#That'd he'd be satisfied with only Merry coming back :)

[muppenthings]

(Start) (Previously) (Next)

CW: imprisonment(?) being tied up at least

Merry heads out an hour earlier for their meetup. Tide was always waiting for them, perhaps he was already there. Merry hopes so; they want to meet him as soon as possible.

Nearing the location, they notice that Tide's missing. With a sigh, they swim the last stretch before letting the full harvest bag slowly drift to the bottom, taking them with it. The mer makes themself comfortable on the kelp bed; now they can only wait.

With nothing to do but observe their surroundings, they notice changes in the kelp beds, scattered around their meeting location. Merry squints at them; they look bumpy. Almost as if-

A large silhouette appears from a far, distracting them from the sea floor. Tide.

He's quick to notice them, looking briefly surprised to see them there so early. When his eyes land on the harvest bag, his expression softens,

"Hey Merry, you don't need to-"

He suddenly freezes, turning his attention to the sea floor.

And the ocean boils with movement as numerous Ocean mers dart out from pockets underneath the kelp beds.

Two of them are in Tide's face before he can even react, emptying pouches of octopus ink. The giant instinctively reels back with a snarl, temporarily blinded. Meanwhile, a different group uses the distraction to swiftly wrap several large nets around his tail; pinning his fins down and throwing his balance off.

Before Merry can yell at them to stop, strong arms wrap around their midsection, pulling them away from the scene. Merry turns their head to protest, only to be stunned into silence. It was Coral. Coral was dragging them to a waiting group of mers further away. Among them was Elder Jewel.

--

Hissing angrily, Tide swipes after the circling mers; the water had cleared enough for him to see again. But the Ocean mers are far too quick for him, he knows this. His panic builds; he needs to get away now or they'll completely ensnare him. With the nets around his tail hindering full movement, he won't be nearly as fast or steady. Tide still attempts to move forward.

The mers acts fast and he gets several jabs to his gills. No blood is drawn, but the prods are hard enough to make him yelp and reflexively bring his arms down to shield them.

Which is exactly what they want.

Another blinding cloud of ink to his face while others are quickly circling him, wrapping thick ropes and more nets around his arms and torso, pinning his crossed limbs to his chest.

He desperately tries to tear the binds apart, but he quickly realizes that they're made by humans. They won't easily tear without the aid of something sharp and he can't position his hands or mouth to them.

Tide feels them pull the nets tigher around his tail; hooking the ends into another. He can't even move his tail anymore.

There's no escape, so he does the only thing he can do in the moment.

He allows his body to sink to the bottom, protecting at the very least his softer belly and gills from further attacks. The Ocean mers are still circling around and above, armed with more pouches of ink and ropes, spears at the ready.

"He's subdued," one of them announces.

He snarls defiantly at them before his eyes lands further ahead of him. A group of Reef mers are gathered at the bottom; observing his capture no doubt. He instantly recognizes one of them, an old mer has their hand on their shoulder. Merry gazes back at him, eyes wide.

Tide feels the all too familiar sting of betrayal.

"You set me up."