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badliifechoiice22015-11-28 11:54 am
sassybird) wrote in badliifechoiice22015-11-28 11:54 am
I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue
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
no subject
beautifullyintentional.]Isn't it obvious what I am?! [Besides dying on the inside (and possibly outside too). He can, at the very least, float...if he doesn't try to swim anyhow. It's embarrassing enough as it is to be caught floundering around like a fool. He doesn't need any more help with feeling inadequate. He huffs as he turns his gaze to the side. Despite his setbacks, he never wants to be caught in a vulnerable state by a stranger.
Okay, so he already has...Nonetheless, he tries to be polite...because it's possible to be civil with a sharks, right?] I don't mean to cause trouble.I am just...passing by. [Well, he isn't lying there. Though his kind are more commonly seen in schools, it's as obvious to anyone paying attention that he can't keep up with them, let alone glide. The human made things he had on his arms earlier didn't do him any favors like he had hoped.]
no subject
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.
/KICKS SCHOOL INTO THE SUN
Hell, he can probably already tell. Rei clears his throat then, speaking more
defensivelyhumbly.]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."]
no subject
[Luckily for Rei, while his reaction might be just what Rin was hoping for, his admission about willingly separating himself strikes Rin's curiosity. He's never heard of a mer purposely fleeing his school before. Isn't it their instinct to stick together? Especially one that can barely swim?]
That seems like a stupid move. You're not ready for open water yet. If you came across the wrong fish, you'd be easy pickings.
[He scoffs at the query, studying his claws for a moment.]
Now, that's an interesting question. What's a shark to do with a helpless fish?
no subject
...thankfully, he didn't say that out loud or he wouldn't be floating here still. Rin's words regarding his skills (or lack of) hit him harder than the coral reefs and stones the current had him smash into (which is all totally metaphorical and never happened. Nope.) The damage shows in Rei's face as his eyes widen to show Rin that his assessment about all this is correct.]
Are you saying I came across the "right" fish? [Rei bristles at that question, steeling himself up for what could happen.
...the prolonged act of folding his arms makes it difficult for him to keep his balance with the tail and all, so he ends up flipping to the side this time while also letting out a less-than-dignified yelp.]
no subject
I'm saying you came across a bored fish. Which actually works out in your favor. Because that means I might be in the position to... do something about your little problem.
no subject
Please just get over with whatever it is you wish to do with me! I can't take much more of this floundering. [He's already dying from embarrassment alone. Better a quick death, if anything!]
no subject
What's the rush? These things usually take time, you know. And I have plenty today. By looks of it, so do you.
no subject
...they're still talking. Oh.
That gives Rei some time to gather himself and yank his wrist away, gills slightly flared from being so flustered.]
Are you suggesting that you are going to help me... [Well, the notion crossed his mind once, but can you blame him for believing that he was going to be eaten first?]
...swim?
no subject
[Plus, Rin loves to teach, not that he'll admit that to the flustered mermaid. He has a reputation to uphold. Can't be letting the other sharks think he's soft on non-sharks.]
You're going to have to stop freaking out whenever I try to touch you though. I'm probably going to have to do that a lot to make sure you're holding yourself properly.
[That's what he usually does with the pups he takes under his wing from time to time.
He playfully swats Rei's tail with the flat of his fin.]
Think you can manage that?
no subject
It's not like he has much options anyway. Maybe this is nature's way of giving him another chance with its strange sense of humor.]
I think it is understandable why I would be wary of your touch! [A gasp follows as he speaks the last word. That swat, thankfully, doesn't send him off balance but he knows Rin very well could do worse if he wanted to already.]
Very well...Rin-san, is it? [He uncrosses his hands finally and lowers his arms to bow - though not as low as he'd like to lest he ends up spinning again.] My name is Rei. I will do my best to learn from you.
no subject
Yeah, yeah. Scary shark. All these awesome teeth.
Don't worry. They won't get too close to you. I'm a professional, you know.
Rei, huh? How about we start with your posture, Rei?
[He wastes no time in reaching out that clawed hand and pulling Rei forward. But he remains horizontal this time so it's less pulling Rei toward him and more pulling Rei onto his front so that he's also positioned horizontally.]
I had to stop myelf from saying jawsome.............dammit.
Maybe it's from their brief exchanges just now, but there's still a lot of fight left in Rei as he meets Rin's eyes with his, cleared of doubt.]
Like this?
Jawesome is perfect
Now, start moving your tail and try to keep the rest of your body straight.
[Rin illustrates his point but running a surprisingly smooth palm down the length of Rei's side, stopping at his tail. This time the touch seems more purposeful than just teasing.]
no subject
Y-yes! [Rei does the best he can to move his tail, letting it swish horizontally while keeping himself straight. The former is easier for him to do. It's the tail that's a bit of a struggle, but the look on Rei's face clearly shows that he's trying.]
no subject
Man, your tail is going all over the place. Maybe you should focus on moving that normally first. Just concentrate on fluid strokes. Like this.
[Rin leans back to demonstrate smooth movements of sharper finned tail.]
You'll find it easier to keep from flipping to the side once you've got that down.
no subject
Would it be different for me because I am of a different species? Our tails are similar but [here he goes, going on about numbers and whatever jargon that might as well be a different language to most.]
no subject
Ah, knock all that off. It doesn't matter that we're different species, the concept is the same. You have to move it smoothly. Hell, even eels can pull that off.
Just do what I told you.
no subject
...okay. Could you show me again, please? [He wants to get it right.]
no subject
[He flips himself onto his back again and demonstrates the movements one more time, trying to perform the strokes as slowly as possible so Rei can properly study them. He just doesn't know how to make this any easier. This sort of thing has always come naturally for him.]