Vanessa [A Poor Unfortunate Soul]

12. Atlantica

Atlantica, Vanessa repeated the word to herself. Seemed to be interconnected to Atlantis.

The appearence of the place nearly confirmed it. Tall, large, glittering reflectors shining the light from the sun back onto its people.

"What did you do, exactly?" The young mermaid, asked when they'd gotten Finnick into see a nurse.

"I didn't do anything" Vanessa shot back. And that much was true, to her knowledge anyway. "What was he doing stuck in the ice? Floundering about like an oaf"

Before the young mermaid could say anything, the nurse took their attention. Her hair had gone grey from age. Pulled back a touch too tight behind her head, held in place by a claim's shell. The scales sprawled about her tail were also grey. Vanessa was unsure if that was also because of age, or if that was just the color. Despite their color, her scales still glittered and sparkled.

"How is he?" The young mermaid asked, her tail flapping behind her.

"Young Finnick is fine" the nurse informed the relieving information. "You may see him now, Princess Shelly"

Vanessa and Shelly sighed in unison.

"Princess?" Vanessa asked, after a moment or two.

"My mother is a queen" Shelly said, as if it were obvious. Asserting herself forward, her fins flicked Vanessa's hair sending it over her face.

"Of here?" Vanessa asked, pushing her hair back.

"Heaven's no" Shelly laughed. "Our kingdom is another ocean over. I'm here visiting my grandfather"

"The king?" She asked. "Assuming there is one"

"My, you ask alot of questions" Shelly said, adding a small laugh. "Yes there is one, and yes he is my grandfather"

"And what of your grandmother?" Vanessa asked, playing with a purple end of her hair.

"What about her?" Shelly asked, as though it were a touchy subject.

"Who's that punding?" Finnick asked, holding his head. "Would one of you ask whoever is making that noise to stop?"

"No one is making noise" Shelly laughed, smoothing the hair at his forehead.

"Oh" he said, somewhat stupidly. "Really?"

Vanessa had thought to leave them then, and she would have. She would have if it weren't for his fingers inching for her's.

"Where are you off to?" He asked, the left corner of his mouth slightly lifting.

"Anywhere" she laughed, somewhat oblivious. "One might say that I'm new here. So another might say I have much to see"

"What if I said, that I could show you" he said, looking in her eyes now.

His eyes seemed to shine all on their own accord. A deep green at the iris and blacked pupils.

"Best of luck to that, then" Shelly sang. "I've other notions to ponder"

"Be careful with that" Finnick said, as she swam off.

"For why should she need to be careful?" Vanessa asked, helping Finnick from the bed. Taking hold of his arms, she asserted herself backward. With a push from her flipper, he was up in a split second. "Does she escape within her thoughts?"

"She has difficulty separating fantasy from reality" he said.

"We are quite literally fish, from our middles downward" Vanessa pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"I fail to see your point" Finnick said, raising his eyebrow.

"Forget I said anything" she said, brushing off the conversation.

"I'd rather not" he said. Apparently she hadn't brushed it off well enough. "I rather enjoy talking with you"

"You don't even know me" she said, somewhat laughing.

"You saved my life" he said. "And that's enough"

"I also nearly ended your life" she pointed out, as a matter of factly. "I'm not who you think I am"

"Who do I think you are?" he shot back.

"Are you always this irritating?" She nearly spat at him.

"Not really" he said, shrugging. "Specific people bring it out in me"

"What kind of people are that?" She asked, now within nose distance from him.

Their conversation was cut short, by a certain specific person. Another young mermaid bumping into Finnick's back, sent him nearly falling over Vanessa. Instead, he caught her by the arm, keeping her steady.

"I'm sorry" the young girl stammered. "That was my fault"

Vanessa's eyebrow must have raised half way up her forehead, when she saw who the girl was. None other than Princess Melody. Her hair was smartly pulled back, as to not cloud her vision. A button-down under shirt covering her chest, it seemed she hadn't adapted to the fashion yet either. The scales on the young princess couldn't have been more different from Vanessa's. A deep orange, almost salmon color to them with a tint of red.

"New people seem to be popping up everywhere" Finnick laughed. "What's your name?"

"I'm" the princess trailed off. "Mel-mel"

Vanessa couldn't help but laugh, as she said "hi"

"Would you like a tour?" Another young merman asked, swimming next to Finnick. His hair was a dark black, and chopped at the ears. Scales a deep indigo.

Before the princess could answer, a penguin swam before them breaking up the crowd. Taking the princess by the arm, he pulled her in the opposite direction. Following them was a walrus. Nearly knocking the other merman over, with its girth.

"Was that a penguin?" Finnick asked.

"Did anyone else see that walrus?" The other merman asked, steadying himself.

Finnick laughed off his friend's remark, and returned his attention to Vanessa.

"Are you quite alright?" He asked.

"Just quite" she said, almost pouting.

"Did you know her" the merman asked, who's name Vanessa still hadn't caught. "It seems as though you knew her"

"I may have" she answered, shrugging.

"Who is she?" Finnick asked, nearly lusting after the young princess.

Not that he was all that older, Vanessa had guessed he was around fourteen. She herself was sixteen. Princess Melody was but twelve.

"Who's place is it to say?" Vanessa said, after thinking it over too many times.

Finnick raised his eyebrow again. Taking her hands, he set the matter aside. For now anyway.

"Dinner?" He asked.

"Exuse me?" She asked back, this time with an accent.

"Tonight" he said. "Meet me by the statue?"

The statue of the Greek god Poseidon stood tall in the square, marking the center of the kingdom. Some pieces had begun to chip and rust from age.

Vanessa answered with a nod, before remembering Derek. He'd told her she oughtent fall in love. And so she wouldn't, this much she'd promised herself.