AN: Kuro, why do you keep making stories and never seemingly finish them? I have no idea, but thanks to my friend this popped up. Like everything else, this will probably be infrequent updating. But I am- no really I am- writing new chapters for my unfinished works because I want to finish them.

So here's a story dealing with Kaldur's mother, Sha'lain'a. Now, I know what Greg said about her -not- having powers, but psh, when do I ever listen?

Triggery chapters (if there are any) will be marked. The chapters are going to be whatever length I think works.

Disclaimer: Look, if it can't be found in DC or any other coprighted work when you google it, assume it's mine, kay? (so any mention of Sha'lain'a's family, friends and sometimes lovers)

Also, the latin-words and such I'm using for Atlantaen words.. yeah just pretend I know what the hell I'm doing. (cause...I don't and I'm too impatient to wait on responses for certain words.)

Sororcula- Little Sister

Mater- Mother


1


There's something to be said in living in this city. Poseidonis was beautiful but oh so busy at the same time! Sha'lain'a was only sixteen when she transferred to the Conservatory of Sorcery when her own school in Shayeris was inadequate to suit her talents. Her parents had all but pushed her out and her siblings were less polite about it. All older than she was, their success were often praised and mentioned heavily around the household.

Sha'lain'a had always been quite unsure whether she could top such a thing or not. After all, her eldest brother, Bar'rif, was a loyal soldier in the Atlantean army- captain of his own sector in Shayeris which had it's own army base. Dark reddish brown man with a short beard and even shorter dark hair with grayish blue eyes, he was a handsome and commanding figure. Wearing the clothing befitting of his station, Bar'rif was often the kind of man that others looked to for protection and guidance as he exuded such confidence.

And since he was courting a young lady from a similar background, their mother-Shar'rell, had often hinted heavily at having the young lady over.

Her older sister was just as distinguished, if not more so. Sunna, a darker shade of golden skin than Sha'lain'a was, she had the dark golden hair to match and knowing dark brown eyes. Sunna's always been the smartest of the siblings and it showed even more when she became a scientist that was over the AHARD-12 in Shayeris. For some reason or another, Sunna had always been fascinated with the workings of the mind and her work had attracted the attentions of many who followed it. Why she was even one of those that could go to the surface on authorized expeditions that studied the humans above and looked into their own ideas of psychology.

Sha'lain'a envied her sister the most out of all of them. Surely there was someway she'd be able to go above and explore as well? Someday, she would. She knew she would.

Even thinking about it now, Sha'lain'a sighed deeply and glanced at the tablets she needed to read for her next class. It was boring and not to mention, the theories were all a buzz in her mind. As much as she enjoyed her new school and classmates, she missed home even if the entire purpose of leaving there was to get away from her parents' constant nagging for her to do better than a shopkeep.

Kicking her foot out as she sat on the ledge of one of Poseidonis's many buildings, Sha'lain'a looked over to see a man in a guard's uniform, his skintone similar to hers yet with a light orange hue to it. He had long ropes of dark hair that ended with blonde tips which were shoulder length and tied back with a plan band. His grayish armor barely reflected whatever light there was in this underwater kingdom. His gills were far more pronounced than her own and he had fins on his forearms and on the back of his calves. His face, however, bore the same facial features as hers which currently lit up seeing her.

"Gob'lane!" Grateful for the distraction, Sha'lain'a swam over to him and hugged him tightly, "I did not think you would be here!"

"Sha'la, sororcula, I am glad you have made it here safely. Mater would have worried me to death if anything were to happened to you."He chuckled, hugging her back, " Have you settled in yet? Or eaten?"

She shook her head, glad that she had braided her hair back so it wouldn't be in the way, "No, I was waiting on you for that."

Relaxed now, Gob'lane nodded, "Very well then, come along. There is a meal being served at the palace, if you would like to come?" He knew good and well that his little sister couldn't resist such a thing.

He wasn't disappointed.

"Of course!" She exclaimed as if she would turn down a chance to see the palace, "But, wait..." Her smile wilted around the edges for a moment, "How should I dress?" There was an undercurrent of worry in her tone as she looked down at herself. Living only on the pension their parents could afford her, Sha'lain'a was certain her emerald green shorts and top with the purple orbs that were acting as a belt around her torso and hips wouldn't be very appropriate at all. In fact, it made her more self-conscious about it than ever. What if -

"Do not be silly, Sha'la." Her brother could only smile at her, "For one, we are eating with the rest that are of our class. They will not take notice of your clothes. For another, it is only dinner, little sister. It is not as though you will meet the royal family." He turned and swam off towards the palace. "Coming? Or are you going to stay there, shivering like a little guppy in fear?"

She frowned, her lips forming unconsciously into a pout- as she often did when she didn't like something-, before swimming after him, "I am not a guppy!"

"Says the guppy."

"Neptune's Beard! If you were not my favorite brother, I would feed you to the sharks." She huffed, having caught up to him, "You only get away with it because I love you so."

He restrained a snort, but the grin never left his face as he said, "Yes, I am oh so fortunate that the queen of the guppies has so majestically decided to spare me. How ever should I thank her?"

"..I still have an older brother left over."


The palace was grand, even more so than her wildest dreams. Sha'lain'a couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by it all. It was so... "Beautiful..." She whispered before following her brother to the back, "Gob, what are the royal family like?"

"Hm?" Her brother scarcely glanced back at her, "The family?"

"Yes." She swam over and floated beside him, "What are they like? Do you see them often? Are they as grand as everyone says?"

"Hm.." He frowned thinking on it, "It depends. However, they are not unkind to us nor do they mistreat us at all." Swimming along he smiled more, "Ah here." Suddenly, he darted down towards an archway with a stone door that had atlantean engravings on it. "The others are waiting for us."

"Others?" Sha'lain'a hesitated, "I thought we were going to eat with the guards? Why is it that you eat inside the palace, here?"

He coughed, slightly but gestured for her to follow, "Because we are visiting my friend in the kitchens who invited me. I thought it would not be much of a hardship to invite you along as well."

"Oh, so this friend of yours- is she very pretty? Does mater know?" She asked, but couldn't help herself from looking around still. They had entered a long dark corridor with a bright light at the end. Curiously, she moved closer towards it, wondering if that was the kitchen.

"He is most handsome." There was an undercurrent of humor to her brother's voice that almost passed without her noticing. "Ah, there he is." He said once they reached the entrance to the kitchen.

Sha'lain'a tried her best not to gape at the enormous space there. There were people of every type from seemingly every region of the kingdom that were working on the royal family's last course meal. In the midst of these, one caught her eye - mostly because her brother edged towards him to greet him.

The merman was very handsome, with pale yellow skin and almond shaped eyes and dark hair the color of black pearls. The fins on his arms matched the same color as his tail- a dark blue green color the shimmered somewhat under the light in the kitchen. He wore a sleeveless white shirt with a loose necklace of seashells that were arranged in different sizes and colors. His eyes, though, were a piercing shade of gold she had ever seen.

"Ho, Gob'lane, you made it." He greeted her brother but smiled still when he noticed her, "And who might this little guppy be?"

She huffed but didn't get a catch to say anything yet as her brother interjected first, "This is my sororcula, Sha'lain'a of Shayeris. Sha'la, this is my...good friend, Ayu."

"What a lovely name, I do hope I have not offended you, Sha'lain'a of Shayeris." Ayu said to her seeing her obvious huff over the comment.

After a moment she nodded, "I am not crossed, I just do not like being called such a thing by anyone-even my sibilings." she gave Gob'lane a look but found it in her to smile more, "It is a pleasure to meet my brother's friend. I do not often know of them."

"As it is to meet a relation of his." Ayu told her before looking back, "Ah, give me but a moment, I have to make sure that the food is put away first." He looked towards Gob'lane. That was when Sha'lain'a saw the change of expression on their faces, well..so that's how it was! No wonder her brother was so bashful! "Gob'lane, we shall meet in the side room whe it is over. I hope neither of you will mind. It may not be much..."

"No, it is fine." Her brother cut him off and rest a hand on Ayu's shoulder. "We will be there, my friend."

After Ayu left, Sha'lain'a gave her brother a knowing look and laughed softly before heading to the room that was pointed out to them, "I see, this is why we have heard of no news, then?"

"Sha'la..." Gob'lane looked at her with a mix of exasperation and slight annoyance, "You will not tell them, then?"

"What for?" She settled on a bench for the moment, "It is none of my business who you take to your bed."

"Sha'lain'a!"

"What?" She gave him a bewildered look, "I am not that sheltered, you know that. Besides..I just want to know if you are happy."

He shook his head, idly rubbing the back of his neck before answering, "Indeed, I am. Ayu makes me very happy."

"Good." She nodded and kicked her feet a little, looking at her toes, "It is just as well, I would not wish to end the life of an innocent cook if he so much as sneezed and it made you unhappy."

He laughed, laughed so hard it shook his entire body, "Sha'la, I think, little sister, that he would defeat you."

"No, I would defeat him!" She grinned, "After all, I am a top student at the practical applications of magic."

"Then what about your readings?"

"...Well we all cannot be as perfect as Sunna and Bar'riff." She muttered sourly, "I just do not have the patience for it."

He tsked, "You will, someday."

"Just not today."


Sometime, when the meal was over and Ayu and Gob'lane were deep in their conversation about something or another, Sha'lain'a found herself utterly bored by the entire thing. Sure, the idea about the whole Zodiac Crystals..coins- what have you- was interesting but the politic talk was not. So bored by it, that she slipped away when neither was watching, and decided to explore the palace herself. It wasn't like she was a thief or anything and certainly, they would ignore a slip of a girl like herself as a maid or something equally mundane. Besides, Gob'lane would never show her anything interesting!

Looking around, she smiled to herself with the thrill of doing something she absolutely shouldn't. No one was around at all in the hallways with the exception of a guard every now and then, but for the most part it was deserted. Excellent conditions for exploration. Kicking her feet, she swam away quickly from the kitchens and made her way to the upper levels of the palace. This was where all the dignitaries from the other city-states come to when they visit, at least she assumed so with all the marvelous statues of old still standing around. She hovered close to one of a long haired man in clothing she'd only heard of in their books and lore. She had no idea who this man was, other then he was someone of great importance with a certain magical charm that preserved the statue. Moving on, she swam along still, stopping only now and then to admire the arches and stone work.

"It is all so beautiful." She said out loud to herself. "I wonder how it looked on land?"

"As it does now, only perhaps dryer." A masculine voice interrupted her solitude, "And who might you be?"