Detention League

Chapter 8: The King

/Arthur POV/

Arthur pulled up to a large building, his hair still damp from the pool and his back still cramped from sleeping in the desk chair in detention. But that all seemed to disappear when he walked through the automatic doors. 

The aquarium lobby  was huge, with gargantuan hallways all leading to different exhibits. He walked up to the receptionist desk, a large tank with fish inside, in front of an even larger tank. The girl standing there smiled at him. 

"Hello Arthur. You're a little bit late I see." Arthur seemed taken aback. He had never met her before, but she spoke to him like they had been friends since childhood. She smiled at him, her wavy, red hair shining from the sun peeking through the skylight. 

"Do I know you?"

"No. I just started working here, but the other workers told me about you." Arthur still wasn't convinced, staring at her for a moment before nodding, but if he was going to have a stalker, he couldn't complain. She was hot. 

Arthur pulled out a membership card and she scanned it, stamping his hand. He went there so often however, that the previous hand stamps has seldom faded. 

"Come here a lot huh?" Her green eyes shone in the sunlight and Arthur felt his face get hot.

"Uhm, yeah. It's my favorite place." The girl frowned at his statement. 

"Why? Its a prison. Holding these magnificent creatures here against their will is criminal." She spoke as if she knew the creatures personally, stroking the glass of the receptionist desk. The boy just blinked. 

"Right... Well, true as that may be, it helps people learn about the largest habitat on Earth. It gives us motivation to help it." 

The girl's eyes narrowed. "The sea can take care of itself." 

Arthur frowned. The girl seemed to catch herself, folding her hands and bowing her head apologetically. A red flush rose in her cheeks to match her fiery hair. 

"I apologize for my rudeness. Enjoy your visit." She didn't meet his eyes. 

"What's your name?" She looked up. 

"Mera." Arthur smiled, putting his hands in his pockets. 

"Well Mera, would you care to join me?" She tried to suppress a smile as her head tilted curiously. 

"I'm working..." Arthur shrugged, grinning and beginning to walk down the halls toward the tropical fish exhibits. 

"I'm pretty sure I know more about this place than you do. You need someone to show you around?" 

Mera grinned.

---

/Mera POV/

Mera followed close behind Arthur, calculating his movements. He had matured well on land, harboring his mother's eyes and golden locks. He glanced back at her and she blinked, looking away before he could catch her staring. 

"So Mera, what school do you go to?" Arthur slowed his pace, his steps falling in line with hers. 

She blinked, seeming not to understand the question at first. 

"I'm... home-schooled." Mera replied shortly. Arthur 'hmmed' in reply, turning his attention to the fish. After several minutes, Mera spoke again. 

"Can you hear them?"

Arthur stopped, staring at the girl beside him. But Mera seemed to pay no mind, looking deep into his eyes and asking him again. 

"Can you hear them speaking?" 

Arthur blinked, staring hard at her. The girl easily returned his gaze, waiting, daring him to admit his deepest secret. 

That he could hear them. 

"They talk about you," Mera continued, walking around the now empty tropical fish room. "They know who you are, Arthur. They know what you don't." 

The boy barked a laugh. It was forced and fake. "The fish know something about me I don't know?" 

"Something you don't want to know." Mera replied. 

Arthur's face grew hard again and he brushed past the girl. "You're talking nonsense." 

Mera turned quick on her heel, grabbing Arthur's wrist. "Am I?!"

"Yes!" He growled in response. 

"You refuse to acknowledge your birthright! You are the son of Atlanta! You are-" 

"No I'm not!" He spat back, ripping his arm from her hold. "My mother abandoned my father... Abandoned me... She left me with these... these... freakish powers, and now I've got you telling me what the fish won't shut up about!" 

Mera blinked. 

"I'm not a king..." Arthur muttered, glancing at the fish all staring at him in the tank. "I'm just a kid." 

He walked past her, and Mera let him, closing her eyes. 

"We don't get to choose our destiny Arthur," The boy paused at her voice, only for a second. And then he left. 

Mera let out a hissing through her teeth, turning and throwing a fist into the wall out of frustration. The cement cracked and all the fish disappeared deeper into their tanks. 

"He is more stubborn than his mother..." She sighed. 

I suppose it wouldn't have been much fun if he had agreed willingly. 

Hello, after forever. I kinda got the motivation back to finish this. Hopefully, said motivation doesn't vanish before I do lol

-Cas