Through our eyes
Tonight's the full moon.
Yukari sat at the corner of her bed, her hands were shaking and she wanted to cry. I have to do this!
She picked up her bow and arrow and walked towards the door, her hands cold and unsure. She opened the door and found Mitsuru standing in front of her own door, the same fear visible on her usually cool face.
The senpai smiled shakily.
Akihiko sat at the sofa in the lounge. His legs were weak and his heart had been beating so loud he was afraid the others could hear it. He fondled with his gloves and steeled his beating heart. We can do this.
Junpei waited at the window. He clutched his long sword tightly and closed his eyes. His blood started to boil and his shirt was starting to stick to his back. The boy looked around and watched everybody do their own thing. I will fight... to protect this peace. For everyone, and for you, Chidori.
Yamagishi held her hands at her chest as she concentrated. Tonight's the night, after that, everyone will be safe. Mom... Dad... Everyone at S.E.E.S... And Natsuki-chan... I must do everything I can... to protect them.
Mitsuru walked down to the lounge with Takeba. Everybody was already there.
Kirijo met with everybody's eyes and smiled when Koromaru nuzzled her.
The dog barked loudly.
Yukari stood next to him. His blue fringe covering his right eye, just like always. She held his hand and squeezed it tenderly. She looked up as he gazed into her milky brown eyes.
Takeba turned towards everyone else, "My dad delayed the Fall until now... so he could pass me the baton. And I'm going to run with it until the very end."
It was as if Yukari's declaration was a cue, everybody started to declare their goals. Ken spoke up first, "I must end the Dark Hour... for my mother, Shinjiro-san, and me. I will fight with my all. It's not for revenge; it's so we can live."
Fuuka clenched her fist, "If the world ends, our bonds of friendship will disappear... I don't want that to happen. I want to strengthen our bonds, so I can't let the world end today."
Aigis had resolution in her clear blue eyes, "I want everyone to live... And I want to live, too... That's what I'm going to fight for."
Junpei grinned, "Chidori gave me this life... and I'm not gonna let it end today! I'm gonna beat the hell outta Nyx!"
"It all ends tonight... But don't worry, I know we'll win... Shinji will be fighting with us tonight," saying that, Akihiko grabbed Mitsuru's hand.
"I wasn't able to save my father... But, his dreams live on inside of me... I'll make sure they come true..." Mitsuru squeezed Akihiko's hand. She glanced at her watch and looked up at everybody's expectant faces.
"It's time. Alright, let's get going."
FEB 2010
2/23/10
Yukari stood outside his room. "Hey! Are you done yet? Let's get going already!"
She waited for a while before she got impatient and barged into his room. "H-Hey...! I'm not done yet!"
She giggled as he tried to put on his pants hastily. The most sought after boy in school, next to Akihiko Sanada of course, was caught with his trousers down.
He flipped his fringe up as he buttoned his pants. "Sorry you had to see that." He grinned, "Though it's not the first time you saw me with my pants down..."
Yukari kicked his shin, "YEOW!"
The pair walked down to the lounge and caught a glimpse of Kirijo-senpai pecking Sanada-senpai on the cheek before they left the dorm together.
"Ooo... They're dating huh... Guess those rumours were true after all..." Yukari smiled mischievously, "No wonder Sanada-senpai never went out with other girls..."
She looked up and saw Minato chuckling under his breath. "C'mon, let's go, we're gonna be late."
Takeba smiled, she hooked her arm with his and walked with him, arm in arm.
"Yoooo! Hey hey Minato!" Junpei tried to get the boy to wake up; his best friend was a lot sleepier than usual, "eyyyy! Geez!"
Junpei reached out to grab his wallet. Suddenly, a pair of hands stopped him in his tracks.
"Whoa... heh heh heh... Finally got you to wake up huh." Junpei grinned widely, "Say, you wanna go grab some ramen?"
Minato yawned loudly and slouched back into his chair, "Mmph... Alright, but you're paying."
Junpei frown dramatically, "Duuuuude! You know I'm just about as loaded as that bum who lives on the street!" he bent over and grunted, "I only have enough to keep myself from starving...!"
His bestfriend grinned widely and grabbed his bag, "heh heh heh... Alright alright... I'll treat..." he opened his wallet and mumbled softly, "for some reason I have about three million yen in my wallet... hmm..."
Junpei's eyes went wide, "W-Wait whut?"
The blue haired boy shook his head and smiled shakily, "N-Nothing, just checking my finances..."
Akihiko spotted Minato walking home from the ramen place. He ran up to the junior and smiled, "Hey."
The blue haired boy smiled back, "Hey."
Akihiko was always fond of the junior, and for some reason, he felt so close to the boy even though they hardly talked in the dorm...
The boys made small talk as they walked back to the dorm together, gathering many stares from the female population. Akihiko started to get impatient as two of the stalkers refused to go away.
He turned around and caught the two giggly girls red handed. They stared at him as if he was the Christmas lights back when he was at Paulownia mall with Mitsuru last year.
Akihiko immediately turned to Minato. The blue haired boy was better at handling this kind of situation.
The girls started to squeal, "A-Akihiko-senpai, Minato-senpai..."
Akihiko sighed, freshmen...
Minato smiled politely, "I'm sorry, but we have to get going before Mitsuru-senpai freezes Akihiko-san alive and Yukari-chan skins me alive."
Akihiko grinned, Ah... using the names of our respective tigresses... Clever...
The boys turned towards the dorm and walked away, talking about their girlfriends and leaving the two stalkers disappointed at the roadside.
2/27/10
Ken sat in the empty lounge of the high school dorm in Iwatodai. He was supposed to move back to the elementary school dorm come spring when his sixth grade year starts.
It was a Sunday today and there was no school. Ken didn't think that anybody would be home since everybody seemed to have gone out.
Junpei-san went out with his friends... Fuuka-san was leaving for some kind of hard-science fiction movie marathon... Akihiko-senpai and Mitsuru-senpai left together this morning... I didn't see anybody else after that and the dorm was completely silent...
Ken sighed quietly. Why do I feel like I'm forgetting something important...? That guy... Shinjiro-san...? Akihiko-senpai was always talking about him...
Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming down from the 3rd floor. The blue haired boy had his hands hidden in his pockets as he walked downstairs.
"Ken-san? You're alone...?" The senpai had such kindness in his voice that Ken relaxed immediately. Ken never talked much with Minato but he always felt like the high school student was different.
"Yeah, everybody already went out in the morning." Ken smiled sadly, " What about you, Minato-san? You're not going out with your friends?"
Minato grinned tiredly, "I'm playing card games up in Yukari's room."
Ken was confused, "Card games...?"
"Yup. Card games." Minato smiled, "Old Maid actually."
"Old Maid...?" Ken chuckled softly, "That sounds fun..."
Minato walked over and sat next to Ken, "You wanna come up?"
"W-What? Won't Y-Yukari-san be upset?"
The senior grinned, "Neh."
EVENING
Aigis had taken Koromaru out for a walk. Her winter uniform clung tightly on her reinforced armoured body.
Koromaru nuzzled her; she smiled sadly as he whined quietly. Unlike humans, dogs don't forget. Just now back in the dorm, Minato had smiled sadly at her before he went up stairs.
He remembers... Aigis wanted to cry again. She wanted to hug him; she wanted to hold him close. Just as Yukari-chan could...
She knew she wasn't human. Never could she give him warmth like Yukari-chan could. Neither could she make him happy like Yukari-chan could. Yet...
Koromaru whined again. They had reached the shrine.
He howled sadly towards the moon and then he growled under his breath. Aigis smiled sadly, "Yes. I understand. You do not like the moon very much, do you, Koro-chan?"
He nuzzled her as the night quietly came to a close.
MARCH 2010
3/3/10
Fuuka saw Minato walk out of his classroom with Yukari yanking his arm and Junpei laughing loudly beside them.
The brown haired archery club girl ended up chasing Junpei around the school. Fuuka giggled under her breath; suddenly she felt a hand touch her shoulder.
"...?"
Minato was using her shoulder as support. He was laughing so hard his face was pink and his lungs were expiring.
"A-are you okay Minato-kun?"
"Y-Yeah... Hahaha...!"
Fuuka smiled, even though they lived in the same dorm, she never really talked much with him, though he always found time to help taste her weird concoctions.
"S-say... Minato-kun..."
He looked up at her, "Hmm?"
"Um... N-nevermind..."
The boy straightened himself up, "What's up?"
"N-nothing... it's just that..." Fuuka stammered clumsily, "H-how did we meet...? I-I mean... You were in 2-F and I was in 2-E..."
Minato glanced at the ceiling and rubbed his neck absentmindedly, "Hm... Music club I guess..."
O-oh... I totally forgot about that... "O-Of course...! Sorry for asking something so weird all of the sudden..."
The boy chuckled softly, "It's alright."
3/5/10
SENIOR GRADUATION DAY
Mitsuru read her speech to herself for the final time and smiled at the elegance in the words.
She had received help from Arisato when the pressure came to writing an emotional graduation speech for the whole senior batch. They had spent a good week together in the library writing and re-writing the speech.
The junior had also helped her in many other things, such as conjuring the courage to reject her obnoxious ex-fiancé. As well as explain it to Akihiko, who had seemed very excited in meeting my ex-fiancé and attacking him...
Mitsuru smiled as she bathed in her memories of the year... yet... some pieces of the puzzle seemed to be missing...
Why did she feel so close to Arisato, why was she even acquainted with him...? Sure, he was the top scholar in his grade... and we live under the same roof... but...
A teacher walked up to her and snapped her out of her delusion. She sighed heavily, "Time to put on a good show..."
Yukari had left the dorm early today. Usually she would leave with Minato, but today she was too lazy to wait for him. Just like him to oversleep...
Her boyfriend was unusually tired lately and Yukari had to act as his alarm clock for the last 2 weeks. Not today... Hm... Speaking of which... where IS he...?
Today was Senior Graduation day, and Aigis couldn't keep it in anymore.
She knocked on his door, "It's me... Can I speak with you for a moment?"
Her clear blue eyes were cast on the floor, "It's important."
The door opened and she walked into his room. The last time I was in here... he was sick and had to stay in for a few days...
She couldn't help but smile.
"Today's Senior Graduation day..." her voice cracked, " I... I remember everything..."
Minato glanced at his feet.
Aigis was choking on her words, "Everyone seems to have forgotten... But I remember... That day... we..."
Minato smiled kindly, "Don't cry..."
"I-I'm sorry... It's just that... When I remembered... I was afraid you would go somewhere far away like that last battle... I...!"
Aigis looked up at Minato, who was smiling sadly at her. No... Today is supposed to be a happy day...
She straightened herself up, " I'm sorry. Our promise... Today's Graduation day, let's go to the roof and wait for everybody."
Minato nodded and Aigis smiled sadly, This feeling...
GEKKOUKAN HIGH
AUDITORIUM
Akihiko sat with his classmates as Mitsuru said her speech.
"This last year, I accepted an important responsibility as Student Council President. When I first addressed you from this podium, I spoke to you all about seizing opportunity while you had the chance..."
She scanned over the audience as she continued her speech, "Well, it must have been fate that intervened and gave me an important reminder of this... As many of you may know, my father unexpectedly passed away, due to sudden illness..."
W...What the... I... I...! "Sudden illness...?"
The crowd was restless. Fragments of memories begun to play out in his head like a broken record, flashbacks, painful memories and awful realisations.
He jumped out from his seat and almost ran over to the junior seats to look for Minato. I remember..! I REMEMBER!
Yukari felt as if the memories that had been sealed away in her head had violently exploded, all the missing pieces were back and she could remember every single bit of everything. Tartarus... Shadows... Persona... You.
She glanced at Junpei, he met her eyes and grinned that old shark like grin of his and put on his cap. "Let's go, Yuka-tan!"
"I remember... Yes... With my father's death, I lost my purpose in life..." Mitsuru had resolution in her voice, "But now I have something to live for. No longer will I run from the future! I will face it head on, carrying out my father's will! I am resolved and without reservation."
She glanced down towards the rag tag group of old friends gathering below the stage, "I owe it all to my invaluable friends... And we have promised to never lose hope, no matter what tomorrow may bring."
She leapt down towards them against the disapproval of the crowd.
Mitsuru almost wanted to cry, how could I forget?
"Senpai, we made a promise. Let's find him, and Aigis too!" Yukari's voice was clear and excited; I have to find him...!
"Yes, I can hardly wait. Everyone, let's go!"
ROOFTOP
His head was on her lap, a scenario where she could only dream about when she slept. He watched the sky with her lazily as they waited for the rest of S.E.E.S to arrive.
"The wind feels so nice... This is my first time experiencing spring."
Aigis spoke quietly with Minato, words that were locked in her Papillion heart for so long, it started to hurt.
"Don't cry..." He smiled kindly, that same smile he flashed her when she apologized incisively for sealing Death within him. The same... kind smile...
"It's alright..." He reached out to touch her cheek. How I wish this moment would never go...
Aigis smiled between her sobs, "You're right. What am I doing? I understand now, so I should be happy..."
Heavy footsteps disturbed the tranquility as their friends ran up to the roof. Junpei's voice was the loudest, "Heeey...!"
"Everyone... I realize now that I have friends as well. You don't have to save the world to find meaning in life... Sometimes, all you need is something simple, like someone to take care of."
Aigis smiled, she touched Minato's cheek, "I'll keep on living no matter what, so that I can protect you..."
Minato looked tired; his face was frigid with fatigue, as if he was fighting for weeks on end without sleep.
"Thank you for everything... You must be tired... Please get some rest... I'll stay right here with you..." Aigis said as the footsteps got closer.
"Soon, all your friends will be here by your side..." Aigis smiled kindly as Minato slowly closed his tired eyes, "Don't worry. I will always be by your side, protecting you..."
Her tears started to flow as the cold wind blew across the roof. Aigis turned towards the door as her friends arrived, his head still on her lap, his smile forever etched in her head.
Good night, Minato-kun.
Author's note: I know it's quite short for a one shot eh? I've seen people with 5 thousand word chapters and 10k word one shots. I on the other hand, will give you one tenth of that heh. Sorry. I just cannot write so long. Heh. I hope you enjoyed this story, reviews are nice, I wanna know what you think of this story thank you very much :D