This one time, the whole day was a blur.

"Hey, Minato-kun," I heard a voice say.

I opened my eyes and looked up, seeing Yuko in front of me. I wasn't sleeping this time actually. I was just closing my eyes and thinking. For once my chin wasn't on the table because of any class time nap.

"Oh. Hey Yuko. 'sup?" I asked with a blank expression.

"Well, class just ended and all, just thought you should know," she smiled slightly.

I chuckled inwardly and smiled a little. "Thanks Yuko," I replied as I got up and grabbed my bag.

"No problem, Minato-kun. Um…" she started, biting her lip. "I've been meaning to ask this for a while now, but I haven't gotten the chance to since you're always so surrounded by people…" Yuko smiled.

…Yeah, I kinda am. It's both a bit of a blessing and a curse. Bit of a blessing, because being surrounded by people who care about you is good. In fact, it's one of the best feelings to have all your friends around you. It's also a bit bad to have them around you all the time, if you don't get as much time for yourself as well.

Any moments that are dedicated to thinking by myself now are all related to Nyx as well…

"What is it?" I asked.

"What's the deal with Nyx? I mean, she's kinda… cold, if you know what I mean?" Yuko asked.

I wondered when that question would come up. "That's just how she is. It's the only way that she'll ever react, since… she hasn't really had any friends before," I answered, rubbing the back of my head.

"Really? Wow…" her eyes widened. "Someone like her, with no friends? That's… almost amazing, but… was she happy before with no friends?"

"I guess so. She's much more used to not caring about the people around her," I sighed. "Can't say that's good for her health but that's just her, being her."

"If you say so!" Yuko said as she stood straight. "Well, I'm just wondering! She needs to be broken from her shell, if you know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I agree too. That's partly why I introduced her to you guys. Though, I've been doing much of my own work to get her to shrug off that coldness of hers," I smiled slightly.

"Haha, good idea Minato-kun! Well, I need to go to track. I need to make sure Kaz isn't there, and if he is, I'm going to have to drag him back to his house since he isn't supposed to be at training," Yuko giggled before walking off with a content expression.

"See ya," I called after her.

I wonder how my friends will affect Nyx in the long run. It's something to think about…

I tapped Nyx softly on her shoulder, and she lifted her head from what seemed to be a pretty deep nap. "Hm…?" she mumbled as her eyes began to adjust to the light. Or… lack of light. It was kinda greyed over in the sky and from the trees it was pretty windy. It looked more like there was going to be a storm.

"School's over," I said simply as she groggily grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder.

"Oh," she yawned before looking out the window. "It looks like it's going to rain," Nyx sighed as she rubbed her eyes.

"Yeah…" I said quietly. "We better get going so that we don't get rained on," I sighed. Nyx nodded in what seemed to be agreement.

"Yes… I'd rather not get wet," Nyx replied. I didn't know whether it was going to rain right at this moment, but the weather still wasn't looking so good. Or maybe it had already started raining and the raindrops were too small to be seen from up here.

We walked out of the school in relative silence, Nyx effectively shouting at any fan girls or fan boys that tried to approach us. I doubt that Nyx was fending off the girls because of me though. I would think that if it were up to her, she would leave me be. However, maybe it was because it at least felt like the prying gazes that were sent my way, and she was right in the way of that, that she actually bothered to stop them from coming.

"Nyx, you don't have to glare at the girls too. They aren't being directed at you," I said with a tired tone as she finished dealing with another fan boy. If they were directed at her as well, I have to question some of the girls at this school then. I hope it was for a different reason than that at least. Maybe it would be because she, the most beautiful girl in the school, was walking with the most popular guy in school.

"I know. But any kind of staring is rude," she growled.

"…if you say so," I sighed.

"However I would also like to say that no other person should be looked at like you. It's almost as if the girls are wolves lusting over a piece of fresh meat, and you are the meat," Nyx deadpanned at me. Wonderful analogy, because that's kinda how I feel; probably thinking about things that I don't want them to be thinking about. I mean, imagine what they would do if they got their grubby grips on me. Horrifying. "I find it highly unnerving, and you should not be treated to the same either," she finished succinctly.

…how insightful. But I'm still left wondering whether she's doing it out of compulsiveness from how it unnerves her, or whether it's out of a 'friends should protect each other' mentality. She's a tough cookie to figure out and she doesn't leave any hints. Kinda like a ninja. First ninja, now sniper. A ninja sniper sounds awesome though, even though it doesn't really make that much sense.

"Um… I see. Thanks I guess," I smiled slightly as we passed the gates.

"I have to wonder something though," Nyx said with a stern tone.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Why is it that the most popular boy in the school isn't in any kind of serious relationship?"

I almost tripped over and face-vaulted at that blunt question. Okay, Arisato. Take a moment to recompose yourself before you end up looking like an actual fool. Not just because of my Arcana.

"Well, none of the girl friends that I have, I'm really interested in. I know, they're all nice, but… I'm not looking for a relationship. If love comes, then it comes, but until then, I'm happy staying the way I am," I said with a small smile.

Nyx looked on sceptically before nodding. "I see. Do all of the girls in your 'friend group' like you?" she asked.

"Yeah. But… I wasn't and still am not ready for any kind of serious relationship," I sighed. "Next thing I know, I'm gonna end up betraying them all and then what do I do?"

Nyx kept a steady gaze as I said that, and after a few moments of silence…

She smiled. "…Admirable. Now if only my lover was like that," Nyx chuckled.

Wow… that is some smile. "What do you mean?"

"Erebus. My consort," she sighed. "Sometimes, I really have to wonder how he gained himself such a deadly moniker from any human that knows about him, because at times he is much like what you would call a kicked puppy."

…why have I not heard this?

"Oh… I see… what's Erebus like, if you don't mind me asking?" I said.

"Well, he is… for one, he is at least devoted, I can say that much… even if he does not see me that often," Nyx deadpanned at the ground. "He would do almost anything to keep me safe, even though I am fully capable of protecting myself."

Wow.

…how did he score her? And just… why did Nyx agree to that? That's just another heap of questions to add to Mount Everest.

"Ah, yes. I haven't mentioned this until now since it seems to have slipped my mind and it has not been brought up until now, however…" Nyx gazed into my eyes steadily with a seemingly serious expression. "If this human form is somehow killed, then the Fall will come down regardless of whether I deem this human world worth sparing or not."

What? My eyes widened slightly, however I tried to keep myself calm. Damn, now I have even more to worry about. Wonderful.

"I see…" I sighed. I have more to worry about now than ever. Talk about putting the pressure on a guy.

"Do you know how to swim?" I asked.

"Why?" she asked with a very sceptical expression. It was the kind that pretty much said 'where are you going with this?'

"Because considering what you just said, drowning is also a possibility," I explained.

"Oh, I meant that if some other human killed me with wholly malicious intent," she said coolly. "If I somehow… drowned on my own, that would not count."

"…this means that you should still learn swimming, because I am not, by any chance, planning to have you drowned on any kind of occasion, intent or otherwise," I shrugged.

"Oh. Is drowning painful?" she asked.

Cue face-vault.

I recovered and said with a barely calm tone, "Yes, it's basically suffocation caused by water."

"…does suffocation hurt?" she asked further. That blank expression of hers means that she's actually serious about this. Oh Thanatos, why?

"…I'd imagine so," I sighed. "…and I'm not planning to try for myself to see how it feels."

"Oh. I see," Nyx sighed.

…She almost sounded disappointed. I should run when I have the chance if she presses on this point again further.

"Well, it's not like I'd be looking forward to that anyways. I still have a lot to live for and plans to fulfil with friends and stuff like that," I elaborated.

"If you say so…" Nyx sighed.

Plip.

Plop.

Plip plop.

"We should get moving," I said with a more panicked tone as more rain came falling from the sky and a raindrop landed right on the edge of my nose. The pattering sounds are light now, but I don't know what it's going to be like later and I'm not sticking around to find out.

Nyx nodded in agreement.

The two of us managed to reach the station before it got really heavy, but unfortunately…

"Oh no! You two are both wet from the rain…" Fuuka fussed as we crashed into the dorm. She went upstairs, probably to grab a towel to dry us off with.

…I hate rain.

AN: Hahaha, I wrote this chapter really quick sticks, it's awesome! Please tell me what you think of this chapter with your reviews, I'd really appreciate it! Sayoonara for now!

Nights: Yeah, I know. Appears some other people liked the reference too…
Yeah, he will later, but for now he's neutral towards Nyx despite… her bluntness.
Mmhm. That's right!
Thanks Nights!

Yoshikunitsu: No problem! Double updates for EVERYONE! *waves hands in air like a boss* Thanks!

Aniki: Haha, Nyx is awesome. Yeah, I know… It hurts me not to put Nyx in my chapters. She's VERY fun to write. She's like… a more awesome version of honey badger with emotions.
Haha, thanks! Just as I planned...(Not really, I just put the reference in because someone suggested it… not for any kind of character development…)
He has another fear too, which is actually kinda ironic… but that's something to find out another time. It'll be funny though, that I can promise.
Thanks!

Anakin: Haha, that WOULD be hectic, however I'm not planning to put in Minako/Hamuko any time soon in THIS story, as great as she is.

Guest: Haha, yeah. Wasn't my idea, and I'm surprised it worked as well as it did. XD
Thanks a lot! I'll keep trying to work hard on DoD even in November with Nanowrimo on!