A/N: [Minato's journey but he doesn't date girls]

I think that pretty much sums up this story. It's supposed to be a place I dump random headcanons and finish that dog S link, but it was finished, and I'll just continue? Yeah.

And I don't get how some writers can finish a novelization kind of thing in a year, like, how? HOW?

Chapter 57

Tomorrow

Minato walked Koromaru tonight and Junpei tagged along.

When they reached the shrine, Junpei and Koromaru ran to the playground. They were alike. Junpei had said something along the line of 'Kids should be in the playground playing with dogs.'

"The seniors are talking about tactics and stuff in the lounge," Junpei said from the top of the slider. "Why do that when I can be outside!"

"Arf!" Koromaru barked. He managed to climb up the stairs and joined Junpei there.

Junpei looked at the direction they came from and groaned. "Even Aigis gives me battle tips, and she's a robot! You know those times when everyone sits around and talks seriously?" Oh, Minato knew it so well. "I really don't like those, so I'll goof around…"

Junpei slid down from the slider. Koromaru followed him. They landed on the sand.

"Woof woof!"

"I'd prefer a swing," Junpei said and sat on the bench. He swung his legs. "I'd imagine going to somewhere else, somewhere that's not here or where I was."

Minato could get that. He had been a transfer student all this time. He knew how it's like to escape from it all by not being there.

"Trying to understand others is always a pain," Junpei said. "I don't know how you have managed to befriend so many people, dude."

Friends. In other's eyes, it was called a friend. Maybe Minato did make many friends after all.

"I should try harder with relationship and all… I can't keep smiling and just chilling forever. Or I would be an idiot with nothing about me."

"If you like something, you have to go for it," Minato said. "Especially interesting things."

"An interesting person," Junpei said.

"We all know who that is, Junpei. And she wouldn't mind."

Junpei fixed his hat. "Sure, sure… but that makes me feel bad. For tomorrow, you know."

SEES gathered in the lounge that night.

"I'm going to give them hell in return for what they did to Shinji," Akihiko said.

"I'm going to fight for my mom and Shinjiro-san," Ken said.

"Okay! Totally unrelated, but," Yukari interrupted them. She didn't like where it was going. "How do you summon your Persona without a gun?" She pointed at the android. Aigis turned to her. "I mean, we all do, to remind ourselves we could… die, you know?"

Minato wondered about that too. Aigis didn't have much time to do anything, and it was about to be the end of SEES already. He still didn't know much about her.

"Arf!"

"Koromaru somehow know that he needs to remember that while summoning," Junpei said. "And well, Aigis was made to use Persona, right? That's like the first and only thing she knows." He paused. "Sorry, didn't mean it like that."

"I am a machine. I do not die, for I do not possess a life." Aigis touched her bow. "However, by reminding myself that I have a papillon heart and that Shadows are my enemies, I could summon Palladion."

"An Evoker induces an intense feeling so we could summon our Personas. Mental stress, you could say," Mitsuru said. "For Aigis, it must be because of her mission to destroy Shadows. As Iori said, it is her main purpose."

"An intense feeling," Junpei said. "To help you concentrate, eh? I mean I kinda space out all the time in class, but I can't do that in battle."

"Mmhm, the Strega leader, Takaya," Fuuka spoke up. "He doesn't use an Evoker, if I recall correctly."

"For sure, he already has one foot in the grave." Akihiko held his left fist. "I'll remind him how close he is to death. I'll make sure to punch him in the jaw. He'd lie there nicely."

"Akihiko," Mitsuru said.

Akihiko shrugged. "I know, I know. Don't kill him, yeah?"

They discussed the operation plan for the full moon.

Tomorrow would be their last, and their hardest one. Only the twelfth big one. And two Strega members.

"As a leader, thank you for all you've done for SEES," Mitsuru said. "I could have never imagined this group coming this far. It would be impossible without all of you."

Everyone started talking about these past few months. Minato kept quiet and listened. It's been two and a half years for Akihiko. It had been almost ten years for Mitsuru. And for him, he wasn't sure. Technically, it was this April he summoned Orpheus. He was aware all this time but that didn't count. It was all Pharos. Pharos showed him a different world.

"I did stupid things," Minato said. "Sorry for those."

"Heh." Junpei chuckled. "Sure, you've said enough." He got more serious. "Same, dude. Sorry for being jelly and all."

Ken looked around confused. Koromaru too. They hadn't been there yet when it happened. Minato sometimes wished to forget that, but he admitted he got closer to them after that full moon.

"I am sorry for keeping too many secrets from you," Mitsuru said. And that was before they went underground, before Strega met them and trapped them.

"Oh no no, not at all!" Yukari said. "Sorry for… yelling."

"And pressuring you." Fuuka looked down.

"It's fine." Mitsuru smiled.

Ken decided to join too. It was still fresh and everyone knew what he implied. "Sorry for… uh, you know."

"It's not your fault," Akihiko said. "He got that, I'm sure." The boxer thought for a moment. "I'm not sure what I did that I should say sorry for."

"For being a hot-headed person on the team," Mitsuru said.

"Nope. I don't regret that."

"But why are we playing the sorry game?" Junpei asked. "I mean, come on, we all did something stupid. That's how we learn, right?"

"Don't expect you to say that of all people," Yukari said. "But I gotta agree with you on this one."

Aigis raised her hand. "I am sorry for attacking Minato-san on a few occasions."

"It's okay," Minato said. He forgot those already. Though he could remember her glares sometimes on the full moon nights.

"Let's do our best in the last battle," Mitsuru said. "Tomorrow is a big day, so make sure you get your rest."

Today was the Culture Day so they stayed at home. Good thing it was a holiday.

Today's the day, and Junpei was playing games with Fuuka in the lounge instead of all the serious talk about the last full moon.

"We've reached the final boss," Fuuka said. "At least, I think. It probably is."

Junpei stared at the long name. "Nyar… tal…?

"Nyarlathotep," Fuuka said and looked at the black demon. "He's ugly."

The bat wings didn't help. Junpei nodded. "Yeah I hate him already."

Minato almost forgot Fuuka liked to play card games, aside from liking technology and cooking.

"Emperor!" Fuuka shouted and used some kind of attack. "There, take that! The Sun!"

Fuuka might be even more into it than Junpei. Soon, they defeated Nyarly.

"Oh, there's more," Junpei said. "We have to keep walking, Fuuka."

"Ehh but I hate random encounter!" Fuuka groaned and took a few steps on the map. It faded and the enemies appeared. "Thereee, we have to fight again."