Chapter 28: Twisted Wrath
|Aeternus Headquarters - Meeting Room|7:30 am|
Nihane had arranged yet another meeting for the Ater Vox, to take place first thing in the morning. Nina, Carlos, and Pierre didn't look particularly interested, but Archibald and Josephine had smug looks of self importance. Nihane looked around, and waited for someone to break the uncomfortable silence.
"I wasn't expecting to meet again so soon. I can't say this is a pleasant surprise. Why are we even here?" Pierre said, looking very bored.
"You'll find out soon enough. I'm sure it'll interest you, especially if it involves completing the Eternal Road quicker." Nihane said. Pierre immediately sat up, focused. "See?"
"You're certainly proud of yourself, Josephine." Archibald said, looking at her rather pompous expression with indifference. "Do you have something to announce?"
"I certainly do. It took me a rather long while, but I finally recruited a new Persona user last night. The poor darling...she's so frightened, like a lost child. Good thing I found her. She wasn't difficult to manipulate - far from it. Now with her, the next Divine Spark can come into being!" Josephine said, with an air of self-satisfaction. "It's disappointing that it wasn't a charming young man. Alas, that does not matter. I'm going to enjoy deploying her in battle!"
"As long as she fights better than the Holy Cross, good. It's high time we gave those rebels some pain." Pierre said, busy flicking through a document on Ornatu Legion members. "I do hope you've gathered data on her fighting statistics."
"Of course I did. I would never slack off on something such as this! Her Persona is rather potent. I've already told Nihane about the details, but I'll give you the information on your screens." Josephine said, pushing a button on her desks. Everyone stared at the data, intrigued.
"So, her Persona's name is Aeshma. I see. Yes, she does seem rather strong. Ice and Dark spells, as well as some abilities we don't often see. Well done, Josephine! Nihane, don't you think Josephine did wonderfully?" Nina asked, staring lovingly into Nihane's eyes.
"Yes, she's performed admirably. If only you could produce interesting results, then it might actually be worth keeping you in the Ater Vox." Nihane said, not looking away from the data. "However, Josephine, your glorious moment might be dampened by the next development." Josephine looked up, worried, as Nihane had yet another sadistic smile. "Archibald found a Persona user as well last night. I suppose this is yet another tie?"
"What?!" Josephine shouted. "You never told me that! Ugh!" Archibald shrugged as she banged her fists on the desk, clearly nonplussed about his colleague's anger. "You slimy dog. I bet this one's just an uncouth vandal, just like that brutish Commander. You know how well he turned out, everyone!"
"Josephine, calm yourself. This contest between you two is stupid. Can't we just work together to bring about the Eternal Road?" Carlos said. Josephine swore under her breath, whilst Archibald turned to the door, and pushed the button that opened it.
"Well, now that that's out of the way, I'd like to introduce you to a man I found toiling away on a machine all night. He tried to assault me, but soon realised the potential of the freedom I could offer him."
The door opened, and everyone stared at the fearsome man who stepped in.
|Clairdol Village|12:10 am|
On the island of Motus, there were some beautiful sights outside the hustle and bustle of the city. These were namely the theme park, filled with exhilarating rides, and the Lucille Hill, which overlooked the city. However, further away than these was the quiet Clairdol Village, which only fishermen from the city visited often. Those living in the village preferred the lovely countryside around them, and the spotless beach nearby.
Today, visiting the village was Nathan, with Priscilla. Also in the luxurious car were Tara and Adrian. Last night had been wonderful, as Tara performed in the orchestra and the singer Adrian signed released her first single. "You were brilliant, Tara. You had everyone crying with that solo."
"Thanks, honey. I was kind of teary myself. I don't know why, but playing the violin brings out my full emotions. Music is the language every soul speaks, after all!" Tara said, gazing at the sea from the car, as they drove along the road.
"You know Nathan, perhaps we could invite some of your friends next time. Like that Serena girl, or the Amara woman. Then there's that Blaine person I've heard you speaking to!" Priscilla said. "The one that calls you to tell you dirty jokes at night? I swear, he has a rather...adult imagination."
"Um...Well, he's not exactly the sophisticated type. I doubt he'd appreciate the subtle majesty of a concert - especially with such a talented violinist." Nathan said. Tara laughed, and shook her head.
"Well, you never know. Some people just need that exposure to culture! I doubt they'll get that when they listen to Purple Q's song, though. Can you believe it? It's called 'Fruit Salad'! And the whole thing is auto tuned. I mean, the entire thing. It sucks being a young record producer..." Adrian said.
"It wasn't that bad.. Still, maybe you need to look for someone a bit more talented. Someone that you can work with. Maybe I'll ask around at work and see if anyone knows anyone good!" Priscilla said.
"Thanks for trying, but I can't imagine any upcoming stars at Albion Inc. Oh yeah, you two haven't met Tara's grandparents, have you?" Adrian said.
"They're in charge of the village, right?" Nathan said. "I heard a bit about them. Something about them being sad Tara's parents don't visit them very much."
"Yeah, it's a shame. I love them a lot, but me and my parents are busy all the time. Whenever they're asked to baby-sit, they leap up at the opportunity. They'll be glad to see me, I know it!" Tara said, as the village grew closer. "We're nearly there. Welcome to Clairdol Village, guys!"
|Legarte - Café Roma|12:29 pm|
As Lucy arrived outside the popular Italian venue, she smiled. Café Roma had received stunning reviews in it's thirty years of service, and had become a popular place for both romantic evenings and other celebrations. This was not the kind of place Lucy expected Blaine to take her, considering where he came from. She tried to recall what Amara had said to her. He apparently was 'funny, dependable, and a good guy'. It didn't seem like she had known him for very long, though. What she did know for sure was that he was partial to a few drinks. Lucy had already witnessed this for herself, having seen him down large pints in The Mole. Also, he loved riding his motorcycle, which he had dubbed 'Black Lightning'.
Blaine was zooming down on his motorcycle towards Café Roma, a popular Italian restaurant. He had never been there before, but from the stunning reviews during it's thirty years of service, he had a feeling it'd be perfect for a first date. Better that than a burger bar or a hot dog stand. As he was waiting at the traffic lights, he realised he knew almost nothing about Lucy. Sure, she was younger than him, and easily embarassed, but had quite a temper. But...he wanted to know more.
Aren't I too old to feel like a lovestruck kid? Dammit...I really don't want this to be the only time we're on a date.
Soon enough, he saw the familiar sign, and waiting in front of the restaurant was Lucy. He parked the Black Lightning, and gave it a little pat - as if to say 'good job'. Blaine took off his helmet, and smiled at Lucy.
"On time. This can only be a good sign." Blaine said.
"Yup. Fifty two seconds, like Stella said. And...that's one awesome ride." Lucy said, in amazement. Blaine looked at his Black Lightning and nodded.
"Yup. That baby there's gotten me everywhere in this city. Driving a car is boring, but on that thing, every trip feels like an epic ride through the streets of hellfire!" Blaine said, clenching his fist.
"I can imagine. Boys and their toys..." Lucy said, rolling her eyes - whilst grinning. "Hmm. As I said to your friend Amara, I do like biker types. Leather jackers suit you."
"Heck yeah!" Blaine said. "Come on, let's get inside. By the way, you look great."
"Huh? Oh...thanks." Lucy said, looking at her outfit. She had mostly ignored Colette's advice, and instead wore a lilac t-shirt with music notes on it that Shirley gave her, pink pants and purple shoes. To complete the feminine look was a bright blue headband with colourful flowers on it. "Lead the way, um...Blaine."
Blaine and Lucy entered, to the smell of fresh garlic bread. His stomach was rumbling, but his heart was pounding as well.
Dammit. I hope I can impress her. Should have gotten that haircut...
|Clairdol - The Miller's House|12:45 pm|
"It's lovely to meet you, Nathan and Priscilla. Tara told us all about you." Mrs Miller said. "I hope you stay for lunch. I made a lovely casserole."
"So, which one of them's Nathan? That blonde guy?" said Mr Miller. Priscilla just stared, bewildered.
"Darling, put your glasses on!" Mrs Miller said, laughing. "Sorry, he's blind as bat without them! When we had the Finnegan's daughter last week, she broke the glasses, and...oh dear, the amount of broken china I had to sweep up."
"Come on dear, without your hearing aid you're as deaf as a doorknob!" Mr Miller said.
"It's a lovely village you have here. Nathan, we should take a look around. I'd love to see all the local shops!" Priscilla said.
"Yes, I'd love to. We can go after lunch." Nathan said. "Oh yes, Tara was wonderful in last night's concert."
"Yes, she called us last night to tell us all about it! She got us a ticket for the recital next month. I just hope I can handle the crowds of the city." Mrs Miller said.
"Oh, is that Tara's father?" Adrian said, looking at the little boy in the photograph above the fireplace. He was white, so he didn't bear a strong resemblance to his daughter, yet they shared eye colour and some facial features. Tara's mother, however, was black, having moved to New Motus City from Jamaica when she was a young adult.
"Yes, it is. He was such a cute boy. Ever since he was little, he was so fond of airplanes. He kept wanting to visit the airport just to watch the planes landing, and kept pestering us for toy planes for his birthdays." Mrs Miller said, with a sorrowful look on her face. "Excuse me, I have to heat up the casserole." she said, going into the kitchen. Mr Miller looked sad, but said nothing.
"It's been a while since I was last here. It never changes, this place. I hope it stays that way." Adrian said. "The city's great and all, but coming here really calms me down after a long week."
"Please, yesterday your lunch break lasted from noon till 2pm." Nathan said, sniggering. "I only had fifteen minutes, myself..."
|Legarte - Café Roma|13:09 pm|
Blaine and Lucy had sat down at a table by the window, where they could watch the world go by. Lucy had been nibbling on the complementary bread, whilst Blaine sat there, awkwardly thinking of something to say. He looked at her more closely - in his eyes, she was rather attractive. But it wasn't until now that he realised how much shorter she was than him - or perhaps it was his height. Despite her standoffish nature in The Mole, he had a feeling she had a good heart.
"So...have you been here before?" Blaine finally asked.
"Nope." Lucy said. "I'm surprised you asked me out here, actually. Can you afford it on your waiter salary?"
"Just about." Blaine said. "But...first impressions matter the most. So why not here? There's a great view. Of course, I won't need it with your gorgeous face around!"
"Someone's rather flirtatious. " Lucy said, with a small laugh. "So, you ask me out for lunch but you hardly know me. What do you wanna know?"
"Hmm..." Blaine said, thinking to himself. "You've got a funky accent. You from the States?"
"California!" Lucy said. "Sacremento, to be specific. I take it you've a Motus native?"
"Yup. Kanaloa born and bred!" Blaine said, proudly pointing at himself. "Okay, everyone says Kanaloa is a shithole - I mean dump - but look deeper and you'll find some good friends."
"Interesting." Lucy said. "I didn't think a district omitted from tourist guides would make you so proud."
"Well it sure beats getting mopey about it." Blaine said. Lucy smiled, and both of them relaxed. "So what made you come all the way from California?"
"Quite a few reasons, but mostly I wanted to see Shirley again." Lucy said. "And if I studied at a college here, I could spend more time with her. Thing is, I came here when I was a little girl. I met Shirley in the park. I teased her about the sheet music she was reading, and she...started crying. Then I felt really bad, so I did my best to apologise and cheer her up."
"Hmm." Blaine said. "And now you live together, huh?"
"Yeah." Lucy said. "It's better than living all on my own. And you already know that I'm working at Real People with Amara. Which is great. I've been working so hard, and I think it pays off week after week. Only problem is, apart from my boss Karen, everyone else tends to mock me."
"...What?" Blaine said, alarmed.
"Relax! They're not bullying me or anything!" Lucy said. "It's nothing really horrible. Mostly teasing. It's just...I want everything to be just perfect. And they call me a slave-driver."
"Wait, you're the assistant editor, right?" Blaine said. "Then think of them as your slaves! Crack that whip and show 'em who's boss!"
Lucy laughed - rather heartily this time. "I think if I turned up to work with a whip, people might get the wrong idea!"
"Huh - Oh!" Blaine said, scratching his head. "Anyway, you seemed to be having fun with those girls at The Mole."
"Stella and Colette? Yeah, they're alright. Sure, one of them is always doing creepy psychic stuff, and the other only talks about fashion. I had to listen to her joy in discovering the 50% off sale at Rosa Candida all morning..." Lucy said.
"If you can stand listening to that, then you're gonna go places." Blaine said. "So how about Amara? You get on with her?"
"To be honest, I'm not sure. At work, I can sell she thinks I'm annoying. Every time I make a suggestion, she sighs, pouts, and looks miserable whilst she changes her drawing. I know artists are creative and hate having their ideas changed, but my focus is on the magazine." Lucy said. "You get what I mean?"
"I think so." Blaine said. "We can't always have what we want. If we could, then I'd have a better job than a waiter in a Korean restaurant. And we'd be eating sirloin steak at Nova Albion."
"No thanks. I hate steak." Lucy said. "Besides, this place is great, even if we haven't ordered anything yet. Anyway, I'm hoping to make the position full time once I graduate from will be great."
"Well then, I wish you well!" Blaine said. "At least you're doing better than me. I wouldn't mind trying to get something better, but...it's not easy. Especially if you're from Kanaloa. It was hard enough getting that waiter job."
"Is it really as bad as people say? I've been here for a while, but I've only passed through it on the bus a couple of times." Lucy said.
"Let's see. There's drunken brawls everywhere, drug addicts, homeless, run-down buildings and trash everywhere." Blaine said. Lucy frowned. Smooth, Blaine. Now she's never gonna want to see your house. "But...it's home. I've got good friends there, believe it or not. And the motorcycle racing is fun as hell, even if it keeps everyone up all night."
"You're such a kid..." Lucy said, smirking. "That sounds almost like our old house in Sacremento. Except it wasn't as bad as that. Mostly frat boys carrying kegs of beer around."
"Sounds like my high school!" Blaine said. The two of them laughed again. Looks like I might have rescued myself. Phew. She looks like she's having fun now. If I'm lucky, I won't have to wait another four years.
"Tell me more about yourself, Blaine. Amara said you were the wild, party animal type." Lucy said. "Care to back her up?"
"Do I? Let me tell you what happened on my 30th birthday." Blaine said. "Two guys steal a boat at the harbour, drunk off their asses but with four pints of lager on them. To say things got out of hand is an understatement. When we woke up, we were slouched over sun loungers at the beach, with cocktail umbrellas everywhere."
"...Wow." Lucy said, intrigued. The two of them eventually ordered, and continued with tales of Blaine and his friend's nights out - each one involving plenty of booze and inexplicably crazy situations.
|Legarte - Serena's House|13:40 pm|
"So did you watch Gorgeous Goddess last night?" Serena said, as she and Kyle sat in the living room, about to watch some Polar Bear Café.
"Yup. I have to say, I searched for her after it finished, and damn you would not believe all the naked drawings of her. Usually other girls were in those drawings." Kyle said, drinking some soda.
"Eew. Why do people think anime girls are so hot? I mean, they're not real!" Serena said.
"You're such a hypocrite. You have a poster of Vash the Stampede on your wall!" Kyle said, shaking his head. "Not to mention the drawings of Kimimaro..."
"Hey, that's because, I - shut up!" Serena said, playfully punching Kyle in the shoulder. "It's great being here all alone, isn't it?"
"Yeah, definitely! I asked mom if I could stay over, and she said yes!" Kyle said, smiling. "Um, did you ever have your hair short?"
"No, why?" Serena asked. "I think I've always had my hair this length."
"Oh, no reason, I'm just imagining things. Oh yeah, I saw Dan the other day. He's a nice guy. It feels a lot like I've met him before." Kyle said.
"Really? Do you think maybe it's because he reminds you of Matthew?" Serena said.
"No, I don't think that's it." Kyle said. "Never mind, it's probably just my imagination again. So, I wonder what's for dinner?"
"Ugh. Kyle, do I have to say it? Because I'm not willing to say that I could eat octopus like creatures!" Serena said, sighing.
Kyle burst out laughing, and Serena did too. Yet, she began to fear something. Could Kyle be experiencing memories of his other self? Perhaps she needed to see the other Kyle soon. It had been over a week since she last saw him. She needed to get back into the hang of fighting Shadows, so no more Divine Sparks would commence. No one else she cared about was going to die there, and she would see to it. She'd change to all the job classes in the world until she found the one that worked the best.
|Other World, Secret Base|14:10 pm|
Things had been very quiet since the Divine Spark destroyed Farawell Cathedral. Aeternus simply stated that a 'gas leak' had been responsible, and that there was no reason to panic. They quickly sealed off the mysterious shadowy crater that lied where the Cathedral was, yet one could still see an ethereal glow.
Kyle was back on his computer, and apart from Dan, he hadn't spoken to any of the others. They ate in silence most nights, and after that, they went their separate ways to train or search for suspicious activity. Yet, Kyle wasn't happy doing that. He wanted them to feel like a family, just like before.
"Oh, you're still here? Everyone else went out for some fresh air ages ago. Wanna go kill some Shadows with me?" Dan said, walking over.
"In a minute. I want to see if anything's been going on." Kyle said, trying to hide that his eyes were welling up. Yet, trying to hide anything from Dan was futile.
"You crying?" Dan asked.
"No, I've started slicing onions for kicks! I...sorry. Dammit, things just suck right now! Just when I thought we were finally getting somewhere! Eight people died last week, and I couldn't save Serena! Not only that, no one speaks to each other anymore, and the guys from the other world haven't been here in ages! I..." Kyle soon burst into tears, drowning out the rest of his muttering.
"Come on, buddy. No matter what, you gotta be tough. That sounded cooler in my head. I need better pep talks. Okay, then, your mom wouldn't want you sit here moping around. Neither would Serena - either one of them. They'll be back here soon, so you gotta be tough for them! It's hard, I know...I'm sad too. Blaine was my best friend, and I might have forgiven him, if he was serious about fighting the Ater Vox. Now I can't, but you gotta be a man and stand strong. Hey, that sounded good!" Dan said.
"I'm only sixteen. I'm not a man..." Kyle said, rolling his eyes.
"Well, then I'll just have to be a man for both of us!" Dan said. He ruffled Kyle's hair, laughing, and the lad chuckled a bit too. "So, shall we go now?"
"Sure, it's better than staying here all day. Wait, look at this. It's all weird, but it says Aeshma. Something about Bufula and Mudo, but there's nothing in the Ornatu Legion database about any Aeshma."
"Really? That's messed up. Guess we have something new to worry about, then." Dan said, looking at the partially corrupt data. "Wait, what's that file called? The name's all a bunch of fucked up letters."
|Clairdol Village - Beach|14:30 pm|
Nathan and Priscilla were standing side by side, watching the waves gently grace the sands. It was so tranquil, compared to the tons of people who came to the beach in Saragel. Holding Priscilla's hand, Nathan couldn't help but worry about the future. Things were wonderful now, but if he did take over as CEO, could he handle it? Would he have time to spend with Priscilla as well as control his corporation?
"Nathan, what are you thinking about?" Priscilla asked, her head resting on Nathan's shoulder.
"Oh, nothing. I just want this moment to last forever."
"You're such a sweetheart! That's why I love you. We'll be back here, I know it! No matter what happens, we have to come back here. Not tomorrow, or soon, but after a long while. Then we can think about how far we've come since then!" Priscilla said. "I don't know what'll happen, except that we'll still be together!"
"That's right. That's the only thing certain about our future." Nathan said, his heart soaring. Yet, he felt sorrow within. The other Priscilla must be suffering so much. Her long-lost love had finally returned, but he was gone again all too briefly. And this time, he wasn't coming back. For her sake, he had to come back to that world. Tomorrow, he and the others would return, ready to fight the manifestations of darkness once more.
|Legarte - Café Roma|14:42 pm|
"The two of you seriously thought you could sumo wrestle?" Lucy asked. "Come on, you have to be fat to do that!"
"That's what happens when you drink your buddy's absinthe collection." Blaine said, laughing. "Okay, I bet it sounds like all me and my buddies do is go out and get wasted. But after reaching thirty, I've calmed down. Just a little, of course."
"Well, Blaine, the food's been great. But the company's been even better." Lucy said. "You have an unlimited library of stories, all involving drunken debauchery. Even so, you've been a great listener. And like I said to Shirley, you...are rather handsome."
Blaine confidently smiled, his face slightly red. "I'm glad I got to see you having fun. You've got another night out planned already, right?"
"Yes. I just hope it's as wild as yours are. Then again, my boss is going to be there..." Lucy said.
"Really? Not once in my life as a boss even bought me a drink. One of them even beat me up. Then again, he caught me kissing his daughter." Blaine said, shuddering.
"Blaine, if you're about to tell me about your previous romantic escapades, I'd rather not hear them." Lucy said.
"To be honest, me neither." Blaine said. "But forget all those other girls. You're sexier than all of them combined."
"Much better. Except the implied amount of girls." Lucy said, bemused. "I'm surprised. We do have a few things in common. Both of us are living with our best friends. And those best friends seem pretty sensible compared to us."
"Yup. Dan's always been the responsible one. But, I love the guy to bits. It's not all beer and motorcycles. Us guys have been through tough times, but we'd do anything for each other. Seems like you and Shirley are exactly the same." Blaine said.
"Yeah." Lucy said. "Even so, I wish I could make friends better. No one at college likes me at all. But with the girls at work, I think I have a good chance with them. And...you know what? We should do this again."
"That'd be perfect." Blaine said, with a twinkle in his eye. "I guess the Spencer charm has made a glorious comeback." He stared at her, with the biggest smile he had ever known. If only he could do this for the rest of the day. Those gorgeous green eyes, staring so much into his own - he loved it. Ever second of it.
"I...guess so!" Lucy said. "Thanks for that. I didn't expect you to be so nice."
"What can I say? When you're on a date with Lucille Victoria Crossman, you have to pull out all the stops." Blaine said, standing up. "All done?"
"Yeah. I should be getting home." Lucy said.
"How about I give you a ride, then?" Blaine said. "...On my motorcycle, I mean."
"I knew what you meant!" Lucy said, laughing. "Um...whoa. That motorcycle sure is a beauty, but is it safe? I've never been on one before."
"Don't worry about it. I've been a motorcycle pro since I was seventeeen. Not a single accident!" Blaine said. The two of them left, and gazed at the shine on the fine black finish of the Black Lightning. He got on, and gestured for Lucy to hop on behind him.
"Alright then. Let's...go for an epic ride through the streets of hellfire." Lucy said. She winked, and sat behind Blaine. "So, do I...have to hold on to you?"
"Yup. Think you can handle a wheelie or two?" Blaine said, as he handed her his helmet.
"What?!" Lucy shouted. "No! Let's...go steady!"
"Relax. I'm the king of the wheelies." Blaine said. Before Lucy could object further, they drove off. "Wait! I don't even know where you live!"
"I'll give you directions! Just PLEASE, no wheelies!" Lucy hollered.
"Alright, but you're missing out!" Blaine said. Eventually, they reached the apartment building where Lucy lived, after speeding past the rest of the traffic.
"That was...quite a journey!" Lucy said. "My heart is still pounding...I'm looking forward to your rides home now!"
"The way you say that, it's like you want there to be more." Blaine said. "Does this mean we're..."
"Yes, Blaine! We're officially a couple now! What did you think I meant earlier?" Lucy said. She took off the helmet, and gave it back. "Besides, you still haven't bought me that drink."
"Ah. In that case, I look forward to doing so." Blaine said. "See you later then...baby."
Lucy stared at him for a few seconds. Then she laughed. When she left to go to her apartment, Blaine reflected on his good fortune. The sexy girl he tried to chat up at a bar turned out to like him just as much. And she was more than a pretty face. Hearing about her dreams to become a journalist was...like a dream.
Then his heart sank, as he thought on other recent events. His other self was no more. After a decade of isolation, forced into commiting murders and destroying his hometown, he had been sacrificed to the 'Divine Spark'. He would never have the chance to make peace with Dan...or find that world's Lucy.
Blaine got back on his motorcycle, resolved. He knew he wouldn't let that happen to him. He still had passion and life burning from within, and it was burning brighter than ever.
|Aeternus Headquarters - Josephine's Office|4:00 pm|
Sitting at her sleek computer, Josephine furiously typed, eager to find a flaw in Archibald's latest Ornatu Persona Implementation program she could fix. Perhaps understandably, the entire thing was glitch free.
"You clever fossil. You make it such a challenge to beat you. Know this, my rival. No matter how many brilliant algorithms you create, one day I will prove I'm the greatest. It will be Aeshma who will usher in the next Divine Spark, not your ridiculous octopus champion!"
She would not wait another ten years for the next Divine Spark - it would be her Persona combatant that would find and awaken the next land. She had already proven her beauty to her peers - now it was time to prove her talents. "Yes, no matter how old you are, I'll beat you no matter what. You'll screw up at some point, I know it! Then I'll be the one they look up to. You decrepit slug! You just watch me!"
"Josephine, who are you talking to?" said Carlos, outside her room.
"No one! Get lost, Carlos!"
"Okay. Weirdo." Carlos said, leaving. Josephine turned to her computer, and instead started looking at all the Personas available on the database. Gurr, Volvo, Ubelluris, Kaiwan and Pellaidh all looked rather powerful.
Just then, she heard a knock. Josephine turned to the window of the door, and her lips contorted into a wicked smile.
"Come in, Karen."