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Royal 26

Meteor's POV

"Finally! I searched all over the place for you!"

Iniangat ko ang tingin mula sa mga papeles na hawak ko. Astro is standing at the door, catching his breath probably after a long run. Nasa study room ako ngayon ng tinitirhan naming mansyon sa Core City. I think this is the good place after disappearing in my ballet/revolution act. Sigurado naman akong hahanapin ako nina Dad and Mom after what I've done earlier.

Muli akong ibinalik ang tingin ko sa mga hawak na papeles, "What do you want, Kuya?"

"What do I want?!" Astro asked in disbelief. Sinilip ko siya. He's constantly letting out sighs while walking back and forth in front of me. The usual Astro when he's under pressure.

Bakit ba siya na-s-stress? Samantalang ako naman ang mananagot kay Dad.

"Calm down, brother. I'm already expecting dad's arrival any minute now," sabi ko na lang habang patuloy sa pags-scan ng mga papeles na hawak ko. He will be here shortly. He needs to. May pag-uusapan pa kami.

"How can I calm down, sis? Dad is furious!" Napansin kong tumigil na sa kalalakad niya si Astro at nakatayo na siya sa harap ko. I'm guessing he's massaging his head right now. "Look, I admire what you've done earlier, but Dad is expecting you to give an exceptional performance that will bring home the Swan Lake's crown! Not some revolutionary speech with fire blazing stunts!"

Hindi ako sumagot. We were silent for a moment. Patuloy pa rin sa pag-iisip si Astro hanggang siya na mismo ang bumasag sa katahimikan.

"Okay, I should probably calm down. It's already done and what we can do now is to deal with it," mas malumanay niyang sabi. "I already have a plan. Just go back to your room, and I'll do the explaining to Mom and Dad."

"I appreciate your effort for making me some 'escape' plan, but, you don't have to save my ass anymore, Astro. I already made a decision and I'm going to face Dad right here, right now."

And his usual reaction came into view — surprised.

"You're insane, Meteor." Naiiling na lang na sabi niya.

Nagkibit-balikat ako, "I guess I am after all."

He heaved a sigh. Mukhang naiintindihan niya na na kahit anong gawin niyang pagpigil sa'kin, determinado na ako sa desisyon ko.

Naramdaman kong umupo siya sa tabi ko. "You're stubborn, you know? But, no matter what crazy decision you have inside that head of yours," pinitik niya ako ng mahina sa noo. "I'm always here with you."

In-extend ni Astro ang kanyang dalawang kamay at akmang bibigyan niya ako ng kanyang 'brotherly hug' nang hawakan ko ang mukha niya at bahagya itong itulak palayo sakin.

"You know I don't like hugs."

"Oh c'mon, sis! You're ruining the moment!"

I chuckled, "Fine. This is an exception."

Hindi ko na inantay pa ang pagyakap niya at kusa na akong yumakap sa kanya ng mahigpit. Sobrang mahigpit na naririnig ko na siyang magreklamo na hindi na daw siya makahinga.

"Hey Astro.."

"What?"

"Thank you. For everything."

"You sound weird when you say something like that."

Kinurot ko siya sa tagiliran.

"Ow ow ow! Joke lang syempre! Ikaw naman."

"But seriously, Meteor. Thank you for believing in me, even if you're so pasaway and masungit and brusko— wait, iisa-isahin ko pa ba? Baka abutin tayo ng isang araw."

Astro laughed habang naiiling na lang ako sa mga sinasabi niya. He never fails to cheer me up at times like this.

Narinig naming bumukas ang pinto ng study room. Bumitaw ako kay Astro para tignan kung sino ang bagong dating. And just as I expected.

"Meteor Flare Sirius!"

Napatayo kaming dalawa ni Astro. The moment I've been waiting for has arrived.

"Dad."

Astro's right. I am in serious trouble.

Dad is furious. I can see his jaw tighten. Lalong humigpit ang hawak niya sa kanyang tungkod. He took few steps forward papalapit sa'min. Nasa likod niya si Mom. She looked worried. I clenched my fists. There's no way I could back out now.

"Pack your things and leave this place immediately," halata ang pagtitimpi ng kanyang galit sa kanyang pagsasalita. "Mag-uusap tayo pagbalik ko."

Sunod-sunod na iling ang ginawa ko. "No Dad, we will talk. Right here, right now!"

"Don't start with me, young lady!" Itinuro niya ang pintuan. "Get out of my sight."

Hindi ako tuminag. I stood there, having an eye-to-eye contact to meet his intense gaze. I never thought this day would come when I have to blurt out the things which I have kept hidden for a long time. It's the only way to keep his attention.

"I am a Shadow, Dad. Your daughter is a member of the royalties' greatest enemy, the Underground, and I am not just a part of it," huminga muna ako ng malalim bago magpatuloy. "I am one of its rulers."

"Trust me, you don't want to send this little girl back to your kingdom without hearing what she has to say, because right now, she's probably the only person who can save this damned world from the hell that's about to come."

~

I told Dad and Mom everything, starting from the usual 'Once Upon A Time'. I felt that they needed an elaborate explanation, now that they learned about my association in the Underground. It's time to reveal my other side.

Sinabi ko sa kanila kung paano ako na-involve sa Underground. At such young age, I learned how to fight. I learned how to control my flames. Mas gusto ko ang pakikipag-suntukan at bunuan kaysa sa pagbabalanse ng mga libro sa ulo ko. Mas gusto kong mangolekta ng iba't ibang klaseng espada kaysa sa magagandang sapatos. Mas gusto kong matuto ng martial arts kaysa ballet. Doing what I want is what makes me feel alive, and I chose to live.

Kaya simula nang maturuan akong makipag-laban, sumali ako sa Underground battle. I did my best to climb to the top, and being a Shadow is an accomplishment for me. Who would've thought a crowned princess would rule a place that is definitely the state's number one enemy?

From that day on, gumawa ako ng paraan para makatakas at makabisita underground. Naging close ako sa mga taong nakakasalamuha ko, and eventually I became part of their family. I was happy back then, but things do have its ending.

Dalawang taon din akong nawala sa Underground for one reason — I almost killed someone. I do love fighting but killing was never and will never be in my dictionary. Because of that, I was put in a traumatic state, and decided to gather myself together. I knew then that I needed to take a break from Underground, and so I did. Until that time came that we needed to come back once again to protect our reputation in the Underground, now that we were challenged by the Snow White group. Doon ko nakilala si Blizzard.

Surprisingly, he knew my identity as a princess, and it frustrates me that I have no idea who he is. We had a game back then and set our bets. Natalo ako, which is why I have to do whatever he says. Nagpunta kami sa iba't ibang lugar and our last place is Vega Empire para doon kumain. At that time, Lucci Vanderwall escaped. That very same night, may iniwan sa'ming bata, si Winter.

Hindi pa doon natatapos ang pagkikita namin ni Blizzard. I thought I would only see him when I visit Underground but I was wrong. Our family blessed him as my personal bodyguard. Kaya naman halos araw-araw, oras-oras, lagi siyang nakabuntot sa'kin. Bukod pa doon, siya ang nagprisintang maging partner ko sa Royal Swan Lake when my original partner left me. Kaya kahit sa practice, siya ang kasama ko. And Winter even thought of him as his father. Tapos isa rin siya sa mga miyembrong nagdadala ng pangalan ng Sirius Empire ngayon sa Stella Royal Games.

He was a Shadow, my personal bodyguard, my ballet partner, Winter's "father", A Sirius Empire member for the Royal Games— Blizzard was too involved in my life na halos hindi na ako sanay na wala siya sa tabi ko.

Tapos bigla niya akong iiwan?

I did say about Blizzard's betrayal to my parents. Pero hindi ko sinabi sa kanila ang nararamdaman ko tungkol sa kanya. I would forget it anyway. I just need some time.

Pagkatapos non, nag-focus na ako sa misyon na ibinigay sa'kin bilang isang Shadow. I told them the exact same thing that I revealed to Astro. Inilapag ko sa table na namamagitan sa'min ang mga papeles na hawak-hawak ko kanina. Dad took it and scanned the written texts, habang patuloy kong ikinukwento sa kanya ang laman niyon at ang koneksyon nito sa posibleng giyera na magaganap. Ang mga nawawalang tao sa Underground, ang organisasyong gumagawa ng ilegal na stardusts, ang mga taong posibleng nagpapakidnap dito, ang identity ni Blizzard, basically all the possible things that First Shadow and I could think of from this situation. Despite all of our hypotheses, one thing's for sure.

"I'm telling you this because this is out of the Shadows' control, Dad. War is coming, and we have to act really fast if we don't want the fire of hell catching up," isang malalim na buntong-hininga ang pinakawalan ko. "In this corrupted world where money and power are things desired and worshiped by man, loyalty and trust are hard to find. We only have limited people whom we can rely on and trust this classified information. If we sing to the wrong people, I can no longer see the future of this world."

"You're telling that to me yet you don't know if these people— this First Shadow, can be trusted at all."

"I know them, Dad. In fact, you know them too." Humarap ako kay Astro at bumulong, "Pwede mo ba silang sunduin sa kabilang kwarto?"

"Nandito sila?!" Halos pasigaw niyang bulong. I nodded at him.

Sumunod naman si Astro sa utos ko. Naiwan ako, si Dad and Mom sa study room. I glanced at Dad's reaction. Patuloy pa rin siya sa pagbabasa ng mga papeles. Hindi katulad ni Mom, mas madaling basahin ang iniisip niya. His emotions say everything that's going through his mind. I can say he's confused and scared at the same time. Para siyang si Astro noong una niyang narinig ang kwento ko, na-mind fuck siya. Well, it's unfortunate for Dad to hear everything right from the start. Si Astro kasi, dati niya pang nalaman na involved ako sa Underground. So he had time to get over it. Hindi katulad ni Dad na sa isang bagsakan lang nalaman ang lahat. I can feel that he wanted to freak out right now but he's doing his best not to. Not in front of his daughter, that is. Kaya naman ganoon na lang kahigpit ang hawak niya sa kamay ni Mom. For support.

Si Mom naman, tahimik lang. The usual Queen Siliria of the Sirius Empire. She has the blank expression and I'm having a hard time to read her thoughts. Bihira lang siyang magsalita sa mga ganitong bagay, but when she talks, it's something you wouldn't expect.

Mabilis akong napatingin sa pintuan nang bumukas ito. Pumasok si Astro, kasunod ang dalawa pang tao na nakasuot ng black hood at natatakpan ang kanilang mukha. I stood up to greet them. Napansin ko ding tumayo sina Mom and Dad. Pumwesto ako sa gilid para ipakilala sila formally.

Nanlaki ang mga mata nina Dad nang tanggalin ng dalawa kong kasama ang kanilang hood. Pati si Mom, hindi na natago pa ang gulat na ekspresyon.

"It can't be.."

"Dad, Mom. May I introduce to you the person responsible for training and enhancing not only my skills but Astro's as well, our teacher, Master Xen, Grandfather Orion's right hand. He's with the main leader and ruler of the Underground, First Shadow.."

"..Also known as Xion, Master Xen's son."

In-extend ni Old Man ang kanyang kamay sa harap at kinuha naman ito ni Dad para makipag-shake hands.

"Finally, we meet again Leo."

~

Kyamii: Sorry, it's kinda late but, thoughts anyone? :)