Jesus Christ we're up to eleven chapters,, aWESOME. Whats not so awesome is that I have school again and now I want to write this so much. gROAAAAAAN

Although, I'm surprised I've made by this far. I'm happy that this has gotten noticed a lot during my time away and I feel like curling into a ball out of the sheer joy that people like what I write!

Aaaaaaa don't want to get too sentimental here,, Okay time for giving thanks!

Thank you so much, TheOtakuGurl, Azusa Inoue, BWithey, Dark Elpis, Pana-sule, Flame Winged Angel, Kyuubi04, xXSilverWindsXx, and xxSunUpSunDownxx for following and/or adding this story to your favorites!

AIGIS GENDER POLL

FEMALE 8 GENDER NEUTRAL 2 MALE 1

TO TheOtakuGurl : hNNNNNNN THANK YOU SO MUCH

Alright, time to get started!

Minato's P.O.V

[VELVET ROOM]

"Hey old man, didn't expect you to be here." I casually say as I crossed my legs to find some comfort in the stool. I see Igor scoff and roll his eyes, before he decided to speak.

"Yes, yes." He sighed before folding his gloved hands over the table. "Well, here you are, coming here on your own accord." I could practically hear his grin as I looked up from my lap and flipped him off. He decided to ignore my actions and continue on to what he was saying. "Welcome to the Velvet Room." He paused before speaking again; "I do believe it is time for me to explain what I really do for this job. It is my duty to create new Personas for you. In order to do so, however, I must fuse your Persona cards together, making you lose them for a single Persona." He took a breath and I listened. "Furthermore, if you've established a Social Link, which you have already begun. Congrats to you. Anyway, you may be able to create stronger Personas than before. So the more Persona cards you get, the more you'll be able to fuse. Please bring them to me hen your ready."

"So." Theo had continued after Igor, "How may I help you?"

I thought for a moment, fusing Personas to get a new one? That sounds pretty cool. However, I was quite attached to the Personas I had on me at the moment. Even Pixie.

"I find that extremely offensive you little shit." I heard her from the back of my mind. Now I'm starting to reconsider... "You're such a rude human." I heard her pout.

"Sweetie, stop bullying Pixie." Apsaras popped up, in that sweet tone of hers. I decided to stand down, just for today.

"So? Would you like to fuse any Persona that you have?" Igor asked and I shook my head.

"No, not for today anyway. I should probably get going too." He nodded and I blinked.

XXI

[April 21st, 2009; Tuesday; Evening]

When I reopened my eyes, I found myself back in the dirty alleyway. I gave the bright blue door one glance before I decided to go back to the dorm.

While I walked, I couldn't help but think about the mysteries surrounding Igor. Who was his boss, for example. How did he know so much about my "abilities"? It really was irritating how much he knew about me but I knew nothing about the mysterious man with the gigantic nose.

"Some mysteries should stay hidden." I heard Orpheus mumble, and I sort of agreed. Who knows what monsters would be unleashed if I made one wrong move against Igor. It seems that he will tolerate my personality for a while, but I didn't want to know what would happen if I become more annoying to him.

Which lead me to thinking about Theo as well. He looked oddly familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I wondered if I could ask Theo about Igor, as they worked together, but that would probably be bad as well. Ugh, just thinking about those two makes my head hurt.

I reached the dorm after coming to the conclusion that I shouldn't think much about the topic before my head would burst from overthinking so much. I reentered to find that Mitsuru was not present in the lobby and I headed upstairs to relax in my room. Except I kind of studied before ultimately sleeping at my desk.

[April 22nd, 2009; Wednesday; Early Morning]

I woke up to find that I drooled on some of my notes. Embarrassed, I quickly cleaned it off despite the fact that probably no one would see my drool covered notes. I hurriedly changed out of Shinji's clothes and put on my uniform. I couldn't "find" the ribbon to tie my uniform and rushed out. Making a mental note to give Shinji his clothes back after I washed them.

As I walked past the gates at the school, I was greeted by Kenji in his over the top manner.

"What's up Minato?" He blinked as he looked at me more thoroughly. "You're all by yourself? Dude, I thought the rumor about you and Yukari-san was true..." I ignored his disappointed look and rolled my eyes.

"Kenji it is too God damn early for this bullshit." I sighed through my nose as I walked into the school with him.

"It's not like I care of anything dude." He said as we made our way to the classroom. "But now that I noticed, man, you've had some major bad luck since you transferred here." No kidding, I thought quietly to myself as we reached the stairs. "You know dude, all the weird stuff is happening... How everyone's been saying they're hearing strange voices..." I looked at him as he continued, listening more intently than before. "Well, I guess you're always listening to your headphones, you probably haven't heard anything." We entered the classroom in silence, my thoughts speeding by quickly.

Maybe I should lower the music just a little. To make it as I'm still listening to music, as to not alarm anyone of my change of behavior. If what Kenji says is true... Than maybe this "sickness" spreading around this city is more than I thought.

[After School]

After class was over, I stretched out and yawned, another day in passing and school was as boring as ever. Seriously, I knew most of the classes already from different schools, might as well take the same tests too. When I rubbed the fresh tears from my eyes, I found Kenji standing in front of my desk. With a raised eyebrow, I questioned what did he want from me.

"Hey man, no need to get snappy with me. I just wanted to know if you wanted to get some ramen now. You coming?" Before I even get to say my answer, Rio came in and walked towards us.

"Ah, Minato, glad you're still here. Are you coming to club to supervise?" Kenji whined at her.

"Aw, come on, I just asked him out to ramen!" Rio looked at me before turning her attention back to Kenji.

"Well, it's up to him, I suppose." She looked back at me. "It's fine if you don't want to come today. I don't mind." I chewed on my lower lip. Even if she says that, I couldn't help but wonder how many times people do this to her.

"No, it's fine. I can still get ramen after practice right?" I looked at Kenji and he grinned.

"No, it's totally fine bro! We can eat ramen with Rio too!" He high-fived me as if I did him a favor of sorts. I was confused until Rio whispered in my ear.

"He's probably staying with us at club. To see our club advisor probably." I looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Apparently she's Kenji's type." She sighed and I awkwardly patted her on the back.

[Tennis Club]

It was rather dull as I had to watch Rio drill the new applicants about the club, but I had Kenji to suffer with me.

"Ugh, why do we have to wait for so long?" Kenji groaned next to me. He was cross-legged on the grass while I had a fold chair.

"You were the one who wanted to come dude." I rolled my eyes at him I leaned onto my hand. I shut my eyes silently as Kenji continued to whine. After a while I completely droned him out, he had erupted in a spasm of excitement and giddiness.

"Look! Look!" He squealed, waving his pointer wildly. His right hand had settled in between the crook of my neck and my shoulder.

Why is he touching me? I thought irritably and I heard Apsaras let out a tired sigh.

"It is was companions do. You must get use to it I suppose."

But he isn't even a Social Link. I scowled and Pixie barked at me.

"So what?! To dear Oberon! Just make friends! It doesn't have to be all social links you dick!"

"I side with both Lady Apsaras and Little Pixie." Orpheus chimed in. "Thou hath lived a lonely life for the longest time. Take thy time about bonds and just breathe."

I decided to sharply say "What?" at the teen instead.

"Ah, it's the woman of my dreams of course!" He answered with a swoon. I rolled my eyes and saw where he was pointing to. It was the club advisor and also one of my many teachers. Ms... Kanou? Something like that. I didn't get why he was smitten with her. She just seemed to overconfident and shallow to be honest.

"Oh... 'Kay?" I said to him with a raised eyebrow. He shook his head at me and sighed.

"Ah... Kids like you won't understand grown-up feelings like love." He sighed dreamingly, his face leaning on his clasp hands.

I really wanted to punch this boy's face right now.

"Whatever..." I rolled my eyes at him and at the corner of my eyes, I saw Rio, looking at us... No, that's not right.

She was looking at Kenji. Like, directly at him. Even from the distance I could see the shine of sadness and disappointment. I raised my eyebrow and she turned away.

[After Club]

"Alright! Time for some RA~MEN!" Cheered Kenji. We walked away from the school, Kenji happily in the front and Rio and I walking slower at the back. After a while of Kenji's chatter, my sarcastic comments, and Rio's softer replies; we reached the ramen shop.

When we were seated, Kenji had excused himself to the restroom. I looked at Rio, who was silently looking over the menu and called to her.

"Alright, what's up?" Smooth I know, but I'm so socially awkward, I can't get her attention normally.

"... Huh?" She blinked owlishly at me.

"You know. The thing between you and Kenji." Double smooth. Going straight to the point and leaving the girl in an awkward position, nice Minato, nice.

"... There's nothing between me and Kenji." She corrected but I didn't buy it.

"Kenji and I." I corrected her. "Anyway, it's no use lying you know. Lying makes it worse."

She looked away from me. After a few seconds, she finally surrendered. "It's just a dumb crush, it'll be gone long enough."

I didn't question it. Or, well, I couldn't, because the devil himself came back and we ordered ramen.

[Evening]

After we ate and paid, we walked together. First, we dropped off Kenji, before I asked Rio to come with me to the shrine/park.

We sat at the swings for a long time.

"... You know I used to have this crush on a boy." I admitted to her and I kept my head looking at the clear stars.

She looked shocked, but her stare was understanding and she looked up too. Or, from what I saw while straining my eyes.

"... What about him?" She finally said after I spoke that statement.

"Well, like I said, it was a crush..." She looked at me with a look and I looked back at her.

We stared at each other for a while before I decided to give up against her will.

"I'm sorry, I haven't told anyone this story." I hated how my voice wanted to crack.

"It's okay if you don't want to..." She trailed and I shook my head. Knowing that look from earlier.

"No it's fine... Uh... Where to start?" I hummed, swaying in the swing for a bit.

"How about how was he like, what he looked like, blah blah." She supplied and I thanked her.

"Well, he was an upperclassman from one of my old schools. I don't know, I was like, in middle school? He was in high school. He was part of the varsity baseball team and he was really, uh..." I trailed off.

"Handsome?" Rio laughed a little. I inwardly was happy that she laughed after all those serious faces and frowns.

"Yeah that." I said and she laughed again, swaying along with me. "Um... He was pretty tall, but not too much that he was like gigantic or anything like that. Like, he was a head taller than me back then, and I was like, two inches shorter than right now." I gulped. "Ugh, why is talking about old crushes so hard? How do girls do it?" I sighed and buried my face in my hands.

"Shush." Rio patted my back. "Less complaining, more talking." I laughed with her this time.

"Alright?" I gave her a half-smile. "So, like, I kind of fell for him when he rescued me from my neighbor's cat. Vicious thing, Ms. Valentine was. Made the days walking to school horrible. So when this big hunk of flesh just carries me from the beast, I kind of... You know."

"No, no I don't." She laughed and I groaned.

"I fell in love with him." I enunciated. "And when I found out I just scolded myself constantly. Like, literally all the girls wanted him, and that's was totally cool. Because he was the nicest guy. I didn't stand a chance." I paused and took a breath. "Turns out, the day he saved me from turning into Ms, Valentine's new meat was because he was finding out routes to make it a sure chance we would bump into each other." She looked at me with amused eyes, but I ignored the teasing and continued on. "Since he lived all across the other half of town. I know this because he confessed to me a few days later. At first I thought it was a joke, I mean, haha, right? Nope. He pleaded me for days saying "it's not a joke! it's not a joke!" and I pretty much broke down after I realized, holy shit, this is actually happening, holy FUCK." I paused and looked at her.

"So?" Rio gestured me to continue and I did.

"So we dated, for a while. A long while. Like, until I had to transfer again." I went silent for a moment. "I revisited the town and turns out I had just missed him. Like, not missing him when he was going to visit me, no, something more painful. Turns out the boy was sick with a type of thing in his lungs, I don't remember. He had only a year left, and he was given a request to his parents. You know what it was? To chase after the boy he's loved for like a full seven years." She looked at me with shocked eyes, I swallowed down the lump in my throat. "Yeah, turns out we met earlier in a different school in elementary, before I did all the moving junk. Before 1999. He fell for me for something as silly as beating up the kids that were bullying him. He kept that for so long..." My voice finally cracked, but I continued. "He ask his folks to give me something. It was... It was these headphones." I gestures to the things wrapped loosely around my neck. "They thanked me for spending time with their son and making it, as he said, the best days of his life." I bit the bottom of my lips.

I stopped talking for awhile before starting again.

"The reason why I'm telling you this sob story is that, I really didn't get to say "I love you"* to him, before he dropped. So before you all up and say that "it's just a crush". It's not. Not between you and Kenji. I know. Because the way you look at him is the same as the one he looked at me. Things like that..." I tapped on her chest, on her heart. "Don't go away, trust me."

We stayed silent before she stood up. I looked at her and she closed her eyes and breathed. Then, she shouted.

"I love Kenji Tomochika!"* She sat back down with a flustered face.

I smiled, not really feeling that confession, but it was alright. She was trying. I patted her on the back (less awkwardly this time) and she pulled me in for a hug. I let her. We hugged for a while.

I can't say I really mind the contact.

When I reopened my eyes, an Arcana card that seemed like the Chariot floated down in front of my face, and I gently curled my fingers on it. Allowing the soft voice whisper in my ears.

Thou art I... And I am Thou...

Thou shalt have out blessing

when creating Personas of the Chariot Arcana...

About fucking time.

First * was how the manner is supposed to be "aishiteru" or "I like you" in a deep way.

Second * was how Rio was saying "daisuki", the less formal way to say "I like you"

I didn't miss the deadline! Yes! Also, yes, I planned that sob story and it is 100% effective for plot later in a specific social link other than this one. (guess) Also, I managed to reach 3,000 words again! Amazing!

As for why I chose Rio for Minato to officially come out is because we didn't want to hear his gay thoughts 100% of the time without his voiced clarification. And Rio is my favorite out of all the non-important character SL because you can lean on her shoulder and she can lean on yours comfortably. I just love Rio okay.

As for Kenji, and the others, yES I PLAN TO INCLUDE THE OTHER SOCIAL LINKS WE CANT DO BECAUSE I CHOOSE THE FEMALE'S SET OF SOCIAL LINKS AND JUST FIX THEIR PROBLEMS WHILE DOING THE OTHERS. It's like a domino effect. (Rio - Kenji, Rio - Yuko, Yuko - Kazushi, etc.) SO THATS A THING.

As always, thank you guys so much for keeping up with this and leave reviews!

~Ammy