<div class="floatleft">(http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5499ff2ce4b0b85c868a2158/t/556fb05ae4b01eeb36c217a6/1433383003661/)</div><hr/><strong>Name:</strong>Arthur Curry/Orin (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=239229.msg11802466#msg11802466)<br/><strong>Affiliation:</strong>The Atlantean Empire.<br/><strong>Time:</strong>Saturday the 17th of October 2015, 21:46<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Gotham Clock Tower, Central Gotham<br/><strong>Tagging:</strong>M'gann.<br/><strong>Theme Music:</strong>Starvation - Thomas Bergersen (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnGaCAHhGfo)<br/><br/><hr/><hr/><strong>Summary:</strong>Orin sits down and places his arm around M'gann's shoulder, explaining to her about the Oracles predictions and his reasons for being in Gotham.<br/><hr/><hr/><br/>Orin couldn't fight the small, almost pained grimace that flashed across his features momentarily as M'gann asked after Atlantis; she was right, of course, that it had been difficult for the both of them and that given that, he wouldn't have left home at all if he'd had the choice. He had friends outside of Atlantis, obviously, but he was King and his people needed strong leadership right now...something that he was, alas, unable to offer them. Prophecies by the Oracles were never lightly ignored, so he had set out for Gotham as soon as his Seers had told him that that was the only way to save Atlantis from destruction by whatever cataclysm approached, but he wasn't happy about it. He'd spent the last half a decade fighting in a brutal, savage war and the five years before that either deposed or fighting a different war altogether. Was it so much to ask for that he just got a couple of years break, where nothing world-threatening or Earth-shaking happened? Where he could just relax and guide his people into a new period of peace and prosperity as they tried to undo the damage done to the Empire after such a vicious war? Apparently so. Apparently, the Gods were conspiring against him to keep him away from his home and his people. Oh, he knew that was poppycock - Poseidon himself had intervened on the Atlantean Royalists behalf during the Schism - but he needed somebody to blame, and the Gods were used to it by now. If they weren't, half of Atlantis would have been smote by now. Of course M'gann didn't know all of what happened - she only knew that there had been another war, not how serious or how brutal it had been - but she knew enough to know where he'd rather be. He sighed and shook his head.<br/><br/>"Unfortunately, you're right," he said ruefully, positioning himself so that he was sitting beside her as she overlooked the street and the Gotham skyline. The height of such buildings always impressed him, and watching the ordinary humans hurry about their mundane lives beneath him always made him both grateful that he had access to a wider world than they would ever dream of, but also envious that they were so...carefree. The worst that most of them had to worry about was paying rent on time. Whilst that could be serious if it went unaddressed, he'd take possibly living on the streets over having to fight the likes of Darkseid and Trigon. In his mind, there was no comparison. Of course, that cowardly thought was only a momentary one; if he didn't fight these threats, who else would? It was his honour to be the King of Atlantis and one of the defenders of this world, and if push came to shove, no matter how stressful it got...he wouldn't trade it for almost anything. He continued, however, leaving the thoughts unspoken though M'gann had likely caught the sentiment behind it if nothing else. "As good as it is to see you again," He gently draped a paternal arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a gentle side-hug. He hadn't gotten enough "Uncle Hugs" recently, and she obviously needed the companionship, "I would indeed rather be in Atlantis, especially after the war. Unfortunately, our Seers have informed me that there is some kind of disaster approaching Gotham and, if it isn't stopped, Atlantis will be destroyed in the aftermath." His expression and the emotions radiating through their Bond became grim. "Apparently, the only futures in which Atlantis survives the year are the ones where I am in Gotham to meet it in battle. Unfortunately...the Oracles were unable to tell me the exact nature of the Doom." He sighed and shook his head.<br/><br/>"I found a lead today, of all days...Ivy and Thorn claim that they are working to avoid a threat known as 'The Rot.' If Garth determines them to be telling the truth...perhaps that is the Doom of which the Seers speak. I hope it is; at least then, we'll have an enemy to fight rather than just a vague, nebulous concept to worry about." He gave her shoulders a squeeze as he stared off over the city skyline. He just hoped that there<em>was</em>a way to stop whatever disaster was coming. Even if Atlantis survived, that didn't mean that he or his friends did...he didn't have many people he considered "friends," but he held the few that he did have closely and in high regard. And for him? A future without M'gann, Garth and Kori was not one he was overly fond of.