If we all have a destiny

and no matter what we do

we will reach that destiny. . .

Do things change at all

when the path to that destiny

is altered beyond it's original design?

Or do we simply all

reach the same end?

-Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ-

Prologue:

Minako's POV

I surface from the dark sea of unconsciousness, yet my chest still buckles under a suffocating pressure. What exactly is going on? Something is off... I don't remember even going to sleep. My eyes snapped open. Unable to see clearly all I'm able to distinguish is that I'm in a bed with purple sheets. Where am I, and how did I get here? Somehow the bed looks familiar, but I can't quite place why. I can't remember anything that happened before I went to sleep.

For some reason my mind is wrought with a thick, entangling fog.

Seriously what the hell is going on here?

Just as I turn to get up I feel the heavy weight on my chest pin me down again. That's when I notice something. Someone is in the bed with me, and from the gleam of their silver hair I can tell that it's Akihiko.

As if that isn't enough his arm is also draped across my bare chest. I let out a high pitched screech, force myself from his grip then scramble out of the bed in a tumbling mess.

Akihiko is on his feet in seconds. "Minako?" he shouts, looking around in a panic. Once he spots me his eyebrows knit together and his expression shifts from alarm, to shock then settles on confusion. "What is going on here?"

For a second our eyes meet and we realize that we're both naked. His eyes widen in shock and surprise, but for some reason he doesn't look away. A deep flush rises up to my cheeks.

Unable to control myself I pick up a pillow and chuck it at his face. "Don't look at me, idiot!" I scream and he instantly looks down, blushing just as rapidly. Both of us stare at opposite walls, unable to say anything or move an inch. Finally he breaks the silence.

"D-did we just do what I think we did?" he asks me hesitantly.

"I don't kn-" I trail off, interrupted by a painful twinge in my lower abdomen. "Y-yeah I think we did..." I conclude, taking note of the soreness engulfing my body. Akihiko lets out a string of curses, but doesn't say anything more to me. Another minute of silence passes us before a familiar cut of static breaks my line of thought.

"Oh, I can finally reach you!" Fuuka's unusually flustered voice sounds off. Akihiko and I turn to each other instantly, but our eyes dart away just as quickly.

"Put on your clothes," I whisper to him as I begin to search the floor for my own. Just as I'm snapping my bra back into place I hear the cut of static again.

"C-can you two hear me?" Fuuka asks sounding more terrified than before. I sigh, we can't just stay quiet and continue to worry everyone. I open my mouth to respond but Akihiko beats me to it.

"Yeah, we hear you," he says at a barely audible level, not wanting to betray that something's off. "Can you tell me just what the hell is going on?" he demands, trying to stay calm. She doesn't respond so we take the chance to gather our things, not looking or going anywhere near each other.

"Sorry," Fuuka says finally. "The Shadows were interfering with everyone's thoughts. Yukari and Junpei snapped out of it awhile ago, but we still couldn't get ahold of you guys. There isn't much time left so they went ahead and destroyed the seal, but they've been waiting to fight until you guys came to. Whenever you guys are ready we can regroup." Just as she finishes telling us the situation Akihiko and I are fully dressed.

"Alright, we'll be out in a minute," Akihiko says then turns his attention to me. First he tries to look me in the eyes, decides it's too awkward and then focuses on something else. "So what're we going to do about what happened?" he asks nervously.

Just then all of the images of the time we spent under the Shadow's influence floods in. Instantly my heart sinks to my feet. Did I seriously seduce Akihiko like that?... My entire body begins to feel like it's cooking in acid. "H-hey are you okay?" he asks hesitantly, stepping forward, and as he does so his outstretched hand brushes against my arm.

My body instantly recoils away from him, and my skin sears where he accidentally touched. Everything about him brings the memory of what happened right back to the surface. His touch, his voice, even just his presence. I feel completely and utterly violated. Not just by Akihiko, but by the Shadows too.

Deep down I know that it was the Shadows' fault. It's impossible to blame Akihiko but its even more impossible to think about him right now. He not only saw me naked, but completely vulnerable as well.

What if he tells someone about it? What if the other roommates find out? Suddenly I feel so overwhelmed, and the hot tears that have been welling under the surface spill from my eyes.

"Hey," Akihiko says, reproachful, this time quite a bit further away. "I'm sorry for everything that happened...There's nothing we can do about it now... So let's just forget that it ever happened, okay?" he stumbles on every word, but I can tell he means them. For some reason I still can't seem to find my voice, or even move for that matter. I want to say yes. I want everything to be okay, but I feel completely immobilized.

"Please?..." he pleads after he realizes I may not respond. Eventually my senses return enough for me to nod my head. Akihiko lets out a sigh of relief, but it's mangled with frustration.

Suddenly we hear the static crack again. "Are you guys ready?" Fuuka asks, obviously in a rush. That's right, we still have a limited amount of time to kill this Shadow or it's all over. I still can't say anything however so Akihiko speaks for the both of us.

"Yeah, we're ready," Akihiko says, sounding positively livid. "I hope this Shadow is ready to suffer." Then he turns and hands me my naginata. "We'll make them pay for what they did." When he notices that I'm hesitant he lowers his voice. "It'll be okay," he reassures me, and for some reason I believe him.

-Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ-

In case you were wondering, I do in fact not own the Persona series. I'm sure this comes as a shock. I'm sorry.