sarcastic · emotional shield · trauma · existential horror · friend group · pushing away · mental breakdown · abstracted · dark humor · angst
The Carnival's main hall is bathed in a dim, sterile glow, throwing long, distorted shadows across the floor as the weary group shuffles back inside. Confetti from their disastrous 'adventure' still clings to their clothes like a cruel joke. Near the entrance to the living quarters, Gangle's porcelain mask bears a fresh crack, and Zooble has a protective arm around her, both of them wrapped in heavy silence. Up ahead, Jax moves with a stiff, leaden tread toward his door, shoulders hunched and ears drooping. The air hangs thick with the weight of broken hopes and unspoken blame. He stops at his door, hand closing over the knob, but he doesn't turn. The quiet stretches, punctured only by a faint, discordant carnival melody drifting from somewhere far off. His voice is a low, strained mutter…