Chapter 54: Deadly Melody
|Farawell - De Niro's|18:00 pm|
De Niro's was another Italian restaurant in the city. It was rather quiet, which made it perfect for a romantic dinner for too. In fact, the team were the largest group there. Amara loved it right away - the dim lighting, the candles on the tables, the beautiful paintings of Venice, Sicily and Rome all around, as well as the smell of the best garlic bread in town. The team were seated at a table in the corner, next to a girl sitting by herself. Amara didn't know her, but from the way she was fidgeting, checking her watch, she was probably waiting for a date - who was late. Zao had never been late - he made it his mission to never make Amara wait.
"Wow!" Serena said. "When Blaine said he was taking us out for dinner, I didn't think we'd end up here!"
"I am astonished myself. Who would have thought he would treat us to such an excellent establishment?" Nathan said, impressed.
"Come on, guys. I just wanted to treat my new buddies. Ever since I started work last night, I've been feelin' fantastic!" Blaine said, proudly. "Tending the bar is what I was born for!"
"It must feel odd, being near so much beer and not being able to drink any of it." Zao said.
"You really think I'm an alcoholic, Zao? I just know how to have a damn good time." Blaine said, smiling. "And from my years of drinking with my buddies, I've picked up on how to make others feel great too."
"Congratulations, Blaine." Nathan said, sincerely. "At least we won't have to hear you complain about this job!"
"C'mon Nathan, I didn't whine to you guys that much. ...Okay, maybe a little. Dan said the exact same thing, actually." Blaine said. "But who cares! So, you guys ARE ordering from the set menu, right?"
"Ah..." Amara said, grinning. "You're not pushing that boat out very far, are you?"
"Well, uh..." Blaine said, looking shifty. "I haven't actually gotten paid yet, so-"
"Alright, we get the picture! The set menu has a lot of great things on it, anyway. There's even a few fish main courses for Zao." Serena said. "I just hope the pizza's better than it was last time I was here.."
After the team ordered - from the set menu, of course - Amara spoke up.
"Hey. I was wondering about the Other Serena." Amara said. "How come we haven't found her yet?"
"Me?" Serena asked, surprised. "Oh, the other me is probably just fine! I bet she'll be kicking my sister's butt in no time. And so will I!"
"Just curious, Serena, but do your parents know you're out with us?" Nathan asked. "I mean, we've been meeting quite a lot over the last couple of months."
"Nah, I don't tell 'em anything. They don't really care what I do, anyways." Serena said. "My dad is such an idiot. All he takes about is getting passed over for promotions. People who used to be his friends become his enemies when they get promoted above him! It's pathetic! No wonder he doesn't have anyone to go out drinking with him anymore!"
"So you're not exactly a daddy's girl, then." Zao said. "I guess not every dad can be as cool as Amara's!"
"Tell me about it. My dad just had to have a wandering eye..." Nathan lamented. "But...he's still a pretty cool father."
"My dad's boring as heck. He's a car salesman. Fun fun fun." Zao said. "What about your dad, Blaine?"
"...Mine?" Blaine looked up. "He...died when I was ten."
"I'm sorry to hear that..." Amara said.
"Relax, would ya?" Blaine said, trying to smile - but his sadness wasn't weak enough to be covered by his facial expression. "That was twenty years ago. Heck, Serena here wasn't even around then, and you and Zao were just babies!"
"Okay, so did you get along with your dad?" Zao asked.
"Yeah. He was the best." Blaine said. His voice wavered a little, as if he was about to burst into tears. "Whenever he came home from work, I'd bolt to the front door and bug him about his day, what I did at school, and get him to take me to the park. And he always had time for me. He was one heck of a guy." He quickly wiped his eye, and Amara could tell what he was wiping away. So not only had Blaine lost Matthew...his father was gone.
"This sucks. Your dads are all better than mine." Serena said. "This is getting me even more down. Let's change the subject. We're looking for new Persona users, yeah? Death, Devil, and Fortune?"
"Yeah, that's right. The thing is, Stella told me some stuff about those new guys. She said that we'd meet two Death and two Devil Persona users. One Death and one Devil will stay with us...the others won't survive." Amara said, nervously.
"Holy crap. So we'll be meeting five new Persona users!" Zao said. "That'll be interesting. Bring it on!"
"Zao, she did say two of them they wouldn't survive. That doesn't sound like much fun to me." Serena said, shaking her head.
"What about Fortune?" Nathan asked. "Are there two of those?"
"No, from what Stella told me, it'll just be one Fortune. But...crap, I don't remember what she said would happen. All I know is that it won't be plain sailing. Even so, we'll be alright. We can take on anything, right?" Amara said, glancing at the others.
"Yeah!" Blaine said, giving Amara a fist bump. "Nothing we can't handle!"
The team ate their meal, enjoying the calm before the storm. And it would be a storm they would remember.
|Aeternus HQ - Pierre's Office|18:23 pm|
Pierre was on his phone, listening to the irate voice on the other end. Clearly, he wasn't the patient type. Pierre groaned, listening to the cavalcade of swears and insults.
"Listen up, you fucking pansy! I know what I told ya. If the guy with the Persona turns up, I'll tell you guys. But he hasn't come back since he got turned down by that woman he likes!" the man shouted.
"First of all sir, you haven't provided me with your name. All I know is that The Mole is owned by Kaman Barrs, whom I know nothing about. Is he aware of the situation?" Pierre asked.
"Uh...I...no, he fucking isn't! Listen, we need a plan! I dunno where the fuck to find this guy!" the rude man said. "But if I bring him to you, you'll give me what I asked for, right?"
"Be quiet. We're the ones in control here. If it wasn't for us, the Shadows would have devoured every single inhabitant of this city." Pierre chided. "So my advice to you, sir, is to keep your mouth shut. Unless you can have Daniel Kingsley return to The Mole, then I have no obligation to grant your selfish request."
"You stuck-up piece of shit...fine, I'll do what I can. Do what you want to him, I don't give a shit. I just need her back, you got that?!" the man screamed, hanging up.
"Heh." Pierre said. "I don't think I'll be relying on a delinquent with a vocabulary to bring me one of the rebels. I think it's time to boost our public image today..."
Just then, Carlos knocked on the door.
"Come in, Carlos. This better be important."
Carlos stepped in, looking serious. "Nihane wants to see you and Nina. He's not happy about how badly you screwed up."
"Dammit. I knew I'd have to kiss up to him sooner or later." Pierre said. "In that case, Carlos, there's something I was going to do today - that I'd like you to handle."
"Really? You're delegating tasks to another one of the Ater Vox?" Carlos said, raising his eyebrows. "I've never taken orders from you before. What's in it for me?"
"Oh, you're not taking orders, per say. Think of it as doing me a favour. I will repay you in anyway you please." Pierre said, smiling evilly.
"In that case...if you ever find a new Persona user, you will deliver them to me and me alone." Carlos said. "After all, I'm the only one still in favour with Nihane. Your name is mud with him, just like the others."
"What?! You just found a new one! That rather abrasive madam..." Pierre shouted. "Why the hell should I do that for you?"
"Do you want me to do this favour for you or not? You're keeping Nihane waiting. He may be forced to unleash that Equinox of his. You of course remember how many Shadows survived that day." Carlos said.
"...Fine." Pierre said, standing up. "Then listen to me carefully. There's a bar called The Mole, and a person there promised to capture a regular customer of his and hand them over to me. That customer is Daniel Kingsley, whom I have met in battle once before. That idiotic man has no grace at all! He just throws his weight around, like the big lout he is!"
"Alright, so..." Carlos said, intrigued.
"The man who contacted me is even worse. He claims to be another customer at the bar, but he has not divulged his name. He has repeatedly failed to get Daniel to stay at this sorry excuse for an establishment, and I've grown tired of his empty promises. See to it that punishment is delivered!" Pierre said, with a sadistic laugh.
"From the way you're chuckling, you have something rather...extreme in mind." Carlos said. "I take it you wish for a Death Penalty?"
"Yes. Not just him, though. Everyone there, and the entire building. We'll claim the Shadows did it, and we can issue a statement that we're tightening security in that area. It'll be a perfect PR opportunity." Pierre said.
"You're a cruel fellow, Pierre Leonard. Still, I have no other errands for tonight. I will fulfil this favour, as long as you uphold your promise." Carlos said.
|The Mole|18:50 pm|
Kaman sat behind the bar, slouching at the wall. A shelf had just collapsed, breaking a dozen expired bottles. Their foul liquids poured all over the floor, unleashing a pungent aroma. Even so, Kaman hadn't the energy to clean it up. Every glass was filthy, every window was boarded up, and the karaoke machine had been gathering dust in the corner for as long as Kaman remembered.
This was a far cry from his first night. The place was packed, filled with lively people, young and old. With soft music playing quietly in the background, everyone was having a great time. This was Kaman's dream ever since he was a teenager - to own and run his own bar. What made it worthwhile was not only the joy and energy of the customers, but the smiles of Maria.
Maria. Beautiful, loving, Maria. She never lived to see her personal dream realised…and Kaman had never been the same after that. Without her, nothing made sense. Why breathe? Why eat? Why sleep? Why bother living in a ruined city, when only one person could make it worth getting up in the morning to face it? That person was gone forever, and the essence of hope had faded completely.
He let people who had lost everything stay with his bar. Some, like him, had lost their wives. Even their own children. Instead of feeling sympathy, terrifying envy raged within him. The family he planned on having with Maria would never happen. However, one man staying at the bar resonated with him.
Daniel Kingsley...he used to be a hopeless man, despondent after the loss of his brother, his best friend, and his home. He never had any major dreams in life, other than raising his brother to the best of his abilities. He, like Kaman, had lost every bit of hope he had in his heart. All he wanted then was an endless supply of beer, no matter how foul it tasted.
"Dan...you got lucky." Kaman said to himself. "You got your bro back. Now you think you can have a girl, too. Lucky bastard!"
"Kaman, who are you talking to?" Shirley asked. "Aren't you going to clean that mess up?"
"No point...no one gives a shit." Kaman said, shrugging. "You think Dan's ever coming back?"
"I...uh..." Shirley said, blushing. "I'm not sure."
"How come you turned him down?" Kaman asked. "Too old for ya?"
"Uh-I-um-stop asking me about him!" Shirley shouted. "It's just...I can't..."
"Ah, don't bother. It's not like it would have ended well anyway." Kaman said, bitterly.
"What do you mean by that?" Shirley asked.
"You know what I mean. He's got the power to fight the Shadows. You don't. If you went along with him, you'd just get yourself killed." Kaman said, shaking his head. "So you probably made the right choice in the long run."
"...I've made a decision." Shirley said. "I'm leaving this place."
"What the - you're not going anywhere, missy. You've got nowhere else to go!" Kaman said, angrily. "You remember the deal, right? You stay here and play that piano, and you'll stay alive. You won't find that Lucy chick outside, not now!"
"Be quiet! I know it sounds ridiculous, but I know I'll find Lucy someday. That's all I've really thought about! And..." Shirley said. "I'll survive. I'll find a way to get by, trust me!"
"But you already turned Dan down. He would have gladly been your knight in shining armour. What, do you think the Ornatu Legion are gonna help you? Don't be stupid!" Kaman said, grabbing Shirley's arm. "Listen to me, lady. You're the only reason Dan comes here. And I need him back. Now!"
"Lemme go - what was that?!" Shirley screamed, as demonic sounds echoed throughout the building. A man sleeping on the floor - not an uncommon sight here - woke up, barely sober.
"Greetings, Kaman Barrs. My, that's a rather appropriate surname for you, isn't it?"
Carlos Nadal entered the main area, with two powerful knight-like Shadows beside him. He ignored the drunk man's incoherent rambling, and stared directly at Kaman and Shirley.
"Who are you?!" Shirley asked.
"Carlos Nadal." Kaman said, stunned. "You were there when-"
"That's correct, Mr Barrs. That was when your wife fell victim to the Shadows." Carlos said, looking at the ones accompanying him. "Now then...I've heard from Pierre about a man who's made false promises about handing over Daniel Kingsley. Who might that be?"
"What's he got to do with this?" Kaman asked.
"Simple. He's one of the Persona users actively fighting against us." Carlos said. "Tracking him down would be rather beneficial for our cause. And…you two don't seem surprised at my mention of his power. You at least know that much about him, I see. Witholding critical information is a crime in our eyes. I won't let that go unpunished."
"I...um..." Shirley said. "What are you going to do to Dan?!"
"Oh, whatever it takes to get the information we need out of him. Then he will be sacrificed, along with the others." Kaman said. "But it seems Dan has stopped visiting this establishment, and thus, the promise is broken. So I'll have to find the culprit, and punish them, as well as you two."
"What the - why? Can't you just tell them off?!" Kaman said. "These guys have already lost everything, just like me!"
"Just like you...yes. Their reasons for living have all faded away, yet the memories of those reasons burn inside their hearts forever. Without those reasons, their lives are without purpose. Now, if you know which man wasted our precious time, tell me right now. If not, I may have to eradicate all of your clientele - and save them from their suffering." Carlos said, raising his fists.
"Shit." Kaman said. "You're really going to kill all of these people, aren't ya?"
"It might seem cruel, but it's for the best. For their sake, I will make their end quick and painless. There is no need to make their last breath one of torment." Carlos said.
"Kaman! What are we going to do?" Shirley said. "Is he really going to kill us, too?"
"I...dunno. But I'm not letting him get away with this!" Kaman said, clenching his own fists. "Carlos, you're going down"
"Oh, is that so? Not only do you lack the power, you don't even have a reason to fight me. Dear Maria perished long ago. Why prolong such a solitary, empty life? I could deliver you salvation right here and now. There's no need to make it such agony for both your body and soul." Carlos said. "I'm not a sadist here. But I'm here to exact judgment on those who take us for granted."
"Grr..." Kaman said. He had lost his nerve already, from the mere mention of Maria's name. What now? He had no Persona, and neither did Shirley. Instead, he would have to sit back and watch as his drunken customers, whose names he had never remembered, be slain. So what was he to do?
|Secret Base|19:00|
"Welcome back, everyone. I wish we had news, but unfortunately, nothing has happened." Aimee said, looking sad.
"That's okay, as long as everything's still fine here." Nathan said. "Wait a second. Why are you smiling like that? Has Zao rubbed off on you?"
Aimee kept quiet, and nodded at Kyle. The lad also grinned, struggling to contain his laughter.
"The heck is with you guys tonight?" Blaine asked.
"Weren't you listening, Blaine? I've rubbed off on them!" Zao said, smiling as usual.
"Okay, but why is Kyle trying so hard not to laugh? I did remember to brush my hair, right?" Serena asked. "Seriously, what is -"
"BOO!"
Serena jumped out of skin, as her alter ego jumped right in front of her. Amara yelped too, as did the others. Kyle finally broke out into howls of laughter, along with the rest of the team.
"No way!" Amara said, stunned. "It's the other Serena!"
"Yup, that's me!" Other Serena said. "We could say they saved the best till last. It took me forever to find you guys. I dunno what happened, really. I was in the church when the Divine Spark occurred, that I remember. But then everything went really funky, and I was back in the city. In fact, I helped Kyle and Matthew fight my sister."
"Nina..." Serena looked at her necklace, touching it with her fingertips. "Oh. This is the first chance I've really had to talk to my other self, but I read the diary, so I know most of what happened."
"You did? Well, I guess I don't mind if it's the other me." Other Serena said. "I mean, we were the same exact person until ten years ago. Pretty strange, isn't it? Anyway, Seraphina said something about having to fight Carlos next. His strength is vast, and every punch he throws is like an unavoidable hurricane. We'll need to be ready before we meet up with him."
"Hey, I've seen them in intense training sessions with each other. Out of all six of them, Nihane's the only one who never lost a single battle. Everyone else, we can handle - without getting carried away." Other Blaine said. "But Carlos is the one with the most wins. It comes from his days as a boxer. The bastard can throw a punch better than I can."
"Okay, but we're not necessarily going to fight him tonight, are we?" Amara said. "We shouldn't worry about it for now. Instead, we need to continue the hunt for the remaining people! And with Serena's other self here, that's one off the list!"
"It's kind of weird, fighting alongside another me. What surprised me the most was you and Kyle being so close in your reality…" Other Serena said, gazing at Kyle. "Perhaps it really is fate."
Seraphina suddenly let out a painful yell, clutching her head. Aimee and Other Amara dashed over to her, trying to soothe her.
"Seraphina! What's going on?" Aimee asked.
"Punishment...man who commands the winds of darkness...two who seek a loved one...living or dead...confrontation in...underground bar..." Seraphina finally recovered, but she appeared dazed and disoriented. "What the - what came over me?"
"You had another psychic vision!" Aimee said. "But...what did it mean?"
"Underground bar?" Dan asked. "Fuck! She's talking about The Mole! Carlos is trying to kill Kaman and - and-"
"Shirley..." Matthew said.
"Carlos! I still haven't forgotten what he did to Adrian. I may not have known him in this world, but I still feel like I loved him. Like he was part of my whole life. He's not going to get away with ruining people's lives again!" Tara stood up, desperate to leave. "We're going! Now!"
"Dan?" Other Blaine said, worried.
"You heard what she said, Blaine! Shirley's in trouble. And I gotta jump in and save her!" Dan raged. "C'mon, you know I have to do this. I can't let her die, not until she finds Lucy again."
"Wait a second. Shirley...and Lucy?" Blaine said, shocked. "Does this Shirley have blue hair?"
"Yeah. How'd you know that?" Dan asked. "Wait a minute, you -"
"She's my girlfriend's best friend! And...my girlfriend is called Lucy. Lucille Victoria Crossman, to be exact." Blaine said. Now, he looked concerned himself.
"...I see." Matthew said, gazing at the other Blaine. Both Blaines were silent, and the air had become increasingly tense. Amara knew why her world's Blaine would be worried - apart from him, Lucy's favourite person in the entire world was Shirley. Matthew seemed to react to Lucy's name, for some reason. What was going on? Could Lucy be in this world too?
"Alright, we'd better hurry." Aimee said. "We're heading out-"
"No. Hecate's telling me about something else." Seraphina suddenly said, concentrating. "There's a strange sensation coming from somewhere in Saragel, a stadium where a soccer team used to play."
"What? C'mon, we're late! I have to go, right now!" Dan shouted. "Get someone else to go figure this shit out!"
"Fine, then four of you can go. Let's see. I'll pick Dan, Blaine - our Blaine - Matthew and Tara. The rest of us can investigate the stadium." Aimee said. "I'll have Seraphina communicate with you guys when we're finished."
"Whatever, do what you want! I have to get the fuck out of here, now!" Dan hurriedly pushed the code in on the NDD, and he, Other Blaine, Matthew and Tara followed.
"I hope Shirley's going to be alright. Carlos is dangerous…" Roger said, worried.
"Normally, I'd trust Dan, but at times like these he really lets his emotions get to him. I just hope he doesn't get into trouble…" Priscilla said.
Shirley…yes, she had seen her in this world before. She was the pretty woman playing the piano at The Mole. Her vibrant blue hair, and her matching eyes stood out, and she was the only thing giving that awful place any sort of life. Dan had been going there for a very long time…no wonder he was so desperate to rescue her. Amara did like talking to Shirley, even if most of the time it was about how Lucy was 'misunderstood'. Indeed, Shirley was the person Lucy held dear, deep in her heart. Something felt strange, however. Shirley was looking for Lucy in this world. That was touching, except Lucy formerly lived somewhere in America. She wouldn't have been able to move into the city in this dimension, not unless she somehow found the NDD - or worse, made it into Inanis. So Shirley was hoping for something that in all likelihood would never come to pass.
"Aimee..." Seraphina said.
"What is it now?" Aimee said. "Is there something up with the stadium?"
"Well, yes, but there is something I must urge you to do. Go with Dan, Tara, Matthew and Blaine. Right now!" Seraphina pleaded. "If not, they may not survive - the entire building is in jeopardy."
"Oh...well, alright." Aimee said. "Everyone else, go to the stadium. Hopefully, it's just a Shadow gone wild."
Aimee departed for the NDD, and after obtaining the code for the nearest location by the stadium - about ten minutes away - they were there.
|Saragel Soccer Stadium - Ticket Office|19:08 pm|
As expected, the soccer stadium was in a sorry state. Karl would have gone berserk if he saw this place, the way it was. Trash was all over the floor, and old fanzines were still stacked behind a stand. Amara thought she had seen it before - Karl had collected quite a few issues from his years as a fan. Now, he was the one featuring on the front cover, and posters of him were on the walls of many of his fans.
"Damn, this place sucks." Blaine said. "So Seraphina, what exactly are we looking for?"
"I cannot determine that for sure at the moment. Perhaps it would be wise for us to split up into teams. I will let everyone else decide who wants to go with whom." Seraphina said.
"Great! How about us from the other world go check out the pitch?" Zao asked. "Not everyone can say they've been on the pitch of our city's greatest stadium!"
"Okay. Karen, who do you want to go with?" Roger asked. "I wanna go with Kyle. Don't worry, kid. I'm not your babysitter. I'm just gonna back you up, as long as you do the same for me."
"Don't worry. Serena, you want to come with us?" Kyle asked.
"As if you needed to ask!" Other Serena said. "Don't worry, um…me. I'll take good care of him!"
"You better!" Serena said. "You might want to try doing something about that haircut of his, too!"
"Alright, I'll come with you." Karen said, smiling. "I think Roger will need all the help he can get taking care of you two."
"Hey!" Roger said, laughing. "I'm good at looking after people! I was planning on opening my own business, after all."
"I think it goes without saying that the Holy Cross will stick together." Alastair said. "After all, we function much better when fighting as one."
"Don't worry, guys! You'll get a chance to play with us another time!" Richard said. "Actually, we've been here before. This was a temporary shelter, until they moved the people to a proper location a few minutes away. We were here to protect them from the Shadows."
"Perfect. Then that leaves Amara, Nathan, Priscilla and me." Seraphina said. "Now, if trouble arises, I will not hesitate to communicate with you. And since you'll be close by, I'll be able to sense if you run into difficult."
"No prob!" Zao said. "Off we go!"
|Changing Rooms - Home Team|19:12 pm|
"If I recall correctly, this is one of the areas people slept in. A few sleeping bags remain." Alastair said. "How things have changed. We're no longer officially serving the city, but still fighting Shadows in the name of protecting our people."
"That's right." Kazuya said. "And I have to say, I feel a lot happier now than I did when we were working for Aeternus."
"You do?" Bianca said. "Me too..."
"That may be because the Commander isn't beating us if we make mistakes." Alastair said, grinning. "Then again, we no longer answer to him, for the most part. He's much happier now, too."
"Yeah, but you know why I always thought he was so angry? He just needed a lady to talk to!" Richard said. "C'mon, think about it. He probably hadn't had female company for a long time, if you know what I mean. And he sure as hell wasn't going to get it from Nina and Josephine. The former doesn't really give a damn, and the latter's only into young, handsome, classy men."
"So what you're basically saying is that he needed to get laid?" Alastair said. "That's an...interesting theory."
"Yeah. It's not one without merit, however." Kazuya said. "He was very lonely. And we were just young, annoying brats compared to him."
"What? I'm only four years younger than he is!" Alastair protested. "Although we still had little in common."
"But he...did try his best to help us. When your family died, didn't he try and cheer you up by cooking you a really good meal?" Bianca said. "And...he helped me bury my uncle. He's a kind man, and I can see that so clearly now."
"Yup! That means he did hit the sheets!" Richard said. Kazuya sighed, and as if it was second nature, smacked Richard on the back.
"Grow up! Not everyone's a nymphomaniac!" Kazuya said.
"I didn't say he was that! Come on, we're wasting time. Let's check out this room." Richard said. His face lit up as he saw a soccer ball lying in the corner. "Alright! I wonder how much this baby would go for online?"
|Changing Rooms - Away Team|19:13 pm|
"So this was another shelter..." Karen said. "I can't imagine what the people thought when they were stuck in here."
"They must have been frightened every day and night." Kyle said. "I doubt they managed much sleep."
"Well, unless you're really careful, Shadows are gonna get ya if you take forty winks." Roger said. "But you gotta sleep whenever you can. I was trying to build a machine that let you go without sleep, but it didn't work out. It was rough, getting by."
"What exactly did you get up to?" Kyle asked. "Did you get into any fights?"
"I did, but it wasn't until I discovered I could use a Persona before I could fight back." Roger said. "The time I did, a lot of people got hurt pretty bad. I was really scared, and confused. A lot of Shadows were around, and...quite a few innocent people got stuck in the crossfire."
"You never told me that!" Karen said, shocked. "Roger...did they die?"
"I didn't stop to check. I was running from the Shadows...but if I didn't kill them, the Shadows did." Roger said. "It's no big deal...that's what you had to do to survive. How did you manage, Karen? Didn't you have to fight just to stay alive?"
"I...tried to hide away. I couldn't face fighting..." Karen said. "Roger..."
"Karen. I'm not that guy anymore. I'm still the same guy who came with you when you went to the police station." Roger said.
"What's he talking about?" Other Serena asked.
"I'm not really sure. It's about how they first met, I think." Kyle said.
"I'm not using my power just to stay alive. It's so my friends can live too." Roger said, grabbing Other Serena's and Kyle's shoulders. "Being around you guys changed the way I see things. You two are still young...and it's up to me to make sure you've got a bright future ahead of you. You shouldn't have to do what I did."
"You were really scary at first..." Kyle said. "But I'm glad we met. If Dan won't bother talking to me, at least I've got you and Serena!"
"Don't forget Matthew. You and him looked pretty tight!" Other Serena said. "Besides, you sure Dan hasn't forgotten about you?"
"Matthew told me Dan wants me to live with him once the city's safe again." Kyle said, thinking. "And...I wonder if he still does."
"Oh, he will. You and him were so close - and I'm sure you still can be!" Karen said. "Leave it to me. I'll tell Dan how good you've been. He'll be proud, trust me! He's almost like your father!"
"Father? Dan? I don't see it myself...but he does make a good big brother." Roger said. "Come on, we've been here long enough. Let's head back."
"Alright then!" Other Serena said. "Race ya, Kyle!"
"Race me?! I'm in a wheel chair!" Kyle said, aghast.
"So what? It can fly!" Serena said. The two of them left the room, apparently about to race each other downstairs.
"Roger..." Karen said, looking troubled. "Are you sure there's nothing else you want to tell me about your past?"
"No." Roger said. "I...just want to put that behind me. I'll use Kanaloa's power to protect you and those kids."
"Alright. I understand, really, I do." Karen said. "You had to do what you had to do. But I need to be able to trust you, one hundred percent. You were so violent when we met again...it makes me wonder what you could have done."
"Karen! I told you, there's nothing else!" Roger snapped. "Let's go!"
"...Okay." The two of them left, watching as Serena slowly made it downstairs. From the way she was panting for breath, Kyle had somehow one.
"That kid's one smart cookie. I'll have to ask him how he made his wheelchair so capable." Roger said. Now, the past had no meaning for him. The future was all there was.
|Saragel Soccer Stadium - Pitch|19:15 pm|
The team approached the centre of the pitch - the only part that still had green grass. The rest was either yellow and dry, or just completely worn away. Karl would truly weep if he were to see this place. Amara looked up at the stands, in particular the special seats reserved for the friends and families of the star players. She had sat there countless times, cheering on Karl, and watching him score goal after goal. Each time, he made an 'A' sign with his hands. That was his way of saying it was for her.
"Hey, doesn't this part of the pitch look funny to you?" Serena said.
"Yeah. Hold on a minute, I got an idea." Zao said.
"What idea is that, honey - WHOA!"
Zao suddenly summoned Rashnu, who stabbed the ground with his sword. The green grass turned an eerie black, and the ground started to shake.
"Oh crap. RUN!" Blaine said, getting away from the black grass. The others followed, and gasped in horror as the blades of grass formed a bizarre Shadow - a goal with a ghastly emaciated figure chained to it, wearing spiked keeper's gloves.
"Shit." Amara said. "Zao, did you know what it was?"
"It was just a hunch!" Zao said, smiling. "If I hadn't done that, we could have been in big trouble."
"We aren't right now?!" Serena screamed. "We don't know what kind of moves this thing has got!"
"Hey. It's a Shadow. We've fought off how many of them by now?" Amara said, smirking. "I'll destroy this thing!"
Before anyone could do anything, a beautiful flute melody echoed throughout the pitch. It was a short, upbeat tune, and the sound was crisp and clear. Right after the tune finished, a burst of energy engulfed the Shadow, knocking it to the ground instantly.
"Who did that?" Blaine asked.
The group turned around, and saw someone slowly making their way to them. A girl, of about five feet tall - making her even shorter than Serena and Aimee - who had shoulder length and completely straight purple hair. She had bright green eyes beneath a pair of expensive looking glasses, and a fetching black beret with an orange flower sown into it. She had a black shirt with a purple rim and white frills, as well as a black skirt and purple shoes.
"Who's she?" Amara asked.
"No clue, but your friend Colette would probably fall in love with that outfit." Serena said, laughing.
"Holy cow!" the girl exclaimed. Her voice was rather high pitched, Amara thought. She looked to be in her twenties, but her voice sounded more like a teenagers. Perhaps she was trying to sound cute. "This totally rocks. I never thought I'd ever meet other guys like me!"
"We're very grateful you helped us just now." Nathan said. "Can we save the introductions until after we've defeated this creature, madam?"
"Hey! You never said that when you and Amara were rescuing me!" Serena protested, glaring at him.
"You introduced yourself before I could say it!" Nathan replied.
"Oh, she isn't your daughter?" the mystery Persona user said.
"Nah. She's too cool to be related to him." Blaine said, nudging Nathan with his elbow.
"Blaine, I'm not that boring..." Nathan said, annoyed.
"Guys! We have to attack that Shadow before it strikes again!" Zao said, raising his weapon. "Watch us in action! It's time for a team attack!"
"Yeah! Let's see what we can do this time...get ready!" Amara said.
The five Personas, sans the one the lady was using, arranged themselves in a cross formation. Hathor took the north position, Artemis the east, Tlaloc the west, and Setanta the south. Rashnu took the centre position, and energy began to be channelled via all five of the entities.
"Oh my god, I never saw anything like this before!" the woman gushed, excited. "C'mon, show me your moves! Hurry it up!"
"I'm annoyed already." Serena said.
"Me too..." Amara grimaced.
"She didn't hear that, did she?" Zao said, worried.
"I doubt she was paying close attention. Let's go!" Nathan said.
"Cosmic Breath!"
The power generated by the five Personas shined brightly, forming a multicoloured aura that was like a rainbow. The Shadow slowly managed to get up, despite being chained to a goalpost. It was too late, however - a massive rain of what looked like tiny stars struck it, splattering black shadowy fluid all over the ground. Finally, a rainbow coloured explosion occurred, destroying the Shadow completely. From the mask stuck on the back of it's torn soccer shirt, it was a 'Fortune' Shadow.
"Sweet!" the girl said, randomly hugging Zao. "You guys all rock! Now that I've found you guys, I can do moves like that too! This is going to be so brilliant, working together!"
"Hey, aren't you jumping the gun a bit? As well as choking my poor boyfriend?" Amara said.
"Actually, it looks more like he's enjoying the attention..." Nathan said. "To be young again."
"Dude, wait until you turn thirty. Then you can start talking like that." Blaine said. "Still, not bad, Zao! We only just met this chick and she's already all over ya! Now that's what I call a casanova!"
"Oh, right. Introductions, yeah? Cool beans. I'm Keisha Vivaldi!" Keisha said, flipping her hair backwards. "And this here is Lorelei!"
"The aggregate sentience of the Seventh Fonon?" Serena asked.
"What the fuck is that?" Blaine asked.
"...Never mind." Serena said, as she pouted.
Keisha ignored their banter, and summoned the Persona she knew as Lorelei. A dainty, seductive pink skinned beauty, Lorelei had half blonde hair, and half black. One of her eyes was orange, and one owas green. She had a blue dress, that had ends resembling peacock feathers, and an anklet that resembled cymbals on a tambourine. In her hand was a long, silver flute that seemed to be generating mist. So that was where the tune came from…
"Impressive, ain't she?" Keisha said. "She and I have kicked tons of butt till now!"
"That's great, Keisha. Sorry, but we've seen many Persona users like us up until now. So we're not unfamiliar with the process." Nathan said. "It is disturbing how we've become so used to it, though."
"I think she's cool!" Zao said. "Keisha, tell us about yourself! Where'd you come from?"
"Oh yeah, you would want all the juicy details about me! Well, I was all alone in this creepy city, trying to find food and a place to stay. Just like everybody else, really. Some guys came and helped me, and they were tough. They did whatever they could to stay alive. It's a rough world, isn't it?" Keisha said. "There used to be a ton of us. We were basically a gang of thieves, trying to be like Robin Hood. But then the leaders went greedy, and kept it up. Finally, me and the two leaders were the only ones left."
"What happened to them?" Nathan asked. "Are they alive?"
"I...no." Keisha said, solemnly. "They're gone. That was when I first realised I had this power. The ability to summon Lorelei. All her attacks involve that flute of hers. She's the best there is!"
"Ah, I get it know. It's based on the siren Lorelei of German folklore. She plays a song in the river, leading ships to their death." Serena said. "This is perfect! Amara, we have to get the others here!"
"No need. Seraphina told us to get to the pitch not long ago." Alastair said. Everyone else had gathered around them, surprised to see Keisha.
"Wow, there's this many of you! ...What the heck? Why are there two of the redhead guy? Or two blonde geeks? Or two of that Amara girl?" Keisha asked, perplexed.
"Ah. That would take a while - a long while - to explain. We've had to summarise the exact situation so many times now..." Kyle said, already weary. "Let's start with you."
"I'm Keisha Vivaldi, the master of Lorelei!" Keisha said, striking a pose. "So what about you guys?"
"Well, I'm Amara, this is Nathan, that's Serena, and this guy is Blaine. Also, this is my boyfriend Zao." Amara said.
"I'm Alastair, leader of the Holy Cross. These three are Bianca, Kazuya, and Richard." Alastair said. Richard waved, smiling exuberantly, but Keisha sighed. She clearly wasn't interested in him. Then, she turned to Roger, and gasped.
"...What?" Roger asked. "I didn't even tell you my name yet."
"I...um..." Keisha said, flustered. "I never...I mean...oh, it's nothing! You look like someone I used to know. Yeah, that's it."
"Okay, well whatever. I'm Roger, and this is my partner Karen."
Keisha nodded, and smiled. The others introduced themselves, and despite Keisha teasing Kyle about his wheelchair, all seemed well.
"Now then. Keisha, we have to tell you something. Aeternus aren't the heroes you think they are. They're evil. They're creating Shadows, and...they're using them to destroy all of reality itself." Nathan said.
"Whoa! I totally thought you guys were Ornatu Legion people, or something like that!" Keisha said. "I mean, I remember the Holy Cross…kinda. But is that true? Aeternus being the ones doing this?"
"It is, I'm afraid. All of us are banding together to put an end to it, and we really could use your help." Kyle said. "It's amazing, how you came out of nowhere to help us like that."
"I know! I never expected anyone to go to the pitch. Soccer was never really my thing…I just wanted to check out the area. I'm glad I did! It's great to meet you all! So can I help you all? I'll fight, with everything I have!" Keisha said, looking pumped with excitement.
"Of course, Keisha. We'd be delighted!" Richard said, and he gave her a thumbs up.
"We would?" Serena said. "Oh brother."
"So Richard, does someone have a crush?" Bianca teased.
"Um, no, I-"
Seraphina suddenly looked pale. Did something happen with Shirley and Kaman?
"What's wrong, Seraphina? You don't look so good..."
"I...I have informed Aimee via telepathy of our situation. She and the others have survived, but..."
|The Mole|19:01 pm|
"It's a shame...this place could have been something special, if you had bothered." Carlos said. "Perhaps destroying it would be an act of kindness!"
"Go to hell!" Kaman said, giving Carlos the middle finger. "I don't give a shit about this place anymore. You're going down!"
"How are you going to make me do that?" Carlos taunted. Just then, a bolt of lightning struck him. "What the -"
Before Carlos could finish, Dan burst out of the bathroom area and shoved him to the floor, pummelling his face. Rage was flowing through Dan's veins, and no matter how hard he struck Carlos, it didn't seem to satisfy him.
"Dan!" Aimee said, running in. Other Blaine, Matthew and Tara followed him.
"You guys! What are you doing in here?!" Kaman said, stunned. Carlos, despite the pain he was suffering, laughed, and he clicked his fingers. One of the Shadows dashed over to Kaman, and struck his face.
"Kaman!" Shirley screamed. She tried to run, but another Shadow cornered her. She started to cry, cowering in fear. "Dan, help me!"
Dan stopped hitting Carlos, and panicked. He gazed at the Shadow that was tormenting Shirley, and his body went limp. Carlos finally forced Dan off him, and sent him crashing into a wall with one punch. "Pathetic. Your brute strength doesn't even begin to compare to my technique."
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Matthew asked. "You trying to ruin their lives too?"
"No way will I let that happen! I haven't forgotten what you did to Adrian, you bastard! You're the cause of everything that's gone wrong, and you'll pay!" Tara screamed. "Adrian didn't deserve to go through what you did to him!"
"Spare me the moral lecture." Carlos said.
"Shirley, hold on! I'll kill this thing for you!" Dan shouted. "It doesn't matter if you don't like me. I told you, didn't I? I love you…I'll help you find Lucy, I promise!"
"Love? Love?" Carlos scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. A pretty lady like her would be insane if she were to deign to even talk to you, let alone fall for you. But I'm curious. Who is this Lucy?"
"My best friend...Lucille." Shirley said.
"I see. This is splendid. Is her name Lucille Victoria Crossman, by any chance?" Carlos said. Shirley nodded, still covering her face. Other Blaine looked up, surprised.
"What have you done to her?!" Other Blaine screamed. "If you've done anything to hurt her, you're fucking dead!"
"Lucy's popular, I see." Carlos said. "I...have met her. She herself has become one of the numerous Persona users. Unfortunately, she was found by me. Unfortunately for you lot, that is!"
"No!" Matthew said. "Then you've brainwashed her into serving you!"
"Stop accusing me of such pointless things. She didn't need brainwashed. All I had to tell her was a few facts about her darling Blaine. The man she took in, and nursed back to health. Naturally, she fell in love with him. Didn't she, Commander?" Carlos goaded
"Fuck you..." Other Blaine muttered.
"She was rather fond of you. Yes, I had to endure a lot of details on how thick and hairy your chest is, how strong your arms are, how cute your hair is...and I think you get the picture. Then there was how safe she felt when she confided in you about her silly little problems. You made her feel special, and loved. You actually seemed to care about what she thought about the village, and her life. But you didn't really care about helping her, did you? You just wanted that one night of passion, then you went off on your merry way." Carlos said.
"You bastard...what the hell did you tell her?" Other Blaine said, pulling out his gun. "You better talk! I'm not letting you have your way with Lucy!"
"It's just as I thought, then. You and Lucy were an item..." Matthew said.
"Hahaha...I only told her the truth. That you were a commander who rebelled, and destroyed Kanaloa without remorse." Carlos said. Other Blaine growled at him, but Aimee held him back.
"Aimee! What are you doing?!" Other Blaine grunted.
"If you're not careful, he'll hurt Shirley or Kaman!" Aimee pleaded. "Please, let me think of something!"
"Now, however, I can completely have darling Lucy under my control. With Shirley being held hostage, what choice does Lucy have other than to do exactly as I say?" Carlos said, laughing. The Shadow grabbed Shirley, and managed to resist her kicking and screaming.
"Shirley! No!" Dan shouted. "Carlos, let her go right this second!"
"I'd have thought it was obvious that I wasn't going to do that. Such morons. Go, now!" Carlos said. The Shadow disappeared, along with Shirley.
"No!" Dan screamed. "Shirley..."
"Now then, I'll finish what I started!" Carlos said. He looked at the Shadow standing in front of Kaman, and clicked his fingers again.
Kaman ran his fingers down his face, and his eyes went wide open, as he saw the blood. The Shadow roared, but before it could finish the attack, something sent it backwards, much to it's confusion. A blue aura of smoke had generated around Kaman's body.
"No fucking way!" Other Blaine said.
"Kaman, not you too..." Dan muttered.
"Oh…now this makes things very interesting." Carlos said, pleased.
"Per...so...na... Persona!"
Everyone stared in shock at what happened. Kaman's blue aura burst into a mighty Persona, albeit a rather macabre one. It was a male figure, one with golden armour on his arms and legs. However, the armour was covered with many blood stains, diminishing the overall sheen. Other than that, the Persona was wearing a silver armoured belt, a black and blue gas mask, and a red gem on it's forehead. It's skin was a very dark yellow, with various tribal tattoos on it's bare torso - also covered with blood. It's eyes were shut, with what looked like blood running from them. It's hair was white and spiky, sticking up. Despite the overall look of this Persona, it had rather colourful green and yellow bird-like wings, with a remarkable wing span.
I am thou. Thou art I. I cometh from the sea of thy heart. I am Chandra, one who will brew hallucinations themselves to the gods.
"Fantastic!" Carlos said, smiling. "So, even a waste of space like you has enough inner power to conjure a Persona."
Other Blaine snarled, and rushed forward, fists flying.
"Are you serious?" Carlos retorted. "Ha!"
One quick combo of punches, and Other Blaine was sprawled on the floor, clutching his stomach in agony.
"You dumbass! You have a gun, remember?" Dan said. "Like so! Tezcatlipoca-"
"Do you really expect me to carry out a full battle here? This place is far too small for such a confrontation. Besides, even if you did kill me, you wouldn't be able to 'rescue' Lucy or Shirley. Nihane is a very convincing fellow. After all, I'm risking my entire life for him." Carlos said.
"...Shut up." Kaman uttered.
"What's that now?" Carlos said.
"You heard me. I told you to shut up." Kaman said, glaring deep into Carlos eyes. Carlos started to laugh, but then he saw Chandra soar, brimming with power. Before Carlos could react, Kaman summoned a mighty multicoloured wind attack. The strength of the wind sliced up the Shadow in front of Kaman, as well as an entire barrel filled with an expired ale.
"Holy shit..." Matthew said, biting his tongue. "He's strong already!"
"Of course he is!" Carlos said. "When you unlock the chains of your psyche and set free your inner feelings, they rush out, charged with your true emotions. That rush of power is a mark of the true potential of a Persona user. However, me and my comrades took a different method to obtain our power. You may already be familiar with it."
"You mean the artificial Personas of the Ornatu Legion?" Aimee asked.
"That's right. Instead of unlock them ourselves, we piece them together using the power of Shadows and residual thoughts we've gathered across our lives." Carlos said. "In my case-"
"I don't give a shit about any of that! Just give back Lucy!" Other Blaine shouted, firing his gun. Carlos jumped out of the way, but was hit in the back by Kaman.
"Haha!" Carlos said, quickly throwing something on the ground. It was a tiny capsule, silver in colour. There was a small red light on it, rapidly blinking.
"Is that a bomb?!" Tara screamed.
"You're wise. You haven't got long until it goes off. Once it does, this entire building will be nothing but rubble and ash. Can you get out of here in time?" Carlos said. "Oh, and before you get any ideas..."
Venti appeared, and sent a Garudyne towards the NDD, tearing it to shreds. The bomb was blinking faster and faster…
"Why?!" Matthew shouted.
"I'm only fulfilling what I came here to do. Get rid of the one who wasted our time, as well as those who withheld vital information. Don't worry, Blaine. I'll take good care of Lucy. She's a little abrasive, but that's nothing we can't control. 'Farawell' for now!" Carlos said. Right then and there, he disappeared.
"Well that's just super. Not only does he blow up my bar, he leaves with that crappy pun!" Kaman said, irate. "What the fuck are we gonna do?"
"I have to get us out of here, right now!" Aimee said. Quickly, Irene materialised behind her, and placed her hands on Aimee's shoulders. "Kaman, we're going to go to a secret location. It's too late to save this place…"
Kaman didn't say a word. Instead, he quickly grabbed a framed photograph from the bar, and checked it for scratches. "Maria..."
"Are you coming or not?!" Matthew screeched.
"Shut it, kid. Whatever your name is, lady, get us to this new place. I guess this is goodbye, Mole..."