Legend of Gemini - Chapter 11

"Good, good!" Marcus praised me, everyone shouted and gave me a round of applause. They were amazed by my on the Battle Space earlier. "Brother, where did you learn to play Battle Space?"

"I don't know? I just read the manual handbook."

Everyone laugh, and Virgil stands from his chair. "It is clear, we are going to win this year!" He took my hand and lifts it. "We have our ace!"

"We're so glad that we aren't wrong in inviting you in our team, Pollux, thank you!" Jokai said and shook my hand then he tap my shoulder. "The insults we receive from the yellow team end here." Added the young man.

The Battle Star is the game where the Southern Terra Nova always lost. So it's funny that there's me that will make them win- make the team win. Although, I also coundn't't believe that I can play like that earlier. It makes me really happy inside.

*** 

What I did earlier in the simulator room became a hot topic here in the Dining Hall. The rumor quickly spread that there is a genius in Battle Star. So the gazes I receive from my fellow demons to me are very noticeable while we are waiting for our turn to get our food rations.

"Is it true that Pollux Celestial is a genius in playing Battle Star?" I was startled when I heard Saturn voice whispering behind me. I haven't even notice her arrival. He's like a mushroom that suddenly pops up suddenly.

"Thank you."

"I think I will be having a hard time challenging you in this game."

"Maybe?" According to the people from my group, Saturn is the best player in the Battle Star tournament here in the Sanctuary. It was showed from the past Demon Children's Games. They said, Saturn has been trained by the older demons to play it when he was still a child, so maybe he's an expert in the art of warfare in the galaxy.

"How did you learn to play the Battle Star?" asked the young man.

"In the handbook. I just read it."

"Really?" He ask in awe.

"Yes." I answered truthfully.

"Well, you actually learn fast! That's amazing!"

"Except in manuevering the space pod." I said as opposed to what he said.

"Ohhh, really?" The young man  reaction is quiete obvious, that he can't believe that I don't know how to drive the pod.

"I really can't, and that's the truth."

"Don't worry Virgil and Promenteus can help you. They are also good in that area, racing into the prismatic rocks."

"Unfortunately, until now, I always bump to the asteroids, so I don't hope that I can win for our group," I said.

"That's why we are training to become skilled at playing. Trust in yourself is what is lacking in you Pollux. Just pray to our god Uranus that he will bless you with bravery and courage."

Uranus? God?

"I don't believe in gods." I sarcastically answered at the same time took my tray with the food prepared by the robonauts. When the Pillars were still here, they personally gave the provision food to the demons. Now temporarily that they are not here in the Sanctuary, the robonauts are the one that serves us.

"Why?" Saturn asks in shock at my violent reaction about the gods. "You're really brave brother. Remember brother, you are here in a sacred place of the idols and ancestors." Saturn warns.

 "If God really is merciful, why do we need to sacrifice our life to cover up their sins? And how sure our ancestors that we the demon children can cause war? It doesn't make sense to worship the gods, to the goddesses, to the idols and especially to believe in those supernatural superstition." Saturn seems to have awoken from the truth. He's dumbfounded and speechless. I hope he will realize what I said.

"Oh, I will go ahead let's talk later. Your team is calling you?" The young man took his tray and told me that Promenteus and Virgil are calling for me to their table.

"Okay!" I nodded to him before we separated.

"What did you talk about?" Virgil ask me when I reach the table.

"Ahhh...it's nothing." My excuse.

"Brother, I hope you won't begrudge us but please try to avoid talking to Saturn's group," Marcus advise.

"Why?"

"To avoid knowing our plans. Who knows if they have other motives." He answered. I look at Saturn and his other members on the other table.

I don't think they can do that kind of thing that can make us lose the game.

"Our brother Marcus is right. Pollux, you are in the team, Southern Terra Nova. Can we trust your loyalty?" Promenteus ask. They have a point because I am part of their group and not in Saturn.

"Of course!" My quick answer.

"Thank you. Let's go ahead and eat lunch so that we can train again in the simulator room." Promenteus order to all of us

****

I continued to display my expertise to the group. All of them very much pleased except for Promenteus. I can't determine why he's not too impressed with my discovered talent. Maybe he is jealous of me? Maybe? But why is he jealous? Shouldn't he be happy because their team that he led has a chance to win? It indicates that Promenteus has a crab-brain, he wants to pull down the people who are better than him. I just ignore the young man, it would be bad if I'm the reason the group will break. I gave him a fake smile and lift my head to his behavior.

****

The next day, it seems it becomes a habit to the three nuisance to guard me waking up. "Mulave? Mareo? Ureter? Why are you here in my bed?"

"We just arrive at the right time brother, Promenteus appointed us to tell you that we will strat exercising," Mulave replied. The young man didn't lie to me because there is still a mucus and pillow trace on his face. Mulave has a brown complexion and a curly short hair. His eyes are shining in black, indicating that the young man is healthy.

"Exercise?" My reaction can't be painted when they said that we are going to exercise. "F-for what?"

"To prepare for the Galaxy Trekking challenge," Mulave said with reddish color blue eyes because of his deep sleep. I watch closely the eyes of the three young men and realize that even them is still sleepy at this time. Mulave has thick curly hair and a stain in his cheeks— like a pale freckle. Mareo has an attention-grab ng hair, because it is natural purple color.

"W-why now? It's still five, so early..."

Ureter suddenly pulled me up from my bed and didn't let me finish my complaint. "Don't make excuses, let's go! Promenteus might scold us." Ureter worries. He has a chocolate skin, a moon shape face, and a burnt color red hair.

Damn these people! I have the gusto to kill them!

I can't do anything to the three nuisance.From waking up in my bed, I immediately change into my exercise clothes.It's obviously white. I also noticed that Saturn, Kevan, Op-art, Skye, and Regulus are not in their bed. Where did they go? Why are they not in their beds? After I dressed up, we head straight to the Ynamoreven circle to exercise. While running on the sky ducts to the circle, the bed that I forgot to fixed came into my mind. So annoying! I less than fifteen minutes, the four of us reach the circle.

 Panting.

We saw that Promenteus and our other members in the team are running simultaneously. Maybe they have been exercising because they are already sweating. "Oh, we've been here since four am. What are the four of you waiting for? Let's go, run with us!" Virgil order, his color is pale because of running.  

We join the group on the last row and started running. While we are running in the circle, we didn;t expect to run into Saturn, Kevan, Op-art, Regulus and Skye exercising with their team. I feel uncomfortable looking at the other team exercising for the Galaxy Trekking.

 "How are you my traitor brother?" The whisper of a woman voice behind me.

I turned while running to see the lady. "Stellar." The lady gave me a glare. Surprised. I also saw Anemone following behind her.

Are they also joining the Galaxy Trekking?

"How are you, brother?" greets Anemone.

Our group is just separated by a short distance to Stellar and Anemone's group. I wasn't able to greet back the lady and just went on to Promenteus command. "Turn right!" The young man said panting.

Ten minutes passed, my sweat starts to overflow on my face, back, and armpit. I don't really understand why we need to exercise early in the morning for the Galaxy Trekking. Do the people challenging in this game need much physical strength? Our group already runs the whole circle once. When will we stop running? I want to rest, take a bath, and drink cold water. I slightly swallowed my own saliva, just to alleviate my dry throat.

Panting.

It's our second lap in the circle, I can feel my knees weaken, fortunately, the running of our team gradually becoming slower. "I t-think t-this r-run- is e-nough." Promenteus said panting like a dog.

I sigh a relief. Thank goodness, I thought there won't be an end to this run.

"W-why a-re we ru-nning?" Ureter complains.

"To the newcomers, starting today, we are going to exercise every morning to prepare for the upcoming Galaxy Trekking. You need to condition your body to avoid trouble in the game." Jokai said panting.

"Later, I will show you how the Galaxy Trekking is plated after breakfast. You will know the answer why we need intense exercise!" Promenteus said.

****

"Where are we going?" I ask to the three Mulave, Mareo, and Ureter. Us newcomers followed Promenteus and the others to the garden with trees full of vaster citrus fruit, melog lime, puffle and cimmpamon. My sweat on my face and back have dry and still, we haven't reached where we want to go. While walking different kinds of birds are following us, and all of them are pure white. They freely fly and enthusiastically loiter to the branches of the trees. The white birds flying fetcher and snow charloote are creating a delightful melody.

It reminds me of the garden in the palace.

"I don't know," Mulave replied.

"Do you know where we are going?" Mareo as Lucas who been living here in the Sanctuary.

"We are going to the river and falls," Lucas answered.

"What are we going to do there?" I ask.

"To bath. It feels good to take a bath there, fresh and make us lighten." Lucas said in excitement. After a short while, we arrive at the end of the garden. In a corner, I saw chunks of rocks at the mouth of the river and hear the noise of the rushing water to the river from the waterfall.

"We're here! What are the four of you waiting for? Let's dive in!" Virgil said in enthusiasm. All are eager to dive into the river, even me can't help to take off my clothes and jump from the big rock until the deep part of the river. In all my life, this is my first time to bath in the river with people in my age. Since I was young, I didn't have any friends. I only played to Nebula and guided my life. No one wants to make friends with me because I hate the children of our servants. I also don't like my cousins to act like they are made of porcelain. No one also likes to come and talk to me because they are scared. Sometimes, I heard speculations that they labeled me as a royal monster, a child who was spoiled rotten. So this is how fun to have a friend? I feel that I'm not alone.

If only I was friendly before, the this wouldn't be my first time to feel this way. I wish there would be no end of this moment because what I feel right now is full of joy. Hopefully...

How I hope...

***

After we bath and have breakfast, we watch the video recaps of the Galaxy Trekking. I became amazed by the game and wish to join but Promenteus said only three people will participate in the game.

"Virgil, Jokai..." The leader called the two who are busy reading the handbook manual. They raised their head when they notice that they will play in the game with Promenteus. "The of you will join me to challenge the Galaxy Trekking. I have trust in your knowledge in this game. To the other senior demons, if you have a problem with the three of us, one or more from you all to replace ou position in the game. We can't tell if what will happen so you can observe us in our training. You can train yourself to use the mobile suit inside the Simulator Arena so you will have an idea. Remember, we are on the same team. I need all of your cooperation for us achieve success in the game."

I really want to join the Galaxy Trekking but I know that I don't have a chance. And I even learned that there is an archery in that game. What a bummer.