AN: This is a silly story that I thought of last week and wanted to take to completion. Tell me what you thought of it! And if anyone wants to make a version with the P4 cast that would be something I'd like to see! -WN

Minato was surprised that the weirdest moments of his life were still provided by his friends, instead of the supernatural tower of monsters that emerged from his high school every night.

This incident began as the day ended, with the wild card arriving at his dormitory, idly wondering if a complete mastery of light magic was worth having to cultivate a friendship with a food obsessed cultist.

"Ugh, Junpei, you are such a pervert."

No mistaking Yukari there. It was a pretty standard conversation at this point, and Minato had almost made his way across the common room quickly enough to avoid a pointless debate until-

"Minato-kun, hey!" Junpei called desperately. The bluenette flinched. "C'mon and help me out here."

Sighing, he turned straight on his heel and skulked towards the single-cushioned couch, sinking deep into its recesses. "Junpei, I'm not defending you stealing the girl's laundry."

"W-What, hey man, not cool!" The taller boy garbled, snapping his head back to Yukari with an apologetic smile. Her frown and accompanying huff showed his efforts got him nowhere. "That totally didn't happen. Seriously!" Seeing her arched eyebrow, he rubbed his eyes in exasperation. "Listen leader, you need to back me up on this."

"This being?" Minato asked, incredibly sceptical.

Yukari flushed pink, but Junpei carried on regardless. "I was asking Yuka-tan here if girls, well, y'know…"

He narrowed his eyes. "If what?"

"If they…" He repeated, then shook his head. "C'mon man, don't make me say it."

"You might have to."

"Agh. Okay," He tried again, "You know; you're alone in your room, it's been a long day, so you kick back and relax with-"

"Sleep?"

"Well, you might after-"

"Video games? The internet? A movie?"

"They might be involved."

Minato sat straighter, truly perplexed now. They might be involved? What does that even mean? He looked at Yukari for help, and her face, a deep red focused on her feet told him everything he needed to know. "Oh… OH!" Junpei nodded seriously, and Yukari's cheeks rose a few degrees in temperature. "Um," Minato stuttered, "Of course they do?"

Junpei turned back to Yukari, extending an arm to their leader. "See, it was easy enough for him to say, why can't you?"

"Because-" Yukari choked, glaring back at him. "You're such a dumbass Stupei."

Aware Yukari could go off at any second, Minato was hoping he could engineer a hasty exit. "So was that all you wanted to know?"

"No, I knew that, duh, I'm not a moron!" Junpei huffed. "What she didn't let to even get to asking was…" He clammed up mid-sentence.

"Not this again." Minato muttered.

As the other boy tried to find his words, Yukari's voice sliced through the air. "What, Stupei?"

"How…" He gulped. "Often?"

Minato rubbed his face. How did today turn into this? Yukari likewise was reduced to an almost incomprehensible squeal. "How… Often?!"

"It's not a big deal!" Junpei insisted to the blonde, whose breathing has become rather laboured. "I was just wondering-"

"Why?" She snarled, wrapping her arms around herself. "And why the hell would I tell you? Who do you think you are, asking about stuff like that?"

"In fairness," Minato cut in, diffusing the exchange, "being inquisitive is actually an improvement for him."

"Thanks man- Hey!" His smug smile dropped, and he refocused on the now smirking Yukari. "So are you gonna tell us or not?"

Once again the focus was on her, and she was not happy about it. "Of course I'm not! Would you tell me about your… habits?"

Surprisingly, it was Minato who piped up. "If you said yours first, sure."

"Oh god," Yukari blanched, "Not you too Arisato." He simply shrugged in his chair, while Junpei stroked his wispy chin. "Not today boys, I am leaving."

She tried to stand and walk away from the farce, but Junpei stood also, holding up a finger and blocking her exit. "Wait Yuka-tan, I've got it!"

"I hope it's not infectious," She murmured loudly.

"Listen, I saw this on TV once," ("Of course," Minato commented.) "So there were these guys, and they wanted to test each other's habits, so they made a bet."

"What bet?" Minato asked, "Guess what days people have done it?"

Junpei waved off the idea. "No no no, basically we see who can go the longest, without it I mean."

"I see," he considered, impressed by the elegance of the proposal. They would get the information they wanted, in a roundabout way, without thing getting unnecessarily specific and creepy. "I'm game."

"Yes!" Junpei punched the air emphatically. "C'mon, Yuka-tan, I mean you already have an advantage-"

"Shut up Iori!" She stared longingly at the steps across the room, for escape from this circus, but a pragmatic part of her knew what Junpei said was true. A part of her that also loved long shopping sprees at Paulownia mall. "Alright, I'm in." She said quietly. "But!" She declared before Junpei could celebrate. "We're betting all of this week's allowance, and next week's."

The boy's jaws dropped. Living without parental supervision, Mitsuru's weekly handouts were their food, their entertainment, their everything. "Yukari, we can't-"

"Eighty percent." Minato offered. The losers would be living on instant ramen for a fortnight, but he was pretty confident he wouldn't be one of them. He was a shadow slayer, the leader of the team! Surely he had the willpower to suppress some small urges, right?

"Deal." Yukari agreed, striding over to Minato to shake his hand firmly. "I'd shake your hand too Stupei, but I imagine with your habits I'd rather not."

"Lay off already!" Junpei snapped, rubbing his head. "Wait," he thought aloud, "How are we gonna keep this fair? Wouldn't exactly be hard to lie about this."

Minato placed a hand over his heart. "On my honour." Junpei copied his leader, as did Yukari, though with more than a hint of irony. "Also, you've just consented to a mind-probe by Fuuka-chan in case of any doubts."

As the standing pair recoiled in horror, they were startled by another voice behind them. "Mind probe? What are you guys talking about?"

They turned to see Akihiko, his sports gear drenched in sweat, with a towel around his neck. "Nothing," Yukari said quickly.

"We've made a bet!" Junpei said excitedly, much more blasé about the trial they had set themselves.

"Interesting," their senpai nodded, wiping his brow, "What kind of bet?"

"A test of strength!" Junpei answered, flexing his biceps, feeling small when he realised he was doing that in front of Akihiko's more than considerable pair.

"That sounds fun!" he replied enthusiastically. "Can I get in on this?"

"Well, um, ah," Junpei tried, back to floundering over his words, "You see, the thing is…"

"Sure, he can take part," Minato decided, standing up, and heading for his room. "You've gotta explain the bet though."

"Wait-"

"Yeah, good look with that," Yukari agreed, heading to her own room, already planning her impending purchases, funded now by three whole idiots.

Junpei and Akihiko were left alone in the common room, the elder looking at his underclassman expectantly. "Crap," Junpei cursed. "Alright, so I was asking Yukari if girls, well, y'know…"

The bet was rapidly approaching the twenty-four hour mark, and Minato was feeling just fine. It was frustrating, he knew any other time he'd be running completely cold, but now with a restriction placed upon him, he could feel it bubbling in the recesses of his mind. While the feeling was more than manageable for now, he was acutely aware that he might have bitten off more than he could chew.

Keeping his mind occupied was his primary concern, and wandering round the city seemed like the best way to avoid any unbearably attractive high school girls. He even popped around to the book store, partially to strengthen the recently neglected bond he had with the owners, with the added bonus of being the least sexy shop in town. Waving as he left the couple, he wondered if he still had time to catch a movie, something intensely morbid perhaps, or brain numbing.

On a bench near the cinema, he saw Junpei, bathing in the orange hue of sundown, with some textbook in his hand. Minato would have walked over, asked him how he was, well, doing, and teased him for good measure that he of all people was studying, but he saw a stranger sight still. Standing behind a nearby pillar, hands in pockets, wrapped in shadow, was Shinjiro.

It was close to the brooding mystery's seedy alley hideout sure, but it was still rare to see him in the open. Minato walked over to him, and tilted his head. Shinjiro looked up. "Shinjiro-senpai," Minato started, "Don't usually see you around…"

His shoulder was roughly grabbed, and he was pulled deeper in the shadow. "Get in here, dumbass, he might see us." The taller boy narrowed his eyes. "And I told you guys to quit with the 'senpai' crap, it's just Shinji. Got it?"

"Alright Shinji," Minato replied with disinterest, "but who might see us?" He leant out from the pillar, spying the vicinity. "Junpei?"

"Yeah, that's right," Shinji said gruffly, to the other's surprise, "I got some business with him."

"Business?" He repeated curiously. "Are you guys fighting? I didn't even know you talked."

Shinji exhaled, seemingly trying to come to a decision. "Alright," He said eventually, "Guess you kinda benefit from this so there's no harm. I know about your dumb bet."

Minato's brow lifted. It was a little embarrassing other people knew, but he was more worried about how Yukari would react to that than his own pride. "Akihiko told you I'm guessing?"

"No, you dumbasses just manage to have dumb conversations while I'm still in the kitchen."

"Ah." We should really be more careful, he thought. Wait… "Why were you hiding in the kitchen? You'd have to be crouched underneath the counter for us not to see you."

Panic flashed across the usually muted features of his senior. "I was making- Uh- I just didn't want to talk to you morons."

"Right," Minato rolled his eyes. Fuuka had sworn him to secrecy over their senpai's secret cooking habit, so he wasn't going to the press the issue. "Still, doesn't explain your sudden interest in Junpei-kun."

Shinji peered out from the pillar, and, satisfied, checked his watch. "I saw a chance for an easy wager, so I mentioned it to someone." Minato's eyes widened. "I bet Iori would be the first to break."

Minato chuckled. He wondered who his senpai had made the bet with, but the way he had sidestepped that reveal showed Minato that prying would get him nowhere. "I feel like the odds are completely your favour here." Junpei was his friend, sure, but he was still Junpei. When he woke up this morning he was expecting to find his friend's stake on the common room coffee table already.

"They thought so too," Shinji noted, "So they said he had to give up before even the first day."

Minato nodded. "That's fair. But how is you stalking the guy gonna help you win?"

The taller boy held his watch up to Minato's eyes. "You'll see, in three, two..."

Leaning from their hiding spot, they could see another distinctive figure, on cue, walking towards the bench. With brilliantly white clothing, it was a girl he had seen around, and the outfit made an impression on him every time he saw her. She sat next to Junpei, who was suddenly a lot more animated. "I still don't see-"

"Shhh." Shinji ordered. They watched as the girl brought out a book, maybe a sketchbook looking at the proportions, and the pair talked. All of a sudden, the girl wrapped her arms around his friend, before quickly gathering her things and leaving Junpei frozen in place. "And for the finishing touch," Shinjiro murmured, pulling a rolled-up magazine from his pocket and rolling the cylinder it towards their dormmate. "Now we wait."

Junpei was frozen, before the euphoria had fully taken root, and rushed through his whole body. He punched the air. "Hell yes!" He shouted, to the confusion of some passers-by. Chidori had actually hugged him! She had also been a lot friendlier- well, a little less hostile at least. She must actually like me! He thought serenely. Though I gotta admit it was weird she was acting being cosy all of a sudden… He pushed that out of his mind forcefully. It was just because he was Junpei Iori, debonair hero of charm and seduction!

He couldn't study now (not that he was doing much of a good job earlier), he was gonna take a walk, and appreciate the beauty of this wonderful world! He stood and turned right, looking down when his foot kicked something unexpected. He knelt down to throw away what he thought was litter, but he realised what he had in his hands was a magazine, held together with a rubber band. Without the foresight to think, he removed the band, letting the glossy paper unfurl in his hands, where he was greeted with a certain type of image.

It was one of those magazines.

He wanted to throw it away. He knew everyone was expecting him to break first (He was studying precisely to shut his brain down) and dammit he wanted to prove them wrong! But his eyes were fixed on the cover, and his brain kept replaying how it felt for Chidori to be so close to him, what she smelled like, how her hair brushed on his skin…

Junpei snapped his head to both directions. "Shit," he muttered, stuffing the magazine into his jacket and scarpering off somewhere.

Shinji stepped out of the shadows, nodding once in approval of his own genius. Minato joined him. "Guessing Junpei likes that girl?"

"Yeah, I've seen them here more than a few times, and I know her." Shinjiro said. "When the deadline came into play, I thought I could just stuff a skin mag in his locker or something, but then I realised paying Chidori to get all touchy-feely would guarantee it."

Minato peered down the alley she had walked away to. "Doesn't seem the type to be into that."

"She's done worse for money, trust me," He shrugged, turning his back and skulking away from his leader. "Catch you later, blue-hair."

"Wait," he called, but was dutifully ignored. If he paid off his friend for this, then what exactly did he bet? Minato wondered.

An incredibly unstimulating documentary later, Minato arrived at the dorm to see a small pile of notes on the coffee table. Yukari, sitting alone on the couch, looked into Minato's eyes with a grin. "You feeling it yet?"

Aware of her capability for playing games, Minato sped up the stairs, deciding to spend his evening on his computer, with the internet cable unplugged, and placed firmly out of reach.

"Iori broke, pay up."

"I was under the impression our bet was based upon merely the observation of events, not the manipulation of them."

"I'm not even gonna ask how you know about that, but it's not my fault you got the wrong end of the stick. I want what's coming to me."

"Wait. Double or nothing…"

Day two had certainly been worse than day one. Swim practice didn't help, and the gods had deemed it a fitting time for the annual mixed session between the clubs. He wasn't even going to wander around town, he would just go home, lock himself in his room, and study maths. It was his only chance.

"Minato-kun."

He glided across the dorm, completely focussed on reaching safety.

"Arisato."

His last name had been said with much more authority. "Huh?" He turned to eye Misuru, fingers tapping her hip impatiently. "Sorry, my mind's been, um, elsewhere recently. What's up?"

"Haven't you been forgetting something?" She asked seriously.

He thought for a few moments. Mitsuru only ever cares about our grades, the dorm, and… "Crap!" He exclaimed, grabbing a fistful of his hair. "Full moon's coming up isn't it?" A single curt nod was his only response. "I'm sorry, I know we should have been training but I've had a lot of other things planned-"

"Wasting time with your, social circle, impressively large as it is, does not excuse your responsibilities as our leader." She said, with a gaze sharper than any of his swords.

If only you knew it is one of my responsibilities, he thought wistfully. "I get it. So can we go in tonight?"

"Naturally," she replied, making a gesture behind her, "And I have already assembled our team."

He was expecting the whole group to rise off the couches, and was surprised when it was just Akihiko emerging. "Just us three?" Minato said sceptically. "What about Fuuka, don't we need navigator?"

"I'd like us to be prepared for any case where Yamagishi-san is incapacitated," Mitsuru said evenly. "Akihiko agrees with me."

"Yeah," the sliverette corroborated, "Can't see the harm, plus I think it'll be interesting to see what a smaller team can accomplish."

"Quite right," Mitsuru nodded approvingly. "So us three will meet here at the usual-"

"Wait, you guys are heading into Tartarus tonight?" This was Yukari, still holding the door as she was entering the dormitory. "Can I tag along?" She asked as it closed shut. "Archery was cancelled today so I need to practice, not to mention I haven't used my evoker in a while."

Mitsuru hummed for a few moments, then a smile crept upon her lips. "Of course, Takeba, I agree, that will do nicely..."

"Ugh, she's still calling me 'Takeba'," Yukari complained, as she, Minato, and Akihiko made the walk to Tartarus, Mitsuru going ahead on her bike as usual. "At least you get to be Minato-kun sometimes…"

He shrugged. "Only when she isn't pissed off with me."

The blonde tapped her lips thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, she does the same thing with Fuuka-chan. Maybe it's a thing she has with girls?"

"She called Aigis by her first name," Akihiko noted, receiving blank stares from his two dormmates.

"That's her only name you doofus," Yukari drawled, sighing with exasperation.

"I guess 'Seventh Generation Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon' is sort of her last name," Minato mused, "Or it'd just be Kirijo..."

Yukari blanched. "Mitsuru and Aigis Kirijo… Like they're sisters? Too weird."

"I don't think Mitsuru refers to you by your last names just because you're girls," Akihiko said, "Though I guess there are aren't enough of you in the dorm to check that theory."

Minato laughed. "Junpei's still mopes about that. He said something about starting a petition…"

Yukari rolled her eyes. "Boys…" A grin grew on her lips, and Minato knew exactly where she was going to bring the conversation. "Speaking of Junpei, how are you two stallions doing with our little bet?"

The bluenette shot her a dark, dark look. "Just fine until you had to bring it up again."

"Just curious is all," she replied innocently. "What about you senpai?"

It took some time for him to realise what she was asking. "Oh! Um, fine I suppose," he said, not giving the girl any eye contact, "It isn't a big deal for me, really."

Crap, Minato cursed silently. I'm competing with a girl and a monk. His chances of winning at this point were dwindling at best. If the shadows are particularly ugly tonight that could help at least…

The chatted with a little more hostility until they reacted the tower, but nothing could prepare them for what they would find in the lobby.

Minato had been scatter-brained when he bought the 'battle panties' in the police station. He had been so focused on their defensive properties he had glossed over the form of the armour, or even its name. It was only when he was picking out the team's equipment for an expedition through the tower he had realised what he'd done. Sure, it might have given the girls more protection than one would think, but no armour in his arsenal would protect him from their wrath if that was what he presented them with. The metallic lingerie was subsequently stuffed into the bottom of the luggage box of Mitsuru's motorcycle, to be forgotten about forever.

The same Mitsuru who was wearing them right now. With thighs, midriff, shoulders, and cleavage on show. The trio stood at the edge of the lobby, stunned, sweat forming on the boy's foreheads as Mitsuru strode closer towards them. "You all took your time; I remind you the dark hour is not infinite."

Minato tried to retort, but no words came out. Akihiko wheezed beside him. Only Yukari had the required composure. "Um…" She stammered. "Senpai, is that really, ah- Appropriate?"

Something flashed across their elders features, doubt, perhaps, but her brow furrowed, and they were suddenly reminded of the power this girl, no, woman, possessed. "This garment provides a level manoeuvrability and defence perfect for our expeditions. Speaking of which, we are wasting our time here."

Turning on her heel, she walked towards the stairs, and in her state, what a walk it was. Mitsuru was impossibly sexy as she was impossibly perfect in every other manner, besides manners themselves perhaps, and the outfit brought that to new, unexplored heights. The boy's eyes locked in avoiding the sight, and they were thinking the same thing. We are so screwed. Yukari meanwhile was giggling uncontrollably. "Come on boys," she guffawed, dragging them across the room, "So many sights to see, and so little time…"

'So unfair,' Minato mouthed to his companion in torture.

'I know,' Akihiko replied.

They couldn't keep focussed on the battles. Every time it was Mitsuru's turn their eyes were on her, rather than the shadows being faced. Luckily, sans Fuuka, they weren't going too deep into the tower, merely building their strength on the lower floors. However with the show they were being treated to, their willpower had never been weaker.

Minato, ever perceptive, did notice something in between the fights, between the beautiful and revealing movements of battle. He and Akihiko were able to talk to her now, barely, but underneath her usual stoic demeanour he could catch uncertainty, riding in veins underneath her grand visage. There was an aspect of her embarrassed about this, but her incredible levels of self-control, professionalism even, allowed her to take it all in stride. It was something he had begun to notice during particularly tense debates in the student council, or much more rarely, when incredibly misguided students made their move on the heiress. In any situation, no matter the stress or embarrassment, she remained impassive, and in that, she remained in control.

Control, Minato thought, wincing as he saw Mitsuru flipping her hair energetically in the corner of his vision. So she's doing this despite reservations. Is that really because of the armour being good for combat or- Ah! His revelation came as a shadow came upon him, with thick green arms and a huge fist to match, which he sidestepped effortlessly. "I've been waiting for this!" He heard beside him. Minato heard the signal, and he gave the go ahead. In the cloud of dust kicked up as the four of them pounded the shadow, he realised it was a poor play. Flashes of Mitsuru through the confusion of the attack would surely be etched into his memory for a long time. As the shadow dissipated to nothing, he caught Akihiko's sheepish expression, and knew he was feeling the same pain.

And didn't Mitsuru know it? "I think that's quite enough for tonight," she said, brushing herself off daintily, making it very hard to look away. "Wouldn't you agree Minato-kun?"

His frustration was brought to a new height. She knew what she was doing, and barking orders on top of that. He stalked his way over to her, and whispered harshly. "I know you had a bet on Junpei with Shinji, and I don't know what the hell you've agreed to now, but this is going too far."

She glanced at the floor for a moment, mildly ashamed she had been rumbled, but she rose with another passive expression. "I must win this wager Arisato, it is absolutely critical." She spoke quietly. "I am being forced to put myself in this position," she gestured to herself, and Minato cursed his wandering eyes for actually looking, "I have already dedicated myself, and I do not make the habit of losing."

She spoke with a terrifying amount of conviction, and Minato tried to smile through it. "Well it's not going to work, maybe on Akihiko, but not on me. I won't break."

She eyed him carefully, smile already faltering, but she sighed. Her secret weapon would have to be used. "That's settled then," she said loudly, attracting the attention of the other two, "Our excursion is finished for the night." They gathered as a group, making their way to the teleporter, Minato frowning all the way, concerned at what his senpai was planning. At the foot of the device, with the girls in front, Mitsuru stopped them all.

For the first time tonight, she looked uncomfortable, even shaking, but that soon stopped entirely, and she turned to the other girl in their party, and spoke without falter. "Takeba, I wanted to commend you for your good work today."

Something was off, Yukari knew it, and she took the complement uneasily. "Um, thanks senpai, you were great out there…"

"Thank you. I would like to show you a token of my appreciation…"

It was a shock to most of them, and maybe even Mitsuru herself, when Yukari was taken into a long, deep kiss. Too shocked to struggle, the blonde was entirely absorbed in the feelings of her senpai's lips on her own, and being cradled in her arms. The boys were not at all capable of any rational thought, eyes darting between the two participants, unable to settle on the 'best' view. Time seemed to stretch for an eternity, and Minato couldn't tell whether the unconvincing moans were coming from Mitsuru or his sick thoughts and desires, bulging at the seams from their two-day suppression.

When the kiss eventually broke, Minato swore that at the moment of its schism, Yukari tried leaning in a little closer.

Mitsuru coughed, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Yes, well, I trust I will be seeing you all in school tomorrow." She stepped through the teleporter, likely to rush to her bike to change, and get back to the dorm to put this entire evening behind her.

The trio left in the tower were all red, speechless, and without motion. Yukari was stunned at the brusque violation of her personal space, while the boy's imaginations were running far too wild for the restriction the bet placed on them. Minato knew this was his fault, for setting Mitsuru the challenge, but he did not see that coming. As thoughts kept rushing through his mind, getting more and more intense, fuelled by what he had just witnessed, his willpower was filed down. God damn you Kirijo, He thought spitefully.

They all left the tower in silence, and went home in separate directions.

The morning was a telltale time; Minato knew it would be before he went downstairs. Everyone in the dorm would be around in some capacity before heading to school (Maybe not Shinji usually, Minato thought, but he will be this time.). Over the night, after having lost his part of the bet in ferocious fashion, he had come to terms with it. He'd lost a lot of money sure, but he now had enough material to supply his fantasies for months and months. As consolation prizes went, it was something worth having.

He felt the eyes upon him as he crept into the lobby. Of the four on the sofas, Fuuka and Yukari both sported devilish grins, whilst Akihiko and Junpei looked downcast, and dejected. Mitsuru and Shinji looked on from the kitchen, the former blushing considerably at his entrance, while Aigis stood in her usual corner with Koromaru, not making a sound. Reaching the coffee table, he saw another pile of yen had been added next to Junpei's, Minato seeing Akihiko's sad eyes he turned his head, which told the whole story. Without a word, and in a fluid motion, Minato slapped his stake on the table next to the others.

Yukari and Fuuka cheered with a caricatured delight, Shinji groaned loudly, and Mitsuru simply closed her eyes, smiling. "There's no shame man," Junpei said solemnly, "Akihiko told me what you were up against. No-one could've done it."

"I know," their leader said, shaking his head and sitting between the two boys. "I know."

Yukari leaned over the table, greedy hands already snatching at her winnings. "Aha! Once again, women are proven to be the stronger sex!" Seeing Yukari stroke their notes was painful enough to the boys, but they knew the endless gloating over the next few days would be even worse.

The blonde's celebration was cut short by an unexpected voice. "Yukari-san, these are you're winnings from the bet you discussed earlier with Fuuka-chan and I, correct?"

"Yeah!" Yukari said happily. "I was thinking of booking us girls a table at the best place in town, you wanna come along Aigis?"

Confusion spread across the robot's features. "But this is illogical. You did not win your bet."

The guys slouched postured suddenly became more rigid. "She didn't?" Junpei probed carefully.

Yukari's posture was betraying her, filled with panic, and her voice was a violent hiss. "No, I did Aigis, you see, I was the only one who didn't-"

"That is at a direct odds with your pheromone and hormonal levels," Aigis said plainly, "And many other factors my scanners can detect are correlating with those found on Akihiko and Minato-san."

Minato's eyes lit up. "So you're saying she-"

"But I didn't!" She almost shrieked, a meek laugh afterwards not convincing anybody. "You're scanners must be faulty…"

"We can always get Fuuka to probe your mind in case you're just being forgetful," Minato shrugged, bumping Junpei's fist as it was offered to him.

It was with pure malice in her heart, that Yukari placed the boy's money back down on the table, and added her own with a scowl that could melt steel.

"Yes!" The guys cried in unison, jumping up and punching the air, whooping with their arms over eachothers shoulders. Fuuka giggled, but Yukari looked away in disgust.

Minato tried not to think to think too hard about the implications of Yukari losing the bet (Although, he pondered, that does colour how she acts around Mitsuru in a whole new light…). "Wait," Yukari asked desperately, "Wasn't it a last man standing? What time did you-" She suddenly realised what she was asking and folded her arms. "Nevermind. Wait!" She pointed to Junpei. "You folded way before the rest of us did. We should split your stake three ways."

As the pair devolved into petty arguing, Minato went to the kitchen to talk to his two senpai. "I'm assuming you won your side of the bet, Mitsuru?" He said casually, pictures of last night still fresh in his mind. "Even with the twist ending we've just seen?"

"Yes," she said, with a satisfied tone.

"And then some," Shinji agreed, rubbing his eyes, "She only had to get two of you."

"Three was, unexpected, to say the least," she said, turning pink as she looked over to Yukari, "Nevertheless, it solidifies my victory." She finished, looking at Shinjiro pointedly.

"Yeah yeah yeah," He brushed off, sighing. "Can't believe I have to do a whole month of school now…"

Minato raised an eyebrow. "Wait. That's what you won Mitsuru?" He asked sceptically. "To get Shinji here in school for a month?"

"Yes," she confirmed, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "I pride in all of you here taking advantage of a good education, and Aragaki-san could go far if he learned to apply himself."

"I see…" Minato nodded uncertainly. She was willing to dress like that for Shinji's schooling? He resolved that if it meant that much to Mitsuru, he would try harder do his best in all of his classes. He turned to Shinjiro. "What were you gonna win?"

"Usual," Shinji shrugged, "Would've made little miss perfect here bunk for a few days. And get one hundred thousand yen from her account."

He recoiled when the scale of the number registered. It made the amount on the coffee table look like a pittance. "Usual? Like you two do this all the time?" They nodded. "Isn't that a little extreme for this kind of bet?"

An innocent voice besides them piped up "Bet?" The argument at the sofas came to a standstill, and those around the kitchen only stared. Ken had joined them. "Is that why you guys have all been weird lately?" The boy asked his silent elders. "What on earth were you betting on?"

Nothing moved for a while, everybody looking for something to say. Minato looked down into the child's wide, innocent eyes, and could only think of one word. "Nope," He stated out loud, walking to the table, grabbing his money, and tugging Junpei's arm. "Junpei, school." Taking his cue, the baseball fanatic swiped his money off the table and making a quick exit with his best friend.

The rest of the dorm quickly followed suit, Fuuka and Yukari dragging Aigis away before she could give the boy a full scientific analysis. Soon, Ken was left with only Koromaru as company. "Adults," he sighed, going down on his knee and stoking the dog gently, "They just aren't mature enough to talk about masturbating, are they Koro-chan?"

"Woof!" He barked in agreement.