Dead Reckoning - A Gregorio del Pilar x Reader story

XXV - Onism

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The last memory I have from the game before returning to this world is the fact that I've been brutally wounded. And, in order to heal from such injury, I'll need to let two months passed on that game before finally returning. I don't know how long it means for me to stay in the modern world before returning, but after two weeks, I know that I'll be able to be back without any harm any time soon. So, for the past few days I've tried visiting local libraries and bookstores in search of that book.

Revolución Filipina: Ang Buhay at Kamatayan ng Batang Heneral.

In all the libraries I've made to, all of them said that they haven't heard of that book. It will be surprising to assume that only Gregory has that type of book. I even tried searching it online, and for some reasons, they don't even have it. So, I've tried to also inquire books about Goyo and research about him, but even that leads to nothing. All resources say that there's no such person as him. Even trailing our book in history, his name doesn't even exist, but other names from the game do. And it's starting to become weirder and weirder.

"Earth to (Y/N)," Via almost shouts right in front of my face, giggling as we leave our last class for the day. "Nakatulala ka na naman. Parang ang lalim-lalim ng iniisip mo."

I sigh heavily. "May naisip lang ako bigla. Two weeks na akong naghahanap ng mga libro tungkol kay Gregorio del Pilar, pero wala akong makita."

"Gregorio del Pilar?" Via blinks in question. "Sino yun? Hindi ko pa naririnig yung pangalan na iyon."

I look at her, surprised at first before laughing on how clueless she appears. "V, 'wag ka nga magpatawa. Alam kong maaalala mo siya. Naalala ko na nabanggit dati yung pangalan niya nung history natin. Noong elementary at high school. Yung batang heneral? Ngayong naisip-isip ko, alam ko bata pa lamang siya nung namatay pero di ko maalala kung saan... Huwag mong sabihin na hindi mo siya naalala kahit doon lang?"

Via stops walking and faces me. "(Y/N), ano ba talaga ang pinagsasabi mo? Wala sa history ang may pangalan na 'Gregorio del Pilar'."

I freeze, gulping in hard at some sudden relation.

She smiles timidly at me. "Pagod lang siguro iyan, (Y/N). Masyado ka atang nag-aaral, ano?"

Yung rason kung bakit ni isa sa mga libro o maging sa internet, hindi mahanap ang pangalan niya. O di kaya, hindi siya nakikilala... Posible ba na, lahat ng tungkol kay Goyo, ay nawala lang basta-basta?

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Someone shouts the very moment I make it back to the game. Looking at the direction of the voice, I realize that he is a foreigner with a tall and lean figure, blond hair and a growing mustache and even his skin is pale against the navy blue and khaki color of his uniform. He immediately points his rifle at my direction as he asks, shakingly, "W-What the hell are you?! Y-You just came out of nowhere?!"

I blink at him. Nagsasalita siya ng Ingles. T-Teka, nasaan ba ako? B-Bakit ako nasa lugar na ito? Amerikano?

"E-Explain yourself!" He screams as he cocks his rifle, placing a bullet on its place, and a finger onto the trigger, ready to shoot any moment. "I-In the count of three!"

"W-Wait!" I raise my hands. "Don't shoot! Calm down, please."

His eyes widen. "Y-You speak English? B-But, you're... Are you part of the Commission?"

There's no time to explain. I need to find Goyo and gather as much information as possible. Perhaps, if I leave the game another time, wait for another day, and I'll find myself with fellow Filipinos than an American completely out of nowhere. In a place that is unfamiliar to me, without the comfort of the greenery that I always find myself in whenever I return here. I ask him, "What kind of Commission are you talking about?"

He seems to have somehow calmed down but he didn't lower his gun at all. "They've left already. A Commision between the Americans and the Filipinos. By a general named Gre... Gregorio del Pilar."

I almost laugh at the accent on how Goyo's name was pronounced. But enough of that. The reason that I've ended up here is because Goyo is here. Doing whatever business with the American, one that this soldier said to be a 'commission' about something. He also said that they've already left, will I be able to catch up with them? No. I'll just exit the game and try another time, and calm myself in the real world that Goyo's footprints in this game remains. Perhaps, I'll be able to tell the world about him then once I am through with this game. As of now, I need to leave and try again.

"By the way, I am hungry," I say. "Is it possible if you can get me a mango, somehow?"

"M-Mango?" He raises an eyebrow at me, surprised how come I am requesting something out of the blue, when he could just lock me up in prison and remain a hostage to be interrogated. Perhaps, it has to be about the commission that just ended and some ceasefire for who knows how long.

I wait for him until he calls for some other soldier nearby and ordered him to pick a mango, referring to the fruit as "the yellow heart-shaped one". Even though the soldier he'd asked for to get some leaves, he didn't lower his gun and tells me, "A-after eating, we'll bring you to the dungeons to be interrogated."

Wrong move!

A few seconds later, the soldier returns with a mango. Before he can even hand it to me, I immediately take it from him, peel its skin and take a bite. In a second, hearing the screaming of the two soldiers, I disappear right before their eyes.

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When I return to the real world, I am surprise to find my mother inside the room, furious. She says, "(Y/N), anong sabi ko sa iyo tungkol sa mga video games, ha?!"

And on her hand is none other than but the disc of Revolución Filipina.

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A/N: Follow me on twitter @23meraki for more updates. ;)

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