The Dream Catcher Cleaner

-Chapter Two-

15 years had passed. Not that years mattered much to the gods, they were immortal after all. But in mortal years, Zuione was a teenager. He was an extremely good one too, he didn't cause trouble purposely, and he obeyed the rules set for him diligently. He was well mannered, and was very handsome too. With his light brown hair, his slim tall build, and kind grey eyes, he was a model minor god. Everyone told him he had such a promising future in store.

The problem? He had a habit of falling asleep too often. It wasn't that he tried to, Zuione pleaded that it just happened when it got him into trouble. Despite Sotrix's efforts to keep him awake during school hours, which included coffee, hyped music, and more coffee, nothing worked. It also made waking him up in the mornings way more difficult than it usually would be. Life because of that had its hard moments, but nonetheless, the family's love for each other was as strong as ever.

One day when Zuione was in the dining room eating his breakfast, his mother came into the room reading a letter that was trimmed in green. He knew with dread what that meant. He straightened in his seat, waking himself up promptly.

"Zuione," Sotrix started. "This is yet another letter from your teacher Edes, he is telling me that if you fall asleep one more time in his class, he will have you pulled out."

It wasn't news Zuione wasn't used to hearing, but he wished again and again that he could do something about it.

"I'm sorry mom, I'll do better..." He replied half-heartedly and look back at his meal. Noticing his lack of motivation this time, Sotrix sat down next to him and regarded him softly.

"Zuione, I know it's difficult for you, but like your father has said, focus on something else."

"But mom, you don't understand. Sleeping just feels so right, it pulls me from reality, and the most amazing dreams come to me as well. Sometimes I think I can see the future of people when I'm dreaming...I don't know. But I've tried everything for years, nothing helps..." He played with his spoon after saying his side.

Most people tell him that they understood when he told them how he felt of not being able to control himself. He told Athena, his mom, Apollo, even Eros. But he knew that they didn't. How could they? He wished he could just quit school and find some job that involved using his struggle for good somehow.

Sotrix didn't say anything else. She just nodded thoughtfully and had her own breakfast. Zuione's alarm clock rang, (it was a device that Hephaestus made for him to help him keep time) telling him that it was time to leave. He grabbed his books and his coffee from Sotrix, and left their small palace.

His school wasn't like other mortal schools. Because it was one for minor gods, it was well mannered, and taught things about the mortal world, like how to help them, as gods and goddesses did. And most minor gods didn't mind school, in fact they looked forward to it. Learning how to use their inherited gifts was very helpful to them.

But today was different.

In history class, just as Zuione was beginning to doze off, the teacher announced that everyone had to take part in a special quest, to deliver the special and priceless cargo of an immortality flower across the sea by boat, to the land of Dadren. And back. This task was trusted to them as a test, because this quest would be usually trusted to more experience people. It wasn't supposed to be very hard for them, but it would test their knowledge, skill, and compatibility with eachother.

Everyone instantly perked up in excitement to do this delivery, and the next day the whole class met at the docks, ready and eager to leave.

The ship taking them was bigger than most ships, and as most Olympian things, it was elaborately decorated. Shimmering purple sails, polished wood, as well as intricate glass designs were all part of it.