The first chaper of my storie. I fixed some typos, sorry for everyone horrified by my grammar before the fix.
It was a sunny morning, carefully planned to keep the weather from spoiling their endeavor. They were on their way, aboard the ship.
- … right, we need to come up with a name – said the merry purple hedgehog.
- You have any ideas, hunter? – inquired the green feathered duck.
- . . . –
- What, yu no say anything? –asked the hedgehog.
- Seems like the method of ignoring will not serve this time, since I have a hedgehog and a duck stuck inside a ship and bored from a long travel, with nothing better to do, thus unleashing their wild minds – replied the brown furred wolf , holding sight on the horizon and hands on the steering wheel - There is no need for a name, since we are not in any sort of context that would require us to have a name for others to refer to us. And I am in fact surprised that you haven't already interrupted my paragraph with a quick reply, before even letting me finish my line …
- In fact we do need a name. –replied the green duck- You see, as you well said we don't have a reason right now for a name to designate our group of pals, but there might come a time when they might wonder, "who are they?", and it'd be easier to just say our names. Besides, it'll sound cool when get to be famous, we'll be known by that one name.
- I don't have any intent of being famous or "cool" – stated the wolf, taking his hands away from the steering wheel to mimic the quotes with his fingers.
- C'mon Hawn, don't be like that, you know you'll be giving in eventually. – the hedgehog said, hugging the wolf from behind, seeking to convince him.
- Sadly, but I hope I won't – replied hunter, sighing – My main reasons for being reluctant to the name invention are that I am not good when deciding on names, letting the idea out of question, since you will both likely come up with ridiculous names …
- How rude! – Interrupted the hedgehog - We can come up with epic names, right Dracke?, let's put our heads to work.
- That's right, I can think a good name in no time – started Dracke, in a lofty manner - Something like freedom, flying, free, wind or the like.
- You sound more like defining yourself there – said the wolf – It should be something that defines us as a whole, but poetical enough in two words . . .
- Ah, there! So now you're willing, uh? – told him the hedgehog – I knew we would get you into this.
- There is no helping it, I might as well help you not burn your heads from too much thinking - he said, briefly smiling, although none of the two saw him, since he was staring at the horizon and cockpit, and he knew it.
- "Freedom Dreamers", "Freedom Fighters", "Flying Cardinals", "Three Winds" – muttered the hedgehog, while he massaged his head.
- It has to be something radical …. –Said the duck stroking his chin.
- Radical, Radical . . . that's it! – Suddenly jumped the hedgehog – "RADICAL DREAMERS"! – he said, like drawing a rainbow with his hands.
- You got it Stretch, that sounds cool! – said Dracke happily.
- Radical Dreamers? What are we, a pop band? – complained Hunter.
- What, think you can come up with a better one? – challenged the duck.
- I'm certain there are thousands of better options – said the wolf.
- Yeah Hawn, why do you think it's not good enough? – asked Stretch, just like if he were a child.
- To begin with, can you give me an argument about how that name speaks of us? – inquired the wolf
- Easily – started Dracke, lifting a finger to explain – "We are a company of comrades, even friends, that pursue their dreams, as well as a means to gain a living while they are at it. Isn't that Bohemian and romantic?" Quoting your own words. Tell me if that's not being a dreamer. –he finished, crossing arms proud of his solid argument.
- Well it makes sense now, I admit. And what about including Bohemian of Romantic then? – asked Hunter, as his last resort.
- hmm, "Radical Bohemians", "Romantic Dreamers" . . . nah, it sounds lame, you really are bad at names – said the duck, sounding mocking.
- . . . "Bohemian Dreamers", "Radical, no … Romantic … no, so sorry Hawn – said stretch, lifting shoulders.
- You two little . . . – he was starting to get mad - But what about "Radical"? How does it fit?
- 'cuz we're radical man! – the duck simply said.
- . . . do you even know what that means? – the wolf was now losing patience.
- It's settled then! – shouted stretch.
- We are . . . – Dracke looked at his partner and started counting to three with his fingers, and then both shouted at once: - The Radical Dreamers!
They used to do that every time they assumed they were thinking on telling the same.
- Sigh, I hope this is not final – muttered hunter, and then continued loud – Ok, we are very close to the location, go back to your damn seats, and shut the bloody mouth! I'm going to land now.
- Ha ha ha – dracke laughed merrily, quickly going back to his seat - Here we go treasure hunting!
- Yahoo, we are the Radical Dreamers! – Stretch shouted, jumping back to his seat.
They landed on a plain land close to the location. During their travels, they all started developing an interest in searching on every interesting spot they stumbled upon, mainly ruins of ancient civilizations and the like. This one, the first they ventured in, was much alluring due to its layout. It was a big crack on the landscape, in which a big building was half sunken. The structure was mainly stone made.
The descent was rocky, and there were no places to safely put foot, but they didn't have a problem. Dracke only had to fly down there, while carrying Hunter, which was no problem even considering the weight. Stretch held a tree on the border of the crack tight with both hands, and let himself fall down using both arms as cords, stretching his legs until he could touch the ground below, to secure his descent. Yes, that's the most surprising ability of his, the aptitude of stretching his limbs. That's why they decided to give him that nickname, which everyone uses to call him. Although he has a true name, that only Dracke and Hunter know.
The entrance portal was big, but since it was half covered by the earth, they had to crouch. Once inside, Hunter turned on the electric lantern, as did Dracke.
- O … Ok, l-let's go . . . – said stretch, his voice trembling and echoing on the dark underground hall - . . .uh, I can't see anything.
- Bring out your lantern, genius – Hunter advised him.
- Oh, yeah . . .
- Let me see now – the wolf brought out a device from his bag. He turned it on. It sent an acute sound through the hall, which echoed against the walls eventually coming back to their direction.
- Anything? – Inquired Dracke, approaching hunter to better see the screen of the device.
- No movement has been detected, we may proceed with caution.- announced Hunter, relieving his comrades - Raise your lanterns.
And so they started walking. The search lasted a bit more after dinner time, but they found nothing, and had already looked through the entire hall. The place was so spooky, and the tension around them didn't help. Stretch made some silly jokes and puns from time to time to ease the fear and nervousness, but he wasn't followed on the plan by his partners, who were more paranoid and focused on the sounds of anything that could come out, and only replied with a low "shhhhh", or a "shut the bloody mouth", all of the times he would try.
They were ready, or rather, eager to leave such a dark place, after losing all hopes of finding anything, and already retiring from the treasure hunting business, as it seemed it was no more than a delusion to think they could get any profit out of it, no matter how many places they tried.
- How many battery's left, I hope these won't turn off on us midway – asked Dracke, taking a look at his lantern.
- Relax, there should be about a hour of battery left – answered Hunter looking at his lantern and then taking a look at his comrades – We are ready to take our leave, seems like we will not get anything out of this. Stretch, what are you doing there? What are you waiting for . . .
- Wait, there's some shiny thingy over there – indeed, in the direction the hedgehog was pointing there was a hole in a corner, from which a pale red hue glow emanated.
- Hold it there – Hunter warned them from getting close to the hole, and performed another analysis with his device. This time, however, after the sound waves test, he performed another analysis with the device. It was an infrared light that he pointed to the zone - Almost nonexistent heat, it's not alive.
- It's safe then – said Dracke relieved.
- Good, ima take a look –said the purple hedgehog, crouching to see inside the hole – hmm, there's a shiny little ball. I'll take it out.- he said, stretching his left arm to reach to the shinning sphere.
- Careful now! We still don't know what that might be – warned the wolf, while he's comrade was already taking out the object.
It was a glowing sphere, which lighted almost as much as three lanterns together, with the aforementioned pale red hue. The two approached their friend as his hand returned to him with such a treasure. Although they had to tighten their eyes, as the light it gave off was that strong.
- Great, with this, our first treasure, – started so happily Dracke, taking the sphere on his hand, his dreams of treasure hunting rising from the dead – we can gain a fortune worth three months, or even a year of living without working, we could even buy . . .
- Hold it, we are not going to sell this - interrupted the wolf, taking the glowing treasure from his partner's hands.
- He's right, we should keep it, our precious . . . – agreed Stretch, caressing the object.
- Why keep it? Look, I know this glows and all, but do you even know how much a jewel such as this is worth? – argued the duck.
- But this is not the case. Jewels have no light, they merely reflect the light that reaches them. This one is not a jewel, at least not a conventional one, for it shines with own light. I want to analyse it, and see what its potential might be, it seems to guard some kind of energy. – that was Hunter's argument.
- Well, you can. But if it turns out to be useless, we'll sell it, Ok? – Said Dracke, still not satisfied with the decision.
The party left then, in a struggle to see who would take the sphere on their hands. By the time they arrived home, it was night, so they decided to guard the treasure in a chest, locked by key, in hunter's underground lab. Confident of the security of the place they hid their reward for the long day searching the ruins.
Hunter's underground lab was a big basement room, full of lots of research devices, and projects in alpha stage, differently from the hangar, which was full of finished inventions, most of them vehicles. The room had three small windows to the outside.
Amongst the works, there was the most ambitious one he had achieved until now: a portal machine. The invention's purpose to link two or more, if possible, different places. By passing through one of the doors, the user would be able to link space and time, and come out from the other door in another far place. This, however, would require a network, to make the amount possible of portals to work in conjunction, the same as the transport and communication networks. If successful, this would bring a total revolution, and open thousands of doors to possibilities. And of course, it would bring an infinite amount of profits for the creator of such system.