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Velvet Room Mods ([personal profile] vrdr_mods) wrote in [community profile] personavelvetroomdr2024-11-21 04:38 pm

[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!]
lostgemini: (Big mad)

2/2

[personal profile] lostgemini 2024-12-04 06:23 pm (UTC)(link)
"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)
takutomaruki: (kad_sad)

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[personal profile] takutomaruki 2024-12-05 02:06 am (UTC)(link)
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)
takutomaruki: (battle mode maruki)

2/2 (slight gorey)

[personal profile] takutomaruki 2024-12-05 02:17 am (UTC)(link)
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)
lostgemini: (Big mad)

1/2

[personal profile] lostgemini 2024-12-05 04:04 pm (UTC)(link)
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.
lostgemini: (TISK)

2/2

[personal profile] lostgemini 2024-12-05 04:51 pm (UTC)(link)
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.
takutomaruki: art: weiss__ming (kad_shock)

1/3

[personal profile] takutomaruki 2024-12-06 07:48 pm (UTC)(link)
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.
takutomaruki: (kad_very_angy)

2/3

[personal profile] takutomaruki 2024-12-06 07:54 pm (UTC)(link)
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.
takutomaruki: (battle mode maruki)

3/3

[personal profile] takutomaruki 2024-12-06 08:02 pm (UTC)(link)
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)
lostgemini: (Hurt)

1/2

[personal profile] lostgemini 2024-12-07 01:58 pm (UTC)(link)
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.
lostgemini: (Big mad)

2/2

[personal profile] lostgemini 2024-12-07 02:15 pm (UTC)(link)
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)
takutomaruki: (kad_sad)

1/2

[personal profile] takutomaruki 2024-12-12 09:29 pm (UTC)(link)
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)
takutomaruki: art: weiss__ming (azathot bot)

2/2

[personal profile] takutomaruki 2024-12-12 09:31 pm (UTC)(link)
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)
lostgemini: (Big mad)

[personal profile] lostgemini 2024-12-13 06:42 pm (UTC)(link)
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)
takutomaruki: (kad_sad)

[personal profile] takutomaruki 2024-12-13 11:38 pm (UTC)(link)
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?"
lostgemini: (TISK)

[personal profile] lostgemini 2024-12-14 11:03 am (UTC)(link)
"Manifestat- oh, fuck off," Kou snaps, fists clenching and unclenching in the absence of anything else, "don't act like you're not the one forcing this shit on me!"

He hates the way Maruki talks- that soft, clinical voice, talking down to Kou. As if he has all the answers, as if he knows what's best- like his fucking Palace isn't a whole fucking representation of why he doesn't know shit. He's delusional as always, and instead of Sumire-

-it's Kou who's his test subject this time.

Too fucking bad for him that Kou already knows what his goal is- and he's not playing along.

"Stop talking as if you know anything!" he snaps at the ceiling with a sneer. "You don't know shit about me or my brother! You won't break me like you broke Sumire! This mirror-" he spits, "-you're just manipulating what you want me to see, aren't you?!"

He says it- he believes it, but he can't help the way his stomach twists at every image, the way his hands shake-

and Maruki just keeps blabbing. It makes Kou want to tear his hair out, but just then, the mirror stills.

Something unfathomable stares back at him. Something horrible, with tentacles shifting beneath its skin, as if trying to destroy the image from the inside out. A shadowed face, but if Kou squints, he can make out an almost-smile, golden eyes staring back at him like a Shadow's, expression so familiar-

Kou feels very, very cold all of a sudden, instinctively taking a step back as bile rises in his throat at the twisted image staring back at him.

"Stop-" he says, gritting his teeth, but all that happens is his back hitting the living, writhing wall, which immediately pushes him forward again, towards the mirror. He tries to twist his head away, but it's like the mirror shifts with him, with his eyes-

The ripple is back. Flashes of himself, Goro, himself Goro himself both at once bloody wounded ripped outfit corpselike Goro GorohimselfGoroGorohimselfGoroGoro-

"Enough!" He cries out, ripping his sword from his back with a shout, and rushes towards the mirror. The bloodied image of Goro laughs back at him as he brings down his weapon with a cry, intent on ending this madness.
Edited 2024-12-14 11:03 (UTC)
takutomaruki: art: weiss__ming (kad_shock)

Tw: uhh corpse?

[personal profile] takutomaruki 2024-12-14 09:59 pm (UTC)(link)
“Broke Sumire?” Maruki murmured quietly, tilting his head as if considering the accusation. Even from behind the wall of glowing monitors, his calm demeanor was undeterred—though faint traces of something sharper flickered in his gaze. “I did no such thing to her.”

To Kou, that likely meant nothing. It was clear—unmistakably clear—that in Kou’s mind, Maruki had already been cast as the villain of this particular narrative. A shallow interpretation, one steeped in anger, frustration, and fear. Maruki’s lips twitched, the slightest tremor of annoyance threatening to crack his carefully maintained poise. So narrow-minded. Jumping to conclusions without stopping to truly see the bigger picture.

But something else caught his attention—something he didn’t let go unnoticed.

He let out a slow, measured breath, his voice calm but laced with a pointed firmness. “I never claimed to know everything, Corvus-san. And I certainly don’t control what the mirror shows you. Its reflection is your own—it’s your heart staring back at you, whether you’re ready to face it or not.”

It was important to see this, to document it. The maze had a way of exposing raw truths, but Maruki hadn’t anticipated… this.

Kou’s sudden, anguished shout cut through the silence like a blade.

His head whips up when he hears him cry out. "Corvus-san, are you alright?!" he asks and looks at the monitors.

His eyes darted between the screens as Kou staggered backward, the mirror rippling and distorting until—

—until the grotesque figure reappeared.

Maruki froze. The bloody silhouette twisted within the glass, its form writhing. He caught glimpses of it—Kou, Goro, Kou(?) as Goro(?)—collapsing in on itself in flashes of bloodied smiles and broken bodies. The corpse-like visage sneered back at Kou as if mocking him from within his own reflection. What did it all mean?

Maruki’s breath hitched, his hand trembling slightly as he swiped a bead of sweat from his brow. “Azathoth,” he whispered, the name like acid on his tongue. He steadied himself with a shaky exhale, though the tremor in his voice betrayed him. “Why? Why would you make him remember—”

The answer came unbidden, cold and cruel as it whispered in the back of his mind.

“Because he thinks he’s above it all when, in fact, he’s drowning in it.”


“We are not having any of that—!” Maruki’s voice rose sharply as he suddenly swiped his hand through the air.

It dissolved instantly, as though it had been nothing more than a hastily drawn illusion wiped clean by a dismissive hand. Before Kou’s sword could strike it, before his anguish could escalate further, the reflection disappeared, leaving only the hollow groans of the maze surrounding him.

Maruki leaned back into the otherwise void which cushioned him from almost everywhere. Like an actual seat- except he couldn't see it.

he tried to calm the rapid beat of his heart. His voice softened again, the professional calm returning as he addressed Kou.

“Apologies, Corvus-san. That was… a little too much, wasn’t it?”

He let the silence hang just long enough for Kou’s breathing to slow. Then, Maruki leaned forward slightly, his tone shifting to something both gentle and persistent—like a guiding hand placed just between Kou’s shoulders.

“But you’re still standing, aren’t you? That’s what matters.”

He watched the monitors closely, his gaze warm but unwavering, as if trying to encourage Kou through the labyrinth’s pressure.

“Take a moment to breathe, then press on. I promise you, the tape is at the very end and once the unpredictable elements are out of the picture- you will be at peace. I mean it.”
Edited 2024-12-14 21:59 (UTC)
lostgemini: (Big mad)

[personal profile] lostgemini 2024-12-14 11:59 pm (UTC)(link)
The mirror doesn't so much as shatter as just... let his sword glide through. There's an impact, but no aftermath-

-and then the mirror is gone, and Maruki is once again speaking into his head from everywhere and nowhere at once. Kou's hands are still trembling around his blade as it rests against the ground, his heart beating in his throat, his breathing ragged and halting. Too many emotions flow through him at once, anger, grief, panic- it's a struggle to get himself under control.

A little much.

A little much.

That piece of-

A wild cackle escapes him without his consent at Maruki's words, but it's not amused, no. It's unhinged. Furious.

"How dare you. How fucking dare you. Be at peace? With your bullshit?! You're fucking- you're insane!" he shouts at the ceiling, leaning on his blade. "If you think I'll submit to you- think again!"

He forces himself to straighten up, not holstering his blade this time- he keeps it at the ready, Palnatoke at the front of his mind, just as furious as him.

"You think yourself such a good person, don't you, good doctor? A poor soul who just wants to take the pain of others away?" he sneers. "Your 'treatment' is a sham. Take it from someone who's very, very good at hurting people, Maruki; you're one of the most despicable human beings I've ever met. And I've met many of them."

He doesn't care what kind of intentions Maruki thinks he has; just the fact that he's forcing Kou through this is proof enough that he's not the kind man he portrays himself as. Oh, he certainly thinks he is, but thinking you're god's gift to humanity does not make it so.

He's a maniac. To put it mildly.

"I will get my tape, and I will get out of here," he snarls, stalking forward, "and either you let me and my tape go willingly, or you're going to regret trying to treat me in the first place." The grip on his blade tightens as he picks up the pace. Even if his heart still pounds in his chest, even if he feels destabilized, and there are brims of wetness in his eyes that he refuses to acknowledge. Fury over the blatant desecration of his brother's and his own memories keeps him going. "I will not fall to you, or your so-called treatment. Mark my words."
takutomaruki: (sad)

[personal profile] takutomaruki 2024-12-15 11:28 am (UTC)(link)
Maruki sat back deeper into the unseen void, the weight of Kou's words pressing down on him like a heavy fog. The all-seeing eyes that he couldn't even see- hovering above and beside him with pupils that dilated and pulsed as they followed each move the doctor committed. For once, he didn't respond immediately—his lips parted slightly, but the words failed to come. His gaze, still focused on the monitors, flickered with something unreadable. Frustration, perhaps, or maybe something closer to...

...Closer to regret.

He tried to speak, faltered, then let the silence stretch again.

“…Despicable,” he repeated softly, as if turning the word over in his mind. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but he caught himself before his expression could betray any real irritation. There was a stillness to him now, a sort of resignation that seeped into his posture. Let's say even if he didn't manifest the labyrinth- even if he simply gave the tape to Kou after being impaled by multiple arrows manifested with Almighty energy...who's to say that would have stopped Corvus to kill him anyway?

“You think I want this?” Maruki finally said, his voice low—so quiet it was almost swallowed by the groaning maze. He hesitated, fingers twitching faintly as they hovered near the controls before curling inward. “Do you think… I’m sitting here, orchestrating all of this for my own satisfaction? After months—months—of being left in the dark, not knowing what you’ve done, what you could have done…? What if what you’re doing right now—what you’ve already done—is just history repeating itself? Another cycle of destruction, another path paved with ruin, and you would never even know.”

“Tell me, Kou-san—can you tell me why I did what I did to you?” His tone hovered between challenge and plea, as if searching for something he couldn’t name. “Would you even bother to give me an answer?”

Another pause. This time, the faintest chuckle escaped him—not sharp or mocking, but brittle and worn, like a fraying thread.

“…You will make me regret it either way, won’t you?” he said softly, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. His gaze—though Kou couldn’t see it directly—fell slightly, as if Maruki were speaking to himself rather than to the young man. “Even if I let you go now, even if I handed you that tape and opened every door… you’d still come back, wouldn’t you?”

The silence that followed wasn’t oppressive. It was mournful. Maruki’s fingers danced briefly on the air in front of him, like he was tracing something invisible.

A faint sigh escaped Maruki, his shoulders slumping as he finally sat up straight. His hands fell limp for a moment before curling into his lap. “There is no treatment,” he said plainly, the words carefully enunciated yet hollow in tone, as if he were admitting something dreadful. “Nothing is going to happen to you.”

Unless you force my hand.

It lingered there, a statement stripped bare of pretense.

The monitors reflected Kou’s relentless march forward, blade still ready, fury still unquenched. Maruki watched him quietly, perhaps waiting for some crack to appear—some flicker of hesitation in Kou’s eyes. But none came.

“Proceed,” Maruki murmured finally, resigned, as though he were surrendering to the inevitability of it all. He adjusted his glasses with a single deliberate motion, then gestured faintly at the screen. “The maze has manifested something for you. Just ahead.”

On the floor, illuminated by the faint, sickly light of the labyrinth, sat a pack of cigarettes.

Maruki’s expression remained neutral, but there was an unmistakable weight to his next words.

“Perhaps we’ll find your answers there.”
lostgemini: (Big mad)

1/2

[personal profile] lostgemini 2024-12-15 06:58 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh, spare me the self-pity." Kou growls at Maruki's little speech. Boo-hoo, the mad doctor isn't getting the answers or results he wants. Truly, the epitome of a pitiable wretch who has never ever had anything good happen in his life. It makes Kou want to puke. "You do the shit you do because you just can't leave well enough alone- because you think yourself a god. The only one capable- no, the only one allowed to dictate what others feel." He narrows his eyes. "But you're no god of mine. And I told you, keep my name out of your damn mouth!"

He really hates Maruki's little woe-is-me act. As if Kou can't see right through it. This is a man hellbent on taking over the world- it's just that he tells himself he's doing it to 'take away pain'. Right- brainwashing everyone to forget that things are bad isn't dystopian at all. Fulfilling wishes? Bullshit. This guy never bothered looking further into why people are the way they are, or what they actually want. Only what he thinks is best for them, their actual wishes be damned.

So, hell yes is he going to make him regret it either way. After everything Kou's been through today, he's going to make this bastard pay. All he had to do is give Kou the tape when he entered the Palace- or hell, just asked someone to give it to him. Maybe, just maybe Kou wouldn't have been so fucking hostile if Maruki hadn't used his dead brother to lure him before trapping him in his Palace.

"Nothing is going to happen to me," he laughs, somewhat manic, "unless I don't play along- isn't that right?" He hasn't forgotten the way Maruki forced Sumire and her Persona to go berserk, back in his own world, just because he, Goro, and Amamiya wouldn't accept his world. Perhaps this one hasn't done that yet, but this maze is proof enough that he's not above such things.

And by god, he's going to tear this place to the ground. Whatever the next thing the maze has manifested for him- per Maruki's words- he doesn't care. He's not playing along. He's getting his tape back, and he's going to-

-is that a fucking pack of cigarettes?
lostgemini: (Hurt)

2/2

[personal profile] lostgemini 2024-12-15 07:17 pm (UTC)(link)
If Kou weren't so wound up, he might've paused. He might've rolled his eyes, even, har dee har, showing the smoker a pack of cigarettes- or is it a metaphor for how he's slowly killing himself with his grief? How he's substituting Maruki's 'treatment' for something else that's 'worse' than his brainwashing, than his blatant disrespect for the dead?

As it stands, though, Kou only glares at the cigarettes, approaching it warily with his sword drawn, ready to defend himself. He doesn't trust this for shit- does Maruki think him stupid enough to fall for his traps?

"Any answers you're hoping to find," he sneers, "are not going to come from me."

(God, he craves a cigarette.)

His legs are trembling in a way he refuses to acknowledge as he slowly walks by, eyes not leaving the pack for even a moment. It's just an ordinary pack of cigarettes- his favorite brand, even, but with the way Maruki said that, there's clearly something else going on.

And he doesn't have to wait long for the other shoe to drop- as soon as he crosses an invisible boundary, the cigarettes ripple, the form changing-

Kou freezes, ever so briefly.

A gun sits in their place. But not just any gun.

That's the gun Goro and his cognitive versions were holding.

The gun that- that-

Kou twists his head away, letting out a low, angry (or is it despairing?) noise. His chest aches, remembering the faded scar Goro showed him, one that had healed for too quickly to be natured, one that should have killed, but Goro was alive- alive- except he wasn't, it was just his corpse, brought back by Maruki, remolded and reworked, ready to be used against-

"You've got some nerve." Kou grits his teeth. "Asking me for answers when you keep doing shit like this."

He forces himself to keep walking.
takutomaruki: (confronting)

1/2

[personal profile] takutomaruki 2024-12-15 09:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Maruki’s fingers stilled, hovering just above the unseen controls before curling into a fist. His brow furrowed, subtle irritation breaking through his carefully maintained composure. He stared hard at the monitors now, the reflection of Kou’s movements flickering across his glasses.

“God?” Maruki muttered to himself, a faint edge to his voice. “You think I see myself as a god?”

He let out a short, humorless laugh—thin and brittle, lacking warmth. “Do you even know what you’re saying?” Maruki shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose as though trying to stave off a headache. “I rejected that, Corvus-san. The throne. The power offered to me. The chance to shape the world however I wanted. You think I would have put you here if I had that absolute control you speak of? What is it you are so scared of? Living a normal life with the people you love and cherish?"

"And as per mythology, no god ever gives the people what they want. Do you think they would have been gods in the first place?”


"My reality can be just the way you like. Let me guide you."

He stops, eyes shut close as he curls in on himself- eyes widening as flashes appear. Yet again. Memories flood in and he's grown almost quiet- trying to contain his own frustration, helplessness and the power trip that had nearly blurred out his vision. Azathoth pulsed within his veins as black lines outstretched on the skin under the white visage- an ugly green running its branches on pale skin.
He remembers Ren rendering his arm broken- riddling it with bullets.
He remembers the hate spiralling on the boards.
He remembers Kou's words.

"Yes. You finally understand."


But then he remembers Azathoth and how he had guided him to the bottom of mementos. How it was coercing the doctor from the start to use the maze on Kou and now he was doing just that. Kou was in the very walls of Azathoth- exactly as the persona planned.

"..."

Maruki is yet to even leave his lab at this point- stuck thinking about the what ifs of what would have happened if he stepped further and took the metaphorical map that resided in his hand.

He could have even changed this hate spiralling around him.

His voice sharpened slightly, the calm veneer cracking. “And yet, here you are, throwing the same accusation at me as though it’s so simple. As though this—all of this—is about some petty desire for control. You don’t understand a thing.”

Maruki exhaled deeply, his tone softening, though the edge of his irritation remained. “I tried to help you. I tried to speak to you like a reasonable person. But clearly, that isn’t going to work. So let’s drop the pretense, shall we?” He leaned back, his posture loosening, a familiar, practiced look settling on his face—one Kou might recognize from therapists he’s encountered before. Calm. Patient. Infuriating. What? He knows very well how therapists actually act. Hell when Shibusawa suggested an online one all Maruki thought about was just how cold they always were. Pretending like it was so easy to-
Edited 2024-12-15 21:18 (UTC)
takutomaruki: (kad_very_angy)

2/2

[personal profile] takutomaruki 2024-12-15 09:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Maruki’s voice took on a clinical, almost detached quality, as though he were guiding a session. “You say I’m doing ‘shit like this,’ but I think it’s time we clarify a few things, Corvus-san. Let’s be honest about what we’re seeing here.”

He gestured vaguely at the monitors, his gaze sharpening as he continued. “You’re seeing what you bring into this maze. You perceive what your own mind manifests- that's the whole principle of cognition. Its not something which is forced but something which manifests from your own perception. it is truly a shame that you don't wish to face it but we can work on that together. Or not.”

“Asking me for answers when you keep doing shit like this.”


...

Breathe. Take a deep breath. Get a smoke. Anything.

Maruki’s irritation boiled over, and for the first time, his voice raised—not quite shouting, but sharper than before. “I didn’t even know Goro Akechi had a twin in your world!” He practically hissed the words, his frustration clear. “In fact, I’m certain he didn’t exist in MY world. So tell me—how the hell would I know that you’re a smoker? How would I know that?!”

His hand lashed out, gesturing to the rippling maze as though it betrayed him. “Do you think I’m sitting here micromanaging every little thing that appears in this place? A pack of cigarettes? A gun? That’s your mind, Kou-san. Yours. Every little strange horrific thing sitting in your heart has nothing to do with me. Don’t pin that on me.”

Maruki sat back again, adjusting his glasses with a slightly shaky hand. He took a slow breath, his voice evening out once more—but the faint, bitter edge remained. “You’re angry. I understand that. But maybe—just maybe—you should stop to consider what this maze is really showing you. What it’s dredging up from you.”

As Kou would walk further ahead, an object would start floating above in the air- hovering in a sickly pale light as it revealed itself to be the outlines of a dark mask.

A mask waiting to be held.


He gestured faintly at the monitors. “Because whether you like it or not, Corvus-san, this isn’t about me. Sorry to disappoint you in those regards.”

All he can really see is just how ready he is to throw him out of here once he knows just why did his tape incite so much of his own memory. He's certain there was never a twin in the first place. He could bet his life on it actually but the death of Goro Akechi was integral. It was someone's wish and while he could guess who the candidate could have been- family was first.

Kou was Goro's family.

He would have the answer.
lostgemini: (Big mad)

1/2

[personal profile] lostgemini 2024-12-16 12:04 pm (UTC)(link)
All Maruki's words manage to do is infuriate Kou more.

"You are SO full of CRAP!" he shouts, voice trembling with fury, "you think you can just lie to my face and that I'll believe you? Motherfucker, I watched you show Sumire the exact way and moment her sister died, when there should be no conceivable way for you to have that knowledge- let alone have a recording of it! You could have done anything- anything other than show her that! You want me to believe you're not cruel enough to force me to- to fucking relive the memories of my brother's death? To show me imagery and objects and horrorshows until I submit and beg for you to brainwash me?! I hate to tell you, doctor, but I've changed your grossly distorted heart before- and I know exactly what kind of man you are!"

He smashes his sword into a wall when it twists, and tries to herd him. It's fruitless, of course, but he doesn't care- he hopes to god that it hurts Maruki. He hopes that he can feel every single morsel of his rage.

"It's always about you!" he snarls, "everything is always about your need to further your research, your need to pry into people's lives for answers, your need to put the blame of your own fucking mistakes on other people! I didn't ask for you to lure me into your Palace with a cognition of my brother! I didn't ask for you to force me into your maze of horrors! I didn't ask you for shit! You decided that all on your own, and now you're mad at me for calling you out on your bullshit?! This is exactly why you have a Palace in the first place!"

And, as if to taunt him ever further, a very particular Metaverse mask shows up. Black, beak-like, a crack running down the side.

Kou feels the tears prick in his eyes, but he swallows them down, unwilling to let Maruki see his weakness. He doesn't pick the mask up- just ignores it, rushes by it as if it's going to burn him- only for, around the next corner, something else to show up. And the next, and the next, and the next.

A bracelet Ren gave Goro. Sunglasses Kou got as a gift. An engraved fountain pen.

A single black glove.

Kou swears he can hear Goro's voice murmuring in his ears, but he's obviously nowhere to be seen. The walls pulsate and squirm, changing from pristine to mazelike to elegant to brick back to pristine-
lostgemini: (Hurt)

2/2 (CW: description of corpses)

[personal profile] lostgemini 2024-12-16 12:05 pm (UTC)(link)
He rounds the corner.

Wakaba's mangled, dead body stares back at him. She reaches out to him, her fishlike eyes staring through him.

"Which one?" she rasps, gurgles, "which one of you was it?" She takes a step forward, stumbling on her broken legs. "Youuuu..." Her head tilts in an extremely unnatural way. "Youuuuu...!"

Kou gags, but forces himself to run forward, sword held in front of him-

"Shut up!" he shouts, and thrust his sword forward, straight through the corpse's body-

-it's his brother staring back at him. Just as bloodied, just as injured, blood seeping from his chest, from his head, gaping bullets wounds.

"Kou-nii-" the- cognition groans, "Kou-nii-"

Kou stumbles back with a gasp, dragging his sword with him. The cognition keeps staring at him, reaching out-

-he's in their old apartment, their bedroom, Goro's body is healed. He's trembling, eyes wet with unshed tears, and he's looking at Kou, still reaching out to him.

"I don't want to die" he says, voice trembling, "Kou-nii, I'm scared-"

Kou's frozen on the spot, unable to move, to speak. It's like a warped version of the actual evening that Goro told him he suspected he was already dead. It's the same, but it's all wrong- and he- he-

"Stop this!" he cries out, trembling hands tightening around his sword- grief drowns out rage, his stomach twisting inside him with anguish. He's breathing too quickly, and his heart feels lodged in his throat, "Stop! Stop! How could you!" He heaves his breaths, trying to calm down, but Goro's crying in front of him, begging for help, and he can't- he can't-

"Isn't it enough that he's dead?! That he's no longer with me?!" he yells, without thinking, mind working too fast and too slow at the same time. "I hate you! I hate you! I'll kill- you piece of shit!"
Edited 2024-12-16 12:05 (UTC)

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1/2- 10 minutes earlier

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linkclickakira: (AUGHH)

in background

[personal profile] linkclickakira 2024-12-16 02:40 pm (UTC)(link)
10 minutes ago.

He's wearing a bag now- carrying all the important items he thinks he will need just in case things go dire with Corvus. Extra cameras. A powerbank. Two phones though he isn't sure if he charged them. Two trigger bombs. A lockpick. A flashbomb along with two submachine guns he has only ever used against shadows.

The door doesn’t budge. Not the first time Akira shoves his shoulder against it. Not the second. It doesn’t even budge an inch when he digs his heels into the ground and throws his full weight forward, the useless clang of metal reverberating back into his ears. The spot where Corvus disappeared remains closed, unyielding, like it’s mocking him.

Akira grits his teeth, stepping back to catch his breath. The dim glow of Maruki’s Palace looms around him, warm and unsettling, like the eerie quiet of a hospital at the peak of night even if its only 2:30 pm.

“You’re kidding me,” Akira mutters to himself, panting softly.

He's only been gone for a few minutes at best.

If anything, the more Akira stares at the entrance, the more the smooth metal feels alive, pulsing faintly as if sensing his desperation and delighting in it.

And then an idea flashes in his head.

The thought comes to him so suddenly it almost feels ridiculous, but at this point, what does he have to lose? With a deep sigh, he reaches into his coat and fishes out his phone, fingers hovering uncertainly over the screen.

“No way this works,” he says aloud, skeptical, as he navigates to the contacts section. There’s no number for Maruki’s ‘Reception’, obviously. He could even try calling Maruki directly but then he remembers—Maruki always ran his freaky place like a clinic, didn’t he? Full of well-dressed cognitive ‘staff’ who were more than willing to be helpful until you broke the illusion.

Akira scrolls for a moment and frowns. Could he just… call? Would that even work? Would a cognition pick up?

“I… have reached peak insanity,” he grumbles. But before he can overthink it, Akira punches in a number at random—the kind of generic sequence that most clinics seem to have while looking around for guidance. Just as he expects to hear an empty dial tone, the line clicks.

Someone answers.

"Thank you for calling Dr. Maruki’s Lab of Cognitive Research. How may I assist you today?”

Akira freezes for a moment, phone pressed to his ear. He hadn’t actually expected anyone to pick up.

“Uh,” he starts awkwardly, clearing his throat. “Yeah, hi. I… I’m here for a follow-up appointment. But the door’s locked.”

There’s a short pause on the other end of the line, followed by a voice that suddenly sounds hesitant. “I’m sorry, sir, but the lab is currently closed. You’ll need to return tomorrow.”

Akira pinches the bridge of his nose, frustration bubbling up already. “Tomorrow? I… I don’t think you get it. Dr. Maruki told me I could come by whenever. You know, let him know how the medicine worked.”

Another pause. “I’m sorry, sir. But Dr. Maruki is unavailable at the moment. There’s no appointment scheduled here today.”

Akira narrows his eyes at the door, as if glaring through the phone. “Yeah, well, maybe you should double-check. He told me I could come. That door shouldn’t be locked, right? This isn’t exactly what I’d call good service.”

The receptionist’s tone grows slightly defensive, but it doesn’t waver. “Again, sir, there is no appointment listed here. You’ll have to try tomorrow—”

Akira cuts them off, his voice sharpening as he drops the act. “Okay, look. I’m here because your medicine—the stuff Maruki gave me? Yeah, it’s made my stomach very, very upset. I’m talking bad. And you guys cover insurance, right? So unless you want me calling corporate or whoever’s in charge here, I’m not leaving until someone opens that door.”

The other end of the line goes quiet.

Akira smirks faintly, victorious. “That’s what I thought.”

But the receptionist doesn’t fold. After a few seconds, they simply respond, “I’m sorry to hear that, sir. However, Dr. Maruki is still unavailable. You’ll need to return tomorrow.”

Akira’s patience snaps. “What do you mean he’s unavailable? You’re a clinic! You can’t just lock the door and pretend nothing’s wrong! If that’s the case, I’ll sue. (he pretends those words don't unsettle him) I’ll sue this whole place. How does that sound?”

A beat of silence. Then, a low, unsettling rumbling comes faintly through the phone line, accompanied by muffled shouts in the background. Akira freezes, his smug grin fading as something—something—feels off. Feels so wrong. As if the whole place was being torn apart from the inside.

The receptionist’s voice returns, colder now, almost mechanical. “Then sue us. Or come tomorrow. Dr. Maruki isn’t available. Sorry.”

The line cuts off with an abrupt click.

Akira stares at his phone for a long moment, the silence around him suddenly deafening.

“What the hell was that?” he mutters, lowering his phone to his side.

He slumps slightly, frustration and exhaustion pressing on his shoulders as he looks back at the locked door. The smugness he felt moments ago has completely evaporated, replaced by the cold realization that he’s no closer to getting inside than when he started.

“Fine, then,” he mutters bitterly to the empty space. “Guess I’ll come back tomorrow.”

His words drip with sarcasm, but there’s no one around to hear him. No receptionist, no Maruki. Just the faint hum of the locked Palace door—unyielding, silent, waiting.

He goes for the whip tucked behind his jeans and looks ahead at the garden now splaying around the lab. There must be a back entrance. A trashing area? There's no way this place has only one door to walk through and maybe...maybe he will have to stay away from shadows but he could probably find a way in, right?

A scoff leaves his lips.

Tomorrow. Like hell he’s waiting that long.
Edited 2024-12-16 14:40 (UTC)