AN: For this chapter, I'm doing something different. We'll have a scene in the Normal World with Serena and Amara, but the rest will take place in the Other World - and for once we'll get battles without the Normal World crew! Enjoy, and please review.
Chapter 49: Art and War
|Farawell - Marianne Art Museum|11:34 am|
Named after it's first curator - a failed artist - Marianne Art Museum was yet another tourist attraction of the city. The art pieces on display were historic in both their sheer quality and the story behind each one of them. Even the building itself was a masterpiece - the columns and statues outside were created with the utmost perfection. Many foolish thieves had attempted to rob the museum, but very rarely did they succeed. The last incident ended very badly for the criminal, due to an accident incurred whilst escaping.
Amara was one of the first to arrive at the museum- and for good reason. She wanted to get a front seat of the opening show, to get the best view of all the art that would be shown. Some of the modern sculptures were rumoured to be worth hundreds of thousands, and had already received numerous bids by various collectors around the globe. Yet, all that mattered in Amara's eyes was the art itself.
"Amara! There you are!"
Serena had finally turned up. Today she wore a blue dress combined with a white bolero, as well as her usual necklace. It was a surprise to see her dress up. Sure, she liked her skirts, but this was the first time Amara had seen Serena look particularly ladylike.
"Hey, Serena. How are you doing today?"
"I'm fine. I'm sorry I took so long!" Serena said. "Since we're going to an art show, I wanted to look sort of classy. About this show...we're not going to see anything freaky, are we?"
"God I hope so! The freakier, the better! It makes it more artistic!" Amara said, eagerly. Serena whimpered, and the two young ladies sat down in the front row. Finally, the curtains unveiled, and the display behind them was truly extraordinary. It was a newborn baby, umbilical cord still attached.
"Whoa." Serena said, out loud. Everyone else gasped, also stunned by this sight.
"Greetings, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the 34th New Motus Annual Modern Art Exhibition! Or as we prefer to call it, 'Think Different'." the female speaker said.
"That's one way to put it." Serena said quietly. Amara shushed her, but everyone else was more focused on the bizarre creation in front of them.
"Now to begin, I present to you a piece that has already captured your attention. This work may be familiar to you if you read the article in the Motus Tribune from April earlier this year. Designed by Jacques Bardot, it was made to commemorate the birth of his first son. He wanted to capture every single detail of the baby, no matter how gruesome it may be, to remember forever." the woman said. Upon several moments of reflection, the audience began clapping enthusiastically.
"Wait, first they're shocked, now they're clapping?" Serena asked, incredulous.
"Shut up and join in." Amara said, clapping.
Serena reluctantly did as she was told, and the two of them listened to the woman on stage introduce and interview many professional artists. Amara listened to every single word, eyes wide with wonder, during every single question. Serena, however, was not nearly as impressed, but did giggle on occasion at Amara's enthusiasm.
The last to be spoken to was a middle-aged man named Malik, who despite being in his forties had a somewhat youthful glint in his eyes, and he spoke with passion and fervour. He had recently completed work on a successful series on Egyptian artefacts. Serena gasped when he proudly displayed an ankh necklace in front of the audience. Amara couldn't believe her eyes, either. She had never seen anyone else except her mother wear one.
"Hey! It's like yours!" Serena said, grinning. "Excuse me, Mister Malik?"
"Yes, madam?" Malik said. When he glanced at Amara's own ankh, he smiled. "Ah, I see. Stand up, young lady!"
"Serena! ...Fine!" Amara stood up, and the audience whistled at her ankh.
"Ladies and gentlemen. This ankh necklace I have dates back to ancient times. I do not know exactly how old it is, but it has been in at least twelve generations of my family. Likely many more. The ankh itself is a symbol of eternal rebirth, and was incredibly iconic of ancient Egypt - and today, it still is. Tell me your name, madam."
"Amara Furaha, sir."
"What a lovely name. It is not quite a typical Egyptian name, but it suits you. Tell me, how long have you had this necklace?" Malik asked.
"Since the death of my mother. She received it from her own mother, who received it from her own, and so on. I've no idea how old it is, either." Amara said. At this point, she realised she still had the ankh her other self had, the one that Nihane had taken from the Divine Spark at the Cathedral. Her other self must be going out of her mind with worry.
"That is truly amazing. Another family heirloom lives on through the ages. That ankh is a link to your heritage, Amara. As mine is a link to my own. Cherish it. One must never forget they are here because of those who came before them. The efforts of our ancestors enabled us to thrive in this age, and our own efforts will grant our descendants untold prosperity." Malik said. Amara smiled, and sat back down.
Eventually, the show came to an end. Just as Amara and Serena were about to look around, Malik came over to them.
"Oh, hello again, Mr Malik. Did you want to know anything else about my necklace?" Amara said.
"Not quite, but when you told me your name, I was mildy curious. I've heard about you before, actually. I used to be involved with an online journal for young artists, and one of the pieces had your name on it. Of course, this must have been about 2003." Malik said.
"That's Amara for ya!" Serena said, grinning. "She's art crazy! She practically lives here!"
"Serena, you're embarassing me!" Amara said, sighing. "What was submitted to that journal, again? My dad was the one who sent it in, not me."
"You don't remember? It was a painting depicting this very city. For such a young artist, I thought it was rather detailed. I'm sure as an adult, you've only improved. Perhaps, if you're willing, you could paint the same picture? Perhaps for next year."Malik said.
"Do it! I'd love to see it, too!" Serena said, excited.
"Um...okay, I will! But how will you be able to see it?" Amara asked.
"Do not worry about that. There are countless ways to make your art known. Just promise me you will never stop improving." Malik said. "My apologies, I've neglected your friend here. What do you do, madam?"
"Me? Well, I really love books, and someday I want to write one of my own." Serena said, smiling with her hands behind her back. "Perhaps I can ask Amara to draw the cover page!"
"That means I get a cut of the sales, right? Cool." Amara said, grinning.
"Sounds like a partnership made in heaven. It was lovely talking to you ladies, but I must speak to the other guests. Enjoy the rest of the exhibition." Malik said, wandering off.
Amara and Serena spent a good long while quietly observing each of the pieces on display. Some of them were rather conventional, such as model of the Teardrop Fountain made with specially made ice. A more bizarre one was the entire Saragel promenade, made out of fish bones. Finally, the most interesting one - apart from the baby - Serena and Amara found was a large model of Symphonic Street, constructed from various components of musical instruments.
"These are amazing. I don't think I've never stopped loving art." Amara said. "I just wish I could use my camera in here."
"Me too. These things are so cool, but they weren't as freaky as I thought. Apart from that baby." Serena said. "...I guess I'll never know how that feels, will I?"
"Serena..."
"It's fine. Really!" Serena said, with a brave face - but Amara could tell it was forced. "Actually, Amara, there's something I've wanted to say about your necklace for a while."
"What? You don't like it?" Amara asked.
"Don't be silly!" Serena said, clutching her own necklace. "Actually, I've seen it before. Ten years ago..."
"Ten years ago? You mean at that convention?" Amara asked.
"Yeah. Although I never got inside. I was just outside, crying, when it happened. I must have been in a coma for days, but I swear I saw what happened in the hospital bed in front of me a couple of times." Serena said. "You were there."
"Me?!" Amara said. "But when I woke up, I was the only one in that ward."
"I got out after you. I just remember the necklace you were wearing...I'm surprised they let you wear it in the hospital. When I got home - well, after lots of family talks - I went and looked up your necklace." Serena said, nervously looking at it. "Ankhs felt so amazing to me back then. They still do...and I love yours." Serena said. "Amara, your necklace got me interested in magic and fantasy. It's like my muse."
"Is it really that special to you?" Amara said. "I never thought of it that way. It's just...my way of remembering my mother."
"I know." Serena said. "When it went missing, I was scared too. Thank god Blaine got it back for you!" Serena smiled, and she leant in closer to look at the necklace. "It's still so beautiful. When I saw it again in June, I wanted to say all of this then. But you were some older girl who had no idea who I was, so it would have been really awkward, huh?"
"Serena...thank you." Amara said. "Doesn't your necklace mean anything to you?"
"This old thing? Not really. It was just a cheap souvenir from a vacation." Serena said. "Although it was a bit big for me at the time, so Nina took it instead. She left it behind, so..."
"Sounds like it does mean something to you, then." Amara said, looking deep at Serena's blue necklace. It was a rather fetching piece of jewellery, especially the jewel. "You wear it all the time, too!"
"Thank you. It does look pretty, doesn't it?" Serena said, blushing. "My sister stopped wearing it right after she started to go weird. So I wear it to...remind myself of how she used to be." Serena looked down at the ground, a little embarrassed. It must have been horrible, fighting her own sister. What if it happened again? Would Amara be able to save Serena?
"Serena, don't worry about Nina. She's on our side, isn't she? At least, one of them is. The other one, we'll have to deal with another time." Amara said. She took Serena's hand and smiled warmly. Serena smiled too, and nodded.
"Okay. Hey, can we grab some coffee or something?" Serena asked.
"Definitely!" Amara said. "Cocoa Harbour again?"
"Where else can we get raspberry ripple cupcakes?" Serena replied. The two of them left the museum, holding hands.
|Secret Base|9:10 am|
The group was surprised upon the news Seraphina delivered upon her return to the base. The Amara of their world was alive and well, having somehow recovered from the Divine Spark and without any apparent side effects. From their speculation, Amara assumed she had landed in the realm of Inanis, which was below the city. In fact, their entire city was somehow in the air, and Inanis was where the city used to be. Now, Tomas Weiken claimed he could use the power of Personas to vanquish the Divine Sparks.
That night, Amara slept like a log. She had never felt so tired, especially after so many probing questions - not even Kyle typing away on his computer woke up her up. The next day, she woke up, and yawned...and saw Seraphina staring straight into her eyes.
"Uh...what are you even-"
"Lady Amara, are you awake?" Seraphina said, hovering over the bed.
"I am now! Jeez, you're invading my personal space!" Amara snapped.
"I apologise for that, but for the time being, we are sharing the same bedroom. Do not fear, the situation will not last for much longer. I hear Roger and Karen are going to great deliberations to prepare a suitable bed chamber for you." Seraphina said.
"God, why do you talk like that? You sound like you're from a play!" Amara said, shaking her head. "Can't you drop the theatrics for one day?"
"I apologise again if it seems off putting. Alas, this method of rhetoric comes naturally to me. Someone dear to me was in the habit of it as well, and commanded an air of dignity and grace uncommon of her social standing." Seraphina said.
"Who was that, then?" Amara asked.
"I...mustn't tell you yet." Seraphina said.
"Why not? Come on, you might as well..." Other Amara said. She rose out of bed, and as she reached for the small bag she kept supplies in, she accidentally hit Seraphina's head. "Woops, I'm sorry - huh?!"
Suddenly, she saw something fall to the ground. It was the jewellery Seraphina wore on her hair. Just then, she realised she was holding something in her hand. It felt like hair, and it was turquoise. Seraphina's hair. Surely she couldn't have torn her hair off, right? Amara quickly saw Seraphina's head, and gasped. It was completely bald, and smooth as well.
"Oh my god!" Amara screamed. However, Seraphina's scream was even louder, as it echoed throughout the secret base.
"Holy crap, what was that?" Roger said.
"Oh, those girls are probably telling ghost stories or something." Dan said, sounding rather cool and collected.
"Dan, this could be serious! I'll check on them." Priscilla said. Seraphina, upon hearing the footsteps, snatched the wig out of Amara's hand and put it back on. Seeing her with her wig on again, it didn't seem real that she was bald. Amara couldn't bring herself to say a single word, as Priscilla entered the bedroom.
"H-hello, Priscilla!" Amara said. "What's shaking?"
"What do you mean, what's shaking? I heard Seraphina scream! What happened?" Priscilla asked.
"I...had a nightmare. That's all." Seraphina said, hands still on her head.
"Yes, nothing embarrassing happened at all!" Amara said, laughing nervously. Seraphina's stare was like being aimed at by a firing squad. Priscilla, however, remained unconvinced.
"I see. Well then...since I'm here, I might as well tell you that Roger and Karen have Amara's bed ready at the second base. That's where anyone else we find will end up." Priscilla said. "Good news, right?"
"Yes, it's wonderful news. I prefer solitary slumber." Seraphina said, leering at Amara.
"Alright then. Well, I think the others are planning to go out for some training today. You should go ask if you can team up with anyone!" Priscilla said. "Bye!"
Priscilla left, and Seraphina quickly grabbed her jewellery and followed her. Amara couldn't believe what she just saw - which was odd, considering how many otherworldly beasts she had come across. Seraphina, the weird psychic girl, was bald as a coot. Why was she keeping it so secret? She had the feeling no one knew about her past except herself.
Later, Amara came out of the room, dressed in new red clothes. She had to admit, she liked the new style. Perhaps it was good to change from wearing purple clothes all the time. Seraphina was sitting at the table, staring into the distance.
"Now that's what I call a hard worker." Roger said, barely containing his laughter. In front of him was the computer and a sleeping Kyle, still in his chair. "Reminds me of my school days!"
"I hate it when he does that." Aimee said. "It can't be comfortable sleeping that way. He's been doing it a lot more, recently. I wonder why?"
"Wake up, sleepyhead!" Karen said, shaking Kyle's head.
"Whoa! Don't touch my pretzels! They're mine, I must - huh" Kyle, now awake, stared in surprise as he saw Karen's stunned face. Dan, however, laughed loudly, much to Kyle's embarassment. "Um...good morning, Karen. As you can tell, I was up most of the night researching."
"Well you shouldn't do that! If you're not going to bed earlier by the end of the week, I'm not letting you have any pretzels!" Aimee said.
"At least I didn't get wasted last night and crashed on the couch..." Kyle said, glaring at his computer screen.
"That reminds me. Dan, you spend a bit too much time at the bar. I know you like your beer, but we have a mission to carry out!" Aimee said, crossing her arms.
"Hey, don't be like that with me, missy!" Dan said, shrugging. "I was just spending time with my brother. We have to make up for the last ten years, after all. Plus there's someone else I wanted to see."
"Do you mean Mr Kaman?" Priscilla asked. "He's nicer than most of the other patrons of the bar, but-"
"Not him! I dunno what Blaine's been telling you, but I'm not that kind of guy! Come on, he's just a friend. This other person...it's a secret. If things go according to plan, I'll let you know about her!" Dan said, with a smug smile.
"I get it! He's got a crush on a girl there." Roger said, rolling his eyes. "I can see it in his eyes. He's a lovesick puppy!" Karen giggled, and Kyle loudly sighed.
"Okay, I'm going to go outside for some fresh air. That, and to train. Before I go, what's happening with the Holy Cross?" Kyle asked.
"Seraphina received a special access badge for Tomas and Rudo's secret lab. Thus, she'll travel there later on and see how they're recovering." Aimee said. "It'll be great to fight alongside them! Hopefully, the three guys will be classier than two old guys and a moody teenager."
"Please, do I look like some whiny emo on the internet?" Kyle said, dismissively. "Don't label me like that."
"I'm kidding! Right then, Tara and Matthew are busy at work, but I imagine we'll hear from them soon. So...if you guys feel like doing some training today, go out and do it!" Aimee said.
"Hey, kid, you coming with us?" Roger asked.
"I suppose I might as well. I'll leave this till later on." Kyle said, switching off the computer. He got his weapon ready, and wheeled himself over to Roger. "I presume you're taking Karen with you. Who else are you inviting?"
"How about you, Dan?" Roger asked. Kyle looked over to Dan, rather hopeful.
"Actually, I was gonna team up with Priscilla. Maybe another time." Dan said. Kyle's look of disappointment was clear for all to see, and he desperately looked away.
"Trust Dan to pick the team with the younger women. Men!" Karen said. She shook her head, and joined in with the other girls as they laughed. "Looks like it's the three of us, Kyle. Don't worry, we'll take good care of you."
"Oh brother." Kyle said.
The three of them left through the NDD, and Priscilla and Dan left shortly after them. Amara stood up, and walked over to an angry Seraphina. She knew she wouldn't say yes, but she had to try.
"Want to go fight Shadows with me?" Amara asked.
"I suppose if I have no one else to accompany me, I will go. Do not expect much in the way of pleasantries, however." Seraphina slowly rose from her seat, and ventured to the NDD. "What are you waiting for? Come, now!"
"Wait. Let me come too." Aimee said. "You could use a healer, right?"
"Yeah. I'll need to get used to fighting in a team, anyway." Amara said. "Let's go, girls!"
|Legarte - Symphonic Street|9:38 am|
The three women decided to travel through Symphonic Street, a part of Legarte away from the harbour and river areas that had a reputation for musical accomplishments. In the normal world, this was where the recording studio that Adrian Gale worked was based, and a string of successful artists had recorded here. Alas, in this world, the melodies of the city's heyday had been abruptly stopped, and the symphony was silent.
"Aimee, what do you know about this Zao?" Amara asked.
Aimee was quiet for a second, as she started to think. "He and I actually were childhood friends. Although I was very young at the time, I still remember me, him, and my brother playing together. Those were wonderful times, even when Zao was fighting with Karl over who got to look after me."
"Really? I can't imagine Zao doing that. He does seem like a nice man, but he's still a bit wimpy. You know what I mean?" Amara said. Seraphina kept quiet, as she began focusing.
"He is rather weaker than us, yes. I do appreciate his help, of course. It's nice to see Zao again, but I can't help but wonder what became of the one of this world." Aimee said, sadly. "We lost touch long ago. When I found out I wouldn't get to see him anymore, I cried and cried. Karl promised me that one day, we'd meet again. Looks like we did, but...it wasn't the way I wanted."
"So what happened to Karl?" Amara asked.
"He perished, you fool." Seraphina said. "Could you not have worked that out for yourself?
"Don't get mad at me! I'm not the Amara you guys usually hang out with, so I'm not familiar with who you guys are!" Amara said. "Sorry, Aimee. I shouldn't have asked-"
"That's alright. All of us have lost loved ones, thanks to Aeternus. That's why we have to put an end to the Eternal Road. If Tomas's plan works, we'll need to be as strong as we possibly can be." Aimee said.
"Yeah! Time for me to get back into the swing of things! Look, there's some Shadows over there! Go forth...Agilao!" Amara shouted. The raging flames of Sekhmet made quick work of many a Shadow, as the trio of ladies made it through Symphonic Street. Seraphina's pulverising power disintegrated a good deal of Shadows, as well.
"Well done. Let's stop here!" Aimee said. "I brought snacks! Here, Amara, have a Cielo Mist. It's full of 'Rainbow Goodness'!"
"Oh, thanks!" Amara said, grabbing the can. The three girls ate, but in silence. Seraphina didn't even look at Amara, and vice versa. Aimee's attempts at starting conversations were doomed to failure, due to their earlier spat.
"Amara, Seraphina, what's wrong? What are you two hiding from me?" Aimee asked. Amara stood up from the steps, and Seraphina immediately became panicked. "Seraphina?"
"Don't say another word!" Seraphina said.
"Lighten up, you crazy fortune teller. I was just stretching. I'll keep your secret...for now." Amara said, with a mischievous smirk.
"Secret?" Aimee asked.
"She's merely being comical! There are none of my secrets that you would be interested in!" Seraphina said, keeping a hand on her head. "Please, no more talk of this!"
"Is this secret why the two of you weren't talking?" Aimee asked. "I'd rather you two didn't get into arguments over something like this..."
"Don't worry, Aimee. I'm already enjoying being in a team. It's a lot more fun than when I was by myself. Seraphina, we should just forget about it." Amara said, holding her hand out. Seraphina, however, brushed it aside.
"Just because we are allies does not mean we are friends. My personal affairs are mine and mine alone. Please, no more prying." Seraphina said. Amara sighed, and waited for the other two to finish. Just then, she noticed a fish like Shadow in front of them, somehow swimming through air.
"Oh crap! Ruby Ignition!" Amara cried out, Sekhmet's shining fire knocked the Shadow to the ground, leaving her to finish it off with a quick slash.
"That was an Revelation Pesce. Not the sort of fish you smother with tartare sauce." Seraphina said. "Don't relax! There's two more!"
"What?!" Aimee stood up, gazing around. "No!"
Two Zionga spells just hit her in quick succession. Aimee cried in pain, whilst Seraphina glared at the assailants - two more Revelation Pesces.
"Hecate, bring forth destruction!" Seraphina boldly called. A Megido spell dead heavy damage to the Pesces, and they swooped down at Seraphina. She just barely avoided their attacks, but she wasn't able to avoid the twin Bufula spells.
"I'll get them!" Amara said, slashing one with her sword. The remaining one went after Aimee, who backed away - but a Sundial attack from Sekhmet stopped the assault. "Ha! No match for me!"
Just as she said this, four more Shadows - this time Amenti Ravens - surrounded the women. "More?!" Aimee shouted. "This is crazy! What's going on?"
"Don't talk, just get ready to heal us!" Amara said. Two of them dived at Seraphina, knocking her off balance, whilst the others tried to attack Aimee. She raised her arms to defend herself, but the attacks didn't come. Rather, a powerful blast of Almighty energy struck them both, destroying them.
"What was that!?" Aimee asked.
"Megidola. My level of aptitude has increased." Seraphina said, flatly. "However, this level of power is rather draining..."
"Don't worry! I've got you covered. Maragion!" Amara called out, as yet more flames incinerated the Ravens. She then tried to hit them, but before she could, they began sending an ominous purple fog at her. "Ugh..."
"Amara, hold on! Posumudi!" Aimee quickly beckoned Irene to restore Amara's condition - but as soon as she did, the Ravens died at her, knocking her to the ground. "Ouch!"
"You're dead!" Amara shouted. "Maragion!"
The final blast of fire ended the battle with a bang, or sorts. The Ravens were all vanquished, and there were no sight of future encounters.
"Phew!" Amara said. "Seraphina, any more coming?"
"That would appear to be the last wave, but I have yet to discover where they came from. That was frightening..." Seraphina said. "Aimee, are you able to stand?"
"Y-Yes." Aimee said, standing up. "I hate not being able to do anything but heal you two."
"What are you talking about? Your powers are really special!" Amara said. "You're not like Serena, though. You're entirely focused on healing. Is there a reason for that?"
"I...have no clue. To tell the truth, I hate fighting. I hate it!" Aimee said, her eyes welling up. "All we ever do is fight, whether it's monsters or the Ornatu Legion!"
"That's just the way it is, Aimee." Amara said.
"I know! But I hate it! That's why I can only heal...it's the only way I can help without actually having to fight!" Aimee said. "No wonder Irene's so limited!"
"Aimee, we know you detest combat. I assure you, however, that there are no negotiations with the Ater Vox. You won't be able to conquer them with such hesitation."
"I know that. I'm just sick of it all..." Aimee said. "At least the Shadows weren't able to kill anyone. I'm sorry for complaining, I really am. Let's go home and have something to eat, okay?"
"More snacks? Great!" Amara said. "Don't you worry, Aimee, we won't be fighting over who gets to eat what!"
"Thank goodness. Seraphina's in charge of cooking today." Aimee said. "And her food is fantastic."
"Might I make some Quatro Formaggio pizza?" Seraphina said, with a knowing smile. "Or as you know it, Four Cheese."
"My favourite food! How did you - oh, your Persona?" Amara said, surprised.
"Of course. Also, I'd like to rescind that earlier remark, too. The one about being friends. It's not so terrible, having to fight with you. On the contrary, it was a pleasant experience." Seraphina said. The two women shook hands, and with that, Aimee smiled. She called Irene to teleport them away, and thus end the battles...for now.
|Farawell - Teardrop Fountain|11:35 am|
The Teardrop Fountain was yet another historical sight of the city, commonly surrounded by tourists. On first glance, it was a rather depressing statue - most of the water was from a crying maiden standing on the centre platform. Yet, the statues on the perimeter of the fountain were all supposed to be her friends, and the figure in front of her was her long lost love. The names of the lovers were lost in the sands of time, but the fountain remained an interesting place to examine.
Priscilla and Dan were taking a break here, after exterminating many Shadows. For some reason, the fountain was still running in the other world. The statues were in eerily good condition, despite the amount of Shadows around the area on a typical day.
"It's wonderful here, isn't it?" Priscilla said, staring deep into the crystal clear water.
"Mmmhmm. Sure." Dan mumbled, nodding. Priscilla sighed, and continued to stare.
"I remember when Nathan took me here on our first proper date..." Priscilla said. She gazed at the maiden, and smiled. "Even then, he'd talk about how special he thought I was, and how much he wanted us to be together."
"That's kinda sweet. How old were you then?" Dan asked.
"We were only about fifteen. He was so cute, turning up dressed up in his best clothes. We must have stayed all night here, talking about the future." Priscilla said. "Do you think we'll see him again?"
"Well, our world's Amara is back. And Nathan's a pretty tough guy, from what I've seen of him. Just hang tight, and you'll probably see him again soon!" Dan said reassuringly. "I bet we'll see Blaine again, too."
"Have you forgiven him?" Priscilla asked. "Please tell me you have. If you two end up fighting again, that'd be awful."
"I dunno. I haven't really thought about it. Matthew came back, but Blaine never got to see him again. It's like...I don't have a reason to hate him anymore, but I can't forget everything I went through the last ten years." Dan said. "The more that I think about it, it must have sucked being all alone for all this time. At least I got to meet you guys."
"He must have suffered a lot. If Blaine's really out there, he'll probably join up with us. Then the three of you can be together again, like old times!" Priscilla said. Just then, she stepped back from the fountain. Something didn't feel quite right about it. "Wait a second. Don't you think this fountain is in too pristine a condition?"
"Now that you mention it, there's something creepy about that maiden." Dan said. "One second. Cover your eyes."
"What for?" Priscilla didn't get a response, so she quickly covered her eyes. A loud gunshot echoed throughout the area, causing screams from the citizens in the nearby buildings.
Priscilla uncovered her face, and stepped back in horror. The maiden was no longer made of stone, but was a shadowy ghoul with pale skin and crimson nails. Her once demure and graceful clothes were torn and ripped, revealing strange swirling energy where skin should have been. Her eyes still cried, but the tears were blood, staining the ground as they fell. Her hands clutched a Shadow mask - the Priestess.
The other statues were transformed in similar ways - three of them were weak looking Priestess, and the last was a man clutching a spear seemingly painted with blood. The spearman had a Magician mask attached to his shield, and his face was completely covered by a black hole. The Spearman jumped down from the fountain, yet the maidens remained fixed in their original positions.
"So that's what's going on. Never thought Shadows would disguise themselves like that." Dan said.
"You're not surprised at all?!" Priscilla said, indignant.
"Let's just say I've gotten good at staying calm." Dan said. "Five against two...you better stay on your toes. Unless you want blood all over those clothes!"
"Please don't say things like that! I like this outfit!" Priscilla said. "Appear, Uathach! Unleash your Snowfield!"
The attack that Uathach delivered matched up to it's name. A freezing field of snow appeared from the ground, and struck the nefarious group of Shadows with powerful ice blasts. Only the main maiden seemed unaffected. Dan raised his rifle, and shot at the maiden, but the bullet went straight through it.
"What the fuck - argh!" Dan was struck by the spearman's swift swing, and the maidens recovered from the icy attack. In quick succession, they cast Rakukaja, Tarukaja, and Sukukaja on the central Maiden. It burst into demonic laughter as it hit Priscilla and Dan with Maragion.
"No!" Priscilla was barely standing. The spearman was about to jab at her as well, and Priscilla panicked. "Get away!" This was a dangerous situation, more so than recent situations. Another Maragion like that, and she wasn't sure she could survive. Dan wouldn't hold up much longer, either. She fiercely hit the spearman with her weapon, and dodged a flurry of spear attacks.
"Cursed Swings!" Dan bellowed. Tezcatlipoca materialised, and quickly brought down furious dark scythe swings on the spearman. Priscilla, feeling braver, cast Mabufula again. The spearman, along with the three weaker maidens, was hit with yet more ice. Tezcatlipoca, as commanded by Dan, unleashed a Mazionga attack. It wasn't quite as potent as Priscilla's Mabufula, but the spearman was definitely getting weaker.
"Nice work, Daniel. We've never done this before, you and I, but would you like to combine forces?" Priscilla asked.
"Priscilla, I like you as a friend but I think I'll pass -"
"Stop kidding around and do a combo attack!"
"Got it! Then let's see what happens!"
Tezcatlipoca charged himself with tremendous energy, and actually roared as he raised his scythe. Uathach gracefully moved along the ground in front of him, covering it with the clearest, smoothest ice Priscilla and Dan had ever seen. Tezcatlipoca stepped onto the ice, and skated forward, the ice flowing into his scythe, When he reached the spearman, he slashed the spearman with one ferocious strike. The spearman was actually cut in two, caused the maidens to scream loudly. These ghastly screamed prompted actual screams from nearby people, watching the battle from their windows. It seemed they assumed Dan and Priscilla were Ornatu Legion members - or they didn't care, as long as the Shadows would get taken care of.
"Hell yeah! This combo attack thing never fails!" Dan said. He gave Priscilla a thumbs up - but was knocked back by an Aques. "Shit..."
"Pay attention! We've still got those three to deal with!" Priscilla said. "Bufula!" The ice blast still had no affect on the central maiden. Dan tried a Zionga on it, but that too was useful. "This isn't good. Not even your rifle works on them! What are we going to do?"
"Give me a minute. We can waste these bitches, just be patient!" Dan said. He got a sinister look in his eye, as he raised his rifle. "Hit the other ones first! Or they'll keep annoying us!"
"Oh...okay. Snowfield!" Priscilla used the same move again, hitting all of the maidens with the ice attack. The central maiden was completely unharmed, as expected, but the rest of the maidens were rather damaged from the repeated attacks.
"Blood Blitz!" Dan, with an evil look in his eyes, watched with pride as he unveiled his new attack. Tezcatlipoca arose again, and rained down blood red bolts of lightning. When these bolts hit the ground, they even caused powerful blasts of dark power. One of the maidens completely crumbled apart from this attack, and the central maiden reacted with a horrifyingly high pitched wail.
"Dan, how in earth did you do that! That was incredible!" Priscilla said, amazed.
"Simple. That was my motorcycle's name back in the day. The Blood Blitz, shattering all it's competition into dust - well, except for the Black Lightning!" Dan said, his voice booming with pride. "See that, girls? That's what happens when you mess with us Kanaloa boys!"
The two remaining maidens were visibly unimpressed. One of them managed to muster up a Magnara, which hit Dan - painfully, sending him to the ground. "Goddammit! It's my first date all over again!"
"I'd ask, but we're kind of preoccupied." Priscilla said. If they had a healer, she wouldn't be so worried, but without one, they had to be as cautious as possible. The central maiden used Mind Charge, and a shiver went down Priscilla's spine. If it used Maragion, then...
"Okay, don't panic! Give it everything you've got!" Dan shouted, as he got himself off the ground.
"Alright. Then here it comes! Mabufula!" Priscilla called out. The icy blasts of Uathach hit the remaining two maidens, which made them crumble just like the first one. Now, the central maiden was all alone, fixed in the centre of the bloody fountain. Dan shot it, and this time the bullet pierced through it's grotesque body.
"Not so brave now, are you?" Dan said, smug. "Come on, don't be shy! Show me how tough you really are!"
The maiden suddenly began sending a myriad of blood red fireballs into the air. Priscilla gasped, and began circling around the fountain along with Dan, trying to avoid every single one. The barrage seemed to last forever, as the fireballs sent smoke throughout the entire area.
"There's no time to cast!" Priscilla shouted, sidestepping another ball of flame. "If I can just - ah, I know!" Quickly, she jumped onto a platform where a maiden once stood, and immediately channelled the power of Uathach. "Please let this work! Aurora Borealis!"
The maiden saw Priscilla, and was about to cast a fire spell directly on her, but she was interrupted by a beautiful ray of light. Suddenly, a magnificent display of light and colour was shone upon the Shadow, causing it to cower in fear. Finally, after the final aurora of light, the Shadow fell down, and slowly crumbled away. With it, the entire fountain broke apart, and every last drop of water was gone. This was the real form of the fountain, after ten years of neglect. The Maiden and her cohorts had likely been here for some time, most likely due to the memories attached to the fountain.
"Phew...that was a bloody nuisance." Dan said, giving Priscilla a goofy smile.
"Yes, it was - oh, that was your idea of a joke." Priscilla said. "That was quite a fight. Thank goodness we prevailed."
"So the fountain really did go to shit." Dan said, staring at the wreckage. "It really was a pretty place before this happened."
"You did? I'd have thought the fountain would be too sentimental for a macho man like yourself!" Priscilla said.
"It was. But it still felt nice to be here. I was thinking about asking someone to come here with me, but I guess that's not happening anymore."
"Someone? Who?" Priscilla asked. "Oh, it's the lady you were talking about before."
"Yeah! Her name's Shirley, and she plays the piano. Also, she's kind of hot." Dan said.
"Well well, you never told us you had a girlfriend!" Priscilla said, smiling.
"Hold your horses! She's not my girlfriend. We talked a couple of times, and she was kind of gloomy at first. But you know, I think she does like me. She seemed pretty happy to see me the last time." Dan said.
"How cute! So this is the real side of Dan, hidden away from the world!" Priscilla said.
Dan laughed out loud, and was in good spirits. "Don't get the wrong idea, lady. The guy you saw kick the shit out of those Shadows is still the real me!"
"Oh, I believe that. Well then, good luck to you and this Shirley. Word of advice, don't ask her to come back to your place. It might come across as too keen. That, and you know what our place is like. She'd have to listen to Kyle banging away on the computer all night long." Priscilla said.
"I'll bear that in mind. Trust me, when I was younger, I was quite good at charming the ladies. I like to think I've still got it. Anyway, we should get going." Dan said. Priscilla nodded, and the two of them left the scene.
|Saragel - Promenade|12:41 pm|
The Promenade was empty as usual, apart from one lady who was lucky enough to get inside her home before the Shadows noticed her. Kyle grimaced, having no particular desire to be around a loved up couple - especially since they were quite a bit older than he was. What could they possibly have in common?
"Should be plenty of Shadows to kill around here today." Roger said. "Fine with me! Been a while since I've gone all out, anyway."
Karen nodded, and readied her sword. "Same here. We need to work harder, if the Divine Sparks are really going to be undone soon!"
"That's right. Once they are, the future is ours. The city will take a long time to repair, but I'm not too worried about that. Of course, that's because I'll be with you." Roger said, smiling.
"You always know just what to say, don't you?" Karen said. Her cheeks were bright red, and so were Roger's. Kyle loudly sighed, and the two lovers looked at him in confusion.
"What's with you, kid?" Roger said.
"Stop freaking calling me that! I'm seventeen now!" Kyle said.
"Oh, you're not sixteen anymore? You should have said your birthday was coming up." Karen said, surprised.
"Why? It's not like we could have done anything special, anyway. No one remembered, not even Dan." Kyle said, grim. The fact that Dan never once acknowledged his birthday this year had been hard to bear, as last time they had spent the whole day together fighting Shadows.
"A lot has been going on, you know. Especially since Dan got his little brother back. Wait...you're jealous because he hasn't been spending time with you as much, aren't you?" Roger said, poking Kyle's forehand.
"Don't ever do that again. And no! I'm not jealous at all!" Kyle said, defiantly. "I'd just rather be fighting with him instead of you two, spouting that stupid romance crap!"
"Oh, is that so? I suppose we won't be asking you along next time, then. Sorry to inconvenience you so much." Roger said. Kyle shrugged, and went on ahead.
"He can hide it as hard as he wants, but he's still a kid." Karen said. "Should we talk with Dan about this?"
"Hell no. That brat's got to learn he can't have his way all the time." Roger said, glaring at Kyle as he progressed towards Shadows. "I suppose we better get this over with."
"Oh. Yes. Okay! Protect me, Aeshma!" Karen jumped into battle, and Roger followed. The many battles that came were awkward, and there was no spirit of teamwork at all. Kyle seemed to be doing his hardest to prove his attacks were the strongest, when in actual fact they were no better than Roger or Karen's.
Later, they had cleared the entire promenade with Shadows. Karen's ice magic, Roger's water attacks, and Kyle's fire and earth spells worked well in eliminating them, yet they had barely spoken since their earlier spat.
"Looks like we're done for today. Let's go home." Karen said.
Kyle nodded, but before he could move, he saw a blinding flash in front of him, and what felt like a full scale blizzard sent him flying to the ground.
"Argh!" he screamed. He felt a rush of pain over his body, especially his hands. "Ow!"
"Kyle!" Roger said. He ran over, and checked Kyle's body. Quickly, he got Kyle back into the wheelchair, which miraculously was undamaged. "You okay?"
"That hurt...who was that?"
"Hahaha!"
"You!" Karen pointed at the tall woman standing on top of an abandoned pizza stand. Nina Agnethe, with her Persona Hel floating behind her.
"So this is the boy my little sister had a fancy for!" Nina said, struggling to contain her wicked laughter. "Such a rude and aloof child, isn't he? You two are adults! You shouldn't have to put up with his insolence!"
"No, but we don't have to put up with your bullshit either." Roger said. "So if you want to hurt that kid, you'll have to hurt us too!"
"Oh, I'm sorry you felt left out! I always intend to maim every enemy on the scene. You might have survived the Divine Spark from Takanawa, but you won't be so lucky today." Nina leapt down from the building, and readied her weapon.
"Agilao!" Kyle bellowed, but the flames were easily evaded. A barrage of sickle attacks came next, most of them hitting Roger. Karen dashed up, and struck Nina with her sword as hard as she could. Nina struck back, and the two women laid into each other with their weapons.
"Come on, get her while she's preoccupied!" Roger said, looking at Kyle.
"R-Right." Kyle said. "Hephaestus, Agilao!"
"Kanaloa, Aques!" Roger called. The fire and water magic struck Nina at once, and she screamed -mostly out of surprise, rather than pain.
"You were lucky with that assault, you thugs! But you'll never be able to endure my winter of discontent!" Nina snapped. "Mabufula!"
Icy blasts hit everyone, but they had minimal effect on Karen. She shrugged it off, and managed to pull off a Tarunda.
"Oh, you bitch! You won't get away with that - urgh!" Nina glared icily, at the powerful strike that had just hit her. It was Kanaloa, who had charged at Nina with his trident. "You're such an aggressive man! Why would someone as cowardly as Karen want someone like you around?"
"Coward? Not us!" Roger shouted. "Laguna Rush!" Kanaloa twirled his spear, and the waves of water beneath him suddenly became beautiful and clear, and shot at Nina with incredible speeds.
"Not bad. Not bad at all!" Nina said, having bared the brunt of the fierce waters. "Now then -"
"Ice Break!" Karen and Nina shouted at the exact same time. Both Aeshma and Hel used the same spell on their opponent, much to their confusion. Karen gasped. This had never happened to her before. Yet Nina didn't seem concerned.
"Perfect. Now there won't be any resisting my superior ice moves!" Nina said, with a menacing glint in her eyes. "Come forth! Permafrost!"
"Tundra Flair!" Karen countered. Permafrost was an absolutely chilling tomb of ice, that completely encased Karen's body. . Tundra Flair was able to hit Nina, but it paled in comparison to Permafrost. Yet the sheer cold of the icy onslaught sent Kyle and Roger into shivers, their teeth chattering.
"Awfully cold for this time of year, don't you think?" Nina asked. Roger, furious, charged at her - ignoring Kyle's cry to stop. The two of them swung their weapons at each other, while Karen remained frozen.
"Not good. Let me try this. Searing Sequence!" Hephaestus, following Kyle's command, charged his sword with flames and struck the tomb of Permafrost. With each successive slash, the block of ice melted piece by piece, allowing Karen to escape. "Karen, you okay?"
"I'm fine. Now it's her turn...here goes! Aeshma, Bufudyne!" Karen screamed, as the power surged throughout her body. Kyle gasped, as a much stronger ice blast than Bufula attacked Nina. So Karen was the first to reach Dyne level magic - this would make battles much easier.
"No!" Nina, distracted by the newfound power of Aeshma, was victim to a vicious melee from Roger.
"You little whore! I can't let you bastards hurt Karen anymore!" Roger, having had enough of stabbing at Nina, looked upwards at Kanaloa. The Persona threw down his trident, causing a veritable blast of aquatic force.
"Nice try." Nina said. "But I won't be beaten by you so easily. Bufudyne!"
"Shit!" Roger exclaimed. Bufudyne hit him much harder than it did Karen, even without an actual ice weakness. Kyle raced forward to attack Nina, but was stopped by her medley of sickle swings.
"Your team's rather emotional, it seems!" Nina chided. "Haven't you had enough of pointless struggles?"
"Damn!" Kyle said. He attempted to attack her with his own weapon, but she was far too nimble to land a single hit. Karen's sword was also much too slow for her as well.
"Let's not postpone my victory any longer. I'll show you true defeat, you pathetic bunch!" Nina hollered. "Mabufula!" Kyle was lucky enough to get out of the way, but the powerful ice blasts further injured Roger and Karen. "Are you ready to die, boy?"
"No!" Kyle screeched. Clenching his fists, he felt nothing but pure rage in that moment. Hephaestus seemed to show that exact same fury, and Kyle knew then what to do. "Sacred Forge!"
Hephaestus's whole body seemed to be on fire. Crimson flames flowed throughout his entire body, even his faithful sword. He raised his burning sword, and it seemed to become nothing but fire itself in the shape of a sharp blade. Before Nina could react, a red glyph appeared beneath her feet, and it began to glow brighter and brighter, burning the ground itself.
"What's he doing?!" Karen shouted.
"Just watch. I think we're about to see something awesome." Roger said, calmly. However, he really wanted to scream and cheer…this was one moment he had never felt so alive.
Hephaestus pierced the glyph, not only hurting Nina with the power of it's flames, but causing a terrifying eruption of fire beneath the ground. Nina was utterly helpless against it, and as it finished, she fell to the ground, dropping her weapon.
"See?" Roger said. "This kid's got guts."
"No kidding." Karen said. "Way to go, Kyle!"
"You..." Nina seethed. Hel disappeared, leaving the ominous trail of red smoke. "You horrid cretins!"
"What's a cretin?" Roger said. "Wait, whatever. I don't even care. So, you feel like round two?"
"I hardly think wasting my time with you lot is worth my while!" Nina said. "You're such pests, after all. Your refusal to back down is only making matters worse! Also, I see those from the other dimension aren't here. Did my little sister finally get bored with tolerating that invalid?"
"What the -" Kyle gasped. He hadn't been called that since his school days. It still stung deep within his heart, however. Only this time, the bully was an adult…
"You're already weakened from our battle. Insulting our comrades might just make you the invalid." Roger said, raising his weapons.
"Give it a rest. I can see it as clear as day! That boy is cramping your style. Of course, I can see why Serena would bother with him. She's another irritating child, banding together with adults! In her fantasy, she must think she and Kyle are soul mates! If he could walk, he could find much better friends!" Nina chided.
"Are you done talking? Listening to you is agony, more so than your attacks!" Karen said, folding her arms.
"Hahaha...I'm finished. I'll leave you enjoy the thralls of victory for today. But we will have the last laugh in the end!" Nina said, cackling as she vanished into red mist.
"No you won't!" Kyle screamed. "I'll kill you, and Pierre, and all of you!"
"Kyle?" Karen said. She was taken aback by the sheer level of anger Kyle had just displayed.
"I won't let her talk about Serena that way!" Kyle shouted. "That stupid woman won't lay a finger on her, not as long as I'm around!"
"Easy there, kid. You'll get your chance to finish her off sooner or later. Besides, she's wrong - the other two Divine Sparks aren't going to happen!" Roger said. "Crap. You're bleeding…"
"It must have been when I fell to the ground. Oww..." Kyle said, as he clutched his right hand in agony.
"Hold on a minute." Roger said. He reached into his coat pocket, and pulled out some bandages. "I took these from Aimee just in case. Hold still…" Quickly, he wrapped some around Kyle's wound.
"Is he going to be alright?" Karen asked.
"Probably. He'll just have to be careful from now on." Roger said. "After all, he already told us he'd rather not fight in a team with us."
"...I'm sorry." Kyle said. He looked into Roger's eyes, and shivered. "It's just...I'm not sure what's wrong with me."
"Isn't it because of what Roger said earlier? Because you haven't been able to hang out with Dan as much?" Karen said.
"Um...well...I..." Kyle said. The young lad was flustered. "Maybe it is. Before Matthew showed up, we talked all the time. He'd encourage me, and help me fight better. Now, he doesn't even look at me..."
"You'll just have to deal with it for now. Don't sweat it - I'm sure he's not forgotten all about you." Roger said. "And if you're that worried, just go talk to him."
"But how can I tell him I'm jealous of Matthew?" Kyle said. "Matthew's a good guy, and he gets along with the others...why would anyone pick me over him?"
"That's not how it works, you idiot!" Karen snapped. "When I was with Josephine, I was feeling similar thoughts. That no one wanted me around. Don't you get it? Thinking that way just makes you easy pickings for them!"
"I know...maybe I will try and talk to him." Kyle said, looking up. "Um, and I really don't mind if we end up doing this again. You're both rather skilled."
"Same to you." Roger said, with a warm smile. "I'll accompany you anytime you ask."
The two of them shook each other's left hand, since Kyle's right one was still hurting. Karen smiled, and held Roger's hand as the three of them left for the base.
|Clairdol Village - Beach|14:20 pm|
It was a quiet day at the beach, even by Clairdol's sleepy standards. Even becoming the only accessible nation on the island hadn't made it any busier. This satisfied most of the island's populace, although many of the younger generation were bored listless.
However, Tara Miller knew the truth. Her city had once been her home, but not only had the city been transformed into a netherworld filled with the most abominable creatures imaginable, her own house had been utterly destroyed, and her parents with it. Staying here in the village used to cheer her up, but now that she knew the truth, she couldn't help but feel jealous of her fellow townspeople. They had no idea of what really was going on, and could continue their idyllic lifestyle by the seaside.
Tara was standing at the beach, gazing into the sparkling seas. Lately, she kept imagining someone was besides her. A kind, whimsical soul who wanted to hear the melodies of her violin. No doubt, she was thinking of Adrian Gale. Her memories from the other world must be afflicting her, and it made her feel lost. Adrian may not have been her love in this world, but he might as well have been - it hurt just as much.
"What are you doing out here? Hunting for seashells?"
"Oh...hello, Matthew." Tara said. Recently, Matthew had become even more chipper. Of course, that was because his brother Daniel was still alive, and now they were fighting together. Tara didn't have that luxury, however. Carlos murdered her parents for the sole purpose of breaking her heart - and thus, triggering the Divine Spark.
"Slow day, huh?" Matthew asked, stretching his arms. "I'm killing time. The police station is boring as crap, especially since Lucy's vanished."
"Lucy Crossman?" Tara asked. "Where did she go?"
"I dunno. She's been acting weird for a while, actually." Matthew said. "She was kinda bitchy, anyway. Always telling me off about my work ethic. I'd love this job if it was somewhere with actual crime, but - hey!"
"Hey...what?" Tara asked.
"Maybe finding Lucy is the crime I was meant to solve! It'll be cinch! All we have to do is ask that Seraphina cutie, and she'll find her in no time!" Matthew said. Seeing Matthew all gung-ho was rather charming, and it did take her mind off Adrian. Yet, she knew she couldn't let him get carried away.
"Listen to me, Matthew. You want to be this super cop who protects his people, right? Then stop treating it like some club activity!" Tara said. "And Lucy couldn't have gotten inside the city, and we know you can't use Persona activity out here. Don't you think that Seraphina won't be able to find someone missing outside the city?"
"...I suppose so. Tara, you really are a buzzkill sometimes. Still, that's what I like about ya. Tell you what, I'm going off to gather information. Most people think she's just sick, and couldn't be assed to call work. But I know I'll find some leads." Matthew said "Wish me luck!"
"Alright, Matthew. I'll see you later. Oh, remember we're going back to the base tomorrow!" Tara shouted as Matthew ran off. "So don't tire yourself out!"
"Okay!" Matthew replied, waving. Tara smiled, and began walking away from the beach. As she did, she look one last glance at the sea.
"Adrian...will I ever forget about you?"
|Aeternus HQ - Hallway|15:26 pm|
Pierre was walking down a hallway, heading to his office. He had long since grown tired of pretending to be a government-like official, pandering to the needs of the weak and pitiful public. The minute the Eternal Road was open, that would all end. What exactly would happen wasn't yet clear to him, but he was tantalized by Nihane's promises of glory and power. He entered his office, which was somewhat more organised than Archibald's, and immediately answered the ringing phone.
"What? What is it?"
"My apologies for bothering you, Mr Leonard. Someone contacted us from The Mole, and he says he has important information regarding our enemies." the nasally voice on the other end said.
"Enough talking. You sound like you inhaled helium all night long. I will take this call." Pierre said. There was no response, but a short beep soon led to what sounded like heavy breathing. "Bonjour? Pierre Leonard of the Ater Vox speaking?"
"You guys still there? God, what a fucking waste of time..."
"Ahem! You are speaking with the Ater Vox. I would appreciate a little more courtesy." Pierre said, already frustrated. He had the power to conjure up scorching hot fires and illusions to boggle the mind, and a mere plebian had the gall to speak to him this way? How ridiculous.
"Sorry bud, but I ain't got time for that formal shit. So let me cut to the chase. You heard of a Dan Kingsley?" the voice said.
"Unfortunately, yes. I have had the displeasure of making his acquintance. Horrid, vulgar man. Much like you seem to be." Pierre said. It was a small relief that he couldn't see this man over the phone. He imagined some kind of middle aged drunkard was speaking, but he didn't want to know.
"Whatever man. He goes to this bar called The Mole every now and then. I'm sure he's one of those Persona users you keep looking for. I've been calling since yesterday, but it took me fucking forever to get through. Can't you get more people on your telephone system?" the man on the other end of the phone said.
"I will not take recommendations from worthless scum." Pierre said. "However, if we are able to capture him, I will let your comments slide. Perhaps there will even be a reward."
"Reward? It better be good. Can I call you guys when he's next there?" the barman asked.
"Yes, you may. I'll attempt to keep a line free. It's a privilege you might want to cherish." Pierre said. Ignoring the angry string of obscenities, Pierre hung up.
"So, Daniel Kingsley and I will be crossing paths very soon. I wonder where this is headed. Hopefully tragedy, for all involved."