Persona 5 Plus: Between Sea and Stone

Chapter 13

Wind whistled past Haru's face, her eyes tearing from the force of it. Icy fear froze her limbs, her throat, her mind- for seemingly endless seconds, she could do nothing but tumble, her existence a revolution of the sky's ocean blue and the grass-covered stone. Then a surge of adrenaline snapped her back to reality- what few seconds of that she had left. What could she do? A defensive spell? Was slapping against the ground something she could reflect?

Then a furry projectile collided with her back, sharp claws dug painfully into her skin. It was Morgana, but the ground was right there!

"Mercurius!" shouted Morgana's high-pitched voice into Haru's ear, painful even over the wind. "Magarudyne!"

A hurricane gust of wind surged past Haru's head towards the ground- she felt her ears be pushed flat forward from the force of it. But all she could see was the ground, rushing up to meet her. She screamed, Morgana screaming, too- then a new burst of air hit Haru from the front, rising back up from the ground, forcing her eyes to close, and shoving her scream right back into her throat, halting her breathing.

"Errk.." she heard herself say as her downward momentum was slowed dramatically, whipping her head forward with the deceleration, her limbs whipping down in the same manner- and then it reversed. She was pushed back UP into the air a short distance by this new wind, floated with a dream-like quality, and then finally fell normally about eight meters down to land on her back- her head snapping back onto something furry and soft. Morgana howled in feline pain.

I'm alive. I'm alive? I'm alive! Haru breathed in ragged gasps, feeling the pounding veins in her forehead starting to calm slightly. High above in the blue sky of water, she could see the minuscule shapes of dolphins playing. They seemed to leap up into the sun to vanish and then reappear in sudden bursts of shadows. This place was amazingly beautiful.

"Noir.." groaned Morgana. Haru felt her fluffy pillow move hesitantly. "Are you okay?"

The spell of lethargy was broken. Haru shot up and turned to look at Morgana. He was also on his back, four limbs, paws, and tail spread-eagled in the seagrass- eyes closed in a grimace of pain.

"Mona! You saved me! Thank you! I'm fine, are you okay?" She rubbed the humanoid cat on the cheek with a mixture of concern and deep affection.

"Mmm, I think I'm getting better," he said, lifting his chin to change the direction of Haru's rubbing. And Morgana was so sure he wasn't a cat, but when he did things like that...

Then Morgana's eyes shot open. "Skull!" He bounced to his feet to look into the sky.

Fear flooded back through Haru again- she'd forgotten! Her brief dance with death having temporarily wiped her memory. She also stood, searching the sky.

At great distance and elevation, the Otohime dragon was still snaking its way through the sky, but black smoke continued to emit from someplace on its head. It seemed to be constantly turning back upon itself in a sort of holding pattern. But where was Futaba's flying saucer? Haru could only see the lighter smoke trail from the spacecraft's own damage. Her eyes followed it, and then spotted the craft itself limping at low elevation, hovering a meter or so above the rolling seagrass fields. They were likely combing the land for Haru and Morgana. There were two blond people riding the craft.

"Ryuji!" shouted Morgana, jumping into the air. He took out his scimitar and waved it widely. The shining weapon did the trick, and Haru could see Ryuji raise his arm and point in their direction. The flying saucer headed in their direction.

"Noir! Thank goodness!" shouted Ann as the ship approached. "You're amazing Mona!"

Morgana struck a triumphant pose. "Of course, Lady Ann. Don't ever forget!"