Fueled by rage and grief and desperation, he forces his way through the walls of the maze, uncaring about the tentacles trying to cling to him, to drag him back on track. He doesn't care what Maruki's saying, how he's trying to excuse himself, what he's trying to offer. Kou doesn't want it. He never asked for it.
Of course he misses Goro more than he ever imagined he ever could. Of course he wants him back- but he's done this song and dance before. He knows what it would cost- and that cost isn't worth it. Of course he was happy to have Goro back, back then- but Goro didn't want it, and Kou also couldn't stand the thought of himself and Goro once again losing what little agency they had.
Goro's dead, and that's the reality of it all. No fake reality is worth his- either of their independence. Goro was fucking scared to die again, but at least dying was a choice he made for himself.
The maze tries to catch up to him, changing and whirling- places from his childhood, from his memories, echoes of him and Goro together. it only makes everything worse, and his breath heaves as he runs and runs, his lungs burning- he doesn't know how much longer he can keep this up but he has to, he won't-
A droplet of wetness hits him.
Multiple, actually.
A light rain makes him look up, trying to calm his breathing. Did he make it...? Is he out...?
But that's clearly wishful thinking, as the faces of people- dead people stare back at him, tombstones surrounding him. Some clear, others hazy, murky, forgotten, but the ones he recognizes-
These are his and Goro's victims.
Kou's breaths start speeding up again, eyes wild behind his mask, but he forces himself into a battle-ready stance regardless as the dead start approaching him. Some try to speak, others just gaze emptily, and dread runs up Kou's spine as they close in on him. How much of Palnatoke's power does he have left in him? How many peopel are there?
Palnatoke's own fury meets his own- but it's mixed with regret. A whisper of guilt. I only have one Megidolaon left in me.
That's not gonna do, and Kou grits his teeth as he backs up, holding his sword in front of him defensively-
He stumbles over a grave he didn't see before. He curses, and scrambles upright, ready to defend himself, but then he realizes- they are no longer approaching him. They are merely pointing at him- no, at something next to him- the gravestone he stumbled over.
He shouldn't. He shouldn't.
He can't stop himself from looking, only to immediately regret it.
Akechi, followed by an unintelligeble mess that could be either Goro or Kou- he can't tell, the Kanji are far, far too messed up to read. A pit that wasn't there before has opened itself, an empty, open casket in the depths.
Kou tries to swallows- but he can't, he can't- his heart is beating in his throat, and he's trembling so hard it's a miracle he hasn't dropped his sword. The dead stare at him and point at the grave and Maruki's voice exhoes in his head and and-
"MEGIDOLAON!"
Palnatoke bursts to life as he tears his mask off, roaring with a rage and grief that echoes his own, heartbroken and furious and everything in between as the white-purple magic of Megidolaon tears through the graveyard. He doesn't care what he hits, he just needs this place to go, he needs it gone-
When the light clears, the dead are gone, and he's alone. The only grave left is the Akechi one, and he sinks to the ground, completely out of energy.
A hand rises from the grave, grasping Kou's arm- and he jolts violently, trying to pull away-
Once again, Goro is staring at him. His smile is plastic, but there's something incredibly off about it.
"Join me, Kou-nii," he whispers, eyes crinkling in amusement, "join me. I'm so lonely, Kou-nii. You'll join your little brother, won't you?"
"Don't-" Kou tries, but his voice cuts off, unable to speak with how rapid his breathing is- he can't- there's not enough air-
1/2
Fueled by rage and grief and desperation, he forces his way through the walls of the maze, uncaring about the tentacles trying to cling to him, to drag him back on track. He doesn't care what Maruki's saying, how he's trying to excuse himself, what he's trying to offer. Kou doesn't want it. He never asked for it.
Of course he misses Goro more than he ever imagined he ever could. Of course he wants him back- but he's done this song and dance before. He knows what it would cost- and that cost isn't worth it. Of course he was happy to have Goro back, back then- but Goro didn't want it, and Kou also couldn't stand the thought of himself and Goro once again losing what little agency they had.
Goro's dead, and that's the reality of it all. No fake reality is worth his- either of their independence. Goro was fucking scared to die again, but at least dying was a choice he made for himself.
The maze tries to catch up to him, changing and whirling- places from his childhood, from his memories, echoes of him and Goro together. it only makes everything worse, and his breath heaves as he runs and runs, his lungs burning- he doesn't know how much longer he can keep this up but he has to, he won't-
A droplet of wetness hits him.
Multiple, actually.
A light rain makes him look up, trying to calm his breathing. Did he make it...? Is he out...?
But that's clearly wishful thinking, as the faces of people- dead people stare back at him, tombstones surrounding him. Some clear, others hazy, murky, forgotten, but the ones he recognizes-
These are his and Goro's victims.
Kou's breaths start speeding up again, eyes wild behind his mask, but he forces himself into a battle-ready stance regardless as the dead start approaching him. Some try to speak, others just gaze emptily, and dread runs up Kou's spine as they close in on him. How much of Palnatoke's power does he have left in him? How many peopel are there?
Palnatoke's own fury meets his own- but it's mixed with regret. A whisper of guilt. I only have one Megidolaon left in me.
That's not gonna do, and Kou grits his teeth as he backs up, holding his sword in front of him defensively-
He stumbles over a grave he didn't see before. He curses, and scrambles upright, ready to defend himself, but then he realizes- they are no longer approaching him. They are merely pointing at him- no, at something next to him- the gravestone he stumbled over.
He shouldn't. He shouldn't.
He can't stop himself from looking, only to immediately regret it.
Akechi, followed by an unintelligeble mess that could be either Goro or Kou- he can't tell, the Kanji are far, far too messed up to read. A pit that wasn't there before has opened itself, an empty, open casket in the depths.
Kou tries to swallows- but he can't, he can't- his heart is beating in his throat, and he's trembling so hard it's a miracle he hasn't dropped his sword. The dead stare at him and point at the grave and Maruki's voice exhoes in his head and and-
"MEGIDOLAON!"
Palnatoke bursts to life as he tears his mask off, roaring with a rage and grief that echoes his own, heartbroken and furious and everything in between as the white-purple magic of Megidolaon tears through the graveyard. He doesn't care what he hits, he just needs this place to go, he needs it gone-
When the light clears, the dead are gone, and he's alone. The only grave left is the Akechi one, and he sinks to the ground, completely out of energy.
A hand rises from the grave, grasping Kou's arm- and he jolts violently, trying to pull away-
Once again, Goro is staring at him. His smile is plastic, but there's something incredibly off about it.
"Join me, Kou-nii," he whispers, eyes crinkling in amusement, "join me. I'm so lonely, Kou-nii. You'll join your little brother, won't you?"
"Don't-" Kou tries, but his voice cuts off, unable to speak with how rapid his breathing is- he can't- there's not enough air-
"Join me," Goro repeats, "join me, join me, join me-"
"Give in."