Summary: What if story. What if she didn't die? What if Ryoji takes her place to seal Nyx? It may sound impossible, considering that Ryoji is a part of Nyx. But thanks to her, he has a part inside him that will always remain human. In the end, she will have to accept the responsibility she was given. A Minako x Shinjiro/Akihiko/Theo story.
AnotherAuthor'sRandomNote: Umm, actually, I was listening to the remix of Burn My dread... Damn, that was some good remix. Makes me wanna fight Nyx in my level 99 godliness! That inspired me first when I finished the game. Yeah! For Minako and Shinjiro! (And Aki-kun and Theo-san as well...XD)
Oh yeah, Minato-kun is here as well :") Yay, twins! XD
Disclaimer and the usual mumbo jumbo: ATLUS owns Persona 3 Portable and not me :P
Glad to Be With
By Noelle Strife
{Memento Mori: Remember you will die}
Chapter One
When Days Seem Normal
~0~0~
2 months ago...
January 31st, 2010
Dark Hour
"She's going to face Nyx by herself!" Fuuka cried, trying her best to stand up. Everyone is trying to stand up; but Nyx is keeping them down.
"Dammnit! Why can't I get up?!" Junpei cursed, punching the ground. Ken called out to her, his hand trying out to reach her.
"Minako, wait! We'll fight this together! Don't go!"Akihiko shouted, who instead of standing tried to stagger towards her. "Minako! Goddammnit!" Thoughts began to race towards his mind. Miki, Shinji... He will fight until the very end!
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaargh!" Yukari screamed. She too is struggling under Nyx's heavy force. Mitsuru tried to grab her evoker but she too screamed in defeat.
"Minako-san..! Minako-san..!" Aigis, being the mechanical maiden herself, couldn't stand up as well. Her gears are reaching her limit. Orgia mode is malfunctioning.
"Minako!" Minato, her twin brother, yelled before he, too, collapsed on the floor.
"For my friends' sake, for my brother, and for the world. I am willing to sacrifice myself to protect their future!" The brunette heard her friends call to her, and in the end, she heard Shinjiro-senpai as well. Telling her not to give up and face it head on. She slowly raised her hand, her personas stirring inside her.
"Orpheus! Great Seal!"
And everything turned white.
Minato opened his eyes. Everything he felt was light. He didn't know where they are, it's just a mass of faint darkness. He suddenly remembered their leader.
"Did Nyx created this place, or was it her?" Mitsuru whispered audibly. Everyone is taking note of their surroundings. It seems that they are in...Space..?
"Fuuka, where is she? Can you sense her?" Akihiko demanded the frail looking girl who closed her eyes.
"Everything was engulfed in a bright light, and after that I couldn't sense her anymore..." she said hesitantly. Ken looked alarmed as he bowed his head.
"Don't tell me she..?"
"No!" Junpei spoke up, his face contorted with rage. "Try again; she can't be the only one!" Fuuka closed her eyes again, but when she opened them, she just shook her head.
"You gotta be kidding me..."
"We all decided to put our lives in the line. In fact, we didn't think that we'll all come back alive." Mitsuru has a dark look on her face when she said that. Akihiko looked like the world's gonna end again.
"Dammnit! Not again!" He cried out, his teeth gritted and his eyes are filling with tears. He said so himself. He is getting damn tired of losing everything precious to him.
"How could this happen?!" Aigis began to cry as well. "This...is what...I was trying...to prevent!" She sobbed to herself. Yukari just gazed into the endless space.
"You're there, aren't you?!" She shouted. "I refused to believe that you're gone!"
"Come on! Answer me!"
"We are here! Please let us hear you!" Aigis joined into the fray as well. A figure is floating before them. To their eyes, she is invisble; to her they are not.
"It's alright..." Everyone reacted quickly and she nearly giggled. Especially Akihiko and Minato, who both nearly tried to ran towards the source. Suddenly, someone began to walk towards her. Nobody seemed to notice, but to her, she smiled softly at Ryoji.
"Don't worry." He began, standing next to her and latched his hand to hers.
"That voice..?"
"I will sleep once again. Normal days will return to this universe, for you...and for her." Ryoji's voice echoed through the endless space. "She's found the answer to life's greatest question. It just happened a bit sooner than it will for the rest of you."
Minato's brows furrowed a bit. Aigis seemed to have noticed it as well. "Life's greatest question..." Ryoji turned to Aigis, his hands still clasped with Minako's.
"Aigis... You'll find the answer one day as well. You too, are a precious living thing. You just need to realize how the bonds of friendship have changed you..."
"The bonds...of friendship..." Aigis repeated quietly. Minato held her hand to keep her from collapsing on the floor and cry. He knew his sister and Ryoji are just in front of them, invisible, yet their presence alerted him. He wondered why Fuuka can't while he can. Is it because of the Wild Card thing Igor said? He isn't really that sure.
"The Dark Hour will soon vanish from this world..." Ryoji continued on. "All will truly relinquish from its dominion, and the legacy of life will continue. Congratulations," A smile appeared on his face, almost like a grin. "You have the miracle you sought. We shall meet again someday..."
Minato raised his hand towards where Ryoji and Minako stood. The girl smiled. She looked at Ryoji, as if asking if it's okay. The young man nearly laughed as he urged her to just take it. Their finger tips met. Then-
"Minato-san!" Aigis screamed in horror when he is suddenly sucked in to space. Everyone went into a panic and made haste to run towards nowhere when suddenly, it all became black.
"Mina-sama!" Minako bear-hugged her twin, who hugged her back with no intention of letting go. "Koko-chan, I don't care what Igor says, but I'm glad that you're alive." He cried out, tears began to slip through his lids. The two collapsed on the ground, still hugging. Ryoji felt like tearing up as well.
"About the Wild Card thing, you don't have to worry much about it. It's already taken care of." He said with a flick of a hair and a smile. Minato let go of his sister and stood up, facing him. "What do you mean? What will happen with us?"
"Nothing..!"
"Ryoji, we may be friends, but if my sister is chosen to seal Nyx, I might as well borrow Akihiko-senpai's gloves and beat the crap outta-"
"W-wait! T-t-that's not what I meant..!" Ryoji held up his hands in defeat; Minako just laughed, pulling Minato from him.
"Minato," Her expression suddenly turned serious; to Minato this part is hard not to laugh. "Ryoji will do something for us and it will be the most generous help we will get from him." Minato raised an eyebrow. Now he's listening.
"To keep Nyx sealed, there has to be a sacrifice. Minako-chan has done her part and you have as well. But there should only be one person to seal Nyx, and since the both of you can't decide for themselves," Ryoji paused for a while, a hesitant look on his face. "I will take your place."
"B-but, you're just a harbinger of the Fall, would that make Nyx sealed for sure?" Minato questioned but he was socked in the stomach by his sister.
"Ow!"
"Mina-sama, don't be rude!"
"Oh, s-sorry, ouch...you hit a sore spot, Koko-chan."
"It's fine." Ryoji smiled at them warmly. "Just like before, I can't die because I have a part of Nyx within me. But thanks to you two, I have a part that's still, human. Let me handle Nyx, and the two of you will live in peace until the end of time."
"Then let's do this!" Minato cheered but was clubbed in the stomach again by Minako. "Mina-sama, he's not done yet!"
"Yes, but I knew you will regret this as well." Ryoji's face darkened. "When you chose me to seal Nyx, then your memories will also disappear with me. You will not remember anything about the Dark Hour, or the Shadows or Tartarus, nothing at all. Everything will be a clear blank sheet when you will awaken. Having a part that is human, its disadvantage is also taking away what's precious to you, and it is your memories that are precious." Ryoji turned away from them after saying, "I'll give you three minutes to decide for your decision." Then he stood far away to give them distance. Minako felt like she the world's ending again as she clung onto Minato for support.
"What do you say? I made the great seal; your decision will be mine as well." She whispered to him, who said nothing. To sacrifice one's love for the world, or to live in peace and lose their memories. It is so hard to believe it. It's like what happened at the start of December. All of them have to choose their faith, and it's never the easiest answer.
"You can do it, Mina-sama. I'll always respect your decision." Minako hugged her twin, bracing herself for his answer.
"I..."
Everyone opened their eyes and found themselves in front of Tartarus, they are at the entrance.
"Huh..? The entrance to Tartarus..?" Yukari stared at her hands. Mitsuru gasped and pointed towards the top of the tower.
"Hey..! Check out Tartarus!" Junpei exclaimed, staring up as well. Everyone looked up and saw that the tower is crumbling.
"It's disappearing into the sky!" Mitsuru claimed as the parts began to detached themselves and dissolve into nothingness. Everyone is in awe. The eerie, green glow of the moon turned back to normal. Before the first minute of February 1 began, Gekkoukan High School emerged and Tartarus is gone.
The Dark Hour vanished as well.
"We really did it..." Said Yukari. Everyone, including Akihiko nodded. Suddenly, Aigis took a sharp intake of breath as she cried out,
"Minato-san! Minako-san!"
Everyone climbed over the gate and ran towards the two who are sitting calmly by the stairs. The twins were greeted with hugs, hugs, and lots of hugs.
"Minako-san!" Ken cried, hugging her by the waist as Akihiko joined in as well.
"You two sure took your time! You were really stringing us along there! Honestly..!" Junpei took Minato by the head and began to give a head nick.
"Thank goodness..." Fuuka smiled wearily at the twins.
"Y-you scared me! I thought I'll never see you again!" Ken said while he's still hugging Minako. Akihiko hastily wiped the tears from his face. "Guys, c'mon. This isn't something we should be crying about..."
"Look who's talking..." Ken teased his senpai, who went back to hugging Minako.
"Finally... the gang's all here." Mitsuru said, smiling her brightest smile through her cries. Koromaru barked in agreement. Aigis is in front of the twins, finding the right words to say.
"Minako...Minato..." She said, tears falling from her eyes. "Huh..? I..." She began touching her tears, finding it impossible that a mechanical maiden can cry. "Uh-oh... They won't stop... T-this is most unusual..."
Minako and Minato gently smiled at her and each of the two held out their hand for her to take. Crying, Aigis took it, crying happy tears in the midst of the gang's warm welcome. The two looked back at the sky.
The Dark Hour won't ever come back in this world ever again.
They did it. They saved the world. Even if no one knows about it...
The battle was ended. Because of the seal, the world was saved from the Fall.
Peace was restored, and people soon returned to their busy lives.
No one remembered anything about the extraordinary turn of events.
And so, the season changed...
Back to the present day...
March 3rd, 2010
It was an early day of school. The twins walked all the way from the dorm to the station and to the school. Minato is listening to his headphones while his twin sister, Minako, happily ate a Takoyaki.
"Yo!" Junpei caught up with them with his big grin and cheerful expression. "Damn, it's cold. But of course, you never miss a day of school. Man, can you believe this year's over? We're practically seniors now..." He continued to talk and about what they will do this year. Minato just nodded to whatever he's saying, also bopping his head to the beat. Minako finished her Takoyaki and laughed at one of Junpei's jokes. However, she's starting to feel like she's forgetting something very important to her... She remembered deleting a lot of text messages from her phone, and a lot of them said something about humans in Tartarus and whatnot. Her brother got them too, but there's no name from the one whom texted it. The name is just V.R.T for Minako's and V.R.E for Minato. They just shrug it off as spam.
Now that she thought about it, there's this one person that's sticking at the back of her head... Someone clad in red or was it maroon? And another one in royal blue. People from her past maybe.
"Hey, check out that girl!" Junpei nudged the two and thumb pointed to what he's saying. There's a blonde haired girl standing or rather, hiding behind a tree, staring at them. More particularly, she is staring at the twins, who stopped to gaze at her.
"Whoa, she's hot and cute! How come I never noticed her before..?" Junpei is in awe but Minato kept looking at her, who is practically boring holes in his head.
"What are you talking about? She lives in the same dorm as us." Yukari appeared and managed to make Junpei looked quite shocked.
"Wait, really? What's her name then?"
"I dunno. Hey there!" Yukari waved at the girl. "Are you staring at us? Is there something wrong..?" The girl looked startled at first, but she just shook her face and ran off. Junpei raised a brow.
"Huh, she left. She looks really depressed...Wonder what happened..." He whined about not getting her name or her number and Yukari repeatedly called him, "Stupei..." The twins however kept getting this feeling that they're forgetting something.
Riiiing!
The bell rang, signaling for Homeroom. "Crap!" Junpei cursed as the four ran towards their classroom.
Minako yawned quietly as she packed her books in her bag. School's nearly over. Her cell phone rang and she got a text message from Minato, saying that he'll see her back at the dorm coz' he has Kendo practice today. Turns out, he's made of Captain of the Kendo Club since Kazushi deliberately turned down his position so that his knee will heal. He also stated that she is also made Captain of Tennis Club and he's going to fill in on her so that she has time for herself. Minako chuckled. Her brother is so lovable and overly protective of her. Overly protective enough to protect her from something bad.
Minako frowned. It's that feeling again, this time it's getting a clearer picture of a person wearing a beanie and maroon coat. It must be a guy, and his back turned from her. Maybe it's one of her weird sense of mania again. She is about to go home when she heard a passing student who she seemed to have caught her attention.
"Hey, do you know about that guy that was shot by the outskirts of Port Island Station? It seems that he's awake from his coma." The girl seemed to be very talkative but Minako felt that she flinched a little. Is it related to her? "Tell me more!" She persuaded the girl with feigning school-girl-giggle.
"Well, I don't really know the details but my uncle's a doctor at Tatsumi Memorial Hospital and said that guy, Shinjiro, who has been in a coma for about six months, woke up. He doesn't remember why he got into a coma and my uncle thinks that it is a miracle that he's awake. Usually it's like years but..." The talkative girl continued on but Minako heard enough. Pretending not to hear the girl shouting at her for being rude, she went downstairs to the Laboratory Hallway and came across none other than the famous, Gekkoukan's Golden Boy, Akihiko Sanada. He's surrounded by his loyal fan girls and he looks like he's having his yet another famous migraine.
"Akihiko-senpai! Do you want to go to the Sweet Shop with me?" One of the girls asked him out of the blue and half of the fan girls literally shot daggers with their eyes to her. Akihiko just groaned, but then he caught sight of a familiar brunette over the sea of squealing girls.
"Hey, Arisato! Wait up!" He shouted, pushing his way past the hyperactive girls, who, unknown to the Boxer, glared at Minako. If looks could kill, hell, she would be dead right now. Minako, however, looked shocked that the famous Akihiko Sanada would come and talk to her.
Oh, yeah. We've hung out once. We went to Hagakure and we ordered the extra-large Hagakure Bowl. Then we went to the Sweet Shop and ate-
Wait, they've hung out once, right? Then why does she remember hanging out with him more than once? Hagakure, the Shrine, the Cafe, even the school's roof. Ugh, I feel really tired today...
They're at the first floor corridor, talking near a Persimmon tree. Akihiko smiled at her, and Minako felt a blush escaping her face. He has such a handsome smile...
"I heard you became Captain of Tennis Club. Good job. I'm sure the future of the Sports Club will be in good hands with you and Minato taking over. You know, right? I'm a senior and I'm graduating soon. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't slack off and I'm still your senpai." He said in a somewhat bossy way, but he laughed, like it's a joke.
"But I enjoyed this year; I enjoyed hanging out with you. Oh, and do you know about Shinji? I mean Shinjiro?" A sad look appeared on his face. "He was supposed to graduate with me, but he got into a coma...I'm thinking of visiting him today, but I got college forms to look over too. Um, I-if you don't m-m-mind, would you like to eat beef bowls with m-me after graduation day?" He asked her, a faint blush replaced his sad look and to Minako, he looked quite cute. In any case she giggled and said yes.
"Great..! Well, see you back at the dorm. I almost forgot we're dorm mates. This year came out really fast huh? I hope you, your brother, Takeba, and Iori had a good time." He gently waved at her as he walked away. His face seemed to be red too.
Shinji...Shinjiro...
That guy is getting really familiar now.
"Hey, Captain..." Kazushi teased Minato who just smirked as he emptied out the stuff from his locker. He's practically a senior now...
"Oh, Minato-kun! Would you like to eat at Wuck with the team? Rio invited me and Kaz and I think it's fair you come as well, Captain." Yuko stressed the word but Minato just shook his head.
"Sorry, guys. I already promised someone a date so maybe at Graduation Day I have time off."
"Hey, you're busy tomorrow too?"
"Yeah, last Student Council meeting for this school year. I'm thinking of running for President..."
"Whoa, seriously? You're the Captain of Kendo Club and the President of the S. Council? Would you handle it?" Yuko and the other members are amazed at their Captain.
"Well, yeah. I handled Kendo, Student Council, Home Economics, and Photography. What are two more responsibilities?" Everyone just stared at him in wonder, only Kazushi seemed normal.
"Just don't tire yourself man. We need our Captain, and the student body needs their President." Kazushi said and Yuko smiled. "Yeah, if you're tired just ask us. We'll help you."
Minato just grinned. "I wouldn't worry much at all anymore. I still got my friends, having my back."
"Yeah, that's the spirit!"
"We will need you, Captain!"
"We'll train harder then."
Yuko just smiled at the team. She's a little sad that her relationship with Minato became just friends, but she's glad that the team's motivated.
"Yeah, I'm gonna get my training on and beat the crap outta Hayase!" Kazushi declared proudly.
...Except for Kaz of course.
"Well, see you guys tomorrow. There's training tomorrow, don't forget..!" Minato waved at them goodbye and went towards the field, towards the Archery range. He stood near the benches and waited for his girlfriend.
The girls in the Archery Team saw Minato standing comfortably near the benches, and all of them squealed and began pestering Yukari.
"Hey, Takeba. Your boyfriend's waiting for you." The Team Captain snickered at the sight of Yukari's flushed face. Sure enough, Minato smiled and waved at her. The girls squealed again.
"Yukari you're so, like, lucky to have a boyfriend like him. I wish my boyfriend is like that..." The girls are envious but they chatted excitedly. Even the Team Captain joined in.
"Well, since it's getting quite late, and Captain of the Kendo is out over there waiting for Takeba, we should call it a day. Some of the Team Captains in other clubs are going to Wuck for a farewell party. I heard Akihiko-senpai will be coming as well~" All the girls literally have hearts in their eyes as they ran towards Wuck leaving behind a cackling Team Captain and a blushing Yukari. She strode silently towards Minato, who again smiled at her while passing her a can of CieloMist.
"You should have waited for me near the gates. We're doing an election on who'll be the co-Captain of the team." Yukari pouted, taking the CieloMist and popped it open. Minato laughed to himself, taking a slurp of his soda. "I emptied my locker in Kendo Club, and moved my stuff to the Captains' Lockers. Didn't knew I'll be Captain for Kendo this next school year, and it's near the Archery Range so I'd figured I'd wait for you there. Sorry if I mocked you or something." He added as the two sat on the benches and Yukari placed her head on his shoulder, gazing at the setting sun in the horizon.
"No, it's fine. I'm just lucky to have a boyfriend like you." She giggled, a faint blush appearing in her face again.
"Say, Minato-kun, don't you think that we're forgetting something? Don't take it the wrong way. I just thought on how did we became friends...It's starting to get to me, that I forgot something very important to me..."
"More important than me, huh..."
"T-that's not w-what I meant!" Yukari playfully punched his shoulder, who snickered.
"You too, huh. Me and Minako think so too. But I'm glad that I met you, Yukari. Whatever reason that is, don't forget that I love you too. Please remember it, for me." He said quietly that Yukari seems surprised. But she smiled and pecked the side of his cheek saying, "Okay. But honestly, Minato-kun, you're pretty hard to forget." It's his turn to blush as he turned away with a smile in his face.
"Well, we should get back to the Dorm. My sister may be worried about me." He said, taking her arms with him. Yukari felt a little sly today.
"Hmph, you two spend so much time together that you're nearly forgetting me..!"
"...I'm sorry." He looked apologetic that the girl became deadpanned. "Me and my sister are very close and everyday relationships with other people makes us feel happy, but if one of us leaves the other then-"
"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean it that way! That's a joke! You're so gullible, Minato-kun..."
"That's also a joke too..."
"Minato-kun!"
Minako is walking to the dorm all by herself, a Melon Bread on her mouth and a can of Yawn-be-gone at her hand. She still feels tired, and the drink isn't helping at all.
Shinjiro...I think I knew him...but... Minako tried to remember him. She stopped just outside the dorm and squinted her eyes really hard to remember.
Don't cry-
This is...how it should be-
Minako...
"Hey look at that cutie over there!" Someone jeered from behind her. She opened her eyes in disgust and turned to look at the two drunken men staggering towards her. "Don't eat so much, babe. You got one sexy body though..." One of the men leaned forward to touch her but Minako swatted his hand away, a snarl sounding from her mouth.
"Oooh, we got a feisty one, Toshiko. Let's get her!" The men began to grab hold of Minako's arms and shoulder as she shouted, "Let me go!" One of them let go and slapped her real hard in the face.
"Shatup, bitch! You're ours now, so shut the fuck up!" Minako began crying, feeling powerless and weak under them. A similar memory came across her mind when she's at the back of Port Island Station. Then a guy in maroon came and saved her.
"Now be good while we do you in!" One of them said excitedly, dragging her towards an alley. She is still trying to fight them off, when all of a sudden, something blue ran towards them and punched the one holding Minako, who bawled under the pain.
"What the fu-!"
"Don't ever dare touch her!" A man suddenly appeared behind the thug with his handsome face turned into anger. Everything was a blur for Minako. The thug is repeatedly punched from all directions until finally, the man, her savior, kicked him at the gut and the thug fell on the ground.
Minako didn't know what to say. But before she could thank him, the stranger stared at her with longing, and then jogged away from her. To her, he looks like some bellboy or flight attendant, but the way that man looked at her meant something else.
She didn't bother catching up. She's really tired for today, even with her weird mania again.
End of Chapter One
I'm still not over the fact that the two greatest protagonists in video game history have to die so I wanted to do this to cheer myself up on what if they lived and what will they do. But after finishing this chapter I realized I could make it a legacy out of it. Yeah, that's right! FanFiction for the win!
Please don't forget to review! I need motivation and don't expect to see the next chapter if not one single person is reviewing it! P3P forever!
~Noelle Strife
Next chapter preview:
About Minako:
"Everything will be fine from now on, Shinji. Please protect the others. Please continue cooking them meals and helping Fuuka and Aki. I'll always be with you, no matter what happens..."
About Minato:
"Ryoji, me and Minako made a decision. It took us a long time, but we knew it will never keep us apart, no matter what will it cause, and we're going to be responsible for it. We choose to-"
That's all thank you for reading "Glad To Be With"
