My name is Marina Aqua. I am the princess of Atlantics. My parents are King Aquaboy and Queen Mediterranean, which makes me Aquaman's granddaughter. I have long aqua colored hair and eyes with pale skin. I am known as Aquagirl.
Life underwater is very different than dry land. You have to constantly make sure nothing floods. That the oxygen and saline water mix is right and whole bunch of other stuff. Atlantians are amphibious meaning we can survive on land just as easily as water. Atlantics has grown considerably since my grandfather's time. We now have several outposts in other oceans for scientific and colonist reasons.
As the first princess of Atlantis in over a thousand years I was treated very different then a prince. I wasn't allowed as many freedoms that a prince would have. I always had to wear these elaborate dresses, which I hated. I had to perform in ceremonies, and lastly I was betrothed.
Can you believe it? I can't believe they actually went through that stupid thing. I was five days old and they arranged for me to marry General Artica son Atlantico. He was two years older than me with moss green eyes and black hair. He was also a major jerk in my opinion. Thank Poseidon he lived in an outpost so I didn't have to see him so often. I much preferred hanging out with my best friend Reef. He was the son of the Captain of the Guards.
Reef was my only human friend in all of Atlantics. His mother was a scientist trying to think of ways to fix the polluted oceans so they were once again clean. Reef wanted to work with sea life and his mom let him conduct small experiments. He had long sea green hair and eyes and wore typical Atlantian clothing.
It was with Reef that I shared my special thoughts and dreams with. Like when I was eight years old and something truly amazing happened. I had already mastered to a degree my control over water and ability to talk to sea life. That's when I discovered that I could create sonic waves similar to an echolocation blast done by dolphins. In fact I was playing with dolphins when it occurred.
Reef was determined to discover the secrets of dolphin society. I was in the water in my preferred clothing. A one piece black bathing suit with my royal A crest pinned to my waist wearing fingerless gloves. Anyways I was chatting with the dolphins in the tank about their lives when Reef's voice came over the speaker. "Ask them for n echolocation blast please. I want to measure their brain activity." Reef ordered.
I nodded my head at him and turned to do so when from my forehead a burst of sonic waves shot out and demolished the speakers in the tank. I was amazed to say the least. The dolphins Echo and Trellia were surprised to say the least. They began clicking furiously asking me what happened. I had no answer for them so I swam down and let them out of the tank for now before climbing out. "Okay Reef, you're the smart one. What just happened?"
"I don't know exactly but it seems tat you have the ability to generate concentrated bursts of sonic waves into a destructive force. Maybe in time you'll learn how to echolocate!" Reef said excited by the prospect.
"Your so smart for an eight year old. But we better get out of your mom's lab before she finds us messing with her equipment. Come on I'll race you back to my room!" I challenged. We both ran out of the room and took the secret passages we discovered to get back to my room. The passages ran the length of the city and were everywhere.
Once in my room fell onto my bed laughing and trying to catch our breath. I went over to my shelves and began to clean my collection of figurines. I love swimming, animals, and collecting ancient artifacts. "I love this Reef. A new power that's totally unique. Do you think other princess had this power before?" I asked him.
Reef shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know honestly. What I do know is that your gift would greatly help me in my experiments to discover dolphin language. Mom say's I can't do real research till I'm 14. Dad says' I'm so smart I should be doing research now." Reef complained loudly.
"Don't worry so much my friend. No matter if you start research now or later you'll discover the answers you seek." I told him.
It was my twelfth birthday when my last power appeared. We were having a banquet in my honor. I was pleased that it was just my family. My mother and I were talking pleasantly to one another for once. She holds tradition in high regard while I don't which puts us at odds. We were discussing the surface world when suddenly I could feel her emotions. I yelped in surprise and fell flat on my butt. "Mother, are princess empathic by any chance?"
Mother bent down and gave me a hug before helping me up. "According to legend they are. This is a wonderful opportunity. Your empathic abilities will make you a fair and just queen."
"Not to mention we will be helping you every step of the way. No harm shall come to you." Father said. My grandparents nodded in agreement.
Over time I learned to deal with other people's emotions. It helped make me a calmer person, but I still had an attitude. When I was around Atlantico for instance I got major bad vibes, but no one listened to me. They all said I was imaging things.
When I was sixteen I started having strange dreams. They were very realistic. Somewhere like memories only they weren't mine. They belonged to my grandfather. Others were flashes of faces. In some I was living on land. But I always have heard the same female voice guiding me through them all. I didn't know if this was part of my powers or something else.
It went on for over a year. Then two weeks after the League formed something happened that would change my life forever. Reef and I were in his lab discussing my dreams while he tried to process his newest data. I had started to fall deeply in love with Reef. I would have done anything to break off my engagement so I could be with him. "I'm telling you Reef it was more than a dream this time. It was like I was really there only I wasn't. When I woke up I felt like I been tossed around and I had bruises all over me like I had been fighting." I told him. I glanced at the tank where Flipper, Echo and Trellia's son, was performing tasks for Reef.
"You've been having these dreams for over a year now Marina. I don't know what they are, but I trust your instincts and I believe that they hold some importance. But that's not the only reason you're here today. We've been over this Marina; you're engaged to be married. We can't be together." Reef told me.
"I don't want to marry Atlantico. Whenever I see him I get these dark emotions from him. Don't you dare say it's my own emotions getting in the way because it isn't! He's up to something I just don't know what." I told him angrily.
Trellia came to the surface of the tank with a message for me. My bethroved and his family were arriving soon and my presence was required. Sighing I slipped on my gown and made my way to the throne room. I nearly tripped in the gown. It looked a lot like my grandmothers only with a long train in the back and seashells dotting the front.
My parents were sitting on their thrones greeting General Artica and his wife Pacifica who was standing next to Atlantico. Upon seeing me Atlantico stood up and kissed my hand. I jerked away from him not happy that he was touching me. "Marina, you look lovely. That dress is splendid. I was hoping we could spend time together getting reaquanttied."
I glared daggers at him. "I would rather play with sharks, but if you insist on it I shall talk with you. But that doesn't mean I have to like you." I told him conceitedly.
The rest of my evening was ruined. I spurned all of his advances and tried to digest dinner, but it tasted horrible. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. I didn't know that night that Atlantico and his family would unleash something disastrous on our people.
All I do know is that with in a week some sort of plague had struck down almost the entire populace. Symptoms included fever, dehydration, difficulty breathing, lesions, aches, hallucinations, and in sever cases coma. No one had died yet but it was only a matter of time before someone did. Thankfully it was contained to Atlantics and not the outpost.
For some odd reason I hadn't been affect at all. I took over temporally for my parents. I ordered our best scientist and doctors to work round the clock finding a cure, but they were slowly subcomming to the disease. My parents were the sickest and with my grandparents away at an outpost if they died I would ascend the throne. But that could only happen if I married Atlantico. Eww!
That night I had another strange vivid dream. In it I heard the same girl's voice calling out to me from the distance. "You must go to the surface and find your friends. They can help you stop the plague. Time is running out you must go now." I sat straight up in bed sweating. Was the voice right? Was the cure for Atlantics on the surface? I would have to investigate.
The next day I found Reef and told him we were going to the surface to find help. Reef grabbed me and pulled me to a standstill. "Marina what are you thinking?" Your people are sick and near death. You can't just abandon them now in a moment of crisis because of some stupid dream."
"Reef you have never doubted my dreams before please don't start. I am trying to help my people by getting them a cure. A cure, which may only exist on the surface. I know this sounds crazy trusting a voice that I've only heard in my dreams, but something inside of me says that it right thing to do and I intend to obey it. Now are you coming or not?" I demanded.
We took a speeder to the surface and arrived near the Tri City coastline. We didn't know where to begin our search. Seeing how this was our first time on the surface. "Let's go left around the rocks." Reef suggested.
"No, right five hundred feet down. There's some beach houses. I want go check them out." I said. So we took the speeder down that way. After awhile we halted the vehicle and began strolling down the beach.
It was strange to feel the sand under my feet and the sun on my skin. I was already feeling weak. Unlike most Atlantians who can survive up to a week and a half on dry land away from water I can only survive three days. Suddenly I stopped in front of a beach house. Without hesitating she went up to the door and knocked.
The Justice League Unlimited had been taking a weekend break talking about their last member core member. Apparently she hadn't been found yet. That's when I knocked and when they opened the door we gasped seeing one another. Its like we knew each other.
Shania invited us both in and Terry asked what was the matter. "My name is Marina. This is my friend Reef. Were from Atlantics. A terrible plague has struck my people and I need your help. Almost everyone has contracted it. I fear that if something isn't done soon everyone will be dead including my parents." I explained
"Have you contracted the plague or any sealife?" Shania asked already examining us. I shook my head no. "It just came out of nowhere. I am desperate for answers."
"A plague that just suddenly appears without warning sounds sucpious to me. I say we go to Atlantic and investigate. See if we can't shed a little light on the subject." Lucas suggested to us.
"It would give us a chance to test out the Javelin 7's underwater capabilities. Besides we can't just ignore the cry of sick people." Gordon commented on the subject.
"Alright let's do it. Terra you and Max go purchase some medical supplies. Lucas, I want you and Gordon to prepare the Javelin for departure. Athena, Kara do a quick patrol meanwhile J'osse contact our parents and kindly inform them of our mission. Shania prepare yourself for our journey while I finish with our guest." Terry commanded.
"Thank you so much for all your help. You don't know what this means to me. You know I have the strangest feeling we've met before." I told him. He smiled at me and simply said, "Maybe we have."
We hurried back to Atlantics as fast as possible. The minute we arrive at my home they went to work. Right after Shania took pills for her seasickness. I was then bombard with questions by the remaining guards and councilors. "Please people I don't have time for this. Cooperate fully my friends. There here to help us and I don't want any interference." I ordered everyone.
Shania, Max, J'osse, and Lucas went the hospital to see what they could do for the sick. Reef went to make sure the plague hadn't spread to the outpost or jumped species. The remainder of the League started their investigation. I went to check on my folks.
I was halfway towards my parent's room when I ran into Atlantico. "Marina! There you are. The whole palace was worried about you. We were concerned that something had happened to you."
"I'm fine really Atlantico. I just went to the surface to get some help. The Justice League has kindly agreed to help us. I'm positive they will find the cure to this awful disease. By the way are your parents anyways?" I asked
"Taking care of your parents. My mother is after all is a doctor. My thought it prudent to guard the royal family. In their weaken state they can't protect themselves. I just talked with my parents. It doesn't look good for them." Atlantico said sadly.
"Well hopefully Shania can isolate the disease. I wouldn't want to assume the throne before my time. Excuse me." I said brushing past him to check my parents.
They weren't doing to good. Both were in coma and in a lot of pain. I couldn't stand the sight of them like this. It was too much to bear so I ran out of the room. So I went to the hospital wing to check on the progress of the medical team. Max was using the computer to try to pinpoint the bacteria in the plague. Lucas was helping out wherever he could. J'osse and Shania where treating and examining people. They talked to each other in low voices. "Well what have you found out?" Can you treat or cure this thing?"
"J'osse and I have been able to treat your people, but not cure them. Max is attempting to create an antivirus to combat this disease. She's very close to one. I've managed to determine the way the virus is spread. Its not by air, but by the salt water flowing through the city." Shania informed her.
"Everything we've discovered points to a man made virus. It specifically targets Atlantians and brings them to near death. In high concentrations it could kill someone. You seem to be inoculated for some reason according to our scans." J'osse said.
"But how and why? This doesn't make any sense at all. What purpose would this serve?" I asked frustrated.
"Who knows, but what ever it is someone wants you safe." Lucas said simply. I turned the and left the room upset. Someone, an Atlantian was trying to kill everyone, but me. Suddenly I knew who it was and raced towards the throne room.
I found him there holding the Trident and wearing the royal family crest. "A little early proclaiming yourself King of Atlantics Atlantico isn't? I should have known it was your family behind all this. Your mother created the virus responsible for all this and your father knew all about the city's layout so he could dump the thing into the water system. I don't know why, but I'm going to stop you!" I shouted then letting loose a sonic blast. He dodge it and shot me with the Trident. "Sleep tight." He whispered as I sank to the floor.
I came to much later. The first thing I noticed was I was chained by both my hands and feet halfway up a cliff. The second thing was a synaptic dysfunction helmet was on top of my head. Thirdly Atlantico was sitting on his speeder holding my royal A crest with blood on it. I then spotted the deep cut in my left leg. "Mind telling me what this is all about? I deserve that much don't I?" I demanded angrily. I struggled against my restraints, but couldn't break them.
"Marina, if only you hadn't brought the League into this. If you had left well enough alone I wouldn't have to kill you. That was never part of the plan." Atlantico said looking at me sadly.
"What plan? What are you talking about? Why are you hurting my family and trying to destroy Atlantics?" I cried out.
"For revenge, for power, and for greed. It's ironic that I'm replaying the same scene our grandfathers did all those years ago." He replied.
"Your grandfather? Your grandfather was Admiral Indian! Wasn't he?" I asked scared and confused.
"My grandmother Baffin had an affair with Orm which resulted in my father's conception. He learned about it right after his supposed father's death. So he plotted a way to reclaim the throne. We were suppose to marry after your parents died and we eliminated your grandparents. I loved you Marina. Now I have to kill you and frame your friends for the deed." Atlantico told me.
"You never loved me! Only the power I could offer you. Your not sorry about what you're doing. I was right all along about you. Your nothing but an evil coward!" I informed him. I tried to use my powers to break free but the helmet interfered.
"Don't bother trying to use your powers to escape. That helmet prevents your from calling on them. Soon the tide will go out and you'll dehydrate or the sharks in the area will devour you. Either way you're dead. Good bye Marina." He said leaning over and kissing me on the lips before leaving me to die.
Meanwhile back in Atlantics the League and Reef were comparing notes. The Bat Duo had discovered barrels marked garbage with the virus stored inside them. Athena had turned up poisoned food that had been served to the royal family while Kara had a list of people who had access to the biological material used in creating the virus and who could spread it. Gordon had talked to everyone learning about people with grudges. Reef was worried because he hadn't seen me in hours so he came looking for me.
That's when Atlantico came bursting into the lab with the guards. "Arrest them on orders of the Prince Atlantico! Take that traitorous Atlantians with you." He ordered
"Wait a minute you can't do this. Not now when where so close to stopping this plague. There are sick people who need our medical expertise or they'll die!" Shania screamed as she was dragged away.
"What's the charge anyways?" Reef demanded. The guards were very reluctant to arrest him but they had no choice. They had to obey orders.
Atlantico held up the tattered remains of my dress with my bloody crest. "Murder of the princess. Items belonging to the League were found in her room. I wouldn't be surprised if they're responsible for this terrible plague. With Marina dead and her parents incapacitated I assume control of Atlantics. Take them away." They screamed their innocents, but it fell on deaf ears.
Meanwhile was in deep trouble. I was high and dry with sharks circling below me waiting to eat me. I struggled valiantly to break free, but I was so weak. "This is it. I'm doomed to die a most horrible death. Some princess I turned out to be. I couldn't prevent this tragedy from unfolding. I don't have the power to save my home, my friends and family, or my love from certain demise." I muttered under my breath.
"That's not true Marina. You have more power than you realize inside of you." A familiar voice said. I searched frantically around for the source, but there was no one there. "Listen to me Marina. I can't directly interfere, but I can encourage you to fight on. Dig deep inside of you for the love you feel for your parents, your friends, and for Reef. The love of Atlantic will save you if you use it to break free."
I focused all my will power on what the voice had said. Suddenly I was glowing aqua blue and a light was shining near my heart. The synaptic helmet fell off and I burst free from the chains. I incased myself in a water bubble as I fell into the water. I ordered the sharks away and summoned a humpback whale to my side. "Take my to Atlantics girl."
Back home Atlantico and his family stood outside the cell smirking at my friends. "The King and Queen are near death. Once they die you will be pay for both there's and their daughter's death with your lives."
"You know we didn't kill anyone and we came to help you. Why are you really doing this?" Gordon demanded.
"Because we need someone to take the blame for our little plague. You fit the bill." Pacifica answered him arrogantly.
"Were finally getting the power that belongs to us. Come my wife we have to finish off the royals." Artica said and the two of them sauntered off.
"We won't let you get away with this!" Reef shouted. Atlantico raised the Trident ready to obliterate him and everyone else when the entire city shook. Everyone fell to the ground in a heap. "What was that?" Atlantico demanded.
"Prince Atlantico a humpback whale is attacking the dome. You better come deal with it personally." A voice said over the pa. Without a word he disappeared.
The cell door had been damaged in the attack. With a little help from Max the League busted out. "Priorities people. Max, Athena, Kara, you three go after the adults. Shania, J'osse I want you to go finish that cure. Gordon, Lucas contact the outpost and tell them to send back up. Reef, Terra your with me. Were retaking control of the city. Move out!" Terry ordered.
That's exactly what they did. The girls arrived just in time to prevent Pacifica and Artica from stabbing my parents to death. Working together they were soon tied up in magic chains. Shania and J'osse raced back to the infirmary and quickly finished making the cure. Gordon and Lucas managed to contact help and the last three persuaded the guards that they were innocent.
Outside the dome I waited on top of my whale. Soon Atlantico appeared with an orca. He was carrying my treasures "Surrender now Atlantico. It's all over and you've lost." I informed him.
"Not yet I haven't. You're going to regret ever returning and facing me. Charge!" he ordered the orca. The two whales hurled towards each other at top speeds ready to attack one another. At the last minute I had mine swerve out of the way and the orca and his master barreled past.
"You've done your part now leave." I whispered to her. Singing her goodbyes she disappeared along with the orca. Atlantico and I faced each other ready for anything. He blasted me with the Trident but I maneuvered out of the way sending a sonic blast at him. It hit him square in the chest making him drop the two treasures.
I dove after them going faster and faster, but he beat me grabbing hold of the Trident and my crest. I backpedaled out of the way as he started blasting everything in sight. I swam inside a cave and hid waiting for him. Using my empathic abilities I knew when to drop on top of him and force him back out into the open.
I then pushed against some rocks and grabbed a hold of the shaft of the Trident. We struggled tossing all about in the water desperately trying to gain control. "Face it Marina your no match for me. I'm stronger, smarter, and more powerful then you'll ever be. Face it cousin I'm the rightful heir to the throne."
"No your not. I am the rightful heir the throne. Your nothing, but a fraud. Now witness the full power of the Princess of Atlantics!"
I pushed away from him so I would have room. I was glowing all over and I clenched my fists together. My hair was flying all over the place. I summoned up all my power over water and focused it on Atlantico. Thrusting my arms forward I created an underwater tornado and sent it spinning at him. He got caught in the spiral and sucked to the bottom. The Trident flew to my hands and my A pinned itself to my waist. I had won.
Later after the three of them had been imprisoned and the cure administered I embraced my family. My parents were impressed by bravery and courage and my grandparents were impressed with my level of power. I guess that's what gave me the courage to tell them I wanted to go back with the League.
"But how will you survive on land with your condition and who will you stay with? What will your cover story be?" my mother asked me gently.
"We got that covered ma'am. Our father's company invented these devices called iso diva gravitational rings for people with weak immunities. It creates an isolated environment around a person protecting them from harm. Will just have to modify it so it creates a salt-water environment. When it needs to be recharged she can get into the water. Also because the electric field distorts peoples vision no one will no its her fighting with us." Terra explained handing me the device. I slipped it on and put my A in the middle. I turned on the device and felt fine.
"She could stay with those marine biologist we saved a few years back the Trenches? They live in Central City and could come up with a story of where's she's from and care for her. She can even join the swim team." Father joked.
"Please mother let me do this. How can I help our people if I don't learn about the surface world and its wonders?" I begged her. Finally she relented and after some packing and tearful goodbyes and a long kiss with Reef I was gone and ready to start my new life.
I love being a League member and using my powers to benefit both surface dwellers and my people under the sea. Reef and I are very much in love and I make a great councilor for the League. Best of all the dreams have stopped now that I've found my friends.