Many years ago, during the wide-spread scourge known as World War II, a God of great power had fallen in love with a mortal. 

Of course, that was the story when it came to all demi-gods… some divine being wanted to tango with a mortal. It would not be the first time that happened.

Alas, this case was extraordinary. Unlike any other.

The demi-god child which was meant to be born… did not. Now, failed pregnancies happen from time to time. It was natural. However, the child had not died. Nor was it ever ready to be born - not yet, for that matter. Its existence was still forming.

Now, this woman went on to have relations with another man. Perfectly human. From this union, a daughter would come to be. This daughter would be exceptionally talented, focusing on her studies and eventually her career. At the age of twenty-five, she was still a virgin…

And yet, she had gradually become more visibly pregnant. Pregnant with whose child? She had no bloody idea, at all. She lived alone, didn't go out to parties, or talk to men when it's not work-related. She was solely focused on herself… So how could this be?

A miracle… a true miracle.

~

Many, many, many, years after that.

At a pub in London.

"King James, drinking his sorrows away." Rokas chuckled, walking up to him and wrapping his arm around his neck after sitting down next to his left. "Which goddess rejected you this time?"

"Which goddess would be foolish enough to reject King James?" James raised an eyebrow, elbowing him away. "Nah, I'm just chilling."

Jingle~

The bell on top of the entrance door to the pub rang, announcing the arrival of another guest.

"The weather's pretty shit today, eh." Dennis walked in, shaking his head like a wet dog. "Pouring cats and dogs out there."

"Should've brought an umbrella." Harry, walking in after Dennis, folded his umbrella, and sat down next to James. "Always expect the worst with British weather."

"We should've met up in Cali, for real." Rokas lamented. "Maybe pulled up to Camp Half-Blood or Camp Jupiter."

"Just because your geeky ass doesn't like to drink…" James rolled his eyes. "And not even for old time's sake."

"Drinking alcohol is rather pointless." 

"One shot of that Vodka, boss man." Dennis slammed his fist on the table, before grinning at Rokas. "Not all of us are pussies."

"Coming right up."

"Harry?" James glanced at him, tilting his head slightly. "Don't be like Rokas."

"Sure." Harry chuckled. "For old time's sake."

"Come on, don't be a wasteman. Even Mr goody-two-shoes is drinking up." James nudged Rokas. "I swear, you always become the funniest person alive whenever you get drunk."

"Fine." Rokas rolled his eyes. "Get me a shot of Vodka, too."

"By the way, the whole tab is on you, Mr Millionaire." James chuckled, turning away with a slight grin, before facing the others. "So, my brothers, feel free to drink as much as you'd like."

"Sounds good to me." Dennis laughed. "I'll drink till I'm full!"

"I fear for Rokas' bank account." Harry remarked, raising his eyebrows. 

"Heh… the tab's always on me which I don't mind at all. Though… for all your victories, you can't seem to keep any of your treasures, James." Rokas smiled slightly, grabbing his glass. "Brokie."

"Listen… I invest all my treasures." James came up with an excuse, shrugging his shoulders. "My investments just happen to go south. It's just bad luck."

"I don't know, man… spending a million bucks on lottery tickets and failing to win anything sounds like you made a stupid decision." Rokas chuckled. "You just keep buying and buying, determined to win at least once."

"Shut up, your lucky ass won the lottery in a single fucking try. What kind of bullshit is that?"

"Just built different, innit." Rokas grinned. "You shouldn't try to one-up me when it comes to money."

"Yeah, Rokas' luck and fortune when it comes to wealth ain't something you can match." Harry remarked with a smile, patting James's shoulder. "It's okay, mate. Rokas can't pull girls like you can."

"Hmph, damn right." James nodded. 

"Feeding his ego to make him happy." Dennis laughed. "It's a bloody blessing you man have a Praetor that knows how to manage finances. Otherwise, Camp Jupiter would be a homeless shelter by now!"

"Pfft." Rokas almost spit out his drink. "On fucking god."

"That's so ironic coming from you." James rolled his eyes. "Rocky, you're pretty much the absolute opposite of Jesus."

"Heh…"

"To think that all this crazy shit started with one dream… Rokas wanting to go to a Lakers game." Harry remarked. "Man, all the adventures started from there. Imagine if we had never left home?"

"I would've retired as football's GOAT." James chuckled. "Alas…"

"Fuck your football." Dennis countered, shaking his head. "Life got a LOT more interesting. I couldn't imagine a world without all the mythology bullshit."

"Swear down. Finding out who my father was life-changing." Rokas agreed. "I found my true self. Before that… I had no idea of who I wanted to be or what path I wanted to tread upon. I was lost and caged by my own lack of confidence."

"I think… it all turned out for the better." Harry added, nodding. "We've all grown so much since then."

"Hell yeah." Dennis agreed, raising his cup. "Let's have a toast to that!"

"To the Quaternity." Harry smiled with joy, raising his cup.

"To the weirdest group of four men in the world." Dennis added. "And the fucking coolest."

"To Man United winning the Premier League." James added, raising his. "And to the lads."

"To me buying the Los Angeles Lakers." Rokas nodded, grinning slightly as he joined in last. "And to my brothers! Though we may not be related by blood, our bond runs just as deep as it was forged in the fires of endless battle, struggle and companionship. We've gone through hell and back for each other and overcome impossible odds time and time again. We're relentless, determined and fucking unstoppable!"

"We are the Quaternity!"

"Jesus Christ, this man's speeches really went from zero to a hundred in all these years." James pointed out, chuckling as he raised his. "Drink up, my brothers!"

They joined their drinks together.

"Cheers!"

And drank up.

~ 

Where it all began.

Rokas I.

The flight from London to Los Angeles was eleven hours and thirty minutes long… 

Now, fortunately, we all had beds to sleep in. I made sure not to catch a lot of sleep the previous night so it wasn't too hard for me to sleep through most of the flight. And, eventually, we made it to LA safely.

Everyone clapped like idiots as we successfully landed.

Even I clapped… my heart was racing slightly.

For so many reasons. 

First, I was going to be living in the City of Angels for a brief while. 

Secondly, I was going to watch the Lakers (my favourite team by FAR) and Kobe Bryant playing the Cavaliers. Lebron versus Kobe is worth over twenty hours of flight time… at least for me. It was a blessing—just watching them through TV. I couldn't imagine how great it would be in person. 

Fuck football, basketball and the NBA was where my heart laid. 

Thirdly… the beaches.

I loved beaches.

And… sexy girls in bikinis, to boot.

(Though, I'd still be considered a minor in this country… sooo…)

Need I say more?

Who knows, I might even find the love of my life here…

Though, eleven hours and a half hours in flight-time sounds like a VERY long-distance relationship. 

We gathered up after landing, taking out our luggages and waiting for the stairs to be prepared. Then, we went right out from the front. Yes, I had bought front row seats for my boys. I was somewhat rich thanks to my mother.

(By somewhat, I mean VERY fucking rich.)

It was midnight at this point and dark as hell.

"Fucking hell, that flight was killing me." Dennis stretched himself at the bottom of the plane. "I couldn't sleep for shit half the time. And that fucking baby in the back… Oh, I wanted to, well, silence it. Then I had some shitty paralysis demon nightmare the one time I did manage to sleep."

"I know, I know." James chuckled. "Why the fuck would you take your toddler on an eleven hour flight? When that bastard finally went to sleep, I breathed a sigh of relief."

"The kid wasn't that bad." Harry remarked. "And I slept pretty well, for that matter."

"Of course you fucking did." Dennis rolled his eyes.

"I slept pretty well too." Rokas added, stroking his chin. "It really sounds like skill issue on your part."

"Yeah, well… we're in the City of Angels now." James grinned slightly, looking up at the sky and the sights in the distance. All the lights… it truly was a city that didn't sleep. We all felt a sense of admiration for it, I could tell that much. "It was all worth it. The bitch Caroline broke up with me just on time, too. I can explore my options here, hahaha. Maybe beach sex is on the menu…"

Caroline… was a sensitive topic when it came to James. Although he made it sound like he didn't care, I believed he was still hurt with the loss. She was his first and, so far, only girlfriend. They were together for four years, even. 

When I thought of an ideal couple, they always came to mind. Sadly… they had a falling out due to their different ambitions. 

One wanted to be a student at Oxford, the other a football superstar. From what I know, James wanted to keep her close while she was determined to strive for her goals. There was more to that, I'm sure… though, I didn't want to delve too deep into his love life. That was his personal matter.

"This is what happens when Caroline doesn't keep you on a leash." Dennis remarked, shaking his head. He had a slight grin on his face.

"We're considered minors here, James." Harry added. "Not at all past the age of consent."

"I'll say I'm eighteen, innit fam." James shrugged his shoulders. "Who gives a shit? It's like a year and some months of difference. And I'm a young man. We all dream of shagging older women."

"Yeah, say that to the Government." Dennis chuckled. "Horny bastard."

"Ya'll some sterilised losers sometimes, I swear." James scoffed. "Rokas, you agree with me, don't you?"

"You should really get back with Caroline." I replied.

"Oh my days… fuck all of you man. Really." James rolled his eyes. "I won't get into that, not on our vacation. Let's just get out of this airport and straight to the hotel."

…

The security was surprised to see four minors all together. However, when I presented the hotel reservation, the large sum of cash I had brought with me for the journey and everything else needed to validate our entrance, we were let in with smiles. James tried to rizz up the female security guard but failed spectacularly. 

From there on, we got a bus that would stop practically at the door of the hotel. 

And, of course, the first thing James did was to flirt with the receptionist. 

"My beautiful lady, we have a reservation at this hotel." James put the documents on the desk, winking at the female receptionist. "Two hotel rooms for three kids and one adult in total."

The worst part of all this was that you needed to be an adult to reserve a hotel… and, well, neither of us were adults. The idea was to pass Dennis off as the adult. 

"Adult…? Which one of you is the adult?" She raised an eyebrow, looking at all four of us. We all looked very much under the age of eighteen except for Dennis. He was a bit over six foot tall and muscled like a madman with a pretty nice beard. He was bigger than most men. 

"Can I see the ID?"

"Sure thing. My friend here, the tall one, is the adult among us. We call him big bro." James took out Dennis' passport, presenting it to her with a confident smile as he leaned against the desk. "Dennis Mertvago, born in 1989."

"..." She took a closer look, reading through the details. She seemed to hesitate before looking up at James who winked with a charming smile. It was very clearly written 1991 but she nodded nonetheless. "I see. Very well, give me a few minutes and I'll make the arrangements."

"Take as much time as you need, love." James grinned slightly, turning away. He looked at us and came closer, whispering. "See? Easy peezy lemon fackin squeezy, lads."

"How the fuck can you fly out for eleven hours but can't reserve a hotel at the age of sixteen?" Dennis frowned slightly. "Shit doesn't make any sense."

"Yeah… Americans are not known for their intelligence." James chuckled. "It's just a failed English colony. I mean, you can't even drink until twenty-one… like, what? You can drive cars, grab a gun and go to war, have kids at eighteen… but can't drink? Pfft, fucking diabolical. You, Rokas, have me to thank for being a W mans."

"Worst-case scenario, we would've had to be homeless for a few days." I remarked, shrugging my shoulders. "As long as we get to the Lakers game… it doesn't matter."

"This Lakers superfan." James chuckled. "Well, it is your sixteenth birthday week. You're the boss man as long as we're here. Truthfully, without you, we wouldn't even be here. We're going wherever you're going. You're the Captain."

"... Thanks." I smiled slightly. I wasn't the most confident of people… but when I was with my best friends, I felt energised by them. A different person. A… free person. I could express my true self more. "That means a lot to me."

"James is right." Dennis nodded. "You're the boss man. If you want to go to the Beach, we're going to the beach. If you want to go to San Francisco or some other shit, we're going there too. Actually… I'd like to see that big red bridge."

"The Golden Gate Bridge." Harry added.

"Yes, that one."

"If you want to go to a stripclub, we're going to a stripclub." James grinned slightly, tilting his head and glancing at me.

"James…" Harry sighed.

Hell no.

"It's not all about me, though." I countered, shaking my head. "We're all on vacation together. We should do things we all like and relax properly before the horrors of GCSE's creep up onto us."

"Yeah…" Dennis shivered slightly. "GCSE's… exams… don't remind me."

"Hahahaha, that's the one thing Harry and I do not have to worry about." James laughed. "We're the Grade A**** fucking G's."

"If you need help with anything school related, just tell me and I'd be happy to help." Harry remarked, turning to Dennis with a sincere look. He was always so kind. A real pleasure to be around, honestly. "Anything at all."

"Yeah I know…" Dennis frowned slightly. "But… I like to do it on my own. What's the point if it's handed to me? I don't learn anything."

"I could tutor you."

"Now, for a service like that… I'd charge some p's." James chuckled. "Harry, you're not hustling right."

"A brother should always help another in need-" Harry replied.

"Shut up, James, you absolute neek." Dennis countered. "If you weren't good at football and popular, you'd be the biggest nerd in our school."

"It's called striving for greatness, my friend."

And before the conversation could go any further, they were interrupted.

"I've got it all set up for you." The female receptionist joined them, handing over two keys. "These are for your apartments in Floor seven; rooms nine and eight. Be sure to enjoy your stay. The all-inclusive meals are prepared on the second floor at seven to nine AM, one to three PM and seven to ten PM. There is also a snack area that opens at noon and lasts until six PM. Sadly, at this time, food won't be served until morning."

"We'll sort that out as we go along." James nodded. "Thank you, my lady."

"You're welcome. Please enjoy your stay."

"Oh, we will."

…

I stood at the balcony, observing all the skyscrapers and the brilliant sights in the middle of the night. It was so… relaxing. In the distance, I saw the beautiful beach and its waves crashing against the coast. Its waters glistened like starlight.

I wanted to be there…

Just chilling.

'This is the life.'

As I was lost in thought, 

"It's a dream come true, isn't it, dear?" My mother, Aurelija, floated by my side as a glowing royal purple ghost.

"Yes, mother… I've never been so excited in my life." I bet my eyes were glistening just like the beach's waters. I spoke in a low voice, one that only she should be able to hear. "It feels like a whole new world opened up to me."

"... You're just like me." Aurelija chuckled. "Basketball is in our blood, dear. In Lithuania, we call it our second religion. Why do you think a small country of only three million people is so good at it?"

"Imagine if we had a bigger population…" I sighed, shaking my head. "Team USA would be shitting bricks."

My mother smiled. "Indeed, they would."

In truth, I didn't just want to watch…

I wanted to play in the NBA. Not just play, I wanted to be great. The greatest of all time… it's a thought that has always lingered on my mind. Leading the Lakers to a Dynasty that would span decades, earning all the praise of the entire world and becoming a historical figure that would never ever be forgotten. 

Though, in a league of giants, how could someone like me belong? I was too short, too unathletic.

I could never make it there…

It was the most painful truth of my existence.

Oh, yeah… you must be asking, why is my dead mother floating beside me?

Honestly, I hardly know. It all began when my mother died. My father was never (and I mean never) there so she had to work twice as hard to take care of me when I was born. Originally, she was a career-focused woman who apparently had no boyfriends or love interests whatsoever. I don't even know my father's name or what he was like… she never ever talked about him. Like he never existed.

Through her struggles and determination, she built up such a great fortune so that I could live a nice, peaceful life without any struggles.

And then… I lost her to cancer.

I cried so much that day… and then she came to me. From that point onwards, I started seeing ghosts and even made friends with a few. This is a secret that I haven't shared with anyone, not even James, Dennis, or Harry. They'd probably think I've lost my mind.

She has accompanied me the entire time from the point of her death… and for that, I am truly grateful. My mother was my whole damn world and the most beautiful, sweetest, loving, caring mother that ever lived. I don't think I could've ever smiled again if I had truly lost her.

"Who do you think is winning?" My mother asked.

"Kobe Bryant is dropping forty points and hitting a game-winner over Lebron's face." I replied confidently.

"Lebron James is truly in his prime this year… leaping into the air like he has wings." She countered, stroking her chin. "He has a great feel for the game and while his team is generally worse, he can carry them to victory through both his scoring and passing. I believe Lebron's transcendence will lead the Cavaliers to a smooth victory over your Los Angeles Lakers."

"We'll see." I pouted slightly. "We'll see…"

Being a Lakers fan, how could I possibly bet against them? Don't get me wrong, I admired Lebron James and he was my second favourite player to watch… but as far as I was concerned, he was a rival of my team.

~

Year Five of Primary School, when I was just a little over ten years old. I had transferred schools due to my mother moving out of our old house and buying a new, better home. It was much larger than the old one so I didn't complain.

Though… that meant I had no friends whatsoever. In my old school, I had a friend group which I had grown attached to. Nothing seemed the same. 

I got put into a special class for kids with Dyslexia which included Harry, James, Dennis and me. Apparently those three had known eachother since reception so even then I was somewhat of an outcast.

I wasn't good at making friends, either. I preferred to stay to myself which meant that the only way I'd get any friends was if they actively tried to be around me. That was as rare as diamond… So here I was.

Little me sat on my own, looking forward to enjoying my capri-sun drink. It was the latter half of lunchtime and the water just wasn't doing it for me anymore. I liked sweet things… soda, juice, cakes, chocolate, fruits, practically everything that had a sweet taste to it. Though, I didn't like things that were too sweet. Like those somewhat bitter candies with sugar sprinkled all over them. Ew, hated those. Still do.

Now, this was where one could say that the Quaternity truly began… It went like this.

Some kid snatched the capri-sun out of my hand, running away.

"Hey…-" I stood up, hesitating slightly. Never was the confrontational type.

I still ran after him but two other boys made a wall, blocking my path. They pushed me down and laughed.

"Fatty can't run so fast, can he?"

"Look at Rock-Ass on the floor, hahaha."

"Give me back my drink." I frowned slightly, trying to get up.

"It's Abdi's drink now." One of them pushed me back down. He looked around to see if there were any teachers around. There weren't. "Let's punch him up a bit."

'...'

They started kicking and punching wildy… so I blocked my face and took the beating. Honestly, it didn't hurt that much. It was like getting hit by a pillow. But… I hated being on the ground. I hated being bullied. Was it too much to ask to be left alone?

"You little rats, ganging up on my boy!"

Someone arrived on the scene, like a hero, and they all withdrew.

"James…" One of them remarked.

"If it isn't Abdi. Oh… that Capri-sun is cherry flavoured, isn't it? Haven't tried one of those yet." James stroked his chin, grinning slightly. "I want it."

"Someone's picking fights out here!?" Dennis joined in on the fun, smirking. "I want in! Let's go… now!"

"...Uh… no." Abdi chuckled. His other two friends also got nervous. "You can have the Capri-sun… we were just playing a friendly game of tag."

"Typical, pussies." Dennis scoffed. 

"Give me that Capri-sun." James snatched it from Abdi's hands and turned back to me, walking back. "Here you go, mate."

Back then, I hardly knew him. He was the popular guy at school and I was the guy sitting in the far corner, minding my own business. I wanted to ask why.

"Take it, it's yours, isn't it?" James tilted his head.

"Well… yeah." I nodded, hesitating slightly as I took it.

"Cherry-flavoured. You have good taste." 

"Yo… wait up!" Dennis ran after Abdi like a cheetah, chasing him down. Then, in the corner of my eye, I saw him grab Abdi by the shirt. "You ever want to bully someone, come to me! I'd love it."

"I… I would never bully anyone… especially not you, Dennis." Abdi stuttered.

"... Well, then. If you bully people who don't fight but run away from those who do… what does that make you?" Dennis questioned, letting him go. 

"I don't know…"

"A pussy."

Dennis punched him, cleanly, straight in the chest right after, dropping him to his knees. He spit out a mouthful of saliva and even struggled to breath for several seconds as a result of the heavy punch.

"I hate people like you." Dennis turned around.

"I-I'm telling a teacher… you'll get in trouble." Abdi stated, frowning deeply as he looked up.

"Like I care, go cry your eyes out, loshara." Dennis shrugged as he insulted the boy in his mother tongue.

"..." Abdi got up to his feet, running away. "You'll get in trouble!"

My eyes widened… I had never seen someone get dropped to his knees like that in a single punch. 

"Why?" I questioned. "Why help me?"

"We're in the same class, remember?" James tilted his head. "That special class… the one about dyslexia. We're going to be in it for the rest of the year so it's good to get used to being friends, no?"

"Oh…" I lowered my head. He wanted to be friends with me? I had hardly ever heard such a thing. "Thank you."

"I just wanted a fight." Dennis scratched his hair. "They really didn't, though."

"Heh…" James chuckled. "Dennis the Menace never changes. Your name is Rokas, isn't it?"

"Yes…" I nodded.

"Rock-Ass is such a silly nickname." James shook his head. "You got a really cool name and they're just jealous because they have such common names. Anyway, it's a pleasure to formally meet you, Rocky. I'm sure you know me, I'm James."

"Rocky?" I questioned.

"Like Rocky Balboa." Dennis chuckled. "Ain't it?"

"Oh… yeah." James nodded. "That's a cool ass name and don't let anyone ever bully you over it, you got it?"

"Yeah…" I nodded, my eyes widening. 

I thought they were so cool…

Especially James.

He was the person who I looked up to most, after my mother. I wanted to be just like him. Confident, handsome, popular, great at sports, perfect student, fights for what he believes till the very end, classy at times, extremely hard working and someone who could inspire others. He was the 'King' of primary school and even our secondary school… it wasn't hard to guess why. 

He just had that gravity… the gravity that attracted others to him.

That's why he was King.

~

"Wake the fuck up, fatty. We got breakfast to catch."

Someone shook my awake… and I begrudgingly opened my eyes slowly. 

"Ugh…" I yawned, looking around. Dennis, Harry and James were all dressed up looking at me. "Maybe we can skip breakfast…"

"Hell no. They're serving English breakfast… English breakfast in fucking America." James crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. "How could we miss them trying to imitate us?"

"Fine… give me a few minutes."

"Take your time." Harry remarked. "We still have an hour or so-"

"We shouldn't waste our vacation away." James frowned slightly. "There's no time to sleep around. We can sleep for twelve hours at home… Harry, where do you see a beach in London?"

"Isn't the point of a vacation to relax?" Harry questioned, shrugging his shoulders. "We should be able to do everything even if we take our time."

"Guys, get the fuck out of the room and let the bruddha get dressed." Dennis rolled his eyes. "Jesus christ, I'm hungry too, but you don't have to cry about it."

"Aight." James nodded. "Hurry up, Rokas. Even you would regret wasting your time later."

They all left the bedroom and I practically rolled out of bed, got on some white-purple Adidas shorts and a shirt to match it. Then I put on a pair of white Adidas socks and my Air Jordan 1s. 

Slipped on my £100 decently fancy silver-purple watch and looked in the mirror. I was looking pretty fucking tired.

One could not tell the excitement resounding in my heart by my expression… until a slight smile appeared.

I slipped out the rather large golden chain that my mother had gifted me and presented the golden-purple Saggitarius symbol which had been under my shirt. The golden symbol itself was engraved on a beautiful spherical amethyst. 

Although I was rather chubby due to my terrible eating habits, it wasn't so bad recently. I had been putting in some work thanks to James' and Dennis' coaching. They even forced me to take part in the football team…

'Looking real pure.' 

"This isn't a modelling competition, you know." I could hear James' voice in the other section of the apartment. "We're just going to get food."

"I'm done anyways."

Walking out, me and the lads went to check out the breakfast.

…

After breakfast, we went straight out into the city.

"I don't know about you, but these Americans can't cook for shit." Dennis remarked, sighing. "Mans just wanted some good English breakfast and they served that bullshit. What kind of sausages did they even use? They tasted and looked like fucking turds."

"As I said, they are a failed English colony." James added, nodding. "If the British Empire still existed and reigned over this territory, they'd be serving some proper fucking food. Alas… But I'll admit, they do have some good sights here."

"Eh, it wasn't that bad. We've had worse food in school." Harry chuckled, shrugging his shoulders.

"See, we did not pay for that food. That was what… a four star hotel? Yeah, a four star hotel with two star food. Gordon Ramsay would tear that kitchen up screaming on the top of his lungs." James countered.

"The sausages were probably frozen and microwaved." I added. "Yeah, he'd definitely be fuming."

"With the way the eggs tasted and looked, they probably cracked those fuckers in a microwave and let them be for a few minutes. Fucking hell." Dennis cursed.

"It was not THAT bad." Harry shook his head, smiling slightly. "You guys are exaggerating."

"..." I stopped, catching something that really intrigued me. My eyes narrowed on the sign. It was… an NBA store.

It was… Basketball heaven.

My paradise.

I looked through the glass windows, zooming in on the Lakers section and observing every bit of merchandise with a deep desire to attain it. They seemed to have jackets, hoodies, jerseys, shorts, hats, bags, socks, everything… everything a Lakers fan could ever want!

"Well, I know where we're heading next." James remarked, glancing at me. He knew what I was looking at. "I might get something for myself, too."

…

I was buying everything. If there was any Lakers merch, I was getting every last variation of it. From shirts tailored for sunny beach weather to extremely warm hoodies to a full Kobe jersey to a Lakers raincoat. I was getting it all.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Rokas." Dennis chuckled, his arms full of clothes. "How the hell do you expect ALL of this to fit in your luggage? Even if we gave you some of the space in ours…"

"We can arrange to get it shipped." I replied.

"The blessings of being the inheritor of a fortune." James remarked. "Spending money like it's nothing."

"I think that's all I want…" I remarked, looking around the Lakers section. "Yeah, there isn't anything else."

"You say that after buying one of everything." Harry chuckled.

"If you guys want any merchandise, I'll buy it for you." I looked around. "Actually, you guys can finally get into basketball and pick a favourite team. Trust me… it's way more fun than football." 

"I don't know jack shit about the NBA." Dennis replied, shaking his head.

"I'd get the same stuff Rokas did. Those purple and gold colours are so regal and sexy. It would fit with my golden hair pretty well." James remarked, stroking his chin. "Hmm… but, at the same time, I want to find my own team to support. Oh… OOH… that…"

He seemed to be looking at the Sacramento Kings section.

"What a fucking great team name. That's MY NBA team right there." James stepped forward, grinning. "You mind if I get a hoodie?"

"Sure, go ahead."

If only he knew how painfully mediocre they were this season…

"A freebie is a freebie." James smiled. "Thanks, Rokas. I really do appreciate it."

"It's nothing, really."

"I really like the Celtics kits… especially the white and green ones. It contrasts really well." Harry remarked, pointing at it.

"The… Celtics?" 

I raised an eyebrow. That was a cardinal sin against mankind. How could one of my best friends like the Celtics…? Rather, how could I bear to use my cash to purchase their merchandise? Hell the fuck no.

"Fucking leprechauns." Dennis remarked. "Go get a plain green shirt and you'll be fine."

"Even I know the Lakers and Celtics are massive rivals." James chuckled. "Ain't no way Rokas is buying anything from their section."

"Oh… well."

I sighed, seeing his rather disappointed expression. "One thing. That's all I can do when it comes to the Celtics."

"I'm getting that jacket then."

"Don't wear it at the game." I added, shaking my head. "You might get shot."

"... Seriously?"

"I would not risk it, mate."

"Imagine our football hooligans except they have guns." James remarked, stroking his chin. 

"Yeah… best not."

"Americans are fucking pussies, that's why they all buy guns to think they're tough." Dennis stated, shrugging his shoulders. "In a fist fight, our gopniki would batter theirs, plain and simple."

"This debate about which country's hooligans are superior seems rather unnecessary." Harry chuckled. He turned to the jacket he wanted and checked the price tag. "Fifty dollars!? Man… I don't think I want it anymore."

Good… good. Fuck the trashtics.

"I can afford it." I spoke out for some reason. "These things are hard to get back home so treat it as a souvenir of sorts from me."

Fuck. Why did I say that?

"Alright, if you say so." 

~

We went around to a few more shops before dumping most of the things at the hotel. I got dressed and put on my fresh new black Lakers jacket, some purple sunglasses and a Lakers hat.

I was feeling like the man the next time we went out.

After that, we went and tried out Wendy's instead of eating the hotel's lunch. And then… as I wanted, we went straight for the beach. 

It was a pretty cold and cloudy day for LA so there weren't that many people at the beach. The waves were also pretty turbulent so the red flag went up, meaning you weren't allowed to truly enjoy the water. Even so, quite a few people were just chilling… beholding the beautiful sight before them.

I wanted to do the same.

So, I rented out some nice seats and laid back… facing the sun and the beach below it.

Dennis, James and Harry had their own sunbathing seats and they did the same.

"The sun feels so damn good here." James remarked, grinning slightly. "Meanwhile, in England, it's snowing and raining."

"Can't sit still for too long…" Dennis muttered, sitting up and taking off his shoes and socks. "I'm going on a run."

"What…?" James chuckled. "You just fucking laid down."

It was Dennis being Dennis.

Nothing to worry about.

I closed my eyes and relaxed… sun gazing perfectly. In such a place, I would have been a perfect Chinese cultivator. I could stay at the beach for centuries. It was just… perfect. My soul was in perfect harmony here.

…

I was woken up by the sounds of Russian curses and thunderous punches being thrown.

"Vy, deti ebannoj blyadi, konchennye kuski govna!" Dennis roared, boxing a grown man who was right about his size.

The man went for a straight hook, 

He dodged and weaved the man's attempts with ease, dancing like a butterfly… but he stung like a fucking tornado with his counter.

BANG.

His opponent had tried to catch him with another hook, but Dennis dodged, he shifted his weight to his right leg, leaned back and crouched. 

Avoiding the left hook, Dennis then went for a straight uppercut, propelling himself upwards.

The moment his fist connected, the victim's head tilted back and teeth fell out from the sheer impact. I looked around, noticing that Dennis and James were up against four… now three grown men. Harry was sort of behind Dennis.

'What the fuck is going on…'

I got up and took off my sunglasses, placing them down on my seat. 

"About time you got up, Rocky." James grinned, but didn't glance back. "Look at these grown men coping about their girlfriends liking a better-looking guy. Or rather, coping about them being dirty sluts."

"... Shut up, you bastard!" 

The tallest of the group charged at James but Dennis slipped in his leg, tripping him.

Thereafter, James hit a lethal one-two combo before side-kicking him in the head with his right leg. Surprisingly keeping his balance even though they were fighting on sand.

"Wooooh, those kick-boxing lessons are coming in handy." James grinned, hopping with excitement as he got into guard. "Who wants next!?"

What did these idiots get into now?

"These kids are something else, man…" One of the men remarked, turning around. "Ain't worth it."

"... Fucking pussy." The last one standing remarked.

"I agree, what a fucking pussy." Dennis nodded. "You and me, let's go, hand-to-hand, pidorok."

"You got it."

"I think Dennis found a friend." James remarked with a smile.

Dennis faced the man with his guard up, they circled around each other for a bit, sizing each other up, before his opponent started walking slowly towards him, still with his guard up Dennis didn't back away.

As soon as he got close enough, Dennis went for a straight jab, the man dodged, before trying to counter with his own jab.

Unfortunately for him, Dennis was faster, a lot faster. He pulled back his left hand the moment he saw that it didn't connect.

Reaching out his right arm to block the jab, Dennis sent another jab to his liver the moment he re-directed the opponent's left arm,

Feeling the pain of a straight punch to the liver, the man got caught up and was about to scream before Dennis then hit him with a right hook.

Almost knocking the man out.

But, it seems that the man is a lot tougher than expected.

He was on the ground, defeated but still trying to stand.

"I'll let you go, you were a good fight." Dennis said as he glanced down upon his opponent.

The man was still struggling to stand up, but eventually he did and nodded as he walked away. Even I could tell his pride as a man was shattered.

Especially since the women James had apparently been talking to remained and watched the fight.

"My ladies, it must be a travesty to be linked to such bitch-made boys." James grinned slightly, walking towards them and tilting his head. "How about you get to know a real man?"

"Sorry, you look under eighteen…"

"I am eighteen, though." James lied. "See how I handled them? That's grown man shit right there."

Was he really trying to hook up with grown women? Sure as hell seemed like it.

"I can confirm, my boy James is a solid eighteen year old." Dennis firmly nodded, putting up a thumbs-up. "Zero worries!"

"Well… I… I need to go." 

Three of them hesitated, leaving.

The last one, shining blonde hair and sparkly blue eyes, remained. She seemed like the 'ideal' Cali girl, pretty tall, curvy and large melons to boot. James didn't seem to mind the others leaving at all… in fact, he seemed to have his eyes on this one the entire time.

Can't lie… he had good taste.

"I think you're pretty handsome." She stated, smirking slightly. "How about a date later tonight?"

"Oh, straight to the point?" James grinned. "I like a woman who knows what she wants."

"I don't like to waste time either…"

"Wow…" I muttered out loud.

"Did James really do it?" Harry's eyes widened slightly. "I mean… it's a sin to have sex before marriage. So, it shouldn't be a cause for celebration. Rather, we should try to convince him to stray away from-"

"Oh, shut up." Dennis chuckled. "James might just have the night of his life soon enough."

They walked to the side, talking to each other. I couldn't really make out what they were talking about but James really seemed to be loosening her up real well. Can't lie… a part of me was jealous. I wanted to sleep with a beautiful girl like that as well.

Eventually, he returned.

"So… what led to the fight in the first place?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I was talking to that fine ass MILF and then her man's pulled up on me, acting all tough." James stated, chuckling. "Just by looking at him, I could tell he was all talk. So I pushed him away like a fly. One thing led to another… his mates got involved and then Dennis came in like a fooking hurricane."

"I already beat up one of their friends for bumping into me." Dennis added, nodding. "They seemed like an arrogant bunch of pricks that needed some good ol' fists to the face."

"You guys are insane…" I remarked, shaking my head. I was slightly angered, to be honest. "Don't you know they can buy guns here? What if they come back and fucking shoot us to death? This isn't the school playground where there aren't any consequences."

"That's what I was telling them." Harry nodded, sighing. "But they wouldn't listen."

"I was not backing down from a fight and getting bitched." Dennis countered.

"Neither was I letting that sexy piece of ass escape me." James added.

These guys…

I exchanged looks with Harry.

Truthfully, we were the only normal ones. Even then… we were all misfits, in one way or the other. 

~

We chilled until it came time to go to the Staples Arena. I presented our tickets, got some food for the boys and we were all seated. It wasn't exactly front-row seats but more than close enough to see everything. And by that, I meant the third row.

I knew that it was starting when all the starter's names were being called and they came onto the spotlight, one after the other. They started with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the crowd booed like crazy when Lebron James' name was called. I didn't join in.

Leborn James did his chalk toss pregame ritual and I was on the side facing him… holy, I never thought I'd be so close to an NBA superstar.

The game started with Lebron James flying around the court like he was super-fucking-man. 

Every time he drove to the rim, it felt like an automatic two points… like really. It was either some flashy lay-up, him bulldozing defenders out of the way or an electrifying, ruthless, no-regard-for-human-life-having dunk.

He was an unstoppable, relentless force that carved through the Laker's defence like a hot knife through butter.

The entire time, my eyes were wide with awe. 

For a moment, I believed he was the best player on the court…

And then…

The Black Mamba, Kobe Bean Bryant, started to answer the call of duty.

At the start of the second-half, he dribbled up the court and pulled up from downtown right away.

BANG.

A swift three points. On the defensive-end, he stripped Delonte West of the ball and ran down the court to throw down a reverse dunk. 

The Lakers started to gain momentum, led by their superstar player… the best in the world.

It was like Kobe Bryant refused to miss, willing his team to a heroic comeback alongside Pau Gasol and their roleplayers who started to show up and hit shots. 

Lebron James had come out in the third quarter a little sluggish, too. The Lakers rallied to gain a five point lead over them at the end of the third quarter.

Then the fourth came… and its final five minutes especially.

A monumental duel between Kobe Bryant and Lebron James ensued, like two of the world's mightiest gladiators duelling each other to the death. Minus the blood, of course. They weren't killing each other… but it sure as hell felt like it. 

I could feel their auras… the killer instinct of Kobe Bryant who was going to take his shots no matter what and the more regal, wise, aura of Lebron James who wanted to make the right play, whether it meant scoring or passing.

Their two playstyles led to a tied game with thirty-five seconds left. 

The Cavaliers were tied when Lebron James dribbled the ball along the perimeter, staring down at Kobe Bryant who took the assignment to guard him. He waited till there were only six seconds left on the shot-clock, driving right in to score. 

He euro-stepped in, bulldozing Kobe Bryant out of the way. However, the Lakers' defence collapsed on him… and, instead of taking a shot on four people, he passed it to an open Cavalier's player in the corner.

The roleplayer caught the ball as it was in the perfect spot and rose up to shoot…

Clang.

He bricked it.

Kobe Bryant grabbed the rebound and raced down the court before the Cavaliers' defence could reform.

He pulled-up from mid-range, stepping back.

BANG.

It was cash money.

The Lakers were up by two.

I stood up from my seat, raising my fist.

"FUCK YES!!!"

The Cavaliers called their last timeout.

Harry, James, and Dennis looked up to me, chuckling.

"Well, someone is enthusiastic." James smiled, stroking his chin. "I don't think King James is about to lose if he's anything like me, the real King James. He's going to take that fucking orange ball down the court and pull-up from behind the three point line. After that, the ball is going straight through the net right as the buzzer sounds. If… that's if he's truly King James."

"Yeah, you should write a fanfiction about that one." Dennis grinned, shaking his head. "It's not happening."

"Basketball is really exciting… it doesn't matter who wins, this game was truly amazing." Harry stated. "I might need to watch more."

"... Football's still better though." James crossed his arms.

"Nah, this is the real deal." I shook my head.

Once the timeout ended, the Cavaliers were down two with six seconds remaining. Lebron James ran around the court, trying to get open space. 

Kobe Bryant was relentlessly chasing him down but Lebron managed to get the ball from his teammate nonetheless. After that, he dribbled at the perimeter and suddenly stepped to the side before another defender could come…

The ball's ascension felt like it took a century… and when it finally came close…

BANG.

Right through the net as the buzzer sounded.

The Cleveland Cavaliers had won by one point…

And even though I was mesmerised by Lebron James' fifty point triple-double performance… my heart was equally crushed at defeat.

~

"You know when I said I didn't want anything from the NBA store?" Dennis, right as we left, broke the ice. "I want a Lebron kit. Like… I really really really want one. That man is a fucking unstoppable BULLDOZER with WINGS and I fucking love him."

"Fuck Lebron." I muttered, sighing. "Fuck the Cavaliers."

"Now, he's just salty and hating." James chuckled. "I'd like a King James jersey too, not going to lie. Why doesn't he just go play for the Sacramento Kings? It would be so perfect."

"If you want it so bad, you can buy it with your own money."

"Yeah, he's not in a good mood." Harry confirmed, chuckling.

Imagine flying out for over eleven hours… twenty-three in total… quite a few more hours of waiting around in airports… just to see your favourite team lose in such a heartbreaking fashion. Then your best friends take the piss. 

Of course, I was not in a good mood.

…

I went right back to the hotel and didn't even bother eating dinner.

"Man, you're acting like you just got sent a DVD of your girlfriend getting railed by three dudes." James chuckled, shaking his head. He patted my back. "It ain't all that. Just a game."

"Nah, you're just as butthurt when you lose a football match." I countered, shaking my head.

"Now, that's personal. I lost those games… me, I was on the pitch. This? You weren't on the court, you were just watching. Nothing you could've done would've changed the outcome. Minus pulling out a sniper and blasting Lebron James' head."

"..." I chuckled. "Yeah, you're right." 

Since I couldn't play myself… this was the next best thing.

"Besides, it was a thrilling game." James added. "Even I, a football connoisseur, would admit that I've seen plenty of football games less exciting than that one. Now I've also learned why they call Lebron James King James… goddamn, he's great. The way he rallied his team to victory was glorious."

"Fuck you, I'm going to sleep."

"Hahaha." James laughed. "I'm going on my date with Miss California anyway."

"You really shouldn't." I frowned slightly. "I mean, don't you think it was a little too easy? What if she set you up?"

"What are you talking about?" James raised an eyebrow. "She wants a piece of King James, I'm one thousand-percent sure."

"Yeah, if you get mugged by a gang of black dudes with guns, don't call me." I sighed.

"You're just jealous." James shrugged. "It's alright. Someday, even you'll land a baddy. Actually… not someday. I know you will. Just lose that body fat and gain confidence in yourself. That's all you need, Rocky."

"Mhm…" 

I brushed it aside.

How could I land a baddy?

Gain confidence? 

It was easier said than done…

"Aight, I'm going." James got up from his bed. "See you later tonight, maybe in the morning."

And so he went… leaving me alone in the apartment.

I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

~

I was sleeping soundly… before a bright light smothered the entire room and the sound of a door shutting resounded across the thin walls.

I instantly woke up, slowly opening my eyes as I sat up and swiftly got dressed… leaving the bedroom.

"Who…?"

And what I saw was definitely the last thing that could ever come to mind.

James stood at the entrance, blood all over his shoes, fists and there were several drops on his face as well. He had the same outfit he had left with… except, behind him was something it took several moments to process.

He… had wings!

Large white angel-like wings, spanning at least two and a half metres spread fully behind his back. The left one moved slightly, waving at me. James smiled, tilting his head.

"You see them?"

"... Of course, I see them." I replied, frowning slightly. "How the… actual fuck did you grow wings? Actually, those can't be real."

"They sure are." James flapped his wings and rose above the ground, almost hitting the ceiling. "See? This isn't any magic trick, they're real."

"... How? Are you an X-Man, a mutant?"

I was genuinely befuddled. 

"I might be." James lowered himself to the ground, shrugging his shoulders. "Though, the scary thing is that no one… not a single fucking person aknowledged them on the street. Even when I explicitly pointed them out, they acted like I was delusional and ignored me. But… you see them."

"They're pretty hard to miss." I remarked, rubbing my eyes. The wings were still there. "Should we wake up Harry and Dennis?"

"Nah, they'll find out tomorrow." James shook his head. "Let them sleep."

His wings slowly folded into his back, leaving no traces by the time he was done 'transforming'. 

"So… how?" I was still speechless. "How did you grow wings?"

"I might've fucked a Goddess, hehehe." James scratched his hair. "You see what happened was we went wild for an hour or two, she had crazy stamina. Though… I kept up the entire time and gave her the best night of her life, of course. She was moaning like a pornstar."

"A Goddess?" I raised an eyebrow. "You gotta be joking."

"If any one of us were to shag one, it would be me." James countered, grinning slightly. "Anyway, you remember those grown ass men Dennis and I handled? Well, you're a bloody prophet, Rocky, because they ambushed me with baseball bats and fucking pistols."

"..." I frowned slightly. "That's where the wings came in?"

"Yes… I handled the goons with the baseball bats, no problem. But then… they threatened to shoot. At this point, my blood was pumping and the adrenaline rush had taken over. So… I still fought them. They started shooting and I… flew up."

I nodded, listening with great interest.

"I didn't have time to process the wings… my body just moved on its own. I gave the goons with the pistols the hardest kicks to the head they've ever fucking had, one after the other. You couldn't believe the sheer momentum, the force that came from a real FLYING kick. Their aim was fucking garbage too, so they missed every shot. In the end, I knocked them all out and went on my way."

"Though… everyone was acting strangely, even the guys with the guns. They didn't mention my wings at all. It really felt like they were all blind to the superpowers I had gained. Maybe we're just different from everyone else? Maybe we're stuck in the Matrix… and we're the glitches in the system."

"That sounds crazy." I remarked, widening my eyes. But it was pretty fucking believable considering what I could do… 

"Honestly… I have no idea what's going on." James sighed, shaking his head. "Even I'm a little creeped out by all of it. Though, I gotta say, these wings are fucking awesome. Maybe I fucked that Goddess so well she blessed me with them?"

"Yeah, right…" I rolled my eyes. "Why would a Goddess be dating that random guy? I think it's more likely that you've always had that ability. I mean, everytime you're on the football pitch, it just feels… like you're better than everyone else. Maybe you've always had this ability but it awakened from its slumber in the time of need. Maybe you really are some weird mutant thing."

"Yikes, you make me sound like some lab rat." James chuckled. "'Mutant ain't a nice word. My dad was perfectly human. Except for his immaculate charm… he's perfectly human. My father… is perfectly human."

James' eyes slowly widened.

"What's wrong? You're acting like you got hit in the back of the head with a brick." I frowned.

"... I'm not so sure about my mother." James glanced to the side, an uncertain tone to his voice. Rarely did he act so strangely. Then again, these were strange times. And I had a feeling it was only going to get stranger. "The only thing I remember from her… was one line."

"What was it? If it's not too personal…"

"Emerge victorious in all your endeavours, my son… for you were born to win." James stated, smiling slightly before chuckling. "That's all I remember of my sweet mother. That one line, perfectly. Like it's etched into my very soul."

"Well, I'm sure she would be proud of you."

"I don't really care." James shrugged his shoulders. "I'm almost an adult, why would I need my mother's approval at this point in my life? As long as I'm who I want to be, as long as I've reached the goals that I've been striving for… it doesn't matter. For all I know, she's dead. She may as well be to me and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm still King James and I'll still achieve all my goals regardless."

"... It's the same with my father, I suppose." I remarked, sighing. "At least you remember something, I don't even know if my father existed in the first place."

"He went to get some milk." James chuckled. "When he heard his son was going to be Rokas, he dipped right away."

"Shut up… honestly, it's the same with me. I don't really care at this point."

"You're worse off than any of us." James remarked, his smile fading for a moment. "While me and the other lads are half-orphans, you have neither parent. Although your mother left behind a fortune… you've practically had to find your own way in life for quite a few years."

"I still have my grandma, I'm not that lonely." I countered, shaking my head. "Besides… it's not that bad. I'm not alone, I haven't ever felt that way for years. It's… because I have you three as my best friends. I really couldn't ask for any cooler friends to have in the entire world and I really do mean it. You guys are fucking awesome."

"..." James glanced away, sniffling slightly. "Now you're going to make me cry, you fatty. Come here."

I raised an eyebrow as the gap between us closed and James embraced me before pulling away.

"We need to get your ass on a treadmill." James remarked, chuckling. "It's like hugging a panda."

"You're the one who asked for it."

"Don't tell Harry and Dennis but in this friend group, you're the one who matters the most to me." James spoke with a tone of sincerity as he stepped away, grabbing my shoulders. "Dennis is my rival, Harry is the calm voice of reason and my intellectual rival… but you… you're the most like me, I think. It's just that you're stuck in your own self-made shell of insecurity and laziness."

"Is that a compliment?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm always going to be there to support you." James smiled, nodding. "Always… no matter what happens. I've never had a brother or even a sibling for that matter but you… in my heart, you're my little brother."

"You mean it?" My eyes widened.

"Yes, Rocky… I mean it. Also, it's not just us that are awesome. You're a bloody genius yourself, Rocky. The only problem is you're a lazy cunt and waste your potential all the damn time."

"... Right. I've been working on it." I nodded. "But sometimes… it's difficult."

"Success is all about having belief in yourself, the ray of hope… then the struggle to see it through. You must endure hardships, do the things you dislike and push yourself past your comfort zone. That is the path to success; it's an endless highway of hope and struggle. That's what my old man taught me." 

I took his words to heart, nodding.

"A highway of hope and struggle…"

"I'm saying all of this incase, one day, I do actually get shot." James remarked, shrugging. "It would be a real shame without letting my feelings be known."

"You're not serious are you?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I… have a gut feeling that things won't be the same from tomorrow onwards." James frowned slightly. "For any of us. Good or bad, I don't know… but things will be very different."

"..."

I didn't know what to say to that.

We just started our vacation and the first day alone was full of crazy shit…

What could be more drastic, more different?

I didn't have a good feeling.

"For now, we should really catch some good sleep."

James shut off the lights and went to rest in his bed as I returned to mine.

It was hard to sleep, thinking about everything…

~

We all got up in the morning and had the hotel's breakfast which was slightly better than last time's. 

The pancakes sort of saved the whole thing… honestly, it would be pretty damn difficult to fuck up pancakes, right? Let me not jinx myself and end up eating some dusty pancakes in the future…

Once we finished up, James leaned back on his chair.

"I can't lie, I think we should get the fuck out of the city."

"... What did you do now?" Harry questioned, raising an eyebrow. He almost sounded annoyed.

"Nothing too much. Shagged that hot bitch and almost got shot up for it. Had to send some idiots to the hospital." James replied, grinning slightly. "Respectfully, I don't want to risk my life or bring any of you down with me. Besides… Rokas got what he came here for already."

"So you're saying that we should end Rokas' vacation because your stupid ass couldn't help himself and got into a mess you can't get out of?" Harry frowned, shaking his head. He really, really, sounded annoyed. This didn't happen often at all. "I think it's supremely unfair for Rokas and your casual attitude isn't helping at all. You're acting like a dickhead."

"... He has a point." Dennis added, nodding firmly. "James, that really sounds like a skill issue on your part."

"I'm sorry I don't want to die at the young age of sixteen." James sighed, tilting his head. "Fine. We don't have to go anywhere. I'll bite the bullet… literally. Unless Rokas, the one who is leading this vacation, wishes so otherwise. If he's fine with it, you both should be as well."

"Rokas will obviously favour you, truthfully. He wouldn't ever go against you." Dennis countered, shrugging his shoulders. "Even though I'm always up for a fight, using fists against guns is just braindead activity unless you're a superhero."

"... Heh." James chuckled, nodding as he closed his eyes. "No worries, lads. I am Warren Worthington the fucking Third."

Instantly, James' wings sprouted from his back. As he had said earlier, everyone didn't even notice them. 

Everyone except Harry, Dennis and I… we were all looking at them.

"What the fuck, James!?" Dennis' eyes widened. "Since when did you have wings!?"

"What…?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "Are you… an angel?"

"Lads, lads… calm down. Act naturally. We are in a hotel dining area, after all." James smirked, retracting his wings. "So, you want to know how I got those pretty angel wings?"

"How?" Dennis questioned, with peak curiosity in both his tone and in his eyes. Around the pupils of his green eyes, I swear, flames were emerging from the void. "How did you do it?"

"You know that hot babe I spoke to earlier?" James raised his finger, his grin growing wider. 

"Well… she just so happened to be a Goddess. I fucked her real good… so good she gave me her blessing. So, as soon as I left her apartment, this blessing awakened in my dire time of need and I soared into the skies."

"Give me her number." 

Dennis said with a serious tone, resting his head upon his joined hands as if they were two pillars. Well, they really did look like pillars. The dude was massive.

He definitely wanted his own set of wings. Like, really, really, wanted his own set of wings. 

Couldn't blame him… if I had any confidence and looks, I'd give it a try too.

Then again, I didn't believe that the woman in question really was a goddess. It was a huge coincidence, yes, but there wasn't enough evidence. I was leaning on the side that James had it in him all along.

"I don't think she's the reason James grew wings." I stated, stroking my chin. "It has to be something else… maybe mutants actually exist."

"Why would God choose to bless someone who disregards his teachings?" Harry questioned, frowning slightly. "I couldn't possibly understand his intentions… nor should I really try to. The world is the way He wished it to be."

Harry was visibly much more puzzled than the rest of us.

"... Yeah, God loves me." James chuckled, rolling his eyes as he joked. "I'm his favourite child, clearly. A true Angel."

"Man really called himself an angel." Dennis chuckled. "You getting any more superpowers will lead to the end of the world, I swear."

"Let's move on from my ascension to angelhood and speak of the future." James nodded, turning to me. "What are we doing, Rocky?"

"Well… I wanted to stay in Los Angeles for a little longer." I sighed, shaking my head. "But I don't want to endanger you or the others…"

"Don't worry about me. As I said, the guys who ambushed me are all in hospital beds with various cases of brain damage. Unless they have more connections, we shouldn't have any trouble… at least, not now. I just wanted to inform you guys of what happened earlier. Even if there's any trouble… I'll deal with it on my own." James replied, smiling. "So, Rokas, we're going where you want to go."

"Well… I want to have a better look around the city."

"Then… let's go!"

~

As we walked around Los Angeles, I felt a pull—a very strong pull, for that matter. It was a sixth sense of sorts. My adventurous self wanted to explore this strange, unique, feeling.

Apparently, Dennis and Harry had felt it too. James said we were delusional.

This 'feel' led to the 'DOA Recording Studios', a skyscraper that towered high in the clouds.

"DOA Recording Studios…" James raised an eyebrow. "It feels… strange. Why do we all have a similar feeling?"

"Let's find out." Dennis grinned slightly, stepping forward. "I don't know why but I love its atmosphere, its aura…"

"Are we sure we want to go in?" Harry questioned.

"Yeah… we have to." I was determined, feeling strangely… confident in my decision. 

I knew I had to go in there… It was fate.

And as we entered the lobby,

"No solicitors, no loitering… no living?" Harry read the sign on the doors, frowning as he read the end. "No living?"

Calm, relaxing, elevator music was playing in the lobby as a seemingly endless horde of people walked around. But… they weren't people. They looked like ghosts—transparent in their appearance. 

"What the fuck did we stumble upon?" Dennis raised an eyebrow. "You are all seeing what I'm seeing, right?"

"Yeah…"

We kept looking around, eventually walking up to the studio. 

On a raised podium at the centre, a tall, thin and elegant man stood. His skin was chocolate-coloured and the hair atop his head was bleached-blonde. 

He was shaved military style, although one could tell that he was clearly a man. He wore a fancy silk suit that matched the colour of his, very little, hair.

"Ahem…" He softly cleared his throat, gesturing for us to come closer. "None of you look dead to me, boys. Are you lost?"

He had a British accent… which was decently rare in LA.

"Is this a place only for the dead?" James raised an eyebrow. "What if we just want to record some mixtapes?"

"Well, you see the sign at the very entrance, do you not? It very clearly says 'no living' in bold capitals." The man countered, smiling slightly as he turned to me. "... Oh." 

"... I wonder." James muttered, spreading his wings. "Can you see them?"

"Yes… I am not blind." The man nodded, turning back to James. "You have white, angel-like, wings—as most would say. They are rather elegant and beautiful, indeed. What about them?"

"The world is growing more confusing by the day…" Harry muttered to himself, his eyes widening.

"Hmm… would you happen to know why almost everyone can't see 'em?" James questioned.

"Well, well…" The man clapped his hands together. "If I told you the truth, that would only endanger your lives. That potentially means more work for me… and the displeasure of the Lord of the Dead's fury. I would have to kiss any hopes of a pay-rise goodbye."

"So you know but you're refusing to say shit?"

"Yes, for your own betterment." The classy man nodded as he glanced at Dennis. "The answers you truly seek will be in San Francisco, lads. For now, do not think too much of this supernatural nonsense and cling onto the belief that you are perfectly normal. It is for your own good."

The Lord of the Dead's fury…

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't forget that title.

That phrase stuck with me and lingered in my mind.

The Lord of the Dead was real… and I couldn't make myself believe otherwise.

"So, take your talents straight to San Francisco… unless you wish to truly die."

I nodded.

"We'll be going."

"Good…" The man smiled. "You will do well, I am certain of it."

"Wait." Dennis didn't move, standing still. "Why do I feel… connected to you? I can't put my finger on it but you feel familiar."

"I suppose a name wouldn't hurt." The man smiled as he looked at Dennis. "My name is Charon and we are indeed related. You could see me as your uncle."

"... My uncle?" Dennis raised an eyebrow. As far as I knew, he didn't have any uncles or aunts. "Never heard of a Charon."

"Your father is a strange man, not the most social of people. Alas… I couldn't allow my nephew to go out without a gift." He gestured to the side, where a bunch of various round candy lay on a table. "These are usually for the kids but feel free to have some. All of them, if you want, for that matter."

"...Ledency?" Dennis raised an eyebrow. "I do like those."

I think I've seen those types of candy in Lithuania… they're decent… 

"See? I even knew what type of candy you like. I'd love to take the time to get to know you but that will have to wait until you really realise who you truly are."

"Alright, 'uncle' Charon." Dennis nodded, smiling slightly. "You spoke of danger but I'm not really afraid of anything. Why don't you tell me the truth right here and now? I can handle the consequences that come from it… whatever they may be."

"You have your father's resolve." Charon remarked, nodding. "Alas, I cannot. If I were to do so… let's just say your friend over there won't be the only winged individual you'll be seeing."

"So… they'll be coming for a fight, right?" Dennis' eyes lit up. He looked thrilled by the prospect. "We'll beat them all, one after the other."

"Heh…" Charon chuckled. "Go on, boy. Do not make me call your daddy and have him drag you there."

"Where has he been hiding?" Dennis questioned, stepping forward. "I'd love for him to come here right now."

Charon sighed, shaking his head. "Kids these days…"

BANG.

"BLYAT…!!!" Dennis immediately grabbed his crotch with both of his hands, bending down. 

"What… the hell? Who kicked me in the dick!?"

"I believe that was my brother's response…" Charon remarked, shrugging his shoulders. "As I said, you should leave now. We will have time to catch-up when you learn who you really are."

"Hmph…" Dennis frowned, struggling back up to his feet. "I'll give him a good punch to the face if I ever see him."

"What a weird family reunion." James remarked, having observed most of it silently.

"I've seen weirder reunions in my time." Charon replied, smiling. "Why don't you boys run along now? Remember the sign at the entrance."

"No living." I nodded, trying to process everything. I'm sure James and Harry were doing the same. "Let's go, Dennis."

"I don't want to…" Dennis sighed, glancing back at the candy. He made sure to grab all of them,  filling up his pockets. "But it can't be helped, by the looks of things. We'll have to go to San Francisco. Blyatstvo…."

"Mhm…"

We all agreed. Harry seemed to be the most disgruntled and silent of the group… It was unusual. 

I suppose the strangeness of today played a big factor.

Now, trusting strangers isn't something I'd ever usually do. But this stranger… seemed different. 

He seemed to genuinely care about me despite me having never met him before. It was strange, truly.

Alas… I already wanted to go to San Francisco.

So, if anything, this just pushed me to do it now instead of later.

Charon… the name Charon seemed so familiar but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. It 

sounded like a name from Greek Mythology. 

In the last few years, I had somewhat of an obsession for it and binge-read almost everything I could get my hands on. It really was fascinating stuff…

Charon… Lord of the Dead… Hades? Those were the only names that came to mind.

Why would Hades be furious if anything happened to four random mortals?

Was us all having one parent practically since birth a giant coincidence?

Could those parents have been something more than deadbeats? It would explain James' wings, for sure.

It was then that I began to realise that none of us were normal…