Chapter 58: Love Without Limit
|August 30th|Real People Office|10:12 am|
Today was just another day for everyone in the office. The staff were hard at work, eagerly awaiting the end of the working day. This date had held no significance for Amara in the past, until now. Today was Nathan's birthday - and for him, it would be the most special birthday of all. This wasn't about him becoming a year older. Rather, he was prepared to make a commitment to Priscilla, the love of his life. Amara wondered - if he had been with her for this long, what stopped him from proposing earlier?
"Yo."
Lucy was standing next to Amara, with arms folded. Oh great. What now?
"Uh...good morning, Lucy! Everything okay?" Amara said.
"Oh, don't look so worried. It's not your work I wanted to talk to you about. I just wondered if you've heard from Sheila?" Lucy asked. "She didn't come in today, and she didn't call in sick or anything."
Amara looked to Sheila's desk, and sure enough, she wasn't there. That was odd. Sheila hadn't missed a day of work yet, and if she was even a few minutes late, she would be straight over to Karen to apologise. So something must be up.
"Sorry, I haven't heard anything from her. Did you ask anyone else?" Amara asked.
"Well I already tried Juan and Colette, but they didn't know anything at all." Lucy said, sighing. "Dammit, and she wasn't finished with her column for this week."
"Just keep trying her phone." Amara said. "Sorry Lucy, I don't think I can help you."
"Oh..." Lucy said. "Don't worry about it. Well, forget about that. You're going to that Nathan person's birthday today, aren't you?"
"Yeah!" Amara said, smiling. "Zao's coming, too. Let me guess, Blaine asked you to come as well?"
"Yes." Lucy said. "I wasn't so sure, but Blaine twisted my arm. He just said that I wouldn't just have him to talk to. I did like the people I met at the barbecue, and it'd be nice to talk to them all again. Priscilla's really nice, actually."
"I know. It's no wonder Nathan's gonna propose to her." Amara said, smiling. Lucy's eyes widened, and Amara immediately bit her lip. Uh oh...
"You weren't supposed to tell me that, were you?" Lucy said. "Relax, I get it. We'll make it a surprise! This is going to be a more exciting party than I thought. It'll be an excuse to have as much to drink as Blaine does!"
"Haha! Yeah!" Amara said. "Well, I'll see you later then. You better get back to work!"
"That's my line!" Lucy said, laughing. She left, and Amara returned to her work. Soon enough, Nathan would be engaged. There wasn't any doubt that Priscilla would say yes - she had shared so much of her life with him. Even today, her face glowed as she held his hand. Could Amara find that kind of happiness someday?
She did once before. Karl Davenport had been flirtatious to begin with, bragging about his skill, and flashing his wallet at every opportunity. Yet, after meeting each other every week - she was waiting for someone else, who constantly stood her up - she started to see a different side to him. He listened patiently to her, and the day he became her boyfriend, he wiped away the many tears streaming down her face. When she kissed him goodnight, his proud smile of arrogance became an adorable grin, filled with adoration and passion. And he certainly showed a lot of that towards her.
What am I doing?! Amara thought. I can't keep thinking back to Karl. If only he and Zao weren't friends...
Shrugging, Amara resumed her sketch. She had to concentrate on tonight...
|Saragel - Park|4:45 pm|
"Okay, good work." Lucas said, handing a sweaty and exhausted Kyle a water bottle. "You're getting better every time we're out here. I'm almost jealous."
"Jealous? Of these?" Kyle said, looking at his legs.
"Now now, I don't want any of that. What I meant was how you're steadily improving. You'll do well at the event if we keep it up." Lucas said. "Oh...shit. I gotta get home, I need to go meet some friends. Um, you don't need my help, do you? Cause I'd hate to leave you stranded here. Wouldn't want your mom on my case."
"Take care!" Kyle said, waving, as Lucas ran off. Now he felt better. In fact, he decided to go for another few laps. Excited, he started wheeling himself across the park, desperate to get even faster. Suddenly, he saw someone waving up ahead. "Dan!"
"Yo, Kyle!" Dan said. He gave a thumbs up, as Kyle managed to stop. "Now those are some rockin' wheels!"
"Um..." Kyle said. "I didn't think you'd be here!"
"Well, Blaine told me that Serena told him that you were training here. Blaine seems to be trying to get me to talk to you more..." Dan said, sighing. "Still, I don't mind. I like this place a lot."
"Me too. Did you come here with Matthew?" Kyle asked. Dan's smile immediately vanished at the mention of this name.
"Yeah, we did...those were the days. He was always full of energy, but of course, little kids are like that. I wore myself out trying to chase after him, especially when we were playing by the park. And he was always so darn happy..." Dan said.
He looked at the play park, and watched the children play on the swings. "Matthew always made me push him harder and harder, just so show he could hang on. And when the three of us were at the park, he made us play this silly little game where he was a cop and we were suspects for a robbery. He loved it when he got to arrest us - and I had to beg for an appeal, too. Even when he got older, he always looked for adventure. Life was just one big journey for him. That little dork...he was always so happy to meet new people. But he cried if they didn't like him...and I had to buy him a shaved ice just to make him stop."
Dan tried to put on a brave face, but Kyle could see him cracking. He wanted to cry his eyes out, just at the mere mention of that name.
"...That sounds like Matthew." Kyle said, looking away. "Dan...I'm sorry. I shouldn't make you remember."
"It's not your fault. It's not like I can forget. Everywhere I go, I see the places me and him used to go. The beach, this park, even his old school. And even if I'm at home, I remember the days where...we watched his favourite shows. I..." Dan said, sniffling. "It's too hard. I remember Matthew every day of my fucking life. People say it gets easier, but it doesn't. It never will. I'm never going to forget the fact that my baby brother isn't coming back, no matter what I do. I can't get excited about tomorrow - Matthew won't be there to see it. There's no point in me doing anything at all...I could get married, have children, but...that'd be a sister-in-law, nephews and nieces that Matthew would never get the chance to meet. ...So that's that. Nothing means anything if he's dead..."
Kyle was speechless. He could see tears forming from Dan's eyes now. It felt strange, seeing this giant of a man (compared to Kyle, anyway) on the verge of tears. He raced his mind, trying to think of something to say that would cheer him up. But…what could he say to a man who had lost the most precious person in his life?
"...Dan." Kyle said. "Is that how you feel every day?"
"I'm not making it up, you know." Dan said. "Blaine never talks about it. He must think I'll fall apart if I even hear his name. Truth is, I already have. I know I sound really pathetic to you, but screw it. I'm pathetic. No point trying to act like I'm not."
"But that's just it. You aren't." Kyle said. "You and I haven't known each other very long, but even so, you've been really cool. And I don't really know what else to say."
"I guess you're trying. You're a sweet kid. I shouldn't really be pouring my guts out to you, should I?" Dan said, with a weak chuckle. "I mean, you've got enough to worry about. This race, for example. Hey, where's your coach?"
"Lucas? He went off home. So I was just getting some more laps before dinner." Kyle said.
"Alrighty then. Since you had to listen to me ramble about Matthew, I'm gonna buy you dinner tonight!" Dan said. "Got anywhere in mind?"
"No..." Kyle said. "But I shouldn't eat anything too big. Maybe just a salad."
"Alright then!" Dan said. "Then I'll have to eat enough for the both of us. Steak and fries, maybe at the Buffalo Grill."
"Really? Then screw the salad! I'll just have to work that meal off!" Kyle said. "Let's go!"
"Righty!" Dan said.
|Nova Albion - Nathan's House|6:42 pm|
Amara and Zao had arrived, the latter holding a bottle of champagne. He had been advised not to bring any, since it may give away the surprise of the proposal - but Zao didn't care. He just claimed that since it was a birthday, it was worth celebrating anyway.
"You look so cute when you get dressed up." Amara said, poking Zao's nose. He had picked out a nice white shirt with a blue tie and a light grey blazer, while Amara had opted for one of her black dresses.
"Please, I look cute regardless of the clothes I wear!" Zao said. "It's the blue hair and that irresistible smile!"
"Yeah yeah, so you keep saying." Amara said. "C'mon, you dork! Push the doorbell!"
Zao stuck his tongue out, and did as he was commanded. "I'm a lovable dork, so...I'll let that comment slide."
To Amara's surprise, it was neither Nathan or Priscilla who answered. Rather, it was an older gentleman, with fading red hair and plenty of wrinkles, yet he remained a handsome figure. This was likely Reginald, Nathan's father.
"Ah, Nathan told me about you. Miss Amara Furaha, I take it?" Reginald asked.
"Yeah." Amara said. "I mean, yes, sir!"
Reginald laughed, and shook his head. "My goodness, I'd forgotten how formal you all must think I am. Please, you can call me by my first name." He quickly held Amara's hand, and kissed it. "That, my dear, is how a gentleman greets a lovely lady such as yourself."
"Really? What about me?" Zao asked.
"...You can have a handshake, you little rascal." Reginald said. He politely shook Zao's hand, and the three of them went inside the house.
"Hey!" Blaine said, coming down the hallway. "Glad you guys made it. This party is freaking awesome!"
"Of course, you're the one pigging out on all the snacks..." Lucy said, exasperated. "You could at least eat with your mouth closed!"
"Aww, c'mon! I'm just trying to have a blast!" Blaine said. "Anyway, you're the one knocking back the wine!"
"I am not! I had three glasses!" Lucy said, annoyed.
Blaine rolled his eyes, but laughed anyway. Reginald stared confusedly, and glanced at his Rolex. The party hadn't started that long ago, so...Lucy had indeed enjoyed the wine the most. Blaine's got some competition.
"Well, come on then! Let's go greet the birthday boy! Everyone's outside!"
The five of them left the hallway, and made their way to the porch. There, quite a few guests were in attendance, most of whom Amara didn't know. However, she remembered Tara, and she could guess the man next to her was Adrian. Looking closely, there was a man with silver hair that she felt was familiar, too.
"Oh, there you are!" Nathan said, running over. "Glad you could make it!"
"No problem! Happy birthday, Nathan!" Amara said, shaking his hand. He smiled, and gestured for his father to come over.
"Thank you. It's friends like these that make me happy to be another year older. You were introduced to my father, correct?" Nathan said. He put his arm around Reginald, smiling.
"Yes, I did! I can see where Nathan learned how to be a gentleman!" Amara said.
"And where he got that red hair from. Seriously, it's like all you guys have it!" Blaine said. "It's better than my boring brown, that's for damn sure!"
"Blaine! Don't speak like that with these people!" Lucy said, appalled.
"It would seem she wears the pants in this relationship." Reginald said, amused. "Honestly, however, I can tolerate your way of speaking. It actually brings back some memories. I had an altercation with a rather nasty drunk quite some time ago, and at the age I was then, I was a spoiled, arrogant aristocrat. My attitude towards that man almost cost me my future with my darling wife...which inspired me to rethink my way of thinking."
"Huh..." Blaine said. "Oh, right. My condolences."
"Oh, did Nathan tell you about Daphne's death?" Reginald said. "You're very kind. She was a lovely, compassionate woman. In fact, I see a lot of her in young Priscilla. Anyway, as to the man I came to blows with...many years later, me and Daphne were wed, I was in charge of my family' business, and Nathan was seven years old. The three of us were at a picnic in a beautiful park in Saragel, and Nathan was playing with a rather boisterous young boy by the pond. As it turns out, that boy's father was the man I had brawled with!"
"Wow, small world. What did you say to each other?" Amara asked.
"Well, it was rather awkward at first. Yet, when I saw how happy both Nathan and his boy were, I felt I could disregard my first impression of him. In fact, we were quickly able to talk fondly about the way our lives had turned out. He showed me his wife, and before we left, we shook hands. I never did meet that man again, but that proved to me that even places like Kanaloa can produce amazing people." Reginald said.
"Oh, there you are!" Priscilla said, as she came up to the group. "I had to get some more wine. I wasn't expecting Lucy to be so fond of this brand…"
"Well, she's only had three!" Blaine said, nudging Lucy with his elbow. Lucy quietly growled at him, and politely walked over to the other guests. "I could be wrong, but I think I'm embarrassing her."
"I wouldn't worry. I reckon she was expecting a somewhat more formal event." Reginald said. "We may be among the city's social elite, yet there's no reason we can't party. Now then, tell me about what you all do. Nathan did say you were rather interesting people."
"Oh, well I'm an artist for a magazine! But I'd love to have my own art gallery someday." Amara said.
"I'm a fisherman down at Legarte! In fact, my grandpa is none other than Deo Yuria!" Zao said.
"And I'm just a barman." Blaine said, shrugging. "It's not a bad life, though. I get to serve my favourite drinks every night, and there's plenty of beauties coming on every hour of the night. Of course, they don't compare to my Lucy!"
"You remind me of my younger days. I did enjoy complimenting the women around the office - although I often got into trouble." Reginald said.
"Yes, I remember that. One day, mother took me to see dad in the office, and she smacked him silly when she caught him complimenting this secretary's bikini photos." Nathan said.
"I was only trying to be sociable!" Reginald said, blushing. "Although she did have rather smooth legs."
"Nathan, I gotta say this. Your dad is one cool dude." Blaine said.
"Um...thanks." Nathan said. "Isn't Serena coming?"
At that moment, the doorbell rang. Sure enough, Serena was at the door, and she apologised profusely as Priscilla lead her to the guests.
"Thank god I made it in time! I was afraid I'd miss the...um...cake!" Serena said, staring at Nathan.
"Oh, yes! It'd be a shame if you weren't here for...the cake!" Nathan said.
"Why are you so worried about that? It's huge. Even with all these people here, there's enough for everyone. Come on, relax." Priscilla said. Looking at Nathan, who was fidgeting with his pockets, Amara gulped. You might not say that if you knew what the real surprise was...
"Holy cow! Smoked salmon!" Zao said, dashing over to the snack table.
"Amara, I swear you pick the weirdest boyfriends." Serena said. "Oh, that reminds me. You said your work was going to Glasswater soon, right? Our school's having some kind of cultural exchange with a school over there. So we'll be going about the same time you are!"
"Really? That sounds perfect!" Amara said. "I hope we get some time to hang out. We might come by this school if it's worth writing about."
"I'm sure it will be. It sounds like one heck of a school!" Serena said. "It looks like the setting for a mystery novel, though…"
Later That Evening
The night had been wonderful. Lucy started to enjoy herself more, even laughing at Blaine's jokes about rather raunchy office antics. However, that may have been down to the amount of wine she had consumed that evening. The cake had been delicious, too, and Nathan was impressed at the gifts he had received.
"Wow, I wasn't expecting a gift from Blaine." Nathan said, looking at the box. He opened it, and gasped. Inside was a meticulously designed model train, with a gorgeous black and chrome finish. "What the - Blaine, just how much did you spend on this?"
"That's for me to know!" Blaine said. "You told me you liked trains a few weeks ago, remember? I figured you'd be the kind of guy with a huge train set."
"Oh, he is. I catch him playing with it some mornings in his underwear." Priscilla said.
"Did you have to bring that part up?" Nathan asked, sighing. "Oh, well...thanks, Blaine. I owe you big for this."
"I do? I'll hold you to that..." Blaine said, with a sneaky smile. Nathan continued to open the gifts, but he looked rather embarrassed. He must have felt too old for this sort of thing. Still, he was greatly appreciative of all the presents - Amara's gorgeous painting of Nova Albion in the moonlight, Zao's joke book, and Serena's set of Kuzonoha detective novels.
"Alright, everyone. I'd like to thank you all for coming today. I'm not getting any younger, but I'll never forget how many good friends I have in the world. But most of all, I want to thank four people. First of all, my father, who despite our disagreements, remains my role model and...my hero." Nathan said. "He really is the one I always looked up to. I loved seeing him at work, or at home, and hearing about how amazing his day was. Now I get to see for myself why he loved that office so much. But more than that, dad taught me about honour, and being strong no matter what hardship you might have to face. For that, I'll always be grateful."
Reginald gave his son a warm smile, and raised his glass. Blaine looked away, and wiped his eye. I love my dad too...looks like we all share that in common. Except Serena. Amara gazed at Serena, who seemed uninterested in the speech. She glared at her, and Serena gulped.
"And the next two...Tara and Adrian, I love you guys. It was so strange when we all met, wasn't it? We were in a different country, but we were all from the same place. And those years of studying were well worth it. I made some of my best friends, and it's been wonderful seeing you two get closer and closer. Now you two are about to be married, and it's brilliant. Well done to you both! You two deserve all the happiness in the world."
Tara and Adrian smiled, and raised their glasses as well. Priscilla's eyes widened when she realised what was coming next.
"And the fourth...well, you all could tell who it was going to be. Priscilla, I still remember that day we first met. We were young, and bored of the business talk the grown-ups were making. Yet when we saw each other at that event, that night became a lot more exciting. After that, we spent quite a few days together, and finally, we were attending the same high school. That was when we finally became more than just friends. You were so cute, after our first kiss. You were giggling, and you were telling everyone you knew about where we were off to our first date." Nathan said.
That's it. You can do this. Nathan, keep it up!
"So then the time came for us to continue our studies. I applied for a university overseas, which is the very same one Tara and Adrian attended. While the cafeteria wasn't particularly good, the campus was filled with places for romantic moments - which was lucky for me, because Priscilla wanted to go there as well! We made good use of those places - but we did study, of course! We came back to the city, and ever since then, our lives have been almost perfect. I got the job at Albion Incorporated, and my father knows how hard I've been working at it. And making it even better, Priscilla joined me. She and I work together, live together...and she knows how to throw a party!" Nathan said.
"Nathan..." Priscilla said, anxious. She seemed to have an idea about what was going on.
"I love you, Priscilla. My, I certainly know how to make long-winded speeches! It's only a birthday, after all." Nathan said. Priscilla frowned. What? You're not going to do it?!
"Thank you...Nathan." Priscilla said, coldly. However, her disappointment turned to surprise when she saw Nathan walking towards her. "What - you mean you're -"
Nathan smiled, and without a word, pulled out a blue velvet box in one swift moment. Quickly, he got down on one knee, and opened the box. Inside was a gorgeous silver ring, with a sapphire stone on it. Breathing deeply, he spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.
"I know you've been waiting for this for years, but…I hope it was worth waiting for. Priscilla Lancaster, will you marry me?"
Priscilla was speechless, as Nathan continued to present the box. An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Finally, Priscilla smirked.
"...Yes, stupid! Of course I'll marry you!"
Nathan's face lit up with joy. No one doubted she would answer that way - after all, she had been part of his life for this long. He stood up, and was almost knocked to the ground by her sudden embrace. Amara quickly joined in with the cheering and clapping. She, Serena, Zao and Blaine looked on, proud. Nathan was moving on ahead with his life, and thanks to their battles together, Amara was here to see it.
"Whoa!" Nathan said. "Um...I'm glad you said yes."
"Was my answer worth waiting for?" Priscilla asked. "That's what you get, you jerk! I would have said yes ages ago!"
"You would?" Nathan said. "Priscilla, I should have realised...but from now on, our lives are going to be different. Now you're officially part of my family. Right, dad?"
".Right. Well done, my son!" Reginald said, wiping away a tear. He tightly hugged his son, proud. "Although I'm with Priscilla on this one. Why on earth did you put it off for so long? I was expecting this thousands of times! Christmas, New Years, and many birthdays. You kept getting me excited when you were talking about how amazing each new year would be..."
"Dad...I just needed to find the right time! Looks like I did, though." Nathan said. Amara smiled, as many guests came over to wish Nathan well. Priscilla proudly wore her ring, and hugged Tara.
"Now that was amazing." Lucy slurred. "Blaine, you should take some tips from Nathan!"
"Huh? What kinda tips?" Blaine asked.
"You know, on how to be a gentleman!" Lucy said. "How to eat without looking like a caveman! How to talk without swearing every five seconds!"
"Since that's the wine talking, I'm not gonna get offended. But I do know one way to be a gentleman!" Blaine said. Quickly, he kissed Lucy. "How about that?"
"Now that I do like. Phew..." Lucy said. "You know, I'm really gonna miss you when we're in Glasswater."
"Me too..." Blaine said, sadly. "I know it's only for a few days, but...oh well."
"Don't worry, I'll call you every day. Although we already do that, don't we?" Lucy said. "Come on, once we're done here, we'll go back to my place and -"
"Yikes." Serena said. "She is drunk. But oh my god! Nathan, I am so happy for you!" she hugged Nathan, who laughed it off.
"Yeah, man." Blaine said. "And you'll make a damn good husband."
"How come?" Nathan said.
"I know a good guy when I see one. So, tomorrow night! We're celebrating you still being in your twenties - for another 365 days - and your upcoming nuptials!" Blaine said.
"Sounds interesting. Me and Nathan haven't had a big night out for some time. I'd go, but I need to save up for our wedding." Adrian said. "Nathan, have you thought of a date yet?"
"Not just yet!" Nathan said. "I only just got around to doing this, but we shouldn't wait too long. Priscilla's done plenty of that for one lifetime!"
"Exactly!" Priscilla said, wrapping her arms around him. "You're all mine now! Mrs Priscilla Albion...I can't wait! This ring, this party, and you, Nathan! Everything's perfect now!"
"That's right! Everyone, I can safely say this is the best birthday ever!" Nathan said.
"To Nathan and Priscilla!" Reginald cheered.
"To Nathan and Priscilla!" everyone else cheered, raising glasses.
When Amara went home that night, she felt elated. Nathan had said he was waiting until the mess with the Shadows was over, but she was glad he changed his mind. Seeing him and Priscilla together made her smile - and everyone else was thrilled, too.
|September 1st|Motus Lounge|9:00 pm|
"I didn't think we'd meet at your place of work." Nathan said.
"He can't tear himself away, can he?" Kaman said. "Of course, he does get the employee discount."
"...Yeah. That's, uh, one bonus." Blaine said, looking shifty. "Anyway, guess what? This guy's getting hitched!"
"Is that so? Well then, congratulations." Kaman said. "Trust me, you won't regret it for a second. Me and my wife have been married for eleven years now. Maria and I are closer than ever!"
"That's wonderful." Nathan said. The two men ordered their drinks, and looked around. The place was getting busier, possibly due to the special weekend deals Kaman had put on. "It's good to know this Kaman is happy."
"Yeah. Everything's perfect for him. Great job, hot wife, tons of friends...sort of like you." Blaine said.
"You sound jealous, Blaine." Nathan said. "I'm not married yet! I don't even know when we'll have the big day."
"Jealous...yeah." Blaine said. "I used to be really jealous of you. You had everything I didn't. Money, a great house, a job you loved doing, and someone you loved more than life itself."
"Oh..." Nathan said. "I'm just really lucky. Being in that other world taught me that."
"Same here. I'm lucky to have Dan. But even if I have to fight monsters for years and years, at least I got to meet you guys. And I dunno if I'm jealous anymore." Blaine said. "I work here now, and that's great fun. The money's not too bad, either. The house isn't all that bad, but it could use a good clean. And the love part? I think I found that, too."
"Are you that attached to Lucy?" Nathan asked. "That's nice to hear. I hope it goes well."
"Thanks, man. I do too. I was getting sick of being single, anyway." Blaine said. "It sounds fun being a bachelor at first, but it's freaking lonely. And I hate not being around people. Which is why we're out celebrating!"
"You know, I was thinking about that story my father told me. About me playing with a boy, whose father got into a fist fight with mine. I can just about remember it, but only when the boy asked to play with my toy boat." Nathan said. "I don't even remember his name. It's bugging me like crazy."
"Does it matter?" Blaine asked. "That was years ago! We're not boys anymore, we're men! Now you've got a real boat to play with! ...You do have one, right?"
"Haha! Not yet. I suppose I can use that for a honeymoon, though. I have an idea, Nathan. Serena and Amara are going to Glasswater soon, correct? It just so happens that my company is in the middle of a business deal with a company in that area, and I volunteered to represent us. Priscilla's coming with me, and I think there may be a spare seat left on that flight." Nathan said.
"Wait, what are you saying?" Blaine asked.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm buying you a plane ticket! So you and Lucy can enjoy a romantic break!" Nathan said.
"You mean it?" Blaine said. "Thanks, buddy! Beneath that silent, noble demeanour, you're one swell guy!"
"Don't mention it. You might want to clear it with Kaman, though." Nathan said.
"Clear what with me?" Kaman asked.
"Nathan here's buying me a plane ticket to this Glasswater place!" Blaine said. "I think Lucy said it'd be September 10th. Can I go? Please?" Kaman sighed, smiling, at Blaine's puppy dog eyes.
"Alright. I can't say no to that face. But you better give me the low down on the bar scene. You never know when you have a worldwide business." Kaman said. He served them their drinks, and went off to see to another group of guests.
"So..." Blaine said. "I know just where we'll go for the next three places. After that, it's up to you!"
"Just how many places are we going to?" Nathan asked.
"Hey, when you're out with me, it's never one or two." Blaine said. "Buckle up, partner. The two of us are having fun tonight. I dunno what we'll drink, who we'll meet, or how many boats we sink, but we're not wimping out! No way!"
Nathan gulped. Hopefully he'd make it through tonight in one piece. Right?
|Purple Mirror|2:00 am|
Nathan had spent over half an hour dancing in the popular Purple Mirror club. It was known for the purple décor, combined with magic mirrors and coloured serving glasses. Nathan didn't exactly have much rhythm, but he didn't give one damn at all. He just laughed at the many women who stared at him, and downed the seventh drink of that evening.
"Oh there you are, you red-haired bastard!" Blaine said, hiccupping. "Where'd you go? I was getting us some shots!"
"I was having some fun!" Nathan said. "C'mon, join in! You look like you know how to throw some shapes!"
"You kiddin'? I've been coming to these kinds of places since I was sixteen!" Blaine said. "Fake ID is the way of the Kanaloa boys! And girls! Especially the girls!"
"Hey, look! That guy looks like me!" Nathan said, pointing at a mirror. "Holy shit! It's the me from the other world! Is something wrong?"
"The heck are you on, man? That's a mirror! This guy's drunk already, and it's only 1:40!" another man said. "Give this loser some dancing lessons, would ya?"
"Up yours!" Nathan said. "Screw'em! I can dance however I want! But first, let's have at those shots! I need a buzz!"
"I'm glad you say that. I got some tequila!" Blaine said. "All the way from Mexico!"
"Sweet! Hey, when did your other self lose those scars?" Nathan asked.
"That's a mirror..." Blaine said. After the two of them drank more tequila, they plucked up the courage to mix scotch and vodka. Nathan was having the time of his life, even if his dancing technique didn't exactly impress the other clubbers. However, they still drew the attention of some rather skimpy women, much to Blaine's delight. He was somewhat better at the dancing, even if he did have a purple lei around his neck.
"Okay, pardner! It's time for club number three! Ready?" Blaine asked. "It's great! They've got these gorgeous barmaids with fake leopard skins! You'll love it!"
"Sure thing! I love you, you drunk bastard!" Nathan said, hiccupping. The two of them put their arms around each other, ignoring some rather obnoxious comments as they staggered out of the club. As they made their way to the next club, Blaine started humming along to a jaunty tune. Nathan joined in, and soon, they began singing a rather explicit song involving sailors and girls from all around the world.
"Man..." Blaine said, as he was done. "I dunno where I even got that song from."
"Me neither. But you've got one heck of a voice when you're wasted...I could listen to you all night long!" Nathan said.
"All night? Perfect! Then let's stay out until five!" Blaine said.
"Sounds like a plan!" Nathan said. "But I'm getting hungry now..."
"No problem, there's a few burger bars around here still open! C'mon, let's go!" Blaine said.
|September 2nd|Blaine's Bedroom|11:30 am|
"Ugh...my head...dammit." Nathan moaned, as he finally woke up. He noticed several petals over his shirt, and his clothes were somehow wet. "Huh?" He checked the alarm clock next to him, and gasped. 11:30 am?! He had never woken up that late before. But then again, he had been drinking until five o'clock in the morning.
"Stop...stop ticklin' me, dammit..." Blaine mumbled, eyes shut. Nathan shook him, and Blaine reluctantly opened his eyes. "Oh...mornin'."
"Good morning, Blaine. Why are we in your bedroom? And why are our clothes wet?" Nathan said, gazing around. There were some old rock albums, empty bottles of Jack Daniels, various magazines scattered around, and what looked like broken motorcycle parts.
"I dunno, man. I don't even remember anything after two o'clock. Maybe we went for a early morning swim in our clothes...wouldn't be the first time." Blaine said, holding his head. "You weren't kidding. You do know how to party!"
"I guess I do!" Nathan said. "Can we get out of this bed? It's feeling more and more awkward every second..."
"But I'm sleepy..." Blaine said, yawning.
"No buts! I have to get home. Priscilla's probably concerned about me!" Nathan said, glaring. It was a struggle, but the hungover men slowly got downstairs. There, Dan was sitting on the sofa, reading the morning paper.
"Oh, there you two morons are. I heard you guys wake me up at 5:45 this morning!" Dan said, annoyed. "And you threw up all over the kitchen floor, you idiot!"
"I did?" Blaine said, confused. "Man...sorry, Dan."
"Wait, maybe it was me." Nathan said. "I can cover any damage I might have caused, no problem-"
"Don't bother. I already cleaned it up, but next time I'm gonna make Blaine do it." Dan said. "You idiots...I don't mind when it's me partying all night, but when I just want to lie down and relax, you fucking slam the door open, sing those dirty sailor songs about girls in every harbour, throw up god knows what in the kitchen, then I catch you in bed with another man!"
"Well, I didn't want to have him stay on the couch. And I was wasted like hell. Wait, what do you mean you caught us?!" Blaine said, scratching his head.
"I was about to storm in and yell at you when I saw you both! You two looked rather cosy..." Dan said.
"Sorry man, I'll make it up to ya. You and I can head out next week, maybe with Kaman and Roger too. And I'll pick up the tab, you got that?" Blainesaid.
"Fine." Dan said. "Also, your phones have been ringing all day. Go let Lucy and Priscilla know you two are okay, right? And Nathan, next time you go out with Blaine here, let me tag along. Then it'll be a real man's night out!"
"Yeah, I'm sure it will be!" Nathan said, awkwardly. Dan laughed, and headed upstairs.
"...Man, now I feel like shit. Lucy's probably worried like crazy." Blaine said. "Oh, how are you getting home?"
"I don't know, to be honest. I never expected to wind up in your house." Nathan said. "Your motorcycle is out of the question, and I can't expect Daniel to give me a lift."
"Daniel? C'mon, you've known him for months now! It's Dan!" Blaine said. "I called him Daniel once when we first met, and that's the only time. Dan's the man, or so he says."
"You two certainly are close. You're like brothers." Nathan said. "I'll call a taxi. I just hope I don't attract any attention when I go outside..."
"Hey..." Blaine said, arm around Nathan. "You get in trouble, I'll beat the living shit out of them! No one messes with my buddies!"
"Violence isn't the solution! ...But I do feel safer now." Nathan said, smiling. "First, though, I need to call Priscilla. You go and talk to Lucy. I have a feeling she's going to be rather infuriated about our shenanigans."
"Who's Shannon?" Blaine asked. Nathan frowned, but Blaine laughed. "I'm joking! I knew what you said. I just dunno what that word means..."
"Haha...you know, I loved last night. We will do this again, right?" Nathan asked. "I know we don't have that much in common, but -"
"That doesn't matter, you idiot! Of course we'll go out and get drunk again. You're a friend, not just a comrade. And when Serena's old enough, the four of us will go. Zao, Priscilla, Kyle and Lucy can join us too!" Blaine said.
"Sounds perfect." Nathan said. The two men called their retrospective partners, with Blaine having to apologise rather adamantly to an angry and emotional Lucy, and Nathan doing the same to a worried Priscilla. Finally, Nathan's cab arrived. Blaine followed, and kept an eye out.
"Yeah...we really are friends. We won't let Nihane do as he pleases. We're gonna have all the time in the world to hang out again." Blaine said to himself.
|Aeternus Headquarters -Hallway|3:16 pm|
"Shirley!"
Shirley turned around, and sighed. Ever since the two of them had been reunited, Lucy had never left Shirley's side. This had been what they both wanted, after all. Yet something felt empty. It was like she left something special behind.
"Lucy!" Shirley said. "You're going outside on an official mission, aren't you?"
"Yeah. Carlos' orders." Lucy replied. "That guy is such a smarmy creep. I hate him, same with all the other almighty leaders. I wouldn't mind taking orders if I liked them, but…dammit! This is a worse drag than the stupid police station!"
"Lucy." Shirley said. "You say you hate the Ater Vox, right? Then why are you still following them?"
"Simple, I haven't got a choice. I'm not joining Blaine's team, not now! You know what he did after he became commander!" Lucy said.
"You're sure he wasn't telling you the truth?" Shirley said. "I mean, I really don't trust any of the Ater Vox either. Carlos did abduct me, after all."
"Oh, come on! Are you worried about that Dan guy?" Lucy said. "You can do way better than him. And I can do better than Blaine! I'm not scared at all, honestly!"
"Well...never mind. I'll let you go." Shirley said. "If only I could come with you…"
"C'mon, you've seen how powerful Inanna is. I'll be just fine!" Lucy said, clenching her first. Without anymore hesitation, she ran down the hall, nearly bumping into another employee.
"...Dan, huh?" Shirley said to herself. "I wonder what he's doing now..."
|Aeternus Headquarters - Secret Lab|5:21pm|
It was another boring day at the lab. Tomas had gotten away with his fight against Carlos, so there were no repercussions for Rudo's safety. Yet, after using Nebiros in combat, he had noticed strange symptoms. He felt pains in his chest every now and then. Faint if he ignored them, agonising if he focused on them,and he was sure his heart was in perfect condition. Not only that, something else felt odd. Whenever the other Persona users were present at the lab, he felt uneasy. As if his very safety was at risk.
His Persona looked so strange, too. Whenever he saw it, he felt something deep within him. Pity, perhaps. What was stranger was...he felt so alive when fighting with his Persona. It felt good to have the same power that others had gained naturally. Why was this fake Persona so different than the others? Even if Tomas had used strong Shadows, a Persona was of very little power if it was comprised of the dark feelings of multiple people. Yet Nebiros felt like one person...
"I have to ask him. I can't risk having Nebiros any longer than I have to."
Rudo left his room, and found Tomas's office. He knocked on the door, only to hear aggravated sighs.
"What is it, Rudo!?" Tomas barked. "I have reports to look over!"
"I need to discuss Nebiros with you." Rudo said. "I know you said not to worry, but -"
"That's right. I did. And you're supposed to trust me." Tomas said, coldly. "Now if you don't want to insult my judgment, and dismantle our friendship, you'll believe me when I say that you will be fine."
"Alright." Rudo said. "Can you at least tell me some of the process you used to make Nebiros and Belial?"
"What good would telling you that do?" Tomas said, indignant. "The results were worthwhile. If we can adapt to our new power, we can aid your daughter in battle. Knowing how Nebiros and Belial came into being won't change anything at all."
"Fine." Rudo said. "I want the fighting to end soon. The sooner I can rid myself of this power, the better."
"Unfortunately, Rudo, you're stuck with it." Tomas said. "That Persona isn't quite like the stock ones issued to the Ornatu Legion. Once it's attached, there is no removal. Even if you were to escape to a place without any Shadows whatsoever, you would still feel the effects of it inside you."
"What?!" Rudo shouted. He tried to force the door open, but it wouldn't budge. "But if I have this thing in me for much longer, it'll kill me!"
"Desperate times call for desperate measures. Leaving everything to the natural Persona using group may sound grand and all, but the power Nihane Kronos commands is far stronger. That is why I created Nebiros and Belial. We need to survive in this dog-eat-dog world." Tomas said. "This is why we have to hurry up. We still need one more Persona user - the Fortune. If we don't find him or her soon enough, Amara will lose her father for good."
"You idiot! We should have found another way!" Rudo said. "Is there no way we can save ourselves?! I can't die yet! My daughter is only twenty one years old! I'm not ready to join Ayodele yet!"
"Will you shut up?!" Tomas screamed. "I know what I'm doing! Life is full of sacrifices. Your life may end soon, but the power of Nebiros will lead to the downfall of Aeternus! Your Amara can find freedom and peace once and for all. She may even be as happy as the one in that other world. A harmonious, care-free city...that is what my experimentation is aiming for! So just place your trust in me, Rudo. That is, of course, if you're willing to remain my friend."
"I have no choice. But I cannot tell Amara. You cannot, either." Rudo said. "Why aren't you opening the door?"
"I'm looking at sensitive documents." Tomas said. "I need to go over something very important, and I have to concentrate. Don't worry, I'll be done in about an hour."
"Right. I'll see you later, then." Rudo said. He glared at the door separating him and Tomas, and raised his fist.
Damn you! You're not the man I called a friend once. You're not the man I could trust my daughter with. You're insane!
Rudo returned to his room, and laid down in his bed. Perhaps reading a book would take his mind off things. There was no telling when his artificial power would kill him, but it didn't seem like it would happen soon. As he began reading, he felt something in his head. It was a voice separate from his own, but it felt like a thought.
What are you doing with those things?! No, get away from her! Stop...can't you see her crying?! Let her go!
This...what was this? Rudo couldn't fathom why he was hearing these thoughts. Then, it hit him. "Of course...Nebiros."
Suddenly, he started hearing bits and pieces of...what sounded like a horror film. He couldn't see anyone else around him. More memories...
"Hahaha! Look, you two! That's what it looks like when you rip someone's throat out!" a man said.
"You...bastard...she's...she's... Brad, do something!" said the same voice from earlier.
"Nick, I...I can't...he...my legs can't move..." said another man. 'Brad' was apparently his name. Which meant the thoughts he had been hearing must have belonged to 'Nick'.
"See what happens to weaklings?!" the violent man said. "Now you two are comin' with me. You're not going anywhere until you tell me where your treasure is! Not that you can, after what I did to you! Hehehe..."
"...Why?!" Rudo wailed. "Why am I hearing these things? Why won't it stop?!"
No...he'll do to us what he did to her...she...no...how could he...she's not dead...right!? Someone...wake me up...this isn't happening!
Finally, it was over. Rudo gazed at his reflection in the mirror, and brushed away the sweat from his forehead. So, that was it. Tomas had used Shadows that originated from a person named Nick. If this was how Nebiros was made, what about Belial?
"...Brad." Rudo said.
From what he knew, Brad and Nick had suffered greatly before they had died. This must have led to the appearance of powerful Shadows, formed entirely of their own personality. In essence, this made them akin to Personas.
So this was Rudo's fate. Until the day he died, he would have to listen to these awful memories. Of Brad and Nick's torture at the hands of a crazed madman, and the loss of a female acquaintance. And this power would kill him sooner or later. He had already promised his daughter he would be alright, but…would he have to break that promise? If he were to die before the Shadow nightmare ended, then...Amara might not be able to go on.
"I can't let that happen!" Rudo said. "There has to be something I can do."
He got out a piece of paper and his best pen, and furiously started to write. The words that flowed from the ink were ones he did not imagine ever having to say to someone, especially not his daughter. Yet, they had to be said. Every second counted now. If he couldn't rid himself of Nick, then he had to make the best of this predicament.
"Damn you, Tomas. I will never forgive you for this!"
AN: Yes, for those of you that have been reading Persona: The Nameless by MoldyJellyBean, my characters will indeed be travelling to that story's setting for several days. It'll be sort of like the class trip in Persona 4 to Iwatodai/Tatsumi Port Island. If you haven't been reading it, then I reccomend you do. Don't worry, neither story will have a major effect on the other, this is just a collab between us. Stay tuned!