the last sky of the earth 55 - knight's scene: moon knights

IF THERE was one thing that Tetsuya hated so much in the whole world, it was the fact that he had to deal with not just one, but two terribly skilled snipers among the Dark Rose. He was supposed to be just inside his room, doing the usual things he loved to do and he did his best--hacking and intelligence research. Kung hindi man ay samahan si Amiko sa pagbabantay kay Kourin.

But facing Artemis and Apollo, who happened to be two of the best gunners and snipers of the agency? Tetsuya wasn't looking for an early execution at that point. Dapat ay ang mga kamag-anak niya na sina Chrono at Mamoru ang humaharap sa mga ito. Or maybe kahit si Julie na lang. That young lady's skills in sniping was surely deadly.

Kaya lang, ang malaking problema, hindi ma-contact ni Tetsuya ang sinuman sa tatlong iyon. Now he had to protect the princess and deal with the two snipers ― all alone!

"I'm sorry, Tetsuya. I got engrossed in looking at the tapestries," hinging-paumanhin ni Kourin na dahilan naman upang mapatingin si Tetsuya rito. Fear and something akin to immense curiosity probably with the issues regarding the tapestries ― were evident in her eyes.

the last sky of the earth 54 - knight's scene: certain questions

BUNTONG-HININGA lang ang iginawad ni Takeru habang nag-aabang sa labas ng conference room at humihiling na sana ay matapos na ang meeting na iyon. Iyon ang isa sa nagpapa-frustrate sa kanya nang mga sandaling iyon. Wala siyang VIP access na makapasok sa silid na iyon at pakinggan ang mga detalye ng pag-uusap doon.

But Takeru knew where he lies. Kumpara kasi kina Daryll at Shingo, wala pa siya sa tamang posisyon para mapagbigyan ng ganoong klaseng access. He was actually two levels below Daryll and three levels below Shingo. Kaya naman hayun at magre-rely na naman siya sa kung ano ang sasabihin sa kanya ng mentor niya, who happened to be Daryll.

Hindi na nga katulad ng dati ang lahat--iyon ang nasa isipan ni Takeru. Pero kailangan niyang tanggapin iyon kung gusto niyang magawa pa nang maayos ang trabaho niya. Iyon na lang ang magagawa niya kung gusto niyang maisagawa nang matino ang mga dapat niyang gawin para na rin sa prinsesa.

~"My sister isn't your only priority now, Takeru. My uncle and my best friend... protect them in my place..."~

the last sky of the earth 53 - portrait of the tapertries

Yes, she was in danger. And yet at that point, all Kourin could think of was to solve the mystery right in front of her. The nine tapestries that had now triggered something in her mind, for some reason. Hindi niya lubusang maintindihan kung bakit ganoon na lang kalaki ang epekto ng mga tapestries na iyon sa kanyang isipan. Pero… isa lang naman ang dahilan para mangyari iyon sa kanya, 'di ba?

Wait a minute! Did she see those tapestries before?

"You sure have a curious mind, little princess."

Doon siya natigilan. But no matter how spine-chilling that voice was, Kourin didn't give a care. Her mind was somewhere else, no matter how she wanted to stop it from wandering. A memory started to flood her mind and was giving her a headache due to the onslaught of those visions.

Pero sa puntong iyon, alam niyang mahalagang makita niyang muli ang mga visions na iyon. Sigurado siya na bahagi iyon ng ilang alaalang nawala sa kanya…

xxxxxx

"You're watching them again, Kourin."

Kourin turned around and her smile widened as she saw Hitoshi approaching, together with someone. She couldn't help frowning as she looked at the young man walking closely behind the smiling Hitoshi.

That was when Hitoshi turned to face his companion. "You haven't met my youngest sister, right? This is Kourin. Kourin, this is my shadow guardian, Shuji. Haruta Shuji."

"Isn't it too late for you to have a shadow guardian?"

Hitoshi sighed. "Hey, I just turned 13. I'm still young."

"I didn't say you're old. I just said it's late. You're reacting again." But Kourin's laughter upon teasing her brother faded as she faced the portrait of the nine tapestries once again. "Onii-chan, why do you have this portrait here exclusively in your room?"

The clan prince raised his head and eyed the portrait that Kourin was looking at. "You could say that I needed a sense of originality in my private space. Besides, it was a gift to me."

"A gift?" Kourin faced Hitoshi, her eyes filled with curiosity. "From who?"

"A new friend."

Okay. Her brother was acting cryptic again by saying such things. Then again, Hitoshi was known to be a cryptic individual even at a young age. "And I can feel that you're not going to tell me who that is."

Hitoshi smiled and ruffled her hair. She swatted his hand away from her head. "Stop doing that! You're messing with my hair again." He truly liked making her a source of his amusement. Soon after, she looked at the portrait once again. "I wonder if these tapestries were real. I'd like to have a look at them one day."

"What made you say that?"

"I don't know. But looking at the portrait of these tapestries like this, it seems as if I'd seen them somewhere." With a chuckle, she faced her older brother. "But that would be weird, right?"

For some reason, the smile on her face faded as he saw the serious look on Hitoshi's face. "Is there something wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Moments later, Hitoshi shook his head as a response. "You should be sleeping now. You can take a look at this portrait tomorrow after your lessons."

Taking it as an order from her older brother, Kourin nodded and stood from her seat, Kissing his cheek goodnight as she would always do, she turned and left Hitoshi's room. But she hadn't completely closed the door when she heard the person named Shuji speak for the first time.

"Why didn't you tell her the truth, my lord?" she heard Shuji inquire, his voice laced with worry.

What truth? Kourin did her best to listen to the conversation.

"She won't understand at this point, Shuji. And I don't want to hurt her feelings. I know I don't have much time left. But I can't simply leave everything as it is. I need to provide a path for Kourin to realize what she's about to face once I'm gone."

What was going on? Why was she hearing this from Hitoshi now, of all times?

"You could've started doing that by telling her about the tapestries. She might've been young when she first saw them. But even your grandparents could tell that she holds the key to solving the puzzles of those tapestries."

"And I'm not denying that. But at this point, I'd rather not deny her the life that she had to live for her to understand her world more. Once she had a good grasp of that, she'd be able to utilize her true ability to lead the Shrouded Flowers one day."

The grave tone of her brother's voice made her heart beat fast, for some reason. Shutting her eyes tight, she tried to absorb the information she had just learned. So she had seen them before. Shuji now confirmed it for her. But how come Shuji knew that? Had he been there at the time? But Hitoshi said that Shuji just became his shadow guardian. Or was there something more to that young man?

In any case, she'd better take a good look at the tapestries in that portrait once again. She could do it tomorrow...

xxxxxx

Kourin's eyes snapped open as she looked up at the tapestries. Iba rin ang pagtibok ng puso niya ng mga sandaling iyon habang nakatingin sa mga tapestries. Though she knew she was disregarding the danger she was into at the moment, she just had to take a look once again. The tapestries on her brother's portrait were the same as the ones displayed in this room! There was no doubt about it.

'How can this be?'

But further questions drowned in her mind as she finally realized the danger behind her at the moment. She didn't dare speak, even though her mind was racing while thinking of a way to get out of the situation. Hindi pa siya maaaring pangunahan ng takot sa mga sandaling iyon.

"Still not talking, huh? Then again, what's the use? You're going to die, anyway. Sige na nga, isusunod na kita sa mga magulang mo't mga kapatid mo," said a woman's sultry voice that she might have heard somewhere. Only, she couldn't recall where.

Even so, the threat didn't scare her. It did surprise her to feel that way. Pero hindi na siguro nakakapagtaka ang bagay na iyon.

Once again, she looked at the tapestries as inconspicuous as she could. Hindi siya sigurado pero talagang nakuha ng mga tapestries na iyon ang kuryosidad niya. 'Any time now…' Kourin would let those words echo in her mind over and over. She knew she had to believe that.

She was about to turn around -- she had the urge to do so -- when she saw a gun thrown away from her, followed by a cry of pain coming from one of her assailants. Her eyes widened and turned around to see the situation. Tama ba ang nakikita niya?

"I knew Shuji was an excellent sniper for his age. But I never thought I'd see it with my own eyes. He could seriously be a part of the Yumemiya clan for that."

Kourin couldn't help sighing in relief as she saw Tetsuya smirk after saying those words. Then again, what did he say? Shuji?

Now, what was that guy up to for actually shooting the gun from Artemis' hand? At paano nalaman ng mga ito na naroon siya sa templong iyon?

"Don't worry, my lady. Your shadow guardian will not abandon you no matter how curious you are. Hindi pa ako nasisiraan ng bait para pabayaan ka."

Hyde/Eri (Goseiger): The Longing Remains

As the night wind howls, the longing I had in my heart remains. Hoping that it'll reach you, wherever you are right now... ~ Florence Joyce

xxxxxx

They've all chosen different paths in order to grow and learn even more after the last battle. Of course, it was sad that they had to be separated when, for a long time, they managed to work and stay together in order to protect the world. But they chose to do this.

For their sakes as still learning Gosei Angels.

But at times, for Eri, she couldn't help yearning for those wonderful times that she was with her friends. After all her appointments with her patients and she was left alone, her mind would always be directed to those parts of her memories. She was smiling in nostalgia as she would do so. And yet, even with that, something still felt off.

the last sky of the earth 52 - knight's scene: secret room

KULANG NA lang ay inuntog ni Raiden ang ulo niya sa kinahihigaan habang parang tanga na nakatingin sa kisame ng dojo nila. Katatapos lang niyang mag-training at sa mga sandaling iyon ay nakahiga siya at nagpapahinga sa gitna ng silid. Pero nag-training na siya't lahat, hindi pa rin nawawala sa isipan niya ang mga nalaman niya mula sa pagiging usisero niya noong isang linggo. At batid din niyang may nangyaring hindi maganda nang makipagkita si Yasha sa kung sino two days ago. His sister was pretty much worried about something since then.

Kaya naman ang drama ng buhay ni Raiden nang mga sandaling iyon, hayun at nagdedebate ang kanyang isipan tungkol sa isang desisyon. He had to think about the factors of his decision whatever happens. But somehow, the only thought that goes in his mind was to help Yasha with her mission--whatever it was. Pero kailangang may mahita rin siya sa gagawin niyang pagtulong sa Ate niya.

Raiden had been keeping a certain secret that their father had once told them. Somehow, he had a strong feeling that the memories blocked from his sister's mind hid a lot of secrets--one that, somehow, would be more than enough to change their lives forever. Kung sasabihin niya kay Yasha ang mga nalalaman niya, gusto niya ay ipagtapat rin sana nito ang anumang may kinalaman sa misyon nito.

"You should be sleeping in your room. Not here."