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!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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)

"Really showing your true colors, huh," Kou hisses, brandishing his sword at the gathering Shadows. "Piece of shit maniac!"

He wipes some blood from his mouth, and points his greatsword in the air, Palnatoke hovering behind him.

"Palnatoke!" he cries out, "give 'em hell!"

Palnatoke roars.

Another superpowered Megidolaon spreads through the area. White and purple almighty magic ravages through the gathered shadows, instantly destroying a damn decent part of them, and leaving the remaining ones heavily damaged.

But Kou's not looking at any of them, no. His eyes are on Maruki, furious and ablaze.

"Again."

Edited 2024-12-04 18:23 (UTC)

Maruki’s gaze hardened, watching Kou withstand physical devastation that would have reduced a lesser man to dust. The sheer force of Fafnir’s attack had sent him flying, yet here Kou stood, bloodied but unbroken, defiant rage burning in his crimson eyes.

From the gilded platform above, Maruki sighed, his heart clenching painfully. He stepped closer to the edge of the shimmering tapestry beneath his feet, his golden sanctuary now battered and fraying from the chaos erupting below. Kou’s perception of him was painfully clear—a maniac, a tyrant. And as much as Maruki hated to admit it, perhaps there was truth in that.

Tentacles unfurled from the gilded decor as Maruki descended, spidering down the crumbling structure. He landed lightly, his figure illuminated by the flickering remnants of shadows that writhed around Kou. The once pristine entrance to his idealized reality was in ruins, the gleaming architecture shattered by Kou’s relentless assault.
It would take a decent amount of time to repair everything back to normal...

The shadows were thinning, their numbers dwindling, and Maruki’s calm facade was beginning to crack.

Kou…

He couldn’t shake the image of the younger man’s grief—the weight of his trauma, the raw fury that had consumed him in the absence of his Goro Akechi. Maruki’s intentions had been pure, hadn’t they? The chance to offer closure, a moment of connection, even if it was through a fragile cognitive projection.

But now, staring at Kou’s searing anger and heartbreak, Maruki felt the sharp sting of regret. "I-"

Before he could say a word, Kou made his move.

The towering figure of Palnatoke surged behind him, its presence monumental. A wave of almighty energy began to coalesce, white and violet light crackling with untamed power.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Maruki’s eyes widened as the Megidolaon detonated, a devastating explosion tearing through the remaining shadows.

He shielded his face as the magic surged toward him, obliterating the last of his summoned defenses. By the time he lowered his hand, Kou was already locked onto him, his blazing eyes filled with righteous fury.

Edited 2024-12-05 02:06 (UTC)

Again.

Again.

Maruki had no time to respond. The second wave of Megidolaon surged directly at him. He tried to dodge, his movements swift as he leapt back—but the spell struck him squarely in the abdomen.

"GAH-!"

He hovered in the air, the tentacles thrashing wildly- as if forming a blaze of some sort of makeshift shield that would disassemble anything in its paths to meagre specimens. The ground rattled as Maruki hunched on himself, his hair in disarray and the white of his outfit now ruined.

The magical blast had been unavoidable, and the scorch mark across his abdomen burned hotter than any physical wound he had ever endured. His lab coat was torn, darkened with blood, and his hand trembled as he pressed it to the injury.

Surprisingly, he doesn't seem to scream or cry out as much as he did before- now gritting his teeth as he clutched his stomach while blood bloomed into his turtleneck.

Azathoth stirred within him.

The tendrils of the entity surged to the surface, wrapping around his injury like living bandages. Where there had been torn flesh, now there was something… unnatural. A fusion of his body and the writhing golden essence of Azathoth itself.

"Unbelievable," Maruki hissed, his voice low and trembling, his calm finally breaking. “I went through all of this for the sake of us both. The network, the fuc- AHH! network..." he pushed through despite the anger surging through him. "See what it's like when you lose your memories, be scandalized- vilified by almost everyone for the next three months and then this..."

The tentacle deeply rooted into the floor, now bringing him forward, his hand lowering from his stomach as Azathoth’s energy surged through him.

It loomed behind him, the tentacles writhing angrily as if mirroring Maruki’s rising emotions. “You’re so consumed by your anger, your grief, that you refuse to even consider the possibility of something different. Something better!”

His eyes glow gold again.

In a split second, he's suddenly lurching up into the air- almost moving at the speed of a bullet train as his mind clouds behind his own emotions.

Amplify Magic.

Concentrate.

“Fine,” Maruki growled, his voice cold and resolute. “If this is what you want, so be it.”

The golden aura of Azathoth pulsed brightly, the air thickening with its oppressive presence. Maruki extended a hand, and the ground trembled beneath their feet as he channeled the full might of his will into a singular attack.

“No more holding back,” Maruki spat, his voice sharp and cold. “Tyrant Chaos!”

A massive wave of destructive energy erupted from Maruki’s hand, golden light crackling with the raw force of Azathoth’s power. The attack tore through the space between them, the golden tapestry of the room unraveling further as the wave barreled toward Kou.

Edited 2024-12-05 02:23 (UTC)

Kou watches as the tentacles repair Maruki, and he has to hold himself back from immediately firing another round of Megidolaon. He's going to run out of energy at this rate; he's keeping his breathing steady, but also feeling the repeated use of magic pulling at his bones.

"Something better," he spits, eyes locked onto Maruki's golden, glowing ones. That can't spell anything good, but Kou won't be deterred. "I wouldn't call you brainwashing reality something better, you selfish, grave-defiling dick!" He snarls. "Give me my fucking tape back, and don't you so much as even dare mention my brother-"

But he's cut off when Maruki shoots up, power radiating off him in waves. Azatoth's tentacles and aura envelop him, and it only takes a split second for Kou to realize a massive attack is coming. He could try to strike Maruki out of the air, catch him off-guard, but Kou's eyes widen, too late-

Tyrant Chaos!

He tries to dodge, but it's no use, there's no way he's outrunning the giant wave of energy. He summons Palnatoke in front of him to take the brunt, crossing his arms to protect his most vulnerable spots-

It's all Kou can do before the devastating attack smashes into him.

When the smoke clears and the dust settles, for a moment, all that is visible is Palnatoke. The Persona is staunchly holding a protective stance over its owner, but soon enough, he shatters, disappears, and all that is left-

Kou's barely hanging on by a thread, leaning heavily on his sword as he forces himself not to fall to his knees. He's taken heavy, heavy damage, every single breath he takes hurting a little worse. He's definitely broken some ribs, if not more, and on the surface, burns litter his skin, patches of blood, his breathing heavy and labored.

Even so, his mask sits in place, unblemished, and his eyes blaze as he glares at Maruki. It is on pure willpower alone that he refuses to collapse, teeth grit into a sharp snarl.

"You piece of- shit," he sneers, tasting blood on his tongue, and spitting it out with a defiant scowl. "You think I'll let you just do what you want?"

He forces his blade up, wobbling slightly on his feet, but determination radiates off him the way power did off Maruki mere moments ago. He muscles his way through a breath, before shouting:

"Think again!"

He reaches up, violently ripping his mask off once more and forcing another concentrate out to power up his magic. His eyes are wild, but resolute as Palnatoke once again blazes into existence. Palnatoke snarls alongside Kou, the golden apple hovering behind him flying towards Maruki at top speed-

"Insurgence Bow!"

And right behind the apple, six identical arrows of almighty magic follow, ready to pulverize Maruki.

Maruki's breaths came in ragged gasps, his chest heaving as he steadied himself against the relentless onslaught. Azathoth’s power coursed through him, repairing and revitalizing, but the damage Kou’s attacks inflicted cut through even the godlike fortifications he wielded.
His health wasn't as down as last time but he knew if they spent any more longer than this, one of them was leaving in a box.

“Corvus-san…” His voice was quiet, pained. “This… this is enough. You’re barely standing. And I—” He coughed, clutching his chest, golden sparks flaring faintly around him. “Even I cannot continue like this.”

But Kou didn’t stop.

"...!"

The golden apple soared towards him, radiant and lethal like a meagre flash in time or a crack in his very space itself.

"ARGH!"

The first arrow pierced his shoulder, the other following soon after- burrowing its way into the arm that tried to attend to the first. Another one hurled towards one of Azathoth's tentacles- causing it to slice right through but Azathoth was quick to recover; spurting right through the cleanly dissected tentacle as it arched high- casting a harsh shadow across Kou's face as it buried itself into one of the railings of the higher levels.

Another embedded itself in his thigh, and the remaining three rained down mercilessly, Two graze his abdomen as he barely manages to slap away the other arrow and it flies down on one of the shadows.

Maruki fell to his knees, his bloodied hand clawing at the ground as his golden aura flickered. “Damn it,” he snarled through gritted teeth, his voice trembling with equal parts fury and pain. The colour of his irises flickered from brown to gold. Blood gushed down his arm- his slicked hair now a mess. His insides were screaming in pain.

He NEEDED to put a stop to this.

Azathoth's tendrils burst forth, writhing and snapping as if in fury, mirroring their master’s emotions. One thick tendril wrapped around the arrow lodged in his shoulder, yanking it free with a sickening squelch. Maruki threw it aside, roaring in frustration as he repeated the process with the other arrows. Each one came out with a spray of blood and a guttural cry from Maruki.

“Enough of this!” he bellowed, his voice reverberating with an unnatural echo as Azathoth’s presence surged to the forefront.

Azathoth’s voice slithered into his mind, its tone venomous and cruel.

"Pathetic," it hissed, the word slicing through the pain in his body like a blade. "You wield my power, and yet you let a child bring you to this? You could obliterate him. Crush him like the insignificant pest he is. Why do you hesitate?"

Maruki clawed at the ground. “I-I’m not...”

"You’re weak, Takuto," Azathoth spat, its voice rising in intensity, coiling tighter around his thoughts. "This farce drags on because you refuse to embrace what I offer. Take control, and this insignificant speck will be erased in an instant."

Maruki’s fists clenched, his bloodied fingers digging into the cracked ground.

"He dares to defy you, mocks your vision, your truth—he is beneath you. End this now, Doctor. Show him the weight of your resolve. You are the arbiter of reality, the architect of a better world! Do NOT let this insect stand in your way any longer."

Maruki’s golden eyes flared as the voice pushed deeper, each word stoking the embers of his anger. The pain in his body blurred, overshadowed by the boiling frustration Azathoth poured into him.

"You owe him nothing. You owe no one an explanation. You are the creator, the savior! Erase him! Fix him! If he cannot see reason, he is not worth the kindness. Destroy him, and let him be forgotten as all obstacles to your vision must be!"

Maruki rose shakily to his feet, his movements jerky and pained. His hand pressed against his abdomen as Azathoth’s tendrils lashed out around him, their movements erratic and furious. His lips twisted into a grimace, his teeth bared as his rage bubbled to the surface.

The words burned in his throat, carried by the searing frustration that now mingled with the entity’s poisonous influence.

He glared at Kou, his eyes now blazing gold with Azathoth’s power. The tendrils behind him writhed violently, snapping at the air as though reflecting their master’s inner turmoil.

“This is pointless!” Maruki’s voice was raw, trembling under the weight of suppressed fury. His hands trembled as he took a shaky step forward, blood dripping onto the ground with every movement.

With a dramatic sweep of his hand to his right, the air around them shifted. The golden walls of the right-hand side Lab began to dissolve into shimmering particles, peeling away layer by layer in real time- breaking the very laws of physics itself as they floated. Maruki’s tentacles stretched outward, carving strange, glowing lines through the fabric of the Palace.

“I told you,” Maruki said, his tone resolute. “I am trying to understand—your pain, your loss, your memory. If words and actions won’t work, then I’ll use something else.”

Maruki clenched his hand, the smoke and the debris so thick one could only make the faint dark outline of the tentacles. Or perhaps even, the deathly golden stare that landed on Kou from above as if he had truly made the gods angry. The labyrinth tore right through the fabric of one of the floors and was now dragged into the battle space.

~~This wasn't good. The labyrinth wasn't complete and he had safety measures installed there-~~

Maruki’s golden eyes blazed, and he raised both arms. “Azathoth, manifest the labyrinth!”

Amidst the chaos, a single thought pierced through the storm: What am I doing?

Maruki hesitated, the golden light dimming slightly as Azathoth’s voice roared in protest. "Do not falter! He will kill you if you stop!"

The ceiling of the ornate room made by Maruki had vanished, revealing a cosmic void on it, filled with swirling golden and crimson light.

The great shadowy form of Azathoth appeared overhead, its formless mass pulsing with eldritch energy. Pieces of the palace broke apart, now rushing towards Kou and surrounding him like a cage. A low, guttural roar filled the void as its tentacles reached down, grabbing the fragmented room and reshaping it in an instant. The space transformed into an impossible labyrinth—a maze of memories, shimmering like a fractured mirror, with pathways that seemed to lead in every direction and none at once.

“You won’t listen, Corvus-san,” Maruki said, his voice echoing across the surreal space. “So, I will show you instead. You will face your memories, your loss, and the truth—here, in the depths of my labyrinth.”

The particles and the pieces coagulated- pulsing together as they built themselves up one by one! The force from within would keep Kou punctuated like a statue- moving him to the entrance of the maze as Maruki now hovered over- letting the maze fall to the floor in a resounding BOOM!

Edited 2024-12-06 20:05 (UTC)

Manifest the labyrinth.

The brief moment of satisfaction of watching Maruki freak out is abruptly cut short as the entirity of the Palace rumbles, Kou's already damaged body unable to keep him up anymore as he's once again forced to lean on his blade. As the Palace starts to change, panic sets it, and Kou tries to make a dash (more like a deranged stumble, really) towards the entrance, hoping against all hope that this was enough to force it open-

But it's no use. Kou cries out as his body gets forcibly held in place by- something, leaving him helpless as the Palace rearranges itself around him. He can barely understand what's happening around him, cursing out Maruki as his body cries out in pain, his head throbbing at the noise around him.

And then, just as abruptly, it stops with a violent BOOM, walls dropping in around him, and the force loosens, leaving Kou harshly breathing on the floor as he tries to make sense of what the hell Maruki just did. For a moment, he can barely move, muscles twitching under the already sustained damage.

Finally, he forces himself upright again, taking stock of his situation. Maruki is nowhere to be found anymore- only his deranged, taunting voice echoing across the stark white walls of the- labyrinth.

You will face your memories, your loss, and the truth—here, in the depths of my labyrinth.

"Fuck," Kou hisses, cradling his stomach and breathing heavily as he uses his greatsword to stabelize himself. He glares into the ceiling, not knowing where Maruki is, but doubtlessly watching somewhere.

"You motherfucker," he growls, "this is just so fucking typical."

He honestly doesn't give a shit how 'well-intentioned' Maruki is, or what it is he wants. This- this right here is just one more confirmation on what kind of monster the man is.

Kou grits his teeth, and reaches a shaky hand into his suit- fishing out a life stone. One of Maruki's lackeys had dropped it earlier, and it seems right now is the time to use it. He lets out a small breath of relief as the weak healing magic washes over him- not enough to truly heal him, but enough to help, at least. It's enough that he doesn't need to lean on his sword for balance, and he sheaths it on his back again, for now.

Fury and grief still tremble through his veins, his gauntlets clenching and unclenching, longing for something to dig into- but without a target, it has nowhere to go, and all Kou can do is clench his teeth.

"If you think this- whatever it is you're planning- is going to get me on your side, or get you what you want," he snarls at the walls, making sure that Maruki can feel his rage through his words, "you're even more of a blind idiot than your Persona would make you seem."

That said, he can't see any obvious way out. The walls scale into seemingly forever, there are no openings in them, and after a fruitless attack from Palnatoke that doesn't even leave a scratch, not a lot of options are left. Palnatoke's navigation can't seem to grasp anything; it's just a scrambled signal, leaving him to rely on his senses alone, and there seems to be only one path forward, for now. Despite his anger, his anxiety, the profound sense of loss that Maruki oh-so-graciously rekindled with furious intensity, there is not much Kou can do now.

"Piece of shit," he hisses, spitting out the remaining blood in his throat onto the disgustingly pristine walls, sullying them. "Maniacal, self-centered control freak. You wouldn't lose your memories if you'd just given me my tape, asshole, but I guess your so-called 'research' is more important than some lousy memories to you. Who cares when you can just brainwash your problems away, right?"

With no other choice, however, Kou starts walking deeper into the labyrinth, all his senses on high alert.

Edited 2024-12-07 14:16 (UTC)

The pristine walls of the labyrinth shimmered faintly as Kou's spit struck them, the sound sharp and wet against the silence. For a moment, it simply sat there—defiling the immaculate white—until it bubbled, warping and darkening. Black veins pulsed outward from the stain, a sickly green glow creeping through the corruption like roots searching for purchase. The walls themselves shuddered, their surfaces convulsing as if recoiling from the taint.

Then the spit hissed, vaporizing into acrid smoke. The black and green remains slithered back into the walls, leaving nothing but faint ripples in the air.

Maruki grimaced from his perch above the maze, his fingers tightening into fists at the sight. Azathoth stirred within him, the eldritch energy brimming beneath his skin, and he felt the labyrinth respond. He raised two gloved fingers, an index and a middle as a keyboard floated up and he rummages through the buttons for a moment- attempting to refresh the imagery he had seen in the tapes.

Systems optimizing: ....17% progress
ERROR! Data is too unpredictable! Reconstructing interface...

Slowly, the sterile walls shifted. Vines curled around the corners, flowers blooming across as suddenly flora overcame the overreaching walls- making it look close to a distinct harmless maze in the park.

"It seeps in," Azathoth murmured, its voice a low tremor at the edge of Maruki’s thoughts. “Their anger. YOUR failure. You let him defile your work, Doctor… look at him. He spits in your face.”

Maruki exhaled sharply, forcing himself to focus on the monitor floating before him. Static crackled across the screen, distorting Kou’s outline as he stumbled forward deeper into the maze, his form wavering like a mirage.

The labyrinth wasn’t what he wanted it to be. This space—once envisioned as a sterile and methodical treatment plan—was no longer under his control. Azathoth’s corruption threaded through it like a parasite, warping it with each beat of his frustration, his anger. He clenched his jaw, a bitter taste rising in his throat as the walls bled darker.

"Azathoth," Maruki murmurs- ensuring his voice doesn't echo across. "Recede the changes."

"Then Kou-kun will only make you see what he wants you to see. This place is built on prejudice. Mistrust. The flaws of humanity itself!"

Maruki flinched at the whisper, the veins in his arms searing painfully as black corruption pulsed outward from his wounds. Azathoth writhed through him, its energy coiling like barbed wire beneath his skin, and for a brief moment, he felt the entity's hunger.

“I’m not…” he started, his voice breaking as he shook his head while his voice once again followed through each turn- as if he were standing right before Kou or perhaps hovering right behind him. “I’m not brainwashing anyone. They asked for my help. Why would I deny-”

Maruki’s eyes flickered gold, his breath uneven as his frustration roiled alongside the entity’s influence. His fingers dug into the edge of the monitor, his nails slick with blood that dripped soundlessly into the void.

“You struck first, Corvus-san,” Maruki’s voice echoed suddenly, reverberating through the labyrinth with unnatural weight. It sounded hollow, faraway—like it wasn’t quite his own. His golden eyes glared down into the monitor, visibly bristling at the words. “You want to call me a monster? Fine- I suppose its therapeutic in a way. Sometimes I wonder why did I enroll in Shujin again but...of course that place drew me in like a moth to a flame. I couldn't-"

"..."

Edited 2024-12-12 21:29 (UTC)

Maruki closed his eyes for a moment, his pulse throbbing in his ears as the ancient god’s words slithered through his thoughts. When he opened them, he murmured, almost to himself, “...If he’d just see.”

As if responding to Maruki’s unspoken desire, the maze shuddered—and something shifted.

Down in the depths, Kou stopped, his breath ragged as the walls abruptly narrowed, pressing in closer. The bricks inlaid in moss and concrete, their unnatural seams writhing like veins beneath their surface. A path that once seemed clear twisted into confinement. There was nowhere else to go—save for a single object that manifested in front of him with an audible thrum.

A mirror.

It stood tall and unyielding in his path, its ornate silver frame weathered and cracked, as though it had been salvaged from some forgotten attic. The reflective surface rippled like liquid, unnatural and dark, though faint glimmers of Kou’s own image swam beneath its murky depths.

The walls around him groaned louder, closing further still, forcing his attention onto the mirror.

Above, Maruki’s bloodshot gaze remained fixed on the monitor, sweat trailing down his face as he watched. “It’s just a mirror,” he muttered, almost pleading with himself, as if trying to convince himself of its harmlessness. “It’s... just his reflection.”

But deep down, he knew better. This wasn’t his science. Azathoth’s corruption ran deeper than intention.

Edited 2024-12-12 21:32 (UTC)

Kou staunchly ignores Maruki's words, continuing onward, deeper into the maze. There's no arguing with this man, not when he's so adamant about casting the blame on Kou for this situation- as if that motherfucker hadn't lured him here with the puppeted corpse of his brother. Did he really expect Kou to react well to that? To sit down and let that piece of shit dig through his brain? To answer his questions with a smile on his face?

As fucking if. It's clear Maruki's decided that Kou's in the wrong for not happily accepting what he deems 'treatment'. Lost memories? Any 'memory' Maruki would have of that would be stolen in the first place, and Kou's not in any hurry to give him more ammunition than he already has. The idea alone that he has Kou's tape, that he was able to view it... it makes him want to scream.

Kou growls as the labyrinth writhes and changes around him, the sterile walls replaced with vines and branches, then mossy walls.

"If you're trying to lull me into a false sense of security," he hisses, "you're much, much too late for that."

And as if in response to his words, the walls begin to shift much more violently.

Kou's forced, herded into whatever directions the maze desires, regardless of his own attempts to break out, like he's fucking cattle. The walls ripple and writhe, as if alive, and once again, Kou has no choice but to play along to Maruki's madness.

His breath catches when he comes face to face with a mirror.

Unwilling to play along, he tries to turn back, but it's no use- the walls close in around him, forcing him closer and closer to the mirror. A tentacle pushes him away when he tries to push back, forcefully twisting him around to face the rippling surface of the mirror.

For the most part, it's dark, but here and there, he swears he sees-

"What the fuck is this," he growls lowly. "What are you trying to do, huh?"

-a hint of something. It's- it's himself-? Or is it-

Flickers of a smile, of an scchool uniform/i>, beige with a striped tie, black gloves, meticulous, impeccable, then a winter coat, a checkered scarf- a Metaverse outfit that's red and black, or is it blue and black? A black mask with red visors, a menacing smile-

Unease crops up in his throat. He masks it by looking up at the ceiling, glaring.

"Answer me!"

Edited 2024-12-13 19:39 (UTC)

I don't know, Maruki almost wants to say as he watches Kou approach the mirror- stuck between either that or having to face the wrath of a particularly impatient Azathoth who had more than just a mind of its own when fuelled by Maruki's greatest desire.

When Kou growled at him, demanded answers, Maruki let out a quiet sigh—almost resigned but not quite apologetic.

“It’s what it looks like,” he answered softly, as if that alone would suffice, though he knew it wouldn’t. His gaze, tired but deliberate, lingered on the screen as the mirror’s surface stilled. “You’re seeing a mirror, Corvus-san. That’s all it is.”

Maruki swallowed the creeping dread curling at the edges of his thoughts, forcing himself to sound clinical, detached.

“You know,” he continued, his tone shifting to something quieter, almost reflective, “mirrors are a very common manifestation in cases like this. Especially with people—young people—who find themselves weighed down by expectations. By the roles placed on them. Sometimes those roles are chosen, and sometimes… they’re thrust upon us.”

He paused for a moment, letting the words hang in the space between them. He knew that wouldn't sit well with Kou—not with the agitation clear in his voice and posture—but he pressed on gently.

“This is the regarding the title of the detective prince...isn't it? The pressures, the expectations—all of it played a significant role in shaping who you are. And from what I understand of Akechi, those same expectations seemed to follow him as well. As if his life was caught in a perpetual spotlight, scrutinized by anyone who cared to look. It doesn’t take much for an identity to fracture under that kind of weight.”

Maruki’s voice softened further, thoughtful as he considered the phantom images Kou had glimpsed. The school uniforms, the masked visors, the shifting Metaverse outfits… Kou’s ties to this other Akechi—and to Akira—ran deeper than he’d initially realized.

“The mirror doesn’t lie, Corvus. It shows you what’s already there—beneath the surface.”

And then he paused again, leaning back slightly in his chair as he glanced back at the monitor. Maruki’s gaze was calm, yet there was something piercing in the way his voice dropped just slightly lower, as if reaching for something deeper.

“What do you see when you look at yourself? I mean… truly see?”

The mirror’s surface rippled once, then stilled.

And for a split second—a heartbeat—the reflection that stared back at him was something grotesque.

A dark, eldritch silhoutte watched Kou- formless as it loomed within the glass. Green-black tendrils writhed beneath its skin like living veins, coiling and stretching from its limbs as though trying to pull it apart. It's face—its face—was obscured by shadow, its eyes glowing with the same sickly golden light that burned within Maruki’s own.

The vision twisted violently, warping further, until—

It returned back to the original image. The one that had sent Kou reeling in the first place.

Maruki looks up from his monitor and waits- letting the silence hang without even noticing that detail. "Well?"

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