Like I said, they were dangerous monsters in their own right, as well as a manifestation of the darkest parts of you. It was always a risk, facing them. But doing so was part of a murder case all of us were trying to solve together.

[ He sighs through his nose. ]

Don't worry. It's not that I want to meet my Shadow. It's more that I wonder what form it would take, and what kinds of things it would say. But it's not something I dwell on. After all, I have my friends. I can face any challenge head on as long as I'm not alone.

[ There's a quiet, nostalgic confidence in the way he says those words. ]