AN: As what usually happens when I read older chapters, I find something I want to change. When I wrote one particular scene (2012!), 'Call Me Maybe' was still relevant, so I outright referenced it. Looking back, I came up with a smarter (in my opinion) joke. Anyway, there's nothing plot wise that I changed, so later chapters shouldn't be affected. Hopefully.

Chapter 19: Blue Horizon

|Amara's Apartment|10:14 am|

It was another weekend for New Motus City. Most of its people were keen to relax after their hard week, and try to enjoy the summer season. After last night, Amara couldn't wait to be like her young peers, and hit the beach. The idea of being in that refreshing sea, soaking up the sun's rays, was tantalizing, and in her eyes, she deserved a break after fighting so many Shadows. Today was a day where she could forget all about the Other World, and feel like a normal girl having fun on the amazing Saragel Beach. Even in June, it was crowded, but she didn't mind one bit.

As she was grabbing her things, she got a phone call. It was from Stella, to her surprise. She hadn't been called by her before, and the two had never socialised outside of work. Curious, she answered her phone.

"Hey Stella. What's up?"

"Nothing. I'm bored stiff here, not to mention boiling. And no one bothers coming to the parlor on a Saturday, so I might as well take a break today. Are you busy today? I was planning on going to the beach."

"...I was just getting ready to go there." Amara said, surprised. "You read my mind again, didn't you?"

"Amara, you just told everyone on your social messaging feeds that you wanted to 'catch some rays'. D colon." Stella said.

"Oh. Yeah." Amara said, red in the face. "Well, how about we make a day of it? Us two at the beach? I bet you could use the sunshine."

"I'm not albino, Amara. My skin isn't snow white." Stella said, sounding slightly offended. "Well, then I'll get my things together and head off. Shall we meet near the red parasols?"

"Yeah, great. With your hair, you'll be easy to find." Amara said, laughing.

"True...that is one advantage. Alright, then see you soon." Stella said, after hanging up.

Amara smiled - this weekend was going to be great. Yet what would the others in the other world be up to? They probably didn't have much in the way of fun, considering the bizarre entities that plagued the streets. Still, there wasn't any point to making herself gloomy. The goal was to get rid of the Shadows, and if they could do this, both worlds could bask in the sunlight.

|Saragel Beach|11:03 am|

The beach was crowded today, as was typical of a Saturday in June. Sparkling blue water, golden sand, and tasty ice cream all around, it drew the people in like moths to the flame. Amara was wearing her favourite purple and white striped bikini, underneath a pair of white shorts and a red top. She walked through the sand, trying to locate Stella, and eventually saw the elusive psychic by the sun loungers.

"Ah, there you are! You look great!" Amara said, giving a thumbs up. Stella wasn't wearing her turban or glasses, so hopefully she could remain incognito. She was clad in fetching black bikini, complete with a purple star pattern on it.

"Do you honestly think so? I think you look better in your outfit..." Stella said, blushing. Amara looked at both her own body and Stella's, and couldn't quite tell if she was right or not. Perhaps Stella was a bit thin, but she was quite tall as well.

"Come on, Stella, take a compliment for once. Life's too short to be modest!" Amara said, as she sat down on her sun bed. The two women began applying their sun cream, already feeling the heat from the sun's rays. Lying there underneath the parasol, all her worries about Shadows and Personas were evaporating already.

"So, do you come here a lot?" Stella asked.

"Yeah, but it's been a while. How about you?" Amara asked.

"Well, not for a long time." Stella said, adjusting her sunglasses.

"Oh. This is the first time since I broke up with Karl." Amara said.

"I see. To be honest, I've never been to places like this with another man." Stella said. Amara started to get curious. What kind of life did Stella have before she started work on Real People? There was so much she didn't know about either Stella or Seraphina, and yet she knew the psychic was not keen to divulge details.

"Ah...that's a shame." Amara said, sadly.

"Not really. I've not been a romantic person...maybe I never will be. Odd, isn't it? Some clients ask me for advice on their love lives, but I have none of my own."

"Well...at least you have friends, right?" Amara asked.

"A few." Stella said. "Probably nowhere near as many as you, of course. I could never be acquainted with an upcoming celebrity like Karl Davenport."

Amara looked at her, weirdly. Stella just grinned, offering no explanation. Another example of her inner eye, perhaps. Or had she been looking further into Amara's internet profiles? Still, she knew Stella meant no harm. Amara, managing to build up some confidence, cleared her through.

"Everything was okay with me and Karl at first. He seemed like a perfect gentleman - tall, ginger and handsome. Everything about him just felt so special, so genuine. Then, after I thought we were getting serious...he started to get clingy and protective. He kept demanding to know where I was, why I hadn't responded to his messages, and when we were out, he kept worrying we'd be separated. When I told him it was over..." Amara said, thinking back. "He didn't say anything. He just stood there, and after a while, he just walked away. But...I thought I saw his eyes welling up."

"That must have been hard for you. However...as big as this city is, your paths will cross again. I sense a reunion looming ahead. What will happen is unclear, however..." Stella said. Amara sighed. What if Karl was at the beach today? What could she possibly say to him? With all the Shadow stuff, she had more important things to deal with. Besides, enjoying the sunny spell was her priority today. Although she wanted to call Blaine to check if he was okay later on.

"Yeah, I guess I might bump into again something. But I'll deal with that. It'll be fine...yeah. Enough about me! I wanna hear about you! You said you were going to tell me about the name Seraphina, and you never did!" Amara said. "So c'mon, details!"

"Alright. I can tell you a few things. Stella is not my real name. Rather, it is my mother's name." Stella said. "I prefer not to use my real name. At all."

"Why?" Amara said, with a mock pout. "Come on, I won't tell anyone!"

"I know you wouldn't, but...I can't. It's a risk I can't take. As for Seraphina, she is a...friend of my mother's. A lovely lady." Stella said, and she seemed nervous now.

"Why do you look so anxious?" Amara asked.

"I can't say. I'd rather remain mysterious. With this name, I am no longer the person I once was." Stella said, staring into the sky. "I imagine everyone's forgotten the old me, anyway."

"Well, okay then. So who's Cleon?" Amara asked. "Don't tell me, another friend of your mother's?"

"Haha!" Stella seemed to find this amusing, much to Amara's surprise. "Sorry. Cleon the Wonder Star was a comic book character I liked growing up. She was awesome! She could see the future and save people, and she looked so cool!"

Amara just smiled as Stella gushed about the adventures of 'Cleon', which actually rang a few bells. When Amara herself was young, she had bought an issue just to practice tracing, until she could mimic the art style. However, the content itself was a bit cutesy for her tastes, with the heroine constantly having sparkly eyes, wide smiles, and dancing in nearly every issue. "Well, shall I get my Wonder Star some ice cream?" Amara asked.

"Of course you shall. I predict my flavour will be anything other than pistachio. With a flake." Stella said, relaxing again.

Having received her orders, Amara started walking over to the kiosk. Hearing about the childish Cleon's fantasy life among the stars, however, made Amara think about the Shadow world again. Last night was intense, but she had recovered from the Black Lightning attack the Other Blaine had used. If they fought him again, would the others be able to rescue them?

"Agh!"

Amara had suddenly bumped into somewhere, and crashed into the sand. Which considering the heat, was not a pleasant experience.

"Owwie...oh, my god! You okay, miss? I'm sorry..."

Amara looked up, and saw this apologetic person. This was a rather handsome young man, around Amara's age. He had a youthful, innocent face, with short hair as blue as the ocean. Also, he had shining eyes that matched his hair's hue. He wore a bright orange button-up shirt, with brown shorts and red sandals.

"I'll be alright...it happens." Amara said. The man held out his hand, and she took it. As she got up, she got a closer look at him. "Wait a minute. I've seen you before! You're that guy who was fishing the other night!"

"Holy cow! You remembered me! Awesome! I remember you too, of course. You were looking pretty good that night." the man said, winking, and Amara couldn't help but blush. "And - if it'd not rude of me to say so - you're looking even better now."

"Haha! Trying to cheer me up, huh?" Amara said. When she first saw him, she felt a connection. She had dismissed it as a silly crush. Now here she was, actually speaking to him. She hadn't been expecting this at all - but it felt great. She could feel herself blush, and quickly tried to stop it, but to no avail. "Great day for the beach, right?"

"Yup, sunshine everywhere. It's the one time of the year I don't look like a milk bottle." The lad said. "Although when it's so hot, it's hard to reel in those fish without sweating buckets. Still, working by the sea is always a treat."

"I bet it is. Especially in this city. Oh! My name's Amara!"

"Wow. You're still talking to me even after I brought up fish? That's different than normal. You're alright, Miss Amara. You can call me Zao." He said, grinning. There was something irresistible about Zao's smile. He looked so carefree, without any troubles in the world. She couldn't help but smile too. Why couldn't she crash into people more often? Especially when they were this charming? "So what's a fine lady like you doing on the beach all alone?"

"You try that line with all the girls?" Amara asked, and Zao laughed a little. She felt she could relax around this man - he seemed like a pretty easy-going fellow. Which would be a change of pace in her love life. "I'm just here with a friend. Girls have to stick together."

"Ah, nice. It'd be awful if you had to be on this hot beach, in that - stunning - bikini all alone. Then you'd be surrounded by men all day." Zao said, admiring her swimwear.

Amara laughed, rolling her eyes. "I'm not some kind of supermodel, you know. But...it's nice to hear you say that."

"Trust me, I only tell ladies like you what I really think." Zao said, gazing into her eyes. His own face seemed to be turning red, but he suddenly looked alarmed when he saw his watch. "Oh, no...I've got to be going."

"That's okay. I'll see you around." Amara said. Truthfully, she was disappointed. This Zao seemed so decent, and she really wanted to meet him again.

"Hey, don't look so down!" Whoa! He could tell? Come on, Amara, don't look too desperate! "Tell ya what. Wanna meet up some time?" Zao suddenly said. "I know we only just met, and I did kind of knock you over, but it'd be great to talk to you again."

"Yeah, that sounds like fun. I don't normally do this, but..." Amara said. Without any fear, she eagerly gave him her number. He gave her hers. "This...is starting to feel like a song, huh?"

"A bit. Don't worry, though. If we do meet up again, it'll be a place with much better music. Nice meeting you, Amara. Bye!" Zao said, winking again, and he ran off. Amara couldn't tear her eyes away. This Zao was something different. He wasn't serious like Karl at all, but he was rather carefree and energetic. Finally going to get the ice creams, she couldn't wait to tell Stella all about her encounter. Perhaps not Colette, though. She didn't need more fashion ideas being hurled at her.

|Blaine and Dan's House|11:45 am|

"Goddamn, you've been lyin' on the sofa since you got back! What's happening, buddy?" Dan asked. Blaine was lying on the sofa, exhausted. The fierce power of both Tlalocs would have killed him if he hadn't awakened his power. Yet, knowing that his counterpart had almost abducted his comrades hurt more.

"I dunno. Prob tired from working all week. I'll be okay." Blaine said.

"You've been weird this week. Staying out late without getting pissed, that's not like you at all. I've got an idea. How about we meet up with Roger tonight? We haven't hung out with him in ages. With his job, he could use a night out." Dan said. "Anyway, turns out I gotta go in today. One of the guys called off sick."

"Again? You sure there ain't anything going around the buses? That's the fourth time this month!" Blaine asked.

"Nah, he's just hungover. Poor guy bit off more than he could chew on a stag night. Never should have that bottle of scotch..." Dan said, shuddering. "Oh yeah, before I go...you got a phone call. Some guy called Nathan wanted you to call him back. Sounded like he was auditioning for a period drama, the way he spoke. All 'Sorry to bother you, sir', and stuff. How'd you meet a toff like that?"

"Ah, he's just some guy I met one night. I'll call him later." Blaine said, surprised. Why Nathan, and not one of the girls? At least they would have been less formal. Then again, Dan would have teased him about his love life, which for a while had been foundering. After waiting for Dan to leave - which took a while, as Dan had forgotten his keys were in the door - he finally rang Nathan's cell.

"Ah, you're finally awake. I spoke to a Daniel earlier. Although the way I spoke seemed to make him uncomfortable...sorry about that." Nathan said awkwardly.

"Don't worry about him. He talkin' shit as usual?" Blaine said. Dan didn't act very friendly to total strangers, especially for the past two years.

"Uh...I wouldn't put it that way. He kept asking tons of questions, wondering how I knew you. Probably not used to us Nova Albion folks." Nathan said. Blaine had to admit, even across the phone Nathan did sound rather sophisticated. "Anyway, about last night. Are you okay?"

"Well, to be honest, no." Blaine said, looking down. "I mean, I can handle the whole evil counterpart thing. But who's gonna trust me now? The Dan over there's never gonna want me to come back, the others are gonna think I'm gonna double cross them, and...the other me killed the other you's dad!"

"Ah. I had a feeling you would talk like that." Nathan said, sighing. "Listen. You're not the same as the other you. I don't know what happened to him, and I might not know you very well, but I can tell you aren't the same."

"What, are you trying to cheer me up?" Blaine asked. "I didn't think you liked hangin' out with me. Aren't I too working class for ya?"

"Uh...well, we might not have a lot in common. Still, I like to think you're not all that bad, compared to the other Kanaloans I've come across." Nathan said. "Besides, what good will you be in a fight if you're low on confidence?"

"Ah, that's what it is. Don't worry, Nathan, I'll be kickin' ass soon enough. Then you can sit back and let a real man do the fighting!" Blaine said, laughing.

"I'm relieved to hear that. But I don't think Kyle counts." Nathan said.

"You little shit..." Blaine said, breaking out into a chuckle. Nathan joined in, and Blaine smiled.

"Well, that's all I had to say. I don't think the others will want to go in the other world today, so just enjoy the weekend. Bye." Nathan said, hanging up. Blaine wasn't sure what to think. Was he actually getting on with Nathan after all? He'd never liked any rich people he came across. Although upon that thought, he did recall a friend of his father who had a few dollars to throw around. But that was a long time ago. None of his dad's buddies had thought to keep an eye on his son...and the rich man was probably long gone.

Bored of sitting at home all day, Blaine finally got outside, and fired up the Black Lightning once more. It probably wouldn't be long before he'd fight his other self again, so he had to chill out before that happened. Perhaps he could swing by the bar to play some pool...

|Kyle's House|11:45 am|

"...so basically, they just threw in cussing so they'd get that adult rating, and they could say it wasn't kids stuff." Kyle said, looking at Serena.

"Oh, so that's why she said 'Fuck and piss?'" Serena asked.

"Yeah. And she kept calling that ugly Brigette Nielsen lookalike an 'evil bitch'. The 90's were a bad time for dubs..." Kyle said. "Today, we'll pick something actually good. Let's see here..." He started scrolling through a website for anime, and after some deliberation, he went for one.

"You found something good?" Serena asked, as she sat on the blue bed with him. The room was full of computer related items, such as a Commodore 64 with a tape drive, a Famicom Disk System, and a large box of game and PC controllers.

"I think so. It's called Devil Children." Kyle said clicking on the first episode. "It's about these kids who learn they're half-demon, so they go to the demon world Makai to save the human world. I think."

"Well, at least there won't be swearing. But if they're half demon, why do they just look human?" Serena asked, staring at the somewhat generic silver haired boy and his brunette companion.

"I guess, they just inherited the magic powers? Or maybe they turn into demons. I know they can summon them, and stuff. I guess they didn't think of focusing on the furry audience." Kyle shrugged, and they started to watch the first episode. Serena and Kyle found it mildly interesting, even though the subs they found weren't very well done. At least, it was better than hearing someone screaming 'Marie' every episode.

"That was okay." Serena said. "Let's try a few more episodes."

"Sure thing. Maybe we need to do our own dub of it...in true early 90's OVA style." Kyle said, with an evil grin in his eyes. "Hey, Serena, did we ever go to a basement?"

"No...why?" Serena said, alarmed.

"No reason, I just remember me looking at a computer and you giving me pretzels. Weird." Kyle said, deep in thought. "Maybe I've been watching too much of this stuff."

"Yeah, you're probably right. Remember when you thought I was Rei Ayanami?" Serena said. "Although I was trying to cosplay at the time..."

"It was pretty convincing. Until I put my glasses on." Kyle said, sticking his tongue out. "Forget it. It's probably just a weird dream I had. Anyway, this theme song is getting catchy..."

"Oh no...it took me months to get the last one out of my head!" Serena despaired, as Kyle hummed along to the show's theme song. Now she would never be able to get the song, as well as Kyle's rendition of it. At least this was better than fighting hordes of Shadows. Today, she could just sit with her best friend, and relax.

|Nathan and Priscilla's House|11:45 am|

"Priscilla darling? I need to give someone a call. Are you still meeting Tara for lunch?" Nathan asked.

"Yes, we're going to look for new outfits for her grand debut at the orchestra." Priscilla said, happily. "I know, I've got too many clothes, but at least we have the closet space here."

"Indeed. Someday soon, though, I expect to have to wade through dresses just to get into the living room." Nathan said, laughing. "Anyway, I'll see you tonight. Remember, I'm cooking this time, so you just relax."

"Alright. Bye, darling." Priscilla said. Nathan gave her a quick kiss, and walked outside. He had been rather secretive lately, but she just assumed it was something to do with business. Or golf, one of Nathan's favourite pastimes. As long as she didn't have to hear about his purchasing of luxury clubs, she didn't mind not listening to this conversation.

Suddenly, the phone range. Priscilla, curious, answered it.

"Hello?" She said.

"Good morning, Prissy." The speaker said. From the sound of that deep, cultured sounding voice, this was Reginald Albion, Nathan's father and head of Albion Incorporated. A rather formal man, yet usually kind and humble to others. Yet after last year, which saw the shock passing of his wife Daphne, he had become more bitter, refusing to crack even a single joke among his friends. Priscilla's heart went out to him, but she could only do so much to help him.

"Ah, good morning, Reggie!" Priscilla said. "How are you doing? It feels like ages since I last saw you!"

"Yes, a whole day." Reginald said, laughing slightly. "I was hoping to invite you two round for some Sunday lunch tomorrow. Can you make it?"

"I'll ask Nathan, but I'm sure we can." Priscilla asked. Her mouth watered at the thought of eating those tasty Yorkshire puddings, not to mention the roast beef. She had never managed to make any as scrumptious as Reginald, and she never figured out why. Tomorrow would be another chance. "He's gone out, so I'll ask him when he gets back."

"Alright then, have a good day. Hold on a second, actually, Since I've got you on the line, I might as well talk to you about something. There's something I've been wanting to tell Nathan, but I haven't found the right moment." Reginald said. "I've tried being subtle, but he's too preoccupied to notice. So I need your help. Prissy, I think it's high time I retired."

"...Retired?" Priscilla asked, shocked. While Reginald was in his sixties now, he had still kept pressing ahead with the business, helping to produce the company's new brand of smartphones. Not only that, he had personally helped build successful ties with companies in China, South Korea, Japan and India with in the last year.

"Yes. It's tiring working all day, especially with no one to come home to." Reginald said. "Trust me, I do still love the company, but...I'm not a young buck anymore. I'd rather sit back and let Nathan take over. He's got the energy for it. That boy, he puts his whole heart into every task I give him. He's a credit to the company. Yet he has to spread his wings and reach the top. He could be the best CEO the company's ever seen, I know it."

"It's a lot of responsibility..." Priscilla said, concerned.

"Come on, Prissy. You've seen the way he focuses when he's got something big to do." Reginald said. "What I think is...if I let him take over, then he can finally say he's made it to the top. Even if he whines about not having 'earned' it just yet. Just think, he'll finally get down on one knee."

"I...well..." Priscilla said, blushing. "Why not tell him how you feel?"

"Ah, you know what he's like. He'll say there's a lot of life left in me yet." Reginald said. "Plus, he probably thinks it's better for me to be working than to be in that old house, full of memories. It is a busy job, of course, but it's got his name all over it. Look. Don't stress your pretty little head out over this. For now, this is just between you and me. I'll convince him to take the job, somehow. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Right. Take care." Priscilla said, as he hung up. Nathan as CEO? It would be an interesting thought, him taking the helm at just twenty eight years old. He'd be youngest of the Albion family to do so. And his expertise had helped guide the firm into a modern age, one full of fast internet access at the touch of one's finger tips. Yet he seemed so concerned with other things now. The time, she felt, might not be right for taking the reins of his family's business.

Nathan, whatever you decide to do, I will stand by you. But the time has to come to move forward with our lives...

|Saragel Beach|11:50 am|

"Are you alright? You've been staring into space ever since you got back from getting the ice cream. By the way, kiwi flavour was a great choice." Stella said, as the two of them walked towards the sea. "Oh, it's Zao again! I did sense you'd meet someone new...someone special."

"You did? Why didn't you tell me? I could have said something to him!" Amara said.

"Well, if you anticipated a new man in your life, you'd start to suspect everyone. Even the guy over there selling sunglasses." Stella said, as she felt the water touch her feet. "Ooh, that's cold."

"Thing is, I saw him before. Remember, when we went to Cocoa Harbour together? I saw him after you left, and he smiled at me..." Amara said, dreamily.

"Oh! Well, that instant attraction is a wonderful thing. To start the relationship with such a spark - magnificent!" Stella said. "Well, you haven't been on a date with him yet, so -"

"I just met him! There's no relationship...not yet, anyway." Amara said. "And it's only been a few months since everything went south with Karl..."

"Amara, you have to go with your feelings here. " Stella said. "So, are we going to swim?"

"Yeah! Race you!" but Stella had already ran into the sea, swimming at a remarkable pace. "Hey, wait up!" Amara laughed, as she followed suit. Try as she might, she just couldn't catch up, and the water was absolutely freezing. Amara had never been fond of the cold, and the winter was her least favourite season.

Yes, after last night's drama, today was truly something special. Would Zao, the young fisherman, be the man of her dreams at last? She didn't know, but she had to give it a chance. After all, in the other world, Amara probably would never had met Zao. Finally adjusting to the cold, she gave chase to a laughing Stella. "Didn't foresee this, did you?" she called out, as she splashed her psychic friend.

|Other World - Saragel - Lorean Tower|11:40 pm|

Despite the late hour, Kyle was restless. An endless list of tasks to get through had prevented him from coming here any earlier. This didn't bother Kyle, however. His Persona would be more than enough to keep him out of trouble. The others at the base wanted an early night - except for Dan, who had done to The Mole for a few drinks. Dan had promised he'd return early, but Kyle knew from experience that 'early' meant one in the morning.

Kyle had been preoccupied by a catchy tune in his head. Despite knowing the melody, he wasn't able to recall the lyrics, or where the song was from. Perhaps it had been from a TV show, but Kyle hadn't watched television since he was a six year old lad with his mother. Even with his technical expertise, he had been unable to realiably stream videos on the internet.

Lorean Tower was quiet tonight, compared to the chaos from the previous evening. There were a handful of Ornatu Legion guards by the entrance, but they were bored, and eagerly checking their watches. Kyle, ever cautious, stayed in hiding. It seemed like the Commander was elsewhere, most likely being berated by his superiors for his failure. Or perhaps he was chewing out the Holy Cross.

This is boring as hell. I'm gonna go back and play some Skyrim.

Just as Kyle was about to turn back, he heard a loud and furious explosion. He gasped at what he saw next - the Ornatu Legion guards collapsed on the ground, with smoke rising into the air. They had fallen victim to Zio magic.

"What the hell?" Kyle shouted. Crap! I just made myself a sitting duck! Luckily for Kyle, no one emerged to confront him. He calmed down, and thought to himself. Who did he know that could cast Zio magic? Dan came to mind, but there was no way he would attack them without permission from Aimee or Kyle. If it had been the Blaine from the other world, he would have received word from Aimee he was here. Kazuya Miyazaki was a possibility, but the Holy Cross would never dare betray their masters. That left only one possibility - the Commander.

Kyle gulped. The Commander was a force to be reckoned with. Sweating, gazing up at the smoke, Kyle realised how danger he was in. He started to leave the area, looking left to right. Before he could get close enough to the NDD, however, he felt someone grab him from behind.

"Hey! Lemme go! Persona -" Just then, someone put a rag over his mouth. Chloroform!?

"Just relax. You'll be alright." a female voice said. And he knew who's voice it was. Before unconsciousness took over, he was able to whisper their name.

"Serena..."