Note: I was planning to do a scene involving Bianca and Kazuya, but couldn't execute it to my satisfaction. At a later time, I'll work on it again and add it to this chapter. Also, I plan to go back to past chapters and write extra scenes to characterise the Lucille Valley High students better, as I've neglected them for most of the story. However, they won't have a huge impact on the main story, so reading them won't be essential.
Chapter 82: Progress
|Albion Inc - Lobby|8:48 am|
Nathan was heading for his office, ready for another stressful day. Not only did he have to deal with the paperwork and procedures of becoming CEO in place of his father, but there were still many projects that needed his attention, such as the recent development of Albion 3D Printers. When hearing of matters that would last until next year and beyond, however, he couldn't help but shiver.
After all, he was now responsible for the fate of the entire world. One mistake, and everything he knew would be utterly destroyed. The Albion clan couldn't end this way, nor would he be denied the chance to spend his days with Priscilla. Now that she was no longer working here, it felt a bit lonely. His father would be retiring in the near future as well, and thus Nathan would be running the company alone.
I'm an Albion. It's my duty to guide this company into the future. And my father trusts me to do it. But can I handle that at the same time I fight against Aeternus? Everyone else must be struggling too...but after December, we may be free from all of this. I can focus on normal problems...
He approached the elevator door, and saw someone familiar standing in front of it. It was Joe Kowalski, dressed in his blue suit. Nathan waved, but Joe did not respond. He leaned against the wall, waiting for the elevator to come down.
"...Hello." Nathan said. "I didn't expect to see you back so soon."
"I need to get back to work." Joe said, without a flicker of emotion. "After all...we need to save up for the honeymoon."
"Ah." Nathan said. "Where are you thinking about going?"
"We decided on Paris." Joe said. "It's cliché, I know, but France has always been Victoria's dream. What about you and Priscilla? Have you thought about that?"
"Well, we've discussed it a little bit, but for now we're focusing on the wedding itself." Nathan said. He was about to talk about him getting his suit ready, but then he stopped himself. The last time he had seen Joe was at a wedding, one that did not end happily. "...I heard you did a good job with the MacKenzie order. Well done."
"Thanks." Joe said. The elevator door opened, and the two of them walked in. It started to go up to the highest floor, stopping occasionally on other floors. "Nathan, is it true? Are you really going to take over from your dad?"
"Yes." Nathan said. "It probably won't be until January, though. There's a lot of work that needs to be taken care of first. Don't worry, I'm not planning on letting anyone go."
Joe let out a laugh, but it was rather flat. Finally, the doors opened to the highest floor, and both men got out.
"Nathan, I..." Joe said, lost for words. He was trembling, and could only stare at his polished shoes. Nathan turned around, and put an arm around Joe.
"Like I said, don't worry. At Albion Inc, it's our policy to support our loyal workers." Nathan said, smiling. "You're welcome here, as long as you give your best for us."
"And not so long ago, you were complaining about how lazy I was." Joe said, managing a smile now. "...I'm glad you were there. You really helped. It's been hard, dealing with everything, but...this company has given me hope. Thank you."
"Don't mention it." Nathan said. "If you and Victoria get a chance, how would you like to come to our house for dinner this week? Trust me, she's a fabulous cook. And I can make a great tiramisu cake!"
"If that's okay with her, then yes!" Joe said. He and Nathan shook hands, just as Reginald walked up from the stairs. "Oh, good morning, Mr Albion! I see you're taking the healthy option?"
"Naturally. I have to prove to you young bucks I'm not decrepit yet." Reginald said, hands on hips. "Good to have you back, Joseph." He reached into his briefcase, and pulled out a small leather box, with the Albion logo inscribed on it.
"Dad, is that...?"
"We don't get many chances to give these out. When I got married, my own father gave me one just like this. I still use it to sign everything." Reginald said. He opened it, and revealed an intricate black ball-point pen. "Joe, this is from us at Albion Inc. Take it, lad."
"Is this...really for me?" Joe asked, astonished. Reginald nodded. "...Thank you very much! Well then, I must get to work!" He left for his desk, and Nathan watched, pleased.
"Why a pen, dad?" Nathan asked.
"Simple, son. So many things in life have you signing your own name. That pen my dad gave me? I used that to sign your birth certificate." Reginald said. "You're going to have to hold your horses before you get yours, son. Now then, to my office! We have a lot of work to look through!"
Nathan followed his father into the CEO office, to continue the transition from honourable father to loyal son.
|Real People Offices|11:54 am|
Amara finished the inking on another drawing for the front cover, and smiled. Finally, after these past troubled weeks, her skill was starting to show again. For the past couple of weeks, she kept finding faults in her work and discarding 'failed' drawings, but today she could approve of it, instead of picking out the 'least awful'.
"Hey Colette! Where are we going after this?" Juan asked, hovering over her desk.
"Let's go to Riqueza. There's some nice earrings in there!" Colette said. "Oh, and I suppose we can eat something as well."
"What's this? Are you two mixing business and pleasure?" Sheila teased. "Naughty..."
"What can I say?" Juan said. "Colette is the bomb! The sunrise of my tequila!"
"...She's grenadine?" Lucy said, confused. Amara chuckled to herself, but deep down pitied Juan. He might be expected to buy a lot of wearable gifts for Colette, or perhaps take her across the world so she could embrace new fashions.
Still, Amara felt pleased for them. They had been getting closer and closer from the moment they had started to work here, whereas Sheila managed to resist his advances at every turn. Zao would have been delighted to hear the news, she thought.
Then it hit her. That night out with him and all her friends was the only time he got to meet all of them. He might have heard a lot about the Real People team from her, and had fought alongside Karen and Seraphina plenty, but it was the only chance he had to just get down and party with them.
"Amara?"
She looked up, and noticed Stella sitting by her side, looking worried.
"I'm sorry...I just got thinking about -"
"I had a feeling you would." Stella said. "That's my own intuition I'm talking about. Today, you've finally grown fond of your artwork again...but his absence is still felt. Even just by texting or calling him, it felt like he was lighting up the room."
Amara nodded, her eyes welling up. Almost immediately, however, she felt something being pressed onto her hand - a tarot card. The Sun.
"Do you remember, Amara?" Stella asked. "This card embodies you the most. Optimism for the future. Unbridled positive feelings. Radiance that shines upon you and everything in your path. And most of all, the ability to expand your life into something greater."
"Okay..." Amara said, staring at it. "I've always loved painting sunny scenes. Even better, sunsets. So many gorgeous colours across the night sky. But now I think I understand. Feeling the light of the sun is proof that I'm alive. And I can do anything I set my mind to."
"Exactly. But of course, the sun's rays can be clouded over, and...we both know what has happened." Stella said, sadly. "Your light grew dim, and you could no longer see a future worth fighting for. The radiance of your heart was blanketed by sorrow. Yet despite all that has happened, your light has started to flicker again. There is still room to expand, for your heart and your dreams."
Amara tried to focus on all of this. Stella had always had unusual prose when it came to fortune telling - like with the very first reading she received, the one that set her down this course. Despite the ferocious battles she had endured, the sorrow and melancholy of the other city, the loss of her father and honorary uncle, and being torn away from the one most important to her...she didn't regret that reading. It had lead to good things as well.
The other me had suffered so much before we met. She was stuck in that world all by herself, unable to go home, no family to help her out, and wanted by Aeternus. She got through it too. Even...after losing her family, she stayed strong. She's still fighting. And so is everyone else. We're all moving closer to victory, after all.
"Now I get it. I really am The Sun. I'm never giving up, just like with everything else in life." Amara said, smiling. "Stella, I can do it. I'll save both universes! Nihane's selfish dreams will never come true. I'll cut him to pieces if he tries to stop me!"
"And my other self will gladly aid you in that endeavour." Stella said. "Now then, after work, how about we go out to dinner? I'll treat you to something good."
"That sounds perfect! But actually, I should be treating you. And thanks to a certain someone, I know plenty of places for us to go!" Amara said. She continued her work, but kept the card by her side. From this day forward, it would be her muse.
|Saragel - Garden of Eden|13:30 pm|
Richard had arrived here early, for a lunch with Karl. The latter had been very busy recently at nights, and also had to cope with the death of his best friend, Zao. Richard had only met Zao a handful of times, but found his joking, playful nature rather contagious. Not only that, but it felt as if Zao knew Richard rather well, from the way he knew the punch line to all of his jokes. So to hear of his demise was rather sobering.
"Your friend will get better, I'm sure of it." Richard's mother Anne said as she set the table. "If he's finding it hard to cope, he really shouldn't stress himself out with training."
"It's fine. Karl lives and dies by the beautiful game. He's got what it takes to go far, even after something like this. I wish I could be like that..."
"What's this, lad?" Owen - Richard's dad - asked. "You've done the team proud! Just think, if you and Karl didn't have such great synergy, Lyeds would be in big trouble!"
"Thanks, Dad..." Richard said. "Hey, I was just thinking...do you guys know anybody called 'Vivaldi'?"
"Hmm?" Anne asked. "Well, there's the composer, of course - but we're not that old! I've only got three grey hairs!"
"Three hundred, you mean!" Owen teased, prompting Anne to lightly smack him with a coaster. "Oh, that's it! When we bought the lease to this place, it was a couple called Vivaldi that owned it before us!"
"Really?" Richard asked, pondering this. Ever since Keisha had revealed her surname, he had a strange feeling he knew it from somewhere - personal to him, not from a boring music lesson. So could Keisha be related to the former owners? It wasn't beyond the realm of possibility. "Uh...well, did they have a daughter called Keisha?"
"There was a daughter, I remember that now! She was crying quite a bit, actually. Before we came along, this place wasn't doing so great! It was fine for a while, but eventually people just stopped coming. Shame for them, but...well, look where it lead us! Your friend Alastair's sung our praises plenty of times!" Anne said.
"What is this all about, son?" Owen asked. "You had a run in with this Keisha girl?"
"It's nothing serious." Richard said, feeling numb. "I just...met her one day, and she told me her name. Brought back a lot of memories."
"If you're sure, but don't be afraid to speak up. You're still our boy, no matter how famous you get." Owen said. Eventually, Karl entered the restaurant, and after some polite chit-chat with the Eden couple, he joined Richard's table.
"Hey, what's up? You're looking unusually contemplative!" Karl said, with a light smile.
"Since when did you use big words like that?" Richard asked, his trail of thought broken.
"Probably picked it up from a friend." Karl said. "So you ready for a scrimmage? I'm warning you, I'm feelin' on fire today!"
"Just you wait, man! One plate of my mum's lasagne, and I'll wipe the floor with ya!" Richard jeered. The two enjoyed their lunch, yet somewhere in his mind, the face of Keisha lingered. For some reason, he had images of her face in many expressions...but he couldn't recall seeing them before.
Is this like the past life thing Stella told me about? Why do I feel so sad about this? Is Keisha still mad about her parents having to sell the restaurant? Or is it something else?
|Saragel - Aquamarine Lodge|16:30 pm|
This hotel had been in a state of flux over the years, but for the last four years had been the Aquamarine Lodge. It was a cheap hotel for travellers, and was located somewhat in the heart of Saragel, offering beautiful views of the coastline and therefore the ocean. Today, the hotel's outdoor café had an amateur music show, to bring in customers during the TR Festival. Shirley was here today, to perform some of her favourite songs.
Sitting in the row of chairs on the stage, she had a look at the audience. In the middle, she noticed a young Japanese girl with brunette hair in pigtails, wearing an orange flowery dress, and right next to her was a silver-haired boy in a grey shirt. She could have sworn she had seen her face before - perhaps from looking through the TR Festival guide. Over the audience chatter she heard them talking, albeit in Japanese. She could make out them saying 'Cuiling', but that was about it.
Yet when she looked further to the right, she saw someone she knew for sure - Dan, wearing a smart navy shirt. When their eyes met, he momentarily panicked, but smiled.
He wanted to hear me sing? I'm good at the piano, I know that, but I've never really sung in public until now. And I thought he wasn't interested, anyway. So why is he here now!
"Ladies and gentlemen!" The hotel manager said over the microphone. "Even in late October, the sky is blue and so is our pool! It's never too cold to take a dip! But before you do, let's give it up for our upcoming artists! To start with, I'd like to introduce the mysterious Shirley Evens! This is her first show, but I hope it's not gonna be her last! Knock 'em dead, sweetheart!"
Shirley hesitated, but stood up, and with sweat pouring down her neck, she grabbed the microphone. "Um...h-hi, everyone! It's great to be on the stage! Who would have thought it? I'm the only one here whose hair matches the sea!" There was some awkward laughter among the crowd, and quite a few raised eyebrows. Dan, however, just smiled, watching closely. No...I won't embarrass myself. Not in front of my friends. I'm here to sing, and I refuse to hit a bum note! Let's go! "Anyway, my name's Shirley, and I'm a pianist from Legarte. So this is a bit of a departure for me, so...be nice, okay? Right, here I go!"
If only you were here, Lucy...no, I can't rely on her. I'm never scared to try anything new!
The music started to play, and soon, Shirley began to sing a song she had discovered online several months ago. It had resonated with her, and now she was ready to belt it out.
Take your life, take it in your hands
Starting from today it's all yours
Bring the sunshine down, blow the clouds away
The world is what you want, starting from today
You can do it if you try, I'll leave it up to you
It'll bring you brand new life - a brand new life
Make you feel like you've achieved something you can call your own
I'm here to show you that you're not alone, oh
You can go where you want to go
Be who you want to be
Change the way you live - change the way you live
You can go where you want to go
Be who you want to be
Be confident, think positive
When the song was over, she gasped. The audience, although not ecstatic, were clapping rather happily. It was a decent first attempt, it seemed. Dan was cheering her on, and seemed eager for more. It seemed so strange to see him again - last time, he turned her down.
I know he's quite a bit older than me, but Lucy's so happy with Blaine, and...I feel like we're on the same wavelength, when we talk. He doesn't treat me like I'm immature, or beneath him. And now he's willing to hear me sing some songs he probably wouldn't dare to put on his record shelf.
"T-Thank you, everyone!" Shirley said, happily. She blushed, and she could have sworn Dan's face was turning red too. However, him being there seemed to soothe her. There was at least one person in the audience who cared to hear her voice, so she was going to continue.
The other two songs she sang, Underneath Your Clothes and Thank U seemed to go down even better, as did her confidence. She couldn't believe it. After her anxiety earlier, she thought she'd completely fail, but now she had managed to win them over. And she had managed to hold high notes, something she often struggled with.
The show continued, and some talented performers managed to wow the crowd just as she had, perhaps even more. Shirley particularly enjoyed one girl's rendition of Feel Like A Woman, tapping her feet to the rhythm.
"Alright, thanks for coming, ladies! But remember, if you want to see these ladies sing again, you've only got a few more days!" The manager said. "So check the festival guide, and you might just get to hear them all over again!"
Shirley and the others started to make their way to the exit, but just as she reached it, she saw Dan standing there, looking nervous. He looked into her eyes, and as she stared at him, she noticed how much he was blushing.
"Thanks for listening to me today. It really helped." Shirley said.
"Hey...no problem." Dan said. "I...wasn't sure if you'd want me there. I wasn't so tactful last time, was I?"
"You're here now, so stop worrying." Shirley said. "You know, you look a bit more handsome when you don't have your hair so short." Dan gulped, but let out a small laugh.
"Oh, really? I think I'll keep it like this for a while. It goes better with this baby down here!" He said, pointing to his goatee.
"Well, maybe a little bit..." Shirley said, giggling. "Um, if you have time, can we go for a walk? The promenade's still nice at this time of year."
"Not a bad idea!" Dan said cheerfully. However, he seemed to be nervous again - perhaps worried about being over-enthusiastic. Shirley and Dan left the area, towards the sunset at the promenade.
|Promenade|17:14 pm|
"You weren't kidding." Dan said, stretching his arms. "This is the best sunset I've ever seen!"
"Isn't it?" Shirley said. "No matter where I go, there's never been a beach prettier than this."
"You say that, but this beach is right next to Kanaloa's." Dan said, pointing to the much less pristine stretch to the far right.
"It can't be all that bad, Kanaloa." Shirley said. "After all, people like you and Blaine grew up there. And that owner of the mall was born there as well! So there must be something good about it."
"Well..." Dan said, thinking deeply. "Shirley, I need to tell you why I turned you down."
"What? That doesn't matter now -"
"No, it does. It's time I was honest about myself." Dan said. "I used to have a brother, twelve years younger than me. Matthew, his name was. He was always an adorable hyperactive little kid, and looking after him was a full-time job. Then our parents died, and so I had to become his guardian."
"Really? How old were you then?" Shirley asked, stunned.
"About your age. He was only ten at the time." Dan said. "We were always tight, me and him, and when Blaine came to live with us, we all pretty much became brothers. But when my parents died, Matthew couldn't take it. I tried to be stricter with him, like my dad was, but it never worked. Matthew hated the fact that I wasn't just his older brother anymore. So he ran away after I tried to ground him for breaking a window."
Shirley was quiet, but as she listened, she felt both pain and regret seeping from Dan's baritone voice. She had never known what it was like to have a brother or sister, although perhaps Lucy was close enough.
"I went out of my mind, running all over the place, screaming for him. Got pretty out of hand...I even ended up punching a lot of people that time. Then I got a call - Matthew was at Clairdol, crying his heart out. So immediately, I grab the motorbike, and before I know it, I'm at the mayor's house, and he's rushing at me, blubbing away. He just kept saying he was sorry, so...I just picked him up and hugged the hell out of him. All that mattered was that he was safe, and we could go home together, maybe try and sort things out. Thing is, Shirley...I wasn't just scared about losing him. I was terrified that without him, I wouldn't have anything left to live for."
"...I'm sorry." Shirley said. Then, she gulped. "Well, I mean...you did say you had a brother, so-"
"Yeah. Two years ago...we had a fight. He wanted to go abroad to train to be a cop, and I told him now. Guess what, I was scared about losing him all over again. He wasn't as tough as me or Blaine, and the thought of him trying to fight crime in the States...it just was too much. So after one hell of a fight, he runs off crying, and I sit at home still pissed off." Dan said. Now, he was choking up, his eyes welling up, and his voice was trembling. "...There was a call from the hospital later that day. I had to get there immediately. When I did...I saw him on that bed, and his heart wasn't beating anymore. I had to hear the doctor announce the time of death...16:49."
There was utter silence, and now even Shirley was tearful. To have heard such painful stories about him, a man she imagined was a cheerful, happy guy, was heartbreaking. That level of pain was something she might not understand, but just listening to Dan's voice gave her an idea.
"Ever since then...life just felt meaningless. There wasn't any point trying to make anything better, like go back to school, get a new job, or try and find a girlfriend. Because Matthew wasn't there to see it anymore. But you know..." Dan said, gazing into Shirley's eyes. "I think I feel better now. Me and an old friend of Matthew finally went to see his grave, and when I did, I finally made peace with him. It'll never stop hurting, I know that, but I want to get past my old way of thinking. I want to make my future worthwhile."
"It will be." Shirley said. "And do you know why? Because...you're not alone. There's plenty of people that will celebrate your success, and console you over failure. Blaine, and all your biker friends. And...well, maybe me too?"
"..I'd like that." Dan said, finally managing to smile. "You were the first lady in a long time I started to care about, you know. When you played our piano, I think I knew how I felt about you. Before, I never really cared about music, but when I heard you play, I could hear your feelings come right out."
"Music is a powerful language." Shirley said, grinning. "It's understood by the whole world. Someday, there will be a song that all of us can sing together. ...Okay, that was a bit corny, wasn't it?"
"Maybe, but it's a nice thought." Dan said. "...Um, if it's okay with you, would you like to go out sometime? Maybe Friday?"
"Sure." Shirley said. They quickly exchanged phone numbers, and smiled. "...Let's not get out of here just yet. I thought this was supposed to be a walk?"
"Oh, right!" Dan said, laughing. "Don't worry, Shirley, if we ever come here again, I'll try to keep the crying down!"
|Solar Ray Mall - Roger's Office|18:25 pm|
Ordinarily, this would have been quite the dull office, considering the grey blue carpet and the panel ceiling, as well as the typical fan. However, Roger had made some efforts to personalise the place, such as a selection of Les Miserables mugs, the theatre posters he had placed on the walls (although mainly to cover stains or marks on the wall), and an intricate remote-control LED system built using an Arduino.
Of course, the main reason he did all this was because he was here so often, hard at work. He was well aware that transforming a run-down shopping mall into the jewel of commerce in this city would require commitment and intense planning, yet at the time that bothered him none. After all, he had resigned himself to eternal bachelorhood, without any hope of reuniting with Karen. Now, though, they had finally managed to reunite, but finding the time to spend together was always a hassle.
Finally, though, Roger could go home today. Finally, Karen had moved all her things into his home, and the two of them had gone to great lengths to make it more presentable. At least she understood what his working hours were like - after all, she was a magazine editor. Yet there would always be twinges of guilt, for all the time he was spending here, he could be with her, listening to her worries.
Or perhaps...I want someone to hear mine.
Soon after he left his office, he realised something. He was free for this weekend, and so could arrange one evening with Karen, and another with the guys. Looking through his contacts, he saw Blaine's number, and rang it.
"Yo, what's hanging?" Blaine said.
"Oh, the usual. Still working my butt off." Roger said, discussing his day. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Keisha, who seemed distant and troubled. In his heart, he felt a strange sensation - an urge to help her with her problem, whatever it was. As if to make up for something he had done. But in his mind, he knew he had done nothing whatsoever to provoke Keisha's wrath. And they were hardly close friends, despite sharing a love for the theatre. It was hardly his place to intervene. "Sorry to go on, but the point is, this weekend I wanna get out and have a pint or two! How about it, you down for that?"
"Sure! It's been a little while since I partied down!" Blaine said. There was momentary quiet, however, as he heard Blaine whispering aside to someone else, who said something to the tune of 'it was a few weeks ago'. "Uh...maybe not that long. But if you wanna party, I'm game! I might be able to get Dan and Kaman on board, too!"
"Sounds great!" Roger said. "Right, then I'd better off home. You take it easy, kid." They both hung up, and Roger laughed. Some time ago now, Roger became aware of Dan and Blaine through school. Mostly involving girls they were after, or punks that were after their blood. Nothing seemed to get them down, though, but Roger kept his distance from men like him. Having to put on a show of toughness, when he was after a more civilised, quiet life, was agonising.
One day in the Black Lion, Roger was enjoying a quick pint before he went home, when some hooligans from a rather violent gang started to take issue with him being there. He lacked both the strength and the words to save his skin, but shortly after they began their brawl, two young bikers stormed in and set the rivals straight. Those were Blaine and Dan, the same 'knuckleheads' he knew from school.
As they drank into the night, he found himself free to talk about what he loved most, and while they drunk him under the table, they were actually listening. So after he came back from Uni, he decided he may as well meet up with them every now and then, to pay them back for not casting him aside for being a 'sissy'.
"Where does all the time go?" Roger said to himself, walking outside to his car. As he got in front of the wheel, he smiled. For both him and his friends, they had grown wiser over the years. Yet there was still always time for a few drinks, and of course, they could try and hide how many from their better halves.
What do you know? I thought I was turning my back on that place, but I guess I'm a Kanaloa boy forever. And maybe, just maybe, that's something to be proud of.
Meanwhile
Alastair wandered through the halls of Solar Ray Mall, perusing the various shops. He needed some coriander for the meal he was making for Miranda, and this place had a fantastic spice shop. At the counter, he got talking with the salesperson Aisha, who had become familiar with Alastair since the store opened.
"The very finest, this bottle is!" Aisha said, almost religiously holding up the jar. "A fine meal shall be made from this, that I can sense! And a fine profit shall be made, as well!"
"Of course." Alastair said. "But if I'm going to make a meal, I certainly need the very best of ingredients! So here I am!"
"I hope this girlfriend of yours appreciate the effort you put into your meal. Just how much of your apartment is taken up by miscellaneous cooking appliances? There's a cupcake maker in the shop below us, actually..." Aisha said.
"Oh, I don't go that far. Although truth be told, Bake Off has inspired me..."Alastair said, grinning. Since there was no queue, and the handful of other customers were still browsing the shelves, he decided to hang around and talk for a while. "You've been to the Garden of Eden, haven't you?"
"...Alastair, I'm about as Hindu as I can get." Aisha said, gesturing at her rather Indian clothing. "Wait. Are you talking about that restaurant in Saragel?"
"Yes, of course!" Alastair said, laughing awkwardly.
"Yes I have. My father and I dined there one evening, and it was heavenly!" Aisha said, smiling. "So many wonderful smells, and that's from someone who works here! We had a wonderful antipasto, linguini, and even pineapple strudel! My father was so disillusioned with eating out after the last time, but after that, he's already keen to go back."
After exchanging some more gossip, Alastair said farewell to Aisha, only to see a familiar girl standing nearby. Somehow, her name immediately came to mind - Keisha. And it felt odd for her to not be wearing a hat. Why, though? He didn't think he had seen her with one on. Lately, he had been feeling strange nostalgic vibes from all sorts of things, such as screams in horror films or particular places sending shivers down his spine. To his relief, however, one memory in his mind seemed normal - the time he was with his friends in front of his mall, and Keisha was there.
"Everyone seems to love the Garden of Eden, don't they?" Keisha asked. Alastair blinked, but simply nodded. "Lucky them. They're packed every weekend, they've got you writing rave reviews, and their son's bound for world fame. They must be living the dream, right? If only they didn't have to destroy someone else's."
"...What?" Alastair asked. Keisha shook her head, and ran past him, her eyes tearing up. While he didn't know the whole story, he at least knew one thing. Before the Garden of Eden, another restaurant occupied that space, and Keisha had some sort of attachment to it.
Perhaps Richard is better off without her. Whatever his parents did to become successful, he's worked hard to get on that team. Someone as bitter as her is no good for him at all. If she could just get beyond that, she could be so much happier.
With that encounter over, he left for his home, thinking about how to write his review.
|Legarte - Canongate Lane|19:35 pm|
Serena and Kyle, alongside many other Lucille Valley High students, were at Catherine's host family's house, in the south-western part of Legarte. It was a spacious semi-detached, with a faux Victorian style. Apparently, the host family were taking a short vacation to visit family in Belgium, so Catherine had the place all to herself.
Everyone was in the main lounge, admiring the ornaments placed delicately around the room. There were plush recliners, a wall-mounted TV, photographs of the host family, and what appeared to be bowling trophies. What Serena noticed, however, was a photograph of Catherine.
"This place is rather nice." Adam said. "Is your home in America like this?"
"Not really. My parents can't be assed to get the decorators round." Catherine said. "The air's so much cleaner around here, so...yeah, coming here was a nice treat."
"Still, you must get homesick." Steven said.
"Of course!" Catherine said. "I used to like cheerleading, so I was pretty bummed to learn they don't bother with that here. And nothing beats my mom's cooking. At least I don't have to deal with my brother's psycho girlfriend, though. I swear, she will find any excuse to accuse him of cheating..."
"So Kyle, you keeping up with your fitness?" Lucas asked. "You don't look so weedy anymore!"
"Um...thanks?" Kyle said.
"Well you have to admit, you were pretty skinny..." Serena pointed out.
"Oh. Well, then I'll take that as a compliment." Kyle said. "I used to only bother training my mind, because my body wasn't up to much. Guess you proved me wrong, Lucas."
"Hey, you've been a great help for me too. You've made Maths seem kind of cool!" Lucas said. "Ms Swindon is such a pain, though. The other day, she chewed me out just for laughing in class. It's not my fault she sounds like The Terminator."
"She even looks like him!" Serena said, giggling. "Why do we have so many weird teachers?"
"Lucille Valley is the Uncanny Valley." Catherine said. "My old school was really boring. Nothing ever happened, just the same old crap. Thank god I came all the way over here...there's always something weird going on. Like that time Steven almost blew up the chemistry classroom."
"You're never going to let me forget that, are you?" Steven said, sighing. "At least I didn't empty a bottle of coke into Louise's gym bag...three times."
"That was an accident! I swear, all three times!" Catherine said, embarrassed. "But she deserved it anyway! She's the one who stole my concert tickets! And my earrings! She copies me in tests, too...good thing I tricked her into writing all the wrong answers."
"Wow." Lucas said. "I'm glad we're friends now..."
"Same." Steven said, timidly. "Catherine, when do you go back to the US?"
"Can't wait to get rid of me, huh?" She replied. He shook his head, stammering, whilst his face turned red. "I'm kidding! I'll be here until the end of this school year. After that...who knows, I might be back someday."
"Oh, good!" Steven said. "I'd - we'd miss you."
Subtle, Steven.
"I'd miss all of you as well! Except Louise, of course." Catherine said. "Coming to this city was probably the best idea I've ever had. After all, I got to meet -"
Just then, the doorbell rang, and everyone looked to the door in surprise.
"I thought you only invited us?" Steven asked.
"Only you from school. I have friends aside from you in this city, silly!" Catherine said, rushing to the door. She opened it, and grinned. "Ah, Julia, come on in!"
"Gracias." A girl said. She stepped into the lounge, nervously. The most striking feature of her was her vivid green hair - but her face looked familiar. Not to mention her skin's tanned colour. "Hi, everyone. My name is Julia Alcantara."
"Hey there!" Lucas said, eagerly shaking her hand. "Catherine didn't tell us about you! Where have you been hiding?"
"She goes to Pure Heart Academy. An exchange student, like me." Catherine said. Pure Heart Academy, often just called PHA, was a school in Farawell. While it had a rather corny name, it was a respected high school, often competing with Lucille Valley in sports and other contests. "We met at the airport. The first friend I made here!"
"Yes, Catherine has been very kind." Julia said. "It's been wonderful living in this city. Although it's much colder than Barcelona, especially at this time of year. I might get to see snow!"
"Here, Julia, take a seat. I'll get everyone more snacks, but Kyle and Serena will keep you company!" Catherine said, running to the kitchen.
"Hi there." Serena said, shaking Julia's hand. "So, what brings you to this city?"
"I wanted to see new places. And this city sounded so fascinating. Someone used to tell me all about it when I was little. My mother wouldn't let me go, at first. Personal reasons." Julia said.
Personal reasons? I wonder what that means? I guess it's none of my business. I hope her and her mum have made up, though...
"It's a shame you don't go to our school. We've got the best computer lab in the city!" Kyle said, proudly.
"Oh?" Julia said. "Well, we've got the bigger library. And a bigger auditorium!"
"Oh yeah?" Lucas said. "Have they got someone as fast as me?"
"Well, David went out with five of the girls in Home Economics last week -"
"He...meant it in the traditional sense." Serena said, cringing. What goes on in Pure Heart? "He's a runner."
"Oh! Then you must be Leaping Lucas!" Julia said, in awe. "I write for our school paper, so I do research on the competition sometimes. Your name's come up many times. We've got our work cut out for us, haven't we?"
"Well, I don't mind a challenge." Lucas said. "Pure Heart's our biggest rival in the city. Some of my friends go there! Like this guy called Derek, he's got good speed..."
As Lucas and Julia discussed the school, Serena and Kyle looked at each other, and smiled. It felt good to be part of a big group like this, instead of off in their own corner. They listened closely, and grinned at Lucas' enthusiasm. It seemed like Steven, he wasn't particularly subtle.
"Oh, and Serena here's Head Girl." Lucas said. "We've been working hard to keep a high standard! Isn't that right?"
"Oh, yes!" Serena said, forcing a smile. "It's been tough, especially with how hard our exams are. Makes it harder to play my games."
"I understand that. I haven't had a chance to play Xenoblade Chronicles since this term started." Julia said.
"No way! I love Xenoblade!" Serena said, happily. "Especially Riki!"
Julia smiled, and now seemed relaxed. "I trust you're not going to spoil anything for me, are you?"
"Wouldn't dream of it." Serena said. "I accidentally spoiled some of Neon Genesis Evangelion for Kyle, and...he didn't take it well."
"I'm not surprised. Even without spoilers, that was pretty incomprehensible. And don't get me started on Kaworu." Julia said. Lucas blinked, stunned, while Serena and Kyle grinned. Soon, the three were happily chatting about their favourite works, whether they were video games, anime/manga, or other shows. Even Lucas seemed to share some interests with Julia, particularly The Avengers.
"You look like you're having fun!" Catherine said, setting the table with some almond biscuits.
"Yup. Good to see the nerds come closer." Lucas teased. Julia frowned at him, and he gulped. "Um, I didn't mean any offence! You're still cool!"
"Don't mind him, Julia. I have to put him with him every day at school." Serena said, smirking. "It's a shame you're at Pure Heart, really. You'd fit right in with us!"
"I wonder..." Julia said. "As long as I'm in this city, however, we can always meet again. Right?"
"Oh, definitely!" Serena said.
"You sure about that?" Lucas said, with a sly grin. "You might end up fighting over Kyle!"
"Um..." Kyle mumbled. "That was a joke, right?"
"Of course it was." Serena said bitterly. "I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship!"
"As do I!" Julia said, happily.
The party continued. Everybody was chatting and laughing, whilst a long play list of Catherine's favourite music started to play over the stereo system. Since Catherine hated alcohol, there was little danger of this night turning into a drunken affair, which would have bored Blaine in his youth, but suited Serena just fine.
"So yeah, I really want to study Software Engineering after school. I just started doing Ruby on Rails, so I'm looking forward to it." Kyle said. "What about you?"
"Me? I want to be a journalist!" Julia said, smiling. "Either that, or a psychologist. I keep my options open."
"You'll do fine at both, I bet. You seem like a genius!" Lucas said, grinning. "Me, though, I'm only good at sports. So I'll probably end up a gym teacher or something."
"Yeah right!" Serena said, nudging him. "You were just talking about competing in Rio 2016!"
"Well...it could happen!" Lucas said, blushing. "But you never know, do you?"
"If you think you have a chance, go for it. It's a good goal to aim for." Julia said, drinking from her Pepsi. "Anyway, what about you, Serena?"
"I love writing, especially short stories." Serena said. "So what I'd really like to do is write a proper novel. I've...had a lot of inspiration lately. I think I can pull it off!"
The night went on, and Adam left early. Apparently, he had homework to do, but it was obvious he wasn't enjoying himself. Hardly anybody wanted to talk to him, and Catherine had completely spurned him, instead socialising with everybody else. Eventually, it was 11 o'clock, and most of the guests were getting tired.
"I'd better get going. I have to be at school early tomorrow. You will keep in touch, won't you?" Julia asked.
"Sure we will!" Kyle said. "Until then, take care!"
"You too. It was very nice meeting you, Kyle, Same for you, Serena." Julia said. "Good luck with your classes!"
"Thanks!" Serena replied. As Julia headed out the front door, Serena felt more and more suspicious about Julia. Sure, she was a nice enough girl, but she just felt too familiar. Why, though?
She checked her phone, and saw a message from Karl - containing a picture of him and a cute toy poodle he had come across in the park. And then it hit her.
Karl...Carlos...That's it! Julia Alcantara...is Carlos' daughter!
"Crap, I didn't get her number!" Lucas said. "I've lost two beauties in one night!"
"What do you mean two?" Kyle asked. "...Catherine?"
"Yeah! Mark my words, she's going to end up with Steven." Lucas said, dejected. "At least it's not Adam, but..."
Serena tried to listen to Lucas' melodrama, but her mind just kept going back to Carlos. It was bad enough fighting Nina, her own sister. Now she had to fight the father of her new friend.
The other world really is an awful place. We have to save it, and fast!
|Motus Lounge|20:43 pm|
Tonight, Blaine wasn't working, but instead sitting at the bar with Lucy, enjoying several drinks. Wednesday was often quiet, so it allowed for a more quiet, romantic setting. As usual, Blaine liked to look smart for his dates, so had a new red shirt on. Lucy was wearing the purple coat she had received from him last weekend, and was still admiring how it looked on her.
"What did I tell ya? I can pick out good gifts!" Blaine said, smiling. "Gotta say, it looks gorgeous on ya. Hehe..." He leaned in close, and pecked her quickly on the lips.
"I never had you down as the gift-giving type." Lucy said. "There was that time you gave me flowers, but...we quickly put a stop to that!"
"Good thinking, really. Means I have more cash for stuff you really want." Blaine said. "How about a Rolex?"
"Stop it! Blaine, the last thing I want is for you to bankrupt yourself in the name of love!" Lucy said, shaking her head. "Just promise me we'll have more nights like these, and I'll be happy."
"Sounds fine to me. Only problem is, most nights I'm behind the bar. But you'll get a discount anytime!" Blaine said, with a twinkle in his eye.
"Like hell she will!" Kaman said, reaching for a bottle of Bacardi. "We don't give discounts just because they're pretty ladies!"
"Bullshit. You let your wife have a glass of red wine for half off!" Blaine said. "Fourteen times, I've been counting! And including the nights I'm not here, seventeen!"
"How about a free round if you don't bring that up again?" Kaman said, embarrassed. The happy couple laughed, and gave each other a high five.
"Now I call that a success!" Lucy said, clinking her glass with Blaine. Suddenly, she looked sad. "Um...there's something you need to know."
"...What?" Blaine asked, concerned. He put aside his beer, and listened in closely.
"It's about my cousin..." Lucy said. "He's getting married, remember? He said if I was going to the wedding, you weren't welcome. So I told him I wasn't gonna be there. But..."
"Edmond was an ass, no doubt about that. I went out of my way to cook him that meal, and he never stuck around to try it. Completely dissed me and poor Shirley. Don't tell me you still want to go..."
"I can't help it...he's my cousin." Lucy said, anxiously. "The rest of my family are going, and they'll all be talking about why I'm not there. But...Edmond's the one guy in my family I really trusted, maybe more than my dad. So...I want to go see him. I need a chance to speak to him, one on one."
Blaine was quiet, as his mind went back to that irritating man that had callously rejected his own cousin. He was his partner's family, but couldn't even stick around to catch up with Lucy. How could Blaine forgive him for that?
However...he understood one thing. Lucy had her family, and despite everything, she wanted to remain close to him. Blaine's parents had been gone for a long time, and the only person around he could really call family was Dan. If he could just have one moment with his mum and dad, to show them how he had turned out, he would take it. But he didn't have that chance anymore.
"You know what? You go for it." Blaine said. He took her in his arms, and pulled her in for a tight embrace. "You still got family...so you do whatever it takes to get along with 'em, okay?"
"...I will!" Lucy said, wiping her eyes. "While Edmond and the rest of my family are still around, I don't want to fall out with them, not again. Okay, then...would you mind seeing me off at the airport? The flight's on Saturday at 12 in the afternoon."
Blaine nodded. "Maybe one day, we can go visit your folks together. Wonder if I'd have more luck with them? I'll probably have to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner to please them!"
"Oh, leave them to me. You've given me plenty of things to compliment. I think I can paint a good picture of you, easily!" Lucy said, smiling. "Just as long as you don't invite my dad out for a beer, though. He's teetotal."
"I've got my work cut out for me, then!" Blaine said. They laughed, and continued small talk over Lucy's family, such as her mother Valerie's collection of Barry Manilow records, and her father Stanley's failed acting career. When Lucy had to go to the bathroom, however, Kaman came over, looking serious.
"You two really are getting close." Kaman said. "I'd say you're both lucky to have each other."
"Thanks, bro." Blaine said. "You know something? It was in The Mole that we first met! I guess I have you to thank."
Kaman gulped, and scratched his hair. He took a deep breath, and turned to Blaine, who now looked afraid. Had he said the wrong thing?
"It's not like I own that place anymore. You can thank the cocky little shit who's running that place into the ground. At least he brought you two together." Kaman said.
"How come you had to sell up?" Blaine asked.
"...You sure you want to know?" Kaman replied. Blaine, now wishing he had said nothing, kept quiet. "Ah, you're a top bloke. I guess I can tell you. I needed the money for...IVF."
"What's Ivy F?" Blaine asked.
"...In Vitro Fertilisation." Kaman groaned. Blaine gulped - he had a vague idea of what that was, but he knew what it meant for his boss. "Me and the wife want a baby. For about three years now, we've wanted one so badly...it hurts. Every time I pass parents pushing their prams, it just hits me that I'm not one of them yet. Even seeing high schools sets me off - I just imagine what my kid would look like if they were there. My wife works at one, so she has to deal with that every day."
"...And you've not had any luck?" Blaine asked.
"What do you think?" Kaman said, raising his voice. "...Well, we did, two years ago now. Maria finally became pregnant, and I was top of the world. We couldn't wait to see our baby face to face. Then six months in..." He was silent, and then angrily, he thumped the bar. "Our daughter was gone. Never had a chance."
Blaine couldn't think of anything to say. Just the wrong word could set him off. The two men were deadly quiet, and neither budged an inch. But naturally, his beloved father came to mind. After reading that letter, he finally knew just how happy he had made his dad, from the moment he was born. He had the childhood his father had missed out on, and he was eternally grateful for it. And Kaman had welcomed him into his work with open arms.
"Sorry...I shouldn't have spilled my guts out like that. Nothing's worked, not even that IVF I had to sell my pub for. I'm just barely keeping this place afloat." Kaman said. "...You can have two rounds on the house, on me. For having to listen to me whine."
"Don't talk like that. I'm your buddy, aren't I? I listen to you cause I want to." Blaine said, sincerely. Kaman smiled, and patted him on the shoulder. "Does this mean I can have a raise?"
"If you can bring in more customers, sure." Kaman said. "Preferably customers that don't flirt with you."
"Relax. All I have to do is introduce them to Lucy. When she's angry, she could scare a firing squad!" Blaine said, chuckling.
|Aeternus HQ - Meeting Room|22:00 pm|
Aside from the six Ater Vox, both Keisha and Kaman were present, both looking rather bored. Due to busy schedules, this was the best time for everyone to meet up, and thus there were many tired faced.
"I take it you dislike this room?" Nihane asked.
"It's a bit tacky." Keisha said, looking at her desk.
"And it smells of wet paint..." Kaman said, screwing up his eyes.
"Silence!" Archibald barked. "The point of these meetings is NOT to criticise us or our headquarters!"
"In that case, I'm out of here." Pierre said, pretending to storm out.
"How about every single one of you be silent?" Nihane said, loud and firm. No one uttered another breath. "Good. Now, in regards to the Eternal Road. Inanis has completely changed. Rather than the empty white realm it once was, it is now a red domain of death, filled with Shadows. Near the Divine Spark sites, more and more of the city in its past is visible."
"So what does that mean?" Archibald asked. "Will creating new Divine Sparks, if such a thing is even possible, help?"
"Oh, they will. Our methods, even if they don't create the desired phenomenon, will surely cause utter chaos, and that may well affect the Divine Sparks and Inanis." Nihane said. "That said, we must do all we can to prepare the situation. The Interitus Legion is almost fully ready to replace Ornatu, correct?"
"That's right, Nihane." Carlos said. "The Necromancers have been installed all over, and we've updated the database to include every single deceased soldier."
"Not quite." Josephine said. "There are two soldiers you neglected to program, and one of them would be most beneficial for our cause. You know who I mean."
"Zao Yuria..." Nina said. "Of course! That's perfect! If he's out on the streets, fighting Shadows, imagine what the stupid rebels will think! And there won't be any way to get rid of him, at least not permanently!"
"The idea did come to me." Carlos said. "Unfortunately, all attempts to add Zao's data to the bank have failed. We're basing it on his records prior to before his becoming SD01, but even so, nothing has worked. The minute we try to upload the data to the main Interitus Server, it will cause it to immediately crash, and open starting it again, some data for other soldiers disappears."
"That's...strange." Pierre said. "What can we do to fix that? Or should we even bother?"
"Well, if the Eternal Road was here, we shouldn't. But since we're still stuck here, we should." Nihane said, adamantly. "Kaman, continue to run the Gold Coin the way you have been doing. Once the sheer level of hatred towards you reaches its apex, we can begin in earnest."
"Right you are." Kaman said, rather quietly.
"Keisha, you may run the Riqueza Centre any way you wish. Yet once the Gold Coin is destroyed, the Centre must go up in flames, without allowing any to escape." Nihane said.
"...Okay." Keisha said, staring at the screen on her desk.
"Carlos, I recommend you and Pierre focus on fixing this Zao issue. Go to the Lorean Tower - you should be able to generate ample power there, and there is a server there in prime condition." Nihane said, glaring forcefully at both men. "Nina, Josephine, Archibald, you may assist with whichever tasks you like. Provided you don't get killed, or more crucially, impede our progress."
"You guys ever get the impression he doesn't like you?" Kaman asked, nudging Pierre with his elbow. The Frenchman angrily pushed Kaman's arm away, and grunted. "Rude, I see. Nice. Always good to see enforced stereotypes."
"Kaman, be quiet!" Nihane demanded. "All of you know what you are to do! But, I'm feeling charitable. You may take the rest of this day off! Now leave!"
The Ater Vox made their way out, and Keisha & Kaman were the last to leave. They went to the window at the hallway, and stared at the gloomy cityscape beyond the impenetrable fortress around them.
"So we really have to kill hundreds of people?" Keisha asked, gazing towards Saragel.
"You joined this group knowing what the Ater Vox were like. If you're having regrets, go run back to that cramped basement." Kaman said.
"I can't do that. And besides, this is our chance to have a perfect world. I can't pass that up!" Keisha said. "Not now, while we're so close!"
"Just be patient, Keisha." Kaman said. "We'll figure something out, and fix this mess once and for all."
He left, while her eyes remained fixed on the skyscrapers, enveloped in the stranglehold of shadow. Being locked up in this mammoth tower, protected from the darkness of the remaining districts, was once comforting. Now, she couldn't feel safe anymore.
If I can just keep going, I can rid this world of all wrong. And me, Nick and Brad can start over, without having to steal a thing, and Roger won't exist at all. Maybe Matthew can be with us too. But how can I go on, feeling like this? I shouldn't have any doubts, but...