The Pirate and The Merhog

A Sudden Urgency

The next morning, in Atlantica...

King Leonardo was training Athens while Amphitrite and Aramoana were watching them train. However, the training was later paused when Arthur, Jules and Aleena arrived and swam inside the royal training arena. "We're back--" Aleena got cut off when Athens swam over to Aleena and hugged her tightly. "You guys are back!" Athens said excitedly. "I'm happy to see you too Athens." Aleena said to Athens with a smile on her face. "I'm happy you, Jules and Arthur arrived here promptly." King Leonardo said to Princess Aleena, Jules, and Colonel Arthur. Athens looked over to Jules and greeted "Jules!" he went over to the older hedgehog, "My father told me about the race he had with you yesterday! How was it?" Athens asked Jules. "Athens. I will be honest that I lost against your father but he has been teaching me how to improve my newfound abilities and control it more efficiently." Jules said to Athens. 

"My father beat you!?" Athens said with a shocked look on his face. "You sound surprised my son. It would be embarrassing as the sea king to have been easily beaten by a native born surface dweller in a race within my own element. Had it been on the surface on dry land, then no doubt I'd have lost." Leonardo said to Athens. "I guess that makes sense." Athens said to his father King Leonardo. "But I will tell you that the only people that were able to beat me were your grandfather, mother, and your older sister Amphitrite." King Leonardo said to Athens. "I can understand my late grandfather King Darius beating you in a race. But I don't believe the idea that my mother and older sister beat you. You lost to them on purpose." said Athens. "Plus, it wouldn't make sense that you lost to them as no one rivals you." Aleena said to her father King Leonardo.

"I let them win on purpose only because they couldn't keep up with me and I lost against my father due to the fact that he had more experience." Leonardo said to Aleena and Athens. "Hey Dad? can you tell me more about my late grandfather? I never got to know him or know what he looked like." Athens asked his father King Leonardo. "I look a lot like your grandfather, except he had a beard and more of a battle hardened body and had more experienced in wars against pirates and other enemies during his time. He loved me as much as he loved our kingdom and he lost his life defending our kingdom and people." King Leonardo said to Athens. "He sounds amazing, Dad..." Athens said to King Leonardo in a saddened voice. "Are you okay, Athens?" Leonardo asked Athens. "I'm okay I just wish I could meet both my grandfather and my mom..." Athens said to Leonardo in a saddened voice.

"Even your grandfather and mother are no longer with us, a part of them live on in you and your three older sisters. All of us loving, remembering and talking about them are important factors that help keep the memories of them alive. You're not just my legacy, you're theirs also." Leonardo said to Athens. "And speaking about my mom. What was she like, Dad?" Athens asked Leonardo. "Wait, you want to know about your mother, Athens?" Leonardo asked Athens. "Yes, I never knew anything about her or what she looked like...So I want to know about her..." Athens said to his father King Leonardo.

Leonardo was about the speak when...

"SIRE!!" The sea king immediately turned to see his general and other military officers hurrying to him. Leonardo and Arthur went over to the general and other officers. "What's the urgency General Titus?" King Leonardo asked General Titus. "All of the children in Atlantica have gone missing!" shouted General Titus. "WHAT!!? HOW!? WHO'S THE PERPETRATOR!?" Leonardo asked General Titus while he was on alert. "We don't know yet. But we're getting countless alerts of children and teenagers suddenly going missing throughout the kingdom even now as we speak." General Titus said to King Leonardo. "This is horrible...who would do such a terrible thing to those poor children and teenagers...?" Aleena asked General Titus. Amphitrite, Aramoana, Aleena and Jules were also listening to the conversation between the sea king and his military officers. The three sisters and Jules were teenagers themselves. Jules and Amphitrite being in their late teens. "What are we going to now a lot of children and teenagers have been going missing?" asked Aramoana. "My only guess is that we have to wait and see what father tells us." Amphitrite said to Aramoana.

"Do you suppose all of us will be next?" Athens asked Amphitrite. "I'd be lying if I say that's highly unlikely considering that all those children and teenagers went missing so fast and only now we're finding this out." Amphitrite said to Athens. "Could it be that my captor is looking for me? My captor already knows that I have escaped and possibly wants me as her prisoner again. But I will admit that I'm scared of getting taken away after I was finally reunited with my real family..." Athens said as he admitted that he's scared of being taken away by his captor after he was finally reunited with his real family. "Then why didn't your captor just target you directly? Why kidnap hundreds to a few thousand children and teenagers and leave you unscathed? I have a feeling that whoever's behind these kidnappings has a bigger ulterior motive. Not to mention this was carefully planned." General Titus said to Athens. 

"That's a fair point but at least I know I'm safe for now...I'm saying that because I don't even know what's going to happen next." Athens said to General Titus. "I'll post guards on 24-hour watch around the palace. None of you are to go anywhere without armed security in your company at all times. Titus, Arthur, come with me to the council war chamber. Jules, stay with my daughters and son until we return back here." King Leonardo said to Jules. "I understand, sire." Jules said to King Leonardo. "Very well then. Also we better be on our way to the council war chamber at this time, General Titus and Colonel Arthur." King Leonardo said to both General Titus and Colonel Arthur. The general and colonel followed their king to the war chamber, leaving everyone else behind.