one day my notes at the start and end of this fic are either going to..
devolve into incoherent squawking
or.. evolve into strange hentai quotes
October 2nd, 2009.
After School.
He wanted to hang out with her.
Initially she wanted to reject him.
But that would only make him a little sad and a whole lot confused.
She didn't want to upset him because she didn't know how to interact with him normally after her sudden realisation.
Despite those thoughts, today the table between them in Hagakure was almost dead silent, neither of them knowing exactly what to say. So she continues to stuff her mouth with the hot ramen they'd ordered, hoping that he wouldn't notice how she avoided his eyes– not wanting him to look at her directly and realise how she felt.
"Well, um.." She pauses her slurping, and looks at him (focusing almost entirely on how his eyebrows furrowed with his words), listening in to what he had to say. "How are you?"
Her lips purse tight around her chopsticks. "...I'm okay."
"...Physically, I mean."
Oh. Kotone pulls the wooden sticks out of her mouth, and places them down on her bowl. She thinks for a few moments; their trips into Tartarus were becoming nightly instead of every second day, thanks to the nearing full moon. As of such, she'd been fairly tired and had noticed more bruises on her legs than usual.
But.. Otherwise, she was okay.
She was doing better than Minato, who these days had an unreadable expression on his face.
He was happy, but in a strange way she'd never seen on him.
...She hopes it lasts.
"What about you, Senpai? How are you physically?" He had a lot more strain on his body than she did. He trained almost all the time, and participated in club activities four days a week, plus the frequent trips into a tower of hell. Even when she went training with him, often times no more than jogs or taking Koromaru for walks, she was still awe-inspired by how he was able to keep his body functioning.
"Huh?" He looks down. "O-Oh.. I'm alright."
A conflicted feeling paints his face, and he begins to twiddle his thumbs together, his eyes never leaving the black material of his gloves.
"It's just that... When I watch you fight... I get.. I don't know.." His frown deepens. "I feel... angry."
That sets something off in her.
Is she a bad fighter?
Does she have no place on the team?
She had to be doing something bad, or else one of SEES' top fighters wouldn't be getting mad at her.
Her hands smack down on the table, creating a loud bang as her voice raises into a mixture of a yell and a cry. "What am I doing wrong!?"
The entire store looks at them, and she feels the hairs on her neck stand up and her face prickles with embarrassment. She mumbles a quick 'sorry', before sitting back down, hiding her face with her hands. This is so humiliating... She's such a child.
"Oh, no.. I didn't really mean it that way.." He scratches his head, troubled beyond her own belief. "It's not so much that I get angry, but I get irritated..."
That doesn't sound much better in her mind, and she only becomes more depressed and concerned with her fighting style.
But Sanada speaks up again. "No, that's not it, either. I guess... I get nervous."
"Do I seem unreliable..?"
"No.." His smile dazzles her. "You're doing a really great job."
His kindness is overwhelming. This is really too much for her.. She shouldn't have come out with him. She should've said she was going somewhere with Yukari or Junpei, and that they'll speak some other time. But she didn't, and now her heart is being bombarded.
He falls silent, steel eyes falling on the cup of water by his bowl's side.
"Is..." Akihiko scrounges through his mind for the right words. "Is there any way... that you can avoid having to fight?"
Avoid.. fighting? That was an odd thing to think. This was her lifestyle now, and it would feel almost strange without it. She would want to stop fighting no matter what, but she'd prefer for it to be when she has a choice. When she can chose between fighting and not fighting. Right now, she didn't have that luxury. Everyone who could needed to lend their strength for this battle, after all.
Even if she thought she was useless, or weak, she still had no choice but to continue fighting.
"Oh.. Never mind, sorry. Forget what I just said." His head bows in apology. "I mean, you're trying the hardest out of all of us. I shouldn't have said that to you."
She thinks that's wrong. No matter what anyone else said, her brother was the most hardworking member of them all. He had such a burden on his shoulders, leading and tactics, keeping them all alive.. He was doing his best, and he tried as hard as he could to pretend like it wasn't affecting him.
"...Should I still be on the front-lines?"
"No, that's not it! You're definitely an asset, it would be strange if you weren't one of our main fighters. You have an irreplaceable role... I mean it." Her cheeks flush. He's just complimenting her, right? Saying what she wants to hear.. right? "...Sorry. I'm confused, myself..."
He sighs. "What am I saying...?"
He's absolutely stumped. She's never once seen him like this– stumbling over his words and utterly lost for the correct thing to say. There's a certain silence in the air, and she quietly begins to take a large drink out of the water that they were provided. She just wants to take her mind off of this entire conversation, really. Her heart was too weak for this.
"... Deep down, I know why I don't want you to be fighting.." He turns red, and diverts his eyes away from her gaze. "It's just that... I'm worried about you."
She coughs loudly, nearly choking on her water, unable to believe the words that just came out of his mouth. Her face turns the shade of a tomato, right down her neck and even tinting her ears with a blinding shade of red. Her hand shoots up to her mouth as she forces herself to swallow the water in hopes of not further making a fool out of herself, and moves her eyes down to her skirt.
"...I-I see.."
That makes her so unbelievably happy.
She almost thinks its a dream.
He sighs. "C'mon.. Eat. Eat up."
His chopsticks nudge her hands, and she quickly goes to eating up her food, which ends up being that strange 'not hot, but not cold' temperature.
And once they finish, they return to the dorm without another word shared between them.
It's awkward, but it feels like the only thing that's right for the time being.
October 4th, 2009.
Dark Hour.
The command room was filled with the members of SEES, like it was every full moon. The only difference was, this time they were missing a two people. Amada and Aragaki were no where to be found, but nobody was exactly discussing it. Amada rarely showed his face around, and.. well, Aragaki was Aragaki.
"I've located the target.." The group turns their gazes to Yamagishi, incased inside of Lucia's protective veil as she searches for their enemy. "It's in the plaza in front of Iwatodai Station!"
"This will be the tenth.. Only a few left, but let's worry about them one at a time." Ikutsuki sighs. He was right, of course, but it was still hard to not worry about what's going to happen in the future. Three powerful Shadows... it was a frightening idea.
"Assuming they come one at a time." Takeba giggles. "Just kidding."
"...Yukari-chan, how did you know!? I sense two of them!"
The girl's face twists in shock, a scoff in her words directed to herself. "Are you serious!? Me and my big mouth..."
"... Where's Shinji?" Sanada asks, looking around the group with an eyebrow raised, searching for the tall and heavily dressed man.
"He just notified me that he'll meet up with you later." The teal haired girl quickly explains. "I didn't ask any questions."
"Figures. He's always played by his own rules."
Junpei shrugs. "It's okay. At least he's coming, right?"
Minato leans back on the wall, his hands fiddling with the glimmering Evoker, a distraction from everything around him. He's worried, but he's not allowed to show it. That is the rule he's set up for himself, and it's a rule he'll abide by until his dying day.
"We should move on." He states, trying to keep his voice from showing any sort of concern. He's the leader, after all. He's got to be strong for everyone else. The concern he has is unfounded, and he doesn't quite understand why he's so distressed by it.
"Indeed, we can't wait for him." Kirijo agrees.
Takeba looks around for a moment. "Wait, Ken-kun's not here, either.. Hey Junpei, go get him. That'll be your punishment for last time."
"Punishment? What is this, kindergarten?" The taller boy groans, but quickly heads out, mumbling under his breath. "That little shit is more trouble than he's worth."
Out of the corner of his eyes, he can see Kotone's lips turn downwards, a frown. Well, even if they weren't his 'bodyguards' anymore, she'd taken up keeping the little boy on the right path, and in general keeping him safe and healthy. She was the sort who couldn't help but want to take care of children.. Too bad that Amada was a moody little brat at times. Although he was plenty mature when he could be, it was still easy to tell that he was a child.
He liked traditionally 'childish' things– they watched Featherman together, and the little boy's face would light up like a beacon at the fight scenes.
He often drank milk– no doubt to gain more height, considering his reasons for wielding such a long weapon.
And he couldn't control his emotions.
...He hopes the kid's alright, though.
"Alright, let's move out. This time, there are two enemies. We'll determine our formation once we arrive."
"Let's go, then!"
As the group leaves, Minato swears he hears the Chairman mutter something under his breath.
From the eerily quiet strip mall, they can see the two Shadows dancing around the roundabout in front of the station. They were large and almost hellishly intimidating, but they simply continued their ballroom like manner– awaiting their adversaries.
It was almost disgustingly polite of them to do something like that. Like they believed they were so strong nobody would defeat them.
"This is the way we go to school.." Yukari murmurs, her hands tight around her bowstring.
"We have to protect it." Kotone agrees, her voice soft.
Mitsuru takes a look around. "Where's Amada?"
"He wasn't in his room, so who knows.." Iori explains, his shoulders heaving up in an exaggerated shrug.
"Dammit, Shinji... Where are you?" It takes a moment, but there's a flash of realisation bursting onto the boxer's expression. "Wait.."
Kirijo too, seems to realise something once Akihiko says something. "Akihiko, don't tell me that..!"
"Today's October Fourth, right!?" He turns his almost desperate gaze to Fuuka. "Yamagishi! Try to locate Shinji and Amada's positions!"
"Huh? Oh, okay!" Her hands clutch tight to her chest in prayer, her eyes twitching slightly as she focused her hardest.
Takeba looks down at her feet. "Um.. Did something happen between those two?"
The two seniors share a look– one filled with pain and a mutual understanding that they have another explanation to give out. The air was thick between all of them– a few silent members briefly wonder if Takeba is about to speak up again about the secret keeping, but soon the redheaded woman clutches her arms tight and begins to speak.
"Two years ago... On a night when we'd gone to take down a Shadow in the city. At the time, Aragaki had just acquired his Persona, and he suddenly lost control of his powers." The leader watches as his sister's hands reach up to cover her mouth in shock, and he too can't help but feel the same way. Then, that night.. That was his Persona losing control, wasn't it? "Unfortunately, there was just one casualty that night."
"That was.. Amada's mother."
"I'm getting a reading! Those two are together!" Fuuka's voice rings out. "Their location is.. the alley behind Port Island Station!"
Without another word from anyone else, Sanada breaks into a sprint– away from the rest of SEES, and away from their main objective. However, before he's able to escape the area to where Amada and Aragaki are, something like a cage slams down in front of him, trapping one of his leg's underneath.
"Akihiko!"
"Sanada-senpai!"
The full moon casts a green glow down on the small alleyway, where a short boy awaits– a long pole arm in his hands. His once doe like eyes, filled with innocence, are hard and only reflect a single emotion– malice. As he hears a set of heavy footsteps ring around the empty alley, he takes in a deep breath, clenching his hands tighter around his spear.
"So you came." He doesn't turn his back to look the other in the eyes, he has enough of an idea as to who it is. "Since you were willing to ditch the operation..."
His voice darkens, and he looks over his shoulder to the man.
"You know what this is about, right?" Such a tone from a child was almost depressing, the sheer amount of spite and anger piercing his voice and showing in his face was unlike anything a child should ever show. "It was two years ago today. My mother died right here that day. Officially, her cause of death was a traffic accident, but that was no accident. I saw it..My mother was murdered! It was you who killed her!"
Not a single thing is uttered from the other in response.
"Shadows! They're coming!"
A pair of Shadows land in front of the group, the one who had crushed Sanada's leg underneath it's cage like body covered in dainty flowers– belying the strength it truly held. Quickly, Minato and Junpei pull the elder man away from the two, who hisses something about 'being fine' as Aigis, Yukari, Mitsuru and Koromaru take positions in front in order to attack whilst the silver haired man was getting his injury healed.
Quickly, Kotone's Persona is summoned, a glow of healing light takes over the injured leg. Most things like broken bones could be healed with the use of Personas, but the second the Dark Hour ended, it was always better to go to a doctor and have it checked out. Not everything could be healed mystically. Soon however, the older man is able to stand on both legs again, and makes his way to the front of the group, a mixture between a hiss and a growl leaving his lips.
"We'll make quick work of these bastards!" And as he raises his fists into a fighting stance, he murmurs something closer to himself. "Don't jump the gun– Amada! Shinji!"
The first one to attack is Sanada; who slams his fist into the feminine one in a preemptive strike– though, at this point, it was more of a revenge thing. His gloved fists tear through the flora, ripping petals like paper. He doesn't give the Shadow time to think, quickly switching his fighting style from his preferred style of a southpaw boxer to a kickboxing stance, where he sends a powerful kick into the monster's body.
He wasn't normally a kickboxer; it was just another style they taught in club.
He excelled in regular boxing, but if he needed to use it, kickboxing will do.
It worked in getting the Shadow further away from the group, anyway.
Next, Takeba sends a flying arrow towards the Shadow, hitting it in the holes between it's mask, where it's eyes would normally be. It squeals in pain– it's voice so naturally 'human' that it clearly shakes up a few of the members, who flinch at the sound. After it's quick screech, it sends those cage like whips out again, sending them for Kirijo and Kotone, who use their weapons to block the attacks as Aigis summons her own Persona.
The second Shadow, with a body like a dog, sends a rain of bullets on the three girls, which is swiftly blocked by Palladion as Sanada rushes forward in a blind rage, his Evoker aimed for his forehead as he cries out his Persona's name, the words a hiss as the metal clashes together with Polydeuces' fist. He clicks his tongue as the attack connects, but doesn't seem to cause any damage.
This battle needs to end!
It needs to end, now!
"There was nothing good about my life. It was painful to keep living on. And that's how everyone treated me. Wherever I went, people looked down on me and pitied me." His empty fist clenches, tight enough for his small hands to turn white and draw blood. "There was a time where I thought about dying, but I couldn't face my mother like that. So I made up my mind! That I'd go on living until I avenged her!"
His left foot forward, and his spear aimed right for the older man, he uses the skills honed in bootcamp with Sanada-san and pole arm training with Kotone-san.
He's going to win.
And then, he'll die happy.
Able to face his mother.
The dog-like Shadow is bombarded by exploding flames, created by Koromaru and Junpei's combined efforts. It moves in a rushed, and even terrified manner, attempting to dodge the explosions until a pair of particular attacks strike below and above, causing it to go flying across a rooftop, sending a cloud of dust and the disgusting screech of metal against metal.
"Alright!"
Koromaru barks in agreement to the sword-wielding teen.
"Let me!"
Yukari aims her Evoker, letting Io out, only for a barrage of petals to be sent flying at her, causing her to be shot off several feet away from her Persona, right in the middle of summoning. As of such, Io's glimmering blue figure soon disappears, as Kirijo cries out the girl's name in concern. Urania sends another burst of fire at the Shadow, mixing in with a surprise kick from the Anti-Shadow weapon, which manages to send the monster off balance for just a few moments so they can recollect their party.
"Oi! Yukaricchi!"
"Yukari-chan!"
The girl's pink clad body lies on the ground, her eyes closed tight and several cuts covering her body. Those petals weren't normal, clearly. They were probably sharp enough to cause such surprisingly deep gashes in the girl's tanned skin. With their main healer down, Kotone rushes forward towards her, Urania's iridescent glow following it's summoner along as she slides to a stop by the shorter girl, prepared to heal when there's suddenly a bright white light coming from above.
It catches everyone's attention, and they all look towards the source.
That golden, dog Shadow was standing back up, and the light was coming from behind it. Descending from the sky is a large golden disc of sorts, the place for a spinner right in the middle, an arrow pointed right at several crudely drawn pictures that seemed to indicate something.
"Wh-What... is that?"
The Shadow takes it's place as the key to begin the spinning, and soon begins spinning the wheel, the cogs clinking with each picture passed over. All they could do was wait in anticipation for what it was going to land on, huh..? They didn't know what would happen when it did stop spinning, though..
"At first, I thought it was the Shadows!" His hands quiver around the spear, it's blade end clearly shaking as his anger takes all control of his thoughts. He's emotionally driven, and he's beginning to let it go to his head. "But I realised I was wrong! The other day, it came back to me clearly. When I saw your Persona go berserk... That's how you killed her, huh!? My mother... No way are you going to get away with that!"
"So.. that's why..." His eyes are hard as he sends a powerful glare at the man, his voice a hard snarl. "I'm going to kill you myself!"
Finally, Aragaki opens his eyes– when he's closed them, Ken doesn't know.
And the look he's given is something he doesn't understand.
The arrow begins to slow to a stop, inching closer and closer to what appeared to be a large star like drawing.
At first, it seems harmless, but soon Yamagishi's voice becomes a shrill cry.
"This is no good! Everyone get away!"
It finally stops, and there's another glow of light and a large humming noise, before the ground below the group explodes. They're all engulfed in light, a scream of complete and utter horror leaving Fuuka's lips as the area is overcome by a cloud of smoke and dirt, clouding her vision towards her comrades. Soon the dust cloud begins to part, and she sees a Persona protecting the small group closest to the Shadow, Aigis' Palladion guarding the two seniors.
She clenches the fabric over her heart in relief.
"You guys, are you all alright?!" Mitsuru cries for the other group, but once the smoke separates over there, they're met with an awful sight. Yukari was already down for the count, most likely only injured and unable to move, but that attack had left herself, Kotone, Koromaru and Junpei down for the count. Their bodies were crumpled and still, a small pool of blood leaving the naginata wielder's body.
"Kotone!" Akihiko's voice is filled with a certain edge to it, as his steel eyes send the golden Shadow a piercing glare.
He wont forgive these two.
This battle needs to end.
"Iori! Takeba! Koromaru! Arisato!" Her eyes desperately search the area for their leader. "Where's our leader!?"
"Persona!"
The smoke is dispersed entirely with the sudden yell of a familiar voice, and Orpheus comes shooting through the skies, slamming it's lyre down on the Shadow with a fury. He grumbles when his Persona is sent flying backwards, and Aigis quickly begins to speed over, jumping over attacks by the feminine Shadow's cage like tendrils and sending a bombarding fire of bullets onto it's face.
The wheel begins to spin again.
"Not good!" Mitsuru fires her own Evoker, with Penthesilea freezing the wheel in it's track, only for the floral Shadow to send more petals, breaking the ice incasing it's companion. The monster retaliates against the one who froze it, sending red arrows for the wine haired woman, piercing through the Persona and managing to strike her right in the arm, slashing open her sleeve and leaving a nice long gash.
"Mitsuru!"
The floral one lands in front of them again, attempting to crush the pair if they hadn't managed to dodge at the last second– spotting the way it left a shadow over them thanks to the green moonlight.
"We need to start by destroying this one!" Penthesilea is summoned once again, flying forward and using it's rapier skilfully, destroying tendrils until it finally finds it's way to the Shadow's main body, slamming the blade against the enemy's neck. It's blocked, just barely, and there's a clear struggle as the two shake with the attempts to overpower each other, a stalemate that will only end once one of them gave in. The Shadow attempts to use it's petals again, but they're frozen in place and destroyed by Kirijo's Persona, who signals for Akihiko to attack the next one.
"Now!" Polydeuces flies towards the roulette wheel, only to be pierced by darkened spears, causing it to break the Persona and undo the summoning. He hisses in frustration, and turns his gaze towards the blue haired leader. "Arisato! Take out that roulette thing! If you don't hurry, Shinji's gonna–!"
The boy turns his gaze from his screaming senior to the pool of blood forming around his twin sister, to the Shadow standing in his way and to the disgusting coloured moonlight. His breath becomes haggard as he holds his Evoker tight, unable to think.
Those words.
'Shinji's gonna–!' what? He's terrified.
His little sister is bleeding out steps away from him, but he had no choice but to abandon helping her to attack that damned monster.
He hates this.
He's so scared.
And finally, with the blade of his spear pointed directly at the taller man's chest, he speaks.
"Do it. I wont resist." The boy flinches– his hard eyes briefly reflecting how puzzled he is at those words. "It's the penalty for constantly running away from it. The reason I left my team,and why I suppressed my power with drugs. It was all because I wanted to forget."
His hands leave the pockets of his heavy coat, reaching up to the blade.
"But it was for nothing. My body refuses to forget." His hands are shaking. "I find myself here before I know it. Even though it's a spot I don't want to see."
"It won't do you any good to tell me that now!"
"I know. I'm not gonna make any excuses. It's something I did. I'll pay the price." He takes a deep breath. "But... There's just one thing I should warn you about."
"Warn me?"
"If you take the life of even a wretch like me, you'll end up shouldering the same burden as me. Just be sure you're ready for that."
Ken laughs, scornful. "What's with that? Is that you begging for your life!?"
"Even if there's nothing but hate inside of you, someday you'll end up shouldering it. Without fail."
"Don't mess with me! No way am I ever shouldering something like that!"
There's clapping, echoing throughout the empty alleyway. It's slow, like the sort of clap you hear at a ballroom party. The two turn their gazes, and meet eyes with a half naked man, underweight beyond belief. This is the man from before.. The man from Strega.
"You're absolutely right!" The newcomer has a tone that's eerily monotone, filled with malice and a certain hint of 'psycho'. It was unnerving to hear him talk again, after what happened in August. "Of course you'll never shoulder such a thing."
The man takes a single step forward, his eyes cold.
"Nor is it necessary."
The Persona he's summoned this time– Clotho, the weaver of fate– speeds forward, dodging gusts of wind set up by the roulette Shadow. It prepares to set up an attack, only to be fired down at by several hard-hitting pierce type attacks, causing the Persona to shatter mid preparation.
"Arisato!"
His Evoker shakes by his temple, but he soon drops it down.
His mind is wavering. What's he supposed to do?
He can't think properly.
Why is he like this?
He can't be a leader like this.
He's unreliable like this.
The feminine Shadow takes the pause in the group's movements as an advantage, using it's cage like tendrils to create a literal sphere around them to trap them in. Each one makes it's way into the ground, creating large holes and smashing open concrete. His eyes follow the spikes until he spots it head towards the collapsed bodies of his comrades.
And instinctively, he pulls the trigger.
Orpheus manages to bend one of the stakes out of alignment, causing it to just barely miss the small group.
And he breathes just a little easier.
The golden Shadow begins it's movements again, starting back up this horrid game of roulette.
He watches.
"What he's about to do.. That's revenge. Since his mother was killed, it's okay for him to kill, too."
The long haired man takes another single step forward, a disgusting smirk etching it's way onto his face. His eyes are terrifying to look at, an unnatural shade of glimmering yellow that crawls up the spine. His voice too, he speaks with a simple and polite tone, but combines it with horrid words and an apathetic attitude.
It's unnatural.
It's unnerving.
"You bastard!"
"Of course.. Either way, you're going to die, eventually." The man shrugs. "Even if this boy doesn't get his revenge."
Ken turns his gaze back onto Aragaki, disbelief in his eyes. And the man continues to explain, letting the young boy decide if his words are truth based off of the way the older man behind him changes the expression on his face.
"It's been quite a while since you started using drugs to suppress your Persona." A smile. "You don't have much more time left in this world."
The little boy turns his back on the stranger. "What does that mean..? Is it true!? You're just gonna die on your own!? Even if.. I don't do anything.. On your own!? How the hell is that fair!? What have I been doing all this time!?"
"What actually brings on death probably doesn't matter. Young man, I'm not discerning the scent of living from you– in a different way than him." He chuckles. "After slaying him, you were planning to die yourself, too, weren't you? But that's just a matter of who goes first. Either way, you're both going to die."
He pulls out a gun, not one like the one's that the two of them carried, but a real genuine gun. It ominously glints in the moonlight, and is aimed directly for the orange clad boy. His finger slips to the trigger, and on instinct, Aragaki shoves himself in front of Ken.
The gun is fired.
With a loud yell, Polydeuces slams one of it's fists into the floral Shadow, and Penthesilea kicks it with an elegance, sending it to the ground. This gives enough time for Sanada to turn towards Minato, his voice no longer hiding any of the fear and anger it was holding.
"Arisato! You've got to take out that roulette thing!"
The boy turns his gaze up to the spinning wheel in the sky.
What's he supposed to do?
He doesn't know.
He can't stop thinking.
He can't move his arms or legs.
Penthesilea moves quickly, and makes an attempt to freeze the Shadow that the two seniors are fighting, and once she does, and Mitsuru calls for Akihiko to make a move.
"Akihiko!"
"Drop dead!" There's a flash of light, and thunder crashes throughout the sky. Lightning splits the cage in two, striking the ice-clad Shadow directly, destroying it. The cage begins to disappear from around them, and Akihiko stomps his way over, his shoulders heaving as he slams a fist into their leader's face. "Arisato! Snap out of it!"
The blue haired boy crumples to his knees in shock, the pain welling in his cheek. He's sure he's bleeding inside his mouth somewhere– he can taste that distinct iron liquid. But that single punch was all he needed. He stumbles his way up, and pulls his Evoker back to his head.
"Persona!"
Thor comes flying out, and with a powerful spin, slams it's hammer into the golden Shadow's body. There's an abnormal amount of lightning around them; no doubt thanks to the storm that Sanada's Persona had caused, and it all finds itself attracted to Mjölnir in the hands of it's god. There's a struggle, the Persona pushes down harder and harder with it's hammer, and the Shadow tries it's hardest to land on the 'attack' slot of it's roulette wheel.
But with a mighty crack, both the Shadow and it's devil wheel are destroyed.
The second that the boxer sees the ribbon's of black stream out of where the Shadow's body was, he turns towards his redheaded team member, who currently was attempting to revive Kotone, checking for where the bleeding was happening from. It wasn't as bad as they thought it was, probably having been slowed by her clothing, but it was definitely something that they needed to attend to.
"Mitsuru, take care of them!"
He takes off.
"Akihiko!"
His blood begins to create a pool on the concrete.
He can feel himself choke on blood coming up his throat.
He clutches for where there's a gaping wound in his stomach area.
"Go to hell."
He can't believe this.
"Now then, in lieu of your dying words, let me ask you." He takes more steps forward, aiming his gun for the beanie clad head. "There's a data gatherer among you, is there not? You see, you have better data than we do.. So we can't protect the Shadows. Please tell me.. The identity of this nuisance."
Nobody talks, and the man frowns.
"What's wrong? Won't you tell me?" He smiles. "Or are you no longer able to speak?"
"I don't.. know who.."
Ken steps forward, in front of the man he wants to kill and the man who has shot him. "It's me."
"Is that true?"
"It's true! Because I'm able to do that, that's why they let me join, even though I'm just a child!"
"What are you–" The man kicks Aragaki dead in the face, sending him backwards, knocking his head on the cold ground.
"I wasn't asking you."
The young boy drops his weapon, his eyes low.
"I don't care anymore.. My revenge is over."
"I see." A laugh, and he shifts his aim from the man on the ground to the small boy. "So you've lived enough. So wonderfully prepared. I'll take care of you first. Now rest in peace."
The boy closes his eyes, and he hears a gunshot.
Despite that, he feels no pain.
His brown eyes peer open, and to his surprise, clutching him tight to his chest is Aragaki– the man's blood splattering high in the air as he protects his would-be murderer.
The two fall into a crumpled pile on the ground, and the boy reaches a hand around the man's coat, feeling the blood pool up and stain it's thick and warm material. He lifts a hand up, and once he sees the blood on his small hands, his mind drifts back to that night.
This was the way his mother protected him.
The man who fired the gun, speaks with confusion. "Why would you do that? What good would it do you to save this child?"
"Shinji!"
A group of footsteps approach, and Ken leans his head backwards, trying to see who it was. Leading them was Sanada-san, with Kirijo-san and Minato-san by his side. Limping behind them at a much slower pace was Iori-san, Takeba-san, Koromaru and Kotone-san.
They were covered head-to-toe in wounds, wounds that had yet to be taken care of.
"What a pain.."
The man leaves, like a ghost.
One moment he was there, then he was gone.
"Shinji!"
"Aragaki!"
"Senpai!"
"Aragaki-senpai!"
The group crowds around the two crumpled up bodies, one clinging onto life with two massive holes in his body and the other unscathed, physically but not mentally. Sanada pulls the body of his foster brother off of the child, holding him close in his arms as he desperately calls for him to hold on.
"Stay with us! Shinji!"
"We need to treat those wounds now!"
The man's eyes slip open, weak and barely able to hang on, but still filled with a vigor. His eyes are only on Ken, and he speaks directly to the boy. "What's with that face? You got your wish, for God's sake.."
He coughs, blood splattering onto his chin.
"Senpai!"
"Aragaki-senpai!"
The cries of the junior's messes into white noise in the little boy's ears.
"Shinji!"
"These wounds are too deep! We wont be able to do anything until the Dark Hour ends!"
"You don't have to..." The man murmurs, his words still only for the boy he protected. "Get rid of your hate right away... Just turn it into power... Remember, you're still just a kid.. For what lies ahead of you... Live."
"But.. I.. I!"
Finally, Aragaki turns his eyes to his foster brother. "Aki.. Take care of him.."
The boxer grabs the man's blood stained hand. "I will."
"and... hey, Leader.."
Minato turns his gaze towards the man he had bonded with, and he's beginning to realise what that funny twinge is in his chest.
And it's too late for him, isn't it?
"...I told you to not cry..."
He's crying?
Now that it's been said, he can feel hot wet tears drip down his cheeks.
A hand reaches up to brush them away, and soon he's using his sleeves, trying to hide it.
"This... is how.. it should be."
With those words, the man's grip loosens and his eyes close, a smile resting on his face.
The group can only sit there around him in shocked silence, the only sounds being the mixed sobs of Amada and Sanada.
October Fourth.
Arisato Minato decides that everyone he loves dies.
...He has to distance himself.
STRUMS MY GUITAR.
how do y'all.. like them apples.
me: im gonna pair minato and shinji
also me: but im gonna kill him off
LMAO anyway... this was so long..
the longest chapter is the death chapter LOLLL
anyway so ultimately shinji and minato never really?
end up a couple.
i dont think the two ever wouldve developed that far in the given timeframe
esp with their personalities.
ultimately? it ended up being just a crush.
whether it was mutual or not is up to you
literally the only reason why there's a 1000+ words of fluff at the beginning
of this chapter is to soften it up LMAO.. this chapter would be too hard for me
i really really hope i pulled off october 4th right!
it was the hardest chapter for me to write, due to the amount of emotion
i hope y'all enjoyed it!
next few chapters, we'll be taking some time off of minato's POV
and going for some good ol' kotone, since she hasnt done much these days