A Welcome

Chapter 2

"So first let us know the name of our visitor and the place where he lives," I said.

He first looked at me then looked at each prince and princess who were all looking back at him. He closed his eyes, and bowed his head. Oh come on, just your name. Don't be like that now. There are people here who are hot-headed.

"Uhm kuya I mean sir if you have a problem—"

"Pearce," he inserted that stopped me. He raised his head and looked at me coldly. “Pangalan ko ay Pearce. Sa Pilipinas ako nakatira. (My name is Pearce. I live in the Philippines.)"

There we go again. That was already okay. Promise. Just some miiiinor correction. He talked but… why does it have to be in FILIPINO?! Didn't he get it that they only understand English because none of them spoke Filipino?

Maybe. We can let this one go. The princes were wondering at what he said while the princesses and Jethro laughed at their reaction.

“Uhm…” I cleared my throat “…sorry Pearce but can you speak in English?” I politely asked..

He looked at me and at the same time avoided his gaze as if he answered me a “no”. Just great. First, silence means yes now, once he avoids looking at you MEANS NO! Deep breaths Yani…

"Uhm what he said is—"

“Pearce is my name. I live in the Philippines,” he added.

GGRRRR!! Is he trying to annoy me?! If that is so, he is great at doing it! I want to punch him! But thankfully there are a lot of people here today!

Again deep breaths Yani. Good thing my office smells good so I can really calm down and take a deep breath.

"Okay Pearce, nice meeting you," I said with a FAKE SMILE. “I'm Yani and I'm the princess in this nation which we call Eullenuum Nation that stands as their leader. This world is divided into cabins. This is the first, where we are right now and we call it the Main Cabin. The other eight will be introduced by one of our 16 different princes and princesses. So first to introduce…”

"Hello Pearce!" Femme happily greeted so all looked at her. “My name is Femme and I'm also a Filipino like you. I'm a princess too like Yani but I'm the princess of the Water Cabin, where people like me and Eaux,” he pointed to Eaux. “…who can control water, live. So in other words I'm the water princess. Hehe.”

Pearce just looked at her coldly.

“Bonjour (Hello). I'm Eaux... (A/N:pronounced as “Lou”)" said Eaux so Pearce looked at him. “I'm French and I'm the prince of the Water Cabin so yeah, I'm the water prince. And if you notice, our hair and eye color differ from the others because each person are special to control one element only so since Femme and I are blue, we are water persons.”

Pearce is just listening to what Eaux is saying.

"I suppose you're not a metal guy because I saw you control other elements right?" Eaux asked.

Our princesses were surprised.

“Wow. So what element does he control?” Femme asked in excitement.

"Water..." Pearce responded and they looked at him. He paused before continuing. "…air, fire, earth, electricity, nature, metal and ice," he concluded.

“WOW. You can control ALL the elements? Just like Yani?” excited, Femme asked.

He did not say a word and looked at me.

“Wow. That's really amazing. I thought Yani is the only person in the world who can control all the elements," happily Femme said.

So what if that’s the case if his attitude is like that?

"I see," said Eaux. "Anyways, even though you're not a metal guy I just want you to know, that beautiful metal princess over there…" he pointed at Hera and Pearce looked at her. “Yes her, she’s my girl okay? If eventually you got interested in her, then you better stop because you're going to be in big trouble.”

"Eaux," Hera defied to him.

“What? I'm just saying, my dear. The earlier I can remind him, the better," Eaux replied.

Hera just sighed in defeat.

You know, I won't be surprised about that because every introduction is always like that. It’s like they made it a custom because sometimes there are visitors, especially men, they flirt with the princesses that will anger the princes or the other way around. That’s because they all look so beautiful and handsome but it looks like for our guest today, it is unlikely for him to flirt.

"Okay, next prince and princess," I said .

"Hi I'm Jessy," Jessy started. “I'm also a Filipino and also a princess, specifically the Air Princess. I can control the element air and I live in the Air Cabin so that's why I have gray hair and eyes.”

Pearce just stared at her.

“Ohayo (Hello) Pearce!" Turuki greeted so the attention went to him. “I'm Turuki and I'm a Japanese guy who loves to take pictures. I'm the Air Prince and this air photographer fell in love with the beautiful Nature Princess who hates cameras and pictures.”

Pearce followed Turuki’s stare at Kyrie.

"Her long green hair and beautiful emerald eyes is so dazzling that I always want to take a picture of her even though—"

“Okaaaay, I think we need to move on now," Kyrie said, quite sarcastic to stop Turuki.

I was surprised at what Kyrie did. I looked at Turuki who was still smiling at Kyrie.

“Okay. No worries kawaijui chan. The more you get irritated, the more you get dazzling. Can I take a picture of you?” question of Turuki. (A/N: 'kawaijui ' is a word I combined from the translation of 'cute' and 'monster' in Japanese)

"No Turuki," Kyrie’s serious answer.

Click!

"Sorry dear. Too late," Turuki said in a manly way.

You can see that Kyrie is a little irritated and she’s just restraining herself and she even breathe in deeply to calm down but it is obvious that she blushed. Those two have their own calling at each other and it’s cute that the two of them only understand it.

"So ne—"

"I'm Flare," she inserted so I stopped and everyone's attention immediately went to her. Well, it looks like our fire girl is becoming impatient. It’s because the two are still flirting.

“I'm the Fire princess, one of the leaders of the Fire Cabin where fire people live. And I'm also a Filipino.”

"And I'm Fuego," at the same time look at him. "Soy Espanyol, which I mean 'I'm Spanish' and also the Fire Prince, prince of the Fire Cabin and my girl…" he chuckled as if flirting with someone before speaking again. "You see that girl—"

“Next,” Callie interrupted, that made Fuego stop.

“Oh come on Callie. Just give me this time," Fuego insisted.

“I'll do the introduction myself. I can talk. Yani, please proceed.”

Fuego wasn’t able to reply back. Wow. Now that’s a girlfriend but of course that hurts so our prince is sad because of it. Not just sad, he looks irritated.

I was about to speak when I heard Callie sigh.

“Don't be stubborn. We're running out of time and we still have a date later," Callie said.

Oh a date. No wonder. Almost all of us were surprised and it looks like Fuego was one too.

"We have?" Fuego questioned.

Callie’s reaction, she rolled her eyes at him. Aahh, okay Callie. I got what she meant. It took time before Fuego even got it.

"Oh yes I mean we have so please proceed," said Fuego. Maybe if I were in Callie's place, I would have made a face palm.

"Okay so next," I said .

Not one spoke. I just looked at the place of Donna and when our eyes met, that’s the only time she got it.

“Oh is it my turn? Sorry," Donna said. “Uhm hi… uhh… so I should say my name first right? Then age and work before the— “

"Donna, just state your name and where you live and what cabin are you a princess in," I interrupted her.

“Ah okay. Sorry.” What’s wrong with you Donna? What did you eat and you look like you are not yourself today?

“Uhh I'm Donna and I live in the Earth Cabin. Actually I lived in the Philippines before I got here so yeah I'm a Filipino and I'm the princess of that cabin so they call me the Earth Princess and uhm…”

She’s still thinking about what she was going to say.

"And uhh… uhm…"

We waited for what she would say next but I think that was already okay. I was about to interrupt her again because it was obvious that she’s not herself but…

"Ibigay mo na (Give it to him)," said of the princess suddenly.

I looked at who it was and was a little surprised. Elesa? She suddenly spoke out of nowhere and what she said made no sense… like what?

"Ibigay ang alin? (Give which one?)" I wonder in question.

I saw the puzzled faces of our princes again. Oops.

"Gift," Elesa replied while looking at Donna.

I was surprised. Gift? I also looked at Donna.

Donna took a deep breath and immediately went to Aes' place. "Uhm you can have this," while she’s handing something to Aes. "Uhm it's a box of different screws that uhm I think you need," she stammered.

Aes took it while he’s shocked and then Donna started to play with her fingers. “I heard uhm… you were building a helicopter so uhm… I hope that it can help you to build that helicopter. I wasn't able to give it a while ago because you look very tired and angry so I thought maybe I'll give it later but uhm… yeah so… ”

Aes was stunned by her while holding the box given to him.

"I know it's not that much but uhm I hope that you can finish it for whatever it is you are doing for it," she smiled at him. “Happy Monthsary Aes,” she happily said.

…

Donna was just surprised when Aes embraced her. Oh God, I’m feeling that flutter for the two of them.

"Happy Monthsary too," said Aes and it shows on his face how happy he is. "I love you," Aes whispered that should have just been heard by only Donna but those next to her heard it. Donna blushed really red.

Oh thank goodness. Aes have been really down since earlier and I thought that Donna didn’t even notice it but other than being flattered, I looked at Elesa.

How did she see and notice that while no one here in this room even noticed that? …anyways…

“Ahem,” I cleared my throat once again. I hate to ruin the moment but sorry because we have a visitor today. Also, you can continue that later in your helicopter.

Aes immediately broke away from the hug and Donna returned to her seat.

“Okay Edmondo. You may proceed,” I said .

“Right. Buongiorno Pearce (Good morning Pearce). I'm Edmondo, an Italian earth guy and at the same time the Earth Prince. We have brown hair and brown eyes because we can control the element earth. So my perfect lady had already introduced herself and it’s none other than the girl wearing a white shirt and pink skirt with her long straight gray hair tied—“

“Uhm it’s me,” Jessy entered that made Edmondo stop. “Yeah I’m his girl. Thank you Edmondo for that wonderful long description,” she said with a smile.

Edmondo smiled back. “No problem, il mio amore (my love).”

Just great. I’m having a nosebleed here because there they go again with their language. Good thing the princesses understand what they are saying.

“Okay, let’s proceed to…”

"Elesa," and everyone looked at her. “I'm the Electric Princess and also a Filipino girl. Nice meeting you Pearce," Elesa said with a poker face.

Pearce gave back a poker face also. The two of them stared at each other before,

“And I'm Zoltar,” and attention to him. “I'm the Electric Prince and most of us have blonde hair and yellowish eyes because we can control electricity. And uhm…” he cleared his throat.

We waited for what he would say next but it took a while so I thought he had nothing more to say so I was about to call the next one but…

"Your girl," said our great interrupter who is none other than our great visitor.

He really is annoying me. I’m starting to hate him. Once he will ignore me and then later on he will interrupt me and then not even speak when I’m talking to him?! Hay, deep breaths…

“Oh uhm right. She has blue hair and sapphire eyes…” Pearce looked at our happy water princess who was smiling at Zoltar.

“I know what you’re thinking. She’s a water girl and I’m an electric guy and electricity and water should not be together and I suppose you know why but the explanation why we are always together…”

There it is. I'm sorry Pearce but when you hear the word explanation from our electric prince, get ready because he will bombard you with scientific thingies. Let's see if he will get it.

“…the only explanation there is, is that I love her. That’s all,” Zoltar concluded.

Hah! Did he get it?

…

There was an awkward silence.

Ops wait a minute. Oh shacks. That was… that was sooo… simple. Answer Yani: YES. He got it and not only him but everyone here inside your office. But wait, I thought…

Earth to Yani! He's done isn't he? Call on the next one.

"Uhh uhm okay next," I just said.

I was just really surprised by what he said.

“Ahem,” Kyrie cleared her throat that made us look at her. “Sorry. I just have something in my throat.”

"Asus," said Jessy to tease her. "She's just nervous."

Kyrie frowned at her. You know, you shouldn't be surprised here either because we’re talking about Kyrie and Jessy here.

“My name is Kyrie and I'm the Nature Princess and also in case you haven't heard what Lamukun said, I mean the photographer prince that I'm the worst enemy of photographers because I hate cameras so a friendly warning to our visitor, please don't take a picture of me if you have a camera really precious to you, okay?” Kyrie said while smirking.

Did you get what the names they have for each other? Kawaijui chan? Lamukun? Isn't that weird? But when I found out the reason, I was shocked. Do you want to know?

But before that, do you know what happens next after Kyrie says that? If this is your guess, you are right.

Our great photographer just took a picture of our camera monster. Kyrie was slightly surprised and bowed her head once lifted it also and she smiled at him and it’s obvious on the smile that it’s strained.

“Again Lamukun, I mean Turuki. A friendly warning,” she said full of sarcasm with that same smile.

“Sorry. I can't stop myself. You're so kawaii (cute) even if you smirk or get angry," Turuki said.

It was obvious that Kyrie was just holding back her anger but she also immediately let out a sigh and averted her eyes.

"More irritating than a mosquito’s noise," Kyrie whispered.

(A/N: “Lamok” is the Filipino translation of mosquito)

There, did you get it? If not, you will know it next time.

"It's my turn," said our cheerful prince. "Geia Pearce (Hi Pearce). I'm Feesy, the Nature Prince and a Greek guy. We have green hair and green eyes because we can control the plants and we are also nature lovers so if ever you do something against nature, we might punish you… most especially animals.”

You can see Kyrie nodding her head at what Feesy is saying.

"Including in the law of falling in love to the Fire Princess…" at the same time almost everyone looks at Flare whose face is obviously getting red. “Yes her. She's my dearest Flare so if ever you started to like her, oh you will enjoy my wrath,” he said while smiling.

There he is again. That is what’s scary about Feesy. If he is like that, you should be really scared because Mother Nature, I mean Father Nature is really angry. Almost all of us are really scared when he does that.

“Uhm thank you. Next.”

"I'm Hera," everyone looked at her again. “I'm the Metal Princess and I'm also a Filipino. You were mistaken to be a metal person because just like you, we have black hair and black eyes but the big difference is this…” at the same time Hera replaced her hand with a small gun. “We are robots and we can change our body parts into weapons. So nice meeting you Pearce," and she returned to her usual hand.

"And I'm Aes," look at the speaker. “We live in the Metal Cabin and she already mentioned most of it. I'll just include that we metal people also have a rule of not touching water people because a chemical reaction happens when we do touch each other... but Eaux and Hera's relationship is an exception,” said Aes.

"Thank you brother," Eaux said.

"No problem and should I still introduce my wonderful earth princess? Everybody already knew that it’s our Monthsary today so that’ll explain it."

I thought he finished what he was about to say when…

“Oh and Donna, after this come with me because I’ll show you something,” Aes said and smiled at Donna.

Donna smiled back but as usual, she blushed hard red again.

“Okay. So for our final prince and princess.”

Callie let out a sigh first.

“Callie is my name. The Ice Princess, a Filipino and welcome,” she cold heartedly said. Again guys don't be surprised okay?

“Jethro is mine. Ice prince and the only Filipino Prince.“

There was an awkward silence in the room.

…

"Your girl?" Pearce questioned him.

Jethro was slightly surprised and smiled at him.

"Oh. Well, I—"

"Her?" Pearce interrupted while pointing with his eyes... to... Elesa?

Jethro was shocked.

"Oh no. Actually I don’t have a girl. If the Electric Princess is the only princess with no prince, then I'm the only one in the eight princes that has no princess," formally, Jethro answered.

Pearce didn’t say anything back and just stared coldly at him... while most of the prince and princess turned to me.

You know, I’m gonna say this again… just get used to that because that is always his answer during an introduction. Honestly, it's hard to control these feelings, especially my tears because they are all traitors but you can only stop them if you are used to it which in my case... what do you think?

Anyways, why is this getting dramatic? This is just the introduction so I broke the ice.

“Okay so that’s everybody. Welcome to Eullenuum Nation Pearce, the place where a person like you belong.”