There was a rather lengthy, and somewhat awkward, silence as the former Seekers Of Truth stared at their old leader and friend. Then, Souji was struggling to keep his balance as he was swarmed by his old friends, offering him hugs and handshakes and high-fives and a whole manner of other commendations. He had changed all their lives, and he whenever he came to Inaba for a visit it was a joyous occasion for the team.

Finally, things settled back down with everyone taking their seats around the low table. Rise was practically glued to Souji's side, it had been a while since the two had last been together "So, what brings you here out of the blue Souji-kun?" she asked, giving off a shy smile. "Well" Souji began, pushing his glassed further up the bridge of his nose "I have an announcement, and I wanted you all to be the first people to know". The rest of the group, leaned forward in anticipation. "I'm moving to Inaba".

There was a small chorus of cheers from the group, all ecstatic to see their leader finally settling down in the sleepy rural town. "So, what house you movin' into senpai?" Kanji asked, sounding like a giddy musclebound child. Souji gave a small sigh "First, I'm not your senior anymore. Just call me Souji. Second, I'm not all that sure...I figured I'd rent a room here at the Inn until I find a decent house to-" "Like hell!" Rise interrupted, sounding almost offended. Souji looked down at his girlfriend, an eyebrow raised out of curiosity "Er, what?" he asked, still somewhat surprised by the stars outburst "Duh, you'll move in with me! We were talking about it last time we met, remember?".

"Oh, right" Souji replied, suddenly remembering that conversation. Rise did have a rather nice house on the outskirts of town, a perfect place to move into "You sure I won't be imposing?". Rise shook her head "'Course not. I'd hardly offer if you were...". Chie, or rather Officer Satonaka as she was known to many, gave a small salute to her old leader "Woo! Not bad Souji, soon as you announce a return you get tied down by a ball and chain. This calls for some Sake!". Yukiko, the manager in-training, nodded with a smile "I'm on it" she stood up and excused herself, heading for the Inn's cellar.

"Hehe, Sake for everyone!" Souji exclaimed. He paused a moment, and looked toward his 17 year-old cousin "'Cept for you Lil' Sis. I don't want you touching a drop of the stuff 'till you're 30". Nanako pouted toward her cousin/psuedo older sibling "Geez Big Bro, I've heard that so many times from dad, I thought you'd be more fun then that". Dojima laughed at his daughters little joke "Hey, I'm plenty fun" he said sarcastically, in-between laughs. Nanako really had grown, just under 6 feet tall now, and still with the pigtails that had grown past her shoulders. Dojima was right, she did look alot like her mother. Dojima looked...Well it was hard to describe. He looked older obviously, greyer hair and a fuller beard, but he looked happier and more energetic. Souji had really helped him change.

"I believe I'll abstain from drinking, I never could hold my liquor" Naoto remarked, tipping her hat up. 'Neither can Rise, Teddie or Yukiko incidentally' Souji mentally quipped, remembering the incident at Port Island. "I think I'll just take a few shots" Kanji spoke, giving a soft smile toward Naoto. The two had formed a proper, if somewhat unusual, romantic relationship around 2 years ago, after Kanji's mother died from illness. Kanji fell into a pretty dark place after that, and Naoto was the one who helped drag him out of it. While Kanji started to dress smarter, with the exception of keeping his hair bleached, Naoto had also gone through some changes. As time went on her feminine features became...more pronounced, and eventually she felt no real need to hide her gender, with her past accomplishments enough to earn respect within the police department.

When Yukiko returned a short time later with the sake, there was some light drinking all around. After about 5 minutes, Teddie was going on some drunken ramble about karaoke in the hot springs. After 20, Yukiko was trying to draw a pair of joke glasses onto Teddie's face, Ted was too tipsy to really protest. After about 45 minutes, Souji was desperately trying disuade Rise from playing King's Game. All in all, it was a fun time of drinking and reminiscing between old friends...And then Dojima brought the mood down like a lead balloon.

"I've...Well, I don't want to dampen the mood or anyting but...Well, I've been talking with your mother, Souji..." Dojima began, looking over at his nephew. Souji's smile slowly faded, replaced instead with a long thin frown that scarred his face. Rise and Nanako both looked down, knowing full well what the big deal was, while the others present looked from Dojima to Souji in confusion. "I'd rather not talk about that, Dojima-san..." Souji replied bluntly, taking a small sip of sake. "They're your parents Souji, you have to talk with them at some point" Dojima replied, surprisingly calm.

"Uh...What's going on?" Chie whispered, leaning over to Nanako. "Um...Big Bro stopped talking to his parents after he started his writing career, and they've been trying to get Dad to talk some sense into him...". Chie frowned "Damn, that's heavy...Thinking back, I do remember him not being too fond of his folks". Souji hadn't heard what Chie and Nanako were talking about, rather he was more concerned with his uncle right now "My parents huh? Funny that I don't remember them doing all that much in the way of parenting...". Dojima furrowed his brow "They were busy with work Souji, they were trying to give you a good livelihood". Souji snorted and folded his arms "You were busy with work too, Dojima-san, the difference was you actually tried to get a break. And that livelihood of mine, was just so they could groom me into going into that goddamn family business".

"H-hey, let's all be cool here" Yosuke cut in, trying desperately to maintain the peace here "Th-this is a celebration, right? So let's just go back to celebrating". Souji sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose "Right...Yeah, you're right man. It's like, what, 10:30 now? Plenty of time to put all that unpleasantness behind us...".

Meanwhile, at the Tatsumi Port Island graveyard

Elizabeth huffed deeply, heaving up the last shovel-full of dirt atop Minato Arisato's coffin. "I really hope no one comes across this..." she mumbled, forcing the coffin open. Nothing inside but a filthy skeleton, the bones of a saviour who almost nobody knew as a saviour. Elizabeth paused a moment, examining a golden pocket watch she kept on her at all times "10:30 PM...That's the time you specified, but-" Elizabeth was cut short by a bright flash of light that engulfed Minato's remains.

The skeleton floated up out of the coffin, light still glowing bright, and came to rest just on the headstone. Suddenly, veins and arteries began to grow around the skeletons frame, followed by muscle tissue, organs, skin and hair. Minato Arisato stood outside his own grave now, naked as a newborn, smoke coiling up from his newly regenerated body.

"Oh god please tell me that worked..." the indigo-haired man muttered, looking and feeling himself over. "Skin? Yes. Eyes? Yup. Hair? Sweet. Might need a haircut though...Family jewels?" Minato looked down, as if afraid to look below his own waist. He sighed with relief, finding the 'family jewels' as he called them "Check. Thank god...". Elizabeth climbed from the grave, face red, and dusted herself off "Minato, would you please dress yourself?" she asked, holding out a bag full of new clothes. "Ah, right!" Minato replied, as if only now aware that he was naked.

As Minato ducked in behind the nearest tree to change, he started talking again "You've done great so far Elizabeth. Did you...Get the list I asked for?". Elizabeth, as if anticipating Minato's question, was busy rooting around in her seemingly bottomless purse. She soon pulled out a neatly folded sheet of paper, and passed it to Minato's outstretched hand. On this list were the phone numbers and home adress' of the former SEES members "Thanks Elizabeth, you've saved me alot of time". Minato stepped out from behind the tree, clad in a slate-grey blazer, obsidian slacks and clean white sneakers.

Elizabeth bowed out of respect "Think nothing of it. It's the least that could be done for someone like you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must return to my duties in the Velvet Room...". There was a sudden flash of blue light, and Elizabeth was gone without any evidence of her presence left behind. Minato, noting how little time he had at his disposal, started running and dialing numbers as he went. Fuuka, Junpei and Ken, while confused were contacted and advised to meet at Yukari's home ASAP. Akihiko and Mitsuru, he couldn't reach. He didn't call Yukari or Aigis as, well, that was his destination...

Yukari had learned to move on and enjoy life after the incident with the Abyss of Time. Now, at 28, she was a columnist at a succesful fashion magasine in Iwatodai. Right now, she was busy putting the finishing touches on her newest article. Aigis, her robotic room mate, was sitting in the chair beside her, watching some mind-numbing Sentai show. Phoenix Ranger Featherman X, appearantly. Aigis had changed so much over the years, not just in termsof personality and mental ability, the Kirijo group had given her a series of upgrades so that she could effectively pass as human, no more mechanical parts showing. No point in her being an anti-Shadow weapon with no more Shadows around, right?

Yukari's keyboard-tapping came to an abrupt halt when she noticed Aigis looking around as if she's head something "Huh? What's up Aigis?" Yukari asked, taking her laptop off her lap. "I..I don't know...I felt a presence outside the house just now, a familiar presence. But...It can't be". The two women stood up, hearing a hasty knocking on their front door. The two looked at eah other and nodded, moving cautiously toward the front door. Somebody coming over this late at night, after Aigis sensed a weird presence? It didn't bode well.

"Hello? Wh-who's out there?" Yukari called out, making sure she was in grabbing distance of some sort of weapon. There was silence for a few tense moments, before a reply came from the other side of the door "Guess". That familiar voice almostmade Yukari's heart explode in her chest, as would Aigis if she had an actual beating heart, and she called out again "M-Minato-kun...?" she whispered. She wasted no time, rushing over and opening the door. There he was, as if he'd never died and left them, taller and more mature looking. Time had a nice effect on a man who was supposed to be dead.

Tears began streaming down Yukari's face, seeing the man she had loved before her once again. Aigis too was crying, though still cautious, slowly moving toward the two. Minato, the only one here who had dry eyes, smiled and asked "Miss me dears?".

A/N: Yaaaay, things are coming together. Hopefully I'll be able to build this up properly, and make a good story.