Someone I'm Not

19| Has a plan

[FLASHBACK]

"Sir, something came up with the Crystal Of Fate." Houdini turns his attention to one of her waitpersons of the office.

"Give it to me." He commands her as the woman wearing a cream below the ankle-length dress approaches him as she hands her the crystal ball that shines like a diamond. "What seems to be the problem?" He asks before focusing his eyes on the crystal. But then, as soon as his eyes landed on it, his eyes widen. He then lifts his gaze to meet the server's eyes.

"Who owns this crystal?" He asks that made the waitperson gulp before answering.

"It was Mister Oasis's. . ." she says with such certainty, enough for him to determine that she's not lying a bit. He then hoists his hand up to level with his eyes as he stares at it. "The color. . . It's glitching. . . How did this happen? " He asks as the woman gestures him to follow.

"The Screen Of Time will tell you. Come, Official H, and I'll let you know what I mean." She says before he nodded.

The two made their way into the lab where the waitpersons were designated. Their job is to check every client of different guardians to what they're doing and where they're going. Aside from that, some waitpersons were also assigned to guard each Client's Crystal Of Fate, in which these crystals were a sign of whether they can change their designed fate or not after series of tests down the Earth.

Houdini kept his composure as they walk their way towards the lab, even though he is dying to find out why Eduardus's client, Phoenix, color is glitching. And it didn't take too long for them to reach their destination.

"Here. . . Marion, is a member of my team who is assigned to check on Guardian Ed's 100th client, Phoenix Dale Oasis." She introduced a man who is seated, facing in front of him is a big aerial screen.

"W.P Marion. . ."

"Official H. . ." they nod at each other's side before the woman was on his shoulder.

"Show him." She says that made Marion nod before swiping few files and clicking one video. The playback appears on the big screen as he observes it.

Until he saw what happened.

"This can't be— what's your name again?"

"Ruel, Official H.," She says as he nodded.

"Have you told about this to anyone else?" He asks as he's a bit alarmed with the situation. Ruel then suddenly shakes her head.

"No, Official." He sighs in relief to hear this. It made him think for a few more seconds before clenching the crystal in his hand.

"Thank you, Ruel, Marion. . . I'll have to go now and inform the Goddess about this. And I trust you to keep this between us. I don't want anyone freaking out about this sudden situation."

"I won't disappoint, Official H.," Ruel assures before Houdini turns his attention away from them, turning his back on them and walking past the countless WPs.  All he could think about is that he needed to talk to Goddess Dyke instantly, and he is relieved that there were no complications ahead.

And now, he's standing in front of the Goddess's door. Houdini has never felt so excited yet apprehensive at the same time. And now, this could mean something big for them.

Houdini didn't have a choice but to knock rather than standing in front of a door doing nothing. This is the only way for him to tell the Goddess about the recent findings on their current client.

It didn't take too long for him to hear a response from the inside. When the door opens, he makes himself in, seeing the Goddess looking something through her bookshelf.

"Goddess Dyke, I have to speak to you, and it's urgent."

"Well, isn't that an obvious answer, Official Houdini?" She implores as she turns to face him with a book in her hand. "Please, sit down." She smiles in his direction as she gestures to the comfortable chair in front of the table.

"Thank you, Goddess." He says before walking towards her and sitting at the provided comfy chair.

"What seems to be your reason? You sounded so worried and excited at the same time." She says as she walks towards her chair, still holding the same book she's holding earlier.

"Something came up with one of the client's Crystals." He says as soon as Goddess Dyke settles down. Houdini didn't hesitate one bit as he places down the crystal on top of her table. Goddess Dyke throws a curious look in his direction before focusing her gaze on the crystal again. Just then, it didn't take the Goddess long to analyze what Houdini meant, that she even throws another glance in his direction and back to the crystal again.

Goddess Dyke leans forward to have a clearer view, trying to think that what she's seeing is not valid. But then, this made her give support to why she noticed Official Houdini being excited and anxious at the same time.

"I want to NOT believe this, but the crystals never lie, especially when it comes to this situation." Goddess Dyke voices her insights out before sitting erect and now throws her attention at the man sitting in front of her.

"I wanted to think it wasn't right too, Goddess. But then, the Crystal Of Fate never lies." Houdini agrees, followed by a deadly silence. As they sit there in silence, they were trying to figure out how this has happened.

"It has been millions of years since this happened for the very first time. Two decades later, this has happened for the second time, and then, two decades have passed again, and the same thing happened— there was glitching. Then it follows and follows, and now, this day, I see the same color-glitching crystal in front of me. . ." She pauses as she intertwines her fingers together as her forearm rests on the table. Just then, she lifts her gaze to meet the Official's eyes.

"You know what this means, Official. You're going to be the next challenge, and you have to find a way to try and put Phoenix Oasis's written fate to be the path he needs to take."

"And if I can't?" For the first time in his history, Houdini has never felt so down before that he can do anything to perfection. . . That he is the most confident among the other officials. . . Not until this day. His sudden low self-esteem made Goddess Dyke raises a brow at him.

"You've been doing this for so long, Official Houdini. You've been repeating this challenge every two decades, and now, why do I feel like you're doubting?" She asks, completely forgetting about the book she just brought in as she takes the crystal into her hands and watches in amusement at how the color glitch, returning to black and red and blue and yellow.

"I know I've been doing this for the rest of my life, and I've never failed a single challenge, but this feels different, Goddess. Client 100 and Eduardus have a more incredible bond than anyone else, even with Guardian Eduardus's previous clients. And considering guardian Ed's past—"

"I don't need to know what you feel about this, Official. We are talking about Justice. . . Would you want to be selfish to one when she needed to find the truth?" She asks that makes his curiosity grow. Houdini narrows his eyes as Goddess Dyke places down the crystal and grabs the book she almost has forgotten about.

"What do you mean, goddess?" Houdini seems to be at a loss to her words, but instead of answering directly,  the Goddess decided to open the book and continues flipping, stopping on a specific page. She runs her hand into the silk sheet before turning it for him to read.

"You really think justice would make this easy for Phoenix?" She asks as Houdini realizes the page he is reading.

"V-Vianne Greene? What's— wait, I still don't understand." He says as he continues to read her written bio in hopes of finding the answer he's been looking for. But then, he's still puzzled as to what the Goddess meant.

"I know from the very moment I see that man, the moment I look into his eyes, it was already enough for me to think that he's different. Lucky for him, it was the time that justice itself chooses the rightful candidate for this one. And based on my knowledge, nobody has escaped your trap." She says before getting the book back in her possession. Closing it, she taps her fingers slowly in sync, creating a sound to sustain the tension between them.

"And I trust you with this. . . You always have my trust, Official Houdini. That's why I chose you for this position. I KNOW your capability. And you know what you have to do."

•••

"Maybe because she's already maturing? And besides, isn't she off to college for a few months now?" Houdini asks as he takes a sip of his lemon juice. There are doubt and anger in Vianne's eyes that make him feel more optimistic that he'll be able to convince her to agree.

"I don't know. . . Maybe you're right, she is maturing. Maybe I am just TOO paranoid because these changes happened too quickly. I could barely count the days she shows these weird actions. . . Yeah, maybe that's it. I'm just overthinking." Houdini hears her sigh as this time; it was Vianne's moment to drink her half-full glass of lemon juice.

And it is a cue for him to insert his plan. Houdini looks into his plate and slices a part of the meat before talking.

"I mean, if you're still in doubt, we can follow. . . her? You've mentioned she went to her friend's in the city? What if she git those influences when she stayed there for two nights and three days?" He asks as he played by his role, acting as if he's just suggesting. "But of course, maybe you're JUST overthinking, I am just—"

"That's it!" Houdini lifts his gaze after hearing her clasp her hands. It should have startled him, but he knew he's expecting the reaction already.

"W-what?" He pretends to ask, although he knew what she is pertaining about. But then, to make the act more convincing, he chuckles and places down his utensils.

"I mean, c'mon! It's just a suggestion! I didn't think you'd, you know. . ." he explains as he watches her expression drop. With a sad tone and expression coming back, Vianne sighs.

"Yep. . . You're right, just a—"

"Hey!"  Houdini snaps at her as he realizes that she's already given up on it. He almost chokes his food when she hears him not wanting to do it anymore, but what can he do? She NEEDED A LOT MORE convincing.

"What!?" Vianne asks as she is startled by his sudden shout. "Gosh! Are you planning on giving me a heart attack!?" She complains.

"Sorry, but that's not what this is about. . . This is about YOUR SISTER!. Look. You say that you have seen changes in your sister, and it's creating a gap between your sisters because you're suspicious of her, and it guilts you. And what if you're not overthinking at all? What if YOUR SISTER has something significant to hide that you're destined to find out about it? What if you're sister Soroya has been lying to you the whole time? What if she's a lie herself!?"

"Hey! Don't accuse Soroya—"

"I am NOT accusing her, Vianne. I'm stating a possibility."

Houdini then pauses for a second before drinking the remaining of his drink before wiping his lips with the cream-colored cloth.

"So, what are you proposing? That we should follow Soroya this coming Friday?"

"That's a call for. you to give me a call for me to receive." ‘BINGO!’ Houdini talks to himself as he's smiling widely inside.

"Wouldn't that make us look like a stalker?" Vianne asks as she gulps, still not entirely convinced about the preposition.

"Of course not! That is unless she finds us?" He says that makes Vianne think for a second until she's come up with a decision.

"I think we should—"

[END OF FLASHBACK]