1999

Full Moon

Sharp green shadows dripped from the street's usual lights, though they no longer projected that kind and warm luminosity. A small boy, no more than six, clamored onto the deserted path. His blue hair appeared almost black in the eerie moonlight, and his eyes seemed blind to the various puddles of lukewarm blood dotting the road. He currently stood on a bridge, soulless grey gaze fixated on nothing in particular. In fact, one could believe that he was deaf to the conflict on the bridge. A strange woman made of cogs and gears flipped and fired without hesitation. A shadowy figure under a dark cloak did it's best to evade her attacks, but seemed to be struck a multitude of times. The lone boy wandered closer. The figure was panting now, cowering like some feral animal.

"I'll end it...!" the woman cried with intense conviction. Her gun-arms spun once, and aimed to fire what seemed like the finishing blow. However, the figure was faster. It sprang forward with unprecedented speed directly into the path of the boy. Lifting it's head, a metal face with a bird-like appearance could be made out, two blank holes concealing a mass of shadow in the form of a humanoid creature.

"Forgive me..." It spoke in a broken tongue, clipped and distorted. For the first time since his family's death earlier that night, the young boy looked up with his heartless eyes and saw it. Death. The darkness was soon swirling around him, infiltrating every inch of his being. He knew, that night, that he'd escaped the fury of Death. But it would be back for him.

It always came back.

With that, he dropped to his knees and faded into unconsciousness.

April Seventh, 2009

Next full moon in: 3 days

"Iwatodai."

He heard the conductor announce. As he maintained his position in front of the window, he briefly saw a sapphire blue butterfly in his mind's eye, glowing faintly with a brilliant radiance. He couldn't see much out the window, as shadow blocked his vision of anything he would've normally been able to spot. He sighed lightly.

"Iwatodai, Iwatodai."

That was the next stop. The subway train slowed to a halt, it's doors opening not only to release some of it's captives, but to allow more people to pour in without a single complaint. He maintained his composure, making sure not to miss a step corresponding with his music. For some reason, he remembered the lyrics and his position vividly. He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket, as if by muscle memory, and began to study it. It had the directions to his old dorm, which he hadn't seen in five years.

Burn my d-

His music played once more. Then, as if by some divine force, it halted. The clock displayed in the station had struck midnight. All the electronics around him shut off, the people bustling about suddenly transmogrifying into coffins and the disturbing green moonlight pouring in as if to offer it's light in place of those which had turned off. He couldn't keep down a "huh?" from himself, but he was less than surprised.

He expected this, he anticipated this.

Blood dripped down the clock in a grotesque manner, causing Minato to stare blankly at it. Calming his budding nerves, he sighed in feigned boredom. He proceeded on in eerie silence, the sound of his own footsteps the only noise he could hear. As he made it outside, he took a deep breath. Same looming, dark coffins. Same nasty blood puddles. Same sickly green moonlight pouring down on him. What he remembered was spot on to a T. Following the directions, he let his legs guide him to his old, beloved dormitory, surveying the area around as he navigated through it. He noticed traffic lights that had turned off and didn't forget the absence of the warm, inviting light produced by street lamps. His footsteps echoed still as he planted one foot squarely into a blood puddle. Looking up, he found himself face-to-face with the dorm he remembered so well. Without missing a beat, Minato immediately grabbed for the door handle, pulling the entrance open. Once inside, he looked around fondly. Some of his most important memories were made in this very building, alongside his irreplaceable friends. He spied the counter where the sign-in sheet was usually located, as well as the sofa, small square seats and cushiony chairs to his right and the television, which was located a ways away. He instinctively removed his headphones, forgetting for a moment just what he was supposed to be doing.

"You're late. I've been waiting a long time for you."

A little boy's voice sliced through the silence, immediately demanding all of Minato's attention. Pharos. He immediately said the name in his mind. He turned to face the boy, who was watching him from behind the counter with a bored posture, resting his head on his hands. He smiled, snapping his fingers. "Now, if you want to proceed, please sign your name there," He motioned to a red folder. The contract... "It's a contract," he explained. With that phrase spoken, the folder flipped open, revealing the contract that Minato signed so long ago. At Minato's expression, Pharos just smiled. "Don't worry. All it says is that you'll accept full responsibility for your actions. You know, the usual stuff." Minato saw no reason to argue. If these events were to happen just as they did originally, he would have to sign the contract. He grabbed the quill located beside the contract and, with shaky hands, neatly spelled out his name.

Arisato Minato

Suddenly, Pharos was standing before him and snatched away the contract. "No one can escape time. It delivers us all to the same end." He moved the contract in front of his face and turned it, which prompted it to disappear completely. "You can't plug your ears or cover your eyes." His statement still gave Minato the creeps. He knew just how familiar Pharos was with him. After all, Pharos was actually the personification of death contained within himself. Shadows began to envelop Pharos' side of the room, and he spoke one last line. "And so it begins." His body was soon consumed by the hungry shadows, his outstretched hand last to disappear into the darkness. Just like that, he was gone.

"Who's there?!"

A flighty female voice quickly caught Minato's attention. He looked to the staircase, knowing just who he'd be meeting today. Yukari stood there, pink Gekkoukan high uniform and all. She immediately reached for a gun in her belt, panting heavily. Minato was still terrified by the sight and it's implications, and quickly found a shocked and genuinely afraid expression on his face. Her breathing growing ever rapid, she drew the gun from her belt. Thankfully, another familiar voice called out to stop her.

"Takeba! Wait!"

Yukari looked immediately relieved, and the green light dissipated to give way to the much more inviting golden light most lightbulbs produced. Standing behind her was the student council president Mitsuru Kirijo, in all her glory.

-read...

His music resumed where it had left off, as if the dark hour had never happened. Yukari smiled in blatant relief and assurance as Mitsuru fixed her with a concerned, yet sympathetic stare. "I didn't think you'd arrive so late. My name is Mitsuru Kirijo. I'm one of the students who live in this dorm," she explained with her usual cool, calm demeanor.

"... Who's he?" Yukari asked.

"He's a transfer student. It was a last minute decision to assign him here. He'll eventually be moved to a room in the boy's dorm," Mitsuru explained. Minato smiled a bit at that. The ever dependable Mitsuru...

"... Is it okay for him to be here?" Yukari questioned. Minato already knew what she was referring to and had to agree, it was pretty risky taking in a transfer student when you and your classmates all combatted deadly shadows in the 25th 'hidden' hour.

"I guess we'll see," Mitsuru smiled warmly, pretending that Yukari was simply being withdrawn or too cautious. However, Minato knew better. "This is Yukari Takeba." Mitsuru motioned to Yukari, who stood beside her, "She'll be a junior this spring, just like you."

"... Hey," Yukari bowed slightly, obviously uncomfortable with their current situation.

"Nice to meet you," Minato said, giving Yukari a friendly smile and little wave.

"Uh... Y-yeah," Yukari nodded shyly. "Nice to meet you too..."

"It's getting late, so you should get some rest. Your room is on the second floor at the end of the hallway. Your things should already be there," Mitsuru said, looking to Yukari expectantly.

"Oh... I'll show you the way. Follow me," Yukari beckoned him forward, turning to escort him to his room. Minato followed obediently, allowing Yukari to guide him up a small flight of stairs to his room on the second floor. Walking down the hallway, they finally stopped at the last door to the right of the hallway. "This is it... Pretty easy to remember, huh? Since it's right at the end of the hall. Oh yeah, make sure you don't lose your key, or you'll never hear the end of it," Yukari groaned at the last sentence. Minato had already guessed that she had made that error before, and was speaking with experience. All the more reason to listen to her. "So, any questions?"

"Nope. Thanks for showing me to my room," Minato smiled again. Yukari looked a bit taken aback.

"U-uh... Yeah, don't mention it... Hey, can I ask you something?" Yukari looked unnerved, her eyes already beginning to dart about.

"Sure," Minato agreed with a nod.

"On your way here from the station, was everything okay?" She meekly questioned.

"What do you mean?" Minato feigned ignorance, tilting his head to the side just a bit.

"You know what I-" Yukari cut herself off. "... Never mind. It seems like you're all right. Well, I'd better get going. Good night."

"'Night," Minato mumbled after her. He chuckled to himself a bit at Yukari's early stiffness with others. He never knew why she was so awkward with him, but he didn't mind. Her later warming up to him proved that she trusted him in the end, and that was all he could ask for. He walked to his door, turning the knob to step inside. He was first greeted by a whiff of cool air, looking around. Yep, just like he remembered. Same bed, same window, same desk and same sink. Feeling pretty tired, he quickly changed into pajamas and, with a yawn, he fell into bed. Everything had been happening so quickly... Elizabeth's freeing him and his being sent to the past was all a jumble as he lay on his bed, watching the ceiling. So much had happened, it was hard to sort out. Minato sighed. That could wait for the morning, however, when his mind was clearer. He'd just reexperienced his first day on Tatsumi Port Island after five long years of isolation, so sleep dragged at him. Closing his eyes, he was asleep within minutes.