#ever wondered what happened to the mermen that azul made contracts with on the coral sea? i do

[advernia]

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN AT THE RECEIVING END OF A DEATH GLARE?

ONE —

"Grit your teeth, love."

So she says, but Ruggie hasn't even done so when the liquid is lathered onto his skin. What bubbles out of his mouth are screams half-formed, short gasps as the salve does its work. The nails of his free hand dig into his thigh, his head he lowers even further until he's down to facing his stomach.

Though she's just beside him and clutching his injured arm, his grandmother's voice sounds so far away.

"Ya sure this was just you bein' silly at work?"

Ruggie's mouth goes dry. Good thing he's already shaking because of the damned pain. Good thing he's keeping his head down, away from his grandmother's eyes.

"... Yea-ye-yeah... Ju-jus-just... haaa... fell off... sta-stairs..."

I'll kill you, punk!

"... Child. Ya been workin' yourself to the bone. Ya think missing a couple'a stairs would get ya this bad?"

Wanna get skinned alive, thief!?

"Haaa... Sorry, Gran... the-there... were some... boxes around... w-when I fell..."

Filthy rat! Stop skulking around like a coward!

"... Glad ya didn't get much splinters, then."

Shitty kid! Go back to the slums and rot where you belong!

Ruggie heaves another breath, wills his vision to focus.

"... Child?"

Scum like you shouldn't even see the light of day!

"...Ruggie!"

That's the last thing he hears before everything fades to black.

TWO —

"... And I assume you have cornered Floyd and Azul separately at the same time you approached me, correct?"

Crack. The defeated crowd groveling by his feet shake, all their eyes focusing on anything but him. Jade shrugs his shoulders, brings himself to sigh.

"My. I believe I asked a question. Has my accidental stepping of a stray branch unsettled all of you so?"

"... Y-y-yo-you think we're gonna tell you, moray punk!?" someone from the back screams. A starfish.

"Darn it - " someone spits, willing himself to stand. A squid. "You're only this strong 'cause that octopus got our powers!"

"Fight a fair game, coward! Get yourselves back on the sea, and we'll show you!" another shouts, lip bloody. A manta ray.

Jade chuckles. Now the crowd's all looking at him directly because someone had been so brave to stand up against him. How quick, how admirable.

How unfortunate.

"Ah... but weren't you lot foolish enough to ambush me - Floyd and Azul as well - on land?"

The air stiffens.

"Perhaps you'd thought that as fellow mermen still adapting to living on land, we are unable to display the same level of power and magic we have when we are at sea. I applaud you, gentlemen - that's quite a rational assumption..."

A smile, and the crowd's blood runs cold.

"... if we were anything as weak as yourselves."

THREE —

The first time Jamil holds a blade, it was given to him by his father. Its handle is unassuming but its blade was the shape of a crescent moon, looking sharp and beautiful all at once.

His father asks him about its weight. Jamil replies that it feels a bit heavy, that fits differently into his palm than a kitchen knife does.

His father gave a smile. In Jamil's memories, it is a smile that is both stern and apologetic all at once.

.

His mother eyes the blade in his hands. She asks Jamil if he received that from his father. Jamil nods. Najma is staring at the blade too, eyes lighter and tone curious.

Najma asks their mother if their father was going to teach Jamil hunting. For a moment, their mother is silent, then she says yes to Najma's question.

His mother was smiling. In Jamil's memories, it is a smile that did not reach her eyes or the quiver in her voice.

.

Najma's hair is a dancing mess and there's still some sleep in her eyes, but she helps him lean on the wall. Jamil groans. Najma bugs him in seconds, asking him all sorts of questions. What happened? Are you okay? Is Kalim okay? Weren't you just heading to his chamber earlier?

Jamil answers her questions slowly. Just a little accident. I'm fine, and Kalim is asleep. I requested the guards to watch over Kalim as I head to the kitchen to fetch some water. Najma doesn't interrupt him when he speaks, dabs at the sweat on his forehead with her sleeve.

Najma was frowning. In Jamil's memories, it is a frown that wanted to point out the stains on his clothes and ask where the blade strapped on his waist has gone.

FOUR —

"Good afternoon, Vorpal. How are you feeling today?"

The horse gives a soft whinny, a shake of the head. Its sharp eyes lock on to the brush on Silver's hand, and in a moment it lowers its head.

"Ah, that's a sharp boy," Silver hums, petting the stallion's head. "Yes, I'm here to brush you today since Riddle has a meeting to attend. Don't worry, he promised that he'll take you out on a long ride on the weekend. Isn't that nice?"

Another whinny, a few stomps on the ground. Silver chuckles, takes a portion of Vorpal's mane into his hand.

"Heh, I'm sure you're eager, too. For now though, I hope you'll be okay with me brushing your mane again."

A snort. Silver tugs at a knot with the brush, pulling down gently a few times.

"Tell me if it hurts, alright?"

Another snort, shorter and softer. Silver nods, working gently on the tangled area with his free hand instead.

Behind the stable's ajar door, Sebek watches the horse-and-human interaction, seething.

How come Vorpal allows Silver to approach him with such ease!?

1: ruggie + jamil reappear for this batch! here's everyone's context:

ruggie -> too much to count.

jade -> quite an unsettling experience.

jamil -> it's a part of my duty.

silver -> ... never noticed.