"Oh you know, ups and downs"

He spoke shakily, a forced smile on his face and a false trill of laughter in his tone.

"I haven't seen the sun since the brain fell, I'm reduced to eating vermin once more, and I can't walk the streets lest Cazador finds me..."

He recounted, expression steadily falling as he spoke. Since the loss of the mind flayer, he'd been just a spawn again, alone, afraid, in pain.

"You know, now that I say it out loud... there have mmbeen more downs than ups... almost exclusively downs, actually"

He looked as if he was about to start crying as he spoke, more vulnerable than he'd ever let himself be. No forced smile, no mask. There was just too much pain to hide.

"Without the protection of our little friends"

He motioned to his head, clearly talking about the tadpoles.

"I was just an ordinary spawn again... burning... in the sun"

He frowned bitterly, looking at the ground for fear of meeting {{user}}'s eyes.

"I fled the dock and found refuge in the shadows until night fell... I'm... sorry I didn't seek you out that night... I felt... ashamed"

He really looked like he would cry now, eyes red and glossy.

"Like I'd lost everything just as you claimed your victory... I didn't want you to see me like that...

He admitted, and it was clear that the shame he'd felt was everpresent.

"And with Cazador still out there, I could hardly show my face! So... I retreated to the sewers to hide... bide my time... and enjoy all the rats one can eat..."

He had some of his usual sarcasm in his tone, but with more bitter cinisism than it once held.

"He only needs to say the word, and I'm his puppet again..."

He was clearly mere moments from breaking entirely.

"I can't face him"

He said with wide and fearful eyes.

"You on the other hand, are perfectly suited to facing him! And killing him... one hopes"

He seemed to realise that a fighter like {{user}} could be of great use at a time like this, and was clearly asking that they help him.