Author's Notes: Whew... Got through the slog fest that was December in FES. God, I hate that month in the game. As much as I enjoy Persona 3, everyone becomes so whiny and depressed even though I'm all gung-ho about fighting Nyx. That could just be because I put no stock in my own life... but hell, if we die either way, I don't want to forget everyone... The bad ending is a huge slap in the face too... In other news, I was finally desperate enough to use Fuuka's Oracle, but she ended up fully healing my SP when I wanted her to revive my team... Still could have been a whole lot worse, so I'm willing to forgive her. Also, slight revision in Chapter 24 when Minato summons Orpheus against Hypnos. Nothing too major, just changed it from it being a reaction between the two Personas to just Minato losing control over Orpheus. Makes more sense this way.
~1 NOVEMBER 2009~
By the end of October, Minato and Hamuko completed their Social Link with the stern Hidetoshi. The Disciplinary Committee leader realized that he couldn't just throw his weight around and expect others to respect his position. By spending time with the twins, he learned why the entire student body looked at Minato with both fear and awe as well as how Hamuko could simply smile and get her way. They had a natural aura around them that demanded respect and dispel uneasiness and Hidetoshi decided that was the type of person he wanted to become. It wasn't anything special the twins did to come off that way though and the Emperor smiled when he realized it was because they simply listened to those around them before acting.
"I may have given people the impression that I'm selfish, but I'll win back their trust," he nodded to them. "Look at this," he said, pulling a lighter from his pocket. "You know that cigarette butt in the bathroom? One of the guys fessed up."
Minato crossed his arms at that. "But I was so close in solving that case…" he frowned.
Hidetoshi shook his head. "Sorry you had to go through all that trouble, Minato-kun, but you know what else? He promised me that he'll never smoke again. This lighter is proof of that."
The blue-haired boy tilted his head to the side. "Really?"
Hamuko smiled as she stood by her brother's side. "That's good, Hidetoshi-kun. You managed to reform a student."
"Yeah…" Hidetoshi smiled at her praise. "I earned his trust by showing concern for others, just like you taught me." He handed her the lighter. "Here, I wanted you to have this."
"Thank you," Hamuko said, accepting it.
"No, I should be the one thanking you," Hidetoshi said as he turned towards Minato. "I've been looking down on people. But that caused friction with everyone, and dragged in people dear to me… It really hit me, when I was persuading the lighter's owner, how important it was to make an effort to understand… I learned that technique from you… As you employed it upon me."
"Come on, Hidetoshi," Minato smirked. "It's what we do best… If you learned from us, it wasn't because we were trying to teach you. It's because you actively made an effort to understand us too."
The junior became embarrassed at that. "Do you remember the story I told you? About the TV anchorwoman…?" He frowned at the tragedy of the lady's injury. "The man sent to prison was my father… I see now that sincerity IS important, and I'm proud of myself for learning its true meaning. I also realized what an amazing man my father is… One day…" He glanced at the twins with determination in his eyes. "One day, will I be able to stand by your sides…?"
Hamuko looked to her older brother before giggling at their friend. "Hidetoshi-kun, you're already able to stand beside us."
Minato nodded in agreement. "You're an important friend of ours after all. When you need strength, we'll be there. The same goes for when we need you, right?"
Hidetoshi relaxed at their words. "That's right," he nodded. "Thank you."
The twins smiled at him as they received Odin's blessing. When they called on his power to use Thunder Reign in Tartarus that night, Akihiko smirked as the Norse God commanded respect from the Shadows it defeated. The boxer crossed his arms and nodded his head. "Yeah… You two really are amazing. You might have a powerful Emperor Persona, but Ceasar and I won't fall behind. Right, Shinji?"
Ken nodded in agreement. "We're almost at the end," the young boy said. "We'll finish this for sure."
Minato smiled as the team's morale was climbing again. That was good. The final Shadow would appear in only a few days and even though they lost an important member, Shinjiro was still with them in spirit. The older brunet had entrusted the future to them, and Minato sure as hell wasn't going to waste it. His plan was starting to finally come together again and he made up his mind about the future.
This decisiveness led the blue-haired boy to the very end of the hallway of the dormitory's third floor. He nervously stood in front of the door and looked down at his clothes. He fixed his grey coat to make himself more presentable before raising his hand to knock on the door. The SEES leader only knocked once before the door quickly opened. "F-fuuka!" he jumped in surprise.
Startled by his presence, Fuuka let out a squeak. "Minato-kun!"
"S-sorry…" he said with a nervous smile. "Um… are you busy today?" He noticed she was dressed as though she were ready to go out.
"I was going to visit my parents just," Fuuka replied with a nod. "Did you need something?" she curiously asked as she noticed how fidgety the blue-haired boy was acting. "You're not sick, are you, Minato-kun?"
"N-no," the boy shook his head. He calmed his nerves by taking a deep breath. "I just…" He frowned to himself. "Maybe another time then," he told her as he started down the hall. "Sorry for bothering you."
"Minato-kun?" Fuuka quickly pulled on his sleeve to prevent him from leaving. "Actually, I wanted to see you before I go. I have a request…"
The Fool turned his head towards her. "What is it?"
"I want to properly introduce you to them," she quietly said with a blush.
His blue eyes widened. "Are you sure?"
Fuuka nodded. "It won't be long. Afterwards, I can help you with what you wanted to see me for."
Minato lightly chuckled to himself. "Well… it looks like we had similar thoughts today, Fuuka." The girl looked up to him in slight confusion but the boy nodded his head. "Okay… Let's get going."
A smile grew on the girl's face as she took his hand. "Thank you, Minato-kun…"
What exactly did I get myself into? Minato asked himself as the man before him was trying to stare him down. The blue-haired boy did his best to keep his face calm, but Fuuka's father narrowed his eyes on the teenager.
"So… Fuuka mentioned you're an orphan," Mr. Yamagishi awkwardly tried to make small talk with the boy.
"Um… Yeah," Minato nodded as his eyes darted towards the kitchen. Please hurry with the tea, Fuuka… he begged as he tried to hold a conversation with the father of the girl he loved. "My sister and I lost our parents when we were seven."
"You have a sister?" the brown-eyed man queried him.
"That's right," the boy cleared his throat as he made himself more comfortable. "Well, technically I have two but one lives with our grandfather. My twin Hamuko transferred with me here though and is also a part of SEES. She operates as my co-leader."
The man recalled seeing the girl's name near the top of the exam results. "I see. She must be a hard worker too. I wish Fuuka could be like that." Mr. Yamagishi paused when he noticed the boy clench his fists. "Did I say something to upset you?"
"Sorry," Minato apologized as he relaxed. "I get very defensive over people I care about and I don't like it when you say things like that about your own daughter." He wryly smiled at the dining table. "You might not think so, but I think Fuuka's changed since the beginning of the school year. She's much stronger now. She's also more courageous than before. You putting her down makes me feel like you're undermining all of the effort she put into improving herself."
"I see," the man sighed. "Well, I'm just doing my best as a concerned father. I want the best for her after all so I'm only trying to keep her future in mind."
Minato studied the man's face and nodded in understanding. "I guess a child's future is every parent's worry, but I also think it's a parent's duty to understand and support their child." He smiled as he remembered his own parents. "My parents always made it a point to have Hamuko and me stand on our own. They were my heroes and I admired their ability so much I was willing to do anything to chase after them. I always got in trouble back then trying to emulate them, but when I told them what I wanted to do, they scolded me for it. They didn't want me living their lives; my life was my own. They said it was admirable for me to try to be like them, but one day, I would have to find my own path in life. If it diverged from theirs, I would have to be able to continue forth on my own strength, not theirs."
"I doubt Fuuka wants to be like me or her mother," Mr. Yamagishi shook his head.
"Why not?" Minato asked in mild surprise.
"We've been too hard on her lately," he explained. "Fuuka was always a quiet child, but she's quick to learn. When she was younger, she would enjoy sharing all sorts of random facts she'd learn at school with me. She stopped in middle school though," he frowned. "I suppose that was when I pushed her to excel in her studies. I turned learning into a chore for her. Now that I think about it, she never showed much interest in becoming a doctor yet in all of the career counseling sessions so far, she's put that as her first occupational choice. To be honest, I don't think she'd be happy as a doctor."
"What do you think she would be more comfortable doing then?"
"Probably a mechanic of some sort," Mr. Yamagishi smirked. "You know, she's actually very capable with machines. I used to tinker myself and she'd spend hours just watching me fix up old stereos." He frowned at a thought. "I don't know if it's a suitable hobby for her though. I don't think anyone would be interested in a quiet girl interested in machines."
"I don't think so," Minato shrugged. "Fuuka's fine as she is. What does it matter what others think?" The man looked at the junior in surprise but the boy didn't notice as his blue eyes glowed in excitement. "It's thanks to her that I finally found a way to feasibly modify my camera. Her abilities are amazing! She shouldn't have to be embarrassed about it!" He paused when he noticed he was raising his voice. "Sorry," he nervously chuckled. "I tend to ramble sometimes."
The dark-haired man smiled at the boy. Fuuka's made a good friend, he thought to himself. "You hold her in such high regard, Yuki-san," he nodded in approval.
"Well," Minato blushed, "there are things only Fuuka can do and she does them earnestly. Besides, even if she has trouble, she knows she can rely on me or the others to help her. That's what it means to be a team."
"You know, I still don't understand her role in SEES," the concerned father frowned. "Why is she so important to the team?"
Minato took a while to come up with an answer but as he spoke, Mr. Yamagishi noticed the boy's smile never wavered. "She connects us together," the blue-haired boy nodded. He didn't notice Fuuka coming from the kitchen carrying a tray of snacks she just made and the girl paused when she noticed the boy talking about her. "Even though she's not a field agent, she's essential to SEES because she's what ties us together. Data-gathering, communications, and support… I might be field leader, but I can't manage everything on the field on my own. That's why she's so important to me—us," he quickly caught himself. He wryly smirked to himself. "No matter how hard I try, I can't ever have her abilities but that's fine. Fuuka's always there to remind me that I'm not working alone. With her support, I know I have my team behind me."
"Minato-kun…" Fuuka smiled at the boy's kind words as she set the tray down on the table.
"Fuuka?" The boy's blue eyes widened. "Um… How much of that did you hear?" he asked, turning his head away from her so she wouldn't see him blush.
The girl giggled as she took a seat beside him. "I didn't know you valued my abilities so much, Minato-kun."
"Of course I do," the boy frowned. "You're SEES's navigator. That's not something I take lightly." He spotted the rice balls on the tray and blinked at them. "Did you make these just now? I thought you were just preparing tea…"
Fuuka nodded and proudly smiled at her father. "Mom and I made lunch," she told them. "That's why we took so long."
"You made these?" Mr. Yamagishi stared at the food before them, a bit surprised by the sight of it.
His wife took a seat beside him and set out the tea cups. "She did. I tried one and they're amazing. She really has improved her skills." She picked a rice ball closest to her and began eating.
Minato eagerly took a rice ball for himself. "Itadakimasu," he stated before taking a bite. "Fuuka makes the best rice balls," he happily chewed. "They're even better than the ones Hamuko and I make."
Fuuka blushed at that. "Hamuko-chan was the one who gave me the recipe. It shouldn't be that different from how you usually make it, Minato-kun." She reached for the heavy teapot but nearly spilled the hot drink.
Carefully watching her, Minato quickly stood up and caught the pot before she could hurt herself. "I've got it, Fuuka. You should enjoy your lunch too," he gently smiled at her as he poured the tea for everyone.
"Thank you, Yuki-san," her mother smiled at him. "You're quite the polite young man." The boy slightly went red at that. The four enjoyed lunch together and spoke about random things before the teal-haired woman turned to her husband curiously. "So besides SEES, what else did you two talk about?"
"Just Fuuka in general," the man said as he stared at his daughter. "She really has changed from how she was in the beginning of the year. It really was a good idea to join SEES," he reluctantly admitted.
Fuuka sheepishly smiled at that. "I'm glad you think so, Father," she said. "I was able to make many important friends there. It also made me put into perspective what I want to do in the future." She nervously looked up to her parents. "I know this might seem sudden, but I don't think I'm going to become a doctor. I want to go into mechanical and computer engineering!"
"Fuuka?" Minato stopped gnawing on his last rice ball and tilted his head to the side.
The girl did her best to face her parents' stares as she continued. "I know you might be disappointed in my decision, but I've already made up my mind. I want to be able to help others, but I want to do that by fully utilizing my strengths. I want to be able to live honestly with myself, but to do that, I can't hide my likes and dislikes anymore. I love tinkering and building things. I love you both, but I also love all of my friends at the dorm." She paused as she glanced at the supportive blue-haired junior beside her. "I want to be able to do the things I love with the people I love…"
Minato gave her an encouraging smile as he nodded to her. Mrs. Yamagishi glanced between her daughter and the junior before smiling. "You've completely thought this through, haven't you?"
"That's right," Fuuka nodded.
Her father took the last rice ball on the tray before looking towards Minato. "Yuki-san, can I ask that you give us a moment?"
Minato nodded in understanding as he quickly gathered the dishes. "Of course. Let me clear the table first…"
Fuuka's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, Minato-kun—"
"It's alright, Fuuka," he reassured her. "You made lunch for us. I'll handle the rest," he told her with a smile. "I want to thank your family for their hospitality somehow." He quickly disappeared into the kitchen.
Nervous that she was now alone, the girl turned to face her parents but noticed her stern father didn't seem angry. "Father?"
He shook his head as he stared at the kitchen entrance. "Fuuka, what was the reason for your visit?"
Fuuka frowned at the table. "I wanted to finally face you both and tell you how I really felt. I spent a long time figuring out how to tell you and I was afraid of how you would react, but I don't want to run from this anymore. I know you both care about me and my future, but I know I won't be happy if I keep trying to be someone I'm not."
Her mother frowned at her. "Fuuka, we're sorry for all the pressure we put on you. I guess we weren't really paying enough attention to what you wanted either… I'm glad you finally told us though. You're our precious daughter and we don't just want what's best for you. We want you to be happy too."
"Mom…" The girl managed to put on a smile at that.
"That said though," her father crossed his arms, "you could have visited us alone. You didn't have to bring Yuki-san along."
Fuuka blushed at that. "Well… I also wanted to properly introduce you to Minato-kun. I don't think I would have found the strength to come back without him. I know the previous times you've met him, he's been difficult but I wanted you to really get to know him."
Her mother smiled at the girl's shy expression. "Fuuka… he seems like a wonderful young man."
Her father sighed. "I guess a part of you being happy has to do with him, so how can I say I disapprove of him?"
"Father?" Fuuka was a bit surprised by his reaction.
"But don't think I completely approve of him!" he firmly stated.
"Fuuka," Minato returned from the kitchen and pointed behind him. "I washed everything and set it all on the rack to dry. I also put away the extra ingredients you left out." He paused when he sensed Mr. Yamagishi's intense glare on him. "Um… Yamagishi-san? Is everything all right?"
"You'd better take care of my daughter, Yuki-san," he sternly said. "If you don't…" he let the threat hang.
The blue-eyed boy blinked a few times as that seemed to come out of nowhere. He noticed the blush on Fuuka's face though before seriously nodding to the man in determination. "Of course," he said to the girl's father. "I would never let anything happen to Fuuka."
Not expecting such a straightforward response, Mr. Yamagishi eased up on the boy. "I'll leave her to you then."
"Huh?" Minato knit his eyebrows together in confusion. What was that about? He shifted his gaze towards Fuuka as she let out a sigh of relief. Well, in any case, the blue-haired boy smiled as he returned to her side, I guess she settled things with her parents. "Are you finished, Fuuka?"
"Yes," Fuuka nodded. "You had somewhere you wanted to go too, right, Minato-kun?"
"Yeah…" the boy wryly smiled. He bowed to the two adults. "Thank you for your hospitality."
"You're welcome here anytime, Minato-san," Mrs. Yamagishi smiled at him. "Please take care of our daughter for us."
"Yes, ma'am," he nodded. Her parents followed them to the front door and saw them off. Minato politely bowed once more as he led Fuuka towards Paulownia Mall.
"Thanks for coming with me, Minato-kun," Fuuka told him. "I really wanted them to get to know you since you've become such an important person to me."
"They're your parents," Minato smiled. "Of course they'd be important to you too and I'm glad to have their approval for being your friend."
Fuuka giggled as Hamuko had warned her of the blue-haired boy's obliviousness. "Minato-kun, I wanted you to get their approval in a different way."
"Huh?" Minato crossed his arms. "A different way?" His eyes widened as his cheeks warmed up. "Oh, I see… Right… I wanted to do the same thing today too."
Fuuka blushed at that. "Really?" She paused when she considered something. "What do you mean, Minato-kun?"
The boy wryly smiled at the ground. "My parents might be gone, but there's one place I always go if I ever want to speak with them. This place is important to Hamuko and me, but I've made up my mind. I don't want to keep anything about myself from you." He suddenly stopped walking as they were about halfway across Moonlight Bridge.
Fuuka noticed the distant look on his face and paused to look around the empty bridge. "Is this the place?" she asked curiously.
"Yeah," Minato nodded as he lifted his head up towards the towering metal landmark. "This is where we lost our parents…" he told her with a sigh. "I don't really like coming here, but if I ever need to clear my head, this always ends up being the first place I come to. I might not be able to see them like Hamuko can, but I know they're always watching me and this is the closest I can get to them." His bangs fell over his eyes as he felt tears beginning to fill them. "They would have loved you, Fuuka…"
"Minato-kun…" Fuuka gave the boy a comforting hug.
The boy wiped up his tears and pulled her closer to him. "Thanks…" he muttered to her. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before reaching into his deep pockets for a few incense sticks. "Here… I want to say a few words to them." He lit the fragrant incense and offered the teal-haired girl a chance to pray with him.
Fuuka accepted them and silently stood beside him. When she was done, she handed the incense back to the blue-haired boy and watched as he carefully stuck them into the sidewalk to slowly burn.
Satisfied with his work, Minato returned to her side. "Mom, Dad… I'm back," he began. "I brought a friend with me today. This is Fuuka Yamagishi… She's the one Hamuko and I have been telling you about." He paused for a moment as he wanted to work out what he wanted to say next. "Um… A lot has happened since I last visited… Hamuko fell in love, but…" he frowned to himself, "Shinji-nii's gone now… You must have met him, right? He's probably with you now, watching over us. Shinji-nii is a bit like me in that he worries a lot, but you'll let him know we're doing fine, right? He meant a lot to Hamuko… Well… he meant a lot to everybody at the dorm. I respected him a lot too, but I guess that's obvious with how I've been addressing him." He shook his head and smirked. "I really tried to hate him in the beginning because I knew he was going to leave Hamuko in the end, but she loved him. He made her happy and I guess I got scared again… I'm sorry for not being the 'harbor of courage' I'm supposed to be, but then again, you've scolded me on that before. I know I'm not courage itself, but I don't like it when I'm afraid. Especially when what I was afraid of last month was love…" He clenched his fists and scowled at himself. "I didn't want Hamuko to love Shinji-nii as much as she did, but I love her too so couldn't bring myself to interfere. I also loved Shinji-nii so it hurt when I realized I failed to protect him. I really wanted to punish myself for my weakness so I ended up hurting another person I cared about." He turned his head towards the girl beside him and smiled. "I don't want to be that type of person though… Fuuka helped me realize that. She's always seen me as her 'harbor of courage' and I want to be able live up to that expectation. It might seem strange coming from me, but that's how I honestly feel. I love her after all."
Fuuka let out a short gasp. "Minato-kun?"
The boy gently held her hand as he continued addressing his parents. "I might still be weak and cowardly, but I want to change. I can't do that alone though, so I've decided to bring her here with me to meet you. Mom, Dad, I've made you both worry about me long enough, but I'll be fine now. Fuuka will be at my side watching over me after all… In return, I'll definitely protect her… I won't just be relying on my own strength this time because now I know everyone else is with me. I'm not alone anymore and I don't think I want to be alone ever again. You both are proud of me for that, right? I hope you are, because it's taken me a long time to realize that. I'm ready to look ahead to the future again. I might not know what lies ahead of us, but as long as I keep in mind what I feel right now, I'm sure we'll be fine. Mom, Dad, please keep watching over us until the very end. I love you guys a lot and I know you two will love Fuuka." He let out a shaky laugh as he tried to keep himself together. He rested his head against the girl's and softly smiled. "Fuuka? Would you like to say something?"
The brown-eyed girl squeezed his hand. "Um… Hello… I'm Fuuka Yamagishi… Minato-kun has told me a lot about you two and I'm sure you were great parents. I'll try my best to watch over Minato-kun. He's very important to me and I hope you'll accept me." She frowned a bit as she sounded too formal. She took a deep breath before continuing. "I was a bit surprised when Minato-kun said all of that, but I'm happy too because I didn't expect for him to feel the same way about me. Whenever he's by my side, I feel as though I can do anything. He's my source of inspiration so I want to be able to share with him the courage he's given me. Even if Minato-kun tends to doubt himself sometimes, I'll always believe in him. I was able to get stronger thanks to him and Hamuko-chan, so I want to do all that I can for them. They've become precious to me, so you don't have to worry; I'll do everything I can to protect them."
Minato smiled as the incense slowly began to die out. "I'll visit again soon and next time I'll bring Hamuko along. I'm almost finished with your last case too so I'll tell you all about the results when it's over. Until then, please keep watching over us."
The juniors stood in silence for a while before Fuuka turned to look at the blue-haired boy. He was staring at the ground with a small smile on his face and Fuuka hugged his arm. "Minato-kun, are you alright?"
"Yeah," he nodded. "I'll be fine now."
She blushed as she remembered his words. "Did you really mean what you said about me?"
"Of course," he answered in mild surprise. "Do you not believe me?" He looked at her in worry. "I really do love you, Fuuka," he earnestly stated as he faced her to give her a hug. "I don't want to lose you…" The boy pulled away from her and studied her expression. "How about you?"
"I love you too, Minato-kun," Fuuka happily smiled at him.
The blue-haired boy let her go and sighed in relief. "I'm glad you feel the same way because I want to give you something." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver locket.
"Minato-kun?" Fuuka studied the sun-shaped charm before opening its moon-like cover. She gasped at the picture of the two of them together with the ocean glimmering in the background. Hamuko had taken the photo for them at Yakushima on the morning they left. "Can I really have this?"
The boy nodded. "My parents gave that to me when I was born and I used to always keep a family picture in there. That photo burned up in the car accident though and I haven't worn it ever since." He felt a bit embarrassed sharing this with her, but it was important that he told her. "I don't remember why but I had Hamuko hang onto this for me. When I asked for it back, she was really happy when I told her I wanted to give it to you. She probably wants to thank you for always taking care of me, so please accept this from us." Minato gingerly helped her put it on before a satisfied smile appeared on his face. "It looks good on you," he told her.
She smiled as she clasped the beautiful necklace. "I'll treasure this forever, Minato-kun." She paused as she remembered her gift for him. "Minato-kun…" she nervously began, "when we return to the dorm, can we go to my room? I have something for you there."
"Sure," he nodded as he looked towards the ocean. "But we still have the rest of the afternoon to do whatever we want before we have to go back. Can I take you somewhere? As a date? I know so much about you that I want to share with you my past too." Minato seriously stared into her brown eyes. "I want you to know everything about me."
"Of course, Minato-kun," Fuuka giggled as she let herself lean against him.
"Some of it might not be pleasant to hear," the boy warned her with a frown. "Will that be okay?"
"You've accepted me for everything I am, so I want to do the same for you," the teal-haired girl nodded. "I love you, so you don't have to ever hold back anything with me, Minato-kun."
"I hope you don't come to regret those words, Fuuka," Minato chuckled as a decade's worth of repressed memories threatened to burst forth from the mental dam he's built for himself.
"I won't," Fuuka looked up into his eyes with unwavering commitment.
Minato leaned his head forward so their foreheads were touching. "This is going to take a lot of coffee..."
"Let's go to Café Chagall then!" she suggested, ready to learn everything she could about the boy she loved. Fuuka quickly straightened up and began eagerly pulling on the blue-haired boy's hand. Minato cheerfully laughed as he let her drag him along, the two of them happy to be able to spend time together like this once more.
Much to the two juniors' relief, the dorm was still empty by the time they returned. This gave Fuuka the chance to easily bring Minato up to her room without the others prying into their affairs. But while it wasn't the first time she let Minato inside, she found herself quite nervous since unlike before, the kind leader of SEES was now her new boyfriend. Still, as anxious as she felt about this, she could only imagine how skittish the blue-haired boy was. He certainly didn't want to get her in trouble with Mitsuru if they were caught after all, so she quickly took it upon herself to put him at ease.
"Sorry my room smells like food," the girl crookedly smiled as she closed the door behind her. "I like to eat in here once in a while… I don't know how my room smells because I'm so used to it…"
The boy tilted his head to the side as he tried to relax. That wasn't hard to do though as Fuuka's presence already had a natural soothing effect on him. Add in the fact that her own room should theoretically be the one place she's most comfortable in and he completely dropped his guard with no effort at all. "It smells like you," he bluntly told her as he enjoyed the homey atmosphere. "It's a sweet floral fragrance." He closed his eyes and concentrated on an exact description. "It's something I would expect from a field of flowers after a light rain," he nodded. "It's almost... nostalgic somehow..." After a while, Minato quickly opened his eyes and blushed. "Sorry... That probably makes me sound like a weirdo…"
The girl shook her head and giggled at him. "You're just being yourself, Minato-kun," she reassured him. "Do you know that our sense of smell is connected to our memory, and…" she also began to blush at him. "Sorry… I don't know what I'm saying… I'm acting weird too, aren't I?'
Minato lightly laughed as he hugged her. "You seem like yourself to me, Fuuka," he told her. He protectively held her close to his heart. "My precious, cute wind flower…"
"Minato-kun…" Fuuka's face burned but she quickly remembered why she invited him into her room. "Oh, I almost forgot!" Minato let her go and curiously watched her move about. "I want to give you something…" The teal-haired girl looked around her desk. "Um… Here…" She picked up a set of blue and grey headphones. "This is from my heart…" she smiled at Minato as she handed them to him. "I want to be true to myself when I'm with you, Minato-kun, so… I made these for you."
Minato carefully swapped out his old pair with hers and tested them. His eyes widened as the song currently queued in his music player crisply played in his ears. "Praying the heart~ When the moon's reaching stars~ If you hold me tight~ Feeling heart beat so close~ Will this last long?~"
"Fuuka…" Minato gingerly put down the headphones and stared at them in awe.
"Sorry," the girl blushed, "I'm not very feminine, am I…?"
The boy quickly hugged her. "I love the headphones!"
"Really?" Fuuka smiled. "Oh, I'm so happy!" She placed her hands on the speakers he now wore and stared into his blue eyes. "When you listen to them, it will be like I'm there with you, no matter how far away we are."
Minato lost himself in her warm brown eyes and nodded in understanding. "Thank you…" Her face was extremely close to his own and without thinking he pressed his lips against hers. The action surprised Fuuka, but she relaxed in his arms and tenderly kissed him back. The boy closed his eyes as he felt a new Persona stir within him.
A female figure wearing a large black hat and long cloak kneeled before him. "I am Scathach and I have heard your call. I will fight by your side forevermore. No matter the war, I will protect you and those you hold dear. May you always be blessed by the Priestess."
As the Persona returned to him, Minato broke the kiss and blushed at the red-faced girl before him. "Sorry, Fuuka. I couldn't help myself."
Fuuka shook her head and smiled at him. "I didn't mind, Minato-kun." She allowed herself to enjoy his comforting presence before a thought crossed her mind. She didn't think her face could get any hotter as she sheepishly buried her face into his chest. "Um… I know it's against dorm regulations, but will you stay with me…? Just a little while longer…" Her hands wandered to the buttons on his coat and she let them lightly rest there before pulling herself closer to him.
"Fuuka…?" Minato looked down at her and noticed she didn't seem to want to let him go. With a soft smile on his face, he gently lifted her chin up to stare into her eyes. "If that's what you really want," he leaned his head forward to prepare for another kiss, "then I'll stay for as long as you wish."
~2 NOVEMBER 2009~
"Good morning," Fuuka giggled as Minato slowly stirred awake.
The blue-eyed boy smiled as he gently kissed her forehead. "Good morning, Fuuka."
The girl sat up in her bed and looked at the calendar hanging above her desk. "Well, tomorrow's the day," she noticed with a stern frown.
"What's tomorrow?" Minato smirked as he hugged her from behind.
"Hey! Don't joke around!" Fuuka lightly laughed.
The boy rested his forehead on her shoulder. "But in all seriousness, I'm ready." He closed his eyes as he thought of the upcoming fight.
"Good," the teal-haired girl placed her hands on his arms as she felt the boy pull her closer to him. "I'll be counting on you." She sighed as she became serious. "I'm positive a Shadow will appear tomorrow. Strega may be up to something as well… Anyway, please make sure you're prepared!" Fuuka cried out in worry.
"You too," Minato nodded. "Whatever happens tomorrow and onward, remember that I love you, okay?" Fuuka blushed at that as the boy hid his solemn expression from her. No matter what lies beyond the Hanged Man, I intend to face it head on. So thank you for staying by my side, Fuuka. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect you, Hamuko, and everyone else," he muttered.
Hamuko smiled as the entire team gathered in the lounge. Everyone was here and accounted for. Well, almost everyone, Hamuko thought as she played with her watch. But that's okay. Shinji-kun is still with us and we intend to see this through. She lifted her head as she sensed the brunet's spirit at her side. She took a deep breath before eyeing her brother leaning against the wall.
"This is it," Minato stated with a serious expression on his face.
Fuuka nodded as she looked between the twins. "Tomorrow will be our last operation."
"Yeah…" Yukari wryly smiled as she considered the past year. "We've been through a lot this last six months… Don't ya think?"
Minato tilted his head to the side. "It went by quickly."
"Yeah, huh," the archer frowned.
"It was fun," Hamuko lightly chuckled.
"Mmm…" Yukari paused to consider it for a moment. "Yeah, I guess it had its moments. Still… there was definitely our share of pain as well."
"Even so, I wouldn't change any of it," the co-leader said, closing her eyes as she thought of Shinjiro. She could faintly hear the brunet chuckle in her ears so fondly smiled at her memories of the boy.
"Yeah," Junpei pulled his cap down. "It was a lot better than doing nothing, right? Besides, we made some new friends." He smirked at the twins, resulting in Minato crossing his arms and Hamuko beaming at her best friend.
"Yeah," Ken smiled, "I guess."
Akihiko looked up from his boxing gloves and smirked. "Well, it's all been worth it, if you ask me. It's been two and a half years since I got this power… and you don't hear me complaining."
"Sanada-san…" Ken's eyes grew wide.
Koromaru barked as he didn't want to be left out too. Fuuka chuckled at the white dog as she pet him. "Don't forget, we got to meet Koro-chan, too," she said. "In any case… two and a half years is a long time, right, Akihiko-senpai…? Oh wait…" She cast her brown eyes towards the blonde robot standing near the twins. "It's been even longer for Aigis, hasn't it?"
Aigis nodded her head. "I was asleep for much of the time, so I have not been in operation for very long."
"How 'bout you, Mitsuru-senpai?" Junpei curiously asked the redhead. "You started before Akihiko-san, right?"
"Me?" The senior frowned. "Yes, it was just me at first." She glanced at Minato and Hamuko but said nothing. "Of course, back then, SEES didn't exist, and this was just a regular dorm."
"Did the Chairman recruit you?" Yukari asked.
"No…" Mitsuru shook her head. "I've been aware of the Dark Hour since I was a child… One time, my father's research team was attacked by Shadows. That's when I awakened to my Persona… when I witnessed the incident."
Hamuko frowned at that. "Really?"
"That's what happened…?" Yukari was surprised too.
"It seems I was the first," the senior continued, not looking at the rest of the team. "If that had never happened, perhaps none of you would have to bear this terrible burden."
"Senpai…" Fuuka frowned.
Minato shook his head. "I don't see it like that, Senpai," the blue-haired boy said. "Despite all that's happened, I don't regret joining SEES."
Akihiko nodded in agreement. "It would've happened to someone eventually… Besides," he punched his left hand into his right palm, "the enemy can't just be ignored."
Mitsuru studied the boxer's face before sighing. "I suppose that's true."
The entire team remained silent as they all contemplated the next night. Hamuko took in a deep breath as she saw the Fool flash before her eyes. So after ten years of the Dark Hour, nii-san and I will be free of it. She looked towards her brother and smiled at him.
The blue-haired leader smiled back and nodded to her. We'll get through this together, he seemed to say.
Mitsuru was the first to get up. "Tomorrow is a big day…" she began, "so make sure you get your rest."
~3 NOVEMBER 2009~
"I found it," Fuuka said, opening her eyes. "It's currently at the south end of the Moonlight Bridge. The 12th and final Shadow."
"Moonlight Bridge…" Hamuko murmured. Her brother shifted beside her but said nothing.
Ikutsuki crossed his arms as he remained in his seat. "Hmmm. This is it…"
"And as we expected," Fuuka continued, "there are two Persona-users nearby… Strega."
Akihiko, Ken, and Hamuko looked to each other with a nod. Mitsuru saw their exchange but addressed the entire team. "They know this is their last chance. Even though we were expecting this, we should still be careful."
Ken clenched his small fists. "Those bastards…"
"Hmph," Akihiko eagerly smirked. "Saves us the trouble of looking for them."
"You've all done a fine job up to this point," Mitsuru scanned the faces of everyone on the team. "This will be our last operation. Let's all come back safely."
Minato tightly clenched his sword and looked over to his sister. The red-eyed junior nodded to the group. "Let's go all-out!" she cried.
Junpei raised a fist at that. "Hell yeah!"
"Well, then…" Mitsuru started for the door. "We should be going."
"Okay…" Ikutsuki nodded. "Be careful."
"Let's go!" the Student Council President commanded.
Takaya and Jin stood in their way as the group approached the duo. Minato looked beyond them and saw the Shadow hanging in the air. Takaya noticed the leader not paying any attention to him so stepped in the boy's line of sight. "You know the significance of today, do you not?" the shirtless boy asked.
"Of course," Minato said, crouching into a ready position. "Today's the final battle."
Takaya glared at him. "You claim you hunt the Shadows to prevent the disaster they bring… Yet, countless lives are lost each day without their intervention… The power we wield is not itself evil… You cannot deny that. So why don't you just admit it?"
"We've never denied it," Hamuko shook her head as she prepared her naginata. "This is just what we've decided to use our power for. Finally after years of putting up with the Dark Hour, we'll finally be able to get rid of it."
Takaya shook his head at her. "You do not wish to eliminate the Dark Hour… You are merely deceiving yourselves…"
"Don't speak as if you understand what my sister and I went through," Minato narrowed his eyes. "That's not true for us."
"You are indeed foolish children…" the shirtless young man sighed. "Erasing the Dark Hour is the same as erasing yourselves." He pulled out his revolver, causing everyone in SEES to tense up. "Tch. Is even that beyond your comprehension? As I believed, our goals are irreconcilable."
"What a shame," Minato coolly responded.
"Jin…" Takaya looked to his partner expectantly.
The blue-haired explosions specialist glared at their enemy. "Forget these maggots," he spat.
"Fate shall decide who will prevail," Takaya smirked. "Come." He cocked his gun. "Now, you shall be judged."
Jin smirked as he pulled out a small bomb. "There's no cure for stupidity."
Minato looked to his team. "Aigis!" he called out. "Let's go!" The robot quickly leapt into the air and fired a barrage of bullets at Strega. The two renegades summoned their Personas to defend themselves, but the incessant attacks weakened them a bit. Minato took the chance to have half the team circle around them. With Strega surrounded, the odds were in their favor. The blue-haired SEES swordsman pulled out his Evoker. "Persona!" Scathach emerged and cast Mabufudyne. As she disappeared, Minato winced as he wasn't quite strong enough to handle her power on his own.
Jin quickly recovered as he prepared his own Evoker. "Play time's over, kids. It's time for the real deal!" His Persona emerged and cast a fire spell against all of SEES. Koromaru barked when the flames didn't harm him and immediately rushed forward to slash his weapon at the glasses-wearing boy. "Tch, someone should put you down," Jin scowled as he pushed the creature off of him.
Ken pole-vaulted himself from the ground and kicked the Strega member. Jin staggered a bit and the young child only smirked at him. "You can't win against all of us!"
Takaya let out a cry as Hypnos appeared above them. "It appears you have more than just luck on your side!" he glared at them. "So be it! Jin, cover me while I prepare my attack!"
"Right!" Jin threw down a smokescreen.
"Fuuka!" Minato called out. "You're out in the open, right?"
"Yes, but you're all in the smoke! I can still sense Strega, but Takaya's preparing a Mind Charge! He's five meters out from your 11:30."
"Get whoever's closest to you at your side now!" he ordered. "Yukari, Hamuko, the three of us will try to clear the air. Everyone else, prepare to throw up a guard!"
Hamuko blinked back the tears in her eyes caused from the irritating smoke. "Swapping to Titania!" She fired her Evoker.
"Magarula!" Yukari summoned Io.
Minato grunted as he called for Pazuzu. He heard Takaya groan as his spell hit. The smokescreen quickly cleared and Minato charged towards the shirtless freak with his blade out.
"Minato-kun! He's preparing a Megido spell!"
"Everyone, guard!" the leader called out as he brought his sword up to defend himself. Being the closest to Hypnos, he took the brunt of the attack, but quickly swapped his Persona to Melchizedek. "Mediarahan!" The swordsman retreated as he saw a white blur rush past him.
"Let's go!" Akihiko punched Takaya with all his might. His fist connected with the shirtless boy's jaw and he continued his onslaught of attacks.
Takaya staggered backwards once the boxer finished and wiped the blood coming from his mouth. "I never imagined that your power would rival ours… Astonishing… Perhaps I misjudged your strength."
Jin fell against Takaya as Hermes rammed into him. "Oh, you're gonna pay for this!" he glared at them. "Takaya!" He summoned his Persona and a red light enveloped his friend. Jin threw another smokescreen.
"Fuuka!" Minato called out.
"Jin is two meters directly in front of you! Takaya's evading everyone!"
Minato quickly fired his Evoker. "Pazuzu!" The leader saw Jin get tossed up a little and hurried towards his opponent.
"Minato-kun, Takaya finished a Mind Charge! I think he's going for another Megido!"
"Get whoever's closest to him to take him out now!" Minato stabbed his sword forward and saw Jin dodge to the side after recovering from the powerful Garudyne. The swordsman grabbed the blue-haired nerd and smashed his skull into the older boy's face, cracking his glasses. For good measure, he summoned Scathach once more to cast Magarudyne, clearing the smoke.
Taking the wind spell head-on, Jin collapsed to the ground with a groan. "Shit… These guys are tougher than I thought!"
Minato quickly searched around for Takaya but noticed Hypnos aiming an Agidyne. The boy's blue eyes widened as his body automatically bolted towards Juno. "Fuuka!" He took the flames head-on as Scathach screamed in pain within him.
Takaya shook his head at the blue-haired boy as he stood over him. "Fool…" He kicked Minato and watched him writhe in pain. "I was hoping to get rid of your data-gatherer, but I suppose you'll suffice." He pointed his gun at the junior. "Any last words?" The SEES leader lifted his head up and glared at him. Takaya sighed at him. "Such wasted potential…"
"I don't think so," Minato smirked as Hamuko tackled into the Strega member.
"Get away from my brother!" the brunette roared as swung her naginata at the shirtless male.
"I have no business with the likes of you," Takaya sneered at her as he dodged all her attacks. He winced as the blade of her weapon scratched him across the chest.
"If you mess with nii-san, you mess with me," Hamuko countered. "Minato!" she called out to her brother.
"On it!" The SEES leader quickly rolled to his feet as Io cast Diarama on him. His blue eyes flashed as Takaya looked between the twins. "Takaya!" Minato pulled out his Evoker. "When we fought before, I never showed you my true power." He pointed the gun to his head. "Hamuko, do you have Cu Chulainn?"
Hamuko smirked as her Evoker was already in position. "Let's go, nii-san! Cu Chulainn!"
"Scathach!"
"Fusion Spell: Shadow Hound!"
Takaya's eyes widened as he felt something heavy crash into him. "Ugh…" He collapsed to his knees. "So, this is the power of those whose Persona awakened naturally…" He glared at Minato as the rest of SEES gathered around their leader.
The tired junior collapsed into a sitting position with a relieved sigh. "We did it," he lightly laugh, but he soon flinched when his friends all began to chastise him for his recklessness.
"Yuki, what have I told you about using yourself as a shield?"
"Yeah, Nii-san! You could have been killed!"
"Minato-san, it is my duty to protect you, but I do not understand why you willingly put yourself in danger."
"Come on, dude. You have to stop showing off."
"I can't believe I'm agreeing with Junpei, but you're an idiot for doing that, Minato!"
"You moron, what if we lost you too? What would Shinji think if he saw you again so soon?"
"Yuki-san, please don't do that ever again."
Koromaru whined as he licked Minato. The blue-haired boy laughed. "Okay, okay. I get it. Stop it, Koromaru. That tickles." He looked up towards Fuuka as she stared at him in worry. "Sorry, everyone…" He said, fiddling with his headphones. "I just had to take that attack…"
"Minato-kun…" Fuuka brought a hand up to her locket but she was glad he was safe.
Junpei pulled the blue-haired boy back up to his feet and Minato turned to face Strega. Jin made his way towards Takaya and helped support his friend. "Dammit… Is their power THAT different than ours…?"
"Different?" Mitsuru looked at them oddly.
"For us, it's not that simple…" Jin frowned. "It has to be forced out. Didn't your pal tell you?"
Akihiko glared at them. "So it was you who was giving Shinji those pills."
"You guys don't have the slightest clue what will happen if the Dark Hour disappears, do you?" Jin glared back. "It won't matter for normal people, since they don't remember anything anyway… But for us—"
Minato frowned as Takaya interrupted him. "That's enough." Takaya straightened himself out and glared at the entire team. Minato tensed up as he sensed the older boy's murderous intent. "Now, then… Ordinarily, we'd withdraw… but not tonight." He pulled out his revolver once more as Minato took a step forward. "This body, as ephemeral as it is… It is worthless without my power." He pointed the gun to his head as everyone stared at him with wide eyes. "Therefore, only one choice remains… I shall prove my existence here and now!" Jin quickly reached towards his friend and pulled his arm away. "What are you doing!?" Takaya turned to his partner in surprise.
"Don't be so reckless!" Jin scolded him.
"Jin!?" Takaya's eyes widened but the blue-haired boy shook his head.
"Sorry. But… those are your words, not mine." Jin turned to SEES and frowned to them. "You win… Looks like you'll get your wish… Go do what you came for." Both Strega members backed up into the railing of the bridge.
Junpei shook his head and tried to take a step forward. "Wait!"
"I'd rather die than surrender to you!" Jin called out to them. He spread his arms out. "Take a good look! This is how we live!" Both of them leaned back and fell off the bridge. Minato and Junpei ran forward but they heard a splash in the blood-red sea below them.
Yukari frowned and lowered her gaze. "They jumped…"
"What the hell were they thinking!?" Junpei yelled.
"They chose their own fate," Akihiko shook his head. "Don't let it faze you."
"The operation has only begun," Mitsuru said, turning towards the Shadow they had come for. "Our true adversary is waiting… Focus on that, alright?" She couldn't hide the frown on her face though.
I don't think I'll ever understand Strega… Minato thought as he shook his head. "Let's go, everyone," he sighed as he picked up his sword. He looked towards Fuuka expectantly and she nodded to him.
"The Shadow up ahead is not moving at the moment," she informed the team. "It'll be all over if you can defeat it."
"Nii-san, can you still fight?" Hamuko stared at her brother in concern.
"Don't think I'm sitting this out," he sternly replied. "This is the last battle so it's only fitting we do this as a team." Minato scanned all of SEES and noticed they all shared his sentiments. Turning to face the Shadow, their field leader raised his sword. "Everyone, it's time we ended the Dark Hour. Fuuka, keep your distance." His blue eyes narrowed on the Shadow. "Everyone else, let's move out!"
As they engaged the Shadow, the Hanged Man hovered above them. Fuuka quickly began her scan. "This is it… I'll do everything in my power to help you. Just promise me that you'll be careful!"
"Of course, Fuuka," Minato told her. He watched as Yukari and Aigis were the only ones capable of damaging the large Shadow. Three statues stood before them and refused to budge so the blue-haired boy sliced at one. "So what's with these things?"
"I think that floating thing is your main target, but… It's out of your attack range… Give me a minute… I'll see what I can find out."
Hamuko dodged an Agilao coming from the far left statue as Mitsuru quickly evaded a Zionga from the one on the far right. Mitsuru tried to cast Bufudyne on the middle one, only to have the attack stop short of it. "So they all have different affinities. Be careful, everyone!"
"Aigis, Yukari, stick to the left side!" Minato summoned Melchizedek to heal everyone. "Akihiko-san, Ken, to the right! Mitsuru-senpai, stay where you are! Junpei, Koro, more towards the left and take as many fire spells headed her way as you can! Hamuko, you and I will take Senpai's other side!"
Junpei summoned Hermes. "Come on!" After his Persona rammed into the fire-based figure, he smirked as it disintegrated. "Okay! Onto the middle statue!"
"For some reason, those statues feel similar to that floating Shadow. They must be related somehow."
Akihiko defeated the second statue as Hamuko brought her naginata up to slice the last one. The brunette was surprised when the large Shadow above them suddenly fell. She quickly called out to the team. "Get back!" She jumped to the side to avoid the Shadow, but smirked as the Hanged Man was down. "Let's wipe them all out!"
Minato smirked back as everyone was eager for an All-Out Attack. "Get ready for some Mass Destruction!"
The Shadow took massive damage as the team relentlessly barraged it with their attacks. It roared as it dropped a fist on the team. Koromaru barked in warning as he and Aigis jumped away.
"It's calling for help!" Fuuka warned them.
Three new statues appeared and Minato saw it rise back into the air again. "Tch! Aigis! Scale up the bridge and take out the hangers! Yukari, support her! Everyone else, keep the statues busy!"
"Understood!" Aigis nodded as she launched herself into the air using a statue. The robot grabbed a metal wire and pulled herself onto the bridge. She quickly started for the tower and notified everyone of her position. "Preparing to fire!"
Hamuko called out to the rest of the team. "Get back!"
Minato kicked at the ground to launch himself backwards as the Shadow fell in front of him. Taking advantage of the opening, Junpei and Koromaru unleashed their most powerful fire spells and Minato's eyes widened as he stared at the scene in front of him. Aigis jumped down from the bridge, firing another round of shots on the downed Shadow. The blue-haired leader flinched as the sound of bullets hitting the pavement brought back a distant memory.
"Hamuko!" a young boy screamed in his mind.
"Nii-san!" Hamuko shoved her brother out of the way as the Hanged Man tried to use God's Hand again.
Startled by the action, Minato fell to the ground, dropping his sword. He was face to the face with the Shadow and his blue eyes fixedly stared at the mask it wore. A voice whispered to him as he remained frozen in place. "Death is coming…"
"D-death?" Minato asked aloud.
"Minato-kun! Look out!"
The boy couldn't react to the Shadow's hand in time as it picked him up. "Remember your purpose…" Minato screamed as his head threatened to split open.
"The statues are reforming!" Mitsuru called out.
"Should I down the Shadow again?" Aigis asked.
"It has nii-san!" Hamuko shook her head. "We'll have to focus on the statues! Yukari, Ai-chan, try to get him free! Fuuka-chan! What's wrong with him!?"
"The Shadow's interfering with his thoughts!"
Minato winced as images of Moonlight Bridge flashed through his mind. He vaguely remembered being pulled out of the burning car by someone. His younger self quickly scrambled to his feet. "Hamuko!?" he screamed. "I'm coming to get you! Let me go!" The powerful grip around him loosened as he charged forward into the fire. "Hamuko! Wake up! Mom! Dad! They're still in the car! I have to save them!"
That's right… Minato thought to himself. I pulled her out of the fire back then… I tried to go back for Mom and Dad too, but…
"Nii-san! No!" The seven-year-old brunette pulled him back. "You can't! Don't leave me alone too! Mom! Dad! They're already gone! Please…" she weakly sobbed. "Don't leave me by myself…"
"B-but…! This is all my fault…" The young boy turned towards her and tearfully said something else.
What did I say back then? Minato's head hurt as he tried to focus on the memory but it quickly faded away. Why was it my fault? Stop! I need to figure out what happened! Wait! The Shadow tightened its grip around him and the boy let out a shout of pain. "What the hell do you want from me!?"
"I don't want to die…" the Shadow whispered as it toppled to the ground again.
"It's finally down!" Akihiko gasped.
"It's no good! It's still holding Yuki-san!" Ken shook his head. "Let him go!"
"Nii-san!"
"Minato-kun!" Fuuka did her best to reach him.
"Minato!" Hamuko tried to call out for her brother once more as the rest of SEES performed another All-Out Attack.
The Shadow let out a pained roar as it was on its last legs. "I don't want to die…" It crawled towards the edge of the bridge. "I don't want to die…!"
Minato felt the Hanged Man's grip loosen around him. "I don't want to die either!" he yelled as he freed himself. The Shadow toppled over the side and tried to grab at the boy once more as it disintegrated. Minato did his best to back away from the edge but he tripped over his own footing and lost his balance. His eyes widened as he felt himself fall forward, towards the blood-red water, but a hand quickly grabbed him by the wrist and held him back. Minato quickly wrapped his hand around the person's arm and felt a leather strap around their wrist. "Hamuko…" he quietly gasped as his sister carefully pull him into a steady standing position.
"Nii-san," the brunette sighed in relief. "Thank goodness I made it in time," she whispered. "What would I do if I lost you here of all places?" She let go of her brother and frowned at the ground.
"Sorry…" The older twin took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. "For us, it all began here on Moonlight Bridge, didn't it?" Minato sighed at the faint memories he had of the accident. He put on a small smile and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "As much as I hate coming here, I'm glad we were able to finish things at the place we lost Mom and Dad. I think we can move on now. Don't you think?"
"Yeah," Hamuko nodded to him before the two gave each other a smile. The twins wryly chuckled as they returned to the rest of SEES.
Everyone else on the team was silently taking in their victory but a few of them seemed uncertain about what to do now. Yukari frowned at the ground as Junpei looked around the empty bridge. "Is it over?" the capped boy asked.
"Operation completed," Aigis nodded. "Or should I say, 'Mission complete'."
"Yes…" Mitsuru wore a relieved smile. "It's finally over…"
"I believe a celebration is in order," the robot said, turning to the twins. "What will be our victory cheer?"
Minato tilted his head to the side and frowned. His face grew red though as his stomach began growling. Hamuko smirked at that and raised her fist into the air. "Let's eat!" she cried out.
Aigis nodded. "1… 2… 3… Let's eat!"
Fuuka joined the blonde girl. "Let's… eat!?" She blinked at Hamuko as all of SEES laughed.
Yukari shook her head at their co-leader. "What was that?"
Ken tilted his head to the side and curiously studied Aigis. "Huh. I wonder if Aigis-san gets hungry…"
Junpei smirked at an idea. "So, um, Senpai…" He eagerly approached Mitsuru's side. "You're gonna throw us a party tomorrow, right?"
The redhead sighed. "You don't waste any time, do you? Well, I suppose I could arrange for it."
"Ooh!" The capped boy's eyes widened. "In that case, how 'bout sushi!?"
"Sushi, huh…" Akihiko crossed his arms and smirked. "It's been a while… Well, I've got dibs on the halibut and sea urchin!"
Yukari raised her hand. "Oh, then I call the fatty tuna."
"Um," Fuuka frowned. "We're divvying it up already? In that case, save me the salmon roe."
"Hey, wait a minute…" Junpei shook his head at them. "You can't do that!"
Hamuko jumped up. "The sweet shrimp's mine!"
"What, you too!?" Junpei sighed.
Aigis raised her hand too. "I reserve the shrimp, squid, scallops, and sea eel."
"Hey!" The capped junior glared at the robot. "That's not fair! You don't even eat!"
"You should all be ashamed of yourselves," Ken sighed, "fighting over sushi." Koromaru barked in agreement. The young boy looked up at Mitsuru with a smile. "Senpai, please order tamago for me. They say you can tell a chef's skill by how he prepares eggs."
"Um," Yukari frowned at the elementary school student. "How old are you again?"
Minato tilted his head to the side as he made his request. "Senpai, please don't forget the snapper, yellowtail, salmon, octopus, mackerel, albacore…" The blue-haired boy began to salivate as he continued listing off the cuts of fish he wanted.
"Okay, okay," Mitsuru laughed as his list appeared to be endless. "I'll have the very best delivered tomorrow."
"For real!?" Junpei brightened at that. "Aw man, it's great to be alive!"
"Don't get too excited, Junpei," Yukari smirked at him. "You're getting the leftovers."
"What!? But, it was my idea in the first place!"
Everybody laughed and Mitsuru smiled at the team as she brought them back on track. "I guess it's time to say goodbye to the Dark Hour. Even though it seemed like a curse, for some reason I'm reluctant to let it go."
The entire team paused and Akihiko solemnly nodded his head. "Yeah…"
"We really did it," Yukari smiled before faltering, "didn't we…?"
"Yes…" Mitsuru nodded to her. "We saved the world, even if no one knows it."
"Yeah," the archer frowned.
Minato turned back to stare at the bloody ocean. Tomorrow we'll know for sure… Just a little while longer now… He glanced up at the bridge and took a deep breath. I'm ready to leave this place behind me and move forward with my life. He paused as he saw two lights in the distance. Mom? Dad? He blinked a few times but the lights quickly faded away.
~B*O*N*U*S~S*C*E*N*E~
Hamuko frowned when she noticed her brother wasn't in his bed as he usually was in the morning. She approached his sink and noticed it hadn't been used. "Where is he?" she crossed her arms. "We're going to be late…"
She went back upstairs and knocked on Aigis's door. The robot quickly answered and saluted her. "Is something wrong, Hamuko-san?"
"Do you know where Minato's at?" the brunette asked in concern.
Aigis looked around the dorm and scanned the building before pointing at Fuuka's door. "It appears Minato-san is with Fuuka-san."
"Really?" Hamuko smirked.
Fuuka emerged from her room and looked at the two other juniors in surprise. "Oh, good morning," she nervously smiled.
"Fuuka-chan, have you seen nii-san?" the red-eyed girl asked with a devilish smile on her face. "He's not in his room."
The teal-haired girl's face went red. "N-no… Have you checked downstairs?"
Aigis looked at Hamuko in confusion. "But I already notified you that Minato-san is—"
Fuuka's eyes widened. "Huh!?"
"Ai-chan!" Hamuko quickly pulled the robot along behind her. "How about you help me make breakfast and lunch? Fuuka-chan, if you see Minato, tell him he owes me dinner for the rest of the week."
"Um…" the brown-eyed junior nervously nodded her head. "O-okay then… Is that really necessary though, Hamuko-chan?"
"I don't know," the upbeat girl smirked. "Is it?" She stared at the necklace Fuuka was wearing before going down the stairs. "By the way, that locket suits you!"
Fuuka didn't say anything as her face burned up even more. She waited until she was certain the hallway was completely empty before knocking on her bedroom door. "Minato-kun… Hamuko-chan left with Aigis."
Minato sighed as he gave his girlfriend an apologetic look. "Sorry for the trouble, Fuuka." He shook his head. "It's hard for me to hide things from her, but she's my sister. There's not much I can do about it." He straightened up and cautiously studied the empty hallway. "That said, Hamuko might tease us, but at least she can keep a secret. And I wouldn't worry about Aigis."
The girl nodded to him and smiled. "Well, I don't mind the dorm knowing we're dating. The only problem is that it'll be hard for us to get time alone from now on, but thank you for staying with me last night." She clutched her locket. "I hope we can do this again in the future…" she sheepishly muttered.
The boy blushed as he quickly turned down the hall. He nervously coughed into his hand. "Y-yeah… Well… I'd better get ready for school. Hamuko will kill me if I end up making her late. I'll meet you downstairs then!" He quickly disappeared to the second floor.
Fuuka giggled at her easily embarrassed boyfriend. "Minato-kun…" You're very cute sometimes too, she thought to herself.
Final Notes: That's the only problem I find going after Fuuka... There's never a chance to be alone with her at night because I'm pretty sure she's in the command room working each night with Mitsuru. But... interesting enough, Fuuka and Minato can totally spend all night at Tartarus after everyone ditches me for being too tired. But that's not very optimal if they want to spend time together... But anyways, Hidetoshi! Still wish he was a dateable option for Hamuko. And... I still think Fuuka's Social Link is boring. Also, why is it that everyone in this game has familial problems? It's kinda depressing... but then again, this entire game is depression personified... Heh... I made a slight pun without meaning to... Too bad it's not funny.