND BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T TOLD HIM, HE'S PRETENDED TO UNDERSTAND!!!
[A hand shoots out and seizes Darin by the throat, gagging him. Then, with a sharp jerk, Darin is driven headfirst into the stone floor with a sickening crunchsplat, sending cracks and fissures shooting out for several feet in all directions. Darin's shadow turns its black gaze to Shiro.]
All he wants to do is save you. But you're hiding something from him, aren't you? And he knows it. He knows he's not good enough. He knows that your team, your real team, will be the one to save you. Because he's weak. He's a joke. An inconvenience. He's only a part of your team because he's so pitiable.
[The venom and vitriol dripping with each word is in sharp contrast to the heartless grin smeared on the shadow's face. With a grunt, he tosses Darin's body away to tumble in a bloody mess near Shiro's shadow.]