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justkeepdancing-nemo · 3 days ago

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Put The Feeling of Fear Behind Me | Finn/Ariel/Nemo/RAS

In which Gil and James come for the rescue...

@ariel-the-undiscovered @justkeepdancing-nemo @agentgrumpy-gils @jameshawks

[dated: 5/17/2025]

Prior Reading:

The Truth Untold Pt. 1 Heart Won't Listen To These Words World Full of Uncertainty The Warmth That Knew My Feelings New Problems A Secure Message Boxed In

NEMO:

He woke up who knows how much later. Nemo groaned, blinking blearily. His head throbbed and the rest of his muscles ached too. Still, the events trickled back to him. The museum. The hissing… “Finn! Ariel!” Nemo jerked to attention, sitting up in the cramped closet (?) he’d been shoved in. He let out a sigh of relief as he saw both of his friends. But they were still sleeping peacefully. Nemo reached forward to shake Finn. “Finny…” he whimpered, but this friend didn’t move. There was still some kind of weird salty smell in the air. Whatever the hissing was - some kind of gas? It hadn’t affected Nemo. He shoved his hands in his pockets. Thorns, they took his phone! But in his other one… “My pixie dust,” whispered Nemo. Okay. Okay, okay. If he went pixie-sized he might be able to slip out somewhere. He saw a vent in the corner. He had no idea where it went. But if he got out, then maybe he could find his hyung. “I’ll be back. I’m so sorry, guys,” he whispered to his friends. With a gulp, Nemo went pixie-sized and then fluttered up to the vent, squeezing his way into the tiny grates.

JAMES

It hadn’t taken long for Gil and James to get sorted, to be decked out in all the gear they needed, But the kids had so much time on them. Who knew how much trouble they could have gotten into. Both Gil and James lost in their own thoughts, they planned when needed but otherwise were focused, worried in their own ways. But when they got to the building, parked close enough for a getaway, far enough to hide, the calm and cool washed over James, there was no time to worry. Not if they needed to be quick on their feet. Following the breadcrumbs the others left for them James and Gil found the doors they locked picked and snuck in, creeping behind tanks, supplies as the blueprints were read over to them. It wasn’t hard to find the trapped mermaids, but it was obvious something had happened to the kids when they were nowhere to be found. “Looks like we’re searching the entire building? Up in the vents probably.” James whispered nodding up to one, both of them could easily get to.

GIL:

“We can start there,” said Gil. There were stranger places for three kids to hide. Or be hidden. He tried not to think of the worst case scenario. They were alive. They had to be alive. He climbed up onto a crate and unscrewed the vent, then hoisted himself up, before leaning down to give James a hand. Shiftwell had provided them with blueprints of the aquarium, including the vent system. Gil looked at his smart watch and pulled up the map of the vent system. “Looks like if we go straight ahead, we’ll reach a fork. We can split up there to cover more area.” He started off, crawling through the vent. It wasn’t the first time he’d done this, but it never got any less awkward to crouch on his hands and knees.

NEMO:

The vents widened and narrowed at different points - some vents large enough to accompany an adult, but others would only fit a small child. Nemo figured he was best staying pixie-sized and using his pixie dust so he could fly through the vents. Cover more ground, right? The problem was, that Nemo wasn’t really sure what he was looking for. The second problem was that Nemo got lost. Fast. The vents criss-crossed and zig-zagged like a maze. He started to scatter pixie dust behind him in an attempt to leave a trail, which kind of worked, only soon he came across his own dust and the panic crept up his throat. He backtracked, and tried another way, but still ended up stumbling onto his own glimmering dust trail. His heartbeat raced. He was taking way too long. Finn and Ariel could have been moved already. And then, what? He failed to help them and he got trapped in these vents forever? “S-stay calm, stay calm…” Nemo muttered to himself. His tiny feet padded silently across the metal. He was too upset to try another path. He just needed to think. Maybe if he could trace his path back to the beginning, he could just start all over… Thump. Nemo’s head shot up. A vibration traveled throughout the vents, causing the metal to wobble just enough for Nemo to identify the general direction the disturbance came from. Something big enough to disturb the vent? It had to be another person, right? Maybe Hyung? Had Hyung finally made it?! “Hello?” Nemo called, but he realized that his voice wouldn’t carry, not pixie-sized. Instead, if someone was down there– they’d hear a bell, gently ringing out. Hyung would at least recognize the sound.

JAMES

James’ head did snap up at the sound of a fairy’s voice- at Nemo’s voice, there was no doubt in his mind that it was Nemo and the amount of relief was a weight off his chest. The battle wasn’t over but knowing where the kids were was one of the biggest fights. “That was Nemo. We just need to follow the sound of that bell which is his voice.” James explained taking the lead now that he knew where he was going Gil right behind him. And yet they couldn’t go any further, not as the vents got smaller, Damn- James had some Pixie dust on him but honestly going smaller when he couldn’t fly would be foolish.

GIL:

Gil heard the sound of a bell — distant, faint. But it meant something to James. That was enough to give him hope. He let James take the lead. Crawling through a vent was not super comfortable, but Gil had done worse. However, as he continued to scoot along, the wiggle room grew smaller and smaller. Soon his hips could barely fit through the metal. “I don’t think I can go any further,” said Gil. “Nemo! Can you hear us? Follow the sound of my voice.”

NEMO:

He expected to hear his hyung but it was a different voice that echoed throughout the vents. Nemo froze, uncertain at first. Was that…Gil? How did Gil and James know each other? The question evaporated in one more flap of Nemo’s wings because it didn’t matter. Hyung and Gil were here, which meant they could help! Nemo called back – “I’m coming!” Or, he’d try to. He darted forward in the narrow vents toward the direction of the vents, taking several more turns before he paused, uncertain all over again when faced with the identical metal walls all around him. “Where are you? Say something else!” He said, hoping his jingling echoed like their voices did.

JAMES

“There’s no point of me going further. I won’t be as much use Pixie size.” James mused annoyed with himself and his broken wing yet again. He could be so much help only if he could fly. “Nemo it’s easier if you keep talking yours is less assuming. We’ll guide you based on your voice our maps toward us. Alright?”

GIL:

Gil listened for the sound of Nemo’s voice. He couldn’t make out what Nemo was saying, but he heard that gentle ring of a bell. It was coming vaguely from the left and behind them. “Keep going straight,” said Gil. “We’re on your right.”

NEMO:

There again – ! And the vents even vibrated a little with their voices, Nemo picking up the tremor when he put his fingers delicately against the metal. He zoomed again toward the voices. Straight, then right, just like Gil said. When he rang out again, Gil gave him another instruction. Left, left again. The vents started to open up wider which meant he had to be going in the right direction, yeah? Then a flash of dark hair! Nemo doubled back and zoomed toward Gil and James, finding them at last. He did several twirls in the air, pixie dust glittering off his small frame. He didn’t want to transform right there and risk destabilizing the vents or making a loud noise. But if they could lead him out, then Nemo was certain he could take them to his friends!

JAMES

Nemo was safe, he was unharmed. There was a small weight that could be released from his chest at the thought of it. Unfortunately there were still two more that needed to be rescued before the weight would fully be gone but that was the next step. “I'm glad you're okay. Do you know what room Finn and Ariel are in?” James nodded to Gil who still had the maps open. After all he had no idea yet that they had been kidnapped, just figured they were hiding somewhere.

GIL:

“Let’s get out of the vents,” said Gil. The blueprints lead him to a nearby vent cover, and after peeking through to make sure it was just an empty storage room, he opened it with a pocket knife. He leapt down, feet hitting the floor with a thud, and waited for his companions. “Here’s the map I have.” Gil showed his watch to Nemo. “We were here. And we met you around here.” He zoomed in appropriately. “Do you remember your path? Were you with Ariel and Finn when you left?”

NEMO:

Nemo zoomed after Gil and James and out of the vent, then shifted back into his human-sized form. It took him a second like always to adjust to the rapid change– the heaviness of his body, the Bigness of everything. His little heart was still racing from all of his flying, his skin shiny with sweat from exertion. But he couldn’t stop now. Finn and Ariel were still in trouble. They could end up in a cage themselves, could be taken somewhere far, if they didn’t get back to them. “Er– yeah, let me–” he bit his lip and then traced his fingers over the plan. His eyes scoured the blueprints. It didn’t feel nearly as confusing, having a bird’s eye view like this. “Here!” Nemo pointed at another small room. “I’m– I’m pretty sure that’s where they took us. We were in this small closet space. And Finn and Ariel– I dunno what happened.” Nemo frowned. “They both passed out. I think maybe it was a gas or something? It didn’t affect me. Maybe because I’m a fairy.” He shrugged. “They might still be knocked out though.”

JAMES

James glanced at Gil, while he didn’t know Finn was a mermaid he knew Ariel was, he knew Gil was and he knew they were rescuing mermaids. All of a sudden it didn’t seem so smart that Gil was here. But Nemo didn’t know Gil was a mermaid and that didn’t help. “I could go in first? If there’s anything remnant I should be okay, Just incase it effect mundus as well?”

GIL:

Gil understood: if something had affected Finn and Ariel, it was quite likely it’d affect him too. He also appreciated James lying as to not out him. So he nodded. “I’ll cover us from the back,” he said. “In case anyone sneaks up on us.” They settled into formation, James leading the way with Nemo’s direction, and Gil trailing behind. The back area of the aquarium seemed unremarkable, just hallways and rooms full of equipment. But Gil kept an eye out, periodically taking pictures with his smartwatch to analyze later. They reached the room Nemo had pointed out to them and Gil stood at the corner, reaching into his holster for his gun. He motioned for Nemo and James to head on in. He’d guard the outside and be ready for anything.

NEMO:

In retrospect, this was all pretty cool. He was on a mission with his hyung, like a true scout fairy himself. He recalled some of his training from those few months when Nemo had moonlighted as a scout apprentice and glided down the hall so as not to make a sound. When they reached the room, James went first. Then Nemo quickly took up the lead when he saw the small door behind the tank. There were still merpeople in there, curled at the bottom of the tank as if they were asleep. Yeah, whatever the gas was must have been mer-specific? Nemo tried the closet door, but of course, it didn’t budge. “It’s locked. Can you get in?” he asked his hyung.

JAMES

James wanted to test the air quality. He wanted to know more than theorize it was merm specific. If it was gone and safe for Gil now. But also to break down the components. Even now with the merms infront of him he was glancing around to see if he could figure out where it was released. They needed to be careful. “Yeah I can try. Watch my back and let me know if anyone approaches.” Pulling the supplies James got to work until he heard a satisfying click. “Okay we are in. However we should make Sure we can get Finn and Ariel before we get anyone out.” Now that it was unlocked they could just swoop in.

FINN:

He came to slowly… awareness trickling in in pieces. It was like trying to swim through reeds near the edges of the lake. His body felt heavy, and his head slowly started to lilt as he wiggled his fingers and started to try to figure out what exactly happened. “A-Ariel? N-Nemo?” He croaked, his voice dry and he coughed a little, his eyes finally opening wide. He yelped as he registered a few things at once: he and Ariel were tied up in a small space he’d never seen. And Nemo was nowhere to be seen. Oh god. Oh no. His breathing started to quicken rapidly, his throat tightening up and his eyes getting warm. No no no no. What if Nemo was hurt or-or worse! What if Finn had ruined everything? “N-Nemo?!” He called out, a desperate hope that maybe he could still somehow be in that room. “A-A-Ariel w-wake up!” He tried next, alarm bells ringing as he finally fully registered his wrists bound to a chair and the position they were in. He struggled, trying to see if he could get himself out of it. He failed to get his arms out but tried to shift his weight and see if he could do it that way. He ended up shifting too much and toppled over in the chair with a loud thud. He winced and started struggling harder. “We have to g-g-get out of here!”

GIL:

From the outside, there was only so much Gil could do. But he remained alert, holding his gun at the ready, just in case someone came around the corner. He was hoping it wouldn’t come to a physical confrontation, but he needed to be ready. The whole place was eerie, definitely less guarded than he might have expected. He wondered if the guards attention was diverted elsewhere, perhaps at another point of interest in this facility… He filed that thought away. He’d send a report to HQ about this place right away and they could send in a whole team. Right now, they were not equipped to take the aquarium down. They were two agents and three vulnerable Magicks without any training. He heard some clattering, so he tapped his communication line, linking up with James. “Everything alright?”

JAMES

The clang wasn’t a good sign, every instinct in his body wanted to push Nemo back and away, To Gil where the other agent could get Nemo out of here, Safe and sound. He knew the benefits of keeping Nemo beside him though and had to focus on that piece. Especially as they both ran toward the sound to see Finn and Ariel tied up, one still unconscious and one awake. “You’re safe to come in. Whatever put these guys to sleep is out of their system and Ariel is still unconscious. I’m going to need your help getting everyone out of here.” James stated simply to Gil before making quick work on the locks again. “Nemo get Finn untied.”

NEMO:

Nemo zoomed straight for Finn, not even thinking about potential consequences– trap doors or the gas. If he’d escaped once, he could do it again. But this time, he needed to make sure Finn and Ariel were with him. His heart panged at Finn’s frantic whimpers. “It’s okay, we’re gonna get outta here, Finny,” Nemo tried to soothe as he pulled at the knots. He bit down on his lip, struggling with them for a few more moments before they finally loosened. The rope fell to the ground. Nemo immediately threw his arms around Finn and gave him a short, powerful hug. But this wasn’t over yet. He glanced back at Ariel, frowning. Why was she knocked out still if Finn was awake…? Maybe the gas had a different effect on mundus? “Wh-what should we do next?” he asked James, though hopefully Gil would come in. “What about the mer-people in the aquarium?”

FINN:

The sight of Nemo, perfectly unharmed, managed to lift some of the panic that he had been feeling in the last few minutes since he’d woken up again. He barely bit back the sob that wanted to escape him at that moment. But he needed to be able to… he just… he couldn’t even think clearly but once Nemo finally untied him, he threw his own arms around Nemo, gripping onto him tightly like a lifeline for a moment. “I’m so-so-so-sorry Nemo,” Finn managed to say, the guilt still gnawing at him for putting them all in this position to begin with. He pulled back when Nemo did, glancing over at Ariel and James. “We…We have to g-g-get them out too,” Finn pleaded, though he wasn’t sure how they would manage that, even with Gil and James there. But he thought of the poor merpeople trapped in those tanks for who knew how long. It made his stomach queasy still. He took a shaky breath and let it out again. He’d got them in this mess, and he knew it would probably be smarter to get the three of them back out safely more than anything, but he wouldn’t be able to deal with it if the reason for them coming, those poor merfolk in the tanks, were left there to continue to suffer.

GIL:

“We’ll get them out,” said Gil, with a nod. Getting Finn, Ariel, and Nemo had been top priority, of course, but if they had a chance to save the merfolk… well Gil wasn’t about to let that chance slide out of his fingertips. He glanced at James, wondering if his colleague would agree. They had to prioritize the civilians, of course, but it would be a damn shame if they left now without rescuing the merfolk. Maybe a better leader would be able to make the call and bring the kids to safety — But Gil couldn’t stand it knowing that there were merfolk caged away. He looked at Nemo and Ariel too, gaze softening slightly. “We can split up — James can take the three of you out and I can handle the merpeople.”

JAMES

They would get the others out, James couldn’t leave them behind, if they had to then Gil and him would be right back here figuring out another way. So if they could do this one shot the better. Getting Ariel’s binds untied he scooped her up ready to get out of her and checked out. “Yeah we’ll get them out. No one left behind.” James nodded once at Gil and then at the others. They had done all these for the other merfolk anyway. "I want everyone to stay near, if one of you can comfortable carry Ariel that’s better for me to have my hands free if anything comes our way. I can then double back to Gil if you’re still in here.” He might considering there would be two weak merfolk to get out.

FINN:

Gil suggested the split, and it did make sense mostly. But there were two merpeople. Would Gil be able to handle them both? He might need an extra set of hands. Plus… he couldn’t walk out without seeing that they were taken out of the tanks. He needed to be a part of it. “W-Wait! I want to go with Gil!” Finn insisted, hurrying over to where Gil was standing. He didn’t want to cause more trouble for him, but he couldn’t help the part of him that had been screaming out to help those merpeople. That had led them to this mess in the first place. “I c-can go and Nemo c-could help with A-Ariel. We-We’ll be able to get out of here sooner.”

NEMO:

Nemo’s eyes widened as Finn stumbled forward after Gil, and for a flit, he could only marvel. Was that really his friend? The boy who once cowered and stuttered and clung to Nemo’s side? He was still Finny – but a version that Nemo didn’t know as well. A version he admired. But was now the time? “Finny–” Nemo swallowed. “Finn, I think – we should let them handle it. They seem to know more about this stuff.”

FINN:

Finn knew he wasn’t an expert. He knew he had foolishly jumped into this and dragged his closest friend along with him. He felt absolutely queasy about how much danger he’d put them in. But he couldn’t help this feeling either. This gut instinct that told him he absolutely had to be the one to help those merpeople out of their tanks. It defied the fear that he usually held for…well for everything. “I know I’m not… I’m not that strong or-or smart on the sneaking around on this b-b-but I… I have to do-do this Nemo,” Finn insisted. He believed he could help. And he was sure with Gil they could accomplish it. So long as James got Ariel and Nemo out, Finn believed they could make it happen. He made his way over to Gil. He was sure Gil must be disappointed in him, in his bad choices up until this point but… but Finn thought maybe he also would understand his urgency and drive to help with this. “I c-can do it. Please,” Finn insisted. They didn’t have a lot of time to debate this, but he was determined.

GIL:

This was… not a good idea. Putting a civilian in danger. The clock was ticking. Gil knew that he should just tell Finn to go with James and get out of here. But he looked at Finn and saw a version of himself — young and desperate and wanting to do something. They weren’t similar. really. But Gil knew the pain. Besides, Finn knew where the merpeople were. It would save him some time searching. Maybe this was a desperate rationale, but Gil needed something to put in the report. “If something goes wrong and I tell you to run,” said Gil. “You run. No questions asked. Got it?” He glanced back at James. “We’ll meet you all out front.” And with a nod, he set off, making sure Finn was at his side.

FINN:

“G-Got it,” Finn agreed quickly. Any other day, any other situation and Finn would never put himself in like this. But the feeling he had…this drive to help and to get those merfolk out was too strong. Far stronger than his cowardice. He set off with Gil to go find the tanks. He remembered where he’d first seen them, and after a moment he was mumbling directions to Gil, pausing when they got to the doorway of the room with the tanks. “D-Do you think w-w-we need to look out for that g-g-gas? We got here b-b-before and that’s wh-where we…you know.” Finn glanced up at the ceiling, debating on how they might be able to disable it or avoid the pitfalls from before. “May-Maybe if w-we cover our noses…but they-they’re right in there.”

GIL:

“Already on it,” said Gil. While walking, he’d reached out to Shiftwell and she was able to connect into the building’s security network. “I have someone hacking into the security system,” he explained. “And they’ll give me the all-clear —” There was a chime on his watch, a confirmation from Holley that she’d disabled all alarm measures. At least for the next fifteen minutes. “We have fifteen minutes,” he said. “We’ve got to be quick about it.” He pushed the door open, waiting a moment before he stepped inside, just to make sure the gas wasn’t going to trigger. It was clear. He stepped in first, inhaled the air, and then gestured for Finn to follow. The room looked like a lab, sterile and tidy. There was a big tank in the center, and in that tank — Two merpeople, malnourished, with dim scales, pale skin, and sunken eyes. Gil felt a flicker of fury in his chest. We’re here to rescue you, he signed in mermish, to indicate that he was a friend. He looked around and found a computer on a desk. It was locked, but he slipped in the USB that would allow Holley to access it. There was a possibility the tank controls were on the computer, but also — “Let’s see if there’s a manual way to drain the tank,” said Gil. He turned to the merpeople and asked them in mermish if they knew what to look for.

FINN:

Fifteen minutes. It was a daunting number, but it was something he thought was doable. It had to be doable. He moved into the room as soon as Gil gave the okay, stepping closer to one of the tanks. The merman was staring at him with almond shaped brown eyes that were almost like looking in a mirror. But there was no time to linger. The merman gestured after Gil had asked for help and Finn turned away from that gaze and started for the side of the tank. “Gil, they’re on the s-s-sides like this. I s-s-see it.” He studied the mechanisms for a moment before he turned the switch, twisting around to see the water of the tank start to drain out of the tank he had been on. From there he started scanning for an opening for the tank. He started climbing up a ladder on the side and to a hatch on the top of the tank. Finn carefully started twisting the wheel on top of the hatch until finally it swung open. A pale arm shot up and a hand reached up just as Finn reached down. For a moment he flashed back to when he had grabbed Nemo and pulled him to the surface of the lake. But here he pulled a merman from the depths of the tank, hoping that Gil had done the same with the other one. He carefully wrapped an arm around the man once he was out of the tank and helped him down the ladder again. Once they were on steady ground Finn started to draw back a little again, but the man held onto Finn and kept him there. Finn carefully stepped forward with him, glancing to see how Gil was doing. “D-D-Did you g-g-get her?”

GIL:

The similarities between Finn and the two merpeople were not lost on Gil. But he pushed that thought aside, focused on draining the tank and helping out the mermaid. “I have her,” said Gil. She was weaker than the man, her legs shaking as her feet touched the linoleum floor. Gil wondered when the last time she walked was. She leaned into him and he made sure she was steady, before he glanced around the room. He spotted a few labcoats hanging on a nearby hook and after making sure the woman was alright to stand, he grabbed them and handed one to each merperson and then another to Finn. The coats would serve a dual purpose: let the merpeople cover up and also disguise the four of them as they walked out of the lab. A weak disguise, considering the merpeople’s bare feet, but it was still better than nothing. “We’ll answer questions later,” said Gil. He nodded at Finn, then at the merpeople. By now, they should’ve noticed the rings in his eyes, understood that he wasn’t just someone who knew mermish. He was one of them. “But now — let’s get out of here.”

FINN:

The mermaid stared at Finn and the merman next to each other, and for a moment Finn wanted to say…well something. Anything. But there really was no time. They had to get everyone to safety. He helped the merman next to him put on his labcoat before he put his own on. But Gil was right. There would be time to talk and to figure out more about these merfolk, and the feeling that Finn got when he saw something of himself in them. They would talk. He… he had to stay focused. “The w-way we-we got in earlier is just down that w-way,” Finn pointed out, and then he went ahead and started for that door with the merman right at his side. The more they walked, the steadier the merman seemed to become, though he still held onto Finn like seaweed clinging to rocks at low tide. Finn moved with a confidence he didn’t always feel, and before he knew it he and this merman were out the door and out of the aquarium with Gil and the mermaid not far behind them. “W-We did it,” Finn blurted. “We-We actually did it.” Soon they would have to find James, Nemo and Ariel. But in that moment he was just glad that they had all gotten out of there.

GIL:

Gil helped the mermaid into her coat. They hadn’t needed Shiftwell to hack into the computer, but Gil figured they should take all the data they got from her brief trek into the system. He spoke into his watch, communicating that with Holley, and when the light on the thumbdrive turned green, he ejected it and pocketed it into his lab coat. He led the way out of the lab, a few steps ahead of the others. That way, if danger were to come, he could take the bulk of it. He kept his breathing as steady as he could. The halls were almost eerily empty, the only sound the buzz of the fluorescent lights. Finally, they reached the door. It was almost anticlimatic, the way they stepped out into the sunlight with no one around them. And Gil was so thankful for that. He let out a breath he did not realize he was holding, just as James pulled up the car. “Alright,” he said. “Let’s get out of here.” He cleared his throat. He wanted to say let’s go home, but he knew that was a complicated statement. Where was home? Was home still there for these two merpeople? It wasn’t for him. With a nod, he helped the two into the car, then rested his hand briefly on Finn’s shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. Before Finn could turn to look at him, he stepped into the passenger seat of the car, feeling his pocket to make sure the flashdrive was still there. And with a nod to James, they drove off, leaving the aquarium behind.

#para #bffs #gilmo #storm hawk #nariel

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justkeepdancing-nemo · 3 days ago

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Boxed In | Finn/Ariel/Nemo

In which Finn, Ariel, and Nemo attempt a break in at the Aquarium and things go sideways...

@justkeepdancing-nemo @ariel-the-undiscovered

[dated: 5/17/2025]

Prior Reading:

The Truth Untold Pt. 1 Heart Won't Listen To These Words World Full of Uncertainty The Warmth That Knew My Feelings New Problems A Secure Message

FINN:

Finn had been nervously anticipating this as they made their way into London. A part of him felt guilty for dragging his friends into this… but a bigger part of him was determined to do something to help those poor merpeople who must have been suffering in that tank for quite a long time. It helped for the train ride, and he gathered his bag once they finally got into London, glancing over at Nemo and Ariel with a nervous smile. He really was so lucky to have friends as good as them. “I’m thinking our b-b-best b-b-bet is going around the b-b-back isn’t it?” He wasn’t sure that buying a ticket and going in the normal way was smart. That would just have more video footage of them someplace. He had actually texted Louie a bit about what he used to do to get in places. Louie had given him… some advice, most of it seemed kind of useless, but there were a few things that seemed somewhat helpful…like lockpicks. He was pretty sure Louie didn’t even fully believe Finn was doing this. But he was. Here they were, just a block away from the aquarium. “Are you guys ready?” He asked next, nervously adjusting his bag on his shoulder.

NEMO:

This was a bad, bad, bad idea. On the train ride here, Nemo’s thoughts had gotten stormy and wild as he was smacked repeatedly in the face with better options than the one he had chosen. He should’ve just– just– handcuffed Finn to something! He should have texted James before they got on the train! Why were they sneaking through an aquarium right now, probably on their way to certain death? Well, because Finn was his best friend. And he had asked Nemo too. In the end, that’s why Nemo was here, bad idea or not. Hilariously, all those stormy thoughts turned to white fuzz as soon as Finn turned to ask him that question. Now was the time he was supposed to stall, yet he couldn’t think of a single thing to say. “Uh–um. Yeah,” he said. He glanced at Ariel, forehead creasing. “Do we have a plan after we get around the back? Maybe we should discuss that?”

ARIEL:

Ariel had hoped whatever connections Gil had were working fast, maybe they would break in and everything would be fine- it probably wouldn’t but hey- you know- optimism. And they needed it considering the worry on both her and Nemo’s faces. But she wasn’t about to abandon Finn, to make him do this on his own when he had gone through with so many of her crazy plans. “It’s a little later than peak hours so it should be quieter which will make it quieter in the back. Um could you scope it out Nemo? And then Finn and I could time it?” Assuming they even got the back door open. Maybe she shouldn’t even be offering ideas.

FINN:

“That’s a g-g-good idea. And um… Louie gave me suggestions for unlocking the door.” He pushed his bag forward and pulled out some of the lockpicking things Louie had suggested to him. He wasn’t one hundred percent confident, but he had practiced it a little on one of their doors at home to try it out and to be able to at least know how they worked. Finn took a breath and let it out again. “Ariel and I c-c-can wait there on that c-c-corner while you check to s-s-see if anyone’s coming, Nemo.” He didn’t feel super good about having Nemo go on without them, but it would just be for a minute. And then they could all be there. “I’ll have this r-r-ready to go for when we need it.”

NEMO:

Could Nemo scope it out? Nemo stared blankly for a moment till he realized what Ariel meant. She wanted him to go pixie-sized. Appa’s disapproving leer loomed in his brain, his biggest warning blasting through his head: Never turn pixie-sized in the human world!! Yes, Nemo had totally broken that rule before…but only ever in Swynlake, which didn’t really count. But here, in London? In an aquarium? With anti-magick people keeping merpeople in a tiny tank?? Oooo if Appa found out about this, he was gonna be so mad. Still, Nemo took a breath. Better him than anyone else. Even with his smaller wing, he’d be small, nimble, and airborn. “Y-yeah, I can do that. I’ll go fast.” Fast-flying talent, he better go fast. Nemo grabbed a little bit of his pixie dust from the pouch hidden in his pocket. After shedding his coat, he sprinkled it on top of his head, and then with a blink, he’d gone tiny, wings sprouting. Like a shooting star, he zipped ahead, leaving a small shimmering trail of dust in his wake.

ARIEL:

This was such a bad idea, a horrible idea- Ariel was going to get all of them caught. Come on they needed to just leave. But every time she glanced at Finn she saw the determination on his face that was normally on hers. There was no stopping him. “Get ready to unlock it. It might not stay clear for long after Nemo scopes it out. We need to move fast after that.”

FINN:

“Got it.” He waited in nervous anticipation until they got a signal from Nemo to go. Finn rushed forward once he did, making his way over to the backdoor and quickly pulling out the tools he’d brought. He examined the lock and then pulled out the pick that Louie had suggested he use. It took him a few tries, as he hadn’t gotten much practice with this. He worried at his lip, fiddling with the pick this way and that. After he thought he wasn’t going to get it, he finally heard a click and he let out a relieved breath as the lock finally came apart and he pulled it off to carefully open the door. He glanced back for his friends. “Come on. W-W-We should get in q-q-quickly.”

NEMO:

As soon as the door unlocked, Nemo, still hovering above, zoomed on ahead of his friends. He zoomed around the room as quickly as his smaller wing could handle, though he felt the tell-tale twinge that came with beating it too fast. He was outta practice with this kind of flying, truthfully. He’d stopped pushing himself for power and speed when he became a performer. Now, the kind of flying he had trained for was about grace and finesse, the strain on his smaller wing much less. But Finny needed a fast-flying talent today. So he pushed, despite the pain, and then rang out a signal for his friends to come in. Then Nemo zoomed down and transformed back into human-size when his feet touched the ground. He didn't put his wings away, merely tucked them against his back. “Now what?!” he hissed as they crept closer and closer to the tank. “The tank is there but– how are we going to free them anyway? It’s a big tank. Can they shift their tails, do you think? Will they know how?”

ARIEL

Ariel rushed in, watching for everything, forward and back, her head was on a swivel as they got to the tank. It didn’t take her breath away the same way it had the first time. But the pain was the same, seeing them there so hurt and tired. “I- I don’t know.” Ariel waved her hands trying to get their attention, trying to talk in mermish though you really did need to be in the water to get the full effect- “Let me get a better view?” Finding something to grab onto Ariel pulled herself up before pausing at a hissing sound. “Wait- do you hear that?” A small hissing sound and Ariel was already starting to feel dizzy, to sway on her feet and lose her grip.

FINN

Finn moved on autopilot toward the tanks, trying to look to see where the latches where. Of course there would be one on top. Maybe they’d have to pull them out like that. The thought of ending up in the tank trying to get them out made his stomach turn…but how else would they do it? “M-M-Maybe w-w-we have to pull them out. I c-c-can’t see how else…” He started to say, glancing around for a ladder to climb. Ariel had already started, but then something started to hiss and he glanced around. “W-What… Ariel!” He shouted, and he started for her, but then he started to feel dizzy as well, his vision blurring. He stumbled and soon enough he started to fall. “N-Nemo…”

NEMO:

Nemo also heard the hissing sound. His gaze darted around but he couldn’t see anything. What was that? Where was it coming from? Soon, those questions were taken over by more pressing ones, as first Ariel stumbled and then Finn. “Wh-what, Finn!” Nemo lurched toward Finn. He barely caught him in time but the weight of Finn’s body going limp still dragged them both to the ground. And then the doors burst open, several humans rushing toward them. Nemo had just enough time to vanish his wings from view, Appa’s rules screaming in his head. But then he was surrounded by vicious, snarling faces. Pain rippled on the back of his skull and everything went black.

#para #bffs #nariel

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justkeepdancing-nemo · 4 days ago

Text

New Problems | Storm Hawk

Nemo texts James and asks for a favor...

@justkeepdancing-nemo @jameshawks

[dated: 5/17/2025]

Prior Reading:

The Truth Untold Pt. 1 Heart Won't Listen To These Words World Full of Uncertainty The Warmth That Knew My Feelings

Nemo: heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy hyung. Nemo: soooooooooooooooo… Nemo: i have a uh kinda big favor to ask lol

James: ?? What’s up?

Nemo: uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Nemo: ok so there is no easy way to say this lol Nemo: tl;dr finn and ariel visited an aquarium last weekend and apparently they saw some merpeople being kept in the back like fishes idk how they figured this out but finn was really upset and wanted to free them and i tried to reason with him but it didnt work and i didnt want him to go alone and get hurt so i finally agreed so we’re kinda on the train right now back to london and we’re gonna try to bust them out???? Nemo: …so yeah uhhh can you come help us? I have a feeling its not gonna go well.

James: (Deleted) I’m sorry what????? James: Okay do you know the name or locations? James: Send me your location James: Do you think you can stall at all until I can get there?

Nemo: Yeah I’ll text it to you but idk if I can give you better directions to the actual uh back of the aquarium until we get there? Nemo: I’ll do my best Nemo: and i’m sorry i just didn’t want finn to try to do anything alone. Ariel is with us too.

James: It’s okay, I just want you to be safe. For all of your guys to be safe. It’s good you didn’t let him go alone, you three can look out for each other. James: You’re going to be fine. I’m going to get all three of you guys back here.

Nemo: ugh thank you hyung ;-; Nemo: I’ll text you updates when I can!

#text #storm hawk

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justkeepdancing-nemo · 6 days ago

Text

The Warmth That Knew My Feelings | BFFs

In which Finn seeks out Nemo at their place and asks him for help...

@justkeepdancing-nemo

[dated: 5/15/2025]

Prior Reading:

The Truth Untold Pt. 1 Heart Won't Listen To These Words World Full of Uncertainty

FINN

Ariel wasn’t on board with breaking in without extra help. That meant he had to try Nemo. He really didn’t feel comfortable waiting for weeks until they could get a good group together to get in there. How could he when there was no guarantee that those two merfolk would still be there? The thought made his stomach churn and he found himself sitting at the kitchen table of the house, tapping his fingers restlessly on the table as he waited for Nemo to get home. He went ahead and made some tea as he waited, soothing himself a little with the warmth of the cup. It was fine. It was going to be fine right? Nemo would see why it was so urgent wouldn’t he? The door finally swung open and Finn straightened up, a smile spreading across his face as Nemo came in. “Hey! I was hoping you’d b-b-b-be home soon,” he greeted his friend softly. “How w-w-was your day?”

NEMO:

Nemo’s day had been long. But that was the way Nemo liked it. He rolled out of bed every day normally knowing exactly what he’d be doing, then he flitted from thing to thing and place to place, like a bee pollinating flowers. Work, class, rehearsal, friends, and sometimes visits with Appa. The more full, the better. Now it was the end, and on Nemo’s packed schedule, there was a blissful stretch of nothing! And usually, that meant hanging out with his roommates. He grinned when he saw Finn. “Oh hey! It was pretty good. Jingles, you wouldn’t believe the last dog I helped out at work– he was huge!” Nemo exclaimed. “It took two people to get him cleaned and trim his fur. Ah, are you having tea? Is there still some water?” He wandered over to the kettle to investigate, suddenly getting a craving for tea himself. It had been a chilly walk home and his nose was still red.

FINN:

“Oh w-wow…really?” Finn had never had a big dog before. But Pannie had been good for him. Pannie had been little and sweet and cuddleable. Not that he thought that a big dog wouldn’t be one he could cuddle. It just wasn’t quite for him. Not that it mattered. Nemo worked at Ruff to Fluff, and Finn was picturing some big dog shaking his fur out and trying to wiggle out of their grip. It was an oddly cute mental image anyway. Finn took a small sip of his tea. “There sh-sh-should be a bit more in there. And the kettle should still be p-p-pretty warm so you might get a decent cup out of that already.” Finn added, setting his own cup back down. “D-Do you want the same sort of flavor I’m having? I chose earl g-g-grey but I think there are a few other good options in that drawer there too.” He knew he’d gotten a few different tea flavors he liked. It had to be in one of the drawers Nemo was near. “The rest of your day w-w-was good though right?”

NEMO:

“Oooo, lemme take a look…” Personally, as a fairy, Nemo tended to favor sweeter flavors, wanting a higher sugar content. His kidneys processed sugar much better than humans did. Sooooo maybe something warm and fruity, sweet but not too sweet, like a raspberry or a lemon… He fished out a bag then got a teaspoon of sugar to plunk into his mug. “Huh? Oh, sure! Yeah, yanno. Typical day, I guess.” Nemo shrugged. He didn’t think there was much to report. His days were busy, but they also followed a predictable routine that kept Nemo’s anxiety in check. He liked it that way. “What about you?” Nemo glanced back.

FINN:

That was good. He was glad Nemo had a pretty normal day. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to ask Nemo for his help if his situation was weird or unpleasant. Even if it was really important to Finn. Granted, of the people he would ask, Nemo was the one person he trusted more than anybody. If anyone would be able to help with this… he was sure it would be him. Finn hummed. “It w-w-was… well it was okay. B-But…” he faltered. How did he begin to explain it? Probably just the way it happened. “Remember w-w-when I w-went to London with Ariel? W-W-We went to the aquarium there…” He was pretty sure he had at least told Nemo he was going to London with her. He didn’t really hide much of anything from Nemo. He didn’t see a need to. The only thing he hadn’t had the chance to share…or known how to share was this. But it was still so shocking and new that it was hard to process. “Ariel and I found something there… I… I need your help w-w-with it.” Finn pulled out his phone so he could pull up some of the pictures that Ariel had taken, pushing his phone toward Nemo so he could see it. “Look at that.”

NEMO:

Oh yeah, Nemo remembered the trip. He’d pouted a little– he would have tried to go but he’d been pretty busy with Full Moon stuff at the Hollow. A real bummer because Nemo loved the aquarium! His favorite animal was sharks! He’d bugged Finn to take as many pictures as he could. And Finn had dutifully obliged, sending pic after pic Nemo’s way throughout the day… But come to think of it, Finn had been weird since coming back. Nemo saw the twitch in Finn’s eyebrow and the slang of his mouth. Instantly, Nemo turned away from the kettle to give his friend his full attention. Something had happened. Something not good or… or Finn wouldn’t sound like this. The concern settling on Nemo’s own face, he took the phone and brought it closer to his face. He frowned. At first, Nemo wasn’t really sure what he was looking at. It was taken kinda far away, and the picture was not the best quality. Was that a big tank? He saw a flash of bright colour and glittering scales. He’d seen a tail like that before. Nemo’s blood ran cold. “Are those–” his breath caught and he looked up at Finn, eyes already panicked. “Those can’t be merpeople– are those merpeople?”

FINN:

Finn still felt as strong as he had the first time he’d seen these pictures. The way that those poor merpeople’s tails looked…their skin… the way that something in his gut just… couldn’t settle. His chin wobbled, and he nodded quickly, trying hard to fight the tears that built up instinctively. He reached up and wiped his eyes quickly. “They are! They… Ariel saw them in p-p-person. They’re kept in this aw-aw-awful back part of the aquarium. P-P-Probably for ex-experiments a-a-a-and aw-awful stuff,” Finn explained, and then yeah he just gave up on the tears. Because it was awful. Horrible to see and to know that someone like him was treated so horribly. To see the evidence of what could happen to him if he ever slipped up about his secret. “I… I want you to help me b-b-break them out of there,” Finn said after another minute. “I know it sounds… it sounds crazy… it sounds like…like something Louie would d-d-do…not me. B-B-B-But… B-But I mean… look at them. I just…” he sniffled. “Ariel said w-w-we should wait and get more help b-b-but what if… what if something even w-w-w-worse happens to them w-w-while we w-w-wait. Or they g-g-get moved some-somewhere else or…or something!” He took a breath and let it out again. “I want to go back there and get them out. But I… I know I can’t do it alone.”

NEMO:

Merpeople kept in cold, cramped tanks in the aquarium. It was a nightmare. Something out of Appa’s horror stories, only his usually stared fairies tortured for their wing and blood and tears. Still, Nemo stared in horror until finally his body remembered how to move again. Then, he pulled up a chair and grabbed at Finn’s hand so he could squeeze it tight. He’d been thinking along the lines of– We gotta tell someone about this! He was going to offer Finn a chance to talk to, to the police or Queen Clarion, maybe. Anyone who might know what to do. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head when Finn suggested that they do something instead. “Us?” Nemo uttered. And yeah, it was nutty. It was actually way nuttier than any of Louie’s harebrained schemes, to be honest, though Nemo knew that if Louie was in this seat, he’d probably agree without hesitation. Nemo– well, he hesitated. He was thinking about those horror stories again. Nemo gulped. “I– I mean, I want to help!” Nemo exclaimed. “Of course I want to but– are we really the best people? Finny, those criminals keeping those merpeople probably have guns and other weapons! I’m not sure how to take that on,” he confessed. Ariel was right. They should talk to someone who’d know the right move. But Finn was right too– they had to act fast. “At the very least, we need someone who knows how to fight! Like a scout-talent or something!”

FINN:

“I mean may-may-maybe not b-b-but we’re the ones who know and c-c-can do something!” Of course Finn didn’t think he was the best person for the job. He didn’t think he was especially brave or strong or any of that. But he knew he could at least try. For these poor merpeople. Because they needed someone to try. Who knew how much time they would have? The thought of guns and other weapons absolutely terrified him. Of course it did. Finn had always been a coward. He might never have considered taking something like this on. But these merpeople needed help! And he wanted to do something! No matter how scary it was. “They’ll try to st-st-stop us!” Finn said next. “If w-w-we tell someone else…you know they w-w-would. They’d tell us to w-w-wait and then…and then if we w-w-wait too long…” he faltered, his breathing hitching a little. “Those people could d-d-die.”

NEMO:

Finn wasn’t being rational. Nemo didn’t blame him. Thorns, Nemo had been him, on more than one occasion. Usually, it was Nemo’s emotions that blew through him so intensely that he lost all sight of direction. Finn had been there for him then, always there for Nemo when he came back to the ground again. Nemo wanted to be that for Finn but– how?! If he just said no, Finn might go on his own. Nemo didn’t think he could stop him. Wasn’t it better to go with him? His stomach twisted. This was bad. He should call Appa or maybe Finn’s parents…but that felt awful too, he didn’t want Finn to get in trouble, and what if they did move the merpeople? That guilt, that weight, it would crush Finn forever. “R-right,” said Nemo. His brain moved into hyperspeed, heart hummingbird-fast too. But that was okay. That was his talent. Think fast, Nemo. “Right, then– we should help,” said Nemo, nodding. “Yeah, we should do what we can.” And Nemo could text James to meet them. James was a Scout. He’d at least know what to do and if Nemo told him he was already on the way, then James couldn’t stop him; he’d be forced to catch up.

FINN:

He waited with baited breath, it felt like. If Nemo said no to him… if he said no… well he didn’t know what he’d do, because Finn couldn’t deal with the fact that there were merfolk trapped in an aquarium being tormented and mistreated. He’d probably still go… but he sure didn’t want to. He wanted Ariel and Nemo with him. Finn let out his breath once Nemo finally agreed, and he hurried forward, wrapping his arms around Nemo and squeezing him gently. “Thank you. Thank you thank you Nemo,” Finn said quickly, so beyond grateful that Nemo would help him do this. He was so lucky that he got to be friends with someone as good and kind as Nemo. “I’ll text Ariel. W-W-W-We can g-g-g-go into London on the wee-wee-weekend.” And Finn would try to come up with a good way for them to get inside and sneak those poor people out. He’d figure out some kind of plan by then.

#para #bffs #<3 #THEM

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