Better the Known Devil than the Unknown

                Kallista could only stare, horrified, up at Apocrypha.

                The Albertosaur’s expression was blank as she stared ahead at the Queen of Atlantis. The cheers and roar of glee and sheer rage had already fallen into a muted numbness around her. This was unlike when the denizens of Alpha Labs were unleashed upon the islands. The news was not what she was expecting.

                It wasn’t what any of the topsiders had been expecting. Or maybe a few, but certainly not Apocrypha and her family. But she should’ve known better. She should have felt it. But the plants here, the wildlife and spirits, of Atlantis did not speak to her like the islands did. She had been blindsided by what the Queen said.

                And the Queen herself certainly knew how to make an entrance in the feast. The Court had grown silent and took their places at tables near the front of the feasting area which had been enough for the servants of the Court to take their own places. An eerie hush had fallen over the crowd, even among the other topsiders as the drums had started to grow louder. From within the streets of Atlantis more drums could be heard, and when Apocrypha had turned her attention to the city she had seen lights approaching.

                Queen Rhys walked at the front of a well guarded parade. Heavily armored Iguanodons marching directly behind her with small creatures riding on their backs and holding torches to light their way through the already well lit streets. It was a show specifically for the topsiders. They had all been in awe of her as she stepped through the quickly parting crowd that made up the feast. Monkeys and lemurs descended upon the area like ants, spreading out and climbing up onto anything and everything to get to good resting spots while Rhys took her place at the front of the feast.

                The table she stood behind was massive, long, and full of the most delicious looking dishes that had been cooked for the event. It was from there that she addressed everyone, telling them all of what would be happening. Not what she was considering, not what they were going to try and do. But what she /was/ going to do.

                And the topsiders could either obey and follow her rule, or leave.

                That was when Kallista had stared up at Apocrypha, unsure what they should do.              

                “I, for one, welcome our new feathery overlord.” Frankie said and smirked a toothy smirk up at Apocrypha.

                This was unheard of. No one person would ever rule the isles, but Queen Rhys certainly seemed as if she was going to attempt to if the dome could not be fixed. Which left Apocrypha with only one thought. They needed to help the Court and Queen try to repair the dome.

                “Frankie, this is serious.” Kallista said and looked over at the color-vomit Utahraptor who just flicked his nose up towards the ‘sky’ in mock hurt.

                “We will for now, actually. She wants help in repairing the dome, then we will do what we can. Kallista, I am sorry.” Apocrypha said, looking back down at Kallista. Of all the dinosaurs that were there, it would be those that could fly and swim that would most likely be the ones used the most by the Queen. Any dinosaurs stuck to the land could still help, but they would not be able to easily reach the heights of where the cracks had started in the dome far above them.

                The Tropeo closed her mouth and looked up at Apocrypha, narrowing her eyes as she listened. She hated the idea, hated every second of it, but the Albertosaurus was right. Helping the Queen here would be their best option, unless they wanted her and her hoard coming up to the surface and forcing her rule on all of the ‘topsiders’.

                It took some time before the feast settled down. Apocrypha had watched as several people were escorted out of the area, screaming insults at the Queen. Others had quiet rage to them as they left on their own accord. She, Frankie, and Kallista had all watched as the Pale One stood and strode from the area. Blight had left earlier, thankfully, but that didn’t stop what Apocrypha could feel was going to happen. If any of the Queen’s Court came after the pale Acro or his family, there would be blood shed. If they got close to his mountain with their seeds and eagerness to change and terraform the landscape, they would find a fight on their hands.

                Hell. They might have a fight on their hands anyway with that group as they attempted to leave Atlantis. For now, though, Apocrypha was simply happy that she wouldn’t have to deal with a fight there at the feast. Order was kept and maintained with the help of the royal guard and the Euoplos, allowing Queen Rhys to speak. Asking for all those that wished to help to step forward. All topsiders that had stayed would be offered a place among her Knights and would be knighted that night.

                The ceremony went well into the night, the feast only stopping as the ‘sun’ started to rise again over Atlantis. That day they were able to rest. Apocrypha and Kallista had stayed in Atlantis with other topsiders that had chosen to stay and be knighted. People only started to get up and around again far after noon had come and gone. The jovial feel of the Court was still there, they still didn’t fully trust the topsiders that had stayed, but they were held in higher regard than those that were new to show up or to those that had chosen to pick fights with the Queen and her subjects.

                On day two was when the real work began. Frankie had been tasked with running messages between various work forces due to his speed. Apocrypha saw most Utahraptors had been tasked with such things. They were quick on their feet and could get places faster than the bigger dinosaurs. Apocrypha spent most of the day helping haul logs from fallen trees where the bark would then be taken off the trunk.

                She worried about Kallista most of the time. As the Albertosaur dragged along several logs that had been attached to her by means of a harness the little monkeys and lemurs had strapped onto her, she kept her attention on the sky. Or as much of it as she could see. Occasionally she’d spot the black feathered hide of her friend, taking up plants of wood or buckets of some sort of paste up towards the dome.

                At first Apocrypha had wondered if they were actually attempting to hold back the ocean with the planks, but it had been Frankie that had told her otherwise.

                “They’re bringing the planks up to hang from the dome so that those little fuzzy things can sit on them and work. At least for the smaller cracks. I think the buckets are full of mud? But that doesn’t make any sort of sense to me, to try and seal the cracks. Another guy I talked to said that some of the little fuzz-puffs were getting up into the holes on the far side of the dome, past some door. Not sure what’s over there, or what’s behind the door, but they’re hoping to find something that’ll help with repairing the dome.” Frankie said as he trotted beside Apocrypha.

                “We’ll stay and help for another few days. But then we need to head back up and see your sister. I dislike this place.” Apocrypha said, making Frankie stop and look up at her, no longer smiling.

                He could not remember the last time, or any time, when his mother had said she did not like a place. They had been there for a few days and she had not said anything the whole time about not liking Atlantis. But now?

                There was an unease in the air that hadn’t left since the feast. And now it was only festering. Simmering under the surface of everything. Somehow it felt more dangerous than everything that they’d delt with before.