A numerous loud knocks on my door woke me up. Sino ba 'yon at ang aga mambulabog? Tumayo na ako at nag stretch muna bago maglakad papunta sa pinto. Binuksan ko ito at isang pamilyar na lalaki ang bumungad sa akin.
"N-Nixon, anong ginagawa mo rito?" I asked.
Hindi ito sumagot at bigla nalang pumasok sa aking kwarto. Hindi man lang nag paalam, tsk. Ano namang gagawin niya rito sa loob?
"Kagigising mo lang?" he asked as he sat on my bed.
"Obvious ba?" I uttered.
He giggles.
"Maligo kana," he said.
"Paliguan mo ako," I replied.
Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit ko sinabi iyon, but one thing is for sure... I regret saying that! Akmang tatayo ito at mag huhubad ng pigilan ko siya.
"Wow kapal, gusto rin sumabay," tinignan ko ito nang masama.
"I'm just joking, but I may join you if you wouldn't start right now!" He smiled as he swayed his head.
Dali-dali akong pumunta sa cr at nagsimula ng maligo. He's a pervert!
After twenty minutes ay natapos na akong maligo. Aabutin ko na sana ang tuwalya pero... Shit! Nakalimutan ko nanaman ito. Kahit ang mga damit ko ay nasa labas at kailangan ko pang hanapin. Anong gagawin ko? Nandoon si Nixon. Grabe, ang malas ko. Siya swerte, manyak yon e.
Sinilip ko muna ito at nakitang naka-higa naman ito ngayon at nakatingin sa kisame.
"Uhm... Nixon!" I shouted.
"Hmm?" He looked at my direction.
"Can you please get me some clothes? And a towel, I forgot to bring one... Thank you!" I uttered. I said that with a pleasing voice to atleast make him pity me.
Kumatok na ito at akmang bubuksan ko na ang pinto nang biglang tinulak niya ito. Pumasok siya sa loob at binigay sa akin ang mga damit. Hindi ito umalis.
"Labas!" I said irritatedly, my eyebrows furrowed.
"Bihis na, pipikit ko mata ko promise," he uttered. Nakita ko naman na nakapikit na siya kaya inabot ko na ang tuwalya. Nag punas muna ako at nilagay na ito sa gilid nang biglang makitang nakadilat ang isang mata nito!
"Akala ko ba pipikit mo ang mata mo?!" I yelled.
"I did... Look oh nakapikit!" He pointed out.
"Anong nakapikit eh isa lang iyan," I slapped his chest.
"Mata lang sabi ko, isa lang iyon kasi singular. Kapag dalawa 'matas' na yon!" he said, giving me a boxy smile.
"Ha ha funny mo naman, chu!" Tinulak ko na ito palabas at wala siyang nagawa kung hindi umalis.
Nagbihis na ako pagtapos niyang lumabas. Ilang minuto rin akong nasa loob para naman mawala ang inis ko sa lalaking iyon, kung hindi lang ano ay kanina ko pa siya sinapak. Lumabas na ako at nakitang naka ngisi ito sa akin, at halatang nang-aasar. Hays, saksakin niyo nalang ako.
Tumayo na ito at binuksan ang pinto.
“Kidding aside, we'll go to somewhere important. I think it would be your first time there, and I will make it memorable.” he giggles right after.
Sumunod naman ako rito sa pag labas. Hindi man lang ako hinintay at dire-diretso lamang.
Hinabol ko ito at noong naabutan ko siya ay tinuluan na ako ng pawis. Epal kasi.
“Saan ba tayo pupunta? Kay Caspian? Anong gagawin don?” I rapidly asked.
Tiningnan lang ako nito at binigyan ng disappointed face. Luh, parang nag tatanong lang eh. Mamaya kidnappin mo pa ako.
Medyo malayo ang nilakad namin, at nandito na kami sa isang building na hindi pamilyar. Ang daan papunta rito ay ngayon ko lang din nakita, at hindi ko alam kung bawal lang ba pumunta rito o tago ito dahil wala man lang kaming kasabay kanina o kasalubong man lang. Saan ba kasi kami pupunta?
“Huy? May balak kabang masama sa akin?” I asked him.
Tiningnan muli ako nito ng masama. Hindi pa to marunong magsalita?
“Trixon,” he uttered.
Suddenly, a magical door made an appearance in front of us out of nowhere. I don't know where did this came from, but it looks like a normal door. Pero kanina ay wala ito. Does it has anything to do about what Nixon uttered? Trixon? Ano 'yon? Kumbaga ay magic word sa mga napapanood ko dati?
“That's our key to enter the training room, I registered it yesterday. Caspian told me that Trixon will be our key. Don't worry, it only works with our voice. We have that so that they know that we train here; to make it sure. Others do have their own keys!” He randomly said when he looked at me and saw how confused, yet amazed I am.
I am still speechless. Of how cool it is.
Pumasok na kami sa loob, and the first thing that comes to my mind is the word ‘Spacious’. This room is as long as a whole floor. And the height of it is like a one and a half floor. The ceiling is so high. Well, I get it. This is the training room and some people do have a Moreaux that needs a lot of space.
“We will train,” he said firmly.
Duh, obviously ano bang gagawin natin dito sa training room?
“Bakit pala... Trixon?” I asked.
“Hmm? Confused, or curious? Anyways, Caspian gave it to me. I was also confused that's why I asked him and he said that it is a combination of our name. He told me that it would be cool if we'll use it as our key to our door,” I saw a small curve in his face. He smiled.
I did the same as well before the atmosphere changed.
“We will try to develop the first stage of your Moreaux first, before we dig deep down to the other stages.”
He looks so professional.
“Anong gagawin ko?” I asked, confused.
“I will create a fire ball, and before I can throw it to you, you must freeze my hands.” He said.
“Wait lang pala, I'm just confused. How can I freeze a part of someone else's body, or the body itself if I can holds the Moreaux of Time?” I said.
“Time and Freezing,” he uttered.
Pagtapos noon ay onti-onting umilaw ang gitna ng mga palad niya. Magka-harap ito at sa gitna nila ay may onti-onting lumalaking kulay apoy. Ayan ba iyon? Shit.
I tried to feel what I felt that time, but I can't. Shit. I tried to focus in his hands. Inisip ko na napahinto ko iyon. Na napatigil ko. Ngunit hindi ko magawa.
Lumalaki na iyong apoy. Kanina pa ako pinagpapawisan. Paano kung hindi ko mapatigil? Nakakainis. Bakit ba kasi ganito ang iniisip ko?
Nixon is looking at me straight from eye to eye without any doubt. And I know that it is enough to inspire me to stop his hands. I know that I can do this, I know...
Sumigaw ito at pag-bukas ng mga mata ko ay isang malaking bolang apoy ang aking nasa harapan. Shit. Nakahinga ako ng maluwag noong nakita kong onti-onti itong nawawala. Para itong nag reverse mula sa paglaki. Bakit?
Na realise ko na hindi nagagalaw ni Nixon ang mga kamay niya. Did I succeed? Wow...
Inisip lang na nawala na ang pagka-yelo sa kamay nito at nakaramdam ng kung anong enerhiya.
“You did great!” I heard claps from him.
I did?
Lumapit ako rito para yakapin siya. Unang training ko ito at nagawa ko agad? Na-akaze ako bigla sa sarili ko. Ang galing.
Ilang minuto pa ay tiningnan ko ito mata sa mata at hinawakan ang kamay niya nang bigla siyang mapa-sigaw. Huh?
Tiningnan ko agad ang mga kamay nito at nakitang nasunog ito. Shit dahil ba iyon sa kanina? Hindi niya sinabi na masusunog pala ang kamay niya dahil doon! Sana ay hindi na namin tinuloy.
Nakita kong may isang maliit na kahoy sa bandang paa ko kaya't tr-in-y kong gawing yelo ito, at nagulat ako na nagawa ko siya. Pinahid ko agad ang yelo sa kamay niya ay umupo kami sa upuan sa gilid. Ano ba kasing pinag-gagawa nito.
“What happened?!” I asked him, eyes furrowed with a loud voice.
He looked at me as if he's asking me not to yell at him. Those eyes... Ang kaninang sobrang professional na mata, at hindi man lang mabasa ay ngayon mukhang nag mamaka-awa.
Hays, nahawa ata ako roon sa kahoy.
“Tsk, bakit nga?” This time, I tried to be more calm.
He gave me a smile after. This guy...
“Wala, normal lang po 'yan,” he said looking at his wound.
Normal? Kada gagawa siya ng ganoon ay may ganito rin na balik sakaniya? That's unfair!
“That's unrealistic, tell me what really happened. Is it because I frost your hands and the fire went there or something?” I asked still trying to help him with his burn.
“Uhm, ano kasi.” Kinamot nito ang batok niya.
“Hmm?” I asked while looking at him.
“You were late. The fire became larger and larger until my hands cannot bear it anymore, but it's my fault since I told you that I will throw it, but I didn't, hence this is what I got. But you did great for a first timer though! Don't be sad, nor don't feel guilty please?” He held my hand.
I thought I did a perfect job for my first time training here, but I actually didn't. And what's worse is that I made him burn his palm just because of me.
This guy... He endured the pain to give me more time, and for him not to harm me. Well, he could've thrown it on a different spot but... I think he did it to give me more time to practice. So that I'd feel the satisfaction hence I did for the meantime giving him a long time pain.
“Sabing 'wag sisihin ang sarili, tapos ngayon nakatulala ka riyan. Masyado kang obvious,” he's just looking at me.
“How can I stop myself from blaming it to me when I'm the real cause?” I asked while looking at the ceiling still adoring its height.
“It's my choice okay?” He pat my head multiple times.
“It's still because of me,” I fought.
“Tsk,” he replied.
We were silent after that. None of us talked, but the atmosphere remains light. Kadalasan kasi kapag walang nagsasalita ay biglang bibigat ang kapaligiran, gladly it didn't happen.
“Nixon,” I called him.
“Hmm?”
“About yesterday, sa tingin mo anong mayroon sa akin at kay Caspian? Pati sa nanay ko?” This time, he looked at me with a lot of wonders in his eyes.
“I don't know...” he said.
We both sighed after that.
The door randomly opened. I thought it will be a partner who will train but a familiar guy went in.
Caspian.
“You were the lost son,” he uttered randomly.
“I am the lost son?”