Maruki raises his head- now looking ahead as the screens shift again to Kou held within the walls of the sterile lab. Kou's vitals are stable, that much is obvious through the screens. The brain is clearly running on overdrive- it needs rest. It needs the peace. Any second and he could collapse if the adrenaline reaches dangerous levels. He watches him past his blurry gaze, a hand attended to wiping away a tear as he finds himself releasing a shuddering breath. "You're right," he says- looking ahead. "You're right."
Azathoth's right.
The walls shift- the sterile walls darkening and shifting into brick red before bubbles start coursing its way up then solidifying into dark red metal. Tentacles lurch out, carving and curling as they solidify and manifest into cold metal that made the very ducts running around the different areas of the room. Panels manifest, shadows erupt and most of all. The cognitions.
Kou would find himself behind the line.
Everyone's here. The shadows. The twin's cognitive doubles- now keeping their guns aimed away at the cognitive Goro and Kou. The phantom thieves. The Ren they know.
Would Kou dare to cross the line?
"You're the one who's going to disappear-!" Goro screams through his throat as he turns his gun and-
BANG!
The cognition shifts its weight, now falling to its knees.
Crow grits his tongue before turning and aiming his gun at the switch mounted on the far well just beyond the phantom thieves' reach. Just beyond Kou's reach because despite their circumstances, despite the vision of a better tomorrow- they would never-
"Wait."
The word rang out unnaturally, dissonant and off-kilter. Goro’s voice sounded wrong—warped, like a radio signal cutting through static.
2/?
Azathoth's right.
The walls shift- the sterile walls darkening and shifting into brick red before bubbles start coursing its way up then solidifying into dark red metal. Tentacles lurch out, carving and curling as they solidify and manifest into cold metal that made the very ducts running around the different areas of the room. Panels manifest, shadows erupt and most of all.
The cognitions.
Kou would find himself behind the line.
Everyone's here.
The shadows. The twin's cognitive doubles- now keeping their guns aimed away at the cognitive Goro and Kou. The phantom thieves. The Ren they know.
"You're the one who's going to disappear-!" Goro screams through his throat as he turns his gun and-
BANG!
The cognition shifts its weight, now falling to its knees.
Crow grits his tongue before turning and aiming his gun at the switch mounted on the far well just beyond the phantom thieves' reach. Just beyond Kou's reach because despite their circumstances, despite the vision of a better tomorrow- they would never-
The word rang out unnaturally, dissonant and off-kilter. Goro’s voice sounded wrong—warped, like a radio signal cutting through static.