Stalking was one of Akira's strong pursuits. Whether it came from being himself or within unassuming bodies that he and Akechi used to get information about various dead cases- Corvus wouldn't have noticed his presence. Kira ducked into the shadows of a crumbling pillar, eyes locked on Corvus’s retreating form. The mad chase he saw him and this other Goro in- Something about the way he walked—it wasn’t right. His head tilted forward unnaturally, limbs too loose, swaying with every step like he was being pulled along rather than walking of his own volition.
It didn't feel...right.
He had been visiting Odaiba before- immediately noticing the big stark Lab that he had only seen once come to fruition in a place such as this. Even then, in real world standards it was far less...grand and flourishing then this one. That Maruki's lab felt like the combination of making one's home their workspace but this- this was something else. Otherworldly- and knowing just how capable personas were, especially from an outsider's perspective who doesn't possess them- the place was bad news.
All he did was just torment the fuck out of that Maruki though when he first walked in here. Maruki was pretty damn quiet about it and Akira well, he understood one's actions reflecting across multiple timelines was nothing short of stressful. So he decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Until now.
Kira’s breath hitched as Kou stepped forward. The doors gaped open, and for one impossible moment, Kira saw it: a yawning void of distorted shapes, eyes blinking in and out of existence, and the faintest hint of something alive—something watching.
The moment Kou vanished inside, the tendrils writhed as if satisfied, slithering back into the palace. The massive doors slammed shut, the echo resonating like a final warning.
“Shit.”
Kira bolted toward the entrance. His hands gripped the cold handles of the gilded doors, yanking hard. They didn’t budge. Not even an inch. He planted his foot against the stone, pulling with everything he had—nothing. The doors may as well have been welded shut.
A few faded in cognitions walked right past as if they were walking through the wrinkles of a curtain.
“Come on!” he hissed, voice sharp with frustration. He leaned his forehead against the cold surface, eyes narrowing as he tried to peer through the cracks. No good. The air beyond seemed thick—impenetrable.
He pulled back, inhaling sharply to calm the frantic thrum of his pulse. “Alright… think, Akira.”
Kira’s hand slid instinctively into his coat pocket, fingers brushing over the familiar weight of his phone. The screen lit up, a soft glow cutting through the dim air around him. Kou had disappeared, vanished into something wrong. And Maruki—this version of him—was involved. He didn’t need his world’s experience to know that was trouble.
What’s my next move?
His mind immediately went to his gear at home—the weapons, the tools, the resources he’d gathered for moments just like this or when he didn't feel safe. The whip was the only object that never really left his position but the rest-? If Maruki was pulling strings, there was no way Akira could just charge in unprepared. Especially if this Maruki could see the future while also somehow having a persona-
The thought scared him.
But first… recon.
Kurusu’s lips pressed into a thin line as he pulled a small, compact camera from his coat. He flipped it over, checking the connection feed before scanning the area for a spot out of sight. He found it: an alcove partially hidden behind a stone column, far enough to keep the camera free of scrutiny but close enough to get a good angle on the entrance.
He crouched low, the camera clicking softly as he secured it into place. The lens gleamed faintly as it locked onto the towering palace doors. The raven tapped at his phone, the camera feed flickering to life on the screen. The footage was grainy, the faint rippling of shadows making the tendrils seem almost alive. Good. If anything else came out—or went in—he’d know.
Satisfied, Akira straightened and stepped back into the deeper shadow of the alcove. He exhaled slowly, his mind already formulating plans. Go home. Get the gear. Jump back aarmed to the teeth. No way I’m letting this slide without knowing what the hell was going on in there.
That fake Goro...didn't look any bit promising. Too many memories attached to that. Too many emotions and faults cracking right through
His gaze flicked back to the doors one last time. The air felt thicker now, like it knew he was there. Kira gripped his wrist, fingers brushing over the smart watch embedded with his whip’s camera feed. He didn’t trust that anything beyond those doors wasn’t already watching.
“…Alright, let’s try this.”
He clapped his hands together sharply—CLAP!
The sound cracked through the air like a whip, a sharp ripple distorting the space around him. Reality seemed to bend, pulling him into itself. Akira took one final look at the camera as his vision blurred and twisted.
The last thing he saw before he disappeared was the faint flicker of movement on the palace doors. The tendrils shifted, as if they knew he was coming.
off-scene buildup. replying here just so you can catch up on what kira is doing
Kira ducked into the shadows of a crumbling pillar, eyes locked on Corvus’s retreating form. The mad chase he saw him and this other Goro in- Something about the way he walked—it wasn’t right. His head tilted forward unnaturally, limbs too loose, swaying with every step like he was being pulled along rather than walking of his own volition.
It didn't feel...right.
He had been visiting Odaiba before- immediately noticing the big stark Lab that he had only seen once come to fruition in a place such as this. Even then, in real world standards it was far less...grand and flourishing then this one. That Maruki's lab felt like the combination of making one's home their workspace but this- this was something else. Otherworldly- and knowing just how capable personas were, especially from an outsider's perspective who doesn't possess them- the place was bad news.
All he did was just torment the fuck out of that Maruki though when he first walked in here. Maruki was pretty damn quiet about it and Akira well, he understood one's actions reflecting across multiple timelines was nothing short of stressful.
So he decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Until now.
Kira’s breath hitched as Kou stepped forward. The doors gaped open, and for one impossible moment, Kira saw it: a yawning void of distorted shapes, eyes blinking in and out of existence, and the faintest hint of something alive—something watching.
The moment Kou vanished inside, the tendrils writhed as if satisfied, slithering back into the palace. The massive doors slammed shut, the echo resonating like a final warning.
“Shit.”
Kira bolted toward the entrance. His hands gripped the cold handles of the gilded doors, yanking hard. They didn’t budge. Not even an inch. He planted his foot against the stone, pulling with everything he had—nothing. The doors may as well have been welded shut.
A few faded in cognitions walked right past as if they were walking through the wrinkles of a curtain.
“Come on!” he hissed, voice sharp with frustration. He leaned his forehead against the cold surface, eyes narrowing as he tried to peer through the cracks. No good. The air beyond seemed thick—impenetrable.
He pulled back, inhaling sharply to calm the frantic thrum of his pulse. “Alright… think, Akira.”
Kira’s hand slid instinctively into his coat pocket, fingers brushing over the familiar weight of his phone. The screen lit up, a soft glow cutting through the dim air around him. Kou had disappeared, vanished into something wrong. And Maruki—this version of him—was involved.
He didn’t need his world’s experience to know that was trouble.
What’s my next move?
His mind immediately went to his gear at home—the weapons, the tools, the resources he’d gathered for moments just like this or when he didn't feel safe. The whip was the only object that never really left his position but the rest-? If Maruki was pulling strings, there was no way Akira could just charge in unprepared.
Especially if this Maruki could see the future while also somehow having a persona-
The thought scared him.But first… recon.
Kurusu’s lips pressed into a thin line as he pulled a small, compact camera from his coat. He flipped it over, checking the connection feed before scanning the area for a spot out of sight. He found it: an alcove partially hidden behind a stone column, far enough to keep the camera free of scrutiny but close enough to get a good angle on the entrance.
He crouched low, the camera clicking softly as he secured it into place. The lens gleamed faintly as it locked onto the towering palace doors. The raven tapped at his phone, the camera feed flickering to life on the screen. The footage was grainy, the faint rippling of shadows making the tendrils seem almost alive. Good. If anything else came out—or went in—he’d know.
Satisfied, Akira straightened and stepped back into the deeper shadow of the alcove. He exhaled slowly, his mind already formulating plans. Go home. Get the gear. Jump back aarmed to the teeth. No way I’m letting this slide without knowing what the hell was going on in there.
That fake Goro...didn't look any bit promising. Too many memories attached to that. Too many emotions and faults cracking right through
His gaze flicked back to the doors one last time. The air felt thicker now, like it knew he was there. Kira gripped his wrist, fingers brushing over the smart watch embedded with his whip’s camera feed. He didn’t trust that anything beyond those doors wasn’t already watching.
“…Alright, let’s try this.”
He clapped his hands together sharply—CLAP!
The sound cracked through the air like a whip, a sharp ripple distorting the space around him. Reality seemed to bend, pulling him into itself. Akira took one final look at the camera as his vision blurred and twisted.
The last thing he saw before he disappeared was the faint flicker of movement on the palace doors. The tendrils shifted, as if they knew he was coming.
And then, Kira was gone.