'The Pursuit of the Forgotten Memory'
Xin can clearly remember the first time she laid eyes on her baby girl. Her plump lips, long lashes, fair complexion, and those dazing eyes, all resembled her image. Her sweet little baby girl, Zia Muirgen Allison Wen.
Years passed by as she still looks at her the same way she looks at her the first time she came into this world.
Kasalukuyan niyang hinahaplos ang buhok ni Zia na ngayon ay tulog na habang yakap-yakap siya. Tiningnan niya ang kamay nito na nakakapit na mahigpit sa damit niya at halatang ayaw siyang pakawalan nito.
Beads of tears were still hanging on to her eyelashes.
May kumatok na sa pinto kaya pasimpleng tumingin si Xin dito at nakita niyang bumukas ito tsaka pumasok sina Seth at Jun. Xin immediately formed a blue shield around Zia's sleeping body para wala itong marinig na ingay at para hindi madisturbo ang tulog nito.
"Kamusta na siya?" Tanong ni Seth habang umupo na si Jun sa gilid ng kama at hinawakan ang kamay ng anak.
"She's tired." Tipid na sagot ni Xin.
"Call the rest of the team." Mariin niyang utos at tumango nalang si Seth tsaka na tinawag sina Matthew pero nahirapan silang umakyat dahil nagwawala pa raw si Xy dun sa shield na ginawa ni Matthew para sa kanya.
Xin just breathed out at sinabing papuntahin narin ang Midnight Angels sa kwarto ni Zia.
Seconds later and they were all crumped up in her bedroom. Xin ordered Matthew to release Xy from the shield.
"Are you sure? Xinny, magwawala 'to." Paalala ni Matthew sa kanya. Pasimpleng tumango si Xin at wala nang nagawa si Matthew kundi ang pakawalan si Xy. The second he was released, he cursed out everyone.
"I knew it! I fucking knew it!" Galit niyang sabi at nagsimula nang lumabas ang kuryente sa katawan niya pero bago pa man siya magwala ay pinalapit na siya ng ina sa gilid nito.
With just one word, agad na lumapit si Xy sa kanya at dun na tinuro ni Xin si Zia na mahimbing na natutulog.
"Shh, baby. She's tired. Just look at her." Mahinahong sabi ng ina at tumingin narin ang lahat sa mukha ni Zia. Just by her sleeping face, everyone could see how tired she was. It was as if she was fighting a lone battle for years and now, she finally got to sleep.
"I know you are all confused. We will talk about it later. Ako na ang magpapaliwanag sa inyo. Just please, let her sleep for now." Mahinahong paliwanag ni Xin sa Midnight Angels. Wala naman silang ibang nagawa kundi ang tumango at nakiusap na si Xin sa kanila na iwan na muna sila.
Inis na ginulo ni Xy ang buhok niya at binunggo pa ang balikat ni Walter bago siya umalis kasama sina Wilder. Leaving Team Alpha and Zia behind, agad na tumingin si Xin sa anak at niyakap na naman ito.
"Hindi ka ba magtatanong sa amin kung bakit tinago namin sa 'yo ang alaala namin tungkol kay Zia?" Naguguluhang tanong ni Dino dahil nasa isip na nila na mapapagalitan na naman sila ni Xin dahil sa ginawa nila.
They were all expecting her to lash out at them.
"I don't want to do that right now," aniya at niyakap ng mahigpit si Zia. The team immediately understood what Xin wanted kaya tumango na sila at tsaka ngumiti.
"Sige. Nasa Alpha mansion lang kaming lahat kapag handa ka nang pagalitan kami." Nakangiting sabi ni Hoshi kaya siniko nalang siya ni Wolfie tsaka na sila nagsialisan.
"Do you want me to go too?" Tanong ni Jun kay Xin at nilapitan pa ito. Tumango si Xin bilang sagot.
"Talk to our son. He's upset." Sagot ni Xin at tumango narin si Jun tsaka hinalikan ang pisngi nito bago nila tuluyang iniwan si Xin at Zia dun sa kwarto. Xin embraced her daughter tightly. Wrapping her in an iridescent shield that makes her sleep more comfortably.
"I got you now, sweetie." Malambing na sabi ni Xin sa anak at hinaplos ang buhok nito. Xin's eyes flashed red as she still tried to control the anger boiling inside her.
"No one can hurt you now," Xin assured her daughter before joining her in her sleep.
✥✥
"So, what you're saying is that her name is not Muirgen?" May halong pagkainis na tanong ni Xy sa mga Tito niya na nagpapaliwanag sa kanya dahil hindi na siya makahintay sa ina niya.
"No, her name is Muirgen but she has another name before that," sagot ni Walter na kakaupo lang sa sofa.
"Her name is Zia Muirgen Allison-Wen," sabi ni Jun na kararating lang at diretsong nakatingin kay Xy na galit ang tingin sa lahat. "We call her Zia." Dagdag niya at dahan-dahan nang naglakad palapit kay Xy at tinapik ang balikat nito.
Matthew was quick to explain about what happened the night before Zia left, four years ago. Tahimik namang nakinig sa kanya ang lahat.
Addie, Keya, Lorisse, Chloe, Celise, Dolly, and even the kids were listening to what Matthew was saying. Ayaw na nilang mahirapan pa si Xin sa pagpapaliwanag sa lahat kaya inunahan na nila. Alam rin nilang wala nang panahon si Xin para magpaliwanag tungkol dito.
"My sister huh?" Tanong ni Xy at humugot ng malalim na hininga.
"Wait, so ibig-sabihin pinsan ko siya?" Tanong ni Wilder at tiningnan pa si Shinshi. Tumango lang si Shinshi bilang sagot at hinampas kaagad si Wilder nung parang nalungkot pa ito nung malamang pinsan niya si Zia.
Matthew continued explaining everything to them. Including the fact that she's the next Blue Queen because of the gem on her neck and how they're going to help her get through this.
"Before this happened, we were not allowed to say her real name because if we do that, our memories will really be wiped out. Mas mahihirapan na tayong tulungan siya kapag ganun." Pagpapaliwanag ni Matthew sa lahat.
"But she didn't want help, po." Agad na tumingin ang lahat kay Simon na nandun lang sa gilid at yakap-yakap pa ang isang unan.
"You are just hurting her." Dagdag ni Simon at humugot pa ng malalim na hininga. Kumunot ang noo ng lahat at inisip pa ang sinabi ni Simon. Tumango naman si Saddie na siyang nagtatago lang sa likod ni Simon.
"Y-You.. you destroyed her plan po." Nahihiyang sabi ni Saddie habang hawak-hawak ang laylayan ng t-shirt ni Simon. She thought about whether to use ruined or destroyed but 'ruined' was a bit hard for her to say. Mas lalong naguluhan ang lahat dahil sa pinagsasabi ng mga bata.
Matthew immediately asked for Addie's permission to scan the twin's memories pero agad na tumayo si Simon at tinakpan si Saddie.
"Saddie doesn't like it when you get inside her mind. It hurts!" Simon blurted out. Napabuntong-hininga nalang si Matthew. Simon was speaking so well today that Seth couldn't do anything but just to listen to his son speak.
"Si, we just want to know what she meant." Mahinahong sabi ni Matthew kay Simon.
"You just wanted it the easy way." Sumbat ni Simon na nagpatahimik sa lahat.
