Sumunod naman kami kay Sir Hiroshi at noong nasa Technology Department na kami ay hindi ko mapigilang hindi mapatingin sa scientists at researchers. All of them were busy with programs and devices. Akane also said she could hear explosions inside several laboratories. This kind of situation was normal to them but they seemed agitated and pressured.
We went to the Dimension Room and carefully approached the huge table in the middle because walking on a transparent floor was still nerve-wracking.
"Here are your new weapons. You can now mark them," sabi ni Sir Hiroshi sabay turo sa amin sa mga nakahanay sa table.
"Whoa! Seryoso 'to? Pwede namin 'tong gamitin?" Ken beamed as he inspected one of the weapons.
"Yes," Sir Hiroshi replied. "Especially now that the war is slowly approaching."
Napatingin ako sa kanya dahil sa sinabi niya. Hearing the word war from their mouths still didn't feel right. I couldn't even fathom that we would be fighting to death.
We immediately knew what weapons were assigned to us because of the descriptions. Reiji picked up the slingshot at the end. According to its description, the elasticity of the rubber is proportional to the applied force and it will not snap because they incorporated the data they gathered from Reiji's sixth sense limits. The bullets were circular in shape and their penetration capacity would is proportional to the strength and speed of the shot.
Kinuha naman ni Riye ang set ng bow and arrow. However, it was also modified since there's a tiny scope attached to the bow which would show the internal systems of the body. The user won't also need extreme accuracy since the arrow will follow what's locked in the scope.
Ken got black balls the size of marbles. They were mini-bombs with different compositions, hence, different effects. Ken could differentiate each through their scents and when I tried smelling one of them, I couldn't even tell if there was really some scent.
Isang kakaibang sword naman ang napunta kay Akane. The sword was light and elastic. When she pressed something on the hilt of the sword, it suddenly transformed into a whip. What was more surprising was the length changes with respect to the strength and power of the swing.
Hiro got twin guns. One could detect minute changes in the surroundings and would automatically load bullets depending on the user's wish. The other one could perceive a Shinigami's presence and it would unconditionally release a bullet. The mechanism of the loading of bullets is similar to the notepad—infinite.
Pare-pareho naman kaming nagulat nang biglang tinutok sa akin ni Hiro ang baril kaya napapikit ako.
'Shit!" he cursed and Akane pulled me away from him.
It could perceive a Shinigami's presence.
Parang biglang lumubog ang puso ko. Kahit pilit kong itinatanggi sa sarili ko ay pinapamukha pa rin sa akin ng ganitong pagkakataon kung ano ako.
"The bullet didn't come out," sabi naman ni Sir Hiroshi. "You're not a Shinigami. Okay?"
But the gun still reacted to my presence, I wanted to say but I decided not to. Kinalma ko na lang ang sarili ko dahil ayaw ko munang isipin ang pagkatao ko. Ang mahalaga ngayon ay kung ano ang magagawa ko.
Lumapit ako sa table at kinuha ko ang weapon na para sa akin. It was a gun, but instead of bullets, it has arrows in the cartridge. The size of the arrows are small enough to fit inside but they change into its real size the moment they get outside of the gun. There's also a scope on the top of the gun so I could estimate the distance of the target.
Halos ilang minuto kaming nakatingin sa weapons na natanggap namin mula sa Technology Department. After naming i-mark ang mga iyon ay pinalabas na rin agad kami ni Sir Hayate mula ro'n. Paglabas namin ay napatingin kami sa Midori Building dahil ang daming estudyanteng nakaabang sa harapan. Tumakbo naman kami papunta ro'n at pagdating namin ay may nakaproject na holographic image ni Sir Hideo.
And he was talking about the upcoming war.
". . . and they already started moving." 'Yon ang naabutan namin na sinasabi niya. "But rest assured, we are doing everything to prepare for this battle. And I hope you, too, are ready."
Fear, anxiety and concern were all written on the students' faces. Ang mga maliliit na bata ay nagsimula nang umiyak. Sinabi rin naman ni Sir Hideo na na-inform na lahat ng mga magulang at ang iba't ibang Senshin clans sa labas ng Tantei High. Those who couldn't fight—toddlers and elderly people—would be placed in a safe house in the humdrum's world.
"This is the only place where we can be ourselves," one of the students said. "We will also protect it."
There were also students who became determined and had already found their resolve to stay and fight in the war, and I admired them for their courage.
"It's time to show them our real strength," the girl near us muttered.
"Those Shinigamis should also learn to fear us."
Napangiti na lang ako sa mga narinig ko. Somehow, I could feel their sentiments. Ngayon lang din ako nagpakatotoo sa sarili ko. Ngayon ko lang nahanap ang lugar kung saan ako nabibilang. Ngayon lang ako nagkaroon ng maraming kaibigan. Ayaw kong mawala lahat ng y'on dahil lang sa mga Shinigami.
And even though they were claiming I was one of them, at the end of the day, I would still choose to be a Senshin.
***
Almost a week had passed after that incident. The classes were temporarily discontinued. Teachers and staffs could be seen going from one department to another. Each family was also assigning meetings and they were supervised by their advisers.
Sobrang taas pa rin ng tension sa loob ng campus. Nakikita ko ring sinusundo na ng ilang mga magulang ang mga batang Senshin para hindi sila madamay. Siguro ¼ ng student population ang umalis. In addition, they heightened the security around the forest where they could appear using the Black Dimension.
"Meow."
Napatingin agad ako kay Demi na nakasunod sa akin habang naglalakad ako sa campus.
"Aren't you scared?" I asked and she just purred at me.
Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako at itinuloy ang paglalakad. Ayoko muna kasing bumalik sa dorm. These past few days, Akane turned cold and serious and I think it was because of her Mom's killers. On the other hand, Riye was always on her phone. According to her, it was her father. He was teaching her ways how to track Shinigamis since she still couldn't have a proper training because of the age restrictions. Wala naman akong idea kung ano ang ginagawa nina Hiro pero for sure ay busy rin silang mag-prepare.
"You're one of us."
Napailing ako nang maalala ko ang sinabi ni Darwin. I was still conflicted but a small part of me had already accepted that possibility.
Ang gusto ko lang mangyari ngayon ay akita si Mama. If she was here, she would know what to say to me. She would know how to calm me down.
I miss her.
"Meow!"
Nagulat naman ako dahil parang galit ang tono ni Demi kaya napatingin ako sa kanya. Her tail was upright and she suddenly ran toward Midori Building.
"Wait! Demi!" sigaw ko at agad ko naman siyang hinabol.
Ang bilis tumakbo ni Demi kaya agad siyang nakapasok sa building. Wala naman akong nagawa kundi sundan siya. And somehow, it felt like something was pulling me inside Midori Building. Tumakbo si Demi sa hallway at umakyat papuntang fourth floor. Hindi ko nga alam kung paano ko siya nasundan nang gano'n kabilis pero nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang huminto siya sa tapat ng isang pinto. I was about to get her but I froze when I saw where we were.
President's Room.
I gulped when I saw the plaque outside the room. Napatingin ako kay Demi at inisip ko kung ano ang kailangan niya rito. She was just staring at the door, as if she was waiting for something. Or someone.
"Is she alright?"
My heart throbbed when I heard a familiar voice inside.
It was my mother's voice.
"Yes." That was Sir Hideo. "But Rin does not want to give up."
My mind was racing when I heard them talk so casually. Magkakilala silang dalawa? How? Why?
"I won't allow them to get Rainie the second time," sabi ni Mama.
"Sorry, it's my fault," sabi naman ni Sir Hideo. "I wasn't able to protect her even if I am the President."
"You have the whole school and the entire tribe on your shoulders. It's hard to look after her all by yourself. If only . . . if only that person—"
Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko at bigla kong binuksan ang pinto. Naramdaman ko rin ang pagsunod sa akin si Demi at agad siyang tumakbo papunta kina Mama at Sir Hideo. Both of them looked confused and surprised when they saw me.
"R-Rainie . . ." tawag sa akin ni Mama.
"Mama."
Tuluyan nang tumulo ang mga luhang kanina ko pa pinipigil. Tumakbo ako palapit sa kanya at niyakap ko siya nang mahigpit. For the first time, I felt like a small child again. Her warmth was enough to calm me down.
"Mama," I sobbed and hugged her tighter. Sobrang na-miss ko siya. Her warmth, her smell, her voice. Everything. I missed everything in her.
"R-Rainie, anong ginagawa mo rito?"
Napabitiw naman ako para matingnan sina Mama at Sir Hideo. I wiped the tears off my face and looked at them.
"Sinundan ko si Demi kasi bigla siyang tumakbo papunta rito, tapos narinig ko ang boses mo, Mama."
"Y-you heard us?" she asked and I could see the panic on her face.
"A bit. T-teka, magkakilala kayo ni Sir Hideo?" sabay tingin ko kay Sir Hideo at napabuntong-hininga siya.
"I guess there's no more point in hiding," he said. "Yes, I know her because we were in the same family."
Naisip ko na dati na posibleng isa si Mama sa Great Seven, pero ngayong narinig ko mula kay Sir Hideo ay nagulat pa rin ako. Nagpabalik-balik ang tingin ko sa kanilang dalawa. Kaya ba nakita ko dati si Mama na galing dito ay dahil nag-usap sila ni Sir Hideo? Pero bakit sabi ni Mrs. Seira, hindi niya kilala ang Mama ko noong nagtanong ako sa kanya?
"Because Rina Lazaro is not my true name," sabay ngiti sa akin ni Mama na halata namang malungkot. I see. She could also read closed minds.
"Nathalie," she said. "My real name is Nathalie Alejandrino."
"Bakit kailangan mong mag-iba ng pangalan? Bakit . . ." my voice faltered when I realized something. "M-mama, anong alternative name ang ginamit mo?"
Her expression became melancholic and seeing her like that made my heart sank. That was the same expression she gave me when she learned that I'd be transferred in Tantei High.
"It's—"
Her words was cut off by an explosion. Napatingin kami sa bintana at nanghina ang tuhod ko nang may makita akong usok na naggagaling sa gubat.
"They're here," Sir Hideo said and he suddenly opened the windows in his room. Nagulat na lang ako nang bigla siyang tumalon at saka ko na-realize na nasa fourth floor kami. Mas lalo akong nag-panic nang lumapit din si Mama sa bintana kung saan tumalon si Sir Hideo.
"Mama! Anong gagawin mo?"
She looked back at me."It's dangerous here. Bumalik ka na sa dorm n'yo!"
"A-ayoko! Sasama ako sa'yo!"
Napatingin kaagad sa akin si Mama. Hindi rin ako makapaniwalang sinabi ko 'yon at first time kong sinuway ang utos niya sa akin.
"Rainie—"
"But you're my mother!" I countered. "Wala akong pakialam kung may mangyaring masama sa akin. I'll go with you."
Bigla naman siyang lumapit sa akin at hinawakan niya ako sa balikat. I was already crying and her eyes were also welling up. The pained expression on her face was hard to look at.
"No," she softly said. "You don't have to sacrifice your life just to be with me."
"Mama—"
"I know this is not the right time to say this, but Rainie . . ." Her voice trailed off and I was surprised when she smiled at me. ". . . I am not your real mother. So don't die for me," she said as she stood on the sill of the window.
Hindi ko naman alam kung nagkamali lang ba ako ng rinig o ano. I couldn't breathe properly anymore. My mind was buzzing, and her words just drifted inside my head.
She's not my mother? No way. Hindi pwedeng mangyari 'yon.
"Naomi," she suddenly said while looking outside. "That's my alternative name. I'm sorry, Rainie. Sorry."
Before I could react to her words, she had already jumped off the window.
That moment, I felt hollow.
That moment, I don't even know who I am anymore.
***