//------------------------------//
// The King of Atlantis 
// Story: The Doctor Whooves Chronicles Episode 4: Under the Sea 
// by Doctor Perseus 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 3: The King of Atlantis


Gaia, 1215 C.E.

The Doctor, Derpy, and Dolarez rode up the elevator in silence. It was a fairly large elevator, with enough room to hold at least twenty Atlanteans, that was painted in gold with hints of sapphire here and there. It rode up quite smoothly and next to no sounds could be heard as the golden chamber made its ascension.
"So the King is going to be seeing us at the same time as the Prince?" the Doctor asked.
"Yes," Dolarez replied.
"He must be quite a busy person."
"Yes...he is quite busy...especially of late."
"How high are we going?" Derpy asked.
"The King's throne room is located right underneath the Atlantean Flame," Dolarez replied.
"Wow...that's pretty high up."
"I don't think you have to worry about heights, Ms. Hooves," the Doctor stated with a chuckle. "What with you being a pegasus and all."
"Oh...right." Derpy flapped her wings as her face blushed a bit. "Sometimes I forget that."
"How can you forget that you have a pair of wings on your back?" asked Dolarez.
"I dunno." There was an awkward silence shared amongst the three inhabitants of the elevator.
"That's it?" Dolarez asked with a desire for more.
"Pretty much," Derpy replied with a giggle.
"I must admit that you two are very odd characters."
"Sir, would you ever expect a warrior of the blue box to be normal?" asked the Doctor with a grin.
"No...I guess I wouldn't," Dolarez replied with a gulp. The elevator came to a smooth stop and a quick ding rang out. "Oh, look! We're here already!" Dolarez quickly made his way out of the elevator as soon as the doors opened.
"WOW!" cried Derpy as she stepped out of the elevator. The Doctor had no need to ask about Derpy's excitement for he understood it. The throne room before them was truly a sight to behold. Massive pools of some sort of flammable liquid sat at the four corners of the room with fantastic plumes of green and blue fire shooting out of them. A massive sapphire stood on a rotating platform in the center of the room and cast a series of changing lights on the gold and silver walls. The floor was decorated in a silver and blue crystal web outline that blended perfectly with a collection of divine, red carpets. The ceiling contained five paintings that each depicted the face of an Atlantean: one was a male with green skin and blue eyes, one was a male with blue skin and red eyes, one was a female with blue and violet skin and silver eyes, one was a male with indigo skin and green eyes, and one was a female with red skin and blue eyes. There were many different Atlantean soldiers scattered all throughout the room of various sizes and colors. At the very front of the room was a golden throne the size of three average thrones with pieces of jagged diamond jutting out of its sides. A silver silk cloth ran down the center of the throne and came to the point where the throne touched the floor. Sitting in the throne was an Atlantean with blue skin and blue eyes. He was wearing a long, green loincloth; pieces of blue and silver armor; and a long, red cape that could have easily swallowed three average human men. The Doctor had a feeling that this Atlantean was quite tall when standing up.
"There he is," said Dolarez as he beckoned the Doctor and Derpy to stand next to him towards the back of the room while the Prince walked up to greet the Atlantean on the throne. "King Lycus." The Doctor smiled a bit and gave a witty chuckle. "Something funny?"
"No...well...kinda," the Doctor replied. "It's just funny that your king's name is Lycus and, in Greek mythology, Lycus was the son of Poseidon, the God of the Sea, and-" The Doctor stopped when he saw Dolarez give a confused face and he realized that the Atlantean soldier would probably barely understand any part of what he would have continued to say. "Uh...nevermind."
"Prince Shining Armor XI!" exclaimed King Lycus as he stood up and approached the unicorn stallion. The Doctor was right. King Lycus was a pretty tall creature, and probably really high-reaching when compared to the average Atlantean. The Doctor tilted his head and calculated that he was at least eight feet tall. King Lycus and the Prince proceeded to shake webbed hand and hoof. "What a pleasure it is to finally meet you in the flesh. I still remember the day your grandfather first stumbled upon my city."
"Wait? How could your king have met the Prince's grandfather?" Derpy whispered to Dolarez. "He'd have to be-"
"237 years old," Dolarez stated.
"What?"
"So how old does the average Atlantean become?" the Doctor asked.
"Around a hundred years or so. The reason King Lycus is this old is because when the King, or Queen, is selected, he or she is given the 500-year right," Dolarez explained. "The spell is cast during the coronation and this allows the new ruler to live up to the age of, well, 500."
"So your king or queen rules until he or she reaches the age of 500, they die, and you get a new king or queen?" Derpy asked with wide-eyed curiosity.
"Not necessarily. Some will be able to keep the throne until their 500th birthday, but the more unpopular rulers can be voted out and replaced with a new one."
"So your rulers are selected through a voting system?" the Doctor asked.
"Yes. We don't believe in passing the throne onto anybody just because they're related to the ruler."
"Finally! Something that speaks my terminology!"
"What was that?"
"Oh, nothing. But that is quite an interesting system."
"And it works. It keeps spoiled brats from taking the throne."
"Does an ex-king or queen still live to 500 if they're voted out?" Derpy asked.
"Yes. They still have the 500-year right after leaving the throne," Dolarez replied. "I find it strange how you two know so little about Atlantis. I'd thought the warriors of the blue box would know more."
"That reminds me, do you happen to know the origins of this Legend of the Blue Box?" the Doctor asked.
"Not truly. I just know that it's been passed down from generation to generation. The blue box has appeared randomly throughout the history of both Atlantis and the overworld. By the way, the correct term for the legend is the Curse of the Blue Box."
"Why call it a curse?"
"Because the blue box is a curse to all who seek to perform evil. When the blue box comes, evil is defeated and justice is served by the warriors within the box."
"I guess that does make sense."
"So, how do you two know so little about Atlantis?"
"That would take a while to explain and I don't believe we have much time to discuss this. All I'll say is wibbly wobbly timey wimey."
"Huh?"
"Now!" echoed the voice of King Lycus throughout the room. The King was sitting in his throne again and was now looking around the room. "I believe I have some other visitors that wish to speak with me. The warriors of the blue box, if I'm correct!" A series of murmurs began echoing amongst the soldiers in the room as all eyes turned towards the Doctor, Derpy, and Dolarez.
"Ah, yes!" the Doctor replied loudly. "That would be us!"
"Step forward!"

Just stay calm. Stay calm. You're just meeting the king of a massive civilization with soldiers that have really pointy spears. Nothing to worry about! Just stay calm, Derpy thought as she stepped towards the throne alongside the Doctor and Dolarez. Derpy could notice the Prince eyeing her and the Doctor curiously as they stepped forward. King Lycus examined them with his sharp, blue eyes as they came to a stop just a few feet from the foot of his throne.
"Soldier, are these truly the warriors in which you told me about?" the King questioned. Dolarez stepped forward before bowing before the King and nodding.
"Yes, your majesty. I know they don't look like much," Dolarez stated.
Hey! I don't think the Doctor and I look that unimpressive! Derpy thought in annoyance.
"Believe me, your grace, I would have never thought of bringing them to you if I had not seen the blue box for myself."
"Yes, and where exactly is this box?"
"In the lounge room a little ways away from station 914."
"Wow, this place has 914 stations?" Derpy whispered to the Doctor.
"I would think it safe to assume that there's far more than 914," the Doctor whispered back. King Lycus suddenly waved his hand in a slow, graceful motion. Derpy noticed a strange, metallic device on his wrist that emitted a flickering light as he waved his hand. A holographic image of the lounge room containing the TARDIS suddenly appeared before the King. Several gasps echoed throughout the room as everypony's eyes fell upon the TARDIS. Derpy even noticed the Prince looking wide-eyed at the box. She also noticed one, particular, blue-skinned Atlantean soldier off to the side who appeared to be glaring at her, the Doctor, and the TARDIS with a great amount of hate in his eyes.
"I must take a closer look at this," King Lycus stated in disbelief. He snapped his fingers and the TARDIS suddenly disappeared. The hologram faded away and the TARDIS materialized a few feet away from where Derpy, the Doctor, and Dolarez were standing. The King stood up and swiftly approached the TARDIS. Everypony in the room was silent as the King walked around the box and wiped his webbed hands on the wooden exterior. He also tried to open the doors but couldn't find them to open no matter how hard he tried. The King then turned to look at Derpy and the Doctor. Derpy could feel her face turning red with anxiety as the King moved over towards her and the Doctor. The King came to a stop in front of the Doctor and knelt down so that they were now staring straight into each other's eyes. "Who are you?"
The Doctor gave a confident smile as he stared back at King Lycus. "I'm the Doctor. That's my blue box and I believe you need help from me and my companion, your majesty," the Doctor replied. The King stared at the Doctor for another minute before standing up and heading back to his throne. He sat down and stared at every living creature in the room.
"Leave us," he eventually said. "Leave me alone with the warriors of the blue box." The soldiers in the room nodded nervously as they made their way out. Dolarez gave a quick wave to Derpy and the Doctor before following the others.
"Wait a moment," the Prince said suddenly as he passed by Derpy and the Doctor. "Did you just say that you're the Doctor?!"
"Yes," the Doctor replied. "I did."
"The Doctor?! You're the Doctor?!"
"That's what I said."
"Oh my C-"
"Young prince, if you would be so kind as to follow the others out. I need to speak with them in private," the King stated.
"Talk to me later! We need to talk!" Derpy heard the Prince whisper to the Doctor as he made his exit. A few seconds later, Derpy and the Doctor were alone with the King of Atlantis.
"Well!" the Doctor exclaimed as he took a step towards the throne. "I guess we have a lot to discuss, don't we?"