AN: And here we have it, the fourth of the fifth Ater Vox chapters. Guess who this one involves. :P I don't have too much to say other than that, other than there's a Star Ocean reference in here somewhere. Please read, review, favourite, follow, and tell all your friends/enemies/voices in your head/psychiatrist.
EDIT: The previous chapter titles were more like 'bye for now' than 'farewell'. Fixing that now.
Chapter 94: Despedida
|Ater Peractorum – Loveless Legarte|2:30 am|
Legarte had been a port town from the minute it was founded, and very early in its days was the Silvana River created. Not only was the harbour constantly being visited by trading ships, there was a heavy smell of fresh fish in the air from the many fishmongers. There were plenty of clothes stalls around, and shops selling various other trinkets. Already, Legarte was the island's main centre of commerce. Two hundred and fifty years had not changed this area massively, aside from the building of major shopping centres and businesses – Symphonic Street, for example, was just a small thoroughfare that had some high-end music shops.
What was different, however, was a higher military presence. While Aimee and the girls ventured through the maritime streets, they occasionally saw soldiers patrolling. Most of them seemed anxious, and many were curt with each other. There seemed to be bad blood brewing between many of time. Shirley noted that around this time period, soldiers were beginning to switch from swords to guns. Indeed, many soldiers wielded firearms that at the time, would have been revolutionary.
"I'm not sure what scares me more, the Shadows or those soldiers..." Bianca said. "I keep thinking one of them will fire at us..."
"Me too..." Lucy said. "I know they're not real, but it's hard to tell! Don't worry, though. This baby's got real lead in it." She pointed to the gun she kept in her holster, smiling.
"Was that gun from the police in Clairdol?" Aimee asked.
"Nope. They've never had guns – no need. Clairdol is as peaceful – and boring – as you can get. Although it's a lot nicer than this weird place!" Lucy said, shuddering at the river flowing beneath the bridge they were on. "Ugh...I hated that place, but right now I'd do anything to go back there."
They continued down the river, keeping an eye out for the military base. However, halfway down the cobblestone road – long before it would be paved over with concrete – they saw two officers ranting at each other.
"Damn you to hell! You call yourself a soldier?" The black haired one hollered, shaking his fists. "I thought you were supposed to trust me!"
"Don't give me that crap, you wanker! How could I trust you? I heard it from Ricardo! It wasn't those savages from Amurdad that killed my brother – it was you! You forced him into it, and don't you deny it! I saw it with my own eyes!" The clean shaved blonde officer screamed.
"Oh, so you believe every fool word that comes out of Ricardo's mouth? You know what his sort will do – lie, steal and cheat all so they look good! Only one step better than the Amurdad!" The black haired officer said. "Your brother was a coward – couldn't handle a little blood. With all those godforsaken heretics running around, trying to curse him, he never could have made it out of there alive. They'd have tortured him, scalped him, the works! I did him a kindness. Now get out of my way, I've got to train the new soldiers. Some good men, a damn sight braver than your yellow brother, died in Amurdad. I'm going to honour them by working hard. You better do the same."
The blonde officer, in his rage, struck the older officer across the face with his fist. Then, he stormed off, fuming, while onlookers stared in confusion. Among them were fishmongers, sailors and tailors.
"I never saw things get that bad between the Ornatu Legion members." Shirley said, shaken. "Just...what happened here? Was it really bad enough to make a Divine Spark?"
"Eugene Dwight wrote about that in that book Serena showed us..." Aimee said. "The soldiers turned on each other at some point. They couldn't resolve their tensions with words...and because of that, Zao..."
"No. Don't blame them, Aimee." Bianca said. "They weren't to know what would happen here over two centuries later. They are guilty of losing sight of their camaraderie, but..."
"Yeah. Janus orchestrated this whole thing – even October." Lucy said, angrily. "I still can't forget it...being there, in that dark altar, having to watch from the sidelines..."
"There wasn't anything we could do then." Shirley said, shaking her head. "Out of all the experiences I've had since gaining my Persona, that was definitely the worst."
Aimee walked ahead of the girls, and looked around the Legarte of yesteryear. To think it had been two months since that night. No matter how hard she tried, she still couldn't get it all out of her head. Seeing Zao lying by her, slowly dying...smiling as his heart stopped beating. Having to escape, and watching the entire shopping centre fall down that hole..
That night felt like the end. Zao wasn't here from the beginning, but...I always wanted to find him again. To ask him what he had been doing. And when he finally came from the other world, he was so full of life, ready to do anything he could. It really made me feel like our group could do something.
Without Zao, Aimee had been lost, stranded at sea. Her ferryman gone, she was forced upon the seas, with nowhere to turn to escape from the storm. Yet slowly, she began to steer her vessel of hope. She could see the sun finally begin to rise. The Divine Spark wasn't the last after all, and there was still time to stop Nihane's plans. Seeing Zao's grave was the decisive factor. No matter what happened, she had to see through her mission – to bring peace to New Motus City.
Zao, you got me here safely. That had to have been the real you. You're still fighting with us, I can feel it. In that case, you don't want Carlos to suffer anymore, right? And you must want to stop Janus too. Let's do this, then. In the name of peace, I'll fight – so no children ever have to!
"Carlos! We're on our way!" Aimee said.
|Grave Bastion|2:36 am|
The military base was a wide building, white on the outside to blend in with the surroundings of the time, but inside it was dark and grimy. The floors were uneven stone ones, with damp patches coming from leaks in the ceiling. The walls surrounding the entrance were aged brick, and had the signs of having to be repaired often. There were only a handful of decorations, all half-heartedly chosen and haphazardly placed, such as plants and bland paintings. More interesting, however, were the number of accolades on display for prominent members of the Legarte Armed Forces.
"This place stinks..." Aimee asked, sniffing the air, rather displeased. At that moment, many soldiers were leaving a room marked Military Reserves, carrying their guns, and were heading towards a long corridor leading to an outdoor area. Neither of them looked especially happy around each other, and there was lots of mumbling. One soldier, for example, claimed 'Leon' was a bastard who performed inappropriate acts with animals. Another soldier accused 'Jamie' of being intimate with his sister.
"What uncouth men..." Bianca said, annoyed. "Even the Commander and Dan aren't that rude. They're still gentlemen in their own way!"
"Reminds me of high school." Lucy said. The other girls stared at her, eyes wide with horror. "What, don't tell me high schools were better here?"
"I...never went to one." Aimee said, sadly. "I...I mostly learned from online materials Kyle found, so we'd know the core subjects."
"...Oh." Lucy said. She bit her lip, embarrassed. "Sorry. I wasn't thinking. Listen, high school for me was terrible. You, though...I think you'd be okay."
"Maybe we should follow them. Carlos might be there, too." Shirley said.
Suddenly, the doors were flung open. The black haired officer from before had stormed in, clutching a fearsome looking rifle.
"Where you been, Commander Cecil?" A young and fresh-faced soldier said. "Commander Gerard said you were unwell -"
Cecil responded to this by striking the young boy in the face, and running on ahead. Aimee watched, in shock, as the soldier stared lifelessly ahead, in despair. Perhaps this boy had idolised his commander, and wished to impress him – only to have been shown how little he was valued.
"...Do you want to wait until it's over?" Bianca asked, holding a terrified Aimee's hand.
"No." Aimee said, nervously. "Janus wants us to see these memories...so I will."
She walked down the hall, the other girls right behind her. She knew a bloodbath was to come, but she knew much worse would come over the subsequent centuries. Eighteen years old, and she had already seen far too many corpses.
Janus, you can't scare me. You already took away my King. Nothing you can show me would ever replace that in my dreams...
|Grave Bastion – Blood's Beginning|2:37 am|
The soldiers were all staring at Cecil, who was aiming right at the other officer he had quarrelled with. All was silent, and one could cut the tension with their knives.
"You heard me, Gerard! You've been after that promotion for months! So you figured you'd get me out of the running by spreading fantasies around, eh? Well, too bad!" Cecil yelled, finger hovering over his rifle's trigger.
"Stop this at once!" Their senior, the army's leader, ordered. "Cecil, ever since we returned from that village of depravity, you've not been yourself! You've become impossible to work with. We've all been on edge after what we had to deal with there, but your conduct has been inexcusable! I'm placing you under suspension for the foreseeable!"
Cecil looked down at the ground, face blank, while the soldiers erupted – some in disbelief, some in joy. Before long, they were all arguing with each other, and some of their disputes became physical, as punches were exchanged. The senior officers tried to calm the situation down, but before long they were arguing with themselves over how best to resolve this situation. Hundreds of grown men, having participated in horrendous violence not long ago, had been holding back their new-found taste for combat. That urge was threatening to explode.
"I think you should have foreseen that, you fucking yellow-bellied fool! I realised something back in Amurdad. People can't thrive if they're told what to do. We ought to just live, doing whatever the hell we want! So fuck you and your orders. Fuck your suspension too! I'm a free man now!" Cecil, amused at his senior officer's stunned face, gleefully fired his rifle.
"No!" Aimee screamed, running over to him. Her hand went straight through the reddening jacket, as the older man's body keeled over, spilling crimson over the stone paved floor.
Gerard wasted no time. Screaming in rage, he took his rifle, and fired at Cecil's head. However, both officers went down. Someone had shot Gerard in the back. In his last moment, he turned, and saw a young fresh-faced cadet, tears running down his eyes. He looked quite like Gerard.
"His...son?" Bianca wondered, in shock.
Gerard expired, his last expression of horror and heartbreak. Their deaths soon triggered a chain reaction – of bullets, knives, and blood. Before long, the hundreds of soldiers had all been torn apart by their former friends, until there was nothing left but a red pool to forever stain the stones. Finally, someone peered out from the hallway – the boy from earlier. He stared at the corpses, flying among the bloody rifles, and started screaming uncontrollably. His eyes were wild with fear.
"No..." Lucy said, holding Shirley's hand tightly. "Why?!"
"I knew it was coming, but..." Shirley said.
"Carlos! Stop this! Come out here!" Aimee screamed. "Please!"
"Forgive me. I wouldn't wish these memories on anyone."
The boy soldier, as well as all the bodies, vanished. In the centre of the vast training area was Carlos Nadal, clutching his body in immense pain. There was a flash, and he was replaced with a much different form.
His skin now had a sickly green hue, and his striped tattoos were now slightly glowing. He was equipped with spiked black gauntlets, and he wore striped trouser complete with a large, heavy purple belt and armoured boots. Around his neck was a large fragmented leather cape with buckles going in front of his arms. His hair was now sea-green, slicked up and moving through the air, as if it were a hurricane. Around him were small spirals of wind, gyrating slowly.
"...What the hell?!" Shirley screamed.
"Carlos, what the hell was Janus thinking?" Lucy asked.
"Our new bodies have been augmented considerably. I can feel these muscles coursing with the same strength as my organic ones. Yet, now I am a spectre of the past. Janus intends to have us gather the full power of the Divine Spark, so it can begin a complete Eternal Road."
"We must fight..." Aimee said, sadly. "I was waiting for this chance most of my life, but now..."
"No. You mustn't pity me, and wholly blame Janus. I am a fool...I should have realised. It was never too late to start over with Julia. Now, I will never hear her voice again. Or see her beautiful face. She would be your age now, Aimee." Carlos said. "To think that long has passed since I sang her to sleep..."
"I'm sorry." Bianca said. "I wish there were any other way. Yet Janus won't let you disobey it, correct?" Carlos nodded, despondently. "Then...let us ease your pain."
"You're the one that helped me get used to a Persona, after all..." Shirley said. "So I'll use it to kick the ghostly shit out of you! I'll show you what I'm made of!"
"Even if it wasn't for the right reasons, you still brought me and Shirley back together..." Lucy said, looking down. She lifted her head, and stared at Carlos straight in the face. "So I'll do it! I'll stop Janus from using you anymore!"
"Carlos. You and your allies were wrong...but even so, the dead must rest." Aimee said. "My brother...my brother of this world...he wants the same thing. Zao, too. And my parents. I...I'll fight you! Janus can't make a mockery of life and death any longer, not with me coming after it!"
"You think you have what it takes to defeat Janus? I wish I could be so sure. If you intend to prove your skill, start with me!"
"Everyone. Please, be strong!" Aimee said adamantly. "Concordia! Celestial Force!"
Concordia, sharing Aimee's wishes to protect her friends, unleashed her power. Cosmic energy swirled around everybody, granting them potent strength and durability. This power came with an added bonus – Dekaja could not dispel it.
"Awesome!" Lucy cheered. She fired at Carlos, but her bullets simply were sucked into his body. "Huh?"
"Hold on. Let me test this out." Shirley asked. Carlos was zooming at Lucy, too fast for her to dodge – but Shirley's speed was not to be dismissed. She lunged forward, leg outstretched, hoping to hit him in the back with all her might. While it did collide, nothing happened, and Lucy was struck down.
The fiery madam was infuriated. She called upon Ishtar, and grinned at Carlos. "Gilded Gown!" Energy resembling a red fiery cape fell upon everyone, further increasing resilience but also their agility. The heat of the cloak would also protect them from burns, if needed. It was not until after Ishtar had used this ability that Lucy remembered – Carlos was a master of the winds.
"Damn...we'll need to focus on magic here. Not a problem." Shirley said. "In fact, I think I like that idea. Go, Ceridwen! Enchanting Awen!"
Ceridwen appeared, and once more gave Shirley the black and white glyph of magic destruction. Bianca gasped – Carlos was aiming right for her. Panicking, she thrust her sword at him, and twirled away from his brutal fists.
"I've learned a lot from being with the rebels, Carlos. I'm no longer one of your disposal underlings. Thanks to these people, I've truly blossomed! Aquadyne!" Bianca ordered. Gabriel Praeco blasted her foe with highly pressurised water, just as Aimee blocked Carlos' fists with her weapon.
"A great start. I recognise that weapon, too. Zao Yuria once wielded it. To think the boy chosen to be SD01 would come from the other world as well..."
Aimee did not answer, and instead continued blocking. Carlos, however, was a seasoned fighter, and broke her guard - punching her right into a wall.
"Aimee!" Bianca screamed.
"I'm no stranger to fighting...before I moved to this city, I was a professional boxer. I had quite a few wins, before I retired..." Carlos said. "Even after my own death, I'm still dragging people down to hell with my fists. You will bear the pain! Subsolanus!"
Carlos now had the same wind strength as Venti – which was the collective name for gods of wind in Roman lore. And one of those four was Subsolanus. This manifested as a frighteningly fast purple gale, that immediately wrapped itself around Bianca, and blew her high in the sky. As she fell, a strange purplish starry effect occurred around her.
"Bianca!" Shirley yelled, coming to her aid, as Lucy checked on Aimee. "Are you alright?!"
"Yes, I should be." Bianca said, getting back to her feet. Aimee also recovered, glaring at their nemesis. "I feel different, though..."
"Most people do after they're sent flying." Lucy said, deadpan. She took a look at her gun, and shoved it in her pocket. "Wouldn't be needing that thing for now...if I was Matthew, I'd be screwed."
"Air Smash."
Carlos stared at everyone, and a green circle appeared around each girl. Next, he shot at them, and each one suffered a fist charged up with gale-force winds. They all fell backwards, flinching.
"I never imagined such a fate...to have become another's minion. All my good fortune slips away, by my own actions."
"How do you think we feel?" Lucy asked. "We've not exactly had much luck since you filled this city with Shadows. Sure, I wasn't involved for most of the last decade, but...I've seen what it's done to the people. To the man I love!"
"All of us...we've all suffered misfortune." Aimee said, sadly. "And in the future, there will be more. But that doesn't mean we will never find luck again! We'll start by defeating you. Then we'll banish Janus! Shadow Flare!"
Carlos was struck by flames, which were black and blue in colouration. They seemed like a negative of regular fire, now that Aimee thought of it.
"Burn." Lucy said, impressed. She contributed to the heat with Agidyne, delivered by Ishtar.
"Grieving Rune!" Shirley shouted to Ceridwen. A runic stone emerged beneath Carlos, and a rain of dark energy poured down on him. While powerful, its poison did not contaminate him.
"You've become very powerful, Shirley." Carlos said, in earnest. "When I abducted you, our plans were to exploit the situation between your friend and her lover...I did not imagine you, too, achieving their power."
"I...I was really scared back then." Shirley said. "The only future I saw was playing piano in a run-down bar. In a strange sort of way, you're the one that saved me from that future. You got me to see things as they really are." She laid her eyes on him, piercing into his soul. "It's...never too late to turn things around."
"True. Yet that takes great courage and effort. I...lacked both. I put my hopes in a new world, instead of sticking to this one. Shirley, and all of you – if you really want to start over, do so by destroying me! Bianca, that isn't an order. It's...a request."
"I...I understand." Bianca said. She started at her rapier, which would be useless for now, and then at her rose. "Uncle, please guide me...Bufudyne!"
Gabriel Praeco summoned great lumps of ice to attack, a sharp contrast to the heat he had faced mere moments ago. The boxing revenant, while unwilling, had plenty of strength left.
"Septentrio."
Huh? But isn't that one of my attacks?
Aimee soon found out how wrong she was. This did not summon a single star from the Big Dipper. Instead, however, everyone felt seven sharp punches at once. Carlos seemed to have become a blur, darting all over the battlefield. Even a cheetah could not have outpaced him.
"Ouch..." Bianca uttered. "If only we were as agile..."
"Airborne Melee."
Carlos raised both fists, and was facing right towards Bianca. In terror, she tried to escape, but to no avail – she was hit by four more punches this time powered by the wind itself. She fell, in deep pain.
"Is she okay?!" Lucy screamed. Without waiting for an answer, she ran to Bianca, who was clutching her leg in agony. "Hey, it's not over yet...you'll be fine! Right?"
Aimee grimaced. While he had not meant to harm anyone this time, he threatened to end all their lives. And all her other friends were spread throughout this shadowy place, facing tremendous battles. It would be a colossal insult to falter now, and she knew it.
"...Septentrione!" She shouted, calling out for Concordia. As ever, the atmosphere around her turned black, as if it were outer space. The stars of the Big Dipper appeared around her, and this time, the celestial Persona elected for Dubhe. This star's power was flame, and lots of it. Carlos seemed to be in great pain, as the fire danced around his fabricated body.
"Pyromania is everywhere tonight..." Shirley said, slightly amused.
"And it's going to get even hotter. Even before I got this Persona, I was on fire!" Lucy cheered. "Ishtar! Torch this guy!"
The passionate Persona complied, winking, as she unleashed her Burning Obsession. She twirled, showing off her legs, and clicked her fingers. A hot pink flame burned beneath Carlos' feet, and the blaze became an eruption of seduction. However, Carlos was immune to the temptation.
"Wow, Lucy's the hottest one here. No contest." Shirley said, giving her friend a high-five. "But, when it comes to the dark, I'm not afraid! Nocturnal Seal!" A huge circle of darkness, resembling an eerie puddle of oil, appeared on the ground. A seal lit up below in a blend of pale blue and purple, resembling another rune. The energy released blew Carlos high into the sky, but he skilfully managed to land on one foot.
"No...I won't be beaten!" Bianca cried. "Not until Janus is gone from this world! Nerine!" Crystals of pure ice appeared from the surface, and were drawn into a ball of light, radiating pink and yellow. Combined, they created a flower of cold ice, releasing mist. The glacial flower flew over Carlos, and shattered, crushing him with icy elegance.
"...You've grown too, Bianca." Carlos said. The ice had gotten to him, and his false body was shivering. "I'm...glad you abandoned us. Staying on our side, you might have suffered the same as Keisha and Kaman...or worse, me."
"Even so...you and Blaine started us on our path." Bianca said. "It may not have been for the right reasons, but you had us save many lives. Now we can really save everyone, at long last! Including...you."
"In that case, you must be prepared to withstand sheer torture. Wind Fist!"
Bianca gasped – but to her shock, he had avoided her entirely. Instead, his aerial fist – mimicking Venti's – had collided with Lucy's body, knocking her down to a patch of grass.
"Son of a bitch!" Lucy grumbled.
"Oh crap...what's he got planned next?" Shirley asked.
"Magarudyne!"
This training arena had been turned into an oven and a wind tunnel within minutes of each other. Everyone was literally blown away, astonished by the wind.
"Ugh!" Aimee groaned. Furious, she stared down at her foe. His gaze, however, was of regret. It was obvious to all four ladies that he had no inclination to harm them anymore. Yet Janus would not have that. Trapped in limbo, forced to herald the end of the world. Now, her anger had changed. She still hated who had orchestrated this whole nightmare, which had killed her brother, Zao, and countless others. Yet now she knew exactly who – or what – was responsible.
"Are you alright?" Bianca asked.
"I will be, once I've defeated him!" Aimee said. "Stardust March!"
Concordia, with a compassionate gesture, sent celestial stardust flying around the arena. It began to soothe everyone's injuries – and also enhance them.
Lucy, resisting the urge to pull out her gun again, rolled to the left sharply – dodging one of Carlos' punches. Instead of lead, she would follow Serena's advice. 'If all else fails, use fire.'
"Passion Ablaze!"
She thought of Blaine as the flames burst onto the scene, scorching Carlos. It had been thanks to Carlos that she had turned on Blaine, but that didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was that she survived, so she could fight Janus alongside the man she loved. To think of him fighting tooth and nail, just like this, was hard, but there was no other way.
"Bright Fear!" Shirley cried. Ceridwen bombarded Carlos with a strange, eerie light, that was succeeded by a horrific wailing noise. Yet Carlos could not be debilitated by fear, just as charm and poison had failed.
"Water Lily!" Bianca commanded. A pink and orange flower was sprouted by Gabriel. It began to spin, and its petals shot out powerful jets of water. Each one aimed at Carlos, soaking him and the ground. It was just then that they noticed – the military base was crumbling apart. The vortex around it was sucking in more and more bricks and tiling, and even spare weaponry.
"As we fight, the power of the Divine Spark is causing havoc with reality itself. You must prepare for the worst...Favonius!"
Carlos levitated through the air, and flipped around, clenching his fists and raising them to his chest. Then, strange emerald gusts of wind were sucked into his body. This seemed to ease his pain, and restore some of his energy.
"What?!" Aimee grumbled. "I thought Josephine was the healer?"
"The main one. I only had a few medical abilities of my own...but that one is quite beneficial. Magarudyne."
Aimee, and the others, tried to stand their ground. Yet against the sharp winds of Carlos, stronger than Venti, it was useless. She fell backwards, crying in pain as the air took her to the floor.
"No..." Lucy cried. "No! Someone's already swept me off my feet!"
"...What?" Aimee questioned.
"I was trying to sound cool..." Lucy despaired, shaking her head. "Whatever! Amor Leonis!"
Ishtar unleashed a beast made purely from fire, shaped like a lion. In myth, the goddess Ishtar's symbol was a Lion, as depicted on her gate. This had carried over even to Lucy, a girl from a different civilisation but with the same passion and brutality. The fiery beast bashed Carlos with a vicious impact, dissipating with a mighty roar that echoed throughout Legarte.
"You'd think Lucy would be better at cooking, with the amount of fire she's producing..." Bianca said, quietly laughing to herself.
"It actually makes sense. Lucy tends to burn everything..." Shirley said, smiling slyly.
"You girls are mean!" Lucy pouted. "At least I've got a man that can cook..."
"At least I can cook." Shirley said, wagging her finger.
"Girls, knock it off!" Aimee said. "Now is not the time!" Concordia emerged, ready to strike. "Go! Lost Legacy!"
Concordia raised her rod up high, and her shield attached to it to give it extra power. Bravely, she flew up to Carlos, and impaled him through his stomach. Flashes of unearthly power began, as spirals of power itself struck the Spaniard.
"Persona!" Shirley shouted, and Ceridwen came forward. She fired one of her favourite abilities, Paranoia Impulse. Alas, he was no coward – fear could not take hold of his heart.
"Heralding Light!" Bianca cried. Gabriel emerged, and held her hands together in prayer. From above, angels singing in harmony could be heard, and then a giant column of holy light hit Carlos.
Carlos stared at her, even more melancholic than before. He clenched his fists, however, and raised one sharply into the air – and thus, he received a Power Charge. Next, the wind around him, although formless, began to harden, until it was a silky, glowing green cape. Carlos wore it, the Matador's Capote, and it flapped in the air. Somehow, this garment had doubled his strength in all departments.
"I guess Carlos put all his points into strength. He's got zero in fashion sense." Lucy said, raising her eyebrows. "...Oh god, I've become Colette."
"Who?" Shirley asked.
"I don't really know how, but...Amara mentions her sometimes. And it feels like I know her. Always shopping for clothes, and using her bedroom in her parent's house as an 'exclusive wardrobe'. I know Amara told me about those things, but I can imagine her face, her voice – and even her clothes." Lucy said, mystified.
"I know the feeling. I keep remembering me and the boys going to places I'm not even sure exist, or talking about things I know we never discussed." Bianca said. "I...I can remember it even more clearly now. Every morning, I set up a flower stall, and sell my flowers to everyone that comes by..."
Aimee sighed. These three, no doubt, were struggling to comprehend their dual sets of memories. She shouldn't feel jealousy for such a thing. Yet it was yet another reminder that in that other world, where her brother had survived and was at the start of a wondrous career, she wasn't there. All she had were her own painful recollections, only broken up by brief moments of levity.
Why couldn't I live in that world, too? It was so wonderful...just the way I remember the city to be. If I hadn't died, Mum and Dad would be a lot happier...Karl too. All because I was too close to that explosion. Even so...I ended up as leader of the rebels. And...I shall lead them!
|Normal World – Farawell|2:53 am|
The streets were filled with hysterical people, who had come out to examine the madness. One unfortunate man had fallen to his knees, screaming in agony. It sounded as if he was calling out to someone, begging them to stay away from something. Another woman was shrieking for a friend she had never met, and a young boy was clutching his pet cat close.
"What the hell is happening?!" A businessman said, looking out of his car. He had come to an abrupt stop, after the sky started to change.
"I don't know!" A nearby office lady said, frantic. "Someone tell me what's going on! Why is the sky like that?! Are there...demons coming?!"
"Who knows. Anything could happen now." A young man said next to her, munching on a chocolate muffin. "There's no phone service. No TV. No internet, either. Maybe we're being sucked in to another dimension."
"Oh my god!" The office lady said. "Other dimension?! What the hell are you saying?!"
"No! Mum, get back here!" A schoolgirl screamed, holding her head in pain, as she ran across the street. "...Mum? What – where's my mum?!"
Running past all this chaos was a scared young lady, looking around for anyone she knew. She had woken up to all this mayhem. Everyone was frightened, especially with the occasional tremors. A few cars had crashed, and a night bus was in the middle of the road, having been hastily evacuated.
"Help! I need help, anybody!" The girl screamed. Finally, she stopped outside a hairdresser's, panting for breath. Suddenly, she thought she saw something in the distance. A very familiar man, tall, muscular, with hair as green as hers.
"...Dad?!" She screamed. "...No! Dad is-"
"Julia!"
A young girl run up close to Julia, relieved. They briefly embraced, glad to see each other.
"Catherine!" Julia said. "I...I thought I saw my father..."
"Your...father?" Catherine asked. "You never mentioned him before...oh."
"Look, forget about that! Everything's gone crazy, and I don't know where to go!" Julia said. "When I woke up, my host family had disappeared..."
"So have mine!" Catherine said, frightened. "No one knows where they went, either! I can't get in touch with anyone from school, either. I thought at least Serena would be up, she's always playing games with Kyle, but there's no signal at all!"
"Catherine, what can we do?" Julia asked. "Everyone's having mental breakdowns, and there's no way out of this city! And – wait. The sky...?"
"What about it – holy shit!" Catherine said, gazing up. The sky seemed to be changing – as if it were getting closer. Perhaps the city really was heading into another dimension. Another tremor struck, and the two girls held each other, scared to death.
"We have to do something!" Julia said.
"Like what?!" Catherine said.
"I don't know! But I can't just stand here, waiting for things to get better!" Julia said. "Come on. Stay with me. There's plenty of people scared and alone. We should try and help them!"
"...Okay." Catherine said. Holding her friend's hand, she and Julia ran ahead, looking around for anyone that they possibly knew. Julia had come to this city, the same one her father moved to, to see it the same way he had. Now, she cared deeply for this island, and with her friend, she yearned to help those in danger. For that was what her father would have done.
|Lucy and Shirley's Apartment|2:57 am|
At this point, the two women living here were holding each other close, shaking in fear. Whatever the sky had become, it was not a good sign. Nor was the huge tornado encircling the city, blocking the sea. Their TV was on, but there was no signal on any channel.
"Do...you want to try Blaine again?" Shirley asked.
"No point! There's no signal!" Lucy said, sighing. "And the internet's down...not that he figured out how to use Skype."
"...I hope they're okay." Shirley said. "Should we get out of here?"
"No!" Lucy said. "It's dangerous out there! Everyone's screaming, and – look! That man down there!" She pointed at an office man kneeling down, uttering something in despair. "Everyone's going crazy. We have to stay where it's safe."
"But..." Shirley said. "What if something happens to this building?!"
"Don't say that!" Lucy wailed. "Just...just stay here, okay?!"
"I know. I won't go anywhere." Shirley said. "Listen, I'll make us some coffee. Maybe that'll calm us down a bit."
"...Okay." Lucy said. Shirley left for the kitchen, and Lucy got up, looking at her phone. She glanced at her wallpaper – a picture of Blaine, with his arms wrapped around her waist, smiling happily. She shared his smile, enjoying the sensation of being in his strong, hairy arms.
You...you're okay, aren't you? I know you can take care of yourself, and Dan's there with you, but...but...AH!
Lucy screamed. In her head, she saw a vision. It was a dark night, and a peculiar creature had approached her. It was about to devour her, until she spoke out a word – one that Lucy somehow knew. 'Persona'.
"...What the hell?" Shirley said. It sounded like she had dropped a mug. Lucy stood up, but before she could, something else appeared in her mind. A man with green hair, perhaps Spanish, barking out orders to her. More words she both knew and didn't know. 'Ornatu Legion'. 'Agi'. 'Shadow'. What was she even seeing? Was it a hallucination?
Something else occurred. She saw Shirley, and they went into each other's arms. It felt like it had been a long time since they had last seen each other. But why, Lucy asked herself? This had never even happened. Whatever was going on in her mind, she had to tell herself it was fiction.
She next saw a group of people enter a huge white room – and one was Blaine. Or...a different Blaine. He had some scars on his face, and he looked much less vibrant than usual. Next to him was Dan, in a blue cap and coat, holding a rifle. A chaotic battle ensued – and Lucy had felt anger at Blaine, for whatever reason.
Why would I be fighting him? And...is that red lady my 'Persona'? Inanna? I...I don't even know...stop! What the heck is this?
The dark visions continued, each one more confusing than the next. Shirley was often besides her, and she saw her defeat a disgusting monster – or Shadow – that looked like a mummy. Not long after that, she was confronting a horrible, insane old man and his partner in some secret laboratory, there to rescue Shirley. Everything after that was a blur – she was scrambling around Real People's offices, trying to get out, and it was all trashed.
Real People never got ruined like that! Oh god – Colette! Juan! Sheila! Stella! ...Amara! Are you guys alright?!
Before long, she saw Blaine, the one with a scar, enter a strange room with a generator. Alongside him were an older black girl, an Indian man, and a lady in a strange dress. Lucy did not recognise the first woman, although the name 'Tara' came to mind. The Indian man had to be Kaman Barrs, her boyfriend's boss, who while somewhat cocky was an all-around kind guy. The lady with a dress was called Seraphina – but her face was a lot more like Stella's. No – it WAS Stella.
Soon, she saw Real People go up in flames, destroyed by a terrifying explosion. Now, she was in a dark basement, with only a bare lightbulb. There was a boy in a wheelchair, next to a computer. Kyle McHale. Next to him was a blonde lady, Priscilla Lancaster. And out from a glowing blue door was...
"Blaine?!" Lucy screamed. "That's...my Blaine?"
He hadn't a single mark on his face, and looked just like the tough, friendly man she adored so much. And by his side were Nathan, Serena, and Amara. Now...it had all come together. As completely nonsensical as it seemed, Blaine had spent his evenings going into this other world. And in this alternate city, Lucy was there, fighting beings called Shadows. Shirley had the same ability, too.
"Shirley!" Lucy said, running into the kitchen. Shirley stood there, pale in shock. "...Did you see it all too?!"
"I...I did." Shirley said. "I saw Dan...and Kaman...and everyone! It doesn't make any sense, but there's another world out there! And..."
"...Is Blaine there right now?!" Lucy said. Her heart pounded, and absolute fear took over her heart. "No! He's...he's in big trouble! I can tell!"
"I think we all are..." Shirley said. "Come on. We'll have some coffee, then we can try and think about all of this -"
"...Blaine, you better come home!" Lucy said, towards the window. She looked up at the freakish skyscape, pleadingly. "I'll be waiting...don't leave us behind! I'll never forgive you if you do!"
|Ashen Amurdad - Garden of Forgotten Love|3:29 am|
"Tefnut's Raze!"
More flames came forth from Isis. This place of rest had become the site of an ugly battle, Amara realised. Yet even if it was an insult to the memories of Jahan and Ashi, she must fight at her very best. She did a backflip, dodging the Liberated Mummy's kick. Being touched by a leg with bloody bandaged all over, with some decaying flesh exposed – not to mention black, gnarled toenails – was not something she particularly desired.
"Here we go again..." Other Amara said. Nepthys placed another Flare Bomber on the Mummy, but he did not give this much attention. Instead, he sent his chains burrowing into the stone ground, and bursting up at her. "Argh!"
"Almacia!" Ethan commanded. Sraosha took his blade, and let it absorb pure energy from the atmosphere. Assured of his blade's potency, the Persona drove it through the Mummy, and the energy flashed through it's necrotic body.
Alastair, relieved to be fearless again, unleashed a Zandyne via Michael Deus. Sophie, on the other hand, decided to up her game. Using Mind Charge, Sophia's wisdom would be unparalleled.
"Ethan Walters, you are a naive fool. Do you really think you and Nihane are two separate people? Janus only contributed slightly to your new personality. Using your friends and sacrificing them? Not our kinsman's plan. You did that by yourself. And you would do the same again, just to get what you want. You wouldn't think twice. If it took the lives of your four new 'friends', you would do it. Be honest to yourself. As Nihane, you were...now you're just hiding behind that same meek mask."
"I..." Ethan said. "I'm not denying that I was wrong. I made horrible choices. But...this isn't a mask. This is me, I can feel it!"
"If you tell yourself that enough times, it'll be true. Is that what you're thinking? Well...maybe once I've ripped your beating heart from your body, while you lie in a sea of your own blood, you'll realise how self-centred you really are. Megidolaon!"
Amara gasped. The almighty explosion was brutal, as it spread throughout the whole garden. The others were badly harmed too...how much longer could they hold on? Amara knew the others were fighting challenging battles of their own. She had to do her part, or this would have all been a waste.
"Persona!"
The Trauma Shadow that came next from the Mummy was none other than the Divine Cherub – disgusting both Other Amara and Seraphina. However, what happened next was even worse. It began a tremendous holy rite, called 'Sacred Penance'. Sphere of light were scattered everywhere, and damaged all – except Alastair.
"Ha!" Alastair said, shrugging. "That was actually quite refreshing." The Mummy, angered, began wildly swinging his chains, with no finesse. Thus, Alastair managed to get out harm's way, and call upon his Persona. "Michael! Angel Plume!"
The sacred archangel's feathers fell from his supreme wings, and targeted the enraged Mummy. The flew, slashing him with divine conviction.
"...Mediarama!" Sophie cried. Healing energy was given to all. It, however, did not quite replenish the health that had been lost via the Mummy's arsenal of attacks. "My apologies..."
"Seraphina, it's okay." Other Amara said. "Oh. Sophie. Whatever! You just do the best you can. You're not the best healer, but you're the greatest psychic – no, friend I have!"
Sophie looked up, surprised. Then, she smiled joyously. Amara thought she saw a tear down her eye. If the Mummy dared mock their bond, Amara would personally take off his head.
"Kifuka!" Ethan yelled, focused. Kifuka was a village known for being the site which received the most annual lightning strikes in the word. In fact, the region was struck by 158 lightning bolts per square kilometres each year. Thus, Sraosha let that same number of small jolts come down from the sky, and they all combined for a powerful shockwave. Once it was done, the Mummy seemed to droop forward, arms hanging. It looked tired, Amara thought. Which could only be good news for them.
"Agidyne!"
More flames touched the rotting Shadow, maddening it ever more. Amara was knocked down by the heavy chains, and yelped.
"Nepthys! Attack!" Other Amara commanded bravely. The dark counterpart of Isis began slashing the Mummy, via Wiping All Out. Five strong slashes, and it was spiralling towards a stone column, smashing it into rubble. Amara couldn't help but laugh. A being as loathsome as this was not meant to be pitied.
"You dare mock me? To laugh in the face of Death is to embrace it! Come, I insist! Noli Me Tangere!"
How many Latin phrases does this thing know? Maybe I should have taken that class at college. Then again, Michelle and the others all failed...
A peculiar, transparent red coffin surrounded the Shadow, shining fearsomely. Amara wondered – what was this monstrous thing doing? Before she could attack, however, the monster summoned his next 'Persona'. The Seraphic Compendium, a gigantic text that had once supported Archibald. It flipped open to Page 115 – 'Stalagmite'. Sure enough, Other Amara was hit badly by a sharp stalagmite.
"Ow! You..." Other Amara yelled, shaking her fist. "You're going to pay for that!"
"Right!" Amara said, smug. "Isis, Go! Helios!"
Ethan gasped. "No, Amara! Stop!"
However, it was too late to heed his warning. The heat from Helios was redirected. Luckily, the flames did not harm either Amara, but did singe the other three.
"What...?" Alastair said.
"It was a barrier..." Sophie said. "I never even saw it coming..."
The Mummy laughed cruelly, watching, as energy from the now-broken barrier turned dark. It was now a Mudoon – and in one second, Amara fell down, dropping her sword.
"Shit!" Ethan cried. "I...I should have realised!"
"What's the matter? You're still alive, yes? Forget her and fight! After all, she was only a tool to be thrown away..."
Other Amara, now furious, slashed through the Mummy's wrapped body. "Shut up! You're going to hell, and that's final!"
"Only after you, wretched girl."
"No! Wherever you're going, we won't be there!" Sophie said. "Amara, please! Let us fight together!"
"...Got it." Other Amara said. "Nephthys, go!
"Sophia, please hurry!" Sophie begged.
Nepthys and Sophia joined hands, and walked towards the Mummy, staring it down. It hesitated, waiting to see what they had planned. From above, a giant fireball came down, hovering just an inch above the Mummy's head. Sophia chanted, and purple comets came crashing down, entering the core of the fireball.
"Supernova!"
Ignited by magical power, the fiery star blew up in a true celestial explosion. The sheer power released lit up the entire Amurdad area, and no doubt could be seen from all over the city. The Mummy collapsed, as flames ran over its weakened form.
"Amara, please wake up!" Ethan begged. "...Recarm!" Sraosha arose, and cast down the light of revival on Amara. She opened her eyes, as particles from the Supernova flew overhead.
"I...I'm okay. Don't get so worried..." Amara said. She took up her sword. The Mummy was just getting up, recovering from the fireball – yet soon there was yet another sword dancing through his body, cutting into his dead veins and black heart.
"Not bad, Ethan." Alastair said approvingly. "Empyrean Emissary!"
Michael Deus flew high above, and drew a circle with his divine sword. A giant hole opened, revealing spiral after spiral of angels in harmony. Deep within this heaven, a massive sphere of aether came down, and imploded, powered by the angels deep in prayer.
"You seem to switch loyalties rather quickly, Alastair. Weren't you once one of Nihane's top soldiers? Then, once your Commander switched sides, you went with him. Now you're back to Nihane. He might call himself Ethan now, but he's just a benign shell of his old self!"
"I won't be criticised by you." Alastair said, irritated. "You can't make me doubt myself. Not anymore. This time, I know exactly what I'm fighting for."
"I've heard those words thousands of times before. You humans surely must be tired of your own hypocrisy by now? Oh well..but just remember. I will not make this easy for you. Our kinsman will save us from this cursed 'life'!" The Mummy, resolute, used Ne Quid Nimis on himself, for the third and last time. Shakily, Amara stood her guard.
Now, the Mummy could summon another of his 12 Persona. Out of the red mist stepped the four-armed Guardian Warlord. He used his axe, to slash everyone explosively – Otherworld. It was sharp enough to briefly make Amara wonder; had she been cut in half? The others groaned, barely standing upright.
"This has gone on for quite some time. It shall not be long now, before maggots will devour whatever flesh will be left on your smoldering bones..."
He's serious...What can I do? Please, Isis, don't let me down...
|Loveless Legarte - Grave Bastion|3:07 am|
Aimee locked eyes with the fierce Carlos. The man who had a special lady in his heart, one that would never find out the truth behind her father's disappearance. The least she could do was to end this as quick as possible, to end his suffering.
"Life Lock!"
With Concordia's power, Carlos wouldn't be able to replenish his energy – for a time. Aimee now wondered if she should have fought Josephine instead. Nathan would have to do the best he could, she told herself.
Lucy cast Agidyne again, and ducked under Carlos' punches. Bianca, eager to strike, cast Aquadyne – just stopping her ally from a nasty hit to the stomach.
Shirley summoned Ceridwen, with a sinister gleam in her eye. "Nightmare!"
The demonic, disturbing attacked that had traumatised even the Divine Cherub was now terrorising Carlos. Aimee shuddered upon seeing it again, while Lucy stared in awe.
"Holy shit! That was cool!" She said, smiling.
"Is she serious?" Bianca asked. "It looked powerful enough, so I guess that's the main thing..."
"At least I can count on your attacks to be angelic." Carlos said. "Now...watch this! Wind Fist!"
Lucy screamed. She tried to brace herself, but Carlos' fist hit her hard. She landed in the opposite wall, and was unconscious before she even hit the ground.
"No! Lucy!" Shirley cried, in despair. "Aimee, do something!"
"Right! Concordia -"
"Subsolanus!"
Aimee's recovery magic was delayed by more wind, specifically the purplish kind that had previously claimed Bianca as its victim. The young healer screamed, falling to her back. Shirley and Bianca, panicking, looked at each other in fear.
"Lucy..." Bianca said. "We have to help them!"
"Right!" Shirley replied. "Taliesen's Tale!" Ceridwen took a book out, and stared at it. It had a dark blue leathery spine, covered in strange writing systems that Aimee did not recognise. Ceridwen opened the book, and the letters from the pages flew upwards as luminous off-white characters. These then flew into Carlos, quickly building up into an explosion of light.
"Plumeria!" Bianca, looking at Aimee, uttered a groan as some of her own life force flew out of her body, in the form of specks of green light. This force changed to blue, however, and was absorbed into Aimee's body. "There...that should...give you more energy to work with..."
"Bianca, you mustn't do that again!" Aimee said, shaking her fists. "Don't throw your life away!"
"It's quite alright. I don't intend to surrender to Carlos, but you need as much energy as possible to sustain us!" Bianca pointed out. "Now please, save Lucy!"
"...Yes. Faerie Whisper!" Aimee begged, summoning Concordia. The Persona, using the power of two faeries of energy, managed to awaken Lucy, and take away the pain from her injuries.
"Huh...?" Lucy said, opening her eyes. "You guys...you're all okay, right?" She got up, taking a quick glance at everyone. To her relief, everyone else was still standing. "Thank God. I mean it. I won't let that happen again, I swear..."
"Magarudyne."
Aimee gasped. Again, everybody was buffeted by the wind. There had been times in the past Aimee had wished the wind would die down, but now she meant that quite literally.
"Septentrio."
"What? That again?!" Shirley lamented. Carlos, at supersonic speed, struck everyone seven times, using the full force of his armoured fists.
"Ah..." Bianca said, in agony. She nearly tripped over, in sheer pain. " I...I think I'll need this...Mistletoe!"
What? I know it's nearly Christmas, but we're in the middle of a battle here!
Gabriel Praeco, with a playful smile, took a sprig of mistletoe, and enchanted it with her full splendour. It grew, and hovered above Bianca – and set in place. Lucy and Shirley were just as dumbstruck as Aimee was, but they had to hope it would be useful.
"Enchanting Awen!" Ceridwen powered up Shirley again. Her body was overflowing with power, and her heart was pounding. In Farawell, Dan was fighting as well. She could only hope that they would be together again soon.
By this point, the entire base had crumbled into a pile of debris, that was slowly being sucked away. Many years from now, this area would be redeveloped as a commercial hotspot, free from violence stronger than arguing over parking spaces. Yet in this era, this location would be remembered as one of death and gore, a reputation that would take an age to vanish.
Carlos's fists were flying again. His strength and speed were hard to contend with, but Lucy was trying her best. She had no time to rest, ducking and dodging as many punches as she could. Finally, she rolled away, even if the ground was rough and uneven. Snarling, she summoned Ishtar, just as Carlos was about to punch her from above.
"Burning Obsession!"
The flames took hold, enough to leave huge black marks on the ground. Lucy looked so animated when using her power, Aimee noticed. Hopefully, Carlos was at the end of his rope. This may be over soon, she hoped.
"Auster!"
"Huh?" Lucy said. Carlos clicked his fingers, and before long, the area became very misty, thick with fog. "Oh, come on! Is that all you can do? What next, you going to make it rain?"
"I wish that was all you had to suffer...but as far as Janus' plans go, you must all die. Wind Fist!"
Bianca turned to Carlos, and smiled. In fact, she did a curtsy. This did not deter the ghostly boxer, however, as the sheer impact of his fist seemed to be reflected – right onto him. So that was the true effect of Mistletoe – a sneaky move. Carlos fell down in a heap, and the mist began to lighten up. However, it had a strange effect on Aimee's body – it felt heavier, and the strength in her arms felt low.
"Diarahan!" Not taking any chances, she healed Bianca. Carlos had proven dangerous, and with this mist present, he would be nearly impossible to dodge. "Everyone! Give it your best shot, so we can return to the others safe!"
"I thought that was the idea?" Lucy asked. Even through the fog, Aimee thought she could see Shirley facepalm.
"She's trying to make us fight even harder, silly." Bianca said. "Shirley, I have an idea. Let's join forces!"
"That sounds good to me. I've never fought alongside you before...this ought to be good! Ceridwen, I'm counting on you!" Shirley said, excited. Her Persona moved next to Gabriel Praeco, who took out a strange pink and white tubular flower. She tapped it with her sword, and it seemed to triple in size, with a periwinkle sparkle. Ceridwen chanted, and dark petals of energy flew into the flower, giving it a mysterious purplish glow.
"Deadly Nightshade!"
The belladonna, aka deadly nightshade, was ready. It fired a gigantic beam of dark water, the pressure enough to crash Carlos into the remains of the south wall. Finally, all the water was exhausted, and the flower vanished.
"Yes!" Bianca said. She gave Shirley a firm handshake. "If this is one of our last battles, I'm glad we took the time to co-operate."
"Hey, let us in on the fun!" Lucy said, eagerly. "Aimee, how often do I get a chance to help you out?"
"There was that time you tried to help me bake brownies and almost put white wine vinegar in them..." Aimee said, shuddering.
"It looked like sunflower oil in that dark kitchen!" Lucy protested. "But whatever. Do one of those cool fusion moves with me, please?"
"Alright. I suppose this time, an explosion would be welcome!" Aimee said, mischievously. "Concordia, let your colours burst!"
Ishtar manifested, and the area became very dark, surrounded by stars. One huge star, however, was being shaped by hot flames. It was threatening to explode any minute, awaiting the catalyst. Concordia took her staff, and created a colourless sphere. Soon, however, it became every colour of the rainbow, shining bright enough to colour the darkened area. This sphere flew straight into the centre of the volatile fireball.
"Starburst!"
There were seven massive explosions, for each colour of the rainbow core – red, orange, green, blue, yellow, indigo and violet. All different in colour, but the energy released was the same – staggeringly high. Carlos screamed, as the flames ravaged his fabricated body.
"How do you like that? Months ago, all I could do was heal! Now...look what I can do! I can blast you to pieces, Carlos Nadal! You AND Janus!" Aimee roared. She had never felt so powerful in her whole life.
"You have come very far, Aimee Davenport...but do not delude yourself. Destroying this evil new form is possible, but to eliminate Janus? That would be a miracle. You must not let instinct take over...or you will end up like Miguel Alves."
"Who?" Lucy asked.
"The other world team already know. I was at my peak, as a boxer, while I studied technology part-time. I was ready for the biggest fight of my career. Yet my opponent Miguel was determined to put a stop to my winning streak. And we had met previously, with bad impressions of each other. Bad blood is an understatement. So when we fought, professionalism flew out the window. I let my ego overtake me, and in doing so, I knocked Miguel out cold. Before I could celebrate, I noticed something was wrong. He was declared brain dead at hospital, and they turned off life support. I...saw no choice but to retire from the limelight."
"...That's horrible." Bianca said. "Even if you never meant to, you ended up killing someone. If that were me, I'd..."
"We won't make the same mistake." Aimee said. "Impulses won't rule over me. I...I want to defeat Janus for good. That means considering all my options!"
"You had better mean that. Magarudyne!"
Aimee stood her ground, using her pike as a support. She just barely managed to stay on her spot, even as the wind hit her. The others, however, were forced back quite a few feet. Bianca, having been on her last ebb, collapsed.
"No..." Aimee uttered.
"Now, give me the strength of a thousand lions! Power Charge!"
"A thousand...lions? You ought to fire your scriptwriter." Lucy said, with a derisive laugh. Carlos ignored this, and received nearly double strength. Surviving his next attack would be tricky. Therefore, this meant Aimee had to think fast. She saw Carlos running at her, and gulped. Dodging would not be simple, nor could she hope to block him in his empowered state.
Shirley, however, was not daunted. There had been times during this encounter she feared for her life, but not anymore. Confidently, she summoned Ceridwen. The girl screaming in terror that Carlos had abducted was no more. Instead, a fierce warrior had taken her place.
"Ceridwen! Let the darkness of the night strike fear in the hearts of your foes! Bring them despair, more than they will ever feel in a lifetime! Doom awaits them! Noson o Anobaith!"
The surrounding area turned pitch black. Ceridwen now was bathed in pale moonlight. Carlos remained still, silent – morbidly curious as to what was to happen next. To her surprise, however, he was flung high above, at least five stories. Ceridwen rotated her glaive rapidly, her weapon creating a trail of red light. Eventually, this scarlet light drew a strange glyph, that hit Carlos, and subjected him to piercing darkness and chaos. He fell down, as the atmosphere returned to normality.
"I said it before, and I'll say it again. You rock." Lucy said, clapping.
"Thanks." Shirley said. "I just wish Carlos went down as easily as that girl. Aimee, what are you waiting for? Hurry!"
"R-Right!" Aimee said. "Samarecarm!" In seconds, her Persona restored Bianca to full health. She got up, retrieving her sword, and looked up.
"Did I...miss anything?" She asked.
"It was too dark to see. Don't worry about it." Lucy said, sticking her tongue out. "But...this really is no time to joke around. I get that now. I never once thought before now that I'd be on such a journey. It always seemed like better people than I would be up for that. But you know what? I finally get it! Even girls like me can get better. Ishtar!"
Ishtar appeared and yet again, the area turned dark. Like her predecessor Inanna, her axes were now fuchsia. These axes shone, making sounds like steel being sharpened. Now, they could cut through even Carlos' defence. Ishtar tested this, via insanely fast slashes. As she did so, pink love hearts danced all over, bouncing off the ground.
No so heartless after all...
"How would you like a Kiss in the Dark?"
Ishtar flew to Carlos, who stared at the Persona, curious. She simply chuckled, and gave him a huge kiss on the lips. Then, said kiss turned into scarlet flames, shaping a giant heart, and the darkness vanished once again.
"I'm noticing a theme to your attacks." Bianca said.
"Oh really, flower lady?" Lucy replied.
"...Touché."
With everything that had been thrown at Carlos tonight, one might expect him to be well and truly done. Yet Janus had imbued him with power beyond what Nihane allotted him. Once more, he pulled off a mighty Septentrio. Seven godly fists were brought down – but that punishment wasn't enough. Carlos soon let loose with an Airborne Melee, targeting Shirley.
"Ouch..." Shirley muttered, clutching her right arm.
"I should have known better than to doubt his stamina..." Bianca said.
"Even when he's apologetic, he's still a jerk..." Lucy said, wincing.
"Come on, everyone. Don't get discouraged. Mediarahan!"
Concordia, full of motherly compassion, passed on her healing rays to everyone, restoring their bodies. Carlos, however, had not finished. The girls had simply passed through the eye of the storm, and were soon to be thrust back into the hurricane.
"It's unfortunate...you had so much power, but it simply wasn't enough. You tried your hardest, but...I am at the height of champions. Strength, power, vitality, it all flows through these false veins. Hurricane Brawl!"
Carlos cracked his knuckles, loud enough to hurt Aimee's eardrums. Next, he swiftly slid towards the party. With one brutal punch, he catapulted all of them into the sky. The power of wind surging through him, he rocketed to them. Before long, they were all subjected to the most violent, ruthless punches thought possible. Carlos, just like Venti, was warping to each girl in nanoseconds. With this beatdown complete, he punched each girl down, and landed on both feet.
"There was a time I fought with your friends, and used that same move to defeat a common enemy. Now...it has brought an end to your short lives. It won't be long until I, too, am nullified...yet until then, Janus will force me to behold your corpses.
"Oh yeah?"
Aimee, despite pain coursing all over her body, managed to stand up. She stared at her indomitable opponent, and instead of leer at him, she smiled.
"I'm still here." Aimee said. "You can't just nullify us...not after what you put everyone through. All because of you, the only thing I've wanted is my normal life back. And this is my last chance to get it!"
Carlos was silent. Even in this undead form, he was still overly confident in his strength. That same arrogance had caused the end of his promising career, and now Aimee hoped it would bring about his final defeat.
"Concordia. Dispel the seeds of discord. Cast away all this sadness! For I will see to it that there is Eternal Peace!"
The Persona nodded, and powerfully spun around, filling the area with a spectrum of green and blue light. Bianca, Lucy and Shirley's bodies were raised, and the restorative light was gathered up, restoring every wounded particle of their body. A soothing choir could be heard, resounding throughout Legarte.
"Hey, awesome!" Lucy said. "I thought I was a goner..."
"Same here..." Shirley said. She looked at her friend, with a sinister glint in her eye. "Let's finish this, shall we?"
"Yeah! Go, Ishtar! Amor Leonis!" Lucy said, cheerfully. Carlos, having used most of his strength up, was too fatigued to escape becoming prey. The primal fiery beast struck, its flames spreading throughout the practice grounds.
"Ceridwen, please! Nightmare!" Shirley ordered. Her target had barely recovered, and already he was being tortured by darkness. Distorted laughter howled throughout the destroyed fortress, all while he was being assaulted by many dark red symbols.
This was it, Aimee realised. The time to finally end this. Bianca looked at her rapier, the weapon that she had been armed with ever since she discovered her Persona – the same day her beloved uncle died. The Commander Blaine Spencer had taken her to the campus, and that was when she met three special men. Alastair, the brave yet conceited leader. Richard, the jovial but dependable companion. And then there was Kazuya, the man that could always lift her spirits even in these dark times. This weapon may not be useful here, but it was proof of her devotion – to stick with fighting, and destroy every Shadow that infested this city.
"Mr Nadal. It...It has been an honour!" She said, tearfully. "This is my final gift. With all my heart, I present it to you! Sacred Wreath!"
Gabriel Praeco embedded her trust sword in the ground, and put her hands together in a heartfelt prayer. Her graceful blue wings flapped, and the wreath that was around her head lifted upwards. Light from her sword turned the wreath into a gigantic and majestic ring, filled with blue roses.
Each of these precious flowers, an impossible hue in reality, blossomed. A triumphant choir of angels began singing a long carol. The roses then simultaneously shot out jets of freezing cold water, each one homing in on Carlos. Before long, he was covered in a huge block of ice. Gabriel Praeco took her sword, and let the blue petals encircle it. She pierced the block with her cutting edge of notion, unleashing a holy winter upon this battlefield.
Carlos, no longer able to stand, slumped over, his gloves breaking apart, and the wind around him dissipating. The mask over his mouth broke off too, revealing red raw skin underneath, and the cape tore off.
"Bianca, well done!" Aimee said. "You did it!"
"Thank God we had you." Shirley said, in all honesty.
"It's over...right?" Lucy said. "Carlos, is it...over? Do I have to set you on fire again?"
"Hahaha...no. You receive the champion's belt."
Carlos' body was returning to its original form, just as the base did. There are barely anything left of his essence, but even so, he smiled.
"I never expected to lose to you all." Carlos said. "But, even after I am gone...Janus remains. Answer me honestly, Aimee Davenport. You've lead your team for a long time. Your childhood was ended abruptly by this crisis. Will you lead them towards the final hurdle?"
"You already know the answer to that." Aimee said, gazing fiercely into his eyes.
"Indeed...actions speak louder than words." Carlos said. "Here, the lines between reality and imagination are blurred. I...I may be able to show you some of my happier days. After all, there will never be another time..."
|July 14th 1995|Barcelona, Spain – Montseny Park|11:30 am|
"Huh"? Lucy said. The area had changed completely. Now, all Aimee could see were hills, trees and grass. It was beautiful. Only two other people were present, jogging past at a brisk pace. One was a young man with green hair, dressed in a blue vest and shots, sweating in the morning sun. No doubt this was Carlos. The other was an older, gruff looking man with greying hair. He was yelling at the other man, in Spanish.
"Oh, we're in Spain?" Bianca said. "I never learned Spanish. I know some Japanese, thanks to Kazuya, but..."
"No worries. I'll let you hear the words in English."
"Carlos, I told you, enough!" The man's trainer ordered. He panted, exhausted. "Your agility is good, better than anyone I've ever coached. But it's high time we took a break. We've worked up a huge appetite."
"But I've still got..." Carlos began to say, wiping sweat from his brow. His coach gave him a stern look, and Carlos relented. "I mean, sure. I'm buying."
"You're damn right you are." The trainer said. "Remember? You bet me that if you knocked Ricardo out in three rounds, I'd buy you some tapas. It took you five..."
"I underestimated him, I know! But...he used to be easy competition! No one told me he'd been training so hard, Sergio!" Carlos said.
"So you're trying not to fall behind?" The trainer, Sergio, asked. "You won't get far on an empty stomach. If you want them to call you the 'Hurricane Brawl', you're going to have to be more realistic. Now come on, we're heading into town."
Immediately afterwards, the scene changed again.
|Fiesta Casa|12:45 pm|
The girls were now inside a small, rustic looking traditional 'tapas' bar. Plain wooden floors, tables and chairs, with melted candles in wine bottles for that authentic look. There were delicious smells coming from the kitchen, and many men coming and going, for cool refreshing beer and some small snacks. Aimee felt her mouth water, as she saw a server take out a bowl of chicken in white wine sauce from the kitchen.
"Oh, I remember a place like this in Saragel." Bianca said. "Seems like a man's place, though."
"I went to one of these places back home." Lucy said. "Awesome. I guess this is the real thing, huh?"
"It might look a little drab, but it sure smells nice." Aimee said. "Look! There they are!"
Near the back wall, in front of a large painting of tango dancers, were Carlos and Sergio. They were chatting over bottles of ice-cold Corona. On their table were servings of meatballs, known as 'albondigas', croquettes, potatoes – or 'patatas bravas', and paella.
"Come on, boy, cheer up." Sergio said. "You'll win. You always do. With me by your side, kid, you'll knock 'em all down. Just like a hurricane."
"Yeah, I guess..." Carlos said. "But there's no time to relax anymore. School is such a pain! I thought it'd be fun, you know? Educating myself and being a champ at the same time! But it's a total nightmare. I'm either training with you, or studying in the library all night."
"You can always drop out, you know." Sergio said. "I never finished school, and now look at me – I'm training the next best boxer out of Barcelona."
"But...you don't understand." Carlos said. "What if something happens, and I can't fight anymore? How am I going to support Julia?"
"What are you worried about that for?" Sergio asked. "Her mother's parents are loaded, remember? They'll make sure she has everything."
"That's the point!" Carlos said. "They think I'm a loser who knocked their daughter up. Some asshole who took advantage of her on the dancefloor! I...I want to show them who the real Carlos Nadal is! I want to be part of something big, and in case this goes wrong, I need a plan B. Sergio, I...I want my daughter to be proud of me! And if her grandparents just flash the cash, she'll think I'm a waster!"
"Alright, shut the fuck up." Sergio said, slamming his glass on the table. "Now you're just making me sober. You listen to me. I've seen the way you are with that girl. A natural dad, if I ever saw one. You stayed up all night trying to get her to sleep. You went and made her a cot, even if you don't know shit about carpentry. You're just going to wind up in an early grave if you try so damn hard. Let fatherhood come naturally, you hear?"
"Sergio, I..." Carlos said, stunned. "I...guess I'm worrying too much. But, I want to do this right."
"Idiot." Sergio said. "Come on, give yourself a break. All this studying ain't healthy. You know something, Carlos? Maybe a change of scenery would do you good. How about a holiday?"
"What?" Carlos asked. "Holiday? But...this place is warm enough as it is!"
"So? Even sunshine gets boring sometimes. And you want somewhere with a beach. Tell you what...there's a place I went to a few years ago. Must have been round about the time the Berlin Wall fell. Ever heard of New Motus City?"
"New...where?" Carlos asked.
Sergio frowned. "You hurt your ears, son? New Motus City. It's right in the middle of the ocean. It's still pretty warm, and the beach there...it's nice. Good places to eat and drink, and if you're after sightseeing, you'll be there all week."
"Hmm...that sounds like a plan." Carlos said. "Tell me more. What are the women like?"
Aimee stared at them, curious. To see Carlos in his youth made her sigh, sadly. This was him before everything turned ugly with Miguel.
That summer, Sergio took me to New Motus City. It grew on me, your hometown. He wasn't kidding, there were tons of good places for food, and drink. It was on the flight home that I wondered – maybe living there wouldn't be so bad. Of course, I still had my career as a boxer to think about, and I hadn't graduated yet. Not to mention my daughter was only a baby, living with her mother.
"I suppose...Miguel changed all that?" Shirley asked.
You...could say that. His death made me realise I would never be accepted by Julia's mother's family. And staying in Barcelona would never be the same. Sergio, god bless that man, told me I should go with my plan – finish school, and find work in New Motus. So...I did. Julia cried her eyes out when I told her, but...she got to come visit me not long after I arrived. Here we go.
|June 9th 2001|Saragel Promenade|15:00 pm|
Aimee gasped. She and the girls were standing on the sandy beach of Saragel, in its glory days. She saw many sunbathing individuals, and ice cream bars luring in tourists who needed to cool down.
"Oh, I've missed this!" Bianca said, basking in the sunshine. "Wait, isn't that..."
Aimee gasped. Wandering around was Zao, only about ten. He had a bucket and a net, and was looking around. However, he quickly disappeared. Clearly he was not the focus of this memory.
"Wow. You remember seeing him, Carlos?"
Vaguely. I never realised that boy was him, until just now. All I remember is him trying to catch these tiny fish, but they were too fast for him.
The girls walked closer to the shore, and soon saw him. Carlos, standing in his black trunks, holding a giggling young girl as her feet touched the water. Her hair was the same colour, but she had green eyes. For quite some time, Aimee watched the father and daughter mess around in the sea, splashing each other, swimming, etc. Finally, they got out, and went to the ice-cream stand.
"Daddy, can't I stay here?" Julia asked. "It's no fun without you...mummy's always moody, and grandpa and grandma never let me do anything!"
"Don't say that. They let you come all the way out here to see me, didn't they?" Carlos said, messing up her hair. "And your mother's very busy, trying to look after you. Don't be too hard on her."
"But...this place is so pretty!" Julia protested. "Like that big hill, or the theme park! How come you left home, Daddy?"
"I..." Carlos said. "Sometimes, people need a change of scenery. Like how you got bored of Barbies, and ended up playing with those wrestling figures? Well, it's like that. I'm...happy here. Especially when you get to come see me. Hehe."
"Then I want a change of scenery too!" Julia said. "Some day, I'll come and stay here! Can I?"
"Well...when you're a big girl, we'll talk about it." Carlos said, looking delighted. "But until then, you're going to have be good for your mum. No more breaking plates, okay?"
"I promise!" Julia said, hopping up and down. After buying ice cream, the two of them went up on the promenade, eating happily in the sunshine. This was the side of Carlos that had not been seen for over a decade. To know what he once was, and to have seen what he became, was painful. Aimee sighed, as the environment changed once again.
|Grave Bastion|03:28 am|
"...It's so sad." Shirley said. "The way things turned out, Julia never got to see her father again."
"Yeah..." Lucy said, tearful. "I...I never thought of the Ater Vox as real people..."
"It's...not all bad." Aimee said, seriously. "We should be grateful times like those happen at all. My parents, brother and Zao have all gone, but I can still picture us all together. When I think about it like that...it's comforting."
"Aimee. You...you may be right. Just thinking about my uncle gives me a nice, warm feeling." Bianca said. "Even if no one else accepted it, I'm proud of him. He dressed up as a woman because it was who he was. He didn't have to answer to anyone else. That's...what I'll take with me, even if he's not around."
"...I miss home." Lucy said. "I want to go home...I want to tell my folks how much I love them. Edmond too..."
"Yeah. Once this is over, I want to just settle down. Maybe I can find Joanna, and thank her for that music book. It might have burned up, but I remembered every single melody. I'll play them for her when we next meet." Shirley said, happily.
"...Thank you." Carlos said. "Even if my daughter isn't here...I don't feel alone. The day she comes here, looking for me...tell her...Usted es mi sol."
"...I will." Aimee said, holding back tears. "I will!"
"We'll never forget you, Carlos. Please, go and rest. We'll complete our last mission, no matter how hard it be." Bianca said, bowing respectfully.
Carlos smiled. All of his remaining energy vanished, as did his soul. The vortex around the base also dissipated, and it was as it had been when the girls first arrived. There was silence, as the ladies stood deep in thought.
Julia must be my age now, right? If I do find her, I can't tell her everything. The Carlos I knew isn't her dad. The man I saw today, as he left...that was him. The Hurricane Brawl of Barcelona. Rest in Peace.
"Let's go, everyone." Aimee said. "Our friends are waiting for us."
"Yes." Bianca said. "They'll need our help."
They made their way out of the base, heading towards their final destination. Their next foe was bound to be stronger, but that didn't matter. Their future was yet to be written. And letting it be deleted was out of the question.