Persona 4: The Golden Apostle

by sithlorde1988

Adaptation of Persona 4 Golden. Everyone knows the plot of Persona 4/Persona 4 Golden well, or at least the plot of CANON Persona 4/Persona 4 Golden. But what if there was an extra character added into the mix? How will the addition of an extra character to the mix change the plot of Persona 4 Golden? Better summary and more info in the first chapter! Read and enjoy!

12. Interlude 1, part 1- Farewell, Burbank!

A/N: sithlorde1988 here, with another chapter of Persona 4- The Golden Apostle! Since the previous chapter was the end of Arc 1, that means that we've arrived at the first of (hopefully) several Interludes for Golden Apostle. However, unlike the Interludes that were in Rise of the Monarchs, the Interludes in this story will nearly all be focused on Gaignun's side of the plot, much as the first two Prologue chapters (and part of the third) were. So if you're a fan of Gaignun's side of the plot, you'll love this chapter, with any luck.

However, that does not mean by ANY means that things will be easy or pleasant for Gaignun in this chapter, but the idea is to slowly start moving Gaignun's side of the plot closer to becoming interlinked with Yu's side of the plot. After all, the plan is to have the two plots link up in Arc 4, so that leaves the equivalent of two full Arcs to gradually get Gaignun over to Inaba, settled into his part of things there, and have him where he needs to be for his part of the fourth Arc.

So consider this your warning that this chapter will probably have a mix of stuff in it, mainly focused on the crew from Prologue chapters 1 and 2 (and also 3, albeit to a much lesser extent compared to the first two Prologue chapters). Also, there's a good chance that there will be at least a couple of instances of M-rated content (both in the form of lemons and in potential trigger warnings) in this chapter, each of which will be clearly marked ahead of time with distinct warnings so that people who don't like trigger warnings can skip that part of this chapter, and also so that anyone who's not a fan of lemons can easily skip past said lemon (or more accurately, lemons). Anyways, before I can say much else, I should probably get the disclaimer over with, so let's do that now, yeah?

Disclaimer: I, sithlorde1988, do not own the Persona series in any way, shape, or form (excluding the OCs Ryuroni, Hikari Kusanagi II, Hikari Kusanagi III, Koushiro, Yamato, Takeru, Rosie, Gaignun, Slim, Sage, Lily, Kusano, Ace, Marisa, and any other OCs/OC Personas that appear in the story, all of which were created by, and thus belong to, me), and the actual ownership credit for the Persona series belongs to Atlus and Sega, as well as the various other companies that were involved with the spinoffs (whether those spinoffs be Persona 5 Strikers, Persona 5 Tactica, Persona 4 Arena, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, the 'Dancing' games, or the 'Q' games, or even Persona 5: The Phantom X), all of whom know who they are and receive the appropriate creative/ownership credit that is due to them. I just am using these characters to write this story, and do not intend to make any profit off of it whatsoever.

And there we are, one disclaimer done and dusted! I do have more to say, but I think I'll save that for after the chapter. So for now, let's get on with the chapter! Here's part 1 of the first Interlude of Persona 4- The Golden Apostle!

Interlude 1, part 1- Last of the Kusanagis! Resolutions, Farewells, and Homecomings!

(A couple of hours after the end of the first Gaignun cutaway from the previous chapter, in the Kusanagi residence with Gaignun and Lily)

As she laid on the couch, Lily smiled despite herself as she realized she had Gaignun sleeping contentedly in her arms. Sure, she knew full well that Gaignun saw her as a sister, but that didn't stop her from having feelings for him regardless. As Lily looked down, she smiled fondly at the surprisingly content smile on the dozing Gaignun's face as he snuggled into what he thought was a pillow, but was in actuality Lily's bra-clad breasts. Rather than wake Gaignun, Lily just relaxed on the couch, letting Gaignun use her as a pillow for the time being, liking how content and almost happy Gaignun seemed to be.

After a while, Lily heard a groan as Gaignun slowly woke up, instinctively going to fluff the pillow he was using, only to blink when he realized that said pillow was deceptively squishy and fleshy for a pillow, making him open his eyes to look, only to have his eyes go comically wide while his face ended up going bright red in embarrassment as he realized that what he'd thought was a pillow was in fact not a pillow at all.

As it turned out, Gaignun had managed to fall asleep in a position that he'd inadvertently ended up using Lily's bare breast, which had somehow popped out of the top of her bra on one side, as a very unlikely yet very squishy pillow. After he registered what he was doing, Gaignun quickly put the breast he was holding down and spoke up in embarrassment, not seeing the amused smile and struggle to not giggle at how adorable Gaignun's embarrassed face looked both present on Lily's face as Gaignun spoke, struggling to look into Lily's eyes due to how embarrassed and/or ashamed he felt while he spoke.

"Oh, crap! I did NOT mean to do that, Lily. I am so sorry for basically groping you just now." Gaignun said, an adorably ashamed and embarrassed look on his face that had Lily giggling as she spoke up.

"That's quite all right, Gaignun. I didn't mind it at all. I know you've said before that you see me as a sister, but that still felt really nice to have attention shown to my chest. You'd be surprised to hear just how little experience I have with that." Lily said as Gaignun blinked and spoke up in a surprisingly shy and almost bashful voice.

"R-Really? You've never done that before? I would've thought that you would've at least experimented a bit with Sage, the way you two talk about your preferences?" Gaignun asked in a mix of surprise and slight disbelief as Lily laughed and spoke up.

"Nope. The farthest we've gone in that regard is kissing each other once out of curiosity. And while I did enjoy kissing a girl, I didn't really get a strong romantic vibe from Sage. Then again, even if Marisa had said it as a joke at the time, I don't think I'd be that opposed to it if you and I had somehow ended up in a threesome with Sage. But I respect that you see myself and Sage as sisters." Lily said as Gaignun spoke up with a smile.

"That's true. I do see the two of you as being like sisters. But if you recall, I've also said more than once in the past that only a fool wouldn't see that you and Sage are both very beautiful women. I'd have to be a fool to not see that. However, I won't deny that there was a brief time when I might have nursed a small crush on you when we first met. But after we got to know each other for a while, I realized that what I thought was romantic love might very well have been familial love instead. But I'm sure you'll find the one for you eventually, Lily." Gaignun said as Lily smiled and spoke up.

"Thank you, Gaignun. I appreciate your consideration. But, y'know? I've heard that you don't have to have feelings for someone to want to have a casual hookup with them. Plus I seem to recall there being a thing called 'friends with benefits'. So just because you might not be in love with me is no reason to close the door on us casually fooling around with one another and having a bit of meaningless sex every now and again." Lily said as Gaignun's eyes widened at this before he spoke up with a visible blush on his face.

"Wait, what? What did you just say!?" Gaignun asked as Lily smiled and spoke up with a sly grin on her face.

"You heard me. It's not a crime to find me sexually attractive. But also, we can just casually mess around without it meaning anything. If nothing else, it could be a very pleasant distraction from your current situation." Lily said while giving Gaignun a slightly coy look on her face. Gaignun, for his part, blushed in embarrassment at the surprisingly blunt yet candid reply from Lily, eventually speaking up once his brain switched back on after having briefly shut off after the deceptively sultry yet impish look Lily had given him.

"Did you really just ask me to basically have meaningless and casual sex with you, Lily? I'll be honest and say part of me wants to. But the more practical and morally upright part of me feels like doing so would be wrong, since it would feel a bit like incest. Yet the more hormonal part of me wants to do it anyways after what I felt when I woke up just now. I'd say you did it on purpose, but I vaguely recall crying myself to sleep on your shirt earlier, so I suppose it's my own fault that I ended up waking up with your breast as my pillow. And might I just say it was one very firm but comfortable pillow? Because it was." Gaignun said honestly, hating how much he was blushing in that moment, seemingly trying to avoid looking at Lily as Lily smiled and spoke up while giggling at how adorably shy Gaignun was acting as she spoke.

**M-rated content starts here. Anyone not comfortable reading lemons or pseudo-lemons can skip ahead to where it says *END OF M-RATED CONTENT* to continue reading, otherwise anyone who reads on past this point does so at their own risk. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! M-RATED SCENE STARTS NOW!**

"Aww, how cute. You're attracted to me, or at least to my body. That's not a crime, Gaignun. I'm flattered by it, if anything. Here, let me make it easier for you to look at me." Lily said as she removed and discarded her bra, allowing her surprisingly full and ample large C-cup breasts to fall free for Gaignun to look at, making his eyes go comically wide at what was revealed to him, even as he felt a tightening in his pants from what Lily had done. Lily giggled at the predictable reaction from Gaignun as she spoke up.

"I knew it. You totally want me, don't you?" Lily said in a mixed coy/sultry tone as she let herself gaze into Gaignun's eyes while he spoke up.

"I-I, uhh, yes? I mean, this feels totally wrong. But at the same time, I hate that I'm also quite eager for it as well. I shouldn't be this excited about seeing you topless, since I've said more than once that I think of you as a sister. Yet I find myself wanting to have sex with you anyways." Gaignun said as Lily giggled and shushed Gaignun by gently pressing a finger to his lips before speaking up with a surprisingly lustful look in her eyes.

"Shhh. Just let yourself enjoy this. I think you want it as much as I do. Now stop protesting and let your hormones take over, Gaignun." Lily said as she cut off any further protests from Gaignun by pushing him down onto the couch and eagerly pressing her lips against his, making Gaignun's eyes go comically wide in shock at Lily's brazen action before he found himself returning the kiss despite his better judgment screaming at him not to do so due to it being a bad idea. As Lily kissed Gaignun, she seductively ground her hips against Gaignun's crotch to tease him a bit, smiling slyly at the audible groan her actions drew from Gaignun, who she could tell was getting aroused despite himself.

After kissing Gaignun passionately for a few minutes, Lily pulled Gaignun's shirt over his head and started trailing kisses along Gaignun's neckline, smirking sexily at the many husky if involuntary moans she got from him as she trailed kisses along Gaignun's neck, eventually stopping on Gaignun's chest, slowly running her tongue along Gaignun's pectoral muscles, making him both shudder and moan involuntarily as he felt Lily's tongue tease his nipples. Gaignun then spoke up in a rather husky yet throaty voice.

"I hate that you're making me enjoy this so much from you, Lily. Yet I also love how good that tongue of yours feels on me." Gaignun said with a childish pout, making Lily giggle as she spoke up.

"Aww, that's cute. I knew you wanted me. Let's see how you react once I do this." Lily said as she stood up and removed her pants, shoes, and socks, leaving her in just a pair of silky black panties that were almost small enough to pass for a thong. Despite himself, Gaignun found himself subconsciously licking his lips in anticipation even as the tightness in his pants increased. Lily then smiled as she decided to tease Gaignun a bit by playfully dragging her breasts over Gaignun's face seductively, squeaking cutely in surprise before both shuddering and then moaning appreciatively as she felt Gaignun's mouth wrap around one of her breasts and start sucking on it eagerly, making Lily smile as she spoke up.

"Oh? Looks like someone's finally letting themselves go wild a bit. I love to see it. Also, I love the feeling of having my breasts sucked." Lily said huskily as she straddled Gaignun's waist and proceeded to sexily dry-hump him as Gaignun sucked on her breast. After a bit, Gaignun released Lily's breast from his mouth and started trailing kisses along her stomach, making Lily giggle happily as she slid her panties to her ankles to let Gaignun have full access to her damp nether regions.

After Lily's bold display of nudity, which Gaignun blushed at before gently trailing kisses along Lily's inner thighs, Gaignun gave Lily a sexy smirk before gently using his fingers to slide her folds open so he could stick his tongue into Lily's entrance, boldly sliding his tongue along Lily's walls, making her gasp in surprise before moaning happily as she felt Gaignun start to eat her out.

While Gaignun started eating her out, Lily sneakily removed Gaignun's shoes and socks before starting to fiddle with his belt, eventually undoing it as she unbuttoned and unzipped Gaignun's pants, tugging them impatiently down his legs, eventually peeling both them and Gaignun's boxers off, tossing them to the ground where they were quickly joined by Lily's panties after she kicked them carefully off her legs, which had the result of leaving both Lily and Gaignun completely naked.

Once she had Gaignun naked, Lily looked up towards Gaignun as if asking permission, getting a singular nod of consent from Gaignun, which she took as an okay, allowing her to gently turn Gaignun's lower half so that his erect cock was at her eye level, allowing her to happily lean up and take Gaignun's length into her mouth, at which point she started sucking on it hungrily as if it were a particularly juicy lollipop.

The only indication that Lily had of Gaignun being aware of Lily taking him into her mouth was the husky moan Gaignun gave as he felt Lily helping herself to his cock. For a while, all that was heard was the husky yet approving moans Gaignun and Lily gave off as the two eagerly feasted on one another's private parts. After a while, Lily felt herself shudder and arc back as she spoke up.

"Ohh fuck yes, that's nice! I think I'm getting close, Gaignun!" Lily said as Gaignun spoke up, his tongue stroking Lily's walls as he spoke.

"Good. I think I'm getting there too, but I figure I should get you off first since ladies first. Plus, you were gracious enough to give me this opportunity, so I should at least show you the proper appreciation for it." Gaignun said huskily as Lily smiled happily and spoke up.

"Fair. Also, why does your tongue feel so ticklish on my pussy when you speak, Gaignun?" Lily asked as Gaignun spoke up.

"Probably because your walls are ticklish? I dunno. Too bad there's not really an appropriate way to test that theory, since we're talking about a part of your anatomy that is almost never flaunted around polite company." Gaignun said as he smirked and wrapped his mouth around Lily's folds, lightly sucking on the nub between her legs as he kept teasing her walls with his tongue.

The combined sensations of being tickled and stimulated were enough for Lily to give off a particularly euphoric sounding moan while screaming out Gaignun's name as she felt herself come undone, her release exploding into Gaignun's mouth, leading Gaignun to dutifully lap up every bit of Lily's release, finding himself pleasantly surprised by how creamy and yet rich Lily's release tasted. At the same time, Gaignun got a slightly buttery yet slightly cheesy aftertaste from Lily's juices.

After Lily was finished releasing, she gently sucked on Gaignun's cock, making him groan out Lily's name in a rather husky yet very throaty way as he felt himself twitch before coming undone into Lily's mouth, several shots of his seed firing off down the back of Lily's throat, which was where she had Gaignun aimed, allowing Lily to savor every drop of Gaignun's salty yet also slightly rich seed.

After Gaignun felt himself finish releasing in Lily's mouth, Lily let Gaignun's cock fall free, where it landed with a rather dull thump on Lily's stomach. Seeing this, Lily got a sly smirk on her face as she started rubbing her breasts up and down on Gaignun's semi-limp cock, quickly getting it erect once more as she spoke up sexily.

"Now that we've gotten the warm-up down, now's the part where you stick that massive cock in me, Gaignun." Lily said as she lowered herself onto Gaignun's cock, carefully burying it in her up to the hilt as she spoke up.

"Don't hold back, Gaignun. I want you to buck into me like you've never bucked before. I feel like riding you as you dominate me in as rough and intense of a manner as possible. Can you handle that?" Lily asked as Gaignun spoke up with a nod.

"I can. Just let me know if I get too rough on you and I'll ease up some." Gaignun said as Lily smiled and spoke up.

"Good. Now give it to me." Lily said as Gaignun nodded, complying as he started thrusting upward into Lily, making her give off a pleased sort of mewling sound mixed with a few moans, making Gaignun up the intensity and speed of his thrusts in response. As he did so, Gaignun got a coy smirk on his face as he reached up to cup Lily's breasts in his hands, gently massaging each of her ample mounds carefully yet firmly, making Lily moan appreciatively as she felt Gaignun caressing her breasts in his hands. Lily then gently cupped Gaignun's face so he was facing her, turning her head to kiss him passionately, muting the intense moans that followed as the two of them upped the intensity and passion of their lovemaking. After the two broke apart from their kiss to breathe, Lily moaned happily and spoke up.

"Ohhh! Fuck me, I love how you're making me feel, Gaignun! Also, I think I'm getting close again." Lily said as Gaignun smiled sexily at Lily as he used one hand to gently stroke the prominent nub poking out from between Lily's legs as he thrusted into her, making her pant a bit as she moaned even louder before arcing backward as she felt herself come undone, climaxing messily onto Gaignun's cock, her walls clenching on Gaignun's length as she climaxed, making Gaignun moan as he was driven over the edge into his own climax, feeling himself shudder before exploding into a release, several loads of his seed shoot off into Lily's womb, eventually going limp as the two laid together on the sofa, smiling at what they'd just done, even as Gaignun instinctively pulled a blanket over himself and Lily to hide their nakedness before speaking up after stealing one more kiss from a dreamily content looking Lily.

**END OF M-RATED CONTENT. You can continue reading from this point if you skipped the preceding lemon. Story resumes here for those who skipped past the preceding lemon.**

"Well, I have to admit. For as much as what we did felt incredibly squicky, if not outright wrong, it was also incredible. I think we can say that this was your fault for teasing me with your breasts like you did. I might see you as a sister, but I'll be damned if I didn't admit that for all that I might see you as a sister, you are also an incredibly sexy woman, Lily." Gaignun said as he gently put his arms around the waist of a smiling Lily, who gave Gaignun a coy smirk as she spoke up.

"Perhaps, but I didn't hear you protesting that much, now did I? Mind you, this was just a hookup between friends. That being said, I had no idea you were such a fantastic lover, Gaignun. Any woman who successfully lands you as their boyfriend will be insanely lucky to have you in their life." Lily said as Gaignun spoke up with a smile, amused by Lily's words of praise.

"True. But I'm in no rush to look for a relationship, I think. After all, I just had some deaths in the family recently. So I think I need to be able to look after myself before I can even think about committing to a relationship. But I thank you for trying to take my mind off things for a bit, Lily. I appreciate you a lot for that." Gaignun said as Lily nodded and smiled as she spoke up.

"Fair. Naturally, what happens in this house STAYS in this house. But thank you for indulging me, Gaignun. I won't deny that I love you, but I accept that you don't feel the same. But at least I got to feel what it would be like to make love to you once, so I think I can be content with that." Lily said as Gaignun smiled and spoke up.

"That's all right, Lily. I love you too, albeit as a sister. I know you probably love me in a more romantic way, but I honestly can't say that I can return those feelings, since even thinking of you that way feels wrong to me. But that's not meant to be an insult to you, since you're awesome. And I'm sure you'll find someone who loves you the way you deserve to be loved eventually.

If nothing else, I know that Kusano has a crush on you, even if he won't admit it. But I didn't tell you that if he asks. Also, I know you were unsure about him, but if you were able to coax me into bed with you knowing that I think of you as a sister, is letting yourself fall in love with Kusano really that much worse? Not that I'm trying to tell you what to do, mind. I'm just giving you some friendly advice." Gaignun said as Lily nodded before speaking up with a sigh.

"You have a point. I might not like hearing that you don't have feelings for me, but I can accept that you don't like me that way. I'm sorry I keep pestering you about it." Lily said as Gaignun nodded and spoke up.

"I forgive you. But, um, maybe we should get dressed before Slim gets back? Unless you don't care if he starts asking a bunch of questions once he sees us laying together naked?" Gaignun said as Lily blushed and spoke up.

"No, we probably should. The problem is I didn't bring a change of clothes, and I think I might have lightly gotten my panties damp a bit when I teased you with my crotch. So I might need to run my outfit through the laundry." Lily said as Gaignun spoke up.

"No problem. You might have to go braless for now, but I can at least give you some of my clothes to wear in the short term. Mind, I don't know how well they'd fit, but it's better than nothing, yeah?" Gaignun said as Lily nodded and spoke up.

"True. Although, now that I think about it, didn't we figure out that your mother wears roughly the same size clothing as me recently?" Lily asked as Gaignun spoke up.

"I think so. I still can't believe I managed to walk into the room right when you were topless and in the process of borrowing a bra from my mom during the week all of us stayed here with Mom and Marisa. But I suppose I can let you go in and pick something out to wear. After all, I'm sure Mom would prefer that her 'daughters' get first pick of her clothes, and possibly her jewelry as well. And before you deny it, Mom told me herself that she saw you and Sage as being like daughters to her. Not to mention, I know for a fact that Mari adored you both like the older sisters she never had. So I don't feel bad in the slightest about letting you look through Mom's room for a change of clothes." Gaignun said as Lily giggled and spoke up.

"Really? Don't mind if I do." Lily said as she got up, not even caring that she was still very much naked, and walked down the hall, giggling sexily as she noticed the way that, despite his best efforts not to do so, Gaignun's eyes seemed to involuntarily follow the almost irresistibly alluring yet sensual wiggle of her breasts and ass as she walked, but not calling him on it as she left the room to disappear into Hikari's room.

After she was out of the room, Gaignun wasted little time in throwing his clothes into the laundry and walking down the hall to his own room, pulling on the outfit that his friends had picked out for his birthday, keeping his studded bracelets on his wrists and throwing the chain Jun and Emilio gave him for his birthday around his neck, where it fell neatly on his chest, eventually pulling on the crimson muscle shirt, black sleeveless leather vest, black cargo shorts, and dark grey boots with black ankle socks he'd been given for his birthday, topping the outfit with the Kusanagi family crest secured firmly to his left forearm where he usually keeps it.

Once he had finally finished dressing, Gaignun made his bed and went back out to the living room to wait for Lily after straightening up the living room a bit, finally registering how much he'd messed it up when grieving his mom and Marisa's deaths. Not long after Gaignun finished straightening up, Lily walked back out wearing a silky sea-blue sequin dress with spaghetti-strap shoulder straps, dark grey nylon leggings, and a matching set of leather purple lingerie, smirking at the impressed look on Gaignun's face as she spoke up.

"Do you like it? I picked it out because I remember liking it when your mom wore it. Does it look okay on me?" Lily asked as Gaignun spoke up.

"It looks incredible on you, Lily. Of course, now I'm going to have to be sure to be extra-protective if any guys come sniffing around to try and date you, since you're like my sister, and I'd rather not see you get your heart broken needlessly. It's bad enough I had to hurt you by being honest about how I feel about you. But I knew you didn't deserve to be lied to, Lily. I'm surprised you didn't pick any jewelry out to go with the outfit." Gaignun said as Lily spoke up.

"Thank you. Also, I didn't think it was appropriate to take advantage of your generosity. I mean, I already took advantage of you as it is earlier when I basically seduced you." Lily said honestly as Gaignun spoke up.

"That's all right, Lily. I did need the distraction. And it's not like I tried very hard to stop you, so we're both equally to blame for what we did." Gaignun said honestly as Lily spoke up.

"Fair. Umm, Gaignun?" Lily asked as Gaignun spoke up with a wary look.

"Yes?" Gaignun asked as Lily spoke up, seeming worried about asking her next question, but asking it anyways.

*Trigger warnings ahead for the following: Mentions of self-harm, sensitive subject matter. Anyone sensitive to the previously listed triggers can skip to the part marked **END OF TRIGGER WARNINGS** to continue reading if they skip this next part. Anyone who reads past this warning does so at their own risk. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!*

"Why did you have cut marks on each of your arms before?" Lily asked as Gaignun winced and spoke up.

"Honestly? I was super devastated and heartbroken after Mari passed away. So, in a moment of weakness and idiocy, I may have started to cut myself before coming to my senses and discarding the knife in the sink before I cut too deep, hence why the marks are so shallow. I hate that I had to break the skin at all before realizing I shouldn't be doing such things to myself. But in my defense, I'd just lost my mother AND my 12 and a half year old little sister within a week of one another.

And the latter basically had to give up her life to save mine when some asshole decided he wanted to run me down with his vehicle. Unfortunately for them, Mari stopped that plan, even if she had to give up her own life to do so. If I'm being truthful with you, I hate how powerless I felt to do anything to save either Mom or Marisa. Granted, I knew there was little I could do for Mom, but I feel like I could've been more attentive or made sure we crossed the street faster, something like that. So I think I can be forgiven for a bit of a weak moment in light of that." Gaignun said as Lily nodded and spoke up.

"That's fair, Gaignun. You were very close to your mom and sister. So of course you're going to be heartbroken to lose them both. Thinking about it, maybe it'd be for the best if you moved their stuff into a storage shed, and then looked for another place to live? If you stay here, you're just gonna keep being assaulted by memories of what you lost. And I feel like Marisa and Miss Kusanagi would want you to stay strong and live your best life for both their sakes, Gaignun." Lily said as Gaignun spoke up after nodding his agreement.

"True. They wouldn't want me to wallow in my grief. But I don't think Mom or Marisa could understand how much it hurts to know that I was powerless to save either one of them. And because I couldn't save them, both of them are dead! And Marisa was WAY too young to die the way she did. That's the real tragedy in all of this, I think. Not to downplay what happened to Mom, since that was also tragic. But I feel like Marisa's accident was possibly even more tragic, especially since she died in such a selfless and heroic way. I think it's going to take me quite a long time to finally start being able to make peace with their deaths, to tell you the truth." Gaignun said as Lily nodded and spoke up while hugging Gaignun.

"That's all right, Gaignun. That's what myself, Slim, Ace, Kusano, and Sage are here for, along with Emilio and Jun. So don't feel like you have to deal with this alone, because you don't. All of us are here for you if you need us, Gaignun." Lily said as Gaignun smiled while hugging Lily and speaking up

"I know. Thank you, Lily. That means a lot to me. I was going to call you sister, but after what we just did, I don't know that I can do that without feeling at least a wee bit squicky about it." Gaignun said as Lily nodded her understanding.

**TRIGGER WARNINGS END HERE. Continue reading from here if you skipped the preceding section of story.**

"That's fine. We can just be friends, I think, while being there for one another." Lily said as Gaignun nodded and spoke up.

"Agreed." Gaignun said as Slim chose that moment to speak up and make his presence known.

"Well, it seems like someone's feeling a bit better." Slim said as Gaignun smirked and spoke up.

"Eh, what can I say? Having a good rest seemed to do a lot for my mood. Also, Lily may or may not have had to talk a bit of sense into me, in her own unique way." Gaignun said with a wry grin, ignoring the embarrassed look on Lily's face at his remark as Slim laughed and spoke up while clapping Gaignun on the shoulder in a many sort of way.

"Ah, I see what's going on here. Lily basically fucked the grief out of you, didn't she?" Slim said bluntly as both Gaignun and Lily's jaws dropped before they spoke up in unison.

"SLIM!" Gaignun and Lily both snapped as the latter spoke up.

"Even if I did, that's none of your business. But if you must know, then yes, I let Gaignun use my body to take his mind off his grief. It was just a casual hookup between friends, though. As much as I wish it were otherwise, I respect Gaignun's wishes when he says he just doesn't like me or Sage in any sort of romantic capacity. I think I was lucky to coax a casual hookup out of him." Lily said as Slim laughed and spoke up.

"If you say so. I'm just as glad I wasn't here for it, since that would've been a bit awkward to see you two going at it on the sofa like rabbits." Slim said as Gaignun frowned and spoke up.

"Funny. But no, it was more like we gave in to our hormones for a time and let ourselves release our tensions into one another. The fact that said release came in the form of relations was both coincidental to what we did and entirely besides the point. Besides, even if I see her as being like a sister, I have to admit that Lily is a beautiful woman. So I don't feel that bad about letting Lily have her way with me for a while." Gaignun said as Slim nodded and spoke up.

"Well, whatever. I'm just as glad to see you back on your feet, so to speak, man. Even if it's just for now." Slim said as Gaignun spoke up.

"I might be feeling better, but that's not to say I won't still feel bad that Mom and Marisa had to die for quite some time, because I totally will. Actually, now that I think about it, I think Mom said something to me on her deathbed about leaving me a letter in her room? I haven't gone in to check because I was too busy sinking into depression over both Mom's death and Marisa's being so close together, but I need to do that at some point." Gaignun said as Lily gasped and spoke up.

"Oh! I wonder if you mean this letter, Gaignun. I happened to see it sticking out of a picture of you, Miss Kusanagi, and Marisa on Miss Kusanagi's nightstand. It even has your name on it." Lily said as she pulled the letter out of her skirt pocket and handed it to Gaignun, who frowned and spoke up.

"Hmm, this does look like it. Shall I open and read it?" Gaignun asked, getting approving nods from Slim and Lily as he slowly opened the envelope, pulling out a letter, which he then read aloud for Slim and Lily. It read as thus:

"Dear Gaignun, if you're reading this, then I'm no longer among the living. First and foremost, I want to thank you for being such a wonderful son to me and an amazing big brother for Marisa. I appreciate every moment I've spent being your mom, since you truly were the best thing that happened to my life in the past couple decades. You and Marisa both. However, if I'm right, you're likely reading this either alone or with some of your friends there for moral support, in which case the worst happened and Marisa is also no longer among the living.

If she is, DO NOT BLAME YOURSELF, SON! Marisa is a very headstrong and capable young woman. As such, if she died, it was likely of her own choice, and likely to save someone she cares about. So don't feel like you failed to protect her if she is gone. But I didn't write this just to scold you for the no-doubt expected binge of self-loathing, guilt, and depression you likely just got done with by the time you're reading this. I also am writing this to impart a truth I should've had the courage to tell you while I was still alive.

You see, even though I told you for most of your life that your father died before you were born, that was a lie I had to tell in order to keep your father safe. Assuming I told you about the history of the Kusanagi clan before I died, you can thus appreciate why I had to keep your father's continued existence a secret. After all, who's to say your grandfather wouldn't have eyes trained firmly upon you the second you went to seek your father out? All I can tell you for now about him is that he is a detective who lives in the Inaba region over in Japan, and who has a little girl who should be around six and a half years old as of the time you're reading this letter.

Mind you, I must point out that this estimate is made on the assumption that you opened this letter to read it on or around April 26th, 2011. If you opened it past that date, then you can use the fact that your little half-sister was born October 4th, 2004 to figure out her actual age as of whenever you actually opened the letter if it wasn't on the date I listed above. So if you read this, and you intend to keep the other half of your promise to me, then please heed this request while forgiving me for keeping such a huge secret from you for all of these long years, ultimately taking this secret to my grave after leaving a record of it for you in this letter.

Once you're able to do so, I would ask you to go to the Inaba region and seek out Detective Dojima, after which I would hope that you have to strength to not only leave behind the place where you were born and raised, but also the strength of heart needed in order to take the chance to try and forge a connection with your father's side of the family. And before you can be too confused about this out-of-nowhere request from me, I ask this of you since I have the feeling that the three of you could do much towards helping one another heal from your respective losses.

To clear up any confusion my last sentence caused, your little sister's mother died a couple years ago (as of the time I'm penning this letter, anyways) in a hit-and-run accident. I know because my best friend, one Kimiko Amagi, sent me a letter to inform me of our mutual friend Chisato, or the mother of your little half sister, passing away. In fact, if you can, don't be shy about seeking Kimiko out if you do make it to Inaba, since I think she'd help you out, if only out of respect for the friendship she and I had when I lived in Inaba before you were born.

Truth be told? Had I not had to be exiled when I was, I might have considered naming her your godmother. But because I had to go into exile when I did, that became an impossibility, much as my being able to be with your father became impossible due to his having to remain in Inaba for his own safety, since I have no doubt your grandfather would've had him killed if he'd tried going with me to the States, since your father and I are technically from rival clans. Though I feel like the rivalry between the Dojima and Kusanagi clans is little more than an asinine and petty crock of outdated bullshit, to be frank. But that's enough ranting from me.

Please promise me you'll heed what will likely be my final request and try to reach out to your father's side of the family. I'd rather not think about you being stubborn and shutting yourself away while wallowing in your own grief over our deaths, possibly even using that as fuel to try and do something drastic. But I'd prefer it if you didn't do anything like that. After all, your sister and I, even though we're no longer there with you in person? We'll always be with you in your heart. And we'll always be watching over you. So don't throw your life away over our passing. I know it won't be easy, but you need to keep moving forward and try to find a way to live on for both of our sakes.

If that means going to start anew in Inaba, then so be it. Just as long as you're happy, I don't care how you choose to achieve said happiness. Even if it means you decide to start living a debauche life of cheap thrills, sex, and action. I'd say follow your passion for acting, but if I know that studio that you went to, they likely replaced you the instant you left to be home with Marisa full-time, which I respect you for more than words can express. And I know Marisa appreciated it a lot too.

So please, stay strong and don't give in to despair, my son. If nothing else, remember this. 'Even when it's bleakest, those who you truly care about are always with you, as long as you look inside and choose to remember the good times you had with them.' Please, think about my request, and try to find happiness in your life. If you can do these things, and try to not let yourself wallow in grief over the death of myself and Marisa, I'd be most grateful.

Oh, and before I forget? I believe your other half-sister's name is Nanako? (YES, I said OTHER half-sister. Marisa had a different father from you, as you're well aware, so she's also your half-sister. Really, I should say 'fathers', since I acted as a surrogate for your friends Jun and Emilio, who are Marisa's biological fathers.) Mind you, I only saw her name once, in the letter Chisato sent to inform me of her birth, but I think that's it. I think if you let her, you might be surprised how much you can heal if you let yourself get close to people still. But just do your best to stay happy for the rest of your days.

And above all else, never forget that I love you with all of my heart, my child. Even after I'm gone, I'll always be watching over you. Take care, and stay strong!

-Love, your mother, Marisa Kusanagi the third.' The letter read, causing all three of the people listening to the letter to gasp at the reveal of Gaignun's father being alive. After a period of prolonged and awkward silence, it was a wide-eyed Gaignun who would be the first to find his voice, at which point he then spoke up in disbelief.

"My father is ALIVE!? Somehow, I had a feeling that might be true, but I didn't think I'd get it confirmed like this by Mom in a posthumous letter. Still, I did promise her I'd do my best to heed her final request. So I suppose I should try to fulfill this final request. How I'm going to afford the trip to Inaba, I have no idea. I suppose, worst case? I can sell off some of this stuff to raise the money for a ticket there. But I don't know if I can bring myself to sell all of it, though. And for sure, I'm holding on to all of Marisa's stuff. That's non-negotiable.

After all, if I do manage to reach out and connect with Dad and Nanako, I can always let Nanako inherit some of it if it appeals to her. Besides, the way I see it? If Dad IS receptive to letting me into his life, I can treat the chance of getting to know Nanako as a second chance to be a good big brother. After all, I already failed one little sister when I let Marisa die.

If I do manage to establish a connection with Dad's side of the family, I can do my very best to not let anything happen to Nanako. I refuse to fail her in the same way that I ultimately failed Marisa. Not only that, but I don't know what I'd do if I DID fail her like I failed Mom and Marisa." Gaignun said, a resolved look crossing his features as Slim smiled and spoke up, clearly amused by the look of resolve on Gaignun's face as he spoke.

"Sounds like you've got a new goal in mind, Gaignun. But if you don't mind my saying so, I think you should see a doctor before you go, if only so you can get checked for any form of PTSD or depression. After all, it wouldn't do to send you over there, only for you to have a relapse and do something irrevocable to yourself, man. Besides, it's not like the rest of us can just up and abandon our lives to go with you, no matter how much we might want to." Slim said as Gaignun smiled and spoke up.

"I understand, man. You guys have lives here. I don't begrudge you that. After all, I was the one who chose to sacrifice what I had to be there for my sister, and I don't regret that decision for an instant. I'd do it again in a heartbeat if I had to. The only bit of regret I do have is snapping at Lily before, since she was just trying to check up on me and I all but bit her head off. Sorry about that, Lily." Gaignun said as Lily smiled and hugged Gaignun reassuringly as she spoke up.

"That's all right, Gaignun. I understand why you did it. And I forgive you. After all, you see me as a sister, and siblings aren't supposed to hate each other." Lily said kindly as Gaignun nodded and spoke up before his eyes widened in realization.

"Crap! I still have to tell Sage, Ace, Kusano, Jun, and Emilio about my decision. Not to mention someone has to let Clarice and Aurora know about Marisa's passing. I don't think I thought to let them know yet, since I was so devastated by it when it happened." Gaignun said as to his surprise, Lily giggled and spoke up.

"No need to worry about that, Gaignun. I'm pretty sure Emilio took care of that for us. When we left him, he was explaining things to Clarice. Granted, the only reason we thought to come check on you was because Aurora told us she thought she heard a gun being cocked in here, and then heard something get discarded shortly after, when she came to check on you at her mother's request." Lily said as Gaignun swore under his breath before frowning as he spoke up.

"Aurora heard that? Damn. I think I owe her and Clarice both an apology, then. I probably scared them when I came back alone and ignored them when they tried to greet me. All I can say in my own defense is that I was brokenhearted when I first came back home following Mari's death. So I likely wasn't in my right mind at the time. Not that I'm all that in my right mind as it is right now, but I'm at least able to function to some degree for now." Gaignun said as a familiar voice reached his ears at that moment.

"That's all right, Gaignun. Aurora and I are just happy you're all right. We don't mind that you weren't sociable that day." Gaignun heard, turning to see Aurora and Clarice, who had spoken, walk into the living room with Emilio in tow. After they found seats, Gaignun spoke up.

"Hello there, Clarice and Aurora. I see Emilio filled you in on things?" Gaignun asked as Aurora nodded and spoke up in a sad tone.

"Mmhm. Is it true that Marisa passed away?" Aurora asked as Gaignun spoke up with a nod.

"It is. I meant to tell you guys when it happened, but I was so saddened by it, I basically retreated into myself and chose to hide my pain by shutting myself away and wallowing in my grief for a time. Had Lily and Slim here not found me and snapped me out of it, I might still be wallowing right now. Mind you, I'm still incredibly sad that Mom and Marisa are gone, but I know I have to stay strong for both their sakes. Regardless, I owe you a huge apology, Aurora. From what Lily tells me, you came to check up on me and heard some scary noises coming from here. Is that correct?" Gaignun asked as Aurora shyly nodded and spoke up.

"Mmhm. I heard a gun be cocked, then heard something getting tossed aside shortly after. I'm not sure what it was about, but I doubt it was anything good." Aurora said as Gaignun sighed and spoke up.

"Honestly? It wasn't." Gaignun said as he got up and shocked everyone as he gently pulled Aurora into a hug while he kept speaking.

"Nevertheless, I'm sorry for frightening you, Aurora. You were just trying to come and check up on me, and I appreciate that you cared enough to do that, even if it was only out of respect for your friendship with Marisa. And honestly, you have no idea how much Marisa cherished your friendship with her. She might not have said so, but I could tell my little sister cared about you a lot. I know you might have had a crush on Marisa, but I think she might have started caring for you like a sister. Maybe she had feelings for you, but I didn't get the sense that Marisa was into women that much. But maybe she was. Only Marisa could say for sure on that subject.

With that being said, I'd like to take this chance to sincerely thank you for being such a good friend to her, Aurora. That means more to me than you'll ever know. I know you're probably as upset over her passing as I am, so I'm here for you if you need anything, within reason." Gaignun said kindly to Aurora, who smiled happily as she leaned her face into Gaignun's chest, silently sniffling into his shirt as she spoke up, unaware of the surprised looks that Clarice, Emilio, Slim, and Lily would exchange at the sight of Aurora crying tears of joy into Gaignun's shirt, as well as the wince on Lily's face as she was reminded of doing the same thing for Gaignun not that long ago when he was the one crying.

"Thank you, Gaignun. I appreciate your kind offer. Marisa wasn't exaggerating when she said how kindhearted and caring you can be to those closest to you. I got the sense that she truly cherished having you as her big brother while she was alive. But I wouldn't presume to lean on you when you're also grieving for her. Thank you, though. I appreciate that you were willing to make such a kind offer to me, when you barely know me as anything but your little sister's best friend.

And to be completely honest with you? If we were a bit closer in age, I might find you rather interesting. But I'm well aware of the fact that I'm much too young to be much of anything more than your friend, and maybe something of a pseudo-sibling if you're so inclined. So I'm content just being your friend." Aurora said happily as Gaignun smiled softly and leaned down to gently kiss the top of Aurora's head appreciatively before speaking up, smirking at the embarrassed look on Aurora's face at his bold decision as he spoke.

"That's so sweet of you. I am more than willing to be your friend, if that's what you want. I just want to be able to be here for you if I can, since I know that it can't be easy for you right now, knowing your best friend is gone. To be honest, she might have been my little sister. But for the longest time, Aurora? Marisa was also the closest thing I had to a best friend as well. As such, I can understand your pain quite well. Don't be afraid to come to me if you need anything, little one." Gaignun said comfortingly, gently patting Aurora on the back reassuringly as Aurora smiled and spoke up after pulling away from Gaignun and sitting next to her mother.

"I'll keep that in mind, Gaignun. I thought about thinking of you as a big brother in Marisa's honor, but I'm not sure that would be the most tactful thing right now, given the circumstances." Aurora said as Gaignun chuckled and spoke up, the sight of an amused smile on Gaignun's face actually catching both Lily and Slim by surprise as he spoke.

"Don't be silly, Aurora. I don't mind if you think of me as an honorary older brother. I might be grieving for Marisa's sudden and unexpected passing, but that doesn't mean I don't have room in my heart for other little sisters, or pseudo-sisters in your case. If anything, I'm honored that you think of me as a brother." Gaignun said honestly as Aurora's cheeks pinked in embarrassment as she spoke up.

"R-Really? If you're sure. Thank you so much, Big Brother." Aurora said as a bittersweet smile crept onto Gaignun's face before he spoke up.

"That's so bittersweet, hearing someone call me 'Big Brother' after Marisa passed away as unexpectedly as she did. But I suppose I should start getting used to it. Truth be told? I found a letter from my mom that she wrote prior to her death. Apparently, my father is alive, but lives in a faraway land. So I'm probably going to be moving away soon to try and reach out to him and hopefully connect to that side of my family. From what the letter said, he's a police detective in the faraway land of Inaba, Japan. He also has a little girl who's about six and a half named Nanako, according to the letter I read.

So even though I might be moving to a faraway land in the not-too-distant future, I don't mind if you think of me as a brother, Aurora. As a wise person told me recently, 'Even when it's bleakest, those who you care about are always with you, as long as you choose to look deep inside and remember only the good times you had with them.' I believe what that means is that even if we're not able to physically be there for one another, as long as we never forget one another, we'll always be connected." Gaignun said as Emilio spoke up.

"Oh? You're moving?" Emilio asked as Gaignun nodded and spoke up.

"I am. Both because Mom's dying wish was for me to try and get to know my father, and because Lily pointed out that I'd just be haunted by memories of Mom and Marisa if I stay here. However, I'd hate to see this house somehow not stay 'in the family', so to speak. So as long as they don't take too much advantage of it and keep the rent up between them, I don't mind letting Slim, Sage, Ace, Lily, and Kusano all stay here if needed, since I know Slim has a key to the house that I gave him when he and the others stayed out here with myself, Mom, and Marisa for a week on my 16th birthday.

However, I do have a few things to get sorted out before my move. Namely, I'd like to be able to talk to you and Jun at least once more before that day, since I feel like I owe it to you both to give you a proper goodbye rather than just leaving without a word. I might not have said so, but while I was at the fellowship, you and Jun were like fathers of a sort to me, Emilio. And I respect you both a lot, regardless of your choices.

And if anyone has a problem with you and Jun, then that's their problem. After all, I know you two were my little sister's biological fathers, thanks to Mom's letter. I understand why you didn't think it was safe to reach out to Marisa, but I'm sure she knew you both loved her very much. So I respect your decision to not get too close to her while she was alive.

And it's for that reason that I know you're probably just as upset by her death as I am, if not more so. So I also want to be sure you two will be okay once I'm gone. After all, I know Marisa wouldn't want any of us doing anything drastic on her account. Not to mention how much the both of you have done for me ever since I joined that actors' fellowship a couple years ago. I feel like there's not gonna be enough words to properly express just how much I appreciate everything you and Jun have done for me, Emilio." Gaignun said as Emilio blinked at Gaignun's honesty and spoke up.

"That's surprisingly mature and wise of you, Gaignun. I can't guarantee it'll be right away, but I will speak to Jun when I get a chance and see what we can do about making time to speak with you before your move, since I get the feeling that Jun and I could be of some assistance to you, even if it's only in giving you a nudge in the right direction for how to get yourself sorted out once you arrive in Inaba.

After all, your family may have been mainly from that region prior to your mother's exile at the hands of your grandfather, but that doesn't instantly mean you'll have the right of everything. Also, there's going to be some things we have to explain to you that will help you do well while you're over there, as well as people we can put you in contact with. So I agree that a sitdown involving the three of us will be needed at some point in the not-too-distant future, Gaignun." Emilio said as Slim then spoke up.

"Not only that, but I think you're gonna have to invite the others over so you can explain all of this to them before you leave. After all, I doubt you want to leave without having things sorted out where it pertains to Ace, Kusano, and Sage, but mostly Ace and Kusano, since I know that you and Ace got into a wee bit of a fight before you left the fellowship. Something to do with you not wanting Ace to take advantage of poor Mari's affections or something along those lines?

Either way, I feel like you feel as bad about how that went down as Ace does, even if neither one of you will swallow your pride enough to admit it. And then there's the fact that Kusano had to step in so that your mis-aimed punch didn't end up hitting Sage by accident. I recall you were aiming to knock Ace out, but then he dodged out of the way before you could pull your punch back in time. But I know you were worried for your mother and Marisa at the time, so I think we can forgive you having a bit of an angry reaction. Especially since I could tell after the fact that you felt terrible for how things played out." Slim said as Gaignun sighed and spoke up.

"You're not wrong, Slim. I was just trying to make sure Ace wasn't about to break Mari's heart if she did turn out to have a crush on him. But then somehow, the conversation got flipped so that Ace was accusing me of being an overprotective dick, which he's not wrong about, in fairness. I do tend to be a bit too protective of those I'm close to at times. I can own that about myself.

However, Ace all but saying that it wasn't his problem if Marisa actually had feelings for him really pissed me off, if I'm being honest. I get he was probably saying it to reassure me he had no intentions of hurting her, but at that moment? I thought he was saying he planned to throw her feelings back in her face if Marisa came to him to confess to having what I suspect were very likely romantic feelings for him.

And this same line of concern is the reason why I tried to punch him. The fact that he dodged so fast that I had no time to correct and pull my fist back was just an unfortunate happenstance. But I do regret that Kusano got hurt in the crossfire. I would never want any of my friends to get hurt." Gaignun said as another voice spoke up, catching him completely by surprise, along with Slim and Lily.

"We both made mistakes that day, Gaignun. So if anything, we both owe one another apologies. So don't feel bad for letting your temper win that day. I'm sorry for what I said about Marisa. That was uncalled for by me." Ace said as he walked in with Sage and Kusano in tow, Jun close behind them. Emilio frowned at this and spoke up.

"What're you guys doin' here? I thought you were covering for us with the studio?" Emilio asked as Jun spoke up.

"No need. The higher-ups heard about what happened to Gaignun's mom and sister and gave us all two weeks off to help prop Gaignun up as best we can." Jun said as Sage nodded and spoke up.

"Jun's right. Go figure the higher-ups were friends of Miss Kusanagi's at one point. But enough about that. Why did it feel like we were walking in on an intervention?" Sage asked as Kusano chuckled and spoke up.

"I doubt it was an intervention, Sage. If anything, I'd wager it was moreso a case of the others trying to cheer Gaignun up to the best of their abilities." Kusano said as Slim smirked and spoke up.

"Oh, that was achieved well enough, all right. Lily here made sure of that personally." Slim said with a playful smirk as Gaignun and Lily both blushed and spoke up.

"SHUT UP, SLIM!" Gaignun and Lily both rebuked Slim in unison with identical blushes of embarrassment on their faces. Sage blinked at this before speaking up.

"The blushes are definitely new on you two. But why would you two have any reason to-?" Sage questioned before noticing the identical looks of mixed embarrassment and shame on Gaignun and Lily's faces, after which her eyes widened in shock before narrowing in a mix of disappointment and annoyance at Gaignun and Lily, glaring at the latter as realization set in and she kept speaking.

"Oh? OH! Lily, did you do what I think you did!?" Sage asked as Lily shyly looked down and spoke up.

"If by that, you mean 'did I basically use my body to take Gaignun's mind off his grief?', then the answer is yes. To his credit, Gaignun was pretty understanding about it afterwards. But even so, I did go against our agreement to not pursue Gaignun, so I apologize to you for that, Sage." Lily said as Sage pouted and spoke up.

"Dammit, Lily! I can't believe you. I know you did it to cheer him up, but we had an agreement! Also, I thought Gaignun always made it a point to tell the two of us how he saw us both as sisters?" Sage said as Gaignun spoke up with a smile.

"I do see you both as sisters, Sage. However, Lily made it clear that what we did didn't have to mean anything more than being a casual hookup between friends. But since you're here, I'm sorry for almost punching you by accident when Ace sidestepped my attempt to sock him the other day, Sage. I know I probably frightened you when I did that, and that was completely uncalled for of me to do that." Gaignun said as Sage smiled and spoke up.

"That's all right. You weren't in your right mind at the time, after all. Plus, you'd just lost your mother, so you were grieving. I think it's understandable that you would be more prone to lashing out because of that. So I forgive you, Gaignun." Sage said as she hugged Gaignun, smiling as he returned the hug. After a bit, Jun spoke up.

"Well, since we're gonna be here for a few days, assuming that Gaignun is fine with that, why don't Emilio and I take Gaignun out to go get food for all of us while the rest of you work together to start going through Marisa and Hikari's rooms and start boxing up their stuff? Or would Gaignun prefer to be there when you do that?" Jun said as Gaignun spoke up.

"I don't mind if they do that, Jun. However, if any of them do go through Mari's stuff, I ask that they leave it all in boxes for me to be able to keep in storage easily. Though if she wants to, I suppose it would be fair to let Aurora pick out a few of Marisa's things to 'inherit' from her. I feel like Marisa would want her best friend to be able to have some keepsakes of her." Gaignun said as Aurora nodded her understanding. After that, Clarice spoke up for the first time in a while.

"I think we can all agree that Gaignun needs all the support he can get right now, given what he's lost recently." Clarice said as Gaignun nodded and spoke up.

"Fair enough. So while you all do that, I'll go get some food with Jun and Emilio so we can talk about my plans for when I move to Inaba. Also, if Lily and Sage want to, they can pick out a bit of Mom's clothes and/or jewelry to keep while going through the room, but I ask that they leave the majority be since I might have to sell some of it to raise up some extra spending money before my move, since I have no idea what the conversion rate is for dollars to yen.

And I feel like it would be smart to have at least SOME yen on hand before I get to town, if only so as to not be wandering around Inaba completely broke. Otherwise, if you all want to start going through Mom and Mari's things, feel free. But other than the individuals I listed, I'd prefer that no one try taking anything else if possible. Okay?" Gaignun said, getting nods from Slim, Ace, Kusano, Lily, Sage, Emilio, Jun, Clarice, and Aurora. Afterwards, Gaignun went out to get food with Jun and Emilio...

(Time skip- two weeks later, the day after the end of the previous chapter, in the living room of the Kusanagi residence with Gaignun and Slim)

While the others were out dong stuff, Slim looked at Gaignun and spoke up.

"Level with me, man. How are you holding up right now given everything that's happened recently?" Slim asked as Gaignun spoke up with a sad sigh.

"Honestly? I still miss them, Slim. But I know I can't keep being depressed over it. Mom and Marisa wouldn't want that. Besides, I promised Mom that I would make my way to Inaba once all of my affairs were in order. Speaking of which, did you ever manage to get that 'medicine' that you said you were procuring for me?" Gaignun asked as Slim nodded, handing Gaignun two wrapped bags, one black with a moon sticker on it and the other red with a sun on it. Gaignun blinked at this as Slim spoke up, clearly amused by the rare sight of Gaignun being confused as he spoke.

"Confused? Let me explain. The black bag is mostly sativas, or strains that you use to relax. The red one is mostly indicas, or strains that you use if you need a pick-me-up to get going. But I would still advise that you try to lean on things like tea or coffee before the indicas. Either way, as long as you only use it as you were prescribed by the doctor last week, you should be able to see results quickly enough. Though you might want to stash it so no one finds it if they go through your luggage, just in case. I'm not sure what the policy is on cannabis in Japan, truth be told.

But with any luck, this should last you for at least a year, if not longer. But if it doesn't, let me know when I inevitably end up coming to see you, and I'll see about sourcing you some more. That being said, provided you don't go through it super-fast, you should prolly be good for a while on medicine, regardless. I still can't believe they said you have mild to moderate PTSD and a mild case of depression, though. But at the same time, it makes sense, given what you went through recently." Slim said as Gaignun spoke up.

"I'm not surprised, Slim. I mean, think about it. My freaking 12 and a half year old little sister pushed me out of the way of an oncoming vehicle and got run over for her troubles. And then I had to do nothing but look on and watch helplessly as she laid their in pain until the ambulance showed up to get her to the hospital. And from there, all I could do was sit helplessly in the waiting room until some doctors came out to tell me that she flatlined on the friggin' operating table and that whoever hit Marisa with their car ultimately killed her and took her away from me. Do you have ANY idea how traumatic shit like that can be, Slim?" Gaignun said as Slim spoke up with a nod, seeing the look of mixed hurt and grief in Gaignun's eyes and choosing his words carefully as he spoke.

"That's fair, man. I don't think I could handle living through that, truth be told. But you're stronger than I am, so I respect that you're scarred by losing your mom and Mari so close to each other. Hopefully your move to Inaba will be the fresh start you need to start somewhat healing from the pain of losing them. Also, you might have a chance to be a big brother again if you can find your dad and younger half-sister like your mother asked you to. So there's that to be excited about, right?" Slim said as Gaignun nodded and spoke up.

"True that. But apparently, from what Jun and Emilio said, my first step once I get to Inaba should be to head to a talent agency that's just outside of Inaba city limits and ask for an Inoue-san, since apparently he was friends with Jun and Emilio when they lived in Inaba for a time, and would probably be able to help if I tell him that Emilio and Jun sent me to him.

But that's for once I get to Inaba, I think. For now, I need to start getting all my stuff packed and boxed up so it's ready to put in storage. I'm not looking forward to having to leave my motorcycle behind for a time, but I think I can trust you to keep it maintained until Jun and Emilio airlift it to Inaba on their private jet. Can you handle that, Slim?" Gaignun asked as Slim nodded and spoke up.

"For sure. I helped buy you that motorcycle, after all. So of course I can handle maintaining it. You just worry about getting yourself settled in safely once you get to Inaba, Gaignun. That's the most important thing." Slim said as Gaignun nodded and spoke up.

"Fair enough. I should probably get a shower before I get started. So while I do that, you can start packing my stuff for me if you don't mind, Slim. I'll try to be done fast so I can help you finish." Gaignun said decisively as Slim nodded and spoke up.

"Got it. You go get cleaned up, bro. I got this." Slim said as Gaignun nodded, walking down to the hall towards the bathroom.

(A short time later, in the bathroom of the Kusanagi residence, with Gaignun)

After walking into the bathroom and pushing the door closed behind him, Gaignun wasted little time in undressing and looking at himself in the mirror, wincing at how visible the bags were under his eyes from having basically spent the better part of a week flopped down facedown on the loveseat after Marisa's death, sighing as he realized just how badly he'd managed to neglect himself in just a few short days.

After a bit, Gaignun turned on the shower and started washing himself, not hearing the bathroom door quietly open and then close, being focused on enjoying a nice warm shower. The only indication he had of there being someone else in the bathroom was the sounds of clothing hitting the ground, blinking in confusion and peeking his head out of the shower in time for his eyes to widen as he saw Sage finish undressing, gaping as he spoke up in surprise.

"Wait, what the hell!? Why are you getting naked, Sage? Much less trying to get naked when I'm taking a shower in here?" Gaignun asked as Sage smiled and spoke up.

**MORE M-RATED CONTENT STARTS HERE. IF YOU'RE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH SHOWER SCENES AND/OR SMUT, SKIP TO THE SECTION MARKED *END OF M-RATED CONTENT* TO CONTINUE READING, OTHERWISE YOU READ ON PAST THIS WARNING AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! M-RATED STUFF STARTS NOW!**

"I know that. But I figure that it's only fair I get to see you naked since Lily got to see you naked. Besides, you know you like what you're looking at right now." Sage said, smiling sexily as she moved to join Gaignun in the shower, purposely backing up so her ass was flush against Gaignun's crotch, making Gaignun blush as he spoke up.

"I see. Jeez, between you and Lily, this just seems to be a day for me to have pretty women throwing themselves at me. Let me guess, you're going to try and make some point about how I should enjoy myself or some such?" Gaignun asked as Sage smiled and spoke up.

"I mean, Lily wasn't wrong to say you should be allowed to have a bit of pleasant release from your grief, Gaignun. And as far as what you said just now? Just keep in mind you were the one who said that, and not me. Also, Lily was honestly onto something when she said that this doesn't have to mean anything. Besides, I know I've seen you trying not to check me out at least a few times over the years. And I'm nearly positive I saw you looking at us both the day Slim snatched both mine and Lily's bikini tops away and left us to swim around topless for a while. Sure, we managed to hide it for the most part by hugging each other so that our breasts were still at least mostly covered.

Yes, we had to deal with feeling our breasts rub against each other while we hugged, but I'm sure there are worse things that could've happened. And between us? I might or might not've enjoyed that feeling, since Lily has such a nice body. But that was then, and this is now." Sage said with a sexy giggle as she turned around and knelt down so that Gaignun's cock was at her eye level and wrapped her mouth over his length, sucking eagerly on it and making Gaignun shudder in a mix of surprise and involuntary arousal. After Gaignun found his voice, he spoke up with a blush.

"A-Are you sure about this, Sage? I mean, I can't really complain about this given what Lily and I did the other day, but I didn't think you were so forward? Not only that, but I was under the impression you and Lily were both crushing on each other? Or was Marisa mistaken when she told me about the time she walked in to get changed in her bedroom and found you two making out on her bed in your lingerie when she was 9? You probably didn't realize she was there because she quickly turned around and left the room. But still, really? Out of all the places to basically seduce each other, why did you choose my little sister's bedroom, Sage?" Gaignun asked as Sage spoke up, her tongue stroking Gaignun's length, which was still in Sage's mouth, as she spoke.

"To be fair, Lily and I forgot where we were at that point. We were too focused on how much we were enjoying our kiss. The fact that we'd taken most of our clothes off may have been a 'spur of the moment' type of decision on both our parts. At least it sounds like Marisa didn't walk in after Lily pushed me onto the bed and peeled the rest of our clothes off before laying on top of me.

The only reason we didn't go all the way that day was because the shock of feeling another girl laying on me skin-to-skin snapped me to my senses, making us stop what we were doing. But I do feel bad for possibly traumatizing Marisa if she saw us making out. Then again, maybe it got her thinking if she saw myself and Lily, both of whom are girls, making out. But enough about that. I believe we were enjoying this moment, just the two of us?" Sage said as Gaignun spoke up.

"I suppose so. And I do have to admit that it feels good to have your tongue stroking my cock, Sage. Keep going." Gaignun said as Sage nodded and started bobbing her head up and down while using her hands to massage Gaignun's balls, making Gaignun moan as he gently patted Sage on the head as she kept going. After a bit, Gaignun groaned and spoke up.

"Oof, keep going, Sage. I'm getting close. Unless you want me to release in your mouth, make sure you have me aimed where you want me." Gaignun said as Sage giggled, letting Gaignun's cock fall free from her mouth as she aimed his tip at her breasts, using her hands to massage his shaft and balls until Gagnun huskily moaned out Sage's name as he felt himself climax, his seed squirting out onto Sage's breasts, shot after shot of white staining her cleavage.

Once Gaignun had finally finished releasing, Sage giggled and let Gaignun watch as she licked her breasts clean before leaning in to claim Gaignun's lips in her own for a heated kiss, Gaignun eventually returning the kiss as he felt his length brush against Sage's womanhood, making her shudder and moan happily as she spoke up.

"Ooh, there we go. Stick that cock in me, Gaignun. I want to feel you pound my tight freaking pussy, the same way you likely pounded Lily's womanhood. Now take me, Gaignun!" Sage said as Gaignun seemed to hesitate for only a moment before he nodded, backing Sage up against the wall and burying himself inside of Sage up to the hilt, wasting little time in kissing Sage once more.

After he kissed Sage, Gaignun wasted little time in using his tongue to stifle the moans that came from Sage in response to his actions, eagerly thrusting in time with Sage's eager and quite decidedly erotic humping of his crotch, the two going at it like this for quite some time as the shower water washed over their bodies, which went unnoticed by Sage and Gaignun as they made love.

Gaignun then started using his hands to caress and massage Sage's breasts, enjoying the very euphoric moans that Sage gave off in response. Sage giggled as she reached a hand down to deftly swat Gaignun on the ass, making him blink but smirk as he upped the intensity and speed of his thrusts in response. After a bit more thrusting, Sage spoke up.

"Ooh, yes! Keep going. I'm starting to get close, Gaignun!" Sage said as Gaignun spoke up.

"I'm getting fairly close again too." Gaignun said as he started rubbing the nub between Sage's legs with his fingers while thrusting into her, making Sage huskily moan as she spoke up.

"Oof! YESSSSS! I'm comin', Gaignun!" Sage said as she felt herself come undone, her walls clenching on Gaignun's length as she climaxed on him, the feeling of her walls clenching on his length being enough to drive Gaignun to his own release, several more loads shooting out of Gaignun and into Sage's womanhood, making her pant slightly as she felt Gaignun release into her. After a bit, Gaignun's cock slid limply out of Sage's pussy, after which Sage shyly smiled and spoke up while blushing cutely as she looked at Gaignun.

"T-Thank you. That was amazing. You are an amazing lover, Gaignun. U-Um, if it's not too awkward, can we wash each other off while we're in here?" Sage asked shyly as Gaignun spoke up.

"You do realize we've already basically had our hands all over each other since we made love, right? Also, wouldn't that be awkward for us to be washing each other off, especially when I spent so long thinking of you and Lily as sisters? Yet now, I have to accept that you two clearly don't see me as a brother, given how comfortable you both were with basically seducing me. I guess at least it wasn't both of you at once just now? Not sure if this shower could've comfortably fit three of us at once, to be honest." Gaignun said as Sage nodded and spoke up.

"Yeah, that's true. I guess I did push my luck enough getting you to fuck me just now. Very well, let's wash and get dried off." Sage said honestly as Gaignun spoke up with a kind smile.

"Don't beat yourself up, Sage. Yes, it was surprising that you were so keen to have sex with me, but it wasn't that bad. Sure, I'm not really one to just partake of casual, meaningless sex, but I think it was worth it to make exceptions for you and Lily. But I'm probably not going to make a habit of this, since I feel like doing this is not entirely respectful to women. Besides, I get the sense that you and Lily are meant for one another, Sage.

Also, I hope you can understand that I'm hesitant to let anyone else get too close to me, lest they end up like both Mother and Marisa. So thank you for the distraction, but we cannot make a habit of this. I hope you understand." Gaignun said as Sage nodded, hugging Gaignun as the two stepped out of the shower after Gaignun shut the water off, Sage wrapping a towel around herself and fleeing the bathroom so that Gaignun wouldn't see the tears in her eyes at what she viewed as his rejection of her feelings for him.

**M-RATED CONTENT ENDS HERE. STORY CONTINUES FROM HERE IF YOU SKIPPED THE PRECEDING M-RATED SCENES. READ ON FROM HERE!**

After he got dressed in a clean outfit which was a form-fitting crimson muscle shirt, a black short-sleeve button-up T-shirt, worn open to show off his muscle shirt, crimson shorts, and his usual black boots. Once he was dressed, Gaignun made his way to his bedroom, where Slim was waiting while packing up some of Gaignun's stuff. Slim smirked at Gaignun and spoke up.

"Oh, there you are, man. That was a pretty long shower, you know. But you probably needed it." Slim said as Gaignun nodded and spoke up.

"Yep. But to be fair, I wasn't planning on having Sage basically sneak into the bathroom to give me a blowjob and then seduce me into basically fucking her in the shower. Granted, I told her afterwards that she shouldn't make a habit of doing things like that since despite the fact that she's now the second girl I've had basically seduce me into a casual hookup as many weeks, I'm not usually one to casually bring women to bed. I'm usually of the opinion that such things should only be done with girls that one truly cares about.

Besides, given the fact that she all but admitted that she got to base with her, I'm inclined to believe that Sage and Lily might be not only bisexual, but also into one another. Sage also may or may not have confirmed what Marisa told me over the phone last year about catching them all but making love in her bed on her ninth birthday. So make of that what you will." Gaignun said as Slim gasped and spoke up.

"W-Wait, what!? Sage and Lily are into both men and women?" Slim asked as Gaignun nodded and spoke up.

"Yep. But then, I can't say that I blame them, since I probably soured their opinion of men a lot when I basically told them to their faces that I might care for them a lot, but I ultimately didn't reciprocate their romantic feelings for me. But they're not entirely into women, as I can attest to. After all, you know that Lily had sex with me a few days ago." Gaignun said as Slim laughed and spoke up.

"True. And given how red your face is, I'm guessing that you enjoyed your casual hook-ups with Lily and Sage more than you want to admit to. Not that I blame you for feeling that way. After all, you might always claim that you think of them as sisters, but not even you can deny that they're both incredibly attractive. And truth be told, I might have a crush on Sage. Not that I expect her to like me that way, but I still like her." Slim said as Gaignun spoke up with a smile.

"Be patient, Slim. Sage might be preoccupied with Lily at the moment, but I think she'll notice you soon enough if you keep being nice to her and being there for her. Granted, you might have to be okay with the possibility that she might also bring Lily to bed on occasion to fuck her. But I doubt you'd have an issue with that, given you've said more than once you are a huge fan of lesbians." Gaignun said as Slim nodded before speaking up while the two kept packing Gaignun's stuff.

"Of course I am! Can you blame me, Gaignun? What self-respecting man isn't a fan of watching two, or possibly more, naked women roll around in bed together while making out and stuff!? Lesbians are hot! Also, you have a point with what you said about Sage and Lily, bro. But I'm okay with it if Sage wants to mess around with Lily on the side if that makes her happy.

And I understand what you're trying to say. You're saying that I shouldn't give up so easily on my feelings for Sage. Thanks, Gaignun. Hard to believe you're gonna be moving soon, though. It's not going to be the same around here without you. But I understand you have to do what makes you happy." Slim said as Gaignun nodded and spoke up.

"True. Besides, there's nothing stopping me from coming back this way from time to time to visit at some point. So this isn't goodbye forever. Just for the time being, I think. Also, just as there is nothing stopping me from coming back this way to visit, there's also nothing stopping you guys from deciding to come and look me up in Inaba if the chance presents itself for you to do so.

So we don't have to lose contact with one another just because I'm moving far away, Slim. Besides, far be it from me to leave you and the others high and dry like that. That would be incredibly rude of me to disrespect my brothers and sisters in such a way." Gaignun said as Slim nodded and the two continued their packing in silence, trusting Kusano, Ace, Lily, and Sage to handle packing up the stuff that once belonged to the now-deceased Hikari (Kusano and Ace), and Marisa (Lily and Sage), respectively...

(Time skip-3 days later, in a private airstrip near the actors' fellowship that Gaignun had dropped out of, with Gaignun, Slim, Ace, Kusano, Sage, Lily, Jun, Emilio, Clarice, and Aurora)

As the gathered group gazed at the impressive black and red private jet currently being fueled up on the airstrip in front of them, most of the group turned to look at Gaignun, who had a black and dark crimson striped duffel bag slung over one shoulder, wearing his casual winter attire that was comprised of dark grey slacks with a crimson belt that had a black buckle, black lace-up combat boots, a black muscle shirt, a crimson 3/4 sleeve jacket worn open to show his muscle shirt and the chain that Jun and Emilio had given him for his 16th birthday, as well as a simple gold chain with a crimson dragon charm on the end that had little onyx stones embedded in the dragon to be its eyes.

In addition to all of this, the aforementioned outfit was topped off by his usual black studded armbands that had crimson spikes (which had been one of the last gifts his late grandmother had ever gotten him, much like the crimson-framed sunglasses clipped to the front of his muscle shirt that had tinted dark grey lenses and black stripes along the earpieces of the sunglasses had been one of the only, if not THE only, gift that Marisa had ever gotten him.)

Last but not least, Gaignun topped off with his signature back-wards facing crimson pro-fit hat with a giant black 'G' embroidered on the front of the hat with a black circle, and the phrase 'Feung Shui' written on the back in elaborate cursive script across the back of the cap. After Gaignun turned to give the others his attention, Aurora spoke up with a sad sort of smile on her face.

"So, this is it, huh? You're leaving to go to Inaba now?" Aurora asked as she walked forward to hug Gaignun, much to the shock of Clarice and Lily. Gaignun, for his part, simply returned the hug and gently patted Aurora comfortingly on the head as he spoke up.

"Technically, the plane still has to be fueled up first, Aurora. And I'm obviously not leaving without letting you all say goodbye first. So while that is the eventual plan, we're not rushing straight into it, I think. But even then, you don't need to cry, little one. Even if I'm not right next door to you any longer, as long as you never forget the friendship we've forged over our time as neighbors, or at least pseudo-friendship, then we'll always be connected to some extent. Besides, I'll try to make my way back this way every so often to visit you guys.

And if it comes to it, you can always come out to Inaba and visit with some of the others, provided your mother gives her permission for it. So this isn't goodbye forever. Just for a while. So don't cry. I know we'll see each other again someday. Try to see me off with a smile if you can, yeah? I know you have a very adorable smile, and I'd much rather not have the last memory I have of your face for a while be you getting all weepy-eyed if I can help it." Gaignun said as Aurora giggled into Gaignun's shirt and spoke up, amused by Gaignun's attempt to try and cheer her up with a joke.

"Good point. It's just difficult, that's all. First I had to say goodbye to Marisa when she passed away last month, and now I'm having to see my psuedo-big brother off. I think I'm allowed to be a little sad about that." Aurora said as Gaignun nodded and spoke up.

"That's fair. But hopefully you can at least see me off with a smile. If need be, you can always cry for me once I've left on the plane. But in all seriousness, stay strong for me, Aurora. You know there'll always be a place for you in my heart, little sister." Gaignun said as Aurora smiled while hugging Gaignun once more and moving back to stand by her mother. Afterwards, Emilio spoke up.

"Be safe in Inaba, Gaignun. And remember what Jun and I told you. You might have a lot of hateful comments and prejudice tossed at you due to how much dishonor and disgrace the likes of Ryuroni and Benimaru Kusanagi have brought to the once-honored Kusanagi clan, but you shouldn't let that get you down. If nothing else, you will eventually prove them all wrong about all Kusanagis being the same type of scum that Ryuroni and Benimaru Kusanagi were. Sure, you have the misfortune of being the grandson of the former of those two who I named, and the great-grandson of the latter, but I've not seen you let that define you thus far, and I doubt you'll start to do so now.

Also, don't forget to seek out Inoue-san. He runs a talent agency in Inaba, and the rumor is that his agency has scouted a number of high-profile idols in recent years, including a couple of up-and-comers called Kanamin and Risette. Maybe you'll meet one or both of them while you're waiting to meet Inoue-san, since you'll likely have to sit in the waiting room and wait for a while to get seen by him. But I'm sure you'll manage.

Don't forget to tell him that Jun and Emilio sent you, since that should encourage him to treat you right. And most of all, stay safe and keep your chin up. I may have only been your agent for a few years, but you've been one of the most talented and exceptional people I've had the pleasure to manage. Jun and I will miss you so much, but we know this is best for you. Go forth and spread your wings, son." Emilio said as he hugged Gaignun, whose jaw had dropped slightly on hearing Emilio call him 'son'. While Gaignun was in shock at Emilio calling him 'son', Sage and Lily took turns hugging him, both of them kissing him on the cheek as well. Afterwards, Ace approached Gaignun and spoke up.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now, man. Hopefully you take care of yourself. We might butt heads at times, but I still have your back, bro. All of us do. And for what it's worth, I really am sorry about what I said about Marisa before. I shouldn't have been talking about your sister the way I was. My bad, man. I hope we're cool?" Ace said as Gaignun smiled and pulled Ace into a one-armed manly hug before he spoke up.

"Yeah, we're cool. I'm sorry too, bro. I shouldn't have tried to hit you. I just mishandled that situation horribly all the way around that day, even if I was grieving at the time. So I think we both messed up that day." Slim said as Kusano smiled and spoke up.

"Heh, it's about damn time you two made up. I was starting to wonder if we'd have to do an intervention. But in all seriousness, good luck with your new start, Gaignun. All of us wish you the very best. Have fun and stay safe out there, brother." Kusano said as he fist-bumped Gaignun, who returned the fist-bump and pulled Kusano into the same one-armed manly hug he'd pulled Ace into. At that point, Slim spoke up.

"I think Kusano and Emilio summed up what I wanted to say quite well, but I'll also add that we'll always be here for you, so don't be shy about reaching out to us if you need anything. Take care of yourself, though." Slim said as Gaignun nodded and hugged Slim as he spoke up.

"You got it, bro. I'll be sure to keep in touch to the best of my ability once I'm settled in. But that might take me some time, dependent on how long it takes to sort out a place to live and track down my father and half-sister. But I appreciate you all being out here to see me off. I love that even Clarice and Aurora came out to see me off. They didn't have to do that." Gaignun said as Clarice smiled and spoke up.

"Of course we did. Your little sister was my daughter's best friend when she was alive, and you've been great about comforting her since Marisa passed. So of course we're gonna come see you off. If nothing else, Aurora would've been mad at me if we didn't come see her psuedo-big brother off." Clarice said as Jun spoke up.

"I think everyone else has said what I wanted to say and then some. So I'll keep it simple and say thank you for everything. You were an incredible addition to the fellowship. And even if Emilio didn't want to acknowledge it, he and I were both very aware that even if you never outright said so, you probably started to see us as father figures of a sort after a while, and to be honest? Neither of us mind it in the slightest if you do feel that way.

With that having been said, I truly feel terrible for you that things ended the way they did for your time there, but things happen for a reason, I suppose. Take care out there and do your best to fulfill your mom's final wish and live your best life so that when the time comes that you see her and Marisa again, you can greet them with a proud smile on your face. But with any luck, that day won't come for a VERY long time. RIGHT, GAIGNUN!?" Jun said, his voice gaining an almost scary level of steel near the end of his words which made Gaignun nod fearfully and speak up.

"Yes, Jun. I'll be safe. I know I had that brief phase where I scared you all by shutting myself up inside the house alone, but I've learned my lesson. But I appreciate that you care enough about me to take me to task for that. And thank you for all you did for me while I was at the fellowship. Both you and Emilio were nothing but incredible to me during that time, and I appreciate it immensely from the bottom of my heart. If nothing else, I'll never forget either of you. So thank you for being there." Gaignun said as he hugged Jun, who smiled and returned the hug before stepping back with the others as the pilot of the jet came out and spoke up.

"Sorry to interrupt the emotional farewell, but the jet's all fueled-up and ready to go. So if you're ready, let's get you on board so you can get to your new start." The pilot said as Gaignun nodded and turned to the others as he spoke up.

"Well, this is it, everyone. Thank you all for seeing me off, and I'll see you around hopefully. Goodbye and I love you all." Gaignun said, waving once more to the group before disappearing onto the jet with the pilot, after which Gaignun had enough time to find a seat and sit down as the jet slowly started taking off, eventually flying off into the distance as Gaignun's friends waved him off, waiting until the jet was off in the distance to walk away together, all hoping Gaignun made the most of his new start...

TO BE CONTINUED/END OF CHAPTER

A/N: And there we go, part 1 of the first Interlude is in the books! I wasn't planning on splitting it originally, but given what else I have planned for the first Interlude, it made sense to split it into two parts. Mind you, there's a fairly good chance that this will be the only Interlude that gets split like this (Unless I decide to do what I did in Rise of the Monarchs and make the final Interlude a multi-part Interlude, but we'll see what happens there, I think.)

Anyways, let's talk about the second part of this Interlude, yeah? The second part will have Gaignun's arrival in Inaba, and show the starts of his time there. For previewing purposes, there may or may not be an early cameo by a certain mid-game party member in the next chapter, along with possibly an appearance by one of the current Investigation Team members near the end of the next chapter. You'll have to wait for the next chapter to see what I mean by that. Hopefully that will do it for previews and stuff.

For now, let me take this chance to thank everyone who's read this far into the story, as your support and continued viewing of my work is greatly appreciated! Furthermore, anyone who's left reviews on the story is also appreciated, as all feedback is accepted and welcomed as a means to improve myself as a fanfiction writer. So don't be shy about leaving a review below (or PMing me if you prefer that over reviews) with any thoughts/suggestions/constructive criticism on this story, and I will do my best to reply to any such reviews/PMs in a timely manner once I receive the PMs. I enjoy hearing from my readers and interacting with them, so don't be shy about reaching out!

And until the next chapter, sithlorde1988 out!