Disclaimer: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona belongs to ATLUS. Touhou Project belongs to Zun. I have no ownership of the copyrights of either series in any way.

Chapter 19: Red-Letter, Black-Letter

"I'm sorry Minato-san, but I cannot disclose such information. I cannot bend the rules, even for one such as you." Shiki's answer wasn't so much distant or cold, but I couldn't help but feel a fire of hope die as she told us. I asked Yuyuko if I could talk to someone from the Ministry. I wanted to see if they could have information on just where Ken's Mother and Akihiko's sister were. I was surprised to get a meeting the very next day. I was sitting on the other side of the table from the Judge, Shinji sat by my side as Komachi sat adjacent to him, drinking a cup of sake. "However, while I do not wish to be seen as dubious, I sincerely want to inform you that such information would be immediately available to you, should you join the Ministry as an administrator of death," Shiki continued in my slight daze. Oh right… that offer. "I do not wish to strong arm you into such an arrangement, but I do assure you that what you seek would be trivial for you to obtain, should you accept the offer." I looked at Shinji to find that his gaze was still transfixed upon the judge, but then he suddenly turned to me.

"I'll admit, I don't smell a rat here, but do you really want that job? You don't have to do it, you know?" I see even Shinji was a bit hesitant to force me into a position, just for his own benefit.

"It's a pretty sweet gig though, and hey, you get control over a small army of Shinigami too." Komachi pointed out as she took another sip of sake. More and more reasons to take the job seem to pile up… I didn't really care much for it if I'm honest. It was there, but there wasn't any reason to take the offer. Though all the same, there was no reason not to. I looked one more time at Shinji. All I can remember of him were the small moments we did hang out, as well as my own regrets for not being able to do anything about his death… I'll do it.

"I'll take the job." The first one to speak in response was Shinji.

"Are you absolutely sure? I don't want you busting your ass for mine over here." I turned to him to give him a proper answer.

"I wouldn't answer yes otherwise."

"I'm grateful for you accepting our offer," I heard Shiki say; I turned to her to find her bowing in respect.

"Well, well, looks like the girls back at the ministry will have to clear a new desk," Komachi jokingly stated.

"Well not quite yet," Shiki said, slowing the mood down. "There is one last formality to go through, unfortunately."

"Should have known that there'd be something…" Shinji said, irritated by the surprise wall.

"Well it is not my intention to obstruct your acceptance of the position. In the Ministry, there are those who are opposed to you being given the position. I hoped that perhaps such feelings would have died down by the time you would properly accept the role, if you ever would. However, they have not." Shiki seemed to want to continue, but Komachi got in a word before her.

"Just a bunch of prissy guys, and girls that don't like a random, young kid getting such a high powered position without any effort, at least that's what they think." Shiki raised her hand that held her- "Kyan!" …yeah…

"Anyways, before being interrupted, I was about to propose a way for you to obtain the position proper, while also calming those at the Ministry opposed to you. It might not entirely solve the problem. However it would at the very least quiet them enough. If it is of any assurance, I believe you are already more than qualified for the position, and find the task I'm about to give you, trivial for a man of your caliber," Shiki said, making a small smile. "Even if you are a womanizer." … I just can't get away from that…

"So what are you going to throw on his plate?" Shinji asked in a manner which feels like he's coming to my defense.

"It's a simple basic task. Help a soul move on from the world of the living. For the most part, the soul has already calmed down, it only has a few regrets lingering that should be easy enough to ease," Shiki began to inform me.

"I picked this one out for you myself. It's close by too, just outside of Gensokyo's borders," Komachi said, but the moment she did, Yukari immediately sprang from a border that formed above the table.

"Pick another one!" She demanded as she fully came into view, her face distorted by anger, and haste.

"It is nice of you to join us, Yukari-san. I cannot abide by your request however," Shiki stated calmly. It seems Yukari doesn't inspire any fear from the Yama.

"Well then it would seem that we are at an impasse, for I refuse to let Mina-chan leave Gensokyo." I decided to ask Yukari a question then.

"Why am I not allowed outside of Gensokyo?" I said, concentrating solely on her. What she said is interesting… She turned to me, and her face softened considerably, her voice that followed also softened just the same.

"I'll be frank with you, as I know I cannot convince you otherwise," to hear her trying to be honest… that's a first! "Unless you are in Gensokyo, I cannot as easily protect or keep track of you. I hope you appreciate it when I say that I was genuinely worried about you when you had gone into Makai when my attention had lapsed. I need you, and I cannot afford for you to be hurt or indisposed. That is why I will ask you: Please do not leave Gensokyo." Yukari practically begging, and asking me a request like that was perhaps something I could not have begun to imagine until this moment. Something in that voice of hers felt as if she was speaking to someone she trusted, a person with a bond. I feel bad about this now…

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that for you; sorry," I apologized, a bit redundantly… "I promised another friend that I'd helped him. I won't back down from that." Before hearing Yukari's reply, I turned to Komachi. "So when do I start?" Yukari took that time to speak at that moment.

"I'd entertained the notion of this scene for quite some time. I should have thought of it more thoroughly. I suppose however, considering that it's you, it really should not come to me as a surprise…" She turned to Komachi. "Tell me where you need to send him. I'll take him there myself."

"Oh yeah, sure. Minato-kun, you might want to get ready while I tell her where it is," Komachi told me.

"It will not be difficult, however it will increase your karma to prepare as best you can," Shiki repeated Komachi's advice, albeit with more loquaciousness. I nodded and got up.

"I'm going to go to my room then." Shinji just nodded and sat there, returning his attention towards the others in the room. I didn't clearly hear the details that Yukari and the two from the Ministry shared. Now to deal with that…

Break

She was sleeping in the cage made room that was prepared for her that sat on the desk next to my bed. Sukuna for some reason decided to follow me into the afterlife. After unsuccessfully convincing her otherwise, I relented and let her stay with me. Youmu quickly prepared accommodations for her and she's stayed like that ever since, following me around whenever I went outside by way of my coat pocket. Next to her cage was my sword and evoker. I walked over to the desk and picked up my belongings. As I picked them up, a rustling sound could be heard from the cage and from its perpetually unlocked opening popped out the inchling, right on cue, though not fully.

"Where we going now?" She asked, excited to see the world with a fervor that hadn't died.

"I think it's best if you stay here this time," I told her bluntly.

"Like that's going to stop me, Arisato-sama!" She said as she jumped out of her cage and puffed out her chest. "Anywhere you go, I want to go to!"

"Yeah… we've been over this before… but this time it's different." I checked my blade by activating it.

"That just makes me more curious. You always go to the most amazing of places!" she said as she was preparing to jump. "So where is it?" She asked as she then leapt from the desk onto my clothes and began to climb them like some bug.

"The outside world," I told her, deactivating my blade and checking my evoker, ignoring her skittering on my clothes.

"Really!?" She exclaimed as she settled into my pocket. "Have you ever been there before?"

"I'm from there…"

"Wow!" She said with wonder like a child, though she is a child actually. "That must be why you're so amazing, Arisato-sama!"

"Not really…" I said, placing my blade and evoker where they belonged, and lastly checking my hand… yup. My ring is still there.

"Is it true what they say about the outside world, that there are no Youkai or magic?" She asked. I gently placed my hand around her, and slowly left her on the desk. Before she might have struggled, but now she just looked at me curiously. Considering how I let her come with me before without much fuss after the first time, I suppose she would be surprised.

"You heard right, but that's sort of the reason why I can't bring you along."

"If you're worried about there being an uproar about her, then don't be. The three of them said that you're going to have to be as discreet as possible about your presence. Besides I think a dead guy walking is going to cause a bigger shit storm than a little inchling." I turned to find Shinji at the door. I guess he left because he was bored. "You know, with the whole size thing?"

"So there's no problem of me coming then?" Sukuna pleaded. Dammit, there should be a law against someone so small giving puppy eyes like that. You know what… I may be giving up too soon, but I guess if I'm going to have to be discreet in the first place, there's no harm in bringing her. Besides she can be quiet when she needs to be. Despite her occasional childishness, she can behave at the right time. I didn't vocally reply to her, instead I just sighed and stretched my hand out. She leapt on to it without a second thought. "Awesome!" She cried as she then scurried her way back into my coat pocket.

"Just make sure you're quiet when I need you to be, okay?"

"Roger that! You know I can be quiet when I want to." She then disappeared into my pocket, though I could feel her moving inside the pocket, probably trying to make herself comfortable.

"Well good luck with that. I'll be waiting here in Hakugyokurou." Shinji nearly started to turn, but I spoke up before he could really move.

"What are you saying Shinji? Aren't you coming with me?"

"Not a chance in hell. I can't leave the afterlife, remember?" He said to me, leaning on the door looking out of the room.

"Are you sure there isn't a way to help or something?"

"Well there's always possession. However living things would be a pain in the ass to possess and there technically aren't any in the afterlife to begin with. There aren't objects that are close to human for my comfort, and besides that, I don't really feel up to it. If I could go down there I would though." Shinji said that last line a bit softer than the preceding ones. An object that's like a human… I looked at my ring and materialized one of my unnamed dolls. Shinji immediately reacted.

"Oh fuck no! You are not going to fucking put me in one of your god dammed dolls. Don't you even fucking dare you ass hat. Don't get any closer to me! I swear to god I'm going to kill you where you stand if you-"

Break

"Hey it's not all bad. You'll get used to being this size before too long," Sukuna told her new fellow who was standing on the table in the middle of the guest room.

"Well I wouldn't have to get used to it if somebody didn't shove me into this thing!" The Shanghai doll that stood on the table was moving on its own… somewhat. Shinji's spirit was managing to possess it quite well. It was odd though to see the doll so expressive as opposed to the unchanging expressions of my other ones… perhaps even odder to find it producing Shinji's usual scowl and gait, despite being made to look like a blond little maid with a huge red ribbon on its head. "I'm going to put you through a fucking world of hurt when I get out of this thing."

"Isn't your body more physical now, though?" Sukuna asked, from my coat pocket.

"Well I don't want to break this thing. It's actually really well made, and the stitching is really detailed," Shinji noted, to my surprise. "It's a little too fancy for a guy like me." While that was going on I turned my attention back to the others who were in the room.

"Do you understand, Mina-chan? You're only to interact with the world of the living in case of emergencies, or in the most pressing of circumstances."

"Shinji told me that already."

"Well we just want to make sure you know, you know? The Ministry likes to maintain that 'Works in Mysterious Ways' policy it has for whatever reason. Though if you want to get on that payroll, you're just going to have to get with the program," Komachi reasoned.

"You're speech pattern has greatly deteriorated Komachi. Should I discipline you a bit so that you do not stray too far?" Shiki said, patting the end of her implement onto her other hand.

"Please don't…" Komachi meekly replied, holding her head with both her hands.

"I think we have more pressing matter right now," Yuyuko said, surprisingly trying to re-rail the conversation. Yuyuko and Youmu both joined us when they heard that I was going to be joining the Ministry. "Minato-kun, please be careful when you go back into the outside world. It has most likely changed drastically since you've last been there."

"Yuyuko-sama, Minato-sama has only been here for a few months. If anything that statement would more aptly apply to you than him," Youmu pointed out, with a surprising amount of spine.

"Oh my, you're right. I guess I was just thinking so much about the feast we'll have after he comes back that I couldn't think straight," Yuyuko's priorities are pretty straight.

"Enough idle banter; the sooner Mina-chan returns to us, the better. I want you to be as careful as possible, do you hear me? My influence and ability to perceive wanes tremendously outside of Gensokyo if I'm not paying direct attention to that particular area," Yukari, just like all the others warned me; her concern for me, though touching, still seeming out of place… "I'm going to prepare the border now." She made a motion with her hand and another border opened up. "I'll place you in a more isolated area for you to more freely enter without suspicion."

"Remember, your mission is to help the ghost in this mission statement pass on." Shiki then handed to me a scroll that, when I unrolled it, showed the details of the one I was to search for. "The method you use, and the manner of which you help her is up to you. As long as you minimize your presence, then the Ministry will have no problem with any of your actions." I nodded to her to confirm to her that I was ready. I turned to Sukuna in my pocket first, and then to Shinji. They both nodded to confirm that they were also ready. Shinji and I began to walk into the border when I heard the parting words of those gathered.

"Go get 'em kid!" Komachi egged on.

"I await your safe return, Minato-sama," Youmu said with a bow, though a bit of worry slipped out.

"Come back soon, and bring me back something tasty to eat." Yuyuko's stomach, as always, speaks for her a little too loudly.

"Good luck…" I heard Shiki say last as I stepped into the portal. "And stay safe, for Humanity's sake…" And then the border closed shut.

Break

"Yasoinaba…" I read from the sign that hung from the train station. Apparently this was the place that was over the natural mountainous border of Gensokyo. I could see what might have been familiar mountains, though from different angles. However, considering how little attention I paid to them, I couldn't truly tell. The little town here was really out in the country. The fresh air and open space helped to emphasis this as well as some farm land out in the distance. The weather was a bit cloudy today too. It's my first time being in such a rural place. It was apparently 11 'o clock, October 3rd, according to the station's clock that was nearby…

"Talk about the boonies. Well at least it's quiet," Shinji said from my shoulder, still stuck in the doll. "Well save for the dwarf there…"

"Wow! This is so different from Gensokyo!" Sukuna said excitedly as she shifted constantly in my coat pocket to try and take in as much of the view as she possibly could. "All the buildings are made of stone. That must be quite expensive. Is everyone so rich in the outside world?" Sukuna asked me.

"Well it's concrete, and it's a pretty common building material. It's actually relatively cheap here," I told her, trying my best to give an accurate response despite my lack of architectural knowledge.

"Ooooh," she exclaimed as if she understood. "Let's go look for that ghost! I want to see more!" I couldn't argue with that first response. "You better behave yourself Shinji. You've got to be quiet when Arisato-sama is on the move."

"Just because I'm stuck in a little doll's body, doesn't mean I'm going to stand being treated as one. Still I guess we do have to be quiet…" Shinji reluctantly stated. "Hey, does that scroll of yours say where we might be able to find this ghost?" I grabbed the scroll I had stored in my ring and looked through it.

"It says we can find her at a small crossing near an elementary school."

"Well what are we waiting for, let's go!" Sukuna shouted.

"I thought you said to be quiet you loud brat…" Shinji mumbled… this is going to be fun…

Break

The school was coming into view. It was closer than the crossing and we'd have to pass it by. It took us longer than I'd thought it would on account of Sukuna stopping to ask Shinji and I questions about the world around us… perhaps it might not have been such a good idea to bring her after all. I have to admit though. Inaba would have been a nice place to explore more of if given the chance. I like the rural setting, and quiet here. It makes me a bit sleepy. I'll have to see if I can come back some time.

"So just where is this ghost?" Sukuna asked, asking a question that was relevant to us for once.

"You said it was a crossing, right? Then wouldn't it be the one there?" Shinji pointed his doll's finger towards the crossing we were about to reach. I took out the scroll and began to shift my head back and forth between the map and the scenery. I walked over to it with the other two in tow and stopped at one of the corners. I looked around but couldn't find anyone that fit the description.

"Looks like the place, but do you see anyone?"

"If they're a ghost, then maybe they're invisible?" Sukuna posited, placing a hand on her chin… actually that's not too farfetched.

"Great… as if this couldn't get any easier…" Shinji snappily replied as he too placed his hand on his face, but using the whole palm instead. Before I could talk again though-

*DingDongDingDongDingDongDingDong* I think that was the bell at the Elementary school. I guess the early elementary school kids are getting out now. I suppose that means they just finished lunch too. I should get to that myself… wait a second…

"Arisato-sama?" Sukuna asked in order to get my attention.

"Huh?" I said a bit dully.

"Is something wrong?" She asked, her concern welcome.

"You were spacing out, and I mean more than usual." Thanks Shinji… But…

"Do either of you get the feeling you're being watched?" I felt it for a while now, but I've only just noticed a few moments ago when the bell rang.

"Maybe it's the ghost we're looking for. I mean typically, those kinds of things tend to be pretty violent and such," Shinji offered as explanation. At that moment however-

"Hey look! Over there!" Sukuna pointed to my left and there, standing next to a pole, was a woman in a fairly conservative dress. Her brown hair was left loose and hung past her shoulders. Her equally brown eyes seemed transfixed in the direction of the Elementary school whose bell just rang. Her expression seemed longing. Her height didn't seem to be terribly tall, but what caught me was that she was partially transparent. "You think she's the one?" Sukuna whispered to Shinji and me.

"Well she looks ready to disappear so I'm going to wager a yes," Shinji tersely answered "We should be careful though. Who knows what she'll do… or if she's even the right one…"

"Then we'll ask," I said as I began to walk over to her.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Shinji asked me as we got closer.

"Yeah! She might be some evil wraith at this point!" Sukuna stated from her imagination.

"I doubt it," I plainly said as I finally got up next to her. Sukuna and Shinji were about to voice their opinions some more, but the proximity to the ghost in question and my next action stopped them. "Excuse me…" I called to her. The ghost woman seemed surprised for a moment and turned to me slowly, in disbelief.

"Y-yes?" She replied, somewhat taken aback by the fact that someone was calling out to her I'm guessing.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but are you Chisato Doujima?" I asked her softly. She nodded once, slowly. Great, found her!

"I'm Minato Arisato,"I introduced myself, reigning in my excitement. "I'm here on behalf of the Ministry to help you… pass on…" Only as I was saying that sentence did I realize that it could have negative repercussions if she didn't take it well. Luckily she did.

"Oh… well that certainly took a while," she said with a soft smile and a joking tone. "You certainly don't look like any Shinigami though."

"Well I'm new on the job," I said, trying to maintain the ease that was established.

"Oh, and I see you have two cute dolls on you as well," Chistao noted after seeing Sukuna and Shanghai-Shinji.

"I'm an inchling actually!" Sukuna excitedly said.

"Tch…" was all Shinji let out. Chisato gave a look of surprise before simply giggling.

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that there are such interesting things out there. After all, I am a ghost," she seems to be taking this rather well. "I've been one for quite a while, though I suppose you already know that Arisato-san." I didn't, but that might be good to know.

"Well I am here to help…" I told her again.

"Thank you, but… well, I suppose you might guess. I don't know if I want to leave," Chisato told us.

"Lingering regrets, I'm guessing?" It's what I am here to relieve after all. I expected a response, but Chistao didn't give one. Instead, she seemed to look longingly at some school children that were passing by. Taking note of her lapse in attention, I too turned to focus on the group of school kids, but noticed one that was a little out of the ways. It was not so much any one thing, but a combination of things; the first obviously being her odd position being somewhat distant from the other kids. The second was that she looked downcast, and sullen. Melancholic would have best described her expression in fact, an emotion that shouldn't lie on a child's face, but then came her face itself. Her brown hair that was tied in pig tails, and her brown eyes bore a striking resemblance to a certain ghost that was standing next to me…

"Nanako…" I heard Chisato whisper softly and sadly. I was a bit hesitant to ask, but I suppose nothing comes from doing nothing.

"Is that your daughter?" I asked, my attention still on the young girl as the children passed us by. They noticed me a bit, but for the most part ignored me… so it seems I'm still visible to people…

"Y-yes…"She said hesitantly.

"If I read your profile right, you died in a hit and run accident on this crossing on your way to pick her up. Is that right?" I read that her husband was a detective. Perhaps the more heavily questioning tone would help to put her a bit at ease to answer my questions.

"You're acting like my husband. He's a detective, you know?" Chisato said, neither confirming nor denying my question. She stood still for moment, only shifting her head to follow her daughter's steps. "If it is not too much to ask," She began. I shifted my gaze towards her. "Is it alright if I stay, just until tomorrow? I'll come with you then, but please just let me stay for one more day…" She pleaded, her attention still towards the direction her daughter left. October 4th… not a good day…

"What's so important about today?" I asked, swallowing my bad memories of October 4th. I could feel Shinji shift uncomfortably thanks to the magic bond.

"It's… it's my Nanako's Birthday." Caught off guard a bit, I blinked rapidly about two times. Her birthday… man… "I… want to do one last thing for her, before I have to leave for good."

"And you want to throw her party or something?" Shinji asked. "There really ain't much of shit you can do." Now that the coast was clear, Sukuna and Shinji came out of hiding; hiding that I didn't even notice them going into.

"But, parties are fun! I think it's a really cool idea!" Sukuna commented. "All kids love parties!" Well her faulty universal generalization aside, who knows, it might work. I've seen crazier work before.

"Again, I ain't saying the idea is shit, but that her being a ghost keeps this plan from even getting the chance to get FUBAR," Shinji argued with the Inchling.

"A party…" Chistao mumbled as I ignored the two. "Well… there's this new department store that just opened called Junes. It's still relatively new, but it might have something that could help." Oh the department store chain. I heard of it, but there wasn't one near Tatsumi Port Island. A question that lingered however, I decided to deal with it at that moment.

"You're being awfully cooperative," I noted. I don't have many experiences with wayward ghosts like this, but even so, she's very calm about leaving. She turned to me, finally letting go of the gaze she held for the longest while.

"Oh… well if you were to talk to me a year ago when I had first died, perhaps I would not have been. However I suppose time even heals dying, at least in my case," Chisato told me. Taking a deep breath, she stalled for a few moments before saying, "I was so confused, and angry," she continued. "I wanted my husband to find my killer and bring them to 'justice'. I wanted someone to acknowledge my current existence. I wanted something to happen, anything to relieve me of my pain. I even wanted to take Nanako with me … but as the months passed, and I found I couldn't leave here, I calmed down." Chisato took a deep breath after revealing that to Sukuna, Shinji, and I.

"Do you have anyone that you love, Arisato-san? Someone who you could not live without?" I nodded. I have a lot of people I love. I have a lot of people I want to protect. She nodded and smiled, but then continued with, "Have you ever seen them falling apart? Have you ever seen the one you love become so lost that they start to lose the will to live or begin self-destructive practices?" I nodded quietly. I saw it quite clearly when my friends became trapped in the Abyss. I had no other choice, but I still didn't like what had happened to them. "I suppose that it was a silly question to ask, seeing that you've probably seen it a lot as a shinigami." Chisato let out a little giggle. I guess a lot of mothers are like this. "You must have hated to see them like that, right?" I did… "I felt the same, when I saw them in so much pain. I calmed down from realizing that I wasn't the only one in pain. I suppose that's a mother's, and wife's instinct kicking in above all else." I smiled a bit. "When I saw that the two of them were suffering just as much as I was, if not more, I couldn't stand to be angry after that."

"Though that didn't necessarily solve your problem," I noted out loud.

"You can also call that a mother's, and wife's instinct…" Right…"The clear head that I've gotten from that has at least let me know that I want to make sure those two will be okay before I leave."

"Do you have any idea on how to do that?" Well barring the previous idea.

"… A birthday party," Chisato seemed to both offer and decide.

"You're kidding me, right?" Shinji first responded.

"Awesome!" Sukuna let out from hearing the words.

"We'll need to go to Junes now," she said.

"And how the hell do you think you're going anywhere? You said it yourself: you're stuck here," Shinji said as I got an idea. I materialized another doll from my ring.

"Oh? You have another doll?" Chisato noted.

"I also know how you can leave here…"

Break

"Every day's great at your Junes!" The jingle rang as the automatic doors opened.

"Ooooooh!" Sukuna began. "It doesn't look like much of a store but they play songs!"

"This is just the entrance, all the stuff they sell is later on," Shinji corrected Sukuna.

"I'm still surprised by what has happened. I haven't had a physical body in a long time, but to think I'd get one like this. At least it's cute. I'm sure Nanako would love it," Chisato said as she, as a doll, sat on my shoulders. Sukuna still sat in my coat pocket, while Shinji sat on the other shoulder. Walking in to the main shopping area from the entrance, I noted that business wasn't all that good. The store had just opened though, so I suppose there would still be a level of apprehension, especially in a small town like this.

"Hello there!" A young employee walked up to me, he wore an apron over his normal clothes that helped to identify him as a worker here. His brown tussled hair hung a bit towards his shoulders. "Welcome to Junes, is there anything I can help you with? I can tell you about any of our special sales that are going on today." I read the name tag to know who to address: Yosuke Hanamura.

"Um… can you tell us where the party goods are, Hanamura-san?"

"Us?" He gave me a questioning look, but dropped it with a shake of the head. "Of course! They're on the second floor, near the general goods section, there's a big sign that says 'PARTY!' in all capital letters. You can't miss it."

"Thanks, Hanamura-san," I said as I left.

"No problem! If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask any of the other employees!"

"What a nice person. What's an employee, by the way? Are they like servants or something?" Sukuna asked as we went back to the entrance to get into one of the elevators that were there.

"Employees are people who work at a particular place and get paid to do so. Servants are also employees," Chisato explained to Sukuna.

"Ooooh!" Sukuna elongated, as the elevator arrived and I stepped into it. I pressed the button to go to the second floor.

"He said that the second floor had what we were looking for right?" Shinji asked. Once I nodded in affirmation, Shinji continued. "That still doesn't answer just what the hell are we going to actually do with party goods." … He's got a point. Shinji directed his gaze towards the other doll. "It's not like we can actually just go in there and say 'Hey! We're here cause your dead wife and mom told us to' and then proceed to decorate their house." I turned to Chisato who only gave me a small-

"Oops…" I placed a palm to my face. Think… how can we salvage this… right!

"It's still a birthday. We could just send a cake, a card, or a present or something to help achieve the same effect," I offered, a bit desperately, not really paying any particular attention to what I was saying.

"Cake!?" Sukuna shouted, making me glad that June's business still hadn't hit its stride, if it ever does. "Are we going to get a cake!?"

"Quiet down, you idiot!" Shinji reprimanded in a yelling whisper as he put one of his doll hands on Sukuna's mouth. "We're supposed to be discrete!" he continued in his angry whisper. Sukuna pulled the hand off her mouth and let out a dejected-

"Sorry…" before turning to me and asking, "But are we really going to get a cake?"

"Hmmm…" Chisato mused. "I don't think it's a bad idea. I noticed that they have a baked goods section near their groceries. We could get one there. As for the present…" It seems we have a good idea on our hands. Though I wonder what Chisato wants to get for her daughter…

Break

"Are you sure it's okay for me to be here?" I asked Chisato on my shoulder as we stood at the front of the building.

"To be honest… no, but It will be easiest to do it here amongst other places," Chisato quietly told me as a few students were still exiting the building.

"So what's a school? And why is everyone dressed the same?" Sukuna asked softly as I tried to distance myself from the more curious students.

"It's where kids go to learn, and the reason for the stuffy ass uniforms is because that's part of the rules." The uniforms at this particular school featured for the males a classic gakuran that had surprising detail which included a checkerboard collar with a year number in the form of a Roman numeral, as well as their school emblem emblazoned on the chest. The girls also wore the same dark grey, borderline black, uniforms but stylized as more like the classic Sailor uniform, accented by a yellow ascot and checkerboard skirt. Despite the stylishness of the uniform, it was still easy to find people having modified in small amounts to express themselves. Regardless it made me, in my Gekkoukan High uniform, stand out, and honestly made me a bit nervous.

"Shinji, did you not like school?" Chisato asked him with concern.

"Don't ask…" Shinji gruffly answered.

"Well if we have to be here, let's be quick about it," I said, trying to return focus upon our task, though that was bit difficult to do as I could feel Sukuna once again shifting erratically around to capture the sights about her as well as hear her gasps of wonder.

"Is that a uniform too?" Sukuna asked as a pair of girls walked out of the building. "Their clothes' colors don't match everyone else's." Sukuna was right. The both of them wore very loud colors of red and green. Considering how thinned out the students had become, they stood out even more… I don't know this school's layout, so maybe…

"Excuse me…" I called out to the two as I walked up to them. Chisato, Shinji, and Sukuna made themselves scarce after I called the two students. The two girls turned to me, a bit surprised by my calling.

"Huh? Who are you?" The short brown haired girl in green asked me. Her body seemed to shift so that some of it was between me and the long black haired girl in red.

"Chie, I don't think he's a pervert. After all, he doesn't have a beard or facial hair," The black haired girl told her friend… actually what kind of gauge is that?

"Um… Yukiko, that's not exactly a good way to tell who's a pervert or not," Chie told Yukiko… I guess that's their names. "Still, just what do you want? That's not our school uniform," Chie said, returning to a defending position…

"Um… I'm Minato Arisato," I told them out of courtesy and perhaps to help them relax if they knew something about me. "As you can tell I do go to a different school, and I'm here for some extracurricular activities." It seems to have worked as the two, particularly Chie, seemed to lower their guards a bit. "I was just wondering if the two of you could tell me where the Music Room is."

"It's on the second floor of the Practice building. It's at the end of the hall behind two double doors. You can't miss it," Yukiko told me quite candidly.

"Uh… Yukiko, are you sure it was a good idea to tell him all that?" Chie asked, still quite cautious.

"Well he was polite, so I thought it was fair to tell him," Yukiko said, justifying her actions.

"Huh… well I guess you're right. Though in that case…" Chie turned to me after thinking over what her friend said. "I'm Chie Satonaka, sorry about being so cold earlier. A lot of people like to hit on Yukiko, and I try to scare off the worst ones."

"And I'm Yukiko Amagi. I hope you enjoy your time here at Yasogami High for you extracurricular, Arisato-san. Though I don't remember being hit on, Chie."

"Seriously? But there's even the whole 'Amagi Challenge' named after you since you turned down so many guys," Chie said, flabbergasted by her friends ignorance to her own popularity.

"I… don't see it," Yukiko said, indirectly clarifying just how much she didn't know.

"Um…" I interjected. "Thanks for the directions, and sorry for holding you girls up."

"Hehe, no problem. It's not like Junes is going anywhere anyways, though you might want to hurry to the clubroom, Arisato-kun. I heard that they're having a particularly short meeting today," Chie told me.

"I'll be sure to. Again, thanks, Satonaka-san, Amagi-san." I said as I walked out of the way to let them by. We waved at each other as they passed me by and then disappeared off into the distance down the hill. Once they were fully gone, I turned towards the entrance… so what's the Practice Building?

Break

Opening the double doors to the room, I found that it seemed to be empty. The room was built as you would expect a room for music would be: floors at differing heights decked with chairs, and music stands. There weren't any of the easily movable instruments like guitars, saxophones, violins, or any of the like. If they had been here, they've most likely have been taken by their owners. No, it was the piano that was the focus of my attention today as I walked towards it slowly. It was a grand piano, though the faded letters prevented me from seeing just what brand it was. It was certainly not a very expensive one like, say, a Steinway, but it would suffice enough as it seemed to be kept well despite the faded branding.

"Wow, it's more impressive than I thought it would be," Chisato noted as I placed her onto the left side of where you would place the music sheets and everyone else on the ground.

"I'm still pretty nervous about this…" I noted as I took a seat. I then noticed Sukuna trying to climb up on to it from one of the legs. "Sukuna, get down from there…" I scolded her. She turned her head to me, and gave me a mischievous, but apologetic grin, and then slide down slowly before walking back over to Shinji's side, whistling.

"Don't worry. The piece isn't that difficult. Do you have the recorder ready?" I took from my ring a recorder that I had bought from Junes, it wasn't exactly the cheapest, as Chisato would not allow as such, but didn't set me back too far. It was a simple hand recorder something like journalists would use. I gave it to Chisato who fumbled it around to try and get used to it. As she set it down, after feeling comfortable with it, she then said, "Well how much have you learned about the piano?"

"I was learning a bit, but it sort of stopped after I was about 6 or 7. I know the basics, but that's it." I could have joined the music club back at Gekkoukan, though I doubt I would have played piano. No, instead I joined the photography club. I noticed that I could hear Shinji and Sukuna talking off in the distance, like a pair siblings, the older teaching the younger about the world, though I couldn't focus too keenly as my attention was needed elsewhere. Still, I'm glad the two are getting along.

"As I said earlier, the piece isn't very difficult, and besides, at least I don't have to start with telling you what middle C is," she said, giggling as did so.

"Right…" I let out as I sat down, running my hands through the keys. My stiff fingers however preventing me from really tickling the ivories. "So you were a piano teacher?" I asked her before we really began lessons.

"And my husband was a detective of the Inaba PD," she indirectly confirmed. "I sometimes played the piano to lull Nanako to sleep when she was a baby. I couldn't hold any rhythm to sway her to sleep in my arms, but put me at the piano, and she was sleeping like… well a baby," she reminisced out loud. "The song I'm going to teach you, is the one I played for her…" she became sullen as she said it, but perked right back up, almost as if she were forcing herself. "As they say, Arisato-kun, practice makes perfect, let's begin no-" *CRASH* Chisato and I immediately turned to find a mess of music stands piled on top of one another, with Sukuna sitting right on top, no worse for wear. Shinji on the other hand, seemed to be fuming with his hand pinching his nose.

"Oops…" Sukuna let out softly. "I messed up…" I sighed as I got up. Cleaning will have to come first I guess…

Break

"So how are we going to get in?" I asked. It was currently the early noon of the Red-Letter Day. The birthday girl was at school and her father was probably at work. The currently empty house was quite quaint honestly. It was two stories, with a small garden area and an extension of the roof on the other side to be made use of as a sort of garage. The day was a bit cloudy, but it would clear up later.

"My husband, being the ever vigilant protector, didn't like having hidden keys, but I managed to slip one by him," Chisato said as she directed me towards the garden. Once there, I knelt down and she hopped off. She then walked onto the far end of the garden and lifted one of the bricks that made a border between the actual garden and what was simply grass to reveal a little baggie with a key in it. "I couldn't let him control everything, you know?" Chisato said. Much of her speech now was filled with… it's on the tip of my tongue…"Come on!" she excitedly told us as she went to the screen door and opened it, running right in.

"Let's get this over with as quick as possible. I don't want to be here in case her husband decides to come home early," Shinji said from my shoulder.

"Let's go, let's go!" Sukuna shouted from my pocket. Giving in to her demand, I followed Chisato into the building. The inside was just as quaint as the outside was. The living room was fairly standard; a TV sat in the corner with a couch and table combination sitting itself on the other side of the room. Small décor like calendars and cabinets also made their home here. Next to the living room was the kitchen which had all that was needed of such like a refrigerator, microwave, stove, the works. The kitchen also had its own table, though it was littered in things such as other plates and old newspapers.

"In here!" Chistao called me as she opened the refrigerator. Taking the cake out of my ring's pocket dimension as well as the small present box that held the recorder with two attached notes. I placed the two right next to each other inside, the cake saying 'Happy Birthday Nanako', with glaze on top.

"And that's it…" I said as I closed the door.

"Good, now let's bolt before they get back," Shinji relayed, and I would have to agree with him. There was nothing left to do but let the presents do their thing.

"W-wait, Arisato-san!" I turned to Chisato just as my hand was about to reach the screen door.

"Yes?" I asked calmly, fully turning towards her as Sukuna was trying to jump on and climb the glass screen, though futilely, while Shinji tried to stop her. I grabbed Sukuna and placed her in my coat pocket where she 'harrumphed' and sat there quietly.

"If it would not be too much trouble, could you hide me somewhere here?" Chisato asked me as I felt Shinji's doll hand tug my pants. I looked down towards him where he began-

"Look, we need to get out of here quick before somebody becomes suspicious." Shinji made his point. The longer we're in here, the more problems will arise if someone sees or hears us.

"Ju-just stay in the guest room, there's nobody there right now! I'll call you down when it's finished! Please…" Chisato's pleading was clear. I have to make a decision now… fine…

"Fine, we'll hide there…" Chisato visibly brightened upon my compliance.

"Thank you, Arisato-san! Quick, it's just up the stairs. I'll take care of the rest. Don't worry, I'll make sure I'm not seen!" Chisato excitedly told us as Shinji, Sukuna, and I were herded towards the stairs…

"Just what the hell did you get us into?" Shinji asked.

"I… don't know…" I just hope this decision doesn't come to bite us in the ass.

Break

In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have made that decision on the fly like that. Shinji, Sukuna, and I were sitting in the dark room as the sun had fallen. We had to be quiet until Chisato knocked on the locked door to let us know that the coast was clear. Shinji, and Sukuna decided to sleep it off and so were asleep on the couch that sat opposite a small TV.

"I really should have thought that decision out more," I whispered as I looked a the ticking clock. Shinji and Sukuna didn't really give me a lot of scolding or reprimand for it, but it was clear that at least Shinji was annoyed. Sukuna on the other hand, just seemed to want to go with the flow of things. Either way, it was boring… "Wait…" I still had my doll magic to see through my dolls that Alice taught me. Focusing on my control ring, I closed my eyes and concentrated on the doll that Chisato was inhabiting. My senses began to dull as something began to wash over me… my sight fading even darker than before. A light… I can see it!

Break

Behind the couch… this was apparently where Chisato managed to hide herself. She was looking out from her hiding spot and in her sight was the same little girl as before, sitting on a cushion on the floor, a cheap, but at least decent, looking dinner from a convenience store set before her. However, the girl looked nervous and frightened, perhaps rightfully so as a booming male voice could be heard from outside Chisato's view thanks to being blocked by the rest of the couch.

"Look there's been a break in to my house… It's me, Ryotaro Doujima! ... Like I said, there's been a break in to my own house… No, nothing was taken. Actually more like something was left here… a cake, and a small package… Birthday? What are you… oh no… Regardless it's irrelevant! No, I'm perfectly fine. I wouldn't forget buying somethi- hey wait!" The pause from this vantage point was almost palpable as I could feel Chisato wince as this Ryoutaro grumbled and slammed the home phone down. A few more moments passed and all seemed to be still, save for the young girl who fidgeted to and fro.

"Da-Daddy?" Nanako asked, like a bottle having finally popped from being shaken so much. A sullen expression was painted on her face.

"Hu-huh? Yes, Nanako?" Ryotaro replied, his tone being far gentler to her daughter than to whoever was on the other side of the phone. There was equal parts fear and care in his reply however; quite troubling.

"Did… did you…" before the girl could finish her question, her father interjected.

"No Nanako… I didn't forget. I've just been… busy," Ryotaro told Nanako, though to whom it was to convince was not clear. Chisato… I could feel through the doll that Chisato was on the verge of tears. I couldn't blame her. This is as bad as it could have gone. Chisato quickly moved from the end of the couch that let her see Nanako, to the other. From there I could see Ryotaro. He sported a grizzled face framed on top by gray hair and piercing gray eyes. In his mouth was a cigarette that wasn't lit, but still evoked the image of a detective. He wore a simple, but effective, ensemble consisting of dark khaki pants, gray green shirt, and red tie combo that looked professional and neat, or at least it would if he were at work, but here… it looked… not so much. The man had his eyes averted from his daughter as he looked at the cake and present now set out on the table. The present, the recorder, already having its wrapper ripped up and in the trash

Perhaps as a coping mechanism, or as a manner of running away, he picked up the recorder and inspected it, but then set it back down before picking up the card. His face twisted into a confused mess, not that I could blame him.

"Dear Ryotaro," He began softly, so that Nanako couldn't hear him, but Chisato and I still could. "I know it's been hard on the two of you, since I died. I'm sorry for leaving the two of you behind, but I want you to know that I'm doing well. I'll be moving on soon, and I wanted to leave just one last thing for the two of you, before I leave for good. I'll watch over you from the other side, so don't shirk your duties as Nanako's Father, and my husband, even though I won't be there anymore. I'll always love you. Always yours, Chisato Doujima. PS: if you haven't already, give Nanako the other letter, and let her hear the recording…"

A trembling in the paper could be heard as he finished reading the last of the letter, however slight. His grey eyes began to gloss and shine, though nothing flowed out, perhaps as a way to stay strong for his daughter. He set the letter down on the table and picked the recorder back up. He turned it from side to side, making sure he understood just how it worked before finally, he clicked play.

Piano chords rang from the small item, which being the only thing producing sound in the room, almost seemed to fill the breadth of the whole house. The song alternated between strong chords that seemed to resound strength, and smaller melodies that seemed to sing the opposite with bitter sweetness, and almost a sad happiness. Then lower chords would come in after the next set of chords and laid an undercurrent that helped to lead back into the hook all the while acting like a three way dialogue between the three registers. Finally the piece gave way to the smaller melody to sing the rest of the wordless piano song. At the last note, it left a single, almost mysterious and questioning note as if leaving the rest up to fate.

"That's mommy's song!" Nanako shouted once the recording stopped. "That's song she would always play when I felt sad! What was its name again?" she asked her father. Ryotaro didn't reply, perhaps still somewhat surprised as to what came from the recorder… or is there something else? "Daddy?"

"Huh? O-oh… right… I… I think it was called, Corner of Memories…" Ryotaro stated, answering her question all the while digging up his own old memories.

"Yeah! That's it! Corner of Memors!" She shouted incorrectly.

"Corner of Memories, Nanako. Memories…" Her father corrected.

"Me-mor-ies…" Nanako repeated slowly, trying to register the word in her mind. Doujima let out a fond sigh, and took another glance at the cake. Having one more deep breath, and sigh, he, still with a bit of reluctance, said-

"Let's have some of this cake, Nanako. Don't want to have it go to waste now, do we?" He asked his daughter, slipping the other letter into his back pocket.

"Nope!" Was all she said in response to finally getting her birthday cake.

I think I've seen all I needed to see… Letting the magic fade… and… done. My eyes reopened to find that they once again were my own. Turning towards the couch I was leaning on, I found that nothing had changed, and that Shinji and Sukuna were still asleep, though now Sukuna was hugging Shinji (which essentially was Sukuna hugging one of Alice's dolls with a grumpy face on it), which made for a very lovely sight. I closed my own eyes one more time. I think it's my turn to get some sleep.

Break

*Knock Knock* My eyes snapped open upon hearing what I assumed to be Chisato's knocking. Yawning as I got up sluggishly, I managed to get myself to the door without too much trouble despite the darkness and unlocked the door. Upon doing so, standing at only a doll's height, Chisato walked in and gestured me to close the door.

"Finished?" I asked her, though I already knew the answer.

"Yes… and thank you," Chisato said as she got up onto the table that sat in the middle of the room. "The only hitch was that my sister-in-law called Ryotaro to tell him that she was sending her son, my nephew, over next spring. It made him a bit grumpy, but thankfully not for long." She sat for a few seconds with her eyes closed before saying, "I think they'll be okay. Maybe they might need some help, but for now, they're fine." Taking a deep breath, she then told me, with an unwavering tone, "I'm ready to leave whenever you are." I nodded a 'yes' to her and went over to the couch.

"Shinji, Sukuna, time to wake up," I whispered to the two of them. They soon began to rouse from sleep. Shinji was the first to fully get up.

"What the!?" A predictable outcome, but nonetheless amusing. Shinji pushed the Inchling off of himself, which then fully woke Sukuna.

"Huh? What?" She said as she finally woke up. "Is it over?" she asked as she adjusted her rice bowl hat.

"Yeah. It's time to go," I told the two of them. The both of them then began to move to their respective positions that they made for themselves on my person. I then turned to Chisato and told her, "It's time to go…" a bit of finality slipping from my voice.

"Yes… Let's…" She said as she exited the room.

All was quiet in the house. We decided to leave the way we came in, through the screen door in the living room, as leaving through the front door may raise suspicion from any late night goers. We were making our way quietly down the stairs, Chisato was taking the front.

"My husband took a few beers before going to sleep, so he won't be waking up anytime soon. I'll still check to see if it's clear though," she whispered as she then went out of the alcove to the stairs after I nodded my approval of the plan. I take stock of Shinji, and Sukuna who were just as tense as I was to try and keep quiet so as not to distur-

"Huh? A dolly?" Oh shit! Fighting back the urge to run out, I slowly creep out of the alcove to find Chisato having been caught by Nanako. The little girl was in her pajamas with a pink mug in hand; most likely water. Crap, this was the last thing we needed.

"Na-Nanako!" Dammit, Chisato, you shouldn't have said anything… Nanako, then made what was perhaps the expected reaction.

"Huh? That voice… is… is that you mama?" All time seemed to freeze as the words left the little girl's mouth. Dammit this all going to hell. Chisato stood there, still shocked at having been seen, but then her face gave way to that of her usual motherliness.

"Y-yes Nanako. It's me, Mama. I just look like a doll right now sweetie." Chisato seems to be trying to calm her down.

"Mama!" Nanako hastily placed her mug on the kitchen table and grabbed her mother in a huge hug. "You're back!" This is bad… really, really bad.

"Yes, Nanako… I'm here," Chisato told her, probably unable to break her daughter's heart.

"What do we do!?" Sukuna panicked into my ear at a whisper.

"Wh-who else is there? I can hear you!" Nanako yelled, a bit afraid of not knowing who we were. Shinji, Sukuna, and I all froze after having been found out.

"Sorry," Sukuna followed as she began to try and hide under her hat.

"I'm going tell my daddy right now if you don't come out!" Crap… maybe she can be placated… signaling to Shinji and Sukuna to hide in my coat pocket, they made themselves scarce, though Shinji was reluctant, as I then walked out. "Wh-who are you?"

"Nanako," Chisato called. The young girl then looked at the doll in her arms who was her mother. Chisato then took a deep, long breath and told her daughter, "This nice young man is here to take your Mama to heaven." Nanako's expression immediately became crestfallen and she looked back and forth between me and her mother, before finally settling on me. With a face full of animosity for my presence, she then began to say-

"You can't take my Mama! I won't let you take her away!" She then tightly held her mother and angled herself between me and Chisato. The look she gave me could only be described as… hate. "She'll make everything better again! She'll make Daddy happy, she'll take me home from school, and cook dinner again, and I can show everybody that I have a mommy too! Everything will go back to normal if she stays, so can't you just go away?" I know how she feels all too well… Dammit! I… I… I have to, I know I have to… but… I…I ca… I can't-

"Nanako!" Chisato interjected, surprising both Nanako and me.

"Ma-mama?" Nanako stuttered.

"I have to go… It's my time," she gently told her daughter as she shook herself loose from her daughters grasp. Perhaps as a miracle, or maybe a trick of the mind, or something else, the doll began to float in the air and a translucent outline began to form around it. As the contours became clear, and the silhouette more defined, it became clear that, while the doll was still visible at the center, a ghostly version of Chisato's body had formed around the doll. She then placed her ghostly hand on Nanako's cheek and said, "Mama, has to say goodbye." Nanako seemed stunned by the sight before her as was I, but she quickly shook that off.

"Mama!" Nanako's face ran with tears as she practically leapt towards her mother's form, only to phase right through and fall flat upon the floor. My own body cringed upon hearing her fall down so loudly. I was about to rush over to her to help her up, but then Nanako slowly recovered. Sniffling could be heard however, and the floor was clearly wet from where her face had fallen, only becoming wetter and wetter as each moment passed. "This is the worst birthday ever!" she exclaimed while trying to wipe away her tears. I moved past her and gave a look to Chisato, telling her to take her time. She seemed to understand, and I took a seat on the couch to give them space.

"Where does it hurt, Nanako?" Chisato asked her daughter as she knelt down using her ghostly form.

"I don't know…" Nanako said, still hiccupping as she continued to wipe the ever flowing tears.

"Does it hurt inside?" Chisato asked. Nanako took a moment to look at her mother, and nodded up and down as she paid attention. "You know, I bet your daddy is hurting inside too."

"…Really?" Nanako asked, her voice a bit hoarse now.

"Yes really. Your daddy and I were married. You know what it means to be married right? It means we love each other, a little like how we love you."

"Does that mean I'm married to you and daddy?" Nanako asked innocently. Chisato giggled a bit.

"No, and I guess I should try again. What I mean is that your daddy misses me just as much as you do." Chisato tried again to explain.

"Nuh-uh. He doesn't mention you at all, and whenever I ask about you, he never tells me anything." That's… a normal response.

"That just shows how much he's hurting too, sweetie," Chisato clarified as best she could to the young girl. "He just doesn't show it."

"Well, why not?"

"That's just how he is. I'm sure you'll understand one day. You'll grow up to be a wonderful adult. I just know it," Chisato said as she mimicked the movements to stroke her daughter's head in light of the fact that the two couldn't actually physically make contact.

"Will you come back when I'm an adult?" Nanako pleaded to her mother.

"No, I'm afraid not, Nanako," Chisato said sadly. "I wish I could, but this is just the way things have to be…"

"I don't get it. Why do you have to go with him?" She said, giving me a glare that I couldn't blame her for.

"Now Nanako, don't be so mean to Arisato-san. This isn't an easy job. Now be a good girl like I taught you. A good girl follows the rules at times like this, and this is just one of those rules and one of those times. Mommy has to go to heaven." It seems those words got to the little girl as she nodded to affirm what her mother had said.

"Will I ever see you again?" She asked, her voice placated, though only a bit.

"Maybe someday, but only if you're a good girl," Chisato told her daughter with a sad smile. The mother gave her daughter one last kiss. The sound was soft but loud enough to be noted. "Just play that song whenever you're sad okay, and I'll make sure to watch over you from where I'm going."

"Okay, Mommy," She said with a *Yawn*.

"Alright, now go back to bed sweetie." Nanako nodded one last time as she trudged off towards her bedroom, but before completely leaving my sight, the girl gave me one last look. "You better take care of Mommy, okay?"

"I will…" I simply told her. Looking reluctantly satisfied, the girl the turned back around and headed off towards her room, out of our sight.

"I think we should take our leave now, Arisato-san," Chisato offered… I made sure that the key was placed back where we found it.

Break

Not knowing exactly where to go, we went back to the crossing where we first met as that seemed to be the most ceremonious place if nothing else. The ghost form she managed to manifest had long dissipated. Once back at the crossing, she exited the doll and took her place just as we had found her.

"I'm… not completely satisfied I'll admit, but that will do. I'm sure those two will do fine now, though perhaps another push might be needed," Chisato said after getting used to being outside the doll again. "Oh but don't worry. I think I've done all I can. They probably need someone else to finish what I've started." I agree. Their problem's only beginning to be solved, and as much as I'd wish to help, I don't think it's me who could do anything about it, especially considering everything about me right now.

"So what now?" Sukuna asked… actually yeah. What happens now?

"Tch… I knew we were forgetting something," Shinji quipped.

"Um.. isn't this the part where you take me with you to where ever it is you need me to go?" Chisato asked, perplexed about our own confusion.

"I'll take it from here kid," a voice pierced through the night. From the darkness, Komachi seemed to almost appear; her scythe lying upon her shoulders and lazily held by her hands. "Ferrying souls is my gig, you know? Though I don't usually do pick-up service, I'll make an exception for ya!"

"But… I thought Arisato-san was in charge of that?" Chisato asked the Shinigami.

"Well he was in charge of your lingering regrets. It's my job to take you places, and time's a wastin'," Komachi clarified to Chisato as she gestured her over. "I'll take care of the rest. Just wait for the gap kid. It'll be here in a few moments." I nodded to Komachi, somewhat to both thank her and confirm to her my understanding of what she said.

"Take care, Chisato-san," I said, bowing a bit. Chisato's confusion seemed to die down thanks in part to my confidence in Komachi, and her expression gave me one last smile.

"I will, and thank you for everything you've done, Arisato-san," Chisato returned the bow before turning her back to follow Komachi. "Good-bye…" and with that, she began to follow Komachi in full as they seemed to almost fade into obscurity right before our eyes…

"I guess taking care of ghosts, and ferrying them are two different jobs…" Shinji noted.

"Well that's bureaucracy for you," I retorted, to which Shinji huffed, amused.

"What's a bureaucracy?" Sukuna asked… I wonder when that gap's going to show up?

Break

"Welcome back, Mina-chan!" I really don't like that Yuyuko's also saying that nickname too… Yuyuko took me into her arms as Shinji and Sukuna hopped off before the brunt of the impact hit us… or more so me.

"Welcome home, Minato-sama!" Youmu said with zeal as Myon encircled Yuyuko and I.

"I'm glad to see you in perfect health, Mina-chan," Yukari noted, perhaps the first time I noticed her ever commenting on my health.

"You completed your given task as instructed…" Shiki began, but her tone was one of reluctance… "However, I am sad to say that while your performance would warrant your employment as an Administrator of Death… it will not placate your detractors." All eyes turned towards the judge giving her judgment over my 'test'. After Yuyuko let me go, and Myon returned to Youmu's side, Shiki continued, "One of the main points that we emphasized at the beginning, before you started, was to minimize your contact with those of the living. It is sad to say that while, indeed it could be considered minimal in a way, you still had a considerable amount of contact… your detractors will still be able to find fault, and we are now without a way to quell them." Her words might have been sharp before then, but now they're dull as a stone. I could see that Shinji and Sukuna were about to speak up in my defense, but I place a hand in front of the two of them before they could speak.

"Shiki… thank you for your support throughout this entire thing," I started. "I want to confirm something before I go on though. Do I still get the job?" Shiki raised a brow, but seemed to realize that I wasn't asking out of arrogance, but that I was leading somewhere with my question.

"Yes… to be honest, so long as your performance was not completely abysmal, you would have gotten the job. The outcome was quite binary in that regard. In fact as stated before, this assignment was unneeded at best," Shiki told me truthfully. Registering what was said, I then continued what I had to say.

"Then I suppose that you can tell my detractors that if they have a problem with me, they can meet me in person to discuss it face to face. I stand by my 'performance' for the assignment, and wouldn't change a thing even if I had a chance to do it over. Being myself was what got me here, and changing that for anyone else would insult every person I've ever met who helped me along the way to help me be me. Besides, it's better karma for them to be truthful of their distaste towards their target rather than hide behind their anonymity, right?" Shiki for a moment seemed stunned as well as what seemed to be everyone else in the room. However, Shiki's mouth curved into a smile before even five seconds had passed.

"You are not entirely right, as it is my decision as to what is good karma… though I will take your statement into consideration." I couldn't help but feel my own face crawl up into a smile.

"I will return to the Ministry post haste to register the employment of a new Administrator of death, as well as obtain those documents for you. I will see you tomorrow!" Shiki then made her way out of the room, perhaps with a bit of spring in her step as Youmu attentively saw her out.

"Thanks…" I looked to my side to see the still 'stuck-in-a-doll' Shinji giving me a side look.

"Anything for a friend," I said before Sukuna and Yukari began to crowd me while Youmu brought out food… at least now I can do something for him this time…

Break

"Oh? Didn't anyone teach you to knock?" Yukari asked me. I stood frozen at the entrance way to the bath. Yukari was sitting there in the large wooden tub in what could be considered proper bathing attire to be as inexplicit as possible. I wanted to take my bath for the night after Shinji left, as well to just unwind. I quickly wrap a towel I had in hand around my waist so as not to be completely exposed. "You know, you're going to have to take that off when you take a dip. Don't worry, I won't scream or anything. In fact why don't you join me?" If she's asking me outright, then there's a chance she'll force me to join her if I refuse. "You can refuse, but I would be a bit lonely if you did," she said with a teasing smile, but that just helped to make it clearer that I couldn't refuse.

"Then excuse me," I said as a courtesy as I walked towards the opposite end of the luxurious tub and carefully took my towel off at an angle so as not to be exposed to her.

"Ara, don't be so distant." I turned my head to find her having come over to wear I was standing. She was leaning over the edge of the tub, resting her head on her hands and looking at… without another word I simply get in the tub a couple of feet away from her. "You know I would expect most other boys to be visibly embarrassed and flustered about what just happened. Though I suppose that just goes to show how much of a man you are."

"Could you please stop. I wish to bathe in peace," I have to go to work tomorrow and apologize to Reimu about skipping work again, and I want to be as refreshed as possible for that.

"So cold, but I like you that way," Yukari said as she eased back into the tub, stretching as she relaxed into a position that she felt comfortable in. "Have you ever bathed with a woman before, Mina-chan? You seem used to this."

"I once accidently over stayed in the hot springs when it switched from the guys to the girls. I still remember the following execution." I could feel a chill run through my body even as the hot water in the bath surrounded me.

"Execution?" Yukari asked. I just nodded a no, and she made an amused huff before speaking again. "Well I suppose that's youth. If it were me, I would have enjoyed the moment, like I'm doing here."

"Some of my guy friends were also executed that day."

"Never mind, I now agree with the reaction in light of that information." That was a quick turnaround Yukari made there. "Were these girls friends of yours?" There was something odd with the way she asked the question, but I'll let it slide considering the circumstances.

"Yeah, they were," I said simply.

"Well I can't help but feel sorry for them," Yukari said smugly.

"Why's that?" I asked her, a bit curious as to why she said that, as well as suspicious.

"Because they don't know that you're still around." Yukari then scooted over to where I was and pressed our shoulders together, amongst other things. "It's such a shame." I narrowed my eyes as I tried to scoot myself away, only to find her arms wrapped around mine, as well as my body frozen… metaphorically. "Now, now I can't have you being so mean and distant during our time."

"I'd like some space though." Not unwanted… but I wanted to relax in here. I've had enough excitement for the time being.

"Oh come on. I can't be that boring. I'm sure that there are some interesting topics we could talk about." Interesting topics…

"Why do you want to keep me in Gensokyo so badly?" I asked her. If she wants interesting topics, I can give them to her. For a moment, her eyes seemed to narrow, but then they relaxed once again as she then let go of my arm and laid back against the edge of the bath, doing nothing to cover herself other than slumping a bit to let the water and steam hide her.

"I suppose you would be suspicious considering my most gauche display. Hmmmm…" she hummed as she closed her eyes in thought. It was proving more and more difficult to maintain my attention on her without giving attention to certain other things. "When you get to be as ol- I mean mature as I am, certain things can't help but set in, such as paranoia and doting. In a way it's similar to how that mother felt about her child." I was about to ask if she was watching, however the question would have been moot. "I'm always watching if it concerns you, like I am right now where I can see on your face just what you were wondering. As to why I want to keep you in Gensokyo… can you guess why?"

"I'm going to guess that you want to keep me safe by your definition of safe?" Yukari has never struck me as completely malicious. Perhaps at times teasing, but she's never come off as wanting me dead.

"I'm most powerful here in Gensokyo, so obviously keeping you here is where I'd have the best chance of doing that. As to why I want to protect you… what were those called again? Social Links?" I nearly blanched to hear that name come from her mouth. "I know you'll see in due time. You don't have any privacy from me." I was about to say something, but then Yukari cut me off by saying, "I see that you feel somewhat violated." She then stood up from the bath, making me advert my gaze from her to stare at one of the walls. "To make up for it, you can look at me as long as you want, whenever you want too."

"I'll pass, if only because it's counter to what I wanted to accomplish by taking a bath." I came here to relax… But… I don't have a Social Link with Yukari Yakumo… do I?

"That's too bad. In that case I'll be getting out then. " Yukari stepped out of the bath, the water sloshing about as she exited. "Don't think very hard about it though, it hasn't happened yet. I'll call for you later." And Like that she was gone. I just cannot get a handle on her… and now I can't get that out of my mind… a Social Link… what did she mean by that?

Break

For once, Shinji, Yuyuko, and I were all sitting on the patio, tea at our sides as Sukuna was in the garden riding Myon like a bull while Youmu chased after them. Yuyuko sat to my left while Shinji was to my right. He was no longer in the doll, and he luckily wasn't in a killing mood, though we were not in any sort of mood to begin with. I held up the documents in my hand once more and softly read the part that stood out once more.

"Moved on to Reincarnation…" Apparently these were the final records for Akihiko's little sister and Ken's mom which Shiki had these documents sent over night.

"Don't remind me…" Shinji told me bitterly.

"Now, now, Aragaki-kun. It's not Mina-chan's fault. Besides, after so long, they were bound to have moved on… everyone has to at some point…" Yuyuko said softly as she took a sip of tea.

"Then how the hell are you still here?" Shinji asked her.

"I'm special," Yuyuko said in a way that made it difficult to tell if she were joking or not… though probably not.

"Tch…" Shinji let out, and considering Yuyuko's answer, that was probably a better retort than any I could have given. For a while all was quiet save for Youmu then getting chased back by Sukuna who seemed to master Myon. "Look at them all happy and smiling while the both of us look like such sad sacks of shit."

"I'm not that sad…" Yuyuko said a bit cheerily, trying to get the mood up.

"I mean Minato, and me. You're always happy, as far as I know," Shinji quickly retorted.

"And I'm all the better for it," Yuyuko then hummed as she renewed her attention towards Youmu, Myon, and Sukuna.

"October 4th, huh?" Shinji randomly stated, though it did call my attention. "I always found it to be a pretty shitty day. But I guess that was just for us." October 4th was the day Shinji apparently killed Ken's Mom… it was also the day Shinji died… For both of us, it's not a very good day… "For that little girl, it's supposed to be the happiest day of her life. However, because of some shit head out there that couldn't drive, it's done nothing but hurt her too."

"It's just not fair sometimes…" That's life… for better and for worse; sometimes we can only see one or the other.

"You're telling me," Shinji said right before taking a deep breath and drinking the rest of his tea down. "You know," he started, "I was going to try moving on myself after finding those two." I took my own little sip of tea, my attention now fully on my friend. "I was going to try and apologize to them to get all my regrets out of the way, but it seems that was too good for me."

"Don't be so hard on yourself Shinji…" I try to say in Akihiko's place.

"That's something like Aki would say… heh, that's just like Aki actually, though not as many words." Shinji seemed to look out once more at the three playing in the garden, which had somehow turned into Youmu and Sukuna both tugging at Myon, and then, with resolve in his voice, said "I still have my regrets… That damn tower… I hoped that it was gone for good after that fight with Nyx, but it's still there. Before I go, I want to make damn well sure that tower is gone for good." Shinji then turned to me and looked me in the eye, a fire bright a burning could be seen. "I know you've been going to Tartarus at night every now and then. Just next time, be sure to take me too. I don't care if I'm going to have be stuffed into that doll again. I just want to finally get rid of that thing, once and for all." Seeing his resolve once more… or perhaps for the first time, I stuck my right hand out, and he grabbed it immediately after registering it in his mind.

"Welcome back, Shinji."

"Tch…" he let out to hide his embarrassment. "I just want to make sure that kids like that Nanako girl don't go having sad birthdays like that. And while we can't do anything more for that little girl more than we already have, I think it's good to remember that despite how much shit happened that day, there are still people who deserve to be happy too. We just have to make sure that happiness can happen, right?"

"Quite sappy coming from you," I teased.

"Savor it, 'cause I ain't saying it again. I'm in a good mood now." I couldn't help but let out a small laugh. I think tomorrow at the shrine's going to be a good day.

Author's Notes: And that is the last of my chapters that I'm posting for today and the year for that matter. I just don't have enough in me to write the next chapter within the next week.

You know, the thought just popped into my head, but why is it that the stereotype for arousal in Japanese media is a nose bleed? Trust me, as having been male for my whole life, I can attest to, with multiple accounts, that blood does not flow to my brain or anywhere near my head during states of arousal. Just saying, but in that case why in the world is it a thing? I've read it was an old wives tale, but that just makes it more confusing, because in that case, wives should know exactly what happens during a male's arousal period, and it certainly isn't nose bleeds.

Regardless of that though, this was a chapter I wanted to write for a long time. It's been on my mind since... well... September actually, which is why I finished this chapter long before I finished chapter 17. This is one I wanted to write as soon as I got the idea. I just hope I was able to bring the idea across well enough so that all of you can enjoy it too.

If you found it enjoyable, or more importantly did not, please leave a review to tell me why you didn't like it, or why it just wasn't good for you. Please analyze your opinion as best you can and convey it to me so that I can understand in full the reason you feel as such, as I otherwise will be writing for no reason other than to just waste time. Waste time in a fun way, but ultimately waste time.

Anyways, Before I say goodbye, I'd like to thank all of you for another wonderful year, and I hope that you'll continue to read my fic well into the next one too. As Tigger would say, TTFN, Tata for now! And have a wonderful winter (Or summer depending on the hemisphere)! I'm off to beat the Lingering sentiment on Critical mode, wish me luck!