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The blue sky above the city goes as far as the eye can see, as it seemingly watches over the city down below.
Everyone inside believes that they are safe and content, seemingly out of harm's way. Nothing can touch them.
But as the sun sets on the horizon, the sky up above turns gray. Nature can be brutal, it’s wrath unrelenting and punishing.
And the people of Atlantis would soon see that.
The bustling streets of Atlantis were labeled as the liveliest place in the world, and for good reason. Hundreds of food vendors, artisans, and other skilled professionals lined the streets, as the sun shone on the cobblestone paths. Children laughed, running to and fro, as people went on their way.
Kappa smiles warmly, walking down the street as he surveys the crowd of people. From afar, he spots who he’s looking for. After all, he was quite hard to miss.
Smile ever growing, he runs, his tattered brown cape billowing out behind him. Once he’s close, he skids to a stop. He hasn’t been seen yet. Cupping his hands around his mouth, Kappa does what he does best - embarrassing the love of his life.
“Oh Prince Siren!” He calls, as heads turn to stare at him. “Yoo-hoo!”
The Prince stops in his tracks, and turns around to stare at Kappa, red in the face. The two guards accompanying him laugh, and as people turn back around, Siren marches over to Kappa.
Giggling, the front of Kappa’s cloak is tugged forward, as Siren glares at him, though there’s no malice in his eyes.
“Kappa, why , love?”
“Sorry Siren,” Kappa says with a grin. “You’re just too much fun to tease.”
Siren groans, bumping his head against Kappa’s.
“You’ll be joining us for the feast tonight, right?”
“I suppose,” Kappa sighs. “Though I’m still pretty sure your mother doesn’t approve of us.”
Siren rolls his eyes, his mood souring.
“Whatever. Her opinion doesn’t matter.” Cupping Kappa’s cheeks, Siren kisses him gently. “I’ll love you no matter what.”
Now it’s Kappa’s turn to blush. He playfully pushes Siren away, though his soft smile betrays him.
“Alright, Prince Sap. How about you be a gentleman and take me to your quarters. So we can prepare for tonight.”
“Right,” Siren laughs. “So we can prepare.”
Turning around, he nods to his guards. They pull back a little, and allow Siren and Kappa to walk back to the royal palace, hand in hand.
As they approach the wall of the palace, the gates open. Dozens of guards bow out of respect as they greet the two. Kappa waves back, while Siren tugs him along, his mind focused on other activities.
Dragging him to his bedroom, Siren slams the door shut behind them, and the two are finally alone together. Sighing, Siren nuzzles his face in Kappa’s collarbone, kissing him all over.
“I missed you.”
“It was only a day, if that!” Kappa laughs, though he hugs Siren and brings him closer.
“A single moment without you is too long.” Siren argues, tugging on Kappa’s cloak to take it off.
Kappa obliges, and the two spend some much needed time together before dinner, exchanging lazy kisses in the confines of Siren’s bedroom.
Outside, the sun starts to set, and Kappa tries to push Siren off of him.
“Siren, we need to get up, love.”
Siren grunts, his muscular arms tightening around Kappa as he rolls further on top of him.
“Oof! Get off, Siren, you’re heavy!”
“Don’t call me fat.” Siren pouts, flicking Kappa’s nose.
“Ugh! I’m not calling you fat, you big baby.” Kappa flicks Siren on the forehead as payback, and wiggles out from his hold.
“Hey!” Siren yelps, glaring at Kappa. “Not cool.”
“Trust me, I’d much rather we continue what we were doing, but we have to get ready and head down for dinner. Otherwise, your mother-”
“I know, I know!” Siren groans, holding his hands up in defeat. “Alright, let’s go.”
Quickly changing into more elegant, albeit stuffy attire, the couple heads downstairs, unashamedly hand in hand.
They enter the dining hall and take their respective seats, sitting on plush red chairs. Queen Susca glares at their entwined hands, but doesn’t say anything about it. Next to her, her royal advisor Selkie smiles at the boys.
“Welcome, Siren and Kappa.”
“Hi Selkie!” Kappa greets, smiling.
“Hello, Selkie.” Siren says. “How are you?”
“I’m fine, dear.” Selkie replies. Her wrinkled face suddenly pinches, and her eyes go dark. “Though, the night sky fills me with much worry.”
Siren and Kappa exchange glances, as Susca sighs, rolling her eyes.
“Selkie, for the final time, nothing will happen. It’s just going to rain. So drop it.”
Selkie sticks her tongue out, as servants start to bring food out. Fresh meat, fruit, vegetables and everything in between is brought out, all on display. Siren hates it.
It looks more like art, not food. Both were meant to be enjoyed, yes, but this was quite extreme. Though his mother would never change her ways.
“Let’s eat.” Susca says, digging right in.
The other three slowly follow suit, and dinner goes by relatively uneventfully. There’s some tension lying underneath, as there always is with Susca, but Kappa and Siren were well accustomed to it by this point.
In between courses, Selkie gives dramatic retellings of ancient stories and prophecies, while Kappa explains his day at the port, each in great detail. Kappa helped teach people how to fish, though he always put the fish back into the ocean.
And that was what Siren loved about him. How caring and loving he was to everyone and everything. Always the first one to lend a helping hand.
If there was one thing Siren was sure about, it was that he wishes he could stay by Kappa’s side forever.
But, as Selkie had said once, wishes are sometimes meant to not come true. But not without good reason apparently. Siren opted to disagree with her.
As they are served dessert, Siren feels as though something is off. The dining hall is a little loud, as Selkie and Kappa loudly recall the events of their days, but outside…
It wasn’t… right.
“I’m done.” Susca abruptly says, cutting Kappa and his story off. “I’ll be in my office, if anyone needs me-”
A loud vibration cuts her off, and everyone gasps as the room shakes, furniture moving around and plates shaking.
“W-What’s going on?!” Siren says, his eyes wide.
The doors to the dining hall are thrown open, and a guard runs in, his eyes wide with utter horror.
“Queen Susca!” He yells, not even bothering to bow. “T-The island is sinking!”
“ What?! ” All four say, immediately standing up.
“Selkie, go consult the oracle for advice!” Susca orders, immediately getting into action. “Soldier, go alert Captain Skiff and have him deploy all ships!”
“Your highness, all of the ships have sunk!” The guard says. “And there’s lava underneath the water, s-so we can’t leave!”
And for the first time in his life, Siren sees his mother scared. Not knowing what to do. Unsure.
“I’ll go to the harbor and gather all the fishermen,” Kappa pipes up. “We’ll find a way, your highness.”
“Kappa, no!” Siren yells, grabbing his lover’s arm. “You can’t! It’s too dangerous!”
Kappa’s bright eyes shine with tears, though he wretches his arm away from Siren.
“I’m sorry, Siren. But I have to.”
“W-Wait!” Siren yells. “Stay with me!”
Kappa looks over his shoulder at Siren, his smile sad. “I’ll come back. I promise.”
Siren feels tears of his own flow down his face, his heart splitting into two. As Kappa sprints out of the dining hall, Siren’s hand is left in the air, as he reaches out to nothing.
“Why…” Siren cries, his pleas turning to sobs. “I-I thought you had already promised to never leave me…”
And on that fateful night, Siren never saw Kappa again.
As the guard had said, all of the ships had sunk. Water was quickly rising, and Kappa could do nothing but watch in horror as giant waves pummeled the city, turning houses and shops to ruins. All of what had been built up after centuries being destroyed in moments, and left to sink to the bottom of the ocean.
Kappa grits his teeth, not knowing what to do. What could he do? Is there anything he could actually do?
He wishes he had a way to help all these people.
He recalls Selkie saying to be careful for what you wish for, though Kappa could care less at this point. Helping people was in his nature.
In front of him, the waves have rapidly gotten closer, as the island sinks further. The ground starts to break up, and Kappa finally makes a decision.
He wants to see Siren.
Even if it was for only one last time.
Turning around, he sprints back up the hill towards the royal palace, but he’s forced to come to a stop. In front of him, the ground has broken apart, as rocks and debris slide down the hill. Parts of the palace slide by, completely in ruins.
“ No! ” Kappa screams, and up above, the cruel gray sky opens up. Becoming quickly drenched, Kappa curses at the sky. “ Why?! What have we done to deserve this?!”
Falling to his knees, Kappa’s tears become mixed with the freezing rain. The screams of people from below have gradually faded, as the roar of water becomes louder.
Feeling a wave crash over him, Kappa lets himself be swept away. Closing his eyes, the last thing he remembers feeling was the freezing cold water, as he sinks to the floor of the ocean with the rest of the city.
But his biggest desire, at that moment, was not surviving.
He just wishes he could see Siren. Even if it was for one last time.
As he feels his vision go dark, he thinks of his beloved blue haired prince. A crooked smile and oddly sharp canines.
The love of his life. His world.
And then, black.
Splash!
Eyes opening, the orange shell breaks, as warm water envelopes the child and the world around him comes to fruition.
Gasping, the bright surface up above hums happily, as it guides the child to the ocean floor.
The soft sand cushions his slow descent, as the golden ocean floor expands as far as the eye can see.
In his head, a gentle, friendly voice speaks to the child.
“Welcome to existence, little mer.” It says. “I am the god of the surface,” it explains, “and you are the beacon.”
It explains his duty to fulfill prophecies, and the child, merely just a small boy, looks up above.
For some reason, he hates the sky above the surface.
Before he can ask the surface any questions, a sudden bright light shines from his chest.
“Go forth,” the surface commands.
And those were the final words it said to him.
He sighs, looking at the golden sand as a line seemingly infinite points off to a random direction, and pulls him off.
He lets himself be tugged away, not fighting it. After all, he felt like he wished he could help people.
Though he didn’t know why, he wished for something else instead. A foreign feeling he has yet to feel.
But that could wait, he figures.
Destiny has its reasons.