A few months had passed since I told my story to my father. Not much has changed since then, all except for the questions he had on my type of magic. I told him that it had mixed with my magecraft, but I could still use the same principles of the Persona skills.

Fire, Ice, Wind, Elec, Holy, Dark, and Almighty are still within my grasp. The more I use the elements, the better my control over them improves, and with every use, my circuits get more used to them. I've gotten back the –Dyne skills, but the drain is still too much for me to keep spamming, so I need to work on my output of the skill, or just let my circuits adapt.

After hearing about what I used to call upon my Persona, he got curious and asked me if I could project it for him. Since I didn't know the inner mechanics of the Evoker, all I did was give him something that looked like it. He was specifically curious about the meaning of S.E.E.S.

After that, I asked him about that hidden box he had in his room that has so many small bounded fields. At first he was reluctant to even say a word about it, but after remembering what I had told him, he threw out his hesitation and actually showed me what was inside the box.

For some reason, I had to stop my drool from trailing down my mouth as I automatically used Structural Grasping on the thing.

The Thompson Contender, a work of art that combines magecraft and modern weaponry. I could see the history of the magnificent weapon. If I ignore the brutal things that it entailed, like shooting those origin bullets, it was a fine piece of work.

I had found myself imagining that I was pulling the trigger. The end result in my head was… not so epic.

The recoil of the thing was enough to topple me if I actually fired it, add in a little roll or two at the pull of the trigger. The weight of the gun was too much for me to lift without any reinforcement, and even then the recoil would still drop me flat in my back.

It was an amazing piece of equipment, but I would need a few more years just to HOLD the thing properly. I already know that father wouldn't even let me touch the thing, but then again, I have my Structural Grasping to memorize the entire blueprints of the weapon; Projection to allow me to create a duplicate; and Reinforcement to allow it to materialize for a few good hours.

Though, the bullets in the tiny case beside the gun would forever haunt me in my dreams.

Well… not really. If one would use Structural Grasping on a raw steak, they'll actually see the history of the meat, how the animal died, how it was chopped piece by piece, tenderized, and put on display on the market.

Needless to say, Fuji-nee never allowed me to tell scary stories

Ever

Anything that look like steaks are also off the menu

Though enough about enlightening tales, for now. I've gone back to school again, only because I was bored and I need inspiration on newer ways to integrate my Persona magic to my magecraft.

"Still…" I sighed, thinking how the teachers were impressed by my marks in school. "Having the knowledge of a teenager feels like cheating… I just hope they don't mark me up as a genius."

Hearing the sudden shift in the air beside my ear, I instinctively raised my arm. Something made contact with my forearm, though it was a little too soft to have done any injury.

As the thing that hit me bounced harmlessly away from me, I took a good look at it and couldn't help but raise a brow. "A soccer ball?" I said. I looked over to where the ball came from, and who it was that kicked it. When I saw who it was, I smiled slightly, and I saw that the person also did the same. "Is this a declaration for a challenge?" I asked teasingly.

The kid that kicked the ball to me smirked, making his usually kind appearance seem dangerous, yet playful at the same time. "Maybe." He answered vaguely, though the message was pretty clear.

I looked over behind him and saw that there were kids behind him that were also part of the school that I attended at. Each and every one of the kids were looking eagerly at me, also delivering the message similar to the first kid that kicked off the challenge.

Returning the dangerous smirk to the kid, I shrugged off my bag. It was just afterschool, and there were parents that were also eager to see the match between me and the kid that kicked the ball. It was one of the events after school that everyone was really expecting; parents, high school students, middle school students, and elementary students. It was a popular little duel in the form of soccer that escalated into an epic showdown.

So far, all games ended in a draw between me and the kid.

"All right then, young master." I started, making the people watching the interaction between us smile excitedly. "I accept this challenge, though I do so hope that you are prepared to lose this time."

"As if one such as I would lose to someone like you," the kid smirked, though I could tell that he was enjoying our little banter greatly. "Let us begin then, Mongrel."

I snorted, shaking my head with an amused grin on my face. "But of course, my little Golden King." I said, giving him a nickname based on his mannerism of old nobility, and the colour of his hair.

Both of us stared at one another, making the people looking on lean in closer. What first started from a tiny group of parents became a crowd of spectators. Everyone close enough to the little park with a makeshift soccer field had come to see another day of epic showdown.

What first started as a little game of pass between Gil, the interesting kid that I saw a few months back, and the kids that were playing after school became a show-off competition when they invited me to join.

We first began to show off our air passes, then a set of impressive ball control, then acrobatic displays. In the end, it led to a game of competitive soccer, with an actual referee by the end of the game.

We didn't know when the guy got there, but Gil and I didn't really care because we were too engrossed into our play that we almost lost track of time the first time.

Ever since then, a referee was always ready to call the game between us. Whoever the guy was, he sure was a fanatic. Seriously, where in the world did that guy get a full uniform?

As the elementary students got into position… though, it looks like Gil had been teaching them about the rules of soccer since they all look like they were serious about this.

In the center of the field, both me and Gil were already doing the cliché face off.

Gil looked me in the eye, his usually innocent red ones looking more ferocious than before. "I don't know how you're keeping up with me, mongrel, but today a victor will finally be decided."

Slightly lowering my head, my eyes were looking up at him, my posture giving me a slightly threatening look. "And who, my dear King, would be the victor?"

Gil scoffed, raising his head while looking down at me with his eyes even though we were both the same height. "You may squirm, like the worm you are, all you like, but in the end you will be put down where you belong: on the ground, grovelling before me."

In response to the insult, I simply bowed to him, as if taking a compliment instead from someone of a higher stature. Gil couldn't help but raise a brow at my action. "You flatter me, my King. To even allow this lowly worm to reach thine eyes, and catch the attention of someone such as majestic as you, if only briefly… I am elated."

From Gil's, now, towering form before my bowing self, the competitive tension has risen to a whole new level. Some of the people that witnessed the slight verbal war that Gil and I just traded were now on the edge of their seats, and the ones that were standing were leaning forward too much that they could fall over with just a single tap.

The acting referee stepped up between us with a coin in his hand. Showing us that it was real, he glanced at Gil first, who was still looking down, and to me, who had stood straight again. "Alright, who's gonna call?"

"If you would." I said, gesturing to the smug-looking blond, who looked at the coin and scowled.

"Not with that filthy thing." said Gil, looking at the coin with a bit of disdain. "Only a proper coin should be used whilst I am on the play." reaching inside his pocket, he tossed something to the teenage referee.

At the sight of the object, I couldn't stop raising a brow and blowing a long whistle. "At first I thought you just looked rich, Gil, but this really takes the cake."

In the hands of the wide-eyed, gaping referee was a gold coin, the size of a palm! The coin glistered in the afternoon sun in a vibrant display. You don't need to dent it to make sure it's real, because just the looks of it, it screamed authentic. It didn't help that it looked like something that should be in a museum… or something that I would find in Tartarus from those gold hands… which once gave my group a golden flip off back then.

"I-Is this real?" the referee asked, holding on to the coin as if it was going to turn to dust if he didn't properly hold it.

"Of course it is, you mongrel." Gil said to the guy sharply, scaring him enough to jump and almost drop the expensive looking metal. "You would dare accuse a king's treasure to be a fake? Bite your tongue!"

For some reason, Gil looked serious when he made that command. Though a little childish, the way he said it had enough authority in it to make the one who was given the command to obey, or be uncertain.

Right now, the referee was leaning to the latter, but slowly inching to the former. The crowd that gathered were also looking the coin in the referee's hands. You could practically hear what they were all thinking, but some of the kids on the field vocalized for them.

"Shiny~!"

That was the chorus of the people.

Now there's an inspiration for a bounded field. Put a coin in the Marin Karin Bounded Field and let the people outside drool over it, even if it is a one yen coin. It would be funny and a good distraction, other people would think that the one who picked it up was really greedy.

"So…" I started, earning everyone's attention, even the uncertain referee. "Are we just going to wait here or are we going to play?"

"Indeed." Gil said, though it didn't look like he was agreeing with my statement. "It is time that I put Arisato in his place." He said to himself, as though I wasn't even present.

"Your call, Gil" I said.

"Heads!" he declared to the referee, who was now properly focused. When the coin hit the ground, I wasn't surprised that it ended up just as Gil predicted. Gil smirked. "Hmph, prepare to be crushed, Arisato."

"Prepare to be disappointed, Gil." I returned the smirk.

As the whistle was blown, the kid beside Gil passed the ball. As soon as it came to the blond, he shot of to the goal with speed that would put most soccer club members to shame.

The red eyed blond weaved through every player on my side of the field while I prepared myself by the net. After Gil jumped over a sliding tackle, I made my move. The crowds were in an uproar with cheers and whistles. The best of both teams were about to clash, with Gil bulldozing the attack.

When I met Gil just outside the penalty line, he did and impressive shuffle and tried to slip the ball between my legs.

I denied him of that when I took a step back and managed to let the ball bounce off the leg and made it stop directly between us.

"Hmph, defence as always, eh, Mongrel?" the golden boy smirked.

"All I need is one mistake." I returned the smirk.

Gil showed me a vicious grin, his eyes glinting as he had just formed a plan in his head. "FOOL! A King makes no mistakes!"

With one impressive, and awe-inspiring maneuver that would have made even professionals green with envy, Gil lifted his foot up and brought it down on the ball with on an angle that would force it into a grinding back-spin. The force that he used was enough to get the ball to travel on his leg and launch it up over his head, perfectly vertical. The move had surprised me so much that I couldn't even move.

Crouching down slightly, Gil jumped, turned in mid-air, and actually performed an actual over-head kick!

The ball flew past my head with enough force that my ear slightly went deaf and into the goal. The keeper, the players on both teams, as well as the audience were struck speechless.

As Gil landed gracefully back on the ground, he stood tall and proud, admiring the stunned silence that he had created.

"And that, mongrel, is the power of a KING!"

The crowd exploded into cheers! The parents were shouting while clapping their hands and even the teenagers were almost howling their praises.

All the while, Gil was basking in the attention.

"What say you, Arisato?"

The cheers died down as another challenge had been set. The people were all awaiting for my reply, but were already not expecting me to top the amazing goal that they had just witnessed.

In return to them, I smiled. "I say… Bring it on o Golden King."

Once again, the crowds erupted in cheers.

From there on it was my team's turn on the offense. Gil decided to stay by the goal and direct his players from there. I've played with the same team ever since the first match with the blond, and we've all been able to cooperate well enough to work together.

If the ball was passed to one of the kids on the field, neither me nor Gil would move to steal it. It had been a silent agreement that we only face each other, and only each other. Both me and the blond were leagues above the others, that's why we don't interfere with how they play. Unless the ball was passed to us, it was an all-out war for the elementary kids.

Besides, me and Gil were only interested with each other.

"Minato-san!" one of them called out.

I saw the ball flying towards me, and I saw Gil sporting another vicious grin. I hopped up and let the ball land on my chest before adjusting my body to control the motion of the ball.

There were three of Gil's teammates behind me. I was on midfield when the ball was passed, so that would mean that they were the forwards of the team. In front of me were three more midfielders and the rest were Gil, the defenders and the keeper.

"You're surrounded, Arisato. What will you do now?" Gil called out from his spot, leaning against the goal post. I could tell that in predicaments like these, Gil was highly anticipating what moves I would use in order to escape. Would I pass the ball? Would I charge head-on? Or will I be forced to go for a thrown in?

Out of all the three, there was one that Gil was always looking forward to.

And it was always the one that I choose.

"You underestimate me, little King!" I cried out, charging ahead to the waiting opponents.

Like a replay of Gil's earlier performance, I dodged, dribbled, tossed and jumped over my attackers. The smile that was on Gil's face never vanished, it was almost as if it was growing, actually.

"HAAHAHAHA! That's it! Pique my interest further, Arisato! Entertain me more!" the little blond bellowed, raising his arms to command the other defenders to attack. "Show me that you are another diamond in the rough!"

The remaining three defenders all went for a sliding tackle at the same time. If I hadn't been conditioning my body for the past couple of years, I would have needed some reinforcement to escape the attack. But as of now, thanks to my daily training, I was able to soar over the three elementary kids, and pushed on towards the still smirking red eyed blond.

Though normally I would have charged past Gil and let my momentum carry me on, but…

I stopped just a few feet in front of Gil, who had removed himself from the post and just outside the penalty line. I hummed, eyeing the blond as he stood with one arm relaxed by his side, the other on his hip, not the in the least threatened by my skills that he just witnessed. "This looks familiar, now, doesn't it?" I muttered.

"So it would seem." Gil smirked. "We always find ourselves in these situations. It would either be me or you attacking or defending…"

"But in the end, we always end up surprising each other." I finished.

I pressed the ball under my foot hard, using my heel to drive it into a powerful back-spin. The ball had been under my foot as I stopped to converse with Gil, he made no move to stop me, only waiting what move I would use to impress him.

And after all those waits, not one of them was he disappointed

The ball travelled the back of my leg, spinning directly on top of my flesh. As I stomped my foot hard on the ground, the ball flew up in an impressively straight vertical angle.

Gil smirked as the ball began to descend. "Try to top my shot, then, Arisato." He muttered.

I crouched low, my knees almost touching the ground, coiling all my muscles in my legs. With one high leap, easily going over Gil's height, I turned, and imitated Gil's impressive shot, only mine was hit in an angle that would make the ball curve in its trajectory.

The ball soared past the uncaring red eyed blond, and in to the open hands of the keeper. But the power behind the shot was strong enough to carry even the elementary child into the net.

As I landed, Gil closed his eyes, his face adorning a smile of approval. "Even in a child's body… and without any aid…" he whispered.

From in front of him, I smiled at the blond. "Like you, Gil, I don't need my gifts to do what you can."

"You think too highly of yourself to compare to me, Mongrel." He sneered, though it was nothing but an empty threat.

And so, the game continues…

After the intense/gruelling match, only two players stood in the field, the others were just too tired to keep up, and the referee had to blow the whistle to end the game. The scores?

4 – 3

Finally, after so many matches over the months, there was finally a victor.

"HA! None can match a KING!" bellowed my blond friend, walking beside me as I made my way home.

I rolled my eyes, giving Gil a crooked smirk. "Though, my prediction came to pass. You were disappointed."

The truth of the end game made him scowl in distaste. "Yes, it was awfully disappointing; none of them were able to actually make to the end."

"Hollow victories always give a bad after-taste." I agreed. "Still, your team won."

Gil scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "You are too modest, Arisato. It was only the two of us that were doing all the scores, while the rest of the worms just wiggled in the dirt."

"That's a bit cruel of you, Gil." I chided, making the blond scoff again. "At least worms are useful; you shouldn't compare them to kids, you'll insult the worms."

Gil hummed in reply, but never actually voicing his thoughts. The only sign that I saw that made me certain that he was amused was the smirk on his face.

Gil was an odd kid, but I know that, like me, he's no ordinary human…

If you can call him that.

He has the same feeling as Personas, yet at the same time, he has the subtle oppressive aura of the Shadows. He also has red eyes that could see through all illusions, deceptions, mysteries and secrets.

The first time he said to me 'You are interesting', was my first clue that he wasn't normal. Usually, when guys tell that to guys… we tend to defend our rears… but that wasn't what he meant, thankfully.

I think he saw what I truly am… or something like that, and he thinks it's interesting.

Mystic Eyes… I think that was what my dad said they were.

Eyes that saw different from what others see, eyes that could be anything, or could be nothing. Either it was his eyes or just some gut instincts, I wasn't very sure, but I like the kid all the same.

There was something about Gil that made you want to follow him, made you want to be led by him… made you want to not to piss him off, for some reason. His glares were intense… it must have been because of the red eyes.

There are times when Gil was a kind and sweet child, holding and air of mystery, childishness, and just plain carefree. Then there are times when his personality makes a 180 turn. He becomes arrogant, snobby, and all around ass.

But bantering with that personality always amuses us both.

We like to Troll people with it.

Gil would set the opening insult, then I would scold him for it, only for me to add insult to injuries to the other party.

Life was good, but we both keep our secrets, and don't ask for the other's. He already knew that I could use magic, and I already knew that he wasn't human, but we never ask, or press on the matter. It was a mutual relationship.

"Minato-chan~!"

I shuddered at the little pet name. Gil looked entertained by my reaction, and just smiled at my discomfort. Behind us, running in a small jog, was Fujimura Taiga, just coming home from school.

"That was a great game, Minato-chan!" when the hyperactive teen finally caught up with us, she draped herself on my back and leaned all her weight on me. She also noticed that Gil was smiling at the scene in amusement. "Oh, you're that kid that beat my Minato-chan!" she said cheerfully, smiling in with all of her excess energy.

"Tiger-san, you do know that I hold the fate of our dinner tonight, yes?" I reminded the teen in my spot under her. "Would you also like another tale of animal cruelty?"

Taiga froze in my back, paling as she remembered what horror had been wrought upon the poor beef. She got off my back, turned me around to face her and lifted me in a hug while rubbing her face on mine. "NOOO!" she wailed pitifully. "I don't want another scary story!"

Ignoring the antics of the supposedly more mature one in our little group of three, I gestured over to the almost laughing blond. "Tiger-san, allow me to introduce you to Gil. Gil, meet Fujimura Taiga, my neighbour and the teen with the mind-set of an 8-year old."

Now, Taigi started to rub her face more furiously than before. "Waahh! So mean!" I could already feel my face getting warm from all the friction of the rubbing.

"It's nice to meet you." Gil bowed politely.

I realize that there were instances like these that the polite Gil manifests. But when it comes to proving his superiority over someone, he turns into the other persona… I wonder if he knows how to use the Persona Shift…

"Hello~!" Taiga greeted the blond, thankfully stopping her rubbing. It feels like my face just became smoother for some scientific reason, and I could tell from the corner of my eye that Taiga's cheek was also the same. "That was a great game, by the way." She complemented.

"Thank you." Gil smiled, surprising me again on how he could be so polite if he wanted to. "Playing against Minato-san is always a good challenge."

Taiga nodded vigorously, remembering the times where I whooped her ass on our spars, which actually made her better than most people her age in the region. "Yeah, Minato-chan has always been talented." Taiga agreed. "If only he wasn't so mean~!" and thus, the dreaded face rubbing came back.

Only this time, it was on the other cheek.

"Fuji-nee, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were polishing my face." I commented to the teen, who didn't even pause at what she was doing.

"You're just so cute~! And you always act like you don't care, too!" she practically squealed. She was probably talking about my deadpans.

"Didn't you say that I was mean and annoying?" I added, hoping that she would stop her current actions and leave my face the hell alone. what in the world drove her to act like this on me?

"But you're just so adorable back there in the game!" now she began swinging me like a doll. The strength that she had gained because of all that swinging with the shinai made her actions possible, given small bits of muscle that I accumulated with my conditioning.

Reaching out desperately to the blond who was laughing at me, I called out. "Save me, Gil! Get this beast off me!"

My hopes were shattered when the blond kid started to walk away. "It's not my problem, Minato-san."

Seeing the blond get farther and farther away, I wailed in despair.

"GIIIIIIILLLLL!"

A/N:

Right…

This is a chapter that just introduces Gil and the rivalry he has with Minato. Even though I don't have the ataraxia game, I've read on the wiki that Gil becomes polite when he drinks the potion that makes him young.

I wasn't really sure as to what personality I should give the child Gil, so I just combined it and made 'flip coin' effect. Gil is mostly polite, but reverts back into his older personality, King Gilgamesh, if someone challenges his superiority.

Like Minato.

Stuck in a child's body, but also refuses to use his skills to enhance his body whenever he faces off with Gil. It was impressive… for a child. Gil thinks that maybe, just maybe, that Minato could be something more… and if he is, he would be there to see it.