Chapter 59: Golden Age
|Serena's House - Dining Room|18:23 pm|
"It's unlike you to dine with us, Serena." Serena's mother, Frieda, said.
"I...didn't feel like going out." Serena said. "Sorry."
"Well, it's good you're here. I imagine you've been bothering Ms McHale a lot. It must be a lot of work, cooking for you and her boy." Serena's father, Ben, said.
"Not really. She finds it easy to make great meals." Serena said. "What is this, anyway?"
"It's barbecue chicken, Serena." Frieda said. "Honestly, I put a lot of work into that. Especially knowing you were staying for dinner tonight. I remember when you used to like my food."
"Really?" Serena said. "When was that? Did I still believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy?"
"Serena, don't talk like that to your mother." Ben said. "Now, unless you want to disturb Kyle's mother more than you already have, I suggest you be quiet and enjoy the meal."
"Fine..." Serena said. The family ate in silence, Serena refusing to even look at her parents.
Dammit. I'm stuck with them tonight. Why can't it be like with Nathan and his dad? Amara and her dad? And Blaine said something about how great his dad was. And I'm the only one out of the gang who's still got their mom. I know they'd tell me to be grateful, but...this sucks.
"Alright, Serena. It's been a long time since we fell out." Frieda said. "We already apologised for not telling you about your condition, didn't we?"
"Yeah, you did. You were all 'Sorry, Serena, you got unlucky! Bad genes, yadda yadda yadda!'!" Serena said. "It doesn't matter, anyway. I wasn't thinking about becoming a teen mom or anything. But come on. I'll never carry on the ever-so-lofty Agnethe name! That's what you're thinking, right? Nina's gone, and I'm barren! There's never going to be a grandchild! I might as well not even be here!"
"How dare you!" Ben yelled, slamming his fist on the table. "Don't you dare act like we don't care about you!"
"Why? I'm not acting." Serena said, unmoved. "I know you never wanted a second daughter. I was an accident, in more ways than one!"
"Serena..." Frieda said. "It's true you weren't planned. We were looking forward to a quiet life after Nina moved away. But we didn't love you any less than her. You're the only child we have left!"
"I know that!" Serena said. "But you'd rather have her, right? The brilliant, talented Nina! Smart, beautiful, fertile Nina! Don't worry, you won't have to cook this mediocre stuff for three people too much longer. After high school, I'm getting out of here!"
"What? But where will you go?" Ben said. "You can't afford a place to stay!"
"I'll think of something. I just can't stand staying here anymore!" Serena said. "...I'm not staying for dessert!"
Ignoring her mother's protests, Serena left the room, and headed to her bedroom.
"Did I really mean all of that?" She said to herself. She didn't expect an evening with her parents to turn out that badly. She could hear them talking to each other downstairs, sounding rather upset. "Damn. What would everyone else say to me right now?"
Serena went to her computer, and looked through her list of games. Grabbing her mouse, she began another session of Minecraft.
Try as she might, she couldn't concentrate. The words of her parents still echoed within her mind. Then it hit her. It wasn't their fault Nina was gone, or Serena had her condition. But Serena just couldn't cope with the secret they told her that day.
Serena then remembered the day she went to the memorial. Ten years had passed since that fateful day, when her sister, who had become increasingly distant for two years, died in a catastrophic explosion. Serena arrived there to pay her respects, when she saw Amara there. All sorts of memories came flooding back, and as she was leaving, she thought she heard her sister's voice.
One thing lead to another, and she had found herself inside the other world. It must have been destiny - otherwise, she never would have learned what Nina was really up to. She hated being forced into this adventure, but now she loved it. Meeting up with Amara, Nathan and Blaine was a lot of fun. She may have been the youngest, but she never felt like they treated her any differently. Of course, that may have been due to her healing powers. Without them, they'd be in big trouble.
Later, someone knocked on her door.
"Serena? Can I come in?" her father asked.
"...Okay." Serena said. She opened the door, and stared at her father's face. "I...um...I should say I'm sorry."
"There's no need for that. Your mother and I were having a talk, and...we really should have told you about your condition sooner. We didn't want to believe it ourselves, especially after your sister was taken from us." Ben said. "Hear me out, Serena. You may not believe it, but I love both my daughters."
"...Really? Even after all I said?" Serena said.
"I think we had it coming. After all, you certainly weren't planned. Me and your mother were hoping things would calm down after Nina grew older. Yet it was your sister that made us look forward to the day you were born." Ben said. "Her exact words were 'Come on, I'm a big girl now! I can handle a baby sister, no problem! You two will be just fine, as long as you let me help out!'."
"Sis..." Serena said. "She always did like looking after me. Nina really was amazing..." Or should say I say...is?
Serena knew the truth. Her big sister was alive, in both worlds. One, however, was thoroughly obsessed with power - and Nihane. The other was rarely present, and had no intentions of returning home. Serena bit her lip - she wanted to tell her father Nina would come back. But she wasn't going to, until the Shadows were gone.
"Yes." Ben said, placing a hand on Serena's shoulder. "Your sister was a very special girl. She never should have gotten involved with Aeternus! That explosion...it didn't just end her life. It might as well have ended mine, too. No child should die before their father..."
"...Dad." Serena said. "I miss Nina too. Even today, I still think she'll come home as if nothing had ever happened."
"Me and your mother used to think like that. Then, it hit us. Our precious Nina will never come home. They never found her body, but she was right in the centre of that explosion. But that day we learned she was dead...we also knew you were in hospital, in a coma." Ben said. "It dawned on me. We still had you. We had to stay strong, and pray you'd wake up. When you did...I...couldn't believe it. I was convinced we would lose both our daughters. But life hasn't been the same since then. We...couldn't put the past behind us."
"...I understand now." Serena said, looking out the window. "You must have always imagined a wonderful future for both of us. And without Nina, that future's gone."
"Not entirely." Ben said. "You're still here. And I don't want that to ever change."
"...Thank you." Serena said. "Dad, our school is having a class trip next week. To this place in America."
"Well, I'll be!" Ben said. "I take it Kyle is coming with you?"
"Yes. But I'll take lots of pictures when I get there. And I'll show you and mom!" Serena said. "You wouldn't mind seeing them, would you?"
"Of course not. My little girl's vacation pictures are no inconvenience whatsoever!" Ben said. "Now then, it's getting rather late. Well, for me. Don't stay up too late, you hear me?"
"Fine…" Serena said. Her father left, and she looked back outside her window. "...Did me and Dad just get along?"
She quickly looked up the hotel she and her school would be staying at. Now she was really excited about going to Glasswater. Not only would she get to go there with some dear friends, she could tell her parents all about it. And somehow, that didn't sound bad at all.
|Saragel - Right Wing|19:00 pm|
The Right Wing was a somewhat unknown restaurant, that offered beautiful views of the sea via it's upstairs dining area. However, the menu was filled with plenty of good dishes, aiming for a multicultural mix to attract more customers. Tonight, however, there were only six people dining.
"Blaine, why are we eating here?" Lucy asked. "This place is pretty much dead!"
Blaine cringed, as he saw the waiter nearby glaring at her. "Um...I thought it'd be nice to go somewhere quiet. You know, to be romantic."
"Okay then." Lucy said. "Not long until Glasswater...it's going to be an interesting trip."
"You can say that again." Blaine said, smirking. "Check this out!" With one swift movement, he pulled out a plane ticket from his pocket.
"What the - but how?" Lucy asked. "Flying all the way over there is expensive! Karen had to pull some strings to get us the tickets at a lower price..."
"So did I. When you're buddies with Nathan Albion, you get to enjoy a few perks. Pretty sweet, huh?" Blaine said. "C'mon, look more excited. This is gonna be the first time for me leaving the city. I've never been on a plane before!"
"You haven't? Then why the hell do you have a passport?" Lucy asked.
"Well, me and Dan were gonna go to Miami one year, but...we just couldn't do it. But now, I'm going on vacation - with my girl! Isn't that great?" Blaine said.
"I..." Lucy said. "This isn't a vacation for me, you know. It's a business trip. For the time we're there, we'll be reporting on the place. I won't have any time to spend with you."
"Oh, come on. Surely we could squeeze in something fun to do as a couple!" Blaine said. "I don't get many chances for things like these, you know..."
"Alright, I'll see what I can do. I can't say no to that face." Lucy said, smiling slightly. "You're too handsome for your own good!"
"Damn straight. Come on, let's have the best wine they've got!" Blaine asked.
"So the $10 bottle, then?" the waiter asked. Lucy and Blaine burst out laughing, ignoring the stony face of the waiter. "Guys, that wasn't a joke."
"In that case, gimme a beer." Blaine said.
"Yeah. Me too." Lucy said. Blaine chuckled, and as they ordered their food, he gazed into the setting sky. In a few days, he'd be overseas, with Lucy. Would she be able to find any time for them at all?
|Nova Albion - Lancaster Household|19:20 pm|
"Well!" Priscilla's father, Sebastian said, gazing at the engagement ring. "Your Nathan certainly took his time. I was wondering if I'd ever get to see a ring on your finger!"
"Me too!" Priscilla said. "But here we are. And I can't believe it! Me and Nathan, married! I've been dreaming about this for so long!"
"Where is he, anyway?" Priscilla's mother, Lavender, asked. "I was hoping to congratulate the two of you together!"
"He and his father are playing golf together." Priscilla said. "It was so sweet! For a minute, I thought he wasn't going to do it. He was making this big speech about how much his friends and family meant to him, but when he was done, he got out the ring!" Her speech was getting faster with faster, as she gazed longingly at the ring.
"Alright, calm down my angel. You're not married yet." Sebastian said. "When is the big day? We'll have to prepare!"
"Um...we were thinking sometime next January." Priscilla said. "It'd be the perfect way to celebrate the new year, don't you think? This is a new beginning for the two of us. I'll be Priscilla Albion!"
"Congratulations, my dear. You and Nathan deserve all the happiness in the world, and then some." Lavender said. "This calls for some champagne. Darling, help me with the dinner, would you?"
"She asks that when she's burnt the meal and wants to blame it on me..." Sebastian whispered.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Lavender asked.
"Nothing!" Sebastian said, blushing. The two of them went into the kitchen, and Priscilla could indeed smell burning.
She sat down, and checked her phone. There were two messages, each with a picture attached. In the first image, both Nathan and Reginald were clad in their matching golf outfits, and from the look on Nathan's face in the first picture, he was losing. Laughing, Priscilla read the message itself.
Can you believe this old guy can still hit hole in ones? Five in a row?
Then, she read the next one. Strangely, it was from Reginald. He had always taken an interest in new technology, and even at his age, he liked showing off his new phone. It seemed to help him get along with his younger employees, even if his taste in music was rather outdated.
I'd like to add that it's the middle aged guy who can still hit hole in ones. Alas, it is the 'young' guy who hit his foot with his club and has been wailing like a baby for the last few minutes.
She opened the next picture, and burst out laughing. Nathan was clutching his foot, crying out loud, and various other golfers were amused at the sight.
"Oh, Nathan..."
Lavender returned from the kitchen, shaking her head in amusement.
"Your father is neither use nor ornament in that kitchen!" She said, and her father burst out laughing. "Not to worry. As ever, he is on hand to rescue my meal. Now then, Priscilla. I have something to give you."
"Really? What is it, mother?" Priscilla asked.
Lavender smiled gently, and retrieved a black leather case from beneath the table. Engraved on it was the name "Priscilla S. J. Lancaster".
"You might find this familiar, my dear." Lavender said. "Open it. It has your name on it, as you can see. Priscilla Suzanne Juliet Lancaster, daughter of Lavender Katherine Vanessa Richardson."
Priscilla, intrigued, slowly opened the case. She wasn't quite sure what to expect. Soon, she saw a gleam of silver, and then she saw it in full. The most intricately made flute she had ever seen. Made entirely of silver, with beautiful engravings. This was the kind of instrument a maestro of the flute would be equipped with in an orchestra - just like Priscilla's mother.
"Mother..." Priscilla said. "Your flute...this is exactly like it!"
"That's correct, Priscilla. I had it made four years ago. I was convinced, as were you, that dear Nathan was going to pop the question that year. So I decided that since you have become a beautiful grown woman, you deserve a flute worthy of your talent. Yes, Priscilla. You and I have the same flair for the flute. You should cherish both your skill and this flute. I hope you enjoy it." Lavender said.
"...Thank you, mother!" Priscilla said. Overcome, she wrapped her arms around her mother, who laughed heartilly. "I'll do my best to become a great floutist, like you were." She gazed back at the flute. Something so precious must make wonderful sounds. She couldn't wait to try it out!
"Now then, I'll go and see if your father has salvaged tonight's dinner." Lavender said. She tenderly kissed Priscilla on the forehead, and returned to the kitchen. Priscilla couldn't help but stare at the flute. It was such an extravagant gift. The flute was something Priscilla was always very good at. Yet she never thought to follow it as a career...was it too late?
|Amara's Apartment|19:45 pm|
"So..." Zao said. "You really want to meet my grandpa tomorrow?"
"Yeah!" Amara said. "It'll be awesome. But don't you want me to meet your parents first? You hardly even talk about them!"
"Well, they're okay. But my grandpa is just so much cooler! If he liked you, that'd be the best thing ever. When I showed him your picture, he said you looked like the prettiest desert rose he ever did see." Zao said.
"Really?" Amara said. She blushed. "I'm kind of excited about meeting him now. One question - what about that guy who killed him in the other world?"
"You forgot already?" Zao said. "He's already dead over here. In fact, until I saw him I kinda forgot who he was. Still, I'll never see my grandpa in that world now."
"Cheer up. We're gonna see him tomorrow!" Amara said. "Oh, and when I'm in Glasswater, you're going to behave yourself, right? I don't want Karl leading you astray! He has some wild nights out his teammates...they never know when to quit."
"Oh, chill out. Me and Karl will be just fine! You go and enjoy this water glass, or whatever, place." Zao said. "Just wondering, do you think Personas and Shadows have ever appeared anywhere else?"
"Huh?" Amara asked. "Well, the Ater Vox haven't mentioned anything like that. And if they had shown up, it would have been all over the media. Unless it's been covered up."
"I'm just saying, if Shadows are born from the negative feelings of humanity, wouldn't there be Shadows and Personas all over the globe?" Zao asked. "Yet we've only seen them when we go into the other world."
"I've no idea. I didn't think about them being in other places." Amara said. "That's kind of a scary thought… But we should just stick to the Shadows we know. Maybe Philemon helps other people like us find a way to get rid of Shadows!"
"Yeah! That butterfly dude is the reason we can use Personas, after all! Thanks to him, we're killing Shadows every time we're over there! They won't win!" Zao said. "But anyway, I'll miss you guys, but it's only for a few days. Just don't let it all be work work work, yeah? You gotta find some time to unwind!"
"I think there's a beach there, so there's that." Amara said. Zao's face beamed, and she laughed. "Alright, tell you what. When I find this beach, I'll call you. Maybe if there's good fish there, you can come someday."
"Alright!" Zao said. "Amara, you rule!"
Amara giggled, as Zao gave her a mighty kiss. However, due to him leaning over, he fell off the couch. Good thing I cleaned up today! The two of them would spend the evening together, enjoying each other's company. Amara would miss this while she was gone...
|Kanaloa - Gregory Street|20:03 pm|
Stella popped outside her psychic parlour, and looked around. No one was in sight, which was unusual. However, she could hear some men shouting. She was clad in a new wig, a blonde one, which she had trimmed and given pink highlights. Also, she wore a striking purple lipstick.
As she made her way further down the street, she saw someone leaving their house. This was Dan Kingsley, a man she had previously met at Nathan's barbecue. However, he would have no idea who she was, considering her getup, so she kept quiet. She watched as he went over to his motorcycle, checking it out.
"Son of a bitch!" Dan said, looking aghast at the motorcycle's tyres. "Fuck. How did this happen?"
"Can I help you?" Stella asked.
"Huh?" Dan said, looking up. "Never seen you around here before. Um...sorry you heard that. I'm just kinda pissed off. I must have punctured these tyres last time I was on this baby."
"Don't worry, Dan. I know a place you can get replacements for a reasonable price." Stella said. "The number is 0156-443-45-24."
"Wait, you know my name?" Dan said. He looked at Stella's face, then he noticed something. "Hold the phone! You're Stella Cleon, aren't ya?"
"Um...I..." Stella said, embarrassed. "Yes, it's me! We met at that barbecue, remember?"
"Yeah, but we saw each other a few times before that. I mean, you work on my fucking street! Woops, I keep forgetting to mind my language when I'm talking to a lady. Sorry. What's up with your hair?" Dan said. "It looks kinda funky. In a good way. I never tried doing anything like that with mine."
"Thanks, I suppose." Stella said. "It's actually a wig. I don't want to be recognised, so I'm trying to be incognito. I presume you have a motorcycle race tonight?"
"That was the plan, until this happened." Dan said. "I guess I'll try that number, but I'm running late as it is. Shit, I hear them coming now. You better get going! You know what the guys around here are like. You don't want to get in trouble with them. Hurry up and go!"
"Alright. Take care now!" Stella said. She quickly left the scene, and heard some angry shouting from both Dan and some other bikers. From what she knew, Dan and Blaine were rather talented on their motorcycles. The other bikers must consider it dull without either of them. And she knew Blaine was out with Lucy that night, so he was out of the picture.
"I wonder if riding a motorcycle is really as exciting as it sounds?" Stella wondered. With Kanaloa's general state of iniquity, driving a fast vehicle at high speeds must be what kept most of the bikers going. Life needed excitement, after all. Whilst she was talking to Dan, she felt something odd. It was like she had spoken to him before. Not just once, but many times. She felt like she knew him well, but how?
"Of course." Stella said, in a moment of realisation. "My other self and Dan are comrades in that other world." This, however, presented another worry. She knew the Holy Cross were experiencing memories from the other world, in the form of dreams. Moreover, some of her customers had spoken of eerily specific dreams involving monsters - one man described an event that sounded exactly like the Divine Spark of Farawell Cathedral. What was going on? Stella tried and tried, but no answers presented themselves. All she knew was that the two worlds were connected, and not just from being two alternate timelines. She could only hope that nothing would come of it...
Finally, Stella arrived in front of the Solar Ray Mall. Colette asked her to come here for a girl's night out. "It's just like her to include shopping." Stella said to herself. She sat down at a nearby bench, and waited. She knew, of course, that Colette would take a while to show up. Finally, she arrived, dressed in her white and black summer clothes.
"Hey!" Colette said. "Whoa, what's with your hair?"
"I didn't want to be recognised today." Stella said. "Especially after some rather…depraved messages in my inbox."
"Oh, that guy tried it with you as well? What a creep!" Colette said. "Screw him! Tonight, we're going to have fun!"
"Hahaha…with you, I know exactly what that fun is." Stella said. "That's not the psychic abilities talking, either. I've grown to know your habits from day one."
"Well excuse me!" Colette said. "Hey, Stella…your hair looks really different from yesterday. Like, where did you have it done?"
"It's actually a wig." Stella said. "I've become something of a master of disguise, actually."
"Really? Cool!" Colette said. "Your wig looks great, but I think I can find you some better clothes to match it. Tell you what, we'll go to my place and pick some out of my wardrobe!"
"WHAT?!" Stella said, in mock indignation. "You've only got the one?!"
"Hehehe!" Colette smiled. "I do have other ways to store my outfits. Dressers, drawers, closets..."
"Of course." Stella said. "But before we have the big fun, let's have some food."
The two girls entered the mall, and to their surprise, Roger and Karen were kissing by the fountain. Colette gasped, but Stella quickly took her arm and headed for the escalator. She knew not to interrupt moments of romance. With her powers, she could tell Colette every detail of what was going on between them.
Meanwhile...
"I love our 'after work' kisses." Karen said.
"Me too." Roger said, softly staring into Karen's eyes. "Especially when they're here. That fountain is the perfect love spot."
"If only you were coming with me to Glasswater..." Karen said. "I know we already went away this year, but this place sounds perfect."
"Don't you get your knickers in a twist." Roger said. Karen looked at him funny, and he just laughed sheepishly. "I dunno where I picked that phrase up. You know I watch too many movies! Anyway, as long as you tell me what Glasswater is like, I guess I can cope without you around."
"Roger..." Karen said. "You'll be working all week. You're always working."
"Yeah, so?" Roger said. "You've got a pretty tight schedule, too. We lead busy lives. This mall's getting bigger and bigger. In fact, we're thinking about building an extension next March. That'll take time to arrange. Plus, we've got to prepare for the Christmas rush. I know that's months away, but if we don't start getting ready now, we'll lose out to all the other places."
"But don't you get tired of your job?" Karen said. "Are you really happy about what you do, day after day?"
"Sure I am." Roger said. "Look around ya. Couples here on dates, families out to celebrate birthdays, or those mascots handing out balloons. This place would just be a vacant shithole if I hadn't stepped in. I'm pretty damn proud of myself. Can't you see how happy everyone here is?"
"I can." Karen said. "It must feel wonderful, being the man who turned this place around. It's me...I just feel that my work isn't being recognised. Our magazine sales aren't that spectacular. We were doing wonderful at first, but...now, we're just an average magazine people only glance through when browsing."
"Karen." Roger said. "Listen to me. Somewhere in this city, there are people reading. They're listening to the advice you and the girls - and Juan - are giving out. If you quit now, where are they gonna get that advice?"
"Roger...I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I just don't think our magazine really teaches a message you couldn't find elsewhere." Karen said.
"Alright, then how about this? You've...had some terrible days. I know. I was right there with you during some of those." Roger said. "You wanted someone to listen to you, right? You needed somehow to help you get through the worst time of your life, and see that there was a future ahead of you. See, Karen, now you're the one helping others. It's not you depending on me anymore. Now, there are surely others who look to you for making their lives more bearable."
"Hehe..." Karen said. "Maybe you're right. You really saved me back then. We might have saved a few of our readers, too."
"I know you have. So, if you want to keep saving, you should try to love what you do." Roger said. "That includes our kisses. And the nights we spend in front of the TV, watching the finest performances in all the world."
"I love those nights. Can we do that now?" Karen said. "C'mon, there's that Fiddler on the Roof show I've been dying to see!"
"Perfect. I'll order some pizzas, then. Half Canadian bacon with pineapple, half artichoke with pesto and light on the cheese?" Roger asked.
"The heck? What kind of messed up pizza is that?" Karen exclaimed.
"I'm kidding! We'll share our favourite." Roger said. He took Karen's hand, and left the mall. Clearly, the movie reference had flown over Karen's head. But, he was having a romantic night in, so it was hardly tearing him apart.
|Nova Albion - Augustus Square|10:00 pm|
Archibald entered the area, accompanied by four Ornatu Legion soldiers. They had no idea why they were here, other than it was for important research purposes.
"Alright. Emma, Juan, Michelle, and Liam, listen to me carefully. You have a penchant for failing to remember my exact orders, and that stops here. Your task is to spread out through Nova Albion and look for anything particularly unusual. I'm expecting samples to be delivered to my department, if you can obtain any."
"Samples of what? Smoked salmon?" Emma, a green haired food enthusiast, said.
"No, you insipid little twit. Of peculiar Shadows." Archibald said. "Please, don't bring me any more of your rice balls. The last batch gave me rather bad gas for several awkward days."
Michelle giggled, amused at this mental image. Archibald, however, was not, and glared at her. The four of them stared at him, taken aback by his icy stare. When he snapped his fingers, however, they realised just how unwilling he was to laugh at his own expense. For their own safety, they evacuated from the area.
"Simple minded idiots. I wonder what they'll bring me." Archibald said.
"My my, Archibald. Aren't you a hard working fellow?"
Archibald turned around, and frowned. Nihane was present, looking as smug as ever.
"I suppose if I stayed at the headquarters to play a few games of solitaire, you'd be on my case." Archibald said. "Of course, it feels like you're on my case already."
"Relax, Archibald. I just wanted to pay you a friendly visit whilst you work!" Nihane said. "I already told the others some important information before your hasty departure. So I'm offering you the privilege of hearing it now, before you can complain about being late to the party. You should offer me some gratitude for that, surely!"
"Enough rambling. Please, Nihane, tell me what this information is." Archibald said.
"Very well." Nihane said. "I'm glad you're able to understand me. The next Divine Spark will be upon us soon. In fact, I suspect it will be around the middle of September."
"What?" Archibald said. "Why is this taking so long?!"
"Impatient, are we?" Nihane said. "Perhaps the emotions of the recent Persona users have influenced the Shadows. Perhaps even our feelings have hastened the advance of the Sparks. You know, ever since Blaine became our enemy - both of them - you seem conflicted. Do you have some fondness for that man?"
"I'll be honest with you. Blaine does bring back memories...of Timothy." Archibald said. "Both were men from Kanaloa - strong, confident men. Yet Timothy is dead..."
Nihane chuckled. "You haven't figured it out yet? I did some research before Blaine even joined our ranks. Do you want to know the names of his parents? Pauline Spencer, nee Grace, and...Timothy Spencer."
Archibald was dumbstruck. This had been completely unexpected, yet felt so obvious. "...So that's it. Blaine was that little boy of Timothy's. A sweet, energetic child, with complete adoration of both parents. He even admired me..."
"Exactly." Nihane said. "I remembered your ramblings from long ago, and it all made sense. So…the next time you face Blaine, you'll have to remember who you're fighting. Timothy Spencer's son, the child you swore to look out for."
"...Why are you telling me this?" Archibald said. "You could have told me from the very start! We could have prevented Blaine becoming a traitor!"
"Archie, Archie, Archie...don't you get it? The power of the Eternal Road is limitless. All that transpired before it will be reduced to nothingness. All of us will be allowed to rewrite the universe - and thus, each of us will be at the centre of our own world. You can play happy families with Timothy, Pauline, and Blaine all you like. Nina can have whatever the hell she likes, I don't particularly care. Josephine can be as big a slut as she wants. Pierre...I figure he holds a grudge against those who wronged him years ago. Carlos can have a relationship with the daughter he pretty much abandoned. Basically, Archibald...your cause is the only one I can sympathise with."
"I don't understand you." Archibald said. "One minute, you're badmouthing me in front of the others. The next, you're telling me I'm the only member of the Ater Vox you respect?"
"Oh, don't get me wrong, Archie. I never said I respected you." Nihane said, smiling. Archibald rolled his eyes. "I simply said that I find your motivations less pathetic than others. You'll have to be patient until your wishes come true, of course. Perhaps you'll enter combat with Blaine again. If so, remember this. You can recreate the innocent little boy he was, not keep him as the vulgar, violent man he is today. Do not let your sentiments interfere! If you do...you may not be able to see the finale."
"There's no reason to worry, Nihane." Archibald said. "Blaine is no longer the child I babysat. I will have no qualms about slaying him, if need be."
"Good, Archibald. We still have his precious Lucy, however. That will earn you his ire for sure. It's like a wolf, fighting over it's mate." Nihane said. "Such a sorry turn of events, isn't it? I suppose once you have your dream world, you can erase the memories of this forsaken planet. You won't be needing them."
"Alright. May I be alone now?" Archibald said. "I want to take a break here."
"Very well. Try not to stay too long. You never know where our enemies could be hiding." Nihane said. He disappeared, and Archibald was once again all by himself.
"Timothy...you must hate me for doing this." Archibald said. "But it'll be worth it. I'll be able to bring back our happiest days. The four of us, together again. Hey, my hair will be black again. You always said I looked good for a man of my age. I doubt you'd be saying that now, of course. As for your son...I will try not to make him suffer. At least...more than I already have."
Archibald felt something land on his head. A raindrop, to be followed by many more. Gazing at the cloudy sky, he sighed.
"I wonder, Timothy. Where would you be if you were here today? Would you be standing with me? Or against me?"
The torrential rain that followed refused to answer his question.
|Aeternus Headquarters - Exterior|10:30 pm|
This was the first time since she had arrived that Shirley had been able to see the outside of the headquarters. Beyond the main buildings and the small lab, the land was completely barren, but she could see Shadows lurking everywhere she looked. Beyond that, gigantic white metal barriers blocked off the entire area from the rest of the city.
"Well?" Carlos asked. "Do you understand now? We have not lied to you, Shirley Evens. This is the true state of our city. Even we cannot eradicate the Shadows - only confine the worst of them to our area. That is why we need the natural Persona users. Yet, the majority of them do not understand us."
"I see." Shirley said.
"So what are we doing here?" Lucy said. "This place gives me the creeps! Can't we go somewhere else?"
"Such as?" Carlos said, pointing at the barriers. "Farawell, Takanawa, Saragel, Legarte or Nova Albion...they're all the same. Nowhere is safe from the Shadows. Your duty is to become stronger, so we can truly regenerate this city's prosperity. Now then, let's start by taking on that monstrosity over there."
Monstrosity was an understatement. The Shadow was a ten feet tall ghastly being, that looked like an horrifically mangled mummy. The bandages were covered in blood, and the small parts of 'skin' that were visible were black with red glowing veins. In place of it's face was a mask, an upside down silver one. A "Hanged Man".
"Argh!" Shirley screamed. "The hell is that thing?"
"Simple. It's a Shadow that grew stronger than the hordes you see around the city. They're unique, in that no others of it's kind exist. The circumstances that led to it's creation must be rather extreme, yes?" Carlos said. "Alas, some things are better off unknown. All you need to know are it's weaknesses - Fire and Dark magic. That, Lucy, is where you come in."
"Alright." Lucy said, eyeing the Tortured Mummy. She took out her gun, and shot at it. It seemed to be completely unfazed, however. "No!"
"Fire, Lucy! Use Flame Havoc!" Carlos said. Lucy gulped, and stood there for a few seconds. The Shadow stayed perfectly still - but seemed to be facing Shirley. It started to walk towards her.
"NO" Lucy screamed. "Hands off her! Flame Havoc!"
Inanna leapt forward into the battlefield, and flung her axe, creating burning fire waves. These hit the Mummy, knocking it backwards. It writhed in pain, and blood oozed from it's bandages. Lucy gasped, and lowered her gun.
"Lucy! What are you doing?!" Carlos said. "He's down! Get him!"
Lucy was frozen to the spot. She covered her mouth with her hand, looking squeamish.
"Oh, for god's sake. I'll have to do this myself -"
The mummy got up, and turned back to Shirley. It dashed at her, and raised a bloody fist - that had some bone exposed.
"ARGH!" Lucy screamed. "Hang on! Flame Havoc -"
A burst of blue energy emanated from Shirley, sending the Mummy five feet backwards.
"What...?" Shirley said, staring at the energy around her. "Wait! This is - I know what to do!"
Carlos was amazed. He was lucky enough to find one Persona user, but he had no idea finding Lucy's friend would get him two. This was a wonderful day for him. Perhaps he wouldn't need to lift a finger after all.
"Per...so...NA!"
The aura gathered, and unleashed a mighty explosion. The being that formed was a rather tall woman, with light blue skin and red shining eyes. Her hair was long and somewhat spiky, with a dark blue hue. Her impressive height was complemented by a long black and purple gown, and her other affects included black gloves with a cobweb pattern, a necklace made of blue crystals, and a silver crown. In the woman's hand was a long black stuff, with what looked like a bat wing at the tip.
"I am thou. Thou art I. I cometh from the sea of thy heart. I am Rhiannon, and I shall inspire you to forgive even death itself."
Shirley was in shock. She had watched Lucy use this power, but never in a million years did she see herself doing this as well. However, she saw the Mummy, and...felt rage.
"DIE!" Shirley bellowed. "Mudo!"
The mummy was powerless to resist. The blast of the cursed magic consumed it's life force, and it completely collapsed into a grotesque heap of black energy. The Shadow's remains disappeared, leaving behind only tattered remains of the bandages.
"Shirley! Are you okay?" Lucy said. Shirley clutched her head, and nearly fell over. Rhiannon vanished, but her presence seemed to have attracted attention from other Shadows.
"We have to return. Even with three Persona users, the chances of surviving an army of Shadows is slim. Lucy, Shirley, be patient!" Carlos said. "Traesto!"
A flash of light occurred, and they were gone. The Shadows, confused by the disappearance of their targets, immediately retreated.
|Aeternus Headquarters - Briefing Room|10:48 pm|
"So...I can use a Persona." Shirley said. "This is amazing. Now I can keep an eye on you, Lucy."
"Yeah." Lucy said. "You and I will be unstoppable! Right, Carlos?"
"I'm sure you'll eventually grow stronger." Carlos said. "Alas, I have important news to impart. You are aware of the Divine Sparks, correct? Two remain, either in Legarte or Saragel."
"So?" Lucy said. "What are we gonna do about it?"
"Your task from today is to research both the Saragel and Legarte areas, and isolate any peculiar behaviour. Pinpoint the exact location of the Divine Spark. And if you run into any enemies...well, use your best judgment. If you can convince them to join you, go ahead, but be wary of deception. If you cannot, feel free to crush them into the ground." Carlos said.
"And after this one, there's only one left, right?" Lucy said.
"That's right. If all six occur, the Eternal Road will open, and we can finally put an end of the Shadows. There will no longer be a need to barricade our city! Everything we have been through, it has been an ordeal. Yet, it will have been well worth the wait! And you two will be able to enjoy the new age!" Carlos said.
Lucy and Shirley gulped. Something felt strange about all of this...