Ba't kayo galit sa baby river ko 😭

Heads up! This chapter is focused on River. Hindi nagappear si Solace/Reverie dito, but her past is given light here as well as explanation sa nangyari at actions ni River.

Tanging si Irusu and River lang ang star ng aking taon, este ng chapter. And if you guys are not very fond of their relationship, you can stop reading sa "Magkakasakit ka" na part or skip that then basa sa "Ruu, pagod.."

-chapter one-hundred-five-
____________________

'The slayer title will open once again.'

FROM HIS spot, Irusu can see River subtly making his way out of class. Kumunot ang noo niya. Major subject ang class nito ngayon. Where is he going?

"-kaya naman mas mabuti kung present tayo ngayon."

Napalingon si Irusu sa kaklase niya. Hindi niya na naintindihan ang sinabi nito.

"Can you excuse me from our prof?" he asks. Minor lang ang next subject nila.

Nag-aalinlangang tumango ang kaklase. "Yeah, sure. Bakit? Aalis ka?"

Tumango si Irusu at inayos ang mga gamit. He hopes na hindi pa nakakalayo si River. Bitbit ang bag ay lumabas siya sa classroom. His classmate tails after him, shouting,

"Hoy, Iru! Paano ang meeting natin sa Bio Soc mamaya?!"

Irusu waves his hand dismissively. Those can be skipped and put aside. River's strange attitude can't.

Madalas na nag-aaway ang magkakambal. From little fights to big ones. But this one... it makes Irusu uncomfortable. River's reason is vague, pero kapit na kapit siya sa desisyong ginawa. Sobrang kapit na hindi niya na pinansin ang hirap at emosyon ni Reverie. 

If he was so against her decision, then why did he keep quiet all along those times? He only asked her questions and didn't really try to stop her. Ngayon lang kung saan malapit na siya talagang umaksiyon. Why now?

Did he think she would stop and give it all up?

But this is Reverie. Sa abot ng makakaya niya ay talagang tinutuloy niya ang mga pangako. She treasures her promises so much.

River... River knows all of this, too. He's been with Reverie since they were inside the womb. They have a special connection. They have a link that blooms between them. Irusu frowns. Kaya ba kahit na ang seryoso nitong problema ay parang kalmado silang dalawa?

Napailing si Irusu. He really can't understand the twins.

Tuluyan nang lumabas ng university si River. Lumiko ito patungo sa may shop district. Sumunod si Irusu sa kaniya. Why would River skip an important and his favorite class? Bakit din siya pupunta sa shop district?

Hindi naman pwedeng kinain siya ng guilt sa gitna ng klase at naisipang bilhan ng apology gift ang kakambal. Besides, his apology is always through his cooking.

Mas lalo siyang nagsuspetya nang lumiko si River sa isang madilim na eskinita. Irusu fastens his pace, excusing himself in the growing crowd. Nagsisimula na ring pumatak ang ulan. He jumps on a fence and stops when he reaches the alleyway. Some passerby gave him strange looks.

"Look. Ginawa ko na ang gusto mo." kumunot ang noo niya nang marinig ang boses ni River.

Silence fell. Then, a soft murmur before River's voice rises, "I stopped her from saving him by destroying her game. Is that not enough?!"

"You misunderstand it, River. My master wants the sword and Arthur." a new voice appears. "Si Reverie ang trigger para dito."

"I know. That's why I made her play, didn't I? And hindi ba't Arthur is already awake? Once her account expires, you can take the sword and capture Arthur through Hiraeth."

"Hindi namin makita si Avraeth. There's only one person whose call he'll answer. Bring the slayer back."

"That is not part of our deal. You only told me to make Reverie play the game para matrigger si Rae! I did that already. It happened already. So please-!" nanginig ang boses nito. "Bring our father back."

"Make Avraeth's location known. Use Reverie to summon him. When my master gets the sword and the king, then maybe you'll get your father back." may saya sa tono nito.

"Fuck you!"

Sumilip si Irusu nang marinig ang nakakakilabot na sigaw ni River. Nakita niya itong nagpapabasa sa ilalim ng ulan at kaharap ang isang taong napapalibutan ng asul na mga linya. A hologram? Biglang gumalaw si River upang suntukin ito, but his hand only went past the image. His head hangs low, defeated.

Tumawa ang lalaking kausap niya. "This is only an order from my master, River Greene. Stop your sister from challenging the current King and bring Hiraeth to us. If you do, you'll see your father alive."

Unti-unting nawala na ang imahe nito. "But, remember what will happen if your twin decides to complete her goal. You'll lose your father forever."

Tumawa ito nang tumawa hanggang sa mawala. However, for River, the ugly laugh still rings in the air. It echoes and sinks deep in his skin. A reminder. A warning.

Sa ilalim nang malakas na ulan ay napaupo siya. His clothes are wet and the sky is beginning to darken. Basang basa na rin ang buhok niya ngunit may kaunting saya siyang naramdaman, dahil sa ulang ito ay matatago ang mga luha niya.

He's lost. Ramdam niya ang pagiging masamang kapatid dahil sa ginawa niya kay Reverie. He broke her game, for goodness sake! Her sister, who stopped playing games because of the maltreatment she suffered, can now smile and enjoy because of the friends she met. And he stole it away from her. Napakasama niyang kakambal.

His father, chained inside the game has only one hope of survival. Him. And River think he's also failing him.

Reverie... He chuckles inwardly. Reverie is always so unlucky in games, but she's a magnet to them. The first one, she was tested. The second one, she was bullied. The third one where she found comfort, she was blocked.

When did everything went wrong? When did he lose sight and grasp of his own life?

That house. River clenches his fist. The Von Caspar mansion and that certain room filled with cables and computers and notes. That's where everything began. 

When that man was devoured by greed. That's when everything began.

Dahil sa palaging pagsama ni Reverie sa Papa nila, she became interested in making and building things. Ngunit sa bahay na 'yon talagang nag-iba ang lahat. Dahil doon, sa murang edad, Reverie became a test subject for the success of the game.

Nalaman niya lang ito sa Papa nila nang magpa-alam. It turns out that the head of the Von Caspars, Alas, is a game genius. At gusto niyang gumawa ng alternate Earth, one that is not surrounded by technology. A mix between the present and the past world. It's his dream, and River's father can make it come true.

As well as his only daughter, Reverie. Kapag dumadating na ang alas tres, Reverie is ushered inside the room. The first time, when the headgear was still in trial pero nilagay nila ito sa kaniya, Reverie went unconscious for two hours.

Of course, their father was against it. He hated Alas for it. But Alas knows how to blackmail people. And so, Reverie keeps on being used. Lagi siyang inilalagay sa iba't ibang parte na nagawa nilang mapa. Siya ang test nila kung almost reality na ba ang laro. By hurting her in game.

Doon nalaman ni River ang rason kung bakit palaging sumasakit ang ulo ng kambal at nahihilo ito kung minsan. When Reverie stopped smiling almost every hour of the day.

And then, Reverie met the youngest son, Avraeth. They bonded and played together. At doon mukhang naging maayos ang lahat. Because Reverie's spirit and energy is back.

But, the accident happened. Reverie saved a kid from getting hit by a car. In return, naospital siya nang dalawang buwan and suffered retrograde amnesia. She forgot everything about the Von Caspar and their household. Ang sabi ng doctor ay pwedeng bumalik ang ala-ala niya if there are triggers. Ngunit baka hindi lahat ay bumalik.

Marami ding naging resulta ng aksidenteng 'yon. When River went to visit the kid who Reverie saved, hindi na ito nagsalita pa. The doctor said na baka natrauma ang bata and rendered herself mute.

Nagcollision ang kotseng nakabangga sa isa pang kotse. Avraeth and his mother's car were dragged, when his mother panicked and tried to swerve their car to avoid the colliding ones and was instead hit by an unsuspecting truck. The mother died and the kid went into coma.

That time, umalis sila sa dating bahay and lay low, waiting for Reverie's recovery. Ngunit nahanap sila nang mga tauhan ng Von Caspars. Father pleaded to finish the game and allow Alas' greedy wishes, but they have to keep Reverie away. Dahil muli nang bumabalik ang sigla nito.

However, a greedy man can't always be satisfied. Now he has River's father in the chains and Reverie is a pawn. Tumingala si River sa umiiyak na langit at napapikit. He has always thought of his twin as a queen.

Ikinuyom niya ang kamao. River has nothing bad against Avraeth, dahil siya ang laging bukam-bibig ni Reverie noon. But River hates the boy's father so much. He hates him so much he wishes he can be Reverie and kill that bastard in his hands.

Only if killing him doesn't mean losing his father.

River... River only wants to protect his family. He wants to get his father back. He wants Reverie to smile and act like the princess she is. He wants to quit lying about their father's whereabouts. He wants to stop being a servant who plans behind people's backs.

Because if Reverie is a princess and they are twins, isn't River a prince too?

It feels like a punishment. To be the only one who has memories and the one to make such a choice.

Nagulat siya nang mawala ang patak ng ulan. Slowly, he opens his eyes. More tears flows when he sees the person holding an umbrella over his head. Ah.

"Magkakasakit ka." he says, voice as smooth and clear.

Malungkot na ngumiti si River. "You'll take care of me, right?"

Nang ngumiti ito ay napahikbi si River. He remembers the first time they met. His mother was invited in a banquet at pumunta silang pamilya do'n. He got bored at the talks so he decided to hang out in the hallway, only to find a crying kid.

"Brokenhearted ka?" tukso ni River sa batang umiiyak.

Nakaupo ang lalaki sa sahig, ruining his expensive suit. Nagulat siya nang bumaling ito sa kaniya, black hair neatly combed and a pretty face. Patok to sa mga chicks panigurado, sa isip niya.

"No. My parents got angry at me." anito.

"Oh? Bakit?" River asks uninterested.

Baka hindi 'to pinayagan maglaro  sa labas kaya umiiyak. Napailing siya sa isip. Kids. River has no time for them, mas kailangan niyang umuwi para makapagreply kay Cynthia.

Nang hindi ito sumagot ay sumimangot siya, "Hoy, bakit ba, bata? Ayaw ni Mama mo na pakainin ka ng chocolate? Mayro'n yata ako dito..."

The boy glares at him. "I'm 14, don't call me a kid! Besides... it's not that." ilang sandali itong tumahimik. "Oi, is kissing boys bad?"

River fails to answer from shock. Oh. He's never had that though before.

Hindi na siya nagulat nang hilahin siya ni Irusu patayo at yakapin. River breaks down on his shoulders, hiccuping in between his tears.

"Ruu, pagod na pagod na ako. I just want to protect them but why is it so- so hard? I just want to bring back my family but why won't they let me? Why do I have to be the one to choose?" he sobs. "At bakit kailangan ang pagpilian ko ay ang kaligayahan ni Ev at ang buhay ni Papa?"

"Rii..."

"I planned it all. Bumili ako ng dalawang games and lied about Reverie's movie gear arriving. I didn't switch anything, nilagay ko lang ang laro sa kama niya. So that she can meet him. Dahil 'yon ang sabi no'ng tao. S-Sabi nila they'll let Papa go once Reverie plays. Then they told me things changed and Reverie's plan has to stop. And now..." nagtitigan silang dalawa.

"Now you just want to play like before, right? No wonder palagi mong gustong tumabi kay Ev. Did you want to guard her?"

Tumango siya. Those fucking admins might trap his twin inside the game too. "Ruu. I don't know what to-"

"Talk to Reverie. If it's about your father, talk to her. You're twins," itinuro ni Irusu ang dibdib niya. "You're meant to be each other's partners. The problem is, you're heading into this battle alone, Rii. You don't have to fight alone. That's why you have a twin. Lalo na para sa Papa niyo. Reverie deserves to know the truth, and you deserve the help."

He's tired and lost and defeated. But,

In the pouring rain, River finds home in Irusu's shoulder.

____________________
-chapter end-

Grr, mga walang-hiya 'tong dalawa. No next chapter preview, pero sino sa tingin niyo ang lalaking tumawag kay Reverie/Solace na slayer? Izzobvious.

Btw, these are their names ingame and in real life (Real Life Name / IGN):

1. Reverie and River Greene / Solace and Rio
2. Feure and Escalli Vasquilar / Feyre and Apocalypse
3. Heldrix and Axipriamm Mcmillan / Hex and Priamos
4. Lystra Lazarus / Minerva
5. Averei and Yavesta Denchaves / Avi and Vesta
6. Valdimir Alcesta / Voldmir
7. Aurelius and Avraeth Von Caspar / Cord and Hiraeth
8. Aschella Von Caspar / Aisling
9. Acrasia and Rase (Reverie's real life BFFs) / Asiana and Cecilia (Winter Solstice guild)
10. Nakajima Irusu / Irusu (coz he lazy)