Chapter 11
Minato wished he would have never agreed on paying everything. Okay, most of it was his own fault, seeing as he was the one with the bottomless stomach.
Since they were together with the ten year old Maiko, they watched the newest movie to featherman ranger.
Maiko was sitting in the middle of the other two. She enjoyed every minute of the time with the others. Her older version was wearing a green shirt and jeans, since it was rather warm outside.
Minato didn't really focus on the movie. His sister was more into those things. He wondered if he would see Ken here.
Probably not, because unlike Minato he didn't had rich parents and one year of Tartarus loot. Maybe they should invite him? He should asked little Maiko if they're in the same class.
Older Maiko was still a fan of these series, it didn't change over the years. But she restricted herself more, than the little girl, because of her age.
Still, she had to wonder why her parents let the girl hang out with two strangers. Ok, they weren't strangers to the girl, but her parents didn't know anything about them!
'Just shows what kind of parents they are. Urrgh, focus on the movie. This is supposed to be a fun day.'
And a fun day it was. There was a 20 minute break between each movie and Minato did catch a sight of Ken.
He was with the chairman. 'That soulless bastard. He is ten and still wants him to join?'
The chairman left rather quickly. Minato saw his tactic. Ken should get used to the man, so it would be easier for the man to get Ken to join them.
'Great, my day is ruined.' He thought and left for the snack bar in the lobby. He needed some extra nachos in order to get through the day. By coincidence Ken stood behind him. Minato asked himself, whether he should talk to the boy or not.
He decided for the middle: leaving a cryptic message. At the reception he asked for a piece of paper and a pen. Later he saw Ken going to the same cinema.
Minato bumped into Ken, like he did with Shinjiro, while putting the paper into his pocket.
"Sorry, my fault." He said and headed away, before the boy could reply anything.
Ken didn't notice the paper in his pocket, late until after the movie ended. He didn't had money to watch the whole marathon. He was saving up, although every once in a while he bought himself something or went to the movies like today.
When he unconsciously shoved his hand into his pocket, he noticed a piece of paper, like a card.
'Revenge won't bring her back. Live your life, like she wanted you to.'
"What the-?" he stuttered. Who gave him this paper?
Ken was by any means not an idiot. He was the best in his class after all. So he went back with his thoughts through the day. Standing up, breakfast, watching TV with some other kids and heading outside. At this time the paper wasn't there.
Next, walking around town, visiting the shrine, nothing special, except the girl with the nurse. She seemed sick.
Then the cinema and the strange man who asked him about featherman ranger. He didn't came close.
Next the snack bar, the teen with the strange hair color and…..he bumped into the teen!
Of course, someone could have shoved the message while he was sitting and watching the movie, but the only ones around were kids. The teen it was then.
But how did he know and more importantly, how much does he know?
Maiko couldn't wait to tell other striped shirt about the movie. Lately she went early to bed, so she would be able to stay awake, when her knight visited her.
He always protected her from the monsters and she had a book full of pictures of how he protected her. He never told her where he came from or what he was, though she really didn't care. He was her knight and that was all that counted.
She must have slept too long, because a cold hand let her shriek up.
Pharos giggled at her antics. Maiko frowned.
"Why are you always cold?" she asked the boy.
"I don't know, but I guess-" he cut himself off. He almost revealed his true origin and he didn't want to scare the girl.
"Huh? I didn't understand you. What did you say?"
Pharos looked down. He just couldn't resist those cute eyes. He was used to that he would hypnotize the girls with his smile and not the other way around. He knew if he would look up now, he would spill the beans. But how do you say no to a ten year old?
Maiko saw Pharos' troubled face, but didn't know how she should react to this. Was it something she said? Maybe it was because he was cold.
That must be it!
She threw a part of her blanket aside.
"M-Maiko?" he asks.
"Come on, silly. We will make you warm! You will feel a lot better!"
"W-WARM!?"
'Don't get any ideas! She's ten! She just wants to help you with her own childish logic.'
Pharos slowly placed himself next to Maiko, feeling a bit uncomfortable and his cheeks getting warm. Maiko blushed a bit herself but shrugged it off and hugged Pharos from behind.
He was so comfortable, like a teddy bear. Pharos gulped a bit, his heart racing. After a while he heard Maiko's breathing relaxing and slowing down. She was asleep, but still hugging him. He let out a sigh and turned around. He sleeping face was really cute.
He placed a kiss on her forehead. "Good night Maiko."
Her face relaxed even more.
Minako frowned. Despite being able to get out, she was still not able to move on her own. Heck she wasn't tired anymore, but her body didn't want as she wanted to. She couldn't sleep, so she read for the 100th time as it seemed that book, waiting for the dark hour.
"I should have asked Minato for a few new books." She scolded herself.
According to the doctors, she would need to train her body or whatever to move properly again, which was a pain in the ass.
The lights turned out, the eerie green light was there, the smell of blood as well.
"Finally." She exclaimed, before putting the book away. 20000 Miles under the Sea.
"Hello." Minako found the source of the voice immediately.
"Hi." She waved with her hand.
"You look restless." Commented her visitor.
"Urrgh, I am. My mind is okay now, but my body is stiff, aching and sometimes I don't even feel several parts."
Her visitor sat down next to her, as always. She looked down at her with pity, like you would do with an injured animal. She even stroke her hair, like she was some kind of puppy. BY NOW Minako was used to her antics and she would rather not upset her visitor. She looked creepy enough, although it was kind of cool too.
"So, what are we gonna talk about today?" she asked.
The other girl titled her head. "I don't know to be honest. We have already talked about everything I wanted to talk about. Still, I enjoy coming here every night. It is something else."
"Well, why don't you tell me about yourself?" Minako suggested.
"Myself?" She thought about it for a moment.
"There is not much to talk about. Decades, I normally spend my time, preparing the end of the world, but there's not much in my life. I simply wait for the call of the world to me to end it. I am not Hades, who has much more to do in the underworld. He even had been summoned as a persona, not too long ago. His life is exciting, trying plan after plan to get his revenge on Zeus. It is funny to see him failing, but at least he has something to do."
"So, you're bored shitless out of your mind, like me." Minako laughed a bit.
"I think you can put it this way." She acknowledged.
"Sorry, but there's not much we can do here either. I have a card game here, but only two players is boring."
Monday came way too fast for Maiko. With a groggy head, she put herself out of the bed, taking the blanket with her and waking Minato up in the process. Although everyone pretty much know how well he or she had done, today the exam results would be posted.
"Seriously, can the teachers destroy someone's reputation any more?" she asked herself, before entering the bathroom.
Well at least she was a pretty good student. Mitsuru couldn't stand slackers, so she guessed according to Junpei's score, the boy would hear the one or other thing from the heiress.
Shinjiro-senpai would write his tests starting today. He obviously didn't care about school, but came nevertheless. He planned on becoming a cook, so for what did he need good grades?
Maiko listened to the rather boring lessons of Mr. Ekoda. He was the worst and she really had to restrain herself, from summoning Hemera and give him a bit 'Greek History Lesson'.
One day she even found her Kunai's in her school bag and guess who she had as a teacher most of the day?
He went on and on and even managed to discourage the students at the same rate, which was something.
Finally the bell rang. No more Ekoda for today.
"I swear one day I'm going to kill this guy." She said as she and the three other juniors sat next to each other.
"Wow Maiko-tan. I didn't know you where that kind of girl." Junpei teased.
"He's just the worst." She said. Minato put a hand on the girl's hand and began stroking it.
Yukari decided to speak up. "Anyways, Maiko-chan. Have you joined any club?" she asked.
"Nah, I prefer spending my time with Minato." She said and kissed said boy.
"Seriously, how could you fall for this zombie?" Junpei asked the question that plagued many boys.
"Junpei…" Yukari growled angrily.
"He was just there." She started explaining. Minato meanwhile kept stroking her hair, completely forgetting he and she were not alone.
"I was always alone, when I was a child and he just started playing with me. Later I had that strange idea of marrying him, which was stupid considering we both were 6 at the time. I had to move away. Later we met and…well turned out not so stupid as I thought." She said looking at her ring.
"Wow Maiko, you're lucky. That thing must have been expensive." Yukari said.
"Nah, I got it from a second hand shop." Minato joked, before he snickered a bit. Truth to be told, none of the two knew the origins of their ring. Minato had just found them in his pocket and given one to Maiko.
Maiko meanwhile had had the strangest day in her life, before receiving that ring. Hopefully she was not in hospital and this all was just one gigantic dream. It would shatter her heart. She would immediately kill herself, that much she was sure of herself.
Takeshi meanwhile had decided to increase his weekend with bowling. Takeharu didn't came along again, but he was fine with playing by himself. He sucked at bowling anyway, although he was getting better. He still missed a couple of pins, with the ball rolling off. He heard someone mockingly clapping behind him. Turning around he found the persona and Takeshi made a grimace.
"Never thought I would see you again."
"The world is small." Replied the other man.
"There was a time where I wished she was smaller. That was until I managed to get that douche."
"Ah, yes I have heard of it. To think you would actually make it."
"I had help." He shrugged and throw another ball: 2 pins.
"Meh, wanna join? Like goo' ol' times?"
"Good old times, indeed. You haven't changed. You're truly one of a kind."
"And your choice of words still sucks."