Noticed my character interactions are improving, yet my action and staging remained the same. Bare with me while I work out a better narration style. Thank you!
-Raoul
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The team watched their leader stare at the museum in anger before exhaling.
"Joker, we can do this later," Morgana said.
"Yeah, we aren't prepared," Ann said.
"We have to get Hime some better gear," Dove said gently.
Ren glanced at his team in confusion before taking a deep breath.
"Thanks, guys. This one is a bit personal to me," Ren muttered.
The golden museum in the distance stood mockingly in Ren's eyes.
"Do you need—"
"Not now. I'll… tell you about it later," Ren said vaguely.
"You better!"
"Stupid Joker."
"We'll punish you with embarrassing hugs in public if you don't!"
"I don't have a punishment threat. But I've got your back, Joker."
Ren remained silent, but he couldn't prevent a smile from tugging at his lips.
'Your new friends care too,' Arsène said.
'Be sure to be honest with them, Trickster,' Angel added.
'I don't wanna make a joke right now, Hee Ho Hee! Best tell 'em, Trickster!'
Suddenly, Jack Frost appeared without warning on Ren's back and began to smack him in the head before vanishing.
'Did he just punish himself?' the team thought, furrowing their brows and looking at each other.
They then nodded.
Joker needed support.
Ren shook his head once more and focused on the present. Right now, he had to help Yusuke. He glanced at the team and saw their rebellious smirks and the trust in their eyes as they looked at him.
'WE have to help Yusuke,' he thought.
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The team decided to forgo the main entrance. The line was long, and even if they didn't wait in it, the door into the museum was closed, with Shadow guards standing in front and keeping the cognitions in line.
Hopping from the cars in the parking lot onto the garden display next to the museum, the team stealthily moved until they were on the roof.
"This world is incredible," Orihime said suddenly. "I can't do that in reality. But here..."
"It really is amazing, isn't it?" Ren said as he picked the lock on a skylight window.
He broke a few lockpicks because he was very obviously unnerved.
Noticing this, Shiho narrowed her eyes.
"Joker. I'm a little tired today. Can we just take a look, maybe find a safe room, and come back in the next couple days?" she asked gently.
Ren froze for a second before a gentle smile graced his face.
"Sure. I'm pretty tired too..." he replied.
The girls blinked and looked at each other, mentally squealing about how cute that was of him.
Meanwhile, Ren had picked the lock after calming down. His friends noticed his unease. No one besides the Inaba and Iwatodai groups could see that before. Nanako, Yu's cousin, who he had essentially grown up with, had problems seeing through him sometimes. He still loved her like a sister, but it was very refreshing, yet unnerving, to be seen so clearly by those around him.
'Your mask is cracking,' Arsène gently whispered.
'You were peeking around the edges before, but after encountering the Faith's Shadow and experiencing death...'
'I don't want to betray my true self anymore,' Ren finished for Arsène as he slid down the rope that Morgana had set up.
He looked around the inside of the room before tugging the rope to let the team know it was safe to come down.
He kept his Third Eye active.
"Ladies first?" Ryuji said, seemingly politely.
Ann rolled her eyes and said, "Gee, thanks, Ryuji."
Smiling, she grabbed the rope and slid down, Shiho and Orihime following soon after.
"Mona, what did I do wrong there?" he asked.
"You truly are a monkey," Morgana quipped as he slid down the rope.
"Ah, screw you too. At least Joker will tell me later," he mumbled as he slid down the rope himself.
The room was small. It was clearly some sort of room for visitors to rest in. The art on the walls consisted of soothing pieces, although they faintly pulsed. Ren decided to observe with his Third Eye.
It was horrifying. Not in a way that was scary, but in a way that disgusted someone on the level of the soul. Ren observed the paintings pulse, and they felt alive. Focusing his senses harder, he could feel intense misery, suffering, and resentment. The hatred and resentment were not only aimed at the Palace, but also at themselves. Ren could almost hear their cries of pain.
"WOAH!" Ryuji suddenly yelled as he hopped back, falling on his butt.
Ren quickly moved his attention toward his friend. He didn't want anyone here hurt!
Ryuji was fine, but there was a laser-like motion detector in the only doorframe out of the room. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to see without the Third Eye.
"Laser security?! Are we in a freakin' movie now?" Ryuji groaned as he stood up and rubbed his back.
"Surprised the shit out of me," he groaned as he walked away from it.
The team glanced at the area and saw nothing from a distance, but they trusted Ryuji. He may act like a blunt idiot, but he knew when to be serious. He was just intense and forward in his emotions.
'Maybe I should take a page from his book...' Ren thought as he approached.
His Personas didn't respond. Nor did they agree or disagree.
Ren looked at Ryuji as he patted his shoulder. His Third Eye was still active, so he quickly looked away. He hated that his glare was so scary.
But before he turned, he caught an illusory Tarot card spinning gently above Ryuji.
'The Chariot...' he thought.
Cutting off his thinking, he observed the doorframe and the laser security.
His brows were furrowed again.
"Looks like I'm the only one who can see this clearly," he mentioned. "I can clear this with a slide under it or a jump, and Mona could pretty much walk under it. But..."
He grimaced for a moment before exhaling. Stuck at the entrance.
"We need some kind of way to make the security visible to everyone else," Morgana said.
"Should we just, like... throw a bunch of dust at it?" Ryuji suggested. "Like in movies?"
"Maybe Iwai would have something," Ren whispered.
"Ren, don't get involved with that guy. He's scary! Definitely bad news!" Ann suddenly said as she shivered.
She had gone there once to look for a whip in her free time, and that guy had stared at her the whole time. Not in lust or desire. She would have left if that was the case. Rather, he was observing her. He even asked about Ren!
Talk about scary.
"Aww, he isn't that bad!" Orihime chimed in.
"When did you meet him?" Shiho asked. "I still haven't yet!"
"I got lost and recognized the name from Ren and Ryuji talking about it before. So I went in to take a look!"
Ren offered a silent prayer for Iwai.
She was something, all right.
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