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Description
In PAIN they say that shadows can kill you.

The rumor goes that they sneak up on you slowly; flickers of something almost cat-like slinking in the corner of your eye. Then, upon closer look, you’ll swear that shadow looked darker than it did before. You’ll catch what looks like an X marking the spot. It moves like it’s breathing.

A chill runs across your back, a feeling that something is near. A feeling that you’d better turn tail while you still can. You can only hope it didn’t notice you.

But in your frantic attempt to flee, you’ll still see that X, following you along through the shadows cast around you. And those shadows were growing taller, curling closer. Claws enclosing their prey.

You can’t run.

So, you stop dead in your tracks, prepared to fight for your life as the dark talons edged ever closer. Then, in a single blink, the shadows will appear to have returned to normal. Peacefully small and still… As if they weren’t just readying to take your life a mere moment ago. No X in sight.

Breathing heavy, adrenaline sears your brain - was that just your imagination? Cautiously, you’ll look all around; behind, above, below—

Was your shadow always pitch black?

And there, resting upon your shadow’s chest, you notice it. A foreboding dark red X.

You can’t hide.

Suddenly, you see red, red, red, burning red eyes. Staring straight into yours.

Those eyes are blazing agony, but you can’t look away. A scratching, tugging pain rips through your mind straight down into you core. You’ll scream. You’ll thrash. You’ll collapse. You’ll feel something wet and hot stream down your muzzle. Tears and blood and brain matter on fire.

Then, in a flickering, final moment, you’ll see your own end through it’s eyes.

Your soul isn’t yours anymore.

…

Oh, but of course that’s all just rumors! That deadly shadow doesn’t actually exist! Because surely, if it had, someone would have known more about it by now. With the plethora of curses in PAIN at least one cat would live to tell the tale.

Or perhaps whatever was behind those “shadow” deaths just up and died at some point. Sure, there were cats found mysteriously lifeless, left with scorched, empty eyes in the past, but there's been seemingly none in PAIN’s more recent history. Perhaps those lifeless cats were just a fabrication of the rumor, or something else entirely. Not many cats alive even vouch to ever seeing one.

So, rest assured, the shadows of PAIN don’t seem interested in killing anymore cats anytime soon. If they ever were interested at all.

...

Or perhaps... it's just hiding. Perhaps, while you're crossing that dark corner, you should close your eyes.

---

hoo boy, here's a character I'm excited to introduce in canon. You may or may not know him already, as Hide is actually 750Dinosaur 's original character for PAIN! He fit so well with the story and honestly added more depth to certain aspects (plus he's just neat) so I've decided to canonize him. I only hope I do him justice here on out.

Admittedly, this reference doesn't work well as a reference - but I feel it's very fitting for Hide's character and role in the story. At the very start especially, he's simply a mystery. A scary rumor.

Description
In PAIN they say that shadows can kill you.

The rumor goes that they sneak up on you slowly; flickers of something almost cat-like slinking in the corner of your eye. Then, upon closer look, you’ll swear that shadow looked darker than it did before. You’ll catch what looks like an X marking the spot. It moves like it’s breathing.

A chill runs across your back, a feeling that something is near. A feeling that you’d better turn tail while you still can. You can only hope it didn’t notice you.

But in your frantic attempt to flee, you’ll still see that X, following you along through the shadows cast around you. And those shadows were growing taller, curling closer. Claws enclosing their prey.

You can’t run.

So, you stop dead in your tracks, prepared to fight for your life as the dark talons edged ever closer. Then, in a single blink, the shadows will appear to have returned to normal. Peacefully small and still… As if they weren’t just readying to take your life a mere moment ago. No X in sight.

Breathing heavy, adrenaline sears your brain - was that just your imagination? Cautiously, you’ll look all around; behind, above, below—

Was your shadow always pitch black?

And there, resting upon your shadow’s chest, you notice it. A foreboding dark red X.

You can’t hide.

Suddenly, you see red, red, red, burning red eyes. Staring straight into yours.

Those eyes are blazing agony, but you can’t look away. A scratching, tugging pain rips through your mind straight down into you core. You’ll scream. You’ll thrash. You’ll collapse. You’ll feel something wet and hot stream down your muzzle. Tears and blood and brain matter on fire.

Then, in a flickering, final moment, you’ll see your own end through it’s eyes.

Your soul isn’t yours anymore.

…

Oh, but of course that’s all just rumors! That deadly shadow doesn’t actually exist! Because surely, if it had, someone would have known more about it by now. With the plethora of curses in PAIN at least one cat would live to tell the tale.

Or perhaps whatever was behind those “shadow” deaths just up and died at some point. Sure, there were cats found mysteriously lifeless, left with scorched, empty eyes in the past, but there's been seemingly none in PAIN’s more recent history. Perhaps those lifeless cats were just a fabrication of the rumor, or something else entirely. Not many cats alive even vouch to ever seeing one.

So, rest assured, the shadows of PAIN don’t seem interested in killing anymore cats anytime soon. If they ever were interested at all.

...

Or perhaps... it's just hiding. Perhaps, while you're crossing that dark corner, you should close your eyes.

---

hoo boy, here's a character I'm excited to introduce in canon. You may or may not know him already, as Hide is actually 750Dinosaur 's original character for PAIN! He fit so well with the story and honestly added more depth to certain aspects (plus he's just neat) so I've decided to canonize him. I only hope I do him justice here on out.

Admittedly, this reference doesn't work well as a reference - but I feel it's very fitting for Hide's character and role in the story. At the very start especially, he's simply a mystery. A scary rumor.