badliifechoiice2 | I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue

I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue

Mermaid AU Meme

Rules:
- Put down your character name and series in the subject header. Put down any preferences (romantic or if you're a mermaid/human) in the comment.
- Reply to other people! RNG a choice from the prompts below, or just come up with whatever on your own.
- This is not a strictly romance meme. Feel free to have whatever shenanigans you like.

Merfolk and Merfolk

1.
Little Mermaid it
♢ One of you is a merperson with something you want. (Power? Help figuring out what this weird human doodad is? Becoming human?) The other is a powerful sea mage of some sort... And for the first of you, you better hope they're the good sort as you venture forth to their lair...

2.
Exploration
♢ C'mon. What's the worst that could happen when checking out this enormous sunken ship at the bottom of the ocean? You're merpeople! What's the worst that could happen? (Besides sharks. Or giant squid. Or maybe worse.)

3.
New tides
♢ Hey... That person isn't from around these parts, are they...? Maybe one of you is from deep seas, or a swamp-mer way out of your territory, or just from simply a different ocean. Hopefully neither of you are particularly territorial...

4.
Hey there, Ariel
♢ So. Looks like one of you actually took up on some sea witch's deal and is living in some human settlement. The other? Is trying to help you deal with that. Whether it means puzzling out human culture and items with you, pleading with you to come back home, or even offering you a dagger just in case you need to stab your crush (what? it's a legitimate strategy), you two need to cope.

5.
Wildcard.

Merfolk and Humans

1.
For Science!
♢ You're a scientist, here to study a fascinating new creature. Although the 'creature' in question might take offense to you saying that... So are you searching them out for the first time in the open ocean? Keeping them in some sort of containment? It's up to you.

2.
Stranded
♢ There was a shipwreck, and you're the sole survivor... Although you very nearly weren't. Whether you've just woken up or have been trying to puzzle things out on this deserted island, well... It seems you're not alone, although they're not exactly on the island with you.

3.
Siren Song
♢ Merpeople aren't always good signs... Sometimes they lure sailors out onto rocks, or extinguish their stamina and drown them in the ocean's tumultuous waters. Is this another encounter that will end in tragedy?

4.
Chance Encounter
♢ You're nothing extraordinary, just a regular person in a beach town, and one way or another... You find something that's very much not regular. Maybe you just walked into the cove at the right time, or found something- someone- trapped or injured that needed your help. So now what?

5.
Wildcard

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[Rin smirks at the display. Oh, he's going to have fun with this one. He hasn't had much opportunity to indulge himself recently. Not when put in charge of training younger sharks. He enjoys the responsibility, but sometimes a guy has have some entertainment.]

Not really. I haven't seen anything like you before. And I've done my share of exploring.

[He glides close enough to just barely avoid scraping his tail against Rei's shimmering one. Rin absently bats at a pectoral fin with his claws, taking care not to scratch and draw blood that might make him forget this is a mer.]

You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were lost.

[Nagisa doesn't answer, instead just glaring at Rin from behind the rocks. He can't, not unless he wants to actually drown. He's not sure if Rin has ever met or seen a selkie before, but they're a breed unique from your average mer-creature. Not only do they possess the body of a seal, but they have the ability to shift between seal and human form. Rin just happened to catch him as a seal because he can hold his breath longer as one.

Speaking of which, Nagisa just shakes his head a little, putting one hand over his throat before pointing up toward the surface. He only gives Rin a moment to register his meaning before he shoots upwards, his cheeks starting to tinge red a bit from lack of air.]

There really was a guy fishing out here. Extraordinary! Karkat didn't know what to think. On the one hand, it wasn't as though fishing in Abendstern was completely illegal. But it still was kind of a dick-move. At least he thought so. Weren't the kingdoms trying to reconcile? Morgenstern was made up of more than just merfolk, you know!

...But who was he? Some Animal Rights activist? Not really. He was merely annoyed. Karkat was usually annoyed by something, or other. He was already upset that he had to leave the training area earlier, and this fisherman and his hook were just the next things on his shit list. Dave was going to receive the brunt of Karkat's anger, whether he liked it or not.

With a huff, Karkat reached around to yank out his hook. Unfortunately, his claws were getting in the way. And look at all this blood, man. The hook only pierced a fin, and yet there was still blood. More annoying things.

"Maybe you shouldn't fish if you're so bad at it," the merman hissed, still fumbling with the hook. He was a good distance away from the dock, but close enough that he could direct his yells at Dave. "The last thing we need is a clumsy as fuck human picking off our people by accident!"

No, of course not.

[Grimsley smiles and moves a bit so there's room on the rock for him to sit.]

In fact, it's nice to see someone else out here. It gets quite lonely sometimes, and I'm always afraid of getting captured and sold to an aquarium.

[He chuckles, leaning forward.]

What's your name?

[Well the instant Sonico isn't looking at the ocean, something else that's had their eyes peeled on her decides to get a lot closer.

Like.

Much, much closer.

That would be one overly bored merman. Though he's careful to conceal himself so the merbits are not easy to see for now]

What are you doing?

[ she'd been so sure that the beach was empty that once she hears someone's voice, she jumps so badly that she drops the chunk of seashell she'd been about to store away in her container. She scans the sand for a moment, trying to see who'd spoken up before she turns back to the ocean and blinks in surprise. Huh. ]

O--oh, um... I was just looking for some things to collect for the atelier. I was running a little low...

[ just gonna assume that whoever this person is they know what an atelier is ]

[There's a lot to be said on how exactly he rolled around in the dirt, because maybe there's a method to it, but the phrase "I brought you things" is practically magic. Draping herself across the rocks, she waits for him with her tail curling curiously beneath the water.]

[Without any hesitation, she reaches out with grasping fingers to take the funny bit of metal from his hands.]

It's for sticking in your ears, of course.

[It's an answer given even before she has time to look it over with a devouring sort of curiosity. Then, she presses the prongs carefully against one lobe to demonstrate.]

Am I right?

Well, sorryyyyyy, I'm not into that kind of gross fetish!

[Because who would like getting hurt? Wow, ew. At least, MM certainly doesn't want to deal with that kind of thing.]

[Now, the talk about her collection is much more interesting, and it shows in the curious narrow of her eyes and the way her claws curl just slightly.]

Obviously. What, is someone as raggedy as you trying to say you could give me more?

[They could go over the exact logistics of everything, but honestly it was a bit of an embarrassing memory to share. It had alerted many people to the fact that he might not have been born on land. Among other things, but he wasn't keen on talking about them.

The guess made him grin, mostly because his guess hadn't been any better.]

I thought it was a torture device, but no, it's used to help people eat because their teeth are so flat.

[That is not true in the least but it's a working hypothesis.]

People make all sorts of tools to try to combat their general incompatibility with most of their environments.

[Said like a true nerd. Gokudera might be gushing, but only a little.]

I'm not one for being eaten by sirens, so we're at an impasse.

[Now that Mukuro was able to catch his breath, his tone was soft, almost silky.

The insult made him chuckle low in his throat, and he tipped his head back a bit to look at her through lowered lashes.]

I may be raggedy now, but that was only because they were transporting me to be hanged.

[He reached one gloved hand into his sopping wet coat, drawing out an ornate ring, laden with gems.]

I have countless more, if you're willing to help me get back to land.

[Indeed, the word "wait" doesn't leave his mouth yet. Ah well. Others often comment to Haru that he's so fast, he zips through the water-- but he just says it's to catch food. Rarely does he want to be goaded into silly competitions.

But it just seems to happen. Just like he's been pulled along on this silly venture.

Even the word makes his eyes widen a little. Either way, if he wins or loses, Haru will just say that he joined in because he didn't want to Nagisa to be charging headlong into possible danger alone. Pulling up alongside his friend, he can't help but feel excited. No matter how silly it is. This selkie really is infectious...]

That all you got?

[He probably also shouldn't encourage them to act even more reckless near where humans may be, but...]

[Huh. When running into this guy for the first time, after that whole debacle...

Haruka had no idea that Rin would be this full of himself. If Rin went on like this, Haruka would probably be able to see the ego radiating off of him. Naturally, he rolls his eyes. But he doesn't bother to turn around and face the circling shark man, not even worried about showing his back, just watching as he comes back into his peripherals.

At least there's no denying that Rin sure is a... specimen.]

It's pretty big, I guess.

[Haruka shrugs. He probably should pay more attention, but...]

They try keeping me there all the time.

[When can he get the mackerel he wants?]

[Nagisa absolutely loves to race with his fellow merfriends. Haru's the most fun to swim with, though, simply because he's so fast. He's faster than anyone else in the sea, so when he hears Haru as he comes up to his side, the selkie laughs aloud.]

No way! I'm gonna make you eat my bubbles!

[He uses both his arms and the flippers on his seal body to push himself through the water like a torpedo to try and pull up ahead of Haru.]

Last one there has to eat a sea urchin!

[...Haru might, though. He might adore his preferred seafood of mackerel, but Nagisa has convinced him to try some weird things before. But that's assuming he loses, of course.]

[At first, the sight of the ball bouncing up and down past the rocks is a faint relief. If someone has found it, after all, that means it both wasn't in a difficult place and that it will be easier to retrieve.]

[What she's not counting on is the strange sight waiting for her in the water.]

[For a moment, Sakura can only stare at the scales which shimmer in the sunlight and the liquid movement of the long tail which seems to take up the space where a normal person's legs should be. It's not a sight which should exist in the world besides illustrations in books or perhaps cartoons and movies. When the fish girl finally spots her and makes her small exclamation is when Sakura jolts into a much stiffer way of holding herself.]

Yes. I misjudged my own strength and hit it too hard.

[The answer comes automatically as she tries to come to terms with what she's seeing. After that, well, there's nothing really immediately for her to say. Unfortunately, this means she goes quiet, which is... Well, with her build, it can sometimes come off as intimidating.]

Is that how it got all the way over here?! That's amazing! [Even for a girl regularly interacting with all the creepy nonsense near the bottom of the ocean, Aoi isn't all that easily frightened, and her beaming expression only brightens. Just the thought of the feat distracts her entirely from her worry over being caught.] I didn't even see you guys, I didn't notice this thing until it was here! How far from here's the game? [She zips forward a little, leaving the ball behind to put her hands against a rock and lean forward, trying to peer out towards the beach. From here, she still can't see any volleyball nets.] It's gotta be a ways from here, yeah?

[She turns back towards the human and pauses.] Oh, here. [With a flick of her tail, she darts back so she can pluck the ball out of the water again.] I wouldn't wanna ruin the game. Heads!

[With a giggle, Aoi tosses the ball into the air and springs up a little to send a solid serve to her.]

Hah! Perhaps that is because my kind are too quick for your eyes to see. As flying fish, we have been gifted with the ability to leap well above the surface! [Ohhh, that little display of arrogance is rather short-lived when he sees that smirk and those teeth of Rin's. He's slow to swat away at the contact too as he winces, expecting more than what just actually happened. He'd be lying if he said his heart wasn't pounding, but hopefully Rin isn't of mind to ask...

Hell, he can probably already tell. Rei clears his throat then, speaking more ~~defensively~~ humbly.]

It is true that I am in...unfamiliar territory but I willingly separated myself from the rest of my school. [While he continues to keep his arms folded, he maintains eye contact with Rin. It wasn't that he was left behind but rather, he wanted to avoid that situation entirely. To do that, he removed himself on his own until the waves took him a lot further than he intended to go.

He's not exactly willing to share this personal story out of the blue just yet though.]

...what do you intend to do with me? [Things that go unsaid include: "Given my previous display, we both know I cannot swim away fast enough" and "I would absolutely prefer that you choose to not consume me."]

Edited 2015-12-12 12:22 (UTC)

[Maybe it helps that the singing soon stops, leaving just the rush of water in his ears and crashing against the shore far off. Soon enough, instead, there's the sound of splashing... but maybe that's just regular ocean sounds.]

[And then there's something grabbing him beneath the water and pushing him along- not beneath the waves, but against them, working with the tide and patiently getting to shore.]

[Just please don't kick, Greg.]

I wouldn't do that!

[It's blurted out, and Tsuna almost looks embarrassed once he realizes it. Rubbing his arms, he shifts a little closer to the water.]

Ah... Tsuna. What's yours?

[For eating? That's not an answer even she would have guessed. Shittopi-chan seems to consider something before she suddenly vanishes beneath the waves again.]

[This isn't unusual. Gokudera probably remembers plenty of times when, spurred by a sudden thought, she'd gone to get or do something because of something in their conversation. The only difference now is that he can't follow her.]

[Fortunately, she doesn't plan on abandoning him (or stealing the food tool). She comes back in just a few minutes, surfacing with her teeth dug deep into a still twitching fish. It gets spat out onto the rocks and she pokes it with the handle of the fork.]

Do you use both ends?

[It's not the best for scooping... But it's still possible, right? For getting out eyes, maybe.]

[Well. He certainly knows the way to a murderous, riches obsessed inhuman girl's heart.]

[It's tempting to agree right off the bat, but let it never be said that she's too reckless in the pursuit of filling up her beautiful glittery hoard.]

Ooh, tempting... Except how do I know you won't just turn on me once I get your legs back on solid ground?

[You know. Ground that isn't a bunch of rocks in the middle of the ocean soon to be covered in corpses.]

It is merely the result of dedicated training.

[Considering the trouble she's caused her friends, Sakura definitely won't allow praise to get to her head so easily.]

[...Still.]

Thank you.

[For both the compliment and the return of the ball, which she easily reaches up to catch. She could just go now, but it seems... rude, somehow. After an awkward moment, she gives a slight bow.]

I am Oogami Sakura.

[It definitely wasn't anything new, so Gokudera didn't even protest as she vanished underneath the water, a small tug of longing rising. Despite having left the ocean without really looking back, he still did miss it. On land it was so crowded, people hiding their intentions behind false smiles or words that were easy to misunderstand. The ocean was simpler.

He couldn't help but grin when Shitt P reappeared with a fish, instead twirling a finger to get her to turn it over.]

They use the pointy side to stab at things and bring it to their mouths. Teeth are much more useful.

I always get my revenge and repay my debts.

[Though he was smiling, there was steel to it, more than a hint of dark promise.

Since it seemed like she wasn't going to eat him right this moment, he held the ring out to her.]

In this life or the next.

[Well, Haru does suddenly feel glad that he decided to go along with Nagisa's whims. He's neck and neck with Nagisa-- is Haru going at full force or is he holding back for the sake of entertaining Nagisa? That's a mystery to everyone. But the water rushing past him gives him a new thrill, no matter that he's felt it every day since he started to swim on his own.

Either way, they reach the breach at just about the same time, impossible to judge who reached it first without a third party. Haru turns to Nagisa, not looking too expended of energy.]

Want to split on that sea urchin?

[If that's a joke or serious... is also a mystery.]

[Unlike Haru, Nagisa is panting hard by the time they reach the beach, using his forearms to pull himself up onto the nearest rock so he can rest and catch his breath. At that question he laughs, resting his head against one arm for a moment.]

Sure! It's only fair. But I'll beat you for sure, next time! I bet we might be able to find one near this beach...

[He muses as he turns his attention to the shore, his curiosity already piqued as he scans the sand for anything unusual that he could make a beeline for.]

And see? We haven't even gotten caught yet. I told you this was a good idea!

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I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue

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incredible

...I DIDN'T REALIZE I NEGLECTED THIS FOR 10 DAYS WTF

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/KICKS SCHOOL INTO THE SUN

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listen shut up

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