Echo in the Dark ✓ (☁)

Minato sat on the edge of his bed, watching the clock. It was almost midnight. Almost the dark hour. He waited patiently for his. friend, though he was exhausted from his day doing school, clubs, and studying. Minato relied on his friends.

"Minato" There stood his friend, ever unchanging. The little black and white striped pyjamas forever on him, stainless and unwrinkled.

"Pharos" He returned, watching as the boy's electric blue eyes twinkled. They had always been friends. Always and forever. They'd promised each other that they would be together to the end.

No one could see Pharos normally; he could make himself visible but it was pointless. They were for each other to see. And plus he was different. The boy was a type of Persona, except he was himself, not just a Persona to use when called upon. Both a human and not. Both a Shadow and Persona.

Minato loved the boy, they were brothers in all but blood.

He looked over and the boy had moved. He barely ever walked anywhere, simply shifting to another spot in the room without moving. Minato wished he could do that.

"It's going to be another full moon Tomorrow. You're prepared?"

Minato nodded. "Yeah. But if I'm not... Will you come?"

"I'll always come save you. I'm Nyx after all, I can beat anything" Pinching the boy's cheek, Minato sighed, a smile falling upon his lips. Pharos was right. Being the death arcana, the final one, he was the strongest of them all.

Minato collected the arcana, building them to form stronger bonds and strengthen his Persona. Elizabeth in the Dark Room helped him keep track and store his unused Persona in wherever she put them. Probably her purse if their 'date' was anything to go off of.

Pharos pushed him back so that he was laying on the bed. "You don't have to wait for me, I'll come and check on you whether you're asleep or not. I can visit your dreams after all. You need rest"

Nodding in his half asleep state, he allowed the boy to push him and cover him in a blanket, making him comfortable.

"Stay" He mumbled, reaching out. Pharos took his hand, the temperature difference providing a distinguishing knowledge. Pharos was always cool. Not quite cold, but not warm either. It was nice. Minato's hands were always warm, too warm. It felt good. He felt the boy join him on the bed, though there wasn't even a dip in the mattress.

"Goodnight" The boy whispered.

"G'night Pharos" He whispered back.

When he woke to his alarm, Minato felt the emptiness he always did. He knew there should be feeling things, normal emotions, yet... Ever since the car accident, his only care lay with his Persona and Pharos. The two things that had remained with him. His parents left Pharos to watch over him when they left him alone. That car crash took them from him. He didn't hate the Shadow that had caused it, He simply hated that it was his family affected.

Minato dressed himself. His dark school jacket and white shirt feeling boring to him. His pants mirrored his jacket. The typical school uniform. Yukari knocked on his door, just like she did every morning. It was rather annoying. He simply sighed and opened his door, greeting her like he did everyday.

Tonight was a full moon.

That's all he thought about all day. Tonight another trial, as Pharos always called it, would take place. He couldn't wait to see how it went. Or... He had been. Minato now stood on the bridge. The two Persona users who'd violently opposed his group's efforts to get rid of the dark hour had jumped after Minato's team had beat them. The Shadow they now faced was out of his league. He hadn't trained enough, he'd been focused on finals.

"Arisato!" Yukari called as he narrowly dodged a swipe at him from the Shadow. Junpei had been knocked out and Akihiko was down. Yukari, for once, was in decent shape. They usually had to drag her body from battles.

Her call had only served to distract him and Minato was hit with a bolt of lightning from one of the summoned statues. He fell, Yukari and Akihiko's screams falling into the background as his ears rang. He could barely keep his eyes open. After all those hits he'd taken, there was no way he was getting back up without major help. Oh, Yukari was down. There was no way they were going to survive now. Minato sighed, closing his eyes finally.

"Hey, wake up. It's not time yet" Something cool caressed his cheek and Minato gave a strangled groan. He managed to open his eyes. Pharos was crouched next to him, his childish, angelic frame looking so strange in the green hued moonlight. The Shadow loomed above. His team members screamed for them to move, but Pharos simply helped Minato up. The Shadow didn't move, as if it were frozen.

Of course it would be, this was death. The death arcana. The strongest arcana. If the Shadow moved, it would die. It seemed to know that.

Minato rasped out, exhaustion heavily lacing his voice. "Pharos. You're here"

"I told you I'd come if you needed me, so here I am"

With a swipe of his hand, Pharos sent a wave of darkness towards the Shadow. The strange dark figure of the Shadow didn't have the time to dodge, even if it had decided to move.

Minato let his weight fall on the boy. Despite being much larger, the incarnation of death was far stronger. Much, much farther. The boy was in his own league. Forever unchanging and young. Minato could depend on the boy, no matter the issue or thought.

After all, they were together forever. His friend from the beginning to the end.

Word Count: 982