Chapter 15 New Love

When Pearce woke up, he immediately got out of bed and immediately went to his CR to fix and change. He did not even know why even though it was not obvious on his face, he’s in a good mood now. He knew the next cabin he was going to because she came to his room yesterday to let him know.

Right after he wore his chaleco,

Knock, knock.

He was a little surprised and fixed what he had to do before he thought of opening the door. A metal person appeared to him.

"Uhm… go-good morning Pearce," she stuttered and bowed in front of him.

Pearce should be surprised by what the princess in front of him is doing because she has no right to do that… but he just let it go because that's what she did yesterday when she talked to him.

He left the room and Hera stood up straight.

"Uhm I didn't disturb you po in your sleep right?" The way she asked this is even respectful.

Pearce just looked at her. And another thing, she always uses “po” whenever she talks to him. He knows he’s older than her but if everyone, young or old, and she always says “po”…then she’s really polite. (A/N: “’po” is added to any sentences Filipinoes say to respect the person they are talking to.)

"You did not disturb me," Pearce replied. Pearce must learn from this princess.

"In that case, let's go to the Metal Cabin," Hera offered and she waited for Pearce to walk first so that she could walk with him, which Pearce made slightly surprised again.

Not a single princess has done this… really?

When they got out of the Main Cabin, they walked down a metal road and also stopped in front of a large metal door. They were standing side by side in front of it and it suddenly scanned.

"Princess Hera, you have no broken screw and there's no broken machines inside you so you're good to go…" said the scanner. “…however…”

Suddenly, guns came out around them that only pointed at Pearce which really shocked Pearce because it was not only one gun pointed at him… there were twenty of them.

"I cannot recognize any metal or even a single screw to the person next to you," added the scanner. “…therefore, you have an intruder with you, Princess Hera. Should I eliminate him?”

If in other cabins you just need a wig to get into their cabin, here you have no escape because they really have a scanner. At those words, Pearce didn’t hesitate and turned around to go back to his room. If the scanner doesn’t want me in this place, then don't, he said to himself… moreover, he doesn't want to be pointed by a gun again. It is so traumatic.

“Uhm wait Pearce. The Metal Scanner didn't mean that…” Hera called to him and faced the metal scanner. “He’s not an intruder. He's the visitor I'm telling you that will have a tour here. Don't you know he can control metal too?”

The surrounding guns immediately hid themselves. “My mistake, your highness. My apologies for the visitor,” the scanner apologized and Pearce stopped.

“I should not react on impulse and to judge any person coming here. I'm just in strict orders,” the scanner said formally and opened the gate. “Welcome, visitor.”

Pearce looked at the scanner for a moment not because of its greetings, but because of the depth of what he said.

"I'm really sorry, Pearce," Hera apologized. “Don’t be afraid. I was not able to inform him a while ago, so I'm really sorry.”

Pearce just nodded in response and followed the princess inside. He even looked back at the gate just to make sure the guns were gone but he just stopped when,

"Welcome to the Metal Cabin, Pearce," was Hera's formal greeting. "We also sometimes call it 'home factory'."

Pearce’s attention was caught and amazed when he saw the place because in the Main Cabin, he was amazed at the concept that he was a big building that almost everything a city needed was inside… how about this Metal Cabin? Because he looks like that but the only difference in what he sees today is that everything is made of metal: plants, animals and the people themselves.

"So before we start, because you are not a metal person, and so that you won’t get tired, we will ride here," Hera said while pointing at their feet.

When Pearce looked, he wondered at first because it was only a metal floor but suddenly the princess next to him pressed something on her arm and it immediately rose. A floating metal platform.

"Almost all metal people have rockets in their back or maybe on our feet that we use to get to places here," Hera explained while Pearce watched the others flying.

She pressed the button again and the metal platform on which they were riding began to move. It's good that they have this so that unlike before, he will not be lost since he’s next to the princess now but what’s even more amazing…

Here in this cabin, Pearce really learned a lot. Maybe thanks to the princess with him because she really has a list of things she needs to say to him. Wow, she’s prepared.

He first found out about a few famous buildings in their area but when they landed at their Metal Academy, he was really surprised by what the princess said… that the truth is, all the metal people who live here are actually people made of “human flesh” but when you control metal and go to their school, they will gradually make you a metal person.

The first thing they will do is first they will turn your blood into oil and then replace their organs with metal one by one. Just imagine this process, the pain to think about but the princess said that it doesn’t hurt as long as you can control the metal.

Pearce suddenly asked himself how about him? He can control metal… if they do that to him, it won't be painful either?

He just kept quiet because he could not imagine how that would happen. The experiment may not be successful.

Another surprise was that he also found out that even their food is also made of metal. She even gave examples such as sauteed screws, metal baked mac and they drank oil… with different flavors. That was rather cool for him.

Then lastly, he found out that before they went straight to the Metal Palace, the most important building in their cabin is their hospital because it is not just an ordinary hospital where they bring the sick there… but because it’s the place where they do the needed body parts, especially if you were first made of "human flesh".

Besides, it is not that easy to make you a metal person immediately because you have a lot of tests that need to be taken and it is not like other tests that you will take a paper to answer it as you think… just through their tests, when you pass it, that’s where you move on from one grade to another. It is not painful, but she said it is difficult because as part of those tests they will turn your body into weapons. Depending on your grades what kind of weapon you can get.

When they arrived in front of the Metal Palace,

"Before we finish…" Hera promised. “…in all its parts, our cabin will not really move like this without what we call the 'heart' of our cabin. That's where our cabin draws energy so it is like this… and it is here inside our palace,” she pointed at it at the same time.

Pearce looked at its size.

"If you can see, it is close to our Metal Hospital because of all the buildings here, the hospital has the most energy needed that our 'heart' provides."

Hera smiled at him. "Do you want to see it?"

Pearce was slightly surprised. "Can I?"

"Why not?" Hera laughed and they entered the Metal Palace while Pearce followed.

When they got to the oversized room, he saw a large machine in the middle of it surrounded by metal people. He notices that everyone here has their own part to maintain their most beloved machine that he really admires.

“It has a key that we use for us to decide when we can turn it on or maybe turn it off for a while. And Aes and I hold it as the prince and princess of this cabin.”

Pearce did not speak out of amazement.

"Oh hey there Hera," said a voice that caught the attention of the two.

Pearce should not be surprised, but whenever this prince is really in the scene, he will be really surprised.

"Aes," Hera smiled back.

Aes looked at the person next to her and was slightly surprised to see him.

"Oh look Hera, you have an intruder with you," he bluntly said to the surprise of almost everyone who heard as Pearce started to get nervous.

It is really wrong for their path to meet this prince. If his suspicion was correct, their guns would also be aimed at him from their hands but Hera immediately stepped between him and Aes and gave him a serious look.

“I don't know what happened but that's not how to treat a visitor Aes. It's not right to say that to a public place like this,” Hera said seriously.

Aes is just giving back a blank face to Hera while Pearce is completely surprised by what the princess did with him.

"I know that," Aes replied. "I'm just telling you, so that…" he looked at Pearce. “…you won't let your guard down.”

"He's not a bad guy, Aes," Hera said back.

"Of course he's not," Aes replied back, taking one last glimpse at him before he finally walked away.

Pearce did not look back and he had no intention of making sure that he had left when Hera suddenly let out a sigh so he got his attention.

"Just be patient with him, Pearce," Hera apologized. “He only behaves like that when something serious happens to you two. Did something happen to you two so he’s like that? ”

Pearce looked away first. "Yes," was his simple answer which slightly surprised Hera.

“O-Oh is th-that so. Uhm sorry po,” she apologized again and she even bowed in front of him, that startled Pearce.

"Wait princess, what—"

“I should not have asked you about that. I'm really sorry po,” she stood up straight. "I promise I will forget what you just told me today."

Pearce just didn't say a word and just gave her a face. He just answered an important question and that's how she reacted.

"Uhm let’s go to my office so you can rest as well," Hera just offered.

Pearce nodded in response.

When they reached the front of a room, again, a red light scanned them which slightly surprised Pearce.

"Princess Hera, you have someone with you who is not a metal person…" said the scanner.

Pearce immediately prepared in case this scanner also did what they had to do. He’s already retreating when…

“Is he the visitor you were talking about a while ago?” asked the scanner which slightly surprised Pearce.

"Yes, he is," Hera replied and the door immediately opened.

“Welcome back, princess and welcome to you too, as the visitor.”

Pearce nodded at the scanner's greeting to him because he thought differently. He thought as if at first that metal scanner was as strict as it was and will point a gun at him again.

When he entered, he saw that it was just a normal room like the others but that was it, almost everything was made of metal… but that was what he thought because when they entered, immediately hands made of metal came out and offered the princess various things like drinks, food and the stuff. When the princess said she was okay, they hid as well.

As Pearce sat on the vacant sofa,

"Do you want a drink or food?" Hera asked.

"Will you give me oil or a baked mac made of metal?" Pearce asked back.

"Oh right," Hera said. "I'm sorry then. We also don't have water here.”

Pearce just nodded in response.

Ring! Ring! The phone rang and Hera answered it immediately.

“Uhm hello. Princess Hera here,” said Hera and looked at her companion and was slightly surprised.

As a result, she didn’t hear what the speaker on the other line said.

"Uhm excuse me for a minute," Hera said first before covering the phone first so that the other person on the line could not hear it.

“Pearce, this will not take a while. No matter what it is, just stay there okay? Do not leave. I will just finish this and then I will take you back then—“

"Princess," Pearce immediately entered, so Hera stopped. “Why are you saying so much? Why are you suddenly panicking? You haven't even talked to the person on the other line, and you already thought that I would leave?”

Hera did not speak immediately.

"Right," she said to herself and answered the one on the other side of the phone. “Uhm sorry for that. Uhm who's this?”

When she heard the answer on the other line, she was surprised.

"Eaux?"

To hear her mention a name, Pearce got her attention but she does not remember that name? What did he say… Lou?

"No I'm fine," Hera replied. “I'm just here in the Metal Cabin with Pearce. I'm touring him around here.”

Pearce also returned his gaze to the metal table in front of him.

“No, it's okay. We're done actually. I think I'm going to guide him back to the Main Cabin already.”

…

"Oh uhm are you sure you're not busy?"

Pearce just waited for the two to talk and when he heard,

“Okay. Bye,” Hera said and hung up the phone, she let out a sigh and looked at Pearce.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Hera said. “I just panicked because I used to have a visitor and then suddenly someone called. It was very important that I forgot him and then he suddenly disappeared. It's good that he was just here in the Metal Cabin and nothing bad happened to him.”

That's why, Pearce just said to himself.

“Come. I will take you back to the Main Cabin. This is also the end of your tour of the Metal Cabin,” Hera smiled.

Pearce immediately stood up and they left the Metal Cabin together. If there is one thing that he knows that this place really sets apart from the others is that when people here don’t know you, you don’t realize that you are suddenly pointed a gun at.

When they arrived at the entrance to the Main Cabin, a man immediately appeared to them.

"Hey Hera," he smiled. “And to you too, Pearce.”

Pearce wondered because why did he greet him too? He hasn't met this man yet… but he looks familiar.

"Hi Eaux," after Hera said that, Pearce was shocked for a moment because he knew he had heard that name before. He looked back at the man.

Ah… he’s Lou. His name is weird.

"Uhm Pearce this is Eaux, prince of the Water Cabin…" Pearce was surprised after he heard that.

That's why he is familiar. "…while Eaux, this is—"

"Yeah it's Pearce," Eaux butted in. "I know my love," he smiled at Hera.

Hera fell silent after he said that… and Pearce realized something again.

Oh right, they are a couple… but if I remember correctly…

"Hindi ba bawal mag hawakan ang taong metal at taong tubig? (Isn't it forbidden for a metal person and a water person to touch?)" Pearce asked suddenly, which Eaux wondered.

"Pardon?" he asked.

"Ah what he said is…" Hera said. "He's just asking uhm about the policy between a water person and a metal person that they should avoid contact."

"Oh that," Eaux replied. “Yes we are not allowed to make contact, Pearce because the bodies of the metal people react to ours as water people. The paint of their body will start to melt and then their metal bodies will follow unless not treated quickly…”

Pearce just looked back at him.

“…but that doesn't mean that Hera and I shouldn't be together right? As long as we don't make contact.”

Pearce gave them a smile. "You're right," he said as the two fell silent and looked at each other.

"Uhm anyways…" Hera said to break the ice and looked at Eaux. "I'll just guide Pearce back to his room."

"I'm not going to my room," Pearce replied so they looked at him. "I need to go to the princess' office."

“Princess? Which princess?” Eaux asked.

"The princess of this nation," Pearce replied.

"Oh Yani's office," Eaux stated. “Okay so uhm good luck going there. Hope you find your way.”

"Are you sure you can go there?" Hera asked worriedly.

Pearce let out a sigh. "Just leave me here and have your date," he directly said, which made the both surprised and Pearce was even surprised because they both blushed and looked away.

Yup, they are pretty much the same.

Eaux cleared his throat to break the awkwardness. "So uhm we should be going," he said goodbye.

“Uhm yeah. Thank you for your time Pearce,” Hera said goodbye and he nodded in response as they walked away.

He watched the two talking to each other and he could see the joy on their faces. He doesn't think that there are such types of 'forbidden love' supposedly because they are not allowed to touch each other but…

Pearce thought as he watched the two leave.

…if you really love each other, love will never be 'forbidden'.

Pearce immediately took something out of his pocket and opened it. His life saver in such situations… his most beloved map. Holding the map in his hand, Pearce is following his way back to his room.

He really should just make another sculpture that he made that he gave to Yani because he is more enticed to go around this place when he is holding that…

Music Now Playing: A Twist in my Story by Secondhand Serenade

He stopped suddenly when he heard a sound. He doesn't even know why he can be stopped just because of that.

He turned to where it was coming from. Maybe because it was the first time he heard someone play while he was just walking down the hallway… and maybe, also because the song is so beautiful…

…he followed the sound and where it really came from.

"Not a whisper, the only noise is the receiver, I'm counting the seconds until you break the silence, so please just break the silence…"

The voice grew louder so he accelerated even more.

"The whispers turn to shouting, the shouting turns to tears, your tears turn into laughter, and it takes away our fears…"

Pearce has heard many songs but for now, he is even more amazed because of the beautiful voice he hears. Is it from a radio or LIVE?

"So you see, this world doesn't matter to me, I'll give up all I had just to breathe, the same air as you till the day that I die, I can't take my eyes off of you…"

If it is LIVE, then the singer is great. Who is he?

“And I'm longing for words to describe how I'm feeling? I'm feeling inspired. My world just flip turned upside down, it turns around, say what's that sound. It's my heart beat, it's getting much louder, my heart beat, is stronger than ever. I'm feeling so alive, I'm feeling so alive… ”

When Pearce passed by a room, he stopped for a moment in his place and looked back at the room.

"My whispers turn to shouting, the shouting turns to tears, your tears turn into laughter, and it takes away our fears…"

He slowly walked back to peek at what was happening inside.

"So you see, this world doesn't matter to me, I'll give up all I had just to breathe, the same air as you till the day that I die, I can't take my eyes off of you…"

He was slightly surprised by what he saw.

“I'm finally waking up, a twist in my story, it's time I open up, and let your love right through me. I'm finally waking up, a twist in my story, it's time I open up, and let your love right through me. That's what you get, when you see your life through someone else's eyes. That's what you get, that's what you get… ”

The singer paused at that part while the shock on Pearce's face still lingered as he watched because he was listening to the singer… as if he wanted to give a message. It's good that Pearce is good at listening because he heard the lyrics of his song.

"So you see, this world doesn't matter to me, I'll give up all I had just to breathe, the same air as you till the day that I die, I can't take my eyes off of you…"

"You see, this world doesn't matter to me, I'll give up all I had just to breathe, the same air as you till the day that I die… I can't take my eyes off of you."

After the song, the singer's attention was caught when Pearce suddenly approached him. He was even surprised when he arrived but Pearce also gave him back a shocked face.

There was silence before our prince gave him a polite smile.

"Oh Pearce, didn’t see you there."

Even though he smiled, Pearce still couldn't speak.

"What can I do for you?" Jethro asked politely as he put his guitar made of ice on a guitar stand also made of ice.

He looked at Pearce again who was still speechless. The smile on Jethro's lips did not fade either.

"Did I forget that we should meet—"

"The song," Pearce interrupted, so Jethro stopped.

After that, they stared at each other before Jethro smiled again.

“Oh that. Is it too loud that it bothered you?” Jethro politely asked. "I'm sorry—"

"You didn't bother me," Pearce said. "Actually, the song is beautiful… as well as your voice."

Jethro was a little surprised by what he heard but you can see in his smile that he was flattered for being complimented…

"Who is the song for?" Pearce asked immediately so Jethro returned to the truth and looked at him… but he also smiled.

"No one. I just really want to sing now,” he replied and he suddenly adjusted his guitar to put it in its case.

"Are you sure?" Pearce immediately asked him which he stopped for a moment and gave him a face full of astonishment.

"Why did you ask that?" as he puts the guitar in its ice case.

"Based on what I heard, it's like you're singing it for someone…" Pearce said. "…or if what I’m thinking is right, she’s a special person for you."

This statement somehow turned Jethro's face so serious as he just stared at the guitar case made in ice in front of him… but soon, he picked it up and faced Pearce with an engraved smile on his lips.

"I never thought you heard anything like that," Jethro said and walked past Pearce.

"But…" he said, which made him pause while Pearce turned to him. "…I didn't really sing that for a special person, like you said."

This time, Jethro turned to him. "I was just in the mood playing that song," he finally said before he finally left.

Pearce watched him go and when he finally got out of the room, he also went out of the room and looked his way to the right because that is where the prince passed. Even though he is no longer there, his gaze is still on that road.

"Pearce!" a voice called, causing Pearce to return to the truth and turned to the one who called him.

Maybe because he lost his brain earlier so he didn’t recognize immediately who called him when she heard her voice… so he was also shocked when he found out who it was.

"I've been looking for you," Yani told him. "You know that after every tour, you go straight to my office, right?"

It was as if the princess' saliva was wasted because the person she was talking to was silent and just staring at her.

"Hey Pearce, are you okay?" while she’s even waving her hand in front of him.

He’s in reality right now, but maybe the princess only found out when his face returned to being blank… but even so, he wanted to ask her this.

Did the princess hear that?