Kapitel 38: Aquaman

From the Watchtower J'onn and I took a zeta tube to Boston and headed toward the harbor area.

-(Scene Shift)-

The Previous day

Arthur Curry was just leaving his broker's office after bringing him another load of gold coins from a sunken treasure he found. This was the best way to turn the gold coins into the cash he needed to help fix up the lighthouse childhood home he had returned to. With his mothers return to her Throne after having stopped his half-brother Namor from starting a war with the surface world his father went with her to Atlantis leaving the lighthouse to him. He was also trying to fix it up in hopes that he would have permanent company of the red headed sort.

Not wanting to leave Atlan's trident unguarded he had brought it with him but that also meant he had to wear the traditional armor. He hated standing out so much on the surface world. As he was preparing his newfound strength to jump to a building top in order to get away from the awkward stares, he heard gunfire and screeching tires. Turning to look he saw a large truck speeding down the road with multiple cop cars behind it.

Quickly moving to the crosswalk to make sure it was clear, he stood in the path of the truck planning to end the chase before innocents got hurt.

Truck driver, "We got someone in the road with flashy cloths boss."

His boss looked out the front window seeing Aquaman, "That's the idiot that talks to fish and swims fast."

Driver, "But he is a hero!"

Boss, "I see no fish or water nearby so make him a hood ornament!!"

Driver, "You got it boss."

Arthur seeing them drive directly at him just points his trident griping it with both hands and waits for the impact of the truck. Once it does hit him, he uses the momentum to flip the truck over his head and slam it to the ground but insuring it wasn't with enough force to kill the passengers inside.

The police stopped their cars and quickly surrounded the truck with a few moving in to apprehend the criminals they had been chasing. A couple of the cops went to Arthur and said, "We had that handled, you could have put people in danger flipping the truck like that."

Arthur looked at the cops rank and seeing he was a sergeant said, "I don't know what you're talking about Sergeant, I was just calmly crossing the road in the crosswalk at the appropriate signal and this truck came out of nowhere. I just reacted."

Police sergeant, "It's good that muties like you know to follow the law, but maybe next time look before crossing. There is more traffic here than you must be used to in the ocean."

Partner, "Yeah, I'm surprised you didn't get squished like a fish out of water. Would you care for a glass of water you haven't pissed in? I don't want some mutant lover group claiming we were too rough on you."

Arthur, "No, I'm good, officer. What about you? Want me to look for a can of Perri Air for you next time I'm off world? Maybe I can find planet Druidia for you and get the good stuff."

Partner, "Watch your tone when talking to me mutant. I can hall you in for interfering with our investigation here."

Arthur, "If there isn't anything further ill be on my way."

Police Sergeant, "Yeah, I am done with you. But ill be watching, so maybe it would be better if you moved on back to the sea mutant."

Partner, "You said it sergeant." Waving dismissively at Aquaman, "Go back to fucking your fish and get off our land."

Arthur, "Always a pleasure, Officers." Resisting the urge to pound them into the ground I just jumped to the roof about 20 stories up and went roof to roof heading home until I came across a familiar restaurant.

The Drydock Café, walking in I take a booth and only then do I realize that I still have my trident and colorful outfit on. A waitress, without looking says "I'll be with you in just a moment."

Placing his trident beside him he says, "No rush." And he slips back in time to him and his father sitting here in this very booth.

Young Arthur, "But they said your tattoos mean you are a savage dad."

Thomas Curry, "Well they are wrong Arthur they are from our heritage. They symbolize community, strength, status, respect, honor, and pride in our Samoan heritage. In time we will petition the Matai for you to wear them as well."

Young Arthur, "So why was I suspended for beating up the boys who told lies then?"

"Well, did you tell them what they stood for?" Thomas asked?

Young Arthur, "No, because I didn't know then."

Thomas, "So without knowing what my tattoos were, you just used violence on the boys first, instead of asking why they thought that. Or waiting for me so you could ask if that's what they meant. We look different than many of the people here Arthur so we will stand out and be picked on, but violence should never be the first thing you use on people. Try understanding and sharing knowledge first son."

Young Arthur, "Okay dad, but then I can beat them up right?"

Thomas leans in and whispers to his son, "Well maybe a little bit, but not at school or with grownups around. Ok"

He was pulled from his memories by the waitress, "What can I get y…. Oh shit, your Aquaman! What are you doing here?"

Smiling at her he says, "Same thing as everyone here, looking for the best fish and chips in Boston." He said with a smile.

The waitress looked at him in his shiny outfit, long bouncy brown hair and his short full beard framing his face. The scar that went through his left eyebrow giving him a wild look and his fierce eyes just made her imagine how wild he would be in bed. Clearing the thought from her head she quickly says, "I'm here to get my 2 boys through collage. After that there will be no more double shifts for me. You said you wanted the fish and chips plate, what to drink with that?"

Arthur, "Just a coke."

After the waitress left a young man in his early 20's slid into the tables opposite booth and said

"How can you eat here? It seems cannibalistic for you to eat fish, doesn't it? My name is Henry I run a web-based news blog."

Once again cursing that he had to have this damn flashy outfit on to wield the Trident of Atlan, Arthur remained calm on the outside. "Hello Henry, most all life in the sea eat fish in some form or another and besides I was raised on the land for years and never had an aversion to eating what most people eat. Though I never could stomach snails or slugs."

Henry snidely say's, "But you can talk to them, like are those lobsters in the tank over there not screaming for you to save them before they are boiled alive?"

Sighing, Arthur explains for the millionth time it seems. "No Henry I don't talk to the aquatic life in the way we are talking. I am able to overlap their instincts to get them to do what I want them to. Fish don't have enough brain power for communication on the level of most humans." Arthur left out the Kraken he spoke to as well as the dolphin's communication ability.

Seeing the waitress coming towards his table with a plate of food Arthur hoped this guy would leave soon so he could eat in some peace.

As if sensing his thoughts Henry said, "Last question then." The waitress slides the plate and cup of soda in front of Arthur. "What's it like knowing everyone here knows you fuck fish and are the most useless hero on the Justice League, being no one's hero must be rough in a group of actual heroes?"

The waitress's face went pale, and it seemed as though everyone in the restaurant took a deep breath at the same time. A few smile in anticipation.

Handing something to the waitress he says, "I'll take this to go please, in a pleasant tone." She quickly grabs the plate and vacates the area around the booth as fast as she can.

Reaching out to grab his trident he pauses as his hand clenches the heavy weapon. "I think our interview will end here Henry. After all you need to run home to mommy's basement with your little girlfriend over there recording this encounter so you can edit it in a way to give you the most hits on your blog. Too bad it won't include the act of me reacting violently to your provocations. Yes, it would be bad press for me to hit you as I am considered a hero but remember if you ever find yourself in need of my help, just because I'm called a hero doesn't mean I have to save you."

Pointing to a skinny blond girl with pock marks on her face who is trying to hide a videorecorder under her arm as its pointed in the direction of the booth they occupied. This caused many of the occupants to grumble at this obvious set up.

Henry turned pale at Aquamans words but only for a moment as he blew off the remark. His mind already spinning on how he could make the video footage as damning as possible. He was even toying with the idea of tampering with it a bit, after all the big news companies did that all the time.

He watched Aquaman walk out of the building with glee in his eyes.

The waitress came running out of the restaurant with the food Arthur had ordered shouting for him,

"Please wait, I have your food!"

Arthur turned around and forced a smile for her despite his heavy mood. "Thank you and sorry for the scene I caused."

The waitress held up a coin that Arthur had given here with the request to make his food to go.

"What do I do with this?" It was a solid gold coin from the late 1800's with a crude imprint of a man wearing a crown.

Smiling Arthur said, "With that one you should put your 2 boys through collage." Taking another coin out he placed it beside the one in her hand and said, "With this one you should retire and enjoy life."

After saying that he took his food and jumped into the air fading out of site.

The waitress went back inside and told another waitress to tell their boss in the back about what happened and what was said to Aquaman. She then went and grabbed a pitcher of water and walked to Henry's table where he and his girlfriend were sitting with the video camera on the table talking about how to mockup the footage to their best advantage.

When she got to the table she said, "That was about the lowest most manipulative thing I have ever seen done to someone who protects the innocent and weak the way heroes do."

Henry's girlfriend "Close your mouth bitch and take your skank ass to some other table to stink up, everyone here saw you panting after that freaks dick."

"Well dear customers, I would say you have committed two big mistakes. First one; the owner of this restaurant has a son who is in the Navy and served on a submarine that Aquaman saved from drowning, and he does love his son."

At this perfect time there was a shout from behind the kitchen wall "Aquaman was here? SOMEONE SAID WHAT TO AQUAMAN IN MY RESTAURANT!!!"

"The second mistake was to drop your video recorder into this pitcher of water." She said as she picked up the recorder and dropped it into the pitcher she had. Placing the pitcher with the recorder in it on the table between the two surprised people she walked away as the owner came out of the kitchen with a bang of the double doors.

About 30 minuets later the patrons of the Drydock Café were explaining to the police and ambulance crew that a very combative customer was being removed from the restaurant but struggled so much that he fell and smashed his face into every table he and the owner (Who was trying to stabilize him) walked past.