personavelvetroomdr | [EVENT] Memory Tapes

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[EVENT] Memory Tapes

On the morning of November 21st, denizens in the Velvet Room will awake to a message on their phones or by their bedsides in an envelope. Perhaps even on their computer screens.

Greetings! If you've received this message, then you've been selected as a participant in a new activity to strengthen bonds within this community. In order to facilitate connections with your fellow residents, we advise you to watch this video. Watch it and return the tape to its rightful owner. If you lacked the means to watch VHS tapes before, we have provided you with the necessary equipment. Failure to do so may put your own memories at risk. Do not be selfish, lest you find yourself struggling to recall crucial moments of your life. You have no way of knowing which memories have been shared, so ask yourself if it is worth the risk to selfishly hoard another's secrets.

They will soon find a VHS tape, with a case that gives off a soft, blue glow to symbolize its importance. If they lack a TV or VCR, they will find one in their living space.

What they do is up to them, but they should heed the warning, if they value their own memories.

[For links to characters' memories, please see this post in the OOC comm. Have fun!]

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And Kou notices.

At first, he just thinks it's another fake he ran into- they do tend to pop up in Tokyo. He's not overly interested, the other doesn't seem to be either, simply smoking a cigarette as he wanders the streets of Tokyo. He's just going to a nearby convenience store- stocking up on TV dinners and other instant meals, grunting in annoyance when the other bumps into him.

"Hey, watch where you're goi-"

It is then that he sees the motion of the hand, and he freezes, his breath catching. He doesn't know what to say, wonders if it's a trick of the light- it can't be. It can't be, right? That left hand- that faded mark- is it real? Did he just imagine it? None of the others he's met have had anything similar- did he really see that?

"Goro?"

But the other has already walked quite a ways away, slowly disappearing into the crowd, having kept going where Kou froze. He should let it go- it really could've just been his mind playing tricks on him, more than likely, even, but-

"H-hey, wait!"

He dashes after the Goro, trying to catch up to where he disappears around a corner. He needs to know- he needs to know for sure.

But Goro doesn't wait. Instead, he keeps walking ahead and past the crowds, almost seemingly in a rush as he looks down at the watch on his wrist to walking around the corners. Its almost as if he's going nowhere, meandering through the crowds and past the telephone polls that cast harsh shadows across his face.

Worlds interweave. Kou will not even realize how long he's been walking or even walking past subways until they stop at an unassuming junction in Odaiba.

Goro walks, rubbing his nose with his left again as the birthmark shows again- as if he wants to make sure its seen in the past 10 to 15 minutes.

He approaches a set of large gallant white gates and walks to the side of the pedestrian's pathway- beautiful and colourful garden strips now stretching on either sides before he finally approaches a flight of stairs and climbs it- the ends of his trenchcoat slightly fluttering-

And fading into black and green.

Click!

For once, he wasn’t here to dig for clues, plan an escape, or negotiate for his life. He was just... existing.

Pausing near a quiet clearing, Akira pulled out his camera, tilting his head as he considered the scene before him. A small pond shimmered under the sunlight, its surface occasionally disturbed by the ripples of ducks gliding lazily across it. A perfect shot.

He adjusted the lens and raised the camera, steadying his hands as he framed the scene.

Click.

The image came out nice enough, but he didn’t lower the camera just yet. His eyes scanned for another interesting subject—a pair of kids playing on the grass, a couple walking hand in hand, or maybe that old man peacefully feeding pigeons on a nearby bench.

But his focus was abruptly drawn elsewhere.

Two figures stepped into view, just at the edge of the frame. One of them stood out immediately—his sharp attire, purposeful stride, and neatly combed hair all too familiar. It was Goro Akechi, walking past the short fence in the way only he could: by somehow managing to look both out of place and perfectly at home.

But Akira’s finger hesitated over the shutter as a second figure appeared behind the first.

Another Goro Akechi?

This one was distinctly different.

More casual clothing. A completely different stance. A hoodie.

....

Click!

Kou runs after Go- the Goro. It can't be him, it can't be- but that birthmark, those clothes-

It can't be, but it has to be, and Kou- Kou- what if it is, and what if Kou let him go-

He can't even concentrate on where he's going, merely dashing after Goro, calling his name, but he's always just out of reach, just about to disappear into the crowd or turn a corner, it's all Kou can do to keep up with him. People bump into him, he stumbles, and it feels like the whole world is out to stop him. His throat feels tight, and his lungs burn, but he can't- he can't let this go, he has to know. It has to be-

Once again, the other lifts his hand, and once again- the birthmark!

"Goro!" Kou yells after him, running as fast as he can- but fuck, he's out of practice, and his heart is beating in his throat. "Goro!"

Then, Goro turns towards a building, going inside, and Kou follows without hesitation, he can't stop now- Goro- Goro-!

Only for Goro to disappear into shades of black and green, body pulling apart by the seams-

-and Kou realizes with a start exactly where he is, struggling to catch his breath and standing in the middle of a pristine building- no, not building.

Palace. Maruki's Palace.

Shit.

Maruki’s fingers hovered over the glowing monitor, his glasses catching the faint blue light of the surveillance feed as he scanned the multiple camera angles of his lab while considering his next activity in his agenda.
That was until a figure had entered unbidden—a silhouette standing stark against the pristine whites and golds of the Lab’s architecture. His brow furrowed as he adjusted the resolution, and the figure came into focus.

The hoodie, the birthmark on his left as Maruki could see through cameras that could zoom in like a microscope, the unmistakable tension in his posture.

“Kou-kun,” Maruki murmured to himself, a soft but audible note of surprise in his voice. He leaned closer to the screen, his expression a mixture of curiosity and concern. “Well, I wasn’t expecting this.”

The man looked lost, disoriented, his sharp movements betraying his agitation as he seemed to take in his surroundings. For a fleeting moment, Maruki felt a pang of sympathy—his Lab could be overwhelming to even those who were familiar with cognitive constructs. For someone like Corvus, who had likely followed nothing but a desperate instinct to be here, it must have felt almost dreamlike. Or nightmarish.

With a deep breath, Maruki straightened his back and got up from his seat. He looked across his archives and looked at the particular tape he had labelled specifically as "Akechi's twin" next to "Hannei's Akechi."

He snapped his fingers as the tape disappeared. Now tucked away in the very gaps of his expansive mind.

Black tendrils crept up from his pinky finger underneath his glove, something he didn't even quite notice as his eyes glimmer into a shade of gold.

White gloved fingers run its course down the edge of a railing built on elegant tapestries. The halls that Kou is probably familiar with is significantly smaller but the wide expanse of it and the people who walk in and out of Maruki's humble facility isn't something to turn away or turn down.

His figure was framed by the surreal golden light pouring in through the crystalline ceiling.

He stayed a considerable distance away from Kou.

“I see you found your way here after all. I was hoping we’d meet in person eventually, though… I have to admit, I didn’t expect it to be like this.” Despite not even speaking to a microphone, his voice reverberated and echoed across the entrance situated significantly lower from where he was. "Welcome. I understand you don't wish to be addressed by your actual name in an open space such as this so is it alright if I refer to you by your code name, Corvus?"

Edited 2024-12-01 11:45 (UTC)

A trap.

This whole thing was a trap. Goro, the wild goose chase- all of it designed to lead him here.

The moment Kou realizes, he backs away, trying to get back out through the doors he came in through- only to find that, no matter how hard he pulls, pushes, and pounds on it, it won't budge. Cognitions enter and leave without problem, but the moment he tries-

It's like an invisible force is keeping him from leaving, horror and fury settling into his veins. He twists around, stalking back into the entrance hall, and there- at the tope of his staircase.

Kou snarls.

Maruki.

"I don't want you to adress me at all," he roars, standing in a battle pose, despite the lack of Metaverse outfit. "Let me go, you fucking psychopath! How DARE you use my own brother against me?! To trap me?!"

Again, at that. Wasn't once enough? he knew- he fucking knew there was a Maruki here- he should've known this shit would happen-

Maruki’s serene expression faltered as Kou’s enraged words echoed through the hall. The roar of his accusations, filled with betrayal and fury, stabbed through the calm facade the lab seemed to demand of its main researcher. Maruki stood still for a moment, taking in the young man’s wrathful posture, the way his fists clenched as if ready to fight despite lacking any armor or weapon from the Metaverse.

The confusion mixed in with something almost like...pity but its not like Kou could see him from here.

When Kou called him a psychopath, Maruki’s brow knit in genuine confusion. His hands raised slightly in a gesture of peace, his voice steady but tinged with curiosity.

“Did you not come here of your own volition?” he tried to ask, tilting his head but they stop shortly from Kou snarling at his words, but Maruki didn’t press further. His expression shifted subtly, a shadow of doubt crossing his face. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. When they opened again, they glimmered faintly with an unnatural gold light.

"Azathoth," he murmured, his voice low and deliberate, as if summoning a presence.

Within his mind, a voice slithered into being, dark and velvety, its tone laced with something almost playful. “You called, Maruki-san?”

Maruki’s jaw tightened. “Did you… lure him here?”

Azathoth’s response came smooth, almost too casual. “I simply did what you would have done, given the chance. He was in pain, Maruki. You wanted to help him, didn’t you? And here he is, where you can do exactly that. No memories lost, no suffering left unaddressed.”

Maruki’s shoulders tensed, and his fists clenched. “That’s not how I wanted this to happen. I would never manipulate someone like this.”

“Manipulation? Or intervention? Call it what you will, but the outcome is the same. He’s here now, and you can help him. Isn’t that what matters?”

The golden glimmer faded from Maruki’s eyes as he returned to himself, his lips pressing into a tight line. He let out a slow breath, shoulders lowering as he regarded Kou again. The fury in the young man’s stance hadn’t lessened and Maruki? Well, he wasn't going to try and pretend like his anger isn't just.

“I didn’t trap you,” Maruki said softly, his voice laden with an almost painful sincerity. “Not directly, no.” He paused, looking down at Kou with an expression of regret.

“But… I can’t say I’m entirely surprised you ended up here.” He gestured faintly to the hall around them, the soothing hum of the lab with mechanisms rising subtly in the background. “This place… has a way of drawing people in when they’re hurting. When they have unresolved pain.”

"Bullshit," Kou snarls, "if you think you can deceive me with your holier-than-thou act, you're even more deluded than I could've ever imagined!"

Palnatoke roars in the back of his mind, echoing Kou's fury, his grief. Unresolved pain? As if it isn't this clown's fault that-

That-

Kou's breath hitches despite himself, his eyes wet, but he angrily blinks the tears away before they can fall. Fury mixes with anguish, angry at himself that he's showing this fucking weakness in front of Maruki, of all people. The first time he almost cries in this godforsaken place, and it's like this.

"I don't need your pity or your help!" he growls.

Maruki flinches back as his frown grows- an inseperable gesture casted down upon the fury that threatens to swallow him whole from below. It leaves his ends singed as the frown twitches at the end, huffs leaving his nose.
For a fleeting moment, irritation flickered beneath Maruki's composed exterior. The searing grief in Kou’s voice, the way his breath hitched despite his efforts to hold it back—Maruki could see it. He could feel it. It made him ache, but it also stoked a spark of frustration. How many times had he seen this same reaction in others, this desperate need to push him away even as their pain begged for resolution? How many times had he been reduced to the villain in their narratives?

He exhaled slowly through his nose, the irritation cooling into a familiar melancholy. This was not new. It was never new.

Maruki watched silently as Kou blinked furiously, his tears a defiant rebellion against his own vulnerability. He knew better than to interrupt. The emotional storm had to run its course; if nothing else, it would give Kou something—a moment, however fleeting, to exorcise the poison within him.

His expression was no longer just sadness, no longer just irritation—it was the weight of understanding, of feeling too much and being powerless to mend what was already broken.

When he finally spoke, his voice carried a quiet, measured weight, the echo of the hall giving it a somber resonance.

“Perhaps you don’t need my help,” he said softly, stepping away from the railing. Each step downward was slow, deliberate, his presence looming larger as he descended. “But there’s something you do need from me.”

He stopped midway down the staircase, looking at Kou as though he could see straight through the mask of rage and grief. His golden eyes, briefly glimmering with the faintest sheen of something otherworldly, dimmed back into human clarity. He chose his next words carefully, his tone gentler now.

“I received your tape.”

Perhaps he should simply step away and investigate the tape in its entirety.

Maruki’s words hung in the air like a fragile thread, and for a moment, he hesitated. Then, his gaze softened, grief pooling in his eyes as he uttered the next words. “And… I am truly sorry for your loss, Kou-san. For everything you’ve endured.”

But as much as he meant it, the apology tasted hollow on his tongue. How could it be enough? He had seen what the tape held—the agony Kou bore, the fractured memories that haunted him. He could still feel the faint echoes of it, lingering like a phantom in his own mind.

“There is no excuse,” he continued, his voice quieter now, tinged with sorrow. “For what you’ve been through. For what… this world has put you through.”

Kou hates the way Maruki stares at him.

Like he's some- some pitiable wretch, like he's fragile, and needs to be handled with care. Like he understands anything at all, like he knows what Kou wants, what he needs. Like he isn't spitting on Goro's grave by using his image to lure Kou here, like he isn't keeping Kou fucking prisoner- and for what? To pretend like he understands? To wave his faux compassion in Kou's face? To act like he has all the answers?

"I don't need shit from you!"

Kou snarls again as Maruki gets closer, standing his ground. He's not going to fucking cower away from this megalomaniac, who'd dare to use his own fucking brother against him. Palnatoke prickles under his skin, and by god, he's going to summon him even if his mask refuses to appear if that bastard fucking dares-

He can't help the way he freezes when Maruki mentions the tape. No. No. Him? Of all fucking people?

"What the fuck did you-" whatever he saw, it wasn't- but he mentioned Kou's loss, that motherfucker- "-that was not for you to see! Keep my fucking name out of your mouth- there's nothing I want to hear from you!" Fury tightens his face, and his Metaverse outfit finally, finally wraps itself around him. He flexes his gauntlets, snarling. "Give it back!"

Edited 2024-12-01 20:34 (UTC)

Maruki’s shoulders sagged slightly, the weight of Kou’s fury bearing down on him like a physical force. His sigh echoed in the vastness of the hall, a low sound of resignation, like a teacher disappointed with a student who refuses to listen. But his posture stiffened when Kou’s Metaverse outfit began to materialize fully, the sharp edges and imposing gauntlets a clear declaration of intent.

So, this was where it was heading.

Maruki met Kou’s blazing eyes, his expression caught somewhere between sorrow and guarded resolve. He raised a hand slowly, a calming gesture, though his body tensed, ready for the worst.

“I will return the tape, Ko-" he grits his teeth. "Corvus-san,” Maruki said, his tone calm, though there was a subtle edge to it now. A hint of caution. “I had no right to look at something so personal, and for that, I truly am sorry. But...”

He hesitated, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to gauge Kou’s volatile stance. “Before I do, I need to ask something of you. A small favor—something that could help both of us.”

Maruki stepped down one more stair, still keeping a safe distance. His golden eyes glimmered faintly, the Lab itself responding to the tension in the air. The hum of the environment grew louder, almost like a heartbeat.

“There’s a gap in my memory,” he continued carefully, his voice tinged with a genuine desperation he couldn’t hide. “Something I can’t piece together. What I saw on that tape—it wasn’t the first time I’ve encountered it. The contents, the feelings, the events—they feel familiar, like fragments of a puzzle I can’t solve. All I ask—”

But Maruki didn’t get to finish.

Edited 2024-12-02 09:47 (UTC)

Of course not- the power of a Megidolaon goes flying through the shimmering Palace air, exploding on top of Maruki as Kou dashes forward with a roar, Palnatoke at his side. A favor? A favor? Like hell is Kou going to do this freak a favor. He was led here- lured here and then trapped against his will, with Maruki once again spitting on his brother's grave.

"Give me my fucking tape!"

He climbs the gilded staircase, his glowing greatsword hoisted in the air as tentacles come flying his way, forcing him to slow down and defend himself- but his fury urges him on, regardless of obstacles.

He's desperate for answers? Fucking good. Kou hopes it haunts him until the end of time.

"You want answers? How's this," Kou snarls, quickly gaining on Maruki, greatsword raised with strength that can only come from being in the Metaverse, "stop treating my dead brother as your fucking tool!"

First January, and now here- Kou won't fucking forgive him.

The explosion of the Megidolaon shattered the gilded air of the Lab with a resounding shockwave, ripping through the golden staircase. Maruki, caught mid-sentence, moved with surprising swiftness, propelled backward as if carried by unseen threads. The tentacles unfurling from his back latched onto the walls, anchoring him high past the chaos.

The detonation passed beneath him, scattering sparks and golden dust. Maruki’s gaze flicked downward, his glowing golden eyes narrowing as his usual calm expression faltered into one of visible annoyance and disappointment.

He hovered there, his lab coat fluttering from the aftershock, and looked down at Kou, who charged up the staircase with unrelenting fury. Maruki’s voice, soft but steady, carried through the cacophony.

"I am not your enemy, Corvus-san," Maruki began, his voice tinged with regret. He raised a hand in a placating gesture even as the tentacles tensed, ready to react. "But the pain in your heart—it's so immense that even Azathoth has responded to it. Its presence here is a reflection of your torment. That is what I’m trying to understand."

When the greatsword lunged, Maruki swiftly flew back- already different from a certain Maruki who Kou must have known. This Maruki had spent a month fighting in the mementos, he knew the moves. He knew the song. But-! As soon as he's about to raise his arm to retaliate, he stops and instead dramatically goes for the railing again as a tentacle shoots and suddenly grapples into the walls. Another tentacle follows. He is now hovering in air itself, several feet above where Kou must have stood as he takes in the ever expansive Lab.

He hovered for a moment, the faint hum of the Lab growing louder, as though the very environment was listening in on their exchange.

"I will return the tape," Maruki continued, his tone softening but still firm. "But only when I have the answers I seek. This isn’t just about me. I know how important it is to you—and for that, I truly apologize. But the truth is something we both need."

His advances forced him to grimace, , his tentacles withdrawing slightly before he snapped his fingers.

The Lab responded instantly. The loudspeakers crackled to life with an ear-piercing screech, cutting through the golden haze of the Palace. A distorted yet oddly clinical voice echoed across the space:

"ALERT. SECURITY PROTOCOLS ENGAGED. DEPLOYING ADDITIONAL MEASURES. OTHERS PLEASE REMAIN CALM AND EXIT THE PREMISES."

His tone remaining calm yet resolute. "I’m not trying to intimidate you, Corvus-san. But I can’t let this spiral any further. These shadows—they won’t harm you. Not unless you force my hand."

He gestured to the lingering forms, his voice dropping to a softer note. "They’re here to ensure things don’t get worse. For you. For me. For everyone caught in this mess."

"Its presence,," Kou spits, "is your fucking handiwork! You don't need to understand shit!"

He tries to swing at Maruki, but the man dodges into the air, to his surprise- though he doesn't let his surprise halt him for long. That fucking attitude- even if he weren't a brainwashing, grave defiling piece of shit, Kou would've hated him for that alone. He says this isn't about him- but that's such a bold-faced lie it makes Kou want to puke. Then, the Palace starts to shake- to change, securty on high alert, and Kou snarls as Shadows spawn around him.

"Not trying to intimidate me my ass- you selfish ASSHOLE," Kou shrieks, fury leaking from his every word. How fucking dare he hold Kou's own fucking memories hostage for his own gains. "You made this spiral the moment you decided to puppet Goro's corpse!"

He's not intimidated by the Shadows, they only serve to confirm what he already knew; Maruki doesn't give a lick about what others want, he only cares about his own vision for a 'perfect reality', no matter how many people he has to stomp on to get it. Kou growls, and reaches for his mask.

"Palnatoke!" he shouts, feeling the power of a concentrate wash over him. "Take them down!"

Another Megidolaon explodes all over the Shadows- and Maruki.

He's going to make this motherfucker pay.

The explosion of another Megidolaon rippled through the Lab, scattering debris and golden light as Maruki weathered the blast. His tentacles tensed, spreading out to absorb much of the impact. "Tch."Sparks danced across his singed coat, his body wavering in mid-air before stabilizing.
The damage was minor, thanks to the distributed attack, but his patience was beginning to fray.

Maruki exhaled sharply, his golden eyes narrowing as they fixed on Kou, who was already surging forward, fury etched into his every step. “Corvus-san, I’m telling you—this is pointless,” Maruki said, his voice cutting through the haze of smoke and distorted echoes. “You won’t be able to win here.”

Even as he spoke, he flexed his fingers, casting an Amplify Magic spell. The golden hum of power coursed through the Lab, the air thickening with latent energy. There were only a few shadows here- Fafnir and Hastur lingering on the different floors while some hung from the long overdrawn strips of white encircling the lab. Fafnir howled, bowing up as it surged a Concentrate through itself and Maruki. Around them, shadows began to shift and grow denser, their forms lingering ominously in the periphery.
Maruki spared them a brief glance, his expression pained, as though even their presence weighed on him.

“I have the entirety of this Lab at my disposal,” he continued, his voice calm but laced with an undertone of warning. “And yet, I haven’t commanded them to strike. Do you understand why?” He hovered closer, tentacles snapping downward as he closed the distance in an instant.

Maruki was faster. A tentacle lashed out, striking him squarely in the chest with the force of a freight train.

Pain lances through Kou as the tentacle strikes him, forcing him back, but he's quick to redirect the energy, leveraging the momentum in order to twist, and shooting out towards Maruki, feeling High Counter activate. With a burst of energy, he slashes at the now-nearby Maruki with a snarl, leaping up the decor to avoid more tentacles afterwards.

"I don't care about your moralistic delusions," he hisses, "I'm not playing your fucking games! If it's that pointless, give me my tape back!"

He needs to get rid of these goddamn Shadows, allowing a concentrate to wash over him again. Planatoke hovers menacingly behind him, aura flaring and snapping with Kou's fury. However, if he can take out Maruki...

Fuck it. Kou points straight at Maruki with his sword, his face practically aglow with rage.

"Palnatoke!" he screams, and his Persona roars alongside him, readying its bow. "Destroy him! Insurgence Bow!"

Five arrows of pure almighty magic go flying into the air, towards Maruki, as Kou readies himself to dodge a retaliatory attack.

Edited 2024-12-03 18:42 (UTC)

!!!!

The attack detonated with a resounding series of bursts, illuminating the Lab in brief, blinding flashes that would send a normal person reeling. Vaguely Maruki is glad that he managed to evacuate the place before something like this would have happened but alas-! . Each arrow pierced the air with precision, but Maruki's form twisted and shifted, tentacles snapping him out of harm’s way at the last moment. Four of the five arrows struck true, carving into his frame with enough force to stagger him mid-air. The last arrow narrowly grazed past his lab coat, dissipating harmlessly against the far wall while the ends of his clothing flared sharply.

Maruki clenched his jaw, his glowing eyes narrowing in a mix of frustration and focus as he steadied himself once more. A thin line of smoke rose from his shoulder, evidence of the accumulated damage now showing on the side of his white turtleneck which bloomed in shades of grey.

Though far from beaten, the strain of the relentless attacks was beginning to show in his labored breath.

He barely manages to dodge the slash as the blade runs its course across his chest and he knows far better than anyone that physical combat in such close quarters, was still his weak suit. He needed to do better there.

“Where did the memory take place, Corvus-san?!” he demanded again, his tone cutting through the hum of the Lab’s tense energy as the tentacles curled around the golden but thick ribbons of decor that hung across various areas of the place. There were two loops drawn by the ribbon as it ascended upwards and Maruki finally landed on his feet on the loop just above Kou's- ensuring he still has the vantage advantage.

His voice, though controlled, carried an edge of urgency, his patience eroding like sand beneath the tide. “The memory on that tape, the one with the watertight bulkhead door—where did it happen? I need to know!”

Edited 2024-12-03 20:35 (UTC)

"Stop acting dumb! You saw- and you had no right to see!" Kou snarls, brandishing his sword dangerously. He can't reach Maruki from here- no yet, at least, but he's quick to take a leap, using the claws and points on his gauntlets and boots to forcibly scale the wall. It's a feat of superhuman strength and dexterity, fueled by pure rage and cognition.

How dare he even ask? How fucking dare he forcibly dreg up one of Kou's worst memories? Grief and fury mix into a deadly cocktail, and soon enough, he has scaled the wall enough that Maruki is once again within reach-

"Brain Buster!" he shouts, following Palnatoke as he barrels towards Maruki, his sword right behind his Persona, ready to strike.

Edited 2024-12-03 20:57 (UTC)

Maruki watched Kou scale the wall with an intensity that sent a pang of genuine alarm through him.

His golden eyes shifted again- to a familiar shade of brown as his calm demeanour, now slipped under the rug, realizes he might just have actually stepped into a confrontation which will not end on diplomatic terms. Or worse- with their limbs intact.

He instinctively took a step back, tentacles curling protectively around his form.

“I’m not acting dumb!” he retorted, his voice cracking under the strain of both the fight and Kou’s accusations. “And what? Was I not supposed to look at the tape and see who it belongs to? Should I just lose more of my memories instead? Do you think I enjoy this?!”

Maruki’s frustration was mounting, his chest heaving as he tried to collect himself amidst the chaos. Yet as Kou barreled toward him, fury blazing in his every movement, Maruki couldn’t suppress the flicker of fear that crept into his golden gaze.

“Corvus-san, stop!” he shouted, the warning almost pleading as he stumbled back along the golden ribbon.

Brain Buster

For a fleeting moment, Maruki’s face twisted in annoyance, as if grappling with the absurdity of the situation. “Oh, come on!” he muttered under his breath before snapping back into focus and shifting away- now going around the hovering golden ribbon almost like a pendulum swinging on a common axis as the attack aside from knocking away the sense in his head, also knocks his glasses away. He snaps his fingers as a tentacle shoots and grabs the floating spectacles- now resting it back on the bridge of his nose with deadly efficiency.

Tentacles lashed out from his back in a synchronized assault, reaching for Kou with serpentine precision. They grasped the claymore first, wrapping tightly around its blade and handle. More snaked toward Kou’s arms, binding them with a vice-like grip as they wrestled against his strength. Another set latched onto his hands, forcing the weapon away from its deadly trajectory.

Maruki, struggling to stay steady, staggered back, visibly disoriented as he tried to catch his breath. But then he saw Kou’s foot moving closer, still fighting through the barrage of tentacles. With a frustrated growl, he gritted his teeth and thrust a tentacle toward Kou’s leg, yanking it with a ferocity that left them both unbalanced.

“STAY AWAY!” Maruki shouted, his voice cracking with a mix of desperation and exasperation as he swung his arm—and Kou—toward the waiting Fafnir.

The Shadow, perched on its platform with glowing eyes and smoldering scales, let out a guttural roar. It reared back, claws sparking with charged energy, and lunged forward, its massive form bearing down on the airborne Kou as Maruki tried to compose himself, hand clutching his chest as he muttered to himself.

"This...is getting out of hand."

"FAFNIR!!"

Gigantomachia!

The cry came as a thunderous roar, and with it, Fafnir leapt into action, its massive form lunging upward toward Kou. Fafnir brought its claws down in a savage arc aimed directly at Kou’s airborne form. The sheer weight and force of the attack threatened to crush him, the spiraling energy expanding outward in a shockwave that cracked the golden platforms below and sent ripples across the Lab.

Edited 2024-12-03 21:51 (UTC)

"You could've done anything other than fucking lure me here with my dead brother's CORPSE!" Kou snaps, struggling against the writhing tentacles wrapping around him. "You could have handed it over the moment I entered!"

He kicks and punches and slashes with his claws, roaring with anger. Like fuck is he going to let this maniac hold him hostage with his freaky tentacles, using all his strength to push himself forwards, eyes blazing red through the lenses of his Metaverse mask. He reaches out, puts his foot forward, light glinting off his gauntlets-

-and then he's being swept away, sent flying, unbalanced as he's launched into the air. He tries to reorient himself, twisting around- but it's no use. The Fafnir Maruki threw him at roars, gearing itself up for an attack.

Gigantomachia!

Shit.

He tries to shield himself, but it's little use, the attack hitting him dead-on. He cries out as he feels something crack inside of him, his head slamming against the ground and sending waves of pain through his body. For a moment, he's stunned, groaning as he tastes blood in the back of his throat, but he forces himself upright again regardless, snarling as he calls upon Palnatoke.

After the empowering aura of a Concentration washes over him, he eyes all the Shadows that are starting to surround him, the way Maruki stares down at him like he's some unruly child misbehaving.

As if that asshole isn't ready to ruin lives for the sake of his 'perfect reality'. As if it wasn't him who spat on Goro's grave, on Kou's grief.

It pisses Kou the fuck off.

Edited 2024-12-04 18:12 (UTC)