(3/3/11)
Same day...
4:00 PM
The city was unusually silent. The air hung heavy as the dark grey clouds made an ominously gloomy presence. There was no cheer, nor song. The only sounds made were from the injured and dying.
Minako and I walked along the destroyed city and we were acknowledged silently by the survivors. Yuko and Kaz were drinking water, which they took from a store, leaving change by the Transmogrified cashier as they nodded grimly, along with several members of the Kendo team and the Fencing club. Their skill with their respective sport had preserved their lives for now. However, they were still tired and bruised, but looked ready as they'll ever be.
The members of the Archery club were perched on the rooftops, scanning the city with their eyes, sharp as eagles, with Yukari giving orders as she scanned the city for rogue Shadows. Riders of the equine club worked in close tandem with the horsemen Exiles, scouting the streets for injured people and bore them away.
"Where is everyone?" Minako asked Bebe, who was riding on a tall Morgan horse.
"Z'ey are at ze I'vatodai Stadium." He said, "If you v'ant, I will show you ze safest route. Z'hose monsters destroyed most of ze roads." Bebe offered.
"Okay, please?" I said.
Bebe nodded as he whistled, "Eros!"
A dun stallion trotted toward us. He was riderless, and the saddle was speckled with blood.
"May you bear better fortune than his last master," Bebe said, "Come. Ride with me." Bebe said as I helped Minako up before riding the horse. I never rode a horse before, so it took some getting used to, but before long, I was getting in stride with Bebe.
"Ze dead were brought to ze Naganaki Shrine," He explained, "And ze stadium was converted into a field hospital."
People were scurrying about like rats, grabbing medical equipment, bearing the injured away and, with some, looting the dead.
I felt somewhat wary of being ambushed, but I saw a lone figure jumping up the rooftops and guarding us. Our pink Argus sentinel was Yukari, who had her bow drawn just in case. I thanked her in my heart a million times, but she looked away as we neared the Stadium. I wished I did the same.
The entire place was splattered with blood, gore and broken weapons, both owned by humans and Shadows. On one corner, lay the ownerless weapons of those who died, while on another heap were armor from dead Exiles, free for anyone to use.
The Stadium was crowded. I dismounted with Minako as we passed through a spiked barricade, guarded by four people: an Exile and three resident militia.
Passing inside, we found out the place wasn't exactly so crowded, just messy. Ten people, including Suemitsu, Kenji and Lee, hauled out several dead bodies into a cart. I saw a cultist, Hortez, dead with four arrows into his chest. I knew from the arrow fletching, which were Egyptian design, were from Yukari. Another one who fell was Woozie and Adachi. In fact, most of the dead were cultists, recklessly throwing themselves into the fray, willing to kill and die in the name of Cato, but we didn't celebrate their defeat with feast nor song. Because our losses were far beyond the count of grief. Because most of the cultists were from Iwatodai, their deaths hung heavily in our hearts. More than half of the cultists were Gekkoukan students.
Shockingly, Lee closed his former Kohai's eyes and muttered an apology. After they had finished loading the dead, the teamster drove off with a team of horses, presumably toward the Naganaki Shrine.
The surviving cult members, such as Richard, were forced to help out with everything as they were watched over by Disciples of Space Exiles, under Sorensen.
The injured were treated by Mr. Edogawa, who used somewhat tribal and highly questionable rituals, members of the Medic Club, such as Pinky and Fuuka, volunteer Nurses and anyone willing to help.
Among the injured were Akihiko, who was bleeding from the side from a javelin wound and couldn't stand, Leah, who was out cold due to a concussion, Rio, who had her arm dislocated and Quan, whose left eye was swollen shut. Lee's brow was slashed open again. Thalia broke her leg from a falling column but she valiantly limped it off, supporting herself with her lance and helped others. Theseus sported a slash wound on the bridge of his nose while Gyatso's face had many contusions, but he was still smiling. Aigis was also damaged, but an IT specialist and a mechanic were tending to her.
Exiles and Residents alike were unified, helping each other. Exiles even went down from their hilltop stronghold to offer aid and comfort.
The world seemed to be muffled as it grew colder. I fell down and began to weep as Minako hugged me. I couldn't bear watching people fight and die for me. I wished I could have died for them. That was my purpose, after all.
"Can't you, like, use your Persona?" Minako asked soothingly as she kissed my brow.
"I can't, they don't have the Potential." I said, "They wouldn't see it, nor would it work. I'd have more luck trying to get them to see Santa Claus than my Persona... Besides... I'm tired." I sobbed wearily as the fatigue and stress began to fall on me like an iron curtain.
"Then rest, my love..." She breathed, stroking my hair gently, "Even Messiahs needs their rest."
Nodding, I set my head on her lap, too weary to protest. A first, I thought I was just so tired, I couldn't sleep, but my eyes closed immediately. I then had a dream.
I was inside a somewhat lavish room. Strewn around were beer bottles, food wrappings and a few books about Atheism, Neo-Marxism, Utilitarianism and Scientology.
Cato sat in front of a desk and looked haggard. He kept drinking straight from the bottle. For a while, he kept crying angrily, clenching his fists as he took several draughts of wine, as well as eating Mars bars.
"That bastard..." He wheezed, puffing, "My own brother... betraying me... Oh boy... Suspension sucks. There's nothing to do..."
Suddenly, his TV, which was turned off, suddenly flickered.
"What the-" Cato narrowed his eyes before smirking, "Damn electric company..."
"I know what you want." An eerie voice said.
Alarmed, Cato sprang up, grabbing an empty wine bottle and smashing the bottom at the table and brandishing the sharp end, "Who the hell goes there?!"
"Who goes there, he says..." The voice mocked, which I heard before, "How rude. You do not even remember the one you've stolen from before..."
"Show yourself!" Cato demanded.
"Johei Arisato... in the past, your ancestors have been both friend and foe of my Legions. Your god was cruel to treat you thus, Johei Arisato..." He said sympathetically, "Too cruel. Banished and cast away into the Realm of Nonexistence for 10 years, fighting Shadows with fang and claw, forming pacts with Nephilims and stealing an unholy sword... After escaping, you were ignored by your brother." He mused, "Yes... Your brother, too, had been cruel to reject you, to ostracize you."
"What do you know, asshole?!" Cato spat, "And how do you know my name?"
"I know all, Johei, son of Makoto." He said silkily, "I can end your emptiness, I can satiate your hunger for revenge and I can give you what your heart desires..." a voice from the TV said as Cato turned around carefully, "There is no life... in the Void... only... Death. I can show you how to rule. Every happiness you've yearned for, every comfort, every privilege and every desire denied to you by your brother and false god I can give in earnest. Most of all... I know you crave for the magic from the Abyss. I can sate your addiction to power, might and magic. Do you accept?"
Cato looked hesitant. "Y-Yes..." he finally said, "I want it all... Wealth... Women... And one more thing..."
"Hm?"
"I want revenge." Cato said pure malice, "I want Minato's heart on plate. I want the world to be brought down on its knees!"
"Done." He mused, "They shall pay dearly for their transgressions. You will find... that I am kind." Suddenly, a demonic entity appeared out of the TV and pulled Cato inside.
The dream shifted to Cato and his three followers, along with a countless caravan of his cultists and Shadow-Hybrids running in some kind of otherworldly place, with an oasis on top of a rocky mountain. And that mountain, was a perfect view of the blasted lands of Oblivion.
"He'll never find us here." He concluded, "That Lucifer never gives up."
"Indeed, Lord." Guinevere panted, "He is far too strong."
"Damn straight." Guardian wheezed.
"I daresay he could tie us all down with a lock of his hair." Takaya said.
Without warning, a bright, yellow storm whipped up and made its way towards the quartet and their men.
"What the hell-" Guardian snarled.
"Be silent, fool!" Guinevere hissed, "Something truly horrific draws near!"
"Everyone," Cato growled, "Keep your heads down."
Then, a fiery pillar exploded out of nowhere, transforming into Lucifer as the group cringed back, "FOOL!" He bellowed. Even thought he was several thousand feet below Cato, he still towered over the young Demon Lord. Cato, his lieutenants and the Cult members bowed low.
"You foolish little half-breed! How dare you defy me?" He hissed, "Your true Lord... How dare you try to escape me!" The voice bellowed as Lucifer's face emerged, "You failed to kill the Messiah, or even harness the powers of the sword. And to top it off, you thought you could escape me by hiding out in this condemned backwater! I thought you were clever, Cato, but you have the intelligence of a Philistine."
"Lucifer!" Cato bowed, "I was merely trying a tactful withdrawal. Of course, that was my plan, and I wanted to bolster my forces from a position of advantage and-"
Lucifer choked Cato with one arm, "Who made you speak? Who gave you powers of Time, Space and Weather? Was it not I?"
Cato suddenly stopped choking as he smiled coldly and met Lucifer's eyes. His own Demonic fire was burning inside his eyes as Lucifer dropped him.
"Remember this, scum..." Lucifer seethed, "I spared your filthy, pathetic life when you had stolen my sword. I could squash you like a bug here and now and raise a better heir out of rocks! But your men show great promise... Take heed: I'm giving you one last chance: Start the Invasion soon, or you shall face my eternal wrath." He said as a pillar of fire exploded where he was.
Cato fixed himself.
"Are you alright?" Guinevere asked.
"Oh, yeah, no, I'm good." Cato said valiantly, "I'm slightly ruffled, but good to go."
"You sure?"
"Yes." Cato snapped, "Perhas trying to flee wasn't really the most wisest of decisions... Now, we must go. We need to pay Minako a little visit..." He said as the dream melted.
I was in the Astronomy Tower, right outside Takaya's old room. I saw Cato, unhooded, concocting a strange brew.
His face was notably good-natured, gentle, even, "Ah, this Earl Grey tea will be good for Takaya. He's been really hurt by what Minato did to him."
Then, his face contorted into hatred, "Just a bit of... this." He added a drop from the vial, "Give it to him. He's been planning things behind our back."
His face turned gentle again, "Um... No." Johei said defiantly.
His face turned cruel, "What did you say?!" Elder barked
"I can't! I... I won't do this." Johei, his gentle side, said, pushing the tea away, "It's not right. He taught you well!"
"If you remember..." Elder, his sinister side said, "I spared you when I took out our neutral side... but I can attempt to take you out... just as easily." He grabbed Lucifer's Blade, "Is that what you wish?"
"N-No."
"Very good. Let's go!"
Cato walked inside a room. In there, Takaya was standing. He gave tea to Takaya, who drank it loudly.
"When shall the attack commenece?" Takaya asked, wiping his mouth.
"Hmmm... later, maybe." Cato said.
"I'll go with you." Takaya said.
"You shouldn't be standing at all, Sensei." Cato chided, "Least of all, holding the Blade of Lucifer."
Takaya smiled as he held the sword, "I'm feeling well enough today, thanks." Takaya then pointed the sword to Cato.
Cato merely smiled, as if he was faintly amused, "What are you doing?"
Takaya raised his hand as a few Shadows surrounded Cato.
"Oh my... Sensei! Have you been faking ill?" Cato asked in mock surprise, "That wouldn't be good for your health. When have you started getting well? I thought the Messiah did a number on you..."
"Yes. Since I took that serum, in fact." Takaya admitted, "But unfortunately... You have outlived your usefulness. This is the time I double cross you..." He smiled sorrowfully, "My sincerest apologies, Cato, but only I could truly live forever as King of the Earth. Shadows, destroy him!" He cried. The Shadows didn't move, to Takaya's disappointment and fury, "Did you not hear me?! I said destroy him! What is the matter with you?!"
Cato smiled dryly, "It's because they haven't made up their feeble little hive minds yet, Takaya, and they're waiting to see the outcome between the Alpha male and the Beta male."
"What do you mean?!" Takaya said angrily, pointing the sword at Cato.
"Hmph! I can see your entire history in your eyes. You were born with nothing to your name, just as some worthless street rat... You weren't even worthy enough to shine the shoes of the lowliest slave, so you've had to struggle, plot, and claw your way for the Kirijo Group to pick you as an experiment... But true power takes Divine Right to rule... And that is something you're born and bred with, not something that came out of a lab. The fact is, everything special about you came out of a bottle. You're nothing but a lab experiment, a medical anomaly and they don't know which one of us is going to be sitting on top, and which one is going to be bowing down to the other. But I know, and you know." Cato said, "And most importantly, the Blade of Lucifer knows it as well... In fact, it decided it from the start. You were never the Alpha, nor the Beta... you weren't even an Omega! Now, you can either bow down and submit to my rule or resist and face Death."
Takaya took deep breaths, "I'm not gonna bow. I own this!" He seethed slowly as he brandished the blade, "Not you! Me! I'm the Chosen One!"
"Deluding yourself is pathetic..." Cato sneered, "Let's see..." Cato held out his left arm. Instantly, his tattoo resurfaced and the Blade disappeared from Takaya's hand and materialized in Cato's hand. "The Sword chooses its owner. Will you yield? Or do I have to make you bend myself?" He said, pointing the sword to Takaya as the Shadows moved towards Takaya.
"Not on your life!" Takaya bellowed as he summoned Hypnos and destroyed the shadows with an impressive mass-attack of Megidolaon. He then used Mind Charge and Tarukakaja and attacked Cato with an all out, super enhanced Megidolaon, so strong that the dream shook and distorted. Cato raised an arm and he absorbed it in a single ball of energy.
"What in blazes?!" Takaya cried in shock.
"A nifty little trick I learned, Master." Cato said mockingly, "I can absorb Arcane Magics. Helps keep me strong. That's the boring part. The real fun is what I get to do with it." He touches him with his index finger as he reversed it back to Takaya, who fell back from the blast. He stood up again, before staggering.
Cato grabbed his head with his left hand as he absorbed something from Takaya. Cato's eyes and mouth emitted a beam of yellow light as Takaya's black aura transferred to Cato. Takaya then slumped down.
"What did you do to me...?!" Takaya said weakly.
"I took your Persona away." Cato said simply, "Ah... Power tastes great, especially from someone who deserves none of it." Cato said with disdain.
"You bastard!" Takaya spat, "You dare disrespect your elder!"
"I'm the one called the Elder, remember, Sensei?" Cato smiled caustically, "I don't care if you're older than me. You plotted my overthrow. That's okay. I respect that. But you must be seriously addled not to expect severe repercussions for your foolish actions!" Cato said with a vengeance.
"How did you know?" Takaya asked wildly.
Cato sneered, "The Sword told me about your plot, dear master, and a halfwitted one at that."
"Ugh..." Takaya grunted, "I'm not feeling so well..."
Cato laughed, "That's because the tea was poisoned with a special neurotoxin, that specifically attacks the pain receptors, before they degrade your body completely. A specialty of my beloved Guinevere's apothecary skills. You will become totally paralyzed, rather painfully, in a few minutes, before dying horribly in the most humiliating way possible." Cato said with a smile, "Haven't you learned? Never eat or drink something a known enemy gave you. That is the number one rule of being King, which you will qualify as the King of Stupid."
"Y-You...!" Takaya hissed.
"Unless..." Cato thought aloud, "I give you this. The antidote for the poison." Cato said as he held out a vial of a golden colored liquid and taunted him with it, "The only one in this world." Cato said, implying he got it from another world.
"P-Please... Give it... to me..." Takaya wheezed weakly, "I'll... I'll do anything..."
"Bow down before me." Cato said slowly, "Embrace me... As your King and as your God!"
Unwillingly, Takaya bowed slowly, "I embrace you... As my King and as my God..." Thunder rolled menacingly as Takaya renounced his faith, or lack thereof.
Cato raised his arms to the sky and laughed loudly.
"You... You beat me at my own game." Takaya said wearily, extending his hand to take the potion.
"Please," Cato said dismissively, "Don't flatter yourself. You weren't even a contender to begin with." He sneered as he dropped the potion on the floor and crushed it with his heel.
"NOOOO!" Takaya cried as he licked the floor, cutting his tongue with glass shards.
"I fully intend to watch you die, Takaya." Cato said coldly, "And before you do, you shall be my final sacrifice!"
He raised his sword, "Before I kill you, I'd like to ask... Don't you own a shirt? You should really cover up."
"I... I hope you get what's coming to you..." Takaya wheezed as he keeled over.
"Oh?" Cato said, "Well, you may bad, but I'm Evil." He said as he ruthlessly drove Lucifer's Blade into Takaya's heart, "And you are not my lord. You will not enjoy this."
"ARGH! AHHHH!" Takaya bellowed as the blade embedded itself upon his heart.
"This is what happens when the betrayer gets betrayed.." Cato said evilly as Takaya was absorbed by the sword, "See you in Hell. Give my Lord my regards."
"You realize..." Takaya wheezed, "Lucifer is just using you..."
"Yeah, right." Cato sneered, "Like you were using me? It doesn't do good to use me. I'm using Lucifer."
Takaya managed a weak smile as he looked up, "I have to say though, Cato," He breathed, "I'm proud of you. You've grown as ruthless as I was."
"Please," Cato said mirthlessly, "Away with you." He slashed at Takaya.
I woke up to find Minako playing with my hair. Playfully, I ruffled her hair as well, albeit vigorously.
"Hey, you big bully!" She laughed playfully, "Quit that, please, my hair is messy enough as it is."
I stood up and excitedly got ready. Minako, very bemused, asked, "What are you doing?"
I smiled broadly, "I need to fight him." I said, "As in... right now."
She began to scowl, "Minato, we've been through this before!" She cried, "I'm tired of always-"
I came to her and looked her in the eyes, "Minako... I know I can't stop you. I know that. Which is why I want you to come with me."
"What? Are you... willing to kill your own brother?"
"That's the curse of the House of Arisato..." I said sadly, "My brother has become hollow... full of vengeance, but empty."
"But..."
"Are you interested?" I asked irritatedly, "We haven't got much time to procrastinate before Cato swarms the Shadows on the City."
"Hell yeah, I'm interested!" She nodded furiously, "Let's go kick some shadowy ass!" She cried. We went out, and Minako grabbed a lance and walked toward the Tower.
As we snuck out, a hooded shadowy figure suddenly landed neatly in front of us. She had a bow and a beautiful face. Then, Junpei, Lee and Quan appeared behind us.
"Holy shit, where did you fools come from?!" Minako squeaked.
"You guys are as stealthy as a bull in a china shop." Lee pointed out, "Minako kept knocking over stuff so much, that even a blind, deaf guy would notice you two sneaking off. And Minato... Dude, don't drape a satin sheet over yourselves like an Invisibility cloak, you guys ain't Hermione and Harry."
Grumbling, I tossed the sheet away.
"Hey! See, now they can see us!" Minako whispered, "Wait.. CAN they see us?"
"Yeah we can see you. And I'm looking at you right now, holding that stupid lance." Quan said.
"Just tell us... Where were you two going?" Yukari asked.
"I'm going to Cato." I said, "With Minako. And this time, you guys have to stay."
"Not alone." Yukari said disapprovingly.
"Haven't you learned of how stubborn Yukari is?" Junpei grinned.
"Hey!" Yukari cried.
"It's the circle of life, Minato. Survival of the fittest. We live, they die." Quan nods.
"Make it easy on yourself and let us help." Yukari said, "Like it or not, we're coming with you."
I didn't argue with her. I explained to them of my plan. I then smiled along with Minako as they looked at me with horror, "Better hurry up then." I said.
We trudged through the torn city, and found the Astronomy Tower guarded by two behemoths.
"How are we gonna get in?!" Junpei hissed.
"I might know a way..." Lee hissed and motioned us to follow him. We eventually reached a sidegate, where he used a key to unlock it.
"I had to take the secretary of Lady Kirijo to dinner a couple of times before I got a duplicate." Lee explained as we entered.
"Lee!" Yukari hissed, "This is breaking and entering!"
"Call it what you will, Lady." Lee waves a hand, "Either way, we're in."
"Come on!" Quan said as Lee picked up a leaflet from Cato's propaganda.
We reached a door at the side, where Junpei smashed the boarded up door with his bat and unlocked the door.
"Cato is unbelievably merciful..." Lee muttered as Junpei opened the cash safe and smirked as he pocketed the money, along with the weapons.
"He will command his Shadows to disperse immediately..." Lee kept muttering as he read the leaflets. Minako studied the floor-plans of the Astronomy Tower as I thrusted a can of Mad Bull, which she opened and gulped down.
"Dispose of your dead with honor and dignity..." Lee kept repeating. Quan opened up a cabinet, filled with all types of fireworks, chemicals and other dangerous, contraband paraphernalia. Quan's look of bewilderment turned into an impish grin.
"He shall await you on top of the tower and expects you to pay homage to him... Ha! Yeah right." Lee laughed as he crumpled the paper.
"The only person paying homage is Cato," I said as I armed the weapons we collected, "Paying homage... to me shoving my boot straight up his ass!" Lee said as he opened his bag and took out a submachine gun.
Quan kicked the door leading to the stairs and chucked a vial of mixed chemicals at the Shadows. They exploded into a myriad of colors, "Come on!"
"We have to stop Johei from all of this!" I cried.
"Yeah!" Junpei cried as we ascended the stairs, "Heh, Johei!" Junpei scoffed, "Stupid name, Johei."
"That's his name, Johei!" I cried, "You're Junpei!"
"It's a cool name." Junpei said.
"What, Junpei?" Lee cried, "You sound like a brand of tea!"
"Oh shut up..." He muttered as a group of Shadows appeared from behind. Quan threw more chemicals their way as they randomly turned into chairs, plates and socks. More kept coming as we entered a lift.
A gigas broke through the alchemic shower and charged at Lee.
"Oh, shit, it's got me!" Lee cried as a Gigas grabbed him and slammed him up and down a wall. He threw him around like a ragdoll as Lee screamed in pain and annoyance.
"Tits!" Quan hissed as he chucked a bottle of random chemicals into the Gigas. He exploded into a myriad of colors as he let go of Lee. Lee ran off to the lift and made it safely through, covering us.
Junpei and Quan neared the lift as we made our way to the freight elevator. Quan tripped over a dead cultist, dropping his vial before scrambling back to the lift. Junpei looked back as a Shadow lashed its tongue, grabbing Junpei's bat.
"Just drop it!" Lee hissed as Junpei released his hold and ran back. He made it back to the lift, just as the Shadow's tongue latched on him.
"Ah! What the-" Junpei was cut off as he was pulled away, "Whoooooaaa! Help!"
"Grab him!" I hissed as Minako, Quan and Lee grabbed Junpei as Yukari closed in at a charging Shadow, stabbing it in the head with an arrow and kicked it away swiftly.
I unsheathed Deus Xiphos and hacked the Shadow's tongue off, allowing the doors to finally close.
"Ugh..." Junpei moaned as he unwrapped himself from the tongue. His look of disgust melted to horror, "Ho-ly shit..."
"Look!" Quan pointed through the window and we saw a seething mass of Shadows a few meters away, right in the fork across the catwalks.
I handed Junpei his Katana, "We didn't go this far to die here, right?"
He nodded, taking the sword, "Damn right."
We all looked grimly, anticipating the doors to open, when:
"Dun-ding! Cha, cha, cha... Dun-ding! Cha, cha, cha, la, la, la!" Lee hummed with the elevator music.
We all looked at him.
"What? I like this song." Lee nodded, "Faaandaaaaangoooo."
"Fan-dingbat! Fan-doodle! Fan-gumbo! Fan-tom of the opera!" Junpei said teasingly.
The doors opened as Lee stepped in front. He took out two flares, "You guys... Head upstairs at all costs." He then turned and ran ahead, "Awright, you sable-faced fuckers, follow Daddy Lee! He tastes good this time 'o year!" Lee hollered as the Shadows chased him, "Walking buffet, coming through! Follow me you, ugly bastards!"
He ran off the opposite direction as most of the Shadows followed him.
"Holy shit." Quan said in wonder. A handful of Shadows then turn around in surprise, "HOLY SHIT!" Quan hissed as we ran off.
"Minato! Do the move!" Yukari cried as I nodded. She jumped as I caught her in a standing headscissors. I ran on ahead as Minako, Quan and Lee looked confused, the former mixed with wrath.
Junpei smiled wistfully, "Good thing you aren't wearing a skirt like the old days, eh Yuka-tan?"
"Shut up, Stupei." Yukari nocked an arrow and shot one at a Shadow. The Shadow cried in pain as Yukari grinned, "The sound of an enemy screaming in agony always sounds better from a distance!" She quips and fired another volley as we neared a reinforced door. But the Shadows were coming closer.
"Quan, whip up another concoction and fling it at 'em!" Minako cried.
"Let's see..." Quan said carefully, "Mix the chemical with this element and heat the compound at the right temperature and boil it-" Quan produced a blowtorch, to our astonishment.
"Oh, why can't you just throw it at them?!" Junpei cried, grabbing the chemical concoction and lobbing it at the Horde, to which it exploded into many bright colors, giving us enough time to finally make our escape.
At the end of the hall, very far, but visible, was Cato, Hide, Guinevere and an unusually organized mob of Shadows.
I sighed and gave my sword to Minako. She nodded sadly, "Be safe,"
Smiling, I went off, ready to pay homage.
A/N: I give up. ;£