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In this world, Tsuchi, there is one predominate shipping company that everyone knows about. You could almost say that it has a total monopoly on the western continent, Wesgurin. He has twenty ships in Valkros, his base of operations, and another six at the inland-bay town Clear Water, NW of Valkros, which supplied necessary items to the newly founded towns on the other side of the Flangurow sea. The sea its self takes up over a fifth of Wesgurin. He also has been expanding in other areas also. The president is Goku Nahdal, a strong, young, handsome man, who was left most of the company when his father left to go to his fathers memorial on the island of Trev, just north of Valkros in the frigid waters of the Rocky Island Straits. Goku had not known his grandfather, so he stayed at home. It was reported a month later, that his ship had gone down on the way back. Mortified at the loss of his father, Goku was helped by his adopted brother Xavier, and his father's receptionist, Maery, to help over come this great tragedy, while overcoming it themselves. Eventually, in the short span of four years, Goku and his brother had tripled the amount of business they started with. By the end, they were the strongest shipping/trader business in all of Wesgurin.

Then there is his adopted brother, Xavier McConnel. Many years ago, Goku's father, Tarn, decided to adopt a child, after his wife was deceased. He hoped to have a family larger than one child. Every day, though, he paid his tribute and thanks to what his wife did for him. Every one knew she had died for Goku's father, yet no one ever knew why. During an assassination attempt, she jumped in the way of a spell that was to kill Tarn. However, she was killed in the process. Tarn secretly sent out a group of men to find out about who it was. They never returned, but Tarn was never bothered again.

As for the boy Tarn adopted, at the time he was a mere eight years old and Goku was seven.

Ever since then, Goku led more the high life with his natural father, and Xavier bonded towards the Irish nanny, Shannon, whom Goku's father had chose to hire to raise his children during his often expansive absences. At first, the both of them did spend most of their time with the nanny. But after Goku grew to be a strong ten years of age, his father decided to take him along to work to show him the business. Goku always seemed to have a natural curiosity towards his father's business, and his father picked up on that. However, Xavier didn't really care much for it, and already knew a lot about the working of a shipping company via Maery, for Xavier always had an inquisitive mind also. They just both aimed it towards different people. The sailors and the more common folk were more Xavier's type anyway, not the hoity-toity people his father dealt with. Rough, and entertaining characters (unlike the people Goku met) made up those people, Xavier's people. And all of his friends from the orphanage, Dylar, Mikeal, and Sean, were all involved in the black market and thieving, but Xavier didn’t mind it as long as they didn’t trifle with his dad's company. Xavier was liked by all, despite his sometimes-obnoxious demeanor. Everyone enjoyed being in his presence. They could relax and have fun with him, something they all loved.

* * *

The dark haired Xavier walked up the front lawn of the estate Goku and he owned. A short, lanky man followed him.

"Goku!" Xavier called to the house. "We have a visitor!"

Goku, relaxing in one of the parlor rooms, jumped up at his brother's message, and ran to the front door.

Goku came out on to the lawn and saw Xavier standing next the short man, with gray streaked hair, yet his body didn’t seem too old and frail like his hair portrayed.

"This man…" Xavier started, putting his arm around the man's shoulder. He seemed to be annoyed by Xavier's friendliness. "Is an archeopeelogist… er… archeolpolugust, or… or something! He studies old cities and ancient civilizations, and figures out what their society was like. He also digs up bones of people and animals and figure out what they were like thousands of years ago!"

The man looked at Xavier, miffed he could pronounce his profession so wrong. "It's, um, archeologist. And yes, I research old civilizations and see what their environment was like back then, both culturally and environmentally. If you know what I mean."

"Uh… Oh. I thought a paleoarcheologist did something else…" Goku said, confused.

"No! I'm not a paleoarcheologist! I'm an archeologist! There's a big difference!" The man explained.

"What? Aren't you…" Goku raised an eyebrow, wondering what the difference was. It all sounded the same to him. "Never mind. Anyway, so how can I help you?"

"Ah yes," the man rubbed his chin. "My name is Professor Theo Rabaut, and I am coming to ask for a small ship to take me to Flangura Island, out in the middle of the Great Flangurow Lake. I believe that here is an excellent archeological find there!"

Goku looked at the man suspiciously. "Why didn't you enroll the services of my business in Clear Water? I know Joshun, the manager there, would treat you well."

"Yes, I know. I'm one of the most frequent users of your fine service, however, all the adventurers up in Clear Water are either too busy fending the monsters away, or don't have enough backbone to want to accompany me. I mean, they are really too chicken to go! Something about a bunch of giant golems live there. But I've been to the island before, and I found this one place. I really wanted to come here and try to find some adventurers to accompany me."

"Okay, it's nice of you to tell me. So go find a few men, there are plenty of people here in Valkros."

"Yes, but what I want is you, and obviously this stout lad here, to join me and escort me incase of trouble." Professor Rabaut explained.

"Are you serious?! Ach man!" Xavier yelled in the man's ear, his thick Scottish accent showering all over Theo. Goku secretly developed a smirk. "Are you telling me lad, that you want the owner of this fine establishment, who is the only one left to take care of his legacy here, to go with you, and nonetheless me also, to protect, when this company here is worth way more you could ever pay us?! Are you insane?! This here," pointing at a controlled Goku, "is a delicate man, who's sensitive soul always needs tending to by a fair lady, and a wench on his other side..."

Goku gave Xavier a dirty look. "…You know I'm not like that…" he mumbled, silenced under Xavier's deafening roar.

"…How could you even DARE to ask such a stupid question like that! I know, right now, that you'd have to pay him all the money you've ever possessed, plus, give him a big kiss between his legs to ever, EVER get him to leave this fair plot of glorious land, and adventure around with the likes of you! So I ask you again, that yur telling me you want the owner of Nahdal Shipping Company to personally escort you to this island, to protect you and help you do whatever the hell yur gonna do?!" Xavier finished, his face beet red with anger. Goku could barely hold back his laughter and keep it hidden.

The professor, now visibly shaken up, his face as pale Avalonian snow, could only simply nod his head slowly up and down, his jaw dropped.

"Uh… yes, I'm… telling you… that… you… he… I… was hoping… that…um… uh…"

Then, a bright smile crossed Xavier's face, the red totally released from his face. "Sure! We'd love to! We haven't done anything for so long, its time that we get out and do something!"

Then, Goku just busted out laughing. Theo didn't know what to make of all this, and started chuckling ever so silently.

"By the Goddess' Xavier, you're such an ass when you’re drunk!" Goku roared as he collapsed down to the ground in laughter.

Xavier joined in his brother's now hysterical laughing, "Yeah! I know…" and he turned towards the professor, putting a hand on his shoulder to maintain his balance. "Am I not horrible!?" And then both brothers fell to the ground rolling in laughter, which happened to go on for the next minute or so, only to start anew again when the ghostly pale professor dropped from anxiety and terror. After a moment, the two brothers took the man's limp, unconscious body into their house, chuckling a little the whole way…

* * *

Maery, Goku's receptionist, tended to the unconscious man, gently padding his forehead with a damp cloth. She looked down upon the poor old man, fallen prey to Xavier and his antics.

She stood up, a look of worry on her face, and then eyed Xavier. "You're so mean!" A small grin spread across her lips. She tried hard to conceal it, but it was to no avail.

Xavier's face lit up. He pointed at her. "Ha! See? Yer laughing! You've gotta admit that it was pretty funny!" He then succumbed to the thought of seeing the pale professor passing out again, and propped him self up against the wall as he started to laugh hysterically.

Maery rolled her eyes at Xavier, and continued to attend to the professor.

A moment later, he came to, and looked around kind of dazed.

"What? What happened?" He looked around kind of bewildered. Then, when he saw Xavier, it all came back to him. He frowned and pushed up his glasses. "You couldn't possibly still be laughing about me, could you?"

Xavier stopped himself. "Nope," Xavier said breathlessly.

"Good," Said Professor Rabaut. "Now, where is Goku? I'd like to discuss money and such for this excursion."

"Sure, let me go get him." Xavier got up from his comfortable spot on one of the seats and went out back where Goku was splitting wood.

Goku brought the axe down hard upon the wood, and the split pieces went flying in opposite directions. He then noticed Xavier walking towards him from the house.

"Hey little brother, the professor is awake. He wanted to speak with you about the trip," Xavier told him, taking the axe from his hands. "I'll finish these dozen logs up for ya."

Goku wiped his hands off in the thick grass. "Thanks Xavier."

"Sure," Xavier said as he set up a log.

Goku went inside and into a bathroom before he met with the professor and washed himself to be more presentable to the professor. He could smell his own stink, signifying that it was quite bad.

Professor Rabaut waited patiently in Goku’s parlor room, admiring the paintings. There was a peculiar local artist, Rabaut speculated, that had caught Goku’s fancy, for there were almost a dozen of this certain artists paintings adorning the walls. Most paintings depicted the ancient legend regarding the Grand Dragon lord that supposedly plagued mankind about a millennia ago. Other paintings depicted the savior of mankind, whose name was unknown, and such a disheartened thing as that inspired many artists to paint in a motif based off of this. Usually, the hero’s face was turned or blocked, not allowing the viewer to see who he really was.

Finally, Goku came in the parlor and sat down across from the Professor. He was now gawking at the mural on the ceiling he just noticed.

"How unique," he said. "Who is this young Roivas? I’ve never heard of him." He looked at Goku."

Xavier glanced up, and said, "Xavier has done all these."

The professor made a strange face. "Why sign it Roivas? Is that his last name?"

Goku shook his head and then settled back into the comfortable chair, looking towards the professor. "Nope, it’s his pen name I guess. No, brush name."

"Hmm, interesting." Then, with sudden attention, the professor leaned forward, clasping his hands. "Goku, how much are you going to ask for this… expedition?"

Goku’s eyes wandered, and then they settled on some invisible number. "Just enough for travel expenses and food."

The professor was taken back by this meager sum. He blinked his eyes. "Are you sure? Is that all?"

"The pure adventure of the trip will satisfy me and Xavier. Trust me."

"A-ha ha!" The professor rubbed his hands and stood up. "Good, good. So, this is what we’re doing. There is a large island in the middle of the Flangurow Sea. That is where we are heading." The professor started pacing back and forth, stroking his small beard. "And in the middle of the island is our destination. Now, hidden there are giant golems that can be controlled by people."

Goku raised an eyebrow. "What? A golem is not a creature you can control."

The professor stopped and turned on his heel, facing Goku. "But they aren’t normal golems, not the ones me and you know. They aren’t even alive! They are just controlled by a human hand. I just want to go here and document what I see. I wasn’t even planning on letting anyone else know of its existence until now, but I don’t have a ride or protection. And no one, I mean NO ONE must ever know where this is located, for if some one ever were to use them for evil, they would be unstoppable."

Goku was speechless, just staring forward, open mouthed at the excited professor.

"C’mon! You’ll love it!" The professor yelled.

"Well… Okay," he said. "Just let me go tell my brother."

As Goku got up, the professor started hooping and hollering at the top of his lungs, jumping around in happiness.

"Whatta whack…" Goku mumbled to himself as he left the room…