Minato blinked at the question Aigis had asked him. He was still in shock over what had transpired in the past 10 seconds. A Shadow had attempted to kill him in his sleep, which was strange enough, since they weren't supposed to be able to come this far from Tartarus. Then, something stranger happened: A Shadow killing robot had done an action dive into his room through an open window, shot the Shadow to death with finger-machineguns, then smiled at him afterwards, acting like nothing meaningful had happened. What is this, a freaking action movie or something?

Aigis blinked in confusion at his dazed stare, and asked again. "Minato-kun? Are you alright?"

Minato shook himself out of his daze, and looked at her. Despite her actions, Minato felt uncomfortable around her. Her overly familiar tone had sent a shiver down his spine, and he didn't know why. He frowned. "Ok, what the hell, lady? Why are you so concerned about someone you've never met before?"

Aigis' face became neutral as her concern melted away. "Good. Primary target is secure. Standing by."

He scowled. "Yeah, it's dead, but that still isn't an answer!"

At that moment, Junpei and Akihiko burst in, Evokers at the ready. "Boss! Watch out, there's a…Shadow…" They stopped and gaped at the mess that had been left by the Shadow's messy expiration.

Minato turned to look at his two comrades' less-than-spectacular entrance, a sardonic look on his face. "Little late, don't you think?"

Despite Minato's flippant tone, the two of them continued to stand at the ready. Aigis' presence obviously still had them on edge. Minato shook his head. Despite Aigis' concerning over-familiarity with him, he knew she didn't pose any real danger. "It's alright, guys. Aigis is the one who killed the Shadow. If she wanted to hurt us, she would've already."

The two of them visibly relaxed at their leader's words, and they holstered their Evokers. Junpei looked towards the mess that used to be the Shadow and smirked. "Hmm…guess this answers whether or not she's malfunctioning, huh? Looks like she still hunts Shadows pretty well."

Akihiko nodded. "My question is, how did she know it was coming here?"

Aigis spoke up. "I did not. I merely reacted when my primary target was in jeopardy."

That made Minato look at her in confusion. "Wait a minute: In jeopardy? Aigis, what is your primary target?"

Aigis turned to look at him, and her face softened. "You, Minato-kun, are my primary target. Mission parameters state that protection and safekeeping are primary goals for target subject. Secondary objectives are to observe and care for the emotional stability and physical health of target subject. My Tertiary objectives are Shadow elimination and containment, however."

Minato gaped in shock. "What? How the hell did that become your primary objective?"

Aigis shook her head. "I do not know. Records indicate that I was dormant for 10 years due to combat damage. Upon reactivation, my mission parameters were already as such. So, in accordance with my objectives, I have been actively observing you for approximately 4 days, as well as avoiding factors that could lead to mission failure, such as deactivation or capture."

Junpei looked between the two of them. "Well, that explains why she was sneaking out. She was watching over you." He shook his head in confusion. "Still, this is pretty weird…"

Yukari's voice sounded from the open door behind them. "Wow, what happened in here?" She and Mitsuru walked into the room, Evokers un-holstered. They were disheveled in appearance, obviously caught off guard by the gunfire, but awake and alert.

Yukari looked around the room in amazement. "Wow, I can't imagine how much it's gonna cost to repair this room. Sorry, Senpai."

Mitsuru didn't respond. Instead, she walked straight over to Minato and started looking him over for injuries. Her tone was worried as she asked, "Are you alright?"

Minato nodded, smiling at her concern. "I'm fine. Confused, but fine. Aigis here saved me."

Mitsuru pulled away from him, turned to the blonde robot, and nodded at her. "Thank you for helping him."

Aigis smiled. "Of course. He is my primary target." Mitsuru raised an eyebrow and looked at Minato in equal parts concern and confusion.

He shrugged exasperatedly. "Like I said, confused. She states that her primary objective is my wellbeing, first and foremost." He rubbed the back of his head as he mumbled, "…which isn't creepy at all…"

Mitsuru shook her head in confusion. "How is that possible?"

Aigis shook her head. "I do not know. When I reactivated several days ago, my objectives were already programmed as such."

Mitsuru nodded. "Well, strange as this is, Ikutsuki-san and my father will want to know about this. Aigis, will you come with us?"

Aigis did not move at the request. Instead, she looked at Minato, her expression indicating that she was looking to him for guidance. He stared back, his confusion increasing. "Why do you want my opinion?"

Aigis tilted her head. "I do not have personal information on these people, Minato-kun. To do as she asks, with this amount of limited information, could be potentially hazardous to my operational status. However, you seem to have first-hand knowledge of their character, so you are the obvious source to turn to. Can I…trust them?"

Minato shook his head. Her logic didn't make sense. "But how can you even trust me, Aigis? You don't even know me."

Aigis shook her head, seemingly confused by her own response. "I...I just…do."

Minato sighed in frustration. Weird things kept happening on this trip, and this was one weird thing he hadn't seen coming at all. He hated not knowing about this kind of stuff beforehand, and he really hated not having any answers. Well, maybe Ikutsuki-san knows something about this. But first, get the malfunctioning robot girl to come with us… "Alright, Aigis, in that case, you can trust these guys. They're all Persona-users, like me. They won't hurt you intentionally, unless you give them reason."

Aigis nodded. "Very well, Minato-kun." She looked at Mitsuru and nodded her acknowledgement. "I will comply."

Mitsuru nodded and lead the way out. Aigis took up a position behind Minato as they all followed her lead. He shook his head as his brain caught up to current events. Life seemed really simple a couple of months ago. Now, he had a killer robot wanting to be his bodyguard and nursemaid, all at once, for reasons best described as 'non-existent'.

He sighed. He owed Aigis his life, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was...wrong. He just hoped he was wrong about her.

As they entered the main hall, Ikutsuki and Fuuka both ran out from the lounge. Ikutsuki sighed in relief at the sight of the SEES members, no injuries evident. "Thank god, you are all alright." He then noticed Aigis standing slightly behind Minato, and smiled. "Ah, I imagine that we have you to thank for that Shadow's termination, Aigis?"

Aigis nodded. "Yes, sir. Primary target secured."

Minato sighed in exasperation. "Aigis, if you are going to talk about me like that, then please use my name."

Aigis nodded apologetically. "Yes, Minato-kun. Logging your preference."

He shuddered at the cold, robotic indifference mixed with the strange, warm familiarity. "Still creepy…"

Ikutsuki looked at Minato in confusion. Minato shook his head in exasperation. "Long story short, Aigis thinks that playing babysitter to me is her 'primary objective'. I was hoping you could explain why."

Ikutsuki shook his head in shock. "No, I have no idea. Aigis was, for all intents and purposes, disabled permanently. I thought that she would never wake up, let alone be as stable as she is. Why she's woken up now, and why her objective is what it is, are as much a mystery to me as they are to you." He looked away in thought. "Perhaps a sensor malfunction, or…maybe the cortex rewiring we did…Hmm…"

Minato sighed. More questions… "Great. Like I didn't have enough things to worry about… Well, shall we inform Takeharu-san that we've recovered Aigis?"

Ikutsuki nodded, and turned to lead the way into the lounge. Takeharu stood up and inspected the group as they all walked in to the room. He took in Minato's disheveled appearance and frowned. "Are you alright?"

Minato nodded to the robot behind him. "Thanks to Aigis, here, yeah. I'm good."

Takeharu nodded. "Good. I'm glad." He then turned to Aigis. "Thank you, Aigis, for protecting him."

Aigis smiled. "Of course. His safety is my primary objective."

Minato sighed as Takeharu glanced at him confusedly. "That's the strange thing about this: She has it in her head that I am her primary objective. She doesn't know why, and neither does Ikutsuki-san."

Takeharu sighed. "Well, there isn't much that I could tell you. Ikutsuki knows more about her than I do."

Ikutsuki nodded. "We'll bring Aigis back with us. That way, we can continue to study her behavior, as well as having a potential asset for the exploration of Tartarus."

Minato looked at Ikutsuki incredulously. He has to be crazy... "What? She's potentially malfunctioning, and you want us to bring her into the field with us?!"

Ikutsuki smiled. "So far, the only thing that appears to be a malfunction is her fascination with you, Minato-kun, which could even be an asset in the field. Better her than you. Other than that, she has proven tonight that she is still a capable fighter. We need all the help we can get if we are going to get rid of the Dark Hour."

Minato shook his head. "Still, I…" He paused, then hung his head in defeat. He couldn't honestly think of any good reason why she shouldn't come with them. His own strong reaction to her presence surprised him however. He didn't know why she made him so uncomfortable, but she did, and that worried him. The last time he had emotions that weren't under his control, he had a meltdown and shut himself away for a few months.

Takeharu looked at Minato in concern. "Is there a particular reason she shouldn't come with you?"

Minato looked up and shook his head. This feeling that was driving him seemed unnatural, and that made him wary. "No, sir. I just feel…concerned, is all. This is all very odd, and I guess I'm still trying to wrap my head around it."

Takeharu nodded. "Very well. I understand your concerns about her behavior. However, she is a potential asset, and we cannot afford to waste this opportunity. Therefore, she will be remain under observation in the lab, under guard, until you all head home. Afterward, I will transfer her to the Kirijo building in Iwatodai, where she will be studied intently. After tests prove that she is not dangerous to you, and that she is ready, she will be released only for operations. That way, we can make sure that she remains an asset, instead of becoming a liability."

Yukari scowled. "She saves Minato's life and you want to lock her up like a lab rat?"

Takeharu shook his head. "It is the only way that I can think of that will ensure your safety. There is simply too much we don't know about her at this point."

Mitsuru and Akihiko nodded their agreement, but Fuuka and Yukari shook their heads, disagreeing intently. Fuuka spoke up. "I don't think that she will hurt us. She could have done that already, if she wanted. Besides, she saved one of our group tonight, and we should be grateful. Without her, Minato-senpai could have died."

Junpei shook his head. "I dunno about this…I can see why she might be a danger, but… Locking her up seems cruel...I dunno."

Takeharu's tone rose sharply. "Look, I am not going to put her out there with you all if she is a potential danger."

Aigis' face twisted at the raised tone, seemingly upset. She stood up suddenly, cutting off further argument. "Stop, please. I will comply with your orders, to better facilitate unit cohesion. If this is what you wish for me, then so be it."

Minato turned to look at her, her tone surprising him. She almost seemed…sad, despite the robotic tone of her voice. His curiosity overtook his discomfort, and he looked at her closer. Her human-like expressions and emotions seemed to almost combat with her robotic nature. Judging by her reaction, she seemed to want freedom, like a person would. However, she also appeared concerned about splitting the team, which explained why she was willing to be locked up. That confused him. A simple robot wouldn't care either way, but Aigis did. Aigis was special, it seemed.

He suddenly felt disgust at his actions thus far. She had saved his life tonight, and what had he done in return? He had treated her with suspicion and distrust, going so far as to have her locked up like a piece of equipment or weaponry, despite the fact that she was a living being, with emotions and feelings. So what if she was concerned with keeping him alive? Did he need to be so concerned about that? Without her, he could easily have died tonight. He needed to show her a little trust.

He shook his head as he came to a decision."…Actually, that seems unnecessarily drastic, Takeharu-san. Like Ikutsuki-san said, she saved my life tonight. I could stand to be a little less suspicious, and a little more grateful."

Takeharu glanced at him in surprise. He shrugged as he continued. "Besides, if she is going to be a part of my team, then we need to interact with her, have her learn about us, so on and so forth. You know, build a team dynamic. I can't trust my life to someone who I don't know, and only seeing her on operations wouldn't let her build that trust."

He sighed. "So, I say, let her be free, for now. We can interact with her tomorrow and determine if she's ready for field operations then."

He looked over to Aigis. His discomfort seemed to melt away as he looked into her surprisingly human-like eyes. "If she does anything to endanger the team in any way, now, or in the future, we'll stop her, then notify you immediately, and you can take her to the lab and lock her up then."

He looked back over to Takeharu, an small smile on his face. "Right now, though? I think she's earned a little trust from us."

Takeharu mulled over his words, then nodded. "Alright, then, if you think that it will be best for your team. Ikutsuki?"

Ikutsuki nodded. "I agree wholeheartedly."

Aigis smiled brightly at him. "Thank you for trusting me, Minato-kun."

Minato gave her a half smirk, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, well, just don't make me regret it, ok?"

She nodded vigorously, causing Yukari to giggle a little. "Rather enthusiastic, isn't she?"

Mitsuru sighed. "Well, I have my own reservations about this, but Minato does make a point…"

Akihiko and Junpei nodded in agreement, as Fuuka smiled brightly at the resolution of the arguement.

Takeharu sighed. "Now that's settled, we can address the elephant in the room: How did a Shadow get so far out here?"

Fuuka nodded in acknowledgement. "Yeah, that is weird. I thought that we figured out they stayed near Tartarus. Does that mean that they are leaving, spreading out?"

Ikutsuki swallowed nervously. "I hope not. That means that the Dark Hour could be more dangerous to more places than just Iwatodai. We wouldn't be able to handle it if they spread out."

Takeharu nodded in agreement. "Let us hope that is not the case. For now, however, we can only speculate. There is not much else we can do tonight, and you all only have one day of vacation time left. You all should get some rest and enjoy tomorrow. We'll focus on this issue later. Aigis, please follow Ikutsuki here, and he will take you back to the lab for repairs and rearmament."

Aigis nodded. "Yes, sir." She and Ikutsuki left, but not before Aigis cast one last glance at Minato. She smiled brightly at him, then turned and walked down the hall.

Takeharu nodded to the SEES members. "The rest of you can get some rest now. Good work, everyone."

The group nodded, then filed out of the room…all except for Minato. He exhaled nervously as he began. "Uh…Takeharu-san?"

Takeharu raised a questioning eyebrow. "Yes, Minato-kun? What is it?"

Minato blushed nervously. Are you crazy? After the drama of today, you really think he's gonna go for this? "I know that…after last night…" He sighed. This was harder than he thought.

Takeharu frowned. "I realize that situation was partly my fault, allowing my maids to assist your cousin in her attempt to prank you, and I apologize for putting you in a place where that became necessary. That is all we need to say on the matter, yes?"

Minato nodded his head emphatically. "Yes, sir. I completely understand, and if I could help it, I wouldn't have brought it up…but…" He paused, terror rising in his chest.

Takeharu gestured for him to continue. Minato swallowed his discomfort. "Well, you see, the Shadow was positioned over my bed when it died. They don't just disappear after they die, they just kind of…fall apart. I mean, not to mention that my room is practically wrecked as well."

Takeharu raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Just get to the point, Minato-kun." Minato sighed as he decided to just come out and say it. "I don't have a place to sleep tonight, and I was thinking..."

Minato winced internally as he trailed off. Great, why don't you just say you want to sleep with his daughter again? That would be about as subtle. Maybe you should ask if he wouldn't mind giving you control of the whole Kirijo Group while he's at it. Idiot.

Takeharu nodded in sudden realization. "Ah. I can see how that might be a problem." He mulled it over, before frowning, realizing what Minato was insinuating.

He looked up at Minato with a glare. "Minato, I have tried my best to not interfere with the relationship between you and my daughter these past few days, despite every instinct I have as a parent screaming at me to do so."

He sighed. "My daughter was hurt badly in her last relationship. You must know this. However, she seems happy with you, and I know how you must feel about her, considering your own past. But I cannot just willingly ignore such tawdry behavior."

Minato closed his eyes and stood up, bowing deeply in embarrassment. He mentally berated himself for his behavior. Good job, idiot. Now you'll be lucky if he even lets you talk to her. "Yes, sir. I'm very sorry to have brought it up. I'll see if Junpei will let me sleep on his chair, or something…"

He turned to leave, but Takeharu cleared his throat. "I wasn't done yet, Arisato."

Minato turned back to his godfather. He had a neutral expression on his face, but somehow, that terrified Minato more than a glare or an angry look. "I refused to threaten you before, knowing that it would seem unnecessary. However, it is more than just unnecessary: it is insulting, to both of you. You are both adults, fully capable of making your own decisions."

Minato raised his eyebrows in confusion. What? Where is this going? "Sir? I don't understand…"

Takeharu sighed in frustration. "Minato, I care about you. If your grandfather had not forced me to relinquish custody after the accident, I would have raised you as one of my own."

Minato's eyes widened in surprise."But why?"

Takeharu shook his head as he continued. "Your father suffered in his final days because of me and my family. I would do anything to try and make up for that cruelty. I am ashamed that I did not push harder to be a bigger part of your life. If I had, things might have been different."

Takeharu's eye closed as he continued. "Either way, my point is this: I don't want either of you to suffer any more pain. If things don't work out between you and Mitsuru, I'm afraid that I would lose both of you."

He sighed, then smirked. "However, Mitsuru has made me realize that worrying about that is pointless. This is not my battle to fight: It is hers, and yours. As such, I can only do so much to help. I must trust in both of you to find the correct path, and to help where I can. After all, 'two in harmony surpasses one in perfection,' and I am far from perfect."

Takeharu opened his eye and stared at Minato, a deadly serious look in his eye. "So, I will ask you this: Can I trust you to behave as a gentleman tonight, if I allow this to occur?"

Minato's eyes widened in surprise. He's actually agreeing to this? Holy crap…Well, the least I can do is to reassure him.

Minato looked into Takeharu's steely-grey eye and nodded once. "Yes, sir. Mitsuru means a lot to me, and I will not do anything to jeopardize that."

Minato blushed as he continued. "I won't lie and say that I am not tempted. However, I…want to treat her right. Like she deserves. That desire beats any other that I might have."

Takeharu nodded, pleased with Minato's honesty. "Very well. Don't make me regret this, Arisato. If she refuses you, you honor that, and you come back to me. I'll arrange something else for you."

Minato nodded emphatically. "Yes, sir. Thank you."

Takeharu closed his eyes and smiled at him. "Get some sleep, both of you. It's been a long night. Besides, your grandfather is leaving early tomorrow. I'll send a maid to wake you when they are leaving, so you can see them off."

Minato nodded. "Of course. Thank you again. Good night, sir." Minato walked out, nerves shot. I can't believe that just happened…

Takeharu watched Minato leave, a sense of joy and sadness intermixed in his stomach. The son reminded him so much of the father, he realized. Saburo had been one of the boldest people he had ever known, having been willing to defy Takeharu's father and continue his friendship with Takeharu, despite the difficulties involved. Not many people had defied Kouetsu Kirijo and lived to talk about it, but Saburo had, and had done so often.

He smiled broadly. Saburo's son seemed to have inherited that same boldness, which had also been combined with his mother's iron will. A deadly combination. Not many people would have the audaciousness to ask Takeharu Kirijo a question as bold as Minato's had been, especially knowing what Takeharu could do to them for asking such a question. But only someone who had the ability to brave such a danger, and be unafraid of the consequences, could even have a chance of convincing him that they were serious about her. Only someone who would be proud of his feelings for Mitsuru, and be unashamed to admit it, would be worthy of her in his eyes.

He looked up at the ceiling for a moment, before sighing and heading for bed. I miss you, old friend. I wish that you and Akane were still here. You would be proud of who your son has started to become…

Minato quietly knocked on Mitsuru's door, his heart hammering in his chest. The walk after talking with her father did nothing to calm his nerves. If anything, he was even more nervous. Last night, Mitsuru had offered her bed to him as a personal gesture of aid. Now, he was asking to sleep in her bed. There was a huge difference. She could just as easily say that it was a one-time thing or that she wanted to wait until later in their relationship. He winced as he heard the lock come undone. He exhaled to calm his nerves as the door opened. "Hey, I know that this might be…"

He never finished his sentence. Mitsuru had opened the door and yanked him inside without pause. She shut the door and looked at him with an intense stare. "After I saw the state of your room, and that you were alright, do you know what the first thing I thought was?"

Minato shook his head. "No. What was it?"

Mitsuru smiled. "I hope he comes back to my room tonight."

Minato blinked. "Even after what happened this morning?"

Mitsuru smirked. "Even so. You know, you make a pretty good pillow. I couldn't sleep the same way after how well I slept last night."

Minato smirked, his nervousness fading with her flippant tone. "Oh, really? I can't say I've ever gotten that kind of compliment before."

Mitsuru took on a mock angry glare. "I should hope not. You are for my personal use only. Everyone else can get their own."

Minato laughed. "What do you know?…You do know how to sweet talk, after all."

Mitsuru laughed at his comment, then stared at him with soft eyes, humor giving way to affection. "How do you do that?"

Minato shook his head in confusion. "Do what?"

Mitsuru gave him a strange look, as if she were appraising him. "I have spent most of my life learning the proper way to do things. Always being drilled on how to act, how to think, and how to talk. I learned that there is always a proper way to do everything in life, be it eating, talking, or even walking. Over time, I came to enjoy the order that came with learning them."

She smiled brightly at him. "But in the few weeks since I've been with you, I don't care about any of that anymore. I don't care about social etiquette, or proper behavior, or any of it."

Minato smirked. "You make it sound like I'm a bad influence on you."

Mitsuru shook her head. "On the contrary. It makes me feel…free. You don't care about how I should act, or whether something I do is proper or not. You just…"

Minato crossed to her and wrapped his arms around her. "I care about who you are. Not who others say you should be."

She smiled and closed her eyes, enjoying his embrace. "Hah, it's funny...I don't know what to say…and for the first time, that doesn't scare me."

Minato smiled as he pulled them back towards the bed, then kissed her lightly, holding her hands in his. "Come on. It's late. We should get some rest. We have a big day of relaxing to do tomorrow."

She nodded, smiling at him. "Which side do you want?"

He smirked. "Does it matter? You're just going to use me for a pillow again."

She smiled, and nodded. "Good point." She pushed him onto the bed, then crawled in next to him. The two of them settled in next to each other, then slipped into Orpheus' sweet embrace.

July 22nd, 2009

Minato woke to the sound of light knocking on the door. It was early. There was barely any light outside. He tried to move, but found his limbs strangely heavy. He looked down and smiled as he found the reason why. He and Mitsuru had entangled themselves pretty well, he observed, as he attempted to pull his arm from under her head without disturbing her. After some deft maneuvering, he managed to disentangle himself from her and quickly changed out of his bedclothes. He then answered the door, and the maid outside bowed to him. "Master Arisato, Master and Milady Shirogane are waiting for their car in the main hall. If you go now, you can catch them before they leave."

Minato nodded in thanks. He quickly shut the door behind him and followed the maid into the hall. His grandfather and cousin were waiting next to the main door, bags next to their feet. He smiled at the two of them. 'Early to rise' seemed to be the Shirogane family curse. "You know, it's a shame you have to leave so soon."

Kyohei smirked as he turned around to face his grandson. "You know that our cases can't wait that long. We've slacked off enough for one week."

Minato shook his head in disagreement. "They've waited this long. Doesn't mean you can't stay for one more day."

Kyohei shook his head. "No. I appreciate the offer, but…"

Minato nodded, recognizing defeat. Kyohei disliked being idle as a rule more than anything else. He had done what he had come here to do, and was ready to get back to work. He sighed. "It's alright. I understand."

Kyohei shook his head. "Well, I expect you to take care of yourself, boy."

Minato smiled at the thinly veiled concern. "I will, gramps. You can be sure of that. Besides…" He gestured over his shoulder at the guest wing. "…I have the rest of them to make sure I don't get into too much trouble."

Kyohei smirked, then stepped forward, staring right into Minato's eyes. "But, before I leave, one last truth."

Minato's eyes widened in surprise and horror. I just stopped wanting to strangle him at every available opportunity, and he brings this up? He frowned. "Oh?"

Kyohei lowered his eyes in shame at his grandson's glare. "I lied earlier, when I said that you were the only thing I had left of your mother." He held his hand out. "I want you to have this."

Minato reached out and his grandfather dropped a small medallion on a simple silver chain into his hand. He looked it over. The chain was simple and inelegant, but the medallion was expertly engraved, with words surrounding an engraving of a butterfly. He muttered the words, taking in their meaning. "Life is meaningless without something to protect."

Kyohei nodded. "That is apparently the Arisato family motto. Your father must've had it made for your mother. It was the only thing that survived the accident, apart from yourself." He frowned as the shame of his actions settled over him.

Minato gave a sad smile, and grasped the medallion. "…I should be angry that you kept this from me…but I know why you did."

Kyohei nodded sadly. "I'm a selfish old man. Always have been."

Minato slid the necklace over his head, letting the medallion rest on his chest. He closed the distance and hugged his grandfather. "Well, don't forget to call, old man."

Kyohei chuckled lightly, then pulled away. "I need to go check on the car. Goodbye, Minato. Enjoy the rest of your vacation." He gave a small smile to Minato, then stepped outside.

Naoto, who had been watching the two intently, smiled as she walked closer to Minato. "You know, when I first got here, I was expecting a boring trip where I spent most of my time reading."

Minato laughed. "Not so much. At least the group was cool, huh?"

Naoto tilted her head in acknowledgement. "I suppose it was a pleasant surprise." She moved in and hugged him. "I'm happy for you. They're a great group of friends."

Minato nodded. "They are, aren't they?"

Naoto smirked, then pulled away. "Well, take care of yourself, and tell them I had a great time with them all."

Minato nodded. "I will. You take care of yourself, and Gramps too."

Kyohei came back in. "The car's here."

Naoto nodded to her grandfather and picked up her bag. She smiled at Minato. "See you later, cousin…and don't forget to call again."

Minato nodded emphatically. "Yes, ma'am!" He saluted mockingly.

She rolled her eyes at her cousin's actions and waved over her shoulder as she walked out. Kyohei nodded to Minato, picked up his bag, and followed her out. Minato watched them load up the car from the doorway with a bemused expression.

Before now, he had always thought of family as something that was just there, that just by being related, it instantly made you connected with them. He knew that wasn't true now.

He hadn't truly cared for his grandfather before. He had always appreciated what Kyohei Shirogane had done for him, but he had never liked him much as a person. The incident with Haruya had only emphasized that feeling. Now, after all the lies and deception were gone, he felt that he understood the old man better. Kyohei had always hid his feelings, and had paid dearly because of it. Now, he spent his time trying to make up for his mistakes, in the only way he could. Minato respected that, and chose to move on, to show the same respect his grandfather now showed to him.

Naoto had the same problem with her feelings that Minato had, but he hoped to change that. Minato hoped that, by showing her the happiness that he had experienced with SEES, she would seek out that kind of feeling in her own life, with other people of her own age. He didn't expect that change to happen overnight, but he hoped she wouldn't go through the same horrible experiences he had to, in order to find it.

As his grandfather looked back at him, standing in the door way, Minato smiled brightly at him and waved. Kyohei's gaze softened, then a small smile momentarily broke out on his face. It disappeared quickly, however, and soon, the Iron Detective was back in charge. Kyohei got into the back seat without a word, and Minato turned back and reentered the house, a feeling of contentment in his heart.

"Does he ever run out of energy? We both stayed up so late last night…" Akihiko said as he watched Junpei run face first into the ocean spray. Minato shook his head. "I dunno. I will take it as a sign of the apocalypse if he ever does, though."

Akihiko smirked. "Well, in that case, let's make sure he has a constant supply of Mad Bull." Minato nodded in agreement as they waited for the others to show up. The SEES members had all decided that they would spend their last day of vacation on the beach, together. The guys had quickly changed and run out after breakfast, with Junpei practically jumping up and down with anticipation and excitement. He had paced eagerly for all of 30 seconds, before exclaiming he wasn't waiting any more, and running off.

Minato shook his head at his friend's antics, then turned around at the sound of footsteps. It was the girls, along with their newest member: Aigis. The blonde robot smiled at the sight of Minato and a small amount of discomfort wormed its way through his stomach at the sight. He quickly quashed the feeling, berating himself. Unless she did something to prove she was a threat to them, he promised he was going to at least attempt to be welcoming to her. His discomfort with her was just something he was going to have to live with.

He smiled brightly as the girls walked up to Akihiko and him. "Hello, ladies. Good morning, Aigis."

Aigis tilted her head in confusion. "Do we have a mission at the beach today? I am not equipped for such an endeavor."

Minato shook his head, a small smile on his face. "No, there's no mission today. We're on vacation right now."

Fuuka smiled at Aigis. "Do you know why we are taking a vacation, Aigis?"

Aigis nodded. "Vacations are meant to be trips to refresh the body and mind. When taken with friends and loved ones, it can instill a deeper bond between them."

Minato glanced at Mitsuru. He certainly felt closer to her, seeing more of who she was behind the mask of indifference she put up normally. It was nice. He smirked. "Yeah, that's right. It's our last day here, however. We decided to take this time to bond as a group. You know, take the time to relax."

He sighed as he remembered all that had occurred over the past few days. "Although, sometimes, it didn't really feel like I got to relax much on this trip…"

Junpei took that moment to run up to the group. "Come on, you guys! We need to get in the ocean one last time before we leave! It's a moral imperative!"

He turned back around and ran back into the spray without another word. Akihiko smiled. "Alright, why not? Hey, Junpei! Race you to those rocks over there!" He quickly tore his shirt off and tossed it aside, before chasing the baseball-capped teen into the clear ocean water.

Yukari looked at Aigis curiously. "Can you go into the water, Aigis?"

Aigis nodded in affirmation. "I am fully waterproof. But why would I submerge myself for no purpose?"

Yukari smirked. "It's for fun! Come on, I'll show you!"

Yukari grabbed Aigis' hand and dragged the confused robot into the surf, with Fuuka not far behind. That left Minato and Mitsuru alone on the beach. He looked over at her, a smirk on his face. "Wanna go join them?"

She froze at his words, then smiled at him nervously. "Um…no, I'm ok. They seem to be having fun, and…"

Minato's eyes widened in realization. A grin broke out on his face. "You…aren't still afraid of swimming in the ocean, are you?"

Her quick response removed all doubt. "No! I most certainly am not! I just…have some…reading I want to do…" A blush formed on her cheeks as she attempted to look innocent and innocuous.

Minato shook his head in disbelief. They came to the beach to relax together. Being separate kinda defeats the purpose. How to convince her…? He straightened as a plan formed in his head. It was dangerous, but it could work.

Minato grinned evilly as he stalked towards her, his hands outstretched. She looked towards him with a fearful expression on her face. "M-Minato, what are you doing?"

He yelled in victory as he pounced, sweeping his arm under her legs and back, picking her up in a bridal carry. She yelped, face burning red, flailing wildly in an attempt to escape as he turned and ran towards the ocean. "Minato Arisato! Put me down this instant! I swear, I'll execute you if you take me into that water!"

Unfortunately, her words fell on deaf ears, as she was thrown unceremoniously into the water by a cackling Minato. Minato quickly followed after her, jumping into the spray, and submerging to hide himself from her rage. He swam as fast as he could, placing as much distance between him and her as possible.

Mitsuru rose out of the water with a deadly expression on her face. She looked around, searching for her soon-to-be-executed boyfriend, and was surprised to see him missing. It was smart. If he had stood there, gloating, she would have executed him then and there.

She looked all around her, and could not see any sign of him. He was obviously hiding in the water. She could wait for him to come up, but a plan came to her mind, using information acquired just recently. She looked for the blonde robot, who was currently being taught the dead man's float, unsuccessfully. She called out. "Aigis! Can you locate Minato for me?"

She shot up and pointed to her immediate left. Minato then emerged out of the ocean next to Aigis, spluttering at her. "That is so not fair! Aigis, come on! You are supposed to try and ensure my survival, not my execution!"

Aigis actually grinned at him. "To facilitate greater unit cohesion, I volunteered this information despite the potential personal cost. I apologize for the inconvenience, Minato-kun, but it seemed necessary."

Minato stared at her in shock, then looked over at his girlfriend, an incredulous expression on his face. "I think that the robot just made a joke."

Mitsuru smiled sweetly at him, a dangerous lilt to her tone. She started wading towards him, her eyes glinting dangerously. "Well, at least hers are funny, Mina-kun."

He chuckled nervously, slowly backing away farther into the ocean. "Come on, Mitsuru, you have to admit, that was kinda fun…"

She nodded matter-of-factly as she waded closer and closer. "It was, but I will enjoy this so much more."

He made a noise of panic and dove back under the water, swimming with all his strength in an attempt to escape. She quickly dove under after him, all fear of the ocean extinguished under her desire to enact swift and deadly revenge on the one who wronged her.

Minato conceded the fact that, maybe tossing her in the ocean might not have been such a great idea as he held his head in his hands, attempting to block out the pain. She had held back, as she hadn't been too angry with him, but her execution had still hurt. Mitsuru smirked at him smugly from her spot in the chair next to him. "Did you learn your lesson?"

Minato glared at her. "I still don't see what the problem was…"

Her eyes narrowed angrily. "Really? Shall I express my displeasure again, to make sure you understand?"

Minato shook his head forlornly. "No. I understood that perfectly."

Mitsuru nodded in satisfaction. "Good. However, I feel as if separating myself from the others defeats the purpose of our being here, so you may have had a point."

Minato stared at her in disbelief. His jaw dropped involuntarily. He felt pure outrage build within him, but he quashed it. It's not worth getting killed over. He sighed and settled back into the chair.

The two of them looked out on the SEES members, watching them interacting with each other. Akihiko and Junpei were arguing over something in the water, it looked like. Akihiko looked smug, while Junpei was blushing and making wild gestures.

Junpei shook his head, disagreement written on his face. "I didn't give up, I never joined the contest! So therefore, I can't have lost."

Akihiko smirked challengingly. "Oh, no, you aren't getting out of this that easily. Just admit that I won."

Junpei shook his head even more emphatically. "No way! There's no way that you beat Minato too…"

Akihiko looked towards the two lovebirds sitting on the chairs. "I don't think he particularly cared about our little contest, do you?"

Junpei blushed as he looked towards Minato and Mitsuru, then groaned in defeat as the pieces fell into place. Minato wouldn't have done anything to jeopardize what he had with Mitsuru, and so he probably hadn't done anything during Operation: Babe Hunt.

He sunk into the water in humiliation. He couldn't believe that Akihiko had actually beaten him.

Yukari and Fuuka swam around with Aigis, intent on making their new member feel welcome. Fuuka splashed some water towards Yukari, and Yukari screeched in surprise at the sudden, playful attack. Aigis quickly retaliated for Yukari, pushing a small wave towards Fuuka, nearly bowling her over. Fuuka looked at Aigis in surprise, then laughed. Yukari soon joined in, followed by Aigis' own smile of amusement. A small war seemed to break out at that point, and they started flinging water at each other with playful abandon.

He smiled brightly as he looked out on his friends. They all looked like they were having fun, even Aigis, surprisingly enough. He closed his eyes as he reflected on the path he had taken to get here.

These wonderful individuals had taught him how to live. They made him realize what it was to care about others, to trust someone other than yourself, and what he had been missing his whole life by cutting himself away from that.

He glanced down at his mother's medallion sitting on his chest, and the words engraved on it. Life for him had been meaningless, until he met them. They had been the catalyst for unlocking his power, and they gave him the strength to continue. As he looked out on the people he cared about, he made a vow. He would do anything to protect his friends, and his grandfather, and his godfather, and his cousin: His family.

He smiled as he murmured under his breath, "After all…Life is meaningless without something to protect."

Mitsuru looked over at him with a content look on her face, and smirked. "Well, do you want to head back in? It looks like they are having fun."

He smiled and nodded, eager to spend the day with her, and with everyone else. "Sure."

Time would not stop for them, no matter how much they might want it to. Tomorrow, they would go back to a life full of danger and pain, so they needed to make memories of light and laughter while they could. It would be all that would sustain them during the dark days ahead.

Ikutsuki looked at the SEES members frolicking in the ocean, and frowned.

Their naiveté made him want to retch.

They played and joked and laughed without a care in the world, not knowing what a diseased piece of garbage they lived on. It made him sick.

His gaze fixed upon the most hated out of all. Anger and hate boiled in his stomach at the sight of the blue haired teen.

The grandson of the person he hated most in the world was right there. It took every ounce of control to not walk down to the beach and strangle the life out of those smug, arrogant eyes.

He smirked as he imagined the reaction that Shirogane would have if his precious grandson were to die by Ikutsuki's hands. It would be sweet irony indeed.

Kyohei had killed his brother, the man that had been Shuji's whole world, even after all they had done for the man.

He shook his head as he turned away from the window. He needed to wait only a little longer, then he could have his revenge on the world that wronged him.

After all, it was only fair; an eye for an eye…

A life for a life…

A world for a world…

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(Well, this was kind of a tough one to write. Sorry it's so short for how long the wait has been, but Yakushima in general was rather tough to write, because much of what I needed to do was make scenes purely from scratch, and I don't have a lot of experience doing that yet. I hope that I didn't do too badly with this, especially considering how plot dumpy most of these past few chapters have been. Anyway, we'll get back into the thick of things in the next chapter. We'll get some more Strega, some Shinji, some fighting, and some other stuff. We might also get started on Summer Break! Since Minato is in the Fencing Club, I have my own idea of how this tournament thing is gonna play out, and it's gonna be cool…I hope… Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and as always, please review or PM me if you have any questions, concerns, criticisms, or if you just wanna say you liked it!)

Hope to see you all next chapter! – Dr. Ninja