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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It's very likely that Nagisa was one of those who had been excitedly gossiping about the ship. If not, he'd definitely gotten wind of it one way or another, and there was no way that he'd just let that sit down there unexplored. No matter how much his fellow merfolk warned him that it might not be a good idea to go alone- it could be dangerous, especially for a merman like him who doesn't breathe in the water like most species- he couldn't be deterred. As a selkie, he could hold his breath for a very long time, so he wasn't all that concerned.

He had ended up on the upper deck of the ship through a hole broken through the hull, allowing him to explore the surface where the steering wheel and rest of the deck lay. What he really wanted to find were treasures, little trinkets from the human world that he could possibly take home with him. It's not like they'd be missed or anything.

A stream of bubbles in his wake makes his presence clear in the murky depths as he runs a hand over the surface of the deck, pulling off a few barnacles that had attached themselves to the wood during the time it had been down here. He doesn't seem to have realized that he isn't alone...]

[Rin's own exploratory efforts halt when he notices a new scent in the water. Not one that makes his nose curl like those uppity mermaids. This is something he's never smelled before. And boy does it smell tasty. Plump and fat and probably full of delicious juices to run down his throat.

He doesn't bother wondering what the unusual creature is doing this far below the surface. It's snack time!

Rin spins his body around and swims after the scent, moving stealthily so as to avoid startling his prey once he spies it. The cloudy water here should help as well, masking the type of fish he is and preventing the premature flight many of his targets take upon spotting the telltale dorsal fin of his kind. He stalks his exciting new prey silently, cutting through the water like a blade.]

[Nagisa knows these waters rather well, but...he'd admit that he's never been down quite this deep before. It's a risk he's more than willing to take, though. The ship is far too interesting, too exciting . It's in his nature- his very species is as curious as they come, which means that he's not paying as much attention to his surroundings as he ought to. Even if Rin didn't know how to keep himself hidden in the presence of prey, Nagisa likely wouldn't have noticed him approaching right away.

His eyes continue to scan the ship as he passes from one end of the deck to the other, not realizing that danger lurks just below. He grins to himself as he lays a hand on the ship's steering wheel, turning it this way and that before giving it a shove hard enough to make it spin round and round, bubbles rising up to the surface far above in the wake of the movement.

He doesn't realize he's a sitting duck.]

[Nagisa's shapely form soon comes into view for Rin as he rounds the ship's innards. A seal? This far down? Why the hell would it do that? And how the hell is it managing to breath at this depth? Even those dumb dolphins struggled in these waters.

But the creature's lousy judgement is Rin's opportunity. He hasn't had anything as succulent as seal meat in forever. Damn things could be real torpedoes in the water and he isn't the swiftest on land. This is a much better setup.

He narrows his gaze on the blubbery body before him and then charges it full throttle, terrifying jaws open for the killing bite.]

[Nagisa might have lousy judgement, but in the end it's sheer luck that saves his life. Something glinting on one side of the ship catches his eye, and he turns his head to look over at it just as Rin rushes for him. He jumps hard, his hand jerking off the wheel as he spins around to face the shark that's speeding right at him, no doubt trying to aim for his throat for a quick kill.

Without thinking, Nagisa suddenly dives down, headfirst toward the deck before changing direction at the last second, slipping beneath the edge of the wheel before pulling up on the other end in the hopes that Rin won't be able to turn in time, leaving him right in the path of the immovable steering wheel. If he hits it, he'll either hit it hard enough to daze him so Nagisa can get away, or he'll get stuck if he's really lucky.]

[Nagisa is partially accurate in his predictions. His move is bizarre enough to catch Rin off-guard and prevent a completely smooth shift in his charge, meaning that he does smash into the wheel fairly hard. Though it's only the lower half of his tail that makes contact. Still, it hurts like a son of a bitch and Rin cries out as the pain shoots through him, making another rapid attack difficult. He growls and jerks his tail closer to him, feeling for any damaged bone or cartilage, as his sharp eyes try to spot where the seal has dashed off to.]

[Where is the seal, you ask? Well, anyone else would have kept swimming without stopping, but Nagisa ends up turning instead to see what actually becomes of the shark trying to attack him. His eyes dart from the wheel up to Rin, just as he looks over to see where his meal darted off to.

That is when Nagisa starts swimming, powering through the water with his tail and flippers as fast as he can possibly go.]

[Rin curses and tries to pursue his target, but it's hard to swim when every swing of his tail makes him shudder. It doesn't look like anything is damaged, but a bruise is a given. And right now, it's just plain sore. He watches his meal get further and further away from him eventually has to stop when the stinging sensation becomes too much. Sousuke is going to nag the hell out of him when he hears about this.]

Dammit.

[He heads for the nearest rock or coral formation to rest against while the pain dies down. There's no way he'll manage to swim all the way back home in this condition.

Defeated by a fucking human contraption because he was swimming where he shouldn't have been. It figures.]

[Against his better judgement (or moreso due to the lack thereof), Nagisa glances back after a while to see if he's still being pursued. He's both surprised and relieved to see that he isn't, but he doesn't stop swimming yet. He keeps going until he reaches the edge of a rocky outcropping beneath the water that he can slip behind, his chest heaving from the sudden exertion.

Once there, he carefully peers around the edge at Rin, watching him as he lays there with his bruised tail-fin. Nagisa hadn't really meant to get him hurt or anything, but as far as he's concerned, that shark deserves it for trying to eat him...]

[He waits for a moment or two until he can manage to catch Rin's eye, and- again, there is no good judgement here- Nagisa sticks out his tongue and blows a raspberry at him, bubbles escaping his mouth as he does.]

[Rin is surprised to meet the seal's gaze when he looks up again. But he's even more surprised to see the seal sticking out its tongue at him, like it's actually mocking him. Since when do seals have the mental capacity to do that?

Not to mention, he's already irritated as hell.]

You little—

[Nagisa isn't the only one with crappy judgment today, as Rin dives back into the water and shoots off toward Nagisa's rock. Only to be again stopped by his nigh useless tail. He shrieks again and then glares at said tail before going back to easy sways to keep afloat.]

Whatever. I bet you're all fat with no real meat anyway. One of the others will pick you off before you reach shore.

Edited 2015-12-02 05:38 (UTC)

[Nagisa gives an indignant snort, but not much more than that. If he wastes too much of his air he won't be able to last as long as he'd like down here. He's already frustrated that Rin ruined his exploring. Serves him right.

And since Rin is closer now, Nagisa is careful to stay half hidden behind his rock, just in case the shark gets a second wind. He tosses his head a little, pumping his tail down hard through the water. Well, if he is all fat, then that's just too bad for you, isn't it?]

And you're lousy at hiding too.

[Rin continues to swim carefully, wincing every now and then. If only his tail was cooperating, that seal would be an easy meal right now. And he could really use a pick-me-up snack after that disaster.]

It's your fault for coming all the way down here.

[Suddenly, a look of wicked realization spreads across his face. That's right, the seal is pretty far down.]

In fact, I don't even have to chase you. I just have to keep you here long enough for your air to run out. You don't have the gills to last forever.

[Well maybe he isn't trying to stay hidden anymore...

What Rin says next though does get Nagisa's attention, his flippers slowly moving as he treads water to keep himself afloat. He's just bluffing, isn't he? There's no way he could catch a speeding seal in his condition...

But he's already been down here for a while. At most, he's only got a few minutes of air left, meaning he will have to make for the surface pretty quickly.

The seal's eyes move as he sizes Rin up for a moment, his nose wrinkled in displeasure. Then, without warning, he ducks behind the rocks again.]

[Rin blinks at the display. It looks like he struck a nerve.

Wait! Can the seal really understand him? He's never been able to talk to mammals before. Isn't there supposed to be some species language barrier? He's probably just reading into it and the seal is just readying itself for another escape attempt.]

Those rocks aren't going to help you when it's time. But hey, keep fooling yourself. I like a show before dinner.

[The seal doesn't reappear right away, keeping hidden behind the edge of the rock as he weighs his options. If he tries to make a break for the surface now, Rin will cut him off. But if he stays and tries to wait for him to get bored of this, he'll drown long before he wins that standoff. There's really only one thing he can do.

As the next minute slowly ticks past, the seal doesn't reemerge, though the steady stream of bubbles trailing from behind the rocks signals that he is still hiding back there. Every now and then his tail floats into view as he pumps it through the water to keep himself aloft.

But then, just as it's starting to get close to the time that he'd be starting for the surface, the tail pulls back behind the rocks again. A second later, a pair of hands reach up and grip the top of the rock formation as Nagisa pulls himself up so he can peek just over the edge of it, only his eyes and mop of blonde hair visible now.]

[Rin has been subtly inching closer as more time passes, anticipating the seal's last-ditch sprint for the surface. While he doubts he'll be able to match his speed, if he can catch him as he shoots forward, that should wound the seal enough to prevent any real escape. Then he can just follow the trail of blood back to his meal.

The last thing he expects to see when he approaches are hands. Hands not too different from his own, although with much shorter and blunter claws. The webbing between the fingers also isn't as extensive. But even more surprising than the hands are those pinkish eyes. Nothing like a seal's eyes. He stops short, eyes widening, along with his mouth.

It can't be. A mermaid? But what mer-creature can transform itself into its non-hybrid brethren?]

What the hell are you anyway?

[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.]

[In his shock at discovering his intended meal is, in fact, another type of mer, Rin shoots after Nagisa, only to be brought to a jarring halt by the pain in his tail. He curses loudly and stares back up at the surface to which the mer-seal(?) disappeared, unable to do anything but hope for a return. But he hasn't really given the creature much reason to come back after that whole attempting to eat him thing. Which was totally understandable since the mer looked like a seal? Why hadn't he changed back sooner once Rin made his intentions clear? This whole mess is obviously the mer's fault.

He lightly thrashes his tail in frustration, wincing again.]

[In hindsight, Nagisa probably really didn't think this through. But he's never been one to ever plan ahead. Everything he does is spontaneous, and it's lucky that he finally saw how serious the situation was getting and finally shifted forms. He can hear Rin chasing after him, but he doesn't stop for anything, not until his head breaks through the water's surface and he can take a deep, long breath of air. Upon looking back down, he sees that he wasn't followed all the way up, at least...he must have done more damage to the shark than he realized.

He wades for a moment, weighing his options. He could just leave, escape now while he has the chance...and that would be the smart thing to do. That's what anyone in his situation would do.

Naturally, that isn't what Nagisa does.

Minutes later, Rin will see a figure approaching him again from above as Nagisa swims back down, now with enough air in him to last for some time. He keeps his distance though, stopping above Rin several yards away. Now, his features are clear for Rin to see. Just like any other merfolk, except his is the lower half of a seal.]

[Rin blinks in surprise to see the mer-seal again. He was certain he would have fled the second he reached the surface and had just been about to turn around and attempt to trek back home when he heard the dive from above. He's not surprised that the mer-seal's keeping his distance from him. It's the least he can do after putting himself back in this precarious position.

That doesn't stop Rin from trying to carefully close the gap though, eager to see more of this strange creature. He sure looks like any other mer, except for the seal part. What's the point of mer that actually needs air anyway? That seems horribly counterproductive.]

Oi, you still haven't told me what you are.

[Like before, Nagisa shakes his head a little, his hand rising to his throat again. It's probably a really bad idea for Nagisa to be doing this...but after getting the shark hurt, he feels like he owes him a little explanation.

But seeing how he breathes air exclusively, he can't talk down here. He points up again before turning to start swimming away, glancing back over his shoulder to see if Rin's following him.]

[Still wanting his answers, Rin does his best to swim after him. He hopes the merseal is willing to wait for him, as he takes his time moving with his sore tail. When he finally reaches the surface, he's ridiculously exhausted, his gills flaring wildly. He's sure he looks like a total wreck, shifting his tail to keep afloat, his head just above the water so his gills can still easily filter it.]

So... spill? What's your deal? How could you change like that?

[He does wait at least, not zipping straight to the surface without giving Rin much opportunity to follow.

Nagisa brushes his damp bangs out of his eyes before he replies, his gaze narrowing at Rin from a distance- a safe distance.]

I'm a selkie. Selkie's can turn into seals. Haven't you ever heard of one before?

What the hell's a selkie?

[Where did this guy come from? He's sure he's never heard any of his kind mention that word before.

Once his breathing calms, he pushes himself up a bit more out of the water to get a better look at the... selkie.]

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