After surviving a bank robbery, with much thanks to Aquaman, Camille decides to complete her training to join the police force; to help people like he did and to redeem herself from a gruesome death that she was too petrified to stop. After being as...
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In Atlantis the people who moved through the streets used to all be strangers. At each encounter, they would imagine a thousand things about one another; meetings which could take place between them, conversations, surprises, caresses, bites. But no one greeted anyone; eyes locked for a second, then darted away, seeking other eyes, never stopping. That had changed. When Camille entered the city she saw the people littering the streets, stuck in discussion and greetings.
A girl came along, twirling the curls on her shoulder, and kicking her strong legs in exhibition to a man she had just met. A woman in black then entered, showing her full age, her eyes restless beneath her veil, her lips trembling at a trader. A tattooed giant fell into Camille's view; then a young man with white hair; a female with the tail of a fish; two girls, twins, dressed in coral. Something ran among them, an exchange of glanced link lines that connected one figure with another and drew arrows, stars, triangles, until all combinations were used up in a moment, and other characters came on to the scene: a blind man with a monstrous-looking fish on a leash, a young member of the council, a man with the face of a crustacean.
They all flowed through the city like veins; the life essence that brought each corner to life like never before. They weren't rushing to their tiring, day-long jobs. Nor were the nobles fighting the low-borns out in the open. There was no starvation. Everyone looked completely healthy, including those from Old Atlantis. Even the farms outside of the city were advancing, which was probably the direct solution to the hunger problem.
The city was prospering like never before, Camille even swore that she saw a few human items in the markets; insinuating that they may have established trading lines with the surface world. Camille found herself awe-struck by the place. She barely recognised it. The atmosphere was so different than before.
"I...barely recognise it." Camille muttered to Mera who grinned at her surprise.
"Atlantis has changed a lot since your departure, Queen Camille." She swiftly replied, slowing her pace slightly to break off from the group of soldiers. "But we have you to thank for all of it."
Camille's eyes continued to wander from one corner to the next, soaking in everything from the reconstruction of Old Atlantis to the people trying surface goods wrapped in a protective bubble of Atlantean magic to keep it fresh. The city, that had once appeared like a dead and severed limb to Camille, now thrived. "That's not true. I made a mess of everything when I was here."
"Your farm idea literally put an end to hunger in Atlantis..." Mera insisted, tone wavering at Camille's self-doubt. She truly never had any idea how inspiring she was. "And your openness with the people showed them a side to humanity that they'd never thought real...it was part of the reason we were able to establish trade so soon."
Camille grimaced but decided not to disagree twice in a row, primarily because it was very clear that Mera would fight back for as long as it took and Camille didn't have the strength for an argument. Instead she continued forward in silence, trying to ignore Arthur's gaze that seemed to be burning a fire into the back of her skull. He was fairly far away, but she could still feel his presence.
