Bagwis
I needed to take off for a bit so I looked for Siena, who was doing research earlier on what she wanted to do, but found her asleep on our couch. I took that chance to stare at her face for a little bit and then kissed her nose. "Babalik agad ako. Magiikot lang ako saglit" was what I put in a note for her.
Heading out to a dark spot of the house, I checked the surrounding area and when I was sure the coast was clear, spread my wings and flew away.
I liked flying when and watching over the Earth from this distance. There was a certain sense of peace that the night brought to the land and that brought me happiness. From there, I would gaze at the oceans and often see the creatures that Siena guides. I sometimes wish that I could randomly see her surface and look for me in the sky, but that never happens.
I sighed feeling a sense of sadness again, but my melancholy did not last for long because I heard the rumbling thunder and before long lightning seemed to be chasing me.
I flew faster and tried to avoid the third strike at me. What was going on? Lightning does not behave like this?!
"Kidlat! Galingan mo naman! Nakakailag siya o!!!!" I heard an irritated ethereal voice in my head.
"Tala! Bakit mo ako pinatatamaan kay Kidlat?!"
"BAKIT? BAKIT??? HINDI MO ALAM? KIDLAT! TAMAAN MO!!!!" She screeched.
Another voice, thankfully, came on. "Tala! Tumigil ka nga. Huy. Kalma!" It was Lakambakod.
"Hoy, King Corn. Mahal kita pero kapag pinigilan mo ako ibabarbecue ko na yan!" Another lightning struck almost hitting my wing. "Ayan! Gawing chicken wings yan!"
"Tala, hindi ako manok!" I protested.
"Pwede na yan! Barbecue wings pa rin ang labas niyan. KIDLAT!!!!"
"Bakit ka ba kasi galit?!" I yelled, still trying to avoid the strikes.
I saw some stars seem to burst. "Manghihingi ka ng payo kay Mak tapos palulungkutin mo lang yung kapatid ko?! Ayos ka din eh! Gawin ko kayang foie gras yang bituka mo???"
"HINDI AKO PATO!"
"PAKE KO! KIDLAT!"
Another strike. Suddenly, it was silent. Lakambakod's voice came on. "Umuwi ka na sa inyo. Dun tayo mag-usap. Pakakalmahin ko muna itong love of my life. Pero umayos ka mamaya ha. Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin nito sa'yo kapag hindi ka pa tumino!" His voice then seemed distant and I suspect he was now referring to Tala. "O, kalma na. Halika na, kiss na kita. Yiiii gusto niyan..."
I rolled my eyes. Suddenly feeling exhausted from my ordeal with Tala, I headed down and found Siena awake. "Bagwis! Anong nangyari!!! Tinamaan ka ba?"
"Narinig mo?"
"Oo. Tala was pretty noisy, plus Kidlat was really throwing crazy ones."
I sat down, my wings still out so that I can inspect the damage. Kidlat got me on the bottom of the right wing and my left pant leg had a burn but nothing too bad. Before either of us could say anything, Tala and Mak appeared. Mak spoke first, "O, nagusap na tayo ha. Be nice to Bagwis or else wala kang pagtatanim na magaganap mamaya."
Siena and I groaned. "Lakambakod! As humans say, that's kadiri," Siena said and I laughed at her sentence. She was cute.
Tala went from pouting adorably at Mak to growling at me. "Bakit hindi ako magagalit. Nalungkot si Siena. Araw-araw kang naghintay for one hundred years? O EH ANO? KINAGWAPO MO YUN? Tanga ka eh. Problema ba ni Siena yun."
"Tala!" Siena said exasperated.
"Totoo naman ah. Marami kang ginagawa, mahal kong kapatid. Pwede din naman siyang tumawag sayo gamit lang yung utak niya, di niya magawa? Pffffft."
Mak butt in. "Yun na yung nice?"
"Don't push it, Mak my love. That's the nicest I can do tonight."
Mak grinned. "Okay po. O, Bagwis, mabait na yun ha. Napakabuti talaga ng asawa ko 'no? Ganda pa. Bango bango pa...."
We groaned again but Tala beamed. "Iuwi mo na ako bago ko ituloy ang balak ko sa pakpak ni Bagwis."
When they were finally gone, I suspected that I was safe from Tala at least for tonight as Mak would keep her 'occupied'. Siena said, "Patawad sa nagawa ni Tala."
I shook my head. "Tama siya. Marami akong maaaring gawin para nalaman mong naghihintay ako." I paused thinking about my words carefully. "Minsan lamang kasi... hindi ko alam kung may karapatan ba akong hingin ang konting panahon mo."
Siena took my hand. "Oo naman. Kahit maraming panahon pa. I hope you understand that sometimes I get distracted BUT I need you to let me know at gagawan ko yan ng paraan. Mahalaga ka sa akin."
"Pangako ko na magiging mas mabuti pa para sayo."
Siena beamed. "Pwede bang tama na ang drama at simulan na natin ang pagtuklas dito sa lupa?"
I nodded. "Siena?"
"Hmmm?"
Learn how to ask. Learn how to ask. "Pwede bang payakap?"
She smiled brightly and then launched herself at me. For the first time in one hundred years, I felt complete.
