The sound of his own boots hitting the tiled ground echoes faintly in Akira’s ears as he steps into the overgrown garden sprawling behind Maruki’s sealed-off lab. Thick, twisting vines hang along the walls like veins, some writhing faintly in the unnatural breeze that flows through this dream-like Palace. Maruki’s warped sense of paradise bleeds into every detail—gorgeous patches of flowers bloom vibrantly, but their colors are too sharp, their petals almost waxy under the soft golden light that filters down like a perpetual sunset.
It looks serene. But Akira knows better.
He moves carefully through the overgrowth, crouched low as his sharp eyes dart around, scanning for movement. Sure enough, dark figures patrol the area—Shadows, their forms shaped like scientists, lab assistants, or occasionally floating black wraiths with white masks fixed onto their heads. They glide methodically, some murmuring to themselves like lost echoes of Maruki’s fractured reality.
Akira presses himself against a crumbling garden wall, peering out briefly before slipping further into the foliage. His heart pounds in his ears, and he’s already cursing himself for his earlier bravado on the phone. Calling reception might’ve been a long shot, but this—this sneaking around—is dangerous.
“Gotta love a guy who locks every entrance but leaves a garden wide open,” he mutters to himself under his breath, voice low and clipped as he slips past a Shadow obliviously fussing over a clipboard.
Up close, it’s even more unsettling.
The building is sprawling, a patchwork of dreamlike architecture—smooth glass panes framed by ethereal golden light, swirling columns of marble, and impossible floating sections of staircases that spiral and vanish into nothing. Some parts of the lab gleam with pristine, heavenly light, while others seem to sink into shadow, darker than any void Akira has seen.
His brow furrows as he scans the rear side of the building, his gaze narrowing in on a particular detail: vines. Long, thick tendrils twist along the walls, creeping up the glass panes on the second floor. One of the windows has an unnatural haze to it, like it’s flickering between states of reality.
Akira keeps watching, and then he sees it—a Shadow researcher or something emerging onto a rickety fire escape-like platform suspended on a floating staircase. They’re alone, pulling a key from their coat- locking away the door before turning around and placing the key back in- shuffling through a file clutched to their chest before glancing briefly over the edge and heading back inside.
An opportunity.
Akira sprints toward the base of the wall, sticking close to the shadows cast by the larger vines and foliage and grabs it with a hand. He and Goro have went bouldering before and he only needs to make it to the first floor from where he can use his teleportation powers to take advantage of the situation. The good part? For some reason this place was as easy to scale and jump around in like back in Mementos which he guesses...made sense. There were shadows here. Whatever this place meant. He pauses only for a breath, checks that the fire escape staircase remains open as the shadow still stands there, then uncoils his whip with a flick of his wrist. The leather sings through the air with a sharp snap as he hooks it to the platform’s railing.
He glances at the watch which shows the footage of the camera now hooked onto the other end of the whip. He heaves a deep breath as he watches the shadow walk past, not noticing his little prop hooked onto the railing as he goes for the sunglasses tucked in his collar and switches it with his usual frames. Once the dark haze settles over him, his eyes narrow down like sharp blades.
CLAP!
The shadow shifts when he hears someone vault over the railing. It turns as it notices a certain whip or a rope(?) now whipping up into the air.
CLAP!
Suddenly, his body shimmers, momentarily dissolving into fractal-like particles before snapping back into place on top of the fire escape platform—and directly above the Shadow researcher.
The Shadow lets out a startled noise, turning its head just in time to see Akira materialize above it.
Akira wastes no time. The second his boots hit the platform, he flips out a small flashbomb with a practiced motion as he tosses the bomb downward.
“You—!” the Shadow starts, but it’s too late.
The flashbomb detonates.
A blinding white burst of light floods the narrow space, accompanied by the crackling pop of the bomb dispersing. The Shadow cries out in shock, fumbling backward and clutching at its mask as the light overwhelms its senses.
Akira doesn’t hesitate. He steps into the Shadow’s space with swift, deliberate movements, gripping the edge of its lab coat as the scuffle ensues. The Shadow thrashes, swiping wildly at him, but Akira is quicker—ducking beneath its arms and twisting the coat free before shoving the stunned Shadow to the ground.
The Shadow lets out a faint groan, already beginning to dissipate into black smoke.
Akira stands over it, panting softly as he flicks the coat into place over his shoulders. He adjusts the collar, straightens the fabric, and pulls his sunglasses a little higher onto his nose.
“Not bad. It even fits.”
He spares a glance back at the ruined flashbomb, smoke still curling in the air, before giving the fallen Shadow a small, mocking salute.
“Appreciate the uniform.”
With that, he turns around and starts retracing the shadow's steps. The place's effects certainly help him to propel around easily without putting a strain on his body as he makes it to the entrance. He hums, patting the pocket as he still looks through the bunch of keys. Jesus fucking christ, that's almost a dozen. Maruki has tight security>
Not his style of checking every key but what can you do?
1/2- 10 minutes earlier
It looks serene. But Akira knows better.
He moves carefully through the overgrowth, crouched low as his sharp eyes dart around, scanning for movement. Sure enough, dark figures patrol the area—Shadows, their forms shaped like scientists, lab assistants, or occasionally floating black wraiths with white masks fixed onto their heads. They glide methodically, some murmuring to themselves like lost echoes of Maruki’s fractured reality.
Akira presses himself against a crumbling garden wall, peering out briefly before slipping further into the foliage. His heart pounds in his ears, and he’s already cursing himself for his earlier bravado on the phone. Calling reception might’ve been a long shot, but this—this sneaking around—is dangerous.
“Gotta love a guy who locks every entrance but leaves a garden wide open,” he mutters to himself under his breath, voice low and clipped as he slips past a Shadow obliviously fussing over a clipboard.
Up close, it’s even more unsettling.
The building is sprawling, a patchwork of dreamlike architecture—smooth glass panes framed by ethereal golden light, swirling columns of marble, and impossible floating sections of staircases that spiral and vanish into nothing. Some parts of the lab gleam with pristine, heavenly light, while others seem to sink into shadow, darker than any void Akira has seen.
His brow furrows as he scans the rear side of the building, his gaze narrowing in on a particular detail: vines. Long, thick tendrils twist along the walls, creeping up the glass panes on the second floor. One of the windows has an unnatural haze to it, like it’s flickering between states of reality.
Akira keeps watching, and then he sees it—a Shadow researcher or something emerging onto a rickety fire escape-like platform suspended on a floating staircase. They’re alone, pulling a key from their coat- locking away the door before turning around and placing the key back in- shuffling through a file clutched to their chest before glancing briefly over the edge and heading back inside.
An opportunity.
Akira sprints toward the base of the wall, sticking close to the shadows cast by the larger vines and foliage and grabs it with a hand. He and Goro have went bouldering before and he only needs to make it to the first floor from where he can use his teleportation powers to take advantage of the situation. The good part? For some reason this place was as easy to scale and jump around in like back in Mementos which he guesses...made sense. There were shadows here. Whatever this place meant.
He pauses only for a breath, checks that the fire escape staircase remains open as the shadow still stands there, then uncoils his whip with a flick of his wrist. The leather sings through the air with a sharp snap as he hooks it to the platform’s railing.
He glances at the watch which shows the footage of the camera now hooked onto the other end of the whip. He heaves a deep breath as he watches the shadow walk past, not noticing his little prop hooked onto the railing as he goes for the sunglasses tucked in his collar and switches it with his usual frames. Once the dark haze settles over him, his eyes narrow down like sharp blades.
CLAP!
CLAP!
Suddenly, his body shimmers, momentarily dissolving into fractal-like particles before snapping back into place on top of the fire escape platform—and directly above the Shadow researcher.
Akira wastes no time. The second his boots hit the platform, he flips out a small flashbomb with a practiced motion as he tosses the bomb downward.
“You—!” the Shadow starts, but it’s too late.
The flashbomb detonates.
A blinding white burst of light floods the narrow space, accompanied by the crackling pop of the bomb dispersing. The Shadow cries out in shock, fumbling backward and clutching at its mask as the light overwhelms its senses.
Akira doesn’t hesitate. He steps into the Shadow’s space with swift, deliberate movements, gripping the edge of its lab coat as the scuffle ensues. The Shadow thrashes, swiping wildly at him, but Akira is quicker—ducking beneath its arms and twisting the coat free before shoving the stunned Shadow to the ground.
The Shadow lets out a faint groan, already beginning to dissipate into black smoke.
Akira stands over it, panting softly as he flicks the coat into place over his shoulders. He adjusts the collar, straightens the fabric, and pulls his sunglasses a little higher onto his nose.
“Not bad. It even fits.”
He spares a glance back at the ruined flashbomb, smoke still curling in the air, before giving the fallen Shadow a small, mocking salute.
“Appreciate the uniform.”
With that, he turns around and starts retracing the shadow's steps. The place's effects certainly help him to propel around easily without putting a strain on his body as he makes it to the entrance. He hums, patting the pocket as he still looks through the bunch of keys. Jesus fucking christ, that's almost a dozen. Maruki has tight security>
Not his style of checking every key but what can you do?