Episode Four
From Beneath the Waves
Chapter Two
Outside Atlantis
Deep Beneath the Atlantic Ocean
11:02 – Atlantis Time
April 21, 2007
Garth and Tula swam together hand in hand. Today would be an interesting day for both of them as Tula had never even been up to the surface and Garth had decided to show her what the world was like above the waves.
They weren't going to go on dry land, not today anyway, they were simply heading upwards to the surface, to break the barrier that separated the ocean and the sky.
Garth slowed to a stop and held Tula by the shoulders. "Are you ready?" he asked her.
The two of them were still deep in the ocean and he wanted to make sure that she was truly prepared before they ascended.
She nodded. "I'm ready."
Tula had been adopted by one of the noble families of Atlantis and had spent most of her life within the dome. It was a shame really, because there was so much to see out in the ocean, so much to experience.
Hand-in-hand, the two of them began to swim upwards. As they grew closer and closer to the surface high above, Tula's smile grew wider and wider.
Finally, after minutes of swimming, the two of them broke the surface. Tula looked around in amazement, then up at the sky.
"Ohhh," she said in discomfort, looking away back down at the water's surface.
"What's wrong?" Garth asked her.
"Looking at the sky made me feel dizzy," she told him. "It seems so high."
He chuckled. "It's okay. When I first saw the sky, I felt the same way."
She looked all around her. "I thought there were islands up here?"
"Not around here," Garth told her. "There's no land at all for hundreds and hundreds of miles."
"I'd like to see land someday," she said happily. "Can we do that next?"
"I would have to ask permission for that," Garth told her. "We would also have to let them know where we are going."
"Couldn't we just go?" she asked. "You've been there, it can't be too dangerous."
"It was only for a short while and most of that time was spent in a large room listening to politicians."
"What was discussed?"
"I can't really talk about it," he told her. "The King told me it was best if we kept it to ourselves."
"You can trust me."
He put his arm around her. "Yes, I can. I only really paid attention to the start of it. I admit I was mostly thinking about you."
She grinned and wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and pressed her lips against his. "You're really sweet," she said after pulling away. "Now, what happened at the meeting?"
"They talked about the dangers of the Justice League operating independently. They have put measures in place and want different towers in different parts of the world. I believe one on each continent."
"Different towers?" Tula asked wanting clarification.
"Yes, different Justice League towers, like the Metro Tower."
"So other Metro Towers?"
"No, as I understand it, the Metro of Metro Tower is short for Metropolis, so they would be called something else I guess."
"And did they discuss Atlantis?"
"Yes, they did and they discuss us joining their United Nations."
"Did the king agree?"
"He wanted some concessions and they weren't willing to accept his terms. The same with Themyscira."
"You mentioned their queen was there?"
"Yes, she was."
"So did anything come of it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Did they get along?" Tula asked. "Orin and the Amazon Queen," she then clarified.
"I suppose," Garth said. "I know that King Orin and Queen Hippolyta have had subsequent discussions. I believe our king wishes to form some kind of alliance with Themyscira."
"He does?" Tula questioned in surprise. "What do you know of Themyscira? I've heard of the legends of an island of strong and powerful women, but little beyond that."
"I don't know much either," Garth admitted. "But if there is some kind of alliance, I'm sure we will find out a lot more about them."
"I hope so. Maybe they'll let us visit."
"Maybe so," Garth agreed. "But perhaps more you than me."
"What do you mean?"
"I heard they do not let men on their island."
"Strange," she said. "I suppose there has to be a reason?"
Garth shrugged. He didn't really know what that reason could be. Whatever it was, the decision had been made in the distant past, back millennia ago.
"I'm sure if there is any kind of alliance, we'll find out."
"I suppose," she said as she looked out along the surface. "But regardless of whether we can visit Themyscira, I do want to see the surface world at some point."
Garth smiled. "Yeah, I think it would be fun."
"So do I," she agreed.
The two of them floated there on the surface for another half hour before they agreed to head home.
West Atlantic Ocean
Near America
07:50 – Eastern Summer Time
May 02, 2007
King Orin had rather graciously given them permission to visit the surface world, though had given them a warning not to trust anyone or anything they saw there and to remain on their guard at all times.
The two of them approached land from a less populated spot. The city of Metropolis, or at least what Garth hoped was Metropolis, was stood tall in the near distance, but directly in front of them was rocks, sand and some cliffs.
As they stepped out of the ocean onto the beach, Tula began to increase her pace until she started to run, her arms spread out wide, a huge smile on her face. She then stopped and ran back to Garth, wrapping her arms around him.
"Isn't this wonderful?" she asked. "So strange. The air feels so light."
"Less pressure up here," he told her. "Even in the domes, the air pressure is higher down there."
"When do we get to see the city?" Tula asked him as she pointed to the buildings in the distance.
Garth sat down on the sand. "Soon," he told her.
She sat down beside him and the two of them looked out to sea. It was strange. Up here it looked like an opaque carpet that churned upon the rocks and the sand as it rolled in and out in waves.
Beneath the ocean things were different. They could see through it easily. It was their world, their reality. Up here on the surface everything felt bizarre and alien. It was like a whole other planet.
Tula rested her head on his shoulder. "I could sit here forever," she said.
He nodded in agreement. "It is peaceful."
She looked over at him. "So what do we do for dinner?"
"I'm not sure," he replied, with a slight shrug. "We don't have any of the local currency, so we will have to do without."
"Shame, I would have liked to try some of their food."
"Perhaps we could drop by the Metro Tower. The Justice League were back in control last I heard."
"You think they would just feed us?" she asked before she shook her head in disagreement. "I don't know, it doesn't feel right to go there expecting them to give us food. It feels too much like begging."
"You're right," he agreed, regretting even suggesting it. It would be begging and it was beneath them. Going without food for a few hours wasn't going to harm them.
Tula rested her head against his shoulder again. "But maybe we could go see it anyway," she suggested.
"If I can even remember where it is. The city is very large."
"Was there any landmarks near it?"
"The tower itself is a landmark," he told her. "Though, it was on an island on a river that ran through the city."
"Can't be that many rivers in the city. We could swim up all of them and look for it."
"I don't think swimming the rivers in a surface world city would be a good idea."
"Why not?" she asked.
"They might be polluted. The king told me of their disregard of the oceans and waterways."
"So, we better stay away from the city rivers."
"Yes, we should."
"When do you want to head off to the city?"
"Give it another ten minutes," Garth told her. "Then we'll start walking."
Metropolis
United States
09:21 – Eastern Summer Time
May 02, 2007
Garth and Tula walked arm in arm through the busy streets. Crowds of people surrounded them, making them both feel claustrophobic and uncomfortable.
Tula moved her mouth close to Garth's ear. "I don't like it," she told him.
"Me neither," he agreed. "Where are all of these people going?"
"I don't know," she said. "But they all have to be going somewhere, right?"
"You would think so," Garth said.
Tula began to look around, hoping to find somewhere they could get out of this mass of people. Then she saw it.
She pointed. "Look, I see those tree things over there."
Garth increased his pace. "Looks like a park of some kind. Let's get to that road crossing thing and head over there. Doesn't look nearly as busy."
The two stopped at the crosswalk and waited for the green walk sign to appear. The two then made their way across, people running past them as they rushed to wherever it was they were going.
They set foot on the opposite side of the street and continued on until they crossed a second crosswalk that took them to the park.
While there were still a lot of people there, the park felt a lot less crowded. Garth and Tula sat themselves down on a park bench and watched the people as they strolled past, some with small animals on leashes.
One such animal that wasn't tethered to their master ran up to them. Tula petted the creature on the head while it's tongue hung out of its mouth, dribbling saliva.
"Isn't it adorable?" Tula asked grinning.
Garth didn't share her opinion on the animal but agreed regardless. "Yes, it is."
A woman called over to the creature. "Come on Rosie."
It turned and ran off back to its master, who put it on a leash before leaving the park.
"Strange," Tula commented. "The surface world is very peculiar."
"I'm sure our world beneath the waves would be just as odd to them."
"Yeah, I guess it would," she said. "Still, I'm glad we came up here to see it, even if it is strange."
"So am I," he agreed.
The two sat there and continued to watch the people walk by. Every face was different and most of them seemed to be lost in their own worlds and some were listening to music on ear devices.
Tula gripped her hand in his. She then gestured with her head. "Those people over there are throwing small crumbs at those bird creatures swimming in that pond."
Garth looked over. Sure enough, they were. "I wonder why they are doing that? Some kind of offering?"
"You think those birds are some kind of deity in their religion?"
"I'm not sure," Garth said. "Perhaps they are simply feeding the birds."
"That's more likely, I think," Tula agreed as she leant back on the bench. "I think I prefer it here in this park. Still too many people about."
"I feel the same," Garth concurred. "The air is clearer and I don't feel like we're being herded like a school of fish by a dolphin. I wonder how these people don't go crazy, though. People everywhere."
Tula took in a deep breath, then screwed up her face. "Do you smell that?" she asked him.
"Pollution I think," Garth told her. "It seems they not only throw their garbage in the waterways and oceans but also pump it into their air."
"Strange that they would want to poison themselves," Tula commented.
"It can't be that bad, or else this would be a city of dead people. It definitely isn't healthy, though."
"No. I hope it doesn't make us sick."
Their attention was drawn to the sky as a shadow crossed over them. They saw Superman flying across the sky heading south.
"Who is that?" Tula asked, gripping his hand tightly.
"Superman," Garth answered.
"I wasn't sure I believed the rumour that he could swim through the sky. To see it myself, it's amazing."
"First time I've seen him fly too," Garth told her.
"Is that what they call it? Flying?"
Garth chuckled. "Yes, swimming through the air is called flying."
"Amazing. I wonder what that's like?"
"I suppose it's like swimming in the ocean, but in the sky."
"But the sky is so thin. How does he get enough buoyancy to float in the air?"
Garth shrugged. "I suppose you would have to ask him."
"You think I'll ever get the chance?" she asked.
"I don't know," he said honestly.
That's when they heard it. It sounded like an explosion from the south, the direction Superman had flown.
"What was that?" Tula asked.
"I don't know," Garth replied. "You think Superman is fighting someone?"
"Maybe. Should we go take a look?" she asked.
"If he's fighting someone, then it will be too dangerous."
"But what if he needs help?"
"He has the Justice League to back him up if he needs help," Garth pointed out. "Besides, there's little we could do, at least in the city."
"You're probably right," she said solemnly. "So, where do you want to go from here?"
"I don't know," Garth said with a shrug.
There was another loud explosion and the rising of smoke over the buildings.
Tula stood up. "Are you sure we shouldn't try and help?"
"I don't think we could do any good."
"But what of the people. There may be surface dwellers in the area. They might need help, even if Superman doesn't."
Garth clenched his jaw. "Aren't I supposed to be the reckless one between the two of us?" he asked her.
She pulled on his arm. "Come on, we should help."
Reluctantly he stood up. It was his intention to have a day with him and Tula exploring the city. Running headlong into a combat zone was not part of today's agenda.
Garth looked up as more heroes flew over. "See," he pointed. "It's all under control."
"Come on," she said, completely undeterred.
"Okay, fine," he said, relenting. He had to admit, he too was starting to grow a little curious as to what was going on. With so many heroes heading to that location, something big had to be going down.
The two of them made their way through the streets until they saw crushed cars and damaged buildings. They looked up to see Superman talking with the heroes they had seen fly over. Now they were closer, Garth could recognise one of them. It was Green Lantern. The other he didn't recognise, though he was red and appeared to be hovering on a vortex.
"It's already over," Garth said to Tula. "Let's go."
As they turned to leave, Garth heard Superman call down to them. "Wait, hold on you two."
They both looked back around as Superman descended. "Did you see where he went?"
"Who?" Garth asked.
"Metallo. He fled when he saw the others coming to back me up. Did you see where he went?"
They both shook their heads.
"Damn," Superman muttered. "Thanks anyway." He then frowned, looking right at Garth. "Wait, do I know you from somewhere?"
Garth cleared his throat. "I am Garth of Atlantis."
Superman landed and walked up to them. While the other heroes moved off in search of Metallo.
"You came with Aquaman to the Metro Tower a few months ago."
"Yes," Garth confirmed, though he didn't like hearing his king referred to as "Aquaman" very much.
"Who's this?" Superman asked, looking at Tula.
"This is Tula," Garth told him.
"What are you doing here in Metropolis?" Superman asked innocently.
"Tula wished to see the surface world."
"I see," Superman accepted with a smile. "Well, it was nice to see you. I'm sorry that I can't stay and chat, but we need to find Metallo."
"We understand," Tula said. "Do you need any help?"
"No, we have it covered. Enjoy your day." Superman moved off back to the other heroes and they began to move outwards, their eyes seeming to scan the buildings.
"Amazing," Tula breathed. Garth felt a pang of jealousy. He couldn't recall her ever calling him amazing. He knew he was being stupid. It was amazing seeing Superman fly off like that, but hearing Tula say those words made him feel a little insecure. He was being petty. He knew what she meant.
As the heroes moved out of sight, Garth put his arm around Tula. "Let's go," he said.
"Not so fast," A voice said from behind.
The two of them looked around and Tula gasped at what they saw. Stood there appeared to be a man made of metal, but with skin covering half of his face. Garth assumed that this was Metallo.
"You two know Superman it seems," Metallo said in a hollow voice as he stomped forwards.
Garth out of instinct stepped in front of Tula, shielding her. "We don't know him," Garth told him. "We're just normal citizens."
"I think judging by your clothing that you aren't just normal citizens," the robot man said before he began to tut at them disapprovingly. "Heroes in training perhaps?"
"Superman's searching the area," Garth warned. "He'll be back at any moment."
"It will be a moment too late."
That's when the metal man charged at them with surprising speed. Both Garth and Tula quickly moved out of the way, narrowly avoiding being struck down. The man-machine seemed to grin as he turned to face them, both of his hands raised as though he was going to try and grab them.
Garth wasn't happy. He should never have let Tula talk him into coming here to see what was going on. Now they were in danger and he had no idea what this things capabilities were, not to mention how to defeat it.
"Water," he heard Tula mumble.
He turned to see that he could see the river from where they stood. He smiled. If they could get there, then maybe they could escape.
Metallo charged again and Garth slipped around him, punching him hard in the back of the head, causing the robot to stumble. He ignored the pain in his hand as he grabbed Tula by hers and they began to run towards the river.
Unfortunately, the robot man was faster.
The two of them skidded to a halt as the robot seemed to fall out of the sky and land in front of them.
"Going somewhere?" he taunted.
Garth pushed Tula to the side. "Run," he commanded.
"Not without you," she said, remaining firm by his side.
The robot man sneered. "You should listen to him. You might live longer."
"We'll both live if we work together in taking you down," Tula said.
Garth was initially taken aback by her brazenness, but a smile soon formed on his lips.
"Together we can accomplish anything," he agreed.
"Together you will be dead," Metallo said as he charged again, this time with surprising speed.
He grabbed both of them by their necks and lifted them up. "I could crush your windpipes as though they were drinking straws," he threatened. He then looked around with a smile. "But you know what I heard one of the most painful ways to die is?" he asked rhetorically.
Neither of them could even answer as they struggled under his tight grip.
"When Superman sees you both dead, floating in the river, knowing that it's his fault, it will hurt him. He takes every death very personally don't you know? It's one of his few weaknesses." Metallo's chest cavity opened, revealing a green glow. "As well as Kryptonite."
Garth almost smiled. This idiot was going to try and drown them. He gave a sideways look at Tula, but she wasn't paying attention to him, she was still trying to break free from his grip. He could only hope that she knew what to do when this metal head tried to dunk them.
The metal man walked over to the river and looked down. "A little high up," he commented before he jumped over the railing. His chest cavity closed as they began to descend down. "Not for long, though," he said before they splashed down into the water.
The metal man sank like a rock and Garth started to struggle more, letting bubbles leave his lungs. A few moments after he started, Tula seemed to understand what he was doing and she too began to thrash around in his grip.
Garth didn't know how long a surface dweller could hold their breaths for, so he simply started to struggle less and less until he stopped completely. Tula did the same and they hung limply in the machine man's grip.
They were cast aside like garbage and the two of them continued to play dead until the metal man lost interest. Garth watched as Metallo began climbed up the concrete up towards the surface.
He concentrated hard, trying to communicate with a large marine mammal or something, but found nothing nearby. In fact he found little nearby apart from some small fish and even then they were sparse. Looking up as the metal man climbed out of the water, it was too late anyway.
She looked over at him. "That was close," she said.
"Yes, it was," he wholeheartedly agreed.
"Wait, do you taste that?"
With a large intake of water through his gills, he did. There was something off about the water.
"I think we should get out of this pollution," Tula said. "And I also think we should fight that metal man."
"And how do you suppose we do that?" Garth questioned.
"We get him back into the water. This is our domain."
Garth thought it over. She was right, they couldn't leave that machine man up there to hurt or kill people. It needed to be stopped.
"We just have to delay him until Superman or one of the others come back," Garth said swimming back towards the shore.
Tula swam behind him. "How do we know they're coming back?"
"They're looking for him."
"I know, but how do we know they'll look here again?"
Garth paused. "We just have to make a lot of noise."
"I think we can manage that," Tula said as the two of them jumped out of the water like dolphins and flew up onto land.
They saw Metallo walking away from them without a care in the world. Garth bolted forwards, his footfalls almost silent on the road. When he was in range he leapt into the air and placed both of his very powerful Atlantean legs on the robots back and kicked off of him, causing the machine man to fly forwards, smashing through a lamppost and partway through a wall.
Tula stood at Garth's side as the robot pulled himself free and glared at them.
"It appears you're both still alive," Metallo said. "You should have fled."
Neither Garth nor Tula responded. They stood there ready for him to make his move.
"Let me guess. You're Fish Boy and that's Haddock Girl," the robot mocked. "I am Metallo and I will be the last thing you see."
Metallo bolted forwards and punched Tula in the face, sending her crashing into a bag of trash. Garth dodged a punch aimed at his own face but then found a metal fist in his gut, sending him hurtling into the side of a building. Metallo was on him again in a second and with one hefty punch to the gut, he found himself going through the wall.
Tula saw Garth go through the bricks. Fearing for his life, she ran forwards striking the metal man hard in the back in a flurry of punches. She didn't care how much it hurt her fists, she just wanted to stop this crazed machine.
Metallo grabbed her by the arm and threw her. She landed in another pile of garbage, which made her want to vomit. How could these surface dwellers live in such filth? Were they animals?
She managed to pick herself out of it and dodge an attack before kicking the metal man where his gut would be if he had been organic. Even though he was metal, her powerful Atlantean legs made him stumble backwards.
He recovered and grabbed her leg when she went for a second kick. He twisted it sharply, but instead of breaking it like he planned, her whole body spun around with it and she kicked him with the other leg, this time knocking him to the ground.
In an instant, he was back up on his feet. Before she realised what was happening, he punched her hard in the chest, sending her hurtling through the air
She only stopped when she crashed down into the windshield of a car, shattering it. The man of metal bolted towards her as she struggled to free herself.
Fearing that Metallo would reach her while stuck, she struggled harder. Before he could reach her, Garth knocked him to the side with a punch, causing the machine man to stumble off track.
Tula pulled herself free and ran over to Garth where the two of them stood side by side.
"You two are becoming quite the annoyance," Metallo griped. "It is about time we ended this."
The two Atlanteans began to slowly back away from the metal man.
"What's the matter?" Metallo questioned as he began to approach menacingly. "You seemed more than eager to fight a few moments ago? Don't tell me you're becoming fatigued. Well, let me put an end to that."
Without telegraphing the move, he jumped and planted his metallic foot into Tula's chest, sending her flying into the river. Metallo then turned his attention to Garth.
"So, Fish Boy, how do you want to die? Perhaps I'll turn you into fish fillets."
Metallo lunged, but Garth managed to clumsily slip around him. When it came to fighting on land, Atlanteans were not the most dextrous. It didn't matter, though, because Garth was good enough.
He shoved Metallo backwards, before slipping around him again, avoiding a strike.
"You're a slippery one," Metallo commented. "You're just prolonging the inevitable."
Tula emerged from the river with speed, launching herself into the air. She landed next to Garth and they both took a swing at Metallo's face, knocking him to the ground.
Then reinforcements showed up.
"Stop," a voice said loudly from above.
They all glanced upwards to see another metal man holding a large hammer hovering above them.
Metallo seemed unfazed by his appearance. "Ah, Steel, isn't it? Well, this certainly is quite the reunion."
Steel landed in front of Garth and Tula. "Metallo, you must be stupid coming to Metropolis," he said to the downed machine man.
A gust of wind revealed Superman, who hovered for a moment, before landing next to Steel. He glanced back to Garth and Tula. "We've got it from here, stand back."
Garth wasn't so sure. "Are you certain?" he asked.
Superman looked up at the sky. The two Atlanteans looked up as two more heroes came in to land, two that they had seen Superman talking to earlier. One was red and appeared to be another robot, hovering on a vortex and the other was Green Lantern, who surrounded Metallo in a green shield and lifted him up off of the ground.
"I'm sure," Superman said.
It appeared the Justice League did indeed have everything under control. "We will depart, then," Garth said.
"It's been a long day," Tula added.
"You can go to the Metro Tower to rest," Superman offered.
Tula shook her head and Garth agreed. "No, we should probably be getting back."
"The invitation is always open."
"Perhaps another day," Garth said as he and Tula made their way to the river.
"Say hi to Aquaman for me," Superman shouted over.
"We will," Tula said as the two jumped in and swam for the sea.
Silently, they both agreed that it was time to go home. Their first trip to the surface world had definitely not gone as planned. It was supposed to have been a relaxing day, but it had proved far from that early on. There were too many people, it was crowded, polluted and unpleasant.
Garth made a mental note that on any future trips to the surface world, that they should go somewhere a little quieter than a city.
If there was a next time.
Updated January 2018