Blue #72

As I slowly pried open my eyelids, every muscle in my body seemed to protest, as if they were having a little protest rally of their own. "Ugh... did I somehow end up in hell?" I mumbled, my voice scratchy and low, as I attempted to raise my hand to massage my pounding head.

But halfway through the motion, I froze, my eyes widening in surprise. Instead of my usual skin, my hand was covered in some weird, dark energy goo. "Well, Raven's anti-damage spell is certainly more effective than advertised," I muttered, managing a half-hearted chuckle before flopping back onto the bed with a groan.

"Guess it can't be hell after all... The bed's too comfy, and I didn't hear elevator music on my way here," I remarked, peering around the room through squinted eyes.

The place had serious hotel vibes, like a fancy suite you'd see in those glossy magazines. It was big, like, bigger than my apartment living room, and the walls were all painted in different shades of blue, giving off a soothing vibe. But here's the kicker – no natural light streaming in. "Either it's midnight or they forgot to install windows," I muttered to myself, scratching my head.

Finally mustering the energy to sit up, I took a gander at my outfit. Or what used to be my outfit. Instead of my trusty Crusader get-up, I was now rocking some kind of funky blue and green tight outfit. "Well, I always did wanna cosplay. Guess this is my chance," I chuckled, shaking my head in disbelief.

After coming to, it seemed someone had gone through the trouble of hauling my unconscious self to this place. Where exactly? No clue. But dwelling on it wasn't getting me anywhere. Time to do some good ol' detective work.

With a sigh, I got up from the comfy bed, resolving to explore my new digs. Stepping out of the room, I was greeted by the sight of a humanoid fish – yes, you read that right – a humanoid fish holding a trident like he was about to give Aquaman a run for his money.

"Merfolk? Did I get washed up in Atlantis?" I muttered, eyeing the fishy figure with a mix of confusion and amusement.

The fish man gave me a stern look and knocked his trident on the ground, like he was laying down the law. "You're in the illustrious city of Tretonis, to be precise," he declared, his voice dripping with authority. "Our patrols found you knocked out cold at the bottom of the sea after going out to investigate a distubence in the currents."

I nodded, taking in the information. "Ah, got it. In that case, thanks to you and your water-dwelling squad for the rescue," I replied, offering a grateful smile. "Say, any idea how long I've been out for?" I inquired, furrowing my brows.

The fishy fellow scratched his scaled chin, giving me a once-over. "You've been unconscious for about two days. Our medics were betting you'd be out like a light for a whole month, given the sorry state you were in," he explained, his tone a mix of curiosity and concern.

I couldn't help but chuckle at that. Surviving a deep-sea nap wasn't exactly on my bucket list. "Well, guess I'm tougher than I look," I quipped, flashing a grin. "On a related note, you guys wouldn't happen to have stumbled upon my trusty sword during your oceanic rescue mission, did you?" I asked hopefully.

The fishy fellow gave a nod. "Your sword and gear are all stashed away in our storage room," he announced, offering to lead the way. "Follow me, I'll take you there."

"Lead the way, good sir," I replied eagerly, returning his nod as we set off on our little expedition. After a few paces, curiosity got the better of me and I piped up.

"Hey, just a quick thought... aren't you the least bit curious about why I was taking a siesta at the bottom of the sea?" I quipped, shooting him a sideways glance.

The fishy guard let out a chuckle, his gills flapping in amusement. "We are aware of your circumstances. You've vanquished a great evil that represents a threat not only to the surface world but also to Atlantis. And for that, we are grateful," he explained, much to my surprise.

Before I could wrap my head around how they knew about my tussle with Eclipso, the guard spilled the beans. "Two of your friends, Blue Beetle and Raven filled us in on your circumstances after we fished you outta the water," he added.

"Ah, Blue Beetle and Raven, good looking out," I mused aloud, nodding in acknowledgment. "Did Beetle leave me any goodies, perchance?" I inquired, hoping for a little surprise waiting for me in the storage room.

The guard nodded in confirmation. "Indeed he has. You'll find the items he left waiting for you in the storage room," he confirmed, leading the way with a flick of his fin.

We made it to the storage room, and true to the fishy soldier's word, my stuff was all there. Most of it looked like it had been through the wringer, but my trusty Storm Walker Shoes and the Giantslayer sword were still in good shape, and that was all I needed. The whole Crusader getup was a goner anyway, not like I planned on playing superhero anytime soon.

Then there was that metallic briefcase, the little surprise package Blue Beetle left for me. Popping it open, I couldn't help but smirk at the sight of all those black diamond shards. They practically oozed malice, like they were itching for a fight.

"Good luck with that, Eclipso, old buddy," I chuckled, giving the briefcase a pat. "Oh, and by the way, the Penguin says hi," I added, snapping the case shut and tossing it into my shadow storage. I'd deal with those sinister gems later, cleanse 'em with some light magic, and scrub Eclipso's soul right outta there. But for now, it was mission accomplished on the Eclipso front.

And that's the crew I rallied to take on Eclipso. First up was Raven, who saved my bacon with her magic mojo. Then there was Blue Beetle, who begrudgingly teamed up with the Penguin to lend me a hand. With Beetle's gadgets and the Penguin's connections, rounding up those black diamond shards was a cakewalk.

So there you have it, my big plan to take down Eclipso. Not exactly a stroke of genius, more like a shopping spree on the system and a few favors called in, but hey, whatever gets the job done, right?

After stashing all my gear in the shadow storage, I turned to the fishy soldier with a nod. "Thanks again for the save back there," I said, giving him a grateful look. "But duty calls, so if you could point me in the direction of the surface, that'd be great."

The fish man waved off my gratitude. "No need for thanks. I can guide you back whenever you're ready," he replied, and I could sense a "but" coming as he trailed off at the end of his sentence. And sure enough, there it was. "But King Arthur has requested an audience with you before you head out," he declared. 

I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "King Arthur? As in, the King of Atlantis? As in Aquaman?"

"The one and only," the fish man confirmed with a nod. "So, what'll it be? Will you meet his majesty?" he asked.

I let out a sigh. "Well, you guys did save my hide, so I guess it's only fair to pay the king a visit," I mused, scratching my head. "Lead the way."

With a shrug and a sense of curiosity swirling in my mind, I followed the fish man through the winding corridors of Tretonis. As we walked, I couldn't help but marvel at the underwater city's architecture and the hustle and bustle of its aquatic inhabitants.

"So, any idea what Aquaman wants with me?" I asked the fish soldier, breaking the silence.

He glanced back at me with a knowing smile. "Can't say that I have any, friend. But His Majesty doesn't summon visitors for no reason," he replied cryptically.

I chuckled. "Guess I'll find out soon enough," I said, shaking my head. "Never a dull moment, huh?"

 I honestly had no idea what business Aqua Man had with me or why he wanted to see me, but I wouldn't turn down the opportunity to acquaint myself with more DC comic characters. Those points aren't going to harvest themselves, you know?