#let's make a new tag for the Sky merfolk!!!

[mothgoddesss]

SKY MERMAY 2023.

W1: BUTTERFLY W2: CRAB W3: JELLYFISH W4: KRILL W5: MANTA

Last year, I hosted a Sky-themed MerMay challenge on Instagram! I designed these characters as my own entries for it, but due to interest/energy issues (worsened by Dopamine Jail at the time), I unfortunately had to leave it unfinished. Since then, I've been yearning to show off these lovely characters, as there was a lot of joy designing them out in my old backyard. So I made this doodle with some rough marker rendering.

They now have a place within the Sky Kingdom, as a semi-secret society of Light Children who switch between capes and mermaid tails. Sort of like the hypogrypths in My Little Pony G4! They all worship ASEA, the goddess of ABZU whom Tapushea was split from, which is how they switch between air and water.

[bllkrarepairweek]

Our #BLLKRPW 2024 Round Up is here!

A million thanks to everyone who participated this year, our second year of BLLK Rare Pair Week! 🫶 This year was even bigger than our first, both in number of days and in terms of submissions! In addition to some familiar faces from last year, we also got a ton of new folks joining us and together, you all created 59 works and 5 new rarepair tags on AO3!!! 🥳

Our poly ships also got some love this year which was great to see! ❤️

With more rarepairs than ever, we've put together a little survey just to get a sense of what's working for everyone in terms of prompts, event structure and ofc to gauge general availability for next year's event! The survey will be open for a week so please fill out as soon as you can!

Additionally, if you want to keep up with events in the BLLK fandom (some really great ones coming up!) go follow our Event Hub @bllkeventshub (you can also follow us on twt)

Now onto the round-up!!! (Added under 'read more' for length - please let us know if any links are broken/wrong)**

**Please note that many authors on this list have their fics locked to registered users so this will affect how the collection looks to anyone not logged in. If anyone wants to make an AO3 acct and needs an invitation, please feel free to reach out to us, mods have a number of invitations! Now go and give our rarepair creators all the love! 🥰

Day 1 (Roommates/Cooking + Baking/"You talk in your sleep.")

Art: 'bbq date' by @sid3buns - Barou/Isagi [twt] [tumblr}

Fic: 'the same (but kinda different)' by @kae-karo - Nanase/Rin

Fic: 'fortnight' by @tsukkinoneko - Kaiser/Rin

Fic: 'when in Rome' by Not_who_u_think - Otoya/Karasu

Fic: 'Used to it' by yuzuwakano - Kiyora/Niko

Fic: 'i think i saw you in my sleep' by luxxxio - Shidou/Chigiri

Fic: 'a taste of sweetness' by xynzel - Hiori/Nanase/Isagi

Fic: 'Random Roommates and Coffee' by RyleeWyatt - Barou/Chigiri

Fic: 'i'm in the mood to pay attention to you' by HiShark - Kaiser/Raichi

Fic: 'Bad Taste' by tangerinelighter - Karasu/Shidou

Fic: 'curry hearts' by @takeunknownroadnow - Rin/Isagi/Bachira

Art: 'baking' by mymeadowismade - Raichi/Isagi [twt]

Day 2 (Merfolk + Pirates/Beach Episode/"Seeing you in a wet T-shirt is its own reward.")

Fic: 'you slipped away into my prominence' by tsukkinoneko - Kaiser/Rin

Fic: 'the most important part of boat ownership' by kae_karo - Karasu/Shidou

Fic: 'Shark Teeth' by yuzuwakano - Kiyora/Kurona

Art: 'pirates&mermaids' by sid3buns - Barou/Isagi [twt] [tumblr}

Art: 'wet t-shirt' by useless_donut - Raichi/Aiku [twt]

Fic: 'Crimson' by RyleeWyatt - Barou/Chigiri

Fic: 'let us randezvous' by xynzel - Hiori/Kurona

Art: 'beach day for the boys' by @getosugurusbangs - Hiori/Reo [tumblr}

Day 3 (Academia/Meet Cute + Meet Ugly/"How much will it take for you to kiss me?")

Fic: 'Wicked Game' by tsukkinoneko - Kaiser/Rin

Fic: 'come the white wine, bitter sunlight' by tsukkinoneko - Kaiser/Reo

Art: 'academia' by sid3buns - Barou/Isagi [twt] [tumblr}

Fic: 'kids say the darnedest things' by kae_karo - Bachira/Kunigami

Fic: 'November' by RyleeWyatt - Barou/Chigiri

Art: 'Rinness Attack' by @nieznajomy-na-bagnie [tumblr} - Rin/Ness

Fic: 'tongues tongues tongues' by tangerinedarker - Karasu/Kiyora

Day 4 (Cowboys + Western/Secret Identity/"There are easier ways of getting my attention.")

Fic: 'sterling reputation for gold' by kae_karo - Shidou/Reo

Fic: 'Lazy Night' by tsukkinoneko - Kaiser/Rin

Fic: 'endless sky to dive into' by bluemoonjupiter - Chigiri/Karasu

Art: 'Cowboys' by sid3buns - Barou/Isagi [twt] [tumblr}

Fic: 'Cats and Missing Persons' by RyleeWyatt - Barou/Chigiri

Fic: 'The Masked Bandit of Blue Loch' by tangerinedarker - Kunigami/Chigiri/Reo

Fic: 'i wasn't watching (and neither were you)' by starsquared - Kiyora/Himizu

Day 5 (Bodyguard/Reunions/"For you, anything.")

Fic: 'Let the Games Begin' by smallweirdo - Bachira/Ness

Fic: 'what were YOU doing at the underground fight club?' by kae-karo - Aiku/Barou

Fic: 'from a star on hallowed ground' by tsukkinoneko - Kaiser/Rin

Art: 'Bodyguard' by sid3buns - Barou/Isagi [twt] [tumblr}

Day 6 (E-Sports + Streamers/Social Media Interactions/"You weren't supposed to see that.")

Fic: 'Bleed the Past' by @blobbyfics - Barou/Kunigami

Art: 'you weren't supposed to see that' by MissSleepless12 (collab w kae-karo)- Barou/Chigiri [twt] [tumblr}

Fic: 'How to Ship Hazardous Materials' by kae-karo (collab w MissSleepless12) - Barou/Chigiri

Fic: 'an offline event gone right' by tsukkinoneko - Hiori/Shidou

Fic: 'Hanging by a Thread' by sid3buns - Barou/Isagi

Fic: 'rosy maple' by strawberrylemonade1225 - Shidou/Bachira

Day 7 (Pacific Rim + Drifting/Didn't Know They Were Dating/"I don't want to do this without you.")

Art: 'didn't know they were dating' by MissSleepless12 (collab w kae-karo) - Karasu/Kaiser [twt] [tumblr}

Fic: 'in the interim' by kae-karo (collab w MissSleepless12) - Karasu/Kaiser

Fic: 'how hard I tried to breathe through the trees of loneliness' by tsukkinoneko - Chigiri/Rin

Day 8 (Free Day + Past Prompts)

Fic: 'Well At Least He's Easy (to break up with)' by useless_donut - Aiku/Raichi

Art: 'chp 2 sneak peek' (NSFW) by useless_donut - Aiku/Raichi [twt]

Fic: 'Besame, estoy abburido' (Spanish) // 'Kiss me, I'm bored' (English) by BilingualShipper - Otoya/Himizu

Fic: 'getting tipsy' by aikusagist - Aiku/Isagi

Fic: 'the first who ever did' by aikusagist - Aiku/Isagi

Fic: 'paging nurse yoichi' by Not_who_u_think - Aiku/Isagi

Fic: 'i can't help it, your taste so seductive' by tsukkinoneko - Kaiser/Rin

Fic: 'Card-Carrying Member of the "Fuck Isagi Yoichi" Club' by kae-karo - Kaiser/Kira

Fic: 'Three is a Charm' by MissSleepless12 - Rin/Isagi/Bachira

Fic: 'pull me closer (and kiss me harder)' by takeunknownroadnow - Barou/Nagi

Fic: 'fashion-forward' by bluemoonjupiter - Barou/Chigiri

[konnorhasapen]

I'm so nervous-

Treading Water — Introduction

[notes at the bottom :)]

Find Chapter 1 here! And Chapter 2 here!

Also on ao3!

——

The Mage's Damnation—formerly known as The Rainfall Voyager—was a ship of grandeur Captained by the sly escapee, Freelancer. Having been locked away in the dungeons of the Rainfall palace when they slapped the Prince across the face and told him they would tear off his baby-maker and shove it so far up his nether regions that he'd be able to taste his own filth. It had only taken them a day and a half to shave their broken fork tine against the pavement of their cell to get it small enough to use as a pick. Or at least, to make it seem like they used it as a pick. The King of Rainfall was going to use a fake accusation of magic as an excuse to execute them, but the accusation would not have been fake. A damn lucky guess, though. They had made their grand escape, pulling Prince Kody's reluctant handmaid Lasko along with them and the two set off, a few other members of the Rainfall ship's crew following along happily despite their new Captain had a knack for abilities beyond the veil. After all, it was pretty cool.

Vincent Solaire; a solo sailor, he likes to call himself, even given the feminine company of his sister Alexis, who was tasked by King William Solaire, their father, with tagging along with him to ensure he doesn't run into too much trouble. While searching for the thrill of adventure, his sister was none the wiser to his hunt for Adam as well; a fugitive that had embedded himself into their home under the guise of abandonment and used the Solaire name as a shield to his heinous crimes that circled a black market of his own making. Though Alexis was in the dark of Vincent's hunt, the both of them have been sailing across the waters for so long that neither were aware of the tragedy that struck not only their Estate in Wonder Wharf, but all of Dahlia.

David Shaw, Captain of The Wallowing Wolf with his First Mate and best friend Asher O'Connell stood at the helm beside him. His crew is family, this ship now their home after the disaster, forced to flee the catching fires and bounties pinned to their heads in the wide country of Dahlia. The fall of William Solaire was just the gloom overcast on the darkness of his father's declared death, a wound still so fresh that the very air stung the surface and sent a pain to flood his heart—so strong it could cripple warriors. Even without the blindness of grief, David Shaw could not foresee an unexpected arrival; one that, even on such a clear sky as the one they sailed beneath, would bring a storm relentless enough to capsize any ship no matter the gall.

An infamous Bounty Hunter bearing 'Tanker' as their title, struggling to leave their past behind while they keep the weight of guilt on their shoulders and regret heavy in their caged heart.

A royal runaway with a want for thrill that thrums in the blood of their veins, heart pounding at the thought of finding and rescuing damsels—or Davids—in distress, daydreaming of epic novel-worthy chases through towns and across rooftops, wondering, with a twinkle in their eyes, if their heart would find its other half along the way—all while making decisions on impulse that lead to some narrow getaways.

A loyal guard tested with a question of where their loyalty lies that they only have so much time to answer as they follow a plot of daring adventure under the cover of the night.

A kind Innkeeper who takes no hesitation in sheltering a trio of weary pirates that had been separated from their tight-woven family, feeling such a sense of bittersweet familiarity to their situation that when unwanted company comes knocking, they already have their gun drawn and the end of the barrel pointed at the jewels of the Head Guard, determined to let those they've sheltered not lose each other as the Innkeeper had lost their own.

A slew of Merfolk who wish to see more than the land below waters has to offer; the one who finds himself being demonized and banished as a Siren houses a heart of gold not many get to see.

The young one has an impeccable knack for finding the bright side of every storm and a love for helping others see it too.

The curious one who was swept away from their brother and caught within the clutches of a slimy black market dealer.

And the one who was cursed so long ago, closing himself off to the company of others after losing too much. Though he finds himself before a rare hunter who values morals over money and offers their expertise if he offers his, admitting they know of who he was before.

With enough introductions out of the way, we can officially begin this story.

——

I DID IT🎉

And here I thought my first ao3 fic was gonna be a oneshot- turns out it's gonna be a whole book :> I don't know how many chapters there will be, but I do know I'm already working on chapter 1!

Special thanks to everyone who became immediately obsessed with the dumb posts I made literally yesterday about Siren Gavin and Captain FL, Mermaid Sam and Bounty Hunter Darlin' and whatnot lol. You guys encouraged this and helped make it happen! Thank you all for giving me the confidence to finally put something on ao3 :) <33

Also, I forgot it was Snippet Saturday, so I suppose I could give a little look-see at the next chapter? Perhaps mayshlaps?? Or would y'all just want to wait?

💫TAGS LIST💫

@morgansplace @sri-rachaa @epsi-l0n @whatalovelymae @sealriously-sealrious @slushrottweiler @friendlyfaded @star-sheeps @anthrokiaera @shiningkeyoflife @the-gender-bending-squid

[honeybeewhereartthee]

•❅───✧❅Once Upon a fairy tale❅✧───❅•

╭─ ⋅ <<⋅xx ─ ✩Tale One: little mermaid─ ⋅NEXT>> ⋅ ─╮

"thank you very much. Your really kind!" Cold yet warm embrace of the happy fish boy envelope you, not caring for ones personal space as he happily show his gratitude towards you.

For saving his life. Through its more of his carelessness to not understand the way of the fish people-- the fact merfolk would die when they are too dry out.

"oh goodness! Your gonna dry yourself again! Pls be careful, Amagi!" Head spinning as your heart beats quite too loud and quite too fast for your poor soul, as you succomb to your embarrassment.

You never knew his such person who's doesn't know another person would not be open to such affection, at least from a stranger you barely know for a day --awake.

"oh! You can call me, Hiiro! Since you and I will have to stay together!" He beam still circling his arms around you. His slimy form that slowly covered your dry cloths( which you dried through the burning hear of the summer sun of this unknown world.

"pardon? Stay together? Why did you say that? Do you not know, I'm a Producer? I told you before. Producer with an idol is nothing good for new one like you! Neither will it be for me." You cannot believe he forgotten what you said earlier today, at least earlier the day back in your world. You don't know how time work in this world of fairy tale as he told you.

"won't it be ok? In This place. No one is an idol or a producer ! Ahaha ~ only Hiiro and ... Ah! I don't know your name yet! I don't want to call you producer since we're outside work!" He laughs your worry off as he look up to you, while he clings in your side, his blue eyes captivate you, a view of beautiful vast sky and the sea reflected in his eyes.

"ah. Do you really have to..." You look at his innocent blue eyes, unable to say more. You sigh. Defeated by those gaze. "It's MC." You introduce yourself.

"MC? MC... MC... MC! Hmm!" He keep repeating your name, your ears start to warm up with how your name being called by him multiple of time is slowly effecting you.

"c-can y-you please S-STOP t-that...! My name isn't a poem or whatnot to be repeated such passion... This aren't an ASMR tagged fairy tale right?" You covered your ears, or else you might lost yourself from such pure torture of a merman calling your name.

Surely his not a siren trying to drag you to the depth, as this is a little mermaid! Or-- or merman and siren tend to share same lore or almost same lore as one another, hence it cause such effect on you?

Many thoughts comes in your mind, finding logic to things, that's already so illogical the moment you wake such place! Obviously it's make your beating heart, calm as it should be. With how fast it is. You pretty sure, your sick!

"but your name is nice to say! It's very pretty and unique! " He honestly says, beaming you a smile that almost shoot an arrow through y your heart.

"AHHHHHHHHHH. PLEASE MY EARS AND HEART CANNOT TAKE THIS TORTURE." you turn bloody red as you try to move away from him.

" MC! MC!? MC!" He called out to you. he quickly swim to follows you, quickly as you both are still out on the open water.

"yes!? I am indeed, mc! Pls stop carelessly calling me with your siren like voice!" Embarrassed to even look at him, he chuckle at your words. You very interesting.

"ahaha~ mc your so funny! Let's be close friends!" ✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧

"No way!No way! I'll die if you continue to act so affectionate to me! We barely know each other! "

"it's ok! We will get to know each other or else we can't go back home!"

"say what? Pardon?!" You most be hearing things. So you two aren't totally stuck in this none techno world at all? You still able to go back to your home? To do the overbearing overtime to get money to buy food in weekdays?! Surely his not just saying that to applauses you!

"oh! I forgotten to tell you! " He pause as he realize he have failed to tell you an important information. "We need to make sure the fairy tale find it's happy ending! Or else we'll be stuck in this place!"

" I see! That's seems logical--" you nodded in understanding --not. " sorry I am too dumb to understand it clearly. " You admitted. There's no point to hiding such thing.

"oh! Don't worry! I'm more dumb than you are! Ahaha. If we're two dumb people, then surely we get along very well! " His optimistic as he down grade himself shocks you.

You sure don't meet such guy in your life before. Such optimistic and happy personality is either causing you to stress or melt your problem away. After a moment of silence, you thought of something.

"I have to ask. Are we the main character?"

"that... Is something I'm not sure. Dad never told me much about the process of entering a fairy tale! Since he probably thought it be my big brother who will experience it! After all, my big brother would become the monarch one day! I am but my big brother loyal aid!" He proudly says.

Through he notice how you swim away even further away from him.

"monarch? Aid? What type of timeline is your village stuck into?" Your very intrigued about his village but alas that's not the problem at the moment.

"Do tell me, quickly how to escape! You did says we need to get along. Is there more to such information? Happy ending is a goal but do we need to interact with the characters...? " You tried to mentally noted all the thing you learn so far about your situation. Wonderland what's the plot hole or a way our of this place, of course there's already a plain solution, but alas. There aways that is hidden through the context of the each rules and lore.

"woah. Your very into this! How nice! Ahaha~ I'm glad your interactive!" He quickly swim towards you again.

"... Keep your distance pls." You quickly made sure you and him have a five feet distance causing him to frown.

"Ah? Why? I will not harm you! I swear. I'm harmless." He try to reassure you.

"it's not about being harmless or not. It's about your presence is doing to my system. Your alluring fish ability, ahem a siren or a mermaid is known to have alluring voice that would help them drag their victims to the depths of the sea." Your an honest child when being force into the corner by a very captiviting person, your just a human being easily be tempted by such treat, through you refuse to succumb to such things.

"oh...!? Did you mean, you like my voice? I'm glad then!" He felt so happy that you think so. His beaming smile that can Rival the sun, almost melting you. "I mean.. your are an idol, you need to have a amazing voice or face or both to gain fans. You have both."

"ahaha. You think I'm good looking? Thank you for the compliment! Your also very charming!" Taken back from his compliment, you are not able to swim away and now he have his hands around you for embrace yet again. " Please don't run away, were being watch. " He whisper to your ears causing you to cower in fear, shaking like a leaves in windy season.

"Excuse me... Did you mean...." You dread to even look around the place, bur he nodded his head as he rest of against your right shoulder blade.

"it's the [ kraken ] ."

You sure hope he doesn't mean a literal one and just mean the sea witch!

╰── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╯

(if want to be tagged pls comment or Send mail) Tag List : @vixxine

[theshipshipper]

wish i could be | the little mermaid jonsa au

Chapters: 1/1

Words: 10,113

Read it on AO3

---

i.

It’s mornings such as these, with the cool sea breeze and the sun rising from the horizon, that Jon loved the most. He’s travelled a great many distance and visited many incredible sights but to be at sea was still his favorite.

“Fine morning, My Prince,” His father’s old adviser greeted, coming to stand next to him on the deck of the ship. 

Jon turned to face the man, finds his expression hard and dissatisfied. He's known Connington since he was a child, the man was his father’s most loyal adviser and now his own, and he was fully aware that the expression on his face was due to the fact that this trip hadn’t been as fruitful as Connington hoped.

The sole purpose of their journey to Essos was to find Jon a match. 

As the future King of Dragonstone, it’s expected of him to find himself a woman to marry. A woman who would stand alongside him as a symbol of a prosperous kingdom. Connington had taken it upon himself to introduce him to the Royalties in the East to hopefully find him a girl he may wed to secure the Targaryen line, though the effort had been a fruitless one.   

The whole thing felt absurd to him -- his future kingship, most especially. 

He never imagined that his father’s Kingdom would be his to rule one day. He was the second son and a bastard one besides, to even think that he would one day be King was preposterous. He knew it was his brother, Aegon, who was always meant to rule and he’d welcomed it. 

Growing up in Dragonstone had been suffocating. Everything he did was scrutinized and it felt as though there was no room for him to breathe. Second son or not, there were expectations of him and not all of them he could meet. It had been a relief when he turned sixteen and was allowed to forge his own path, choosing to explore the sea and relish in the freedom it had to offer. But his brother’s death had altered his fate forever.

“I shall miss this greatly once we land,” Jon sighed out, his gaze once more on the horizon, though the statement was meant more for himself than his present company.

“I’m sure you shall,” Connington replied gravely, no trace of understanding in his tone. “But your voyages has kept you from Dragonstone long enough, My Prince. Your people would surely find pleasure in knowing you’re among them once more.”

Jon stifled a sigh. He’s not sure it’s true. His people surely would have preferred his brother. Aegon was primed to rule them, not him. Up until a year ago, Jon had been but a sailor, and now, before him, lay an endless road of responsibilities he’s expected to cross.

ii.

Sansa scanned her surroundings carefully, determined to find a new treasure to add to her ever-growing collection of human artifacts. 

Though the site was too far from her father’s kingdom and too close to the Golden Witch's realm, she has been excited to visit the site specifically. She's heard from merfolk and other sea creatures that this shipwreck was one of the few that still remained untouched by humans and therefore still full of wondrous treasures to be found.

As she swam through the area, though, she found exactly why that was. The damage to the ship had been too massive to salvage anything. Most of the items she’s found so far had been covered in black dust and nearly ruined; there wasn’t much that she could keep. 

A smile blossomed onto her face as her eyes alighted on a small item hidden among the corals. She swam towards it and grabbed it for inspection, wondering what it’s meant to be. It’s thin and long, the design similar to her Father’s Trident, though significantly smaller and of a different color.

She frowned, waving it around to try and figure out its use. Finally, she sighed and inserted it into her sack, resolving to ask her friend, the Seagull, what it was. He would surely know.

She wandered around for a while longer, finding more treasures than she expected before finally calling it a day. She was sure there was plenty more to discover but she didn’t want to stay and risk being caught. Her Father would be angry if he found out she’d been visiting the shipwrecks.

“Sansa!” Sansa! Sansa!”

The sound of her younger brother’s voice brought a smile to her face upon her return home, turning to catch the littlest of her siblings as he swam towards her.

“Hello, little brother,” she greeted fondly, planting a kiss on his cheek. “Are you done with your lessons for the day?”

He nodded before glancing at her sack eagerly. “Did you find anything?” he asked her in a quiet tone, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

Rickon, her youngest and wildest sibling, shared her fascination with humans and their ingenious inventions. He's asked to bring him along during her travels many times before but she refused in fear of getting him in trouble. 

Rickon followed her into the cave she’d found to store and hide all her treasures and she showed him each of the new items she found and its uses

“Dinglehopper?” Rickon repeated, taking the trident-like item from her hand. “What’s it for?”

“For your hair,” she told him dutifully. “Humans use it to keep their hair proper.”

“Huh.” Rickon mused, weaving the end of the Dinglehopper through his own head of curls. “Incredible.”

Sansa laughed and showed him the other items, explaining each as she’d learned from the Seagull. Her brother listened eagerly, trying them all out for himself. 

"Next time will you let me come with you?" Rickon asked quietly as they made their way back to the castle. "Please, Sansa? I want to see the surface too."

She made a face. "Rick, you know I can't. I'm not even supposed to go there myself. Father would be furious if he ever found out I also brought you along."

He pouted and she was almost tempted to agree to let him tag along next time if she didn't know any better.

Though she herself didn't see any problem with it, her father, the King of the Sea, had decreed that no merfolk shall ever wander close to the surface and interact with humans.

None of her siblings had a problem with this; they were content as they were, but Sansa, with her dreams of one day venturing onto land, couldn't help but be curious of the life above. 

A sudden loud eruption caught her attention, followed by another one. She looked up and saw strange colors reflected in the water. 

She bit her lip, itching with curiosity. Any other time she wouldn't have hesitated to swim up and see what the commotion was, but it's getting too late and their family would surely notice their continued absence.

"What do you think it is?" Rickon asked curiously, changing his direction upwards.

She grabbed onto his arm, shaking her head. "Rick, you know you're not supposed to."

"But, Sansa, don't you want to see?" He asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes before untangling himself from her grasp.

"Rick," she shouted after him, gaining speed to try and catch onto him.

It's too late, though, because he reached the surface before her, and she found herself speechless once she saw what the commotion actually was. It was some sort of explosion that lit up the sky with strange shapes and colors.

"It's amazing," Rickon said, his voice filled with wonder.

"It is," she agreed with a grin, before she noticed the ship where the shapes were coming from. "Rickon, stay here and stay out of sight."

"Where are you going?"

"I just want to see something."

"Wait - " he reached for her arm when she started making her way towards the ship. "Sansa," he said in a hushed tone. "We're not supposed to go near humans."

"I know," she admitted, though this wouldn't be the first time she tried.

"I'll be back soon," she promised before swimming towards the ship.

It's a familiar one, dark and slim with a big sign painted with the color of blood. There's many dark tales surrounding the ship in particular and all sea creatures feared the sight of it. She's heard the whispers among her people about the humans responsible for the demise of their kind.

She was frightened the first time she ever saw it but the fear had diminished the longer she observed them. They all seemed so harmless and joyful. She always saw them - what was it called? - dancing with their feet and swaying about.

With enough practice from times she'd done it before, she managed to climb to the side of the ship. She peeked through the small opening and the big four-legged creature was upon her almost immediately.

"Hello, friend," she greeted with a giggle, reaching out to touch its face. The humans on the ship called him Ghost, Sansa decided it must be its name. "Did you miss me?" Its tongue lolled out and licked her face, making her giggle all the more. "I guess you did."

"Ghost! Where did you go off to, you big oaf?" 

Ghost turned and headed directly to his caller, a man with dark hair and dark grey eyes. Sansa sucked in a deep breath when she caught sight of him. The Prince, she thought with a dreamy sigh. She's only been admiring him from afar, watching him in the daylight with the wind touching his hair as he watched the sea.

He was already a sight to behold from a distance but seeing him up-close was even more glorious. Oh, how she longed to be next to him. 

"Beautiful," she sighed out, watching him laugh with the other humans as music played around them.

Thunder rolled suddenly, followed by the strike of lighting,  making her turn to the sky. The waves have started to get violent, tipping the ship dangerously into sinking. She fell back into the sea when the ship tilted, swimming away for her own safety. 

She met her brother at a distance, and together, they watched in pure horror as the ship ultimately collapsed.

iii.

The soft humming voice is what finally  brought Jon back to consciousness, the sound as gentle as the calmest sea. 

He coughed out uncontrollably as water dripped out of his mouth, trying to get up. He opened his eyes to the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen, her hair aflame and her eyes as striking as lightning. Radiant, was the first word that slipped into mind as he stared at her, the thought proving more accurate when a bright smile enveloped her face.

“You’re awake,” she told him softly, ceasing her singing.

“Where - ” He blinked, trying to make sense of what happened.There was the storm and his ship catching fire. And trying to get Ghost into the boat and getting himself stuck. “What - um,  who are you?“

She opened her mouth to respond, except it’s not her voice that he heard. 

“Prince Jon! There you are,” he heard Connington’s voice calling him from a distance. “We’ve all been worried sick, I was preparing some men to go back into the sea and...”

He doesn’t hear the rest of his words. He  turned back to the girl, except she wasn’t there anymore. He looked around and tried to think where she could’ve gone. “Where is she?”

“Where is who?” Connington asked, reaching for his arm to try and help him up.

“The girl,” he clarified. It took a bit of effort to stand up, his entire body protesting at each movement.  “Where did she go? She was just here.”

“What girl?” Connington asked again, as though he wasn’t making any sense. “Goodness, Jon, your skin is pale and hot. We need to get you ins -”

“No. Wait - I need to -  ” He tried to push Connington away but stumbled when he tried walking on his own. He felt much weaker than he realized.  “The girl - ”

“There’s no girl, Jon,” Connington insisted, leading him to the direction of the castle. “Come inside. You need to be seen to by the Maester.”

Read the rest on AO3.

[thisgirlsays22]

Happy birthday @askmermanlevi!! Love you lots and I hope you know that me attempting my first mer!smut for you demonstrates that love. Thank you for being an amazing friend and for giving the fandom so so many amazing pieces of art <3

Chapters: 1/1 Rating: Explicit Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager Additional Tags: Top Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Bottom Eren Yeager, mer Levi, Shifter Levi, Smut, Mer Smut, Fluff, pining eren, Oral Sex, Anal Fingering, Established Relationship, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Modern Era Summary:

It wasn’t as though Levi had completely shut down the idea of having sex when he shifted, it was that he needed time, and it would be wrong for Eren to keep pushing. So instead he waited, and yearned, and waited some more.

Plot inspired by the @ereriprompts Redamancy prompt <3

Thank you so much to @attraversiamo19 @zamiraruth @erensjaegerbombs for betaing/feedback <3

Eren loved to watch Levi swim. Body slicing through the lake’s clear water, the blues of his tail glittering when the sun hit them just right. This was their third visit to the Ackerman family’s lake house, and Eren looked forward to the quiet week ahead.

“Caught dinner.” The (mostly) human half of Levi’s body had emerged from the water and, with a small smirk, his webbed hands dropped a still flopping, gasping catfish down on the rocky ground in front of Eren. The gills on the side of Levi’s neck fluttered in the fresh air.

“I think we’ll need another,” Eren said, wanting to watch Levi dive back in, aquamarine tail rising to the surface as he disappeared below the water. Full of an odd longing, Eren tugged on the strings of his hoodie, pulling the fabric tighter to protect against the chilly November air.

That small smirk again. “Well, alright then.” Levi dove back under.

Eren put the fish out of its misery and began gutting it with Levi’s silver pocket knife as he waited.

The second time Levi emerged, he got out of the water the whole way, legs and all. No trace left of the his translucent fins, his shimmery tail. A flicker of disappointment went through Eren.

“You’re indecent,” Eren teased, catching sight of Levi’s cock. “No one wants to see that. Put it away!”

Levi chuckled, teeth chattering as he rooted around in his backpack for his towel and clothes.

“I could warm you up,” Eren offered lowly.

Seeing Levi in his mer form always got Eren worked up. His eyes roamed Levi’s body hungrily, wishing for once he’d let Eren love him in his other form. Levi didn’t acknowledge the comment.

Levi grabbed his bag. “Well, come on. What are you waiting for? I’m starving.”

Eren cast one final look out at the clear lake, nestled between the mountains. The sky beyond looked vast, and Eren felt a little hopeful as he gazed out at the horizon. Like the trip was full of promise and possibility.

He followed Levi back to the house.  

     It wasn’t as though Levi had completely shut down the idea of having sex when he shifted, it was that he needed time, and it would be wrong for Eren to keep pushing. So instead he waited, and yearned, and waited some more.

He understood. At first, Eren was wary of fucking Levi when he wasn’t entirely human. Would doing so make him a fish-loving, bestiality-inclined freak?

“You’re being an idiot,” Levi had said. “Besides, you’re the fucking animal.”

So yeah, Eren understood having hang-ups about the whole thing, but he didn’t quite understand what Levi’s were; they were clearly not one in the same.  

He didn’t even quite understand his fascination, his desire. Maybe it stemmed from the envy Eren felt that Levi had the chance to alter himself so thoroughly, to wear a new skin, whenever he pleased. Something Eren longed for too. Perhaps if he fused Levi and himself together, if it felt like they were one, then Eren could alter himself as well.

     Tonight was their first night at the lake house, so unsurprisingly Levi was dusting all the surfaces in his rapid, efficient way while the fish was in the oven.

Eren had joined in without much enthusiasm and kept getting distracted by how good Levi’s ass looked in his jeans. Maybe it’s better he won’t let me fuck him when he’s a mermaid--man. Shit. He’s going to kill me if I keep getting that wrong. Would he fuck me or would I have to figure out how to fuck him? I’d miss his ass. He has a great ass.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Levi had stopped cleaning and was staring at Eren in disbelief. “Now isn’t the time for daydreaming. Have you seen what a shithole this place is?”

“You’re the one who wanted to go for a swim first and then put dinner on,” Eren whined. “Now I’m tired.”

“Don’t be such a baby.”

“I told you we should have just hired a cleaner to come last week.”

Levi waved a hand. “Tch. Waste of money. Go get the vacuum or something. If you’ve got time for leaning, you’ve got time for cleaning.”

“I wasn’t leaning, I was standing up straight and admiring your ass.”

“Oh, thanks,” Levi’s voice was flat, but that wasn’t his sarcastic tone, so Eren took it as a win. “Now go vacuum.”

Eren paused in the doorway, biting his lower lip.

Levi turned to look at him and raised an eyebrow. “You okay?”

“I’ve just been thinking again. Since I saw you in the water,” Eren said haltingly. “Have you thought more about us--” he gestured between them, raising his eyebrows “--while you’ve shifted.”

“Mm.” Levi shrugged. “A little.”

“Oh,” Eren said. After a beat, he realised Levi wasn’t going to add anything. “So I’ll just...go get that vacuum then.” He turned on his heels, embarrassed at his lack of tact. Hoping to impress Levi, he vacuumed all the more diligently.

     On their third night at the lake house, apropos of nothing, Levi said, “You still want to be a fish fucker?” He was reorganising one of the bookshelves--“Kenny must have been here last, he never puts anything away in the right place.”--on the other side of the room, and Eren was sure he hadn’t heard him properly. Levi’s vague answer the other night had led Eren to believe the discussion would not be picked up for some time (or ever again.)

It was so out of the blue that Eren could only manage to pause his video game and stare blankly at Levi’s back. “What?”

“I’m not saying it again.” The tips of Levi’s ears had gone red, but he was still fussing with the bookshelf.

“Oh god,” Eren breathed, the implication of Levi’s words finally hitting him, “you’re really going to let me?”

“Yes.”

“Seriously?”

Now Levi turned to glare at him. “Yes.”

“No but like for real? You’re not fucking with me?”

“If you don’t knock it off, then it won’t be for real.”

“Sorry sorry! I’m just wow. Wow.” Though he was curious what was going on in Levi’s head right now, what was to thank or blame for his sudden change of heart, Eren feared if he started to push, Levi would rescind the offer. “So how do you want to do this?”

     Once the initial thrill wore off one thing became clear: logistically, it was a nightmare.

It made a sort of weird sense; their whole relationship had been a bit of a logistical nightmare. An innocent question like, “So how did you two meet?” required planning, the harmless twisting of facts, the synchronisation of stories.

Eren couldn’t exactly answer, “Well, I was swimming in the ocean when I was seventeen when a rip tide pulled me under out of nowhere, and then the lifeguard who was also part mermaid-- man damn it. Shit sorry--saved me. I couldn’t stay away from the beach after that and when I finally turned eighteen he fucked me silly on a beach towel and wouldn’t stop complaining about sand in his ass. Yep that’s the love of my life Levi Ackerman for ya. He comes from a long line of merfolk who seem to own a lot of waterfront properties. Great eye for real estate, those mer men and women. Levi and I have been together for about three years now and he still won’t let me fuck him in his mer form, which is a real bummer.”

Now that Levi had finally said yes after all this time, it became clear that the biggest problem was where and how they would do the deed.

“What about the lake?”

Levi snorted. “It’s too fucking cold, especially for you. Your dick’ll shrink to the size of a peanut.”

“Point taken. What about the bathtub?”

Levi scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’m fine outside of water for about two hours. I’ll shift in the tub and you can--” he cringed “--carry me to the bedroom. But put a towel down so the sheets don’t get wet and disgusting.”

Once they’d agreed on the bed, Levi ran a bath in the claw tub in the master bedroom’s bathroom. The loud rush of water filling the tub was the only sound between them until Eren said, “Do you want me to leave while you, you know?”

With a bored expression, Levi flicked his gaze to Eren. “Be a bit stupid of me to care if you see me shift at this point. You might as well stay. Maybe it’ll scare you off.”

“It won’t,” Eren said firmly. Levi shrugged one shoulder as if to say suit yourself.

As Levi had requested, Eren went to lay some of their dark towels down on the bed. When he returned the tub was full, and Levi stripped and lowered himself in the water. Eren licked his lips, nerves thrumming. His skin felt electrified with anticipation, goosebumps running up the length of his arms.

Submerged in water, Levi’s body was blurred, but Eren watched as his legs began to fuse together, slowly, at first and then suddenly they were one. That’s when the scales began to form, color blooming into different shades of blue along the tail. Smaller fins emerged at the point where his hip bones would have been and at the end of the tail. His gills were next, opening at the top of his throat as his ears contracted into sharp points, webs appearing between his fingers. Nails becoming clawed and black like a beast’s.   

“Is this really what you want?” Levi asked, the muscles of his abdomen flexing as he hoisted himself into an upright position. Eren caught sight of his sharp incisors as he spoke. There was something even more alluring about Levi like this, the ugliness and power mixed in with all that beauty. The lighter blue fins of his tail fanned themselves at the base of the tub as though testing the air, Levi’s eyes dark and suspicious as he studied Eren.   

A sharp intake of breath as Eren returned the scrutiny. His cock stirred and then strained against his jeans. “Yes.”  

“Well, what are you waiting for? I’m not fucking you like this if you make me army crawl to the bedroom.”

Eren lifted him from the tub, getting used to the new weight in his arms, the slippery feeling of Levi’s wet tail. In his human form, Levi was bulky and muscular already, but his tail was heavier than Eren had expected.

“Careful,” Levi said, voice gentle now. “My fins are sensitive. Make sure they don’t catch on anything.” His arms came up to wrap around Eren’s neck, and Eren could see flecks of gold in the piercing grey of his eyes. Eren swore the color looked different now; the dark grey of his irises lighter.

Eren swallowed and nodded, his mouth dry as he carefully maneuvered them through to the bedroom.

“You remembered the towels,” Levi said appreciatively. He reached for one to dry himself off, leaving another on top of the bed.

“I’m not fucking this up so easily,” Eren replied.

Due to his overeagerness in the past, Eren had accumulated an assortment of embarrassing situations: kneeing Levi in the balls, falling off the bed while changing positions, coming in his pants. This time he would be careful, smooth.

He moved so he was hovering over Levi, hesitant to let his hands wander or to rest his full weight down. But kissing, kissing he could do, so he started there. He slipped his tongue into Levi’s mouth, curious to explore the feel of the newly sharp points of Levi’s teeth, the otherness of it all. His cock throbbed as Levi responded in kind, running his nails down Eren’s back, sucking Eren’s tongue farther into his mouth. Wanting to feel Levi, to see if he was as turned on as Eren, he reached for him only to find...air.  

Eren pulled back and looked between them with a confused frown. “Where’s your dick?”

Levi snorted. “It’s in the slit. I mentioned it before.”

Eren had only a vague recollection of this. They’d never really gone into the mechanics of how this would work. “When does it come out of the slit?” Eren asked, furrowing his brow. He ran a curious finger along the soft edge of the slit, surprised and delighted when Levi gave a full body shiver.

“When you get me excited,” Levi replied.

“Does it excite you when I do this?” Eren murmured, dipping a second finger into the slit. He kissed Levi’s neck, just under his gills, and moved his fingers in slow circles. He could feel Levi’s pulse quickening under his tongue, and when Eren pulled back he could see that Levi had closed his eyes.

He could feel his cock now too, hard and wanting as it emerged from the slit. It was slick with Levi’s arousal and hotter to the touch than Eren had ever felt it before. Though the feeling was different, Eren was pleased to see that it was still recognisable as the same dick he worshiped regularly. He gave it an appreciative stroke, enjoying the warmth spreading through his hand as he glided up and down the slick shaft.

Levi’s tail came up to wrap around Eren’s ass, to pull him closer, and Eren let out a soft moan. The scales were cool and firm against Eren’s skin, a little uncomfortable actually, and it was strange not to be able to tangle his legs with Levi’s.    

“Your tail feels weirdly...strong.”

“There are muscles in there,” Levi said, and squeezed a little tighter. “You not enjoying it? Grass always greener?”

“It’s just taking some getting used to,” Eren admitted. “But no, I think I like it.” He ran his hand from Levi’s human waist down to where his tail began, fingers testing and pressing into the scaled, strong flesh. New and strange and Levi .

The corner of Levi’s lips quirked into a small, half-smile, and Eren bent forward to kiss him again. They stroked one another, rubbing their cocks together. He could tell Levi was being more careful with his touch than usual, careful to keep the hooks of his nails from hurting Eren.

“Would it feel good if I went down on you?”

Levi snorted. “What do you think? Don’t be a moron.”

“Be nice or I won’t suck you off,” Eren warned.  

Levi didn’t say a word.

It was strange not to be able to shift down between Levi’s legs. Instead, Eren knelt before Levi on his right side as he began to explore the slit with his tongue, running teasing circles around Levi’s dick.

He ran a hand up Levi’s tail, where his thigh would have been, and inadvertently provoked a full-body shiver from Levi.

With a hiss of pleasure, Levi said, “Do that again.”

“What did I--?”

“Around the fins.”

Eren moved his hand back down and ran his thumb around the soft fins, his tongue still running teasing circles around the base of Levi’s cock.

“Happy you decided to try this tonight?” Eren asked, lifting his head so he could see Levi.

Voice pitched low, Levi said, “I’m coming around.”

Levi’s hips jerked as Eren enveloped him into the tight heat of his mouth, cock ramming down the back of Eren’s throat in his surprised pleasure. It only took a few sucks before Levi tugged Eren’s head up, said, “I need to be inside you.”

Eren turned himself so that he was facing Levi’s tail and eased himself down onto his waiting cock, letting himself be filled to the brim.

Levi groaned softly. “You were ready for me already?”

“Yeah,” Eren said, voice breathless. He’d prepared himself earlier in anticipation for this, biting back his moans in the bathroom as he’d opened himself up, imagining this moment.

As he moved, he bent forward so that he could finger Levi. He timed his movements with Levi’s thrusts.

“Jesus fuck,” Levi gasped as Eren added a second finger. “I always thought it was fucked up that my asshole is on the front, but I’m starting to think I was wrong.”

Laughing softly, Eren shifted so he could gain more leverage with his knees and lift himself a little higher. Levi’s hands came to rest on his hips, and he was panting beneath Eren, thrusting up into him with barely contained strength.

“God, you feel so good,” Eren said, pausing his movements. “But I really want to see you now.” He slid off Levi’s cock and turned around to take in Levi, fucked out, forehead damp with perspiration, lips bitten red. His eyes were so dark with lust that Eren let out a soft, breathy moan. “You look so good too.”

He knew he was the only one who had seen Levi quite like this, and he understood what a gift it was. Eren drank him in, he trailed kisses across the part of Levi’s body where the human muscles ended and the blue hues of his tail began. Fingers rubbing that tender area at the base of his fins. It was rare that Levi was vocal in bed, but he kept whispering Eren’s name like it was a surprise each time Eren touched him just right.    

Eren nearly sobbed with pleasure when Levi was inside of him once more and he’d wrapped a hand around Eren’s cock.

“ Eren .” Levi gave a bitten-off moan, hips bucking up as he rutted into Eren desperately. The back of his head tipped back, tips of his pointed ears brushing against the headboard.  

Eren could barely formulate words, but he managed to choke out, “Christ you look so fucking beautiful like this. Fuck me harder, please, ” he begged, moving his hips to try to take Levi in deeper.

Maybe this was the only way he’d get Levi to accept a compliment without argument because there was no flippant reply, no changing of the subject. Instead, Levi pulled him forward into a searing kiss. His lips moving against Eren’s like a drowning man, and that was it for Eren. He came in hot, stick bursts all over Levi’s chest, and a moment later Levi gave one final, deep thrust and came too.

     “Why now?” Eren asked the next morning. Sunlight flooded the kitchen overlooking the shimmering lake. He was standing by the sink, waiting for his pot of coffee to brew when he’d finally worked up the courage to ask these questions. “Why never before?”

Sometimes Levi could be coaxed into talking about his feelings, but as the silence dragged on, Eren doubted this was one of those times.

Levi took a sip of his tea before finally saying, “I’ve never had sex in my mer form before.”

Eren already knew that piece of information, but he stayed silent and still as he waited for Levi to continue.

“I was afraid if we started you might hate it. It’s part of me, part of who I am. Who the Ackermans are.”

Puzzled, Eren said, “But that’s exactly why I love it. Love you.”

“You also might have loved it too much,” Levi said wryly.

“What do you mean?”

Levi crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair. Light cut across his face, streaking across his cheeks as he sighed. “There’s a world out there of people who are willing to pay good money to fuck someone like me. I don’t want to be someone’s fetish either.” 

They’d turned up the heat that morning, but the kitchen hadn’t yet warmed. Eren frowned down at his fuzzy slippers. He couldn’t possibly think of Levi that way, the thought of it completely alien. It pained him to think that Levi had believed that this whole time, that maybe Eren’s own worries had fed into Levi’s fears.

He spoke carefully, “You know it’s been three years, right? And that I’m in this, really in this. It’s not because you’re a shifter or in spite of you being a shifter. That’s irrelevant. I love you .”

“Alright,” Levi said, looking into his tea cup as though it was telling him something important.

“If that makes me a fish fucker so be it.”

Levi’s eyes cut to Eren’s and he laughed, his arms dropping by his sides as he relaxed.

Coming to stand before Levi, Eren rested his hands on his shoulders, made him put his tea down. “I meant what I said last night too.”

“What? ‘Fuck me harder, please’?”

“Yeah, and the part where I called you beautiful. You are. All the versions of you.”

“Thanks,” Levi said reluctantly, expression blank. “That’s...good.”

He probably was dying to tell Eren to fuck off, so Eren’s words must have really touched him if that was the reply. Eren grinned. “And I hope we can do it again so I can fuck you next time.”

“Idiot.” Levi tugged Eren onto his lap, laughing quietly as he rested his forehead against Eren’s arm. “We’ll see,” he said.

And that was enough for Eren.

[dreamstormdragon]

11/11/11 Tag game

I got tagged by @ofvisitorsthefairest

Rules: Answer the 11 questions from whoevever tagged you, then made up 11 of your own questions.

Ofvisitorsthefairest’s questions:

1. Does music inspire you to write?

All the time, sometimes I’ll hear a song, or even just parts of a song and it just… clicks, with a certain story, or chapter that often I’ll have it playing nearly every time I’m working on that story. I have two playlists just for writing alone. Some songs just fit characters so well too. (Eiji and Carmen’s song definitely is “Invisible Touch” by Genesis. It’s so them.)

2. Which WIP did you learn the most from writing?

Honestly, from a sheer aspect of “I can do an entirely original work and finish it” that would go to Elemental Archer. It was my first novel, an idea I was holding in the back of my head for years. It taught me a lot in terms of pacing, ideas, writing action scenes, handling magic systems that were entirely my own… and it also taught me something that still brings me so much joy - that there is really nothing like creating your own original story.

3. Is there something your OC should be afraid of that they aren’t?

Oof. That’s actually a tough one since it depends on the OC. For this one, I’m gonna point to my younger characters.

Ken - He’s very, VERY trusting. He’s only six years old, so the world while not black and white, he doesn’t see everything fully for what they are yet. Being a child with gifts, adds to that and he doesn’t fully understand that sometimes… spirits lie. He should be wary when things call his name and he doesn’t know them but he isn’t. He’s just too innocent sometimes.

Lucas - Lucas, has no real fear of the forest. Which is good, due to where he lives… but also bad, because he doesn’t fully understand how rough it can get. As far as he’s concerned, he has no reason to be afraid because of what he is… That, has lead to many an incident. (They know his name at the ER by now.)

4. Is there something they don’t need to fear, yet do? Irrational phobias?

Lucas - rodents. He’s deathly terrified of rats and mice in particular. He can’t stand them, genuinely can’t. There is no getting over it. If he sees a mouse, he’s running in the other direction, likely onto the nearest counter until it’s removed from the house.

Ken - He hates shots. He doesn’t remember, his hospital stay from when he was an infant, but the irrational worry of getting poked and prodded is still there.

Carmen, much like her nephew, is terrified of bats. One nearly got caught in her hair as a teenager and she was scared ever since.

Eiji hates porcelain dolls. Doesn’t matter to him, they’re all creepy. Other dolls? Fine. Porcelain? Forget it.

Hideki is afraid of thunderstorms.

 5. Do you prefer reading physical books or e-books?

I actually love both, equally.

6. What’s some details of your world building that you like?

Elemental Archer - Honestly, one of my favorite things, is how many creatures actually live there, from Aura Lions that help protect the Earth, to spirits, dragons and waterhorses.. It’s a lot of fun and I love the world.

Spirits in the Shadows - Urban fantasy elements get to come out and play here, since ghosts aren’t the only thing that appear in this world. From forest spirits, to strange creatures of many kinds, there’s quite a bit beneath the shadows.

Heritage - I get to go totally nuts and make any kind of merfolk I want. From more traditional looking merfolk, to sharks, to tropical fish, freshwater, the sky is the limit and I adore every second of it.

7. Have you ever created a magic system? What was it like?

Oof, yeah magic systems are fun but they can be a doozy. The biggest one I had to decide is: Okay, if people from different Element tribes, had children, how do I avoid making the concept of a chosen Elemental worthless, if you have a huge family then you could be born with all 6.

I decided this, that the child’s elemental traits, really are a toss up between families. They’ll gain appearance attributes and certain gifts, (like a child of a fire elf and water elf, can walk on hot lava or breathe underwater) but their elemental gift will depend on who they take after genetically. If the child takes more after the father, they will gain the father’s element, but if they take more after the mother, same thing.

And an Elemental cannot pass their powers on to their children.

It also became a question of “Okay, how far do these elves go, if they’re the ones in charge of helping keep the world balanced? What is a nono?”

And that big “NO” was… Necromancy, because in the world of Elemental Archer, it is impossible to revive someone to their full health, let alone bring back their spirit to use the body as a host.

8. What was your first favorite book?

My first favorite book, was The Step Sister by R.L. Stine, it was the first YA book I ever read, that made me go “Huh” when I was a kid. I still remember what it was like that night I was reading it. I had a pile of books next to me, I was sitting on the back of our couch, the screendoor was open and blowing in a cool breeze… It was the perfect summer night.  

9. What time of day are you most motivated to write?

Either mid noon… Or later in the evening, when night’s fallen. Sometimes, 3 AM when my inner editor falls asleep.

10. If you could step into the shoes of one of your characters for a day, which one would you pick?

Hrm…. I’d probably pick Aireth, because as much as I love Vala, I would NOT want to experience a day in her mind, with all of the stress she had to go through…. Or getting sassed by elemental spirits. Getting to have that pure, raw elemental magic though of Aireth would be fun. Or Loralie, since she’s a mermaid but also a freaking SHARK mermaid. Hm... Y’know what? Yeah, I change my mind, I pick Loralie. I love my Earth gal, but I am seriously in love with the ocean too much to resist the chance to be part of it.

11. What are some little quirks you like to give characters? Ex: a lot of mine have freckles Just Because.

None of my characters dislike reading. I adore reading so much and credit the books that I grew up loving for my adoration of writing my own stories, that I can’t ever imagine making a character hate books. I just can’t do it man.

Good deal of my characters can cook. Not masterchef levels (Unless your name is Hideki) but enough to where they wouldn’t set the kitchen on fire if left alone.

I love the idea of heterochromia for a character, but my gosh I have NOT been able to cook up a character with it yet. I need to fix that.

My questions.

1. What is your favorite place to get character names from? And how hard is it to decide to name a character for you?

2. Do you have any particular method to your madness, or do you just go in blind and hope it works out?

3. Do your characters share any of your hobbies?

4. What do you usually hope for wordcount wise, when you sit down to write?

5. What is your go to music or sound effects for writing?

6. Do you ever have an idea pop up in the middle of a new WIP?

7. Who’s currently the favorite child out of your WIPS?

8. What is something your characters love?

9. Fun world building facts? 

10. Do you have an idea that you wanna squeal about for a sec?

11. What is your favorite book of all time?

I taaaaaaaag....

@theblueskyphoenix @thatsmybluefondue @dahl-my-life @wolvesofarcadia @reininginthefirewriting @andyfire122

[twilight-alchemist]

Thalassophile

Ao3- x

for @varusai

Thalassophile- a person who loves the sea

Summary: Saitama lives on a small boathouse in a hidden bay, just her and the sea. She thinks she’s content until she gets a curious visitor that upsets the balance of the little world she’s made for herself.

It’s one of those gray days, where the sea and sky are joined in one great foggy expanse across the coastline. Saitama quickly strips down to her bathing suit and pulls her goggles from around her neck to over her eyes. She wanted to come out and swim hours ago, but sleeping in was better. At least she’s doing it now. The smooth wood of her boat’s deck is cool under her feet as she steps down onto the platform just above the water’s surface. She jumps and the water is shockingly cold as it closes over her head. She pops back up to the surface and shivers as the cold jolts her fully awake. Treading water is easy, feeling supported and safe with water all around her. This is the best part of everyday. She kicks off and dives under. The sea is dark today, with no sunlight to reach below the waves. The wind is still and so are the currents; the resulting calm making the water as clear as glass.

Saitama glides easily through the water. The quiet is thick around her until she pops up for air and hears seabirds yelling at each other like old women fighting over the last free sample at the supermarket. She rolls over to float on her back, staring up at the sky. Normally she’d look for shells and cool fish, but today it’s hard to see much. Floating is fine.

She knows the bay well, every out cropping, every oyster bed, every place the seals haul out to warm in the sun. With her ears in the water she can faintly hear the whales singing past the coastline, where the ocean is deep and vast. She’s swam with them there before; it was nirvana. Restless, she dives again. She longs to go swim with them now. She would need her boat to be running though, and the engines not getting fixed until tomorrow when Mumen can swing by. Her feet touch sand and she half-sits on the seafloor. A crab skitters by her, waving its claws in warning, and a small school of silver fish dart around her to disappear into the depths. Her mind is as still as the water as one minute, and then two tick by. It’s peaceful here, away from land and all its troubles. Safe.

A large highlight appears in the distance, a smear of white against darkness, and Saitama stiffens. There are seals around here, so it wouldn’t be the first time she’s seen a shark in her bay. But she’s never heard of a shark this big. Her instincts scream at her to move, but she knows she’s safest staying right where she is. The creature moves closer and Saitama nearly sucks in seawater with the urge to gasp. There’s a mermaid only meters away from her. They’re so rare that little is known about them, beyond that they are intelligent and capable of speech. This one is clearly some kind of whale as she’s huge and scale-less. Most bizarrely, one of her arms is cybernetic. Saitama stares at the mermaid who stares back unblinkingly. Her eyes are black and gold and almost seem to glow in the dim water. Minutes pass and Saitama needs to breathe. Slowly, as to not startle the mermaid, she swims upward. The mermaid follows after her as she scrambles up onto her boat. She lifts her head above the water and blinks up at Saitama.

“Are you lost?” Saitama asks, feeling foolish only moments later for asking.

The mer lets out a small chirping laugh, revealing sharp teeth. “No, I’m not lost.” She speaks as someone who’s unfamiliar with English, with halts and odd vowel sounds. She pats the boat deck curiously. “My family- the whales… want to know how you swim. Like a seal, but a human.” The mermaid frowns. “Are you a selkie?”

“No!” Saitama squeaks. “I’m a human.”

“Then how do you hold your breath?”

“Lots of practice.”

The mermaid seems to think on this. “What are you called?”

“Saitama.” She says. “And you?”

The mermaid makes a series of hums and clicks.

“I don’t think I can pronounce that.” Saitama admits.

The mermaid looks annoyed. “It is not hard.”

“My vocal cords don’t do that.”

She huffs. “You can call me Genos. It is the name on my tag.” She points to a bright pink tag on her dorsal fin.

As she turns Saitama notices that the same side with the cybernetic arm is a mess of old scar tissue, faded pink against ivory. “Okay. Your family is the humpback pod? But they’re not mermaids.”

Genos looks unimpressed by this observation. “I am adopted. I lost my pod and arm to a sea monster when I was a calf.”

“Oh. Sorry.” There an awkward silence, and Saitama motions to the cybernetic arm. “Who made you that?”

“Dr.Kuseno. He found me on the beach after the attack, saved me. A mer without an arm and without a pod is dead, but because of him I did not die.” Genos rests her arms on the back of the boat, causing the whole ship to list towards her and Saitama to squeak. “Now I protect the whales who took me in. None of the other resident merfolk would take me in, because I’m not family. They also think I’m weird looking.” Genos frowns at that. “They say the sound of my arm hurts their ears, but I do not hear anything. They do not like that I am not mostly black, like a resident mer should be. They say all the white means I’m a ‘dirty transient seal-eater’.”

Saitama processes all this information. She’s talking to mermaid. She’s easily as long as the boat from head to tail tip, making her nearly 25 feet long. She’s tan from her head to her chest but it fades to pure white and then cuts into black at the end of her arm and tail. She has short platinum blonde hair that looks as oily and thick as an otters. ‘Probably to keep her warm where she has no fat’ Saitama thinks. She’s definitely chubby, not that much different than Saitama herself. Certainly helps to prevent getting a chill.

“You don’t have ears.” Saitama blurts when she notices. Genos blinks at her.

“Yes I do, or how would we be talking?” Genos says, her tail swishing through the water and rocking the boat. “I forgot how stupid humans are. You don’t have any hair but I wasn’t nosy about it.” She starts grooming the fur on her head, running he hands over her neck and through her fur as she fluffs it. She looks more human like that, with her hair mussed and her tongue poking out in focus.

Saitama huffs at the insult. “Hey I’m not the one grooming myself like a cat.”

“What is a cat?”

“Forget it.” Saitama snaps. Genos visibly wilts. Saitama mentally smacks herself for being an ass.

“How old are you?” she asks. Genos perks up at that.

“19.” She says.

“You’re uh, big for 19.”

Genos preens at that. “Yes! The whales always tell me ‘little one you are so small! Like a new calf!’ and I am much older than a calf.” She splashes her tail with a slap that echoes around the bay.

Saitama nods as she shuffles around the tilted boat, grabbing what she needs for lunch. There may be a mermaid on her boat but she’s still hungry. Saitama’s appetite is one thing that has never failed her. The oysters are still in the cooler, though nearly knocked over, and she sets it next to her and pulls one out. She sets about shucking it open with a dull knife, looking for weak points in the seam of the shell. Genos watches curiously as Saitama fits her blade between the seam, prying it open with a crunch. “Want it?” Saitama offers. Genos eyes her.

“That’s food?”

“Yeah, it’s good.”

“Is too small to even be a snack.” Genos says, but she takes it anyway. She just holds it, watching as Saitama shucks another one. Saitama adds lemon to hers and throws is back. It’s not her favorite food, but free lunch is free lunch. There’s enough oysters in this bay to feed her for years. Genos eyes Saitama and slurps the oyster out of the shell. She smacks her lips and inches closer. “Can I have another one?”

“Yeah there’s plenty.” Saitama hands her a shucking knife and a handful of oysters. They seem so small in Genos’ hands, and Saitama notes the thick webbing between her fingers. “Here, just find the weak point in the shell and jam it open. It might take you a few tries to get the hand of it.”

Genos easily prys open the first one, and Saitama raises her eyebrows. “Lucky first try.”

Genos repeats it perfectly with a second one. “I saw you do it, so I figured it out.” Genos hums, munching on the oysters. “And I am much stronger than you.” She breaks another shell open with brutal efficiency and hands it to Saitama. “Here.”

“Thanks.” Saitama says, somewhat impressed. She considers frying some of the oysters for variety, but with the ship tilted it’s probably a bad idea to cook on the stove. They eat in quiet for a while, until Genos insists on trying some of Saitama’s lemon slices and shrieks so loud Saitama thinks her ears will burst.

“That’s like trying to eat a stinging jellyfish.” Genos wails. “How do you enjoy that?!”

Saitama shrugs. “I don’t know, it’s good on things. Normally you don’t just eat the peel and all. If you hate that then don’t even think of trying cocktail sauce.” Saitama holds up a little jar of it from the cooler, and adds some to her next oyster.

“I want to try it.” Genos says.

“Are you stupid?” Saitama drawls, eating her oyster. “It’s spicy. I don’t think the ocean has spicy, just like it doesn’t have sour.”

Genos makes puppy eyes at her until Saitama gives in, handing her an oyster with cocktail sauce in it. Genos eats it and pulls such a face that Saitama nearly tumbles backwards into the boat from laughing. Genos sulks low in the water, just her eyes and the top of her head poking out.

“I did warn you.” Saitama says. Genos makes a series of annoyed clicks and thrashes her tail, stirring up the sediment in the bay and clouding the water. She pauses to listen, head cocked, and disappears under the water. Saitama can hear her clicking and warbling. Genos pops back up.

“The whales are checking on me. I think they trust you more than other humans, but they worry about me.” Genos frowns. “Whenever you went to swim with them before they made me hide.”

Saitama hums “So that’s why I’ve never seen you with the pod.”

Genos nods. “Our matriarch says that long ago, humans would abduct merfolk, and so we should be careful.” Genos reaches out to poke at Saitama’s toes, making her jump as claws skim the pads of her feet. “But you are always alone, and your ship is small. You live on the water, and you swim like a seal. You are a strange human.”

“Hey my boat’s not small it’s just compact.” Saitama grumbles, tucking her feet up under her so Genos will stop poking at her toes. “And I’m not strange. I just like being alone, and being near the ocean.”

“I don’t like being alone.” Genos hums, looking out towards the mouth of the bay. Saitama turns to see what she’s looking at. The waves crash against the rocks there and the push and pull of the tides is mesmerizing. Genos is staring at something out past the waves, like a half-forgotten memory. “The ocean is vast and often empty, and it is easy to lose yourself if you are alone.” Her expression is deeply sad, and Saitama scrambles to say something.

“You have the whales now. And you could always come visit me again.”

Genos lights up. “Really?”

“Yeah, I mean, if you want to.” Saitama mumbles. “I don’t think I’m that interesting.”

“I think you are.” Genos rolls over so she’s floating on her back and clasps her hands over her chest, looking like an overgrown sea otter. Saitama grabs her short flippers and tugs them on so she can have small hope of keeping up. She slides off the platform and swims around Genos’ side. Genos stays carefully still, watching her. She seems even bigger up close, and Saitama can’t help but run her hands over her tail where white merges with black. Her skin is soft and cool to the touch. Genos squeaks and twitches away from her hands, rolling over and resting low in the water again. The mermaid reaches a hand out for Saitama and she nearly flinches away. Her large hands are pure black and tipped with claws and Sai’s base brain sends off panic signals. Saitama reaches her hand out in return and Genos gently pokes at her palm, examining her fingers and blunt nails.

“Are you really adult size?” Genos asks.

“Yeah, I’m full grown. You must be too, right? You’re already as big as an adult orca.”

“I have hit maturity if that is what you mean, but I still have a lot of growing to do.” Genos says. “Maybe in a few hundred years I will be big enough to kill the sea monster.”

“Uh, how big is that?”

“About as big as my moms, the humpbacks.”

Saitama whistles. “I’ve heard merfolk could get that big but it’s never been confirmed.”

“Yes, it is not that unusual. Humans are just terrible at finding things in the ocean that do not want to be found.” Genos hums. She looks up at the sky, squinting as the sun starts to break through the clouds. The bay lights up around them and Saitama smiles at the way the water sparkles. She pulls her goggles up and dives down, running her hands over the soft sand on the seafloor. Genos alternates floating over her and swimming circles around the bay. When Saitama breaks for air Genos comes up to breathe as well.

“Let’s go swim out there.” She says, pointing to were the waves break against the rocks. Saitama frowns.

“I’d like to, but I can’t swim through that. It’s fine for me to take the boat through it but the current there is too strong to swim against and I could get thrown into the rocks.” Genos smiles, which manages to be both cute and unnerving. She turns so her back is to Saitama.

“Grab my dorsal fin and I can get you through.” She says. Saitama figures she can now check mermaid riding off her non-existent bucket list. She quickly discovers that trying to climb up Genos’ smooth side is nearly impossible. With some undignified splashing she manages to get to her curved dorsal fin and hold on. Genos dives and surges forward with such force that Saitama nearly loses her grip. It isn’t even moments before they shoot out of the bay and hit open ocean, the sea floor falling away beneath them. The whale calls are much clearer now and Genos calls back to them several times. She hovers in the water, still and listening. The whales calls are haunting and beautiful, and Saitama realizes that Genos’ signing is almost like someone slowly playing a violin. Saitama lets go of Genos’ fin and swims a circle around her. She then swims down, aiming for the dim seabed below them. Genos follows slowly after, clicking in concern as they go deeper and deeper. Saitama touches the bottom and feels herself go lightheaded, kicking off and swimming upward. When she breaks the surface she sucks in air, the head rush disorienting.

“Why do that?” Genos asks.

“Just to prove I can.” Saitama says, grinning. It’s easy to tread water with her flippers on, and she sucks in air until the sky stops spinning. She pulls in a deep breath and dives again. Genos swims loops around her, graceful and controlled. Saitama grabs her arm on the next pass and let’s herself be gently pulled along. The ocean is all encompassing and so serene, and Saitama imagines she could almost nap like this. Unfortunately she’d drown. If only she’d been born a mermaid like Genos.

Two whales emerge from the distant haze and approach quickly. It’s clear that they’re having some kind of conversation with Genos as she picks up her singing again. Saitama notices a calf peeking out from under its mother, curious as to what’s going on. Genos wiggles out of her grip and swims to the calf. They squeak at each other. It must be a game, because the next moment Genos is zipping away, the calf hot on her tail. They both breach the surface and slam back down with a great splash. The calf’s mother rolls over on her back and Saitama swims along her side, amazed as always by how peaceful the massive creature are. Genos and the calf return only to race away, and Saitama realizes the game is tag. Genos slows and doubles back until she is caught, making a big fuss about it. The calf returns to mom and pauses to give Saitama the big eye, floating sideways to get a good look at her. Saitama wants to laugh at the calf’s expression, but then she’d lose her breath. Genos drifts overhead and gently lifts her under the arms and tows her to the surface. When they break the surface she rolls over so Saitama is perched on her belly. The mermaid gives Saitama a look not unlike the calf a few moments ago.

“Are you sure you are not a selkie?” She asks as Saitama yanks her goggles off with a pop.

“Yes, I’m just a human with no survival instincts.” Saitama jokes as she pulls air into her burning lungs. Genos starts to move back towards the bay and Saitama flounders. “Wait! Will we get to swim together again?”

“Maybe.” Genos says. “Depends on when the matriarch decides we move on. It might be tomorrow, or it might be moons from now.” Genos pauses and Saitama thinks she might be blushing. “I’d like if we could swim together again soon.” Genos lifts Saitama back onto the boat and hovers in the water. Saitama pulls off her flippers and goggles, grabbing a fluffy towel to throw around her shoulders and ward off the growing chill of evening. “I have to go.” Genos says, looking for all the world like that is the last thing she wants to do.

“There’s always tomorrow.” Saitama hums, and she turns to climb back into her boat.

“Wait!” Genos says, and as Saitama turns back she rears out of the water and kisses her. It’s over before Saitama’s even processed it, Genos already disappeared. She breaches just past the mouth of the bay and is gone. For the first time in ages Saitama finds herself thinking that tomorrow can’t come fast enough.

[inudono]

Country in the Clouds - Venus of Mer

An excerpt from a story I’ve been writing on and off again for the longest time. I felt inspired recently and wanted to share. Any commentary or feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Legends tell the story of two colossal beings; Mer and Gaia, clashing in a never-ending struggle. After eons and eons of conflict, the bodies of these mighty figures were battered and broken, on the verge of death. If not for the arrival of Sol and Luna, their existence would have ended there. The two Goddesses merged the remains of these titans into one, creating the four Continents of Gaia, and the five Seas of Mer. Two immortal enemies, now bound as one for survival.

Deep beneath the crashing waves of the Great Central Sea, lies a kingdom untouched by the surface-dwelling races. A kingdom eponymous with the God of the Tides, Mer, and his lineage, the merfolk. Fish people, for the uneducated observer, merfolk were covered in smooth scales ranging between blue, green and yellow, had webbed digits on their hands and feet; which could morph into tails on a whim, and were known to be the greatest terrors among sailors and pirates alike. Their longships were capable of underwater travel, breaching the waves as easily as they could breach the hulls of surface vessels. Reavers and raiders by nature,  merfolk bands plunder the high seas more effectively and efficiently than even the most seasoned privateer. More often than not, a raid would merely consist of crippling a ship immediately without conflict and letting it sink down to the depths of Mer’Prima; their capital city, where it would then be scoured by civilians, uncontested.

More under the cut. Tagging some people who may be interested.

@perpetuallyfallingover @dancing-sword @the-foxwolf @baldore-of-the-boros @circlesmadeofglass @chelsea-beleren-vess

The sound of drums echoed between a pair of longships rising up from the depths. Venus gripped her trident and greatshield; filtering saltwater through her bright turquoise gills. The surface was mere moments away, yet each second felt like a full hour. The raider’s gaze turned from the approaching sea sky to her fellow sisters-in-arms standing next to her. Seasoned warriors, clad in the same hardened leathers and metals as she was. Each appeared calm and patient, though the new recruits seemed anxious to get to the bloodshed. Venus wondered if any were feeling as uneasy as she was.

This was her first assault on a large surface vessel. Venus had participated in several raids on coastal outlets and small islands, but attacking battleships was somewhat trickier. Venus did not underestimate surface pirates as most of her kin did. She knew they were capable fighters, and had witnessed them cut down several of her sisters in previous raids. As the hull of their quarry drew ever closer, Venus pushed back those unnecessary thoughts for later.

“Brace yourselves, sisters!” Jayah, the band leader shouted. “Plunder and glory await us!”

A collective battle-cry erupted between the longships; but was quickly silenced as the warrior-women witnessed the battering ship crash into the hull of the surface vessel with thunderous force, and then bounce off harmlessly. The ram attached to the port of the ship crunched under the pressure of the attack.

That wasn’t supposed to happen… Venus thought to herself.

“Mithril! The hull is mithril!” One of the raiders on the battering ship shouted to the others.

“Shit!” Jayah replied eloquently. “Prepare to surface! We’ll take this one with blood!”

The war-band let out another shout of approval at Jayah’s command. Venus’ anxiety grew. She knew of mithril and its uses on the surface world. It was a rare commodity; so what sort of resistance will the reavers encounter on the decks of this ship, if it was outlined with such a valuable substance? There was no time to ponder that outcome, as the twin longships breached the sea sky on adjacent sides of their target.

Fresh air filled Venus’ lungs as she, and her sisters readied their harpoons to board the surface vessel. Thankfully, the entire ship was not made of mithril and the merfolk’s keen eyes were able to pinpoint certain vulnerabilities that the harpoons could latch onto. Venus quickly scanned the deck of the enemy ship to see what she was dealing with. The majority of the crew comprised of elves and humans by the looks of it. She identified their captain; a high elf woman with long golden hair, and wide brimmed hat. Flanking her was a short, fat man in red robes, and a much taller, bearded man who seemed disoriented and out of place on this ship.

‘Venus!” Jayah shouted to her. “Quit daydreaming and board that ship!”

“Y-Yes, ma’am!” Venus readied her weapon and charged forward; leaping from the deck of her longship to the deck of their quarry. No blood had been spilt yet, but Venus soon discovered how many crew members this ship had. Several scores of fighters were emerging from the belly of the vessel, so many that each of her sisters were locked in combat with at least two of them. Venus did not doubt any of her comrades fighting ability; a merfolk warrior could handle two, even three surface-dwellers at once.

“Have at ya, fish wench!” A gravelly voiced human shouted to her. He flailed his cutlass in such a way that made Venus almost feel sorry for him as her shield connected to his face, breaking his nose and knocking him out cold. Another human appeared before her, perhaps to avenge his fallen ally. He did not last long either, as Venus sparred with him for a few moments, before he was disarmed, and tossed overboard. This cycle continued for a time, with unskilled privateers barring her way only to be struck down immediately. Venus gazed across the small battlefield. Her sisters were gaining ground, yet she could not shake this feeling of unease. She found herself face to face with the tall, bearded man she spotted earlier. He was wielding a strange, speckled longsword; a material she could not identify, though she noticed the man was holding the blade like an amateur, and not at all dressed for seafaring.

“You do not belong here.” Venus said to the bearded man.

“Tell me about it.” He replied. “I should be at home forging blades, not using them.”

A blacksmith then. Venus thought. “Lay down your arms, human. You may be spared.”

“I’ve learned not to trust the word of pirates, fish woman.” He charged, recklessly. Venus let out a small sigh, raising her shield to bash him, yet she was caught off guard when his strange blade carved deep into the aegis, nearly severing her arm holding it. Venus backed away quickly, and noticed even the man seemed surprised by the potency of his weapon.

“What manner of sword is that?!” Venus demanded. Merfolk armaments were forged of liquidsteel; an alloy found within the deepest trenches of the Great Central Sea. Submerged in water it is near weightless, and on the surface, nigh unbreakable. At least, that’s what Venus was lead to believe. Yet here stood a man; a tradesman of all beings, with a sword that cleaved into her shield like it was made of cloth.

“I’m not at liberty to discuss my trade, pirate.” The way he said ‘pirate’ caught her attention. There was such disdain and bile coated on the word as it left his lips.

What’s your story, human…? Venus thought, though not for long. There was a rumbling down below the decks of the ship.

“FALL BACK!!” She heard one of the raiders shout. Venus looked around quickly, and noticed her sisters were retreating back to their vessels.

What happened to our advantage? She wondered. Suddenly, a bright stream of fire scorched across the deck. Venus stumbled back and lost her footing, trying to determine its source. Her eyes turned to the robed, fat man. Scarlet flames danced across his fingertips as he unleashed another torrent of fire at a group of stragglers diving into the sea.

A mage?! How did she not realize sooner? A merfolk reaver may be worth two or three surface warriors; but a magister makes short work of any soldier, regardless of race or skill. Venus backed herself against the railing of the ship’s deck; her breathing becoming heavier and heavier, as she watched the fat man in robes wreak fiery devastation upon her sisters effortlessly.

Each passing second made it harder to breathe. Why? Surely her will was stronger than this. Venus shut her eyes tightly and shook her head, attempting to retreat back to the embrace of the Great Central Sea. When she opened her eyes again, she noticed how far away the ocean appeared. As Venus struggled to breathe more and more, the reason for her battalion’s sudden retreat became alarmingly clear.

This ship was flying.