FROM NOWHERE
It was a nice day. That kind of day everybody likes. Herc, Iolaus and Jason liked it as well, so they decided to go fishing for a while.
"Hey, I'm gonna catch the biggest one," Iolaus broke the silence.
"Dream on, boy," Jason starting to laugh.
Hercules was so quiet; he didn't even realize the guys were now laughing at him.
Jason touched Hercules' shoulder: "Hellooooo, are you in there?"
"Hmmmm," he said like in the dream: "Oh, yes, sorry, I was thinking..."
"Again?" Iolaus just can't stop laughing. He turned around and walked backward looking into Hercules' eyes.
"If I were you I'd rather look where I'm going," Hercules said.
"I'm a hunter, I have a good sense, remember that," Iolaus complained and started to run. Backwards.
"OK, but if you hurt yourself, don't try to come back with tears," Jason shouted at him.
"Haha, very funny," he shouted back just before he suddenly felt something touch his foot and he lost his balance.
The guys heard a *big bang*. "I knew it," Herc told to himself and followed Jason who was now running to see what happened.
Iolaus opened his eyes, his head was hurting. HE tried to move, but somebody's hand touched his chest and didn't allow him to stay.
"I'm so sorry, it was my fault," a girl voice came to him: "I don't know, but I just like while I'm resting lean on the tree. I hope you didn't hurt yourself too much."
"No, no, I'm OK," he said pulling himself up. She offered him a hand and helped him.
Jason came first and immediately started: "Oh great, we're scared to death what happened to him and he is flirting. Again.
"No, it was my fault," a girl said.
"It really doesn't matter, trust me," Iolaus smiled at her: "It nice to meet you, I'm Iolaus."
"Ohh, so how I look you are really OK," she smiled back at him: "My name's Icie."
"And... this," he pointed at Jason: ".... is Jason."
"The Prince?"
"Yeah, that one.... And that," he pointed to a tall guy who was walking towards them: "Is Son of Zeus."
"Yeah, Hercules, am I right? Nice to meet you guys."
Jason stepped a bit forward and took her hand. "The pleasure is mine," he smiled and slowly kissed her hand.
"As a prince you have to be a gentleman," she smiled back.
"And what are you doing here, where are you from, I have never seen you around," Iolaus started to be very interested.
Her blue eyes went darker, well at least Iolaus thought so. "I.. I'm looking for someone."
"Hey, don't be so sad," Jason took his arms around her: "We can help you.... if you tell us who exactly are you looking for."
"You know where the problem is?" she looked at him: "I'm looking for my parents..."
"That's so easy, tell us their names and we'll find them," Iolaus interrupted her.
"That will be so easy and I wouldn't need anyone's help for that, but the problems is I don't know them, I don't even know their names or where are they from."
"Did I miss something?"
"Oh, Herc, this girl, Icie, is looking for her parents and we will help her," Iolaus informed his friend.
She suddenly lost herself. Jason caught her before she actually fell. He leaned her down on the ground. Then something incredible happened. Her eyes opened and some kind of lighting came from them.
Iolaus shook her shoulder, trying to wake her up: "Hey, come on girl."
She moaned a little and lightly touched her face: "I'm fine...."
"How did you do that?" Hercules asked with a bit of fear.
"I... I don't really know," she said silently: "What.... what if my parents are gods?"
"What?", Hercules asked in surprise.
"I don't know, it happens once in a time and I don't know why..."
"Oh, can you do also something else?," Iolaus asked with wicked smile.
"Iolaus!" Jason warned his friend.
"No, it's ok with me," Icie said sadly: "Sometimes it's not lightening, sometimes a fire's pouring from my hands or icy sticks from my fingers..."
She covered her face and sobbed.
"Hey, it's gonna be all right," Herc hugged her.
Jason slowly touched her face whispering: "You can't even imagine how powerful you are. Maybe you can save the world..."
She turned her head slowly and smiled: "I don't think so. After all I can't control it."
"But when you learn it.... ooooh, what will be great..." Iolaus started, but was soon interrupted by the rest of the guys: "Will you just watch your mouth!"
"Icie, maybe you can go to academy with us," Hercules tried.
"I don't know, I don't wanna hurt someone," her eyes were filling with tears again.
"No... we'll protect you!" Jason order.
All the way back to academy Iolaus was doing funny faces at Icie, talking jokes and making Hercules and Jason crazy.
"Iolaus, do you always have to be that stupid," Jason suddenly asked.
"I think he's funny," Icie protected him.
"Ohhh, the lady thinks I'm funny," Iolaus smiled wildly at her: "Thanks my lady."
"But you don't have to be THAT funny," she smiled back.
"OK guys, we're nearly here," Herc inform.
"Is he always that quiet?" Icie whispered to Iolaus.
"No, I don't know what's bothering him."
"Hey guys, how was your fishing? ... Oh, who's that?"
"A friend?" Jason answered.
"A friend. Don't make a fool of me, I know your friends and I don't know a girl who would talk and flirt with Iolaus without...."
"Hey, she's not flirting with me!"
"Well, OK, but YOU ARE flirting, or at least you're trying to."
"Will you just stop it!" Hercules shouted. "Lilith this is Icie, Icie this is Lilith." Girls shook their hands.
"Are you a new cadet?" Lilith asked quickly.
"Hmmm, I..." Icie started.
"Yes, that's it!" Iolaus jumped: "She is a new cadet."
"A new cadet? Are you really crazy?" Icie asked Iolaus when Lilith, Jason and Hercules left.
"Yes, why not?"
"I can't stay here. Remember my.... powers."
"I like your powers."
"Stop it! Where they went?"
"Are you hungry?"
"Hungry? .... Well, a little..."
"You wanna join me?"
"If you stop talking for a while, then maybe..."
"This way... my lady..."
Iolaus took Icie's hand and directed her to a small Cafeterie.
"We're often going here to have some PROPER meal," he smiled and winked at her.
They joined the rest of the guys who already started their meal.
"I... have to.... I'll be right back," Iolaus quickly excused himself.
"Is he doing it all the time," Icie asked after he left.
"Yes, sometimes even more," Jason laughed.
"He's making us crazy," Lilith added.
Jason turned to Hercules who seemed not to be in again: "Herc, knock-knock, anybody's home?"
"Wha.... Sorry," he woke up.
"What's wrong you?"
"Nothing, I'll rather go, see ya then," he stood up.
"Today, it seems like everybody's crazy," Jason told to himself.
"I think... I need to ask him something," Icie realized: "Will you excuse me?" and walked out.
"Really crazy," Lilith agreed.
"Hercules, hey, wait for me," Icie ran out the Kora's.
"What? You forgot Iolaus..." he answered with a bit of jealousy.
"Hey, what's wrong? Is it because of me?"
"Not really, I just remembered my father."
"I'm sorry, I didn't want to upset someone."
"Not your fault, it has to be hard, if you don't know your parents."
"It's very hard," her eyes pinned on the ground.
Hercules looked at her. Something was strange on this girl. And not only the lightening. He didn't really know what, but still he had a bad feeling. He slowly hugged her and soothed her: "I'm sure it's gonna be fine soon."
"Ooooh, someone's got a new girl," a voice came from the back.
"What?" Hercules turned: "Oh, Ares. I should have known."
Icie hided behind Hercules.
"What do you want this time, Ares?"
"The same, still the same.... YOU!"
Ares stepped forward ready to use lighting on them, when other lighting hit him on the chest. Icie's blue eyes were angry and lightings stroked from them.
"What the..., ouch."
Hercules was watching it with wide eyes and his mouth open. He couldn't believe it. Ares probably felt pain.
Well at least just before he disappeared.
Icie fell on the ground. Hercules sat next to her and gently took her head to his lap. He slowly touched her face, which was still very hot and looked very tired.
"Here they are. Herc just has to have every girl!" Iolaus was angrily running towards the two people resting on the ground. Then he realized she was lying without moving.
"What happened to her," he started to be worried: "Does it happened again?"
"Yes, but she actually saved me." Hercules answered.
"Saved YOU?"
"Yes, Ares showed here and she shoot him with her lightening."
"What now?"
"Help me carry her to Academy."
Well, Iolaus didn't really helped with carrying, but he ran ahead to tell Cheiron what happened.
Hercules took her gently to his arms, trying to not cause her any more pain. She rested her head on his shoulder and slowly put her arms around his neck. When they arrived Cheiron immediately order to lay her down on the bed and not to let anyone come to the room.
Cheiron slowly caressed her still feverish face and wetted her face with cool water. Then he covered shaking body and let her sleep.
"Who's that?" he asked just after he closed the door.
"We... we found her," Hercules started to explain.
"Yeah, in the woods," Iolaus added.
"Like this?"
"No, you know... she is... ," Herc couldn't find the right words.
"She is strange. Her eyes can fire the lightning. We went to Kora's, but she left with Hercules," Iolaus looked at Herc: "And then Ares showed at and she shoot him with her lighting. And then she fell off..."
"Slow down, Iolaus. Lightning, you said?"
"What happened," Lilith showed up.
"Hey where did you leave your Lady?" Jason joked.
Cheiron rolled his eyes. He didn't want to argue with four people at one, so he rather decided to leave for now. He just took Hercules on the side: "Take care of her."
"So, where is she?" Lilith wanted to know.
"She probably found out who Iolaus really is," Jason jested.
Lilith collapsed in laugh in Jason's arms. Iolaus started to be very angry.
"NO!" he screamed.
Lilith and Jason suddenly stopped and stayed still without any move.
"OK, cool down, we were just joking...," Jason started.
"Yes, it wasn't your fault," Lilith added.
Hercules, before just watching, now stepped ahead: "Well, she is not gone. She is sleeping inside."
"Oh, sorry, is she OK?" Lilith was worried.
"Hope so...," Iolaus whispered.
The door suddenly opened. Icie looked very pale, but she was certainly OK. The guys were looking at her.
"What?" she asked.
"How are you feeling?" Iolaus started.
"I know, it happened again, but ALL the time I'm fine. So please don't be afraid or so."
"So... do you think I can show you the Academy?" Lilith was already impatient.
"Yes, I'm looking for it," Icie smiled. Her face looked normal again.
Lilith took her around shoulder and they walked together through the corridor.
"Do you understand that?" Iolaus asked.
The day passed quickly for Icie. Lilith showed her whole Academy. Icie's legs were already hurting. The night fell on the wood very fast. Lilith showed her where will be her sleeping place.
"If you need something, I'll be right here," she pointed across room.
"OK, thanks... I'm just going to have a walk," Icie explained.
"A walk? Aren't you tired?"
"I just need to sort some things up. I'll be back soon."
Icie left Academy and sat on the root of the big tree somewhere in the wood. She removed a talisman she was wearing under her top. She looked at it and her eyes filled with tears. She leaned against the tree and looked at the sky.
Suddenly she heard something. Her breath slowed down and was very shallow. She didn't want to be heard or seen. But the problem was the sound was very near and approached. She hided herself behind the tree. She heard somebody or something, which made that sound, stopped. Just on the other side of the tree. She took a big stick lying next to her and attacked.
The stick slashed through the air, but was stopped by two powerful hands.
"Hercules! What are you doing here?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I was worried... But as I see, you don't need anyone to stay safe...," he answered with smile.
"Why are you here?," she asked without looking at him.
"I was looking after you."
"Why?" she sighted.
"I was worried," he explained: "May I join you...?"
"If you like sitting on the cold ground and looking nowhere, yes..."
"OK...," he nodded.
"Wha...," she started to laugh.
The night was safe and silent. Icie enjoyed looking at black-blue sky. Hercules was already sleeping. His head was resting against the tree. He was breathing slowly. She could see he was dreaming. She was looking at him for a while. Blond hair messed up a bit, smile on his face, long arms and legs, sure this boy looked attractive. She realized she remembered the color of his eyes. Crazy. She made herself look somewhere else. It will be morning soon. The sky had already lighter blue color. The soft moan made her look at him again. A nightmare. *He is having a nightmare,* she thought. She lightly touched his face.
"Hercules, wake up," she sang: "The morning calls."
He opened his eyes: "I had a dream I was sleeping somewhere in the woods, but how I see it wasn't a dream."
"I think you are in big trouble," she sighted: "And probably not only you."
"O-oh, Cheiron will be sooo mad! We better go."
"Where have do you been?" someone yelled at Hercules right after he entered the Academy. It was, what a surprise, Iolaus.
"In the wood..."
"With her!"
"So...."
"You like her, don't you!"
"No! Well yes, as a friend, like I like you, Jason and Lilith."
"So why have you been with her WHOLE night?"
"We were talking..."
"Talking... If you say it like that...," Iolaus looked umbrage.
"Ehmm, if you want to tell me something, then say so!" Icie interrupted their fight.
"Nothing, after all it's your problem, not mine. Cheiron is waiting for you and he doesn't look very friendly this time," he said with a smile.
"Hercules, what are you doing?" Cheiron slammed the door beside Herc and Icie when they entered his office.
"I..."
"First you bring this girl and then you stay whole night somewhere in the wood without saying something to me or anyone else."
"I didn't know we need a special permission if we want to leave Academy to have a walk."
"To have a walk. Through the night?"
"Mister, I'm so sorry. I went out first, he was worried so he went to find me."
"Listen lady, he has his own brain."
"I knew it wasn't a good idea to go here." she ran out of the door with tears in her eyes.
"Icie!" Hercules tried to stop her.
Icie ran out of the Cheiron office, of the Academy. She wanted to be alone. When she is alone, she doesn't have any problems. Nobody cares about her and that's probably better. She felt horrible. She was running she didn't know where. Suddenly she tripped on something. She fell, but somebody helped her stand up. She turned, expected something terrible.
"You wanna kill yourself, or what?"
It was Iolaus. Small blond cadet, who fell yesterday because of her.
"Did you cry? What happened? Did Hercules hurt you?"
"No...," she tried to break sobs: "I left and I'll never go back."
"Is it THAT bad?"
"No, I just need to be on my own. I don't want any FRIENDS. I don't want to fell in love. Sometimes I have a feeling I don't deserve to live!"
"Hey, don't talk like that!"
"I'm sorry but I feel it like that..."
"No... I mean..."
"I'm sorry Iolaus, I rather go. Maybe we'll meet again, someday."
"But what about Hercules? Lilith and Jason? And what about... me?
"Sorry...," she felt a tear running on her cheek.
She stepped forward and slowly put her arms around him. He ran one hand through her hair and the other hand caressed her back. Her head rested on his shoulder.
"I'm gonna miss you, Iolaus."
He looked at her sadly, lifted her chin. She looked into his eyes and realized the eyes she remembered weren't Hercules', but Iolaus'. He slowly moved forward, feeling her breathing...
"No!... I'm sorry Iolaus. Rather not...," she said softly. She took his hand and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Then she turned around not giving him a chance to see her tears.
"Bye, Iolaus, say bye to everyone...," she said quietly.
"I will," he answered.
"And I will miss you too," he added watching her running through the wood somewhere. Somewhere where he hoped she will be really happy.
END of chapter 1