Chapter 1

More characters:

Nappades – Nappa + Hades

Radorpheus – Raditz + Orpheus (it’s kinda silly, but Orphitz would be far worse)

***************************

– Where are we going? – Vegeteu asked, gruffly (he was getting tired of paddling, and Merkurot had started singing something stupid of "Gingano umino nakado sonohi totsude tralalalalalalah…", and only this phrase. He couldn’t understand why he was feeling he had already heard that song before, far before…)

– Oh, that way and you’ll arrive in Lazka Island – he pointed, calmly. – Just a few kilometers. Gingano… umino nakado…

"Oh, no, the damned song again…"

************

Vegeteu looked around.

– This is Lazka?

– You bet. Now we have to find the Ginyu Brothers.

– Who are they?

– Oh, they are some strange guys that have only one eye for everyone to use. So they take turns, each one looks at the light and the world while the others stay blind. They’re the only ones who knows where do the Twins live. The Twins have the Winged boots and… some other things you’ll need.

– And where can I find these damned brothers?

– Oh, I dunno, they hang around in the island, doing nothing. Some walk and we’ll find them eventually.

Quick note: Merkurot was sitting on the air, flying Buda-like.

– Yeah… walk… it’s easy for you to say… – Vegeteu muttered.

Another quick note: Vegeteu could barely move his arms, and he could see that when he found the damned Twins he wouldn’t be able to move an inch.

They did "some walking", and Vegeteu’s legs were already cramping when he suddenly felt something inside his head, like a warning saying: ‘someone is near, someone is near!!’

Merkurot pulled him easily to some bushes ("Finally he decided to use some of his ‘divine’ force", Vegeteu thought, bitterly), and they both hid behind them, Vegeteu having completely forgotten his cramping legs and sore arms, all of a sudden.

Five guys appeared, each of them odder than the other. Vegeteu held a laugh with some effort, he couldn’t even decide who was the oddest of them. One was purple and had a pair of horns, and had only one eye, a black hole where the other should have been. Other guy was orange, with big hair, and a blue tall guy, a small green and a mass of muscles with a few red hair, any of them with eyes. It seemed that Merkurot was right; they had only one eye for everyone, and took turns.

Suddenly the orange one tripped on some rocks until he reached the purple with the eye.

– Hey, Ginyu, it’s my turn now!

– No way! – shouted the green one. – My turn, I almost never use the eye!

– Obviously, you’re the weakest and the dumbest, you have no use for it! – said the blue.

– What is "dumbest"? – asked the biggest of the group, and Vegeteu thought for a second that he couldn’t be the dumbest. Simply there was no word to describe such an amount of stupidity that could be seen on his face.

– "Dumbest" is something like what you are – said the green little dwarf. – Now give me the eye!

– No, give it to me! – said the blue.

– Hey, guy, calm down, he’s your brother! – said the dumbest.

The Ginyu with the eye seemed really annoyed, and suddenly shouted…

– SHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT UUUUUUUP!!! – sudden quietness. – I think I can see something behind the bushes, but your stupid fight can’t let me concentrate!

– That’s not the problem, brotha – said the orange one. – The problem is that you don’t know how to use an eye!!!

Then the purple got furious. He took the eye from its place and held it above his own head.

– If you want the eye, catch it if you can!

All the Ginyu brothers started running around, hitting on each other, tripping, falling, cursing, and Vegeteu and Merkurot started laughing together, with no fear, because they were doing a hell of a mess, and nothing could be heard.

(Background music, Squartle and the other pokemon’s race scene from Pikachu’s vacation: O-o-o-oh, come and try to catch me, o-o-o-oh, catch me if you can, o-o-o-oh, come and try to catch me, o-o-oh catch me… if you can!)

– Know what? – said Vegeteu, smiling mischievously. – I got an idea!

Then he jumped and, just when the Ginyu brothers stopped the fight, hearing the strange noise from the bushes, he caught the eye from the purple guy.

– OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH, NOOOOOOO! SOMEONE STOLE THE EYE!!!

Vegeteu fell onto the ground safely and said:

– I have the eye! Now tell me where do the Twins live, and I’ll give it back!

Hearing his voice, the brothers started speaking carefully, turning to each other as if they were trying to see the other’s face:

– Twins? Which twins? There are so much twins in this world, how can we know what kind of twins are these? Do you know, Gurdo?

– I dunno! Please, guy, we don’t know what twins are those, so, please, give our eye back! You have two just for yourself, and don’t need another one!

– You know – Vegeteu was starting to lose his patience – the twins that have the winged boots!

– Winged boots? – the blue looked amused. – Did you hear that? Winged boots!! Hahaha, winged boots! How come someone could use them? If he does so, his feet would be above his head!!! He would fly upside down!! Hahahaha!

Vegeteu snarled.

– Well, I think that I’ll have a shiny beautiful eye for lunch today. – (actually, he thought the eye was horrible, and he felt sick only to think about eating it.)

They froze.

– NO, NO, NO, IN THE NAME OF THE GODS, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! – all of them shouted.

– The, the, the twins live in Albaza, a little isle northeast from here, now give us the eye! – pleaded the purple.

Vegeteu smiled again, decided to destroy the eye and go away, letting them blindly there, but suddenly the eye disappeared from his hand. Merkurot put it in one of them’s orbit, held his arm and flew away, quickly, and he saw himself already in the boat.

Merkurot handed him the paddle, and Vegeteu suddenly remembered how horrible were his arms and legs (they had gotten worse by now).

– Let’s go now. We have to hurry.

– Why did you do that?!?!?!?! How can we know that they told us the truth?!?!?!

– Don’t worry. They told the truth. I knew it all the time.

Vegeteu felt like the time stopped. He couldn’t find the words. Couldn’t find his voice. Couldn’t find his mind. He forced his brain to work, and finally the wisest word he could say that moment came out.

– WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Merkurot was in the water immediately.

– SO YOU BROUGHT ME HERE AND FORCED ME TO PADDLE AN ETERNITY JUST TO DISCOVER THAT YOU KNEW WHERE DOES THE #%£¢£¢ TWINS LIVE ALL THE TIME?!?!?!?!?!? – Vegeteu was desperately trying to drown Merkurot in the water, pushing his head under the boat.

– …gasp… Veg…et…gasp…teu… c-calm… d-d-down…gasp…

Vegeteu had gotten crazy. He couldn’t listen and couldn’t think. If he knew who Merkurot really was, beyond being a god and a messenger, maybe he wouldn’t be serious, but he really meant to kill the happy god now.

Suddenly Merkurot’s head disappeared from under Vegeteu’s hand, and the boat turned over.

Vegeteu found himself in the space under the boat, looking at the dark silhouette of Merkurot. He said nothing; he was too furious to think of something to say.

– Calm down, brotha. I’ll explain this to you, but, before, it’s dark inside here, isn’t it?

Then a blinding golden light suddenly exploded into the boat, revealing a golden-haired Merkurot, his innocent happy eyes turned from black to green. Vegeteu still said nothing, but now because he was too dumbfounded.

– Impressed, brave warrior? Hahahaha! – Merkurot smiled, and got serious again. – Yeah, I know it wasn’t nice to make you come here paddling alone, and when I could have told you the way to go to the Twin’s Island, but, believe me, it wasn’t my choice. Dad ordered it to be this way, he wants you to learn, to have experience, to grow; and you’re paddling alone to exercise your arms. They must be terrible by now, but you’ll get used and your arms will get stronger. And, something important.

He looked so seriously at Vegeteu that he felt unusually uncomfortable, as if the happy god could read all his thoughts.

– You forgot your arms and legs when we found the Brothers. That’s the way it has to be: forget your limits, and you’ll be stronger. We gods are strong because we don’t believe in limits; the only real difference between a god and a mortal is that a mortal dies when gets old, and a god never dies like that. That was a free tip, I wasn’t allowed to tell so much. I did so because you’re my brotha, got it? Well, we have work to do. Albaza, let’s go!

He "unturned" the boat, and Vegeteu jumped into it, still with a puzzled face.

– What do you want to know now? – asked Merkurot, smiling, turning back to his normal appearance.

– How can you turn… golden??? – he was so dumbfounded that the question sounded awfully stupid, even for himself.

– I’m a god, aren’t I? – he handed him the paddle, and Vegeteu caught it still wearing a dumbfounded face. – Now let’s go, brotha, we have a lot to do!

Vegeteu sat and started paddling, absently, thinking.

****************

Vegeteu was still absently paddling, lost in thoughts. He looked at Merkurot, that was happily singing, looking at the seabirds.

– Gingano… umino nakado… tralah, tralah, tralah…

Vegeteu sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Well, he is a god, even if he sounds idiot and too happy about my ‘destiny’…"

– Hahahahaha! – Merkurot suddenly started laughing. Vegeteu looked at him, somewhat surprised with the outburst, and noticed a strange gleam in his eyes, like the odd god knew something he couldn’t know.

– What now? – asked him, but his voice didn’t sound as annoyed as he wanted it to. Anyway, after seeing him golden, he had started to somewhat admire the happy god, how… simple he was. If he were a god, he wouldn’t be so "normal"… or abnormal.

– Well, well, I know you’re worried about your destiny, but, trust me, it’s not exactly what you think. And, even if it were, it would be worth everything… remember, you’ll find something that even the gods want, but they aren’t allowed to have. Some of them are still trying to have it, doesn’t matter the way… so precious it is, so… so incredibly… – he smiled more – …incredibly precious!…

Something in his voice and tone, and between the words, made Vegeteu start to feel warm and dizzy again, but this time the feeling was far stronger. He had to stop paddling for a while, the overwhelming warmth and vertigo almost making him pass out, his eyesight blurring momentarily in a flash of white light.

He could only see a blinding white blur waving like clouds, and everything was suddenly quiet around him. No sea, no Merkurot blabbering, no birds, no nothing. He couldn’t feel where he was sitting seconds before, the pad in his hand, and the bitter smell of the ocean disappeared. He asked himself, with some effort, if he was sick or something, and then he absently felt a light touch in both his arms when his senses started coming back, some movement, a voice… yeah, the happy god seemed to be trying to help him.

– …eteu… … … …connection… … …stronger than we thought… …ahahah…

His eyesight was clearing, and he saw the happy god laughing softly, his head against the strong sunlight. He was able to hear better, and noticed the laughing was more than soft, it was kind of… he didn’t know what.

– Yeah… it is really stronger than we all thought. I’m sorry, I should have expected it to be this way, after what happened at the beach… I did see you holding on to your sword, so you wouldn’t fall… but I didn’t expect you to really pass out.

– …I passed out?… – Vegeteu repeated, giddily, his head still spinning a little, and he noticed he was trembling, breathing hardly, and his heart pounded at his ears.

– No, fortunately you didn’t, it was only some seconds, but… you scared me to death! You really scared me, brotha! Ahahahaha…

Suddenly a light sparkled in his brain, and he instantly knew: Merkurot was scared. His fingers too trembled against his arms, that, he noticed now, he was strongly gripping, the "light touch" he felt when he was coming to. And his voice and laugh were hoarse, like he was almost crying. He breathed trembling, his eyes gleaming strangely, his face pale. He was scared to death. Worried to death. But why?…

"Does this guy really care about me so much? Do the gods really think I’m so important?"

His eyes finally focused properly, letting him notice Merkurot’s face brighten a little, and the smile turn less scared and more like the usual one he always wore at his face.

– Yeah, yeah… you seem to be better now… but I think you need some rest. And me too, after this. Hehe…

He hesitantly let go of Vegeteu’s arms (Vegeteu almost thanked him; gods are really strong, you notice this when they grip your arms) and looked at him for sometime, to see if he was feeling strong enough to hold himself. Vegeteu was still trembling, and he felt a bit more dizzy without a support, but he supported himself the best way he could, holding at the sides of the boat. He looked around. Great, he lost track of himself. Now where was the north? The south?

– …Where are we?… – he asked, weakly. He was feeling worse but decided to spare Merkurot of this information.

Merkurot made a strange face, as if he wasn’t feeling well from his stomach, and Vegeteu understood. The Supreme God wanted him to "learn"… he gave up trying to find out why, and decided to say something to Merkurot. The happy god seemed worried again, and, although he couldn’t quite place why, he didn’t like it. He tried to speak, his tongue confusedly moving…

– I, Iforgotyourfatherdidntalowyoutohelp… – he parboiled, his head spinning. He was dizzy again, but this time it was terribly different. Suddenly he saw black clouds everywhere…

Merkurot held him again, and laid him down on the bottom of the boat.

"Darn, darn! What do I do? I can’t let him here alone, to be taken away by the wind! But I can’t move him either! If I take him to another isle, it’ll be just more trouble for him! But, I have to inform Dad somehow!"

Merkurot seemed to make a decision, and jumped to the air lightly. Lifting his hands, suddenly a little isle appeared under the boat, holding it in place.

– Meeeerkurot… – Vegeteu’s voice seemed to come crawling out of his mouth, wavering, like a weak wind. – Is… is… there… – he was organizing the words with a tremendous effort. – …a… storm…??

– A storm?? Oh, in the name of my dad, what makes you think there’s a storm? – Merkurot was almost in despair, shocked. "Please don’t make him see a storm, Dad… but how would Daddy choose what he’s dreaming about if even he can’t control his fate?"

– …spinning… thunder… lightning… clouds… stars… swords… thunder…

– The hell, exactly what I was fearing! Hold on, brotha, you’re safe, at least until it starts raining! I have to see Dad and I’ll be back quickly…

– Rain… I… thirsty…

– Great! You forgot the water! And the food too! Are you hearing me?

– Yeah… you’ll… see… Dad…

Merkurot nearly fell from the sky.

– WHAT?!

Vegeteu started laughing faintly, and made some more effort to think and speak clearer.

– …sorry… I… confused… – he laughed weakly a little more. – Ya… call…me… brotha… too much…

Merkurot looked at him strangely sad, and Vegeteu would be puzzled if he saw his face, but he couldn’t see him and the god just hovered lightly.

– …go… – Vegeteu murmured.

Merkurot sighed, blasting off to the Olympus.

******************

Merkurot entered the throne room, breathing hard.

– Dad!

– No, no, you don’t need to tell me. I know what happened. – a strong voice said, echoing through the walls of the palace. – He can see the great storm. It’s obvious, it’s part of his fate.

– But…

– Yeah, he’ll need that to fulfill his destiny. He’s still too weak, but he’ll grow up quickly, trust me. By the time the storm comes, he’ll have to be stronger than anyone down there. Even if he’s not, you can still be sure that he’ll turn out to be during the outcome of the storm. Or did you forget the other part of his destiny?

– Yeah, dad, I know, I have even tried to cheer him up a bit… but when I say that he’ll find a great treasure, he just… faints.

A loud laugh came from the doors behind Merkurot, that opened themselves. Behind them, a huge man was standing, with a smirk.

The Supreme God on the throne looked rather annoyed.

– Hiya, little brother – by his voice’s tone, it seemed he was annoyed.

– Hey, that’s uncle Nappades! – Merkurot exclaimed, but he didn’t look too happy about seeing his uncle (in fact, he thought his uncle was boring and stupid).

– Don’t call me little brother, brother! You know I’m only fifty years younger than you!

– Although you look like fifty millions older – said Merkurot (that didn’t notice that he had said a grrrrrreat inconvenience).

Uncle Nappades looked at him with a terrible fury on his face, but then remembered that the young god was dumb and incredibly stronger than him. Added to that, his older brother (whose real power was unknown; he only knew that he was hell of stronger than anyone) couldn’t know that he hated al of them (quick note: the Supreme God knew that since they were little).

He tried to hide his fury and smile to the young god, but instead of that he made a strange twisted face, and Merkurot noticed himself trying to hold an outburst of laughter. He couldn’t, and Nappades’ face seemed really angry.

– Ahem – the Supreme god made both the younger gods control themselves (another quick note: Nappades really looked fifty million years older than the Supreme God).

– Well – continued Nappades, that was smirking correctly by now, and looking to Merkurot –, I think I heard you say that the stupid mortal you give so much importance to – the Supreme God’s face twisted in anger for a second, then he smiled knowingly – faints every time you talk to him about the treasure he’ll get. Is your "brotha" afraid of money? – the Supreme God smile looked even more amused.

Merkurot was also feeling amused, but this time he controlled himself very well, and made a perfectly angry face. – He is not afraid of money! – he pouted, looking to the side as if he didn’t want to look into his uncle’s face.

Nappades didn’t notice that, and felt amused himself. – Oh, I think he really is, little nephew. Looking to your face it seems you don’t want to admit. Is that mortal so good as a friend?

Merkurot said nothing, but he was laughing a lot inside his head. "Yeah, it’s good to act like a spoiled child in front of uncle Nappades! He can’t even imagine he’s making a fool of himself!"

– Well, if you want to continue pouting like a mortal child, o.k.!

Merkurot made his best not to laugh. "I think I heard grandma telling you that a few centuries ago!"

The Supreme God sighed.

– Nappades, if you came here to humiliate my son, I think you’d better go to hell.

Merkurot chuckled, and looked to the side innocently when his uncle shot a glance at him.

– I’m sorry, brother, I only came to pay a visit. There in the hell I can’t know what’s happening here in the living world. I only knew something about this mortal warrior when his mother appeared there.

– And where is she? – asked the Supreme God, calmly.

– Don’t worry, she went to the Paradise – Nappades growled. "He’d destroy me if I didn’t do my duty correctly… but the woman was too silent. She didn’t seem to like to talk… I think there’s something she didn’t confess and I couldn’t read…"

Then a terrible possibility presented itself in Nappades’ mind, and he paled.

– You’re not so idiot as I thought – said the Supreme God, holding a smile, as was Merkurot, seeing Nappades’ face pale even more. – But you’ll have to do better than that to discover who he really is, what his destiny is, and what it has to do with us, Immortals. Now go to hell.

Merkurot couldn’t hold it any longer and laughed, almost crying. Nappades growled a bit more, and disappeared in a cloud of sulfurous smoke.

– Why does he have to leave this smell behind? – asked Merkurot, his nose and mouth into his jacket.

– I don’t know – said the Supreme God. – Maybe he likes it. Or likes the fact that we don’t like it. Yeah, your uncle is really stupid. He can’t even imagine what Vegeteu is. And you’re right if you think that Vegeteu faints because of the connection. He can feel it, deep inside, and the nearer he is from his destiny, the stronger the feeling gets.

– So, is there anything more I have to know of or may I go back and help him a bit?

– Well, stop talking about the "treasure" a bit. If you keep reminding him of the connection, he won’t be able to forget it and will feel dizzy and his head light forever.

– Hey, dad, you don’t need to exaggerate…

– I mean forever, boy. But he must like it anyway… I know what’s that. Hehe… ah, and don’t tell him about the storm. He’ll have to face it when it comes. And be careful with what you tell him. He can’t know too much, you know it perfectly. As for the rest, you’re doing all right. Only quit calling him "brotha". You’re confusing him.

– Oh, dad, c’mon, that’s colloquial speech! He knows that, and I like to call him brotha! He doesn’t care, anyway… – he took out his jacket and tied it around his waist.

The Supreme God sighed.

– Teenagers… go, go. – Merkurot turned to leave. – Hey, where did you find that strange shirt of yours?

Now that Merkurot was without jacket, a group of one boy (with a tremendous amount of hair) and some beautiful girls could be seen on the back of his shirt: Radorpheus and the Muses.

– Oh, dad, didn’t you know that Radorpheus created a new music style?

– Your brother is crazy or what?

– No, dad, it’s really famous down there, people like it. It’s called rock and roll and it’s very nice! He’s been teaching some guys called John Lennon and Paul McCartney how to play it…

**************

Merkurot arrived to the point of the sea where he had left Vegeteu. He cursed under his breath; it was raining and the boat was completely full of water. Vegeteu was sleeping calmly (under the water…), bubbles coming out of his mouth.

With a movement of his hand, the water went out of the boat, and he shoved Vegeteu lightly.

– Vegeteu… wake up… Teeeeeeu!!

Vegeteu woke up feeling no better than he felt before finally passing out, sometime after Merkurot went to see Dad… oh, no, the Supreme God. Before passing out, he had a lot of visions about storms, strong winds, stars shining on the sky, although there were clouds above them. "Clouds above the stars?… c’mon, Vegeteu, you were dreaming… aaaaaahhhh, myyyyy heeeeaaaad…"

He blinked, trying to see something – his eyesight was blurry and dark – and saw the dark silhouette of the happy god, smiling dumbly. "Ooooooohhhh noooooo…"

– You woke up!! – he said. – Finally, I was starting to get scared again!

Vegeteu sighed, and Merkurot sat down on the boat.

– Well, Dad said you’re doing well, but you could be better. He also told me to quit calling you brotha, but I don’t feel like it. You understand me, right?

Vegeteu sighed again and looked to the side, still feeling too weak to stand up.

– Yeah, it’s not nice to be weak and dizzy, principally when you’re on the middle of the ocean. Dad told me that mortals feel this way when they have strong visions… and inexperienced gods also have these kind of problems. I used to pass out a lot when I was a little boy. That was some centuries ago… I don’t remember well, I think it was two… I looked like a teenager for a mortal, but I was still a "pre-teenager child" for the gods. You know, it takes a lot of time for us gods to get older. I’m still a teenager, did you know? Teenage hood takes us four centuries or something. To the gods, you’d have just gotten teenager, maybe half a divine-year ago, although you look like sixteen, seventeen mortal years old. How old are you?

Vegeteu was really angry.

– I’m twenty eight years old!!!!!! – he tried to scream, but could only lift his voice a little.

– Are you sure?

– Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…

Vegeteu looked to the side again, not wanting to be remembered about his short height, and started to think about the visions he had had. He had had visions of Merkurot and another guy that looked somewhat like him, both screaming "BROTHA!!!", and there was a beautiful dark-spiked-haired woman, gleaming on the sky, outrageous power around her. He saw himself, looking hypnotized or something, wearing a strange type of crown in his forehead; the crown had a blue jewel, that shone, and he just stood there, eyes open and empty. Suddenly, he had lifted his head, slowly, as if he was dreaming, and closed his eyes, and suddenly everything exploded. His visions had went on for seemingly hours, until he finally passed out, and now, he wanted to know what time was it.

– You slept a lot – said Merkurot, suddenly. – It’s already night. Although it’s kinda’ my fault; I spent too much time discussing things with my Father, you know.

Vegeteu then noticed that things weren’t dark because of his eyes. He sighed again, somewhat relieved, and tried to lift himself to continue paddling, but he was still weak.

– We have to go on – he murmured, and Merkurot sighed.

– I can’t help you, brotha… sleep some more and you’ll be alright tomorrow. We have time.

His aching head, his weakness and the sound of the waves caused him to drift slowly into dreams. And that night, he dreamt about the most beautiful creature he had ever seen in all his life. He felt like he had known her all his life, but even so he wouldn’t be able to look at another thing that wasn’t her. She was… she was… she was…

He felt the warm feeling overwhelm his senses again, but he didn’t pass out, since he was sleeping. It was so soft he felt like he was melted metal inside, but he could only stare at her, only her… he was certain he would never, ever forget the light that shone into her eyes, and her soft skin glowing under the moonlight and the stars, and her divine figure dancing, flowers blooming around her, her soft voice singing…

***********

Merkurot woke up, yawning, and looked to Vegeteu, only to see that he was already paddling, furiously, the boat lightly touching the water’s surface, so great was the velocity.

– Did you get crazy?… – he asked, still asleep, with a yawn.

Vegeteu did look crazy. His arm’s muscles worked full of energy, his face gleaming with a strange happiness, and he wore a half-smile, a strong light shining in his wide-opened eyes.

"He looks like the dumb happiness of love itself", thought Merkurot, yawning again, and suddenly a light shone into his brain.

– Hey, brotha, did you sleep well?

Vegeteu stopped paddling, and looked at the sky with a stupid smile, blushing, and Merkurot could almost see some hearts hovering around his head.

– Don’t tell me you dreamt about a woman…

– …dancing between the flowers and beside a lake, wearing a silk dress… her eyes were shining and she was singing… – he started paddling even more furiously, the boat almost flying, and he looked even more crazy.

Merkurot sighed. "Just what I needed… he’s in love with a dream!!! Well, wasn’t it kind of what Dad wanted? I think it’s ok, but he looks sooooo stupid!! That’s funny…"

– Where are we going? – asked Merkurot, rubbing his eyes.

– I’ve no idea! – the mortal warrior answered as if it wasn’t important. – We’re going somewhere, for sure.

"They had said ‘Love will guide him through all the barriers and all the way’, but I didn’t think it would be so serious…"

– Poor you… – Merkurot said, yawning again, and rubbing his eyes again. He was strong, but he wasn’t so used to sleep into boats. – Gingano… umino nakado… sonohi totsude… tralalah, tralah, tralah…

– HEY! – Vegeteu stopped paddling, and looked at him, wide-eyed. – The girl in my dream was singing something like this!

– Really? – Merkurot answered, absently.

– Yeah, and I know I heard this song before, sometime when I was a child!!! – he pointed at the happy god, as if the poor teenage divinity had done something wrong.

– Really?! – this time Merkurot looked far more interested.

– Yes! – he moved his head affirmatively. – And now I remember it completely. It’s called Hikari no Tabi… my mother told me about it, it’s really old. Now I remember… why couldn’t I remember it before?

– I was trying to remember it too – said Merkurot. – But although I tried to memorize it when I was little, I can only remember the first phrase… Gingano… umino tralalah… now I forgot the rest. What was it? Nakedo? Nakada?

– I remember it entirely – said Vegeteu, a strange look on his face. – I heard the beginning in my dream, and now I remember it entirely.

Hikari ga umare
Haruka na tabi wo tsuzuke boku no ue ni
Ima tadoritsuku

Kikasete nagai toki wo kote kita
Kibou to omoide
Boku-ra ga umareru mae kagayaita
Kawaranu yume Kienai ai
Kimi ni

– I don’t remember what does the song mean, I don’t remember what language is that… and I can’t understand why should I know a music that is known even to the gods!

– You’re special – Merkurot stated. – Just it. Let’s go on.

– I still want an explanation – Vegeteu pouted, paddling again, as if he knew exactly where he was going.

************

– FINALLY!!! – Vegeteu shouted, jumping to the isle. – I’m stepping on something solid!

– Yeah, how are your arms?

– I prefer not to think about it. Where are the damned Twins?

– Hey, don’t speak about them like this! And don’t forget that you’ll have to find them by yourself!

– Ahwn… – Vegeteu grumbled, and started walking.

"You are here… finally…"

– Ahn?! – Vegeteu couldn’t believe what he had heard. "That voice…"

– Wha’s’up, brotha?

– I heard… her… WHERE IS SHE?!?

Vegeteu turned to Merkurot and started shaking him back and forth.

– I heard her voice, where is she, where is she?!??!? WHERE IS SHE?!?!?!

– I… heard nothing…

Vegeteu sighed, and turned back to the way. "I could swear… I heard her voice… she was calling ME!!! Oh, I’m being stupid. She’s only a dream… but it was so real… I felt like I was there… like I knew her since the beginning of time… like… what the hell am I thinking?!"

He started walking again, somewhat angry, and Merkurot smiled.

"It’s near, I’m sure. I’d like to tell him that, but I’ll be damned if he pass out again." He noticed that Vegeteu was walking slowly again, like he was thinking or distracted. "I hope he isn’t passing out…"

– Do they live on that house over there? – he pointed to a house, on the top of a hill.

Merkurot almost fell backwards. "Boy!! He does have some talent to find places he never went to!!"

Vegeteu started walking up the hill, but a beautiful blond girl appeared suddenly in front of him.

– Hey, took you two long enough! Where have you been?

As Vegeteu made a confused face, the blond girl turned to Merkurot.

– Oh, sorry, I forgot he doesn’t know too much. He’s gonna kill the Freeduza, isn’t he? Well, come over here, boy, you don’t have time.

They entered the house, and the girl shouted:

– SEVENTEEEEEEEEEEEEN!!! That jerk must be playing Tomb Rider again. Wait a little, I’ll knock him out of the computer. SEVENTEEEEEEEEN!! – she went upstairs.

– What is she talking about? – Vegeteu looked completely confused.

– God things. You’ll have time to know about them.

She came down the stairs, pulling a dark-haired boy by the hair. They really seemed to be brothers. – Hey, bro, Vegeteu’s here!

– But, Eighteen, I haven’t even saved the data yet! If Lara Croft dies it’ll be your f… what did you say??? Vegeteu???

He straightened himself and looked at the warrior, that had the most confused face you could imagine.

– Hey, he really looks like…

– Where are the winged boots?

– Why would he want the winged boots?

– BECAUSE HE KNOWS NOTHING ‘BOUT OUR BUSINESS!!

– Oh, yeah, I forgot… they’re upstairs into the closet, ora.

– I’ll go get them.

Eighteen went upstairs again and Seventeen looked at Merkurot.

– HI, FRIEND!!!

– HI, GUY!!! GIMME A HUG!!

Seventeen grabbed Merkurot by the throat and started strangling him, both laughing (and Vegeteu thinking "Where have I come to?"), then Eighteen came downstairs again, holding a pair of winged boots, a pair of silver knuckles and a strange silky gray cloak, that shimmered under the light.

– Here are some things you’ll need on your way. The winged boots, that you already know… they’ll make you feel lighter. These are the iron knuckles…

– HEY, THEY’RE MINE!!! – Seventeen was furious.

– You broke my sound-system with my favorite CD inside, so they’re not yours anymore. Anyway, Vegeteu, the iron knuckles will make your punches hurt more. Here you can see they’ll cover the back of your hands with iron, but the palm of your hands will be covered by this cloth; they protect your hands from heat, but your fingers won’t be covered, so that you’ll have free movements…

Vegeteu decided not to say something stupid, so he just moved his head affirmatively.

– And this cloak is mine, be careful with it. It’ll make you invisible, but maybe some powerful eyes can see through it… anyway it’ll be useful if you find yourself among people and don’t want witnesses…

– Uh… thanks.

– Let’s see if they fit you well! – Merkurot pushed Vegeteu to the couch and started pulling his left boot.

– LEAVE ME IN PEACE!!! I CAN PUT ON BOOTS BY MISELF!!!! – Vegeteu kicked the poor happy god and put the winged boots on, angrily.

Then he stood up.

– INCREDIBLE!!! – the warrior shouted, stomping on the floor. – My feet aren’t killing me anymore!

Seventeen lifted one of his old and worn-out boots, and turned it upside down, slowly, seeing a trail of blood stain the carpet. – You really needed a comfortable boot…

– Tell me about.

– Hey, brotha, why don’t you try to fly? – asked Merkurot, receiving a surprised look from the blond twin. – Hey, there’s nothing wrong in calling him brotha, haven’t you heard about colloquial speech?

– Yeah, ok… but are you… – started Eighteen.

– No, there’s nothing to do with that! Ain’t I right, broth… where is he?

– On the ceiling – Seventeen said, looking to the ceiling.

They looked up and Vegeteu was flying, wonder-struck. That was incredible, marvelous! He felt like he could have done that all his life.

– He… uh… learned quicker than I thought possible – Merkurot stuttered.

– That guy has future – said Eighteen, without noticing the knowing glances that Merkurot and Seventeen shot at each other, with a smile.

– Yeah, a great future! Hey, brotha, come back here! – Vegeteu hovered down, without touching the floor. – Now put on the knuckles and the cloak!

He tested the knuckles on the wall ("Ok, we needed another window anyway…") and fastened the cloak around his neck.

– To be invisible – said Eighteen – you’ll have to cover your head with the hood and your body with the cloak, then your image will magically disappear. Only people with the strongest magical powers will be able to see you, and there aren’t a lot of them, fortunately. Even if the cloak is tore, it’ll be able to hide you, but not if it’s too damaged.

Vegeteu moved his head affirmatively, serious. He touched the floor, and looked outside through the hole he made on the wall, seeing how the sky was getting dark.

– It’s getting late. I think it’s time to start the real journey.

– Yeah, we have to go. Bye, Seventy, Eighty! I’ll be back.

Both jumped out through the hole on the wall, and started walking. This time, Merkurot wanted to walk too.

– Save your boots to the times you really need it, ok? Save ki.

– ?_? – and there they went.

Eighteen laughed softly.

– That boy really has future, don’t you think, dear brother?

– Yeah… – Seventeen was chuckling uncontrollably, and suddenly started laughing loudly.

– Seventeen, you know something I don’t know!!

– Eigh…

– You know!! Tell me!!! NOW!!!

– But Merk…

– Uuuuuuuuhg, that air-headed god told you something and didn’t told me!! HE’LL KNOW MY WRATH!!

– WAAAAAIT!!! Merkurot told me in secret, and he couldn’t have done it. It’ll be better for them if few people know, because what we know, even the poor Vegeteu can’t know for now.

– You said a lot of "knows"… but ok, I won’t ask more. But I’ll want the truth when this is all over, ok?

– Ok!

***************

– Yeah, now just a bit more and you’ll find your destiny!

– Heh. I hope I’ll survive it. Anyway, you helped me a bit.

– A bit?

– Ok, a lot. But you’re really strange, always calling me "brotha"… I have nothing against it, but you saw the blonde’s face. She seemed confused.

– Hey, brotha?…

– Uhn.

– …good luck. – Merkurot said, softly. – And goodbye.

– Uhn?!

Vegeteu looked around, quickly, but Merkurot had just disappeared in thin air.

– He is gone – the warrior muttered, feeling suddenly alone. Like when his mother died, a few months ago. Although they met just a few days ago, he really felt like the happy god was his brother…

"So, this is the end of the beginning. My destiny is near. I have to go to the east… well, let’s just walk through the isle and find somewhere to sleep this night."

He wandered through the forest for sometime, and looked to the sky, noticing how late it was.

– Yeah… let’s sleep.

Suddenly, a faraway shout broke the silence.

– AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

– Wha’s that?! – Vegeteu almost jumped, and ran to the sound, hearing the sound of metal against metal, and a woman voice shouting, the sound of someone running getting near.

Suddenly, the sound was in front of him. – But wha…

– AAAAAAH!!! – he only noticed a pair of incredibly blue eyes sparkling under the moonlight, white flash shining, and someone hit against him, both falling to the ground, the other person upon him.

– But who are… – he stuttered, confused. His coal black eyes met a pair of blue jewels, and he instantly felt like he was pulled and drowned inside them.

And then he knew nothing more, only that he was feeling something that was too similar to a stupendous happiness.

***************