-The Answer: Rebuild-

italics: thoughts

regular font: dialogue

Day 8

Deciding to take up the elevator attendant's advice, the mechanical maiden sat atop the swing of the shrine where Koromaru used to live. The blonde took in the cool morning breeze and sighed.

"Everything is so peaceful," Aigis looked at her surroundings.

"And that is why I have to bring him back," the mechanical maiden shouted from within.

"He deserves to be part of this," the blonde admitted to herself.

Aigis hears the tapping of footsteps coming from the distance.

Slowly shifting her view to the source of the sound, Aigis sees a young teen reaching for the shrine, ignoring the SEES operative.

"Dear gods," the young brunette started, "please help me find my big bro today, exams are coming up and I don't know where to start looking again."

Aigis stopped the swing at the girl's description of her 'big bro', standing straight, the blonde slowly walked towards the praying girl.

"Excuse me," the Anti-Shadow Weapon lightly tapped the little girl's shoulder.

"Wahh!" the girl tripped over from shock.

"I'm sorry," Aigis extended her hand out to the girl, "I couldn't help but overhear your prayer earlier."

"Huh?" the girl replied with confusion.

"This 'big bro' of yours," the blonde began, "did he wear headphones, cover one eye with his hair, stay quiet most of the time, and run around the town helping other people?"

"Y-yeah," the brunette answered a little stunned, "oh, where are my manners, my name is Maiko."

"I'm Aigis," the mechanical maiden gave a small grin, "so you knew Minato?"

"Yes, he helped me deal with my parent's divorce," Maiko answered, "so was he a friend of yours?"

"He was a very dear friend to me," the blonde answered.

"Do you know when I could get to see him again?" the girl asked, a look of desperation in her face.

"..." Aigis didn't know how to answer the teen.

"Did big bro leave you too?" the blonde saw a tear forming in Maiko's eye.

"No," the Shadow Operative held the girl's hand, "he's just somewhere else at the moment, doing something very important right now."

The mechanical maiden's words still held true.

"You mean he's coming back?" the brunette's expression shifted to one of elation.

"Don't get too excited though," Aigis closed her eyes and thought about her reply, "he's seems to be taking his time wherever he is."

"Unwillingly," the blonde finished in her mind.

"That's okay, my bro helped a lot of people," Maiko gave a toothy grin, "he deserves to enjoy his own time to himself."

"I could not agree with you more." the mechanical maiden flashed the brunette a brief smile before bidding her farewell.

"Meeting Maiko truly opened my eyes about what I'm doing," the blonde monologued as she headed for the train station.

"Yes, I did start this 'project' out of a selfish desire..." Aigis thought as she entered the train, "but there are many others out there, other people like me who feel so empty without him in our lives."

"I'm not saying that it justifies breaking the laws of nature," the mechanical maiden waved at one of her schoolmates as she exited the train, "but that solidifies my resolve that he's worth fighting the natural order for."

"A-Aigis?" a feminine voice stuttered nearby.

"Hm?" the blonde turned around to see a familiar face.

"It's been a while," a warm smile graced the Shadow Operative's sight.

"Chihiro Fushimi?" the mechanical maiden asked for confirmation.

"Yes," the bespectacled girl giggled in reply, "I still hesitate when I talk sometimes, but it's usually around old schoolmates who know how I was before."

"I've heard," Aigis replied with a light chuckle.

"That's too cruel Aigis," Chihiro pouted comically.

"I apologize," the blonde said in her old familiar monotone.

"So what brings you around here?" the brunette inquired.

"Some light shopping here and there," the mechanical maiden answered, "but I hear a good walk is sometimes calming."

Chihiro attended the same school as the girls from SEES sans Mitsuru, although they never had the chance to converse aside from a few cordial greetings in the hallways.

"Oh, well I'm going to the movies with a few friends of mine," Chihiro pointed at some schoolmates who waved in her direction.

"That's good to hear," Aigis said sincerely and noted that all the girls were standing next to some rather attractive, young men, "are you going on your own or do you have a date accompanying you?"

"That..." a sullen expression took over the bespectacled girl's face, "after he...left, I-I just couldn't find it in me to start looking again..."

"I know the feeling," the blonde shared the sentiment.

Minato's proclivity for women was no secret to the student body in Gekkoukan, in fact, it became one of the things many of his male friends would dedicate their drinks to from time to time. The girls for that matter, had no problem with it as long as they stayed out of each others' way, almost as if they had a schedule. Some would say that he was a hedonist or immoral, but the people around him knew that he was nothing but quiet and respectful and that he treated each of the girls better than most boys could treat a lone girlfriend.

"He was truly a gift to womankind, and he would sorely be missed." - Most women

"But he isn't really gone..." Aigis said halfheartedly.

"I know, he's changed our lives forever," Chihiro answered, "and nothing can ever take that away from us."

"Agreed," the blonde smiled, a toothy grin following as she left her schoolmate in the company of her friends.

"Did Elizabeth know that I would meet Maiko and Chihiro today?" the Shadow Operative mused.

"Regardless, I am refreshed and I'm ready to continue working tomorrow," the mechanical maiden stretched before enjoying the rest of her 'day off'.

-End-

AN: Still hoping for some reviews to help polish the weaker parts because I really have no idea how much longer this fic is gonna take...and it's already taken years.

R&R if you guys want more.