Persona: Duality

by Sraosha

Amara Furaha is an aspiring artist living in the idyllic metropolis of New Motus City. One day, she is stranded in another world, and is attacked by unholy creatures - the Shadows. She, along with many others, will begin a journey to eliminate them and put a stop to the organisation that has jeopardised the safety of her beloved city. Yet, she must also try to live a normal life.

55. Glimmer of Peace

AN: I've been editing past chapters to make them up to scratch. This one required a few changes, in regards to a plot twist from the previous arc that I postponed, pacing of scenes, and hinting at another revelation instead of revealing it. Hopefully, this chapter is better as a result. Please read and review!

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Chapter 55: Glimmer of Peace

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|Saragel Soccer Stadium - Pitch|19:25 pm|

"So the bar got blown up?" Amara asked.

"Yes, it was destroyed instantly. Not only was The Mole completely destroyed, the other buildings nearby were damaged as well. Chances are, Aeternus will pin the blame on the Shadows." Seraphina said, shaking her head. "All Aimee was able to tell me was what had happened to the bar. I instructed her to arrive here with the others, so we should see them shortly."

"In that case, let's head back to the entrance. There might be more hidden Shadows." Nathan said.

"I didn't think of that...yes, let's do that." Karen said. "Keisha, we may enter the fray soon. Are you prepared for that?"

"Like you even need to ask, lady! I'll be making Lorelei play her songs as much as I need to!" Keisha said, smiling. "I already said I'd help you guys out, anyway."

"Wait, what attacks do you even have?" Richard asked. "Come on, it'll take a while until the others get here. What can Lorelei do?"

"All sorts, doofus. She's got the Aria Di Sorbetto. It's a beautiful quick tune that creates a big blast of ice." Keisha said. "I'm not really sure where I got the name from, it just sort of stuck in my head."

"I'd have figured it'd summon a great big ice cream cone." Richard said. "That'd be pretty cool! Then once it's killed the enemy, we get a free snack!"

"...Is this guy for real?" Keisha said, looking at Kazuya.

"Believe me, he is." Kazuya said. "There's a lot more weirdness where that came from. Then there's Zao to deal with..."

"I heard that!" Zao said. "For the record, the free ice cream idea would suck! It'd be all over the floor!"

|Stadium Entrance|19:34 pm|

"Aimee!" Zao shouted, running after her. "Thank god you're alright!"

"Zao..." Aimee said, surprised. "Don't look so worried. We just managed to get away. But there's no telling how many got caught up in that explosion..."

"Hey, cutie!" Keisha said, smiling at Matthew. "What's your name?"

"I'm Matthew Kingsley, of the Clairdol Village Police Department." Matthew said, awkwardly. While he did like flirting, he looked like he wasn't used to the girl making the first move. "What's your name?"

"Ooh, so you're a cop? Awesome! Nice name, too. Anyway, I'm Keisha Vivaldi! Seraphina here told me I've got the Devil Arcana, and I'm hoping that's a compliment. I was all alone until just a moment ago. Now I'm with all of you guys! Strange, isn't it? Glad to meet you." Keisha said, holding out her hand.

"Same to you. Oh...right." Matthew said, shaking Keisha's hand. "This is my older brother, Daniel. And this here is Tara. Her grandparents looked after me. And this is Aimee, who's sort of in charge of this big group."

"Wait. You're a Persona user as well, Keisha?" Tara said. "We were trying to find new members, but I didn't expect to find one so fast..."

"Looks like this is your lucky day!" Keisha said, smiling. "From now on, I'll be right beside you, killing Shadows and playing my songs all day long! Yeah, you won't have anything to worry about, old lady!"

"...That remains to be seen." Tara said, grimacing.

"It's good to have you on board, Keisha. We've had a bit of an upset. Blaine, you're not going to like this…it's about Lucy." Aimee said.

"My Lucy?" Blaine said, confused. "She's not here, is she?"

"No, not your one. This world's version. I think it'd be safer if our Blaine told us the full story." Aimee said.

"...Fine. I already told you guys that I got out of Inanis, but I was in really bad shape. I could barely walk, and I collapsed outside Farawell. When I come to, I'm in this tiny hospital, and there's some girl I don't recognise waiting outside. She's really annoyed at me, especially when she realises I'm awake. She bursts in, and calls me a stupid moron." Other Blaine said.

"Sounds like Lucy, alright!" Blaine said, amused.

"Turns out that when I fell, I hurt her cat's tail. I didn't know what was happening, until I was told by this doctor with a funny smell that I was in Clairdol Village. I'm fucking confused, but then I remember I was in Inanis and got out of there. The doctor says that I need somewhere to recover, since the hospital didn't have enough rooms. I tell him that there's nowhere for me to go - he's not gonna believe any of the stuff about the Shadows or what the Ater Vox guys have done. So I just make like I've got amnesia, and he's none the wiser." Other Blaine said.

"Let me guess. You had to stay at Lucy's?" Amara said.

"Well, it took a lot of convincing from the doctor, but she finally gave in. Boy…she was one bossy girl. Nagging me about how to eat my food, washing my hands, or to avoid rating the girls on this modelling show." Other Blaine said. "It was the first time I'd been able to watch TV in a long time. So many things I didn't know about...and Lucy kept getting pissed off when she had to explain anything to me. Like why her TV was flat." Other Blaine said.

"Wow, that IS a long time." Matthew said.

"Anyway, I kept out of her way for most of the time. I wasn't really able to go anywhere, so I just stayed in the spare room, glaring at the stupid lilac wallpaper." Other Blaine said. "But then she came home one night, and she was crying about something. I go over to her, and ask her what happened. And she looks up at me as if I've got a rainbow Mohawk and a skull eyebrow piercing."

"Those exist?" Richard asked. "I kind of want one."

"Are you serious?" Bianca said, stunned. "But you have such lovely eyebrows, Richard!"

"Can we get back to my story?" Other Blaine said. Bianca nodded, and Richard stepped back, afraid. "Okay. So I ask her again, and she launches into how much she hates her job. She told me all about why she joined the police force in the first place - to get inside the city and find some friend of hers. I think she knew that I knew what was really going on, but I tell her I don't remember a damn thing. But anyway, she told me she overheard the other girls at the station calling her a bitch, a cunt, a whore. Now, I've called many girls those things, but Lucy sure as hell isn't any of them." Other Blaine said.

"Well...maybe just the first one." Amara said. Blaine glared at her, and it felt more intense than a thousand suns. "Sorry, but you know how I feel about her. I'm not going to be her best buddy. She's got Shirley for that."

"Anyway, I tell Lucy that she just needs to try harder to make friends. I gave her advice, like to listen to people, think of positive things to say if possible, and don't lose your temper. I was just trying to cheer her up, but she really took that stuff to heart." Other Blaine said. "So later that week, she told me about how great work has been. She and the girls have been getting along better, and she hasn't heard them talk shit about her anymore. For the first time, she and I have dinner together. I crack a few naughty jokes, just to ease the tension, and we're laughing like hyenas. Mostly because of how dirty the jokes were."

"...If they're anything like Dan's, I don't want to hear them." Aimee said, frowning.

"I do!" Richard said.

"Guys, stop interrupting me! What the hell?" Other Blaine said, looking very pissed off. "Lucy asks how I'm doing, and...I tell her I feel great. I'm not able to get out and about yet, and my back is killing me. But I was really starting to enjoy being there. Lucy kept asking me for advice for how to talk with the girls at the station, and she got me these new clothes to say thanks."

"Is that why your jacket shows off your chest so much?" Other Serena asked. Now that she mentions it, that IS quite a rug.

"Yeah. I learned she had a thing for that, too." Other Blaine said, managing a small smile. "But I didn't mind so much. After all, we were getting along a bit better. I even started playing with that cat of hers, just to make her happy."

"Get real! What are you, some kind of perfect gentlemen?" Keisha said, raising her eyebrow. Now it was her turn to be glared at, but unlike Amara, she didn't seem to care.

"Not quite, lady. But I was having fun for the first time in ten years. But then I started noticing things…like how beautiful Lucy is. How much I liked hearing her laugh, or when she fucked up with dinner and I had to step in and rescue it - and her eyes. Her eyes were the most gorgeous I had ever seen." Other Blaine said. "Then I realised…I was well enough to get back to the city. I was pretty sure there was an NDD there on the barrier, but only someone who knew what to look for would find it."

"So you went back?" Nathan asked.

"...No. Every day, I thought about walking out that door, but I couldn't do it. I didn't want to go at all. I knew I had to, but I couldn't get out there." Other Blaine said, sadly. "Finally, I suggest to Lucy that she should invite people over to her house for a party, to reconnect with the people. At first, I thought it was going great - I couldn't check it out, though. I had to hide in that room. But..."

"Linda from the pub was there. She told me what happened - they were pretty vicious about her behind her back." Matthew said. "So despite your best efforts, she still didn't make friends..."

"Nope. So when she went in the spare room to feed the cat, I told her what I heard. She thought I was making the whole thing up, but I heard every word. I couldn't let her have guests who thought those awful things...so she threw them out. She must have cried for an hour afterwards." Other Blaine said, downcast. "I held her the whole time. I couldn't figure out what to say to make her feel better. That was when I realised just how much I cared. I felt good about my life for the first time in a long time. But I knew I couldn't just give up on the city. So that night..."

|Several Days Earlier|Clairdol Village - Lucy's Apartment|22:32 pm|

"...Thanks." Lucy finally said, wiping her eyes. "You must think I'm really childish."

"Nah. I just hate seeing you so upset. You know what? Screw those guys! You don't need to waste time on people who don't care about ya!" Blaine said. "You're still young. It's not too late to go out and go back to journalism. You'd be great at that!"

"Maybe, but..." Lucy said. "I told you why I came here. I thought someone would know something about the city. Even you don't know anything..."

"Lucy, there's something I gotta say. I think I'm ready to leave." Blaine said. Lucy's smile instantly vanished, and her eyes started to water again.

"What?! But you've been here so long! And you don't even have anywhere to go!" Lucy wailed, grabbing Blaine's arm. "You can't just leave me! There's no one else here I can talk to! No one!"

"I'm really sorry. Being here made me happier than I've been in years. But there's something I have to do. Something very important." Blaine said. He tried to put on a brave face, but Lucy wasn't cheering up at all. Any minute now, she would burst into tears again. "Actually, before I go, there's something I want to do here. Something you can remember me by."

"And what's that-"

Blaine grabbed Lucy, and wrapped his strong arms around her. Staring into her shocked face, he briefly hesitated. This felt right, he realised. Without any more doubts on his feelings, he leaned forward, and kissed her. To his surprise...she held the kiss. That moment may have only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like a lifetime for him. Finally, they stopped, and stared at each other. Now, she was smiling, her cheeks red.

"I've...been wanting to do that for a while." Blaine said, bold. "Thing is...the place I'm going is dangerous. Even for a tough old bastard like me. But if I'm not there, then things aren't gonna get any better."

"It's the city, isn't it?" Lucy asked. "You came from the city…I knew you did! Blaine, please let me come too! Shirley's in there! If I can get her out, then everything will be okay! I mean, I'll have her back! And you!"

"I can't. Lucy, if something happened to you, I'd never forgive myself. Thanks to me, a lot of people have gotten into trouble. Friends, even. If I can, I'll come back-"

"No!" Lucy screamed. "Don't say that! Not if…besides, it's late now. Stay one more night. Please..."

"Alright, I can't say no to that pretty face." Blaine said, smiling. "Besides, I've gotten used to that spare room."

"Who said anything about the spare room?" Lucy said, with a flirtatious smile.

"...You naughty devil." Blaine said, laughing.

Later, in Lucy's bed

Blaine was lying next to Lucy, gazing into her eyes. Tonight had been so special - before the Shadows had appeared, his luck with relationships had been lousy. He was young, selfish, and only interested in having a fun time. After the Shadows, women had never been on his mind - surviving was the only necessity. Lucy, however...she had brought out the best in him.

"You liked that, didn't you?" Lucy asked.

"Sure did. I never thought it would last for so long." Blaine said, putting his arm around her. "So, tonight wasn't a total loss, was it?"

"Not at all! Those idiots don't matter anymore. Now that I've got you to help me find Shirley."

Blaine's eyes widened. Did she really expect him to take her in that place? If Shadows found her, she was dead. Tlaloc might not be enough to save her. But Lucy was determined to find Shirley, even now.

"...Okay. You can come." Blaine said. "I'll take good care of you, I swear."

"What? You think I can't handle a little danger?" Lucy said, indignant. "I'm not as weak as I look! I can be pretty scary when I want to be."

"Oh, I know that. Remember when we first met, and your cat's tail got hurt?" Blaine said. "C'mon, you look sleepy. You get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day, after all."

"Alright." Lucy said, snuggling up close to him. She shut her eyes, but as she laid her head near his, she continued to smile.

Blaine knew he couldn't go into New Motus City with her. There was a very slim chance of her getting a Persona, and even if she did, she wasn't used to combat like she was. The Ater Vox would be coming after him, sending Shadows his way to reap his blood. Perhaps he'd have to fight Nihane - a battle with an uncertain outcome. Putting Lucy through that, just so she could find her friend, was too much.

Quietly, he put on his clothes - and as he saw how much of his chest the new jacket showed off, he briefly chuckled. Lucy certainly preferred her men as hairy as possible (except for back hair, which she hated). She was still asleep, in complete bliss. This wasn't like the women of Kanaloa, who he only went out with for a night or two. He desperately wanted more from Lucy. He stared at her sleeping body, and sighed. Leaving her would break her heart, but leading her into danger would be even worse. He was going to be risking his life, after all. Why get her killed as well?

He quietly went into the living room, and grabbed a notepad from the table. Trembling, he wrote, with shaky handwriting.

I'm sorry I left without you. The truth is, New Motus City is in chaos. People every day run the risk of being killed by things that aren't even human. These things aren't like thugs in Kanaloa. You can't just punch the living daylights out of them so they get out of your way. These things will kill you. And the idea of you getting near one of them scares the hell out of me. Lucy, I know you want Shirley back. But she might already be dead. The minute I get back into that city, there will be fighting night and day. I can handle it, but I'm not sure if I can protect you. Please, don't try and follow me. I may not be able to come back. Just remember this, Lucy. I love you. I won't forget how happy you made me feel. Take care.

Blaine found himself wiping away several tears as he wrote. This was the worst thing he had ever done, but he had no choice. To save Lucy, he would have to abandon her. To other people, he would look like such an asshole. But he didn't care about that. As long as Lucy stayed in the safety of this town, he could go ahead and join the fight.

Outside, he gazed at the town for the last time. The sky was cloudy, and the ground was damp. This would be his last semblance of normality for a long time. Dan was still fighting over in the city, and he would never be allowed back in Aeternus. Not that he ever wanted to go back. If Nihane and the others hadn't ruined the lives of everyone in New Motus City, everything would be so much simpler. Lucy would be with Shirley, and Dan, Matthew and him would be living it up in Kanaloa.

"Lucy...don't cry."

|Present Day|Stadium Entrance|19:45 pm|

"You stupid bastard!" Dan said, after a long silence. "If you really loved her, why the hell did you leave without saying a word? I thought you knew better than that."

"Weren't you listening to me?! Lucy would have gotten herself into a shitload of trouble if she had come with me!" Other Blaine said. "Only thing is, now she's got a Persona. And Carlos got to her first, that fucking bastard."

"Blaine, you really should have just tried to tell her one more time not to come with you. She might have let it go, providing you came back. After all, me and Tara have been making plenty of trips between the city and the village." Matthew said.

"It's a little late for that! Now Lucy's on the enemy's side, and Shirley's with them now!" Blaine said, "This is just great. I always wondered what my girl's other self was up to, and now I know."

"So now Lucy thinks you're a monster behind the Shadows who was just using her?" Keisha said. "That sucks big time. Well, shit happens."

"That's not helping, Keisha." Alastair said. " We cannot let Lucy and Shirley remain in the clutches of our enemies."

"That's all fine and dandy, but how the fuck are we gonna find them? We don't have a way to get inside headquarters!" Kaman said.

"You're not quite right about that, Sir Kaman." Seraphina said. Kaman, clearly confused about his apparent knighthood, stared at her as if she was on bath salts. "Thanks to a third party, we do have a way to get inside the headquarters. With my extrasensory perception, it should be possible to reclaim Lucille and Shirley."

"Oh, that's right! Tomas and Rudo!" Other Blaine said. "Seraphina, you have to take me there! I'd go alone, but they've blocked my card by now! I gotta straighten things out with Lucy."

"There is going to be quite a lot of risk involved, yet I can see that you could care less about how many bones you have to break. Very well. Once everyone's prepared, we shall venture into the enemy's territory. Remember, our mission is to retrieve Lucille and Shirley. Anything else may jeopardise those objectives. Do you all understand?" Seraphina said.

"Loud and clear. I gotta get Shirley out of there." Dan said, looking at Other Blaine. "You better not let me down this time."

|Aeternus HQ - External Lab|19:53 pm|

"Wait a second. Where the hell are Tomas and Rudo?" Tara asked. "Without them, we can't get inside the main building!"

"Incorrect, Lady Tara. I have a special card that allows me access to their NDD." Seraphina said. "Let me pull up the information on the main building."

"Seraphina, I thought it was established that I'm the one who handles the geeky tech stuff. Let me do it!" Kyle said, moving over. It took a little while, but the screen displayed a map of the Aeternus ground floor. On it were several elevators, a dining area, research rooms, and communications rooms. "I don't think Lucy and Shirley are going to be on this floor. Let's see..."

Kyle quickly scanned through the floors, until he saw the thirty second. "This looks like it could be it. There's a lot of training areas here. If Lucy is still new, she might be there. But it's a large area...we'll have to spread out."

"Shouldn't we clear it with Tomas first?" Amara asked. Other Amara nodded, frowning.

"We don't have time to wait for that old geezer! We gotta do this now, and if the Ater Vox get in our way, I'll thrash them!" Other Blaine said.

"Alright, then if you would like to follow me, I will activate the gateway now." Seraphina said, entering the key on the NDD. "Hurry! If we are discovered, we may not make it out alive."

"Yeah, I know. But I'm not staying behind in some village." Matthew said. "Remember, I'm a member of the police department, too. It's my responsibility to get her out of trouble."

Amara sighed, and watched as the group followed Seraphina. Was she really going to have to fight Lucy? She had already dealt with Colette, and that had been painful enough. The difference was, Lucy had a genuine Persona. It was going to be a difficult journey.

"Hey, are you coming?" Zao asked.

"Yeah...sorry." Amara said, rushing through to the NDD.

|Aeternus HQ - Training Center 2 - Room 2A|20:00 pm|

"Eat this!" Lucy screamed, as Inanna appeared. "Heatstroke!"

Fiery slashes of Inanna's axe crushed the Idol Shadow in front of her, and Lucy breathed a sigh of relief. "How was that? Better?"

"Yes. That was sufficient. Keep it up, and you'll be ready to defeat Blaine Spencer in no time at all." Nihane said.

"Blaine..." Lucy said, looking at the gun she had been issued. "Was he really just using me so I'd look after him?"

"Undoubtedly so. The lecherous fellow has been without the love of a woman for quite some time. A young, attractive female surely gave him a certain sense of satisfaction." Nihane said, grinning.

"Hey, wipe that smirk off your face. I'm not giving you any sort of 'satisfaction'." Lucy said, irritated. "Can we stop for today?"

"Nihane!" Carlos said, entering the room. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I believe I have someone who Lucy would like to meet."

"What?! Did you bring him here?!" Lucy screamed. "Where is he?"

"It's not Blaine, nor is it a male." Carlos said. "Perhaps it would be faster if I showed you. Come in...Shirley."

"What?!"

Shirley looked through into the training room, and when she saw Lucy, she froze. A long time had passed since they were children. Yet, they recognised each other immediately.

"Lucy, you're back..." Shirley said, shaken.

"Shirley, you're still...alive." Lucy said, also stunned.

"I'm sorry...I couldn't write to you. There was no way to send letters from the city, the way it is. And, well...a lot of bad things happened. I just...I just kept hoping you'd come back."

"What a touching reunion!" Nihane said, sniggering. "So, you two met once years ago when you were children, only to become obsessed with seeing each other again. But now that you've finally met, you don't have any more objectives!"

"What's your point, jackass?" Lucy said, annoyed. "You guys are supposed to be fighting the Shadows and saving the city! Why is it taking so long?! Shirley could have died!"

"Why, it's simple, isn't it? There are some with your power who can't understand us. Instead, they pin the entire blame on us - they fabricate lies that we are the ones conjuring Shadows into this planet. It's undeniable that we have harvested these monsters as a power source, but that is a matter of necessity. Any other power source is prone to destruction. As for the ones who are opposing us...there are a lot of them." Nihane said.

"I saw them. Dan..." Shirley said. "He told me he was fighting against the Shadows. And all the other friends he's made. That boy in the wheelchair he talks about...his brother Matthew-"

"Oh, yes. Dan Kingsley, and his brother, Matthew." Carlos said. "It was unexpected that two citizens of the village would travel to Inanis - but then again, their home was here. They were simply coming home, so to speak."

"Whoa whoa whoa. That flirt from the police station?!" Lucy said, perplexed. "He's one of our enemies too?"

"That's right. There are quite a few others, all whom are convinced we are the devil. Also, Carlos, did you destroy that bar? You should have remembered Aimee Davenport has access to Traesto. That was mighty careless of you." Nihane said, with another evil grin.

"Look, are you two just gonna prattle on and on? I wanna talk to Shirley for a moment!" Lucy said.

"Fine, you may leave the room. Remember, without any prior instruction, you are not to exit these premises. Nor are you permitted to show Shirley some of our more private areas." Nihane said. Lucy stuck out her tongue, and grabbed Shirley's arm, dragging her outside. "She's a rather animated girl, isn't she? And while we're at it, tell me. How is Mr Barrs doing these days?"

"What do you mean?" Carlos said, confused. "The man's wife was killed by Shadows, and he hasn't been the same since. Not only that, he just awakened his Persona-"

"Oh, he did? Perfect. In that case, it matters not who's side he's on. Thanks to my creative thinking, his despair should easily influence the next Divine Spark, wherever it may be!" Nihane said, chuckling to himself.

"Your creative thinking? You don't mean -"

"Oh, but I do, my dear Carlos." Nihane said, holding up his clenched fist. "With his wife's eternal love, he cannot succumb to the despair like the others. Take away dear Maria Barrs from him, and he's dead inside. A decade of loneliness, with no one but drunkards for company...don't you see? Decisions like mine will bring forth the Eternal Road faster and faster!"

"How many others have you done this to?" Carlos suddenly asked, indignant.

"Don't get so violent, Carlos. You're rather unreasonable when you're confused. Occasions where I need to do this have become rare, but early on, there was no guarantee the Shadows would destroy the hope of the populace." Nihane said. "I merely did what I had to do. Once the Eternal Road is complete, it won't matter! If you're so upset, you can bring the lovely Maria back to Kaman. That might cheer him up a bit!"

"You-"

"I'd love to listen to your objections, but I'm afraid I must be going." Nihane said, leaving the room.

"...Nihane." Carlos said to himself. "Must we really go so far for our goal?"

|Training Centre 1 - Hallway|20:14 pm|

The headquarters felt even more cold and sterile than the secret lab did. The vast size, coupled with the bright white walls and floors, made it feel utterly soulless. Amara actually wondered how this place was made. Could Nihane have produced it with the power of his Persona?

"Okay, we're on the first of the training floors. Are Shirley and Lucy here?" Dan asked. "C'mon, Seraphina! Hurry up!"

"If you're going to rush me like that, then you run the risk of impairing my ability to locate them! So I recommend you keep quiet." Seraphina said, closing her eyes.

"Dan, calm down. Shirley will be fine." Kyle said. "If you keep shouting and throwing your weight around, you'll just get us all killed."

"Dammit, Kyle. I thought you were on my side here! I gotta get Shirley out of here, now!" Dan said, glaring at Kyle. "We could have avoided this if you had just told Lucy she couldn't come!"

"As I told you before, Dan, she didn't listen." Blaine said, shaking his head. "But I'm not letting them use Lucy as a weapon against us!"

"Alright, I want you all to listen to me carefully. Shirley and Lucy are very nearby, but if we all go after the two of them, we will be as good as dead." Seraphina said. "That is why I propose we split into teams, and block off exits."

"Whatever, as long as I'm in the team that finds Shirley!" Dan said. "Blaine should come with me too. Who else?"

"I'll go." Other Amara said.

"Me too!" Other Serena said, holding up her whip.

"I'll accompany you as well." Other Nathan said.

"In that case, I too will join your party. That makes six. Kaman, Keisha, as you two are new, I'm going to place you with Zao, Aimee, Kyle and Priscilla." Seraphina said. "Roger, Karen, I'd like you two to fight alongside the Holy Cross."

"It's a strange feeling, infiltrating our old headquarters. I wonder if they kept any of our belongings?" Alastair asked. "Although that's not pertinent right now. I could ask Tomas about it, I suppose."

"You know, every floor of this building is similar to this one. They're not the most imaginative architects, are they?" Bianca said. "Still, this place was our home for a long time. It's hard to believe we're no longer welcome here."

"We know the layout of this floor rather well. There's plenty of training rooms, usually reserved for the higher ranks of the Ornatu Legion or the Ater Vox." Kazuya said. "The Commander really put us through the ringer when it came to our training sessions…"

"I'm with you guys again? How predictable! Can't I be in Keisha's team for a change?" Richard whined.

"Sheesh, I figured we were gonna have some sort of party first!" Keisha said. "Guess we'll save that for later, then!"

"Shut it, lady." Kaman said. "I'm not in any mood for some stupid party."

"Maybe next time, Richard, but I prefer the teams this way. The Holy Cross should stay together, no matter what." Aimee said. "That leaves the gang from the other world, as well as Tara and Matthew."

"If we end up fighting Carlos, I'm not holding back!" Tara said. "I'll never forgive him for what he did to my family and Adrian!"

"Dan, do you want me to come with you?" Matthew asked. "Me and Lucy weren't exactly close, but-"

"No, you sit this one out. Just make sure no one gets in the way, okay?" Dan said. "C'mon, let's go!"

"Alright. Shirley and Lucy are on the floor above, in the room with the door marked '2A'. The other world team, as there isn't an exit for you to guard, patrol the corridors and stop Shadows from attacking the other teams as much as you can." Seraphina said. The other teams left, exploring the area.

"Tomas and my dad are gonna kill us when they find out what we did..." Amara said.

"So even when you go into another dimension, you're a daddy's girl!" Blaine said, smirking. "Not to worry! We'll keep Rudo Furaha's little girl out of harm's way and bring her back before bedtime!" Amara sighed, but couldn't help but laugh.

"Let's get going, then." Tara said.

|Training Centre 2 - Hallway|20:21 pm|

Seraphina moved closer to the door, and positioned her head so she could listen at the door more easily.

"Can you hear anything?" Dan asked, anxiously.

"Yes. I do believe someone's complaining about Pierre's extensive use of cologne." Seraphina said. "Also, something about a birthday celebration in the cafeteria."

"Who celebrates a birthday in the cafeteria at their work?" Other Blaine said, scratching his head.

"Where else is there to go?" Other Serena said, shrugging. "It's not as if this place has a club, or a DJ. There's not even an Xbox."

"We're wasting time! Hurry up and try the next room!" Dan said, storming off to Room 5. The others followed him, and noticed the door wasn't properly shut. Dan looked inside, and gasped - but Seraphina covered his mouth before he could be heard.

"Don't be an idiot! They will hear you if you insist on making yourself so audible!" Seraphina admonished.

"But Seraphina!" Dan whispered. "She's in there! With Lucy, from the looks of things!"

"No way!" Other Blaine whispered. "What are they saying?"

"Listen carefully. You'll be able to hear them from here." Other Amara said. "Come on, don't mess up now."

"...So wait, you were with a man?" Shirley said, stunned. "What was he like?"

"Well, he was scary to begin with. Mean, grumbled a lot, and some really bad language. But then he started being nicer, and...well, I started to like him. A lot. It helped that he was really hot, too." Lucy said. Other Blaine's cheeks turned red, and he looked down at his shoes, embarrassed.

"What happened to him?" Shirley asked.

"It turns out he was the Commander of the Ornatu Legion. But he turned against them, and he was just using me!" Lucy said, sounding very upset. "He just used me for a good time before he went back to terrorise the city! Carlos told me the whole thing!"

"That lying bastard!" Other Amara said. "Blaine, don't rush in there yet, okay?"

"I can't just stand here! I have to get the story straight, now!" Other Blaine said.

"And you have the same Persona power he has now, right?" Shirley asked. "Could you show me?"

"Um, yeah. I'm still new at this, though. Inanna!"

This time, everyone peeked through the door, and saw Lucy's persona. The red haired goddess with the axe, Inanna.

"Whoa!" Other Blaine said, out loud. Seraphina smacked the back of his head, but she was too late. Shirley and Lucy saw him there, and froze on the spot.

"You should have just kept your big mouth shut!" Other Nathan said, exasperated. "No point staying here now. Get in there, and say your piece."

"Right." Other Blaine said, slowly getting inside the large training room. The others followed, trying to stay calm.

"Nice place. Could use a few potted plants or something, though. It's a bit drab." Other Amara said. "Oh. My name is Amara Furaha."

"Uh...hi?" Shirley said. "Haven't we met before?"

"No you haven't - wait a minute. I really do think I've seen her before, somewhere. Same with that chick in the fancy dress." Lucy said.

"My name is Seraphina. When I see your countenance up close, it does bring a sense of déjà vu."

"Um - Dan!" Shirley said, her face pale with fright. "You came all the way here just to see if I was okay?"

"Yeah, something like that." Dan said. "Good to see you're not hurt. If Carlos did anything to you, he'd be nothing more than a stain on that floor."

"Lucy..." Other Blaine said. "I shoulda known you'd come after me. You know now why I didn't let you tag along, right? You lucked out and got a Persona - thank god you did. If you hadn't, the Shadows would have destroyed you in seconds."

"I...um..." Lucy muttered, staring away. "I was really scared..." She abruptly turned angry, and pointed at Blaine, furious. "You total jerk! I should have known better than to fall for you! Why are you so determined to destroy Aeternus? They're the ones who gave you warmth, food, and shelter only for you to throw it back in their face!"

"And you used her just for nookie, too!" Shirley said.

"...Nookie?" Other Nathan said.

"You do know what she meant by that, right?" Other Serena said.

"It's not a phrase I'm familiar with, so no." Other Nathan replied.

"What are you, a kid? Even I knew what she meant!" Other Amara said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Can we get away from that subject, please? I do not particularly need to imagine anyone in this room in that intimate situation at this moment of time." Seraphina said.

"Okay, then what about Kanaloa? You were supposed to guard your hometown! But you just blew it up, killing all your friends and family!" Lucy shouted, enraged. "I can't believe I kissed a murdering scumbag like you!"

"...Scumbag is right. I really was a piece of shit when I was a kid. I just went around picking up girls, getting into fights, and making trouble that Dan had to clean up." Other Blaine said, sighing. "The truth is, Kanaloa getting destroyed wasn't my idea. Aeternus did it. Don't you get it? This whole place is built on top of where Kanaloa used to be!"

"You're making that up!" Lucy yelled. "You bastard! Just when I thought I'd met someone wonderful, everything goes wrong! Inanna, Agilao him now!"

Other Blaine shut his eyes, but someone shoved him aside. The flames hit Other Amara, who's Sekhmet barely even flinched.

"If you want to get at him, you'll have to get through me first. But before you do, you need to hear this. I thought that Blaine here was the man who murdered my father, and was on the side of Aeternus." Other Amara said. "But that wasn't the case. My father is alive and well, and he's helping me find the way to end the injustice Nihane and the others are behind."

"That's right! Did you really think Aeternus could have built this place without destroying an entire district?" Other Serena said. "They just picked the one the city could do without, and that turned out to be Kanaloa!"

"We also thought Blaine was our enemy. I was led to believe my dear father was slain by his hand - but the culprit was none other than the wretched Josephine Johnson." Other Nathan said. "Please trust us. If you stay with this organisation, you will be merely a sacrifice for something that will destroy the entire universe!"

"What do you mean?" Shirley asked. "Destroy the entire universe? Are the Shadows capable of doing that?"

"Not themselves, but Nihane's trying to cause Divine Sparks in the rest of the city. He's got two more to go, and once he does that, the world goes bye bye. He's screwing with all of us here, until we're nothing but pure energy that fuels the Sparks!" Other Blaine said. "Listen to me, Lucy. I told you how I really felt, and I meant every word. I really did want to stay, but I have a duty here to save this city. You've got to trust me on this one! I still love you, you know. I'm fighting against Aeternus to make up for what following them did."

"I..." Lucy said. Before she could say anything else, blasts of wind hit everyone.

"Huh?!" Seraphina wailed, clutching her dress. "Oh no! It's-"

"Greetings, everyone. I'm rather surprised you made it inside our facilities."

Carlos materialised in front of Lucy and Shirley, smirking.

"You bastard!" Dan said, finally breaking his silence. "Thanks to you, Kaman's bar is gone! Now give back Shirley, right now!"

"Why should I do that?" Carlos said, grabbing Shirley. Lucy gasped, and Shirley struggled. However, she wasn't quite able to break free from his grip. "After all, Lucy has the potential to become disobedient without any reason to hold her here. That reason is of course her precious childhood friend, Shirley."

"Have you no shame?" Other Nathan said. "First you blow up Kaman's bar, now you abduct an innocent and frightened woman! I cannot tolerate such actions!"

"Kaman..." Carlos said, deep in thought. "Yes, he was a rather tragic figure. His wife died just after the Shadows arrived, and he had to endure the empty years alone. All because of - no, never mind. What you said of the Eternal Road isn't quite correct, however. It won't destroy the universe, rather recreate it. Those of us who support our goals will be given the chance to influence the new world with their deepest desires. Lucy, what do you desire most? A chance to undo your empty, meaningless choices and live in paradise with Shirley? Or a peaceful, idyllic city of wonder where you and Blaine here can enjoy romantic walks, and he actually listens to your feelings?" Carlos said.

"Listen to me, Nadal." Other Blaine said. It sounded like it hurt to utter every syllable. "You might think just cause I've been alone for this long, all I want is a pretty girl. But as mad as it sounds, I love Lucy! I'd like nothing better than to stay in Clairdol, and letting her rant at me about how bad work was that day. Right now, you're holding her best friend hostage. And funnily enough, that best friend is the girl my own friend is in love with. So if you think you're getting away with this shit, you've got another thing coming! Hand her over, right now!"

"You'd better do as he says. You harm either of those girls, you're gonna pay." Dan said, readying his rifle.

"Every time one of us fights your lot, we have a new speech to look forward to. That wasn't terrible, yet you really should just go ahead and start attacking if you're trying to scare me. Very well, if a fight is what you wish for, I think I can do without the audience, however. Let's make this a fairer fight, shall we? Venti, remove the superfluous guests!" Carlos summoned Venti, and with more gusts of wind, sent Amara, Serena, Seraphina and Nathan flying outside the room. The door slammed shut, and no amount of banging on Amara's part made the door open.

"Carlos, what are you doing?!" Lucy wailed.

Carlos clicked his fingers, and a Shadow grabbed Shirley. Ignoring everyone's wails of panic, the Shadow formed a protective barrier, and transported to the centre of the room.

"This is the training exercise we need, Lucy! Aid me, or I'll have to use Shirley as my next punching bag. Do as I say if you want her to live." Carlos said, raising his fists. Lucy looked at Other Blaine, and at Shirley. She pulled out her weapon, and, aimed it at Blaine.

"You're only fighting me to protect Shirley, right?" Blaine said. "Then do it. Whatever you need to do to keep her safe. I won't hurt you, so go all out!"

"What? She could kill you!" Dan said, incredulous.

"Dan, think about it. The best move she's got is Agilao. You really think she's going to be dishing out the dirt here?" Blaine said. "Besides, we know who the real target is."

"That's right. Then let the fight begin." Carlos said, and he raced forward with Venti's winds blowing behind him.

|Ground Floor - SW Exit|20:30 pm|

"Shit!" Kaman cried. A group of Shadows had just emerged, and blindsided him with a barrage of Zanma spells and piercing strikes. Growling, he summoned Chandra, and eyed down his assailants.

"Take this!" Zao cried. Rashnu sent forth a Zionga spell, finishing off a peculiar Shadow that resembled a police officer with a floating key inside. "Ha! How about that, Aimee?"

"You're doing much better!" Aimee said, smiling. "Keisha, you're up next!"

"Lorelei! Aria Di Sorbetto!" Keisha commanded. Lorelei appeared, and stood on top of a strange Shadow that looked like a gnarled blossom tree. The Shadow's confusion heightened upon the soothing, yet eerie, melody that Lorelei played on her flute. Sharp cone-shaped icicles fell from the ceiling, and the Shadow disappeared from the pain of the attack.

"Okay, not bad. Now have some of this! Magma Sword!" Kyle said, using Hephaestus's sword with the power of earth. The 'Jotun' Shadow, as Kyle knew it as, fell over, wriggling to get upright.

"So I can attack too, right? I think I know a different move this time. Wingbeat!" Kaman roared, as Chandra flapped his brightly coloured wings. Feathers in the shape of razor blades slashed the Jotun, spilling it's blood all over the floor. "Now I'll get the other one! Kaleidoblast!" Chandra faced the remaining Jotun, and cast forth another multicoloured wind. The Shadow survived, yet looked very confused. It started to cast Mudoon, and Aimee instinctively started to prepare a Recarm - but to her surprise, the Mudoon destroyed a Maya Shadow that had just appeared.

"That was certainly lucky." Priscilla said. "This should go down easily. Let me do the honours. Bufudyne!" Uathach's ice spell wasn't quite as strong or fast as the Aria Di Sorbetto, but it hurt the Shadow quite badly. Keisha and Priscilla dashed forward, and swung their weapons. Keisha's physical strength, however, outshone Priscilla's, and her fast attacks defeated the Shadow.

"Well done, everyone!" Aimee said. "Oh! Kaman, you're bleeding!"

"Huh? N-no, I'm okay." Kaman said. "We don't have time to break out the first-aid kid!"

"She doesn't need one, dummy! Just watch!" Zao said, grinning. Kaman's look of disdain didn't deter him a bit, as very soon, a Diarama spell from Irene healed Kaman's wounds.

"Hey...that feels nice." Kaman said. "Aimee, was it?"

"Aimee Davenport. My Persona isn't good for anything but healing, which is why I had to leave it to the rest of you to handle those enemies." Aimee said, sadly. "But my ability to restore people to full health is second to none. It's up to me to make sure everyone stays alive."

"That's a wonderful ability. You should be proud." Kaman said, holding out his hand. "And your teleportation magic saved my life, too. Not that I had much of one, ever since..."

"Since what?" Keisha asked, confused.

"...Since my wife died." Kaman said. "You kind of remind me of her, Aimee. Not the way you look, but the way you value helping others. She wanted to be a teacher, but she never got that chance."

"Kaman..."

"Being without Maria made the last ten years a living hell. The Shadows didn't matter, as long as I had her. But I had to watch as they tore her apart. I..." Kaman said, eyes welling up.

"This is boring. Can we go check out another spot now?" Keisha asked.

"Keisha! Don't be so rude! We can't move from here, anyway. There could be Shadows or Ornatu Legion members trying to ambush us!" Priscilla said, frowning.

"Alright already! I'm just saying, we've all had a lot of bad stuff happen to us. Precious people are gone that we can't replace. But why depress ourselves by rambling about it day and night? What good does that do, to you or those who are now watching over you?" Keisha said. "What's moping around ever did for anyone? Nothing!"

"...Heh." Kaman said. "She's right. It didn't do anything at all."

|Training Centre 2 - Room 2A|20:38 pm|

"Wind Fist!"

Carlos and Venti knocked Dan to the floor, and laughed. Blaine quickly shot at him, but the bullets were dodged.

"So, do you not have any other attacks?" Carlos asked. "All you've done are try to clobber me with that hammer, or bisect me with that scythe! Not to mention the cavalcade of Ziodyne spells. If brute force is the only strategy you have, you're never going to get dear Lucy back. Or Shirley, for that matter!"

"I..." Lucy hesitated, but she shot at Blaine. He took the hit, and breathed a sigh of relief. Tlaloc had saved him from countless would-be fatal injuries over the years, and dealt several actually fatal ones. Now, he was fighting the one person he couldn't bring himself to harm.

"Lucy, you feeble girl! Do you want Shirley to survive? Use Inanna!" Carlos demeaned, pointing at the trapped Shirley. "Soaring Flash!" Venti slammed his fist into the ground, and a surge of energy sent Dan into the air.

"...Lava Rain!" Lucy meekly called out. Inanna leapt up high, and kicked down tiny spheres of fire. The stream of fireballs lasted for quite some time, and immediately after they ended, Carlos dashed forward, and punched Dan into a wall.

"Nggh..." Dan said, weakly. "Shirley...I couldn't..."

"Allow me to finish this lout off. Skyward Dragon-"

Before Venti could perform his uppercut, Carlos was struck from behind by some rather vicious swings. Right after that, a bladed ring of metal flew across the room, tearing Carlos' clothes.

"Urgh! Who was that?!" Carlos demanded. Behind him were Rudo and Tomas. Rudo had his hat on, whilst Tomas wore no disguise whatsoever. "You're that old man Archibald has working under him! Who is that man?"

"It doesn't matter who we are. What does matter is that we defeat you!" Tomas said, laughing insanely. "Belial! Attack, now!"

Belial emerged - and Shirley started screaming. Lucy turned around, and ran over to her, ignoring Carlos' demands to come back. However, a dark glyph beneath her feet activated, and she fell unconscious.

"No!" Blaine cried. "Why the fuck did you do that?"

"She was on his side, wasn't she?" Tomas said, shrugging. "Besides, with her knocked out, it should be a lot easier to concentrate on Carlos over here."

"Shirley! Relax, I'll take care of him!" Dan shouted, but Shirley didn't listen. She gazed in terror at Belial, the demonic Persona. "What's wrong with her?"

"Why ask me? I'm not quite sure how Tomas here obtained his Persona, or why he's so determined to fight me. He must have turned Shadow energy into his Belial. Could his Persona be born from the thoughts of someone Shirley here knows?" Carlos said, looking at Shirley as she pounded on the barrier. "You've certainly dabbled in dark arts."

"That's right." Tomas said, smirking as Belial lashed at Carlos with his scythe. Dan fired at Carlos, then cast another Ziodyne.

"Enough! Skyward Dragon!" Carlos shouted. Venti punched Blaine and Dan up until the air, and before they landed on the ground, Carlos cast Magarudyne. The wind pummelled them, making their fall even more painful.

"Honestly, you men should be more careful. I've had thought living in Kanaloa would have made you seasoned pros. Let me help." Rudo said, summoning Nebiros. Shirley recoiled in horror again, but the barrier muffled out her cry of horror. Rudo kept calm, and used Mediarama.

"Phew. Thanks, old man." Blaine said. "Dan, c'mon. It's time we worked together."

"Right. You know what to do. Tezcatlipoca, time to show how badass you really are!" Dan said. Tlaloc and Tezcatlipoca spun around Carlos, firing beams of electricity at him. Their bodies generated fierce amounts of electricity, and their weapons gathered the residual energy. Finally, Dan and Blaine roared out their new attack's name, as the two Personas struck Carlos at breakneck speeds.

"Twin Torture!"

Carlos was bruised all over, with many wounds over his body. Venti disappeared, and Carlos fell over, cursing under his breath.

"Shirley..." Dan said, looking over at her. The barrier disappeared, but she did not leave her spot. She covered her face, still paralysed with fear.

"Lucy...dammit." Blaine went over to her body, and checked her pulse. To his relief, she was still alive.

"So, you two want them that badly, do you? Well then...too bad!" Carlos said, clicking his fingers. Shadows grabbed Lucy and Shirley, and they disappeared via flying through the floor.

"No!" Blaine yelled. "What the hell are you gonna do with them now?"

"We need them. We cannot let you win all the time." Carlos said, angrily. "I never imagined I would lose in battle like my comrades...but I will not hand over those women. Nihane's ways may be cruel, but they have the potential to change our entire world. My daughter will be much happier in the new world!"

Right then and there, Carlos vanished as well. Rudo sighed, whilst Tomas laughed.

"Isn't this exciting? A fight for the ages to save the women you love! Yes, a truly marvellous battle lies ahead. Next time, I believe I will really have Carlos on the ropes!" Tomas said, continuing to laugh.

"Why was Shirley so afraid of our Personas?" Rudo asked. "You created them, correct?"

"I did have a...large role in their creation, yes. Do not listen to Carlos, however. His speculation is nonsense. Any resemblance between my Persona and anyone she may know is coincidental." Tomas said. "I was only here to admonish you for breaking into headquarters, however. I wasn't anticipating Carlos to attack, but I think we handled it fairly well."

"Never mind that shit! What's going to happen to those girls now?" Dan said. He marched over to Tomas, and lifted him off the floor, grabbing his coat. "You better have a plan!"

"Plan? All I have planned is the Divine Spark counter measure! Once we do that, however, we should easily be able to rescue your precious Shirley. And the lovely Lucy. She had a Persona, correct? I hope there's someone else with her Arcana around we can use. If not, we may be in trouble!" Tomas said. Despite Dan's strength and height, he continued chuckling to himself.

"We need to get away from this place. Unfortunately, without Seraphina, there won't be a way to leave without being detected. I promise that I'll do what I can to ensure Lucy and Shirley's safety. Storming in here wasn't the best option, but I understand your convictions." Rudo said.

"...You better keep that promise." Blaine said. "Cause if she winds up dead because of all of this, there's no mercy."

|Training Facility 3 - Hallway|20:42 pm|

"Whoa! What's that room over there?"

Tara pointed to a door that had a silver tint to it. It was emblazoned with a strange symbol on it that looked like two zeroes drawn together. Amara had seen it before, but couldn't remember what it meant.

"A symbol for infinity...interesting." Serena said. "I don't think this is an ordinary training room. What should we do?"

"Well, we could check it out, but what about the Shadows in the hallways?" Nathan said.

"Let me and Tara handle that. We'll take responsibility if something happens!" Matthew said.

"We will?" Tara said, confused. "...Fine, but just don't get killed!"

"We'll try..." Amara said. "You two be careful, okay?"

The four of them watched as Tara and Matthew ran off, and opened the door.

|Eternity Hall|20:44 pm|

The room was a vast, rather empty area decorated only by metallic pillars and a bright neon glyph on the black white wall. Looking more closely, the glyph was on top of a map of New Motus City - with a black circle marking the perimeter of the city. It was the Eternal Road symbol, with seven spheres - one for each of the district, and one for the very centre of the city itself.

"Hey, look!" Serena said. "The sphere for Kanaloa. It's not as bright as the ones for Farawell, Takanawa and Nova Albion. About half the brightness."

"What does that mean? Do they need to change the light bulbs?" Blaine asked. "Say...how many Shadows does it take to change a light bulb?"

"Since you haven't thought out a punch line, Blaine, I'm going to just ignore that." Nathan said. "The ones for Saragel and Legarte are still dormant, thank goodness. The one in the centre. Isn't that where the convention centre is?"

"I didn't realise it was in the exact centre of the city. That's weird..." Amara said. "So once the six Divine Sparks happen, does something happen in the centre of the city?"

"An excellent deduction, you clever girl."

At the other end of the room was none other than Nihane Kronos. The last time Amara had met him, he was enraged at the presence of others in Inanis. This time, he was completely calm. He actually seemed pleased to meet them again - but not for good reasons.

"There you are, Nihane." Amara said, with a cold voice. Even she was surprised at the sound of her animosity - this was the first time she had sounded so full of hate. "What a coward you are! Hiding behind a false name!"

"How many times do I have to say it, you worthless woman? I am no longer the mere human I once was! I have discovered who I was meant to be! The ruler of Amurdad, Nihane Kronos! It is my right to carry on my legacy!" Nihane barked.

"Yeah. I know. But your legacy doesn't really matter to me." Amara said. "What happened to Amurdad was tragic, we know that. But what you're doing is even worse. The people of this era have no reason to suffer because of what their ancestors did! That's the worst excuse to destroy the world ever! Let what happened in the past go already! Get over it! Nothing good will come of your insanity!"

"What would you know, Miss Furaha? You're one of the privileged ones. Your father is a wealthy oil tycoon who loved you! You accomplished your most cherished dream of being a popular artist, and will no doubt go on to gain even more furore. Look at your friends - they're not the same age as you, nor even do they share the same interests as you. But even so, they're supporting your ignorant rebellion against me." Nihane chided. "If you had any idea how hard the rest of the world has it, you'd see why I want - no, have to do this! Are you trying to suggest that if I backed down, the world would magically improve on it's own? No more repeats of Amurdad would occur? This planet will never reach such an age of peace and harmony with that kind of fuzzy thinking. Never. That's why the Eternal Road must be complete! If not, scum like you will lead the world to ruin!"

Nihane's words seemed to echo in Amara's ears. People like her, leading the world to ruin. She had to admit, life had been easy for her. She found her life's calling at an early age, and she was the kind of person who made friends easily. Perhaps Nihane had never had the love and support she did. Even so, Amara couldn't let him get away with all he had done. Even if the Eternal Road did create a new and perfect world, she was not about to sacrifice the old one to do it.

"I've heard enough! You're not giving up Shirley and Lucy without a fight, are you? Then bring it. I can take you now! Janus can't compare to Hathor! Not this time. I'm going to burn you to ashes, and that's final! Do you hear me?!"

"Amara, chill out!" Serena said.

"No. This is good." Nathan said. "She's always been determined, but never like this before. With that ambition in her heart, her Persona should get even stronger. Makes me feel like fighting, too."

"It does?" Serena said. "Nihane...he ruined my sister's life. And my other self's, too!"

"Don't forget everything he did to mine. Not to mention Kanaloa." Blaine said. "Hey, Amara! You want back up? You got it!"

"Thanks, guys. I'm counting on you." Amara said. "Nihane, this is not going to be like our last fight. You won't be able to take us down with one move. I'll take everything you've got, and give you even more! Your Eternal Road will never be complete!"

"So you claim!" Nihane said. "You four are stronger than before. I can feel it, radiating from each of your Personas. Yet you seem to have forgotten just how badly you were defeated in Takanawa. I may have to remind you - and you won't get an opportunity to remember this time."

"Put a sock in it!" Serena shouted. "Mind Charge!" Artemis emerged and charged herself with intense magic power. Nihane darted at her with his sword, but she narrowly got out of the way, and hit him with the whip.

Blaine quickly shot at Nihane, then sent forth a Ziodyne. Nihane's eyes widened at the strength of this attack, and he started laughing - not even stopping when Amara and Nathan tried to attack him with their weapons.

"What are you laughin' at, dickhead?" Blaine said.

"You're definitely more powerful than you were the last time we were in battle." Nihane said, his voice tainted with a sickeningly cheerful tone. "But your forgetfulness holds no bounds. You realise that your weaknesses haven't changed, correct? Then-"

"You shut your mouth! Agilao - no, AGIDYNE!" Amara screamed. Just like Blaine did with his lightning, her skill with fire magic had increased even further. "Marakukaja!"

"So that's the way you're going to play it. Defensive, attempting to reduce the damage of my onslaught." Nihane said, watching as the purple columns of light encased the four opposing him. "Megidola!"

"Shit!" Serena said, as a powerful blast of mighty power struck everyone, sending them to the floor. Amara's Marakukaja had made it more tolerable, but they wouldn't survive another one in this state.

"Setanta! Spearhead Gust!" Nathan shouted. Setanta swung his sphere, sending sharp gusts of wind at Nihane, who wasn't agile enough to dodge them. Neither of them seemed to hurt him, but right after the last gust, Setanta's spear flew from his hands and struck Nihane, knocking him backwards into a pillar. Right after that, Nathan quickly used Sukukaja on Blaine.

"Hey, why me?" Blaine asked.

"You're the slowest!" Nathan said, with a quirky smile.

"Oh come on!" Blaine said, rolling his eyes. "You're no athlete yourself!"

"What the - No! Malaquadyne!" Nihane watched as his Persona summoned gushing streams of water, which crashed into the team with severe force. Amara felt like she was being swept away by a high tide, and her arms and legs ached.

"Argh! My suit's completely drenched!" Nathan wailed. I think you can just replace it with one of your spares, dude.

"Shit!" Blaine croaked. He tried, but he couldn't find the energy to get himself off the floor. "Serena, make with the heals! I'm dying here!"

"Don't boss me around! Mediarama!" Serena conjured her healing magic - but thanks to a new ability she had learned, Mediarama was far more potent than usual. This time, Amara felt her body being completely replenished. It was like having a coffee after a long and tedious day at work, except without the high content of caffeine.

"Wow, that felt good!" Blaine said, jumping up. He quickly fired at Nihane again, and then had Tlaloc swing down his hammer. Nathan smiled, and began preparing an attack.

"Garu...DYNE!" he roared, as a fierce green hurricane bombarded Nihane. Despite the strength with which they were attacking him, he shrugged, no longer impressed.

"Don't get so confident. If you need to heal after every one of my attacks, you'll never outlast me!" Nihane said. He rolled forward, and slashed Amara up repeatedly. "Now die! Bufudyne!"

"NO!" Amara screamed. She was utterly helpless to stop the ice blast, and collapsed, her body chilled to the bone.

"Okay, now it's time! Aques - wait, I think I can do it too! Aquadyne!" Serena smiled. Now, Aques was a thing of the past. From now on, all four of them would be able to make use of Dyne magic, like Nihane could. Artemis' boosted magic power made the torrent of water even more potent, and it was Nihane's turn to be soaked. Amara quickly stood up, her body still in pain. Watching Nihane stare at her, she seethed, and struck him with her sword as strong as she could. The protection Marakukaja granted her seemed to have worn off, however.

"Dammit!" Nihane cried. Blocking Amara's violent swings, he jumped backwards, out of his enemy's reach. "I should have destroyed you by now! You four - you just don't know when to quit!"

"The great and mighty Nihane, waiting for his enemies to give in? Now that's rich!" Blaine said. "Come on, we know you've been holding back! What else you got?"

"Ugh!" Nihane shouted. "I didn't want to use this, but if it takes you out forever, so be it! Janus, come forth!"

Amara felt her whole body tremble as both parts of Janus burst out of Nihane's body. She had dealt with them enough during this entire altercation, but now she felt how serious they were. They looked just as angry as Nihane did, if not more.

Tiny clusters of energy spheres gathered around the two Personas, and they started colliding. Amara was expecting a massive barrage of attacks, but the tiny blasts that occurred when the spheres hit each other didn't seem to cause damage. Eventually, the energy from the collisions resulted in a terrifying huge black and white sphere. It resembled a planet, with white oceans and constantly changing continents.

"What is Nihane doing?" Serena asked.

"I don't know. Stay on your guard! I don't think we can get out of this attack's way!" Nathan said.

Amara gasped. The sphere suddenly started flashing rapidly, and the black continents started to form a swirled mess. Both the male and female Janus smacked it with their full strength, giving it an unholy red aura. The planet-like ball crashed into the ground, and all Amara could see was white.

"Equinox!" was the last thing Amara heard.

|Training Facility 1 - Corridor|21:00 pm|

"Shit!" Other Amara cried.

"Would you stop swearing? You're as bad as Blaine!" Other Nathan said, shaking his head. "I can't approve of a lady speaking in such a manner."

"Must you focus on that now?! Blaine and Dan are in trouble!" Other Serena said, anxiously looking at the door. "And it won't open! What are we going to do?"

"I cannot say at this moment, Lady Serena, yet I am afraid there are Shadows approaching." Seraphina stated. That second, a swarm of Hourglass and Cupid Shadows surrounded the team.

"Oh god. Let's beat them quick!" Other Amara said. "Sekhmet, Ruby Ignition!" The shining flare hit one of the Cupids, preventing it from firing an arrow of love - of sorts.

"Seraphina, what are they weak to?" Other Nathan asked. Seraphina, however, stared in the distance, and ignored the question. She seemed to be in another world. "Seraphina!"

"They're here..." Seraphina said. "Close by..."

"Who are?!" Other Amara demanded.

"Very important people..." Seraphina said. "I must go... Use Agi and Aqua spells to quickly defeat them..."

"Wait a minute! You can't just leave us here!" Other Serena said. Seraphina dissapeared around a corner.

"Evidently, she can." Other Nathan said. "You heard what she said. Amara, Serena, you have Maragion and Malaques! Use them!"

"Right!" Other Serena said. "Artemis! Malaques!"

"Sekhmet! Maragion!" Other Amara called out.

The Shadows were struck with the searing flames and tides of death. Out of luck, and with no love from their enemies, they were destroyed immediately.

"That was easy. What the hell was up with Seraphi, thounagh?" Other Amara asked. "Who was she talking about?"

"No point asking us. We don't know anything about her." Other Serena said. "But if she knows people who work here..."

"I...don't think she would betray us." Other Amara said. "There has to be an explanation. Right, Nathan?"

"I suppose so. Anyway, we need to find the others." Other Nathan said.

"Yeah." Other Amara said. "Gimme a sec to catch my breath."

Other Serena and Nathan left, and Other Amara stood by the door, breathing heavily. Suddenly, she felt faint, and her vision turned completely white.

"Huh?! What's happening?!"

|Empty Space|

So Amara had fallen victim to Nihane's Equinox. A perfect blend of the light and the dark, night and day. It must have destroyed her entire body. Where would her spirit go? She wasn't in her own dimension anymore...Zao would never see her again. Neither would her father, Lucy, Colette, Juan, Shirley, Karen...and there was so much more she had yet to see. Her life was truly over.

Calm yourself, bearer of the sun. You will live on. I, Philemon, granted you this power so you could prevent the two worlds from colliding. Hathor's fire continues to burn.

"Hey, it's you!"

Other Amara was right in front of her, looking dazed. This was like when they first truly met - when Amara was forced into the other world, her other self was sent to the 'normal' world for the first time. Yet neither of them had time to process such an event. Both of them were sent flying through white space for what felt like aeons - and now they were in the same emptiness.

"What's going on? Nihane hit us with some attack, and -"

"I was with the other versions of your friends. It's hard to find the right way to phrase that, I know. But anyway, we were with Lucy and Shirley when Carlos shows up and sends everyone but Dan and Blaine outside the room. Then we start fighting Shadows, when Seraphina runs off after these two women. I didn't recognise either of them. Anyway, after that happens, my head feels funny, and I end up right in front of myself."

"Wow..." Amara said. "So I'm not dead after all. I thought his Equinox attack had finished us off for sure."

"C'mon, did you really think you couldn't take it? You're meant to be other me! You're supposed to be able to fight back!" Other Amara said. "But I guess you've only been fighting for a few months. You're good, but maybe you still don't get how hard this world is."

"You're probably right. I didn't have to live here for ten years in hiding. You did. We're the same person, but we became so different..." Amara said.

"You know how hard it is to not run after you when you head back home?" Other Amara said. "I'd love to be able to live like you, drawing for a living. Not to mention, Zao - uh, never mind."

"Hey! Zao's mine!" Amara said. "But if we find the Zao of this world, you can take him."

"I'll hold you to that." Other Amara said. "Remember, you can't have them both! Anyway, what's going on? Are we stuck here?"

"I don't know - hey, there we go!" Amara said, as the bright light finally faded. She could see what looked like an office building, with many people sitting at desks in front of old computers. CRT monitors. To think they used to be cool.

"I've seen this before. In fact, isn't that guy-"

"E£%^&!" a friendly voice said. Amara looked down, and saw Nihane at his computer, hard at work. He didn't seem to hear the voice - but then again, this was his memory. He must have heard it if Amara could hear it. Even so, he just ignored whoever it was that was calling him.

"Nihane Kronos. They're saying his real name, but I can't make it out." Amara said. "They can't hear us. We're in a memory."

"A memory? No wonder I feel so weightless..." Other Amara said.

Sure enough, Carlos ran up to Nihane and ruffled his hair, laughing.

"Argh! Carlos, stop doing that!" Nihane said.

"Didn't you hear me?" Carlos said. "Archie told me to tell you that we're having another meeting after work today. It won't take long."

"Oh. I'll be there, don't worry." Nihane said. "I'm sorry, Carlos, but I really need to concentrate on configuring that server-"

"There's something else I wanted to ask ya. You want to come out with Pierre and me tonight?" Carlos asked. "I know lots of cool places in Saragel we can hit. There's a great Latin Rhythm club, and you'll love it!"

"Hmm. Well, if you two are going, I wouldn't mind coming along." Nihane said. "What time?"

"We're meeting at Saragel promenade at eight, in front of the paella store. Get your best clothes on, too. There will be plenty of senoritas waiting for you!" Carlos said, smiling.

"Waiting for me?" Nihane said, blushing. "Don't be silly. They'd be more interested in you. Or Pierre."

"C'mon, you're the youngest one in our little gang. Besides, you really think Pierre's got the masculinity to overshadow yours?" Carlos said. "Trust me, as cool as he is, he's a total sissy. You...well, you're kind of a wimp, but if you play your cards right, you'll have them all over you. I'll even be your wingman, too!"

"Haha! I don't care about that so much. As long as I get to have some fun with you two, that's fine with me." Nihane said. "I'll see you at this meeting, then."

"Okay! Later!" Carlos said. Nihane shrugged, and continued typing away in some kind of network simulator program. Amara stared, and saw a slight smile on his face.

Could the Shadows really have driven you to this, Nihane? Why couldn't the six of you stayed the same?

Suddenly, the vision changed. Nihane was walking outside of the Aeternus building, glancing at a billboard for some new radio station. As he was about to cross the road, Nina suddenly ran up to him.

"E$%£*! Are you going home now?" she asked, looking uneasy.

"That's right. Aren't you?" Nihane said. "It's looking cloudy…you should probably have brought an umbrella. So should I, come to think of it."

"That's alright. I'll just go shopping and maybe pick one up on my way out." Nina said. "I know you're going out with Pierre and Carlos tonight, but are you busy tomorrow?"

"No, not at all. If you're free, perhaps we could spend some time together?" Nihane said. The way he said this, he sounded as if it was a regular occurrence. Nina, however, looked overjoyed.

"Aww, you knew what I wanted to ask you? Yes, tomorrow night, I'd like us to go out somewhere. How about we got to that cinema in Farawell and see what's on?" Nina asked, her cheeks bright red.

"Yes, that would suit me just fine." Nihane said. "It's strange, up until I started working for Aeternus, I never 'hung out' with friends. Not even whilst I was at college."

"Really? I was out most nights with the girls!" Nina said. "Don't you worry, we'll make up for lost time. Starting with your partying tonight. I hope Carlos and Pierre aren't too rough on you. Well, Pierre's about as scary as a newborn kitten, but Carlos does like to show off..."

"Don't worry, Nina. I'll come back alive." Nihane said, with a comical smile.

Nina laughed, and smiled as they crossed the road. "You'd better! I don't want to have to ask Josephine to come with me again. She's so boring - unlike you!"

"If you're going shopping, can I come with you? I need to pick up some groceries." Nihane said. "And perhaps an umbrella, too."

"No problem! Lead the way." Nina said.

"So that was who Nihane used to be." Other Amara said.

"Yeah. He wasn't going on about Amurdad, or the Eternal Road, or his 'legacy' back then at all. He was just a lonely guy who finally found friends." Amara said.

"What I wanna know is, why do we keep seeing Nihane's memories?" Other Amara asked. "I mean, what are we supposed to do? We can't change what happened in the past, can we?"

"Maybe not. There has to be a reason. I don't think Nihane can go back to being that person - not anymore. The person he was then and the man he is now are two entirely different beings." Amara said. "At least, that's how I see it."

"Now that you say it, those words do make sense. Nihane and that guy are different people." Other Amara said. "Hey, don't you have something that belongs to me?"

"Huh? Oh! The ankh!" Amara said. "I'm sorry! I've been so busy with this, I completely forgot to return it!"

"It's fine. I'll get it when we wake up. You better hurry up, though." Other Amara said. "Then again, so should I. Nathan and Serena are probably worried sick by now!"

Amara smiled, and finally, she was no longer in the New Motus City of 2000.

|Aeternus HQ - Eternity Hall|21:21 pm|

"Amara! What happened?" Serena cried, kneeling over Amara's body. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm fine, Serena. Settle down. I...saw Nihane again." Amara said, slowly sitting up. Nathan lent her a hand, and she stood up. "Carlos invited him out for a drink with him and Pierre, then Nina asked him out on a date. I didn't see Archibald or Josephine."

"Seriously? You'd have to be desperate to hang out with Pierre. That guy's probably all about expensive fancy wine imported from cities I've never even heard of." Blaine said. "Wait, never mind that. I'm just glad you're okay!"

"Thanks, Blaine. But how did we survive Equinox?" Amara asked. "I was convinced we were dead!"

"So was I. When all I saw was emptiness, I was...well..." Nathan said, looking down. "I thought I would never see Priscilla ever again. I...let's just say I let my emotions get the better of me."

"In other words, you were crying like a baby!" Blaine said, cheerfully.

"What the - hey, don't laugh! You probably thought you were dead, too!" Nathan retorted.

"…Sorry. Yeah, I did get a little worried. Mostly about Dan. That guy's already lost one bro. He sure as hell isn't going to lose another one." Blaine said. "Not only that, but if I died here, I'd have my girl crying like a baby too."

"Never mind that, guys. Where is Nihane?" Amara asked. "Oh..."

Nihane was kneeling by the glyph on the wall, exhausted. She couldn't see his face, but…he seemed too distracted by his own pain to notice the four of them.

"Archie..."

"Huh? Why's he talking about that old bastard now?" Blaine asked.

"Nina...Josephine...Pierre...Carlos...I'm sorry...you're all like this...because of me..."

"Isn't it a little late for a guilty conscience, Nihane?" Serena said.

"Don't bother with that. He can't hear a word we're saying." Blaine said. "Seriously, if he wasn't the leader of an evil corporation, I'd feel sorry for the man."

"Guys...I don't think...I can stop it anymore..." Nihane said. Finally, he lifted his face up. His eyes were no longer orange, but instead a deep blue colour. His former eyes? But why?

"...Are you alright?" Amara asked.

"You're...not dead...I think I...redirected that attack...but..." Nihane panted, his arms barely able to keep him off the floor. "Please...get out of..."

"You want us to get out of the headquarters? Now?" Amara asked. "But what about our friends?"

"Oh crap! Everyone else split up!" Serena said. "What do we do now?"

"Phew, you're all in here!" Other Amara said, running inside the room, with the other versions of Blaine, Serena and Nathan. Dan was with them too, but there was no sign of Seraphina.

"Yeah. Oh, before I forget, here." Amara said, handing over the ankh. Other Amara eagerly grabbed it, and put it around her neck.

"Thanks, um, me!" Other Amara said. "What happened to Nihane?"

"I don't know. He tried to kill us, but I think he got hit by the move instead." Serena said. "So even he can't kill himself."

"What happened to Lucy?" Nathan asked.

"...Carlos made her fight me." Other Blaine said, looking grim. "I tried to tell her she was being used by them, not me. I dunno if I got through to her, but Carlos took her and Shirley away."

"My father and Tomas tried to fight Carlos, but it wasn't enough. We still didn't save them…" Other Amara said. Dad tried to use his Persona? I hope it didn't hurt him...

"It's my fault. If I had just taken her with me that day, I probably could have kept her safe, especially with all you guys helping. But it's too late for that now. She's with the enemy now, and Shirley's being held hostage!" Other Blaine said.

"So what, are you just gonna give up on her?" Blaine said. "Don't be fucking stupid. Lucy's the best thing that's happened to me in a long time. If it happened in both our worlds, doesn't that mean it was meant to be?"

"Remember Karen and Roger? We got them on our side eventually. Shirley and Lucy will join us at some point, I know they will!" Amara said.

"Yes, but what about what Stella said?" Serena said, worried. "If she's right, Keisha-"

"I said get out! Now!" Nihane suddenly screamed. "If you don't...I...urgh!"

His body suddenly went completely limp, as if he was a rag doll. A puppet, who's master had let go of the strings and lost interest in the performance. His face had lost all expression entirely, and his pale skin had turned almost completely white. His eyes then turned orange, with red blood-like spots swirling around them. They were tiny, but blue dots were on his eyes as well. The sclera of his eyes gradually became darker, almost as black as the night.

"He's...coming...!"

"What the fuck is this?" Blaine said.

"I dunno, but I sure as hell aren't gonna let him get away with this!" Other Blaine said. Just as he took out his weapon, however, their bodies started to shine with a bright light. "The hell?"

"We must aid your escape. The sheer amount of Shadows coming will destroy you, no matter how prepared you all are."

The 'good' Nina and Archibald had arrived, but they were facing Nihane, his eyes still abnormal. What was going on within Nihane? If he was having a guilty conscience after all this time, he surely wouldn't be exhibiting all these symptoms.

"Wait a minute! I heard about this…you two aren't the Ater Vox I knew. You're from the same dimension as the other guys! Why the hell are you doing this?!" Other Blaine demanded. "Do you know what Nihane's done?! I thought my best friend and his brother were dead, and my home got sacrificed for some fucked up ritual! You gotta let me finish him off!"

"No!" Nina snapped. "Nihane was my friend! If we hadn't forced him to continue researching the Shadows, we could have avoided all of this! You don't understand, this is not the way he used to be!"

"We'll get everyone outside the headquarters for now. In the meantime, stay away from this place. You have no idea what sort of danger lurks in the future..." Archibald said. "We will communicate with you soon. It will be quite some time until you arrive here again. That, I am very sure of."

And with a quick flash, everyone was gone. Nihane's eyes shut, and his skin turned normal. Archibald stared at him, and sighed.

"This is my fault. All I wanted was for you to work as a team with us. Even you couldn't resisst the power of the Shadows. This crisis is my doing..."

"Don't say that, Archie. We just have to do what we were told." Nina said.

"It must be hard for you, doing this. Serena expects you to return home if we succeed in saving this city." Archibald said. "...But we know that's never going to be possible, is it?"

"I don't need to be reminded of that." Nina said. "Looks like your Golden Ages are well and truly over."

"I've realised that for a while now." Archibald said. "The rest of my life was utterly meaningless, apart from those precious times. Yet, looking at him now-"

"He's about to wake up. We have to go - now." Nina said.

"Fine. There is still much we need to do, anyway." Archibald said. The two of them vanished before Nihane's eyes opened. Now, they had returned to their bright orange hue.

"...Ugh...what happened to me? Did I defeat them yet?"

|Secret Base|21:34 pm|

"Seraphina, where did you get to?" Amara asked.

"I cannot reveal all the details. The truth is, I have personal ties to two Aeternus employees." Seraphina said, shakily. "Please don't misunderstand. I'm not a double agent in any shape or form. Rather, they chose to work there for safety and financial security."

"I trust you, Seraphina." Aimee said.

"Me too! Seraphina, you're still awesome!" Other Amara said. "So keep your hair on!" Seraphina glowered, and Other Amara sheepishly laughed. "Joke!"

"Kaman, um...we need a place for you and Keisha to stay. We have a second secret base, and there's still a few rooms left." Aimee said. "The Mole is gone now, though, so there's no going back there."

"You don't have to remind me of that." Kaman said. "I got everything I need with me. Now that I got Chandra, I better pull my weight. I can just crash on the couch here to save space."

"Eew!" Keisha said. "Screw that. I need a really good bed, nice and comfy. I better get double pillows. Oh, and breakfast in bed would be nice too!"

"Get real!" Other Serena said. "We're not a hotel!"

Dan stood up, and walked straight into his room. Other Blaine stood up to go after him, but Matthew pulled him down, shaking his head.

"You know better than to bother him when he's depressed." Matthew said. "Our plan to help Lucy and Shirley didn't work, I know. At this rate, we really might have to fight them, and-"

"Don't you ever fucking say that again." Other Blaine said, slamming his fist on the table. "How am I gonna sleep at night, knowing that she's over there, with the guys who made my life a living hell? What if they do the same to her they did to me? I'm not gonna be able to rest until she's out of there, but we can't get her yet! What the hell are we going to do?"

"We'll think of something." Other Amara said. "Breaking into enemy territory wasn't the best of plans, we know that now. But they'll come after us sooner or later, so when that happens, we'll just have to knock them out and get them back!"

"I wish I hadn't missed my chance to fight Carlos..." Tara said, glancing at the coffee Matthew had brought her. "He'll be dead soon enough, though. I guarantee it!"

"That's a little extreme, isn't it? Then again, he did cause you a lot of personal distress." Bianca said.

"Yeah. But next time, you'll get to cause that distress!" Richard said. "So keep your chin up. Go drink that coffee, it'll do you some good. Matthew makes good coffee!"

"I used to know a barista at the village. She taught me the ins and outs of what makes a really good cup." Matthew said, smiling. "And she also taught me-"

"Matthew, if you're about to say what I think you are, don't. I don't need to imagine weird stuff today." Roger said.

"Chill out, man. She taught me how to knit, too." Matthew said. "Tara knows who I mean, right? She was that blonde girl from my school!"

"Uh...yes. But now you're interested in the barmaid Linda, aren't you?" Tara said, sniggering. It figures the Kingsley clan would flirt with pretty girls serving them beer. "Every time you're ordering a drink, you keep looking down at her-"

"Ahem! Listen, everyone. We're too confused to decide what to do right now. Everyone from the other world should go now, and try to relax. Kyle and Seraphina will be able to use their hacking skills and psychic powers to keep a careful watch on the situation." Priscilla said. "So…good night."

"Alright, then we'll see you later. Take care, everyone." Amara said.

"Don't beat yourself up, Blaine - the other one." Nathan said. "Aeternus will get what's coming to them soon enough. My father always said to be that those who lie and cheat will be crushed by the weight of their deceit."

"Sounds kinda weird, but...thanks for trying to cheer me up." Other Blaine said, with a weak smile. "You go home and get some sleep."

The team left, returning to their world of peace.

|Farawell|21:45 pm|

"So, we survived a confrontation with Nihane Kronos." Nathan said, looking at the others. "We're lucky to be alive. I hope you realise we still have to keep improving, however. The Eternal Road may not be moving, but we still have to fight on."

"Alright, we get it. No givin' up! Fine with me!" Blaine said. "And I'm gonna get Lucy back, no matter what you guys say!"

"Why would we stop you from doing that?" Serena asked, confused. "Is it because she and Keisha have the same Arcana?"

"Hmm. Keisha...we hardly know anything about her. I mean, today we got a huge spiel about what kind of girl Lucy is, but next to nothing about Keisha." Amara said. "Two Devils and two Deaths..."

"I need to go home. Goodbye, everyone." Nathan said, leaving the area. Serena quickly followed him, bugging him about some business class she was taking at her school. Zao ran off, after kissing Amara at least sixteen times. Amara chuckled, and started to leave.

"Hold on, missy. I've got something' I wanna say to you."

"...What?" Amara asked, nervously. "This is about Lucy, isn't it?"

"Of course it is. You say you don't like Lucy, but when you found out she was with the Ater Vox, you were pretty sad, weren't you?" Blaine asked.

"Well, I..." Amara said, looking down. "I suppose I was. Both of us do our best for that magazine, no matter what happens. So we're sort of working towards the same goal. Now that she's against us, it feels wrong."

Blaine nodded, and looked up at the sky. "Yeah. I know you think she's a bossy know-it-all. Hell, I kinda see it too. Even so, I-"

"I get it. You're really fond of her." Amara said, smiling. "You really are sweet, behind that macho 'I'm gonna fuck you guys up' attitude. Lucy's pretty lucky to have someone like you. We'll get her away from Aeternus soon. This is just another obstacle we have to overcome!"

"Yeah. Although it's either her or Keisha, isn't it? We can't have two Devil users..." Blaine said, looking back at Amara. "Of course I want it to be Lucy. But that means someone has to die, right?"

"I...well...Blaine, please don't worry. It might not go that way. Stella may be wrong!" Amara said. "We don't have to make her predictions come true. There might still be a way to save them both!"

"Hehe. You don't let shit get to you, do ya?" Blaine said. "I guess I just have to hope for the best. Well, see ya."

"Good night." Amara said, leaving for her apartment. Upon checking her phone, she had a few text messages. The first was from Colette, saying she was super nervous about the interview, which was being held tomorrow. Amara quickly replied with "It'll be okay", and moved on to the next. It was from...Karl. Huh? What does he want? Curious, she opened the message.

Couldn't get through to Zao, figured you were with him. Tell him we're going for that run tomorrow at night, gotta train for the cup. Also, hope you're doing well.

Amara sighed, and replied, telling Karl that Zao's phone was out of battery and she had told him. Karl wouldn't know anything about the other world, provided Zao was as secretive about it as she was. When she remembered how paranoid he was over her safety, she realised just how important keeping this world from Karl was. If he burst through the NDD, he could end up exactly like his other self did a decade earlier. For Aimee's sake, she couldn't let that happen.

Ignoring the rest of the messages for now, she went to bed. A lot had happened tonight, and there was still no end in sight. Somehow, however, she'd get through it. Just like she did every other night.