I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue

[sassybird]

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

Comments

[musicalmenace]

If I was going to kill you, I could easily have done it already.

[Her lips pull back, teeth bared and glinting ivory in the sunlight. It's a smile by human terms and a threat by everything else's.]

[possedere]

And the others?

[Unmoved, one eyebrow raised. Because excuse him if he just wanted to cover all his bases so he wouldn't be torn apart by a pack of sirens.]

[musicalmenace]

You mean the others who are eating the rest of the crew?

[A certain snappiness is lining her words now, claws tapping impatiently against the rock. She could be eating too, instead of bargaining with some smarmy human. It's tempting to just kill him and steal the ring now...]

They'll be busy, so are you going to give it to me or not?

[possedere]

[It was a fair enough point, and Mukuro handed over the ring easily enough, raising an eyebrow.]

How do you propose we leave?

[Mukuro was a strong swimmer, but he wasn't sure what direction land was in or how far it would be.]

[musicalmenace]

[Sorry, uh, what was that Mukuro? She's a bit busy sliding the ring onto finger and finger until she finds the one that fits best so that she can hold it up to the sunlight. Ah, glimmering gold.]

[Shaping it into lovely wearable jewelry is the only other thing humans are good for, in her opinion.]

[And then suddenly, with no warning whatsoever, she pushes herself off of the rock and disappears in a twist of scales into the depths of the water.]

[BYE BITCH]

[....But not really. Mukuro is allowed a little around ten minutes to curse trusting a siren before a lone and tiny little rowboat suddenly comes from around the rocks. It's clearly in questionable shape... but it's still floating. That's something.]

[She pokes her head from around it.]

Ta ~da~.

[possedere]

[ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS. Mukuro's face was shocked when she pushed off without another word, before it turned dark with anger. He was going to spend the time hunting for something sharp to defend himself with and/or throw after the useless siren. He had gathered up a few workable ones when the boat came drifting by.

He still pocketed the sharpest rock, smirking as he stood, an eyebrow raised.]

I'm impressed, siren.

[He stepped into the boat gingerly, boots squelching in some water.]

What direction is shore?

[They'd taken all of his navigational tools, and had locked him so far below deck he hadn't been able to judge by the sun or the moon or the stars.]

[musicalmenace]

Which shore?

[Letting him adjust to the little boat, she twists in the water until she's floating on her back, staring up at him impassionately.]

The ocean touches all of them eventually, and it's not like I know a lot of the names for them. Most humans I come across don't exactly last long enough for that sort of talk.

[On account of being devoured, you know.]

[possedere]

The closest one.

[Mostly because Mukuro was sure his followers would have been tracking that ship in order to try and break him out. That and being chained up for so long had left him a bit weaker than he would like, and he didn't want to collapse and die before making it back to actual land.]

[musicalmenace]

[Works for her. With a flip, she disappears beneath the water and resurfaces behind the boat. It takes a bit of pushing to get it away from the rocks.]

I hope this is worth it, you know.

[possedere]

[There was one paddle in the boat despite its sorry condition, so Mukuro, for once, would help a lady out and start paddling. That quip was enough to make him chuckle lightly, his movements smooth and measured.]

You'll have twice your weight in gold, siren. I keep my promises.

[musicalmenace]

You better. I wouldn't forget if you didn't.

[Sirens lived long, and their memories stretched just as far. She's not joking in the slightest.]

How will you get it to me? [Since it's going to take a while until they reach land. May as well milk all the information she can out of him.]

[possedere]

It will take about a week to make contact with my subordinates and get to my cache.

[Mukuro paddled along idly, the sounds of men and carnivorous eating fading into the background.]

Do you have a way to keep track of time?

[Since she had said she wasn't aware of the shores, it might be best to clarify that as well.]

[musicalmenace]

The moon.

[There's a sort of duh quality to her tone.]

Keep track of how many times she passes, and what mask she wears. That's how we do it, at any rate. A week... seven?

[She's overheard enough human chatter when she or her kind have lurked instead of singing men to their deaths.]

[possedere]

[Now that was interesting, Mukuro's gaze sharpening as he glanced back over to her, head tilted to the side.]

Seven.

[He agreed, voice soft and thoughtful.]

What about names? I should know what my savior is called.

[On anyone else, it might have sounded grateful and sincere. From Mukuro is still contained a hint of mockery.]

[musicalmenace]

MM.

[She bares her teeth at him in another smile.]

And how about you, apparently rich human?

[possedere]

Are all siren names so short?

[Or perhaps it stood for something. Either way, he returned the smile, his no less menacing but perhaps lacking in sharpness.]

Mukuro Rokudo. It's a pleasure.

[musicalmenace]

Do all human names rhyme?

[Don't be a jackass asking jackass questions, jeeeeeeeez. Far enough now to let the waves keep him from slamming the boat back into the rocks, MM disappears beneath the surface for a quick moment. When she comes up, a fish tail is poking out from between her lips.]

[Hopefully he doesn't give a shit that she talks with her mouth full.]

If you hold up your end of the deal, maybe I'll call you Mukuro-sama.

[possedere]

Only the best ones.

[Because excuse you his name was flawless he chose it himself. But then again this was the same guy, who, now that his hair was starting to dry, was going to start to resemble a pineapple. By choice.

The talking with a mouthful wasn't going to bother him, because one of his other companions did so as often as he went without bathing, though he did chuckle slightly at that.]

I'd be honored.

[Or more like, she'd be referring to him as she should have at the start but still. He let the conversation lull for a while, before starting up again, almost conversational if it wasn't for the intense interest:]

I've heard sirens can walk on land. Would you want to accompany me to your riches?

[musicalmenace]

[Such interest doesn't get past her. Bones of the fish having been left to the waves again, she smirks up to him with her mouth still smeared bloody.]

I thought you were far away from where you needed to be.

[No comment on whether the rumor about her kind is true or not.]

[possedere]

You wouldn't want to be sure of your investment?

[Mukuro's gaze was sharp, his head canted to the side, half amusement and half mocking. Because two could play the deflection game.]

[musicalmenace]

Are you saying you're the type to lie after all?

[Except she really is starting to get annoyed at the idea of not getting paid in exchange for giving up a perfectly good meal, so she gives a wet huff.]

We'll have to see when we get to land.

[possedere]

Kufufufu a siren angry over a deception?

[He kept his paddling steady, though he did spare her an amused smirk.]

In this instance, I'll keep my word. You'll only befall as much harm as I have.

fast foward time?

[musicalmenace]

It's fine when we do it.

[Because sirens need to eat, you know. And it's so fun to hear the ships being torn about by rocky teeth, like a prelude to what will happen to those onboard...]

Let's hope it's not any harm at all.

sure thing o/

[possedere]

[Mukuro's lips curved upwards, sharp and wicked, at that retort, but he kept his face turned away to hide it. That had been the idea exactly.

The rest of time passed uneventfully, and it didn't take long to reach the shore. Once he was successfully out of the boat, he made sure to sink it just in case. He was a criminal, after all. He dusted off his hands, exhausted, but ready to start the trek to where he could contact his fellow conspirators and keep his word to the siren. He wiped his face off on his sleeve, before turning back to M.M.]

Your decision?

[musicalmenace]

[And the question she's been pondering the entire journey here.]

[While he's been taken care of his little boat problem, she's been lounging in the shallows with her elbows in the sand and her chin in her hand. Humans are self serving creatures, completely untrustworthy. How much worth do their words really have? Well, in this case, they might be worth gold. That's enough of a reward to risk betrayal, maybe...]

[In the back of her throat, she makes a strange popping sound. It's definitely one of annoyance.]

I'm coming along. Stay right there.

[Pushing herself, she launches herself back into the deeper waters and clearly starts to make for rockier shores. Sirens habitate them in the far off seas easily, so it's no trouble for her at all to navigate the tides so she doesn't smash herself to bits. Wiggling onto the rocks where the waves can't sweep her off, MM huffs.]

[It's been a long time since she's used this particular song, but it's not like she could forget.]

[The tune that falls from her lips isn't like the high rising song her kind so often sings to lure men to their deaths. That one is like a tidal wave, inconspicuous at the start until it's risen high above and crashing down on a ship. This is softer. Gentler. Tides lapping lazily at shore. She sings it to herself, not to others, as she takes her thumb claw and presses it to her hip where the scales are thick. Siren claws are made for cutting through flesh, but this is a slice smoother than most as she leans to take it as far as her reach will go. Steadfast and efficient, she keeps going until from the mess of blood and scales she can pry away legs.]

[MM makes a face. They always look so weird to her, and getting up to a standing position is a pain in the fin. Yet once that's managed, she kicks the scales into the water for the tide to carry away. Let the sharks and bottomfeeders have it. She's no selkie.]

[Of course, this means when she clambers over the rocks back to the sandier parts of the beach, she's covered only in gold and gore, but she's not bothered by it.]

Alright, I'm ready.