Chapter 1: The Four Kings

Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar. Three Latin American gift givers, three spirits of illusion. Santa Clause is good, in fact, awesome, and just as important as them. But he's just one. The Three kings…are three. Three times the magic, three times the work and three times the fun. It's mystical, it's spiritual, and it's…Latin American Christian magic. Although you'd think these three are just old men with beards and camels, you are sooo wrong.

Melchior is a stereotypical king. He wears his robes like the time he met Jesus. He's tanned and likes his beard long and thick, and he goes barefoot always. He enjoys tea, books and meditating. He used to be a scholar in his previous life, but ended up being Balthazar's teacher, so he has a taste for the third king. Shy but wise, he's the oldest of the Kings…at least in physical age. The three are the same immortal age for all that that matters.

Gaspar is the middle king. He's black with a goatee and sandals. He's a man of the animals, so he knows how to take care of the three horses they have. He used to be a husband and a father, and he misses his family every year. But he knows where they are and he calms down. Most of the toys he's assigned are for big boys like his was-son, like basketballs, videogames and stuff like that. His physical age is one of a man in his thirties, close to the forties.

Balthazar is the baby of the group, his physical age being that of a 17 year old. He used to be a shepherd in his previous life, taking care of three other kids while attending classes. He likes playing with the toys he creates, which remind him of his little siblings. Every year, he stops at Bethlehem a while after giving the Latin-American children their toys, and he stays on the plain he lived to breathe in the memories of the past. Melchior says that is just misery, but he doesn't mind. He's blonde with blue eyes and white skinned, the only white-skinned of the three. He wears some boots he made for a kid, but was too big and no one else needed them. He said he would give them the next year, but ended up keeping them instead.

The story starts in Three Kings day of a random year. They had just finished their rounds when Gaspar noticed Balthazar was staring at the earth.

-"Hey, Balto, what's wrong? You look pale." He said, mocking his white skin. Gaspar might be an animal lover, but he's lazy for names, so he just calls him Balto.

Balthazar sighed and pushed Gaspar softly away, walking back to where his star goes. Gaspar shrugged and took Balto's horse.

-"Hey, Milk; you have a clue what's wrong with Balto? He's been glum the whole trip and now." Milk and Balto. Man, he really is lazy for names.

-"I do not know what troubles him. It worries me he does not speak to us about it. He trusts you. You should ask him." Melchior said, giving his horse to him. Gaspar hummed, unsure.

-"Since when am I his babysitter?" Melchior gave him the look and pointed at the mourning boy on his star position. Gaspar groaned and tried convincing Melchior to do it himself with his eyes. He couldn't.

-"Rrah! Fine, I'll do it. In exchange, you take care of the horses." He says, giving Melchior the reins and walking to Balthazar. Melchior smiled under his thick beard and took the horses for a drink.

Gaspar sat next to Balthazar and stayed quiet before asking anything. Balthazar's face practically screamed, "I'm not okay and I want you to notice", and Gaspar couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

-"So, Balto…what's got you down?" he asked, poking his shoulder. Balthazar rolled his shoulder and shook his head.

-"If I didn't know you better, when you do that it means you want me to insist you, so I will. Come, on, kid, what's wrong? Why are you so sad?" he whined, shaking him.

-"Ah-ah-ah-ah-I'm fine! I'm just a little lonely up here."

-"Whataya mean, lonely? You got us, right?"

-"No offense, Gaspar, but I'm 17. You're close to your forties and Melchior has more age than what I'll ever know. It's kinda lonely being with two old men and no kids to play."

-"Hey! I am NOT that old." Balthazar chuckled and lay down, turning his back on Gaspar. He knew he didn't want to talk anymore, and anyway he had to tell Melchior, so he left the boy to his thoughts.

-"Hmm…so he is lonely?" Melchior said, scratching his cheek.

-"Yeah, being with us ain't enough for him. Who does he think he is?"

-"He is right."

-"WHAT?!"

-"I would feel uncomfortable if I were so young with people not as young as me. You and I have no painstaking need to have someone with us all the time, but remember Balthazar is different. He grew up with other youth like himself. He needs a friend like him."

-"Okay, Milk, now you lost it. Where the heck are we going to get him another forever hormonal 17 year old? Huh? He's been okay these past 1000 years, and he'll be okay for the rest of his eternity! We don't have to do anything!"

-"Gaspar…"

-"Please don't throw me the look."

-"Then cooperate. Would you do an old teacher a favor and cancel tomorrow's class?"

-"Sure, why not? He'll love a vacation." Gaspar said, crossing his arms.

-"Perfect. Then you will take care of him tomorrow while I talk to the moon, right?" Gaspar choked on his own drool, coughing and throwing momentary looks of fright at old Melchior.

-"Melchior! Are you nuts or are you nuts?!" he threw him the look and unarmed Gaspar immediately.

-"Mmm…oh, alright! Gosh! Why are you going to talk to him? He probably isn't even going to answer you."

-"Yes, but remember, my friend, that I am 500 years older than you. I know the silent language of the moon better than you." Gaspar sighed and scratched the back of his head, defeated.

-"You know what, dude? I wish I was as wise as you." Melchior smiled and patted his fellow king's shoulder. The next day, as Gaspar saw Balthazar play Ping-Pong with a wall, he understood his loneliness perfectly. He even thought in his son, God bless him wherever he is. In many ways, the boy and Balthazar were equal. In curiosity, in character, in playfulness, and yes, even in the love they have from him. Gaspar deeply appreciated being a King, even if he missed his terrestrial family.

Melchior returned from his reunion with the moon very late at night, when Balthazar was already asleep. Gaspar was brushing his horse, and suspected many things when he saw Melchior's smirk.

-"Okay, old man, I know that smirk anywhere. Did you get what you wanted?" Melchior giggled, and took a deep breath.

-"My dear friend, you do not know the pleasure I received going to visit the moon. More than enlightened I am, believe me. You should have come. He had good jokes." Gaspar rolled his eyes, knowing that with all the rambling he threw, that he wasn't finding out any sooner.

-"He accepted looking for one more King!" Gaspar dropped his brush in shock.

-"What?"

-"Yes, Gaspar; he spoke!"

-"Goodness…did he tell you who it was?"

-"That is the unfortunate part. We will not know until next year. What I know is that whoever he chooses will also be a King, like us" Both Kings turned to look at the sleeping adolescent. Such innocence still covered the boy like a mystical aura, even if he wasn't much a child anymore.

-"This is going to be a long year for him…" Gaspar sighed, softening his gaze at him.

The next year…

The night had come: 6th of January was licking at their heels, and the Three Kings were busy. Balthazar left aside his loneliness and concentrated in doing a good job this year. As the Three got on their horses, a ray of moonlight shone over two of them for a few minutes. Balthazar saw in awe as the eyes of his friends turned from brown to white to brown again in mere seconds, and then it dissipated like smoke from a candle. Gaspar and Melchior looked at each other and smiled.

-"This is good."

-"Yes it is, Gaspar."

-"H-hey, guys, what's going on? What did the moon tell you?" Balthazar asked, nervous.

-"Relax, Balto. Milk and I have a Three Kings Day surprise for you after the trip. But for now, focus on your job. The Caribbean isn't an easy region, right?" Gaspar smirked, throwing him a mischievous glare. Balthazar gulped, going back to his thing.

They set off after the midnight hour struck, riding through cities and towns equally. As children slept and dreamed of sweets and toys and cinnamon and love, Balthazar, Gaspar and Melchior left them gifts under trees and beds, letting their horses eat the grass they left in shoes and boxes, and drinking glasses of water every one or two houses. These three, and Santa clause, were the two gift givers of Latin America, especially Puerto Rico, with its double culture. Neither was shadowed by the other, and the difference in dates helped. After the trip, they rode back to the heavens, Gaspar and Melchior anxious and excited to see the look in their friend's face when they showed him his present. Balthazar got down from his horse and looked suspiciously at Melchior. How could his teacher not tell him? Did he not trust him anymore?

-"Seriously, guys, what's up?" he asked. Gaspar took the three horses away and looked at Melchior. He nodded and turned to his scholar,

-"Balthazar, remember last year you told Gaspar you felt lonely?" Balthazar nodded, confused. Then, two strong black hands covered his eyes, startling him.

-"Aah! What's going on? Why are you covering my eyes?"

-"Gaspar, you are an idiot." Melchior said, dryly.

-"I'm just doing my job. Get the present." Present? What were they talking about? Wasn't it a box?

-"Gaspar, let me go!"

-"Stay still, Balto, you'll ruin the surprise."

-"What surprise? I don't know what you're talking about!"

-"Wow. This wasn't what I expected."

-"WHAT IS IT?!"

-"Let him see." Gaspar let go, making Balthazar fall forwards, bumping head on with his surprise. No sooner than the two gazes met and Balthazar let out a laugh of excitement.

-"Like it?" Melchior asked, knowing the answer quite well.

-"It? I'm not an object. My name is Maria." The girl snapped at him, making Balthazar love her even more. His surprise was a friend! A girl!

-"A girl? Since when are we called the Three Kings and a girl?" Gaspar whispered to Melchior, not convinced she was the best choice.

-"Maria? That's your name?"

-"Yeah…you must be Balthazar."

-"Heh, call me Balto."

-"Okay, Balto." She chuckled. Her laugh was like bubbles popping. He adored her the second he saw her, and it was much to say. Her hair was black like the night, her eyes brown like chocolate, her lips pink like strawberries, and what could he say? She was exactly his age and skin tone!

-"You like to play basketball?"

-"Yeah."

-"Wanna shoot some hoops as a welcoming?"

-"Okay." She smiled and followed Balthazar to where they made the toys. Melchior was so hung up on watching the teens play, he didn't answer Gaspar's question.

-"Milk shake! Why a girl?" he yelled at the teacher. Melchior woke up from his stare and looked at Gaspar with surprised eyes.

-"I thought you were going to accept a woman in our group. You are not sexist, are you?"

-"No, I'm just not convinced a girl would do the right job. We don't have another horse for her."

-"Look at her back." He did, and saw two perfectly sized angel wings.

-"She's an angel?"

-"Was going to be, when the moon decided she would do a much better job being a King…or in her case, a Queen.

-"Ugh."

-"Oh, Gaspar, please! Give her a chance. Look, she makes Balthazar happy. Is it not what we wanted for him? Happiness for the rest of his eternity up here?" Gaspar tapped his foot on the ground and crossed his arms. Somehow, the girl didn't quite convince Gaspar, because then she'll ask for a girl because being around boys is too much.

-"Oh, all right. I'll give her a shot. But if she does anything to hurt him, she isn't staying here." Melchior smiled. Gaspar had kind of made Balthazar his son, so he knew he was going to keep a close eye over them. Maybe he should too. God knows what could happen between them. After all, they're both immortal, hormonal 17 year olds.

A/N: Hello. Just so you know, Maria means "the chosen one", and I thought it was a nice name for Balthazar's new friend. The description of the hree ings is exactly how I have seen the Kings since my childhood. Hope you enjoyed this! There will be more if I have enough reviews :P