Ciara tried to keep people being positive. She spent as much time as she could with the children but it always seemed that if there was laughter and children running about; the tension in the room would loosen. But after awhile, one of the women aiding her in her recovery would place a hand on her shoulder and take was her cue to go back to bed and get her burns treated once more.

She rather enjoyed her time with the children. It was much like when she taught the kids on Genosha how to swim. Out of all the things she could do with her life she decided on helping the young ones... After all they are the future.

Eventually she was well enough to travel, and Namor's home commander was also getting anxious for word from their king. He sent five soldiers to accompany Ciara back to Genosha, it was really more than they could spare but Namor had been clear in making sure no harm came to the princess.

Ciara stood above the water filled tunnel, shaking her head. "I can't breathe underwater. Unless there's air pockets down there, I will die. Why can't you understand that?" She was trying to stay calm but no one was making much sense. They just seemed to expect her to just jump on in and wait for her death to come upon her.

Finally one of them placed his hand on her shoulder, "You will not drown" he told her confidently, "We do not have the technology here to give you artificial breath, but if you need it, I will give you my own breath until we meet the surface."

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Please tell me we're not travelling all the way there underwater?" She asked, sitting down beside the tunnel, her feet slipping in.

"We can travel above for most of the way" he replied, "fear not, we are here to protect you"

Ciara couldn't help but smile and nod, "Thank you. You have calmed my fears and for that I'm grateful. Shall we get going then?" She asked slipping into the water.

The other dove into the water and a large sting ray floated over to help Ciara move more quickly through the currents.

Ciara was rather surprised to find the large string ray coming to her aid.It was almost the size of her water based string ray. Who knew they came in such large sizes. But she stroked it's back; thanking it for leaning her a hand before getting a grab on the beautiful creature.

If she was fully recovered, she'd probably just throw them all on a wave and ride it to Genosha but she didn't want to push herself. Her body had been through a lot of trauma.

It was soft and slippery in a rather soothing way. The creature's body glided through the water with ease, even with Ciara holding onto it's cool back. It was a fairly far way up to the surface of the water.

(( MSN won't let me sign in >< I keep getting some kind of error.

Do you mean the String Ray was fairly close to the surface of the water?))

As night approached, Ciara dozed off and the others choose to rest under the waves. The string ray glided down to the sea floor with Ciara on top of it's back. Within 30 seconds, Ciara's eyes shot open as she ran out of air. The soldier who promised to give her air when needed was a few seconds away as Ciara's body began to glow much like when she was found in the wreckage of Atlantis.

Postie?

((Sigh. I posted on this and then it said that it didn't go through, so I've been lagging in writing it again. I'll just summarize))

The Atlantean whom had promised to provide Ciara air was rushing towards her, but he was a bit too far away. The others gazed at her in awe.

((That BLOWS. I hate when that happens.))

The glow began to pulse, much like a heart beat. It was a faint pulse but a pulse none the less. Slowly, her body curled into a ball as a protective bubble wrapped around her. And there she floated, a mutant in a ball... much like those toys from a machines.

He stopped as he came right up to her, hesitantly trying to reach through the ball to touch her arm.

The ball although appearing to be rather thin was actually rather solid. Or at least enough to keep him out.

But after a moment, the bubble gave way and let his hand inside.

and they dragged Ciara all the way to Genosha like that I suppose :P

*
Ciara's chest lifted as she turned her head and coughed up the water out of her lungs. She was less weak than the last time she'd been relieved. She looked around very disoriented. Her vision was blurred as she tried to figure out where she was and what was going on.

Genosha stood tall and untouched. The Atlanteans and Ciara had come peacefully ashore to Ciara's home and it appeared as though she had been wrong. There was no sign of destruction anywhere. In fact, there was no sign of... anything.

Genosha looked abandoned. Every building stood unmarked by battle but there wasn't a soul in sight.

After a min or two, Ciara got to her feet. She had a bad feeling about this. "Follow." She stated, leading the ground further into the ghost town. Away from the noisy ocean and into the dead silent metal walls of the city.

What had happened? What was going on? They'd check the X- squad's head quarters and then up to the mansion.

There was no sign of them, no sign of anybody. The Atlanteans followed, although timidly and on high alert. It was as though everyone had dropped what they were doing and just left. TV's still on, shops left abandoned, all without a clue as to what happened, or why.

Until a newspaper blew up against Ciara's leg. Last week's headline, "Run for your Life" It told of mysterious disappearances that had been happened for a couple weeks. People who just vanished into thin air. Many had fled Genosha in fear for their lives, the rest apparently had been taken by forces unknown.

Ciara tossed the newspaper into the wind and turned, "HELLO?" She called, "IS ANYONE STILL HERE?!" She called. Eric... surely Eric wouldn't leave his home... He hadn't left Genosha in such a long time. He was the reason no one would attack... An entire metal city in the hands of a Metal God.

Surely they would have left her a note... or something... But then again, how long had she been gone? The date on the newspaper... She'd been gone over a month. It had been over a month since the attack on Atlantas. Did they think she was died? No, of course not. Namour sent word...

"IS ANYONE OUT THERE?" She called as she looked around, as her heart beat began to quicken. Why had people been disappearing? Where did everyone go? Where was Namour and his army?

"There's something very wrong about all this princess" the leader of the small atlantean crew spoke to her, "We should head back to the water"

"Did Talin go off on his own?" one of the others questioned, looking around, one of them was indeed missing, "Talin? Talin?!" No response.

"Not yet." She stated, "There's one last place I need to check..." She looked around after Talin went missing, "I don't sense him near by..."

She formed a string ray and hoped on, "There's about 3 hours till sun set. You and your men should look for your comrade. I had one last place to check and then I shall look for him as well. We'll met back at the beach at sunset." And without another word she flew off to Scott's house. He always had extra communicators in his place.

She kicked the door down, and sure enough 3 were in the drawer in the front hall. She clicked the button, "Hello? Can anyone hear me? This is Neptune. Is anyone out there?" Everyone in the squad should have one... Some didn't keep it on all the time but Scott... He never left home without it.