Aquaman

Chapter 8

Mera and Althea both looked around the city in awe, Althea was especially excited, Arthur had to practically keep Althea from falling off the truck "Easy there squirt." He says pulling her back up from hanging off the edge, she smiled sheepishly.

When the truck stopped Mera and Althea both hopped off and began looking around, the city was beautiful to Mera. There were so many things that she hadn't seen before. A florist handed her some roses which she took and sniffed, Arthur paid for them while Mera noticed that people seemed to be eating things. Arthur turned to Mera and saw her eating the roses, he laughed when she held some out to him and he took a bite too, curious Althea did also. It was not bad.

They all walked around for a bit, Althea got herself a snack and Arthur gave Mera a coin to toss into a fountain, she ended up giving it to a little girl who made a wish and tossed the coin into to the water. Mera used her power to make a little water show for the girl, Althea ended up adding her own little touch and made a water version of a mermaid jumping out of the water. The girl ran to her mother excitedly.

They all laughed and Althea went to look at a store leaving Arthur and Mera alone, "Althea seems to have taken a liking to you." Arthur noted "I'm glad..she's such a sweet girl." Mera says. Arthur smiled and said "I'll be right back." Before walking off, Mera looked back at him just as Althea walked up to her "So..when are you and dad going to admit your feelings towards each other?"

Mera sputters a bit "I-I don't know what you mean." "Oh don't give me that. It's so clear that you two like each other, I mean you might actually be the first woman to like dad and me." Althea said exasperated. Mera raised an eyebrow "What do you mean?" She asks, Althea sighs "Sometimes when dad is dating a few women they like him only for him. Once they meet me, I'm the topic of many arguments that lead them to breaking up, only because the women aren't ready to become moms. I'm always dads first priority."

Althea looked a bit ashamed to be the reason that they always broke up, Mera smiles and gives her a quick hug "Well I like you and your father so you don't have to worry." She says. Just then, the little girl came back and handed Mera a book. Mera smiled and thanked her before looking through it, as she did she realized where Arthur had gotten his idea back at their escape.

Arthur came back with directions "Alright, so we need to head up there to the old castle." "And I just found out something very interesting." Mera holds up the book "Pinocchio." Arthur and Althea shared a look "You risked our lives on something you read in a children's book?" She asked.

"Wait it's a book? How bout that.." He flipped through it a few times before saying "I got it from the movie. Come on." He says starting to walk, Mera and Althea look at each other, the girl shrugs and begins to follow her dad.

Althea couldn't help but look at the sea, Mera was reciting the instructions that King Atlan told them "Look into the bottle for the charted path and in the hands of a true king, can he truly see." Arthur pauses at that and looks for the bottle in Mera's satchel "What are you doing?" She asks, he doesn't answer and instead looks inside the bottle like it was a spyglass "Whoa.." he laughed "What?" Mera grabs the bottle and looks inside it.

Inside the bottle at the end was something that would point them into their direction "But how do we know where to head?" She asked, Arthur took the bottle again "What was the last line again?" "Only in the hands of a true king, can he truly see." Althea recited. Arthur took a look at the statues and began to identify each of them as generals or leaders but not kings.

"How do you know all this?" Mera asks "Cause of my pops, he made sure I knew my history." Althea nodded in agreement "Grandpa is really keen on both of us knowing our history." Althea giggles at a memory "We actually have game nights based on our knowledge of history. Whoever wins gets to go to their favorite restaurant the next day." She explains.

"None of the these guys are kings except...this guy." Arthur points at a statue "Romulus, first king of Rome." He placed the bottle in the statues hand and looks inside "And there's our heading." "Wait let me see!" Mera and Althea both rushed over to the statue first, Mera looked first and then Althea "We did it!" Mera exclaims "Whoa, this is cool!" Althea yells and backs up to go back down but loses her balance.

Arthur and Mera were both quick to catch her which resulted with them being so close to one another, they both looked at each other for a bit holding their gaze. Althea looked at both of them before groaning "Oh my god, get a room!" Arthur and Mera both scrambled back a bit leaving Althea laughing. It was a sweet moment but of course it had to be ruined by an explosion.