1 1. Bones of the Filibuster Chapter I: Simoun JoJo, ...

"You saved me..." said Rafael Ibarra, a Filipino man, thanking a Spanish bandit. He lay on the ground. "Please... take care of my son..."

The Spanish bandit smiled as the rain poured on his dying body.

"What are you-? You... You're Salvi!!!"

*BANG*

Blood dripped on the cold pavement, as the man's face was shot into pieces. The bandit then took the baby in the carriage.

He sneered and walked away.

12 years later...

Crisostomo, a young boy with blue hair, woke up from his bed and ran downstairs, smiling and skipping.

"Ibarra!" shouted the man. This man, familiarly, was the bandit from before. This time, looking much older. "I've adopted and raised you not to be such a fucking nuisance! Take your steps calmly and be polite to our home!!!"

The man, Dominador Salvi, then bit a huge amount of his chicken stew.

"Bernardo!" shouted the man.

"Yes, Father?" asked his handsome adoptive younger brother, Bernardo Salvi.

"Fetch me my rice porridge! These fucking Indios make such terrible meals," he said.

"I wouldn't be eating today, Father," Crisostomo then ran outside.

"The hell do I care, Ibarra?!" asked the man, as Crisostomo had already left.

"Bernardo!" shouted Dominador. "My porridge!"

Crisostomo sat down by a tree near the beach and rested underneath its leaves.

"What a wonderful day..." he smiled.

"Please!" shouted someone. It was the voice of a girl.

"Huh?" asked Crisostomo, waking up. "Hey!"

Crisostomo ran downhill, seeing a girl being laughed at by a group of men.

"Stop this!!!" shouted Crisostomo.

He punched the boy's face, but the boys immediately overpowered him, beating him to a pulp.

The boy then transformed into some sort of monster. Blue pupils with black eyes it had. It had a wolf's head, bat wings, a monkey's tail, and a humanoid body. Terrified, both backed away from each other. The boy then stood up and ran away.

"What was that about?" asked the girl. "Th-Thanks..."

The boy slowly stood up and had his wounds tended by the girl.

"Get off..." he said. "It's not gentlemanly for the boy to be helped by the girl."

He stood up.

"I owe you..." smiled the girl.

"Ugh..." said Crisostomo, brushing himself off. "I hate those words, 'I owe you.' It's as if you only do good to others because others do good to you. That's absolutely strange to me."

"But you're a Filipino, right?" asked the girl. "Filipinos have 'Utang ng Loob'! It means that we help people because people help us! That's our culture!"

"Bah, our culture," said Crisostomo.

"Well, then... Thank you," smiled the girl.

Crisostomo smiled back.

"You're welcome," replied Crisostomo.

Time passed, and Crisostomo became close with the girl. Her name was Maria Clara. The two had great fun together. They ate together, swam in the river together, and played together. The two became inseparable after an amount of time. Until one day, his brother, Bernardo, became jealous of his brother. He began observing his happy times with Maria. As Crisostomo left the house on the day, Bernardo had to take care of their Father all day. Then... something strange happened...

"I'm... ill..." coughed their Father on his bed.

"Father, what had happened to you?" asked Bernardo, looking at their dying Father. Crisostomo had tears in his eyes, while Bernardo looked like he cared so little.

"Father... what's the source of your illness?" politely asked Crisostomo.

"The doctor says that they have no idea," replied Dominador. "I've decided to have the both of you adopted by a Priest in San Diego. There, you shall grow to be better than the scums you are now."

Suddenly, Dominador choked his last breath. His eyes went into his head as his saliva foamed. He drew his last breath and died.

"Bernardo!" Crisostomo hugged Bernardo.

"Yes, he's gone! How terrible..." sneered Bernardo as Crisostomo deeply cried.

Henceforth, the two left the countryside and went to the City of San Diego. There, they were adopted by the Priest.

"AN INDIO?!!!" asked the Priest. "Why do you dare give me this rotten boy?! He's not white like the other one! You said they were brothers!"

"Padre Damaso, please!" begged the other man. "He was adopted by Dominador!"

"No, matter! Throw him off to someplace else! I wish not to have him at my home!" shouted Damaso.

"Padre, there's even a letter about how he was adopted!" said the man.

Damaso sighed. "Take that shit off of my face!"

"If you must know-..." said Bernardo, politely bowing. "-... my brother is a genius in various subjects, such as mathematics, literature philosophy, and sciences. And he is quite intelligent, Padre Damaso."

"Is that so?" asked Damaso. "I will have you tested, Crisostomo Ibarra!"

"Very well, Padre Damaso," he bowed to the Priest.

Bernardo gave his brother a soft smile, and Crisostomo smiled back.

But when Crisostomo looked away, Bernardo gave a frown.

"Fine!" said Damaso, rudely grabbing the letter off of his servant's hand.

Crisostomo was put into a confined room the very next day. This was a room in the Chapel that was connected to prison, and there, he was given a test.

In the room, a knock was heard.

"Oh, sorry... I thought this was my room," said the voice.

"No, you didn't," said Crisostomo. "Who would knock on their own room, after all? Are you the riddler?"

"Perhaps," replied the man. "I was paid a few Reales enough for me to make do with my businesses."

"What riddle do you wish to offer me?" asked Crisostomo.

"You're an Indio, and I pity you, so I'd make it easy," said the man. "If you say it right, I will knock once. If you say it wrong, I will knock twice. If you say it right, nothing will happen to you. If you say it wrong, you die, Indio."

"That wasn't part of the deal!" shouted Crisostomo.

"If you disagree with my methods, you die immediately," said the voice.

Crisostomo thought for a second.

"Very well," sighed Crisostomo. 

"Imagine yourself being trapped in a room. Now, while trapped, you turn around and see two doors."

Crisostomo turns around and alas, found two doors. He looked up and saw a window showing daylight.

"The first door leads to a glassed maze that will scorch you during the sun, and the second door leads you to my fellow inmate, a cannibal who eats children like you for breakfast. Which do you choose, Crisostomo Ibarra?"

Crisostomo sighed.

"Give me a moment."

Nighttime came, and Crisostomo spoke.

"The first door," he said.

*knock*

Sweat came out of Crisostomo's pores, waiting for the next answer.

"You have passed the test, Crisostomo Ibarra. You may leave, boy," he said.

A strange man with a horrifying metal mask showing a creature of the night then opened the door, as Crisostomo nodded politely and walked outside the room, revealing Damaso, having slept on the table.

He stopped snoring and immediately woke up.

"You are a strange Indio indeed. After all, Indios are biologically stupid," spoke Damaso. "Welcome to the family, Crisostomo Ibarra."

8 years... later...

It was a normal day in San Diego, and Crisostomo Ibarra had just recently gone home from his trip to the United States. He returned to see that the streets are still disgusting, and the Spaniards looked down upon the Filipinos around him. The women used fans to cool themselves and the men looked well-dressed. The Filipinos, however, looked ragged in their clothes and are being ushered and pushed around by the Civil Guards. Crisostomo, an Illustrado and therefore an Elite Class Filipino, is dressed well but is still seen as one of these Indios.

Crisostomo Ibarra then met with Bernardo Salvi, his brother, at their home, and hugged him.

"I've come home, brother!" smiled Crisostomo. 

"Indeed, Kuya..." said Salvi. "Did you vomit again in your time there?"

Crisostomo then kicked his leg softly as Salvi laughed.

"When will the party start?" asked Crisostomo.

"At 6 PM tonight. We will be serving tinola, older brother," smiled Salvi. "Ah, and... Your childhood love, I believe, is here in San Diego."

"Maria Clara!" smiled Crisostomo, with the biggest smile and blushing lips.

"Of course, dear brother. She is here to see you," said Salvi.

Crisostomo then ran off, searching for him.

"Hey..." said Maria, seeing Crisostomo and immediately hugging him.

"M-Maria!" smiled Crisostomo.

"I've missed you so, Crisostomo! After all these years!" she hugged him tighter.

"I've missed you too, Maria Clara," smiled Crisostomo.

Night came, and Crisostomo Ibarra met up with Padre Damaso at the party. The crowd enjoyed their meals. However, some of those that are uninvited are brought to the party. These include some other Spanish Priests who are friends of Padre Damaso. Damaso sat down at the table with his friends. Two are shown arguing over a woman. Damaso then sleazily laughed with his friends.

"Excuse me," said Crisostomo. "I believe you should not be doing such things to my friends."

"Silence, Ibarra!" shouted Padre Damaso. "It is even a miracle that an Indio like you could have such attractive women for your friends! Away with you, you fucking brown man!"

Crisostomo gritted his teeth, as Maria hugged Crisostomo.

"Tch-..." said Damaso. "What's she doing here?!"

"Maria Clara? Ah, the daughter of your close friend... Capitan Tiago!" smiled his friends. "I have no idea! I heard that Crisostomo offered to marry her!"

"Tch-!" muttered Damaso. "Salvi!"

"Yes, Father?" asked Bernardo, approaching Damaso.

"Do you know Maria Clara?" asked Damaso.

"Yes, my brother's love interest, I believe," said Salvi.

"I'd want you to take her away from him. He's an Indio, after all. I don't want my son marrying one of my kind," said Damaso.

"I can't just do that, Father," said Salvi. "He's my brother, after all."

"If you don't do it, I would have you become ex-comunicado." smiled Damaso.

Salvi gritted his teeth. "Very well, Padre Damaso."

"HA HA HA HA HA!!!" laughed Damaso, with his friends, as he is then served chicken neck with his soup.

"Excuse me," said Damaso. "I am a Priest. How come I've been served with the chicken neck?"

The man who served him, a Filipino, shrugged. He wore no slippers, a white shirt, and shorts.

Damaso, disgusted by this man's response, drank the soup and slammed it on the table.

"Damned Indios!" he shouted.

Crisostomo's fists tightened.

"Crisostomo..." said Maria, grabbing his arm.

"You damned Indios and your animalistic behaviors! You dare insult the House of God through your disgusting demeanor! Have some respect for me! Me, a white man! The House of God states that all animals shall be below all man! And you dare try to defy NATURE?!!! GUARDS!!!" shouted Damaso, as the civil guards in the party grabbed the poor man and beat him.

"Stop this!" shouted Crisostomo.

Everyone went silent.

"What the fuck did you just say to me?" asked Padre Damaso, standing up and approaching Crisostomo.

"I'm... sorry..." he whispered.

"What was that?" asked Padre Damaso, as Crisostomo spoke up.

"I'm sorry," he said, with a much louder voice.

*SLAP*

Crisostomo spat some blood due to that slap.

*SMACK SMACK SMACK*

*crack*

Crisostomo ends up being thrown to the ground by Damaso's slaps.

Crisostomo trembled in embarrassment.

"How dare you speak up against a MAN OF GOD?!!! AND A WHITE MAN OF ALL THINGS!!! DEFYING THE LAWS OF NATURE?!! HAVE YOU NO UTANG NG LOOB?!!! I HAVE TAKEN YOU IN AND YOU TREAT ME THIS WAY?!!!"

"Fuck... you..." said Crisostomo, as some form of light began radiating from his body.

"What was that?!" asked Damaso, as he put his slipper above his head.

"FUCK-!!!"

*POW*

"YOU!!!"

Crisostomo grabbed Damaso and punched him over and over again.

"Crisostomo, stop!" shouted Maria.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!!!" shouted Crisostomo, punching him hard over and over again. For some reason, he felt much stronger than before. His eyes then turned black. "STOP TALKING!!!"

*CRACK CRACK CRACK*

*SPLAT*

"Crisostomo!" shouted Maria, with tears in her eyes. Crisostomo's rage faded away with the sight of her.

His face, now gushing with blood, twitched as his body trembled.

The next day...

"Ex-comunicado?!" asked Crisostomo, opening a letter. "I am no longer considered a citizen of the Spanish Empire?!"

And on his bed... Crisostomo cried there all day...

Damaso, meanwhile, with his injuries being treated, finally opened the letter from years ago. "By God... Salvi!"

Salvi then went to Crisostomo. "Yes, Father?"

"Burn this letter!" he shouted.

"You've just ex-communicated your own adoptive son, and now you want to burn this letter of his?!" asked Salvi.

"Burn this letter, Salvi!" shouted Damaso. "You will never be a Priest, Salvi!"

"Very well, Father," said Salvi, taking the letter.

At night, Salvi drank his beer and tightened his grip on it. He laid the letter open on his table.

"SILENCE, SALVI!!!" said Dominador's voice in his head.

"If only..." thought Salvi. "If only our Father wasn't so hard on us... Mother wouldn't have killed herself..."

He drank the beer more.

"Tch-..." he said, as he broke the glass into pieces by throwing it to the floor.

"Huh?" asked Salvi, as he read the letter in silence.

"What the hell is an Aswang?" asked Salvi to himself.

Suddenly, Salvi sees Maria Clara outside their door.

Finding her attractive, he watched her from his window and began touching himself, thinking of her.

"Damn you, Crisostomo! Having women fawning over him!" he thought. "He was always the favorite... While he ran off in other countries to study and meet with friends out of the home... he had me ease both our Fathers..." said Salvi, angrily touching himself. "I'll take everything away from that asshole."

Meanwhile, Crisostomo pets his dog, Daniel, brushing his fur as the dog hugged him.

"There, there, Daniel," he smiled softly.

The dog then cooed.

"Crisostomo!" shouted Maria. 

"Maria!" he replied. Crisostomo then jumped downstairs.

"I heard you've gotten ex-communicated..." said Maria.

"It's okay..." said Crisostomo. "I don't care about that."

"We won't be able to get married anymore..." said Maria.

"We'll elope somewhere else...!" reasoned Maria. "We'd elope and run off to somewhere hidden!"

Crisostomo smiled.

"Let's do that," he smiled.

*CRACK*

"Crisostomo!" shouted Maria, as Crisostomo fell to the ground, knocked out while bleeding.

Salvi, drunk, grabs Maria Clara. "Come HERE!!!" he shouted. "My father said I needed to have you love me instead of that damned Crisostomo..." he hissed. "What better way to do so than having your body, MARIA CLARA?!!!"

That night came... and the pain was endured by the both of them...

Crisostomo woke up and saw Maria crying with her clothes torn.

"Maria?!" asked Crisostomo, as he sees Salvi putting his clothes back on before her.

Salvi's eyes glowed a dark blue tint.

"Wrry..." he whispered.

"You fucking BASTARD!!!" shouted Crisostomo. 

"Useless, useless..." whispered Salvi. "Life truly is useless. Join me, Crisostomo, and take rounds with me and tear your lover apart."

Crisostomo then punched Salvi in the face, hard. He radiated with glowing energy as Salvi smiled and froze Crisostomo.

"Huh?!" asked Crisostomo.

Salvi, confused, began to grow fangs. This is because he began to reject his own humanity. His envy of Crisostomo made him into what he truly is: An Aswang.

Salvi transformed into an Aswang.

He roared at Crisostomo, who backed away out of fear.

"WRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!" shouted Salvi.

"Shit!" shouted Crisostomo, as he punched Salvi in the face out of fear. He, again, radiated with golden energy.

Suddenly, some civil guards could be heard speaking nearby.

Salvi then transformed back.

"There! He took rounds of the woman!" shouted Salvi, a white man.

"No! He's lying!" cried Maria, sobbing.

"Arrest the brown man!" shouted the civil guards.

The next day, Crisostomo was put into a boat to sail away along with other prisoners... until... that night came...

Crisostomo vomited into a bucket as the smell of salt went into his mouth. "I hate traveling..." he whispered.

"Crisostomo Ibarra..." whispered a man outside his cage.

"Huh?" asked Crisostomo. "What the hell?"

Suddenly, an invisible force of some sort opened the cage.

*shoo*

*SPLAT*

Crisostomo's neck is then shot with an arrow of some sort.

"Time for you to escape, Crisostomo Ibarra," whispered the man with the cool cowboy hat.