#the anime this is from is mermaid melody

[camels-pen]

did you know there's a mermaid magical girl anime. bc i didnt

ref

[xxiione]

[elsewhereonline]

🐠🐬🐡🦐

[sabxhere]

KOTCHI WO MUITE SUKI DA TO ITTE—✨💖💖

[sparkles-oflight]

Which is gayer?

LGBT?

Or

[idiosyncraticrednebula]

I don't understand why TLM 2 tried so hard to emphasize and clarify how much Ariel is like her mother in terms of personality when she is, in the movie, quite frankly, written to be more like Eric in character. She was really primarily introverted, shy, awkward, tomboyish, mild-mannered and more serious, which is more like her father. I guess it was her impulsive, curious, rebellious and reckless nature that made the characters in the movie go, "Ow, she is so like her mother!", but I don't know, whenever I see Melody, I see her as closer to her dad. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who sees it this way. I don't believe for one second that NO ONE in that universe was able to notice the similarities she had with her father. C'mon, she even has his doggone smile! 😂

[error404vnotfound]

you are telling me a 12/13 year old won a surfing competition against adult men

[ani-tolaat-bli-toelet]

Me rewatching Mermaid Melody in 2014: there's Something about Noel and her story with Rina but I can't quite put my finger on-

Me rewatching Mermaid Melody in 2024: the fish are homosexual

Growing up is actually just enjoying the exact same things you enjoyed at 14 years old, but in a more gay way

[rene-darling]

SEA CREATURE- genshin men

Genshin men but they're different types of sea creatures! How do they court you if they can't walk on land?...credits [m.neuvillette on insta]

...scaramouche...xiao...neuvillette...

Xiao

Xiao was never interested in mortals, let alone those who walked the land.

But there was just something about you that drew him near.

When you went swimming he would keep an eye out for you, watching you from a distance- just in case you were attacked! Not anything creepy...

He always found humans trying to swim funny-looking but when he observed you...he felt something different.

So when once a big wave had pulled you under preventing you from resurfacing he didn't think twice before guiding you back to shore.

He panted heavily, he'd never swam that in his life!

And when you woke up and looked at him he wondered what you would say..or think, would you call him a monster? An ugly creature? Like all the other humans- "are you...an angel?"

His breath hitched in his throat before he let out a scoff "hmpf. Foolish mortal."

He grumbled diving back deep into the ocean before you could say anything or ask him further questions.

This was getting rather tiring... Everyday since then you would come to the beach and scream your lungs out, and he'd blush at all the nicknames you had given him since he'd had not told you his name

"yoohoo~ angel!, my mermaid savior!, my-" "Stop it." you froze..he finally appeared before you, tired of hearing the arsenal of nicknames you had for him.

He glared at you with those sharp eyes of his, but when you looked at him and gave him a bright smile shouting "it's you! You're back! Hah!" he can't help but let his gaze soften...just a bit!

After that, it became routine for you to meet him by the seashore.

Once he started developing feelings for you, he wasn't quite sure on what to do.

He was flustered..you were a land animal, while he was a merman..

He came to the conclusion that the two of you could not be together in any capacity...

But that didn't stop his feelings from growing. Nor did it stop his biased behavior towards you.

He would bring you many sea shells from the ocean depts

One's that could not be found near the shore.

Once he saw that you liked them he started trying them together making cute accessories for you

Necklaces, rings, bracelets etc!

Scaramouche

Scaramouche is a siren. A deadly one at that.

He doesn't care for humans until it comes to his meal time and he doesn't give a fuck about them in a romantic sense either.

He was doing his usual, singing his lovely melody to attract nearby sailors so he could feast upon them.

But once he had gotten in a bit of trouble with some pirates whom he was trying to kill. Which resulted in him being caught in a net his tail all tangled up

His tail is his best asset! It's the easiest way to lure victims in! With just a wave of his tail he'll have his pray swimming to him

But now he's helplessly stranded on shore. He's half expecting for some humans to come along and kill him by this point..and they might as well since he feels as though he might die of hunger.

And then this human does come along. He's expecting his death but not without a fight!

He tries scratching you, hurting you. But to no avail, you don't back down as you keep approaching him not backing down from his fights

He winces when you bring the knife closer, that's it. This is the end for his miserable life...

Suddenly all those tight ropes around his body drop to the floor and he gets free. In instinct, he quickly swims off not bothering to talk to you.

It's been a while since then, and he convinces himself that he doesn't care...but, he can't really explain why he swims up to the shore every day, watching with sharp eyes to see if you would make an appearance.

And when you finally do, he feels relief spread out his body..you're safe- wait. No, he's a siren. He doesn't care for you!

After weeks of just watching you, he finally makes an appearance throwing a rock at your head to get your attention. When you look at him he swims behind a large rock gesturing for you to come closer. And when you do follow him without question he thinks to himself

Stupid human! I'm siren for archons sake!! What if I was trying to kill them!!...i mean I'm not, I would never. But still!

From that day on it becomes a tradition for the both of you to meet behind the big rock slightly offshore.

He doesn't know why he feels this warm feeling spread through his chest..he's a cold-blooded siren for god sake!

Still...he can't help it so..he tries impressing you.

He shows off his colorful tail, flapping it around and sticking it out of the water for you to observe.

He also makes sure to dive deep down into the ocean and grab rocks that he finds nice from the ocean floor to give to you.

He's sure you'll be impressed by his rocks! You probably haven't seen them since he got them from the depts.

Neuvillette

He's a sea otter!! With a fluffy little tail

Meeting you was definitely a stroke of luck.

You were on a scuba diving expedition with some friends and had lost your way in the depths of the fontain ocean

Neuvillette took all measures to stay away from humans of any kind, he didn't trust them, especially with how they polluted the waters!

But he had gotten his nose stuck in a plastic cup! He was only a bit curious about this strange plastic! He hadn't expected to get stuck!

This is why while in his attempt to get his nose out of the cup he felt his body press onto someone warm

Snapping his head back he saw you! His first instinct was to run, humans were nothing but trouble!...but.

Before he could've ran you had grabbed the plastic cup and had freed his nose

He's really grateful so he decides he'll show you the way back to your friends which you got lost from.

He tries to make you understand but you don't so he wraps his fluffy tail around you and pulls you to where he saw your friends.

From then on whenever you would go on a scuba diving expedition with your friends he would always seek you out. He's still not good with humans so while your scuba team is distracted you'll slip away unnoticed and find him.

You don't need to search far, it seems he's always around the corner when you seek him out

His eyes sparkle as he swims circles around you his fluffy tail brushing against you as he looks at your swimming gear

He'll ask you questions about it, and he'll be absolutely fascinated by the gadgets you have.

He'll get really sad when you have to leave soon to not worry your swim team. He insists you must stay at least a little while longer!

He'll start developing feelings for you, but he doesn't know how to act them out

He wouldn't have ever expected to fall for a human being! A mortal!

But he feels this overwhelming desire to be near you and to protect you from any harm you might face.

Being an otter, they usually hold hands while they sleep, that being the only affectionate thing he knows how to do, He never leaves your hand! Clinging onto your arm as if you're about to die!

He swims up to shore to watch the stars with you, and as you slowly fall asleep, he holds onto your arm to not drift away from you as you both sleep under the stars.

[angelsfat3]

ⓘㅤ 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐘 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐄. ⠀⠀( 我爱上了一个童话。)

��ummary “ ✉. A beautiful boy in love with something that he swore was just his dream or his imagination, ended up finding it many years later in the same place.

⠀،،⠀Genre. ’ Sci-fi, drama, love, au.

( 𝒄/𝒘. )───Mermaids, impossible love(?), destiny, accidental reunion.

The soft light from the lamp gently illuminated Jisung’s room.

In his bed, with the blankets all wrinkled and his little stuffed animal hugged tightly, the boy listened intently to the warm voice of his mother.

She, so beautiful and affectionate, sat beside him, stroking his hair as the words flowed from her mouth like a whisper full of tenderness.

“Once upon a time,” the mother began, “there was a deep and mysterious ocean where the mermaids lived. They were beings as ancient as the waves themselves, always protecting their home and their young with all their power. Each mermaid had a special melody that they sang to the sea, calling their little ones when they felt lost or sad. And always, always, they were ready to defend them, even with their own lives. No one could harm them.”

Jisung, with his little eyes shining but heavy with sleep, squeezed his stuffed animal with a smile on his lips, fascinated by his mother’s stories. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself be carried away by the peace her words brought him, imagining that world of blue waters and magical creatures.

“And so, my dear,” she continued, lowering her voice even more, “the mermaids took care of their little babies, always near the water, always watchful, hating to see humans with their children because they feared they could do awful things to them.”

“Like in the Little Mermaid movie, mommy?” Jisung asked, yawning a bit.

“Yes, my dear,” the mother replied, gently closing the book and stroking her son’s cheek. “No matter how big the storms were or how far they swam, they always found their way back because the love for their little ones never fades.”

Jisung, his voice soothed by tiredness, barely managed to whisper, “Like mommy...”

The mother smiled softly, kissing his forehead. “Yes, my love, like mommy. Now, it’s time to sleep.”

With a sweet sigh, she adjusted the blankets and caressed his cheek one last time. “Goodnight, my dear, sleep well. I love you.”

And with those words, the boy let himself be enveloped by sleep, feeling that, perhaps, in some faraway corner of the sea, mermaids really did exist and watched over those who needed them.

The sun shone with a soft, warm glow as the car made its way down the road toward the beach.

Jisung, sitting in his car seat in the back, swung his little legs excitedly, humming a made-up song while his favorite stuffed animal rested beside him.

The sky looked different that day; the clouds resembled cotton candy, fluffy and almost magical. In the distance, the sea sparkled as if someone had scattered diamonds across its surface, and the waves rolled in a mesmerizing rhythm, so perfect they seemed unreal.

“It’s such a beautiful day,” Jisung’s mother said from the front seat, admiring the view.

“Perfect for making memories,” his father replied with a smile.

When they finally arrived at the beach, Jisung darted out of the car with his bucket and shovel, but his mother quickly stopped him.

“Hold it right there, young man! You can’t go out without your sunscreen.”

The little boy pouted as she took out the bottle of sunscreen and began covering every inch of his skin. “Mommy, it’s too much...” he whined, but she paid no attention.

“I don’t want you getting sunburned, sweetheart.”

When she finished, Jisung looked like a little white cloud, his face covered in cream and his arms glistening. His father, who was wrestling with a large beach umbrella, couldn’t help but laugh. “Honey, I think you overdid it. Now our kid looks like Casper.”

She raised an amused eyebrow. “Oh, really? Well, I’d rather have him look like this than get burned.”

The father shrugged as he finally secured the umbrella in the sand. “At least, if he gets lost, I can just tell people I’m looking for Ju-on.”

She laughed but shot him a warning glance when she caught the double meaning in his words. “Watch what you say in front of the boy.”

Jisung, oblivious to the exchange, had already started running toward the water’s edge, laughing out loud as his little bucket wobbled in his hand. The sand felt soft beneath his feet, and the waves seemed to call to him with their constant murmur.

“Mommy, Daddy, look!” he shouted, turning around briefly to make sure they were watching before starting to dig with his shovel, determined to build the best sandcastle.

His parents watched from a distance, his mother smiling tenderly while his father settled under the newly planted umbrella. “Our little one has all your energy,” the father remarked.

“And all your curiosity,” she replied, intertwining her arm with his as they both watched their son, who was now laughing uncontrollably as the waves splashed around his tiny feet.

Jisung ran joyfully across the sand, leaving tiny footprints behind him. His bucket and shovel bounced in his hands as he ventured closer to the shoreline.

Suddenly, something caught his attention—a rocky area at the far end of the beach where the waves crashed harder, forming small crystal-clear pools among the stones.

Without a second thought, he began running toward it, his giggles filling the air. The waves played with his feet, making him jump with delight every time the cold water brushed against his ankles.

“Jisung!” His mother’s voice called out from a distance. He stopped for a moment, turning to look at her. “Don’t go too far, sweetheart!” she shouted, a mix of love and concern in her tone, waving her hand to warn him away from the rocks.

“Okay, Mommy!” he replied in his tiny voice, though he didn’t stop heading toward his destination.

When he reached the rocks, Jisung bent down to peer into the pools between them. The water was so clear he could see tiny fish swimming and snails clinging to the wet surfaces. His eyes lit up as he watched the little creatures move, fascinating and mysterious.

Then something else caught his attention—a glimmer beyond the waves past the rocks.

He frowned slightly, trying to focus his gaze. There was something moving in the water, something that seemed to appear and vanish as if it were playing hide-and-seek.

“What’s that?” he murmured to himself, taking a small step forward, ignoring the waves splashing against his feet and the droplets sprinkling his cheeks and forehead.

The glimmer appeared again, this time closer.

Jisung laughed with excitement, thinking it might be one of the magical fish his mother mentioned in her bedtime stories. Without fear, he sat down on a flat rock, letting his bucket and shovel drop beside him. His legs dangled over the water as he watched intently, waiting for the mysterious creature to resurface.

Jisung sat silently, his small hands resting on the rock and his feet barely skimming the water's surface. His little heart pounded with excitement as he waited for whatever he had seen to appear again.

And then, he saw it.

From within the waves, a figure began to emerge. First came a small hand, followed by a face peeking just above the crystal-clear water.

It was another child, about his age, but there was something different about him. His hair was sleek and shiny, as though made of wet silver threads, and his eyes were wide and curious, the color of the sea on a sunny day.

Jisung blinked, astonished. The other child didn’t move, watching him from the water as though deciding if it was safe to come closer.

“Hi!” Jisung called out, his cheerful voice accompanied by a toothy grin.

The water child didn’t respond but also didn’t retreat beneath the surface.

He seemed curious, though his hands gripped a nearby rock tightly, as if ready to disappear at any moment.

Jisung beamed, leaning forward a little more. “Do you want to play? I’ve got a bucket and a shovel,” he offered, pointing to his toys beside him.

The other child tilted his head, his sea-colored eyes sparkling with something Jisung couldn’t quite understand.

Finally, the boy seemed to relax, releasing the rock and swimming closer. As he reached the water’s edge, Jisung noticed something that left him speechless. A tail.

A long, beautiful, scaly tail shimmered beneath the water, its iridescent colors shifting between purple, green, blue, and silver with every movement.

Jisung froze for a moment, unsure what to say.

“Are you... a mermaid?” he whispered in awe, as though speaking too loudly might shatter the magic of the moment.

The water child hesitated but eventually nodded slightly, a shy smile playing on his lips.

“I knew they were real!” Jisung exclaimed, jumping up on the rock. His enthusiasm was so contagious that the water boy couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh, a sound like the murmur of waves.

Without hesitation, Jisung grabbed his bucket and filled it with water. “Let’s build a sandcastle together! It’ll be the biggest one ever,” he declared, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

The water boy hesitated, but seeing the innocent, joyful look on Jisung’s face, he decided to come closer. He pulled himself onto the rocks, his shimmering tail glinting in the sunlight.

The two began to play, laughing as they built wobbly towers and water-filled moats. Jisung chattered non-stop, sharing stories about how his mom had told him about mermaids, while the water boy listened quietly, occasionally nodding or letting out a soft giggle.

It was a magical moment. The world around them faded, leaving just the two of them, the crooked sandcastle, the waves crashing against the rocks, and Jisung’s endless questions about mermaids.

For a brief moment, it felt like the world was made only for them: a human boy and a child of the sea, sharing a fleeting, magical connection beneath the perfect sky.

But in the distance, a voice began to call.

“Jisung! Where are you?”

Jisung looked up, recognizing his mother’s voice. “That’s my mommy!” he explained quickly to the water boy. “Wait here, don’t go, okay?”

But the water boy had already started to retreat. The distant voice had changed his calm expression to one of fear and alarm.

“No, wait!” Jisung tried to reach for him, but in the blink of an eye, the ethereal child slipped into the depths, disappearing beneath the waves.

“Jisung!” His mother’s figure appeared, running across the sand, her face full of worry.

Jisung stood by the water, tears welling in his eyes. “Mommy, Mommy, you scared my friend...”

“Friend?” she asked, kneeling to embrace him. “What friend, sweetheart?”

“My friend... he was a mermaid, like the ones in your stories.”

She looked at him with a tender smile, stroking his hair. “Oh, my little one, you know mermaids only exist in movies and fairy tales. Come now, don’t wander off like that again, alright?”

But as she carried him back, Jisung couldn’t take his eyes off the ocean. He knew it hadn’t been a dream. He had met a mermaid.

The journey back to where his parents were was silent. Although his mother continued talking to him, making sure he was okay and patting him on the back, Jisung could barely hear her. His mind was fixed on what had just happened.

Would he see his friend again? Why had he disappeared so quickly?

When they arrived, his father looked at them from the shade of the large umbrella, putting down the magazine he had been reading. “There’s my little Gasparín,” he said with a smile, though his tone showed he was a little concerned. “Where have you been, champ?”

“Playing…” Jisung answered quietly, hugging his bucket to his chest.

“Who were you playing with?” his father asked, while his mother sat him down on one of the towels.

Jisung hesitated before answering. He knew that if he told the truth, they might not believe him, just like his mother hadn’t. “With someone near the water,” he murmured finally.

His parents exchanged a quick glance, as if evaluating the situation. His mother smiled and stroked his cheek. “Well, sweetheart, next time make sure you don’t wander so far, okay? We don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Yes, mommy…” Jisung replied, though his mind was still elsewhere.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

The afternoon passed quietly, but Jisung didn’t stop looking at the waves, hoping to see that flash of shimmering scales in the water again. Even when his father tried to distract him by building a much larger sandcastle, his mind remained in the same place.

As the evening fell, the sky began to take on shades of orange and pink. The waves became softer, reflecting the colors of the sunset like a mirror.

While his parents packed up their things, Jisung stayed sitting by the shore, his empty bucket beside him.

“You’ll come back, right?” he whispered to the ocean, as if the water could hear him. “I want us to be friends forever…”

A small wave rolled up to his feet, as if responding. And even though there were no signs of the water child, Jisung smiled.

In the depths of his heart, he knew that someday they would meet again.

As he walked away with his family, glancing at the sea one last time, a barely perceptible figure peeked from the waves.

It was him, the boy with the iridescent tail, watching him from a distance. His eyes reflected curiosity and a touch of sadness.

When Jisung was out of sight, the water child submerged again, his figure fading beneath the waves.

The ocean held secrets no adult could understand, but Jisung, with his pure heart and infinite imagination, had managed to glimpse one of them.

When they got home, the afternoon had faded, giving way to night. The sound of the waves still echoed in Jisung’s mind, like a distant echo he couldn’t shake off.

Although his mother had tucked him in and put him to bed, he couldn’t stop thinking about that water child, with his iridescent tail and eyes as deep as the ocean.

He lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling, his small fingers clutching his stuffed animal, but his mind was still traveling to the beach, to the water, to the child he had met for just a moment.

“Why did he disappear so quickly? Is he okay? ... uhm...” he murmured to himself, unable to stop the questions swirling in his head.

Suddenly, his soft, tender voice broke the silence of the room. “Mommy...”

Jisung’s mother was in the hallway, finishing putting away some things from the beach trip, but when she heard his call, she peeked into the room, smiling gently at seeing him awake. “Can’t sleep, my love?”

Jisung lifted his head from the pillow and looked at her with those big eyes, as if his soul were searching for deeper answers. “Mommy... can you tell me the mermaid story again?”

His mother paused for a moment, looking at her son with affection. She saw him hugging his stuffed animal tightly, as if he needed something to feel closer to the safety and comfort only she could provide.

“Of course, sweetheart, I’ll tell you the story again,” she replied softly, moving closer to the bed and sitting on the edge, her smile barely hiding her concern. “Do you want to hear the part about how they protect their babies? Or about what they’re like?”

Jisung nodded, moving his head up and down, almost eagerly. “Yes, that one... the one you told me last time... the one about... uh... their babies!”

His mother began, her gentle and calm words filling the room with a familiar melody.

“Mermaids, my dear, are very special creatures. They live deep in the sea, and just like human mothers, they always take care of their children with great love. They know the ocean is a dangerous place, but their babies are born strong and agile. Mermaids have a very deep connection with the water, and the sea always protects them. It’s like an invisible cloak that wraps around them. No one can separate them from their home, because the sea is their home. And even though the ocean can be vast and mysterious, the mermaids always take care of each other, protecting their little ones until they’re ready to swim on their own, just like whales protect their babies.”

Jisung curled up in the bed, hugging his stuffed animal tighter as his mother continued telling the story, her voice creating a bubble of calm around him. But as he listened, Jisung couldn’t help but imagine his water friend, his figure gliding in the depths of the ocean.

Would he be okay? Was he also being cared for by the sea and his mother?

“Mommy... do mermaids ever become friends with humans?” he asked, unable to resist the curiosity consuming him.

His mother fell silent for a moment, thoughtful.

“Mermaids are very careful, sweetheart. They’re very shy, and although sometimes they can interact with humans, they usually don’t because they’re afraid. That’s why the sea keeps them away from us, as a way to protect them. But in some stories, there are humans who have a special connection with them... a bond so strong that, even if the sea tries, it can’t separate them. They might even be more than friends, just like your daddy and I... according to some stories.”

Jisung furrowed his brow, trying to understand. Something in those words resonated deeply in his heart. Perhaps, without knowing it, he had made that connection.

“Do you think I could be friends with a mermaid, Mommy?” he asked in a quiet voice, almost as if afraid of the answer.

His mother smiled sweetly, stroking his hair tenderly. “You never know, my dear. Maybe one day the sea will bring you to your friend, if it’s meant to be.”

Jisung remained silent, his eyes beginning to close, but still with that strange feeling that something else was coming.

The sound of the ocean continued to vibrate in his mind, and the vision of the boy with the mermaid tail stayed alive in his thoughts.

“Good night, my dear,” his mother said, giving him a kiss on the forehead. “Sleep well, my love.”

“Good night, Mommy... will I ever see my friend again?” he murmured, his voice already sleepy.

“Maybe, sweetheart... maybe.”

And as Jisung closed his eyes, the real world seemed to fade away for a moment. In his mind, the sea whispered, and somewhere, beneath the waves, his friend waited for him.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

The art classroom was quiet, save for the soft sounds of other students working, though for Jisung, it was merely distant background noise, almost nonexistent.

Jisung, however, was completely absorbed in his world. His headphones were his refuge, blocking out all distractions as his music filled the silence and his hands moved instinctively across the canvas.

Before him, on the canvas, a figure was beginning to take shape: a young man emerging from the water, his bare torso glistening under a silvery light mimicking the moon. Dark, wet strands of hair framed a face with soft yet intense features, and eyes that seemed to pierce through whoever gazed upon them. His iridescent mermaid tail shimmered with vivid, luminous hues.

“Just as beautiful as 13 years ago...” Jisung murmured to himself, as if the painting could respond.

His fingers added the finishing touches, delicate strokes of light across the scales of the tail, trying to capture the iridescent brilliance that had fascinated him so much.

He was so focused that he didn’t notice the figure standing beside him, watching curiously.

Suddenly, a hand touched his shoulder, making him jump. Jisung turned quickly, seeing his friend Jaemin standing there. He turned his head again, but the music still resonated in his ears, isolating him from the world outside.

With a sigh, he took off his headphones, pausing the music just as Na finished speaking.

“What?” Jisung asked, still slightly disconnected from reality.

Jaemin looked at him, pointing at the canvas with a teasing smile. “I was saying, that painting is incredible. Who is it? Your secret new muse or something?”

Jisung blinked, glancing slightly at the painting. For a moment, he thought about lying, about coming up with something simple, but no words came out. Instead, he shrugged and tried to deflect the attention.

“Ah, just... an idea I had,” he replied vaguely, forcing an awkward smile as he picked up the brush again to correct a shadow on the young man’s arm. The figure of the merman seemed to gaze back at him, like a secret only he could understand.

Jaemin tilted his head, clearly unconvinced. “An idea? Jisung, this looks like more than an idea. There’s so much detail; it’s like you know him.”

Jisung felt a faint blush creeping up his cheeks but kept his eyes fixed on the canvas. It wasn’t something he could easily explain, and sometimes, even he wasn’t entirely sure it had really happened. Still, the memory was so vivid he couldn’t deny it. “It’s just a character. Something I came up with while telling my lil brother a fairy tale.”

Jaemin tilted his head further, studying the painting closely. “Then why does it look so—”

Jisung let out a sigh and stepped away from the canvas, placing the brush on the table. “Don’t overthink it. It’s just a painting.”

Jaemin frowned, clearly unsatisfied with the response, but he didn’t push further. Instead, he raised his hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright. I won’t press you, but it’s impressive, Jisung. Really. That level of detail… wow. I didn’t know you were this passionate about art.”

Jisung didn’t reply, but his eyes wandered back to the canvas.

He knew the figure he had been painting all too well. It was an image he had carried in his mind since childhood, a memory he had never been able to forget.

“Thanks, I guess. It’s just something I wanted to put on paper.”

Na nodded, though his gaze still reflected curiosity. “Well, keep at it, dreamer. Though, if you want my opinion, you should go for a darker background—something to make the moonlight really stand out.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Jisung replied, turning his attention back to the canvas.

As Jaemin walked away to let him continue working, Jisung lifted the brush again, adding the finishing touches to the painting. Though he tried to convince himself it was all just a product of his imagination, deep down, he knew there was more truth in that image than he was willing to admit.

“Where are you now?” he murmured softly, starting to work on the details of the light on the water, as if the answer lay hidden among the strokes of paint.

Jisung kept working on the canvas until the bell signaled the end of class.

His classmates began packing their things, chatting animatedly about their plans for after school, but he didn’t rush. Instead, he stayed in his seat, gazing at his painting with a mixture of pride and melancholy.

It had been years since that day on the beach, yet the memory remained alive in his mind, as vivid as the image he was now bringing to life on the canvas.

Each brushstroke felt like uncovering a fragment of his past, and though he’d never told anyone the story, painting made him feel closer to that person.

He silently packed up his materials and left the classroom, blending into the bustling hallways filled with students. Not in the mood to socialize, he opted for the longer route home, one that passed by a small park with a fountain at its center. Jisung often stopped there to think, and today was no exception.

He sat on a bench facing the fountain, his backpack at his feet and his mind crowded with thoughts. The sound of water cascading down relaxed him, but it also reminded him of the sea—the waves.

For a moment, he closed his eyes, trying to recall the details: the dark hair, the shy smile, the shimmering scales of a tail, and the laughter they shared while building a watery sandcastle.

What if it was never real? he thought, as he had so many times before. What if it was just a dream or something my mind invented?

But then, why did it feel so real?

“What are you doing here all alone?”

The voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and when he opened his eyes, Jeno stood before him, a water bottle in hand and curiosity written across his face.

His friend—the popular basketball player.

“Thinking,” Jisung replied with a shrug.

“About what? The mysterious painting Nana told me about?”

Jisung let out a soft laugh. “Something like that.”

Jeno sat beside him, setting the water bottle on the bench. “You know, I always thought you were a bit weird, but this? This is next-level. You’re obsessed with something, and I think you don’t want to say what it is.”

“It’s not obsession,” Jisung murmured, his gaze fixed on the fountain. “It’s... a memory. Something I can’t forget.”

Jeno frowned. “A memory? What are you talking about?”

For a moment, Jisung considered telling him the truth.

He’d kept that story to himself for so long that the very thought of sharing it made him feel vulnerable. But something in Jeno’s expression made him feel that maybe, just maybe, he didn’t have to carry the secret alone anymore.

“When I was a kid, I met someone... at the beach,” he began, his voice quieter than usual. “He was a boy. He was... different. We were building a small sandcastle, but then my mom called me, and he just disappeared, like he was never there.”

Jeno stared at him, trying to process what he was hearing. “Different how?”

Jisung took a deep breath, his fingers nervously fiddling with the edge of his shirt. “He was a... merman,” he said softly.

The statement hung in the air, and for a moment, Jeno said nothing. Then he burst into laughter.

“Are you serious? A merman? Jisung, I thought you’d outgrown that story years ago, but clearly not.”

“I’m not joking!” Jisung protested, turning to face him. “I know how it sounds, but I swear it’s true. I saw him. He was right there, playing and laughing with me.”

Jeno stopped laughing when he saw the seriousness in his friend’s eyes. “You... you’re really serious?”

“I am.” Jisung turned back to the fountain, his expression hardening. “And I can’t stop thinking about him. I’ve never stopped dreaming about him. Every time I sleep... I see him in my dreams. I’ve always felt that, somehow, we’ll meet again.”

Jeno watched him in silence, unsure of what to say.

Finally, he stood, patting Jisung on the shoulder. “Well, if you believe it’s real, then I guess there’s no reason to doubt you. Maybe you should go back to that beach someday. Who knows? You might find something interesting.”

Jisung nodded but didn’t reply. As Jeno walked away, Jisung remained seated, staring at the fountain as if expecting it to reveal some hidden answer.

“We’ll meet again...” he thought, more determined than ever. “I’m sure of it.”

The walk home was a whirlwind of thoughts for Jisung. Each step echoed with Jeno's words.

"Maybe you should go back to that beach someday."

Easier said than done. What was the point of going back? The beach probably wasn’t the same, and surely, it had all been the product of a child’s overactive imagination.

So why couldn’t he let it go?

With his hands buried in the pockets of his jacket, Jisung wandered through the streets, oblivious to the bustling city around him. The world moved at its usual frantic pace, but for him, everything felt like it was on pause.

He couldn’t stop thinking about him. About everything. About what he’d seen that day. The way he’d looked at him, as if their destinies were intertwined, as if their brief moment together had bound their souls forever.

Sometimes, secretly, Jisung cursed himself for asking his mother to tell him those fantasy stories as a child. His brow furrowed at the memories that played in his mind like a movie—one that was supposed to have a happy ending.

But this was real life. Maybe Jeno was right: maybe it was time to move on. Perhaps he was clinging to a dream to fill an inexplicable void. Maybe believing he had met a mythical creature made his life less mundane.

A soft breeze carried the faint scent of saltwater through the air.

Jisung looked up at the sky, now painted in warm hues of orange and pink by the setting sun. For a fleeting moment, he thought he could hear the sound of the waves.

When he arrived at his neighborhood, the sky was ablaze with colors. Dry leaves crunched under his feet as he walked slowly, savoring the natural melody of the trees rustling in the wind.

At home, he opened the door cautiously, trying to shake off his thoughts. The murmur of voices greeted him as he stepped inside.

Dropping his backpack near the entrance, he headed toward the living room, where his parents sat on the couch, going over some papers.

Renjun, his four-year-old younger brother, played on the floor with a toy truck, making engine noises with his mouth.

“I think the hotel should be closer to the coast,” his mom said with a soft smile, flipping through a brochure. “Renjun will want to be in the water all the time.”

“Exactly,” his dad replied, pointing at something on the page. “Besides, it’s been years since we’ve gone. It’ll be good for everyone.”

Jisung froze, his heart skipping a beat. Were they talking about the beach?

He stepped into the doorway of the living room, where his parents continued discussing activities, hotels, and plans for their stay near the ocean.

His mom looked up and smiled. “Oh, yes. We’re thinking about taking a vacation. Renjun’s never seen the sea, and we thought it’d be a great chance for some family time.”

Jisung swallowed hard, his pulse quickening.

“And,” his dad added, “it’s time to revive some family traditions. Remember when you were little? We’d take you to build sandcastles or bury you in the sand.”

“When... when are you thinking of going?” Jisung asked, trying to sound casual. “What beach?” The questions poured out as his heart raced.

His mom pointed to the brochure. “We haven’t decided yet, but I was considering the same beach we used to visit when you were little. It’s sentimental, don’t you think? Plus, now you can take a million photos with that camera your dad got you.”

Jisung’s heart leaped.

This was too much—a coincidence he couldn’t ignore.

The universe seemed to be aligning in a way he didn’t fully understand, but couldn’t deny.

His parents continued talking, but Jisung barely registered their words. His mind was already elsewhere, imagining the ocean, the sound of the waves, and the chance that, after all these years, he might find what he’d lost. Who he’d lost.

“Jisung!” Renjun’s voice jolted him back to reality. The little boy was looking up at him, eyes wide with excitement. “Are we going to the beach? Am I really going to see the ocean?”

Jisung forced a smile, reaching down to ruffle his brother’s hair. “Y-yeah, Renjun. Looks like we are.”

Inside, his heart and mind screamed a single word: Destiny.

“I’m... I’m heading to my room. I’m tired,” Jisung mumbled, his hands twitching at his sides. His body, mind, and gaze were all in a daze.

His parents exchanged curious glances, thinking he might be secretly planning to pack. His mother turned back as he walked away.

“Not staying for dinner, sweetheart? It’s almost ready,” she called gently.

He didn’t respond as he climbed the stairs, shutting his bedroom door behind him the moment he entered. He collapsed onto his bed, staring at the ceiling as his thoughts raced.

“What the hell?” he thought, though the words felt inadequate to describe what was happening.

The beach he hadn’t visited in over a decade, the place where his strangest and most precious childhood memories were buried, was suddenly within reach again.

His eyes drifted to his desk, where a small crayon drawing of that boy hung on the edge of a worn lamp—a clumsy, unfinished sketch. The first drawing he’d made of him after returning from the beach that day.

The face he’d imagined for years stared back at him from the paper, as if daring him to seek answers.

Running a hand through his hair, Jisung let out a frustrated sigh. “This has to be some fucking joke...”

He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was happening—something bigger than he could comprehend.

Finally, he got up and walked to the drawing, tracing its surface with his fingers. It was as if he were back in 2007, sketching his friend’s smile and whispering promises to the scribble that they’d meet again someday.

Hope stirred faintly in his chest. He wanted to believe—to prove to himself that it was all real.

Sighing heavily, his shoulders slumped as he wet his lips and gazed back at the drawing.

“If you’re out there... if you’re real,” he murmured, his voice barely audible, “please... give me a sign. I’m begging you...”

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

The weekend arrived faster than Jisung had anticipated. The days leading up to it were a swirl of excitement and anxiety, his mind racing with countless scenarios of what he might encounter upon returning to that beach.

Every time he tried to dismiss the idea that something extraordinary might happen, a small, persistent voice refused to let it go.

On the morning of the trip, the house buzzed with activity. His mother meticulously checked the luggage again and again, ensuring nothing was missing for Renjun, while his father loaded the car with umbrellas, towels, and a cooler packed with snacks.

“Jisung, hurry up!” his mother called from downstairs.

“I’m coming, Mom!” he replied, zipping up his backpack. Inside, he had packed his camera, a sketchbook, and his set of drawing pencils. He wasn’t entirely sure why, but he had a feeling he’d need them.

The drive to the coast was calm, though the tightness in Jisung’s chest never eased. Renjun, seated beside him, couldn’t stop talking about how excited he was to see the ocean for the first time. His enthusiasm was infectious, but Jisung found it hard to focus.

The trip began with soft music his mother had chosen to keep Renjun settled.

Jisung stared out the window as the bustling cityscape gave way to open green landscapes. But his thoughts weren’t on the scenery. His mind was elsewhere, fixated on meeting him again—no matter what.

Little Renjun, brimming with excitement, bombarded their parents with questions.

“Is the water really cold, Mommy?” he asked, his wide eyes gleaming.

“It depends, sweetheart. But I’m sure you’ll love it. The ocean is beautiful,” she replied, stroking his hair fondly.

Jisung barely registered their conversation. His gaze remained fixed on the horizon, where the sky stretched endlessly in a vivid, dazzling blue.

The clouds, fluffy and white, floated as if carefully painted by hand. It was stunningly perfect—eerily reminiscent of that day.

When they finally arrived, the sound of the waves was the first thing Jisung noticed.

Though years had passed, the rhythmic murmur of the water was startlingly familiar. It was as if his body remembered something his mind had tried to bury.

Renjun leapt out of the car, dashing towards the sand, only to be stopped by their mother.

“Not so fast, little one! Sunscreen first.”

The scene was almost identical to his childhood memories. Would his brother see a mermaid, too?

Their mother insisted on slathering Renjun with sunscreen until he looked practically white, while their father struggled to anchor the umbrella in the sand.

“It’s always the same,” he chuckled, wrestling with the umbrella. “Why don’t they make these things easier to use?” he muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Maybe because they’re not made for idiots,” his mother teased, earning a round of laughter.

Jisung watched all of this from a distance, holding Renjun’s bucket and shovel.

He felt detached, as if part of him was already elsewhere. His eyes instinctively wandered to the far end of the beach, where the rocks formed a secluded cove.

“Jisung?” His mother’s voice pulled him back. “Why don’t you take your brother to play near the water? But don’t go too far, okay?”

He nodded, taking Renjun’s hand and leading him to the shoreline.

“What do you want to build first?” he asked, trying to distract himself from the pull in his chest.

“A big castle, like the ones in your stories!” Renjun exclaimed, his face glowing with excitement.

Jisung helped him build, but his gaze kept drifting to the water—and beyond, to the rocks. Something was calling to him, as though the sea itself was whispering his name.

“Hyung... what are you looking at?” Renjun asked innocently, his tone curious.

“Huh? Oh, nothing... just thinking,” Jisung replied quickly, forcing a smile.

But it wasn’t nothing. He knew it. Something—or someone—was there, waiting for him.

Jisung continued with Renjun, helping him build sandcastles and fill his bucket with seawater. But he couldn’t stop his thoughts from drifting back to the same place, the rocks.

The feeling that something—or someone—was watching him lingered in his mind, like a distant whisper he couldn’t quiet.

As his little brother laughed, Jisung’s focus slipped away, his mind trapped in the same loop as before, like an echo that never disappeared.

No matter how hard he tried to smile and enjoy the moment, the urge to return to that specific spot, to that place that had left such an impression on him, consumed him.

At one point, Renjun distracted him with a request to build a bigger tower, but Jisung’s response was mechanical, distracted.

“I’ll leave you to play here, okay? Mom and Dad are calling me.”

Renjun, as innocent as always, didn’t seem to notice the lack of enthusiasm in his older brother’s words. He quickly nodded, continuing to build his castle.

“Okay, Jiji. I’ll wait for you!” Renjun exclaimed, unaware of the urgency Jisung felt deep inside.

Jisung walked slowly toward his parents, making sure Renjun didn’t see him leave. When he was far enough, he took a deep breath and continued his path toward the rocks, his steps growing more determined, his heart pounding with a mix of hope and fear.

The waves gently crashed against the rocks, and the sun cast a golden glow over the surface of the water.

It was the same landscape he remembered, but something about it felt off. As if, somewhere in that sea and those stones, something was about to happen, as if the promise was finally going to be fulfilled.

He approached the edge, sitting on the rocks where the waves crashed.

He waited, his gaze fixed on the water. Each wave that came seemed bigger than the last, as though the ocean was inviting him to step deeper.

But there were no signs, no movements in the water suggesting that something else was there. Only the sound of the sea and the murmur of the wind.

Minutes passed that felt like hours, and Jisung could only feel a growing sense of disappointment in his chest.

He looked around, hoping to see something that would break the stillness. But nothing appeared. There were no figures rising from the water, no sounds betraying their presence. Just him, the rocks, and the sea, as vast and as silent as ever.

“What the hell am I doing?” he murmured to himself, more as a form of consolation than a truth. “It was all a stupid dream from the start.”

But deep down, something was still urging him to believe, to keep waiting.

That boy from the beach, the mermaid boy, was real... right? Somehow, Jisung felt like he couldn’t give up so easily.

With one last sigh, he rose from the rocks and took one final look at the sea. As he walked back toward his parents and Renjun, the doubts and uncertainty still circled in his mind.

Jisung walked with his mind foggy, repeating over and over in his head that maybe it had been foolish to think something would happen.

The sea, the rocks, everything seemed so distant now. “What was I expecting? That something would just appear out of nowhere? A miracle?” he told himself. Soft curses slipped from his lips as he kept walking along the beach, not paying attention to the path.

He was so trapped in his own thoughts, so immersed in frustration, that he didn’t notice the figure approaching.

Suddenly, he felt a dull thud, something against his chest that made him stumble backward. Jisung quickly lifted his gaze, confused, not understanding how he had ended up colliding with someone.

He found himself face to face with a boy slightly shorter than him, which was surprising since Jisung had always been the tallest among his friends; In his words, they're all dwarves.

But that wasn’t what caught his attention immediately. It was the intensity of his gaze, those eyes that reflected a deep calm, as if he knew the very secrets of the ocean. And his hair, so strange, so bright in the sunlight, in a shade so peculiar it reminded him of water beneath the sun.

But what really threw him off was his skin. It was pale, but something more... something unusual. A subtle glow, as if it were constantly changing, so different from any other human skin Jisung had touched.

There was something about his presence that made Jisung feel as if he were standing in front of a creation of the sea itself, something that didn’t entirely belong to this world.

Jisung stood there, speechless for a second, unable to react right away.

Memories of the boy flooded his mind in that instant.

Was it him? Was it the same boy from that time? The connection in his chest made him feel as if he had known him forever.

“I’m sorry...” Jisung murmured, finally reacting, but his voice trailed off, overwhelmed by the curiosity that consumed him. His gaze remained fixed on the boy, unable to look away. He was hypnotized, and to be honest, he didn’t want to break this moment.

The boy, who seemed equally surprised, didn’t say anything right away. Instead, his gaze shifted to the ground, taking a step back as if preparing to leave.

But something in his posture, in the way he seemed to hesitate before moving, made Jisung unable to resist stepping a little closer.

“Wait...” Jisung said, more by instinct than logic. “Do we.. know each other?”

The boy looked up again, and this time, Jisung realized that his eyes weren’t just beautiful; they were... deep. Like the ocean itself. He could almost feel the water on his skin as those eyes gazed at him.

But the disbelief hit him once more. “I feel like I know you from somewhere...”

For the first time, you stared at him, sinking into his dark brown eyes as if you were deciding something in your mind.

Your expression was calm, but there was a spark of something more, something Jisung couldn’t identify, and maybe it was better that way, fearing that he no longer remembered when you used to ask him a thousand questions on the beach shore.

You leaned slightly, as if about to say a deep secret, but stopped just before opening your mouth.

“Maybe...” you replied, your voice soft and slightly hoarse, as if you had been keeping silence your whole life. “Maybe we’ve met before.”

Jisung felt something twist inside of him, as if every word fit like lost pieces of a puzzle he had never finished putting together. However, before he could process it fully, you had already taken a step back, as if afraid he would get too close.

“I have to go,” you said quickly, with an urgency that seemed out of place in your calmness.

Jisung watched you, unable to move, unable to decide whether to let you go or follow you. But you were already moving away, slipping through the crowd of the beach as if you were part of the landscape, as if you were as unattainable as the sea itself.

It was your nature after all.

Jisung stayed there, motionless, feeling the weight of the disconnection he had just experienced. Were you him? Were you the same boy from the beach, or was he just confusing things?

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ݁⠀⠀،،⠀⠀메모 ! ㅤ⸻ㅤ I won't deny it anymore, I fw these kinds of stories. Especially since I got carried away by Ethel Cain halfway through the story.

+ 1/5 stories to finish.︐⠀📍

⠀𝒊. ⠀─⠀ All credits to @angelsfat3 / @foschiamara⠀𝄒

. . . ₍⠀아이디어 !ㅤ⸻ㅤI'm very short of ideas lately, so feel free to leave me any requests! <⁠(⁠￣⁠︶⁠￣⁠)⁠>⠀₎⠀ ִֶָ

˖⠀⠀ ݁⠀©⠀،،⠀If you liked it you can like, follow me or reblog!!

[hadesisqueer]

The thing about Spaniards is that they can deny it if they want but we all grew up being otakus in the last couple of generations. My sister and cousins are always like "I've never watched anime in my life tbh." Guys I know that all you watched when you were kids was Doraemon and Mermaid Melody and Captain Tsubasa and Sailor Moon and Pokémon and Mazinger Z and Ninja Hattari and Detective Conan and Inazuma Eleven and Marco and Heidi and Dragon Ball Z and Shin Chan-- in fact y'all are still obsessed with Shin Chan. Literally 90% of what you guys watched was Japanese animation. You still wanna try the dorayakis from Doraemon and imitate Shin-Chan and his friends when y'all are bored or make Goku references. Y'all ARE otaku lmao /j

[creativecupcake]

Here’s a rough look at all of Shani’s magical looks. Her magical girl theme is based on dress up, and she has a different look/power based on every petal of her flower (8 colors 8 forms). And finally she has her fully awakened power (white with rainbow). Since she get her powers from dressing up, she dresses up in outfits based on other magical girls she likes! These are just the rough ideas but she has a variety of magical inspiration, from Sailormoon to Mermaid Melody. I actually really got inspired by @kianamaiart ‘s character Aika and changed the hair for her cheerleader form. I had some real fun playing with these designs, and while some of them will be getting fixes here and there I’m really happy with how they are all looking. It was fun to look back on the anime I grew up with and think what characters and colors a kid would dress up as.

[rose-tea-and-strawberries]

One Step Closer

Prince Rielle x Female Reader

Masterlist

A dance is like a conversation Except your lips don't ever need to part And once you've begun You speak as one Cheek to cheek Toe to toe Heart to heart - Prince Eric, The Little Mermaid Broadway Musical

Despite being a merman prince having only just gained legs a few months ago, he was much more agile on his feet than you could ever dream to be. With your hand clasped in his, he merrily dragged you around the market from stall to stall, sight to sight, attraction to attraction - being physically unable to remain in one place for more than half a minute before something else caught his eye, almost gliding across the cobbled streets to sate his childlike wonder. 

It’s a wondrous feeling, being in the presence of a philocalist who would gaze at the most mundane objects with starry-eyed reverence. You couldn’t but let fondness overcome you as he bounded here and there, fluffy waves of crimson locks bouncing with every spring of his steps. Making friends with someone as animated as The Sea King’s youngest was one of your favourite parts of visiting NRC. He was so enthusiastic, so lively and carried such a zest for life and appreciation for everything that it was impossible to not hold at least a little fondness. He welcomed you to RSA with warm open arms, seconds after meeting you and there was never a moment where you were at a loss for words since he was so ready to gush about anything and everything and listen to you, completely enthralled - even in silence he had the ability to fill the room with vibrant colours -  so accepting his and Neige’s invitation to a surprise outing was as easy as those pies the fair, ebony haired boy loved to make.

To be honest, you could understand his fascination. Being a metaphorical fish out of water yourself, your adventures in this world were one surprise after another (some good surprises and others not so much to say the least). And it wasn’t like the landscape was anything to scoff at - the organisers of this festival clearly knew what they were doing.

Bouquets of rainbow-hued flowers were tied up in bunches on street lamps and rows of blossoms were lining the roads. Kaleidoscopic bunting soared above you, their polychromatic bundles fluttering from where they were tied securely onto the sleek black street lamps that lined the streets. Every inch of this fete was something out of a picture book and paired with the beautiful weather, you could spend hours just drinking it all in.

You let your eyes skim through the stalls, looking for any souvenirs you could purchase for your friends back in NRC. You felt guilty enough saying goodbye to the Ramshackle ghosts and Ace and Deuce an hour before you left for your weeklong transfer to RSA but having this much fun without them felt almost foreign (Grim, who had been your companion in said transfer, seemed absolutely hunky dory about leaving NRC, as he was gleefully imbibing any food he came across). Besides, they were most likely well aware of you visiting the festival near their rival school’s campus if they saw the selfie Neige had posted with you and his friend group about an hour ago. 

“So,” Rielle’s bubbly voice chirped, from where he had appeared next to you, eyes coruscating, “what do you think?”

“It’s all so amazing,” you marvelled, “I can’t think of any words to say - everything is just so unbelievable.”

“That's alright!” he laughed, clasping both of your hands in his, his starry, wide-eyed grin matching your own, “who needs words? Dancing beats small talk any day. Come on.”

He pulled you to an empty path of land, away from the bustling crowds and laughing children, removed from the festival-goers sight but still close enough to hear the joyful melody of the live band that was playing. Without saying a word he twirled you around, laughing at your surprised yelp.

“I’m-I’m not much of a dancer, Rielle,” you say to him.

He merely grins at your response, “that’s alright, neither am I. We don’t have dancing in my kingdom - not the way people on the surface do. I watched these humans dance once - I think Neige told me it’s called ballet up here - and it was so beautiful that I went crying to my brothers because I wanted two fins. So when my dad let me go to RSA and I got these legs, the first thing I tried to do was learn how to dance and well - let’s just say that dancing and walking are two very different things.”

You couldn’t help but laugh at his pink-faced sheepish smile.

“Anyway,” he gathered himself, “I learned somewhere down the line that dancing is less of a movement and more of a language - only you feel it instead of speaking it. You need to use your emotions to tell you what to do and when you start moving and let the music wash away your inhibitions, you start expressing yourself in ways your words can’t.”

“So Y/N,” he holds out a hand, “would you like to have a conversation with me?”

Tentatively, you placed your palm in his and let him twirl and sway and waltz with you. And when you find yourself being lifted in the air and spun around, the skirt of your dress flaring around you as joyous laughter overcomes you, you wonder if this dance could last a little longer.

[mahou-furbies]

Now caught up with Mermaid Melody Aqua

When this originally started my involvement was mostly about gawking at Lukia's design and I only read a couple chapters before dropping off, but now I'm caught up. Aannnddd how do I put this... it's hard to gauge how critical I can be since this is clearly aimed at a younger audience, and also romance stories aimed at tween girls are already such a punching bag, but... this is the first time I'm considering if I should give a mal rating of 1/10 to a manga. I've read other Nakayoshi series and for the most part have been able to find something like or at least end with a wishy-washy "I'm not in the target audience but I guess it's okay for what it is" sentiment, but this one just has so many issues, in addition to a myriad of stuff that personally pisses me off.

The story is about the original series' heroine's teenage daughter Lukia, who, as anyone who knows anything at all about this manga, looks exactly like her mother for no reason. The ocean is in danger again and Lukia has to marry this one merman to prevent a catastrophe, but she is in love with a human boy, who doesn't know about her mermaid identity and is into both her human and mermaid personas separately and struggles to choose. There are also some magical girl battles. So not that unusual of a shoujo premise.

I tried to think of what my biggest issue with the manga is, but it turned out to be difficult since there are so many to choose from. For starters, I can't think of anything I like about Lukia. Obviously for someone who is into fun anime designs her look is an immediate 0/10 for being an exact copy of an existing character, but it also makes the story harder to follow at times when it's difficult to tell if a character is supposed to be Lukia or her mother. But even apart from the character design she's just so bland, and doesn't have much other passions than lusting after a boy and doing the plot, and even with the plot she's just sort of passively stumbling through. Like in the part where she's being pushed to be with her fiancé and she just limply goes along, and overall it feels as if she spends like 95% of the story looking flustered.

The boys are pretty generic shoujo love interests, and in general in control of the situation while the heroine blushes and follows. They also have little else going on outside chasing Lukia, and get into arguments with each other over who gets her while she feebly stands on the side (her opinion is irrelevant).

However despite the people in the main love triangle being extremely unlikable to me, somehow I'd say that the returning MMPPP cast draws the shortest straw in terms of characterisation. The former heroine Luchia has two roles; either she is the butt of the joke as an embarrassing mum, or an obstacle to Lukia's romance who pushes the arranged marriage, and both are depressing when you consider how she was originally a typical magical girl heroine. More often than not Luchia and her friends are more often than not written like immature teenagers, and at their lowest swoon over how attractive Lukia's fiancé is (all the while the readers are shown how unhappy Lukia is about having to marry some rando).

Lukia spends majority of the series thinking about men, and she doesn't really get proper friendships to balance that out. At the beginning the series does introduce a new mermaid as a friend to her, but they quickly fade into being just an accessory to Lukia. It feels like when the series wants to have a "the heroine is doing fun stuff with her girlfriends!" scene, it just has Lukia hang out with her mum and her mum's friends (who never grew up), which is kind of cringe.

Then there's the fanservice aspect; this is a shoujo series but it sure likes to have Lukia wear tops that show off her sizable rack and skirts short enough to show her butt cheeks. In one scene Lukia is just flat out naked so the main guy can walk in on her. And the mermaid tails have been drawn to display the curves of their legs, which to me creates a kind of grotesque effect when it looks like their feet have been cut off from the ankles.

Then finally some complaints about the overall storytelling, it's just so clunky. Like Luchia reveals that Lukia is a mermaid and already engaged, and Lukia runs off in anger. Next page she is introduced to the mascot and has some banter with him, and two pages later it's already the next day and we're at school. You would think that Luchia would at least try to talk a bit more about how her daughter's life is about to take a huge turn, but apparently nothing that was important enough to show to the reader happened during this time. In general there are a lot of moments where transitioning from one scene to another, or even from panel to panel, is noticeably clumsy. Characters also feel like they act just however the scene needs them to.

I am aware that there are plenty of women and girls who are into this kind of love stories where a big strong man shows up to swoop the blank slate heroine off her feet (just think about the popularity of Twilight and 50 Shades), and I would imagine that Mermaid Melody Aqua is aimed at 12-year-old girls who want a "sexy" romance with hot boys totally devoted to the viewpoint character. But I've never been there so I can't relate, and if I had to think "well someone else probably likes this" every time I think of writing a review I could never criticise anything. So let's just close with the sentiment that with the laziest character design imaginable, wet rag of a heroine, super conservative gender roles in the romance, inconsistent and dull characters, undignified portrayal of original series heroines, unappealing fanservice and overall weak writing this is a good contender for my least favourite manga ever. The story isn't over but it's hard to see how it could crawl out of this hole.

[seongjoongluvr]

✧˖°.BTS Fanfic Masterlist✧˖°.

THIS LIST HAS SOME FANFICS THAT HAVE HEAVY THEMES/TOPIC

I thought since my ateez masterlist's are doing well, I thought I might as well share my BTS ones too. The main parings are primarily jungkook/everyone, some jikook, and some taekook. There's probably other pairings as well and I'm just dumb.

✧˖°.ABO✧˖°.

Talking to the Moon by foxxlight

hold me (like a grudge) by czechemout

Because Of You by Gigi_Bell2 (Gigi_Bell)

put me together, fix me right (i don't wanna be a monster anymore) by moonbabyjoon, IgnisIncarnate

Dreaming we were snow by Blue267

Of Sweet Silence by rinnieluv

shed your leaves, blossom by seemylia

Hurt Locker by MmeIrene

Love Is Not Possession by kuragecharms

Late Bloomer by Lula Writes

little by little (into your world) by sirradel

detonate me, granulate me (kill me like an animal) by monster plaza

dust by lotuschae (orphan_account)

Don't Get Charmed by shikiso

We Grow to Love the Things We Hate by BusyCaz

✧˖°.Magic/Witches/Fantasy✧˖°.

the seventh key by agustjrg (winter solos)

The Things That Break Our Hearts by jademin

dark side of the moon by embyr

Subtle Species Synergy by natigail

at the end of the rainbow by haejungg

wednesday's child is full of woe by c_heonsa (crossbelladonna)

Buried Hearts Still Beat by missberrycake

i'll always come back to you by wooneye

i bloom (just for you) by honeyygloss

Swamp Magic by GinForInk

Silk, Blood and Paper Dolls by monojoooon

spellbound by witchbrew

Monsters in Like by onlyamemory, VagabondsAndConventGirls (series link)

So Rises the Moon by Pyria

That Which Disappeared by jean_bo

the pure gold of it all by embyr

A Way Home by lasbianwluv (personwluv)

Candles and Shadows by Sunny_bih

Vitrail by Melarose

✧˖°.Hybrids✧˖°.

A cosmic confluence by Blue267

Folklore: The Jade Rabbit by Luminaraed

Up In Smoke by graciewrites9

A Loft For Three by snaggchu

✧˖°.Dystopian/Zombie Apocalypse✧˖°.

since the sky's been blue by cocon9tsu

War of Melody by sleepydrabbles

And so we burn ednlessly by Somethingswittyhere

In This War by SenokouTsuikyuu

All's Fair in Glove and War by painted stars

Youngblood by orphan_account

Appa by Gobi17

Hunt you down, eat you alive by notyoongs

✧˖°.Space✧˖°.

Oh, My Stars by Ashlyn17

The Stowaway by Arobeebee

i thought he remembered me; he took me back so tenderly by fatal (cumrich)

If I'm Your Star (Then You're My Orbit) by Rivertoforever

Protostellar by nina monday

✧˖°.Royalty/Historical✧˖°.

The Laws of Fireflies by cherubkookie

I woke up from my sweet dream (this is the real you, and this is the real me) by PurelyWriting

House of Cards (As time passes by, we only mess it up more) by Purely writing

The Little Prince and the Mermaid by flowerstars

White Knuckles by Hour_of_Blue (series link)

Knights of the Sky by bri607

Coniferous by hopekoobii

Unexpectedly Disenchanted by kuragecharms

Young Blood (Set Me Free) by blueneptune

✧˖°.Superpower/Superheroes✧˖°.

Your Strings That Bind Us by MuscleBunni

A Remedy, A melody by Amelia_Dazai

The Breadth of an Eyelash by TrappingLightningBugs

쉽진 않지만 가슴에 새겨놔 by LostChanceTo

what luck by expplipo

✧˖°.Mafia/Org. Crime✧˖°.

Kingpin by AnnieRaffit

Epiphany by Klemen_Time

The Seoul Kims by DesperatelyObsessional

6 ways to commit a crime by curranbites

Take Cover by almostsophie1

You Belong to Us, be We do Not Belong to You by HopeWorldTrash_BTS

Isn't it lovely? (all alone) by hopefully2020

silver in the sunlight by lawlesswritings

saturnalia by venushonexy

We will be atoning by Blue267

Rara Avis by julia_with_luv

where there is hope (there are trials) by Kookies_N_Jams

Taste of Ink by sugamins (orphan_account)

✧˖°.College/University✧˖°.

You're safe here by sunnysidev

Someone To Stay to btswritesx

Honey, Make it Easy by ShookForShooky

Nausea and Butterflies by axokoolotl, sqvishytofu

Moonlight Remains the Same by eternal_seokjin

I found balance (I found you) by seookie

spark and flicker by calmkook

Instatiable by Eyedaze

The Give and the Take by JKDoYouLoveMe

The Lasting Affect Of A Single Word by Loveofkookie

Kitten's Best Friend by bedroomdemos (frecklepaint)

nobody's like you by fatal (cumrich)

You Can Dance in a Hurricane by WintersEve

i wanna be yours by momentsinlove

Summer Sands by jvante

Papilio machaon by merryofsoul

You Spin Me Right Round by miss_begonia

My Sunflower by NamjoonieSprout

Stay Gold (Golden Universe) by Anonymous (series link)

✧˖°.Miscellaneous✧˖°.

(These are pics that I didn't have enough to create a category for and/or the category they were suppose to be in is full and I think there is too many lol. That and im running out of fanfics that have at least been updated/finished in this year lol)

hunger by tinytaehyungah (kittenmichael) (jk centered/vamp au)

Sunflowers by moomooru (set in 1920's/found family/HEAVY TW)

No One Has to See by allsadhere (two shot/magic au)

[sixthwater]

Hello! Have you been feeling a bit lost recently? Especially with all of the eclipses that we've been experiencing? Well, here is some short advice from your spirit guides and angels to help get things sorted out.

Left → Right / Pile 1 → Pile 4)

Decks Used: The Psychic Oracle, Fairies Oracle Deck, Elle Qui Oracle, Woodland Wardens Oracle, Sacred Creators Oracle, Sea Melodies, Language of Flowers, Wild Unknown Animal Spirits,

Disclaimer | Pinned | Tip Jar | Paid Readings

Pile One

I began your reading and my back started killing me; make sure you’re doing proper stretches or you’re not pushing yourself too hard to wear yourself out.

There is a sense of holding your tongue or keeping yourself trapped in the closet. I just got an image of The Little Mermaid when she signed away her voice but it’s not the Disney version it’s the legitimate fairy tale, it’s also more of a choice? It’s difficult to describe; it’s not that you prefer to be uncomfortable and to hide under a mask blah blah blah, but there’s experience of pain and loss so you don’t want to do it again. Maybe you haven’t expressed certain emotions or identities, but you overheard them being looked down upon or it was made fun of, so instead you locked these emotions up and threw away the key (ex; someone laughing at you having feelings for them when brought up as a joke or someone disrespecting a sexual orientation/identity, etc). Your pile is the very first, in all of my history of reading, where I want to be completely silent and only listen to certain frequencies as well.

The advice: You need to listen to yourself and the world (in a way). You already have the answers to your questions/concerns inside of you, but you do need some help finding them obviously. You’re looking for external answers, but it’s only causing more confusion because...well everyone sees the world differently. So when you try to put yourself in those shoes, it causes more scratches on the Vinyl record that is your life, you know? It’s funny to say this but they’re kind of asking you to pull back and not move on so fast from what’s going on because you haven’t really sat with your feelings and gone through the process. What’s been upsetting you and why did it bother you. Why did you react that way. Well how did you get to Point E from Point B? Take a time out and sort these things out when you can because it’ll get you some clarity. There’s also a piece here about communicating and becoming vulnerable. It’s not exactly the same, but I need to figure myself out sometimes with talking and I end up stumbling upon revelations through discussions. You might need to have a low energy discussion with someone you feel comfortable with you so can get to these answers. You don’t need to immediately express or explain these things, but it will help you out. Some of you might need to re-route yourselves because you are lost and you took the wrong exit; it’s fine, that’s life and it’ll happen constantly. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, if you weren’t here to make mistakes then what are you even here for. Confide in other people, ask for help, get some guidance. You can rely on those around you, not everyone will want to hurt you. I keep being nudged to an issue with identity and — for some it’s just figuring out who you are but there’s pain so if it is what i mentioned earlier, only you know yourself. People can help, but do not let them police who you are and decide what’s ‘correct’ and what’s not. The main message overall is that there is a need for you to be vulnerable with people — or at least someone. There is either embarrassment or pride here holding you back and it’s smothering emotions that end up causing inner turmoil. I would say this points to seeking out a therapist but there are no swords here, so I believe this could just point to finding people to confide in or making peace with the softer aspects of yourself that you might find shameful.

With ‘Chance’ and ‘Dive’, I believe it’s just pointing more towards diving deeper into unknown territory which would be emotions you haven’t explored yet. ‘You cant live your life dealing with surface level things’ is the phrase I’m getting.

Pile Two

Pretty simple so this might be short. The energy check is a bit out of reach despite how simple it seems. I think the first two songs might sum it up a lot better than I can. I don’t believe it deals directly with love, but the idea remains.

I think the advice here is to not teeter too much to one side. You’re not lacking in passion, but you might pull back too much if something fails. There’s a slim piece about being a bit scattered in where you want to go, but we’ll touch on that later. For now, it’s being enveloped by how alive you feel when you’re going after your dreams. How happy it makes you and the rush you get. I keep being drawn back to Passion Ignited as well as Aylis because they’re similar; a glowing ‘orb’ that’s placed over the chest somewhat. Ah that reminds me of The Greatest Showman. Just it’s song ‘Come Alive’, I think that fits this pile quite well. You just have to be comfortable diving into your passion and not be embarrassed, and even when making mistakes, to laugh it off and keep chasing after it. It doesn’t even have to be a dream — people call nearly everything cringe these days. Are we not supposed to have hobbies? Enjoy your hobbies, that’s the point of living. What does it matter. Express yourself and be a bit goofy, you’re a bit tense and scared of messing up right now, but it’s okay. Now before I mentioned being scattered — there’s a small message of getting a clear view of what you want in your life. Do you want to be an influencer or do you just want a good work-life balance. Or a remote job. It’s the general idea that you have which might not really be what you want at the end of the day, and they’re just asking you to clarify, because you can make certain things come true if that’s what you want. However, with just as many ‘let loose’ cards you have, they’re balanced with some grounded cards here. Also, if you haven’t reached your goal yet, don’t give up. We never reach our goal with just one attempt or in just one chapter. You will get there.

Tiger Lily...maybe my job example was on point? If you’re thinking of jumping into something headfirst with no back-up, really think about it. Make sure you have savings, you have a safety-net, you have all your bases covered, etc. There are plenty of people who can afford to take a risky route of income because other people are covering bills with an insane paycheck, or they’ve had years to build up a base. Be patient, and work dutifully to get to that place. It’s difficult, but with these really precious spread I believe that you will have much to offer people if you take your time. This doesn’t mean give up, it just means be smart and take your time.

Associated Songs: Passion – Utada Hikaru, All My Heart – Sleeping with Sirens, Tonight – Kesha

Pile Three

This is gorgeous. The energy while pulling cards was light and goofy and I’m understanding why now. The meaning of these cards would usually give off a blue/purple aura, since there are a lot of messages alluding to soul searching, but I believe this is more...personable? How do I explain this.

Usually when you think of soul searching, you think of The Hermit. Someone who pulls back from socializing and focuses on themselves. However with this combination, it feels more like really thinking about- I’m sorry the strongest smell just popped through my vents and it smells like Cinnamon. It is not my favorite but it reminds me of gatherings late at night, anyway — It feels like thinking about the people around you and how they reflect you and what you want in your life. You figure yourself out and what you want out of life by interacting with others. It’s not that you need others to do this, but they shine a light on certain aspects of yourself or they bring you to do activities that you wouldn’t have done on your own, thus making you have these realizations. So the advice itself is saying that you should sit on these moments and really let them seep in. They’re not necessarily telling you to isolate and do some introspective thinking, but when you have these moments, don’t push them aside to keep up with others. You have a knack for knowing yourself inside and out, and what’s best for you. I know that seems pretty normal, but it’s not necessarily common. Knowing who or what you want VS what you don’t is a good gift and you should be utilizing it right now. I keep hearing ‘don’t be satisfied’. Keep looking for things that really make you happy. It’s not in a greedy sense, but don’t think ‘well that’ll do’, go seek out experiences or hobbies that make you feel whole! I don’t deal with chakras, but all this green is hard to ignore considering it stands for the Heart and I’ve felt happy and calm the entire reading. There’s not much advice here because you might already have the answer inside of you but more like recommendations; such as going for walks, or having calm hangouts with friends or family. I think you’re already doing what’s being said here, but do your best to keep a balance of focusing on those revelations of what’s best for you and healthy doses of engagement with those around you. I don’t have to pull extra cards either, you seem to be doing quite fine honestly

(There are no songs here, a lot of light-hearted songs. Some goofy mixes. Good Time by Carly Rae Jepsen & Owl City as well as chill songs that don’t really have messages in them)

Pile Four

Confidence. That sums up your whole reading. Well that and some change. Right now it doesn’t necessarily feel like doubt or naysayers, but you don’t really have people to boost you up. Or you need to feel extremely safe/supported in order to really go after something — which feels more physical than spiritual. So it could be a change in majors, career, personal expression, hell maybe just changing direction with your life in terms of dropping out or not using your degree in pursuit of something else entirely. The flowers in the Deceit card resemble horns right now and it’s like opinions or external thoughts regarding the situation that can make you overthink your next steps or how you feel about the topic in general. Gosh I’m forgetting the term but in a way, they could end up being right in a sense that they affect your natural ability and make you way too anxious to perform naturally, thus making you fail. So it’s the ‘well I’m going to fail so I’m not even going to do my very best’ so when you fail you think it was destined to happen.

Your guides and angels are asking you to just take a chance and trust in the adventure. You have to move with confidence, you can’t be sheepish with this. You could be new to this change, so obviously mistakes will happen, but you can’t go into this with a pessimistic attitude. I’m seriously not getting any negative energy around you so don’t worry about that. If the world around you is dull, explore different avenues that give you joy. I’m always going to say to never just leap into the unknown without any thought, but you seem extremely hesitant and it’s holding you back from a new chapter and great experiences that are meant for you. This could be in the shape of a new job or merely just new friends who could help you gain more confidence within yourself. Again though, this pile seems more material based than the others, so I’m thinking it’s related to money matters or at the most, possibly moving but that’s a stretch. There’s a small piece of being scared to take up new opportunities because you’re not well versed in them but, you won’t know everything in the world? The only way to gain experience is to test it out. If it’s for you, then you’ll know once you try it, right?

Haha the Bear! Yeah, this is an uncomfortable time for you, but it’s urging you to sort of learn how to walk, and embrace the natural calmness yet underlying formidable strength of this animal. I’m thinking of when someone was arguing that the bear was one of the scariest predators in the world, but this card also stands for inner strength and you literally have Strength here so, you just have to be comfortable entering this new stage of life (transitions, which there are too many examples for me to list here). Don’t be hard on yourself, everyone has been in your place before.

(Not many songs, just Bends by Carly Rae Jepsen stood out)