Bacchus yawed as he walked through customs with his large carry on bag consisting somewhere near fifty thousand dollars. It was a pain getting through customs but luckily for him everyone took a bribe after all times were tough. He smiled as he walked to the entrance of the airport to see there was a man in a suit waiting for him. Bacchus resisted the urge to laugh as he walked to the man holding the sign that said ‘Bacchus’ on it. “Let me guess you're the muscle?” a snort snuck out as he looked at the man, he was well over three hundred pounds and about six foot. Bacchus looked slightly down on him with a smile, “Well I’m sure your masters waiting, so let’s go before I get bored.” Bacchus walked outside holding onto the bag as tightly as possible not wanting to let it go. It took him forever to get this much no doubt about it America was expensive as hell. Bacchus had no idea it would take him a few months to get this much but after lucking out and meeting up with Isabel the cost of living dropped to nothing whatsoever.

It had been two hours in that cramped car, the sun was blazing down on the hood of the car as Bacchus started to sweat. He looked to the driver and said, “How bout you turn the air on, feel like I’m in a sweatshop back here.” The guy laughed and rolled up the windows and didn’t respond after that. ‘Asshole’ thought Bacchus as he sat back and whipped his forehead on the seats trying to mess up the back as much as possible, ‘Teach you,’ thought Bacchus as he grinned waiting to get a rise from the driver with no luck.

The driver started to reek it smelt like rotten eggs and body odor, Bacchus least two favorite smells in the whole world and some how this bloke managed to pull off a combination which almost made Bacchus want to vomit, in fact, Bacchus leaned down and threw up in the back seat and kept it coming. The driver let out a dry heave and yelled, “What the hell is wrong with you? We are in the driveway you couldn’t wait till you got out of my car?” Bacchus laughed and wiped the vomit from his mouth and pushed the back door open. In fact he pushed the door so hard the door had a little hang time landing about thirty feet from the car. He smiled he had developed so much control in America, to think his hand would had to be twice the size it was now to pull something like that off.

The guy jumped out of the car and started yelling at Bacchus pulling out a gun demanding that he pay for the car and he clean up everything. Bacchus smiled as he got out of the car, as he increased the density of his skin and in turn giving him a fraction of his giant like strength. Keeping his grin Bacchus said, “I’ll do you one better mate…” Bacchus took one hand and picked up the car and threw it fifteen feet in a tree, “There you go mate, let it air out for you, it smelled like shit in there.” Bacchus turned his back to the man and started walking towards a fancy looking clubhouse. One he had frequently visited before, mainly to pick up his deadbeat father. Bacchus never had the pleasure of meeting the head honcho and odds are he never will seeing that everyone knows about his powers. Even if Bacchus wanted to the odds of finding the boss and ending him are slim to none. If it wasn’t for the fact that the guy had his men always around Bacchus’s friends in just the right time Bacchus would go all out and mess this guy up.

Bacchus entered the house and sat down in the same chair he ad sat in before to undergo the talk via satellite, this bloke was smart; he never left any clues to where he was. A fact that infuriated Bacchus even more. The plasma screen turned on as an old white haired man smiled and waved to Bacchus who returned the wave with a crude middle finger gesture. The old man began his dialogue like he does every time Bacchus sits in the stupid chair, the man talked about his business and why Bacchus was in so much debt and every time Bacchus raised his hand and cut the old man off. “I know why I’m here, cause my Dad is a ****ing Dumb Ass, and for some reason you assholes keep making bets with him instead of killing the poor bastard off. Just like the last time and the time before that the old man laughed, “straight to the point, that's what I like about you.“ Bacchus laughed, “That’s great, hears the money.” With that Bacchus tossed the money to one of the only guards in the room. The guard opened the bag and said something to a microphone. Which resulted in the old man saying, “Oh Bacchus well done, you only have a few more trips back and forth and you can call it quits.” Bacchus frowned as he spoke, “But of course your not gonna tell me how much, so I could have doubled the money and I wouldn’t know any better…” he looked to the television with glaring eyes, oh how he wished the old man was face to face with him, he would have enjoyed torturing the old man.

The old man let out a horse cackle making it sound like he was choking on something that was going to surface if he was going to continue to laugh. Bacchus turned his head to avoid seeing the whatever it was surface. “Bacchus I think you get smarter every time you're here, it’s true that’s why I am not telling you the amount you owe me.” Bacchus once again lifted a crude gesture with his middle finger only making it bigger. “Well seeing as your friends are my targets I don’t see how you can do much to argue with me, but seeing as how your being such a good investment I’ll allow you to see your friends. But I want you out of here in one week, and I expect you to have double the money on your return.” The man laughed as this time a ball of something shot from the man’s mouth and hit the camera knocking over and ending their conversation.

Bacchus looked at the Television then to the guard who walked away leaving Bacchus alone in the vacant room with nothing but a chair and a plasma television. Bacchus grinned and stood up and walked over to the television and ripped it ff the wall cords and all. “Well if I am gonna visit home might as well bring a gift.”

Bacchus smiled as a tear streamed down his face as he held the large plasma screen television on his enlarged back. “I’m home…” Bacchus said to himself as he enlarged his legs to increase the distance he walked with each stride. After a half hour walk up the deserted driveway he found him self-looking at a large ranch entrance. Another tear streaked down his face as he saw the sign he mad several years ago when his friends became his family. In big bold writing the sign read, “Olympus Ranch” he smiled at the fact that they didn’t take the sign down. Bacchus walked into the ranch when he saw a flash off in the distance followed by a large dust cloud. Bacchus put the television off to the side as he opened his arms waiting for the impact. Bacchus’s body returned to normal just before the impact, he knew full well that the force of the impact would knock him over several times like a tumble weed but he didn’t care, it had been forever since he felt this happiness. Bacchus looked up and smiled to the teenager sitting on his chest, “Gotten faster have you Gunny?”

The scrawny kid wiped his nose in an act to hide his confidence, “Glad you remembered my name you ass hole!” Bacchus held back a laugh as he sat up pulling his friend and brother into a hug, “I’m sorry, it was something I had to do.” Bacchus felt Gunner’s scrawny arms lift around Bacchus’s back as the kid sniffled like he was fighting back tears of happiness that his brother Bacchus had returned. “Why didn’t you tell us you were leaving?” cried out Gunny as tears streaked down his face, “I would have come with you, I can help, no one can out run me!” Bacchus smiled as he stood up holding the runt in his arms still in a hug, “I know Gunny, but to many things were going on, sides you had school, couldn’t take you out of there, your to smart to skip school with a dumb ass like me.” Bacchus set Gunny down and patted the kid on the head, “sides I needed you to look after everyone here, and you’re the only one with your head on straight.” Gunny laughed as he looked to the television, “What’s that?” Bacchus smiled as he picked up the television and expanded his body so it would fit under his shoulder as it was braced by his arm, “A gift from the states” said Bacchus with a smile as he turned back to see the large house off in the distance.

It had been a short walk but between the giant and speedster a few conversations were carried out regarding how everyone else was doing. ‘Figured no one would be happy after I left, wonder how there gonna respond when they see me…’ thought Bacchus as he smiled as he came upon the stairs leading to the porch of the house. Unfortunately Bacchus got his answer when he put his foot on the first porch step, the door kicked open as a beautiful brunette pointed a shotgun at Bacchus’s face, “What the hell are you doing here?” cried the woman who herself was fighting back tears as she cocked the gun. Bacchus pushed gunny to realize that the kid had already booked it away from Bacchus and the barrel of the gun, ‘Smart kid’ thought Bacchus as he increased the density of his body as the girl pulled the trigger.

The bullets impacted as Bacchus closed his eyes and spoke, “Some welcoming Erica, here I figured you’d miss me?” Bacchus heard the gun cock again as she fired again, “Really? Two figured you’d have forgiven me after the first one.” Bacchus knew full well that Erica in particular took his leaving hard, and from what Gunny told him she was even more upset than he thought she would have been. Once again Bacchus was surprised as Erica dropped the gun and ran into the house crying ignoring Bacchus all together. ‘who the hell gave her a gun in the first place?’ thought Bacchus to himself as he pulled the television on his back and walked into the house yelling “I’m Home.”

Bacchus walked into the main hallway and smiled noticing nothing has changed at all. Still as clean as when he left, there wasn’t a once of dirt on the floor and he knew why, the girls were neat freaks…all but one. Speaking of her Bacchus heard the light footsteps running down the stairs in a hurry pace that made it sound like a skip in her step. Bacchus smiled the second he saw the little pigtails, “Hey Little Sheila!” said Bacchus as he set down the television by the entrance to the main sitting area and then turned back to brace for an oncoming hug. “BACCHUSSSS!!!!” Bacchus stood up and caught the girl as she leapt into his arms. “Knew you’d be glad to see me Brooke! How have you been? Been chasing off the boys?” said Bacchus with a smile. Bacchus always teased her knowing one day that the little girl would have to beat the men off with a stick, her friendly personality and her brown eyes even lead the Gunner’s friends around whenever they saw her. “I’ve been doing the chasing off.” Bacchus looked up from Brooke with a smile as he opened up one arm and pulled in the other girl as she walked down the hallway, “Good to see you Eliza! Saw your sister already, she seemed…errr happy to see me.” Bacchus smiled as both girls laughed, “We heard” said Eliza as she hugged Bacchus so tight, “She had been crying every night since you left,” said Brooke with a smile.

Bacchus looked up to Eliza with a ‘oh really’ look. Eliza confirmed it with a slight nod and “Shh” sound to Brooke. Bacchus set the girls down as Brooke grabbed his hand and Eliza’s and said “Come on, I want to show you something!” She pulled them both to the back door then outside as Bacchus said, “What you need to show me?” Brooke smiled and let go as she walked towards the large pool the built a few years ago and smiled to Eliza who let out a small laugh and then said, “Just watch.” Bacchus put his hands on his knees as he leaned forward egger to see what Brooke wanted to show him so bad.

Brooke started to dance… first moving her hips then her hands and legs almost like she was dancing with rave music going on in the back. Bacchus was confused as he leaned over to Eliza and asked, “What she doi…” He got a backhand by Eliza who said, “Just watch!” Bacchus looked back to Brooke who was now dancing with such concentration like her life banked on her performance. Bacchus first noticed it in small amounts then in lager amounts as water started to from around Brooke as she continued to dance. More and more water formed around Brooke as the water started to move with her shifting direction with each movement Brooke was giving. Bacchus’s jaw dropped as he looked to Eliza in disbelief, “Your…like me?” said Bacchus and after he said those words Brooke finished her dance with the water going back into the pool. Brooke then ran over to Bacchus and hugged him saying, “Isn’t it great I’m just like you!!” Bacchus hugged her back as he smiled, “Not exactly.” Bacchus laughed as his body expanded and grew as he still held onto Brooke. After shooting up three feet an expanding two Bacchus tossed her in the air and caught her as she giggled. Bacchus had been doing this since she first awoke at the ranch scared and lonely.

Eliza tapped Bacchus on the hips that were now eye level with her, “Brooke and me need to get dinner started, and since you decided to show, we have to make four times as much as we normally do!” Bacchus laughed as he caught Brooke and set her down as he shrunk back to normal size. “Sorry I didn’t come home on the boys cook night.” They all laughed as the two girls walked inside.

Off in the distance Bacchus heard the ringing of a hammer and an anvil as smoke came from a smoke stack from an old run down building. Bacchus smiled, as he knew who was in there the man he wished who was his father. Almost running there Bacchus kicked the door down and said “Hey old man, you still alive?” Bacchus heard a horse laugh as a friendly looking old man put down a large hammer and turned to Bacchus with a big hug. “Still as arrogant as ever huh?” Bacchus smiled to the man and said, “You look tired you want some help?” the old man laughed and said “Not a chance… if I remember correctly last time you were in here you and Gunner destroyed almost everything, brute strength and super speed are a terrible combination when the work needs to be precise.” Bacchus smiled as he looked around the old armory, “Yeah sorry bout that, it looks like you fixed it al though…” the old man laughed, "Well seeing as how this is the only thing no one else here can do it works out perfectly. The girls take care of the inside of the house while you got my son and the speedster finishing everything in thirty seconds.” Bacchus smiled and asked, “Where is Jon? Haven’t seen him yet…” Bacchus looked to the Smith as he put his hand on Bacchus’s shoulder, “Jon’s still a little bitter towards you since you left without a reason, I know you had to but he didn’t understand, and that bitterness with Jon turned into a grudge, and in turn changed him a little, the friendly boy you know changed a little…” Before Bacchus could ask what Smith meant the old man already had the large steel hammer in the air as he brought it down on a red hot piece of metal which produced sparks. Bacchus took the hint and got up and exited the workshop and walked back to the house wondering where was his best friend.

“You look different…” came a strong voice from Behind Bacchus as Bacchus smiled.

Bacchus’s ears twitched ever so slightly as the wind carried those words to him… Bacchus sniffed the air and smiled, “Ohi, did you bath in that shit you always wear?” Bacchus laughed as he turned around and saw his brother in all but blood and walked over and held out his arms to shake his hand and then hug him. But of course that didn't happen.

Bacchus clenched his jaw as Jon took a swing at him, “Welcome back…” Bacchus turned his head as Jon’s punch landed and made his lip bleed a little. Bacchus wiped his mouth and smiled, “Been gone this long and Brooke still hits harder than you.” Bacchus cocked his fist and threw a light tap that was unamplified with his abilities, he didn’t want to kill him just knock him down. “That's how you hit… Damn.” said Jon as he got up with a nice shiner over his left eye. “Good to see ya again brother!” said Bacchus as he pulled Jon into a hug and Jon hugged back. After a few seconds they pulled away from each other as Jon put his arm around Bacchus’s shoulder, “So how was it there? I heard the women are amazing in America…” smiled Jon. Bacchus nodded as he thought about to of the ones he was the most…well family with the first one that popped into his head left him for dead while the other…probably would have killed him if she could have a while ago…Bacchus smiled and nodded, “Yeah, but a hell of a lot more dangerous than any of the Sheila’s here.”

Bacchus stopped as he turned around and started coughing and gasping. It was her… that smell was clogging the air and surrounding Bacchus and Jon, Bacchus turned around over reacting greatly and threw up on a pair of feet that he hadn’t seemed to notice. Bacchus looked up and said, “Oh how long have you been here?” Bacchus hated this girl with every fiber of his being and it was a pretty big being. He could never pinpoint it but she just seemed evil to him. Bacchus felt a hand across his thicken face as a girl said, “Why the hell are you hear no one miss…” Bacchus was ignoring her as he put his arm back on Jon and kept walking, “Why the hell is she here?” asked Bacchus to Jon. Jon laughed and said, “Well I am dating her so it only makes sense she would stay.” Bacchus jumped away from Jon and pointed to here now yelling, “With that? She’s the God D*** Devil!” Jon just laughed and kept walking as his toy ran over to his side and smiled at Bacchus and then pulled Jon around the neck and started sticking her tongue down his throat. Bacchus turned and once again overreacted and started to throw up at the sight of it. He was so glad he could throw up on command.

Bacchus ran into the house after throwing a normal punch into Jon’s kidney still flabbergasted that his best friend his brother was dating that. Bacchus’s nose twitched as a smell of heaven came upon his senses, ‘there it was again’ thought Bacchus as he followed his nose around the hallway and up the stairs to a door that led to his old bedroom that he was sure would have been empty but why was did a smell so great come from his room. He then remembered the other moment he smelled that scent it was hard to remember because the scent of gunpowder and metal covered the scent but with his enhanced nose Bacchus could finally put his finger on it… Bacchus walked to the door and knocked before entering only saying, “Erica, you okay?”

Bacchus walked into the room very carefully and a slowly as he possibly could. Erica was sitting in his old bed looking out his old window at the sunset; tears were streaking down her face as she continued to ignore him. Bacchus walked closer to his bed and thought about what he would say to her, ‘I want to tell her why I left but u can’t… I want tot tell her that I’ll be back as soon as I can but I can’t…’ Normally Bacchus wouldn’t care about situations like this but Erica was a bit different from other girls. Bacchus and Erica always had a flirtatious relationship that occasionally led to nights where they would kiss or on of Bacchus’s favorites the drunk make out session. After all that he was still able to talk to her just like nothing happened. But this time was different this time he walked out on her, on everyone some took it better than the others but Erica from what Brooke told him hasn’t been taking it well at all.

Bacchus sighed and sat on the bed close to where Erica was he didn’t talk to her at first he just waited for the right moment. It was a full twenty minutes of waiting but Bacchus passed the time watching the sunset over Erica’s shoulders. Once the sun died out along the horizon Erica turned to look at him, her eyes full of tears but this time she didn’t try to wipe them away like she usually did instead she let them fall. Bacchus just stared at her and the reached a hand up to Erica’s face and wiped some tears from her face, “Erica, you know I don’t want to leave this place but… I have to go back…” he paused realizing his hand was on her face and then retracted the hand rather quickly, her face went from sad to a smile as she grabbed Bacchus’s hand and held it in hers.

Bacchus just looked at her not moving his hand, he wanted to but for some reason he couldn’t it was like some force was preventing Bacchus from moving. Bacchus stared into Erica’s dark blue eyes frozen in the moment, ‘What the hell is she doing to my hand’ thought Bacchus as he continued to look in her eyes. Erica pulled herself closer to Bacchus as she leaned in for a kiss. ‘Oh sweet,’ thought Bacchus as he didn’t fight her lips touching his. Like he remembered the random kissing with no strings attached, a true friend with benefits.

Erica pulled away from Bacchus and smiled, “I’m glad your back…and sorry for shooting you with the shotgun…” Bacchus laughed at this he thought it was funny how she so casually said it. “Well you shot me twice, and if it wasn’t for my powers I wouldn’t be here…” Bacchus smiled to her as she came in for a second round of making out. Erica pulled away and laughed, “I knew you could handle it..” she went in for a third time as the door was kicked in sending Erica jumping away from Bacchus. Bacchus looked over to the door and saw Gunner laughing from Erica’s reaction, ”Erica and Bacchus sitting in a tree!!” Bacchus laughed as Gunner said, ’Dinners ready so stop kissing!!”. Bacchus got up from the bed as Erica chased Gunner from the room, “Wait till I get my hands on you twerp,”. Bacchus followed them down the stairs and ate with his family.

Bacchus and Jon, the taste of baked chicken still on the tip of tongue Bacchus let out a loud burp that shook the dishes, were now doing the dishes, “Don’t know why but every time I eat some grub here it always tastes better than anywhere else I have been.” Bacchus paused as he ran some more dishes under the sink.

”Hey you up for the pub?” Bacchus grinned and said “hell yea haven’t been there in forever!” laughing Bacchus put a arm around Jon and pulling him into a Bear hug, “Your paying this time right mate? If I remembered right last time I paid…” ”Surprised you remembered” laughed Jon as he was handed a few dishes to dry, ”you ended up drinking all the booze there, we got kicked out cause you were going ‘Giant’ on the taps.” Bacchus laughed.

It was two hours later before Bacchus and Jon arrived at the Pub, which was actually a combination from a modern nightclub and an old school Bar. The Pub was dimly lit but had the appropriate lighting for a decent dance club. Bacchus went straight for the bar and ordered a pint. Jon followed up with a bottle of beer and clapped Bacchus on the back as Bacchus made his mugged enlarge and thus enlarging the contents.

An hour passed as things started to liven up at the pub. One after another the ‘quality girls started to show, and one after another they said ‘Hello’ to Bacchus and Jon who were by far the best looking blokes in the joint.

Another hour passed as Bacchus caught Jon staring in a group of girls. “Let’s play a little meet and greet,” laughed Bacchus as he pulled Jon to the group of ladies. Approaching the group Bacchus laughed, “Alright me and my best mate here have a question for you Sheila’s,” Bacchus shot a grin Jon’s way hoping he would get lucky with one of these girls so he could kick Minnie the hell up out of the ranch. “I’m thinking of a number between one and 10 and it’s not 7.” Bacchus looked at the girls trying to figure out which ones would be his and which ones he would toss Jon’s way.

There were a total of five girls in the group, the girls took turns and the numbers were 6,8,9,4,7. Bacchus laughed as he walked over to the girl that had seven and said, “Think you should meet my friend.” Bacchus motioned Jon over as he gave both of them a push to the dance floor, ‘Dumb broad is always the winner’ grinned Bacchus as he walked the others to the Bar.

Several dozen drinks later and a few hours later Bacchus, Jon and the five girls left the bar together. Slurring his words slightly Bacchus said, “Where you girls heading?” one of the girls laughed and jumped n Bacchus’s back and started kissing his neck. Bacchus laughed and said, “Righ…where ever I’m going.” Bacchus looked around for Jon and saw him leaning against the wall as him and his ‘special friend’ were swapping spit. “This night is awesome,” said Bacchus as he high fived Jon. A few minutes later Bacchus and Jon separated from the group as they decided it was high time they flushed the system.

Unfortunately for the two of them Bacchus and Jon decided it would be a good idea to urinate in the middle of a four way intersection. Bacchus ears twitched as he heard the girls yelling, “COPS” Bacchus turned around and noticed the girls were already running while Bacchus and Jon were still standing in the middle of the intersection. ”Shit Cops!” laughed Jon as he started to run in a zigzag motion.

Laughing loudly Bacchus started to run as well but started to sway as he ran losing his balance. For a few seconds of running Bacchus was up and a few seconds after Bacchus was down head first in a Police cruiser.

Bacchus opened his eyes a few minutes later looking at Jon, who was laughing hysterically, ”You head butted a police cruiser” Bacchus laughed as he looked around realizing they were in the back of a cop car, “Any chance we could get some doughnuts?” asked Bacchus in a serious tone.