This story is a work of fiction. Any similarities to events or persons living or dead in your world is purely coincidental.
4/13 Saturday
Evening
Ai.
Ai, you must wake up.
Wake-
Okay, Aiko considered, internal thoughts coming all the easier after what felt like hours walking through the dark chasms lining what seemed to be the very bottom of 'Mira's Land'. Maybe I made a mistake here.
She could have gone home. That was the idea that kept coming back to her with each dead end. No one had forced her to chase after Mira into this place, without understanding just big or how dangerous it really was. She'd been fascinated by its appearance without regard to what it really existed for... or the defences in place to stop her from finding her friend. Now, it was too late for either her or Pelagio to run away. Have to get out of here first... get out of this nightmare. Then I'll figure out what to do.
"Filth detected."
They had been found. Aiko knew it before hearing the words thanks to an unmistakable sensation of danger right before it. They had been forging through the dark chasm winding beneath Mira's Land for long enough that she had forgotten how long they'd been there. But now, after seeing nothing but darkness, spire bases, and more poor ragged souls incapable of helping them, there was someone else.
Two of the flying disk-shaped robots descended from their perches, one ahead and one behind Aiko and Pelagio.
"Stupid filth detected", the other one echoed back. It was strange. The box-shaped bots had shown no traces of any kind of personality, but Aiko could already sense a note of disdain for the subject matter in these two. It reminded her of Benihime Kujou, whose retarded drooling doppelganger they had stumbled upon earlier.
"Shall we end its misery now?", the first robot said in the same machine arrogance.
"Irrelevant", the second replied. It was practically the exact same voice talking to itself. "It makes no difference how many filth exist now. They will be exterminated when the cleanse begins."
"My weapons systems require calibration in preparation for the cleansing.."
"...Proceed."
Pelagio groaned, letting her know that he still wasn't ready to fight again. Only one thing left.
"We're not filth!", she tried, speaking loudly enough be heard over the whirring of their engines. "I'm Aiko, and this is sir Pelagio. And he's hurt. Please... help us!"
The two disk bots hovered closer to the ground now. She could see their weapons on display, a pair of small barrels on each chassis that looked like lasers or something like them, but neither fired just yet.
"The stupid filth says it is not stupid filth", the first robot observed neutrally.
"Perhaps there has been a mistake", the second questioned. "What if a citizen fell down here by accident?"
"Irrelevant", the first countered. Its laser emitters flashed. "Prove it then, stupid filth. Activate the lift."
The machine glided aside, allowing Aiko to see what it referred to. One of the smaller columns was hollow, a disk-shaped lift contained within. There was a panel of buttons and lights inside the shaft as well, which presumably allowed the lift to travel upwards.
"If you are in fact a citizen under princess Mira and not filth", the second told her with less rancour, "then you will know how to activate the lift."
Hesitating, unwilling to leave Pelagio open, she rushed into the shaft, knowing it could be their only chance to survive. Just ahead of her there were two rows of buttons, most of them white, blue or red, with a handful of black switches as well.
The robots were patient. They let her try multiple buttons and switches, which did make sounds and made some other buttons light up. Yet, it didn't take long for her to realise that she had absolutely no clue how to make it work.
The robots realised it too as she heavily stepped back out of the shaft. Pelagio's large round eyes stared back at her in desperation, not wanting to believe any more than she did that this was how it would end.
"Confirmed", the first bot gloated. "Stupid filth is always stupid filth. It cannot comprehend even basic machines."
"Confirmed", the second one noted. "Any citizen under princess Mira would know how to use it. This is just another filth to be exterminated."
"No!", Pelagio finally cried out at last. "I beg you, no! Take me, but leave her!"
"You will both be exterminated", the first bot corrected him. It spun, a small black grasper arm hitting her almost like a slap.
Aiko felt her hairpin falling off, and heard a faint crashing noise behind her as her hair came loose, flowing down across her shoulders. She did not even need to look to know that the ruby was broken and could never be repaired. Ordinarily this would have spurred her into a violent rage a scream of denial at the loss of her most precious possession, but all she could feel was numbness.
Reckless. Running into a place you knew nothing about, and getting your friend killed with you. Useless.
I had to save her.
You won't save anyone.
I had to try!
So does an insect.
The robot didn't care either. It aimed for her first. The lasers atop its body flashed, emitting the start of a thick beam of deadly violet light.
Aiko couldn't even move. She had failed. Her last chance to save them both and escape, and she'd failed.
Just like with mother. Just like with Mira-senpai. Just like always. Why... why was I...?
There was a woman in the small building that was supposed to be home, ebon-haired and willowy. Her long lips failed to mask her true feelings.
This woman who was supposed to be mother, who claimed to be mother. But she lied. Every day, she woke up and started to lie more about that. She treated her daughter like she was a walking, talking sin.
This was not mother. Mothers appreciated their children. They loved them in actions, not merely words. Their eyes held only joy. Yet every time she looked she saw it, that regret. A lingering wish that tainted every breath, every gesture.
That horrible wish that she did not have a child at all.
Was it me? Was it something I did? Was it something I forgot to do? TELL ME!
If that is the case, then why... Why was I born?
The blast flew out of the emitter pointed at her head, and... stopped.
It took her a moment to realize that everything else had stopped too. Pelagio was frozen, his beak open in a screech of anguish. The disk-shaped robots were both suspended motionless above the ground, no longer moving or turning at all.
And there was that purple beam of energy, just sitting there halfway between them. There was no sound. There was no movement to create sound.
There was, however, a voice. A voice that made no sound, for it was only within her mind, unbidden by her own internal monologue.
Is this the end for you so soon, then? Will you stand and fight, or will you sit there uselessly and die like a dog?
Who am I? How can I fight to protect myself... how can I justify fighting to live... when I don't even know who I am, or why I exist?
But the other voice somehow speaking from within her would not be so easily denied. It sounded close to her own, but far more confident. More mature... someone who was well into the prime of her womanhood instead of merely positioned upon its cusp.
You are far more than you believe yourself to be. You are what those you have connected with view you as.
The images came to her unbidden as well, blocking out everything else in the world. A bright-faced girl wearing a hairpin telling the viewer that they would always stand by them, realizing after the fact that she was viewing herself through Mirambela's eyes.
Whatever happened to the person who told her 'let's think positive'?
Then she was looking up at herself, through the eyes of someone shorter than her. Someone who shunned all normal social contacts, but couldn't help but be endlessly intrigued by her air of mystery.
Niyago-san... that's how he sees me. The child of the seas, right? And he vowed to find out... just who I am.
A tryout on a soccer field. Julian Rosea taking his ball back, but not so focused on the game that he didn't appreciate a wish of good luck in the battle ahead. Talking in the classroom with someone who actually respected his wishes as to the name he chose to bear.
I want to see you play, Rosea-kun. I really do.
A view from the 2rd floor of Koashimizu, beholding the scared little girl standing up to the imperious leader of the student disciplinary committee for no reason other than to help her dear friend. A potential ally in Reiha's own battle with injustice.
You... you look like you've seen a lot of harsh things in the world, Hayato-senpai. I'd like to learn more about you, and the kind of life you've lived so far. Maybe, just maybe I can help.
A partner in prayer, and someone who wouldn't be turned away by the fact that Noel was already an item with another girl. Someone who shared his compassion, and cared absolutely nothing for the circumstances of his birth.
All of these people have already identified all that you are, believing you hold the potential for greatness within you. Will your allow your own fear and self-doubt to deny them this gift?
No.
The chaos corrupts the land which you sought to make your own home, expelling all that you represent, an outcast. To them, you are nothing. You have no home now, save for the roiling sea of human consciousness. Yet that can be a home as well, for the one willing to show their strength to those who oppose them, and embrace their inner selves entirely. Do you accept your role as a travelling outcast, or shirk from this prospect?
No...
Your allies are counting upon you, both in this dimension and your own. Without the strength to accept thyself that sleeps within, you will become as nothing. You will die like a dog, and none shall be left to mourn your passing. Do you desire that?
NO!
Then our desires, our minds, are as one.Thus, we have sealed a binding contract. I am Thou... And Thou Art I. Break free from your chains of doubt. Unleash my power, Dream Voyager, and pillage this dismal dawn of illusions!
The voice was gone. Time resumed unhindered. Everything was back to normal.
Except that nothing was. Something, the most important thing of all, had changed in ways that she could never have imagined before... and she knew what had to be done now with the knowledge residing within her. She knew just what to say to seal their contract. The chains were broken. She could hear them.
She knew it because the voice that had guided her was her. It had been her the entire time. She had merely forgotten how to hear it.
Until now.
Now, she had become aware of the mask hugging her face. No one else knew it was there, but she could feel it. And she hated it as she had never hated anything else before, hated it without knowing why. It was choking, blinding her. It had to come off. It had to come off, before she died from suffocation. Nothing else mattered. The mask was killing her inside. It had to go.
She reached up and grabbed at the horrible mask, and ignoring the hideous pain, ripped the mask clear off her face. The voice that guided her gave the incantation that would trigger the mask's release, and she uttered it now without any regret.
"Per...
So...
NA!"
An invisible explosion seemed to tear the laser bolt meant for her forehead from the air, knocking the two robots back and Pelagio as well. That was only prelude as Aiko felt something emerging from her, like a fire burning out from within devoid of pain.
"High power level detected", one of the robots was beeping frantically. "Danger! Danger!"
She didn't care. "Who am I? Why was I born? All I ever wanted was a real home and family", she spoke without a trace of sorrow. She knew the words before saying them. They were pouring out from her heart after being chained up by doubt for so long.
"A goal that was always denied me. But now? Now I know where my home is. I know where I want it to be. I am Aiko Tsuruga. I am the daughter of the sea. I am the Saber. I am thou, my Persona... Anne Bonny!"
The cause of the previous explosion appeared now, floating just behind her. A female pirate captain from ages past, wearing a resplendent greatcoat and black feathered tri-corner hat far larger than human size. Thick smoke smelling like it came from gunpowder shrouded various parts of the body, creating something that looked more like a wraith than a human. Sweeping trails of bright green energy spiralled about the spectral entity through its smoke clouds, who was in total about twice the height of the one who had invoked her power.
A cutlass and pistol lay within a well worn leather belt at the wraith's waist... and sure enough, when Aiko reached down she felt a steel handle at her side, a regal cutlass with a round hand guard that looked like a dried rib. There was no pistol, but she didn't care. Both Persona and user shared the same confident, wild grin on their lips.
"And!", she shouted, drawling the blade and pointing. "If hateful people would deny us a home... then we will prove our strength to them, and make it ours!"
If the robots were at all impressed by all of this, they didn't show it. Maybe they didn't know how to be impressed. She didn't care.
"We shall exterminate filth! We shall exterminate filth!", one of them screeched before unleashing another laser blast. It was capable of travelling from emitter to target in the space of one second, but it took less time than that for Aiko to angle her weapon and parry the shot. Before it could fire again, she was screaming a battle cry, cutting the thing in two down the middle, letting sparks fly before turning to repeat her attack on the other one with similar results.
For moment she breathed out... but a flash of movement clued her in that these machines weren't done yet. The movement was gushes of black liquid pouring out of the two ruptured disks, completely consuming the remaining wreckage and leaving behind a pair of disgusting puddles on the darkened ground.
Then, as Aiko readied her blade once more, those dark puddles rose back up in completely different shapes.
One puddle took on the form of a charcoal-scaled lizard roughly the size of a dog, only visible in the darkness of the chasm due to the aura of blazing bright orange fire surrounding it. The other was also clearly reptilian, but also thinner and winged, with reflective red scales and thin blue horns above a curled tail.
"T-they're not mere machines... These are Shadows in disguise!", she heard Pelagio exclaim in utter shock from behind her. "Be careful, my lady!"
Pelagio's advice was appreciated, but Aiko already knew that she was done being careful around these two. Nor did it matter exactly what Shadows were.
She didn't care. They would die, not her. She raised her sword without lunging, instead raising it to the great coated spectre still floating behind her. "Be drowned! Aqua!"
Before the fire lizard could move, a miniature ocean wave had materialized from nowhere and smothered it, extinguishing its fire. The rest of it melted back into its puddle form before simply evaporating into nothingness.
The winged lizard got away from the sudden surge of water however, flapping its wings and unleashing a torrent of hurricane-force wind that was only visible by virtue of it somehow being green. Being visible didn't make it easy to avoid though, and impossible to parry. It buffeted Aiko, blasting her back to slam into a metal tree trunk.
Then she stood, and spat on the metal floor beneath her. "I will not falter to an ill wind. Not until sir Pelagio, and Mira-senpai, and EVERYONE are safe! Aqua!"
The identical blast of turbulent water wasn't nearly as effective this time, but it was all the distraction that Aiko needed to release a shrieking battle cry and close with the enemy, and run it all the way through on the tip of her cutlass, yielding the same results as the salamander.
The Shadows were gone. Turning, she was hardly surprised to see Pelagio's beaked face frozen into an expression of awe. Adrenalin rush was keeping him up right now, but Aiko knew his wound was still there. Otherwise he would have been there, joining in the battle as her sworn protector.
"A dreadful injury", she whispered regretfully, eyes nearly shut to block tears as Anne Bonny's floating image accompanied her over. "One you took in my service. Let it be relieved... Dia!"
Instead of a burst of water, a soothing green glow enveloped Pelagio. In moments, he was standing up without any sign of his previous wound.
"My lady", was all Pelagio could manage, his surprise momentarily more debilitating than his wound. He flexed his sword arm. "Thank you. It's as good as new. I will never forget your kindness."
Interesting, the familiar other voice spoke within Aiko, still distinct in this brief moment despite their binding contract. I showed no such compassion to my crew. Mixing murderous intent for your enemies and unrestrained love for your allies is a dangerous balancing act, as they are the two opposing sides of a woman's passion. We shall see if you have the strength of will to carry it on your shoulders.
"I will", Aiko promised the voice vehemently, though she knew she only spoke to herself, an unlocked portion of her own mind. "We should go. There'll be more Shadows."
Testing his sword arm one final time, Pelagio nodded, but then stared into her. "Your eyes... they've gone back to normal."
"Hm? Is there something wrong with my eyes, sir Pelagio?"
The bird-knight shook his head. "Not now. They turned yellow when were talking and that... thing came out of you."
Aiko felt her face naturally shifting into a stern glower. That expression felt new, and she only then became aware of the black hat that had appeared on her head, the curved brim of it wide enough to partly cover her eyes. Reaching up, she felt a feather of the same colour sticking out of it. My mask. My true mask. "She is not a 'thing'. That's Anne Bonny, my Persona. She's part of me now." No... maybe she always was, and I forgot how to listen.
"But, my lady... what is a Persona?"
Wondering how she had known that made her conscious of the other side of it, the memories that had been denied her. Being pulled into the Velvet Room as she slept, and meeting Mr. Igor and his young assistant, Bartholomew. Being taught of the nature of Personas, and how they had been historically used to fight malevolent forces within the human subconscious. A positive force to repel the negative. Humanity's most hidden depths.
But there was no time for her to explain all of that to Pelagio now. "I'll tell you later. Promise. Just... stay with me, okay?"
For now, they had to focus on finding an escape.
It took quite a while to locate an actual stairway leading up out of the darkness to the higher level of Mira's Land, a bracket framing one of the trees and well-hidden enough that none of the so-called 'filth' down there would stumble on it.
Naturally, it was guarded. Two more of the disk-shaped robots hovered about, and a tall one shaped like a mobile water cooler remained positioned so that it was impossible for anyone to pass.
Aiko didn't want to talk with these ones. She and Pelagio simply attacked, cutting through the two fliers before they had even noticed there was 'filth' around. The tall guard joined them in another transformation, revealing the forms of Shadows.
"All of the sentry robots", Pelagio observed wistfully as the metal shells collapsed to reveal the true creatures beneath. "So they're all actually Shadows, forced to pretend to be machines by the Land's ruler. I shall handle the large one, my lady!"
The 'large one' he referred to was a big-bellied bipedal goat with white fur and black horns. The disk robots had become two more of the burning lizards from previously, and they fell just as quickly when Aiko called upon Anne Bonny's power to douse them in water and heal when needed.
The huge goat Shadow proved tougher, but having a sword of her own made Aiko appreciate anew just how nimble Pelagio was with his own blade. Quickly as he had when diving down to claw at Kujou, he would slice into a meaty fist rushing forward to crush him and cause the creature to draw it back, howling in pain. A punch with the other hand led to the same counter repeating, and the goat toppled over, looking helplessly at its pair of bloodied fists and... crying?
It sounded strange, but then she didn't expect a fat goat demon to cry like a human would. "Sir Pelagio, I think you might have cut him a bit too hard."
Her beaked protector already had his broadsword readied for the killing blow, but relented when he heard Aiko's voice call to him, instead stopping only to swipe the weapon clean. "Do be careful, my lady. Most Shadows are duplicitous by nature."
I am past sick of being told to be careful. "Maybe, but I say we should give him a chance to earn our trust. You did say they were being forced to pretend to be robots in this Land, right?"
The big Shadow seemed to catch on, his crying fading into a deep, guttural voice. "W-what? You... spare me?"
"Not for free", Aiko amended, reminded of Shukiji. "What can you share with us about this Land, Shadow-san?"
"Shadow-san?", Pelagio frowned at the uneccessary honorific. "Hmph!"
The Shadow made an uncertain noise, reminding her of the mentally stunted cognitions back in the chasm. "Uh... it awful. Me hate pretending to be clanky-clank, but me have no choice. Princess Mira's orders."
There were few things Aiko considered her friend to be less likely to do, but she held her tongue. Arguing would get them nowhere. "So, all of you Shadows are made to pretend to be Mira's own inventions. You only shed that disguise when there's a dangerous foe that you need your full power to deal with, right?"
"R-right", the horned creature replied, his wide snout twitching. "You... strong. Even full power not enough to win. Me not ashamed. Me give you money, to spare me?"
Pelagio seemed to take offence to this offer, but Aiko could only chuckle merrily. "That's interesting... but not really what we looking for. We just wanted some information, that's all. You can go now. No charge, just don't get in our way again, okay? Bye, Shadow-san!"
But this dimension hadn't run out of surprises for Aiko yet. Not by a long shot. The Shadow rolled back to his feet now, dull animal eyes regarding the two of them curiously.
"W-wait! You... interesting. Remind me of something... OH!" The snout gave a triumphant whinnying sound. "Uh! Me remember! Me not clanky-clank, and me not Shadow! Me true name... Fomorian! Me come from sea of human consciousness! Me come with you!"
"Uh", Aiko echoed, not sure how to handle this offer. A third member would be useful of course, but he was so big and clumsy that they would certainly attract more attention than they wanted. "How are you planning to do that?"
Fomor whinnied, large teeth stretching into a satisfied grimace as he raised both his bulky fists in triumph. "Me smell you! Scent of the wild card! You wild lady! That mean me can join with you, become Persona! Break more clanky-clank and free Shadows!"
Before she could object further, there was a flash of multicoloured light blasting towards her, briefly forming into a sharp venetian-style eye mask of pearlescent white that fitted itself snugly over her face... and then Fomorian was gone.
Not truly gone, Aiko knew. Fomor wasn't gone any more than Anne Bonny was. It was merelybecoming her mask. Her second mask... and this mask she didn't mind wearing at all.
"That... was unexpected", she admitted at last, taking a brief sweep to make sure no more Shadows had discovered their little conversation before sheathing her cutlass.
"To say the least", Pelagio agreed, wistfully polishing his own sword. "I've often seen Shadows try to escape fights they cannot win by offering up money or valuables... but joining with their captors? Never. You truly are special, my lady, if your kindness can even touch the corrupt hearts of Shadows."
"No kidding", she shrugged, now getting embarrassed from all this lavish praise. "So the Shadows aren't actually happy being robots... I guess I should be grateful that they haven't figured out that they could turn against Mira-senpai yet."
"That will not happen", Pelagio corrected her more sombrely now as they ascended another walkway. "You see my lady, there is at least one Shadow here who is completely loyal to the Land's ruler. The strongest one of all."
"Evil Microsoft Mary", Aiko finished without needing to guess. "Great."
His large eyes blinked. "Microsoft... Mary? Pardon?"
She shrugged in exasperation. He really doesn't know much about humans, does he? "The big scary robot lady with Mira-senpai's face and half of her voice."
"Ah. You are correct, then. That is your friend's own Shadow, her suppressed self... As impressive as your Persona's power is my lady, I must humbly suggest that we keep clear of that one. She is dangerously powerful. Powerful enough to command all of the other Shadows here, and I'm afraid that even your words will not reach her."
Aiko stroked her chin, trying to understand the meaning. "Then I won't try to reach that one. I'll reach the real Mira-senpai, and get her to come home." Grabbing the handle of her own blade in anticipation of another enemy, she vaulted around another elegantly shining spire to see only cognitions. Cognitions who, mercifully, didn't raise the alarm upon seeing them.
That didn't happen until several minor battles with Shadows and half an hour later, when the lights around the top of the central spire suddenly erupted into four geysers of violet light.
The four sides resolved themselves into Mira's face. No... Aiko realized that it was still Mira's Shadow, the hulking robot guardian. Great... if she's guarding the central spire, how are we supposed to reach the real Mira-senpai?
"Filth detected!", the fake Mira's voice rang out loudly across the entire steel forest, even more harsh and revoltingly mechanical when it was relayed through powerful speakers. There was hardly any trace of the original to be found. "Stupid filth has crawled up out of the darkness to contaminate princess Mira's paradise!"
The cognitions seemed very frightened by this announcement, and Aiko saw a few of them beginning to point shaking fingers at the only two people there who didn't share the same fashion sense.
"All sentry units; converge to destroy the filth!", the Shadow commanded, the four holographic visages positioned around the tower speaking in unison. "We shall delete this darkness, so that normal citizens need not fear the contamination of stupid filth!"
Pelagio looked alarmed as any of the cognitions now. "We must go, my lady. I sense that the Shadows are converging. I know that you wished to save your friend, but..."
Aiko was about to agree with him, but then something else happened. Sensing the end of the announcement as the four screens flickered out, all dozens of cognitive people in their immediate area raised their heads, and spoke as one:
"We love you, princess Mira!"
It wasn't a false, robotic inflection either. There was real, genuine emotion and humanity in their words too- only the unanimity of it made it sound artificial to her ears. Regardless, it erased the final shreds of doubt in Aiko's mind about what Pelagio had told her earlier.
He was right. These aren't actually people. They're just... illusions. Illusions of people who say whatever Mira wants to hear from them to stop her from leaving. The damn Shadows have more substance to them than these cognitions do.
Getting back on track, she spotted four box-shaped robots marching towards them from another walkway, and disk-shaped fliers beginning to filter in as well. "I hear you. A few Shadows is one thing but if they fight us en masse like this, we're screwed. Let's get back to the shore."
Pelagio was already sprinting.
They almost didn't make it. Most of the Shadows were slow, but they also knew the maze of walkways and lifts spanning Mira's Land better than Aiko and Pelagio did. After several near scrapes, Aiko got the bright idea of using Anne Bonny's power to short out several of the panels controlling the floating platforms with water, dropping some of the ground-bound Shadows down into the darkness before they could catch up.
Finally, just as she felt her legs reaching their limit, they saw the shore. Black water or no, it was welcome change from the metal forest it felt like they had just spent hours in.
"We're here", Aiko announced, fear creeping back in as she remembered how she had woken up on the shore without a clue of how she had gotten there. More noise behind them proved that the Shadows hadn't given up the chase "Now what?"
Unflinching, Pelagio strode out into the dark waters. "Now I bring you home safely, my lady. As promised."
Aiko started to ask what he meant, but then a sudden radiance overloaded her senses too much to speak. When it faded, Pelagio was gone.
In his place was a small, ethereally-styled ship that looked to be made of pure silver. Neither overly modern or classical style in design, it looked like it had been carved out of a massive block of ore, the front bearing a falcon's beaked head and a pair of wide sails folding out from the single mast that bore feather patterns, thin side rails running around the bow to meet in the upraised middle. The rest was all stylish curves and elegance, though Aiko did spot a few round apertures along the sides that might be used to house cannons.
"Please hurry aboard, my lady", the dulcet voice came booming in from nowhere, startling her even though it was Pelagio's own. Near her position, a section of side rail slid out into a small stairway for her to climb. "The Shadows are drawing nearer."
Staring at that beautiful ship could wait. So could asking Pelagio how exactly he had done this. All that matters now is that we get out of here. I'm sorry, Mira-senpai... I will come back for you. I promise.
The moment she stepped onto the deck, the ship began to move. A good thing- Aiko saw Shadows emerging onto the coast when they were a mere thirty meters away from it. She kept watching, but the enemy did not dispatch any fliers to chase them.
Instead, she was treated to sailing across a sea of glimmering stars beneath a dark sky streaked with orange afternoon light, in the kind of vessel she had hoped the Fiddler's Green might someday be. "This is you?", she had to make sure. Previous developments had not dulled her to a sense of amazement. "You can transform into this?"
"That is correct, my lady", Pelagio's calm voice issued from all around her. "This is how I have travelled between the scattered islands of Faraway Lands for all this time... but I must confess that it is quite lonely, and the Shadows are hardly worthy company."
Aiko saw several of the aforementioned islands pass by on either side of them, none of them as large or visually interesting as Mira's Land had been, and shuddered. If each of them bore hostile Shadows, then she had no desire to visit them. "Ugh. This place is so... bleak. I can't believe Ayano-san decided to come here willingly."
"Hmph. I doubt that she knew what she was truly getting into", Pelagio reminded her. "The sea of souls is no place for unprepared humans to visit."
Unprepared... that's right, Aiko considered, touching the brim of her new hat. If I didn't wake up to my Persona, we'd have both been killed. "Can we get out now, though? It's been so long... are going to have to wait for the gate to open again?"
"No, my lady", Pelagio told her cheerily. As he spoke, she could see a growing illumination that resolved itself into a vertical rectangle of golden light as they sailed closer. "Time flows differently here. When we return, you will find that only a handful of minutes have passed since you departed from your own reality, because we will be arriving just as the gate closes with the sun. I believe that humans refer to it as 'early evening'."
That didn't sound so bad to her. So what's the catch? Oh yeah... "So, the rumour's really true then... the gate at the Yume Bay only stays open for a short while, during the exact time when the sun is setting into the sea. Any other time of the day... nothing. Right?"
"Indeed."
"That means that we won't be able to get back here except at the tail end of every afternoon, right?"
"Correct. You were... planning to return here?"
Annoyed, she stomped a foot down on 'his' deck, but heard no gasp of pain. "I told you, I'm here to save Mira-senpai. I couldn't do that today... it was a lot more dangerous than I was expecting, with all those Shadow things... but there's no way I'm just giving up. Not after all this."
Pained silence shrouded their voyage before Pelagio spoke again. "Then I shall aid you in this quest, my lady. I only ask that you avoid charging into battles that we cannot possibly win. We must approach this quest with the greatest of caution- do not underestimate the Shadows, particularly your friend's own Shadow."
"I won't", Aiko promised him. Then they at the gate, and everything was an eye-piercing white until the nightmares of Faraway Lands were at last behind them.
A/N: Happy Holidays to you all :)