So I was thinking about this because I'm tired of the Aigis fanboys/fangirls. No, just kidding. It's an idea that has been swimming in my mind for quite some time and has nothing to do with Aigis - well, she will still be there but you get the drift... enjoy :)

The Path Less Traveled

~ Burn My Dread (The Prologue) ~

"I will stop you, for it is my duty!"

A six-year-old Minato Arisato just stared as a strange blonde girl was attempting to battle some even weirder being, which let out an animalistic roar that made the little bluenette realize that - whatever it was - it was not human. When it seemed to raise a stick-like object it was holding, the girl clanched her teeth as her eyes swapt over the area, those blue eyes widening when she saw him.

"I... have no choice..."

But before she could do anything or even before he could comprehend what was going to happen to him, the weird thing let out another roar as it's eyes flashed a bright red before it vanished.

The flames surronding his family's car and the blue eyes of the girl as she ran towards him were the last things he saw before he collapsed.

~ x ~

"Last stop... I repeat... last stop is Iwatodai Station..."

The teen sat in the nearly empty compartment as the woman's mechanical voice announced his stop. The left side of his earphones dropped out of his ear as he looked out of the window, seeing the beautiful island enter his sights. As he checked his watch to see what time it was, the train suddenly lurched to a stop, the voice speaking again.

"Last stop, Iwatodai Station. Please, ensure that you have all your belongings with you."

Minato picked up his things (he didn't have that many to begin with) as he exited the train, looking around the deserted area as he put the earphone back into his ear, when everything stopped working and started to colour into a sickly green.

"Hmm?"

Amused, the teen just kept walking, for this hour 'hidden' every day of his life ever since that night was completely normal to him. It was midnight and he was late. That simply wouldn't do as his trugged among the coffins, softly whispering the words to his favorite song as he did.

Somehow, he managed to get to the dorm without using any transportation. Staring up at the tall building, he felt a small chill run down his spine as he reached out for the door's handle.

"Don't be afraid." a strange boy in a stripped, prisoner-like outfit spoke to him as soon as he entered the green lounge. "This contract just bides you to your actions, as you well know, Minato..."

The boy's tone grew playful as the older one took the pen from him and wrote down his name:

'Minato Arisato'

~ x ~

After what felt like hours, he finally heard someone's voice, long after Pharos (what the strange boy told him to call him) had dissappeared.

"Who is there!?" a brunette walked down the stairs from a floor above, narrowing her chesnut eyes at him in something akin to fright. "Who are you? It can't be...!?" she reached out for the gun that was strapped at right side.

"Don't!" an older voice nearly snapped as a red-haired girl - clearly older than them - joined them, admonishing the brunette as the green returned back to it's normal colours. "Welcome to the dorm." she smiled at him. "I am Mitsuru Kirijo. And this is Yukari Takeba. You must be our new exchange student."

"Is he?" the other girl - Yukari, he presumed - blinked before gazing at him again. "Hi, I'm Yukari..."

"I know." he spoke, amusement in his voice. "Kirijo-senpai just said so."

The brunette flushed at that but before she or Mitsuru could speak again, Minato did. Again. He really should feel bad about interrupting their clearly rehearsed speech but he couldn't find it in him to do so.

"Why do you have a gun?"

"H-huh? I ... uh..." he didn't miss her shooting a look towards the redhead, who answered Yukari's cry for help.

"It's for self-defense. You know how it is these days..."

"I do..." his eyes narrowed lightly at the forced smiles the two of them were giving him. "... where is my room?"

"Oh yes! Takeba, show him to his room, please." with that being said, Mitsuru left them be, vanishing upstairs again as the brunette sweatdropped before nodding, putting her gun away as she did.

"Let's go..." she led him upstairs to the second floor and then to the end of the short hallway. "... your room is right here. Easy to remember since it's at the end, isn't it?"

"Yeah..." Minato opened the door and gazed in. It was simple and clean. Just as he prefered it. "... I won't tell anyone about the coffins or everything turning green, before you stutter about that."

Yukari gaped at him as he shut the door in her face. He needed his rest and would likely be nicer to her tomorrow when he wasn't dead tired from his trip. For now, he needed his rest and prayed to whatever God still liked him out there that Pharos would let him have a good night's sleep that evening.

He didn't. But at least it wasn't Pharos' fault. This time around.

So yes... some differences to the original plot ;)

Minato remembers what happened that night from the start. Is he aware about who Pharos is? I will let you guys be the judges of that ... however, he is very much aware of the Dark Hour and his potential (as otherwise he figured he would be a coffin too so there must be something 'special' about him, after all)

Thank you for reading and I hope you keep reading! :D