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

Who said it was a present? You were only supposed to have a taste.

[Still holding the leg, Mukuro started to erase the small signs of their campsite, putting out the fire and taking care to make it look like nothing had ever been disturbed.]

If you're done trying to steal my food, we should get moving.

Hmph. Then you shouldn't have given me the whole thing.

[Sulking maybe a little, M.M. goes over to the remnants of her own portion to tear off one last bloody chunk. Licking the blood away from her mouth and hands, she nods.]

Worried someone will come after that pig or for you?

For a taste.

[It was repeated slowly, as if M.M. might be a bit slow.

Instead of answering right away, he started walking away from the campsite, shooting an amused smirk over his shoulder.]

You should be more worried about people coming after you.

And I was tasting it.

[With her whole mouth. In the process of devouring it all.]

[Trotting after him, M.M. scoffs dismissively.]

Oh, I'm not some criminal. I'm just some innocent girl who was clearly kidnapped by some ruffian for who knows what nefarious deeds.

[She'd sell you to Satan for one shiny ring, Mukuro. Or just to save her own skin.]

You were going to devour it. There's a difference.

[Yeah, Mukuro was going to argue like a middle school kid because clearly he was very mature and well-adjusted.

That scenario made Mukuro's smirk sharpen, one eyebrow raised.]

Kufufu is that a wise decision? Considering I know you're a siren.

And who would believe you?

[She smirks back, all teeth.]

Just some weirdo criminal, right?

You'd be singing a different tune when it comes to saving your own skin.

[Mukuro's smirk was just as razor sharp, his gaze intense and narrowed.

Then, as if he'd never looked so murderous, it shifted back to a ( nearly ) harmless expression, his features amicable.]

Though I'll keep my word. I'll deliver your treasure to you safely. What you choose to do after that is your decision.

You better. I don't want to have wasted my time for nothing.

[It's a pain to split her tail into legs, and to walk around on land so long. Sirens are water creatures at their core, after all. She can tell it's only a matter of time before she starts getting fidgety on plain earth.]

What does that mean, hm?

I would have thought you'd be done with my company as soon as you had your treasure. Don't tell me that you need an escort back.

[She probably did, unless she was keeping track of where they were headed, but Mukuro would take mercilessly mocking and teasing her as payment. Considering she was already doing so with him, it was only proper.]

[The returned mockery makes her narrow her eyes, but it’s actually not in a bad way. Sirens are social only to feed off of entire ships. Meetings between them are naturally full of venomous jabs. This is par for the course… Just with a human. It’s kind of a new experience, in a way.]

You better, leaving a poor defenseless girl all on her own in a new land would be just heartless. [And just like that, she drops the innocent act with a scoff.] Anyway, it’d be a pain to have to figure out a way back on land.

[She could figure out a way through the water… but that would really depend on the port and its location.]

[At the word 'defenseless', Mukuro started chuckling, laughter spilling from his lips despite the fact that he pressed the back of his hand against his mouth as if to stem the noise. He shot her an amused look, clearly not buying that argument in the least.]

Kufufufu you're hardly defenseless, siren.

[Still, he turned his gaze forward again, mouth still curved upwards.]

We'll be in the next village by noon. My followers should be there and you'll get your reward.

[What, it’s not like she just gut a pig with her bare hands or anything, gooooosh. M.M. still sniffs before a considering look crosses her face.]

So what do these followers of yours look like?

Like a dog and a pair of glasses.

[Mukuro no this isn't G*ntama ffs.

But he didn't budge on the description, instead making sure they made good time to get to the village in question. It's a lot larger than the last one, and while it was unlikely that they would be separated, he wasn't sure if he could trust the siren not to get in trouble. He stopped at the edge of the forest, glancing back at her.]

You should wait here. I'll be back in an hour.

Eeeh? That doesn’t tell me anything at all!

[So that’s one thing Mukuro gets to enjoy for approximately half the trip: being badgered incessantly on what the hell that even means. Eventually, however, she stops with a huff and narrowed eyes. It’s when they finally come to a stop that she raises an eyebrow at him.]

And why should I wait when you could just run off without paying me?

[Unfortunately for M.M., he was used to being badgered quite often and at loud volumes, so he spent the trip humming pleasantly and tuning her out.

That statement however... He smiled, completely disingenuous.]

I'm a man of my word. But if you're willing to brave a big city, try to keep up.

[Without waiting for her response, he turned on his heel and started walking towards the city. His pace didn't slow as he passed colorful stalls with vendors shouting about the deals their wares were, housing districts, or rest stations. His pace only slowed as they neared the slums, with people begging for food or anything they could spare.

He brushed them off easily, heading towards one of the more dilapidated buildings on the street.]

Watch your step.

[It looked like it might collapse on itself any minute, the door groaning in protest when Mukuro opened it.]

Hey-!

[Down in the watery depths, she’s darted through enormous schools of fish and skillfully woven through complicated mazes of coral. It’s a talent.]

[However, on land, everything is so much clumsier. Slower, heavier, useless feet threatening to catch on anything including each other. She hisses siren curses under her breath as she chases after Mukuro, shoving past people and snapping at anyone who got too close all in the name of keeping that stupid haircut in her field of vision.]

[When the two of them finally make it to his destination- she thinks it is anyway- she resists the urge to smack him upside the back of his head.]

Are we done!?

Are we ever done trying to sate our desires?

[It was said idly enough, Mukuro picking through the dusty warehouse. It looked like Ken and Chikusa hadn't made it here yet, though that was fine with him. He had hidden enough treasure here to please the siren, but the true problem was how she was going to transport all of it back to the ocean. It was a long trek, and all the gold and jewelry would be heavy, not to mention eye catching. Mukuro had been half hoping that she would have just taken the gold and run off, but this one was as cunning as she was greedy.

A few rooms from the entrance, there was a loose floor board that Mukuro pried loose, reaching down to enter in the safe combination. Once he heard the click, he moved the rest of the floor boards, settling himself on the edge of the decrepit floor.]

After you.

[He gestured expansively, smirking sharply. In the safe would be a few fistfuls of rings, all made out of precious metals with various designs and gems. There was even a few necklaces and a tiara of all things.]

Uuuuugh, if I wanted cryptic philosophical nonsense, I’d talk to a sphynx!

[Before she can kick him in the back of the shins, however, they’re finally getting to what she’s really interested in. She waits patiently for him to go through the safe, eyes narrowed and sharp, and they fairly shine when she sees what’s waiting for her. M.M. doesn’t immediately dig in, instead taking careful stock of what’s there and if anything unpleasant is awaiting for her. Once she’s confirmed all is safe, she eagerly swipes up the tiara.]

[Yes, she knows what she wants.]

[As she starts plucking up the rings with her claws, she eyes him carefully.]

Is this all you have?

[Mukuro watched her in amusement, legs crossed, elbow resting against his knee and his cheek resting against the back of his hand.]

Is it not enough, siren?

[Which isn't an answer, but he wasn't cleaning out all of his treasure troves just for a greedy siren, savior or no.]

It’s never enough.

[Keep up, Mukuro.]

[Still, she doesn’t say anything for a moment more, spinning a ring idly on the tip of one finger. This is already a pretty good deal so far…. And she can see an opportunity here. Her tongue flicks out to the corner of her mouth.]

...Interested in another deal?

It depends. What are you offering?

[Because Mukuro could guess what she wanted.]

[A sickle’s edge of a smile, all teeth.]

Siren secrets.

Interesting.

[It was one hell of a bargain, one Mukuro didn't want to be seen as being too keen on. This siren was far craftier than he would have liked, but he knew her weakness. But just how truthful was she?

He crossed his legs, surveying M.M.'s expression, searching for any hint of duplicity.]

Why would you divulge those so easily?

Aren’t humans the one race that thinks anything can be bought for enough riches?

[It’s certainly what she’s divulged after seeing enough sunken ships, laden with all sorts of goods from exotic spices that dissipated helplessly in the water to other humans bound in chains. From the few times she’s gone on land, it’s been even more obvious. Not a thing could be exchanged without payment being expected.]

[Say what you will about her own avarice, but it pales in comparison to that of a whole race’s.]

And trust me- I won’t say a word if I don’t get my end of the bargain.

It's hard to trust someone who would sell out the secrets of their own race so easily.

[Especially considering Mukuro would have nothing to fact check her against. He canted his head to the side, considering.]

How can I be sure you'll even tell the truth?

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