[Don has never been to an ocean before, and last time he was at an amusement park he had to electrify the roller coaster to defeat an enraged colony of nanobots
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[It's a foregone conclusion that Robert would go with Don to the beach, and return to Lucetiland. Not only had Helios encouraged it, but it was a lot less lonely than staying in the village being poignantly reminded of the fact everybody was gone.
So after stopping by to check Grune's flowers for her (not that they were going to be neglected anyway), he follows Don to the beach and the subsequent Lucetiland island, which is starting to become an almost-familiar sight and sound on the shoreline.]
[Their slow meandering tour eventually brings them to the midway, where an almost-overwhelming number of choices seem to present themselves. They could play these (rather easy-looking) games. They could sample the strange and novel foodstuffs on offer. They could go on one of the big rides looming over them, or one of the smaller attractions tucked away behind the booths. They could return to the beach, visit the water park, or check into the hotel.]
[Faced with such an array of possibilities, Don does what he normally does when planning needs to be accomplished: delegate the task to someone else.]
[Almost-overwhelming is right. Even having been here before, Robert still finds himself stymied by this kind of place - all colours and lights and smells of semi-processed edibles - and what it represents.
Thoughtfully, he studies the amusement park.]
Well, the last time I was here, I had... already stopped by the Hall of Personas. [The slight shiver at those words should not go unnoticed to Don.] ... So... perhaps something else...? I have not gone on any of the rides, really...
[He spent most of the time watching others do so.]
... It... it might be a good idea. Though... [Less awkwardly:] I trust you...
... The only other person I went in with was... Giles. And, well... [Giles ended up seeing Robert as the junkie he was before... though Robert essentially got to see the same.]
... I think it would be... fascinating. [And then maybe Don can see those facets of Robert for himself, the facets Robert wouldn't be able to show here in Luceti.] And there would be... fewer people during this time.
[From the entrance, it's not particularly far. Robert begins picking his way through the significantly-thinned crowd, past a few other attractions, until he's left standing in front of the outside of the Hall.]
Ah... well, this is it.
[It's a long passage, rather ominous-looking, studded with mirrors on all surfaces... visually disorienting, of course, but Robert got used to it before.
He's still nervous of what Don might see, but he trusts that whatever it is, it'll be okay.]
[Don steps in behind Robert. As he moves between the first of the mirrors, a shimmer seems to pass down the row, and images appear in one pane after another.]
[A preteen Donatello, spinning a jo and repeatedly dropping it. Donatello without his gear, an orange circle painted on the upper corner of his plastron. Donatello in a strange costume, lightning dancing from his hands. Donatello with metallic limbs. Don with oddly-short bandana tails and a "D" on his belt...]
[Robert steps slowly, quietly taking in all of these forms of Don, even if there're his own there too, standing across from these versions - all drastically different, spanning the mirrors.
The toddler, bright-eyed, in front of a holographic replica of the Randi Institute, studying it with an obsessive gaze that seems out of place on a face that small. The turtle self - that sends a pang of guilt through Robert, standing next to Don the way he is - with reptilian eyes a stark gray against the pastel colours on his blunted face. The junkie again, with that same hollow drug-addled smile and the scruffy clothes and the needle marks stark on his pale skin. Even the math teacher from the AU, handling a piece of what he'd thought was Third Party technology, but was really Daisy's suit all along...]
So after stopping by to check Grune's flowers for her (not that they were going to be neglected anyway), he follows Don to the beach and the subsequent Lucetiland island, which is starting to become an almost-familiar sight and sound on the shoreline.]
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[Faced with such an array of possibilities, Don does what he normally does when planning needs to be accomplished: delegate the task to someone else.]
What do you want to do first?
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Thoughtfully, he studies the amusement park.]
Well, the last time I was here, I had... already stopped by the Hall of Personas. [The slight shiver at those words should not go unnoticed to Don.] ... So... perhaps something else...? I have not gone on any of the rides, really...
[He spent most of the time watching others do so.]
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[Robert drops his voice low.] Including... u-unpleasant versions...
... And, er, other people can see them.
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... It... it might be a good idea. Though... [Less awkwardly:] I trust you...
... The only other person I went in with was... Giles. And, well... [Giles ended up seeing Robert as the junkie he was before... though Robert essentially got to see the same.]
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It doesn't matter to me; you can decide.
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[So now would be the best time, really.]
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Which way is it?
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Ah... well, this is it.
[It's a long passage, rather ominous-looking, studded with mirrors on all surfaces... visually disorienting, of course, but Robert got used to it before.
He's still nervous of what Don might see, but he trusts that whatever it is, it'll be okay.]
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Do you know how it works?
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... But one just... enters it.
[And Robert steps, nervously, into the room.] With any luck, er... a persona will appear soon enough...
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[A preteen Donatello, spinning a jo and repeatedly dropping it. Donatello without his gear, an orange circle painted on the upper corner of his plastron. Donatello in a strange costume, lightning dancing from his hands. Donatello with metallic limbs. Don with oddly-short bandana tails and a "D" on his belt...]
Whoa...
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The toddler, bright-eyed, in front of a holographic replica of the Randi Institute, studying it with an obsessive gaze that seems out of place on a face that small. The turtle self - that sends a pang of guilt through Robert, standing next to Don the way he is - with reptilian eyes a stark gray against the pastel colours on his blunted face. The junkie again, with that same hollow drug-addled smile and the scruffy clothes and the needle marks stark on his pale skin. Even the math teacher from the AU, handling a piece of what he'd thought was Third Party technology, but was really Daisy's suit all along...]
... Yes.
... Yours are... fascinating...
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Do you - recognize these?
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