Chapter 47: Reborn Cross
|Outside Motion Publishing|8:51 am|
"Phew..." Amara said. She rubbed her eyes, tired. She didn't much sleep last night, but neither did Zao. It was still a very fun night, but she could tell Zao was concerned about something. What this was, however, Zao didn't reveal.
"Oh, good morning Amara."
Karen stepped in front of Amara, looking rather happy herself. It was no surprise that she was so happy, of course, as Roger was standing next to her, looking very handsome in his usual office attire.
"Good morning, Karen." Amara said. "And to you, Mr Martin."
"I see you've got her well trained already!" Roger said.
"Yes! She even knows how to fetch!" Karen said, giggling. "Roger, thank you for driving me here."
"Oh, the pleasure was all mine. Remember, I'm picking you up after work, so try not to head straight for the mall, okay?" Roger said.
"Who am I, Colette? Have a good day, sweetheart." Karen said, and the two of them shared an intimate kiss. This was quite the boost for the man, as he practically leapt with joy returning to his car.
"You two look really close now..." Amara said, smiling. "It's like you've never been apart."
"I know. Despite him being a millionaire, and my career, he's still the same man I fell in love with. The one who helped me pick up the pieces and start living again." Karen said, waving as the car drove past. "I just wish I had handled being away from him better. Four divorces isn't a very good track record, is it?"
"Nothing you can do about that now. Besides, he was the one you were waiting for all along! And I'd say he was worth waiting for, too. If he doesn't care about those other guys, why should you?" Amara said.
"Good point. How are you and Zao, anyway?" Karen asked, looking at Amara with an eager look in her eyes.
"Fine, really. Zao's the same old goofball. The only weird part is he's best friends with my ex." Amara said uncomfortably. "I can handle it, but it's hard not to remember how much I loved Karl. He was the first guy I really cared about, and we had a lot of good times together."
"Love is tough...trust me, I know. I married four men just because I thought I loved them. Looking back, they just reminded me of someone I loved a lot more. I was lucky to find Roger again...if I hadn't, I probably would have continued trying to replace him. I'm glad you didn't do the same." Karen said. "If you're not happy about spending time with Karl, just talk to Zao. He'd understand."
"Thanks, Karen. Now let's go! We have work to do!" Amara said. The two of them went up the elevator, chatting the whole time, ready for another hard day.
|Cocoa Harbour|6:30 pm|
Amara was with the others at an outside table, ready to return to the other world. Nathan and Serena looked uneasy, but Blaine had a focused look on him. Zao was running late, as he had to get changed and have a quick snack before heading out. Sipping on the coffee, she watched the waves and the seagulls fly by.
"Come on, Nathan, look more excited! We're going to fuck up some Shadows tonight!" Blaine said, lightly punching him on the shoulder.
"Don't do that. And it's hard to get into it when last time, Adrian and the others died right in front of us!" Nathan said, rubbing his arm. "Speaking of Adrian... he did propose to Tara last night. They're getting married sometime in December."
"That's nice! At least this world's Tara is happy. Good luck to her!" Serena said. "Kyle's been really moody lately. I'm the Head Girl at my school now, and Kyle doesn't like the guy who was made Head Boy."
"Is it Lucas?" Amara asked. Serena nodded, pensive. "Oh...you must have heard his thoughts as well. When I heard Colette's inner thoughts, I realised how complex people can really be."
"You getting artistic inspiration?" Blaine asked.
"Don't laugh! I express myself via my artwork. I'll show you sometime!" Amara said.
"I'm looking forward to it. Just remember to make us look good if you draw us." Blaine said. "In my case, art will imitate life!"
"Someone's confident..." Serena said.
"You bet I am! Lucy and I had a lot of fun last night." Blaine said, with a daring smile. "It's only been a little while, but she's already the best girlfriend I've ever had. Of course, the last one...never mind, that's a dark and somewhat sordid story for another time. But trust me, I know I'm on to a good thing here. I'm gonna make this relationship work, believe me."
"Well, congratulations. Perhaps this will be the making of you." Nathan said, sarcastically.
"Don't be such a downer, dude! This relationship's just improving on perfection!" Blaine said, pointing at himself. "Just kidding. Zao ready yet?"
"Actually, there he is now!" Amara said, pointing at the door. Zao ran in, wearing an orange t-shirt and brown shorts. "Zao, are you sure you want to go into the other world dressed like that?"
"Of course! Why, doesn't this shirt go with the shorts?" Zao said. "Maybe you could get Colette to give us fashion tips before we leave next time. Then we can fight in style."
"Most of us already do that, Zao. You need all the help we can get." Blaine said. Zao frowned, and Blaine laughed. "I'm messin' with ya, boy! You just need to train harder!"
"No, Blaine, I am not using those ankle weights again." Zao said, sighing. "Oh, almost forgot. I got you something, Amara!"
"Oh?" Amara was surprised - Zao hadn't given her gifts before. However, she gasped in surprise at what he presented in front of her - a beautiful white and purple seashell that shone in the sunlight. "Wow, Zao! This is gorgeous... I've never seen anything like this at the beach before!"
"I know the best places to look. There's not an inch of Saragel Beach I haven't explored! Next time I'll bring you along, and we'll have a huge collection!" Zao said, grinning. "That incredibly awesome and romantic gesture aside, it's time for some coffee. Then I'll be ready to beat up some Shadows! Woo hoo!"
"You know Amara, it's always perplexed me how he manages to be so cheerful." Nathan asked.
"It's the sea breeze. It must do crazy shit with your head." Blaine said. The team continued to drink and chat, preparing for more fighting.
|Other World - The Mole|8:00 pm|
The Mole was not any more appealing than usual. Tonight, Dan had brought Matthew here, and the younger of the Kingsley brothers couldn't believe his eyes. It was an absolutely foul establishment, filled with shabby, hopeless men who had only one thing left in life - alcohol.
"Dan, why are we here?" Matthew asked.
"Matthew...ten years ago, I thought I had lost everything. Kanaloa, Blaine, and you." Dan said, seriously. "This sounds melodramatic, I know -"
"Since when did you use words like 'melodramatic'?" Matthew asked.
"Trust me, when you're so bored you read Priscilla's girl magazines, you learn a few things." Dan said. "Don't interrupt me, Matt! I'm trying to tell you a true story here!"
"Sorry, big bro! I didn't mean to spoil your heartrending tale!" Matthew said. "I think I know most of it already, anyway. You were here for eight years after Kanaloa was destroyed by the Divine Spark, and you spent most of it drunk."
"That's...pretty much it." Dan said, looking around him. "Two years ago, I was just like these poor saps. We didn't have homes to go to, so we just camped out here. The owner didn't really give a shit, and he just kept serving drinks. When I was sober, all I could think about was you. How old you would have been, why the city had to get filled with the Shadows...you know."
"Well, that IS melodramatic. But I'm still here. And you've got everyone back at the base." Matthew said. "Things are looking up!"
"That's right, Matt! Now I'm kicking all sorts of ass. And I finally get to look after my kid brother again." Dan said, ruffling Matthew's hair.
"I'm twenty, you know. Anyway, why do you keep coming back here?" Matthew asked. "It's not like you can help the others, is it?"
"Not now, anyway. If we could figure out how to stop the Divine Sparks, everything would be hunky dory for these guys. They could finally move on, stop drinking and start over. Really, I come here because it's the only place left with cheap booze. Also, Kaman helped me out, so I like to repay him." Dan said. "That's him, over there."
"Oh, good evening Dan. Who's this kid?" Kaman asked.
"I'm twenty now. I can hold my own liquor! Anyway, I'm Dan's brother. Name's Matthew."
"Uh...Matthew?" Kaman asked, confused.
Dan bit his lip - he had spent years here, dwelling on the past. Now his dead brother was alive and well, and he didn't have a good answer why. Kaman didn't know the full story of Dan and his friends, but he could tell there was something different about them. Dan couldn't risk Kaman knowing the full truth.
"Um, it's a long story. Basically, I found him by chance when I was in...uh...Takanawa! Yeah, there!" Dan said. "Can you believe it? Matthew's was alive all this time, and I never knew!"
"That is pretty amazing, yes." Kaman said. He sounded absolutely nonchalant about it, however. It seemed as if it were an effort to even say those words. "If you had met him earlier, you wouldn't have had to stink this place out for eight years."
"Trust me, these days I have a very refined musk." Dan said. "Shirley around?"
"You show up with your apparently deceased brother, and you just drop it like that for a pretty young girl? You're so typical, Dan. She's getting ready upstairs. I'll make Matthew something good while you're waiting." Kaman said. He went away to check the shelves, scanning various varieties of vodka.
"We should have a drink in Clairdol sometime." Matthew said. "It'd be better than this place."
"Maybe, but there's only one bar with Shirley, and that's this one." Dan said, giving Matthew a wink.
"Oh, you finally got yourself a woman?" Matthew said. "Even in a city crowded with monsters, you still managed to turn on the charm and pick up a lady! That's my big brother!"
"Don't try and make me look like a pervert...I'm not Blaine. It's not like I was trying to score with her or anything. I just like to make sure she doesn't get trouble from the other guys. She was pretty cold until the last time we spoke, and I'm hoping she'll be glad to see me again." Dan said.
"So, she's not your girlfriend?" Matthew asked. "What are you waiting for? It's not like you've got any competition! I bet half the customers here don't even remember their own names!"
"Maybe, but I spend all day fighting Shadows and working with the other guys. I don't really have the time for a girlfriend." Dan said, glum. "If all this Shadow shit stopped, then I'd ask her out in a flash. Till them, the rebellion comes first."
"Is that her? Wow!" Matthew pointed, as Shirley walked out of the door behind the bar.
"Quiet! Don't scare her off!" Dan snapped.
"Oh, it's you." Shirley said, with a slight smile. "I was wondering when I'd next see you. Who's this kid?"
"I'm Matthew Kingsley, Dan's younger brother! We're finally together again, after ten long years. You're Shirley, right?"
"Yes, I am. I play the piano here at night. Of course, your brother is my only fan." Shirley said, giggling.
"What can I say? I know good music when I hear it. How about you play a little ditty for my little brother?" Dan asked, putting his arm around Matthew.
"Sure. Just give me a moment to get ready." Shirley said. "I've had a bit of a headache for a while, and it won't go away. I've tried drinking water, but we don't have any medicine here."
"That's strange..." Dan said. "Don't worry about it. If you're not feeling well, just stop."
"I already said I'll play. Besides, if I focus on this, the pain isn't so bad." Shirley said. Before Dan could say another word, she headed straight for the piano.
"Come on, it's so obvious!" Matthew said, exasperated.
"What is?" Dan asked.
"Dense as always. She likes you, Dan. How can you not see it?" Matthew said.
"Matthew, if you're trying to get me to ask her out, it's not working. You know how dangerous fighting Shadows is. It's not like Karen and Roger - they've both got Personas." Dan said. He looked over at Shirley, who was adjusting the piano stool. "What if...we were out on a date, somewhere, and Shadows came? I could beat them, but if one of them got to Shirley and she couldn't get away-"
"Yeah, stop right there. You don't have to get all emotional on me! I just want you to be happy, that's all." Matthew said.
"Heh. Thanks, Matthew. You're a good little brother." Dan said. Now, he was all smiles. Ever since Matthew had returned, Dan felt like a huge weight was off his shoulders. Even if he was no longer the mischievous child he chased after, Dan still felt it was his duty to look after him. And that was what he was going to do tonight. "Anyway, Kaman, what have you got for this guy?"
"A pint of your favourite ale. And one for you too, obviously." Kaman said, serving the large glasses.
"Your favourite? It's mine, too! This is going to be one hell of a night!" Matthew said.
The two brothers drank, as Shirley's upbeat melodies filled the bar. Matthew kept silent as Dan stared longingly at her, as her fingers embraced the ivory and ebony keys. All Matthew wanted was to see Dan happy with someone, so he didn't have to worry about Shadows every second. Shirley seemed to enjoy Dan's company, as well. Surely, in troubled times like these, being together would make the dark days feel a little more bearable?
Matthew noticed Kaman giving him odd looks throughout the evening. Each time he stared at Matthew, it was not for long, but it odd every time. As if he was somewhere he shouldn't be. Kaman kept polishing glasses, which seemed to be something he did often.
|Aeternus Headquarters -Meeting Room|8:15 pm|
All six members were assembled, after two days of constant activity. The citizens were in a state of distress after the three recent Divine Sparks, and some were concerned about the lack of updates on the 'Last Soldier' group. Not only that, many felt the Ornatu Legion weren't performing as well as they could have been.
"So, do we actually need to do anything? Once all the Divine Sparks are done, any concerns our citizens may have will be meaningless." Pierre asked.
"There is always a danger they will switch support to the insufferable rebels." Archibald said. "And if that happens, our capability to control the populace diminishes. You do realise how many natural Persona users are now against us."
"Unfortunately, we no longer have anyone to brand as a Last Soldier." Josephine said. "Perhaps taking the time to scout the city for new users would be worthwhile."
"If you really need something to do, you boring old hag, go ahead!" Nihane said. "I'm just glad the experiments on Lucas O'Neil, Adrian Gale, Colette Hamilton and Joseph Kowalski went so swimmingly. They became Shadows themselves, and from Carlos' report, they gave our enemies a hard time."
"Yes, it was quite a worthwhile venture. The sheer level of grief truly hastened the Nova Albion Divine Spark. Now if we can find others within our ranks with personal ties to our enemies, we can probably finish the Eternal Road by the end of this year." Carlos said. However, something was bothering him. "Archibald, do you remember what I informed you of?"
"I do indeed. There was someone there who aided the rebels, an older man. And they had a companion, who was a young adult female. Yet, there is no information on their appearance." Archibald said. Carlos stared right into Archibald's eyes, and sighed. He was not satifisfied with this response, it seemed. "It would seem they are the source of the Traesto spell that occurred in Tachibana University."
"Why do we still know nothing about them!?" Nina shrieked, pounding her desk. "The idea of powerful enemies that we can't find...is unbearable!"
"That doesn't surprise me. For you, writing up reports is unbearable!" Nihane said, smiling as Nina frowned. "I merely jest, Nina. We have too little information to go on, so we leave the situation alone for now. We merely make another speech to the public, and dispatch more Ornatu Legion soldiers. That should put their worries at ease for now. Before I depart to investigate Inanis, there's another issue I wish to raise. There was another skirmish on the night of the Divine Spark, wasn't there? Involving SD00?"
"Oh! Yes!" Carlos said. "I left it on the floor above me, but it looks like they discovered it. From what I hear, that weird blue haired boy with the fishy smell had a peculiar attachment to it. I'm not sure why, however. I wasn't in charge of the creation of SD00. Archibald was, though. Do you have some insight?"
"Let me just say this. SD00 meeting Zao Yuria is very significant indeed." Archibald said, with a menacing laugh. "It would be much faster to show you. Watch." Within a few key presses, everyone saw the image of 'SD00' on their screens.
"Archibald wasn't joking. This is significant." Nina said, staring closely.
|Secret Base|8:30 pm|
When Amara and the others arrived at the secret base, Tara was sitting at the table drinking coffee with Priscilla whilst Roger was lecturing Kyle about something. Karen was watching them bicker, and kept quiet.
"See, Kyle? I was right! You messed up the wiring! You could have been electrocuted with this shoddy attempt at cabling. That's why I fixed it for you!" Roger said.
"Don't insult me, dammit! I was getting around to it, but I've been busy lately!" Kyle said. "Besides, I can handle this computer myself!"
"Really? I've seen the way your files are organised, and they're all over the place. You could learn from me, kid." Roger said. "Maybe you could even fix that program's 15 errors."
"It's a work in progress. I can handle it, honestly." Kyle said, shaking his head. "Why can't you just leave me be?"
"You mean apart from the faulty electric work? I'm good with machines, you know. When Archie found me, I was trying to build a computer that could attract Shadows. The idea was that I could keep getting stronger. Finding the spare parts was a nightmare, but I almost did it. Turns out Archie and his gang already perfected such a device, and they used it in places like Lorean Tower or the tunnels." Roger said.
"Truly fascinating. I just wish Dan was here..." Kyle said, annoyed.
"Sorry, Kyle, but until you're 18 you'll just have to wait here. At least you have Roger to keep you company!" Karen said.
"Oh, wonderful. I'm sure we'll have an absolutely terrific time." Kyle ignored Roger's glare, and turned back to his computer.
"Kids these days..." Roger said, with a silly smile. "They think they can do everything themselves - oh, it's you guys!"
"Ah, sorry about that. We were just enjoying you guys getting along so well." Nathan said. "I presume Daniel is at The Mole once again?"
"Yes, and so is Matthew. The two have a lot to catch up on." Priscilla said. "Also, Dan's been asking me about how to talk to the lady that plays the piano there. I just tell him to be himself, but he demands actual advice, and I tell him I'll think of some later. Honestly, I don't think he needs the help. He's a good man!"
"Just don't tell him to grow a full beard. Trust me, it looks way worse than the goatee does." Blaine said, shuddering. "Anyway, where are Aimee and Seraphina?"
"I'm coming!" Aimee said, running out of the kitchen. She had a flowery pink apron on, and some matching oven mitts. "I never expected you guys to come now. How have you been?"
"Oh, we're doing okay. Just trying to carry on as normal. How about you guys?" Serena asked, glancing at Tara.
"I'm fine, honestly. But when I next see Carlos, I will mop the floor with him!" Tara said. "Priscilla's helped me a bit, though. She was talking about what happened after the Divine Spark at Farawell."
"It's strange, actually. It feels like I've known Tara for a long time." Priscilla said. "Of course, in your world we have. Which worries me - why are we experiencing feelings from another dimension?"
"I don't know, but it's definitely something to watch out for." Nathan said. "What about Stella? I don't see her anywhere."
"She left a while ago, saying she had a destination to reach. No one knew what she was on about, but we assumed she knew what she was doing." Aimee said. "She did promise she'd return before midnight, though. Anyway, if you guys want to go out and train, go ahead. How about Farawell?"
"Fine with me!" Nathan said. "Kyle, don't let Roger get under your skin. He's only trying to help."
"Well, I don't need it -" Kyle said, but was quickly interrupted as his program crashed. "Damn!"
"That, Kyle, is because you forgot a data error exception. Let me have a look." Roger said.
"Fine...but don't ruin it." Kyle muttered, moving his seat. "Good luck, Serena!"
"Thanks! Have fun!" Serena waved, running through the NDD.
|Farawell - Maravell Junction|8:35 pm|
"We're getting close to where the cathedral was." Nathan said. "It's still strange, not seeing it in the sky anymore."
"Especially since we saw it in our world not so long ago." Amara said. "How about we head over there for today? There's quite a few Shadows up ahead, so it should be good practice!"
"Okay! I'll show you what Rashnu can do!" Zao leapt forward, and the team battled their way towards the cathedral.
Alas, Zao often had to leave tougher Shadows for the others to defeat, but no matter how many times he needed to be assisted, he kept on smiling and put on a show of boundless energy. Rashnu was definitely stronger than before, though, and Zao took delight in stopping enemies from healing themselves. The others hadn't learned any new skills for quite some time, although they did notice their elemental moves increasing in power. Stella would probably be able to tell them why when she returned later on.
It was not far from Maravella Junction to Farawell Cathedral, but due to the high number of Shadows, it took quite some time to get there. No one seemed to mind, though, especially Blaine as Tlaloc ripped apart Shadows in the blink of an eye. Nathan, however, seemed to be going through the motions, barely concentrating as Setanta's winds blasted the Shadows to pieces.
"Nathan, you're barely even trying..." Serena said.
"I'm doing just fine, thank you. Besides, there's no reason to exert excessive energy over training." Nathan said.
"If you say so - Nathan, look out!" Amara shouted. A Samurai Shadow was behind Nathan, who remained unaware of the assailant. Nathan turned round, and before he could have been struck by the Samurai's sharp blade, Tlaloc's hammer crushed the monster into the ground.
"That was close - ow!" Nathan clutched his shoulder, wincing. Blaine had just harshly thumped him. "What did you do that for?"
"Are you a fucking moron? You don't focus on fighting, you'll get killed!" Blaine yelled, furious. "Don't you remember when we first met, and you told me not to treat it like a game? Well, that's what you're doing right now! Even Zao's trying harder than you!"
"...I'm sorry. Ever since I had that talk with my father, I've not been able to get into the spirit of things." Nathan said.
"What's he talking about?" Serena asked.
"He didn't tell you girls? His dad told Nathan he actually did have that affair with Josephine!" Zao said, somehow not fazed by the situation. "Although I never figured she was lying."
"To be honest, neither did I. I just thought that if he told me it was all a lie and there was nothing going on, then everything would be okay and I could think of Josephine as nothing more but a lying witch." Nathan said, sighing. "Ngh...I think I deserved that punch."
"You're damn right you did! Not just for nearly getting killed, though. You haven't even spoken to your dad since then, yeah?" Blaine said, even more bitter. "Some people would be grateful to have their dad around, even if they hate their guts. You think about that, asshole."
"Blaine, I...again, I'm sorry. This is the first thing I've been scared of in my whole life. Even the Shadows don't scare me as much as this..." Nathan said, eyes to the ground. Normally, he stood tall and tried to be brave, but now he was cowering at the very thought of his dad. It really was odd to see Nathan afraid of something.
"Look, it's not so bad. As long as Nathan fights harder from now on, we'll be okay." Amara said, trying to smile. It was harder than Zao made it look, however, to force an expression of happiness. Nathan nodded, but didn't look any less troubled. Blaine sighed, and just shrugged. "We're near the cathedral site, anyway. Let's go."
Amara and Nathan went on ahead. Serena looked at Blaine for a few seconds, and Zao ran on ahead, letting out a rather weak battle cry.
"Blaine, do you miss your father?" Serena asked.
"You hit the nail on the head, girl. It's been twenty years, and not a day goes by when I don't think about him." Blaine said. "I shouldn't have let you see me so mad, though. Let's try and enjoy ourselves as long as we're here...okay?"
"Okay!" Serena said. The two of them rejoined the others, and eventually, they were at the dark crater where the Cathedral once stood.
|Farawell Cathedral Site|8:38 pm|
"This is where the other me and the other Serena were hiding, yeah?" Blaine asked, staring at the dark crater. No effort had been made to seal it off from the populace - the Shadows were deterrent enough.
"That's right. I still have her diary, and when I read it, it feels like I've written it. Well, I have, but...you know what I mean." Serena said.
"This is pretty spooky. It's like with the university and the mansion." Zao said. "There's two more to go, too. If we can't stop either of them, what will we do then? Could we stop the Eternal Road, whatever that is?"
"I've no idea. We really need a plan. One that will stop the Divine Sparks, the Eternal Road, Aeternus, the Ater Vox and all the Shadows. But we don't have that kind of power..." Amara said.
"Time's running out. We need a solution, and fast." Nathan said. "Perhaps we'll find a clue here."
"Nah, not much chance of that. There's nothing even here but a dark crater!" Zao said. "...GAH!"
A dazzling flash of light came from the crater, and Amara was briefly blinded by the sheer strength of the flash. Just as it ended, three more flashes ensued.
"What the heck was that? A flash bomb?" Zao shouted, rubbing his eyes.
"I don't know - look!" Amara looked over at the crater, and saw four glowing objects in a cross formation. They were...people.
Amara and the others went down towards the crater, and when they were closer, they realised who those people were. It was unthinkable, but they were here once more, glowing with an ethereal light.
"Kazuya? Richard? Bianca? Alastair?" Nathan looked over their bodies. The Holy Cross had somehow returned from the dead - or perhaps they had never died in the first place. Did they end up in Inanis? How did they get back here?
"Well, I'll be damned. I never thought we'd see these jokers again. Must be a miracle..." Blaine said. "But why the hell are they glowing like that?"
"I don't know!" Amara stared at Alastair's face. His eyes were completely shut, and he wasn't making any movement at all. When the Divine Spark happened, Nihane used his powers to control all four of them. Perhaps that had something to do with it. "We have to tell the others!"
"Yeah! Those Aeternus morons aren't going to get their hands on these guys again!" Zao said. "Let's hurry up and get these guys to the NDD!"
Nathan nodded, and turned around. He looked startled, however, at what he saw ahead.
"What now?" Amara asked. The others looked behind them, and saw someone at the crater perimeter. A tall man, wearing sunglasses and a brown hat and coat. Apart from his dark skin, Amara couldn't tell what he looked like. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"Telling you my name now would be a poor decision. Follow me, and we'll sort out the Holy Cross."