(Untitled)
[Aigis was relatively innocent of the dark under(and sometimes over)ground of the Mushroom Kingdom. Mostly, that was thanks to Minato. She had no clue, of course, the extent of his desire--nor his efforts--to protect her. Her powers never exploited, her body never examined, she simply thought she was "lucky
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No, after having his mind scrambled in a way that managed to make his persona scream he'd been sent out on the streets to make a delivery of his own, only to be cornered by several thugs. With his mind not where it should be, he'd been an easy target for them.
Minato doesn't remember much of the incident. All he knows now is his hair hurts and his limbs are cold and oh God, who will look after Aigis if he dies here? There's so much blood around, it's all he can focus on even as he shifts to the side and accidentally tips over a trash can, causing quite the ruckus in the alley he had just been unconscious in.]
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She first thought to ignore the clattering the fallen trash can made as she passed the alley. She had no time for meaningless distractions--but that was the robot in her, the part of her she struggled against every day in order to retain humanity--and this could cause a great deal of time to be lost. After glancing at her current path for a moment, she entered the alley with nearly silent footsteps, halting her mechanical breath, making sure six-shot was in perfect working condition.
A moment passed as mechanical eyes targeted the living being not twenty feet from her. And her robotic stature collapsed, leaving her rushing forward.]
Minato-san?! ( ... )
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No.
Nononononononono! Not her! Anyone but her! She didn't need to see him like this! She'd seen him die once, she didn't need to see it again. Not in an alley somewhere bleeding to death. Even if the thought of dying with her close like before is an appealing thought, it's selfish. She shouldn't--this isn't--it's too--dammit! Why can't he keep his thoughts together like last time?
He focuses on her face, trying to smile even though he knows it'll hurt her. Oh well. Too late now. He can afford to be a little selfish, right?
There's a shower of blue sparks as she summons her persona and, instead of a smile, he looks confused. Did her persona evolve in the interim where they'd been separated or....
A light chuckle escapes him then. Of course.]
You.... met Elizabeth....?
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She holds her breath, silent for a moment, trying to compose herself. The last thing he needs to hear right now is her crying.
But her tears are in her voice as she speaks, anyway.]
And Igor, yes. We all did... a-after you...
[No. She won't think about that. She won't. She won't think of the monster that took his form, that she destroyed and watched peel away... She won't think of the pain she felt when she realized his body was doing that as they fought. She won't think of the door that held her regrets, she won't think of giving up hope despite that he died for her.
But she does. And an almost whimper escapes her lips, unable to draw it back.]
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Very much like what Mewtwo had put him through just before sending him out. For a brief moment, Minato wonders if the punishment isn't the beating he received, but Aigis finding him. He's psychic after all. No, not omnipotent, but he had a brain. Mewtwo had to know Minato would fall in his mental state and then Aigis would come for him. After all, he knew for a fact Minato never wanted Aigis to come across him while on the job. It was how he kept Minato on such a short leash, after all.
Then, she whimpered and Minato can't help curling towards her. Even if he goes back to that pain--wasn't there some relief before he came here? And a sense that his friends were there, protecting him for a change?--he couldn't bare it if he knew she was sad. It had hurt the first time he'd seen her cry; why he'd vowed to never let her cry over ( ... )
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She holds him close, cradling him delicately, as if she might break him. And goodness knows she can.]
I went there, alone, first. Igor said I had forged a contract by accepting the wild card ability. I... am sorry I didn't tell you... I didn't know if you would be upset... that I share your power, now... or that I had inherited it, when you... passed.
[She speaks without thinking of the words that are actually coming out. She doesn't care what she's saying, more ( ... )
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Did you.... did you see a blue butterfly, too?
[Normally he's quiet, but he has to keep talking, keep talking to Aigis. He won't die again. Not like this. Not freezing in a back alley with his own blood pooling around him.]
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I saw it that day... on the rooftop.
[Her thumb absentmindedly strokes his cheek. It's a familiar gesture, one that always comforted her. Her other arm is still wrapped around him, firmly, as if to prove that she will not let him go this time, no matter what.]
Why didn't you tell us? You... do not always have to do things alone.
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[Like this he finds he can't lie to her. His head is foggy and still spinning, his limbs weak, but.... oddly he was beginning to feel warm again and not because Aigis was so close.
The Diarahn?]
Since.... with most of it, I.... I didn't want to burden you guys. [That has to be the most honest statement he's said in a long while next to his comments about how good Aigis is with Pokemon. It's true. He never thought his own problems were as important as everyone else's. Helping others helped him sort himself out.
But had that been the wrong thing to do?]
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[A burden? Aigis almost laughs. Minato-san? A burden to her? It's the silliest thing he's ever said. If anything, she's been a burden to him. She had locked Death away inside of him, caused trouble for him at every turn, fallen in battle more than once, nearly killed not only him but all of SEES... had been broken when he could have needed her the most.
Had failed to protect him.
She smiles, almost a laugh. And with the smile falls one or two tears she's been holding back. Had he really never realized how important he'd been to all of them?]
You were never a burden to any of us... we... all wondered why you'd never spoken up, when we discovered all of this. Isn't that what friends... are for?
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Sorry. I-I wanted to tell you, only.... only by the time it felt like I could....
[Why is he so hesitant. It's Aigis. No matter what; she won't judge him.]
....no one remembered. [His voice slips an octave as he says this. That part hurt the most. He'd even reverted back to old habits unintentionally--music blasting at top volume in his ears; barely speaking a word; sleeping all day; eating--okay, the eating all the time had stayed the same, but still! Minato had never felt quite as alone as he had in that time period. The only thing keeping him from throwing up his hands and requesting a transfer to yet another school to run away from the pain again had been the hope that, somehow ( ... )
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[That month was the worst month Aigis had ever experienced until that point. No one knew her, they'd all forgotten everything they had done...
And unlike Junpei, Yukari and the rest, previous to SEES, Aigis had no one.]
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[And, with slowly returning energy, he reaches up and hugs her tight. Is he.... crying?]
I'm sorry. I tried to--I'm sorry. [How badly did Mewtwo wreck his head that he can't stop now that he's started?]
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--and it took Aigis and himself suddenly appearing in this place to do it. This isn't just the remembrance of the past, but how he'd been behaving ever since they'd began staying in the Center and fallen in with Mewtwo for their keep.
He draws back, trying to scrub the tears from his face before he realizes how bloody his sleeve is. Healing spells are good for injuries and can replenish HP blood over time, but they can't draw blood back into the body once it's already been spilled.
They're being honest now. Aigis will ask questions later and he isn't sure where would be safe. He takes a deep steadying breath.]
Aigis: I need to tell you something--how I wound up like this.
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... You do not have to explain. [Aigis understands secrets. She has a few of her own.
She glances back to the street.] And it could be dangerous to speak here.
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