Part Of Their World | Homestuck AU

|Chapter 11|

Cronus manages to swim back up to the surface and looks around desperately for Kankri, calling out his name as loud as he can, "KANKRI! KANKRI VWHERE ARE YOU!?" He cries and is relieved when he hears coughing and sputtering coming from behind him, turning and quickly swimming to pull Kankri into his arms. "Oh Kankri, it's okay, it's gonna be okay...!" He says and watches as Kankri soon passes out in his arms, worry crossing his features before he begins to swim as fast as he can back to shore.

Meanwhile, underneath the waves, the sea polyp that once was King Dualscar looks up when his harpoon gun begins to float down to him, and once gaining contact with the magical weapon, reverts back to his mertroll form with the harpoon gun now in hand. In the Condesce's cavern, the sea polyps littering the floor of the cavern revert back to their mertroll selves, all of them smiling widely and cheering as they swim out.

Dualscar looks around for his son and feels a pang of worry hit him as he swims to the surface, fixing up his crown (which he had also picked up) on the way up. He rises above the water and spots a familiar purple tail flicking out of the water from time to time, the said tail belonging to Cronus as he swims as fast as he can to shore. With a frown, Dualscar is quick to follow, Karkat and Tavros following underneath the water as fast as they can in order to keep up with the King of the sea.

It's a while of swimming until Cronus manages to reach the shore, out of breath as he lays Kankri on the wet sand, laying beside him and panting heavily as they remain half-out of the water. Dualscar stops a fair while away and pants also, glancing beside him when Tavros helps Karkat surface the water, remaining beside the King and watching over Cronus with him. Dualscar sighs and flicks his hair out of his face, one hand reaching up and feeling his horns before he smiles a bit, "He really does lov-ve him, doesn't he, Karkat?"

Karkat is surprised from the sudden question and looks up at Dualscar, forcing out a small laugh before grinning, "Well, it's like I ALWAYS say, your Majesty, children have got to be free to lead their own lives and all that shit" Karkat says, Dualscar raising an eyebrow as his lips curl into a grin as well, "You...always say that?" He asks and Karkat looks away out of slight nervousness and embarrassment, letting out a nervous chuckle before glancing up at Dualscar with a nervous smile.

The mertroll only rolls his eyes in response, sighing once more as he gazes over at his tired son, his smile remaining as he speaks softly, "Then...I guess there's just one problem left..." He says with a slightly sorrowful tone, Karkat looking up at him in confusion, "And what's that?" The crab asks, Dualscar only chuckling a bit before raising his harpoon gun and feeling his heart ache slightly, "How much I'm going to miss him"

He shoots a beam towards Cronus which surrounds a light around the mertroll's body, Cronus gasping in surprise and smiling widely when he feels his tail split into two and form legs, a silver tuxedo fitting itself to his body as his horns disappear and his skin changes colour (just like last time). Kankri groans beside him and wakes up, spotting Cronus and sitting up slowly. "C...Cronus...?" He croaks out, yelping in surprise when Cronus suddenly tackles him in a hug with a wide smile. "I'm human Kankri! I'm human!"

Kankri's eyes soon widen also before he too smiles widely, hugging Cronus tightly despite the fact that he's still soaking wet from being in the water for so long. From the sea, Dualscar smiles before diving under the water, leaving Cronus and Kankri be as Karkat and Tavros join him. "Sir, you're going to let him marry that Prince?" Karkat asks, Dualscar merely nodding before turning to Karkat as he swims. "Like you 'always' say, Karkat, the children should have the freedom to lead their own lives" Karkat smiles as he follows the King, his thoughts on what Cronus is going to do now that he finally has the love of his life all to himself.