Shipwrecked Hearts

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It felt like there is something missing in me. It felt like there is something in me that has been stolen away. I tried recalling whatever it was, but there was nothing. Something precious to me has been removed... it must be what I had forgotten... but what can it possibly be? How can I remember something that has been forgotten? For good?

"Welcome to Morti Pier." Saad ni Kid habang nakatanaw kami mula sa sundeck ng barkong sinasakyan dahilan upang bumalik ako sa huwisyo. Mula sa aming harap ay isang isla na gaya ng Anarchist Harbor ay pinapalibutan ng mga barko ng mga pirata. Ang tanging pagkakaiba lamang ay walang siyudad ang Morti Pier, it's more or less... like a fortress.

The high walls against the sea were surrounded with cannons and fixed weaponries. From such distance, I can see men in green army uniform patrolling around. Kid snaked his arm on my back to my waist. Gusto ko siyang sampalin, nandidiri ako sa kan'yang ginagawa... tumingin ako kay Pearl, she eyed me as if telling me to be patient and just pretend to not know anything... to pretend what I must be like if I had already forgotten Maximo.

"Bakit ngayon mo lang ako dinala dito?" I whined. I mentally rolled my eyes. Do I really have to pretend? Apparently, I do need. Kung malaman ni Kid na nagpapanggap lang ako at tinulungan ako nina Pearl... hindi lang ako ang mapapahamak, pati na rin sila.

"I'm sorry if it took me so long." Bulong ni Kid sa aking tainga. Apparently, he is buying the fact that this Memory Alteration thingy has worked. Bigla kong naalala si Excel, she created this powerful device... I suddenly missed her. Knowing that she's gone now, she's probably with Mermaid... or Serene, resting in peace.

I shove all thoughts away. This is not the time to mourn the dead. And I know Maximo will come to my aid... he will.

"Anyways, it's okay, nandito na tayo ngayon." Pumeke ako ng ngiti kay Kid.

He just shrugged. "So, do you feel different? Or do you feel like there's something you might have forgotten? Or something that doesn't add to the picture?"

He was checking out if I had completely forgotten Maximo... what I will answer to this is vital and crucial. I haven't really given any thoughts yet regarding this matter.

I faked a cough and plastered a measured smile on my face, "yes, I feel different. It felt like I've been sleeping for months. Something also doesn't add up to the picture... sa pagkakaalam ko, nasa cruise ship ako... pero paggising ko, andito na tayo... I am also shook to find out from Pearl herself when I woke up that you guys are pirates... you've been hiding this from me ever since, right? And yes, my memories feel a bit fuzzy. There are things I cannot explain."

Tinaasan ako ng kilay ni Kid habang ang barko ay lumalapit sa kanlungan. "Like what?" He seems to be interested.

I smirked. I am a good liar. I must take note of that.

"Like you." I bit my lips... "I don't know how I found out that you were a pirate. I just knew that you were a pirate. Is there something wrong with my memories? It... it just feels like I've been in a bad dream and I woke up, forgetting whatever bad dream it was."

Ngumiti si Kid, "it is probably for the best." Hinawi niya ang ilang hibla ng aking buhok, "I am glad you're really back, Aki." With that, he looked at his crew... those with familiar faces... then there's Marco whose half of his face has been burnt and crisped. "Fold the sails, drop the anchors!"

"Aye!" Mabilis na sagot nila at agad na ginawa ang utos ni Kid. He stimulated the wheel 360 degrees, maneuvering the ship sideward into a perfect parking.

Agad namang nagbaba ng hagdanan ang mga tauhan upang lakaran papunta sa puwerto. Bumaba na ang lahat. Sumunod kami ni Kid na nasa hulihan ng linya. I looked around, so this is the enemy's base... I cannot accept the fact that my family... my family is my enemy. I cannot even accept the fact that all this time, Kid has been a true brother of mine and not of foster.

"Let's go for a little walk around." Aniya.

"I'm tired." I stated, which was half true. Sa ngayon, ang gusto ko lang talaga ay ang mapag-isa. Gusto ko munang pag-isipang mabuti ang lahat ng mga nangyari. Masyado kasi akong nabigla. Hindi ko alam kung ano na ang dapat gawin... kung sino ang dapat paniwalaan. All these stuffs. I need to sort things out.

"Well, it seems like you are." Tumango pa si Kid. "Okay. I'll lead you to your chamber then." Tumingin siya kay Pearl, "I appoint you as Aki's handmaiden."

"With pleasure." Pearl smiled. It felt like history repeating itself again. Ganitong-ganito noon ang nangyari noong una kong apak sa Anarchist Harbor. Maximo called out Pearl and assigned her to be my personal caretaker.

I am thankful though... because it means Pearl and I will be together. It will be easier to be updated and to know if they've already made a plan for my escape. Naglakad na kami papasok sa madilim na pasilyo ng muog. Ang mga piratang nakakasalubong namin ay yumuyuko kay Kid. He must be a very respectable man here. Well, not in my case.

"Marco, you and your crew may now proceed to your dwellings." Saad ni Kid kina Marco na nakasunod pa rin sa amin. We haven't spoken yet, but basing on Pearl's words, he is indeed a part of my plan for escape.

Tumango lamang si Marco at sinenyasan ang mga tauhan na sumunod na sa kan'yang papunta sa kanilang silid. They went right and we went straight ahead. We walked the stairs, we turned a dozen times, then stopped. "We're at the sixth floor." Ani Kid. "The room at the bottom will be yours."

I nodded and faced Kid. "Kid, I am curious... why am I here again?" Okay. I'm so good at lying I have forgotten Maximo and some memories because of this Memory Alteration.

"Why? I feel offended, Aki." Nagulat ako nang amuyin ni Kid ang ilang hibla ng aking buhok, "why, you ask?" Bumungisngis si Kid, "to marry you, of course... after all, kailangan kitang panagutan. Anak ko ang nasa sinapupunan mo, don't you remember?"

Nilagay ko sa aking likod ang aking kanang kamay at kinuyom ito nang mahigpit. Pearl must have seen it and paled a little bit. So, Kid and I are going to lie at each other's faces, huh? He's gonna claim that he is the father of Maximo's child, huh?

"What? Something between us happened? I'm pregnant?" Kumunot ang aking noo. I need to go with the flow if I intend to survive. I need to keep lying. "And you're going to marry me? But... but we're siblings!"

"I know. But that only makes our love pure, Aki. Nobody understands our love. People will judge us and call this love incest... that is why I took you here with me, so we can freely love each other. I swear... tomorrow, I will marry you." Tomorrow?! What the fuck?!

"Isn't that too soon?"

"Aki, that's how I love you. I cannot wait any longer. I might lose you."

"Indeed?"

Ngumiti si Kid at akmang hahalikan ako sa aking labi nang tumagilid ako nang kaunti dahilan upang tumama ang halik sa aking pisngi. Fuck, never dare kiss me on my lips or I swear I'll kick your dick!

"Pagod ako. You can go to your room now, Kid. I can go to my own room you directed me."

"If you insist. I still have a lot of things to prepare for our wedding tomorrow." With that, Kid bowed and stormed off.

Agad naman kaming tumungo ni Pearl sa aking k'warto sa dulo. I shut the door and locked it. My eyes gazed upon the interior. The walls were dull and colorless. The ceiling was high though, with one chandelier lit with round candles on each holder. The fire reflected the jewels hanged around, causing a rippling effect around the four corners of the room.

There was one dresser and a master-sized bed at the center, with one door connecting to the bathroom, I assume. What's caught my attention is that... there were no windows, nor a veranda. The only entrance and exit of wind is the door.

I frantically looked at Pearl. "He's going to marry me tomorrow, Pearl! I need to escape now!"

"That cannot possibly happen, Kira." Kinagat ni Pearl ang kan'yang babang-labi. "I am afraid we cannot proceed with the plan because there's no plan yet, Kira! To device the plan, we need a blueprint of this stronghold, schedule of the guards and ships, all transactions, everything! We cannot risk rescuing you for the sake of stopping the marriage."