Chapter 5

Please, Oh Baby, Don't Go

August 26, 2009, in Minato's reality…tonight was the night that his parents died in the car crash and left him as an orphan. For the first time since his parents' funeral would he be able to visit their grave. Early in the morning, Minato left the dorm without a word. None of his friends knew the importance of this day, and he was relieved they didn't ask where he was going.

As Minato sat in the train heading for Port Island Station, he couldn't help but grip the seat tightly. Today, on this very day ten years ago, Minato would not have imagined the horror of losing his parents and the unborn baby growing inside of his mother. All he could remember after being thrown from the car was the moon's odd glow and two mysterious figures in front of him. Afterwards, he lost consciousness and awoke in a hospital.

He cried there in the cold, white room he was contained in. Minato could remember that even though it was a warm summer day, everything felt so cold. He could remember the dry tears on his face, and after that, his eyes became dry, of both tears and emotion. He couldn't accept the fact that his parents were gone.

Arriving at Port Island Station, Minato hastily stepped off the train. This was only a temporary stop. He bought flowers at the florist and hopped onto the next train that would take him to the region where his parents were buried.

The graveyard was silent when Minato stepped onto its grounds. The place where the dead were laid to rest was on the edge of the city – away from the bustle of people, away from the excessive sounds. The cemetery was soundless, surrounded by tall trees that shot up to meet the sky. This solitude location was perfect for the souls that have passed on.

The sky was starting to get brighter as rays of light shined through the gray clouds. This setting just didn't fit the melancholy mood Minato was in. He began walking through the rows of gravestones, casting glances at the epitaphs. Finally, he found his parents' graves.

Koji Arisato
April 8, 1968 - August 26, 1999

Hotaru Arisato
September 19, 1968 - August 26, 1999

Alongside time, exists fate, the bearer of cruelty.
Your time to leave came too soon.

Minato laid the flowers on their grave.

"Hi, mom, hi dad." He replied in a soft tone. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

He paced back and forth in front of the grave.

"A lot has happened in the past ten years. I got passed from relative to relative before coming back here. They didn't like much about me." He explained. "On another note, they all are doing well."

He smiled sadly and sat on the ground in front of the grave. He ran his hand through his hair and continued talking. "I have some good friends now at Gekkoukan. We also have an unusual job of exploring a tower called Tartarus, which only appears during the hidden hour called the Dark Hour. We all have a special power called a "Persona". Mine happens to be unique. I wonder if you would be proud of me for it." He said. Minato quietly stared at the epitaph as if he was waiting for an answer from his parents. "Yeah, it's incredibly dangerous, but if we don't do anything about the problem, it won't be solved at all, right?"

Minato stood up and wiped the grass from his jeans. "That's all I have for now, really. I'll come visit you again really soon, okay?"

The train ride back to the dorm was quiet again. From the cemetery to Iwatodai was a long ride. Minato bowed his head a little and shut his eyes. It was only the afternoon, and he felt tired already. He had a good two hours until the train would reach Iwatodai Station. He could sleep for the time being…

(- -)

-September 7, 2006, Thursday

Arisato Residence

Early Morning

As Minato entered this world, he found himself sitting at the dining table with a bowl of cereal in front of him. He turned his head to look at the calendar nearby. It was September 7, 2006. Upon closer inspection, tonight was a full moon. His attention soon snapped up to the steps enthusiastically bounding down the stairs. His suspicions were confirmed when Minako emerged from the stairway.

"Morning!" She greeted when she saw him at the table. "Welcome back!"

"Thanks."

"How is life in your other world?" She asked.

"Fine. It's a little boring since it is still summer vacation." Minato answered. He groaned slightly. "Not here though."

There was another pair of footsteps that began down the stairs. They dragged and shuffled on the hard wood floor steps as if the walker was in a miserable mood. The culprit behind the glum footsteps was Minato's mother. She was dressed in her pajamas with a robe wrapped around her even though the temperature was starting to rise. Her skin looked a little pale. There were dark circles under her now dull, blue eyes.

"Morning mom." Minato greeted.

Mrs. Arisato smiled weakly at him. "Morning, Minato dear. Same to you, Minako." She replied softly. She went to the kitchen and began looking for something in the pantry.

"Are…you okay, mom?" Minato asked hesitantly.

"Not exactly. My stomach has been very uneasy, and I have a fever." She answered. Minato and Minako immediately jumped up and began pulling their mom away from the kitchen. "What are you two doing?"

"You're sick mom! You should go back to bed and stay there." Minako insisted.

"She's right. We'll take care of you so you won't have to get up, okay?"

Mrs. Arisato mustered up a snort. "Nice excuse for trying to skip school," was her reply.

"Who else will take care of you, mom?" Minato asked. "Dad won't be back until this afternoon, so how about we take care of until he comes home, then we can always go to our afternoon classes."

She stared weakly at her kids' worried faces. She sighed. "Fine. Fine, you can miss your morning classes, and stay with me until your father gets home."

Their mother went back upstairs, and her kids silently stared at her back until they couldn't see it anymore. They shared a worried glance at each other for a moment.

"Minako, go check the medical texts for anything that mom might have. I'll try to cook something for her." Minato ordered. He head for the kitchen, thinking that warm soup with crackers would help calm her uneasy stomach. Minato rarely cooked meals, but he had watched his mother make the same soup whenever friends or family was sick with a cold or any other sickness. He felt confident that he could recreate the warm soup for his mother.

Minako disappeared into her father's study and a few minutes later, she came holding a large medical textbook. "I think mom is either deprived of sleep or she has the flu." The girl replied. She dropped the textbook onto the table and began looking through it.

"Flu is probably the highest probability. Sleep deprivation doesn't explain why she has an upset stomach as well." The older child answered.

Minako stared at a certain page of the book for a moment. "…she could be pregnant."

Minato raised an eyebrow. "I doubt it. I think mom has enough trouble with the both of us already. She doesn't need another child to chase after."

The girl raised her eyebrow and remarked, "I wonder if I should take that as an insult or a compliment."

"It's a fact, especially for you."

Minako glared childishly at her old brother. She stuck her tongue out at him, tucked the medical text under her arm, and left the room in a huff. Minato knew she would come around to him by the end of the day. She loved her older brother too much, and she couldn't be cross with him at the end of the day.

Minato continued cooking, and when he was done, he rummaged through the cabinets for a tray. This tray was often used whenever Mr. Arisato surprised his wife by making her breakfast in bed or Minato and Minako wanted to be sweet and make their parents breakfast in the morning. After finding it, Minato placed a bowl of the soup on the plate along with a napkin, several crackers and a cold glass of water.

He carefully lifted the heavy tray and slowly made his way upstairs and into his parents' bedroom. He found Minako sitting on the bed next to their mother, reading aloud from a book. Silently, He laid the tray on his mother's lap. She gave him a weary smile before slowly beginning to eat. Minako continued reading aloud from the book as Minato sat next to her. He corrected her pronunciations of certain words at times, and they stayed like this, watching over their ill mother until they heard a car in the driveway.

(- -)

-September 7, 2006, Thursday

Adachi Middle School, Class 8-C

Afternoon

Minato took a deep breath before opening up his classroom door and heading inside. His classmates erupted into a flurry of whispers as he walked up to his teacher. He handed her a note written by his father. It was a short explanation why Minato missed his morning classes. Taniguchi-sensei read the note with a small look of annoyance.

"Fine. Go take your Mr. Arisato." She ordered crossly.

The boy did what he was told and sat in his seat behind Yukari. The moment his bottom hit the chair, Junpei and Yukari turned to him.

"Where have you been?" Yukari asked.

"It's not like you to miss a day of school, let alone a class!" Junpei added.

"My mom was sick, so my little sister and I stayed home to take care of her until our dad came from the university." Minato explained.

Junpei snickered. "Dude, nice excuse."

"Who says it is an excuse?" The navy haired boy asked.

"That's enough!" Taniguchi-sensei snapped. "Miss Takeba and Mister Iori, sit properly in your seats, and let us continue with our lesson. Mister Arisato, you've missed your morning classes already, so I suggest you start taking notes."

Minato, Yukari, and Junpei shared an amused smirk before complying with their teacher's demands.

"So, picking up where we last left off, in this problem, you subtract five on both sides so the equation becomes 2x equals ten. Then you…"

(- -)

-September 7, 2006, Thursday

Arisato Residence

After School

After school, Minato quickly picked up his little school from the elementary campus, and they hurried home. They burst through the front door to find their father sitting at the kitchen table, reading a newspaper.

"She's fine." He answered immediately as his two kids drew near. "She's sleeping now."

"Well, that's good." Minako replied with a breath of relief.

"Dad, you don't think that mom is pregnant again, do you?" Minato asked. The stoic man carefully folded his newspaper and laid it on the table before looking up at his son.

"Her symptoms show that it would be a possibility." He replied.

"Minato said that you and mom have trouble with us already! Is that true?" Minako demanded.

Her father chuckled deeply and laid his hand on his daughter's head. "I'd be lying if I said it wasn't true." Her mouth fell open with dismay and let out a growl of frustration. She ran up the stairs and slammed the door to her room. Mr. Arisato chuckled again and said, "She'll come around by the end of the day."

Minato nodded with an amused grin. "She will."

(- -)

-September 7, 2006, Thursday

Arisato Residence

Late Night

Minato was just starting to fall asleep in his comfy bed when his father appeared in the doorway of his room. His father's words were incoherent, and all he could remember was mumbling his reply in his half-conscious state.

"I said, get dressed Minato. We're taking your mother to the hospital." He ordered. At these words, Minato snapped to attention. The hospital? Again? It was like when the Arisato family found out that his mother was pregnant with Minako.

Minato quickly got dressed and was ordered to wait in the car while his father helped his wife. Minato stood in the driveway and looked up at the sky. Tonight was a full moon…just by looking at it in this world made him feel very uneasy. The boy got into his father's car reluctantly. No…hopefully, it wouldn't be like that night. Minato hoped, wished, and prayed that tonight wouldn't end up like the way it did in his reality world.

Out of misery, Minato punched the side of the car. He buried face in his hands, fervently praying that nothing would happen going to and from the hospital. His body began shaking slightly.

"Minato?" called Minako's voice. He hadn't even noticed that his little sister was sleeping in the seat next to his. "Are you okay?"

"I don't want it to end up like it did." He said tensely. He wouldn't be able to bear with the same tragedy again, especially in this world.

Minako gently held her brother's hand. He gripped it tightly as if he was trying to squeeze the life out of his anxiety. His sister didn't flinch at all – she kept a brave face on, fully aware that her brother needed comfort. Minato continued to pray silently, his sister joining along with him.

(- -)

-September 7, 2006, Thursday

Tatsumi Memorial Hospital

Late Night

The wait felt long. Mrs. Arisato and her husband went ahead with the doctor for an analysis on Mrs. Arisato's condition. Minato and Minako stayed in the waiting room. It was late out, and both were tired. The chairs were uncomfortable so it was hard to get some decent sleep to pass the time. They both would pass out in one position for a while before waking up, moving around in the chairs for a comfortable position and then passing out again.

Their cycle continued until they couldn't sleep anymore. Afterwards, they played jan-ken-po until boredom set in. One of the ladies at the receptionist desk was kind enough to lend the two kids a deck of cards. They played several games with the cards and they were just beginning to build a house with it when their parents came back.

"Well, I'm pregnant again." Their mother announced to them.

"Well, congratulations, in eight months, you'll have another child to run after." Minato commented casually.

"Yay! I'm going to be an older sister now!" Minako cried out.

As the Arisato family began climbing into their car, Minato's feeling of anxiousness returned. He prayed again, and gripped his sister's hand for reassurance. As the car entered onto the Moonlit Bridge, Minato's worry grew.

Please, don't let anything happen to us while we are on this bridge, Minato thought fervently, I don't want them to go so soon.

Minato remembered the epitaph on his parents' graves. He remembered that he had the choice of choosing what would go on there. His aunt (his mother's sister) helped him choose what it would say. (Or more like it, she chose it and Minato agreed hesitantly.)

Alongside time, exists fate, the bearer of cruelty.
Your time to leave came too soon.

Their deaths were too soon. Minato was only seven at the time, and no child should have to grow up without the warmth of his or her parents and in the detestation of his or her relatives. Minato didn't want to go through with that again.

Oh, please, don't go.

Out of the blue, Minato and Minako jerked to the left and slammed against the car door. He could blindly hear his father honking the car horn and yelling, "Hey! Pay attention to the road, you jerk!" Minato looked over his father's shoulder to see that their car had narrowly avoided another. The other car had tried to switch into their lane, but almost didn't see them.

"Honestly! People like that don't deserve to be on the road!" Mr. Arisato fumed.

Their mother turned around to look at her shaken children. "Are you both okay?"

They mumbled a vague yes. The rest of the way home followed without trouble. Minato began to breathe easier when he stepped onto their driveway. Minako gave her brother a small hug of encouragement and the family went inside.

"Do you want me to read you a bedtime story, Minako?" Her father asked.

"Dad! I'm not a little kid anymore!" She replied.

He chuckled and said, "That's what you think, but you'll always be my baby girl."

Both went upstairs and Minato was left alone with his mom. He gave her a hug, still shaking slightly.

"Congratulations on the new baby, mom." He said quietly.

"Thank you, Minato." She said. "Now you have to work twice as hard to be a good older brother." The boy nodded. "Now, I think you should get some rest. It's a weekday, and you have school tomorrow."

"Yeah."

(- -)

Minato slowly opened his eyes and found himself on the train again. He looked around and saw that a little girl had tugged on his shirt to stir him from his sleep. She was small, and had innocent, childish gray eyes and reminded him of Minako.

"We're at Iwatodai Station." She said kindly.

"Oh, thank you."

He looked around to see the other passengers had already left.

"You know, if you are so tired, then you should get some more rest." She replied gently.

The girl's mother came up to her and said, "Let's go, honey."

"Okay." The girl waved at Minato before stepping off with her mom.

Minato reluctantly rose from his seat and got off the train. He set off for the dorm along, lamenting the death of his parents, and celebrating the new life that was going to be born in his other world.

Hello, again! This chapter is sad, isn't it? If you have finished the game, then you would notice that the epitaph on Minato's parents' grave is the quote that Nyx Avatar utters when changing to the Fortune Arcana. I thought it was rather fitting. I guess that is all I have so far for notes. Thanks for reading!