A month from now, I'll start with my flying lessons. That will mean that I'll stagger with updating this one for an unreasonable and unpredictable time; but I absolutely wanted to finish this. So, perhaps, give me another year from now? I am so sorry for this note! But I am surely going to be busy with things regarding to that. .

P.S. The "MAHAL KITA" storyline... watch out for it in wattpad! I am planning to write it on as my own stand-alone novel with a working title of "Querido".

P.S.S. You may check on me as well in wattpad! (Same username). And also, check on me at TAPAS! I have two novels of mine up there, free to be read! (Same username as well). Please! Support me there! Either bookmarked or fav the stories will be a huge help to me! And also comments and reviews!

Anyway! Here's chapter thirty! Reviews, Fav and Follow matter! :D

Lots of love!

-Capt. Sydney Flaire ;)

CHAPTER THIRTY: DAY

Three years into living in Antarctica, I was asked if there was something that I would like to do. Like, if I wanted to learn something — or whatsoever. Eden was ecstatic, telling them that I wanted to be a doctor or a scientist or something along those lines. But for some reason, I just shook my head and told them, "I want to fly a plane."

Flying never truly interested me. As a child, with how poor we were back then, the thought of such a career opportunity was too much. Even if I had passed my Trials — which I didn't — grades, skills and family status would matter. Yet, when I was given the chance, I just blurted out my interest out of nowhere. As if among all the things, it was the one that reminded me of something that had been goddy lost inside my fogged up head.

Like, there had been a time when I'd ridden an airplane in a crisis. And it had been a major turning point that shifted me from a criminal to who I am for the Republic today.

The Antarcticans were all like, "Okay. Great." Adding on, "We'll just need to ensure that your latest surgery will not render your dream futile." So they went on with the requirements to be a pilot, telling me that most had been set up to the airliners' criteria. For leisure and military purposes, though, it was more about the safety of the pilot. And I was like, "I can wait until I'm all cleared. I will not start studying if I won't even be allowed to do so."

It took another year for them to finalise everything. Surgery was a crucial criterion; especially heart surgeries. For me who'd been experimented and had undergone a major surgery in the past few years, they were wary that it would go against their requirements. But off I went, and I spent the next years earning flight hours, studying in ground school, garnering one license after another, and advancing through multiple types of aircrafts.

When I and Eden received the news that we were heading back to the Republic, I was pretty much robbed of my wings. I'd grown accustomed to the routine of flying over Antarctica, with the military's acceptance of me using its private planes. Jets are only used for routine practices, and with no wars going on, they've stayed mostly in hangars to be flown only for routine check-up. So, right before we jumped on a plane and headed back to the Republic, I grabbed Eden with me for one last flight.

I'd gained clearance to be allowed to do so. They'd given me the authority to use that four-seater plane. When you're living at such a part of the globe enveloped in ice, you have to de-ice for every flight, and with the advancement of technology, aircrafts have their own de-icing systems as well.

"Are you sure you know how to fly this thing?" Eden asked me with a light laugh.

I'd sat next to him, taking the left side. I'd just finished a walk-around, ensuring everything was ready. Shutting the door next to me, I took the check-list to proceed with the start-up and set the frequency on the radio before putting on the headset. "Come on! Nothing to be afraid of! Aren't you a trained mechanic?" I teased.

He blushed. Eden always blushes whenever I remind him of how much I trust his abilities. "Mechanic, yes. But, pilot? No."

I took the bunch of papers that I'd brought along. Checking through them for any other problems. I was only going to proceed on with my usual route so I'd be using the same flight plan; but there had been the weather still and all others to think of. "Trust me. I have my license." I fished my license out of my wallet and handed it to him before checking on the time and logging it. "Airline transport pilot license. See? You may hold on to it if you think it will make you believe that I can really fly this thing. Have some little faith, will you?"

He breathed in and out heavily. "Daniel."

"Just don't step on the pedals or hold on to the yoke," I reminded upon clearing the last on the checklist and kept a hand by the throttle. Once my request for taxiing had been approved, I turned to Eden with a smile. "Just relax, will you?"

"Hey! You're turning! Keep your hands on the yoke!"

"When you are on the ground, you only taxi with the use of the pedals. The rudder and the brakes will do that to you."

Eden almost chickened out. I reminded myself that teasing him of an engine failure would certainly caused him to panic or even faint; I'll skip that part at least. Rolling down the runway, he had been praying; but once the view changed, he slowly eased to admire the view itself. He called out to me, pointing remarkable landmarks, and I laughed at how thrilled he was.

True to it, Ross City was enclosed in a barrier. That meant flying would require leaving the perimeter and the rest of the isolated part of Antarctica. But I never ventured too far to be out of the control tower's frequency. And there were also platforms that allowed planes to be gravitationally towed than to take-off and land on runways. Military exercises did not allow that; and those platforms were only for the arrival of foreign dignitaries.

In the end, as I looked over the enclosed city of Ross in every single one of more than one thousand and five hundred flights, something always pricked me of a memory long time ago. As if the first time I'd been up in the air, it had been a grand chase.

In every take-off, I could feel the tremor and adrenaline kicking in. At cruising, I was expectant of a shake — or went mad with the idea that someone was tailing me. And after every landing, I was reminded of a crash.

It was only when I met June that the strangeness of my memory gained importance. There were still too many fogged up ones, but a place in my heart understood so well that the feelings had returned after being kept and lost for so long.

I finally understand, somehow, that my fascination with planes was caused by the major turning point of my life. And this time, I will say that I no longer care about the new memory that will pop up to remind me of another thing. For I am going to continue watching out for the future instead.

"Daniel!" Eden exclaims, his face hovering over me with absolute relief and a bright smile. "You're finally awake!"

I blink one more time and realise that I am in a hospital. I struggle to sit up but a dull pain on my lower back make me freeze and moan.

"Hey, take it easy!" Eden immediately moves closer, easing me back to the bed. "You were shot during the skirmish. It was a good thing that the medics arrived right away, and it isn't as bad as the last time."

I sigh. "Eden, we've already discussed this, right? Please, no more references of the past that surely is not in my memory bank."

He bites his lower lip before he furrows his brows in guilt. "I'm sorry, brother."

It has been about three weeks since I'd asked him to. He had recently told me that June and I had a past, and he told me everything (probably), but I'd been only half listening that I didn't quite take in everything. That time before the ball for our return to the Republic. Before the bad things started to become worse one after another.

I sigh heavily and let my eyes trail to the IV needle at the back of my hand. My mind seems to be in some haze. Foggy. I comb my hair back, remembering the old and long locks. I ask Eden, "How long have I been out?"

"Two days," Eden answers as he sits back on the stool next to the bed. "Pascao visited when you were out. He was worried about how June had been acting for the past few days, hoping that you'd know why. Well, it seems that he had acted well as a brother to both June and Tess for the past years. Since Tess remains missing, he's taken to worry over June."

"You don't need to remind me that their relationship resembles that of siblings."

"Better inform you about that before you start getting jealous."

"I am not jealous." When I say the words, it sounds like I am being sarcastic and have been truly affected.

Eden smiles sheepishly before adding, "Anyway, a man named Captain Velarde visited as well. He said that he was the Elector's representative. Pascao was also here then, and they almost got themselves into a fight right here. It was a good thing that I managed to stop them. Apparently, Captain Velarde was here to ask questions about your involvement. Pascao pointed out that it would be more of an interrogation."

"No doubt that it will involve June," I remark, pulling myself a little in order to sit up. The pain I feel where I was hit seems to press much more. "Any news about June? Did she really…"

Leave?

I can't bear to say the words. I am afraid that they are real. But one way or another, we'll get to that one as well.

A sharp rasp of a knock against the door stops Eden before he's even started. The door swings open right after that and enters none other than Captain Pierre Velarde himself. To be honest, I goddy hate this man already with his acts of superiority and everything.

Speak of the devil.

"It's good to see that you're awake and healing, Mister Wing," he says with absolute calmness on his face and a rigidity on his stance.

"I actually don't think that I'll be saying the same to you, Captain, given that I know that the standard protocol when a patient gains consciousness two days after a bullet trauma is to meet with the attending doctor and nurses to ensure that everything is well accounted for and the patient is heading toward, as you've mentioned, healing, than to some ill-fate," I say. Never thought that I can be formal and sarcastic at the same time.

"I know about that, Mister Wing." He clears his throat. "But I'll be brief. I've heard from the doctors that in the state that you're in, you'll need to remain resting for the next two weeks. And with such a tight time frame, I'm afraid to inform you that we need to gather as much information as we can. I'd like to make an appointment for us to… talk. Will tomorrow be good?"

I shrug. "Without the doctor's consent, I'll say that tomorrow is possible. But I'd like to make sure that it will not be an interrogation."

"It isn't, Mister Wing." Everyone that wants an interrogation had said those exact words as well. "We're only gathering data. Interrogations are only for convicts. One is waiting for Commander Iparis."

I frown at that. My blood seems to run hot. My hands close into tight fists, not relaxing at all even when Eden places his hand on top of mine to make me calm down. I dangerously ask Velarde, "What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly as I've said, Mister Wing," he answers, unmoved and unfazed.

"And that is?"

"You certainly have too much to catch up, being unconscious for more than 48 hours, Mister Wing." He draws closer to me and places in front of me the bundle of newspapers that he had brought along with him. "Lucky that I'd saved the newspapers two days ago, and have one for today too." He starts heading out as my eyes widen upon the sight of the front page. My hands shake as I try to take each word and draw the papers close for me to see in order to believe. "You certainly need to be updated before the two of us talk tomorrow. If you'll excuse me."

The door closes behind me with a thud, not before I see the two soldiers standing outside the room as if I guarding a criminal.

But, the words on the newspapers. I don't want to believe them.

I ask, my voice shaking, "Eden, tell me… This isn't true, right? None of this is true, yes?"

The newspapers headlines since that day, surely not knowing the truth of the incident, are very biased and wrong. The headlines declare, in such huge and bold black letters, the words: "JUNE IPARIS—WANTED BY THE REPUBLIC FOR TREASON."

*SNEAK PEEK to Chapter 31*

"Would you send my message to him?"

"I… I will do everything to deliver whatever you want to say to him. It's all I can do, June." Her voice is small, but she remains the strong person she has always been.

"Then, if you will, please… tell him. I don't want this to be our kind of goodbye," I remark, smiling sadly as it dawns on me that I am meant to continue holding all the words I want to say within me. Perhaps I'll be given the chance to do so on my own… or to speak them out from my grave.

Reviews please!

This chapter happens after the events of CHAMPION since Chapter 4 under June's narration...

Remember that CHAMPION, the LEGEND TRILOGY and the characters in were created by Marie Lu. I don't own the characters! :D

Hope you like it and reviews! Reviews! :D

See you all again in the next chapter!