tushanshu | 001 ♒ Video

[When the video starts, the man sitting at the console is still peering warily at some of the hardware. It doesn't seem quite as advanced as the systems he'd outfitted the Aquacave with, but he doesn't particularly trust much of anything here. He's blond, probably tall, and somewhat damp-looking, dressed in an... interesting... orange scaled shirt. His posture is also impeccable, almost royal.] It isn't every day I start things off by being fished out of the sea. [He's not pleased. Not pleased at all, which is obvious from his scathing tone.] The joke is much less humorous to my wife and me.

Obviously I've been... filled in... by the natives, but I'm not sure I trust the information given. Alternate dimensions are rarely so straight-forward. [He mumbles something under his breath and it probably isn't all that appropriate or kingly, but hey, alternate dimensions, just another Tuesday. Or whatever day it is.]

I'm Arthur Curry of Atlantis. Contact me if you're someone I'd actually like to speak to, you'll know who you are. In the mean time, to my 'neighbors'... don't mind the noise, we're doing a little rearranging.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Atlantis?

[HE SAID ATLANTIS. If he hadn't introduced himself as Arthur, Nita would have spent a moment wondering if he was a version of her mother from an alternate universe where everyone's gender was flipped.]

Yes. [He's looking a little more curious than annoyed now, at least.] I've also gone by Orin. I don't think I recognize you, you're familiar with Atlantis?

["Orin" sounds a lot more Atlantean, but it's still not ringing a bell.]

I'm from Atlantis.

[From Atlantis? And she's blond, just like him. Part of him wants to give her the benefit of the doubt, but remembering Gamemnae, maybe a little more chitchat is necessary first...]

And yet you don't recognize my name.

"Arthur Curry" is a surface name, I think there might be an Orin on the Royal Council, but I try to pay as little attention to that as I can get away with, and I'm the only blond Atlantean.

[This is not, however, a puzzlement, because comics.]

Probably different universes.

Ah, yes, that would explain it. [Goddamn multiverse stuff. His least favorite thing.] I... was, King Orin II. It would seem we have that in common, though - very few Atlanteans are blond where I come from.

I never caught your name.

[She raises an eyebrow at "King Orin," 'cause buddy, you ain't Namor, but doesn't otherwise react to the revelation.]

I never gave it.

Namorita. Namorita Prentiss when I'm on the surface.

[Don't you raise that eyebrow at him, he is totally the true and rightful king.]

Thus why I asked for it.

[Namorita... Definitely sounds Atlantean. Not familiar, but close enough.] Are there others here? [If he weren't so good at schooling his voice and facial expressions, there might have been a hint of hope in it.]

[She will raise all the eyebrows she wants only Namor ~~and maybe Cap or Mr. Fantastic if Namor's not around~~ is the boss of her.]

It was just me until you got here.

[Sorry.]

[That... is definitely not the answer he wanted. Garth's death is still a gaping wound and some part of him wanted there to be just a little bit of truth to the whole 'between life and death' thing.]

Hm. [Yep, he's talkative.] And then there were three.

Three? Your wife?

[See, she pays attention.]

[A brief nod.] Mera. I'm sure you'll meet her soon.

[The idea of the king of Atlantis having a living wife is super-weird to her.]

Is she breathing okay?

[Marvel Atlanteans can't breathe above water.]

[DC Atlantis would probably be a sad pile of rubble without Mera, to be honest.]

Just fine, all things considered. We've got the shower for now. [They last longer up top than most regular Atlanteans.] Why?

Oh, uh. Full-bloods can't breathe air where I'm from.

[Arthur is obviously a half-blood, on account of not being blue. And being named "Arthur."]

Hmm. It's not quite so hard and fast where we're from. [Comics and consistency. What is that.] Mera's a special case though.

Gonna be honest, it's a good thing Atlantis and the surface can't have too much to do with each other back home.

[Her people are jeeeeeeeerks.]

Most of the time? I find I agree with that.

[Wry smile.]

Buncha warlike jerks where you're from, too?

[A slightly wry smile.] That distinction belongs more to the surface. Either way, the surface and Atlantis have... not always been good for each other.

Ha. Your guys ever invade New York?

[Hers have. More than once.]

I doubt that went over well with the surface. [Quirking an eyebrow.] When I was king, I had no desire to conquer. When Thessily was on the throne, we did join the United Nations.

There was kind of a miscommunication about the surface maybe having bombed Atlantis, but yeah, that was not a shining example of interspecies relations.

[Namor, get your damn temper under control.]

UN, huh? I don't think the king recognizes the their authority. Or he didn't. He might have mellowed out.

[But she doubts it.]

I can't exactly fault them for that. Cerdia did bomb my Atlantis once. [Go ahead and tell him that Cerdia isn't a country, he will just smile and say 'not anymore'. Though it's kind of sad talking about Cerdia, because he just remembers his grandson's chubby little hand and his laughter...]

Politics can be endlessly frustrating. I do see the appeal in a more blunt approach sometimes.

[She's already had experience with people not knowing Latveria and talking like she should know what "Metropolis" is, so nonexistent countries don't bug her.]

There's a reason I'm not a poli sci major.

[Despite being terrifyingly close to the Atlantean throne in order of succession, given how dangerous it is to be related to Namor.]

[video]

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