Chapter 6: Under The Sea

Info- The Lion fish is a invasive species originally native to the seas of the pacific. Covered in venomous spines and red and white stripes its easy to spot. However what they fail for in staying in one spot they tend to make up for in beauty.

(Zira POV)

"Who is that?!" I asked staring at the women. One of the people watching said "They call her Coral crystal, since they don't know her real name. She always comes to this exact spot everyday.". I admired this person. She had bright orange eyes and ginger hair. Milky skin with freckles all over her face, and she was the same height as me. She had 2 gills on each side of her neck too. Wait.... 'AIR!' I thought as I made a break for the surface.

Once I got into air I took off my helmet and started to recharge my air tank. "I have one week and I'm getting distracted by dancing." I muttered to myself. "Focus Zira! your friends lives are on the line!". After words I dove back under and started thinking about the game plan. But before I could get anywhere close to the palace the water around me started swirling up into a spiral. That's when I heard it: the beeping.

My air had been breached and at this rate I was starting to black out. 'God.... Dammit....'.

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I started to slur awake when I see I'm tied up. I then look around to see two guards. ROYAL guards. Then I hear something that sounds like high heels coming towards me. All of a sudden the guards bow and I realize where I am.... "I'm in the fucking castle.". I then look up to see a women wearing a large golden dress, burnt orange eyes, crimson hair, and crimson high heels. One of the guards looks to me and says "Introducing Queen of the tides: Nora Pacific!".

The other guard picks me up and says "Stand before your queen scum!". The queen looks into my eyes and says "So your the captain of the ship I caught entering these waters?". I look up and reply "Yes. Actually me and my friends were looking to talk to you about an important-", "So you mean your also the pirate that Emerald sent to take the necklace!". It was then I became scared of this women.

"Pirate, no. Necklace, yes. If you would-" she stopped me again. "Oh just throw her to the wolfish like the rest.". The guards were about to throw me down a hole too deep for me to see the bottom of when someone yelled "GUARDS?!". At that the guards pulled me away and I saw who I believed to be the princess. "Mother.... What have we said about just throwing everyone you see trying to take the necklace into a pit?". 'How many have died from this women?!' I thought as the queen looked at her. "As for you thief," She said turning to me.

"Explain your issues. Surely you must have a reason for coming here?". I started praying to the gods above for sparing me.... Now I know how June felt when I left him with a vulture for several hours. "As I was saying, we believe you might have a powerful weapon that could help us with some troubles. And the Emerald thing is.... troubling." I said hoping they wouldn't just cut my head off.

"Release her." Ordered the queen. She then walked over to me and said "You might have my daughters trust. But you must still prove loyal to have mine.". She then turned to her daughter and said "Niki, she is your responsibility. Tomorrow we will see if she can earn my trust.". She then took the guards and left. I then buckled over said "*wheeze* I thought I was gonna die. I owe you one princess." I told her.

"Just follow me. I'll have a room set up for the night, and I want to ask you a few questions.". I'm both happy and scared. She then took me into a large room with a velvet cushioned bed that had gold linings. She pulled out two chairs and told me to sit. "So let me guess. Emerald has something of equal or more value that she is bribing you to force you to steal the necklace?".

I almost screamed. "Don't worry I won't hurt you. My mother might be a cruel old bat but she and I are not the same.". I looked at her and could feel my face heating up. "Oh? Sorry about that! I forget that some aren't exactly comfortable with a princess being a dancer.". It was her. She was the dancer from before. I want to die. "So whats your name kite?" she asked me. "Oh right! I'm Zira!".

She nodded and smiled. "Good," she said pulling me into another room that looked like on meant for training as she shed her royal clothing for a white tank top and some shorts. 'How the fuck can she look so normal?!" I thought as she tossed me a shield. "Show me what you got kite.". She then put of some gloves and a headband. "My mother is going to force you into the arena. It's how she test those she doesn't trust. So I'm gonna help you prepare to defeat Behemoth.".

"Wait who the fuck is Behemoth?!" I asked now concerned. "He's her crown champion. You beat him, you earn her trust. So let's see just how well you can fight!". After those words, I knew I was in for quite a week.