Mera remains in what was once the beautiful royal courtyard of the city. It truly was a special place. With the dome preventing the water from coming into the city before, Mera was able to taste the life of a surface dweller from time to time. Orin would find some of the most beautiful and exotic of plants from the surface, and bring the seeds down below, hoping they wouldn't split or break as he swam lower and lower. And with luck, some of those seeds would survive, and he grew a garden for her to walk through and admire. No kelp and no coral...real plants and flowers.
But it wasn't the same beautiful courtyard. Now, with the city flooded, and all the destruction and devastation of war, it was as unpleasing to the eye as was most of the city; dead and dreary. But Mera found that she wasn't alone, for after finding Dolphin to tell of her husband's return, Tsunami, Deep Blue, and Neptune Perkins, remained with her still, swimming through the once glorious scene.
"Time heals all things...but I fear for how long it will take for this place to boom again."
"Well, we'll just have to speed things up, now won't we?"
Deep Blue speeds up, swimming before Mera and starts pointing all around.
"Right there we'll put a gargantuan apple tree! And then, over here we can put a most precious bed of sun flowers! And there--Oh! Roses!"
While Deep Blue tries her best to help cheer Mera up, Neptune Perkins and Tsunami--one time lovers--speak amongst themselves.
"What do you think could be keeping Arthur up like this?"
"Well, didn't Mera tell us earlier how he wanted to speak to Poseidon alone? Maybe they are still talking."
"I doubt it. I really do. Not with how long its been."
"Well, then maybe they aren't still talking."
"But what is he doing, then? He should be here, with Mera! Or all over the city, with Garth and them, trying to bring some light to the situation! He should--"
"You never questioned his motives nor his wishes before, Neptune. Why all of a sudden now?"
Neptune Perkins is quite for a while, just floating with his arms crossed. He opens them, and looks around the corners of his eyes, keeping his arms crossed and sighs. Far away, in the darkness of the depths, Orin enters the city, hidden as he enters through the palace area, and into the balcony of the royal throne room.
"...I just cannot believe this has all happened. I mean, where was he all that time? Where--"
"Don't pass judgement on him when we ourselves weren't exactly worried about Atlantis' status and issues. If it weren't for Mera's messenger, we would've never have known. Obviously something important kept him busy. I doubt he would've willfully allowed this all to happen and then come at the last minute."
Garth, Vulko, and Man O'War had left with the generals, to go around the city trying to find survivors and free any that still needed freeing. As they did so, they also talked about ways to reconstruct, making the buildings much stronger and using different materials, now that the city too, like the once standing proud dome, was submerged in water. King Inquilas approaches Garth.
"You're a well educated sorcerer, Garth. Are you not? Perhaps you can create a new dome! A more...powerful, stronger one with your magic. There was...in ancient times, a magical dome that shielded Tritonis for so long. It was a spell casted by Shalako. Do you think you could learn it? Perhaps make it even better."
"It could be worth a shot, Garth."
"No, Vulko...because that's a bit beyond my power. I'd need some sort of magical artifact or item to amplify it; like Poseidon's trident. And from what you told me, Vulko...it seems Poseidon has that now."
"What if there was a spell that channeled another sorcerers power to your own? Perhaps even a group?"
"Too risky, Vulko. The boost of power might be too overwhelming. I'm just not experienced enough to handle that kind of power."
Vulko sighs, and King Inquila relunctantly nods his head in agreement. They move one, across the ruined city trying to find more survivors.
Orin swims around the royal throne room for a moment, looking at his throne. It's broken and cracked in the places that remain, but he doesn't look at it in sadness or anger. He looks at it as he does the rest of his throne room; with hope. Hope for a new beginning; a better one. A New Age for Atlantis. But before he can spread the news of his idea, he has to look accordingly. He swims to his royal bedroom chamber, and opens the door.
Mera continues to listen to Deep Blue's suggestions and appreciates her enthusiasm, but she stops her before she rants for too long. Then the two just look at the scene before them, speechless for a few seconds, and Neptune and Tsunami join them.
"I wish you all could've seen this place before...all of this. You would've wondered how something so beautiful could've been kept from your eyes for so long."
Again, there is a quiet in the scene, but as before it is broken. Debbie smiles, puts her hand on Mera's shoulder, and speaks out.
"I'm sure it was beautiful."
Mera turns, and gives Debbie a hug, and Debbie nudges Tsunami and Neptune to join along. Tsunami nods and does so, but Neptune blushes, shaking his head. The hug breaks, and Mera starts to swim upward. Debbie and the others continue to look at the courtyard just a little bit longer, and then turn to swim upward when they stop. Mera doesn't say a thing, and neither do they.
"No...it still is beautiful."
Orin floats just a bit above Mera and the others, and he smiles as Mera does so first. She swims up to him, and embraces him with a hug. And as he holds her tightly, he sneaks in a kiss on her forehead, and the two look over the city high above the water together.
"I...I really thought you were going to consider Poseidon's offer."
"Did you, now?"
"Cannot deny that what he offered you wasn't tempting, my love. An eternity to be one with the sea? You'd live to see all the wonders of the world and more."
Orin turns his head as Mera continues to look down at the city.
" After I gave Poseidon my answer, I went to Gotham. I took Koryak's body there, and right now Doctor Mid-Nite is cleaning him up as we speak...for his funeral. And then I talked to a man today. Some may call him a wise man, for his wisdom lies in his age."
"Oh really? And what did this, wise man tell you?"
"...What he told me was greater than any advice or gift Poseidon could have offered me. He told me, that I should be with my family."
"I'm starting to like this man."
"...And then that got me thinking. When the tide changes, and you get up to brush your hair in the morning, you look out our window and see our entire kingdom. As you walked down the courtyard in the afternoon, you looked down at the pretty garden laid out before your eyes. And before you sleep, you would always give a small prayer for whoever would answer you, that the kingdom would stand tall one more day. You're always looking at the world, enjoying life and everything in it. Me...all I ever see is you. An eternity without you...a life...without you...cannot be called a life."
Mera turns her head, and their eyes meet. He holds her tighter, and she rests her head upon his chest. They just float there for a few seconds, welcoming each other's presence.
"...Last time I recalled...today is our wedding anniversary."
"Yes. Yes it is."
Orin lets go of Mera, and brushes his fingers through her hair.
"I don't believe we ever renewed our wedding vows since the day you came back to me."
"You're right, we didn't."
"...would you like to?"
Mera looks at him, speechless. He continues to brush her hair, and then he runs his hand down her cheek. She smiles at him, and she takes his hand, and kisses it gently.
"Then perhaps, we could--"
"Start a family? Like you said before our brief vacation?"
Orin nods, and Mera blushes trying to hold back her giggle. She takes his hand lower, and starts to rub his hand on her belly.
"I think we already have, my love."
End.
