#Sansnautica

[ancha-aus]

SansNautica Sneak Peak - The Selkie and the Shiver

here is a tiny drabble from the gangs point of view :3 @0p1er0 because you wanted a tag when i did these lmao

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Horror watches as pup looks around anxiously.

Killer looks amused as he circles the cuddlefish “It is okay Crossy! We will find your little friend.”

Cross just looks more stressed “This isn’t funny Killer! He is not a strong swimmer and now everything is even more aggressive with it being their mating season. The reapers normal mating area was ruined by that big ship. They will move more into the shallows to do their own nesting and I don’t want Little Flippers to get caught by surprise by that!” Cross wriggles his hands together as his tentacles lash around anxiously.

Horror goes to his mates side and nuzzles him “We will find him. If he managed to make it this far he will be okay for the day it took for you to get us and for us to start searching.”

Cross looks unsure as he rubs his hands. Horror understands of course. If Cross is right about what he think happened to the other it would bring back a lot of bad and traumatic memories for Cross. Horror is so proud of him for being able to push through all that hurt and be willing to help the other.

Dust yawns as he lounges on a ledge “We can split up. Search the area near the surface. I doubt he will want to go deep if he is a bad swimmer and with fish being more aggressive.”

With the plan laid out they get to work. Horror makes sure to check each cave system. He himself knows better than to go into them but if the other really doesn’t know this planet he may think it is safe and get cornered.

Horror makes sure to keep his eye out. He needs to be alert and-

There!

Horror sees a strange kinda land dweller form shoot out from a cave with a crashfish hot on his trail. Horror rushes over and hits the crashfish with his tail before it can explodes on little flippers.

At least Horror assumes this is him.

Horror nears him but he can see that maybe Little Flipper leans back a bit. Horror watches as the other starts to sink. It is clear the other is cautious about him but Horror thinks this is him.

“Are you okay?” Horror tries as he keeps his distance.

That is when Horror sees pup rush over “You found him! Oh Horror thank you!” he focusses on the other and looks so happy at him. Cross reaches for the other’s head but pulls his ahdns back quickly as he looks slightly embarrassed “Sorry. I just… sorry.”

Little Flipper looks slightly in his direction. Maybe to see if it is really okay? To see if he is really safe? But then he removes the little head part of his skin. Maybe pup had a point with him being a weird selkie of some kind.

Cross looks so happy as he speaks “Oh you are okay! I was so worried. Don’t just swim off okay? I may not look the part but I can protect you just fine.” Little Flipper seems happy with Cross’s happiness as the other seems to laugh soundlessly.

Right… Cross mentioned that Little Flipper may have been forced to adapt to land… leaving him unable to fully communicate in the water.

Horror notices of course when hie other two mates join him. The three of them watch Cross happily interact with the other.

Dust hums and mutters “I can see why Cross calls him Little Flipper. Guy is tiny.”

Killer snorts “For real. He is even tinier than you Dusty.” And he grins as Dust sends him a glare.

Horror just watches their mate interact with his new chosen as Cross starts to nudge and guide Little Flipper towards them. Little Flipper looks at them but looks shocked as his eyes shoot between all three of them. He has very large sockets and his face is very expressive. Maybe this won’t be too hard to manage without communication after all.

There is caution but mostly there is curiosity on his face. He studies their tails and it is clear he is more intrigued than actually worried. Horror also gets why Cross is worried about Little Flippers now. The little guy may not have nay survival instincts after whatever happened to him.

Cross looks so excited “Guys. I assume you figured it out but this is Little Flippers!” he looks so proud of himself.

Dust snorts “We figured. And he is little alright.”

Killer laughs “A little cutie! I can’t believe you were going to keep him hidden.”

Cross sputters “I wasn’t! I was just going to make sure he was a bit more comfortable first.”

Horror hums and shoots Killer a look “Be nice. Don’t be too much.”

Killer pouts but before he can answer Little Flippers raises a hand and gives it a little wave. Very friendly and curious than. Smart enough to figure out he is being introduced and is trying his best to go along with it.

Cross then looks at Little Flippers and waves at the cave. Trying to understand why Little Flipper would risk something like that.

Little Flippers frowns as he seems to think and look around. Probably trying to look for a way to get his own message across. He ends up pointing to some fish stalkers off in the distance doing their complex half fighting half dancing mating ritual before he points at the one of the normal egg nests for some rabbit rays and lastly he points at the cave. Looking very satisfied with himself.

Horror frowns as Killer speaks up with a snort “He can’t possibly be confusing fish mating season with his own? That is so stupid.”

Dust disagrees with a shake of his skull “I don’t think it is stupid. If Cross is right about him still having to learn everything concerning himself. It isn’t weird to look at other sea creatures and just copy what they are doing. To get a general feel for it.”

Cross looks nervous “So he is nesting? Without realising what it means of includes?”

Dust shrugs “Not exactly nesting. He is just imitating the other fish I think. But I am not sure.”

Killer frowns “Then we should stop him right?”

Horror frowns and speaks slowly “No… I don’t think it is a good idea to stop it… He is learning about himself and his instincts. If his instincts are telling him to hide and nest because o the other fish it is best to just let him experience it… And to make sure he doesn’t go anywhere near others who could hurt him while his instincts are fragile and he is learning.”

Cross looks excited “Then we help him! we can find him a safe spot and get him comfortable. Help teach him what to do when he feels this way!”

Killer snorts and looks amused “You just want to sneak in some courting and wooing while you can.” Cross looks embarrassed but doesn’t go against it.

With their plan made they look around thinking and muttering about possible places. It is Dust who reminds them that there are always caves in the kelp forest that aren’t used as the stalkers themselves prefer nests out of the open and nothing goes there as the stalkers are territorial.

Horror watches Killer swim near Little Flippers and touch the thing attached to his back. Little Flippers turns quickly and looks unhappily at Killer.

Cross notices and rushes over “Killer don’t do that! He needs that to swim and he may be hurt!” Killer shurgs with a grin before nuzzling Cross’s chin and circles him as he keeps giving Cross nuzzles. Then Killer makes his circle include Little Flippers and pushes the tiny being near Cross. Cross yelps and quickly snatches him and stabilises him before glaring at Killer “Killer!! What did I just say?!” Cross then is quick to check Little Flippers.

When they are side by side it is so obvious that Little Flipeprs is well... little. His skull is much smaller than Cross’s and the length of his arms are shorter. Horror isn’t sure how big the other’s ribcage is and he doubts he will feel safe enough soon to show his complete landdweller form like other selkies can. But Horror can only guess that if he wear a mer like them he would be at most half of Horror’s size…

Little Flipper looks at Cross and gives him a signal with his hands and a smile. Maybe to show he is fine? He doesn’t seem hurt or bothered. Cross shoots Killer one more warning look but Killer looks smug as he relaxes back.

One of the stalkers growls in the distance and they can see Little Flipper tense up and look around anxious.

Little Flipper pushes off of Cross and uses his shoulders to get higher in the water as the little tool on his back starts working. Dust is luckily fast as he just gets near the other and takes hold of him and tugs him into the kelp forest.

Cross looks panicked but relaxes as soon as he sees that it is Dust who has their little future mate.

They all follow Dust’s lead as Dust knows these areas best from his own exploration. Little Flippers can’t really keep up but that is why they just keep him with them. Easy enough and he seems excited about it as he watches how their tails move and how easily they swim. Horror wonders if the other knows what he misses or what those people have done to him by forcing him to adapt…

Dust finds them a few options and they check them out critically before settling on a bit of a bigger one. Mostly because they need to all fit to be able to work.

Cross finishes his inspection and nods happily. Seems like they found a place that Cross finds up to standards for his little friend. Cross is the one who gets Little Flippers inside. He seems to look around and like it well enough even if he looks a bit unsure.

Well Little Flipper had been nervous in the kelp forest with all the stalkers nearby but they will just have to make sure he knows he is safe. He lets himself sink to the sea floor and stands on his legs.

Cross swims over and smiles “And? Do you think this will work for your nest?” and he waits.

Little Flippers looks around the cave again before giving a tiny sweet smile and nods. Clearly understanding what they had been doing for him or at least getting it enough to accept.

Cross looks so excited and Horror can see he is close to nuzzling Little Flippers before stopping himself. Then he goes to them and nods “Okay! He accepted this place. Lets get to work.”

Killer grins and stretches “I will get some pretty things and some plants to light this place up when it is night. We don’t know his night vision situation.” And he rushes out.

Dust yawns “Will get stuff for nest.” And he gets ready to leave.

Cross shouts after him “Not just metal scrap! Also kelp!” he gets a confirmation back.

Horror smiles at Cross and nuzzles him “I will get food. You get started with the nest and keep Little Flippers company?” Cross looks so relieved and nods.

Horror gives him another nuzzle and swims off. There had been something worrying him. Little Flipper seemed vulnerable and fragile. Just looking at him and Horror got the feeling he could he hurt easily. Which makes him worry about the illness that the visitors from long ago left for them to deal with.

Horror searches the area and sees a peeper with the enzyme trail. He quickly catches it.

They have no idea if he is already sick or ate something that has the sickness. Horror hopes that by giving him these they can at least neutralise it or make it not harm him even if he carries it like all of them. Make sure he is okay.

Horror considers how many to get and decides to just keep catching them when he sees them. In the end he has six and he considers if it is enough.

He doubts it is enough for a long time but it should be enough to give him a bit of a boost and nudge his body and health in the right direction.

Horror decides that for now it is enough. They can always catch more of these for him tomorrow. He turns back around and goes back towards the small hidden cave.

Horror makes sure to only get nearer when he knows he isn’t being followed. No need to stress the little nesting selkie out by bringing aggressive predators near.

He gets into the cave and can’t help but smile. Seems like the others already finished the nest and made sure Little Flippers is comfortable in it.

Little Flippers shoots him a curious look while the others all happily greet him. Dust going as far as to give him a greeting nuzzle.

Killer snorts as he tilts his skull “You were in the mood for peepers today?”

Horror shakes his skull as he answers “It are the once with the golden trail. We don’t know how the illness left by the precursors will affect him. Best to give his body and health a tiny boost just in case.”.

Cross nods as Killer looks at him in awe “I hadn’t even thought about that! Good thinking Horror!”

Horror nods before slowly going close to the nest. Trying to make sure he doesn’t trigger any distressed instinct in the other. But Little Flippers just seems curious and watches him go closer.

Once he is right by the nest he offers him one of the good peepers. Little Flippers looks at it before looking back at him. Waiting.

Killer groans “Why isn’t he taking it?”

Horror watches as Little Flippers starts to watch Killer and he makes sure his voice so soft “Because he isn’t used to this Killer. He is still trying to see what he probably can and can’t eat. Don’t be mean to someone who is trying to learn.” His speaking seemed to have caught Little Flipper’s attention as he watches him again.

Eventually Little Flipper ends up taking the peeper. That is good. That is progress.

Horror slowly shows bringing his hands closer to his teeth and biting down on nothing for him. Showing him to eat it.

Little Flipper pulls a face of disgust and tried to give the peeper back to Horror. Horror just pushes it back to Little Flipper. It is his. But this does reinforce that Little Flipper hasn’t been eating the right food. Horror saw those tiny fangs. Not perfect but very much able to bite through raw meat.

Little Flippers looks at the fish with clear distaste before looking at Cross and offering it to him.

Cross looks thorn as he looks at Horror. Horror shakes his skull. Cross sighs before looking back at Little Flippers and pointing between the food and him. Making it clear it is for him.

He even glances at both Dust and Killer but hey make it obvious with their own staring that they expect him to eat it himself.

Little Flipper keeps looking unhappily at the fish. Turning it this and that way to look at it from different angles. A small annoyed little grumble leaves the tiny guy and Horror can’t help but find it adorable.

Eventually he raises it to his teeth and bites into it. The face of discomfort and disgust turns surprised as the exact thing happens that Horror thought would happen. Him being able to easily take a bite and get a piece of meat of the fish. Still he pulls away from the fish and chews the mouthful. The unhappy look turns more surprised as he chews and shallows.

He blinks a few times before staring at the peeper full of shock.

Yeah… Horror gets it. Eating what your body needs when you haven’t been able for a while is unbelievable good.

Little Flippers looks angerly at the fish and mutters some words as a few bubbles of air leaves him. Clearly displeased by the fact the food turned out to be good and feeling betrayed by this change of events.

Killer and Dust start to laugh and chuckle and Horror shoots him a disapproving look “This isn’t funny. He most likely has had anything yet that his body actually needs. Don’t laugh at him.” which just causes them to laugh more even as Cross looks disapproving at them as well.

Then a peeper hits Killer right in the face. Horror turns and sees Little Flippers looking annoyed at Dust and Killer. His arm outstretch to show he threw the fish at them.

Dust looks dumbfounded before his laughing fit just gets worse. Cross sighs but grabs the peeper and brings it back to Little Flippers. After inspecting it Little Flippers keeps eating his first fish.

Horror smiles as he watches the other “I understand why you did it but please don’t throw your food. You need to energy it gives you.” Little Flippers just shrugs as he keeps slowly nibbling. Little Flippers eats just the meat before he moves to throw the only half eaten peeper off to the side but Horror stops him. Pointing at the fish and back at Little Flippers. The other freezes and Horror points at the uneaten organs. The parts of the fish which holds the most of the deeply needed enzyme that Little Flippers need.

Little Flippers looks horrified and shakes his skull again but Horror just nods. Seems like he was with landdwellers. They always throw away parts of the fish or meal that are just fine to eat. Poor guy hadn’t even been allowed to finish the meals he needed. Little Flippers shakes his skull again.

Horror is thinking about what to do when Killer laughs “Tiny picky eater isn’t he?” and he swims over. Little Flippers glares at Killer and aims the half-eaten peeper. Ready to make good on the threat.

Killer snorts and points to the peeper “It is okay little sweety. Just give me it okay?” and he holds out a hand. Little Flippers watches him before first picking up a rock before giving up his weapon. Horror chuckles as he watches Killer look beyond delighted.

“Oh hell yeah little sweetie is a little spitfire!” He holds up the peeper as Little Flippers starts to aim the rock in warning. Killer waits it out and Little Flipper slowly lowers the rock again. The Killer turns to the peeper and digs lightly around and manages to get the stomach out easily enough. Killer grins and holds it out to Little Flipper. Who looks beyond disgusted and shakes his skull stubbornly.

Killer grins as he inches closer “Oh it is okay sweetie.” He coos as he gets nearer “It will be so good for you.” Little Flippers clearly disagrees as he stares with pure disgust.

Killer keeps cooing and trying to encourage the other to take it. Little Flippers shoots Cross a look and Cross looks so guilty as he points between the stomach, Little Flipper and his teeth. “I know you don’t like the idea buddy… but you really need it.” Little Flipper remains stubborn and shakes his skull again.

Killer frowns as he looks at Cross “I don’t think he will take kindly to me force feeding him. Even if it would be better for him to eat this.”

Cross frowns before smiling “Oh I know!” he rushes over and smiles at Little Flippers as he starts pointing at a few things in quick succession. Little Flipper looks considering as he seems to think it over.

Horror shoots Cross a look “What did you say?”

Cross smiles “He has this tool thing that gives him information. I tried to imply that you guys would be fine with him using it in trade for him eating the meal!” he looks relaxed “It is fine. He already used it on me and it doesn’t hurt or harm us in anyway.”

Little Flipper ends up nodding but looks mad about it. Cross is so excited and clearly can’t stop himself as he nuzzles Little Flippers. His whole being purring as he mutters full of praise “Thank you. You are so good. I am so happy you are willing to eat it.” Little Flipper just looks very confused about the affection given to him.

And isn’t that just a sad thought? That he hadn’t just been starved of food but also basic affection? Dust and Killer both seem to agree with him.

Little Flipper pulls out his little tool as Cross smiles “Okay! lets do this! Just hold out an arm.”

Killer blinks but nods “sure.” He swims over and holds out an arm. Blue light comes from the tool and reflects slightly off the bone. Then Little Flipper looks excited at the screen before tilting his little skull.

Killer grins as he holds out the other hand “Your turn little sweety.”

Little Flippers looks so unhappy about this but takes the little ball of nutrients. Then he just pops it in his mouth with a tense face.

Surprise and annoyance on his face. Much like it went with the fish itself.

Killer looks at him sadly but is met with an angry face on Little Flippers face. Killer gets the message however and backs up even if he keeps frowning. Probably finally starting to realise just how little food Little Flipper must have been getting for him to be this surprised by the most basic food source for them.

Horror keeps his voice soft “Hey… it is okay. ready for your next fish?” and he holds out the next peeper. Little Flippers stares at it but takes it and starts eating without complain.

By the time it gets to the insides Little Flippers pauses before moving towards his little hand fins. He nudges the skin and- huh. He undoes the hands?! Showing normal skeleton hands underneath. He can remove different sections of his skin? Horror is intrigued as Little FLippers lays the skin hands on the side of his newly made nest. Then he starts messing with the peeper until the stomach pops out and he eats it whole this time.

After a bit of signing and pointing they manage to make it obvious the eye and pretty much all of the fish is also fine to eat. They do find out that Little Flipper’s teeth aren’t strong enough to crush the bones to eat as well. Horror hopes that with time he recovers enough to gain that strength.

They keep giving him fish as they all relax as Killer gets them their own meal to eat. Little Flippers doesn’t even seem to realise that he is softly purring as his body gets the badly needed nutrients and energy.

By the time that they managed to get Little Flippers to eat the last fish it is already dark and Little Flippers looks kinda dazed and tired. He probably had been swimming looking for a nesting area for a long time before they found him. Maybe he had even been swimming and searching for a safe spot since Cross saw him last.

A small yawn escapes him and Little Flipper seems annoyed before just giving it up as he starts to mess with the tool stuck on his back and-

A click and it is loose.

No! Little Flippers needs that to swim!

He just looks at them confused with the tool in his hands before pointing at the small clips in his skin. Looking completely integrated and part of it and Horror feels sick in his stomach.

Did those… creatures seriously alter his selkie skin? Not just branding it with their sign was enough but also edited it? Horror is happy none on that ship survived. How dare they hurt Little Flipper so much?

Little Flippers puts it to the side of the nest before rolling up and getting comfortable. Horror can see both Dust and Cross look anxious as the little selkie gets comfortable. He very quickly closes his sockets and is asleep within moments.

Safe and sound. Well-fed and comfortable.

Cross looks anxiously at them “What do you guys think? About… what I thought? Do you think? It is like I thought?”

Dust frowns as he thinks “I am not sure… but it fits. His behaviour how he seems surprised to eat things he likes and are tasty. The way he didn’t seem to understand that we were even building the nest. It does seem like something or someone was keeping him from being allowed to use his instincts.”

Killer crosses his arms “He didn’t even want to eat even when he was clearly hungry… like what must happened to cause that? He didn’t even want to try eating the fish… It is like he enver ate fish before.”

Horror hums “Maybe he just never ate it raw before? I know that Farm used to have to cook and make his food. Process it before he could eat it… maybe whoever had him or where he was treated food like that?” it doesn’t make Horror happy. Because it means he still didn’t get what he needed.

Cross frowns as he rubs his hands “So I was right?” he looks close to an anxiety attack.

Dust is quick as he nuzzles him “We don’t know. And we won’t know until we can ask him. Until then we can help him.” then he looks at Cross teasing “You really just want to keep him don’t you?”

Cross looks beyond embarrassed but nods “I like him a lot…”

Killer snorts “I am down. Little spitfire is cute.” As he lounges not in a hurry.

Horror hums “We can ask Nightmare if he can join the group. Maybe ask him to all for Dream.” As Dream had powers to enable landdwellers to communicate underwater he may be able to help Little Flippers as well.

Cross looks hopeful “Maybe they can do what they did for Farm!”

Killer shrugs “Who knows. We can ask.”

Cross looks a lot more relaxed as he lays close to Horror to snuggle for a moment. They will just remain near the other for now until things are a bit calmer. Then they will go back to Nightmare and discuss what they know and think.

Horror is sure they can get this to work.

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[mikimakiboo]

Sansnautica AU - Learning To Trust, With Love

Bad Sans Poly ! ( mtt x Nightmare, Cross isn't there yet )

The Sansnautica AU belongs to @ancha-aus ! :D consider this an early Christmas gift friend •w•

This is my little interpretation of how the gang met Nightmare and started the first part of the poly, which is obviously inspired by our rambling in the notes ( btw the boys' designs are linked in her master post so go check them out because I don't know how to describe them )

Also I still know NOTHING about subnautica except for the fact that it's underwater so please ignore the inaccuracies, even tho I tried to keep it quite vague as to avoid them lol

I started proofreading this at like 1:30am and finished at like nearly 2am so there might be mistakes left lol

How did all of this happen ? How did Nightmare allow this ? He never allowed it before. He liked being alone. At least he thought he did, but then they showed up, and he let them stay.

Well, they didn't "show up", he did remember saving one: Killer.

He was out hunting, roaming on his territory, when he heard noise. If at first he wouldn't have paid attention to it, it quickly became apparent that the noise was coming from his side of the frontier, which meant, whatever was making such noise, was trespassing, and he wouldn't tolerate that.

So Nightmare got closer, ready to chase off any intruder, until he saw what it was: the aliens that were invading the ocean, hunting a boneshark mer who obviously looked quite tired already. They were hunting. These aliens were hunting on his territory, they were hunting a mer. Mers belonged to him, he was their God. That wouldn't do.

He launched upward to where the noise was coming from, appearing in all his height in front of the boneshark and the aliens, putting a stop in their course as the mer crashed into the reef, having tried to avoid hitting the leviathan.

Nightmare watched as the aliens gestured to each other, swimming backward to try and flee, but the God was faster as his hand moved forward, picking them as if they were seaweeds. He bared his fangs, feeling terror emanating from the aliens as he brought them closer to his opened mouth. The terror didn't last long, it faded rapidly after the first bite. There was nothing left when he swallowed them.

He turned to the shark against the reef, seeing as he was still shaking with a fish tightly pressed against his chest, seemed like he too was out hunting. The two stared at each other for a while, before Nightmare turned his back to leave without a word. He had eaten, he could go back to his hideout. He hated being outside for too long, not that he was scared of anything, he just preferred the intimacy of his nest.

He wouldn't have thought the boneshark would follow him, and even worse, refuse to leave when Nightmare stopped to tell him to go back to where he came from. No, instead he followed him to his cave and laid on a flat stone to munch on his fish. Nightmare could have chased him, but he was feeling the fright residues coming from the mer, and decided to be merciful and let him rest for a while.

The next morning the mer was gone, Nightmare thought he went back to his own nest, but instead he came back two days later with two new sharks: a sand shark and a stalker, both mers, both as tired looking as the first one. The sand shark was the first to approach him, a large prey in his hands, that he put down in front of him before backing off. An offering it seemed, a silent demand to be allowed to stay in exchange for some of their catch. Nightmare looked at them silently for a while, he didn't want to have anyone in his nest, he didn't want his tranquility to be disturbed, but the aliens were still out and they were chasing mers specifically... he inspected the offering, it seemed to be a rabbit ray, a fresh catch. He grabbed it between two fingers to take a closer look, sensing the anxiety of the three mers rising, and finally swallowed it whole, accepting the offering and, by extension, allowing them to stay.

They had introduced themselves, the boneshark that Nightmare saved was named Killer, the sand shark that had offered him the ray was Horror, and the stalker was Dust. They seemed to be bounded, as these species didn't usually mix and travel together. Nightmare learned soon after that they were in fact mates.

Their presence wasn't insufferable, Nightmare wouldn't say he enjoyed having them around, but he had to recognize that having a little bit of life in his nest wasn't the worst. Having noise, someone talking to him even if just to tell him about the hunt of the day, was something he didn't think he had missed so much. He wouldn't say he liked them, but he would be a little pained if they left. He did find it amusing, however, that after a few days these three started to try courting him. They weren't the first to try, and he had always found comical that such small creatures thought they had a chance with him, so he let them do so, wanting to see for how long they would try before giving up like all their predecessors.

All was well, truly, fish was abundant in his territory and the small shiver usually wasn't out for too long with the aliens roaming around. But still Nightmare had to leave the nest to make sure no one tried to mess with his borders.

He should have been more careful. He was watching, looking out for any alien, so focused on their potential presence that he didn't hear the screeching noise in time and was hit on his side by a ghost leviathan as big as him. He could fight back, of course, he was strong enough to make this leviathan get out of his territory, but the surprise combined with the sudden sharp pain slowed him in his reflexes and he was hit a second time before he managed to attack and push the ghost leviathan away with more struggle than he would have liked it. Luckily for him, it wasn't another mer.

The wounds were bad. Very bad. He couldn't stay outside like that and most importantly: he couldn't stay this size or he would never heal. Well, he would, but incredibly slowly, and he couldn't afford that. He had to switch back to his smaller form, the healing would be long too, but much less long than in his current big form, as his body wouldn't need as much energy. But he had a problem: he wasn't alone anymore in his cave, there were three sharks that Nightmare knew would be bigger than him once he would turn small. He would be a prey to them. They were courting, yes, but they were courting because he was a massive leviathan capable of protecting them, but once they would see him small and hurt, unable to fight them three at the same time ? They would have the perfect opportunity to kill him and claim his territory with all the resources it contained. They wouldn't think about courting him anymore, that Nightmare was sure. But still he had to go back, he couldn't stay in the open.

He switched back to his small form as to lose less blood as he swam close to the ground, one arm around his wounded waist and the other using the branches and rocks on the ground as holds to give him the impulsion to move faster, trying to stay focused on the noise around him, praying he wouldn't attract any predator with the smell of blood.

When he arrived at the entrance of his nest he was panting, his vision blurry and whole body aching. He slowly looked inside but didn't spot anyone. They must have been out hunting. Good. He didn't want them to see him. He quickly, or as quickly as he could, dived into the deeper part of the cave, looking for a dent in the wall in which he could hide. He found one hidden behind seaweeds and moved them slightly to the side to sneak inside the dent. He laid on the moss on the floor, exhausted and shaking, his whole body in pain. He needed to gather food and materials to heal the wounds, but his body was refusing to move and his vision was becoming darker... he needed to stay awake, he had to, he couldn't sleep now, but he felt so, so drained...

He opened his eye when he heard his name being called. Was the shiver back from their hunt ? Nightmare curled up a little more on himself, not answering. He heard them swim around for a few seconds, and the weeds masking the entrance of his dent were moved aside as Horror appeared in front of him. Nightmare tensed, baring his fangs and curling two tentacles around himself to hide the wound as the others were ready to strike. Horror looked at him for a while without talking, but clearly analyzing him as he frowned, turning back to call the other two. Nightmare tried to get up, not wanting to seem weak in front of them. "Don't move" Horror told him with the same firm but gentle tone he used when Dust or Killer hurt themselves on hunting sessions and wouldn't stay still as he healed them. The two arrived rapidly, Killer's arms still full of fish, and both stopped to stare at the small leviathan. They had smelled blood when entering the cave, and they apparently weren't wrong.

Killer got closer, Nightmare growled, and he stopped, slowly taking a fish to hand it to him, but Nightmare didn't move, his gaze planted in the boneshark's. Killer put the fish down at the entrance of the nest and pushed it towards him, repeating the maneuver with three more fish before finally backing off. Dust wasn't here anymore, Nightmare hadn't seen him leave, focused on Killer. "You should eat", he said, "Dust went to fetch some large weeds to make bandages" he added when seeing his, almost frightened, gaze going from Killer and Horror to the spot Dust was previously in. They were truly stupid if they thought this "pretending to care" would make him lower his guard.

Dust came back with the weeds, but didn't dare approach when Nightmare growled at him. He put it near the entrance, and joined the other two a little farther. They had established a new small nest closer to the dent but still far enough to leave him some intimacy. He hadn't touched the fish yet, not feeling like eating. Why didn't they attack yet ? He couldn't move much, his body stiff from the pain, and couldn't turn back to his more massive form as he was in a way too small dent to do so. He was at their mercy, truly, and yet they were chatting a few meters away like nothing happened. Maybe they were waiting for him to fall asleep to kill him without risking getting bitten ? But how would he manage to stay awake for so long ? He was still so tired... he would wait for them to fall asleep first, and then he would take small naps after small naps, see if it helped...

It didn't help. He felt so tired still. Horror was in front of him, outside the dent, but still looking at him, the other two were outside. "Eat" he ordered him, and Nightmare barely had enough energy to growl back, not liking his tone of voice, but he knew he had to eat or else he wouldn't heal. He slowly reached out to grab one of the fish, munching on it without much conviction despite the hunger. He almost fell asleep with the half-eaten fish in his mouth. Horror didn't move from his spot, only turning his back when he had finished the fish, seeming satisfied. No one attacked him this day either.

He kept taking small naps, but each time he looked they hadn't move from their sleeping pile. Still, Nightmare was cautious. No one attacked him the next day, Dust tried to approach him again but backed off when seeing his gaze. Horror and Killer both frowned at that, but Nightmare didn't care. He didn't want them near him.

The few days that followed were roughly the same: Killer went out, Nightmare didn't know if it was for hunting or something else as he often came back without any catch, Horror made sure he ate at least one fish by staring at him until he gave in, and Dust tried to approach him only to fail and back off. Neither of them tried attacking him and Nightmare started to doubt they would do it one day. Why wait after all ? Why make sure he ate and try to bandage his wounds if they wanted to kill him ? It wasn't logical. None of this was logical, from Dust and Kiler spending so much time outside only to come back without fish to Horror never leaving the front of the dent like a guard. Nightmare didn't understand. He didn't understand what they were trying to do. "Dust and Killer patrol on your territory, since you're not in the right condition to do it yourself", Horror had answered when Nightmare asked him where they were going everyday. They were patrolling ? Protecting his territory ? He didn't need someone to protect his territory. At least not before. Now... he appreciated the help. He didn't need another leviathan claiming his lands while he was away. "And you ?" Nightmare had asked, "I stand guard here, make sure no one tries anything", he had answered, but Nightmare wasn't satisfied, "why not stand guard outside ?" He had asked again, "you're not outside" Horror had said. Nightmare didn't answer.

Dust tried to approach him again this day. Nightmare didn't growl, he looked at him for a while before resting his head on the moss and letting the stalker come closer. The three sharks exchanged a surprised look, and Dust grabbed the weeds and entered the dent, slowly getting closer to the injured leviathan. He looked at him again, to make sure it was okay, and grabbed some moss to clean around the wounds. Nightmare tensed, and Dust stopped. They stared at each other for a while, but as Nightmare didn't move, Dust went back to cleaning, carefully, slowly, he then wrapped the seaweeds around the wounds. Nightmare looked at him work, seeing how delicate he was, how patiently he had been waiting for the authorization when he could have given up right from the start, or simply not try at all. And yet here he was, after maybe a week or more, Nightmare had lost count, cleaning his almost infected wounds and wrapping them in weeds, before leaving again once the job was done, not wanting to invade his personal space for too long. Nightmare kept watching the bandages for a while before grabbing one of the fresh fish Killer had brought him after their hunt. He didn't understand them.

Dust kept coming back every day to check on the wounds, always waiting for Nightmare to authorize him to approach before moving.

And so Nightmare was here, in his dent, thinking about everything that had happened in these past weeks, in these past days, how he let them near him and how they never once tried to take advantage of his situation, instead guarding his territory and bringing him food, keeping his wounds clean as to heal better. He looked at Horror, he was laying down a few meters away, his eyes were closed but Nightmare knew he wasn't sleeping, he was always listening for any suspicious sound, making sure no one, except for his two mates, entered the nest.

Nightmare felt a warmth spead in his ribcage when looking at the sand shark. The other two were outside, he was alone with him, and didn't feel in danger. He felt... safe. He couldn't explain it, but he felt safe despite his condition.

Horror stood up and turned to look at him, having heard a low noise. Nightmare heard it too, but he didn't understand why Horror turned to him. He wanted to ask him, but the noise became louder when he opened his mouth. He had felt his throat vibrate. Was it coming from him ? Was he making this sound ? It was an unusual sound for him, but he had heard the others make it too... he was purring... he hadn't purred in years...

Horror smiled fondly, swimming up to him and stopping before entering the dent. Nightmare didn't stop purring.

- Can I come in ?

Horror asked in a soft tone. Nightmare hesitated for a second, before slowly nodding, watching as the shark swam into the dent and around him to lay down, facing the entrance still, but this time surrounding Nightmare with his tail like a barrier.

Nightmare looked up at him, refraining a yawn.

- You can sleep, I'm not moving.

Horror reassured. He wouldn't move, both from here or to try anything, he would stay still and stand guard just as he was doing everyday in front of the dent, only this time he would be inside.

Nightmare kept staring for a moment, before slowly drifting into sleep, only moving slightly to press his back against Horror's side, feeling his warmth as a reminder he wasn't alone.

He wasn't alone anymore, and he wouldn't be alone ever again.

Once healed he would swear loyalty to them and to protect them from any threat, to offer them a safe place and to never doubt them ever again. They deserved it. They deserved his trust.

They deserved his love.

[rendoa-blog]

Sigh. @ancha-aus's Sansnautica thingy has me in a... very tight grip.

SO!

I literally pulled out the colored pencils, like 7 Google searches AND an ask for this.

Enjoy!

[0p1er0]

HES FINISHED ( @ancha-aus and @dreamseersystem ) ALSO!! I made some alt version under the cut :33

Cross with his Peeper from Sans (little flippers) :33

I couldn't decide which I liked better-

:333

[dreamseersystem]

Haaaai :3

Omg that is so cute! Look at the cute little cuddlefish mer! This is so precious!

[llamagoddessofficial]

Okay okay, this idea's been haunting me with all the siren asks, so I gotta throw it out here. Do you know the Subnautica game's premise, where you crash land on an ocean planet? Imagine MC, the lone survivor of a terrible crash on an alien ocean world, struggling to survive and find resources... and on their ventures into the deep attract the attention of some dangerous, intelligent skelly leviathans that take a liking to this cute little creature. Decide to show the morsel some mercy, since it's clearly struggling to do even basic things such as hunting or defending its self. And MC just going "???" when these big scary skeletal predators appear to be helping them rather than hunting them Even if you're not familiar with Subnautica, I thought this might be a fun fit with the skelly siren theme! :)

I

Fucking

LOVE SUBNAUTICA

I hope you're happy anon I've been thinking about your ask obsessively for the past two days. Welcome to sansnautica bitches

Mc crash lands in the beautiful blue alien waste... she has no defence but her sharp mind, no offence but a small knife, and most importantly no way out. She has to learn to survive before this planet learns to kill her.

Sans: Sans shares the blotched black and white colouring style of his Earth counterpart, but not much else. His most notable trait is his four eyesockets. Everything on this new planet is bioluminescent, and Sans is no exception; the black parts of his body can become freckled with a blue glow, blending him into the landscape. He can also move the lights- 'rippling' the glow to very convincingly mimic sunshine casting across the sea floor.

As per tradition, he meets Mc first. Where she crashed is juuust inside his territory... so he’s the first to check out her escape-pod-turned-refuge. He visits at night, when he’s most active, and at first he’s a menace... tapping and scratching on the walls, his ominous dark shape circling her home, so long as the sun is down she’s trapped indoors with no help and no escape. Lots of very, very long nights huddled in her pod while various terrifying, otherwordly sounds filter through the walls.

... But after a few days, she starts finding dead animals in the morning, outside her pod. Usually unceremoniously dumped on the only part of the shelter that’s above water. Is it a threat?

(... It's Sans seeing how terrible she is at catching fish, and deciding he needs to intervene. He can't just let her starve...)

Red: Also has four sockets. He resembles a shark, but borrows the reaper's colour scheme and mandible-like mouthpieces he can use to grab at prey. Like everything in his world he can light up his body beautifully and intricately but he mostly uses large, wide, bright bioluminescent patches dotted across his body that resemble the glowing fruit of the giant seaweed in his home territory. He occupies the looming kelp forests, where the towering plants and murky water disguise his massive form; where all he needs is one burst of immense speed to catch any prey stupid enough to wander in. Like, for instance... a cute little creature he’s never seen before, who seems to be desperately searching for metal.

... He really likes metal. He’s pretty possessive of it. He scavenged his gold tooth himself- he likes to decorate himself and his nest with the flashiest shards. But what he really likes is pretty things. And, heh, a sweet treat like her? Wandering completely unknowingly into his territory, so small, so easy to see, so easy to stalk?

Well... now, he's got something else he wants to add to his collection.

Skull: He, at first, seems like the most 'normal' looking of all the apex predators. A skeleton with two sockets, the lower half of a giant squid, no suckers, the underside of all his tentacles always glowing a beautiful hypnotising rainbow of pastels that's difficult to look away from. In fact... the only strange part about Skull seems to be his immense size, and the small vertical line on his chin running from the bottom of his mouth all the way over his mandible.

... He has two mouths. The one on his face is for smaller food, for communicating, singing and breathing- the small line is because it splits open into thirds to allow him to spit clouds of glowing corrosive acid. His ribcage isn't just a ribcage; it's actually his second mouth, reserved for larger prey.

He normally stalks the dark far edges of the reef, but after the main ship crash he's started coming further and further into the shallows, encroaching slowly on Sans' territory, picking off the escape pods full of survivors that don't require him to encroach TOO far and get in a fight. He's the only thing Sans and Red fear. Mc meets him when she follows a distress signal out to the rim of the shallows... for him, spotting her swimming through the serene emptiness, it's love at first sight- and she only escapes his 'love' by wedging herself into the furthest end of a cave and waiting for him to get frustrated and leave.

Before, he was only entering Sans' territory for small periods of time, and not going that far in... but now? He's searching for her. He's on the hunt. And if he sees her again, he's not going to stop.

[ancha-aus]

sansnautica sneak peak

Sans actually takes a moment to think about his situation and how fucked he is...

*---------------*

Sans sighs as he just sits on the sea floor. Watching the fish swim by peacefully. He knows he should keep moving and searching but what does he even do?

There is a giant alien gun which keeps the planet in quarantine. There is some unknown disease Sans isn’t even sure if he can catch. The gun can only be disabled by someone who isn’t sick but Sans is pretty sure that the needle the machine uses to check if you are okay will kill him, not that the actual machine even registered him being there because he has so little matter in his body.

There are the leviathans that just swim around and Sans can be used as a toothpick for them. There are these aliens half robot fish swimming around which always reminds Sans of death and who can teleport.

Not to forget that Sans magic is on a fritz still from the radiation exposure and Sans doesn’t even want to know what would happen if he tried to summon an attack much less try a teleport.

Not… to forget…

Sans feels his teeth with his tongue and notices once again the very obvious fangs. Which he hadn’t had before he crash-landed.

His body is adapting already.

*------------------*

Yeah. he finally figured it out lmao

[ancha-aus]

sneak peak for what i am writing with Sansnautica.

moment where sans realises the radiation problem.

-----

‘Lifeform readings in this region are sparse. The Aurora's radioactive fallout will have devastating effects on the alien ecosystem if not contained within the next 24 hours.’

Sans feels his soul pulse. Radiation?

Oh no. Oh no no no.

He rushes to where he plugged his PDA in and looks through his options. He finds the radiation message and puts his PDA to keep scanning and measuring it.

‘Objective received. Measuring for electromagnetic radiation and particulate radiation.’

Sans sits next to where his PDA is plugged in as he waits. As he waits he can’t help but thinks he hears things. Weird sounds. He isn’t sure if it is just the radiation news that made him anxious and made him believe he heard things or there are actual things swimming around his pod. He glances up but there is still just a soft light coming through the top window.

‘Scanning complete. Sensing levels of gamma radiation from the Aurora drive core. Continue the monitor.’

Sans leans against the hull. Okay. Okay. That is a problem. He quickly checks his stats and yup. Just as he feared. His mana isn’t regenerating. Usually a short nap is always enough for him to enable to fully recharge his mana. No matter how much he used. If a nap didn’t work it means he can’t regenerate it properly anymore. To fill it up now he will need to eat and drink stuff with actual matter instead of letting his body naturally recharge it slowly over time and only eating some monster food to quickly up your HP and energy.

[ancha-aus]

Another thought about my Sannautica story.

It is important to me that people realise that Sans will not do anything to harm the environment willingly.

He may curse every fish that attacks him out for being vicious (or better said Fishious) but he will not willingly attack in return.

He would prefer to let a leviathan EAT his fully upgraded seamoth that he spend a month on over shooting it with a torpedo and risk killing it.

It is another big motivation for him to shut the core drives in the Aurora down and staying in the radiation over just running away to a safe spot.

just. important sidenote in his character. He is a scientist but a TRUE scientist that CARES deeply about the subjects he studies and the world (or worlds) around him.

[ancha-aus]

Sneak peak time!! hihihihi This is aprt of the full full story and Sans POV :3

---

But now it is about time he actually starts looking for any sign of his fellow Alterra people. See if any of his friendly colleagues escaped and survived.

Sans makes sure to wave goodbye to the others but they still hover nearby and seem to follow him slightly. Sans shoots them a look and makes the shoo/go sign at them. He is fine. He got this.

They don’t look reassured and seem sad.

Yeah Sans knows this is a dick move… He swims back to them for a moment as he tries to think of what they would enjoy… oh right! Duh! They nuzzle him all the time. He can try to do it back. Off his helmet goes again and he makes sure to carefully nuzzle all four of them. He isn’t quite sure how this works but they seem beyond excited after the nuzzles. He does give Cuddler an extra long one. Just because he helped him since the start.

Then he waves and motions go to them again and he is off.

----

lmao. I am sure this won't backfire at all for sansy :3

also... ppppppst @0p1er0 as promised pppssst hihi

[ancha-aus]

SansNautica Drabble - How Four became Five

I haven't been feeling really motivated to write. But then I thought of this idea and i liked it enough to play with it. Lets see how it goes. You guys know the drill! It is a drabble so it is writen once and then to you guys :) Stuff is still up to change but it will be fun! I hope haha

Also don't worry about the timeline hahaha. Seeing as i am not either :D

Warning! Referred Torture. Medical tortue specifically. Nothing graphic but it is there and HEAVILY implied and thought/writen about.

Also. Sidenote and fair warning. I have the headcanon that the Mers lay eggs, they are fish of course they can, and that with a specific kind of intent and magic they can make eggs that will eventually cause the fish form to hatch. so a mer can lay an egg that becomes a fish version of them. a way that mers can help extinct races return and thrive. Nothing grapphic again but it is mentioned.

*---------------------------*

He is so tired.

He misses his family.

What... what do these creatures want from him?

Don't they understand they are hurting him? they have to right?

They speak within his mind. It hurts when they do. his skull aches and his very being feels weird.

He wants to see his friends... his family... He hasn't seen them in so long.

He doesn't remember their faces... their names... He can't even remember his own name.

They call him Ten... The Tenth subject...

He just wants the pain to stop.

They use tools that hurt. Their touches hurt. They cut into his limbs and they don't let him sleep through it.

He wants to go home... They nests in soft blue light of the light bulb plants. Hidden in the darkness with their natural colouring. Watching the fish versions of his mertype swim around their nests. Cute and always willing to cuddle.

Those things came. Took them. Took them all from their very nests. He had seen them steal eggs even.

He had seen them cut the eggs open. He had grieved for those eggs.

He had woken up with stitches on his middle. Not remembering how he got them as he had passed out through the torture.

He doesn't know what they want.

They said they had answers. But he doesn't know to what!

One of them walks over and he tries to curl up even more. There is no room around him. The tank of water is tiny and he can't even stretch his tentacles fully. He is stuck. He is stuck.

He just wants to go home.

But... there is no home anymore... is there?

He is alone.

So alone.

And only the creatures who hurt him remain.

-------------

Dream dodges another one of those alien hunters as he travels deeper into the lava biome. Rushing forwards.

Nightmare would be furious at him for doing this. Actually... Dream is sure he will be furious when he finds out.

His twin always knows what he does.

But he has to!

He has to take this risk!

Those terrible things took what is his!! They took the fish Sea Emperors! They took the leviathan version of the fish!!

Dream is furious.

The sea emperors had already been near extintion. Dream ahd worked so hard and spend so much magic to make eggs to help build the race. Working closely together with the old last naturally born leviathan. Drema had even spend his own magic to strengthen her! She was his friend!!

He is going to break her our.

Dream. My friend. It is too dangerous. They will hurt you. Please... Stay away.

Dream shakes his skull as he pushes his limits further. He needs to get to her. He needs to breka her out.

My friend. Please. I am the last one left. And I do not know where i am. I am deeper than you even think.

Dream pants as he slows down a tiny bit. He focusses his mind to send her a message 'please. Please let me help you.'

I don't accept that. Please. Use your freedom to help more like you. They need you Dream. you are a leviathan. you know that role is of a leader and protector.

Dream shakes his skull as he stares into the large open cavern. Sea dragons leviathans swim around aggressively. More of those alien hunters are moving around to catch whatever they can.

That is the reason why Dream is in his small form now. To be able to sneak by them undetected.

He focuses his thoughts as he starts to inch deeper into the water 'That is what I am doing. You are part of me! You may not be a mer but our tails are the same!' He looks around. He hadn't seen anykind of building of those aliens yet. But they tend to be rather obvious.

You know that you don't need to lead us. That is what I do. and I failed. You have your responsibility to help your fellow... what did you call them again? Mers? You need to help them. They need your guidance.

Dream feels his sockets itch with tears 'But what about you... what about all the eggs and gups we managed to bring back?'

And I will forever be thankful for your help with that. But you can't lose sight of your responsibilities to those who need your help Dream.

Dream frowns as he has to swim back to make sure the hunters don't see him. Their upright position and strange single claw hands unnerve him still 'My brother is already helping the evacution.' Technically. Nightmare is actually hunting the hunters and making sure the large leviathans remain save. Reaper, Error and Ink are actually working on evacutating everyone beyond the void.

Dream. Please. They need you. I will remain here and be at peace. I will play with these strangers and see what they want. you need to go.

Drema hesitates but that must be clear to her.

If you truly wish to help us. Please... free out eggs, They stole so many... find them and free them. please.

Dream gives a slow nod as he backs away from the lava. His soul hurting with knowing he will lose his dear friend 'I will... and I am sorry.'

His friend laughs Oh friend. Don't be sorry for what you couldn't do. Be proud of what you could do. and you helped us so much. and will help many more. it is in your nature.

Dream still feels like he leaves a part of himself behind when he abandons his own fish-kind.

He swims back to the underwater river. A green colour in the area as he searches and searches. He knows those aliens settled here.

A loud roar. Drema looks up shocked. Waht is a sea dragon doing here! the fish-kind of his brother always remain in the lava area! why would one be here?!

Dream rushes after the sound and watches as a large sea dragon bites hunters as they rush forwards. Dream follows them around the corner and watches it crash into a large alien building!

Dream frowns as he connects to the other's emotions and mind. Unlike his own fish-kind, other fishes don't have the many mental powers that his own has. But Dream can still connect to them and learn.

Anger. Hurt. Grief.

huh. Dream tilts his skull as he inches closer. Watching closely as the large leviathan sea dragon hits the structure over and over again.

A loud roar and as Dream is now mentally connected he finally understands what she is saying

Give them back.

Dream gasps and rushes over just as the structure breaks and starts to sink to the bottom. The sea dragon, the mother, struggles to stay upright. Drema rushes to her side to try and heal her but...

The damage to her own head is too large. The large being roars mournfully as she looks at the building.

Dream hushes her gently and connects to her.

Help. Will. Eggs. Find. Safe.

The large being. Those large eyes stare at him. and slowly close. a peace falls over her mind. a very tender and desperate trust fills her in her last moments.

And she is gone.

Dream glares at the structure and rushes over. Time to find some eggs.

He is honestly very lucky that the structure is already broken and filling wiht water. He had found other structures before but never could manage to get very far inside as there is alway a pocket of air.

Now however?

Now he can go inside and explore and-

Oh... oh no...

So many creatures. Strung up and cut open.

Dream rushes deeper. Searching. More of those beautiful fish and creatures all cut open with little regard to them. Chained and stuck with large nails. As if they meant nothing!

That is when Dream sees the egg! It is a large sea dragon egg and Dream rushes over to it. There are these metal tools near it but that is alright! Dream will just break it out.

As soon as he touches the egg he knows.

He still sniffs and nuzzles it. He tries to heal it but it is no use...

Whatever those disgusting beings did... the little being that this egg had held is gone... The mother had died for nothing.

Dream wants to scream and cry. Why!! Why did they do this to them?! Why did they come here and start hurting and hunting them?! What did they do?!

Dream pants as he glares at all the glass. He rips a large weird metal thing off the ground and starts hitting stuff with it. Breaking anything he can get near as he goes deeper and deeper. Rage filling his soul and mind.

He roars loudly and it echoes.

Fear.

Dream stops and focusses. He felt... He thought... He uses all of his senses to reach for that little spike of emotion.

Deep... much deeper into this strange nest. there is someone... they feel... muted feelings. almost as if they are asleep or not awake.

Dream inches deepr into this area. Ready to transform into his bigger form at a moments notice. It would hurt to transform here but he would be able to open up the base fully and get out easily enough using the shock factor.

He turns a corner and glares. THis is where those hunters were made! He is this close to continue destroying this area as well when he feels more of that very light fear. almost as if someone is having a bad dream.

Dream swims over and finds more of those glass containers. Many other creatures inside. all looking hurt. Dream breaks them out but he honestly isn't sure how far they will get. Still he breaks them out as he swims deeper.

That is when he sees them.

A mer. locked in a very tiny containment. Covered with scars and wounds.

A cuddlefish mer... Dream... Dream ahd thought they were all gone... that those terrible hunters had... the hunters went after them first for some reason... They all hadn't realised until it was too late.

Dream rushes towards the strange cage and tries to think on how to safely remove it. The other is shaking and seems to be stuck in a bad dream. Dream glances around and sees mroe of those metal needles and some vials...

Dream tries to hum and hush the other gently but nothing seems to calm them. He needs to get them out. Now. He goes to the top of the glass and uses his claws to get a good grip. Then with the help of his tentacles he forces the glass away. He reaches inside and pulls the mer into his arms.

"please be okay. please be alive!" damn! He will take alive at this point!

The mer doesn't react. Seemingly unable to wake.

Dream glances around. Suddenly afraid of where he is. He eneds to get this mer to safety. But he has no idea how strong the other is. Much less if they would survive a trip through the void.

What if they woke up there and panicked? Or worse?

An idea... Nightmare had already said he would remain in the crater. To try and contain these creatures. his newly formed shiver wanted to remain wiht him... Nightmare will be able to watch over this hurt mer!

Dream hums as he makes sure to have a good hold on the other "Don't worry. I will bring you to my brother. He will keep you safe. I swear."

His brother will keep this vulnerable mer safe and happy.

Dream is sure of it.

[ancha-aus]

Sansnautica sneak peak

In which both Sans and Nightmare make an impression:

--

A loud roar and Sans turns to see the ghost leviathan coming right for him. Worse is the fact that this one looks even bigger than the one he saw before!

Sans doesn’t think as he dives between the branches and speeds off. Making quick turns before reaching the bottom of the tree and speeding of towards the next abstract to use to hide.

Sans tries to ready his stasis gun but he keeps having to make quick turns to dodge the giant mouth and shit that thing wouldn’t even need to chew him and can just swallow him whole. Poof. Sans would be gone.

Sans doesn’t want to think about it as he rushes off. Trying to hide and weave around stuff where he can to try and get it stuck or unable to follow him but nothing seems to be able to stop it from reaching for him.

The large mouth nears him as Sans readies the gun.

A large, large, hand grabs the leviathan by the throat and pushes it up.

Sans would have continued to speed off but he hits something. Sans blinks as he looks back and sees a large black skeleton hand holding him. His back against the palm and his legs leaning on the large, holy shit how are those that big, phalanges.

Sans slowly looks up and can’t help but just stare.

[ancha-aus]

another little sneka peak for my sansnautica story :3

---

Some snickers and Sans glares at Goo and Stalker. Both looking highly amused. Cuddler looks unamused with them and nudges them with one of his tentacles. Both just continue to snicker and chuckle and Sans doesn’t think as he uses a tiny bit of magic to make sure he can throw his peeper with some extra oomf. And he throws it at the two snickering mers.

Goo lets out what Sans can only describe as a yelp as the fish hits him right in the face. Stalker stops laughing and looks between him and Goo before he just barks with laughter even more. Cuddler huffs but grabs the weaponized peeper and brings it back over to Sans.

---

Look at sans... making friends :D

[ancha-aus]

Back to my subnautica story.

Hear me out.

The gang isnt just mers from earth creatures. But subnautica creatures.

Will this get complicated? Yes. Very quickly.

Would it be DOPE?!

yes

[ancha-aus]

Been thinking about how the gang met Nightmare in Sansnautica, since Nightmare is kind of a lone wolf who doesn't go out of his cave

So I thought that the gang (minus Cross since he apparently arrived after the poly was formed) must have stumbled in the cave and saw Nightmare here, but since they trespassed in his territory Nightmare must have been quite mad, but in order to be a poly they must have spent quite some time with him, which is practically impossible if Nightmare chased them from his territory, unless they came back but that would have been a suicide mission basically

So Nightmare must have let them in the cave and didn't chase them for some reason

So my thought is ! Nightmare must have had a reason not to chase them right away, so ! What if Nightmare got hurt after a fight with another big leviathan and stayed hidden in the cave, and that's when Horror Dust and Killer arrived, possibly lost and hungry going from territory to territory to find food, saw the cave, and decided to stay for a while as the territory seemed calm and with lots of fish ? And Nightmare, of course, wasn't happy to see intruders in HIS cave, but as he was hurt he knew that if he moved to chase them he would bleed and the smell of blood would attract predators that he didn't have the energy to fight right now, and he saw the group was tired so they weren't a real threat and so he exceptionally let them stay (while still making sure they understood he was in charge here)

And so the gang lived their life of a while not giving him attention until maybe one of them got closer and noticed he was hurt and offered some help, like giving him food to help him gather energy to heal

And with time they ended up building trust and eventually could start flirting with him and become the poly that we love

Oooh!! That is really cute!

I dind't specifically thoguth of how the poly came to be a poly.

But you are right on the fact that Nightmare was more of a lone wolf from the start. He stayed mostly hidden even when the precursors were at large. bAck when there was more land (farm had to have had land to stay on way ago)

THere are his fellow mer leviathans but most of them tend to wnader and swim the large distances by the other areas.

So you have nightmare under the subnautica zone. with only some small tunnels to get to his area or some secret magical paths only nightmar enad his shiver know how to travel through.

I think that the shiver meeting nightmare would be back when the precursors were still at large. (yes this implies they are old but soulbonds made them slow aging like nightmare) those aliens were hunting mers as they seemed naturally immune to the bacteria.

I was thinking that nightmare saw them or one of them, fleeing form those aliens. Nightmare killed them because there are hunting and hurting those that nightmare sees as belonging to him.

The precursors ran and the tinier mer watched this big mer jjust disappear into the depths. and followed him.

Nightmare told them to leave but yeah. they aren't running. this big mer clearly showed he would protect them so why would they run? They followed him and eventually got to nightmare's area.

Which was like a safe haven. They stayed there to rest up and heal from all the stress and they and nightmare got talking.

The one who got saved went to pick up his two shiver mates and they just moved into nightmare's area.

Ngihtmare acts annoyed but he honestly likes their company. it is nice to have other mers to talk to.

and yeha. the three tiny mers all agreed they wanted the BIG mer as their mate as well. so it was 100% killer, horror and dust courting the giant leviathan mer over nightmare courting them. nightmare eventually just let them do so.

Nightmare did however once get hurt enough to have to rest and heal in his smaller form (that forms heals faster as it is less body to manage which means more magic available to heal). which is when the shiver met tiny form nightmare and they are EVEN MORE in love...

So yeah :)

Then Dream went about helping the sea dragon get her eggs back and tried to save the sea emperor. He never managed to find the sea emperor locked away but he did find Cross. and he brought cross, all sleepy and subduced and drugged, to nightmare to heal. and cross woke up in that safe area. with three friendly mers helping him heal and a large mer watching over them to protect.

[ancha-aus]

Sansnautica sneak peak - Cuddlefish and the... selkie?

:3 so... i went ham... and look at that...

A drabble :3 Just for you guys :3 sneak peak of Cross and Sans meeting.

POV Cross :D

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Cross looks around nervously.

This seem calm…

But then again there had been an intruder ship again.

Sure it had fallen and crashed but it was also poisoning their world with radiation.

Farm had explained to them what radiation could do. He had been a landdweller back before the floods after all, long before the Precursors even came to this planet. Before Nightmare and Dream gifted him his mer form to be safe in the water.

Cross didn’t like being away from the others. But he was the only one immune to this poison that infected their planet.

And so the only safe option to scout the area to see how bad it had gotten.

His shiver hadn’t wanted him to go but Cross offered. He wanted to do this. He wanted to do this for the very people who saved him from the isolation he had been in. The prison of hibernation he hadn’t been able to escape himself.

The Precursors… XGaster had put him in a hibernation and on ice. Something about his immune system and stuff being helpful.

Cross didn’t care. All he remembers from that time was invasive hands. Of being stuck on cold metal tables. Of knives cutting into him and pain.

When he woke up from another forced sleep he had been met with Dream. Dream looking at him full of worry before Dream brought him out of the partly flooded base.

Cross had been ready to pass out with fear when he saw the gigantic black form of Nightmare. Only for Nightmare to easily take both him and Dream and keep them both safe as he left the area with lava and that disgusting building that had held him prisoner for so so so long.

The world had completely changed since he had been last outside.

At least the shiver was nice. They helped him. The taught him about the world and helped him rediscover old forgotten instincts. Helped him relearn the language of the mers that still sounded like singing to him.

He owned them so much.

The least he can do is swim into this radiation to make sure that it wasn’t getting closer to them or getting worse.

Cross takes a deep breath as he nears the shallows. Time to go to where the ship crashed and reaper territory.

Cross nears the area and waits.

Huh… No poison?

Cross frowns as he speeds of. Easily dodging any of the sand sharks that pop out. Cross makes grins at the sight of them. They remind him of Horror and Horror is such a sweet mate. It makes Cross not worry about the sand sharks at all. He just remembers the way that Horror would lay partly buried in sand as he basks in the sun and warm sand.

Cross grins as he twirls in the sea. Nearing the sight of the disaster and ruined reaper territory.

He manages to get all the way to the ship and frowns. Where is the pressure of the poison? The way it will feel like a sludge over his being? It isn’t here at all?

Cross frowns and makes sure to remain near for a while. Maybe it is one of those slow acting ones?

But nothing happens. No pressure. No weird side effects. No slightly hazy sight.

It is gone.

But how is it gone?

Cross backs up and frowns.

They had already checked the metal shells that had shot off the ship. All of them holding creatures from the ship but none of the surviving for longer than a day or two.

Cross did feel bad about that. Same for the rest of his shiver. They hadn’t wanted to interfere or risk themselves but coming back from checking something else only to find a broken open shell and ruined items? Yeah. Cross doesn’t feel good about it.

Still he frowns as he hears the first reaper. Best to get back to the others now and report that the radiation is gone.

It is good. It means they can all start really searching and investigating the area to make sure nothing is trying to settle or nothing dangerous entered the planet again.

Nightmare said nature was already in a fragile balance after the Precursors infected them with this illness.

Cros is very happy that his shiver seemed immune to it but he had seen the green spots appearing on others and seen them die quickly. The shiver had told him stories about this little group that had crashed here ages ago. How the three had kept moving before one killed a reaper and caused another one to attack their little nest area.

Cross grieved for those in private.

He swims by the shallows when he suddenly freezes.

That…

That is one of those creatures!

Those shell creatures!

Cross knows because he can see the like second skin and the obvious brands on that skin of the symbol of the crashed ones.

The other catches a peeper and turns and stops.

Their face is just a blank sheet and Cross feels very nervous.

They continue the stare at him before slowly starting to move closer and Cross feels himself tense. The other stops and tilts their head slightly. They slowly raise the hand not holding the peeper and Cross gets ready to rush away. But then the other grabs the underside of their own face and just pulls it back and-

It reminds him of when Geno or Blue undoes part of their seal skin to show their landdweller form.

And suddenly there is a skeleton skull staring back at him. Large sockets and soft little pure white eye lights.

Cross swims a little closer as his mind races. There had been mers on that ship? Why? Why would- the brand. The branding on the skin… does… was… are they? Where they like him? Trapped? And the crash knocked something lose?

Is that why Cross only sees them now? Is this the first time this selkie managed to get ot and explore?

Maybe they had their skin hidden away. And they managed to reclaim it before escaping the ship…

Cross’s mind is spinning when the selkie looks at the fish they are holding. They seem to be having trouble with staying afloat. Having to use this tool on their back to propeller upwards before having to keep moving the little flippers to try and stay at least on the same level.

The little selkie offers him the peeper.

Cross feels his soul start to melt. The little guy is trying to share. Poor selkie was probably locked away and it desperately looking for food only to be willing to share… maybe they thing Cross was also a captive?

Cross inches closer. Trying very hard to not seem dangerous to the other.

Cross decides not to go too close and uses his tentacle to take the peeper. The selkie just stares at the limb. So very curious and Cross can see the other’s hand inch towards him before being pulled back.

Cross quickly backs away. He doesn’t want to scare them. This is fragile. They are vulnerable and have no idea what they can eat… Oh! Maybe if Cross shows it is completely fine to eat they will feel more reassured? The selkie tilts their skull at them and Cross quickly looks to the fish and eats it quickly.

Some movement and Cross glances up to see a tiny tiny grin on their face. As soon as they notice him looking they make sure their face is normal again. Cross quickly focusses on the fish. Why aren’t they emoting? Weren’t they allowed to do that? Cross knows that XGaster hated him emoting… maybe this also happened to the other?

Cross finishes the fish and sees that the selkie is still watching him curiously. Cross decides to be a bit bold and swims a few circles around the selkie, going down a bit with him as the other continues to sink slowly.

Cross can see that the other starts to look at his form more curiously and Cross takes the time to study the other. The brands seem fully intergraded into the other’s skin… That can’t be good. He isn’t even sure if Dream would be able to heal this… poor guy… Cross reaches for the brand on one side of him. Were the leg, or well leg-fins? Seem to start. He tries to be gentle as he touches it.

The selkie immediately twists around and backs up a bit. Okay! Oh no! That hurt apparently! Oh Cross feels terrible! He can’t stop the whine as he gives the other more room. He didn’t mean to hurt him… but that this imply that this is a new brand? Or that they were just rebranded?

The selkie looks annoyed and guarded as they cross their arms and frowns at them. Cross feels even worse. He didn’t mean to hurt Little Flippers! He just wanted to make sure it wasn’t hurting him!

The selkie relaxes a bit and frowns a little before relaxing. A small grin appears on their face and Cross feels a bit better.

Then they take out a tool and hold it up hopefully. Euh.. what is that?

They make a show of using it on themselves before showing him the other side of the thing. It seems to be text of some type, not that Cross can read this one. And there seems to be a picture of a skeleton on it.

Oh! Maybe it is to show the form under the skin of a selkie? Maybe he is curious about it Cross is like them! Cross holds out an arm and waits with held breath.

Cross feels his anxiety leaves when they look so excited after using the tool on him. Staring at the screen eagerly before tilting their skull slightly confused. Cross follows after him and takes a glance himself. It doesn’t make sense to him but it seems to have worked.

The selkie stares at him and Cross tilts his skull at them. Trying to get them to interact with him again.

Cross sees no real reaction aside from some confusion on their face so he backs of. Oh wait! Maybe doing little tricks helps? A bit of playing? Cross makes a backwards flip before looking at Little Flippers again.

Little Flippers just look confused. Don’t… don’t they know about playing?

They sink a bit and use their items to geta bit higher in the water again.

Why can’t Little Flippers swim okay? Did those other creatures hurt them? Is that why they can’t swim anymore? They don’t look bothered by it as they give a shrug but Cross does not agree. It is dangerous if he can’t swim fully. What if something gets him?!

Wait! Why hasn’t he even tried to!?

Cross focusses on the other “Hey… I am Cross. Who are you? Do you need help?”

Little Flipper shakes their skull before swimming up?! Why?!

Cross watches as they break the surface before coming down again and they make a few sounds as small bubble of air leave their mouth. It sounds deeper with sharper tunes than what Cross is used to but not bad per se.

Though there is no way this sound or language will travel far through the water.

Cross feels another sense of loss. Did those creatures force him to adapt? Were they trying to force a poor selkie to adapt out of the water? Is that why he is branded? And can’t swim? And seems to need air to communicate even when he looks fine without air in the water?

Little Flippers makes a few more sounds and seems happy to at least try and talk to Cross.

A roar breaks their little moment and Cross turns to see stalkers attacking. Cross doesn’t think as he rushes them as Little Flippers barely manages to dodge one attacking them!

No! Don’t touch them!

More stalkers appear and Cross makes it obvious they are not welcome. Cross growls and scares them off easily enough.

But by the time he turns back Little Flippers is gone.

Cross spends more time searching the shallows for Little Flippers. They wouldn’t have gone too deep right? With them not being a strong swimmer? But he finds nothing.

Cross can only hope they are holed up somewhere safe. Made a little nest for themselves to remain safely in.

Cross knows he needs to inform the others quickly and rushes off to get to them.