[Persona 3] 'Last Midnight' (Minato+Aegis, gen)
More fic I wrote ages ago. This was originally supposed to be part of a longer story but it stands pretty well on it's own. Also, I'm never going to finish it.
SPOILERS FOR THE "BAD" ENDING OF PERSONA 3.
Basically, the idea behind the original fic was: "what if everyone didn't forget as well as Ryouji guessed in the bad ending?". And, of course, what if our favorite silent protagonist didn't forget at all.
Last Midnight
Cephied Variable
He walks into Tartarus the night after Graduation. He's almost surprised to see it. Igor's key is still in his pocket, but he can't find the Velvet Room anymore (he knows it's foolish, but he checks every single time Yukari and Junpei drag him to the mall). He doesn't bother with the transporter- he walks to top on his own. Every floor, every staircase, with nothing but his silent mp3 player for company (he keeps the earphones on regardless- it's better than the hollow echo of his footsteps). The shadows don't try to attack him anymore. They stop as he passes, drift to the sides of the walls and watch him warily with what may be reverence (you handed them victory, didn't you Minato?).
He's decided to stay there until it's over. The Dark Hour won't end for him again. He tries to time how long it takes him to reach the last block, but loses count quickly. It's been longer than an hour, he knows. It's been days on the outside world- by now, Junpei and Yukari are probably panicking. By now Mitsuru-senpai is considering calling the police.
In a week, they'll have disappeared too.
He's never been to the top of the tower before. He's almost expecting to see Ryouji waiting for him, but knows he isn't that lucky. Instead, Aegis stands in the center of the floor, her head tilted slightly towards the sky like she's having a conversation with it.
"I thought you had forgotten." she says, not looking at him.
Minato takes off his headphones and tosses his mp3 player to the side, "I thought I would forget." he replies bitterly, "Ryouji told me that I would."
Finally, Aegis inclines her gaze in his direction, eyes gone wide with simulated sympathy (her simulated sympathy might be the most sincere emotion he's seen in months), "I do not think that Ryouji mislead you intentionally," she begins, "Perhaps your intimate relationship with this series of events has rendered you incapable of forgetting."
Minato sighs deep in his chest, "Probably," he agrees thoughtlessly. What's he thinking about is Pharos' contract. What he's thinking about is Igor's words.
(You handed over the world, Arisato. You must accept the responsibilities of your actions, whatever course you take. Isn't that what he said?)
He laughs weakly and crumples to his knees, drawing his arms up around himself. Aegis regards him wordlessly for a moment, and then comes to sit beside him.
"Will you fight?" she wonders.
He shakes his head, "Maybe. Probably not. I-I don't know." he rubs his eyes tiredly. It's been days inside these hours, "What can I do?"
"You can wait." Aegis says calmly. Her voice isn't as cold as it used to be and it's the only comfort Minato has in the entire world. He shifts closer to her without thinking about it. If she were a real human, he'd feel warmth when his shoulder bumps against hers innocently. Instead, he hears the soft hum of grinding machinery as she wraps her arm around him.
"Will you wait with me?" he asks softly. He already knows the answer, but he needs to hear it.
"Of course. I will be by your side always."
Word Count: 522
SPOILERS FOR THE "BAD" ENDING OF PERSONA 3.
Basically, the idea behind the original fic was: "what if everyone didn't forget as well as Ryouji guessed in the bad ending?". And, of course, what if our favorite silent protagonist didn't forget at all.
Last Midnight
Cephied Variable
He walks into Tartarus the night after Graduation. He's almost surprised to see it. Igor's key is still in his pocket, but he can't find the Velvet Room anymore (he knows it's foolish, but he checks every single time Yukari and Junpei drag him to the mall). He doesn't bother with the transporter- he walks to top on his own. Every floor, every staircase, with nothing but his silent mp3 player for company (he keeps the earphones on regardless- it's better than the hollow echo of his footsteps). The shadows don't try to attack him anymore. They stop as he passes, drift to the sides of the walls and watch him warily with what may be reverence (you handed them victory, didn't you Minato?).
He's decided to stay there until it's over. The Dark Hour won't end for him again. He tries to time how long it takes him to reach the last block, but loses count quickly. It's been longer than an hour, he knows. It's been days on the outside world- by now, Junpei and Yukari are probably panicking. By now Mitsuru-senpai is considering calling the police.
In a week, they'll have disappeared too.
He's never been to the top of the tower before. He's almost expecting to see Ryouji waiting for him, but knows he isn't that lucky. Instead, Aegis stands in the center of the floor, her head tilted slightly towards the sky like she's having a conversation with it.
"I thought you had forgotten." she says, not looking at him.
Minato takes off his headphones and tosses his mp3 player to the side, "I thought I would forget." he replies bitterly, "Ryouji told me that I would."
Finally, Aegis inclines her gaze in his direction, eyes gone wide with simulated sympathy (her simulated sympathy might be the most sincere emotion he's seen in months), "I do not think that Ryouji mislead you intentionally," she begins, "Perhaps your intimate relationship with this series of events has rendered you incapable of forgetting."
Minato sighs deep in his chest, "Probably," he agrees thoughtlessly. What's he thinking about is Pharos' contract. What he's thinking about is Igor's words.
(You handed over the world, Arisato. You must accept the responsibilities of your actions, whatever course you take. Isn't that what he said?)
He laughs weakly and crumples to his knees, drawing his arms up around himself. Aegis regards him wordlessly for a moment, and then comes to sit beside him.
"Will you fight?" she wonders.
He shakes his head, "Maybe. Probably not. I-I don't know." he rubs his eyes tiredly. It's been days inside these hours, "What can I do?"
"You can wait." Aegis says calmly. Her voice isn't as cold as it used to be and it's the only comfort Minato has in the entire world. He shifts closer to her without thinking about it. If she were a real human, he'd feel warmth when his shoulder bumps against hers innocently. Instead, he hears the soft hum of grinding machinery as she wraps her arm around him.
"Will you wait with me?" he asks softly. He already knows the answer, but he needs to hear it.
"Of course. I will be by your side always."
Word Count: 522