The Guardian

Chapter 1

“...keep my son... safe. His name... his name is...”

I opened my eyes in no time.

Kriiing! I even got ahead of my alarm clock. Even though it was loud, I was stunned staring at the ceiling before I even looked at it and turned it off. I slowly got up from my bamboo bed and as I sat down, I was stunned again, my eyes full of worry.

She didn’t even mention his name. How can I find him?

I looked at the small table just next to my bed where my alarm clock is, and another thing that might be the way for me to actually find the person she was referring to.

I looked at the clock again and was slightly surprised that a few minutes had passed so I immediately got up to go to the bathroom and take a shower. Then, I dressed in casual clothes and went out of my little hut house made of patchwork wood and galvanized iron and locked its door.

It was too early to wait for the jeep to get to where I will be going so I just walked. It's good for me to be able to exercise as well. But in less than 10 minutes, I also reached the town, Barangay Dyes. It’s a few kilometers away from Barangay Tres but why I reached it in only 10 minutes, that is one of my abilities as a beast.

I’m walking on the side of the road now and there are some people exercising that I pass by and they just always pass me even though I already said I was a beast. Right now, I look like a human with long and thick black hair att least waist length and with its thickness, I can't tie it and sometimes I don't comb it anymore. People will often look at my weird hair so sometimes I wear a cap. It can’t even hide it because of the length but it's one of my way not to be noticed.

When I arrived at my destination, in front of a building with a name posted that was not illuminated at the moment because it was still closed, I immediately went to the back and knocked on its door first.

A small hole opened from the door and two eyes appeared. I just smiled and waved at her.

“Good morning Ma'am,” I greeted her.

She closed that hole first before opening the door once Ma'am appeared to me.

“Good morning to you too Xania,” she greeted back to me. “You're too early today.”

“Just doing my job Ma'am,” I replied.

“Come in,” she offered. “It's good that you can help in fixing some equipments here in the kitchen and the dining area.”

I went in and immediately saw one of my coworkers looking at a cardboard box. He looked at me after I entered.

“Ah, good morning Xania,” he greeted me.

“Morning Axton,” I greeted him.

“You're early today.”

“Yes. Ma'am already said that.”

“Why is that? Do you have to do something here this early?” he asked.

“Can’t it be that I just want to help Axton?” I answered him.

“Haha,” he laughed. “It's unusual for you Xania kaya nakakapagtaka talaga. (It's unusual for you Xania so it's really a wonder.)”

“Anong sinasabi mo diyang 'unusual'? Huwag mo nga akong englishin Axton. Ang hirap na nga sabihin pangalan mo, English-englishin mo pa ako. (What are you saying 'unusual'? Don't speak English to me Axton. It's already hard to say your name and now you’re speaking English to me.)”

“Oh Xania,” he said once he suddenly put his hand on my hair and messed it up. He seems to be the only creature that can do that to my thick hair without even hesitating to touch it. Maybe because it’s one of his abilities as a beast. He has a strong hand so he is the one who carries these heavy things. And even though he's older than me, I don't call him kuya (older brother) because he doesn't want to.

“Oh my gash Xania bells!” a voice suddenly shouted that startled me.

Before I knew who it was, she hugged me with many of her hands and immediately parted.

“You're finally here!” she smiled happily at me.

“Ah good morning Ate Willow (Big sister Willow),” I just smiled at her.

“Oh yeah. It's still early today,” she looked at the watch she’s wearing on one of her six hands.

Yes you don’t read that wrong. She has six arms and hands, two are holding her waist, two are holding glasses and a plate, one of her right hands is lifting a box while her other left hand is where the watch is worn and there she’s looking the time.

“Uhm Ate Willow...” I said nervously. “...the box might...”

One of her hands started to lose balance so...

“Woah…”

“Ate Willow!” I panicked and was ready to take the box but it also stopped suddenly in mid air because there were vines holding it.

“Be careful, Ate Willow,” said the speaker as he returned the box to Ate Willow's two hands with those vines. “You're really clumsy sometimes.”

“Huhu thanks Yune,” Ate Willow said.

“Morning Yune,” I greeted.

He looked at where I was standing and suddenly a smile etched on his lips.

“Ate Xania, you're already there,” he said cheerfully and gave me a hug at the same time. “Good morning!”

Hay, they're really the same as Ate Willow.

“Aray!” Yune moaned suddenly and parted with the hug.

“See I told you. How many times have I reminded you already?” I said.

“Yeah I know. You're really prickly Ate Xania,” he said as he looked at his arms. “Fortunately, my vines are now holding the eco bags I bought so they were not injured. ”

“At least you learned,” I said.

“Yune, have you bought all the missing ingredients yet?” asked a voice as she showed herself at the door.

“Ate Oriana,” Yune said. “How did you know I was already here?”

She suddenly slithered her snake tongue. “I sensed you.”

“Ah right,” Yune smiled.

“And Xania as well,” as she looked at me. “Morning,” she greeted.

“Morning Ate Oriana,” I greeted back.

“Let’s go Yune,” Ate Oriana ordered. “We have a lot of things we need to cook. ”

“Be right there Ate,” Yune replied. “Let's just talk then later.”

“Sure Yune,” Ate Willow smiled. “Good luck. ”

“Me too Ate, I'll go on ahead,” I said. “I'll just check in the dining area if—”

“Xania!” suddenly, a voice shouted calling my name as she came running and stopped at the door panting.

“Iris,” I greeted.

“What is it this time again?” Ate Willow asked. “Did you break another plate or glass with Lizar? You two really—”

“No Ate Willow,” Iris replied. “I just need Xania now.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Just come,” once she pulled me by my arm.

When we arrived at the dining,

“See that?” Iris said as she showed me what was going on.

I can't explain how I'm going to feel from what I can see now. Lizar is just standing on the ceiling now. What's new?

“What about it? What do you want me to do?” I asked.

“Take him down there with your quills Xania,” Iris replied.

“You're such a cheater Iris,” Lizar complained. “It is forbidden to call a companion.”

“Heh shut up,” she angrily told him and suddenly she stuffed him with sticky things she calls frebbles coming from her neck.

“Ops,” Lizar dodged as he’s hung on the ceiling. “Miss me,” he replied foolishly smiling.

“Eish. Annoying. You'll really see later Lizar when you get down there,” Iris threatened him. They really look like children even though they are almost the same age as me.

“Come one Xania,” Iris begged me. “Attack him with quills so that he can come down and I won't be forced to throw frebbles at him. The ceiling is getting dirty.”

I sighed at what she said. “Isn’t it that Lizar will be the one to clean those anyways?” I asked.

“What? Who says who?” Lizar answered from the ceiling. “I didn't say for her to use her frebbles just to bring me down here. It's her fault so Ma'am Safira will scold her.”

“See what I am telling you? Annoying. He make me want to irggh,” Iris said angrily at the same time her soft hair like clouds turned black like a storm coming because of anger.

I just sighed and did what Iris wanted. It might rain here inside the café in no time. I controlled my hair to attack quills where Lizar was.

“Hey wait!” at the same time he avoided my attacks. “You’re really unfair Iris. Xania's quills are so painful.”

“Why don't you just come down?” I asked. “The shop will open soon. ”

“It's Iris’ fault,” he complained.

Ting, ting, ting! Clang, clang, clang!

“Woah,” he was already losing his balance on the ceiling but he still hadn't fallen. “Come on Xania.”

I used sharp feathers on him but he also avoided it.

“Are you going down or...” I looked at him seriously. “...shall I call Ma'am?”

When I did that, both were shocked.

“Don’t call her Xania,” said Iris since she’s right next to me. “That's why I called you.”

“Okay here I go. Sheesh,” Lizar said and jumped down on the floor. “You're scary sometimes. 

I sighed in relief and turned to the cashier.

“Geoffrey,” I called to him so he looked back at me wearing a poker face.

“I know you're busy counting money but can I have a favor?” I asked.

He gave me back a look first before looking at the ceiling and without a word that even though I hadn’t said what the favor was, the crystal on his forehead suddenly glowed red and actually controlled the quills and feathers left on the ceiling and it fell on the floor.

“I will not control the frebbles,” Geof said sparingly and went back to his work.

“It's okay. It's the fault of these two anyways,” I replied while looking at Lizar. “While there's still time, do your job before Ma'am sees that Lizar.”

“Pssh that's why I was on the ceiling earlier because I was cleaning,” Lizar replied. “Why won’t Iris do it?”

“Hey for your info, I'm not the beast with the ability to climb the ceiling,” Iris replied. “If you hadn't just challenged me a while ago, there wouldn't be any frebbles on the ceiling today.”

“Just do it Lizar,” I said to stop their quarrel. “Don’t worry. I'll help too.”

They paused at their place and suddenly Iris clung to my arm.

“Thank goodness Xania is really kind,” Iris said softly. ”Unlike this guy.”

“Tss, girls,” Lizar snickered as he took a bucket of water with a brush and jumped off the floor to cling his feet to the ceiling where there were frebbles. I immediately attacked a fish scale on the wall next to him to hang a bucket of water.

“You're welcome,” I simply said.

“Whatever. Thank you,” Lizar replied.

I just smiled and helped with the things that needed to be done inside the dining area. Iris was wiping tables and chairs as I was mopping the floor.

Fortunately, we also finished what needed to be done in the dining area when,

“Okay. 10 minutes left before we open,” Ma'am said suddenly so we looked at her. “Good job guys.”

“Ma'am Safira,” Lizar smiled and with joy, he jumped from the ceiling holding the bucket as he approached Ma'am. “When you say good job, does that mean I have a raise Ma'am?”

Oh Lizar. Ma'am gave him back a poker face.

“You think I haven't heard what happened a while ago?” Ma'am asked him as he stopped in his place in no time. “I should have reduced your salary because of that,” Ma’am said seriously.

“No Ma'am uhm don't be like that. That won't happen again,” Lizar begged.

“Sucks to be you,” Iris whispered while she’s next to me.

“You too Iris,” Ma'am said suddenly so Iris was surprised.

“What Ma'am?!” she said in shock.

“I also heard about the frebbles in the ceiling,” Ma’am said. “Didn't I tell you to be careful when using your tails?”

The two bowed in shame. “Yes Ma'am Safira,” the two replied.

Ma'am released a sigh. “But since you two cleaned up and fixed what needs to be done here in the dining area at the right time, I won't reduce your salary.”

Joy immediately crept into their faces because of the good news.

“But you still don't have a raise,” Ma'am said immediately, which the two went back to being sad.

“All right. The three of you, go change into your uniforms,” Ma'am ordered. “We'll open soon.”

“Yes Ma'am,” the three of us replied and first arranged the equipment we used and walked over to the locker.

“This is all your fault Lizar,” Iris complained as we walked.

“It's me again. Why does it have to be always me?” Lizar replied.

“Because it’s true. I'm quietly doing my job and then all of a sudden you challenged me like a child. ”

“But you agreed. And who looks more like a child between the two of us anyways?” Lizar teased.

The anger in Iris's hair was obvious. “What did you say?” Iris glared at Lizar.

“There you two go again,” I said so they would stop. “Stop fighting all the time. We still have work to do.”

“Hmph,” they both avoided looking at each other as Iris entered the girl's locker room and Lizar entered the boy's locker room. Oh these two. It's always been like this. They are even my companions in the dining area.

When I entered the locker room, Iris and I changed into our uniforms for work. We came out of the locker room wearing maid uniforms while Lizar looked like a butler.

“Okay is everything ready?” Ma’am asked as we first assembled here in the dining area and left our respective jobs.

Yune and Ate Oriana are in the kitchen and they are both now wearing aprons. Ate Willow also wore an apron but she was in the dish washing area. Axton was wearing a white t-shirt and jeans and a blue cap. Geoffrey, on the other hand, also dressed like Lizar even though he’s only at the counter most of the time and the three of us; Iris, Lizar and I are in the dining area.

“Looks like we are ready,” Ma'am said as she looked at her watch which was only a few minutes away before 8. She’s also dressed like a maid uniform but very different from Iris and me for being the manager. She looks more professional and formal.

“We will open in 3... 2... 1... hit it Geoffrey!”

Bzzt! Even though Geoffrey was far from the switch, he used the crystal of his head again to turn on the light of our café name.

Hounded Pastry Café

Kling, kling! The sound of chimes opening the café door signaling that a customer has entered.

“Good morning to you, Sir,” Lizar, Iris and I greeted with a smile and bowed in respect.

“Let me guide you to your seat,” Iris smiled and the customer happily followed her.

When a woman came in, we also greeted her and Lizar spoke.

“Just follow me Ma'am so I can guide you to your seat,” he smiled as he offered her his hand. There was no hesitation that the woman followed and I could still see the redness on her face from what Lizar had done.

I just smiled as I watched the two. Even though they look like children every time we fix things here, they are able to be professional every time we work.

Okay, me too! I will improve!