A/N: Hi there, I'm Nowherefast and as usual let me get the formalities done with. Persona 3 and all of its characters and anything affiliated are the property of Atlus, and of course I do not own any of it. This is purely a fan fiction with no intent at profit and created solely for the pleasure fellow fans of the series.

Now that's out of the way, I will use the naming convention of Minato Arisato and Hamuko Arisato in this story. Personally, I just think Minako sounds too similar to Minato and that would confuse me as I write chapters. I will pull material primarily from P3 FES and P3P. The story will revolve around the consequences and twists Minato experiences in his return to the living.

This goes to the next point in that I have no set schedule for writing chapters because my free time is sporadic. Optimistically, this story will be long but without pacing problems.

Thank you to rEpose for being my beta reader and sorting through my mediocre grammar and ideas.

Of course, reviews and comments would be welcome and encouraged.

Finally, thanks to the reader for spending your time here, and without further ado…

Note: This story begins with a 3 part prologue and then begins in earnest.

Final Update: Cleaned for formatting issues 1/12/14

Prologue Part 1: Destiny

(Date Unknown, Final Battle Site)

Minato P.O.V.

Silence permeated the void as the sinister presence receded.

"Was it really over?" was the thought in everyone's mind.

The grief and negativity of human emotion receded as the members of S.E.E.S. had defeated Erebus. Everyone exhaled and had tired smiles on their faces. Their struggle was over. Even though Erebus would eventually return, it was time to honor his memory by changing the hearts of those that yearn for Nyx one person at a time.

"I'm ready to start the morning of April 1st," Yukari said with a smile.

"Everyone, let's go back," Mitsuru added.

"Of course!" responded Aigis and with that everyone left, back to Iwatodai Dormitory.

That is, everyone that could leave. The one person who remained could hardly be described as alive, but he was still sentient. He observed the same events as his friends had in the Abyss of Time. Minato Arisato was the stone statue on the Great Seal watching vigilantly for humanity's call for destruction, Erebus. The blue-haired teen had reached his full potential, yet there were growing doubts in his mind if this was really his destiny. His friends had left and he felt a pang of regret that he couldn't join them.

"Why? Why are you all leaving? Friends? These are my friends? I-I don't want to suffer alone," was his lament.

Once again, Minato was alone with a burden that no person should have. The singular determination to protect all the people he had met since he arrived at Tatsumi Port Island began to waver.

The Great Seal began to rust as its host became weaker in will and angry at his friends for not finding a way to save him. His friends would get to see the morning of April 1st with their own eyes. Minato began to feel something beyond anger for his friends; he loathed them. The bitterness consumed his mind and the seal began to deteriorate in earnest until the stone encasing Minato's body crumbled away.

His body fell to the ground and he struggled to breathe, but it seemed he was very much alive.

"I should be dead," he muttered without preamble. Was this really his own body? Moreover, the seal no longer existed. What did this all mean? Regardless, he needed to get out of here. He followed the same door that the other s.e.e.s.. members had used to leave.

As he arrived, the Abyss of Time was on the verge of disappearing, similar to the way Tartarus had vanished. While the rest of his friends had gone to the Velvet Room, Minato did not have the true key to open the front door of the dormitory. He went back to his old room to see if his evoker was there, but the door did not budge.

With impending doom imminent, he collapsed on his knees and muttered, "Well, I guess this is it," which was an understatement, but Minato had always been calm even in situations that would qualify as a crisis. At that moment, the door to Minato Arisato's room became unsealed, but the Abyss of Time dissolved.