Beyond the Tide

__NOEDITSECTION__More Fireflies sequels?
More Fireflies sequels.
(MATURE CONTENT WARNING!)
==Blurb==
Shoal is a normal SeaWing dragonet growing up in a normal village - until the SkyWings threaten to take over their kingdom and force the SeaWings into slavery. Amidst all this turmoil, Shoal discovers an ancient gift that could help the SeaWings win the war - or destroy everything he's ever known.
==Prologue==
Queen Roseate had called a meeting. Again.
Pumping her wings so she wouldn't be late, Queen Conch and some of her advisors sped through the air, their wingtips chopping up the wind as if swimming in the ocean.
"Here, I'll go alone." Queen Conch called over her left wing. "Roseate and the others won't trust me if I bring you two along."
"Yes, my queen." Said a grayish-green SeaWing, a palace guard named Snook. "We'll stay right here."
The other guard, a teal blue one Sea-Ice hybrid named Icefish, nodded.
Dropping down beneath the clouds, Conch landed gracefully on the outcropping of granite, where the other queens - Roseate, Quokka, Mire, Caique, Adelie, and Nightfall - were already waiting.
"You're late," hissed the SandWing queen, Quokka, who was pacing the ledge. "Your age must be gaining on you."
"Oh, shush." Conch snapped back. "You're not quite the dragonet you used to be, either. Anyways, Roseate, what business do you have to discuss with us?"
The rose-coloured SkyWing flashed her blue eyes with delight. "Ever so straightforward, Conch. Well, I'm here to discuss territory. The Sky Kingdom is so small these days - barely enough land to sustain our wonderous tribe."
"So?" Queen Mire of the MudWings said bluntly. "What's that have to do with us?"
"Don't you see, Mire?" Roseate grinned. "I'm looking for a tribe queen, oh so generously offering up some of their land to help save the SkyWings, who are in danger and need help."
What a fake, Conch muttered to herself, hoping that none of the other queens were stupid enough to believe the eloquent SkyWing.
"Sounds fine to me," said Mire, completely crushing Conch's silent hope.
"Same with me," said the IceWing queen, Queen Adelie, in her pinched voice. "I would gladly offer up some land, the Ice Kingdom tundra is useless to me. And if it means another ally - "
"You can't be serious!" Conch cried. "All of you - you're out of your minds!"
"Maybe you're out of your mind," sneered Queen Quokka. "I accept."
"So do I!" Chirped Queen Caique, her tail turning a brilliant shade of indigo. "I welcome you into the rainforest."
"I'm afraid I must comply," murmured Nightfall of the NightWings. "Sorry, Conch."
Roseate smiled. "So, Conch, that leaves just you. What do you say - "
Conch smacked her tail across the queen's snout, almost knocking her into the ocean. Quokka and Adelie leaped forwards to catch her, their wings unfurling awkwardly.
"Never!" Conch snarled. "I'll never give away my kingdom! You can fight me for it!"
Roseate smiled, despite her bloody snout. "I don't have to," she said silkily. "I have all of Pyrrhia on my side. But mark my words, Conch, if you don't give me full command of the Sea Kingdom by sunset tomorrow, I'll take this to war."
But Conch was already launching herself into the air, flashing a glare at the other queens and pumping her wings furiously, the threat of a war looming upon them all.
==Chapter 1==
"Look, Shoal! They're back!" Shoal's little sister, Codlet, cried.
Icefish, Queen Conch, and Snook, Shoal's older brother, had gone on a patrol for unknown reasons. Possibly just a normal patrol, or a secret meeting, as Shoal suspected. Anyhow, he'd interrogate Snook later.
"So they are." Shoal noted. "Do you see anything suspicious about them?"
"Icefish and Snook look worried," Codlet reported. "Queen Conch looks furious. Like, as furious as the time I put raspberry pudding in her spaghetti."
"You did that?" Shoal asked, horrified.
"It was a dare Candiru made me do," she replied airily, waving off a talon. "Besides, she wasn't that mad."
"Shush, Codlet." Their father silenced. "I think this is serious. Really."
"I'm going out to look," Codlet decided, getting up towards the door.
Capelin sighed and motioned at Shoal to follow her, and he obliged, hurrying after his younger sister.
"Ba da dap bap bap," Codlet chirped, skipping along the dirt roads of Shoal's small SeaWing village, which consisted mainly of coconut farmers.
"What're you singing?" Shoal asked finally.
"A song Candiru taught me," Codlet responded.
". . . What's 'Candiru'?" Shoal asked again.
"My friend." Codlet made a face. "Duh. Look, he's right there."
". . Oh." Shoal waved a talon at where he thought Codlet's imaginary friend was. "Hi, 'Candiru.'"
Codlet giggled. "He says 'hi' back!"
They had reached the muddy delta. Preparing to wade in, Shoal stretched his light blue wings and felt the tips rippling in the salty sea breeze.
Splash! Codlet leaped right in, splashing Shoal with icy, muddy, thick, water.
There's no point warming up now, he grumbled inwardly, trudging in as well. Muck sucked at Shoal's talons, squish squishing as he waded to somewhere deeper, where he could swim. Splashing up ahead of him was Codlet, who had already reached somewhat sanitary water. 
Taking in a huge gulp of air, Shoal submerged into the river and followed the current towards the ocean. Codlet was flashing her scales to signal to Shoal where she was in the murky water.
Salt water hit Shoal's gills and suddenly, he could see clearer. Below him, anemones and coral glowed softly, and schools of colourful fish swam all around him. A octopus-like creature leisured past him, giving Shoal a confused look. 
Shoal stuck out his tounge at the octopus thing, paddling faster to catch up with Codlet. Hurry up! She flashed in Aquatic.
You hurry up! Shoal flashed back. A handicapped whale could swim faster then you. He actually secretly prided himself on his Aquatic, as his family couldn't afford a school and so Shoal was homeschooled.
And then Snook applied to be a palace guard, and unsurprisingly got the job. Then Shoal's parents could afford to send Codlet to a public school.
Blah blah blah, Shoal's sister lit up the scales on her tail, paused, then drew a triangle in the water. Let's go already.
Yeah, okay. Shoal swam past her, waving a talon, and she followed.
More fish darted around them; danios, flagtails, albacores of all shapes and sizes. In the distance, a conspicuous marble pillar signaled that they were near the Summer Palace.
A dark green SeaWing was standing guard, and she whipped around at the sight of Shoal and Codlet. Realizing that they weren't a threat, she waved a talon at them.
Carp. Shoal greeted, waving a talon back. Have I ever told you that you're my favourite guard to meet out here?
Carp smiled and rolled her eyes.Thanks. But it's terribly boring out here, there's hardly anything to see here. Oh, by the way, I saw Snook today. He was headed for the palace. Carp could flash her scales so quickly that at times, Shoal couldn't even keep up with her.
Thanks! Shoal flashed gratefully. We were looking for him, actually.
Glad to help. Carp turned back to her post, glaring fiercly at the vast blue ocean.
Shoal swam around the pillar and saw the small dark tunnel leading to the Summer Palace. Waving to Codlet, he entered, lighting up all of his scales to see in the dark.
A bright light appeared at the end of the tunnel, and Shoal could make out the stunning marble-mahogany palace. Breaking out of the water, Codlet at his side, he whipped his head around, trying to spot Queen Conch and Snook.
"Shoal!" A light teal SeaWing called, swooping down to meet them.
"Icefish," Shoal greeted his brother's friend, shaking off his wings and scrambling onto the shore.
"Why are you here?" Icefish flapped down onto the sand. "Oh wait, let me guess - you're here to see Snook, right? Well, he's kind of busy right now, so, if you have any questions, you could maybe ask me? I mean, you don't have to, but - "
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure we get it, Icefish." Codlet giggled. "Anyways, what was the thing you wanted to ask Snook, Shoal?"
Shoal shifted his talons, burying them into the sand and coming up with a squirming crab. "Er, Icefish, could you maybe tell us what Queen Conch was doing on the patrol?"
Icefish gave a smart salute. " 'Course, Shoal. Anything for a friend. Now, let's see. Queen Conch told us that 'Queen Roseate is a unreasonable sea slug' and 'Now none of Pyrrhia is going to get out of this alive.' Er, something like that, an'how."
The crab in Shoal's talons pinched him and he yelped, dropping it back onto the ground. It scurried away with one last angry snip! at Shoal's tail. "What?"
Icefish shrugged. " 'Not sure. Cryptic, right? That's what I thought-"
"I see you're giving away my secrets, Icefish." A voice interrupted dryly behind Shoal.
==Chapter 2==
He whipped around, and saw Queen Conch - QUEEN CONCH, of all dragons - emerge out of the lagoon. Water streamed down her wings and snout as she looked disapprovingly over at Icefish.
He gasped. "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty! I didn't mean to."
"That's precisly the problem," she snarled. "You can't control your mouth. That's important, Icefish." She pointed a long claw at Shoal and Codlet. "Come with me, you two."
Shoal felt like he was shrinking in front of this huge, imposing dragon. Nodding weakly, he and his sister followed the grand SeaWing into the Summer Palace.
Shoal had been there, once, with Snook, but it seemed even more impressive now. Small emeralds were imbedded in the marble steps, spelling out;
ROYAL
SEAWING
SUMMER
PALACE.
Sunlight from the tree canopy spilled out onto these steps, turning them green-gold. Palm plants were arranged on the corners, giving an alive feel to it all.
"Here." Conch opened a mahogany door, stepping inside. Shoal followed, and noted that there was hardly anyone in the room, just him, the queen, and Codlet. Which means she probably trusts us enough to not bring along her guards, he noted.
"You two are Snook's siblings, aren't you?" She asked grandly. "I can tell from your eyes. They're the same shade of blue."
"Ye-es," Shoal admitted. "He's not going to get in trouble, right?"
Conch let out a harsh, barking laugh. "Hardly. He's such a loyal dragon, he'd never give away palace business. Icefish, however . . ." She glared so hard at a jade vase that Shoal thought she might break it with her harsh stare.
"No, that was me." Shoal said quietly. "I was too nosy and, er, wanted to learn what was going on, Your Majesty. Please don't blame Icefish."
"Hmm, a honest one, eh? That's what I like in a soldier." The queen nodded approvingly.
Shoal felt a small surge of pride. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"No problem." She narrowed her eyes. "What did Icefish tell you?"
"Just what you told him," Codlet said boldly, interrupting.
Her eyes narrowed even more into thin blue slits. "You're that dragonet. The one who put pudding in my clam pasta. I can hardly see the resemblance between you and Snook."
"Nyeh," Codlet stuck out her tongue. "That's 'cos I'm not Snook."
"Unreasonable dragonet," Conch muttered. "You do realize you're talking to your queen, don't you."
"Pfffft. Yeah." She sniffed. Shoal stepped down hard on his sister's talon, and she yelped. "I mean, sorry. Sorry, your majesty."
"I've dealt with worse." Conch's blue eyes suddenly opened again. "Really, have you ever met Seafoam and Aegir? Terribly uncooperative."
"I know Aegir from school." Codlet piped up. "He's really good at drawing."
"I guess." Conch shrugged her broad shoulders. "He's quite creative. But, I'm getting side-tracked. Really, what did Icefish tell you?"
Shoal jumped in, afraid that Codlet was going to make another snide remark. "He told us the, y'know, 'Queen Roseate is a unreasonable sea slug' thing."
Queen Conch rubbed the spot between her eyes, sighing loudly. "Ohhhhhhh Icefish, oh you're in big trouble. Giving away palace business like that, really.." Conch left off muttering and cursing under her breath.
She gave one last sigh, then turned to look back at Shoal and Codlet. "Ah, well. I might as well finish what Icefish started." She sounded like she just wanted an excuse to tell someone.
"You see," she started. "The monthly night patrols were a lie. What they really were were breaks when I could meet with the queens from the other tribes -- in secret. Nobody knew about it."
"Except for Snook and Icefish," Shoal guessed.
"Correct." Conch nodded. "I was supposed to meet with the queens alone, but it would be too suspicious -- for the SeaWings. So I brought along what I thought were my top soldiers and fabricated the Night Patrol."
"That seems logical," Shoal squeaked, his talons squirming against the hard stone floor.
"Thank you." Conch shrugged again. "I don't know what I'm going to do now. Tell everyone, I guess."
"Wait," Codlet said. "What's Roseate planning?"
"How do you know she's planning anything?" Conch flicked her tail.
(WIP)
Category:Fanfictions
Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)
Category:Fanfictions (Fanon)
Category:Content (Epiphlyte)
Category:Genre (Tragedy)
Category:Mature Content