4بخش

Fellow Portorossans!

It is I, Giorgio Giorgioni!

Slayer of sea monsters and beloved purveyor of pasta!

Slayer of sea monsters?

Ah, that’s just Signora Marsigliese.

She works for the sponsor for the race.

This is gonna take forever.

The finest pasta in Liguria at a price every family can afford.

Get to the rules!

Enthusiasm.

Love to see it.

To win my famous race, your team must be the first to brave the treacherous waters of the bay, devour a mystery bowl of my delicious pasta, and ride to the top of Mount Portorosso and back!

That all sounds pretty hard.

Yeah.

Hard to lose.

We’re going to win.

I love your confidence.

But don’t forget, we’re going to have to go through.

Champion coming through.

Ugh.

Ciao, ciao!

Hey!

Ercole.

Aren’t you a little old, Ercole?

Signora!

I am 16.

You said that last year.

But this year, it’s true.

You might want to save your money, ragazzi.

This year, Ercole’s gonna break the record and make it six in a row.

Oh, no.

I don’t believe it.

Spewlia, you teamed up with these vagrants?

Ignore him.

Oh, I wish for you that you could.

I’m afraid your friends still need to pay the out-of-town weirdo tax.

Hey!

Ercole!

You have to give it back!

Ercole doesn’t have to do anything.

He’s the Portorosso Cup champion, number one.

And number two, his life is amazing and everyone loves him.

They don’t love you.

They’re afraid of you.

Raise your hand if you love me.

See?

Everyone.

Even you.

Bop!

Oh, that’s it.

Come on, Luca.

Hey!

The vagrants want to fight.

Wow!

Alberto?

Silenzio, Bruno.

Remember, this is for our Vespa.

Stop.

A Vespa?

Trash like you can’t ride Vespas.

Ercole, you’re just afraid we’re gonna put an end to your evil empire of injustice.

“Evil empire of injustice.

Got anything new?

Yeah.

Here’s a new one.

You look like a, uh.

Uh.

A catfish.

A catfish!

Huh?

Uh, they’re bottom-feeders, and they also have two sad little whiskers.

Shut up!

Listen, piccoletto, I eat kids like you for breakfast.

I dunk them in my cioccolata and.

finiti!

So, here, sign up.

Mm?

I’ll make it my mission to destroy you.

It’s gonna be some race, huh?

Sorry, no autographs today.

You can put your hand down.

Ha-ha!

Luca!

Bravo, we did it!

Giulia Marcovaldo.

Ciao, Giulia.

Team of one?

Not today.

Luca Paguro.

Alberto Scorfano.

Okay, ragazzi, we’ve one week to train.

I got this.

Wait, what?

Every year they change the pasta.

You have to be ready for anything.

Could be cannelloni, penne, fusilli, trofie, even lasagne.

And you have to use a forchetta.

It’s the rule.

Ugh!

Rules are for rule people.

Holy carp.

No.

I can’t.

I know, I know.

And remember, piccoletto.

Forza, Luca, don’t let him get in your head.

You can do this.

Okay.

Silenzio, Bruno.

Here we go.

I can’t!

I guess that’s how humans swim?

Ugh, that’s embarrassing.

Any sea monsters?

No.

But I see some bait.

Oh, no!

It’s Ercole!

Go, go!

Luca!

Faster, faster!

Why aren’t we moving?

Ercole?

Guido!

I.

I slipped.

Ciccio, slap Guido.

Again.

Like you mean it.

Huh?

Hmm.

Where did the other one go?

Eh?

Ercole!

Whoa!

Giulia!

It is wool.

It cannot get wet!

Ciccio, make it dry, subito!

Luca?

Alberto?

Are you okay?

Um.

We’re good!

Good, good, good.

Well, I think that’s enough training for today.

Yeah.

Agreed.

Yup.

Ah, Ciccio!

The motor!

They are slowly getting away!

Guido, slap Ciccio.

With contempt!

Huh?

Hmm.

Hey!

Kick it.

Oh!

I have an idea.

Uh-uh.

Honey?

Hey, guys!

Can I play, too?

Oops, sorry!

I’m not used to legs.

Oh.

Okay.

Get the ball!

Come and get it!

Uh-uh!

Not our kid, not our kid.

Ha-ha!

Let’s see Bianca Branzino do that!

Good effort, team.

You’ve earned your pasta tonight.

Can I please eat with my hands?

Where could he be?

Well, at least you won.

I think.

Yeah, I guess I did.

Come on.

We just gotta keep looking.

Uh.

Alberto?

I think I might’ve seen my parents.

No way.

I told you, they’re not coming here.

But what if they did?

They’re gonna send me to the deep.

Listen, relax.

It’s never gonna happen.

All right, boys.

Pretty good today, but let’s talk technique.

Hey, ragazzi!

I need some help with the nets.

You.

The big, strong one.

Andiamo.

I’ll be right back.

Hey, we’re gonna win.

And you’ll get your Vespa.

Why do you want a Vespa, again?

Oh.

Because it’ll be amazing.

Every day, me and Alberto are gonna ride someplace new.

And every night, we’ll sleep under the fish.

The fish?

Good.

How about you?

What’ll you do when you win?

I’ll get up in front of everyone and say, “Told you I’d win!

Yeah.

And then what?

Well, that’s it.

Look, during school, I live with my mamma in Genova.

And every summer, I come here, and everyone thinks

I’m just some weird kid who doesn’t belong.

I think I know how you feel.

Right?

That’s why we gotta win.

The town will cheer our names.

Ercole’s life will be ruined!

Sorry.

Too much?

My mom says sometimes I’m too much.

No way.

Not for me.

You know those aren’t fish, right?

Of course they are.

Alberto told me all about it.

Come with me.

This is a telescope.

Old man Bernardi lets me use it.

It makes faraway things seem close.

Look.

See any fish?

Then what are all those?

Stars.

Like the sun.

Giant, raging balls of fire!

So, Alberto was wrong.

And stars are circled by planets.

Look.

That’s Saturno.

It’s my favorite.

It’s the lightest of the planets.

They say if there was an ocean big enough to hold it, it would float in it!

Whoa!

Wow!

Come on, Luca!

So, this is how machines fly?

Sì.

And there are big towns called cities?

Sì.

Like even bigger than Portorosso?

Like Genova!

Literally 20 times bigger.

And we’re all on a big round rock, floating around a star in the “solar system”?

So cool, right?

And is there anything beyond the solar system?

Only a galaxy full of solar systems.

Then what?

A universe full of galaxies!

And then what?

And then.

I don’t know.

But next year in Advanced Astronomy, I’m gonna use my school’s telescope.

So, maybe I’ll find out.

That thing’s huge.

I wish I could show it to you.

Just promise you’ll tell me everything you see!

Sorry.

Too much?

Never.

Hey, Luca, I’ve been looking everywhere for you.

Oh, sorry.

Just come on.

Let’s go.

Could I maybe borrow this?

Just for tonight.

You can have it.

Ha-ha!

The universe is literally yours!

Wow.

Thank you!

Luca!

Okay.

Where are we going?

Come on.

I got something to show you.

Hey, you won’t believe this.

Those aren’t fish.

What?

Yeah.

Giulia explained it to me.

They’re fires.

But, like, one million times bigger.

Uh, no, they’re not.

Soon you’ll be ours, sweet Vespa.

Take a look.

I thought of every single thing we’re gonna need.

Also, I added flames.

That’s so cool!

Oh!

And we can bring a telescope, too!

Yeah!

That shoots lightning!

No, no, no.

You look through it.

Giulia says there’s an even bigger one at her school.

Wait.

What if we visit her there?

Why would you wanna do that?

It kinda sounds interesting.

The whole reason we’re getting a Vespa is to live on our own.

We don’t need school.

We don’t need anybody.

Couldn’t we just try it?

Just for a few days?

Luca, sea monsters can’t go to school.

What do you think is gonna happen when they see your fish face?

Hey, look who it is.

And with no Giulia to hide behind.

Come on.

Let’s go.

No.

Something’s fishy with you two.

I mean, besides the smell.

You’re hiding something.

Is it that we’re smarter than you?

I mean, we’re not really hiding that.

It’s just kind of obvious.

You know, people think I’m a nice guy.

Always joking around.

But really, I’m not.

Stop!

Wait your turn, piccoletto.

I want to make myself very clear.

This is my town, number one.

and number two, I don’t want you in it.

I.

I said stop!

Put that down, piccoletto.

You’ll hurt yourself.

Let him go!

Go.

Now.

Before I change my mind.

Nobody wants you here, idioti!

Keep running!

Why did you make him mad?

We should’ve left.

No, no, no.

We’re fine.

I had it under control.

All you gotta do is follow my lead, remember?

Rise and shine!

Go, go!

Go, Alberto!

Go!

Nope.

Whoa.

Buongiorno!

Sea monster!

Whew.

Oh.

Wha.

Ugo?

Rise and shine!

Only two days till the race.

Hmm.

Espresso.

Go, Luca!

Go, go!

Hey, don’t cheer for him!

Ha-ha!

Whoo!

This is fun!

Uh.

Hmm.

Mm?

Huh.

Hey!

That’s amazing!

Oh, wow!

I don’t know, Lorenzo.

Was I too hard on him?

No.

You were just trying to keep him safe.

It’s my fault.

I wasn’t paying enough attention to him.

But I was the one who tried to send him away.

I just never in a million years would have thought he’d do this.

It’s like I don’t even know.

You can do it, Luca!

who he is!

Go, go!

Luca!

Luca!

Luca, stop!

Luca!

Where are we going?

Uh.

A shortcut.

Steeper, rough terrain.

I like it.

Why aren’t you training?

I’m always training.

Bravo, Luca.

That was your fastest yet.

Ooh, guys, look!

That’s the train to Genova.

That goes to your school?

Yeah.

I was wondering, actually, is your school open to everyone?

Well, it costs a little money, but I guess.

Great.

Thank you, Giulia, for showing us the boring thing that takes us to the terrible place.

Now, can we focus on what matters?

If we lose this race, we’re not going anywhere.

Santa mozzarella.

The downhill.

I know it looks scary.

But here’s what you need to know.

Would you stop bossing him around?

What is your problem?

I’m his friend.

I know what he needs.

Oh, yeah?

Well, then, what does he need?

Me.

We’ll just ride it like we did on the island.

Together.

Andiamo.

No!

Alberto, stop!

That’s Bruno talking!

No!

I’m pretty sure that’s just me!