Familiarity

Serena's PoV

THE interrogation took quite long, but after learning that I have no memories of my past, Yzza and Hinata, another girl, fought Kuro, the guy who's so intent on knowing me, to let me go. Mahaba ang naging sagutan nila, at nang may dumating na doctor upang muli akong tignan, napapayag na din nila ang parang leader nila para hayaan akong makalabas. One of the reasons, he defended, is because he doesn't want me to die of starving. Sinabi din niya na kailangan kong sumunod sa kung anong sasabihin niya kung ayaw kong makulong ulit.

Napakunot naman ang noo ko ng sabihin niya iyon, pero hindi na nagsalita pa. Unang-una sa lahat, wala akong ginagawang mali. I don't even know where I am or why I am here. Sinubukan ko na lang siyang intindihin dahil mukhang may mga masasamang taong nais pumasok sa lugar na ito.

Nang sabihin ng doktor na dahil sa pagod at gutom ang dahilan ng pagkawala ng malay ko, agad akong niyaya ni Yzza kumain. Hinata liked to come too, but she said, "Duty calls" and left with Kuro. The other boys stayed to clean the room and keep the metal handcuffs aside. Yzza led me to the stairs. That's when I came to know that I was held imprison in their basement.

Yzza told me that we're currently under their dorm, as we climb the stairs, and that it was actually more of a big house, than a dorm. She told me that we are inside Hope Academy, an inter-race school where the most prominent and powerful beings study and grow stronger. This is also a dorm-system school, where every students are not allowed to go outside, unless permitted to do so.

Sinabi din ni Yzza sa akin na hindi rin naman talaga basta-basta nakakalabas, hindi dahil sa may parusa, kundi dahil ang nag-iisang daan palabas ay mabubuksan lamang gamit ang mana. "Lahat ng tao ay may mana, may kapangyarihan man o wala," banggit ni Yzza at binuksan ang pinto sa dulo ng mahabang paikot na hagdan. Lumiwanag ang pasilyong nilakaraan namin na kanina lang ay mga lampara ang nagbibigay ilaw. Makaluma.

"So anyone can enter the academy?" kuryoso kong tanong.

"Nope. Not really. Unang-una sa lahat, bawal makapasok ang Dark Pandorians, dahil may barrier kaming nakapalibot sa lugar na susunog sa mga ito. They'll turn to ashes before they can even touch the school gate. Also, you need to put a great quantity of mana, and it won't open if it's too much, or too little, so only powerful people can open the gate," kibit-balikat na paliwanag ni Yzza habang naglalakad kami papasok sa isang silid na walang pinto. I come to realize it was the kitchen. Nagstay ako sa may pintuan habang siya ay tuloy-tuloy sa loob. "Hmm, may ulam pa sigurong natira kanina, so I'll just let you eat while I explain some things to you. Halos isang buong araw ka ring tulog eh." I did sleep overnight. Nakarating ako sa gate ng mga bandang hapon na, ngunit nagising akong muli ng tanghali na, at dahil sa halos isang oras na interogasyon, mag-a-alas dos na ng hapon.

"What are Dark Pandorians? Bakit hindi sila makakapasok sa barrier?" takang tanong ko habang pinapanood siyang initin ang adobo at maghanda ng pinggan at iba pang gamit sa kusina.

"They are creatures that are very much similar to us, normal Pandorians. What made them special, not really special, is their soul. Ang mga kaluluwa ng mga Dark Pandorians ay may bahid ng demonyo. Their souls are tainted with evil. Their monstrous, physically actually. I got to see tons of them dahil sa mga missions na ginagawa namin. They're skin are white, like paper white, kitang-kita ang maiitim na mga ugat sa katawan nila. Especially around their eyes, their eyeballs are puro black, and their lips are black also. Technically, the blood running inside their bodies are black. They're like normal Pandorians with black eyes and blood," mahabang paliwanag ni Yzza at agad na kinuha ang adobo sa microwave ng tumunog ito. "This is my favorite dish, so I hope you'll like it. Damien's recipe by the way." Damien is one of the guys ealier. The one who found me awake. Pinakilala sila ni Yzza ng pinalabas na ako ni Kuro.

"So you do missions? Hindi ba students din kayo? Imposibleng teachers na kayo sa itsura niyong 'yan," tanong kong muli. Kumuha si Yzza ng isang maliit na plastic container at nilagay sa microwave para initin.

"Yup, we're pretty much students. Buti we're special, not Dark Pandorian kind of special," she said  and lead me to the counter and push me to sit down. Napangiti naman ako doon bago muling sumeryoso para magtanong.

"How special? Why are you all special? To the point na may bahay kayo sa loob ng school ng kayo-kayo lang. You didn't even think about how you captured me like you guys are sure the school will let you do what you want with me." Isa iyon sa mga katanungan ko kanina. May doktor na dumating kanina, ngunit wala man lang itong sinabi patungkol sa kalagayan ko kanina, maliban sa kailangan kong kumain. Nasa loob din kami ng eskwelahan ngunit wala man lang pumigil sa kanilang ikulong ako, gayong mala-grand entrance daw, sabi sakin ni Yzza, ang pagbukas ng gate dahil sa lakas ng aurang naramdaman ng buong eskwelahan.

"That's because we are the greatest in this school. People call us the Elite."

"Elite? So you guys practically have power over some people here? Even with the school head?"

"Actually, nalimutan kong sabihin ang tungkol kina Hinata at Kuro and their so-called duty calls earlier." Agad na napakunot ang noo ko, naintriga sa sinabi niya. Kinuha niya muna ang container sa microwave at nilagay sa harapan ko. Binuksan niya ito at umuusok na kanin ang sumalubong sa akin. "Japanese rice, ready to heat and to eat," nakangiting sambit niya at umupo sa harapan ko. "Kumain ka na. While I'll continue. Now, where am I?" Kitchen? I bit my tongue to hold my thoughts from escaping my mouth.

"Kuro and Hinata's duty calls. Why are you answering my questions anyway. Hindi ba't pinaghihinalaan ako ni Kuro na kaaway?" I asked while I was looking at food infront of me. Naglagay ako ng kunting kanin sa pinggan ko at sinabawan ito ng adobo sauce. Kumuha ako ng isang chicken thigh at kumuha ng maliit na laman doon at inilagay sa kanin, na siyang kinain ko. Damien knows how to cook.

"I know I can trust you the moment I met you. I've never been wrong in people I trust, and I don't think I'll do now, so I'm hell bent in protecting you from Kuro kanina. Back to the topic, Kuro and Hinata are royals actually." Hindi na ako nagkumento pa kahit nagulat, dahil busy ako sa pagkain. I'm, for almost two days, famish, I want to eat most and for all. It's my top priority, right before wanting to know where I am. "Actually, tatlo sila. And fortunately, kanina ay sinama ni Harold si Tenshi sa kaniyang lakad. If Tenshi was there, it would be harder, the questions I mean. You'll feel the need of agreeing with everything he say, even though most of it are wrong, basta lang matapos ang lahat. He can put that kind of pressure on someone. and of course, torture is one of his ways. You're pretty much lucky it was Kuro who was there." Napangiwi ako sa sinabi niya. I'm lucky she was there. Feeling ko hindi rin ako titigilan ng Kuro na 'yun kung wala si Yzza eh.

"So you mean, kayo ang batas dito dahil royals sila Hinata? Wait, kung royals sila, ibig sabihin may mga kaharian dito?" Weird.

"Yup. Hinata's the future Queen of Terra, Kuro's the crowned prince of Pyrod, and Tenshi's from Aerro. May tanong ka pa ba?"

"About the magic and mana, if I can open the door, ibig sabihin ba nun, may magic din ako dahil malakas ang mana ko?" kunot-noo kong tanong at binaba ang kutsara at tinidor. Isa ito sa mga gusto kong itanong kanina pa.

"That. Yes, we all think so. Lahat ng Pandorian ay may mana, sinabi ko 'yan kanina hindi ba? But only people with magic can have that certain amount of mana. 89% lang ng school body ang may kayang buksan ang gate, ang mga wala pa kayang kapangyarihan? You managed to open the gate with a loud bang, and you are one of those who can make it bring out tremendous aura that managed to stun most of the students in fear. Malakas ka, Serena, believe me. That's why ayaw kang basta-bastang pakawalan ni Kuro. Dahil kung kalaban ka talaga, nagpapasok kami ng dragon na lalapa samin dito sa loob," seryosong sabi ni Yzza, pero nang mapatingin sa akin ay biglang ngumiti. "Kumain ka na ulit." Tumayo siya at binuksan ang ref na nasa likod niya.

Napatitig ako sa platong nasa harapan ko. Pa'no nga kung kalaban ako? Pa'no kung maalala ko ang lahat at may pamilya pala akong iniwan sa kabila? Pa'no kung sadyang binura ang ala-ala ko para makapasok dito at maging espiya ng hindi ko alam? Pa'no kung ginawa nila iyon para wala ding makuha sila Kuro sa akin laban sa kanila? Pa'no kung... kung maalala ko ang lahat... at kailangan kong patayin sila? Napatingin ako kay Yzza. Wala siyang ginawang masama sa akin, kahit madami siyang dahilan upang paghinalaan ako. Pinagtanggol niya ako kay Kuro, gayundin si Hinata. Magagawa ko bang pumatay ng mga taong tulad nila?

"Your blood does not define you. Your heart does. Listen to your brain, and follow your heart. You know what's right and what's wrong, we trust you."

"Hey, are you okay?" Napaangat ang tingin ko kay Yzza, na ngayon ay nasa tabi ko na pala hawak ang isang baso ng tubig at nakahawak sa kaliwang balikat ko. Inilapag niya ito sa countertop, katabi ng plato ko at hinawakan ako sa magkabilang balikat. "I didn't said that para matulala ka ng ganiyan," she tried to chuckle to ease the tension.

"What if I'm really an enemy, Yzza? Anong gagawin mo?" Seryoso ko siyang tignan sa mata. Ngayon ko lang napansin, her eyes are very rare, kakaiba. Wala siyang pupil, o kung meron man ay siguro ay kulay puti, ang iris naman niya ay kulay pula. Nakakakilabot.

Sumeryoso ang mukha niya at dumaan ang pag-aalinlangan sa kaniyang mata. Nawala ito sa pokus, na para bang naguguluhan. Yumuko siya, pero nakita ko kung paano kumibot ang labi niya at namula ang mata niya, na para bang nalulungkot. Nag-angat siya ng tingin matapos ang ilang segundo at ngumiti, isang ngiting malungkot. "I don't know, Serena. The moment I saw you unconscious, there's something in me that says that, 'That's her. She's here.' And I don't know what I mean that time. Hanggang ngayon actually. I also want to know who you are, Serena, 'cuz I want to know how did you managed to make me trust you the moment I saw you. It doesn't make sense, but something pulls me to protect you. Will you believe me if I say that I actually cried when I saw your face? You're so familiar, but I can't remember it. I can't remember you." Then a tear escaped her eyes. Sunod-sunod hanggang sa naging hikbi.

Agad akong tumayo at niyakap siya. Naguguluhan sa mga nangyayari. Who am I? Who are they? Parte ba ako ng nakaraan nila? I don't know anymore. Ang gulo. Isa lang ang malinaw ng mga oras na iyon, Yzza also felt so familiar in my arms, and I will do everything to protect her. Even if my memories come back and I'm really an enemy, I hope not.