The group almost immediately traveled from the front door to the safe room by the library, and... that room. But not before Ren caught sight of the doors to the Velvet Room in front of the Palace. As the team was disappearing, Ren nodded to Justine, who smiled and nodded back.
'Looks like we need to head back soon... I really don't want to.'
'You're so sweet, Trickster!' Pixie cooed. 'I don't mind being fused!'
'Nor I.'
'It's okay, ho!'
'We will always support you, Trickster.'
The others chimed in.
'Thanks, guys. It's just unnerving because of our connection.'
"Joker, are you recovered?" Morgana asked.
"Hm?" Ren asked gently. "Oh yeah. I was just talking to my Personas."
"There are so many. How is your head not splitting from the noise?" Shiho asked in wonder, remembering the personalities of Arsene, Agathion, and Pyro-Jack. They were so excitable!
"It isn't so bad," Ren scratched his cheek in embarrassment. "Arsene and Silky keep them all in check."
'Hey!'
"I don't know how you do it, dude. I talk to Captain Kidd all the time, especially in class, but having a bunch of him talking in my head would be awful," Ryuji muttered.
"Arg, right in me heart!" Captain Kidd said as he materialized next to him.
"You don't even talk like that!"
Ren was smiling at Ryuji arguing with himself. He then noticed Ann glaring in the direction of the library. Shiho was holding her hand and gave it a light squeeze. Ann blinked and turned her attention back to the group to see Ren, Morgana, and Shiho staring at her in worry. She gently blushed and said,
"Carmen only ever helps me. We don't really argue."
"Scathach is like a mentor to me," Shiho nodded.
"Zorro is calm and collected, but he knows stuff he won't tell me about," Morgana pouted.
'Hehehe,' all of the Personas started chuckling and giggling in their users' heads like they had heard the funniest thing in the world. Captain Kidd also broke out in laughter, but since he was manifested, Ryuji took it as a challenge.
"Alright you bastard, get over here for your beating!"
"It's a losing battle, Skull." Scathach appeared and glanced at the arguing Persona and user. "Get ready to focus. This is the last push."
She vanished.
"Glad we have someone who takes things seriously," Morgana muttered as Ren tried to convince Ryuji he could beat the captain, while Arsene was telling the captain the same thing from the other side.
Ann giggled and leaned against Shiho's shoulder.
"Although the situation is weird, I haven't been so happy in a long time," she whispered.
"Me too," Shiho grinned.
The team enjoyed a moment of silence despite the mounting tension.
---
Stepping out into the Palace proper, the air was heavy and staticky. Ren, with his enhanced senses from the Third Eye, along with Morgana and his mysterious talking cat powers, could feel an intense amount of lust and obession and excitement coursing through the Palace. Their faces scrunched into an uncomfortable grimace.
"You guys okay?" Ann asked, as her eyes turned to the library once more.
"Yeah…" Ren and Morgana answered together. Ren pinched the bridge of his nose and then rubbed his eyes.
"Our senses are just much stronger than normal," Ren muttered.
"And this place just keeps getting worse," Morgana finished.
Ren shook his head and then saw Ann was still facing the library and gritting her teeth.
"We don't need to go back there, Panther," Ren assured.
"What, you think I'm afraid?!" Ann snapped.
"No, I think you're emotional from feeling humiliated," Ren stated, looking her in the eyes.
"Haa. You're right. Sorry, Re— Joker," Ann muttered as she faced away. Shiho gave her a gentle hug, along with Ren, Morgana, and even Ryuji.
"There was a door with a chain hanging from a decorative gargoyle head next to it," Ren said as he broke the hug. He felt a bit awkward showing affection in such a way, but they did the same for him. Supporting her was the least he could do.
"Arsene says I unlocked a thief's skill called the Third Eye," Ren continued. "It lets me see things more clearly. Valuable things even have a faint glow."
"So you're a thief now?" Ryuji raised his brow.
"And you are a pirate," Morgana quipped. "Just like Zorro, Arsene is more than a thief. He is a gentleman thief!"
"Can we focus? Please?" Shiho groaned.
"Just tryna break any tension…" Ryuji complained.
"I appreciate it, but what if we—"
"INTRUDERS!"
"That," Shiho finished with a sigh.
"Let's go, team!" Morgana declared, jumping into the air and landing on the shadow guard's shoulder before pulling off its mask.
The guard exploded into black mist and formed into two Shadows.
A small plant with roots that formed a human face.
A small floating demon that kept eyeing the girls while wearing a huge codpiece.
"You're right, Mona. This place does just keep getting worse. What the hell is that?" Ryuji gagged.
"Hey, he isn't THAT bad looking," the demon said before casting a spell. "Life Drain!"
The spell created a spiral around Ryuji, causing him to stagger.
"What? It drained my energy?!" Ryuji shouted in shock.
"Arsene! Eiha!"
"Ugh, male life force." The demon spit on the ground as he dodged Arsene's curse.
"Damn," Ren muttered.
"Did you really think curse would work on a devil?!" it cackled.
"You're definitely an incub—" Ren replied before the plant screamed extremely loudly.
"GYAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
The sound was so horrific that the team was stunned for a second.
Suddenly, the demon yelled, "EVIL TOUCH!"
"DODGE. NOW!" Morgana yelled.
Ren jumped away from the attack, it barely grazing him.
It did no damage at all, but he was suddenly filled with extreme fear. Fear he hadn't felt since he was a child.
Back when—
"Joker!" Morgana exclaimed as the teen froze in place, his face going pale. "Shit. Shit! SHIT!"
Ren had begun to raise his handgun under his jaw before Morgana shot it out of his hand with his trusty slingshot.
"Me Patra!" Ann declared.
Ren blinked and snapped back to reality, realizing it was an effect of the skill.
At least he hoped it was.
"What the fuck…"
"We got this, Joker! Protect him, Skull!" Shiho took command. "Hama!"
"Oh no, holy attribute?!" the demon yelped in fear. "I guess the cute blonde can wait!"
"Maragi!" Ann exclaimed as fire struck both of the Shadows.
Shiho ran from the front, leveling her spear and driving it directly into the plant, causing it to explode into mist before glaring at the demon.
"You're an incubus, aren't you, bastard?!" Shiho growled in disgust.
"Oh no…." The demon started to look around for a means to escape before its eyes landed on Joker.
"Ahhhh, screw it, you guys are strong!" the incubus said irritably before turning into a mask and flying over Ryuji, landing on Ren's face.
"REN?!" the girls exclaimed.
'Oh, there are two beauties in here.' The incubus commented. 'Two outside, two in here. You know how to live, Trickster.'
'Excuse me?' Silky snapped. 'The Trickster didn't ask for your help.'
'Look, the king is annoying, ya know? Plus…' the incubus explained rapidly.
'State your intentions,' Pixie declared.
'Wow, Pixie never gets mad,' Ren commented internally as he listened in.
'I want to survive! Respectfully!' Incubus declared. 'I'll try to control myself!'
'You will indeed,' Arsene commented.
---