Second Chances (Persona 3 x Tales of Berseria)

2

How... Is she here?

I thought... I left her at school.

"Aigis..."

In front of me on this white barren landscape was... Her. It was Aigis just like she was that day. Her blue eyes stared at me with the softest expression as her hands were neatly clasped behind her back while her fall uniform swayed in an invisible breeze I couldn't feel. Her smile was so warm despite the mechanical parts inside her and her short blond hair flowed gently as if she was submerged in water. I missed her, I missed them, I wanted to reach out to her to tell her that I was sorry I had to go. I raised my hand to reach out to one of my dearest friends, to walk over to her and tell her everything I never got too before it all ended, but my legs refused to move. I reached out to her, but It wasn't far enough. I was always too far away.

"Aigis... I'm so sorry," I mumbled to the smiling girl before me, "I'm sorry I left, I'm sorry that I-"

I rambled on about why I was sorry as I felt my chest tighten. I was at peace with what I did and I knew I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it meant they would live, but that would never mean I don't regret never getting to see them again. I haven't been gone long, I knew that, but I missed them. I never got to tell them I was sorry for leaving them the way I did. I never got to tell Yukari I was sorry I broke her promise, that I couldn't come back no matter how much I wanted too. She walked towards me with slow steps as I told her everything, said more than I probably ever have at one time for the longest time, all while she smiled at me. She finally came within reach and gently took my hand in hers while my apologies finally died down so all I could hear was my slow breaths. She smiled at me gently as she brought her hand up to rest on the side of my head where that injury had been. I didn't flinch as no pain rose up from her touch and a gentle warmth spread throughout my body. Her smile never wavered and her eyes remained fixed on mine while I tried to memorize every detail about her all over again. I don't want to forget them. I never want to forget them.

"Leader..." She finally mumbled out in the almost human-like voice she had developed over our time together with the others.

"It's time to wake up."

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

My eyes slowly opened as the warmth of the dream slowly faded away into a biting chill that filled my body in a manner of seconds. The world around me was almost perfectly white save the large brown structure in front of me and the few figures laying in the snow. As my eyes adjusted to this world of white I noticed one figure standing near the three, it looked like a young boy about Ken's age. A bright green glow flowed around their hands as they stood over a figure clad in nearly all black as their cape covered their figure. Memories of the prison flooded my mind as I recognized the one in black as Velvet, the one who destroyed the dragon. Rokurou was behind her in the snow sprawled out on his back while that pink figure from the fight laid in the snow on her face. A ship was crashed against the rocks with its mast in two pieces and a large rock going through the hull as it almost came up through the deck itself. Broken crates of cargo were thrown all across the small area and were already beginning to be covered with snow that fell from the grey skies. It was such a peaceful scene, but the cold settling in my body made it much less serene. The first of the other to stir was Velvet as she tried to reach for the boy.

"L-Laphi-cet?" She mumbled out weakly and once more it felt as if she had spoken directly to me despite being so far away.

The boy let out a startled gasp as he backed away from her in fright. His head looked every which way until he spotted something partially buried in the snow as his gaze focused on that. He snatched it up out of the snow before he took off running towards an overhang that no doubt led to the rest of this area. He was about to make his escape when a loud growling started to ring through the air. A large wolf monster had appeared like the ones in the prison. My eyes widened and I struggled to my feet as he let out a cry of panic. Velvet's eyes widened and she was on her feet almost instantly as she ran in front of the boy to protect him.