"Adios, señorita."

Those were the last words he heard before everything faded out of focus.

His vision blurred and the noise around him vanished, just like how his last customer vanished in a blinding white light---into the Spirit Portal of the unknown realm.

At kasabay ng pagbalik ng mga alaala ni Swaine Pershall ay ang muling pagbabalik ng sakit at pangungulila.

Pakiramdam niya ay muling nagising ang kanyang diwa mula sa matagal nitong pagkakahimlay. Noon niya lang napansin ang maliliit na bagay na nangyayari sa kanyang katawan---ang lamig ng kanyang balat, ang magaan na pakiramdam, at ang sensasyon ng pagdausdos ng luha sa kanyang mga pisngi...kahit pa hindi naman siya umiiyak.

Then again, maybe it was from the memories. Kaya siguro para bang nararamdaman niya pa rin ito.

'What happened? Where am I?'

It took some time before his mind could even recognize the shiny black rocks of the Stone Gallows.

Maya-maya pa, napansin na niya ang binatang tahimik na nakamasid sa kanya. His black eyes, blue hair, and annoying red boots were hard to ignore.

"Boots?"

Ngumisi si Boots. "Glad you're back, Swaine. Akala ko talaga nagkamali pa ako ng kinuhang bote. Ooh-ooh! Ahh-ahh!" Natawa pa ang unggoy at isinara muli ang hawak niyang botella de recuerdos.

Ang boteng naglalaman ng mga alaala ni Swiper the Fox.

'So, everything I saw...was just my past memories?' Isip-isip ni Swiper.

Hindi pa rin nawawala ang simangot sa kanyang mga labi. Naguguluhan pa rin siya sa mga nangyayari ngayon.

"Hoy, nagsasalitang chonggo! Ano ba talagang nangyayari?"

Nang mapansin naman ni Boots ang seryoso niyang ekspresyon, napabuntong-hininga na lang ito. The monkey shifter smiled sadly...

"Tsk! Hindi mo dapat sinasabi 'yan sa tour guide mo."

Napanganga si Swiper sa kanyang narinig. "T-Tour guide...?"

Huminga nang malalim si Boots at ipinaliwanag ang lahat, "Tatlong buwan na ang nakalipas mula nang ihatid natin ang kaluluwa ni Dora Marquez sa kanyang huling hantungan sa Spirit Portal. Tatlong buwan na mula noong pinakawalan mo siya, Swaine. In those three months, you became very sick. Nang dahil sa 'Underworld exploration' natin noon kasama si Dora, humina ang resistensiya mo at naging sakitin ka na. Ang sabi ni Isa, side effects 'yon dahil nag-resign ka noon bilang tour guide. Labis na nakaapekto ang atmospera ng Underworld sa katawan mo. You should've known this would happen...what the fuck were you thinking?"

Muling naalala ni Swiper ang tungkol sa bagay na 'yon.

Malinaw na nakasaad sa kasundaan ng mga spirit tour guides na sa oras na mag-resign sila sa trabaho, maaaring humina ang resistensiya nila kung babalik sila sa Underworld. So when Swiper the Fox resigned and worked for Diego, he was stripped off of his privileges.

Ang nakakatawa pa, alam na ito ni Swiper noon...but he didn't care about it.

Ang mahalaga lang sa kanya ay ang ihatid si Dora sa Spirit Portal---kahit pa alam niyang ikapapahamak niya ito.

Nang dumako ang mga mata ni Swiper sa kanyang mga kamay, doon niya napagtantong halos transparent na pala ang mga ito. His whole body was pale and cold, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened to him...

"Isa and I couldn't do anything... Lalong lumala ang kondisyon mo. You died a few days ago. I'm sorry, Swaine."

Yes, Swaine "Swiper the Fox" Pershall is now a ghost.

He was dead.

Mapait siyang ngumiti at muling bumaling kay Boots, "Kung ganoon, ang mga alaala...?"

Nag-iwas ng tingin ang spirit tour guide. "Nagdesisyon kami ni Isa na isilid na muna sa isang botella de recuerdos ang mga alaala mo---katulad ng ginawa mo noon kay Dora. Fortunately, you're a special case, too, so I was assigned as your tour guide. Hinatid kita rito sa Stone Gallows, at kanina ko lang ibinalik sa'yo ang mga alaala mo tungkol sa paglalakbay natin noon, kasama ang kaluluwa ni Dora Marquez."

Everything...was just a distant memory.

Sandaling natahimik si Swiper. Sa gilid ng kanyang mga mata, natatanaw na niya ang liwanag na nagmumula sa Spirit Portal. It was calling him in and it felt like being tugged by an invisible rope.

Alam na niya ang ibig sabihin nito.

"Will I be able to pass through?" Mahina niyang tanong kay Boots.

Tumango naman ang monkey shifter at bahagyang tumabi para bigyan siya ng daan.

There was a sad, yet relieved glint in Boots' eyes when he spoke, "Wala ka nang dapat ipag-alala pa. Marami ka nang naisakripisyo, at napagbayaran mo na ang mga pagkakamaling nagawa mo noon. Natapos na ang mga gawain mo dito sa mundo, Swaine...oras na para magpahinga ka na. You have already reached the end of your journey, Swiper the Fox. No one knows where the portal takes special souls... But I have a feeling that she's waiting for you on the other side."

Boots took out a violet rose from his pocket and placed it in his hand. It was the same one Isa put on Dora's hair three months ago.

A goodbye.

That made Swiper smile. To be reunited again with his señorita, will be the most wonderful gift death could give him.

"Salamat, Benedict. You still can't beat me as a tour guide, though. Dead or alive, ako pa rin ang pinaka-seksing spirit tour guide sa Underworld. Hahaha!"

Napapailing na lang si Boots. "Siraulo ka talaga, Pershall. Enjoy the afterlife, okay?"

Swiper smirked and transformed into a fox. Bitbit ang rosas sa kanyang bibig, nagtungo siya sa bukana ng Spirit Portal.

One last time, Swaine Pershall said his silent goodbye to the world he no longer belongs to...

Before vanishing into the blinding light that took his señorita away from him, three long months ago.

*

The Map of Everywhere always led her back to this place.

Huminga nang malalim si Dora at muling sinilip ang mapa. 'Hindi naman siguro 'to nasira, 'di ba?' Isip-isip niya. Muli niyang pinasadahan ng tingin ang paligid. Wala siyang ideya kung ilang araw, linggo, o buwan siyang nagpapagala-gala rito sa kagubatang tila walang katapusan.

Ever since the Spirit Portal brought her here, she lost track of time and found herself running around in circles.

Sinubukan niyang gamitin ang mapa para alamin ang daan paalis rito, pero para bang may pumipigil sa kanya. Sa mga sandaling kagaya nito, alam niyang wala sa mapa ang problema---nasa kanya mismo.

As much as she wanted to deny it, she can't.

A sad smile graced Dora Marquez's lips.

'The Map of Everywhere takes its user to wherever his or her heart desires to go... Sa ngayon, walang tiyak na lugar ang gustong puntahan ng puso ko, that's probably why it always leads me back to this place.'

Because after everything, she can't seem to move on. She can't forget him.

Malungkot na ngumiti si Dora at muling binuklat ang mapa, umaasang sa pagkakataong ito, magbabago na ang nakalagay rito.

Nakakatawang isipin na dinadala ng Spirit Portal ang mga espesyal na kaluluwang kagaya niya sa isang "alternate reality" na makapagbibigay ng kapayapaan sa sinumang papasok dito. Dora was transported to another place, in another time, where she can finally feel free and go out on adventures on her own---like what she always wanted to do when she was still alive. It was her version of paradise.

But despite everything, she felt like something was missing.

Or, perhaps, a part of her was already missing?

Marahan siyang umiling sa naiisip. "Maybe I just need to try harder, this time? Imposible namang palagi kong dadalhin ng mapa rito..." Maya-maya pa, natigilan ang dalaga nang makarinig siya ng mga kaluskos.

Her heart beated wildly against her chest.

'Iba-iba ang alternate reality para sa mga kaluluwa, depende kung ano ang makakapagbigay ng kapayapaan sa kanila...imposible namang may sumunod sa'kin dito, 'di ba?'

Unti-unti niyang ibinaba ang mapa.

Her brown eyes widened upon seeing the fox standing in front of her.

In a blink of an eye, he shifted into the form of a man, holding out a violet rose. His eyes were filled with longing and happiness, his smile was genuine, and his fox tail swished behind him...

"Señorita."

Hindi na napigilang maluha ng dalaga.

"S-Swiper!"

Wala na siyang inaksayang oras at mabilis na nilapitan ang binata. Agad niyang niyakap si Swaine Pershall at hinayaang tumulo ang mga luhang matagal na niyang pinipigilan. She had to remind herself that in this version of reality, she was no longer a ghost. She no longer needed to hold herself back.

Mahigpit niyang niyakap ang kanyang dating tour guide.

Soon, she felt him embrace her back.

"Y-You're not mad at me, anymore?"

Mahina siyang natawa at tinitigan ang mga mata ni Swiper. Ngayon, nauunawaan na niya kung bakit paulit-ulit siyang dinadala ng mapa sa lugar na ito.

"I was already lost long before you found me, Swiper. Bilang tagapangalaga ng mapa, palaging nalalagay sa peligro ang buhay ko. Because my family entrusted this to me, I had an obligation to guard it until my last breath...but I wasn't happy," huminga nang malalim si Dora at ngumiti.

"I knew I couldn't escape death. It was bound to happen... Aaminin kong nagulat ako nang malaman kong ikaw ang naging dahilan ng pagkamatay ko, but after spending my time here, I realized it wasn't entirely your fault. Inilihim mo ang lahat, para sa akin. Marami kang naisakripisyo para lang malagay ako sa katahimikan, Swaine. At dahil doon, matagal na kitang pinatawad. Besides, it's hard to stay mad at the person who swiped me off my ghostly feet." She winked at him.

That made his fox ears perked up. Naglaho ang pag-aalinlangan sa mga mata ni Swiper at masuyong iniligay sa buhok ng dalaga ang rosas.

"See? I told you that catch phrase was catchy!" Ngumisi ang dating tour guide at inilapit ang mukha sa kanya. His eyes fell on her lips, as he leaned in for a kiss...

But before he could even do so, mabilis na lumayo si Dora.

"Swiper?"

He pouted. "No swiping? Aww, man!"

She giggled. "Actually, I was about to say 'I love you'. But I think 'Swiper, no swiping' sounds catchy, too."

"Hah! Well, who could ever resist a sexy fox like me?" Mahinang natawa si Swiper the Fox at umakbay sa kanya. May malokong ngiti sa kanyang mga labi bago bumulong sa kanyang tainga. "Don't worry, the feeling is mutual, my señorita..."

Sa huli, nahanap nila ang kapayapaan sa isa't isa. Sa ibang bersyon ng reyalidad, at sa panibagong yugto ng kanilang istorya.

"Saan na tayo pupunta ngayon?" Mahinang tanong ni Swiper sa kanya.

Mabilis namang binuklat ni Dora ang Map of Everywhere. Sa wakas, tuluyan nang nabago ang mga nakaguhit dito. Kuminang naman sa saya ang mga mata ng kanyang kasama. A whole new adventure was waiting for them in this unknown land.

"Well, the map shows us a Big Red Hill filled with one-eyed zombie pirates and lost treasures. Are you ready for another exploration, Swiper the Fox?"

Swaine Pershall grinned and held her hand.

"Señorita, you know I'll follow you anywhere... even to the depths of the Underworld." At kumindat pa ito sa kanya.

Noong mga sandaling 'yon, hindi maiwasang isipin ni Dora...may alternate reality rin kaya kung saan naging cartoon characters sila? Mahina siyang natawa. She wanted to dismiss the idea. 'Yup, that's just crazy.' But then again, with all the craziness happening in the world right now...

Anything is possible.

THE END.

---

Note: Endings are just landmarks for new beginnings. Despite others thinking it's a "crazy" thing to do, I'm really glad I took the chance of writing this story. We did it. I hope you learned something along the way. Thank you for reading "The Underworld Exploration", humans. Stay awesome! 

---NoxVociferans