Atlantis

Chapter 5

"Da...da..." Angelo mumbled, looking at his father.
Vik gasped and nearly fell off of the dock.
"Did you hear that, Hera?! Did you...he just..." He stammered.
Hera only giggled and nodded. Last night was still on her mind.
"Oi...I know you can talk. Why are you so quiet today?" Asked Vik, concerned for his mermaid friend.
"It's a long story." She defended, but her human friend was having none of it.
"And? I've got time. We've made sure to get here extra early, isn't that right, Angelo?"
The human baby squealed and flailed his legs, kicking water at Hera.
"Right...well...you know about Gina..."
Hera started, and told Vik the whole story. From Gina to Ray to Cyrus. And then she went on about about the night before.
"Wait...he just randomly shows up? How did he know where you were? When did he return and...where did he go?" Vik asked himself.
"If only I knew the answers to at least one of those questions, perhaps I could determine the others."
"Yes, and...I'll help you." Vik insisted, and stared into the waves, squinting at his reflection.
"Really...? Wait, how?"
"Well...whatever you did that saved my life, gave me the ability to breathe underwater." Vik explained, and Hera laughed out loud.
"I know that, silly. There is so much more that you really don't get."
"Okay. Then show me." Said Vik, his brown eyes widening with intrigue and curiosity and wonder.

It was so completely and utterly adorable.
*****
"...and that's how Cyrus and I discovered the treasure in that tavern!"
"Wait, seriously?" Vik exclaimed. "Then why are you still living in a hut? Boy, you should have cashed out!"

"Well, it turned out that it was worth nothing. But it was fun I guess." Hera said, reminiscing.

"Your life is fascinating! What I would give for a life like that..."

Hera chuckled. "Oh, please, don't make that mistake. I'm practically miserable down there. There are so many stupid rules and limitations. Many that I had to force Cy to break in order to get him to go take one step near the tavern. I feel like there are things that our stupid government is hiding from us. I just want a normal life. Like yours, Vik."

Now it was Vik's turn to have a laugh. "No, no, you don't. It is boring. Extremely so. I'm usually adventurous except for around water...but I guess after that fall I faced my ultimate fear and it went away."

"That's good, then." Hera said. "When do you want to leave?"

Vik flinched. "Wow, you're eager. Um...what about my son?"

"Oh yeah..." Hera remembered. "Can't somebody watch him?"

Vik shrugged. "Whatever I guess. But if anything happens to him I just don't know what I'd do..."

Hera smiled sweetly and rested her hand on his shoulder.

"No harm will come to him. I'll make sure of it. No matter what. Promise."

Vik blushed and grinned back at her. "Th-thank you..."

"You are very welcome...friend."
*****

"Alright...ready?" Hera asked Vik, glancing back and forth between the waves of the ocean and the waves of Vik's hopeful brown eyes.

"Ready. Just...still feeling some nerves. I mean, I've gone from a hydrophobe to half merman in a few days."

"I won't let anything happen to you, Vik. I promise."

After one deep, long sigh, Vik took his mermaid friend's hand.

He gasped in surprise and fear as in one swift motion, Hera yanked him into the salty sea.

"W-Hha?!?!" Vik screamed.