Paradoxum Homo et Deus

Ma'am Donna discussed to us all about Cloud Computing and whatnot in the meeting just a while ago. And I felt equal parts amazed and equal parts horrified. Since she had to show us a real-life application of one of the lessons, she had all of us include in a Google docs and edited it to our hearts content and I so regret not copying the text there because it was random as heck. From lame jokes to fangirling about who's the best dere to posting lyrics about the most absurd songs ever, that document was a mess. A fun mess, but a mess nonetheless.

That was the horrifying part. The "amazed" part was that I realized that technology really has gone a LOOOONG way. Like, back then in fanfiction.net, when you want your work to be beta-read (edited) by someone you know/trust in the site, you first had to mutually establish a connection in the site (somewhat like exchanging numbers) and then you send over the filed to be edited to your beta-reader (or editor) which you had to be careful about. You had to send it in Docx form (not Story form) or else it won't be sent. Then you wait for a few days until your beta-reader returns all the edits to your story which is sent via a new file.

I went through this process for years in FF both as a person who wanted their work beta-read and as a beta-reader myself. And it was tedious because you only had 7 days before the Docx file expires and you're not in the internet all the time and if you're confused with some parts you each had to send over so many files over and over and over.

Which is why I'm so happy that things like the Google Docs exist. It makes the beta-reading process so much easier. Plus, every action can been there so both people can get to participate in the editing.

For my final story, I'll be posting the Greek mythology-based play we used in senior year AND IT'S IN FILIPINO BWAHAHAHAHA. This was one of the story where I wished the Google Docs existed because I don't think most teachers know that writing plays in high school is very hard and with a time constraint of 30 minutes to cram everything is even harder.

Hope you enjoy this one!

Paradoxum Homo et Deus

(Ang Apoy ng Pag-Asa)

 (Apat na upuan ay makikita sa stage. Unang lalabas si Nemocyne na may hawak hawak na punit-punit na mga piraso ng tela at uupo sa unang upuan. Susunod sa kanya si Hades, nakasuot ng mga itim na kasuotan at saka uupo sa ikalawang upuan. Si Prometheus ang susunod na papasok, ngingiti at tatawa sa harapan ng unang dalawa, saka ito uupo sa pangatlong upuan. Huling papasok si Zeus, maglalabas  ng kulog saka uupo sa ikaapat na upuan. Pagkaupo nilang apat ay saka sila sunod-sunod na magsasalita.)

Nemocyne:
Kailangang mamatay ang mga tao. Hindi sila dapat karapat-dapat mamuhay pa dito. Kailan pa ba naging mabuting pakinabang ang mga tao sa mga imortal na nilalang tulad ko? Sila’y mahihina, mga bobo at mga walang kwenta. Mga pabigat lamang sila sa amin.

Hades:
Kahit na! Kailangang maligtas ang mga tao. Totoo marami silang mga nagawang palpak at walang kakwenta-kwenta, ngunit sila’y ginawa para tulungan tayong lahat. Sila’y nilikha para makapagbigay sa amin ng leksiyon. Oo, nakikita ko lamang sila nang sila’y patay na, pero ang tao ay tao. May mabuti silang maidudulot.

Prometheus:
Nakakatuwa ang mga mortal. Depende na lang sa kanila kung ano mangyayari sa kanilang buhay. May nagawa silang mabubuti, may nagawa silang masasama. May pumapatay, bakit may digmaan… Sabagay, may tumutulong din at may pag-ibig na walang hanggan. Hindi ko sila maitindihan.

Zeus:
Hindi ko na alam kung ano talaga ang aking pasya. Ano ba talaga ang sinasabi ng mga orakulo ni Apollo? Hindi ba sinasabing magiging mga masunurin at matapat na lingkod ang mga tao sa amin? Bakit ngayon, kung kailan namumuno ang kapayapaan at kabutihan, ay kung kailan sila susuway sa kanilang mga pinuno? Bakit? Bakit?

LAHAT:
Matagal na akong nanirahan sa mundong ito, at isa lamang ang masasabi ko…

(Ngayon naman ay mabilis ang pagkakasunod-sunod ng kanilang pananalita)

Nemocyne:
Patayin ang mga tao.

Hades:
Iligtas ang mga tao.

Prometheus:
Bahala na ang mga tao.

Zeus:
Paano na ang mga tao?

Nemocyne:
Patayin.

Hades:
Iligtas.

Prometheus:
Bahala na.

Zeus:
Ano ba talaga?!

(Biglang lalabas si Gaea at hahaplusin ang bawat nilalang habang siya’y nagsasalita)

Gaea:

Mga anak ko. Huwag na kayong mag-away. Hindi niyo ba natatandaan na ginawa ko ang lahat para lahat kayo ay mabuhay sa mundong ito? Hindi niyo ba naaalala na hinarap ko ang sarili kong asawa para lang mailigtas kayo? Lahat kayo ay itunuturing kong mga anak. Huwag na kayong mag-away. Iyan lamang ang hinihiling ko.

Nemocyne:
Pero, paano na ang...

Hades:
Hindi mo ba naiisip na…

Prometheus:
Sigurado ka sa desisyong…

Zeus:
Gaea, ano ang nais mong gawin namin para maayos na ito?

Gaea:
Alamin ninyo kung ano ang mangyayari. Bibigyan ko kayo muli ng isang linggo bago ang summer solstice para malaman kung ano ang mga totoong nangyari. Hanggang doon lamang ang nakakaabot ng kapangyarihan ko na hindi nakakaistorbo sa tatlong tadhana.

(Titingin muli si Gaea sa apat bago siya’y lalabas, SL. )

Nemocyne:
Ipaghihiganti ko ang aking anak.

Hades:
Ipagtatanggol ko ang mga tao.

Prometheus:
Dito natin malalaman kung paano nagsimula ang lahat.

Zeus:
Mula sa trahedyang ito, sana’y maayos na ang digmaan ng mga nilalang.

(Patay ilaw/takip ng kurtina, pagkabukas ay ipapakita ang mga Olympians na nag-uusap ng matindi sa kanilang nakikita. Labindalawang upuan, na may sari-sariling disenyo depende kung sino ang panginoong nakaupo dito,  ang nakalagay sa gilid na bumubuo sa isang “V”. Sa gitna ay isang puting altar, kung saan dapat nakalagay ang apoy ng Olympus. Malapit sa hagdan sa ilalim ng altar ay isa sa mga siyam na Muse na sugatan.)

Artemis:
Kailangan natin makausap si Thalia ukol dito. Hindi natin malalaman ang solusyon sa ating problema nang tayo’y nag-aaway lamang.

Hera:

 Hindi na natin kailangan tanungin pa ang kalagayan niya. Siya ay isang panggulo sa atin sa paghahanap kung sino nga ang magnanakaw.

Artemis:
Mahal na Reyna, hindi naman sa ninanais ko ito, ngunit… (titingin sa mga tala sa bituin bago haharap muli kay Hera.)… kakaonti na lamang ang oras natin. Kailangan na natin ito matapos bago ang pagpupulong sapagkat wala pa ring sinasabing propesiya mula sa tatlong tadhana. (Titingin sa kaliwa) Apollo, saan ka naman pupunta? Hindi ka na naman ba maghahabol ng mga diwata sa bundok?

Apollo:
Iilang oras mula rito ay kailangan ko nang pasikatin ang araw sa mundo. Wala na akong oras sa paghahabol... sa ngayon. (titingin at ngingiti kay Thalia) Ang nakikita lamang ng aking mga orakulo ay apoy at espada na nag-aaway. (Haharap kay Zeus) Haring Zeus, kailangan ko na umalis.

Zeus:
Magpatuloy ka na sa iyong mga tungkulin.

Apollo:
Su susunod muli, binibini. (Saka kikindat kay Thalia)

(Aalis si Apollo, SR. Pagkaalis ni Apollo ay didiretso si Hera kay Thalia at sisimulan siya tanungin ukol sa nawalang apoy.)

Hera:
Sino ang kumuha ng apoy ng Olympus? Sino?

Thalia:
Si…Si…

Hera:
Sumagot ka! Sino? Nakasalalay ang buhay nating lahat sa mga nakita ng mga mata mo.

Thalia:
Si… Si…

Hera:
Sumagot ka!

Zeus:
Hera, itigil mo na iyan. (Pagkasigaw ni Zeus saka maririnig ng malakas ang mga kulog sa Olympus.) Hindi ngayon oras para magalit sa isa sa mga anak ko. Hindi ito isang laro.

Hera:
Masusunod, mahal na hari. (Magaglit ngunit lalayo kay Thalia at uupo na lamang sa kanyang upuan.)

Hestia:
Zeus, kung ako ang kumausap kay Thalia?

Zeus:

(Tutungo kay Hestia bago ititigil ang mga kidlat sa kalangitan.)

Hestia:
(Luluhod malapit kay Thalia) Ano ang nararamdaman mo, Thalia?

Thalia:
Hestia! (Malulungkot bago ito magsasalita.) Patawarin ninyo po kami. Kahit pagbantay lamang ng apoy ng Olympus ay hindi naming nagawa habang ika’y may inaayos sa naganap na digmaan. Patawarin niyo po kami.

Hestia:

Nais mo kaming tulungan?

Thalia:
Opo.

Hestia:
Kung gayon, maaari mo ba sabihin sa amin kung ano ang mga iyong nakita?

Thalia:
Habang wala kayo ay nandito lang kaming magkakapatid tumutugtog, kumakanta at sumasayaw habang binabantayan ang apoy.  Ngunit, sa isang iglap, may nakita kaming malaking apoy na kumalat sa buong templo. Ako’y nagtago sa likod ng upuan ni Panginoong Hephaestus para ako’y hindi matamaan ng apoy. Doon ako nagtago hangga’t naramdaman ko na nawala na ang init at siklab nito. Ngunit, pagkalabas ko sa likod ng upuan, ang aking mga kaptid… Lahat sila’y…

Artemis:
Hindi sila namatay, Thalia. Malala man ang kanilang mga sugat, hindi sila mamamatay.

Hestia:
Nais mo bang makita ang iyong ina, Thalia?

Thalia:
Opo.

(Mag-uusap ang dalawa sa isang sulok habang ang ibang mga Olympians ay patuloy na nag-uusap.)

Zeus:
Apoy… nakita ni Thalia ay apoy.

Athena:
Hephaestus, hindi ba ikaw ang diyos ng apoy?

Artemis:
Ikaw, Hephaestus, ang kumuha ng apoy ng Olympus? Bakit mo pa kukunin ang apoy ng Olympus kung kaya mo naman gumawa ng sarili mo? Gusto mo ba tayo mamatay?

Ares:
Ha! Kung gusto mo lang magkaroon ng digmaan, dapat sinabi mo lang sa akin. Ang dami mo pang ginawa para lang makamit ang kahilingan na iyon.

Hephaestus:
Kalma lang. Hindi ako kumuha ng apoy ng Olympus. Bakit ko pa ito kukunin? Ayaw ko magkroon ng digmaan dito pagkatapos lang ng digmaan ng mga tao. Nais ko lamang ay magkaroon ng kapayapaan sa ating pamilya.

Hera:
Pamilya nga daw ba?

Hephaestus:
Oo, aking INA. Isang mapayapa at maayos na pamilya lang ninanais ko. Ngunit, kahit isang simpleng kahilingan tulad noon ay hindi ko makakamit.

Aphrodite:
(Lalapit kay Hephaestus at kakapit sa kanyang braso.) Maayos rin ang lahat, aking asawa. Huwag ka mag-alala.

Hephaestus:
Asawa? Matatawag mo pa ba akong asawa pagkatapos ng lahat na ginawa mo?

Aphrodite:
Hindi na muna importante ang mga problema nating… (titingin kay Ares bago babalik kay Hephaestus.) dalawa. Saka na natin ito ayusin kapag nabawi na natin ang apoy .

Hephaestus:
(Haharap na muli kay Zeus) Zeus, aking ama, ano ang binabalak niyo?

Zeus:
Kailangan isa lamang ang maghahanap ng apoy natin.

(Magkakaroon muli ng gulo sa templo dahil sa mga reaksyon ng mga diyos at diyosa.)

Athena:
Bakit iisa lamang? Hindi ba’t mas maganda na marami tayong maghahanap para mas marami tayong masakop na lugar?

Poseidon:
Hindi na kailangan ng marami, Athena. Ako at ang aking mga alagad ay sapat na para mahanap ang apoy natin. Kung marami ang maghahanap ay siguradong magkakagulo tayo.

Athena:
Pero, hindi ba’t…

Ares:
Athena, manahimik ka. Paminsan na nga lang sila mag-away, tatapusin mo kaagad.

Athena:
Nasisiyahan ka pa dito?

Ares:
(Tatawa at ilalabas ang kahit anong sandatang hawak niya) Hindi pa ba naging halata iyon sa nangyaring digmaan?

Athena:
Ikaw--! (Titigil sa kanyang pananalita at haharap na lamang kay Zeus.)

Zeus:
Poseidon, wala akong sinasabing ikaw ang mamamahala sa paghahanap ng apoy. Hindi ikaw ang inaatasan kong maghanap para sa atin.

Poseidon:
Sigurado ka ba diyan sa iyong sinasabi, Zeus? Ako’y diyos ng tubig. Madali ko mahahanap ang apoy dahil isa iyan sa mga kahinaan ko.

Zeus:
Hindi Poseidon. Mayroon akong kilalang may mas magaling na abilidad para mahanap ito.

Poseidon:

At sino naman iyon? Sana naman kung sino iya’y kaya mahanap ang apoy sa loob ng apat na araw.

Zeus:
Kayang-kaya niya ito. Sinisigurado ko ito.

Poseidon:
Umaga na muli Zeus. Kailangan ko na bumalik sa dagat. At ang iba’y may kani-kanilang responsibilidad rin. Tandaan mo, Zeus. Nakasalalay ang lahat kung sinuman ang pipiliin mo.

(Lalabas ang lahat pero mahuhuli si Hermes.)

Zeus:
Hermes, halika.

Hermes:
Bakit po, mahal na hari?

Zeus:
Mayroon akong iuutos sa iyo at naniniwala akong magagawa mo ito ng mabilis.

Hermes:
Ano po iyon?

Zeus:
Ikaw ang inaatasan ko sa paghahanap  ng ating apoy. Naniniwala akong sapat ang kakayahan mo para  magawa ito bago dumating ang summer solstice o ang pagpupulong ng lahat.

Hermes:
Masusunod ito, mahal na hari.

(Naglalakad papalayo si Hermes na kanyang napagtanto na siya ang inutusan ni Zeus para mabawi ang apoy. Pagtalikod niya’y hindi si Zeus ang kanyang nakita, kung hindi si Athena.)

Athena:
Tama pala ang hinala ko na ikaw ang uutusan ni ama.

Hermes:
Ha? Paano mo nalaman? Ikaw ba ang nagsabi sa kanya na ako ang dapat maghanap?

Athena:
Hindi.

(Maglalakad si Athena na nakatingin kay Hermes nang pabilog. Pagkatapos niya ito maikot ay saka niya ibibigay ang isang jar sa kanya.)

Athena:
Nectar. Kailangan mo magsimula mangolekta ng impormasyon mula sa iba. Magmadali ka rin. (Aalis si Athena, SR.)

(Iimbestigahan ni Hermes ang paligid. May makikita siyang maliit na pirasong tela malapit sa altar. Titignan niya rin ang mga upuan ng mga diyos at makakakita ng mga mantsa ng gintong dugo sa mga ibang upuan. Tinignan niya ang mga upuan muli at napansin na ang upuan lamang ni Zeus at Hephaestus ang mga hindi natamaan ng apoy. May nakita rin siyang mga marka ng espada sa sahig ng templo. Pagkatapos niya tignan lahat ay lumapit siya sa isang balong sa sulok ng templo at nag-alay ng isan drachma.)

Hermes:
O Iris, diyosa ng bahaghari, ipakita mo sa akin ngayon si Cronus, diyos ng panahon.

(Lalabas at magpapakita si Iris sa harapan ng fountain nang nakapikit. Magbubukas lamang ang kanyang mata nang makaluhod na si Hermes.)

Iris:
Ayaw ni Cronus magpakita ngayon sa mga Olympians. Siya’y may inaasikaso pa kasama ng kanyang mga kapatid. Maghintay ka na lamang ng mga ilang siglo para siya’y makausap mo.

Hermes:
Siglo? Wala ng aabutin pa ang Olympus kung siglo pa ang ihihintay ko.

Iris:
Paumanhin, ngunit wala siyang intension lumapit sa inyo muli. Ayaw niyang makisalamuha sa mga diyos na hindi kaya maipagtanggol ang sarili nilang tirahan.

Hermes:
Dalhin mo ako sa kanya ngayon.

Iris:

Ipagpaumanhin, ngunit hindi ako transporter. Matatagpuan mo na lamang siya sa bundok ng Orthrys. Hangga’t hindi matatagpuan ang apoy, hindi maaaring nakalagay ang mga Titan sa Tartarus. Sa Orthrys muna inilagay sila ni Hades.

Hermes:
Salamat, Iris.

(Tatayo si Hermes saka lilipad papuntang Mt. Orthrys.)

(Naglalakad si Hermes sa templo ng Orthrys nang sinalubong siya ni Cronus at iba pang mga Titan. Makikita na buhat-buhat pa rin ni Atlas ang kalangitan sa kanyang mga balikat habang si Prometheus at Uranus ay naguusap sa kanilang altar.)

Cronus:
(Tatayo sa kanyang trono saka lalapit kay Hermes.) Hindi ba sinabi ni Iris na wala akong nais para makipag-usap sa inyo?

Hermes:
Maipapangako ko na magiging mabilis ito. Ibig ko lang malaman kung nasa inyo man ang apoy namin.

(Tatawa ang mga Titan ngunit si Atlas ang unang titigil sa kanyang pagtawa at tatanungin kay Hermes.)

Atlas:
Paano mo naman nasabing kami ang nagnakaw ng apoy?

Hermes:
Hindi niyo ba nais makalaya mula sa Tartarus o kaya sa mga parusa niyong walang tigil? Madali lang manakaw ang apoy mula sa mga siyam na muses na aming ipinabantay.

Atlas:
May punto ka diyan ngunit, kung mapapansin mo, mahina pa rin kami. Kulang pa rin ang kapangyarihan namin. Kung talagang ninais talaga naming makalaya, dapat hindi ko na dapat binubuhat ang langit na ito at kanina pa kayo nakikipaglaban sa amin.

Uranus:
Wala ka bang kaalam-alam na ang nagnakaw ng apoy ay isang tao?

Hermes:
Isang tao?

Uranus:
Hindi. Ito’y kabayong naglalakad sa dalawang paa na nakakapagsalita. Oo, tao, Hermes. TAO.

Hermes:
Hindi. Niloloko niyo lang ako. Hindi ako naniniwalang na tao ang nakalusot sa amin templo, na halos sunugin na ang lahat ng mga gamit nito, masugatan na malala ang siyam na muses at makaalis kasama ang aming pinakamahalagang kayamanan. Diyos lamang ang kaya makagawa nito.

Uranus:
Ah, ngunit may tumulong sa kanya. Imposible na hindi ito magagawa ng isang tao lamang.

Hermes:
Sino? Sino ito?

Prometheus:
Tanungin mo sa kapwa mong Olympians. Hindi ba’t marami sa inyo’y may nais maputol ang iyong pamilya? Tulad nina Aphrodite at Ares? Huwag mo kalimutan ang tito mong si Hades na nakahiwalay sa Olympus.

Hermes:
Pero… bakit nila mapipili ang tao para gawin ito?

Uranus:
Nakakatuwa, sa totoo lang, ang sitwasyon niyo. Dumedepende pa sa tao. Ha! Wala kaming pakialam diyan sa mga tao. Hindi na sila importante para sa amin.

Prometheus:
Tinulungan ko nga sila noon, pero nag-iba na ang sitwasyon ngayon. Binigyan ko sila ng apoy, sila’y umunlad ngunit ako ang pinarusahan. Buti na nga lang at may nakaligtas sa akin. Pero kahit tinulungan ako noon, hindi ibig sabihin tutulong na ako muli sa inyo.  Bahala na lang ang tatlong tadhana sa magiging kapalaran ng mga nilikhang tao.

(Ititigil ni Cronus ang oras muli at kakausapin si Hermes na may seryosong tono, kasalungat ng ginamit ng mga una niyang kapatid.)

Cronus:
Hermes, tandaan mo ito. Magkakaroon nga ng panahon na makakatakas kami mula dito. Makakalaya rin kami dito balang araw at magkakaroon muli ng digmaan. Pero, sa ngayon, kami ay mananahimik sa inyong suliranin. Marami na kayong ginawa para mawala ang balanse ng mundo. (Sa galaw na kanyang kamay, magpapalit ng posisyon ang buwan at araw at ibabalik muli.) Iniba ni Gaea ang panahon para matapos niyo ito. Huwag niyo hayaang mapunta ito sa wala.

(Maglalakad paalis si Hades nang siya’y may napansin. Inikot niya saglit ang templo bago siya humarap muli kay Cronus.)

Hermes:
Bakit… Bakit wala dito sa Mnemocyne? Siya ang ina ng siyam na Muses. Ayaw niya ba malaman kung ano nangyari sa kanyang mga anak? Hindi niya ba nais makamit ang mga detalye ukol sa mga nangyari?

Cronus:
Kasama niya ang ibang mga diwata sa pag-aalaga ng kanyang mga anak. Saka mo na siya makikita sa aummer solstice. Maipapayo ko lamang sa’yo ay kausapin ang mga Olympians na may pinakamalakas na motibo para maputol ang inyong pamilya. (Gagalaw muli ang oras.) At, masasabi ko na handa siya kalabanin kayo kapag hindi niya nakamit ang hustisya.

Hermes:
Salamat at paalam po.

(Lilipad si Hermes sa Underworld kung saan makikitang nag-aaway ang mag-asawa at ang inang naiirita sa dalawa. Sila’y nakatayo sa isang malungkot at mapanglaw na hardin. Kadalasan ay may makikita na nalutang na kaluluwa, na kaagad rin mawawala.)

Hades:
Bakit ba ang lungkot-lungkot mo? Hindi ba’t ikaw mismo ang lumapit sa akin nang ika’y nasa taas pa naman? Hindi ba’t sinabi mo na ninais mong mapalayo sa iyong ina’t at makita ang mundo sa labas ng iyong munting tahanan?

Persephone:
Ibig kong makita ang kagandahan ng mundo, hindi sa madilim at makulimlim na lugar tulad na ito. Ipinangako mo sa akin na ipapakita mo kung ano ang mga maririkit at kanais-nais sa mundo, hindi nakatigil sa isang lugar na halos puro kaluluwa lamang ang iyong mga nakakausap at nakikita araw-araw.

Hades:
Ipinangako ko nga iyon at tutuparin ko iyon.

Persephone:
Ilang siglo na ang dumaan, Hades. Wala pa ring bunga ang ipinangako mo sakin.

Hades:
Kaunting hintay na lang at makakamit mo ito.

Persephone:
Lagi na lamang ako naghihintay. Inaabangan ko na lang ang panahon kasama ang aking ina sa itaas kaysa sa mga oras na kasama kita.

Hades:
Hindi ka na malulungkot dito.

Persephone:
At ilang beses mo na sinabi sa akin ‘yan?

Demeter:
Tumigil na nga kayo dalawa. Hindi niyo ba napapansin na may bisita kayo?

(Mapapatigil ang dalawa sa kanilang pag-aaway at haharap kay Hermes, CS.)

Hermes:
Pumunta ako dito ayon sa utos ni Zeus.

Hades:
Kung hinahanap mo ang apoy, wala ito dito.

Demeter:
Ayan ka na naman, Hades. Inuunahan lagi ang bisita. Paminsan na nga lang ako pumunta dito para puntahan ang aking anak, ganyan rin ang pagtrato mo para sa ibang bisita? Hanga talaga ako sa iyo.

Persephone:
Pero, totoo naman ang kanyang sinabi. Wala dito ang apoy.

Hades:
Bakit mo naman nasabi na ako ang kukuha ng apoy?

Hermes:
Hindi sa inaakusahan kita. Ngunit, sa lahat ng mga diyos at diyosa, ikaw ay ang may pinakamalaking kapangyarihan para maka-impluwensiya ng tao kasunod kay Aphrodite. Hindi rin nakakatulong na may  malakas ka na motibo para sa digmaan mula sa apoy.

Persephone:
Hades, totoo ba ang sinasabi ni Hermes? May motibo ka para kuhanin ang apoy?

Demeter:
Sinasabi ko na nga bang pangit ang pinili mong asawa, Persephone. Sa lahat ba kasi ng diyos na maaari mong pakasalan, ang diyos pa ng kadiliman?

Persephone:
Ina, hindi ito kasama sa usapan. Huwag niyo nang ipagpilitan kung ano na ang nangyari sa nakaraan.

Hades:
Manahimik kayong dalawa. (Haharap kay Hermes.) Totoo, may kapangyarihan ako para nakawin ang apoy at totoo na may malakas akong motibo para gawin ito. Subalit, ako’y diyos rin, isang diyos na may prinsipyo.

Demeter:
At ano namang kababalaghan ito?

Persephone:
Ina, tama na!

Hades:
Alam niyo namang malaki ko nang kinamumuhian ang aking mga kapatid. Kahit AKO ang pinakamatanda sa aming tatlo, sa akin pa napunta ang impyernong ito. Sa akin pa napunta ang lugar na nilalayuan ng lahat. Isang madilim na tahanang walang kasama, hindi mo ba alam ang hirap at kalungkutang naramdaman ko?

Persephone:
Hindi. At ayoko nang malaman pa ukol diyan.

Hades:
Napansin ko lang na… ito ang nararamdaman ng aking mga kapatid nang nalikha ang mga tao. Lagi silang nag-aalala tungkol sa kanila dahil tao lamang ang sumusunod halos sa kanila. Naisip ko… bakit hindi sila Iligtas para maging patas kaming tatlo? Hindi ba’t mas kaayaya iyon?

Demeter:
Hindi ko talaga maiitindihan kung bakit siya pinili mo, Persophone.

Hermes:
Naniniwala ka na hindi salot ng lipunan ang tao?

Hades:
Hindi. Sila lamang ang alam kong nakakapagbigay ng sakit ng ulo kay Zeus at Poseidon. At… may mga bagay rin na matututunan natin mula sa kanila.

Persephone:
At paano mo naman nasabi na may matututunan tayo mula sa kanila?

Hades:
Simula nung ginawa kitang asawa. Hindi ako susuko sa ating kasal hangga’t hindi natin ito maayos. Tulad ng mga tao.

Demeter:
Ha. Kailangan ko makita na nakangiti lagi ang anak ko simula ngayon. Kung hindi, malalagot ka sa akin, Hades. Talagang malalagot ka.

Hermes:
Wala ba kayong maidadagdag ukol sa pagkawala ng apoy?

Persephone:
Ang kumuha siguro ng apoy ay may mabuting intensyon para sa mga tao.  Kung iisipin natin ito ng mabuti, wala naman talagang makikinabang kung may magnanakaw ng apoy maliban sa tao.

Demeter:
Sana malutas kaagad ito. Nais ko nang makita muli ang kagandahan ng ating templo.

Hermes:
Paalam na po.

(Makikita si Hermes na nakatayo sa isang gubat malapit sa kinatatayuan ng bundok ng Olympus. Maglalakad, at nang makakita ng isang talon, ay lalapit dito at mag-aalay ng drachma.)

Hermes:

O Iris, diyosa ng bahaghari, ipakita mo sa akin si Chiron.

Iris:
Kinakausap niya ang ilan sa mga Cyclops ni Poseidon ukol sa apoy. Hindi siya maaaring abalihin sa kasulukuyan.

Hermes:
Tulad ng kanina, isa itong importanteng at madaliang bagay.

Iris:
Masusunod ito. Ngunit hanggang iilang oras lamang ang kakayanin ng iyong usapan.

Hermes:
Bakit naman maikli ang magiging usapan naming ngayon?

Iris:
Bukas na magaganap ang summer solstice. Humihina ang aking kapangyarihan sa araw na balanse ang panahon ng lahat.

(Lalabo si Iris at lalabas ang imahe ni Chiron kasama ang Cyclops na si Tyson, anak ni Poseidon.)

Chiron:
Aba! Bakit mo kaming nais makausap? Ukol ba ito sa apoy? Kung ito’y tungkol doon, natitiyak ko sa iyo na wala ang apoy dito. Nais ko lamang manirahan ng mapayapa at wala akong hangarin masira ang kapayapaan nito.

Tyson:
Ganon din kami. Ayaw namin kaguluhan. Gusto kapayapaan.

Hermes:
May masasabi ba kayo kung sino ang nagnakaw ng apoy?

Chiron:
Sigurado ako na walang halimaw ang magdadalita kuhanin ang apoy mula sa inyo. Nakuha na namin ang katahimikan at kapayapaang hinangad namin sa loob ng matagal na paghihintay. Bakit pa namin babawiin ang pangako sa walang hanggang labanan at kadiliman?

Tyson:

Kinupkop kami ni Poseidon para gumawa ng kanyang mga espada. Sumaya kami ng mawala kami sa mahigpit na pamamahala noon ng mga Titans sa amin. Kung kailangan ay lalaban kami para sa mga diyos, pero hindi kami lalaban kontra sa mga diyos.

Hermes:
Pero naguguluhan pa rin ako. Bukas na ang summer solstice at wala pa rin akong kaalam-alam kung sino ang kumuha ng apoy.

Chiron:
Naniniwala akong may sapat ka ng impormasyon at ebidensya. Kailangan mo lamang isipin kung sino ang posibleng diyos na kaya kontrahin ang mga diyos at kuhanin ang apoy.

Tyson:
Pasikat na ang araw. Mamayang gabi na ang summer solstice. Lahat ay manonood at makikinig sa iyo.

Hermes:
Salamat Chiron at Tyson. (Saka niya buburahin ang mga imahe nila sa tubig.) Salamat rin, Iris. (Aalis ang imahe ni Iris habang naglalakad palabas si Hermes, SR)

(Magpupulong na muli ang mga diyos at diyosa para malaman kung sino talaga ang nakahanap ng apoy. Naka-upo silang lahat sa kani-kanilang upuan habang ang mga iba ay nakatayo sa isang podium na nakaharap sa altar. Si Hermes ay nakatingin lamang sa altar kung saan nakalagay ang kanilang apoy bago siya nagsimula magsalita.)

Mnemocyne:
Alam nating lahat na may naganap na pagnanakaw sa loob ng templo ng mga Olympians. Hindi lamang nawala ang pinaka-ugat ng kanilang sibilisasyon, nasaktan rin ang aking mga anak. Imposibleng isang imortal na nilalang ang nakapasok dito, dahil hindi madali para sa isang diyos ang makapasok sa kahit ninumang templo. Tao lamang ang may kakayahan na malayang makakapasok sa templo at kaya nakawin ang mga nilalaman nito.

Hermes:
Hindi maaaring tao ang makakanakaw nito.

Mnemocyne:
At paano mo naman ito nasabi, bata?

Hermes:
(Tatatayo at haharap sa lahat) Hindi kaya ng isang simpleng tao na makagawa ng isang dambuhalang apoy na hindi kaya kontrolin ng siyam na muses. Ngunit, isang diyos na may malakas na impluwensiya nang siya’y tao pa ang maaaring kumuha ng apoy.

Mnemocyne:
Kung gayon, ano ang nais mong sabihin? Sino kumuha ng apoy?

Hermes:
Hindi niyo pa ba nalalaman? Walang iba kung hindi siya! (Ituturo kay Hercules)

Hercules:
Ako? Bakit naman ako?

Hermes:

Ikaw ay isang diyos ngayon, ngunit hindi pa rin nawawala ang katapatan mo sa mga tao, hindi ba?

Hercules:
Ha! Wala kang ebidensiya para sabihin na ako nga ang kumuha ng apoy!

Hermes:
Doon ka nagkakamali. Maraming ebidensiya na tumuturo sa iyo.

Hercules:
Ang yabang mo ngayon. May nahanap kang ebidensiya na tumuturo sa akin? Tulad ng ano?

Hermes:
(Ituturo ang sahig at ang altar.) Madaling makikita na may mga bakas ito mula sa isang mabigat at matulis na bagay. Isang espada kaya?

Hercules:
Marami sa atin ay may mga espada na hawak mula sa mga nakaraang nangyari.

Hermes:

Ngunit ako’y may isa pang ilalabas. (Ilalabas ang mga piraso ng tela.) Hindi ba ikaw lamang ang mga diyos dito na nakakapagsuot ng ganitong tela? (Ituturo ang sahig.) Ang gintong dugo… isang taong naging imortal ang maaari lamang ng ganitong dugo. Aminin mo na. Ikaw ang magnanakaw.

Hercules:
Hindi… hindi ako. (Maaaring mag-adlib si Hercules habang siya ay inaakusahan.)

Mnemocyne:
Sisiguraduhin ko na makakamit ng anak ko ang hustisyang karapat-dapat sa kanya.

Zeus:
Ares, arestuhin mo na siya.

(Habang inaaresto si Hercules ay unti-unting maglalakad palabas si Prometheus. Kukuha ng sabat si Hermes pinakamalapit sa kanya at ihahagis it okay Prometheus.)

Hermes:
Nahuli rin kita, magnanakaw.

Hermes:
Ano ang ginawa mo para makuha ang apoy ng Olympus?

Prometheus:
Niloko ko ang isipan ni Hercules para gawin iyon. Pinapunta ko siya sa Olympus mula sa likod para hindi siya makita ng siyam na muses. Doon ko pinasira sa kanya ang altar at nakawin ang apoy. Para siguradong walang makakatanda sa nangyari ay nagkalat ako ng malalakas na apoy na kung ito’y langhapin, makakalimutan niya ang mga nakaraang nangyari.

Mnemocyne:
Bakit si Hercules pinili mo, Prometheus? Sa lahat ng mga maaaring lokohin, bakit siya pa?

Prometheus:
Tulad ng iyong sinabi. Isa siya sa mga kakaunting imortal na malayang nakakapunta sa iba’t ibang templo na hindi napapansin ng mga diyos.

Hermes:
Sinabi mo sa akin noon ay wala ka nang pakialam sa mga tao. Hindi ba’t nilulunok mo lang ang iyong salita sa pamamagitan ng paggawa nito?

Prometheus:
Lahat ay ginawa dahil mayroon itong natatakdang layunin sa buhay. Kapansin-pansin na ang tao ay nakakapagbigay sa atin ng mga leksyong hindi natin kaagad matututunan. Pinapakita sa atin ang mahahalagang bagay ukol sa katapatan, pag-ibig at ang halaga sa isang pamilya. Ang buhay ay isa lamang bilog na umuulit habangbuhay. Lahat tayo ay nabubuhay para mamatay rin sa huli. Mula sa kamatayan, ay makakasilang tayo muli. Mahirap siya itindihin ngayon, ngunit, baling-araw, makikita rin ng lahat tayo ay ang mangangailangan sa tao, hindi sila, sa atin.

 (Pagkatapos ay magsasara ang kurtina. Pagbukas ay magaganap ang isang sayawan at kantahan na nagpapakita ng kanilang pagdirirwang sa makabagong daanan na lalakarin nilang lahat.)

WAKAS

Not bad for a beginner, eh?

A little throwback!

Okay, we had a lesson regarding CSS and it was all a matter of styling the content and all that and it just reminded me soooo much of high school. We once had a final project back in my sophomore year where we had to culminate all the things we learned in html by making a some sort of blog and posting it on some site. I can accurately remember what I did back then, how I had page for all my social media sites, another page for my about me, another page for a small picture gallery, and another page where lines of text were moving in different directions and blinking in different speeds.

Ah, those were the days where I had found with html. Now? Not so much anymore, but it was still nice trip to memory lane when we were discussing about that.

Snippets

(For the longest while, I kept on wondering why on Earth was my blog not updating. Only logging in again to finish all the entries did I realized that not only had I left my posts barely untouched, I forgot to post all of them on said deadlines. Here's to hoping I can post all of them in time! Internet, please cooperate.)

Take a step back. Close your eyes. Breathe. Summer's approaching.

It has begun. The dreaded month of hell is upon us. Both teachers and students should brace themselves for the oncoming onslaught of insanity for the next few weeks. 

A bit melodramatic but I think you get the point.

Anyway, this blog post is here for two reasons. The first would be that I'll be giving an update regarding my life. Which is not all that exciting compared to others, actually. HAHA. 

Jokes aside, the biggest achievement I did recently that I want to brag about is the fact that I finally have my first trophy in the Battle Maison in Pokemon ORAS! Winning 50 straight battles in an AI environment designed to break you into little pieces over a single wrong move is a lot tougher than it sounds. The fact that I was able to reach a streak of 99 there before losing to that effin bulky Swampert that just kept on spamming Curse before sweeping with Earthquake was a more painful experience than studying for 2 exams scheduled on the same day. I'm not even exaggerating when I say that I think I planned more for the Battle Maison than I did for my tests. 

Whoever's reading this, please don't judge. It's just that I didn't have much to share regarding the recent lesson in IT 1 so I just decided to go with Pokemon. xD I'm going to sound reaaaaaaally proud but the reason I can't say much about the lesson was because I already took it in high school so it felt more like deja vu than a new think to stock in my brain. My mind at the time was always shifting from "Oh we're dealing with line breaks now" to "Should I choose Mega-Garde or Mega-Mawile as my core for Doubles?" to "Wow we're in rows and columns now, so fast"

As for the second reason as to why I'm posting: #throwbackThursday. Since it's summer, I decided to post the first Secret Santa in July fic I made last year to welcome the new season. It's basically copy-pasted from fanfiction account so if you don't like the formatting in this site, just click my header and you'll be sent to my FF.net account. I hope you enjoy this short story!

Rainbow Summer

A/N: Here's a few things I should clarify in this story. First, the Mineral Town's villagers are the ones I consider the "eldest" generation so I put in the rest of the other ones as later generations (prepare thyself for shybutmoreopen!Mary) . Second, I made this in the premise that a) the segments can be read backwards or forwards, b) the narration of the relationship goes backwards and c) I used the colors of the rainbow as a theme. I'm not sure if I pulled this one off decently so please expect some OOC moments and abrupt flow in narration. Lastly, this is my gift for Symphonic Fantasia. I'm basically writing from scratch here since I haven't played MM and SI in a long time so I basically molded somewhere where I'm comfortable to write in. Hope you didn't mind the length because I'm sure you're the type who'd love to get this pairing more stories in the fandom!

Enjoy reading and don't forget to leave a review!

---

"You're late, Vaughn."

Gwen lowered herself from her position on the lowest branch of the tree. She'd been looking at the fields the whole afternoon, waiting patiently for the cowboy to come at their designated time. Tying her hair back up in a neat ponytail, she walked up to him with a steady gaze, keeping her emotions in place.

"Geez," Gwen pouted, "how many times are you going to leave a girl waiting like that?"

Vaughn grunted in response. "At least I didn't leave you waiting in the cold."

"Save your romantic flair for later," Gwen pointed him to the picnic blanket laid right near the tree she'd been sitting on for the past few hours, "we've got a Fireworks festival to enjoy tonight."

"Tell me again how you dragged me into this?" The silver-haired man said as he laid himself down on the blanket and crossed his arms under his head.

"Summer won't be complete without fireworks," she sighed. The wind breeze whipped her backwards, a rush of warm air enveloping her face. She turned her head to the side to face the cowboy, only to see that his hat covered his face. A quick glance at her wrist watch told her that the festival would start any time now.

"Hey, Vaughn, I've got something to ask you." She said softly, hugging her knees closer to her chest. The basket of food she prepared still remained untouched. She wanted to reach out for a sandwich though she didn't feel the least bit hungry. Screams of the countdown by the beach had begun even as she took in a sigh.

Aside from putting his hat on the side, Vaughn didn't move much from his place. Gwen took it as a sign to probe further.

"I heard you don't plan on coming back for the competition anymore since your local rancher will take your place. Are the rumors true?"

There was silence. Screams counting down to the last minute were all that could be heard from the grassy hill they were sitting on.

"Yes."

Gwen had been bracing herself for that answer but it seemed that no amount of preparing can ever account for the real thing. Though she stared at the sky with her ruby orbs wide open, tears still slipped past through her smiling mask.

"I'm going to miss my partner, though." Vaughn added after a while.

That sudden statement shocked Gwen enough for her to stop crying. She let the words sink in, savoring the last bits of summer she had with the cowboy. She wiped her tears away and scooted closer to him. She took his hand and, thankfully, he gripped it in return as well though she found it irritating that he still had that cold expression on his face.

Nevertheless, the blonde found his hands warm and comforting. The screams intensified as it reached down to the last five seconds before all the lights went out.

Five!

Four!

"Thank you for a wonderful summer…"

Three!

Two!

"…partner."

One!

It was the color of flames raining across the night sky, showing the world a marvelous image of a phoenix before being dazzled with other vibrant images. It was the color of the grip on each other's hands, interdependent for security of one another. It was the color of across Gwen's face as the cowboy offered a chaste kiss on her lips.

It was the color Vaughn had the pleasure to engulf his own eyes in, seeing fire and passion and a whirlwind of emotions in a sea that burned on and on and on.

Red.

---

Sometimes, no words were needed.

They were on the beach this time, resting after a good race across the town. Both had their feet bare across the sand. Gwen, still wearing her rider's attire, was pulling her supposed opponent down the shore. 'What is it now?' the boy would usually grunt out while the blonde would respond with a meek 'It's a surprise' as she continued to pull his hand along the waves.

Only when they reached the edges of the beach did Vaughn realize that his friend had grown significantly quieter the farther they went on. He placed his shoes away and looked at the sight before them.

It was a sunset that still sprouted out rays of orange and gold, bathing the sky in warm, cozy gradients of red, pink, and purple as evening drew near. The water, though crystal blue in the morning, was a hue of solid orange as the waves tickled their toes. Faint aromas of salt and flowers combined wafted through their noses and slightly caressed their sun-kissed skin.

"Look," Gwen shakily said, "I… wanted to thank you for your help, okay? We may… have gone down at the wrong footing at first… b-but it all worked out in the end, r-right?"

"Just get to the point." The cowboy coolly replied.

"Alright!" Gwen replied back, her face redder than ever, "Can you please go down on one knee?"

"What?" he snapped back, "Are you serious?"

"Come on, it's just a simple task."

"You brought me all the way here just for me to kneel in front of you like a queen?"

"Do it already, will you?!"

With a reluctant groan, Vaughn got down in one knee in front of the girl. He was about to retort that was looking stupid when he felt something warm caress his cheek. It was soft and gentle and only when Gwen pulled back did he realize that she had kissed him first.

"I was about to do that after inviting you to the Fireworks festival next week but I figured you wouldn't shut up so…"

"Idiot."

"Hey!"

"Be thankful I'm going to accompany a dummy like you to the festival tomorrow." He stood and picked his shoes up before starting to walk away. Though Gwen couldn't react right away at him accepting the invitation, she soon did as he challenged that the last one to reach the Inn would be the one to bring the food.

Maybe their whole Summer had been like that, a throw of awkwardness and fighting and stubborn name-calling. Regardless, deep down they still cared for each other. They fought and laughed and somehow got to like each other along the way, the darkness and light moments growing as they went.

Orange was the last color Gwen saw before chasing the cowboy, the color of happiness glowing across her face.

---

Flashes. That's what it felt like. Flashes.

It all felt like a blur.

She was there sitting on her horse, Arion, wide-eyed and shocked as everybody else. Who knew… who knew that it would come to this.

She won. She actually won.

All those long hours spent doing nothing but race across the town, all those daily exercises they did to prepare their bodies for the event, all the sweat and blood and sleepless nights of worrying, all those times she and Vaughn had fought over on how to properly take care of horses…

Her head snapped back up to reality.

People from five different villages were cheering as the other horses reached the finish line right behind her. Music was being played even louder as confetti started falling to the ground. Flashes of silver and gold and red and blue and white started raining down on her, blocking her vision. Gwen struggled, desperate to see if he had made it. The Mayor was announcing something over the microphone but she couldn't even pay attention to what he was saying.

Until she heard that unevenly-toned whistle.

And there he was, patting Lightning, his steed, by the stables.

Mayor Thomas was already about to hand her the trophy and medal on her horse when she guided Arion over to the stables. She quickly got off and quickly noticed that Vaughn's horse was not as fatigued as before. Lightning's breaths came in a bit heavier compared to the rest of them, but he was still in good shape. If anything, he was up for another round.

"Lightning… made it." Gwen stood, in awe.

The silver-haired cowboy smirked. "Of course he would, he's my horse. Lack of strength isn't going to stop him."

Gwen patted down Lightning's mane and smiled. The horse did not move an inch though it allowed Gwen to continue patting its head. "It's your horse, alright."

"Quit patting my horse and go put the medal on yours," he said. The cowboy lowered his hat and went off to fetch water when he suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Congratulations on your win."

"Thanks," the blonde chirped as she started sprinting for the podium, "but this was your win, too!"

Gwen ran back to the podium, high-fiving an energetic May (despite coming second to the last), a saddened Jack (because he lost the bet), a supportive Kathy (who loved the fact that her bronze medal matched her horse's color) and a smiling Ash (who she regretted getting only to meet the day before). As Gwen held onto the trophy tight in her arms, all she could think of was the rush of energy flowing through her and that the hope that the day would never end.

Because it was all yellow.

---

If there was anything riders loved more than their horses, it was competing against each other.

Hands gripped tightly on the ropes, three ferocious riders battled to the top as they raced across the track. The sun was out but clouds provided good shade, lessening the heat that made them sweat all over. It was a good thing that Claire, the farmer of the land they were racing on, didn't mind using it as a racing field for all the riders in the competition.

Aside from the dirt starting to cover on Gwen's legs, it was the giant field surrounding the farm. Trees, flowers, herbs, and, most of all, grass. It was the scent of grass on a sunny day that always reminded her of home. She's usually practice with Arion, her beloved horse, every time she had her breaks. On days like these, she should let Arion graze for a while…

"You're falling behind, blondie!"

"The bet's still on, you know."

The blonde snapped out of her reverie and noticed that her opponents, Kathy, of Waffle Island, and Jack, the rancher of the nearby Forget-Me-Not Valley, were growing quite a distance from her. Urging her horse to go faster, Gwen focused on closing the gap between them.

Thirty meters. Twenty meters. Ten meters.

Gwen could feel the summer breeze tickling her skin as she focused her eyes on the track. She knotted the belt on the saddle tighter, showing that she was starting to get serious. Her eyes focused on the two riders in front of her and decided that she come in from behind them.

With one last thug, she willed for Arion to go faster, to surpass the two...

…and she did.

But something was not right. Gwen quickly pulled Arion to slow down and to approach the two she had just overtaken. Kathy was breathing deeply, clutching her shirt as if she was gasping for air while Jack had laid himself down on the back of his horse, mouth wide open, breathing heavily as well. It was only then that Gwen noticed where her horse had been previously standing on.

The finish line.

"I win!" Gwen cheered.

"Con…gratulations," Kathy breathed out, "on beating Jack's streak."

"The bet…is off," Jack faintly said

.

"Kathy beat your streak of five wins a while ago and I just beat your present streak now."

"A promise is a promise… right, Jack? Just be happy that May's busy helping her grandpa right now."

"I demand a rematch!"

Gwen was about to protest that they should save energy for tomorrow's contest when she noticed that the fourth competitor, Vaughn, was nowhere in sight. They barely had a day left before the competition and he was nowhere in sight.

She quickly got off Arion and led him to the nearest patch of grass. "Stay here. I'll be back." She gave a quick path and ran off towards the mountain.

"Not that I should care about him that much…" Gwen thought. She'd only raced with him once and it was the exhibition match that took place a week ago. She got to battle with all the other competitors from different towns but she never got a chance to have one with him. He liked to be himself, she understood that, but practicing alone would be a major setback for a regional competition such as this.

Gwen suddenly found herself staring at a beautiful lake just past hill going to the famous Goddess's Spring. Blooming Pink Cat flowers filled the scenery with its floral fragrance and sprinkled the meadow with a burst of color. Though she found the view a pleasant surprise, what she found more shocking was the fact that the person she was looking for was right there sitting by his wounded horse.

Wait… his wounded horse?!

"What happened?" Gwen screamed as she jogged over to where the two were.

"Stop screaming. He's fine," Vaughn replied as he stood up to look at his unexpected, and certainly unwelcome, visitor.

Gwen took another look at the horse. "You practically wiped him out!"

"He can handle it," was all Vaughn said before sitting on a nearby stump.

"It's a day before the competition, Vaughn," she huffed out, "This is not the time to be taking risks with your horse!"

"Tsk," he grunted, "like you care."

The cowboy was really getting on her nerves now. "Of course I care! I probably care about your horse more than you do yourself!"

Vaughn stood up from his stump and proceeded to walk towards the bridge leading to the mountain. "I'm taking a walk."

As soon as the silver-haired rider was out, Gwen let out a groan of frustration. She will never understand the guy!

Gwen wanted to run off and give him a good slap when she saw his horse starting to get up. Despite its bandages and struggle for breath, it wanted to have another go. She tried settling the horse down since it needed more rest, but it didn't seem to pay her any mind. Suddenly, she understood what Vaughn had said. She jogged up to where its owner walked off to apologize. The blonde found him laying on the meadow with his covering his eyes.

Gwen sat down beside him, spreading her legs and putting her hands behind her back so she can lean in to stare at the afternoon sky.

"I'm sorry about what I said. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."

Silence.

"The truth is," she exhaled, "I'm actually afraid of pushing everyone too hard. That in the process of exerting too much effort, we might yield more damage to ourselves rather than success. And I'm particularly sensitive about the horses as well since they're very loyal to us riders."

"Idiot."

Gwen felt the beginnings of a migraine about to take place. "What did you say?"

Vaughn still didn't remove his hat but he continued to speak. "You're an idiot. Horses are stubborn. They want to push themselves further in order to be faster and stronger, too. They want to grow as great horses. That trust is placed onto riders so that they can grow together."

"But isn't that risky for a horse like yours? I heard that his heart wasn't fully developed so putting too much strain on him could pose a huge danger."

"The hell with that kind of mentality."

"What are you talking about now?!"

"You know what's stopping you from beating the rancher, Jack, right now?"

"Why'd you suddenly change topics?"

Vaughn grunted before moving his hat to the top of his head, "It's because you lack confidence in your horse."

The truth felt like a huge slap to Gwen but, this time, it didn't leave a huge sting. Instead, she felt more motivated than ever. It was her wake-up call that growing is all about the ups and downs. She laid down beside him, taking in the scent of lemons and oranges emanating from the ground.

Gwen started her day with gratitude that she was blessed with great rivals and she was going to end the day with gratitude that she learned a valuable lesson today.

"Thank you," was all she could say as she looked around the trees, the grass, the little leaves on the flowers, the grasshoppers, and the color of her trousers.

Green.

---

Mineral Town decided to hold a party to celebrate the success of the exhibition show that was held yesterday at the Square. Since the decorations were still up for the upcoming competition, the Mayor chose their beach as an alternate venue at the moment.

Soon, the blonde found herself surrounded with showers of welcome treats and souvenirs that she'd take home herself. She found children playing, lovers kissing and friends goofing off with each other.

By the shack she found Jack reconciling with one of his buddies with a purple bandana. Over there near the shore, Kathy was soaking her toes while talking to the resident salesman. She once told Gwen that it resembled someone she was close to in Waffle Island, too! The red-eyed beauty shook her head as she high-fived the youngest rider in the competition, May as they headed for the barbecue.

With all the commotion and fun going around, Gwen was sure everyone would be laughing and smiling the whole day. But she was wrong.

By the pier, Vaughn stood looking at the distance.

Gwen wanted to bring him on with the festivities, that he was one of the reasons they were holding the party in the first place, that he should be having fun, too.

"Hey Vaughn! This party's for you, too!" She screamed before trying to make her way towards him.

But she saw it. Even if it was just for a split-second, she saw it.

Vaughn smiled.

Gwen decided then not to interfere with his tranquil state. Who knows what's going on in that head of his? She'll drag him in later when he's done with his brooding. For now, Gwen decided to just let him be. She'll down the barbecue and laugh with the other Mineral Town girls and play the games and have fun and make people smile.

No one in that party deserved to have a face so blue.

---

"Do you have anything regarding horses?"

"First shelf on the right, third row. The black leathered one should cover the basics but the entire row is dedicated for the equestrians."

"Uh, thanks."

Gwen decided to head for the library so she could look up books that weren't available in Flower Bud Village but she was really going there for advice. May told her that the best person to seek for advice was their local librarian, Mary.

At first, Gwen wanted advice regarding the competition but then her thoughts wandered off to how to spend the summer in Mineral Town and what to get for Bob and what the silver-haired cowboy was up to.

"I wonder what it is like to break open a closed person's heart." Gwen thought out loud.

"It's not easy, dear," said a warm, gentle voice.

Gwen looked up from her book to see the librarian sitting beside her, hands placed on the book she closed.

"I'm sorry if I startled you. I thought that maybe you'd ask question about Mineral Town's horses and I'd be embarrassed if I had no idea about them."

Listening to Mary, Gwen found her voice soothing yet firm, like a mother teaching a lesson to her own child.

"Is it hard?"

"Especially if said person is hot-headed, yes."

"Does cooking help?"

"Cooking great food always helps," Mary giggled, "Do you cook a lot?"

"I sure do!"

For the rest of the day, red orbs locked in dark onyx gems, questions and answers were tossed back in forth faster and harder than a tennis match. One moment there'd be a topic about a recipe Gwen would like to try, the next it would be Mary asking what life would be like Flower Bud.

As Gwen listened on to the things the librarian had to say, she felt these nuggets of wisdom flowing through her, a sense of devotion taking over her senses. Despite that, she didn't feel overpowered or suppressed; rather, she felt that it made her stronger.

But all good things must come to an end.

The two spent the day learning about each other, never getting bored with the topics they've been discussing throughout their conversation. Books the blonde went to the library for were all but ignored on the corner by the table, only to be replaced by tea and cookies Mary had gotten from their home next door.

"Looks like it's about time to close the shop," Mary said as she glanced over the clock, "Do you have anything else to ask me?"

"Well…"

"Go on, dear."

"What is Summer like here in Mineral Town?"

Mary closed her eyes at the question and thought for a moment. The whole day had been spent mostly on her visitor asking her about Mineral Town with her inquiring every now and then about Flower Bud. The last question Gwen asked had her thrown in a loop and led her to thinking too much.

"That is quite… a hard question to answer," Mary said, adjusting her glasses while slowly recollecting her own memories. She got up to return the books they both got while slowly cleaning out the tea.

"It's alright," Gwen stood up, heading for the door, "Thank you for the time, then, Ms. Mary. I learned a lot today."

Mary smiled, "Thank you for coming here, too. But I should tell you one thing before you leave."

The blonde was already about to step out but stopped when she heard the Mary's words.

"What is it, Ms. Mary?"

They say that colors come in various shades and tones and hues. Whether in the land, air, or sea, variations come in different sets. They're found in people's appearances, or transformations from one object to another, or maybe they're only found when someone looks hard enough since interpretations vary from person to person.

If Gwen had to describe the color indigo, it would be Mary's voice, the strongest shade showing up in the last words she told her before Gwen walked away from the library.

"But if there's anything I could say about Summer here in Mineral Town, it's that it is magical."

---

It's funny how everything could change in one moment.

Gwen had just stepped onto the sandy shores of Mineral Town as a participant in the upcoming annual regional Horse-Racing Festival held during the Summer. Not only was it her first time to see town, it was also her first time to compete in a contest like this. Though Gwen had experience won numerous times in her Flower Bud, she wasn't sure if she could keep up with riders from other regions.

"Let's see," Gwen fuddled with the map on her hands, "I should head for the Inn first so I can get settled."

"You don't mind another person tagging along?"

Gwen locked eyes with another blonde beside her. She had her hair tied up in a ponytail similar to hers and wore a rider's outfit just fit for the summer.

"Sure," Gwen replied, "I could use a fellow horse-lover around here. The name's Gwen." She held out her hand towards the stranger to which she also gracefully accepted.

"You can call me Kathy. I came all the way from Waffle Island. You?"

"A bit up north in Flower Bud Village. Since Mineral Town is a bit far away from where I live, there hasn't been a chance for us to visit here unless it's something important."

"I guess the same goes for me, too. Add in the fact that I work as a waitress with hardly any breaks and you've got a person trapped in a cage."

"Let's hope we don't get lost around here, then."

"I don't think you will," a chirpy voice added, "Mineral Town's pretty small."

"You ladies need any help?"

The blondes turned to see a petite girl with braided black hair and almond-shaped eyes. Though she had a small figure, her arms and legs showed signs of practiced handling when it comes to animals. Beside her was a tall, tanned man that had matching brown eyes and hair that escaped from the stuffiness of the cap placed on his head.

"I'm May, the local animal rancher here in Mineral Town," the little girl said.

"And your?" Gwen asked the man beside May.

"Jack. Farmer of Forget-Me-Not Valley, the village just a bit through the forest."

As the group exchanged pleasantries to one another, Gwen couldn't help but notice that there was a lone person standing by the pier. Though he gave off a just-leave-me-alone kind of vibe, she couldn't help but be drawn to his presence.

"That's Vaughn from Sunshine Islands," Jack piped up as he noticed her staring at the cowboy.

"He's a bit of a loner," May added, "but I heard from Doctor Trent that's he actually nice."

"He pretty much reminds me of a certain waiter in my town actually. Acts gruff and all that since he's not fond of opening up to anyone," Kathy said.

As Gwen heard their sentiments, she felt her own feet moving towards the pier. Maybe it was just her friendly nature, maybe it was because she wanted to know her competition, or maybe it was just her stubborn self who keeps denying that she's being drawn to him but somehow, she suddenly found herself standing beside the guy, who was pretty much facing away from her.

"Hi there. I'm Gwen from Flower Bud Village." She held out her hand for him with a cheerful smile.

The silver-haired cowboy only ignored her.

"Pft," the blonde muttered to herself, "I guess he really isn't the type to open up easily." She decided to just walk away and head to the Inn with her newly-found acquaintances when she heard him call her. She turned around with skeptical eyes.

"Vaughn. Sunshine Islands."

As the cowboy said those words, Gwen took in the sight of him facing her. He's silver hair seemed to sparkle under the sunlight, making the rays bounce light across his face. He also had tanned skin and well-built muscles around the arms and legs, signs that he was clearly an animal care-taker.

But what took her in were his eyes.

His eyes, like amethyst orbs that seemed to be on fire on one second. She saw it burning, maybe sparkling, as the colors danced across her eyes. She somehow felt like staring someone with nobility, a majestic prince that was disguising himself as a simple rancher.

Gwen didn't notice that those eyes soon portrayed an annoyed look on her.

"Don't you know it's rude to stare at someone's face for too long?" he said.

Well, don't you know it's not wrong to actually be polite about it, Gwen thought. With a quick apology and good luck for the race, she marched off to her acquaintances that were beginning to make their way out of the beach.

Later that day, as she was eating dinner at the Inn, she couldn't help but continue staring at the glass that was served to her. It was served to the brim with grape wine, one of Mineral Town's specialties. They said that after the bitterness you first taste once you take a sip, the sweet flavor pops out and tickles your tongue with its spicy flavor.

"And it has such a mesmerizing color, too," Gwen said as she picked up and swirled the glass. She was drowning herself once more in the eyes that seemed to burn before her just this afternoon at the beach.

Violet.