#Bob tail squid

[zelly-raptor]

-FLASH BACK FRIDAY- To the 15/05/2024: Ciarra Mermay 2024 day 08: Blue Tang.

So I just want to say that I drew this pic before I did the pic for day 07's prompt just to add confusion!

Day 08's Prompt is based around the Blue Tang! Which you'll recognise as "Dory" from Finding Nemo. Accompanying the Blue Tangs in new Mermaid OC "Lois" and yes!

She does have Red (Ginger) hair like Lois Griffin... That's because I was thinking about Lois Griffin at the time I drew this 😆.

As usual here's the Line art and Prompt list...I don't know if I scanned the original pencil sketch.

[probablyasocialecologist]

A tiny Hawaiian squid, Euprymna scolopes, has become a model for thinking about this process. The “bob-tailed squid” is known for its light organ, through which it mimics moonlight, hiding its shadow from predators. But juvenile squid do not develop this organ unless they come into contact with one particular species of bacteria, Vibrio fischeri. The squid are not born with these bacteria; they must encounter them in the seawater. Without them, the light organ never develops. But perhaps you think light organs are superfluous. Consider the parasitic wasp Asobara tabida. Females are completely unable to produce eggs without bacteria of the genus Wolbachia. Meanwhile, larvae of the Large Blue butterfly Maculinea arion are unable to survive without being taken in by an ant colony. Even we proudly independent humans are unable to digest our food without helpful bacteria, first gained as we slide out of the birth canal. Ninety percent of the cells in a human body are bacteria. We can’t do without them.

As biologist Scott Gilbert and his colleagues write, “Almost all development may be codevelopment. By codevelopment we refer to the ability of the cells of one species to assist the normal construction of the body of another species.” This insight changes the unit of evolution. Some biologists have begun to speak of the “hologenome theory of evolution,” referring to the complex of organisms and their symbionts as an evolutionary unit: the “holobiont.” They find, for example, that associations between particular bacteria and fruit flies influence fruit fly mating choice, thus shaping the road to the development of a new species. To add the importance of development, Gilbert and his colleagues use the term “symbiopoiesis,” the codevelopment of the holobiont. The term contrasts their findings with an earlier focus on life as internally self-organizing systems, self-formed through “autopoiesis.” “More and more,” they write, “symbiosis appears to be the ‘rule,’ not the exception. . . . Nature may be selecting ‘relationships’ rather than individuals or genomes.”

Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing, The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins

[xxkissesforchanniexx]

𝐑𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐝𝐞

𝐏𝐭 𝟐

Pairing: Merman!Hyunjin x Human!fem!reader Genre: Angst kinda, Fluff🥰💖, Smut🔥❤️ Word Count: 4.7k Warnings: Blood, Chan is lowkey a dick, MURDER kinda, sex, p in v, cumming inside (use a protection >.>), possessive themes breeding kink, implied pregnancy it doesn't get a part tho i think thats it tell me if i missed anything.

A/N: Based on this TikTok someone save me from my imagination-

"The humans killed our ancestors, the pushed us far from the shores, our people died because of them."

"But why?" One of the merboys asked.

The class looked at him, small bubbles jetting behind the teacher from seashell horns on the coral wall. "Because they fear the unknown Hyunjin."

It was a while after classes he was moving on the current among the schools of fish, he saw the floaty. He moved for it confused. Why was a floaty this far from the shore. On the bobbing swan was a girl, she stared at him with wide eyes and he stared back. Her hands weren't webbed, she didn't have the fin like appendages jutting out behind her ears... but mostly, she didn't have a tail.

A HUMAN!? Hyunjin swam back slightly, fear prickling through him, the human tried paddling to the shore frantically, also afraid. His brows furrowed. Hesitantly, cautiously, he came above the water and tried forming the syllables he'd learned in class. "You swim no??"

The human girl looked at him. "You speak.."

Hyunjin made a face.

"Sorry. No, I can't swim." She laughed slightly. "What are you?"

Hyunjin tried to think of a word. "You caught... riptide." He pointed to the beach.

The human nodded.

"Catch current." He said, grabbing the floaty and pushing it rather quickly to the upcoming wave heading for the shore.

"Wait." The girl looked at him, her e/c eyes meeting luminescent sea green ones. "I'm y/n. What's your name?"

"Hyunjin." He said, pushing the floaty to the current.

The human grabbed his hand, he froze in fear. But she put something in his hand as the current swept her off. Looking down at it, he smiled slightly at a little moon charm.

Minho was poking Hyunjin's head in class. "Hey bubble maker. I'm bored."

"Class isn't over yet." Hyunjin sighed, fiddling with the moon shaped charm that floated around his neck.

"Sneak out with me." The merman behind him poked him again.

Hyunjin turned to Minho. "What do you take me for?"

"Come on." Minho smiled, the fin appendages behind his ears shifting, the scales that lined them shimmering a deep blue color in the light. "Chan and Yongbok must have already left class too. We can get the others."

"FINE" Hyunjin gave an exasperated huff, swishing his glittery green tail, pushing at the sand floor, startling a small squid.

Minho smiled, asking the instructor if he could use the restroom, a few minutes later Hyunjin asked to also go, and the two didn't return.

Meeting up with their friends, Chan, Changbin, Jisung, Yongbok, Seungmin, and Jeongin, the group swam out of the coral area and surfaced looking around. The sun was setting and sparkled against the water, lapping gently around them.

"Woah..." Jeongin, the youngest marveled, eyes glued to the shore. "How do humans build things like that?" He pointed past the sand to the tall structures.

Chan shrugged, "Last time I was on land, someone said there's a lot of math involved."

Changbin sucked in a sharp breath.

The rest looked at him, he was pointing frantically at something. A boat, not just any, but a boat with nets coming from it.

Hyunjin grit his teeth, "Isn't illegal to fish here?"

"It is." Jisung's eyes narrowed.

Chan looked at Changbin nodding. Before the rest could say something, both mermen swam full speed for the boat, slashing the nets and emerging from the water. Hyunjin watched as the people on the boat fell back into the water in fear. Chan dove again and even if it was far away, the scent of human blood reached Hyunjin's nostrils as he watched Changbin flip the boat.

"Disgusting scum." Yongbok spat, before swimming under.

Jisung pursed his lips before diving under as well, the others followed. As Hyunjin watched the boat capsizing he turned to the shore and his eyes widened at the sight of a human dressed similar to the others swimming and flailing frantically.

Chan came next to him, "Don't let him get far."

Hyunjin's ear appendages flared. He swam quickly, claws emerging from his webbed fingers as he closed in on the screaming human. The metallic scent filled his nose as he slashed the human's throat and let the current float the body to the beach.

You cringed as your boss slapped folder on your desk. "Another?"

"This one was a bit better than the last 4." The man huffed. "Guy we found on shore got out easy. Whoever or whatever killed him did it quick."

You made a face, squeezing the sun charm that hung around your neck. "I'll look into it, might have to stake out."

He nodded. "I could assign you a squad."

"If whatever or whoever did this sees a squad of men, it surely won't act."

"It's for your safety."

You rolled your eyes. "Fine."

Your boss smiled and patted the report. "Get to it."

You flipped through the report, looking at the images and the boat, the claw like marks on the fishermen's chests. You huffed, deciding to go to the forensics lab see what they had to say. When you saw the bodies all the forensic analyst and pathologist could say was that the wounds were ridged as if the blade used was jagged, not uniformly.

"Though, y/n." The forensic analyst pulled you aside to two microscopes. "Have you ever seen something like this?"

You looked into the microscope, there was a keratin like material under the first, similar to human hair but glittering.

"What is it?" you asked.

"A fraction of a scale from something...?" The forensic analyst sighed. "But look at this." She motioned to the other microscope.

Looking through it you saw a cell. "What about it?"

She grabbed you and shook you. "It's blue."

You shrugged.

"Y/N.. I didn't stain that sample."

Your eyes widened and you looked at the skin cell again. It was blue...

"I'm going on a stake out tonight." You said determined.

The pathologist and the forensic analyst looked at you a little scared.

"But-" the pathologist started.

"No!" You crossed your arms. "I'm going to figure this out."

You left the room before they could stop you.

Hyunjin probably shouldn't have but the moonlight looked so alluring through the water. The merman swam to the surface and hummed softly as he took in the moon, full and bright, the sky clear, his right ear fin twitched and he sucked in a breath. Boat...

His eyes narrowed as he tried to identify what type of boat. The nets flew and Hyunjin's gills flared, humans didn't ever learn. He dove under and swam toward the ship, claws out.

"There's something out there!" A man shouted.

Hyunjin burst from the water to slash at the man but his eyes widened as he saw a pair of eyes he hadn't seen in years. He pushed against the boat and dove again, swimming away as fast as he could.. He grabbed the moon charm around his neck and remembered, the human girl who got swept away by the riptide. She... He cursed at himself for not flipping the boat and getting it over with.

"I'm not crazy!" You shouted. "I saw a merman!"

"You've been saying that for the past two months." Your fellow investigator sighed. "Sure more fishermen have died but there's nothing to prove that you saw merpeople."

"Just go home and rest, Y/N, you look crazy." the receptionist quipped.

"Listen kid. You're barely out of high school trying to play investigator." The captain of your department patted your head. "Go home and rest. Let the professionals do their jobs."

You groaned in exasperation and walked to your office, sitting in the spinning chair, you knew you'd seen it, you'd seen it before. It- no.. he had your moon charm, you put your head in your hands and stared at the case report. Could there be others? You noticed it as you scanned the victims, the boats.. You grabbed the phone and dialed the natural resource reserve department.

"Hello. Natural resource reserve department this is Kady speaking."

"Hi I'd like to know if Sta Beach and the surrounding area is protected from fishing for commercial and personal use." You said to the woman on the other end of the line.

"Sta Beach?"

"Yes, ma'am."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line before you heard rapid typing. "Yes it is illegal to fish for any reason in that area."

You nodded. "Thank you." Hanging up the phone you stared at the pictures again. The fishermen were fishing illegally.. so...

You remembered how that blonde haired merman flew out of the water, claws out but froze as he saw you. THE MERPEOPLE KILL PEOPLE WHO HURT THE FISH! You stood and slapped the case folder closed. You grabbed your phone and carkey, dialing your boss's number as you left the station.

"Why are you calling me at 2 in the morning-"

"I know what's going on. I'm going to fix it myself."

"L/N-"

"It was a pleasure working with you chief."

"L/N IF YOU GO OUT THERE! I SWEAR I'LL-"

You hung up the phone and got into your car, staring the engine and driving to the beach again, as you came to the parking, you put your car into park awkwardly across three spaces and ran for the shore.

You watched as gentle waves crashed against the rocks and sand, removing your shoes, you ran to the water. The moon reflecting off it, stars glittering. You stared out for a moment, noticing a ripple in the water, a head surfaced, fin like appendages behind its ears, it shook its dark hair as another head emerged, then another. You held your breath as five more heads appeared and scanned the water, the first turned and locked eyes with you. Your eyes widened as it dove under the surface, the other heads turned.

You saw those sea green eyes again and you knew.. "Hyunjin..."

Hyunjin shouted, "Chan WAIT!" before diving after the first.

Your eyes widened as the first merman, Chan you assumed, burst out of the water claws bared. You scrambled back deeper into land and it landed, tail dissipating into two legs. You shrieked as he jumped for you. Someone caught him and dragged him to the sand. Hyunjin.

"She saw us!" Chan snapped, easily slamming Hyunjin into the sand.

"She's seen me before!" Hyunjin grabbed Chan's hands. "She won't say anything!"

Chan stared at you. The other mermen came to the shore and changed, they looked human, only their eyes having unnatural luminescence.

One of the men, hair purple and eyes pale white stared intensely at your chest.

You bristled, "It's rude to stare at a woman's chest y'know." You said.

"I wasn't staring at that." he walked forward and Hyunjin jumped off Chan but the purple haired man was faster, grabbing your sun charm and pulling close for inspection. "Hyunjin." he turned to the green eyed man. "Is this here you got that from?" he pointed to Hyunjin's necklace.

Chan stood, eyes narrowed. "She's the human?" He rubbed his face, claws retreating. "Why are you here?"

"I'm investigating why the fishermen died. I guess.." You looked at the men. "I have my answer."

Hyunjin looked at you. "You should go back."

"Why-" You started, but the sound of a siren made you turn.

A few of the men dove back into the water when they heard it, the purple haired man looked at Chan. "What if she says something?"

Chan looked at Hyunjin.

The lights from the police cruisers came closer and one pulled around the corner, a head sticking out the passenger window, gun drawn. Before you could react, Chan grabbed you and threw you into the water, you almost screamed, flailing around since you couldn't swim but Hyunjin grabbed your face, forcing your mouth open as he pushed you deeper beneath the surface. You choked as water invaded your mouth but he put something on your tongue and closed it. To save yourself from choking of the sea water you swallowed and covered your mouth.

The purple haired man tilted his head at you. "Speak."

"Huh-" You grabbed your throat, realizing you were breathing. You looked at them, Hyunjin's legs had become a green tail, Chan's a dark blue one and the purple haired merman now had a funny purple and green tail.

Hyunjin smiled and Chan still gave you an incredulous look. "Minho. Make sure they don't get away."

The purple haired man, Minho, nodded, shooting up to the surface.

"She can't stay." Chan huffed, swimming past Hyunjin and you.

Hyunjin looked at you.

"I thought I was crazy." You said.

"When I send you back you'll have to act crazy." he sighed.

"You can't send me back, they saw you guys drag me under-"

"Minho has it handled, you can return and say it was some kind of sea animal." Hyunjin looked at you. "Chan is right, you can't stay here."

"Says who!?" You snap.

"Do you realize I should've killed you when we met? You and I aren't supposed to even know each other! It's forbidden!" The appendages behind his ears flared angrily.

"Why is it forbidden? Ariel makes it work!"

Hyunjin made a face. "This isn't a fairytale. When human and merperson come together. People die. Why do you think we hide from your kind?" He shook his head. "When the sun rises, you're going back."

You stared at him. "Fine."

He swam after Chan, leaving you there.

If Hyunjin had ever eaten his words it would be years later. Blend in. Act human. Get the artifact and go.

So there Hyunjin was almost four years later, walking around a museum on land, dressed in a suit, carrying a "cellphone". He found the artifact relatively quickly, and admired the craftsmanship of his ancestors.

"Something peak your interest sir?"

He turned to the voice, eyes widening. You looked a little different from before, and if the human world was anything like under the sea, an investigator didn't often change carriers to a museum worker.

You looked up at him and bristled. Taking a step back and shaking your head. "Enjoy the exhibit."

Hyunjin opened his mouth to speak but you had already turned on your heel to walk away. He reached for you but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He looked at Jisung who shook his head.

"Remember why we're here." he said.

Another museum worker came up to him and Jisung, she smiled and motioned the artifact. "According to native legend, almost 500 years ago this blade belonged to a merman, he fell for a human woman on the surface, and when they wedded in secret, the villagers took him for a monster who bewitched her and they took him away. The human woman told the other merpeople what had happened and hey came to get him back, the result was almost the deaths of nearly all the merpeople who lived on the coast, and when they did, the human woman killed herself with this blade. After the merman found out, he too killed himself."

Hyunjin hummed. It wasn't legend, it was fact. He looked at Jisung. "What an interesting story."

The woman nodded, "The museum is closing soon, please make your way out soon."

Jisung smiled, "Of course."

The men left the museum and Hyunjin grabbed the moon around his neck and breathed deeply. He did it for the best, so the past wouldn't repeat itself... he sent you home. But..

"Did you figure out anything?" Jeongin asked.

Hyunjin snapped out of his thoughts looking at him. "The museum is closing in an hour, we can get it then."

Minho nodded. "Kill the least amount of people as we can."

He nodded, thinking about how they would even get out of the city after they got the artifact.

When it was time to get the artifact, the lights in the museum were out, he could see just fine, sneaking in with Yongbok through a window at the back and making their way to the place he'd seen the artifact. Yongbok grabbed the glass and lifted it just enough for Hyunjin to reach his hand in and grab the handle of the dagger.

"How the hell did I know you'd come back here?"

Yongbok looked claws ready but his brows furrowed when he saw you. "Hyunjin?"

Hyunjin looked at you. "Let us pass."

"No." You huffed.

"Yongbok." Hyunjin handed him the dagger. "Get out of here."

"But-"

"Go."

The blonde haired man ran for it.

Hyunjin looked at you. "Why do you have to be everywhere?"

"I work here!" You snapped. "You're everywhere! Stealing that thing!"

"I'm following orders!" he shouted.

"Oh! Are you?! Kill me then! We can't know each other!" You bared your neck at him.

Hyunjin stared down at you. "No."

"Then what orders are you following Hyunjin?" You shoved him. "You let me live time and time again! What orders are you following?!"

"I can't kill you!"

"Why cant you?!"

"What reason do I have to kill you?!"

"Chan said it himself; I know your kind exists! I shouldn't be allowed to live!"

"You say that like you want me to kill you!"

"Maybe I do! I really thought we were friends! From that moment you pushed me back on the current when we were kids, I thought you were my friend Hyunjin!"

He looked away. "I can't."

"But you'll keep me alive." You gave a dry laugh.

"Of course I will!" He whipped around. "What type of moral code do you think I have?"

"You killed those fishermen no problem."

"They were hurting the fish."

You glared at him. "Take your artifact and go." You pulled off your sun charm and threw it at him. "If you see me, you don't know me."

You turned to leave but he grabbed you, pulling you back against his chest, his hair draping over your shoulder. "I just wish you'd understand.."

"I do." You said quietly, trying to pull away, but he held you there.

"No, you don't." He muttered.

"Make me understand." You reached up and touched his head gently, patting his hair.

He pulled away and turned you to face him. His luminescent sea green eyes locked on yours, and hesitantly, he leaned in, his plush, full lips centimeters from yours. And he kissed you gently, nose bumping yours before he turned your head, tongue prodding at your lips for entry. Your lips parted and he sighed softly at your taste, relishing in the feeling of being so close to you.

Then he pulled away, forehead pressed against yours. "I'll be back, I swear it..." He put the sun charm around your neck again and pressed a kiss to your forehead. "Wait for me."

You'd gone back to school, deciding to major in marine biology, it had been almost a year since you'd seen Hyunjin. Still illegal fishermen and the occasional oil dumping people in boats were killed, it was on the news and in the paper. More likely than not it was the work of Hyunjin's friends.

You sat in your apartment bedroom, flipping through your assignment. Your roommate was out for tonight, so it was just you. You tapped your desk as you read through the textbook looking for an answer to a question. You bit the plastic cap of your pen out of frustration.

"Maybe humans want the turtles eating plastic because they're no better." A voice said. That voice was familiar. A voice that was nothing but hostile to you. Now it sounded so calm.

You jumped slightly in fear, turning to your bedroom door.

"Woah woah woah!" Chan laughed. "I didn't mean to scare you. Just thought you might want to see your special guest."

You practically flew from your chair. "Guest? Chan how did you get into my apartment- What guest?" You pushed past the dark haired man and your eyes widened at the sight of Hyunjin and the others, who fiddled with your toaster.

"OW!" A short, well built man jumped, blowing on his finger.

"Changbin!" A thin blonde haired man grabbed his hand and went to the sink. "This is why Chan never sent you to human world before."

The group hadn't noticed you yet.

"Uh-" A young man poked Hyunjin.

"What, Jeongin?" Hyunjin turned to him.

The young man, Jeongin, pointed at you.

Hyunjin looked, his lips parting slightly as he saw you.

"GUYS!" Chan shouted.

The other boys looked at him.

"Let's leave them..." He ushered them out of your apartment.

Changbin was still staring at his finger.

"Oh wait.." You grabbed a paper towel and got an ice cube before handing it to Changbin. "Hold it to your finger. Toaster burns are so scary" You teased.

The other men laughed as Chan finally got them out of your apartment.

You turned to look at Hyunjin.

He smiled at you. "You live alone?"

You shook your head no.

"Where's your roommate?" He asked, fiddling with the ice dispenser.

"She's not coming back until tomorrow evening.." You said.

Hyunjin nodded and hummed softly. "I guess I owe you an explanation."

"Chan needed the artifact to find the old merpeople palace. If he found it then... we could come to the surface when we wanted." He opened your fridge and took out a Tupperware of something, examining it before putting it back. "I didn't think we'd find it.. But we did... it looked so old. It was destroyed."

You stared at him. "We destroyed it all that time ago... Humans right?" You moved and sat on your couch.

He nodded, sitting beside you. "It was destroyed because a merman and a human woman were in love."

You looked at your hands. "Is that why Chan hated me?"

Hyunjin nodded. "He was scared the past would repeat itself."

Silence spanned for a moment and then he hugged to his chest.

"I missed you." He said softly.

"You don't even know that much about me.." you muttered.

"I'm here for a while." he said rubbing your shoulder. "I'll learn."

You huffed a small laugh. Looking up at him, you smiled slightly.

He smiled down at you and leaned down to kiss your forehead gently.

You sat up and leaned in, kissing him gently.

The tips of his ears turned turned red. You giggled at his flustered expression but he grabbed you, kissing you again. He hesitantly reached his arm around you, pulling you closer. His tongue pressed its way between your lips and you smiled, allowing him entry. He groaned softly and pulled you onto his lap.

You put your hands on his shoulders and bit your lip looking into his eyes. He smirked and kissed your neck, his hand splaying on the small of your back. He sucked a dark mark beside your jaw and you moaned softly, he hummed and moved lower, his hands moved under you shirt and lifted it over your head. He tossed it haphazardly, his lips meeting yours again as you tugged at his shirt.

"You could've just asked sweet girl." He pulled his short off and kissed you again, his hands moving behind you unclipping your bra, he tugged it off gently before his hands grabbed for your chest. You moaned and arched into him. He groaned softly as you began grinding against him.

He tugged at your pants and you lifted off his lap, he tugged it down as far as he could before he turned your legs in way where he could pull your pants and underwear off all at once. He smirked at you flustered expression.

You grabbed his crotch and he whined. "Not so cocky now huh?"

He rolled his eyes and kissed you again, fondling your breasts as you fumbled to get his pants undone. When you finally got the zipper down, you pulled his pants and boxers just low enough to get out his cock. You stared at it for a moment.

"Y'know if I remember correctly, you said it was rude to stare a while back." Hyunjin teased.

You rolled your eyes and kissed him gently. "You're so dumb."

He laughed lightly and pulled you against him, rubbing his tip between your folds. "Are you ready?"

You looked into his beautiful eyes and nodded. He pulled you down and you moaned as your walls split around his manhood. He groaned when you throbbed around him, kissing your cheeks gently when you were fully sat on him. You rested your head on his shoulder, trying to adjust to him.

He kissed your head gently and muttered. "Take your time."

You made a face and rocked against him gently.

Hyunjin gasped. You smiled. "Take your time." You mocked.

His eyes narrowed and his hands settled on your hips. "I guess you're good to go."

"Hyunjin-"

He lifted you slightly and brought you down on his cock hard. You squealed and he groaned. He repeated the motion again and again, "Why am I doing all the work here?" He moaned in your ear.

You huffed and pressed your hands against his chest for balance as you began riding him, one of his hands moved to hold your back while the other played with your right nipple as he sucked the left.

You moaned and gasped, "Hyunjin.."

"Huh?" He looked at you, his eyes half lidded, pupils blown wide. he huffed a small laugh. "Let me help you pretty girl." He flipped you over and pushed you into the couch, gripping your thighs as he fucked into you. "Fill you with my babies..."

Your pussy clenched.

"Oh you like that?" He moaned. "I'll fuck you full of my kids. This pussy is mine."

Your eyes rolled back in your head as he hit the spongey area deep inside you. Hyunjin smirked and caged you in pushing your legs almost beside your head, pushing as deep into you as possible. You moaned loudly, loud enough you were scared you'd get a noise complaint from your neighbors. But you couldn't stop yourself as Hyunjin filled you again and again, reaching places you didn't even know was possible.

"Are you going to cum for me?" He asked, grunting softly.

You were too dazed to form a sentence but he grabbed your face and made you look straight at him.

"Answer me honey." He said lowly.

You nodded. "I'm going t-to cum."

He groaned and pressed his lips to yours, "Cum for me, sweet girl."

He rubbed your clit and you fell over the edge, your eyes rolling back in your head as your pussy clenched and spasmed around Hyunjin's cock. He let out a strained moan, following close behind. he gripped your thighs tightly definitely leaving bruises before he finally relaxed.

Your eyes went wide as you heard the door to your apartment unlocking. "Girl, I'm back early, but you will not believe, I saw the finest guy ever downstairs, he said his name was Cha-" Your roommate came around the corner and froze. "There's no way I sit on that fucking couch, BURN IT. GET A ROOM DAMNIT Y/N!"

"Do you understand what you've done Hyunjin?" Chan turned to him, eyes worried. "You could be killed for for this.. Y/n COULD BE KILLED FOR THIS! This is a massive mistake."

Hyunjin looked at Chan for a moment, "It's not a mistake I'll regret in this life or the next."

Chan groaned and facepalmed.

You were driving to the beach, it'd been a bit since you'd gone to see him, most of the time he came to you.

"Mommy."

"Huh?" You looked at the child in the back of the car using the rearview mirror.

"What's Daddy like?"

Your eyes met the child's sea green ones and you smiled. "You'll love him."

[crackheadcola]

Info on the Fruitastical crew

SMG4: Blueberry boy >:] Smells of Blueberries, Colour palate is blues and whites(mostly Blue!) Works as a youtuber and helps with SMG3 in his cafe!! He works as a waiter! Very energetic, sweet and sometimes sour(like a blueberry lol) Has a Blueberry hairclip and pin!

SMG3: Grape boy :D Smells of Grapes, Colour palate is Purples and Blacks (mostly Purple!) Works at his cafe, makes a lot of things that have grapes!! Gets tired easily, still a silly Tsundere, more serious. Has a grape hair clip and pin!

Mario: Strawberry plumber >:3 Smells of Strawberries, Colour palate is Reds and Blues (mostly Red!), doesn't have a job (yet). Very energetic, very funny and sweet, bit of a dumb dumb lmao Has a strawberry hairclip and pin X3

Meggy: Orange squid XD Smells of Orange's, Colour palate is Orange and white (mostly Orange!), Works as a couch and helps train people, sweet and sour (like an orange lol), does actually loves oranges. Has a orange hairclip and pin :D

Tari: Damson plums gamer girl X3 Smells of Damson plums, Colour palate is dark-ish blue and white!, does training with Meggy sometimes, and works as a store worker. Very sweet and little sour but doesn't show it. loves plums, has a Damson plums pin and hairclip!

Melony: is just the canon one lmao Smells like watermelons!! every thing the same as she is in the canon!! but also has a watermelon pin that SMG3 gave her.

Boopkins: Limes Smells of Limes, Colour palate is lime green and ocean blues (mostly lime green!) Still a silly weeb lol, loves lemon and lime Miku. Very energetic, will talk about anime a lot, draws anime a lot Has a lime badge on his bag.

Bob: Kiwi Fruit Smells of Kiwi fruit, Colour palate is greens and browns. more of a sour kiwi fruit guy. Just like his canon personality. Has a kiwi fruit badge and pin. Also secretly has a kiwi fruit plushie lol

Saiko: Raspberry Smells like Raspberries. Colour palate is hot pink, some pastel pink and yellows. Loves music and has a lot of raspberry themed stickers on her guitar. has raspberry hair ties on her pig tails :D. Has a lot of raspberry pins on her jacket.

Luigi: Pear Smells like Pears. Colour palate is greens slight browns and a little bit of blue mostly green and brown. Loves gardening and has a little tree of pears next to his garden of flowers. Has a lot of pear pins on his hat and overalls, his gloves mostly have dirt on them from gardening.

Karen: Coconut Smells like Coconuts. Colour palate is whites, light browns and tiny bits of cyan. still a mum who works at a lot places mostly starbucks. loves children, and doesn't mind taking care of them. does help out with SMG3 at his cafe and helps him make the coffee's.

[justafairytailofinnocence]

Newt scammander x mermaid reader🧜‍♀️🌊🪄✨️

Newt scammander, a magizoologist, first caught sight of you within the bay of the forbidden forest.

You were the only species of mermaid that frequently surfaced. Seeking massive interest, he wanted to study you.

You were observed frequently sitting on the rocks, showing high levels of intelligence in communication.

Newt began to sketch your anatomy, the look of your tail and your appearance. Believing to have discovered a new species of mermaid that's never been seen before.

As you sat upon the rocks and your tail fin draping below, just touching the murky water. You heard a noise from behind. Upon seeing a mysterious reddish-brown haired man, wearing a light blue trenchcoat with a yellow and black scarf representing hufflepuff draped around his neck. you nearly freaked. You pushed from the rocks into the black lake's water.

Newt—not meaning to have frightened you—stepped forward. He was curious to know if you have high levels of adaptive communication, understanding English.

Your tail gently swam up and down toward the surface. Curious about whom that human was, it's not natural to see men out this far—nor have they ever seen you before.

Your head peeked above the surface. Your eyes curiously gazed at him, wondering if he had any sort of good or bad intention.

Newt muttered, "i-i'm s-sorry I didn't mean t-to disturb you—" unsure if you understood a word. "You're very exquisite, something I only wish to understand if you let me."

He has a gentle voice. Kind. Soft. You thought.

You were still unsure, but you raised yourself amongst the surface more. Exposing your neck and head, but enough to still keep your gills in the water. You felt the wind gently billow against your skin.

"Are you the only one of your kind? are you gregarious? Or are you solitary?" He asked.

You understood him, deciphering his dielect, thanks to the many witches and wizards speaking among the surface.

You held up your index finger saying "Just me."

Newt, impressed by you, took notes within his journal. "Just you? S-sounds rather isolating."

Your head bobbed within the waves as your tail gently swayed to maintain balance. "Do you have a name?" he asked.

"Y/n" you said simply.

"Y/n. Extraordinary." He smiled to himself. It seemed everything you did fascinated him.

"Mine i-is Newt." He smiled back, feeling a connection between you.

"Newt." You say back, your lips curving into a smile.

"I-i have to go now, but I'll come back." Newt said with a hint of disappointment.

The weird reddish-brunette man carrying a journal left. Oddly, you were fond of him. This was the first time anyone had tried to communicate to you.

Over the next few days, the odd man came back exactly in the afternoon. You sat upon the same rock smiling at him. Often, he would bring food, fish, crustacean, and squid—sometimes kelp, but you weren't highly fussed on that.

Newt would speak to you of the surface world, fascinating you even more. You find it odd that many wore clothes, let alone how they were living in huge stone like rocks—meaning houses to him—. You didn't understand how they walked, how they ate, and how they flew on magical sticks.

Newt eventually offered you a safe place where he could study you further, inside his bag? Though that was only an illusion, inside, there was a whole sanctuary with different creatures. You were hesitant at first but the idea appalled to you.

Newt and you formed an unlikely bond, as he routinely brung you food in return to study you further.

One day, along the shores of the black Lake. He spotted a woman faced down within the sand. Newt worried came to your side, realising it was you but with legs?! As to how this happened was a mystery.

He took you in quickly as bunty, a kind lady who assisted newt, helped aid you. When you awoke, you were rather freaked, as this was not your usual environment. When you looked down, you saw legs!

You stood up from the bed, trying to walk but finding it rather difficult. Newt reassured you and helped teach you how to walk.

For the past week you spent on land, you had learned a lot. Learning of the surface dwellers culture and tradition.

However, knowing this wouldn't last, you bid farewell to Newt diving back beneath the waves of the black lake returning to your mer form.

From then on, Newt would visit you occasionally to check in on you. You were the first of a kind. A rare species to uncover. The first to be discovered and founded.

[noncompliantcyborg]

Some critters from nightlighting on San Juan Island January 16th, 2024

Video ID: no sound. Little larval sculpin swims by a blue green light in the water. The camera goes under the surface to reveal a squid bobbing back and forth and then pans down to catch a seal as it swims down and away under the pier. The video cuts to a larvacean beating its tail to propel its little mucus house around a plastic cup. Finally a little baby giant pacific octopus bounces around with a little arthropod clinging onto its mantle.

[i-was-bored-so-this-happened]

Greensleeves Chapter One: Who Are You

Fandom: Baldur's Gate 3 Warnings: Brief description of injuries/burns. Brain worms. Wordcount: 3.9k

Xaph has come crashing to earth with a mind flayer tadpole embedded in her skull. She must find allies, forge friendships and brave the wilds to find a cure for the parasite, a journey which will prove even more perilous than initially expected

Read on AO3 Next Chapter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sand. Sand is a familiar element. Xaph pushes her hands deep into the stuff and finds that it is not sand at all. It doesn’t grit under her nails or scrape at the grazes that litter her skin. It is soft and leaves black marks on her hands. Ash. Ash, too, she knows. The sand doesn’t begin until she has dug four inches into the ground. She nicks her finger on the blade of her axe buried in the sand and pulls it out. Wipes the charcoal from the engraved handle. The straps of her pack are easily found, her arms threaded through to take the weight on her back. The axe slotted through the loop she’d attached to the side. Only then, when she stands, does she realise she is entirely uninjured. From the fall, that is. Her finger bleeds freely, drops falling into the ash and further muddying its colour, her cheek burns from an errant firebolt and is further irritated by the acidic liquid that seemed to flow through the entirety of the mind flayer nautiloid, but the fall from the ship that should have killed her…well, didn’t. Gingerly testing her limbs, she finds nothing broken or even sprained. Following the curve of her horns and her tail, she finds no ache in her head or at the base of her spine.

The mind flayer nautiloid. It lies before her like a squid, tentacles bobbing in the water that waves behind her. Water she would have drowned in had she landed a few feet further…Xaph looks up, disoriented and not sure where North is. The ship is so huge it may as well block out the sun. The sun. She’s been without it for far too long, unable to remember a time she’d passed more than a week without feeling its warmth. It shines down on bodies. Maybe a dozen in her eyeline. Not people taken by the mind flayers, but fishermen making for their boats, family members visiting the beach. Wait, no, there, the flash of armour, the shine of onyx. It’s said when Shar walks upon the earth, she leaves a path of onyx behind her. She had been surprisingly coherent in her pod, screaming for help the moment she saw Xaph. The githyanki had been against it, but Xaph had never been able to pass by a creature in need of help. The githyanki is nowhere to be seen, notably. This woman, chained hair trapped under her body, is unconscious rather than dead. A good sign. She’s humanoid, the slight point to her ears suggesting elven lineage. Her face is perfectly framed by the hair that is not restrained, a blocky fringe and curtain-like sweeps of the stuff before her ears. A thin scar curves across her nose and under one eye. Xaph rolls her onto her side and adjusts her arms to make sure she can breathe as easily as possible. The armour probably isn’t helping her, but Xaph isn’t going to chance taking it off. She’s broken her nose that way before.

Something falls from the woman’s hand as Xaph moves her. Not a ball, it’s too angular for that word, but she doesn’t have a word for a shape with this many facets. Each flat plane is filled with runes, and each corner is pointed. When Xaph reaches out to pick it up, it’s warm and jittery. Full of magic, sharp and red in her mind’s eye, of a nature and strength she’s never encountered. As she turns her hand to see the other side, it turns in tandem to show her the same rune as before. A groan from the body she’s still hovering over reminds her of what she’s actually doing.

“Shadowheart?” By good fortune, they had exchanged names on the nautiloid. The githyanki had not been so forthcoming. Xaph says the woman’s name again. A familiar word can be enough to guard against unfamiliar surroundings. At a second thought, she drops the strange trinket in the sand. Shadowheart had made a point of going back to her pod to get it and yet refused to speak about it. Best not to look like she’s trying to steal it. Shadowheart is quick to rise, indicating that neither her legs nor her balance are impaired. Without breaking eye contact she finds the strange, sharp box and tucks it behind her back where a pouch must sit. 

“You’re alive. I’m alive,” looking at the wreck of the ship, the disbelief is reasonable, “How is this possible?”

“I was hoping you might know that.” Xaph replies. Shadowheart seems to be the only other person alive in their immediate surroundings. The air is thick with the smell of charred meat.

“I remember the ship. I remember falling…then nothing.”

“You don’t happen to know where we are, do you?”

“No…I don’t recognise this place. But anything’s an improvement to where we just came from,” Xaph grunts an agreement, “First things first, we need supplies, shelter, and most of all, a healer. We might have escaped but we still have these little monsters in our heads.” Xaph hadn’t forgotten the worm, how could she, but it had waited until it was mentioned before doing anything. At Shadowheart’s reference to it, Xaph feels it squirming at the base of her skull. The hair on her arms stands to attention, and judging by Shadowheart’s grimace she’s experiencing a similar sensation. 

“What happened to our gith friend?” Xaph asks. In her scan of the beach, she’s seen no sign of her. Had she fallen into the water? Had she woken before them and left them behind? Shadowheart seems to lean towards the latter, 

“You might want to reconsider calling her a friend. Looks like she ran off without us.”

“But you want to travel with me?”

“We need each other, and we know what’s at stake. I can’t think of better company.” Shadowheart shrugs, and she does have a point. Allies are useful in most situations, and this is a stickier situation than most.

“Alright then, let’s go. I’ll need to get to higher ground before I can get us oriented, our shadows aren’t long enough.”

“One thing, just before we go. I wanted to thank you again for freeing me. It would have been all too easy for you to run right past my pod, but you didn’t. I’ll remember that,” she reaches out, gently as though to give Xaph time to move back, and her hand sits in the space by Xaph’s burned cheek, “Te curo,” The itch from the caustic liquid dissolves, the feeling like bubbles bursting across her cheekbone. The skin of her cut finger knits back together. Xaph gives her thanks. Shadowheart flaps her hand irritably in the air, and Xaph takes that to mean she’s uncomfortable with the gratitude. Shadowheart steps to the side, clearing Xaph’s path, “Lead the way.” 

Perhaps the strangest sensation of all is that of dryness. Everything on the nautiloid had been wet or sticky, her body coated in sleep-sweat that never dried. Now, though covered in sand, Xaph’s skin is drying in the breeze that carries the smell of burning flesh. She and her new partner scrounge as best they can without disturbing the dead too much. The bottles of water they find are invaluable. The homebound book of shanties and whalebone flute less so. Xaph opts to leave the latter on its owner’s chest, but she takes his fishing rod. With the sickle in her pack, she severs some belladonna blooms from their stems. Shadowheart frowns when Xaph shears some mergrass and starts to chew on the stalks. She refuses what Xaph offers, but the tiefling isn’t about to risk going hungry. At one end of the beach, there’s the wall of a stone building, a wooden door teasing shelter. The door is locked, and though Shadowheart bangs on the wood for fifteen minutes or more with her mace, it doesn’t buckle and no one comes to open it. This door had been one of two ways to get off the beach. Both Shadowheart and Xaph’s heads turn to the other. A collapsed chamber of the nautiloid, crawling with self-sufficient brains that have wicked claws and whipping, nervy tendrils. They inch towards it, keeping close to the rocks.

“More of those things.” Shadowheart curses.

“Surprisingly durable, for unprotected brains.” Xaph muses.

“Can they see?”

“They don’t seem to have any visible eyes,” Xaph replies, crouching and then falling forward to put her weight on her hands to crawl forward. With a metallic clanking, Shadowheart squats behind her, “More likely they rely on sound,” they watch as one brain scrambles towards another who has found a body and is gleefully shredding it, “Telepathic communication is also very firmly on the table with a nice bone broth,” a soft thunk suggests that Shadowheart has hit her head on the handle of her own mace, “Happen to have any arrows?” Xaph whispers. She only has three left, and to throw her handaxe would leave her without a weapon. Sickles aren’t exactly known for their efficiency in a fight.

“No.” Shadowheart mumbles against the wood of her mace. Xaph takes a moment to unstring her bow to relieve it of its tension, then runs her hand over the nearby sand, looking for a stone.

“I want to hit that,” she whispers, pointing at an angular purple thing that looks somewhat like a flower bud, “They hold that acidic stuff. Flammable, but I can’t…” Xaph is drained of what little magical energy she has, having been away from soil and greenery for too long.

“I can,” Shadowheart says, “If you can handle him.” One brain is separate from the rest, scuttling towards the rock they’re hiding behind. Xaph pulls her axe from the strap of her pack.

“Do it.” Xaph nods. Shadowheart pulls herself into a standing position, lifting one foot onto the rock to steady herself.

“Ignis!” The word trips from her lips with vitriol, a fist-sized ball of fire forming between her fingers at the first syllable and being thrown with great force at the second. It lands at the base of the purple bud, and the few moments the brains take to process and try to locate their attackers are all the time it takes for the flames to reach the delicate membrane of the thing. It explodes, as Xaph had said, and purple liquid bursts across the chamber. Taking advantage of the nearest brain’s surprise, Xaph sidesteps past Shadowheart and buries her axe in the seam between the two halves of the brain. It takes a second blow before it stops writhing. The brains caught in the acid do their best to escape, but when the purple stuff ignites at the touch of a second fire bolt, they don’t have much of a chance.

“What are they?” Shadowheart asks as they pick their way through the chamber, avoiding brains and acid and flame alike. Xaph has to admit that she doesn’t know.

***

Trusting. Far too trusting, that’s what she is. She should have come to this conclusion before, perhaps before the elf had tackled her. He’s pinned Xaph to the ground in a way that suggests extensive experience in ambushing - on the ground beside her rather than sitting on top of her, he’s holding both of her feet down with his own and grasped a hank of hair in the hand not holding the dagger to limit her range of motion further. Both of Xaph’s hands are rather occupied, braced against the arm intent on pushing a blade into her throat. An elf. The world is full of them. This one looks…off, though. Different. White hair. Red eyes. Xaph’s seen creatures with similar pigmentation before - rabbits, worgs, other humanoids too. He shushes her when she bares her teeth and hisses at him, her tail thrashing under her body,

“Not a sound. Not if you want to keep that darling neck of yours,” his words drip rather than flow, clearly enunciated. He throws a dirty look at Shadowheart, who has readied a hand by her mace, “And you, keep your distance. No need for this to get messy.”

“I need her alive. Stow your blade or I’ll show you just how messy things can get.” Shadowheart warns.

“Promises, promises,” he’s entirely too comfortable looking away from Shadowheart to return his attention to Xaph, “But I have other business, I’m afraid. Now. I saw you on the ship, didn’t I?” the grip on her hair loosens, just a little, “Nod.”

Xaph does more than nod. She jerks her head forward to connect with his, the rock-hard base of her horns making a very satisfying knock against his forehead. The headbutt is a surprise to him, giving Xaph the split-second she needs to push him away and roll towards Shadowheart, coming up on her knees with her axe in hand. The pale elf rises to his feet, swearing at the fact that he’s lost his advantage. The parasite pushes forward, almost into her eye socket. Xaph’s head reels, as though she’s been decapitated and her brain is rolling around in front of her. The elf makes another surprised noise and presses his hand to his head, but not because of Xaph’s attack. The worms are bonding, as Xaph’s had with Shadowheart, with the gith. She is seeing through this man’s eyes. A city at night, streets still flush with people. So many people. She can smell them.

“What was that? What’s going on?” Xaph closes her eyes as the elf asks the questions, squeezing her eyelids shut as though she can push the parasite to the back of her mind if she puts in enough effort.

“It’s the mind flayers’ worm. It connected us.” Xaph tries to hold her own memories firm in her mind as she opens her eyes. The elf is not holding his knife with the same conviction as before.

“You’re not one of them. They took you, just the same as me,” there’s a brief moment where his gaze sinks to the still-sandy soil, considering his next move, before a smile graces his features. A knee drops and consequently his hip pops to the side, “And to think I was ready to decorate the ground with your innards. Apologies.”

“Accepted,” Xaph too rises to a standing position. The force of the mental connection had almost toppled her, “I might have done the same were the roles reversed.”

“Ah, a kindred spirit,” the words are warm, but he keeps his distance and neither Xaph nor Shadowheart move towards him, “My name’s Astarion. I was in Baldur’s Gate when those beasts snatched me.”

“Xaphania. They picked me up in the Sword Mountains.”

“What were you doing in orc territory?” Shadowheart asks, neglecting to introduce herself. 

“It’s not just orcs that live there. I was looking for a frost giant tribe.”

“My, my, you have been busy,” Astarion remarks, reminding Xaph terribly of a rather regal cat she’d met once, “So, what do you know about these worms?”

“Left untreated, they’ll turn us into mind flayers. This is how they breed.” Xaph explains. Astarion repeats her first sentence to himself, and then breaks into laughter. It’s strange, but not an entirely unreasonable response under the circumstances. He mutters something to himself neither of the women hear properly and then says, “It hasn’t happened yet. If we can find an expert - someone who can control these things - there might still be time.” Xaph considers for a moment, then decides, 

“You should come with us,” she offers, “Our odds are better together.” Astarion takes his own few seconds to digest this.

“You know, I was ready to go this alone, but maybe sticking with the herd isn’t such a bad idea. And you seem like a useful person to know,” he gestures forward with far more pomp than Shadowheart had done earlier, “Alright, I accept. Lead on.”

Astarion and Shadowheart are surprisingly content with letting a tiefling take the lead. Xaph tries not to think on it too much. She avoids the mind flayer ship as much as possible, scrambling up rockfall to reach higher ground. Unfortunately, they aren’t without the trail of bodies for even an hour. At around the twenty-five minute mark, as far as Xaph can guess, they come across goblins. Dead goblins. Three of them. Shadowheart remarks that they might be worth checking for supplies, and when Xaph sees that one of them holds a bow in his stiffening hand she turns him over to get to the almost full quiver on his hip. Eighteen arrows of goblin-make, shorter than her own and a little rougher but just as sharp, takes her to twenty-one. Not quite a sheaf, but more than she’d left with the imps of Avernus. Optimistically, she takes the quiver as well as the arrows and shoves it in her pack, the leather belt not wide enough for her waist. Astarion finds ration packs with dried pork and ship biscuits. Shadowheart takes the pouch of the latter and pushes one into her mouth, leaving the other elf with the meat. They frown when Xaph pockets a bone she finds on one of the goblins, but they don’t say anything.

“They weren’t crushed by the ship,” Shadowheart points out, kneeling by one of the bodies, “They were sliced open,” she follows the line of a wound with her finger. “The gith, no doubt.”

“Yes, doubt,” Xaph counters, “There were hundreds of people on that nautiloid, we can’t be the only ones who survived.”

“We’re not going to pick up every stray we come across, are we?”

“If we can help them, we should. Shouldn’t leave them out here alone to become mind flayers.” Xaph argues. Shadowheart doesn’t have a response. Astarion has been watching the exchange with a bemused expression, not deigning to step in and express his opinion. A loud snap catches their attention, weapons drawn in an instant and knees bent in preparation to pounce. The snap evolves into crackling, and the scent of rosewater floats above the iron sting of blood. Someone nearby is trying to wrangle the Weave, and they’re losing. Xaph gravitates towards the smell and sound of magic. Astarion cracks a joke about strays.

They find a rune inscribed in a flat face of rock, bright purple and wildly unstable, warping the solid material around it. It churns into a black vortex that none of them can bear to look at for too long. The rune crackles with electricity and makes a sound not unlike a grindtsone, as though the rock beneath it has been reduced to pebbles that are being pushed together. Magic glitters and swirls from it erratically, as if malfunctioning. If Xaph is correct, this is some kind of waypoint. She’s never seen them, only heard tell. A crushingly difficult spell for teleportation. When she reaches out to it, a spark flies and buries itself in the tip of her finger, shocking her hand a bright violet. She jerks back from the portal when something tries to come through it - and then stops. A hand reaches from the centre of the vortex. A hand, forearm, elbow. Purple sleeve.

“A hand? Anyone?” A voice. Bewildered, Xaph stares at the hand. Shadowheart’s fingers weren’t particularly cared for and stained red with blood, and Astarion at least had some dirt under his fingernails he had been working on picking out, but this hand? Pristine. Soft, with no lines but the veins. This hand doesn’t know labour. It gestures at Xaph as though it knows she’s there, straining forward. They’re stuck, it takes her too long to realise, halfway between where they had been and where they are going. A decidedly grisly fate should their concentration slip. Xaph can almost hear Shadowheart’s frustration when she reaches towards the waypoint and clamps one hand around the disembodied elbow, the other around the wrist, letting her pointed fingernails dig into the soft fabric of the sleeve for a better grip. She pulls.

A fully grown man catapults from the portal, which twists away into nothing but shimmering purple light behind him, narrowly missing Xaph and landing hard on his knees. He manages to stand relatively quickly, though it isn’t clear if the pained noises he can’t quite stifle are because of the portal, the rough landing or sore bones. He’s human, rounded ears and creeping grey hairs at his temple fairly reliable indicators. A break from elves, at least. Something dangles from one ear, flashing in the sunlight. The symbol of Mystra. 

“Hello. I’m Gale of Waterdeep,” he’s surprisingly jovial for a man who had been so close to death. As he states his title he shifts his weight to the balls of his feet and leans forward to seize Xaph’s hand. Her hand is limp in his, not expecting the contact, but he holds and shakes hands firmly. A warm pink against deep blue. She was right. It’s soft and unscarred, while Xaph’s fingertips are rough with bowstring calluses and the back of her hand lined with slight ridges. “Apologies, I’m usually better at this.”

“At…introductions?” Xaph asks, a little confused.

“At magic. Say, but I know you, don’t I? In a manner of speaking. You were on the nautiloid as well.”

“I was.”

“Then I can only assume you too were on the receiving end of a rather unwelcome insertion in the ocular region.” He prides himself on his vocabulary, this man, and he talks with his hands as much as with his words.

“I…couldn’t have phrased it more repellantly myself.”

“No use sugarcoating it, is there? The insertee we speak of, this parasite…are you aware that after a period of excruciating gestation it will turn us into mind flayers?”

“It’s their reproductive cycle. If you survive, you become one of them. If you don’t, you become one of those…brains on legs, I think.”

“An intellect devourer, yes. But the former? It is a process known as ceremorphosis, and let me assure you,” he raises a finger like he’s scolding a child, “It is to be avoided.” He pauses, then remembers his question, “You don’t happen to be a cleric, do you? A doctor? Surgeon? Uncannily adroit with a knitting needle?” he mimes sewing.

“You seem to know enough about our condition to realise it is beyond most cleric’s skills.” Shadowheart says to him.

“Most, no doubt, but I find myself hoping to be in the presence of the few. You don’t happen to be one of them?” An optimist, then. Good. He might balance out the group a bit. On cue, Shadowheart snorts derisively. Xaph opens her pack though she knows it’s futile and brings out a handful of wilting greenery,

“I doubt dock leaves are going to cut it.” 

“I think not,” Gale replies, though he smiles, “We’re most certainly going to need a healer, and soon, too. How about we lend each other a helping hand and look for a healer together?” he proposes. When Xaph looks to Shadowheart for approval, the cleric does little more than raise her eyebrows. Astarion doesn’t seem to be paying any attention at all. 

“Sounds like a plan. You’re welcome to join us.”

“Excellent! A parasite shared is a parasite halved. Or something to that effect,” he seems glad of the company, though many wizards Xaph has known value their solitude above most other things. “Oh!” He’s remembered something else, “But before you think you’re about to embark on a journey with most ill-mannered a man: thank you for pulling me out of that stone.” Gale inclines his head in a small bow, without the theatrics Astarion had displayed. Xaph returns it. “It was an act of foresighted kindness, I assure you, for I have the feeling ample opportunities will present themselves for me to return the favour.”

[blackbloodedisabel]

i miss her (i’ve had her for an hour)

grumpy little goober consumed by grief😔😔💗 love her

here are the specifics:

"Enith has a lot of blubber because it's COLD in the deep ocean. She has an ear-length bob with a fringe (bangs🇺🇲) which stops halfway up her forehead and stubby plaits (braids🇺🇲) on either side of her face. Both her hair and tail are very dark black. Her tail is thick (blubber), shorter than the average tail, with smooth round scales. Her tail-fin is like a mix between a redtail parrotfish and anglerfish tail (spiny basically) and she has three side-fins: one on either side of her tail and one down the back. These fins are similarly spiny to her tail-fin. Her skin is very very pale and cool-toned (so she doesn't die from lack of vitamin D in the deep ocean) and her eyes are also very pale blue, with constricted pupils because of the sunlight.

Enith wears long-sleeved, loose tops so she doesn't burn, and short skirts. These are both made of a thin, light blue material.

Around her neck, Enith is always wearing her special necklace: thin piece of translucent mother-of-pearl on a silver chain. This has a magic function, don't worry about it.

In part three, Enith gets a spear which she carries around constantly. The spear has a sharp, dark metal tip and a tempered glass handle.

Enith is noticeable (in the beginning) for her kind, genuine, friendly smile and the squid-ink blots on her hands from mapmaking."

she is by far the most interesting character which is why she is the first to die not counting her parents you have picked a good one💪

[hazel-mckat]

Characters I relate to by the personality database

Personality type: Infp

Legoshi ( beastars )

Darwin watterson ( tawog )

Joker 'Arthur fleck' ( Joker )

Butters Stotch ( South Park )

Lapis Lazuli ( Steven universe )

Peter Parker/Spider man ( Marvel comics )

Bubbles ( the powerpuff girls )

Edward scissorhands ( 1990 )

Charlie brown ( Peanuts )

WALL-E ( 2008 )

Jaiden animations ( Artsists & Animators )

Victor Van Dort ( Corpse bride )

Sykkuno ( Gaming )

Napstablook ( Undertale )

Panda bear ( We bare bears )

BMO ( Adventure time )

Asriel Dreemurr ( Undertale )

Noelle Holiday ( Deltarune )

Eeyore ( winnie the pooh )

Carrie Krueger ( Tawog )

Jack stauber ( Musicians )

Nikki Maxwell ( Dork dairies )

Vex ( League of legends )

Yellow guy ( dhmis )

Cinnamoroll ( sanrio )

Pyro ( tf2 )

Alec benjamin ( pop & contemporary )

Evan afton/crying child ( Fnaf )

Licorice cookie ( cookie run )

Bob ( despicable me )

Kermit the frog ( the muppets )

Totoro ( Tonari no Totoro )

Mimikyu ( Pokémon )

Ghast ( Minecraft )

White crewmate ( Among us )

Aled Last ( radio Silence )

Candy Chiu ( Gravity falls )

Mew ( Pokémon )

Salad fingers

Bingo heeler ( Bluey )

Resasuke ( Aggretsuko )

Frisk [Pacifist Route] ( Undertale )

Celeste ( Animal crossing )

Flick ( Animal crossing )

OMOCAT ( Game development )

Daniel Middleton/DanTDM ( Gaming )

Christopher Robin ( Winnie the pooh )

Kayleigh Smith/Wolfychu ( Artists & Animators )

Niko ( Oneshot )

Bonnie Anderson ( Toy story )

Blue pearl ( Steven universe )

Bastion ( overwatch )

Toxic morty ( Rick and Morty )

Baby groot ( MCU: The heroes )

Shirokuma ( Danganronpa )

The Hollow Knight ( Hollow Knight )

Pochacco ( Sanrio )

Po ( Teletubbies )

Frog ( Peppa pig )

My melody ( Onegia My Melody )

Maddie Flour ( Amphibia )

Marshmello ( Pop & Contemporary )

Pusheen ( Pusheen the cat )

The Iron giant ( 1999 )

The little prince ( 2015 )

Ivor ( Minecraft story mode )

Sherb ( Animal crossing )

Ravenpaw ( Warrior cats )

Andrew Tsyaston ( Artists & Animators )

Audrey ( Bendy and the dark revival )

Bendy ( Bendy and the dark revival )

Cuptoast ( Artists & Animators )

Owlbert ( The owl house )

Squid ink cookie ( cookie run )

Sarah ( Sarah's scribbles )

Depressed stereotype ( Gacha life )

Clumsy smurf ( Smurfs )

Penny ( Bolt )

The living tombstone ( Musicians )

Henry stein ( Bendy and the dark revival )

Tack ( The thief and the cobbler )

Lloyd Garmadon ( The Lego Movie )

Ghosts ( Among us )

Nightmare Fredbear ( Fnaf )

Piu Piu ( Molang )

Graphite Raven ( Teen Titans 2003 )

Squid ( Minecraft )

Antfrost ( Gaming )

Pichu ( Pokémon )

Pinga ( Pingu )

SCP-1471 "MalO ver1.0.0" ( SCP Foundation )

Shy imaginary older brother ( dhmis )

Katzun ( Artists & Animators )

Bonnet ( Fnaf )

Timid Raven ( Teen titans Go! 2013 )

Manatreed ( Gaming )

Arts and Crafters ( baldi's basics in education and learning )

Sophia ( stardew valley )

Jay ( The lego movie )

Jack Russell ( Bluey )

Shannon Gurr/Shgurr ( Artists & Animators )

Skittle ( Beluga's Discord Characters )

Alolan Vulpix ( Pokémon )

Clancee ( Ninjago: Masters of spinjitzu )

1 ( Numberjacks )

Softie stereotype ( Gacha Life )

Oz ( Monster Prom )

Kyle ( Animal Crossing )

Angmar ( the owl house )

SCP-2521 "••/•••••/••/•" ( SCP Foundation )

Cappuccino ( Sanrio )

Teddy ( Mr. Bean )

Winnie the pooh ( Christopher Robin )

White Puffle ( club penguin )

Chipflake ( Artists & Animators )

August "Auggie" Pullman ( Wonder )

Norton ( Spongebob SquarePants )

Meowstic - Male [Nyaonix] ( Pokémon )

Claire/Opal ( Jack stauber's OPAL )

Espurr ( Pokémon )

Whimsun ( Undertale )

Bryan Jacobsen ( Inside job )

Mincy ( OMORI )

Tails ( Sonic the hedgehog )

Panda ( Minecraft )

Jesus ( Family guy )

Grim Matchstick ( cuphead )

Clara Buhalmet ( Fran Bow )

Rococo ( OMORI )

Turniphead ( Howl's moving castle )

JAMIErighrmeow ( Artists & Animators )

Spifey ( Gaming )

Honeycute ( Sanrio )

Puddle Slime ( Slime Rancher )

Sarah ( Sarah and Duck )

Bebepine ( Artists & Animators )

Dream ( Heat Waves (Fanfiction))

Hummingmint ( Sanrio )

Shyren ( Undertale )

Calum Bowen "bo en" ( Electronic and Experimental )

Invader Skoodge ( Invader Zim )

Alfie ( Bluey )

Sad Larry ( Cyanide & Happiness )

Pure Vessel ( Hollow Knight )

Die ( Homestuck )

Po ( Slendytubbies )

Donald Duck ( Duck Tales )

Boggo ( The land of Boggs )

Withered Cupcake ( Fnaf )

Glare ( Minecraft )

The Diamond Minecraft "DanTDM" ( Minecraft Story Mode )

Kit ( Ratchet & Clank )

Rusty the Dalek ( Doctor Who )

Beau ( Helluva Boss )

Pat ( Later Alligator )

Melotune ( Sanrio )

Milkeemimi ( Sanrio )

Mr. Nobody ( Mr. Men )

Oldmin ( The Henry Stickman collection )

Axo ( Fortnite )

Doll ( Murder Drones )

Qbert ( Pixels )

Blue-Haired Girl ( OMORI )

Sharleen ( OMORI )

Costume Bob ( Sr Pelo )

Dana Cardinal ( Welcome to Night Vale )

Googuy ( The Henry Stickman Collection )

Yogurt ( Dream SMP )

Pain Demon ( Yandere Simulator )

Nyoko ( Sanrio )

Z ( Alphabet Lore )

Shmipper ( Gravity falls )

The Bin ( Don't hug me I'm scared )

Pooky ( Garfield )

Phoodu ( Gaming )

Callahan ( Gaming )

SOUL ( Deltarune )

Duncan ( Don't hug me I'm scared )

The Lost ( The binding of Isaac )

Nuetral Good ( 5x5 Alignment chart )

Emma ( Sanrio )

Tubbo ( Passerine ( Fanfic ))

Phantom Mangle ( Fnaf )

Voss ( Beastars )

Megan Holmes ( Sally Face )

Lucas Ryan ( Solitaire )

Can't let go ( Geometry dash )

Amaura ( Pokémon )

N ( Alphabet Lore )

Foxy ( Fnaf )

Polargeist ( Geometry Dash )

Henry Fisher ( Sally face )

Lost ones ( Bendy and the ink machine/dark revival )

Boris ( Bendy and the ink machine )

Idek why i did this-

[travelingjoe]

Komodo National Park, Flores Indonesia — May 2024. Day Four.

Dive One: Batu Balong was like an aquarium. So much colorful fish and reef with the morning sunlight in this coral garden. Highlights were two eels, black tip reef shark having a nap; Napoleon fish and orangutan crab.

Dive Two: Karan’s Makassar/Manta Point. Since some people didn’t get to see mantas yesterday, we dove manta point again today and it was off the charts. We not just saw, but got to sit and watch 11 manta rays as they came through different cleaning stations. How amazing to get so close to these graceful giants. Other highlights were a day octopus that checked us out and unicorn fish.

Dive Three: Siaba Kecil was a really nice drift dive. We were hoping to see Dugongs but no luck. Three morey eels though and lots of fish including a scorpion fish and large puffers.

Dive Four: Siaba Basar was a relaxing shallow night dive around the bay where our boat is moored for the night. Highlights where a massive lioness fish, a frog fish, bob tail squid, and a white V octopus.

[fuckyeahaquaria]

Southern Bobtail Squid |  Euprymna tasmanica

[tunafishprincess]

Darkening Seas

A DFO Secret Santa gift for Moon_Lantern

——————————

Izuku feared many things in his short sixteen years of existence.

As a child he feared the wails of ocean storms, huddled in bed with his mother as rain and wind pounded their small home, a common monster for the children of his small village. She would whisper spells of protection as he clung to her form, as if the storm itself were trying to get inside.

It wasn’t until he didn’t receive his mark that he learned that there were greater fears, the kinds that haunted him to this day. Fears of losing friends, for one. For another, fear of the village’s suspicions whenever something bad happened. The Markless weren’t a common bunch and in his childhood home, he was the only one in several generations not to be blessed by a god.

In spite of all the fears he had, however, there was always hope. His mother, even on her deathbed, always promised him a better tomorrow. Even if today was bad, there was always a chance that the next day would bring a better outcome. She was right in a way. It was hope that brought him to All Might, a hero beyond compare that bestowed his own Mark onto the boy, a power that still hummed beneath his skin.

His muddy fingers rose subconsciously, patting at the tattoo on his shoulder. Traveling with All Might had been a dream beyond comparison.

Sadly, all dreams must come to an end.

As a teen, he learned to fear more than village discrimination. At fifteen, he discovered that not all gods bestowed gifts.

All Might taught him to respect the old gods, but not to bow to their whims. When the sea attacked the land, Izuku followed his mentor to the battle, ready to die a hero. Instead, his mentor had been swallowed by the sea and Izuku---

Well, death would have been preferable at this point.

Another itch broke out near his neck. He scratched at the spot but the move did little to soothe the real problem: he needed a bath.

Begrudgingly, he stomped out the rest of his fire, gathering his things to make the small trek to the lagoon he’d been eyeing days before. There wasn’t much to pack, though he wasn’t sure whether he should be thankful or not about that. His food rations had dwindled considerably these past few weeks, his fear of exposure outweighing his need to resupply. He still had aways to go before he got back to the great city of Musutafu. Even if his ailment could not be cured he at least had friends who would care for him there.

His throat bobbed. Well, he hoped he still did.

He arrived at the lagoon within a few hours time, the area as empty as the first time he’d spotted it. It set him on edge.

As beautiful and blue as the seawater seemed, the Kamino sea lay just beyond the exposed shoal.

He licked at his cracked lips nervously. His skin ached to be cleaned and he knew he probably smelled horrendous from so many weeks on the road without washing. Peeling off his dirty clothes, he set them aside from his bag, hiding both in-between the rocks high above the waters.

Goosebumps ran up his arms as he approached the waters. The sun was still high enough in the sky, though a few clouds did beckon across the skyline, the promise of rain both a blessing and a curse with his current predicament.

Hopping onto a large rock, he observed the depths before finally taking the plunge.

Fire traveled through his veins as the curse took hold. He closed his eyes to avoid it, but he felt the changes, bones cracking and reshaping to the curse’s preference. Where once were two average feet now had melted together like butter, soon followed by his calves and thighs until it was all one limb. His nails transformed into claws as he clenched his fists. Tiny pinpricks of pain erupted across what were once two legs, the formation of scales and webbing overwhelming to his enhanced senses. By the end, he was a shaking pitiful mess, his now alien tongue running along the rows and rows of teeth inside his mouth as he took in his first breath of seawater.

He hated how much he had craved this.

His ears flipped back and lowered as far as they could go, a subconscious response to his predicament.

Old Gods be damned, he inwardly cursed, lowering himself down to the sand. He brushed his body with the coarse material, ridding himself of the dead skin and grim he’d accumulated. Moments later he rolled over on his back, repeating the process for several minutes until he was clean.

The first transformation he had cried, mourning the loss of his mentor and fearing the loss of his humanity. Now, on his fifth time, he just wanted to get it over and done with, hating all the strange sensations he had now as one of the very creatures his mentor fought back into the sea only a few months prior.

He blinked, second eyelids a half-second slower than his first, observing the underwater world around him with interest. He didn’t have much time to enjoy his surroundings, however.

The scent of food captured his stomach’s attention. Before he even had time to think his body began to move, less the awkward teen he was and more of the predator he had become.

On a normal day, he would not have been so adventurous, but Izuku had finished his last meager rations two days ago and hadn’t had meat in an even longer time. It would be fine, he reasoned, he was still in the lagoon and the sun would be up for several more hours.

The pristine sand landscape slowly transformed into a dense rocky forest of dead coral. It was a beautiful but haunting reminder of how cruel the sea could be, giving and taking away life like the gods who ruled them.

The water tickled his hair as he swam down the slope of the lagoon, the scent growing stronger as the light began to fade.

He hoped it was something edible, perhaps a glow whale like the one meal All Might introduced him to so many months ago after his first battle. His lips pulled upwards at the memory. Even the tough skin of an Armored Squid or a greasy Floor-Feeder Fish would taste like heaven at this point. His stomach gurgled, instincts driving him further and further away from shore.

Strangely, the slope seems to be reversing the further he swims, ascending until he spots a familiar group of rocks he had come across but only a few days before. The problem was, he thought with a nervous gulp, they had been part of the shoal that protected the lagoon.

He shook his head. No, no that couldn’t be right. That would mean the waters had risen by several meters and Izuku would have felt that.

But what about the high tide, the logical part of him pointed out, sending his mind into a frenzy.

His gaze flickered to the sky, noting the sun’s position with alarm. Had it truly been more than an hour? He returned his attention to the rocks. It could be his mind playing tricks on him. It wouldn’t be the first time. Paranoia had been a constant companion since he lost his mentor. The small fading hope that All Might was still alive had battled with the fear of the old gods wrecking further vengeance upon the teen for stepping into their domain.

His stomach ached. This was no longer a want, but a need. His hand glided over the Mark on his shoulder. The warmth pulsed beneath his palm. He would get the food and get back to shore as soon as possible. His tail swished impatiently as he drew out the energy of One for All. Veins of light traveled down his scales. With one kick he was zooming past the white rocks, deeper and deeper into the watery expanse.

The first change he noted was the life in this part of the waters. Tiny fish (not edible, he thought grimly) danced between colorful seaweed, the warm waters giving way to a refreshing coolness as he followed the scent.

The scent ended as he approached a dense forest of red coral, jutting out like tall trees from the seagrass. At the center of the grove, the corpse of a small glow whale lay between two rocks. His teeth sharpened, the needle structures in his mouth extending as he approached. Still, he held back from digging in.

It was a fresh kill. Strangely, however, there was only one cut on the creature’s body, a thin slice between its thick blubber. He scanned the area. It had been out here for as long as he’d been in the water at least and not one scavenger?

His stomach gurgled, overriding his thoughts. Flexing his claws, he cut off a piece from the broken skin, taking a small bite.

He almost groaned. So delicious. He took another bite, then another.

He ate as if on autopilot, human manners forgotten as the creature’s hunger took hold. He was almost halfway through his meal when he noticed it.

The hairs on his neck prickled. A shadow danced across the sands. He froze. The Mark on his shoulder burned, blisteringly so.

He looked above.

The mers he and his master fought were minuscule in comparison to this one. The creature’s tail is the first thing Izuku noticed, four meters in length and the same color as the coral surrounding them. How...how long had it been here? As it drew closer the teen took in its human features. The mer was male, he thought, judging its large upper body that was covered in scars. Most of them were old, but they all told Izuku everything he needed to know: this creature was dangerous.

He drew away from the meal, hands waving frantically as he apologized for taking its food. He hadn’t known it was his. His Mark sent pulses of pain down his arm, urging him to continue his retreat.

“Once again, my apologies,” he said, hoping his words were understandable underneath the water. “You are welcome to have the rest. I’ll just leave you to it.”

He doesn’t get very far. The creature blocked him with his tail, tilting his head as he asked in an oddly deep voice, “Where are you going?”

The sound echoed through the waters, sending a shiver down the teen’s spine. He never should have swam out this far, food or not.

Izuku lied, “My master is waiting for me.”

A dark, foreboding smile played across the creature’s lips. He caught a glimpse of several sharp teeth as he spoke, “Your master?”

“Yes,” he affirmed, pulling away as fast as he could. The more distance he put between them the better. “I have to be going now.”

“Do you now?” The mer inched closer, never allowing the teen more than a meter of distance. “Why not stay? Come. Eat.”

“I can’t. I’m really sorry. I don’t want to worry him,” Izuku replied hurriedly. His Mark sent a burst of adrenaline through his blood. Hopefully, it would give him enough energy to get back to shore.

“He won’t be worried,” the mer said, drawing uncomfortably close as he continued to circle Izuku.

“No, he really will be,” he insisted.

“He can’t be,” the creature stated into his ear. “The drowned do not feel.”

Ice filled Izuku’s veins. Without a second thought he swished his tail into the sand, drawing it up to blind the now familiar monster.

He didn’t stick around, the roar of anger more than enough to drive the teen back through the way he came.

One for All bleed through his being, the lines of light providing him distance. Unfortunately, in his panic he had lost sight of his original path, now swimming blind as the light above was fading. How long had he been eating? His breathing grew labored.

That was All for One. It had to be. He remembered those eyes, back on the day his master was swallowed by the sea, staring him down from inside the waves. He had been a lot bigger then, an unseen force of nature that belaid a constantly changing shadow of otherworldly horror.

Of course an old god could take the form of one of its creatures. Izuku would have hit himself if he weren’t swimming for dear life.

His mind worked through realization after realization at breakneck speed. So long as he held the Mark of One for All, All for One would come for him. That was why he’d cursed Izuku in this form. It had been to get him back to his domain.

Black tendrils shot up from the sand. He avoided them by twisting into a narrow group of rocks. He eyed the surface. His energy would only last so long. He needed a direction back to land.

Inwardly, he grasped onto the power All Might bestowed upon him, mumbling a prayer to god. Like an arrow he shot up from the rocky formation, too fast for All for One’s tendrils.

He gasped as he broke through the surface. The sun had been overtaken by the earlier clouds. Faintly, he could smell an incoming storm. Turning about, he frantically searched for land.

Desperation gripped his soul. Nothing but dark gray seas surrounded him. No, he couldn’t have gone out that far. The distance he’d covered was short, unless…

Unless someone intentionally made it so.

His heart rate skyrocketed. The lagoon must have been submerged into the Kamino Sea when he was under the waves. The shoal had been the first clue. How long had All for One been planning this?

The water shifted beneath him. Izuku’s eyes widened as a dark shadow spread out beneath him, steadily growing and rising from the depths. In one last ditch effort he poured the rest of his energy into escaping. He doesn’t get very far.

A tendril grasps his arm, jerking him back. Another joins on his opposite arm. Izuku frantically shifted about to shake off the tentacles. Fear gripped his soul as a hand from the depths shot upwards to grab his right fin, tight and unyielding.

Izuku struggled to escape the old god’s grasp, yet the hold on his tail dragged him deeper and deeper into the depths. Another sharp tug brought him into the monster’s arms. Izuku clawed and bit at the offending limbs. To his dismay, the skin was too tough for him to break. A low vibration from All for One’s chest began to slow his movements, muscles no longer working for him but rather against him, falling limp to the soft hum. Was the old god laughing?

“This has been fun. I haven’t had a good chase in quite a while,” the elder god chuckled.

Izuku growled. Despite how terrified he was, he refused to yield. “Let me go.”

“Now, why would I do that?” The arms tightened around the teen.

“You can’t have One for All,” he ground out.

“Oh? But he’s right here, isn’t he?”

Large fingers grasp his shoulder. His body bucked as the burning from the Mark exploded. Flashes of color invaded his vision. One moment the monster had on a younger face, unblemished by scars and cruelty. The next moment the face returned, though it had been tempered with a layer of curiosity.

“Does it hurt?”

Izuku gasped as the aches continued through his body. “Yes.”

A cruel smile danced across the old god’s face. “How interesting. Even now my little brother continues to resist me.”

They sank deeper, much to Izuku’s horror. In the distance, he heard an unnatural roar, followed by more and more, until the sound nearly overwhelmed him. The teen tried to cover his ears but the elder god pulled them down, refusing to give him relief.

The depths took on an uncomfortable chill. He shivered.

“Where are you taking me?” He asked between breaths.

All for One buried his mouth in the teen’s hair. The needle-like fangs were unnervingly close to his scalp. “We’re going home, my little guppy. Where you always belonged.”

Izuku blinked, energy leaving his body as he thought over the monster’s words.

“My home is on land,” he mumbled.

“Yes, it was. Once,” he whispered as the rest of the light faded from view. “But not anymore.”

The low hum returned. Izuku’s body loosened and relaxed, even as his mind and Mark screamed at him to move. All for One seemed to sense this, pressing him closer to his body so as to block any attempt at escape.

Amidst the blackness, he made out a great shape, a mockery of the castle he and his master once visited. The miasma surrounding it made the teen’s stomach roll with disgust.

“Welcome home, Izuku.”

[shebeafancyflapjack]

King Takes Knight (Part 5)

Shawn gets just what he hoped for.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

(TW: Torture, captivity, ‘nails’)

This was a glorious day. Victory Day. Maybe he’ll make it a national holiday to commemorate the occasion. Every employee will have a microsecond less work to do than usual. He can be generous like that.

Shawn watches from the stage as a Bad Janet enters, bending the arm of that pesky mutated Good Janet in front of her as she marches her down the steps. Behind them are some generic demon guards who he will have to learn the names of, if only so he can reward them for grabbing a human each between them. The four irritating losers who are behind this whole mess. 

He can’t help but laugh! How stupid can they be to have all come at once? Now there’s no one left to run their ridiculous experiment.

“Good evening, dickweeds!” He greets them cheerily, amused by the defeated looks on all of their faces - though Mendoza looks as gormless as ever; “So glad you could attend the show.”

“Oooh, what show? Is it Shrek the Musical?” Jason asks, lifting his chin up.

The large guard holding him gives his arm a painful tug, making the dumbass yelp like a cat with its tail caught in the door.

“I’m afraid not. But I’ll definitely be keen on making you sing soprano when I have them saw your balls off.” He gloats.

With a wave of his hand, he instructs the guards to walk the four of them forward, up the steps, and then force them to their knees at the front of the stage. The Bad Janet struts to stand next to him and Shawn allows her to give him a low five at his side in celebration.

Not that it took much effort.

“I applaud you for trying. But that really was a pathetic attempt to save Michael. You really thought we wouldn’t have Molotov-proofed the doors after last time?” 

Tahani turns to tut at Jason; “Told you!”

“Well I told you guys it was a trap but none of you listened!” Eleanor hisses.

Oh, this is wonderful. He would be happy to simply lock them in a room and watch them blame and scrap with each other, just as Michael originally intended, rather than all this wholesome chummy crap that ended up happening. How ironic.

“Such a shame that Chidi couldn’t be here to join you all. I guess he’s busy getting all loved up with his fellow nerd Simone, right Eleanor?”

He grins as that hits a nerve and Shellstrop darts forward, looking to go for him, before the guard grabs her hair and yanks her back down.

“Don’t worry. I have to keep my word to the Judge, after all. So I’ll be happy to let the experiment carry on, with Chidi and the others under the ‘safe’ guardianship of my employees wearing your skin suits.” He taunts them, “They won’t even notice you’re gone...especially as they will, literally, be the same skin torn from your bodies!”

“You twisted wanker.” Tahani glares at him, the British brat suddenly baring fangs; “Where is Michael?!”

“Y’know, she’s so right...Michael should be here to watch us slowly slice that fat skin off of them, shouldn’t he.” Bad Janet sways her hips, looking knowingly to Shawn with that glint in her eye; “Want me to go fetch him and give him the front row seat?”

This Bad Janet must not have got the memo.

“Oh I wasn’t foolish enough to have Michael be here. I just needed these filthy rats to think that’s where he was by the video.” He brags, watching the shock quickly drain the anger on their faces into hopelessness; “I had Michael moved a nice, cosy location far, far away. You weren’t even close to getting to him, idiots!”

“FUCK!” Eleanor swears, not even looking as though she can enjoy the opportunity to curse; “I told you all, it was too easy!!”

“No biggie.” Bad Janet rolls her eyes; “I can still stream him the footage to wherever that dingus is, can’t I? I sooo want him to see us cut Tahani’s hair into an uneven bob.”

“No! No! NOOOO!” The wannabe princess screams until the guard gives her a slap.

The Bad Janet has a point though. It wouldn’t be worth torturing Michael’s precious humans unless he was there to watch it, even if the plan with the Michael-suit fell through. Damn Vicky and Glenn both being blown up meant he had no duplicate to use, especially as he forgot to share the design with other skinsuit manufacturers (shut up, Glenn!). 

He’s certain there is very little of Michael’s awareness left after how much they’ve inflicted on him over the past few...well, it was only a handful of months but, thanks to Jeremy Bearimy, he’s endured a lifetimes worth of restraints, freezing, impalement, whipping, electrocuting, bad Adam Sandler movies, and soo much worse. There had been a time when he’d looked into those blue eyes and seen so much raw hatred. Now, whenever he took a glance at his wretch of a former employee, the light was flickering out, as if he’s conscious of nothing except the constant pain and loneliness. 

Just like the humans he adores so much that end up here, where they belong. Because they’re terrible and that’s all that needs to be known. He should have left well enough alone. 

At least now, finally, Shawn gets to have some entertainment.

“You’re right, Bad Janet. Set up a connection to the Tenth Circle, Sector B. I left one Bad Janet on duty there with Nicole who’s currently ‘taking care’ of Michael. And by that I mean making him very miserable.” Just in case the humans are too dumb to get the expression.

Bad Janet texts on her phone, popping another piece of gum.

“Tenth Circle...Sector B....Got it.” She raises her head, an oddly pleasant smile spreading across it, eyes suddenly bright and pleasant; “Thanks for that!”

“What-?”

The not-so-Bad Janet karate chops him in the side of the head and knocks him to the floor. He hears her make a shout, the theatre spinning around him, unable to find his feet quick enough before the humans get to their feet and surround him.

Shawn blinks, rapidly, as they proceed to take out some rope and tie his wrists and ankles together.

“What is the meaning of this?! GUARDS! DON’T JUST STAND THERE! GET THESE STINKING HUMANS OFF OF ME!” He rages, trying his best to break out of their puny hold but they’re, for some reason, freakishly strong.

The Bad Janet continues to smile at him.

“Oh they’re not your guards...and these aren’t the humans. You were being so smug that you didn’t see what’s right in front of you, did you?” She says.

Shawn frowns. What is she talking about?!

He glances up at Tahani leaning over his head, trying to spot the....Oh. Farts.

They’ve fooled him again. That’s no Bad Janet. And these humans have no auras. They don’t even smell! They’re the same as her. They’re...

“Meet my Janet Babies. I produced a bunch more to come with me. We just needed to know where Michael was really being kept and now we do. And I’ve forwarded that to our Team Two so, thanks!”

She gives Shawn a kick in the teeth before her group stand back at her command.

He spits, wriggling, bound and prone on the wooden floor.

The fake Jason stuffs a green stress ball into his mouth to gag him before all of them leave him there, muffled curses being hurled at them, before they lock the door and leave him in the empty theatre. He fucking hates Good Janets!

*

*

*

She likes to use the metal hooks to dig into his flesh and give them a tug, eager to get a reaction out of him despite his near frozen state. Every now and then she’ll manage to hit somewhere extra tender and a whimper will break out of his lips. 

She has a schoolgirl's giggle.

“This is like ice fishing. And you’re my big piece of frozen shrimp.” She teases him as they sit in the inside of a giant glacier. 

She doesn’t seem to be affected by the code, only wearing a pink slip dress. There’s not even any goosebumps on the arms of her suit.. 

The new one they’ve left with him is one he hasn’t seen before. She seems new to torture, possibly even new to the slim skinsuit she’s been given, still fascinated by the way her own fingers move. The way she caresses his face and sticks her tongue out makes him suspect she’s some kind of giant leech monster. The kind they used to let suck humans brains out with straws. Or cut their skulls open and lick them out like a kid with a bowl of cake mix.

Definitely not a fire squid, whatever she was.

“I bet Shawn’s almost finished making your buddies feel at home here. If you’re really good to me, Mikey...I might ask him to bring you their heads as a treat.” Nicole, as she said was her name, informs him.

He’s beyond attempting to beg for them to be left alone anymore. He’s beyond expecting any sort of mercy.

Everything he had tried for so long....everything he had hoped to avoid.

All of his efforts for the past few years were for nothing.

I’m sorry, I’m so sorry... He thinks as more tiny crystallised tears sting from the corners of his eyes.

A loud bang outside makes him start.

Nicole turns to the Bad Janet at the door; “What was that? Go check on it, will you!” she orders like a spoiled brat to her butler.

The Bad Janet rolls her eyes, flipping the bird and then doing as she’s told.

Nicole turns back to kneel in front of Michael.

He tries to escape into his hallucinations but she wants his focus on her. Her hand grips his cheek and squeezes tight.

“I dunno what you did to get the Boss to hate you so much, I don’t really give a toss about current affairs...But m’just glad I get this as my first job! Punishing a dirty traitor...” She runs the tip of an ice pick up his face, towards his nostril; “...And all the other dirty things I hear about you...My mate Kath said you had the hots for one of them humans...You creeps should keep that fetish on the internet where it belongs! Look where it’s got you now...”

She takes a small hammer out from her pocket and puts it to the bottom of the ice pick, shoving it up Michael’s nose.

“I wish you had a brain in there so this could get the same effect it does with those creatures...But the simulation is good enough.”

He wishes he could laugh through the binding in his lips. He wishes that her wish could come true. Give him a lobotomy? Take away his memories of constant failure? Make him oblivious to how he’d loved for nothing and lost everything? She would be doing him the greatest favour.

As it is, he’ll just sit there and take the pain of a nail through his fake skull. He’ll let her have her fix until she gets her reprieve and he’s left alone to his own personal inner torment. His guilt. His regrets.

Just let go, Michael. Just...forget.

Nicole leans in close, ready to fiercely tap; “Hold still. This will only hurt a-.”

She doesn’t get a chance to finish her taunting before her skin suit explodes, sending a wave of pink goo across Michael’s face. 

He blinks. Something happened.

The ice pick and the hammer clatter to the floor.

Wha...

Eleanor Shellstrop stands at the door, clutching a Bad Janet marble in one hand, pointing Janet’s demon exploder in the other. 

[hermannsthumb]

star crossed lovers and curses? TYSM for writing these btw I love your writing

64. Star Crossed Lovers & 98. Curses

from fanfiction trope mashup here

ANOTHER 2 YR OLD PROMPT….this concept seems sufficiently fairy tale enough for a little Mermay, perhaps 👁👁

so like. this got a lot longer than I intended because I was having so much fun with it. OH WELL

———————-

It was a real slap in the face–Newt has to admit–for the institute to deny him funding for this one. Ten years of thorough, groundbreaking, devoted research–ten years of PhD after PhD–ten years of no vacations, or weekends off, or even dating–Newt just assumed all he’d have to do was waltz into his supervisor’s office and they’d shell out however much he requested, no questions asked. That’s how it’s always been.

And yet here he is now, solo-manning a rented skipper with rented diving gear and a backpack full of disposable waterproof cameras, sunburned and dehydrated and miserable, all just because–

(“It’s stupid?” he said. “You think my idea is stupid?”

“With all due respect, Dr. Geiszler,” his supervisor said, not even pretending to be apologetic about it, “yes. We’re not going to pay for you to chase after the Loch Ness Monster.”

“That’s in Scotland!” Newt shouted, and then Newt started shouting some more, and he maybe had to be escorted back to his lab, but he wasn’t fired, at least, and the next day he cashed in ten years’ worth of hard-earned vacation and declared he’d be fucking off to the coast to pursue a completely legitimate doctorate in crypto-marine-zoology. Or whatever it’s called. He’ll worry about the name once he gets it.)

Two weeks into his spite-fueled expedition in the middle of the fucking ocean, Newt begins to wonder if this isn’t a mistake. He’s running low on food, for one thing, and what little fishing he learned as a Boy Scout can only take him so far. For another, it’s really hard to do this sort of work by himself. Though Newt usually goes solo for shorter expeditions, he’s used to having an intern or two tag along to help him take pictures on longer ones like this–or at the very least, provide enough conversation to keep him from going nuts.

But the biggest indicator so far that this is one giant waste of time is the fact that in the course of those two weeks at sea, Newt hasn’t found one single, solitary shred of evidence. No giant squid tentacles. No sea monster humps rising from the waves. No mermaid tails. He hasn’t even seen a shark fin, for God’s sake. Just endless, deep, blue.

Starting to thing this might be career suicide, Newt writes in his field journal on the fifteenth day. 

And then his boat is capsized.

Well, not really. His boat is almost capsized. Low in the list of Newt’s priorities for trip preparation–so low, in fact, it came in after pack razors and do laundry–was check weather report. It just didn’t seem important at the time, you know? He had other shit on his mind. It’s why the storm takes him by complete surprise.

Newt woke at dawn today to the sound of rain tapping lightly on the roof above his cramped quarters. The drizzle quickly became a thunderstorm. The thunderstorm quickly became–well, whatever this is. Waves smacking against the sides of the boat. Water sloshing onto the deck. A perfectly good cup of French press coffee upended all over Newt’s only map. 

His boat isn’t capsized, but it gives a great, shuddering jerk that sends Newt sprawling to the wood planks and grasping for anything to steady himself–his bedposts, the ruined map, a chair leg–and a great flood of water rushing in. Newt manages to scramble up in time for his jeans to spare being soaked. (He probably should’ve packed more than one pair.)

It’s at this moment Newt finally allows himself to panic a little.

“Fuck,” he hisses. “Shit. Okay, fuck. This is–” Another shuddering, wood-creaking jerk of his boat. Newt takes a few sloshing to the door and forces it open against the wind.

Iron-grey sea to his left; to his right; behind him; in front of him. The waves are angrier than anything Newt remembers from Boy Scouts. He flips up the hood of his rain jacket and stumbles out into the gale to lower the sails, or weigh down the ship, or something, anything to just–

There’s something pale bobbing out in the ocean some thirty feet away from his boat. A head, Newt realizes, a human head, a human head attached to shoulders, and his shock mingles with horror because oh, God, it’s a person! Their boat must’ve been wrecked by the storm–or they must’ve been thrown overboard–or both, Newt has to do something.

He cups his hands around his mouth and bellows in the direction of the mysterious bobbing head. “Do you need help?!”

Nothing. 

“Hello!” Newt shouts.

Whoever it is suddenly disappears under the water; without thinking, with nothing on his mind but saving the drowning stranger, Newt shucks off his leather jacket and dives under.

At least this time, he knows it’s a mistake.

Newt is warm when he wakes up. Warm, and dry. The sun is shining overhead; the boat is still; the waves are calm. There’s someone touching his neck–a hand, damp, and oddly chilly.

“Stop,” he mumbles, and swats them away. He’s trying to sleep.

The hand returns. “Stop,” Newt says, and swats again, more. viciously this time.

He hears a small, offended huff. The hand retracts, though not before depositing his glasses on the bridge of his nose and swatting back in return. “Well, I’m terribly sorry for attempting to return these,” someone says.

Newt’s eyes shoot open.

There’s a man above him–sharp-cheeked, brown-eyed, shirtless and pale, his short, dark hair plastered to his head like he’s just gone swimming. He’s scowling at Newt. There’s something familiar about him that Newt can’t quite put his finger on–until he does. “You were in the water!” he says, sitting straight up. “You were drowning!” He wracks his brains for the memory of that morning: a head bobbing in the water, Newt going overboard, the cold, dark rush of the ocean, his frantic, wheeling arms– “I saved you!”

“Not exactly,” the man says.

No, that’s not right. There was the dark rush of the ocean, his wheeling arms, and then two cold, sturdy hands pulling him up, onto his boat, pressing down on his chest, a cold, wide mouth breathing air into his lungs. “Holy shit,” Newt says. “You saved me! What were you even doing out here, dude? It’s–”

Then Newt looks down.

The head leads to shoulders, which leads to a torso, but below that– “Holy shit,” Newt squeaks again, and then, at a loss for anything else to say, “Can I take a picture of you for my field journal?”

Where there should be hips and thighs and calves below the waist is nothing but a long fish tail, curving and shimmering and brightly-hued enough to make Newt’s eyes sting. It tapers into two large, translucent, fanning fins, the left of which is misshapen, almost as if it were wounded somehow. The overall effect is gorgeous, frankly. Newt’s never seen anything so gorgeous in his entire life.

“No,” the man–merman–says. “Goodbye.”

He begins to wriggle to the edge of the boat. Newt reaches for him frantically. “Wait, wait!” he says. “Don’t go! I want to talk to you, please!”

A foot from the edge of the boat, one hand on the railing, the merman turns back to Newt. His eyes are narrowed. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Well,” Newt says. “You, obviously. You’re–” He sweeps his hand in a broad gesture across the merman. “You’re not human.”

“Yes,” the merman says.

“And you saved my life,” Newt says.

Another scowl. “Yes. You’re bloody lucky I was passing by,” the merman snaps. “What on Earth were you doing out here in the middle of a storm like that? You could’ve gotten yourself killed.”

Newt shoves his glasses up higher and scoots closer to the merman. “I’m a scientist. A marine biologist, technically.” And, if you were to get even more technical, only a fifth marine biologist. Newt tended to look at his doctorates in a glass-half-full way. “I was, uh, gathering research.” Suddenly it occurs to Newt that he and the merman might have cultural differences he never even dreamed of, and he flushes with embarrassment. “Wait, do you know what a scientist is?”

“Yes,” the merman snaps again.

“Right,” Newt says. He coughs. The merman’s scowl hardens. Frankly, legends of sirens luring sailors to their deaths aside, Newt didn’t expect merpeople to be quite so…bitchy. Maybe he just got stuck with the most foul-tempered one in existence–it’d be just his luck. “Well. Uh. My name is Newt. It’s nice to meet you?” He holds out his hand, and then remembers himself. “Uh, this is how humans greet people. You shake it.”

“I know,” the merman says, and then (in a way Newt can’t help but feel as somewhat condescending) shakes Newt’s hand with a firm “Hermann.”

Newt snorts before he can help himself. Hermann pulls away. “Hermann,” he echoes. “You know–”

“I know,” Hermann says again.

“It kinda sounds–”

“I know,” Hermann says.

“It’s just kinda funny,” Newt says, and begins to snicker.

“So is ‘Newt’,” Hermann huffs, and then, before Newt can stop him, he dives back into the ocean with a splash and a flick of his shimmering tail.

Newt rushes to the railing and peers into the murky depths below, but it’s no use. Hermann’s long gone. His first real, solid evidence of crypto-marine biology, and he couldn’t stop being himself long enough to ask a few simple questions.

“Shit,” he sighs. He makes note of the meeting in his journal anyway.

He sees Hermann again four days later. It’s a bright, sunny day, not a cloud in the sky, and–in a better mood than he’s been since he started out–Newt decides to take the opportunity to do some maintenance around the boat. Turns out Doc Martens don’t offer the most amazing traction on slippery decks, especially when you’ve somehow managed to wrap ropes from the sails around yourself and lose the ability to move your arms. Newt learns this the hard way.

Luckily, Hermann is there to catch him.

“You are a bloody menace,” he scolds, as a half-soaked–but safe–Newt blinks dumbly at him in the safety of his surprisingly sturdy arms. “What were you even attempting to do?”

“Uh,” Newt says. “Fix the sails?”

Hermann rips the ropes off of him effortlessly, then lifts him higher. Newt stays still, blinking, before he realizes he’s supposed to be climbing onto the deck, and then scrambles up over the railing. “There we are,” Hermann says, sounding equal parts smug and satisfied.

“Thanks, dude,” Newt says. “If you hadn’t been here–” He frowns. “Wait, what were you doing here?”

“Nothing,” Hermann says, too fast, and Newt grins.

“You were totally spying on me!”

“I was not,” Hermann snaps. “I was merely passing by. You’re awfully hard to miss. So–noisy.”

“Uh-huh,” Newt says. “Well, lucky coincidence. Can I interview you for my journal now?”

For a moment Newt expects Hermann to dip back beneath the waves, but–glowering up at Newt–he folds his arms and rests them against the side of the boat. “What would you like to know?”

Newt digs his tape recorder from his pocket and switches it on. “Everything.”

Hermann is a begrudging interviewee, but he’s an interviewee none the less, and answers each of Newt’s questions with only a small dose of sarcasm. He eats fish, like some larger fish might. He speaks English, like most fish don’t. He lives in a city populated with other merpeople, who have jobs and families and houses, though significantly different from the jobs and families and houses humans have. “Technically,” Hermann says, with a strange, furtive glance around, “I shouldn’t even be telling you these sort of things. Interacting with humans is considered highly taboo in my society.”

“Oh, shit,” Newt says, and inches forward. “Seriously?”

Immediately, Newt’s brain works overtime to concoct an exciting, Little Mermaid-esque scenario: Hermann’s dad as the strict king of the ocean, wary of humans because of some ancient feud, Hermann longing for freedom, Newt–well, Newt would be down with kissing Hermann to help him get rid of that fin. He’d be down with kissing Hermann regardless. Newt’s scientific interest in him aside, Hermann is pretty good-looking. And–well. The forbidden, star-crossed aspect of it all is kinda exciting.

“Yes,” Hermann says. “Humans have hunted merpeople for centuries. Or so I’ve been told. But…” His face twists strangely–the corners of his eyes crinkling, his teeth flashing into view–and Newt realizes he’s smiling. Awkward, and shy, and unpracticed, but smiling. “You seemed different. I took a gamble.”

Newt blushes, just a little. “Hunted,” he echoes. “Is that what happened to your fin?”

“My fin?”

“It’s injured on the left side,” Newt says. “Like something attacked you. Did a human do that? Or another predator, like a shark or something?” Do merpeople have to worry about sharks? Maybe they keep them as pets. That’d be cool. If Newt was a merman, he would have three pet sharks.

“Oh,” Hermann says. “Oh, no, nothing so dramatic. That happened when I was human.”

Newt drops his tape recorder. It narrowly avoids bouncing overboard. “When you were what?”

“When I was human,” Hermann repeats. “Did I not mention I used to be human?”

“Uh, no,” Newt says.

“Ah, well,” Hermann says, “yes, it was some time ago. Perhaps a hundred years.”

“You look good for a hundred,” Newt says, because Hermann can’t have more than a couple years on Newt’s thirty-five. To his surprise, Hermann snorts.

“Yes, see, I was involved with a man,” he says, “and–well, he wasn’t pleased when I wanted to put an end to things, move on, you know, pursue other relationships. Only there were a number of things I didn’t know about him. He practiced–mastered, really–a strange kind of magic. He cursed me. I’ve been stuck this way–half-human, never aging another day–ever since.”

Merpeople, magic, curses–this is too fucking good. No one is ever going to believe Newt if he publishes this paper. “What kind of curse?” Newt says. “Like, one that can be broken?”

“Presumably,” Hermann says.

“Do you have to learn a lesson?” Newt says. He pushes up his glasses and leans closer. “Does someone have to kiss you? Like a true love’s kiss?” Newt was never one for reading fairy tales as a kid–having preferred the much more interesting alternatives of poking slugs with sticks and rolling around in the dirt–but he knows that’s a pretty big deal in those kind of stories. Frog princes and shit.

“I don’t know,” Hermann says. “All I know is that this has been very irritating. I had a laboratory, you know, with all sorts of fascinating equipment. I was a scientist. And now–”

“Can I try kissing you?” Newt interrupts.

Hermann flushes and shuts his mouth. “Ah,” he stammers, “I–I’ve got to–”

He disappears, in another splash and glint of fin. It was worth a shot.

Hermann comes back a few days later, and he comes back after that, and after that. Sometimes Newt asks him questions about being a merman. Sometimes Newt asks him questions about his previous life as a human. Hermann seems to like talking about being a human more, for reasons that aren’t very hard for Newt to guess. He was born in Germany, like Newt, though was schooled somewhat prestigiously in England (which explains the stuffy accent). He walked with a cane and a slight limp. He owned a very nice and very expensive telescope, which he misses, and worries about the well-being of, constantly. Sometimes Newt tells him things about himself, too: about his myriad of tattoos, his studies, how the human world has changed since Hermann’s time.

One day, as Hermann watches Newt eat potato chips and transcribe one of his numerous interviews from audio to pen, he suddenly reaches out and touches the corner of Newt’s notebook. “May I read this?” he says.

“Sure,” Newt says, hoping that Hermann doesn’t flip back to last week and read Newt’s entry where he described, in great detail, his attraction to Hermann, and the incredibly steamy dream he had about him as a result of that attraction.

Hermann skims Newt’s notes quickly, politely ignoring the grease stains Newt left behind, then pushes the book back towards him. He didn’t read about the dream. Thank God. “You called me a specimen,” Hermann says. His eyes crinkle in amusement. “How impersonal.”

“Yeah, well,” Newt says, heart pounding a little, because if he didn’t know any better he’d say Hermann is being flirty, “can’t let my institution know I’m on a first name basis with my subject. Conflict of interests.”

“Now, tell me,” Hermann says, “what do you plan to do with the information you’ve gathered when you return home? A book? An article? An exhibition? If you’re going to ask to put me on display, my answer is a definite no.”

“Nah, nothing like that,” Newt says. The truth is that Newt has no idea what he’s going to do with his significant compilation of research about Hermann. It’d be one thing if he found evidence of Hermann’s whole colony, or even a merperson besides Hermann, but to go zooming back off to his superiors with nothing three weeks’ worth of tapes and maybe a photograph or two–and after that tantrum he threw last month–he has a feeling no one is going to buy a single bit of it. Maybe he’d have a chance if he took Hermann back with him and did display him, but throwing his friend on the mercy of a society that would gladly dissect him without a second thought is completely out of the question. Maybe he’ll just write a weirdly detailed children’s book. “I might just keep it for myself, actually.”

The answer seems to please Hermann. He toys with Newt’s chip bag for a few seconds before–cheeks going a shade pinker–he says “I feel I ought to confess something.”

“Be my guest, dude.”

“I was following you the other day,” Hermann says. “I was following you that first day, too. And–” His eyes dart down, away from Newt’s. “Before then, even. You intrigued me, and I wanted to know what you were doing all the way out here.”

Newt grins. “I intrigued you. Ha! Cool. Well, now we’re even.”

Hermann smiles at him.

The last Friday before Newt is due to turn back and set course for home, he finally gets his first sign of other human life out here in the middle of the ocean: a fishing rig, at least twice the size of Newt’s tiny little rental, motors up not too far away from him and begins to cast its nets. Newt, an extrovert at heart and only mostly sustained by conversations with Hermann (who has a tendency to disappear for days at a time), is so starved for social interaction that he bolts out from his cabin when he spots it and begins waving frantically at the crew.

“Hi!” he shouts. “Beautiful out here, isn’t it?!”

He gets a friendly wave back. Newt expects he looks half-crazed, from his wild hair, to his unshaven scruff, to the explosion of freckles across his cheeks and neck, so he can’t really blame any of the crew for their hesitance.

“How are the fish?” he continues to shout.

A thumbs up.

“Cool!”

A net is drawn up; it’s a decent catch, but nothing too impressive. Earlier in the week, Hermann explained to Newt that, this close to mer-territory, anyone would be hard-pressed to find anything but smaller fish. Merpeople are much better hunters than some humans with a boat could ever dream of being. “I’ve been out here for over a month,” Newt continues his one-sided conversation. “I was looking for sea monsters. Have you ever caught anything like that before?”

No, they haven’t. The net is thrown back into the ocean.

“Okay!” Newt says. “Just wondering!”

The faint sound of groaning wood makes him stop in his tracks as he turns to head back into his cabin. Groaning wood, and splashing. Loud splashing. Excited shouts. It looks like the fishing rig netted something big.

Newt–determined, still, to be sociable–cups his hands around his mouth to call his encouragement over, but the words die on his tongue almost instantly. There, tangled up and flopping around in the rig’s netting, is a very familiar glimmering tail with a very familiar tattered left fin. “Hey,” Newt shouts, “stop! You’re–that’s my friend, you have my–!”

For the second time, Newt dives into the sea for Hermann.

He closes the distance between the two boats in no time at all, and–powered by pure adrenaline, ignoring the yells of surprise and anger above him–begins hacking blindly at the net with his pocketknife. A few more pieces–a few more strands–

It spills open. Newt feels a Hermann-sized shape graze past him, and a moment later, Hermann breaches the surface of the water. He doesn’t look very happy. “They caught me in their net,” he spits. “As if I were–!”

Newt hugs him. It’s not very graceful, considering the circumstances, but it’s something he’s wanted to do for a while, and he’s too happy that Hermann won’t be dissected or stuffed or something to care. “You caught my friend in your net while he was swimming,” he tells the fishermen over Hermann’s shoulder, now moderately more calmly. “I thought he was–uh–going to drown.”

The fishermen are profusely apologetic, to the point where Newt actually feels kind of bad for them, and it takes him waving them off with assurances they won’t sue or anything for them to hastily speed away. Hermann doesn’t look away from Newt once the whole time, his expression soft and just a touch unreadable. “You came to my rescue,” he says.

“Well,” Newt says, puffing out his chest, “a little bit, yeah.”

Hermann kisses him. Newt responds enthusiastically.

He’s so worked up over it all–grabbing Hermann’s hair, biting his weird frog mouth–that he doesn’t notice that the gentle fanning of Hermann’s tail against him has become the slide of skin against denim until Hermann suddenly grips at his arms. “Newt,” he says, eyes widening, “Newt.”

Well, even then it takes a bit. Newt kind of has a one-track mind when it comes to this sort of stuff. “Mm, yeah, Hermann,” he groans happily. He goes back in for another kiss, but Hermann dodges it.

“No,” he says, “I’m–” He gives a little kick.

Oh. “Oh, holy shit!” Newt exclaims, and laughs in delight. “Legs! You have legs!” Naked legs, in fact. Long naked legs–of course he’s taller than Newt. Hopefully he has some clothing that’ll fit the guy.

“Legs which don’t swim very well, I’m afraid,” Hermann says. He’s giving Newt another broad, awkward smile. “Do you mind?”

“Not at all,” Newt says.

There goes Newt’s paper, he guesses, but–strangely–he can’t really bring himself to care.

[snowflake-of-destruction]

Observation

I can’t write a quick, few line caption to save my life Part 4/8. Based off of the fourth picture of THIS POST because I absolutely could not think of anything to write but “They are so hecking cute. Look at Roxas’s little blush” and so I just wrote everyone else saying they are so hecking cute. Basically. It’s that but wordy. Also, Roxas’s tail wagging motors Axel’s boat across the water because @complicatedandstained said it and nothing that cute can be left out. 

@shaky-mayhemm

Part 5/? of Mermaid AU that needs a name

Xion was the first to know. Roxas's younger sister had always been the one he was closest to, more his other half than even Sora. That, and he felt he owed her for how quickly she'd chimed in and claimed Roxas had been with her all day, helping her create shell paths with Dory's parents.  She'd even found a way to wiggle one of the shells she had kept for her own collection out of her bag and press it into Roxas's palm without Aqua seeing so he could show proof.  Xion hadn't been happy learning that he'd went to the surface without her, and Roxas had only churned the currents more when he admitted he'd spoken to a human.  She'd begged him not to go back, and left Roxas sure that no matter how she protested to the contrary  that she didn't understand. Axel had proven every story Aqua had told them about sailors wrong even before they'd met properly, but Xion was more concerned that he'd been stalking the same human for weeks and his slip up had been premeditated.  

She agreed to keep his secret because she was loyal to a fault.   The only times she'd broken a promise was when she'd told Aqua that Roxas had been the one to bet Sora he couldn't last five minutes with his arm stuck in a sea anemone, and that only because Sora had a reaction to the toxin. She hadn't even told Aqua when Vanitas had confessed to her his plans to run away, but then perhaps she should have. Roxas only had to convince her that he wouldn't be hurt and he'd always come back. 

He decided the solution was to take her with him next time he saw his sailor. She refused to speak to Axel that first day even though she'd been the one who had snuck into Aqua's rooms years ago and stolen as many volumes as she could of old King Eraqus's  tablets for her and Roxas to learn all they could about the now forbidden surface.  She refused to even come near. She stayed a whale length away from Axel's lifeboat at all times, keeping only her eyes and the top of her head above water, all the better to glare at the human with. By the end of the night though, the storm of her gaze had broken to calm seas.

For her it was the way Axel looked at Roxas like he was a treasure, but not one to own,  just wearing a never-ceasing awe that shone through even when he was acting out other emotions. She liked the way he laughed full-throated when Roxas told a joke and scoffed at Roxas when he said something stupid too. She couldn't hear what was said, but she didn't need to. Roxas was funny. Roxas was dumb. Roxas's human listened, and more than he talked, though she saw him break in sometimes and speak with his hands as much as his mouth. She liked the way Axel kept trailing his hand in the water and then holding his hand above Roxas's head to drip over his face, looking too concerned to have it be mistaken for teasing. She doubted Roxas had even said anything about the dry air. 

The next day she bobbed on the surface of the water next to Axel's little boat beside Roxas. He was just as friendly to her: willing to listen, eager to listen even to every thought or question she had, and then provide his own answers and commentary; excited to teach and to learn, but also falling into softness that said he cared about more than knowledge. He didn't look at her like a treasure though, and that remained the difference. He wasn't a human stunned he had discovered merfolk were real. He was a man that was thanking his human gods that he'd discovered her brother. 

Xion was satisfied enough she let Roxas come to the surface without her after that (As long as he took her sometimes. She and Axel were best friends now. They'd agreed) and put herself in charge of explaining any long absences. 

Vanitas was the first to find out without being told. Roxas didn't even know his estranged brother watched him and their siblings. Vanitas didn't need to follow them to watch them. Master Xehanort had taught him how to see them reflected in a jagged shard of glass he'd salvaged from a shipwreck. He usually watched for information he could pass to his master that would further their plans, or so he told himself, but he found himself observing Roxas' trips to the surface for weeks and not saying a word.

For Vanitas, it was how Roxas hardly stopped smiling for a moment. Roxas had always been the most like Vanitas, the only one out of the group of younger siblings the raven haired merman could remotely understand, quick to anger and slow to show he was happy. Roxas was still too innocent and too easily entranced by simple, stupid things for  Vanitas to be able to stand his company for long, but he wasn't obnoxious like Sora's incomprehensible perpetual buoyancy. Until now at least. Roxas wasn't just happy. He was glowing more in the sun than he ever did in the depths where their scales turned luminescent.   He kept wagging his tail and it was disgusting . More than that, his shoulders relaxed. It wasn't the slump or slouch Roxas sometimes fell into when he wasn't filled with tension. Roxas looked at home.

 It wasn't completely foreign. Roxas belonged with their family; he wasn't constantly ill at ease like Vanitas had been and still was even after leaving and finding the role he had really been born to play.  It was significant though, to see Roxas look so at peace with a stranger. 

Vanitas decided Xehanort wouldn't have this news, not from him at least. To be happy and at home for a moment? Vanitas could be jealous, but he couldn't refuse Roxas the only thing he wanted himself.

Sora was the last to suspect but the third to know for sure. He was clumsy in following Roxas and would have been discovered easily if his twin hadn't been so absorbed in the only track his mind would focus on these days. And that was what it was for Sora: the complete absorption. He wasn't the only thing Roxas didn't notice. Roxas sat on rocks until his scales started to look crusty and he wheezed. Roxas was startled by a seagull that had been tapping around Axel's boat for several minutes and had been circling overhead long before that, apparently unaware of its pretense until it stood on his hand and squawked in his face as if affronted that he was a fish too large to eat. Roxas had to have a pod of leaping dolphins that he should have been expecting, considering he'd been the one to suggest their swimming route when he and Sora had talked to them that morning,  pointed out to him by Axel. Sora would have been worried not endeared if he hadn't been forced to chase Axel's little wooden boat he'd taken from the the big boat when Axel had neglected to secure it properly to the rock island he and Roxas had claimed,  and then further failed to notice it starting to float away.  Both parts of the couple still didn't seem to notice him when he towed the boat back. 

They were lost, utterly lost, and Sora wasn't going to be the one to admit he'd found them.

Besides, he was glad not to be the oblivious one for once.

Kairi was the last one, save Aqua, to see Roxas with Axel and the hardest to convince. Her protective instincts weren't of a sibling that could also be swayed by biased affection, and she hadn't heard the story of how King Eraqus had died enough times for it to seem more like a scary story to ensure good behavior than a tragedy to be mourned like the princes and Xion. It was one thing when she suspected Roxas was just following boats like Xion had told her they'd done half their lives. It was concerning then, but Xion had rattled off the precautions they took, and Kairi had concluded it wasn't her place to interfere. Sora telling her Roxas was in love with a human and didn't care about secrecy or distance was another.  Axel didn't seem like the type of human capable of such atrocities as Aqua had warned about, but by the time any of them could know for sure it could be too late. She planned to corner Roxas on his way back to the palace after he'd left his little rendezvous  and give him an ultimatum of whether he'd rather stop seeing the human willingly or have her go to Aqua, but then she saw the kiss.

She wouldn't be able to defend why it made all reservations melt away. It had to be witnessed. She could say Axel kissed Roxas like he was the water that sustained all life and he had to drink every drop. She could talk about the contrast of the softness in the way he touched Roxas, as if he'd been trusted with something fragile he'd break and end up broken himself if he did. She could laugh until she cried about how Roxas's tail flapped so forcefully that he'd propelled Axel's boat at least a dolphin-length when they'd shared their last kiss goodbye, and then try to describe how even the scrunched corners of Roxas's closed eyes told their own story of a moment so perfect you felt you could just float away on a current. None of that quite captured the feeling of being there and understanding what the tall tales were speaking about when they included true love's kiss. It all sounded like fanciful nonsense when reduced to words.

Kairi dived and headed back to the palace on her own, swearing that even if all she had was fanciful nonsense, she'd try to defend Roxas and his human when Aqua found out. Then she found Sora coaxing a pod of squid to play a game he'd just invented that involved five different goalposts and several starfish for each player to use as projectiles. She asked if they could talk alone, but ended up helping him convince the starfish that they would have fun playing his game instead. There would be other days to see if they could create a fairytale of their own. She'd be grateful later, because some fairytales didn't just feature princes and princesses but a knight needed to propel it to happily ever after.

Aqua had secrets kept from her for too long and then uncovered in traumatic ways, which should have hardened her heart until there was no softness left, but a combined testimony was hard to argue against. Find someone who cares and shows it even in small actions. Find someone who is your home. Find love consuming. Find a passion that's pure. It's what she always wished for Roxas and for the rest of her charges.

In the end, what call could anyone make but to swim away and let Roxas be happy.

[takerfoxx]

Blood Island Fanfic (pt. 1)

magic5ball submitted:

(Well, long story short I started writing a little headcanon about one of your OCs and like last time, it kinda spiraled into a full fledged fanfic. Really not sure what to do with this, so I figured why not post it here, if only to see how much I got right. Anyways, enjoy.)

                                                    .   .   .

Ever since she was little, she knew something was wrong with her. Mama always insisted otherwise, that she was fine the way she was, and the others never made a fuss about her, but she could tell from the way they looked at her they thought she was a freak. From the way her eyes glowed green in the dark to her too pointy teeth to her too long tail; dark grey with fins sprouting all over the sides, instead of the triangle fin at the tip of the other mermaid’s tails, there was nothing normal about her.

She had a twin, once. A twin she had eaten in the womb. The matriarch had insisted there was nothing odd about that- these things happened sometimes- but she knew the others whispered about it behind her back. And her twin wasn’t entirely gone, either. Sometimes, her twin’s ghost whispered in her ear. You’re a demon, she would hiss, a depraved monster who ate her own sister. Why don’t you eat your own mother while you’re at it?

That was the hunger. She could feel it, always, deep in her stomach, gnawing at the edges, crying, demanding FOOD. A demon, the matriarch insisted, but one that could be forced out. So it came she was fed only jellyfish, kelp, and sometimes, bitter concoctions that would make her cough up all the contents of her belly. Mama promised it would make her better, that she would be cured. Mostly, though, it made her feel weak, and confused. Why couldn’t she eat fish like the others? Yet even without food, as years passed she grew longer, her body stretched thinner and thinner with each passing day.

But worse was when the others came after Mama, blaming her for infidelity and other sins she was too little to understand. She would yell at them to stop, but even her own Mother demanded she stay out of things while the grown-ups screamed at each other.

It wasn’t all bad, at least. There was Mama, who sang lullabies and told stories of the Papa she never met. Mama who made her a belt of sea silk and shark teeth while assuring her that she was wonderful as she was. Mama, who always hugged her when she was scared and pulled her along when she was too exhausted to swim.

 There was also, at times, flotsam. She loved looking through the strange wooden debris as it bobbed across the surface of the ocean, heading for an unknown destination. It would always be covered in strange barnacles, snails, and other hard shelled things she would try to collect, only to forget about later. If she was lucky, there would be things clambering across the top, too: brown hairy creatures with no fins and long tails, scaly green things that licked the air with forked tongues, and the things Mama called BIRDS!, which came in so many beautiful shapes and colors. These discoveries would always lead into tales from Mama about the things that lived out of the water, which were always her favorites because they were always, so odd, so strange, so DIFFERENT from her life of following currents across the ocean, even if she was certain Mama made them up.

The end began when Mama had a second baby. A precious little merboy with inky black hair, just like hers. A new baby for Mama to sing lullabies and tell stories too. A new baby for Mama to adore. One without a demon inside them. From that day forward, she swam a little further away from Mama, so she didn’t think of eating him, too.

Then came the fateful day her pod discovered a sunken ship. One by one the mermaid’s lithe bodies slipped through a crack in the ship’s hull, entering dark rooms coated in grime. The pod huddled together, weary. But her? She was FASINATED. What creatures had made this thing? Where did they live they? Did they have tails, like them? Or have hands where their tails should be, like the fuzzy things she’d seen on the driftwood? What did they eat? What were their families like? An older mermaid shushed her up real quick, saying they were to get a few important items, then GO. She nodded, but did not stop staring at everything they came across, until at last they reached a room the Matriarch referred to as the ‘Captain’s Quarters’. The mermaids ransacked the place, grabbing any seemingly useful thing they came across and jamming them into makeshift bags made of discarded shark eggs. But while the other mermaids made themselves busy, she sensed something… off. At first she thought it was just her- that sunken ships always felt this way, but then she smelled something odd, something… tasty. The walls of the room shimmered, revealing the largest octopus she had ever seen. The beast unfurled its’ tentacles, forcing the terrified pod into a corner, save one terrified individual who, trapped in the vice grip of a meaty red tentacle, found herself being drawn towards the beast’s massive beaked mouth. But while the others stared terrified, with a burst of speed she didn’t even know she had, LUNGED at the befuddled cephalopod, gripped the tentacle holding her podmate, and.. bit down. Later, the others would recount how they had seen a ten year old start ripping chunks out of the giant octopus with her teeth and swallowing them whole until, bewildered by this turn of events, the would be-monster had fled into the ocean. For her part, she mostly remembered the taste: a chewy and meaty texture, satisfying to bite into, with a clean, savory flavor. Afterward, she’d felt a soft, warm sensation radiating from her belly. So THIS was what feeling full felt like!

Victory, however, was short lived. From that day forward the rest of the pod kept a great deal of space between her and them, even the mermaid she’d rescued. Despite this, the Matriarch monitored her relentlessly, ensuring she only ate jellyfish and kelp. It was strange, really: even as they starved her, her tail grew longer and longer, her body thinner and thinner until, from head to fin tip, she was a full foot longer than Mama.

Face it freak, her sister whispered, there’s no place for you here. Best head out before Mama ends up in that belly of yours. And under the cover of night, that’s exactly what she did.

.   .   .

            So began a life of following the rich, fragrant smell of fish, travelling from island to island after vast silver schools, getting just enough energy to keep her going. She had mixed feelings about her predicament: on one hand, it was nice to be away from the judging eyes of her pod; never accidentally hurting someone she loved. And she liked travelling from island to island, seeing all the strange creatures she never would have seen if she’d just stayed with the pod: slugs the colors of rainbows, fish that jumped out of the water when she got too close, sharks with too long tails, just like hers, they snapped to stun their prey. Those were exciting.

But on the other, catching fish was much more difficult on her own than she had imagined. They were just so fast! It took all her energy just to snatch the tiniest morsel, and by then she’d be so exhausted she couldn’t hunt until the next day. At those times she’d sleep free floating with one eye open, so sharks couldn’t get her. There she would stay until her hunger woke her up again. Sometimes, a passing pod of dolphins would offer her something to eat, but their pity stung.

That all changed the day she found the sea turtle. The scent of mackerel had brought her right into a cloud of jellyfish, and as much as the things brought up bad memories, she was really in no condition to pass up a free, slow moving meal. Neither, it seemed, was the largest sea turtle she had ever seen. First she saw the head, easily big as her torso and wrinkled with age. Enormous black eyes gazed at nothing as it casually munched on jellyfish. Then the rest of the body revealed itself as it parted the cloud with massive gray flippers covered in large, stony scales. From these she carefully swam away from, lest a stray paddle accidentally shatter her bones. At first, she marveled at it- the thing must have been ancient! - and before long an idea popped into her head. Grabbing onto its’ barnacle coated shell, she consigned to letting the giant take her wherever it went. Tired, she let out a yawn, drifting with a barnacle grasped firmly in her hand.

.   .   .

She awoke to a very familiar, irresistible smell.

Octopus! Her stomach rumbled from the memory. Parting from the turtle, she sped off in the direction of the scent, licking her lips at the thought of her meal-to-be-! But she didn’t quite expect a school of some of the oddest things she had ever seen. Not octopus at all, but squid. They had tentacles, but these were short and close to the head. Bad for grabbing things (thank goodness) though opening and closing them seemed to move them through the water. And on top of their heads, they had a long, conical shell, perfect for cutting through the water. Or anything foolish enough to stand in their path, no doubt. Carefully, she navigated around the school, until she was directly behind one. With a kick of her tail, she lunged-

Only for the creature to shut its’ tentacles, darting away-

Right into the open maw of an even stranger creature.

When she saw it, her breath caught in her throat. They were in the open ocean! How could something so massive stay hidden?! Like a whale, it had smooth grey skin with a white belly and a long, sinuous body that ribboned up and down as it swam, like an eel’s. Opening a mouth of curved fangs (just like hers!) it bit down on the octopus-thing’s shell, shattering it into a thousand pieces. At the sound the rest of the shelled squids darted out into the ocean.

Great.

It wasn’t long before the whale-eel, sated by its’ meal, turned its’ attention to the strange intruder on its’ territory. She took the hint, swimming in the opposite direction of the beast as fast as she could go. Not fast, enough, apparently, because five seconds later the beast was ribboning after her, open jaws drawing incredibly close incredibly fast. She forced her long tail up and down as hard as it could go, but it wasn’t enough: the whale-eel was gaining. But desperation has a funny way of breeding ideas, and this moment was no different. Looking at the surface, she recalled the strange fish she had seen on her journey. With one final kick of her tail fin, she broke the surface of the water and launched into the air! Her heart beat quickly as, for the first time in her life, she felt the strange sensation of air on her skin. More importantly, though, she could see an island ahead of her, covered in lush jungle with mountains toward its’ center. And where an island was, there was bound to be shallow water. Too shallow for something the size of the whale-eel. Plunging back into the deep, she breached the surface, keeping up her momentum until, at last, the island loomed over her, vast and mysterious. But it wasn’t until she was nearly on the beach she finally checked behind her to find the whale-eel, thankfully, nowhere in sight.

She should have felt safe. She should have felt relief. But mostly she just felt exhausted. Exhausted, and hungry. With what little strength she had left, she swam across the shallows, trying to sense something moving through the sand.

.   .   .

For once, luck was on her side. Granted, the thing she uncovered scuttling beneath the sand- a flat oval with far too many eggs underneath- didn’t have much of the way of meat, but food was food, and there were more than plenty of them scuttling just beneath the sand. Now that there was food in her belly, and no danger in sight, she could let her situation sink in. Or rather, her sister.

So here you are, in an island full of ravenous monsters. Maybe one will eat you. Wouldn’t that be fitting?

She tried so swim, which usually helped her shake off bad thoughts, but these were firmly lodged in the back of her head.

Then again, better you get eaten than you hurt someone else.

But at the same time, she couldn’t just hide out in the tidal zone, she couldn’t just hide out in the surf scavenging for oval shaped crab-things forever. And so what if she died? Not like anyone would miss her. Which is how she found herself just a few days later, tepidly swimming back where she had come. The squids with shells were long gone, in their place a school of fishes whose heads seemed to be covered in hard bony plates she’d never seen before. They brushed past her, indifferent. Tailing them, she thought back to the squids, recalling their strange shells, and the odd crabs she had eaten near the shore. Seemed armor was a popular thing in these parts. Though considering what kinds of things they shared the sea with, it wasn’t hard to imagine why.

Speaking of the devil, surely enough the whale-eel couldn’t resist such a tasty looking school, and burst in, this time from the side to snare a hapless fish, biting down until it ceased struggling and then swallowing it whole. Part of her wondered what it must have tasted like, but at the moment she had bigger priorities. She screamed, and at first the beast ignored her, almost deliberately so. For better or worse, it didn’t. Soon they were squared off: on one side, a sharp toothed mermaid with an unusually long tail. On the other, an impossibly long killing machine that could easily shatter every bone in her body with a single flick of one of its’ flippers.

And they weren’t alone. From behind the mother happily swam another whale-eel, maybe a quarter a size of the other, staring with round, black eyes.

Her heart sunk. Mama.

The mother whale-eel tried to push her curious child away, to no avail. After all, who could resist the strange new potential playmate that had just come into the area? Of course, her mission had just become that much more complicated. It was one thing to face a monster, it was another to face her knowing she was a mama just looking after her baby. The scene was enough to make her consider going back to the seashore, when she noticed something rocketing out of the ocean depths. Like the whale-eel, it had flippers, a long tail; a pointed head full of teeth. But whereas the whale-eels were long and thin with smooth skin, this thing was covered in scales and absolutely massive. So much she felt herself being pushed upward by its’ movement. And it was headed right for the baby. Without a moment’s hesitation, she lunged for the baby, pushing the bewildered thing out of the path of danger. Once she slowed, she released the young whale-eel, who swam, panic-driven, away. Mama was nowhere to be seen. As for herself, she felt the glare of two baleful yellow eyes on her back, turning around just in time for the scaly monster to lunge again. But whereas she had qualms attacking a mother, she had no issues attacking a child hurting demon from the deep.

You’re a monster. Might as well act like it.

She charged the demon, stopping just before its’ wide, hungry jaws. Then, with breakneck timing, she spun around, flicking her long tail with a Snap! Right in the creature’s eye. An ocean-shaking howl rang out of the demon’s throat as she gripped its’ massive, muscular neck and bit down. HARD. The meat was too tendony and firm for her liking, breaking a few of her teeth, but she got her desired effect: blood seeping into the water.

Just like that, the energy left her body. It shouldn’t have been surprising, really, with how little food she’d been getting compared to how much energy she’d been using. Getting worn out was inevitable. And what better way to get worn out than by becoming part of the food chain? The last thing she felt before going unconscious was something powerful pushing against her.

.   .   .

            When she awoke, it was to the pleasant realization she wasn’t dead. Rather, she was being nuzzled by the very same baby whale-eel she had rescued earlier. Shoving its’ poking face away, she found herself riding on the back of none other than the mother. Somehow, the beast had carried her away from the scaly demon, into yet another strange school of creatures. They were not unlike the shelled squids, but their ridged shells coiled into a tight spiral rather than pointing forward. Her rescuer tossed her a dead one, its’ shell crushed by massive jaws, which she eagerly inhaled, the soft flesh sliding smoothly down her throat and into her belly. Sated, she clung to the back of the Mother whale-eel as it took her to the shallower waters on the coast of the island, where she’d (probably) be safe and sound. Letting go, she felt almost… sad to leave the majestic beast behind. Then again, maybe she didn’t have to. An idea raced through her head as she recalled her life back with her pod; how they would work together to catch fish.

But how to tell the whale-eel? She called for the creature, directing her attention to the sandy seafloor. Then, taking her index finger, stabbed it into the sand, drawing a picture of herself and the creature. The whale-eel and her child stared intently.

They understood. Good.

More drawings. Shelled squids. More whale eels. Herself.

They still looked, enraptured.

More complicated things. Movements. Ideas. Formations.

.   .   .

The dark grotto rested at the base of the island, and it was here she hesitated, its’ mouth ominous and disturbing. Still, this was where the whale-eel had directed her, and it was too late for her to back out on her word (metaphorically speaking). At the top of her lungs, she bellowed, surprised by how her voice vibrated off the grotto’s walls. It was strange, hearing her voice again after so long. Soon, another sound followed, this one the rapid movement of water as something vast as any whale but far more bloodthirsty surged through the grotto and eventually rocketing into the open sea. She did not wait for this moment to pass before she darted away fast as her sinuous tail could take her.

Long, tense moments passed. Maybe seconds, maybe minutes. She didn’t dare look behind her.

Justkeepswimmingjustkeepswimmingjustkeepswimming…

Until, at last, curiosity got the better of her, and she turned her head around to see those cavernous jaws wide open.

Now!

With a shriek she jerked upward, each flick of her tail rocketing her ever so close to the surface until-

Splash!

Her skin went cold as she popped into the open air. It was amazing how much she could see from her height, the vast ocean stretching out below her, birds circling some unseen prey above. Her heart beat ever so more quickly, all breath leaving her breathless. Crazy, how different everything looked from above!

A sharp pain rang out from the tip of her tail, dragging her away from ecstasy.

Oh. Right.

The force of a tidal wave dragged her back into the blue, no dount with the intent of swallowing the pesky girl whole.

It never got the chance.

From all sides lunged a quartet of whale-eels, the Mama and three others that had been coaxed into joining the plan. Normally, such a maneuver would have been reckless: the scaled demon would have easily ripped one of them to shreds. But with an adequate distraction, the four normally solitary predators rended the flesh of their adversary without mercy. A great bellow shook the ocean as the demon fled, massive plumes of blood spewing from its’ wounds.

Now, she wasn’t an expert on big, scaly demons, but she had a strong feeling it wouldn’t be coming around anytime soon.

As for the whale eels…

They formed a ring around her, staring intently in a way that made her nervous.

How fitting an end, to defeat monsters only to be betrayed by others. Can’t say I blame them; probably frightened to death of your grotesque, horrid…

But the whale-eels made no effort to devour her. Instead, they bowed their triangular heads, and went their separate ways, like friends at the end of a playdate.

.   .   ,

When the astonishment wore off, a single question bubbled to the surface of her mind:

What now?

Well, for starters, there was the vacant grotto, and it would be nice to have a place to hide out…

The floor of the dark cavern was littered with the pale bones of a thousand different types of sea creatures. Amongst them, he noticed several crab-things skittering about, picking what flesh they could from them. She smiled ever so slightly at this. Exploring the dark cavern with creepy crawlies was better than being alone. Fortunately, it seemed these would not be the only things keeping her company: there were fish here too, albeit ones with something… off about them. Maybe it was their large, fleshy fins, of which there seemed too many. Maybe it was their broad, spade-like tails. Maybe it was their scales, black peppered white like the night sky, or their large, milky eyes, round as a full moon. But they moved rarely, content to float in place, so she let them be.

The bones, on the other hand…

She had never seen so many. And from so many different creatures, too! Turtle shells and squid shells, the skulls of whales and of fearsome, carnivorous fish, it would take weeks to sort through them all. An especially large skull of some toothy predator caught her attention first, and with all her strength she dragged it to the entrance of her newfound home. She could already see those empty eye sockets gazing fiercely from above the grotto’s entrance. It was going to look awesome!

No sooner had she reached that point, however, than she noticed someone had beaten her there. Scattered about were large, colorful shells, along with hunks of meat from all a matter of creatures, so fresh their blood was still seeping into the water.

Her eyes lit up as the scent entered her nose. A moment later, her instincts kicked in.

.   .   .

A few minutes later, a very full and satisfied mermaid let out a belch; a fat, lazy bubble escaping her mouth and wobbling ever so slowly to the surface. As the effects of a food coma set in, she shut her eyes and grinned. Crazy as it seemed, even with all the monsters around, maybe, just maybe she could make a home in this crazy place. 

There’s some real good stuff here. Admittedly I don’t have much planned for the mermaid and thus haven’t given much thought to her backstory, but while I can’t promise that I’ll use all of this, some might make its way in.