Disclaimer: I do not own Persona, Atlus does. All I own is the story.
The Return
Chapter 1: Memories and Leavetaking
The void stretched endlessly with seemingly nothing in sight. The only deviation in sight of this blackness was a single seal with a blue haired man suspended upon the seal. There was no noise, no stirring in the area. Then all of a sudden a great and terrible roar could be heard throughout the void and the seal began to rumble waking the blue haired man up. The malevolent being known as Erebus crashed with a thunderous landing upon the floor of the seal. The blue haired man looked up at the being that represented all of humanities wishes for death and deliverance and a single thought rang through Minato Arisato's mind.
"Round …, Damn I don't remember anymore. Alright you bastard, ready to lose again?" Minato cried. The attacks upon his body at the seal had been constant and he had little respite to rest.
Despite the amount of attacks Erebus threw upon the man he always stood firm and unyielding to the mighty god. It was difficult and the worse torture he'd ever experienced and most importantly it would never end.
" Remember your friends, Minato, the unbreakable bonds I forged in a year to perform the impossible.
Think of Junpei and his moronic yet hilarious antics, Akihiko's iron willed determination and strive to get stronger, of Yukari and her fiery spirit.
Remember Koromaru's absolute loyalty to the group, and of Ken's and Shinjiro's fight for redemption and absolution. Think about Aegis and her search of humanity, and Fuuka and her change of a meek girl to a strong woman.
And Mitsuru, oh god Mitsuru…the smart, beautiful, strong, and independent senpai who he loved
Minato remembers her and his first impressions of her; a stuck up, rich, ice queen. He remembers being apathic to her and often agreed with Yukari 's views on her and was amused with her grudge against Mitsuru. Then over time in his time in SEES, he got to know her. Sometime over the summer, he saw cracks under her Ice Empress persona, starting with her look of guilt when everyone learned about what Mitsuru's grandfather did, and later most oddly, watching some random romantic movie. He began to admire her fiery spirit and her impeccable talent with combat and leadership. Minato was absolutely amazed by the strong front that she showed in front of S.E.E.S. She was truly the most reliable member of S.E.E.S.
He remembers the day her father died, of how they were betrayed by the villainous Ikutski and of how on that very day Mitsuru finally broke down. He remembers being her rock during her time of grieving, and managing to inspire her to rejoin their unknown fight up ahead of them. He was right by her side when he witnessed the change of her persona. Later that day he was mercilessly executed for being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
He remembers when they started hanging out after class and of teaching her the simple things in life, watching movies, eating fast food, teaching her how to cook, and walking Koromaru. He remembers of how he fell in love with her during this time, admiring her strong spirit and her endearing natural curiosity on the mundane and later being irrationally angry at the fact that she had a fiancé or when Ryoji would flirt with her. He remembers the horrific news Ryoji gave S.E.E.S. about the nature of the Fall and the coming of Nyx and of how she was the one show unconditional support to him in his time of need and of how on that very day, he knew that Mitsuru was the one for him.
He chuckles as he remembers of her awkward yet awesome confession of love which was epic when she put that bastard fiancé in his place and broke all forms of relations with him. He remembers the love that they shared of how they tried to do as many things before the Fall like learning how to ride a motorbike for him or for her, learning how to cook. He remembers the passionate nights they would spend with each other during the month before the Fall. He remembers the fight against Nyx and of how all of S.E.E.S managed to stop her. He remembers the terrifying and horrible cost it would enact, his death in about a month and the loss of memories from all of his friends.
He remembers the heart breaking month to come and how everyone forgot about him and went on with their daily live. He remembers his final day, lying on his back, cradled by Aegis the only one to remember the events that happened and of the deep need to go to sleep. He remembers Mitsuru beating all others with her memories returned promising to never let go of him.
As Minato returned his focus back on Erebus, he prepared for another vicious beating from the primoridial god of Darkness, when all of a sudden a bright white light appeared and threw Erebus with incredible force. Shocked, Minato looked for the identity of his savior and saw a pale woman with yellow eyes and golden hair, dressed in a blue hotel bellhop outfit while wielding a compendium under her right arm. This was Elizabeth the assistant and resident of the Velvet Room.
POV change Elizabeth
As an immortal of the velvet room, I've seen so many guests come and go, needing Igor's and my assistance, but none have stuck in my mind than Minato Arisato. Here was a boy, no a man that beat all the odds. Starting with the brutal sealing of Death within himwhile just a child, Minato was chased by demons for his whole life. He never had a chance to mourn the loss of his parents and his beloved twin sister. From there on he was under the guardianship of a distant grandfather on his mother's side, who he met rarely. He was educated and traveled all over the world for several years before returning where everything started, Iwatodai.
From there the spirit of the wild card awakened in Minato's soul, and slowly she watched as a once reserved boy turn a strong, fearless, and charismatic leader. Facing trials would stop his predecessors, she watched him preserve through hardship, open up to his friends (including herself) and fall in love with a worthy woman. She saw in awe as Minato Arisato challenged not only his fate but humanity's fate and witnesses him beating the unbeatable Nyx. He should of got a happy ending, a peaceful life for him to live freely with no more hardship. But alas it was not to be.
Like all Greek tragedies Minato paid the ultimate price for saving all of humanity. She watched the sick irony of him being wiped from his friend's and lover's memories and of how he knew he only had but a month to live. She saw the horror in all of S.E.E.S. reactions of how they forgot about their beloved comarade and the greater horror of his eventual passing.
These events shook a normally unflappable Elizabeth when she finally concluded in her mind that her admiration for the young Wild Card transformed into love for him. She knew that it would never work out, her being an immortal being only existing because of Philemon's will, and Minato being a mortal.
But she knew in that moment that she had to save him from the Seal, that if Minato could defy fate to save humanity's soul, then she would defy fate and rescue the one she loved from his unbreakable prison. She found her own Wild Card after two years of emotional pain and witnessing S.E.E.S. find the Answer.
Now as she arrived at the sight of the Great Seal, she could finally save him
"What, how, what are you doing here!" cried a confused yet relieved Minato
"I'm here to save you Minato, I made a promise to save the only mortal I admire and care for from this trap. You deserve a normal life, free and far away from this prison," Elizabeth tearfully explained.
"You can't, I'm the only one that can hold the seal," grimaced an exhausted Minato Arisato.
"A wild card can assume the position of the Seal which what I am now Minato," explained Elizabeth "I will save you Minato"
"Elizabeth don't do this! You can't take my position, it isn't right!" yelled Minato desperately.
Elizabeth casted a spell that released Minato from the seal and she calmly went in to the Seal's place as it shackled her as it once shackled him and said, "This is my choice Minato, I want to do this and you cannot stop me! Minato you have a second chance now, go back and live your life, if not for me, then do it for Mitsuru. She never gave up on you and continues to research of how to save you from your ordeal. So go out and live and never forget"
"I will never forget this Elizabeth, I owe you so much," Minato tearfully replied. "Goodbye…"
"Goodbye Master Minato," smiled out Elizabeth.
Erebus roared and struck a thunderous blow to the Great Seal, and the force of it blew me away and soon I before I lost consciousness, I remembered the feel of falling.
Author's Note: This may be a simple two shot or a full blown multichaptered story depending on the response I get from this story. So it's up to you guys of what you get. This is my first story I've ever written and the idea resonated in my mind for a while, so give me some feedback please! Good, bad, ugly I welcome all reviews! After looking over the chapter I decided to give Elizabeth a viewpoint for the first chapter, as for her role in the story, I've got an unconventional way to keep her character in. The next chapter may surprise you guy as I've taken liberties in messing with the timeline in certain events like Elizabeth having her Wild Card now rather than the events of Persona 4 Arena.