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squidwen · 2 months

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🐙After Hours with Azul

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Synopsis: You spend a lot of time at the Mostro Lounge, and Azul’s starting to wonder why. You’re not some creepy stalker girlfriend, are you? You two might be “official,” but you’re at the Lounge all the time!

However, Azul reckons there’s a reason behind it that’s deeper. More serious. After taking you to his room, the pair of you snuggle up, arms, legs, and tentacles, and Azul’s hearts simply can’t take the real reason behind your frequent visits.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

You preferred the Mostro Lounge after-hours. It seemed more like an actual Lounge, with nothing but the cool lights and the final tunes of the piano player on the stage. No one bothered you either. None of the waiters told you to leave. No one even offered to clear your drink and plate away. The staff cleaned their tables, hung up their aprons, and that was that.

Except for Azul.

He got up from the piano and crossed the Lounge over to your booth. Your breath hitched at his cool hand on your shoulder. You always preferred him without gloves. His hands were beautiful; long, slender fingers with a callous on his right middle one from years and years of endless writing.

‘Another evening claimed by my establishment,’ mused Azul.

At last, you moved. His words thawed you enough to stand.

Azul welcomed you into his arms. His other hand sparked against your ribcage as he rubbed circles into your back. Somehow his chilly touch melted you. You became almost gelatinous in his embrace, as if you were the octopus rather than the warm, sweet little human.

‘You’re coming here more often, angelfish,’ Azul said.

‘Naturally. The foods good and the music’s even better.’

‘I’m sure the music is not better.’

You pulled away.

Azul held onto you. ‘Sorry-’

‘You’re still doing it.’

‘It’s a bad habit.’

‘You need to stop thinking you’re not good enough.’

Your kiss on the shell of his ear silenced any protests. Azul shivered with bliss.

Everyone else had already left; there was no point in keeping up airs. Who would you be trying to impress? Azul was stronger than he looked. Although he masqueraded as a human, he still retained most of his cecaelian strength, and he lifted you out of the booth. You felt as though you were floating. You were as weightless as the exotic fish in the giant Lounge fish tank.

Azul tucked you into his chest, one arm under your legs and another under your back. You smelled his cologne; lavender and something that reminded you of the sea. The tips of his bangs tickled your forehead. Together, you slipped out of the Lounge and through the halls of Octavinelle, hiding around corners for the coast to be clear before ploughing on towards Azul’s bedroom.

A snap of the fingers and the door swung open.

A lilac bed, freshly made, beckoned you forward. Azul laid you gently down. The duvet and mattress moulded to your figure, gasping and depressing as you wriggled your shoes off. ‘I can’t believe you had the energy for that!’ you laughed. ‘After playing all night.’

Azul laid down beside you. His hands, warmed by your back and thighs, searched for yours and brought them to his lips. ‘It’s the nature of octopuses to be dextrous, my dear. Three hours of piano playing was nothing but a warmup.’

‘How modest.’

Azul reddened.

You kissed his nose. ‘Tell me more. If you can brag to anyone it would be me. Not that I need to be told about how amazing you are. You just carried me up to the top of Octavinelle as if it was nothing. I bet Jack couldn’t even do that.’

Azul, however, did not bring up anything. It still didn’t feel right to. Not with you. Not yet. He was still so new to this. He had never loved anyone before, and the pair of you had only made your relationship official a few weeks ago. Azul was trying to strike a balance between impressing you, and boasting. He wanted to seem cool, not conceited. You already accepted him for what he looked like… for some reason, but surely there was only so much you could take. You could tolerate ugliness, but vanity?

‘A good businessman never puts all his cards on the table,’ said Azul.

You rolled your eyes. ‘Business talk? Here?’

Shoot, Azul thought. Play it cool. ‘You are in the bedroom of the dorm leader of Octavinelle and the manager of the Mostro Lounge.’

‘I thought I was in my boyfriend’s bedroom.’ You started to pull away again. Azul gripped you tightly. His strong fingers were like suction cups. ‘Come on, Azul,’ you sighed. ‘If you’re a businessman, does that make me a customer? Or some associate? I know this is new to you. It’s new to me too. But just… let yourself be… well, mine. Even if it can only be in this room. I need that.’

You shifted closer to him and snaked your arm under his head. His ear rested in the crook of your elbow, letting your fingers fiddle with his hair. The fedora fell away. His locks were stringy from hours under a hat, but you didn’t mind. It was like his head was a giant snowdrop; the petals stuck together as it tried to bloom after a long winter.

Azul drew closer. The bed creaked.

‘My angelfish,’ he breathed.

You hummed.

‘Why do you stay at the Lounge for so long?’

Your stroking stopped.

Azul tensed. ‘If you don’t want to say then-’

‘No, no. It’s fine. It must seem creepy, like I’m some crazy stalker girlfriend who watches your every move now that we’re together. But it’s not. Seven, it’s not. I just… it’s just a soothing place. Some people like the library. Others like the park. But the Mostro Lounge is perfect for me. I’ve been going there all year just to unwind. You might not have noticed. You’re always so busy.’

‘No other reason?’

It was your turn to tense.

Azul detected it immediately.

Sitting up, his cerulean eyes pierced into you like icicles. He was the businessman again. All the tenderness had been leached out of him. Something was wrong. He knew it. Something he was determined to get to the bottom of. It wasn’t that he didn’t like you being at the Lounge. He loved it. Your presence always made him play better, and he was happy to smuggle you on-the-house desserts whenever he could. But you had been showing up too often, as if you were hiding, or escaping, something.

‘Let’s not have secrets from each other,’ he said.

‘Secrets?’

‘Please, angelfish.’ Azul blinked and his eyes became gentle again. The eyes of a lover; lidded and pleading. To prove that he was being open – and to give you permission to do the same – he lay down beside you again and transformed back into a cecaelia. His skin speckled with lilac until it was completely purple; his legs unravelling into eight black and purple tentacles.

Azul couldn’t meet your eyes as he transformed. It embarrassed him. He felt so grotesque. So hideous. But then, you came to him again, and wrapped your arms around his torso. The feeling faded. Azul took you into his arms.

The tentacles wound around your legs like ribbons around maypoles. Cool and slick; the suction cups kissing your exposed skin, making it prickle with gooseflesh. You stayed still to invite them higher. Azul delighted in the feel of you. You were more detailed when he held you this way. He sensed every inch of you. You were beautiful, and more tentacles came up to bind you.

Around your waist. Around your hips. Around your stomach. With ease, they pulled you in close to Azul. The cecaelia buried your face in his chest. You could hear his three heartbeats. They were fast. You couldn’t help but smile into Azul’s shirt.

‘Are you comfortable, my darling?’ Azul asked.

You nodded, too relaxed for words. Azul’s touch was velvety soft. All your dark bindings were gentle and plush, like a caterpillar wrapped in a chrysalis.

A final tentacle cupped the back of your head. You shivered as the suction cups kissed your scalp. The feeling wasn’t unpleasant, but it brought you out of your comfort just enough to feel like talking again. ‘What about you?’

‘I’m at my best when you’re with me,’ Azul said.

You melted a little more. ‘Same here. And I confess, that’s the reason why.’

‘Why what?’

‘I’m sorry. I know I’ve come on too strong and I’ve spooked you.’

‘No, not at all.’

‘I just…I… you know you’re my best friend.’

Azul’s heartbeats got even faster. ‘A-And you’re mine,’ he breathed. ‘The Leech twins… they’re not the same as you.’

‘The others aren’t the same as you either. Don’t get me wrong, Ace and Deuce are great, but they’re like twins, and Jack and Epel are dedicated to sports, and Sebek’s obsessed with Malleus. I sort of feel like I just touch-base with them, but I spend time with you. And even if it’s not “with” you, just to see you, hear you play, admire who my partner is, even just sit in your Lounge, is enough.’ You mustered the strength to crane your head back and kiss his jaw. ‘I’m millions of miles from home, but I somehow feel there when I’m with you.’

Azul had never heard anything like it. You were so sweet. So kind. No one ever complimented him without wanting his attention, or recognition; without wanting something in return. Octavinelle was full of sychophants, none bigger than the Leech twins, but you… you were as pure as driven snow. You loved every inch of him, inside and out; something Azul had thought was impossible for him to find. To deserve.

His tentacles bundled you up even more, pressing you in close until it was almost uncomfortable. His suction cups kissed you. Thousands of kisses. Small pecks, until the tentacle cupping the back of your head lifted you to Azul’s lips.

Velvet. Smooth. Soft.

When you broke away, you were both breathless, and exhaustion descended upon you. The night had been long; the conversation hard. Azul loosened his grip on you but kept his tentacles in place. He could think of nothing sweeter than to fall asleep to the feeling of you, and you didn’t mind. You had never been so comfortable; so warm and welcome.

With a final kiss, you snuggled into your cecaelia and drifted off to sleep, lulled by the rhythmic thump of Azul’s heartbeats.

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Author note: Well hey! It’s been a while!

I hope you enjoyed the fic! I had to write an Azul one after being away for so long! He’s by far my fav character, and it was his birthday recently so I think we’re all in Azul-mode atm.

If you liked it, please like, comment, and share.

- Squidwen

#fluffle writes #reader x azul #azul ashengrotto x mc #squidwen #azul ashengrotto x reader #reader x Azul Ashengrotto #twisted wonderland x mc #twisted wonderland x reader #reader x twisted wonderland #fanfic azul #twst azul #azul ashengrotto #reader insert #octavinelle #cecaelia #octopus

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kiy-anna · 11 months

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Am I Feeling Love?

Part 1 (You Are Here) Part 2 Part 3a Part 3b

Characters: Azul Ashengrotto x Fem!Reader

Synopsis: From the moment Azul Ashengrotto heard of soulmates as a small child, he had a vision of a beautiful life with someone who was meant for him - regardless of what he was or would become…

Word count: 5.3k+

Warnings: Some Yandere elements

Notes: I wanted to thank @yanderloversworld on tumblr for the yandere!Azul w/ Soulmate S/O headcanons/backstory that I saw for inspiring this piece. I’ve never written anything like this before, but I wanted to give my hand at it - especially since it involves my favorite cecaelia character from twisted Wonderland. You can check it out here: https://www.tumblr.com/yandereloversworld/718766985773760512/yanazul-with-a-soulmate-so?source=share

The two songs used to inspire this story:

Am I Feeling Love? (The Thief and the Cobbler/Arabian Knight Soundtrack): https://youtu.be/NXYnClTZ4QY

One Day She'll Love Me (The Emperor's New Groove Soundtrack): https://youtu.be/8Sv3ECj7PdY

***I have an update! Part 2 now Available to read on my side blog @ashensgrotto***

***

I close my eyes and see his eyes

So soft and warm and clear

I dream awake of holding her

I dream that she’s right here

I sense in all his silences

More than his words could say

‘Don’t fight your feelings’ says my heart

A heart I will obey

***

“Azul… we need to talk.”

The sound of his mother’s broken voice pulled Azul’s attention to the larger cecaelia as all eight of his tiny tentacles stilled, each and every one of his appendages dropping an assortment of books, quills, and shells to the grotto’s floor as the silver-lavender haired boy looked upon his mother. The typically confident cecaelian now appeared scared and upset; her pale baby blue eyes were wide with worry and her ruby lips were set in a straight line - her heavy-set body swayed with the current that entered their home while her black-colored tentacles fidgeted nervously, the lavender underbelly of each appendage curling into itself repeatedly before releasing its grip on emptiness.

Azul stood, his own appendages curling inward, “Can this wait, momma? I’m very busy at the moment-”

“I’m afraid it can’t, baby,” his mother entered his room before perching herself on his bed, tapping the seafoam cushion, “come here.”

Azul sat beside his mother, looking down at his hands before looking up at his mother, who watched him with interest.

“Zully… the neighbors have told me they’ve seen you sneaking out at night,” his mother spoke quietly, “and it has been apparently going on for a while - without my knowledge. You and I both know that night is a terrible time to be going out, especially alone - you’re smart enough to know that you could’ve been seriously injured or killed by the creatures that lurk just beyond the reef of our city. Do you know how heartbroken I would be if I lost you?”

“I know, momma… but, I promise I have a good reason!”

“What good reason would you have for sneaking out in the middle of the night?”

“My soulmate.”

His mother looked taken back, her hand reaching to clutch the Nautilus shell necklace that rested on her collarbones as her already wide eyes widened further, “...S-Soulmate?”

“Yes!” Azul’s powder-blue eyes sparkled like gems in a treasure chest as a huge grin spread across his features, “I overheard some of the merkids talking about them at school a few weeks ago - o-of course I had initially thought they were talking about me, since I seem to come up in conversation here and there… but still! Oh, momma! To know that there’s someone out there that is literally MEANT to be WITH ME! Me! Azul Ashengrotto!”

“Zully, now wait a minute-”

“At first the concept did fascinate me,” Azul continued, slowly standing and moving to the opposite end of his room while ignoring his mother’s words, “and what intrigued me more than anything was that my soulmate would love and cherish every last thing about me - not the way the other merkids see me as; a pathetic, fat… ugly crying octopus fry that can’t even excel in studies or athletics. The silly little octo-twerp that’s an ink spiller.”

“Zully, you know that’s not-”

“But you know what momma? Thinking about my soulmate has made the days so much easier, even when I’m getting bullied - I think about them seeing what those other merkids are doing and they put a stop to it, saying things like, ‘Leave Azul alone! He’s not a pathetic little octo-twerp!’” Azul turned to his mother again, his tentacles writhing with excitement, “So, to be ready to meet them, I’ve been working to increase my knowledge - I want to be so powerful like the great Sea Witch herself that my soulmate will know who I am by sight alone! I’ve studied every book I could get my hands on and have memorized every single potion recipe there is available - even learning how to improve its effects and prolong them even! I’ve even studied every law text there is in the Atlantica public library - I have every law memorized word for word.”

His mother sighed, running a hand through her silvery locks, the motions creating little bubbles that appeared as she let out a sigh, “Azul, there’s something you should know-”

“As for the sneaking out,” Azul continued, throwing his hands behind his back as his fingers twisted together while he rocked back and forth on the edges of his eight appendages, “I was searching for my soulmate. I don’t know if they are here in the Coral Sea or not-”

“Azul, please listen to me-”

“But I wanted to see if I could find them. The first few nights after learning about their existence, I was having trouble sleeping - so I started doing a short swim to clear my head. I promise I wasn’t going too far away from the house! However, on those walks, it got me thinking that maybe instead of sleeping, I should be searching for them. There was no better use of my time than to strive for a better life with someone who must sense my loneliness like I sensed theirs…”

“...If they weren’t so rare, baby.”

Azul snapped to attention, his eyes wide, “W-What?”

His mother rested one hand on her knees while the other rubbed at her forehead, “Zully, I know and understand your longing to belong and to have a friend - trust me, I’ve been there. However, you can’t fixate on a single being that you hope to encounter at some point in your life. Finding that so-called ‘other half’ is like - well - like the story of the mermaid princess and her longing to be with a human. It’s a rare occurrence that only happens once in a millennium if not longer. Many times, people - humans, fae, and merfolk alike - often settle for someone they are content and happy with, someone that isn’t their other half.”

Azul stared in shock, inky tears threatening to spill down his chubby cheeks, as his hands balled into fists, “No! No! That isn’t true! What about you and daddy when he was alive?! Both of you were soulmates!”

“No we weren’t… At least, I don’t think we were,” Azul’s mother came forward, resting a hand gingerly on her son’s shoulder, “Anyone can be happy with or without their soulmate, Azul. There’s no reason you should go to such lengths to be with someone who may not even exist. You may not even meet them in this lifetime, either…”

“THAT’S NOT TRUE!” Azul pushed her away, anger bubbling up as his tentacles writhed in anger, his vision becoming blurry as ink spilled down his face as he snapped at his mother and guardian, “HOW DARE YOU!? You DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT the CONNECTION BETWEEN SOULMATES! THEY FEEL AS I FEEL! THAT CONNECTION IS WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE!! An UNBREAKABLE BOND that CAN NEVER BE SEVERED!! And how DARE you CHEAT on your OWN SOULMATE!”

“Azul! Now wait a minute!” his mother raised her voice, “I’ve been around the bend a few more times than you have and know about these sorts of things. I WILL NOT ALLOW this behavior to continue in my house!”

“Fine! Then I’ll leave!”

“Azul! Where are you going?! Azul!!”

But the little cecaelia was gone, swimming as fast as he could away from his mother’s typically loving embrace.

‘How could she?!’ he mind was running as he sped up to get further and further away from his home, ‘How could she say that? Why momma… why?!’

He was sniffing hard when he arrived at his hidden octopot, big ugly fat tears of black rolling down his chubby cheeks while mucus dribbled down his nose, running into his open mouth as he gasped out big grotesque sobs. He pulled himself along enough to climb into the pot, his appendages pulling him into the confined space as comfort slowly surrounded his shaking form. One tentacle came forward, wiping at the tears in his eyes as Azul allowed his hearts to calm down.

He wrapped his arms around himself as he looked out into the darkness of the Coral Sea; the pale moonlight reflected off the caverns that surround Azul’s hiding spot, the water growing colder and colder with each passing hour as several sea creatures passed over - not that Azul noticed though. Normally, he would have been interested in what creatures came out at night - but the words his mother spoke forced a jolt of pain on all three of his hearts.

“You can’t fixate on a single being that you hope to encounter at some point in your life,” her words echoed in his mind over and over, “Finding that so-called ‘other half’ is like - well - like the story of the mermaid princess and her longing to be with a human. It’s a rare occurrence that only happens once in a millennium if not longer. Anyone can be happy with or without their soulmate, Azul. There’s no reason you should go to such lengths to be with someone who may not even exist…”

‘What if she’s right?’ he thought, his tentacles tightening around his body, ‘What if I never find them? What if they think the same way she does? What if… what if they’ve already been taken from me?!’

His eyes narrowed as a darkness slowly filled them, glaring out into the cruel twisted world from the darkness of his octopot. No, even if his soulmate was already claimed he would’ve known - he would know if they were, he’d felt it; the tangling of another soul within his if his other half were to be mated to another without his consent. However, that hadn’t happened yet.

…for now.

Azul curled deeper into himself, his thoughts growing darker and darker as he made plans to continue his search for his other half; his beloved soulmate. He wouldn’t give up the search, even if he died trying. He wanted to see them; see what they looked like and to hear their sweet voice, to feel a sense of belonging… to protect what was rightfully his.

***

I'd never imagined before that the world could be turned on its head

I'd never have thought to be here in this place

I'd never have dreamt that in love I'd be lost and so easily led

I guess I was caught by that hint of a smile on her face

***

“Azul-chan, are we almost finished here?” a figure on the cecaelian’s left muttered, “I’m bored.”

“Floyd,” the figure on Azul’s right spoke up, murmuring and pressing a finger to his lips, “There are still some students that need to be housed. Just be a little bit more patient.”

“Speaking of which,” Azul eyed the two carefully, “Any news from our sources, Jade?”

“It’s rather difficult to track down something when we ourselves don’t know what we’re looking for,” the second figure - Jade - answered softly, “A description usually helps in these circumstances, Azul.”

“Perhaps,” the cecaelian shrugged indifferently, “however, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what I’m looking for, myself.”

The two second-in-commands looked at each other, confusion crossing their features.

Ten years had passed slowly since that terrible day when Azul’s mother planted the first seeds of doubt into her son’s head, her chiding and the doubts never leaving him completely. However, that did not stop him from continuing his search for his other half - exhausting himself beyond belief. By the time Azul was twelve - nearly five years following his discovery of the existence of soulmates - he had searched every crevice of the Coral Sea with no luck; it was also around this time that he met the Leech twins - Floyd and Jade.

Jade was the oldest of the two by a few minutes and was very resourceful as well as very soft-spoke and courteous; his younger brother, Floyd, on the other hand was unpredictable due to his mood swings - he could be interested in one thing one minute and grow bored of it the next. The two moray mers had come across Azul during his younger days when they were in the same class together, watching with awe as his eight appendages hovered about his hidden grotto, writing inscriptions on shells and flipping through pages of grimoires. Originally, they weren’t sure what to make of him, but now that they knew about his capabilities from stories they heard about someone granting wishes for a price - the two were now invested in keeping Azul close to their sides.

And vice versa.

Eventually, the question of why he was doing it came up; Azul took the time to explain the story about how he had first learned about soulmates and how he had been searching the past five years for his, eventually coming to the conclusion that his other half was nowhere in the Coral Sea.

“I have searched every nook and cranny of these waters and have yet to find them,” Azul explained, pouring ingredients into a cauldron as he spoke, “Thus, I’m ‘using my resources’ to spread out the search for my other half.”

“So, some of your deals include gathering any information about a particular person whom you’ve never met nor spoken to?” Jade asked, very intrigued by Azul’s train of thought.

“Hah… sound boring,” Floyd chimed in, reclining atop of one of the rocks in the grotto.

“It’s more interesting than it sounds,” Azul answered, popping a cork off a bottle and dumping the contents into the cauldron as the liquid turned from pale pink to eerie green, “besides, the sooner I find them, the better off they’ll be. However, the problem here lies that if they’re not in the Coral Sea - then where are they?”

Neither of the twins could supply an answer.

It was also around this time that Azul’s appearance had also changed. Baby fat melted and hardened into muscle while his gut and belly dissolved into toned skin, chubby cheeks evolved into high cheekbones; his face sharpening into arched brows, thin lips, and a pointed nose - though his eyes, now filled with knowledge and pride, remained the same. Gone was - in Azul’s opinion - the fat crying octo-twerp of his youth as a handsome, defined sea witch stood in his place; a perfect figure that his soulmate would be proud of once they set sights on him.

The dramatic weight-loss and muscle built scared, not only Jade and Floyd, but also his own mother - whom he did speak to on seldom occasions due to her connections as the owner of the Atlantica Grotto Bistro, which was slowly becoming a local hot spot and where Azul worked full time as a waiter and assistant manager. It was also where he would lure unsuspecting victims - mainly those from his youth or clients with means - into signing his newly-perfected golden contracts, sealing their powers away for his own in exchange for whatever it was that they wished for. Of course, Azul’s mother never suspected a thing about her son’s side business - now a bit preoccupied with the courtship of an older squid mer who had slowly made a presence in her life as well as teaching Azul the fundamentals of building his own business.

When Azul, Jade, and Floyd reached the age of sixteen, they were invited to attend Night Raven College - a boys’ prestigious school for young mages. Azul’s mother had been proud of Azul’s accomplishment and Azul, himself, was secretly thankful that he would be given the chance to explore a different world versus hearing things through the grape vines from his sources. It was during his first year of attending that he made a name for himself, following practically in his mother’s and the Sea Witch’s footsteps; he was now the headwarden and the owner of the Mostro Lounge that his dorm - Octavinelle - operated on the school property. He also was the student others went to when they needed help or had a wish that only he could grant. Jade and Floyd both helped as well, taking his place into luring potential clients into his clutches.

Now, the three of them were entering their second year at NRC - and Azul was barely hanging on by a thread. For the past year on land - thanks to the potion he created that would allow himself, Jade, and Floyd to attend the school as humans - Azul had used his network of informants to extend his search for his other half.

He never forgot the promise he made to continue his search for his soulmate - the contracts were just a starting point to his grand scheme for searching for the person who would love and cherish him as no other could. By building a name for himself, Azul essentially had been given enough money to spend as much as he pleased for information about any leads and his extensive network of informants were at his beck-and-call should he need them to snoop out any potential tips he heard. He had cleared out both Harveston during winter break the previous year and the Queendom of Roses as well as the Shaftlands the previous summer before he was summoned to return to Night Raven. Sunset Savanna would be next on his list during the winter break this year and he would attempt Briar Valley over the summer.

But even that wasn't soon enough it seemed.

Azul’s spirit was practically crying out with each failed search, lead, and tip - nearly to the point that his soul was exhausted and he found himself hearing his mother’s chiding words in his inner ear again. But he was stubborn - incredibly so; and he made plans before leaving his home city again to extend any knowledge to him from outside the school’s barriers.

Azul sighed as the last first year was placed into their dorm, forcing a smile as he addressed his new students, crossing his arms over his chest, "New students! I congratulate you on your achievement. As the dorm head of Octavinelle, I am honored to have the opportunity to support you in what I hope will be a fulfilling campus experience.”

"Hey, does anyone know where the headmage went?" Azul arched his brow as the dorm head of Pomefiore, Vil Schoenheit, spoke, “He disappeared midway through the ceremony…”

"Some headmage he is," Idia Shroud, the head of Ignihyde, grumbled from his tablet that hovered in the chamber.

"Maybe he had a tummy ache?" the ever naive dorm head of Scarabia - Kalim Al-Asim - asked with a shrug.

The doors burst open as the head mage himself appeared, shouting, "I most certainly did not!"

"Ah, speak of the devil," Riddle Rosehearts, the dorm head of Heartslabyul, grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

"If you must know," the headmage continued, pulling a cloaked figure along with him, their slender wrist tight in his grasp, "I was searching for the new student who failed to show for orientation. Come along, you are the only one who hasn't been assigned to a dorm - step up to the dark mirror and be quick about it. I'll hold onto your weasel."

Azul watched as the headmage pulled the figure along, causing them to stumble slightly, before he released them. The cloaked figure lifted their head, taking a tentative step towards the mirror as the headmage held tightly onto another being - a little gray cat creature with burning fire in his ears with eyes wider than saucer plates. Something about the shy figure had drawn Azul utmost attention as they stood before the dark mirror.

“State your name,” the mirror spoke, its voice deep and dark.

“I’m (Y/N),” you spoke, so quiet that everyone had to strain to hear them.

“(Y/N)... The nature of your soul is…” the dark mirror hesitated, narrowing its pitch-black eyes before announcing, “...unclear to me.”

“What did you just say?” the headmage crossed his arms over his chest as a murmur rippled through the crowd.

“I sense no magical power from this one,” the dark mirror answered, voice grim, “Soundless. Colorless. Shapeless. Utterly vacant… Therefore, no dorm would be appropriate.”

With his final answer, the headmage let out a cry, “Are you suggesting the black carriage went to recieve a person who cannot even use magic?! That is absurd! The student selection process has not erred once in its century of existence!”

As head headmage continued to squawk in surprise, Azul nearly felt his heart stop in his chest when you looked in his direction.

As soon as your eyes locked with his, Azul knew.

His soulmate was here.

You were a pretty (h/c) with tints of (f/c) weaved into locks that framed your soft features hidden under the black and gold hood of the ceremonial robe you wore, the exotic eyes of (e/c) filled with wonder and surprise - with an underlying hint of fear, likely due to the shock of being called ‘abnormal’ by a piece of looking-glass. You looked about a few inches shorter than him - a perfect height for him to rest his chin upon your head - as a pleasant pink painted your cheeks, turning them into red delicious apples that tempted Azul to take a bite, and your jaw dropped slightly, lips parting with surprise.

Azul knew that you could feel the strong connection between your two souls - the pull he had searched the past decade for finally presenting itself in the shape of you. He found himself unable to look away, staring at you with quiet longing and lovestruck clearly written across his features.

“Azul?” Jade snickered, “What is-”

“I think octy just found what he was lookin’ for, Jade,” Floyd snickered, his eyes shifting between the startled first-year and their lovestruck boss.

“I quite agree,” Jade’s voice came out sickly smooth as his eyes shifted between the three of them, “this has just gotten interesting…”

Azul hardly noticed though the twins’ snickers in his ears, his thoughts were already running wild with ideas of how he wanted to spoil you - his found other half, his precious mate.

The problem now was that you were a non-magic user and a female to boot - nevermind that you had just been put on display like an exotic animal. The whispers that echoed in the chamber forced you to look away from the lovestruck second-year, your body quivering with fear and unease as he himself was brought back to reality.

‘How DARE they insult her while in my presence?’ Azul felt a growl bubble up in the back of his throat, his pale blues shifting from the crowd to his mate to the headmage and back again as his hands curled into fists under the sleeves of his cloak, ‘And how DARE the dark mirror put (Y/N) in this situation!’

“Headwardens,” the headmage’s voice echoed in the chamber, silencing every whisper as he took control of the situation, “please escort your students back to the dorms as the orientation is now complete.”

“What about (Y/N)?” the voice of Coach Vargas spoke up, “Surely you are not expecting someone like her to remain here?”

‘And you’re first on the list of people who will suffer my wrath for saying something so hostile to my mate,’ Azul thought, thinking of what the best way would be to attack the coach indirectly.

“This is a most unfortunate turn of events, yes,” the headmage agreed, tapping his chin in thought, “Due to you being female and that you are a non-magic user, I’m afraid I cannot allow you to attend Night Raven College. You seem like an amicable young lady, however this is an all-boy’s school and I cannot admit a student - male or female - with no magical ability. But fear not, the dark mirror will see you safely home.”

‘NO! You CAN’T!’ Azul was barely holding himself together at this point - he had just found his soulmate and now the world wanted the two of them to be separated forever?! He would not allow it!

Before he could act on impulse, the mirror’s deep voice echoed in the chamber, “There is no such place.”

“What?!” Crowley squawked again as murmurs rose from the crowd yet again.

“There is no place in this world where this soul belongs,” the dark mirror answered again, “None.”

“H-How can that be?!” Crowley asked, his hands shaking with an inner rage, “My, but today is a veritable cavalcade of impossible phenomena! This has never happened throughout my long tenure. I must confess I am at something of a loss.”

Azul could sense the sadness radiating from his mate as well. Were you disappointed that you couldn’t return from wherever you had come from? And if so, why would you want to go back if now you knew of his existence?

Perhaps a little persuasion was needed…

Azul smiled darkly, before taking a step forward, clearing his throat, “Headmage Crowley, I understand that all of us are at a loss of what to do with our strange guest - however, may I offer a solution to our little problem?”

“Master Ashengrotto,” Headmage Crowley crossed his arms over his chest, “I’m not certain what you mean. We must send (Y/N) back to where they came from.”

“And how do you propose we do that?” Azul countered, shrugging while keeping his eyes trained on the headmage while he faked a painful look, “It is easy to return us to our homes, but we have no idea where she comes from - or if we can even get her back.”

“T-There must be a way though… right?” you spoke up, your eyes pleading with Azul’s.

“I hate to agree with Azul, but he’s right,” a tan-skinned, dark-haired figure spoke up, “If this herbivore is from another world entirely, the chances of getting them back are slim to none.”

“Leona is quite right on the money with that one,” Vil answered with a nod.

Azul smiled, knowing that the ripples of shock and disbelief were now falling onto the headmage for being incompetent in dealing with this matter. He couldn’t turn (Y/N) away now that Azul had spoken up with two additional dorm heads also taking his side.

“What do you propose then?” Headmage Crowley asked, eyeing the headwarden of Octavinelle uneasily.

“Octavinelle, as I’m sure you remember, has plenty of rooms for rent,” Azul answered, turning to (Y/N) with a reassuring smile, “As the dorm head, I will gladly take (Y/N) into my dorm where she can stay during her time here. If she’s agreeable, she can work within the Mostro Lounge to pay for a place to sleep and to have food in her belly.”

“I’m not sure, Master Ashengrotto…” Crowley spoke, rubbing his chin with a clawed gloved hand, “a single woman in a dorm filled with boys is highly improper…”

“Improper would be the term used for the predicament your so-called black carriage put you in,” Azul snipped, his eyes flashing dangerously at the headmage, “Besides - the rooms we rent are on the opposite side of the aquarium in our dorm, quite a ways away from the rooms the dorm members reside in for that particular purpose. We also have security within our dorm and I’m usually the one to deal with matters of… problematic nature.”

“Perhaps, however-”

“Consider it one less problem on your plate as well. If (Y/N) is brought to my dorm, I will take full responsibility for her - and I might be able to find a way to get her home in the process as well.”

“You what?” your eyes widen with hope, your hand reaching out and clasping the edge of his robe.

“I have an endless network of resources at my disposal, my dear - I can likely find you a quicker way to get home than you can with anyone else here,” Azul answered confidently, thinking, ‘Though you won’t know that since I found you. I’ve searched high and low for you, I’ll be damned if I let you slip from my grasp so easily.’

“Very well then,” Headmage Crowley let out a sigh, “(Y/N), are you agreeable with staying with the Octavinelle dorm and working at the Mostro Lounge until Master Ashengrotto can find a way to return you to your world?”

“Of course! Thank you so much, Mr. Ashengrotto!” you beamed with joy.

“Azul,” the dorm head answered with a nod, “please, call me Azul.”

“Azul, then.”

The human-cecaelian smiled sweetly at his soulmate and offered an arm out, his hearts practically bursting with joy when you slipped your own arm through his - the two of you now link together via soul and side by side.

***

Azul brought you to the Octavinelle’s renting dorm after ordering Jade and Floyd to start the welcoming party for the first years as well as to get them ready for tomorrow night.

“Do what you need to do,” Azul smiled at the two.

“Of course.”

“You got it, boss!”

When the two of them were out of earshot, you looked up at Azul, “Thank you so much for your help back there. I wasn’t certain what was going to happen if you hadn’t stepped in.”

“Likely the headmage would have thrown you out of the college and left you to fend for yourself,” Azul smiled, “but I, on the other hand, would never allow something so pitifully disgusting happen to you.”

You giggled, the sound pulling on Azul’s heartstrings.

‘She’s here, she’s real,’ his thoughts quickened as the two continued their leisurely pace, ‘I knew that she was real, that she and I would meet. It will only be a matter of time now - once she confesses her feelings for me, I will make her mine.’

The two stopped outside one of the doors, Azul pulled out a key ring and unlocked it before ushering his soulmate inside.

“You can stay here,” Azul answered, peering around and wishing that it was cleaner than it was now, “There’s spare blankets in the closet in case you get cold during the night and fresh towels in the bathroom. I’ll have Jade or Floyd bring you a spare pair of clothing since you’ve brought nothing with you.”

“Oh, you don’t have to…”

“I insist,” Azul answered, “What sort of host would I be if I didn’t provide the best service?”

You giggled again, your smile even wider, “Well, thank you again Azul.”

Each time you spoke his name, Azul’s heart gave a leap of joy.

He coughed, blushing slightly, “W-Well then, should you need anything during your time here, just let me know.”

“Of course, but - may I ask a question?”

“You already have,” Azul snickered at you.

Your pout was adorable that Azul burst into laughter before you asked, “Why were you willing to help me? A complete stranger?”

“I have a gift for sensing someone in need,” Azul answered, his grin spreading wider over his features, “I have helped many poor unfortunate souls in my short lifetime and intend on continuing to offer my services in exchange for something.”

“What sort of payment?”

“Depends - but it isn’t something you should worry about. I like to keep a few things in my personal life private - regardless of my relationships with other people.”

“Of course, I can respect that.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it,” Azul reached out, pushing the hood down and stroking your soft hair gently, “Why don’t you rest now? I have to attend the welcome party for the new students and make sure no one is destroying anything in my absence. I will have Jade or Floyd bring you something to eat in a little bit along with that fresh change of clothes. Tomorrow, we’ll discuss our contract.”

“Contract?”

“I always have my employees sign a business contract before they begin work - regardless how long they work in the lounge for,” Azul answered, “It helps to have things in writing when dealing with problems later down the road.”

With a nod, you grinned, “Thank you again, Azul-san.”

The cecaelia couldn’t help himself as he leaned forward, pressing a kiss to your forehead before pulling away and leaving his other half to stare at him in shock and surprise.

When the door clicked behind him, Azul pulled the keyring out and locked the door to prevent anyone from entering and you from leaving. His eyes gleamed menacingly in the low light as a black gloved hand stroked the doorframe gently.

‘At last… you’re here with me, my precious pearl. Forgive me, but now that I have seen you… I can never let you go…’

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jinxthejubilee · 24 days

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I don't know why the fandom is having such a hard time picturing Azul having a little brother based on Morgana from the second Little Mermaid movie. It could totally work in canon!

Let's break this down for a second:

Azul's parents are divorced. He was raised by his bio mom and his step-dad.

Azul says himself that his step-father is "the father he respects," which could mean that he has absolutely no contact with his bio-dad. He wouldn't know what he was up to or if he had other children.

Azul's bio-dad could've also been a cecaelian (or octo-mermaid) and had another child, or he could've been a normal mermaid who got with another octo-mer after he divorced Azul's mother.

Heck, maybe that was the cause for the divorce in the first place. Maybe he had an affair and destroyed his marriage himself. Or if you want to go a bit deeper, after their marriage fell apart for whatever reason, Azul's bio-dad wanted to recreate the family he lost and got with another cecaelian woman and had his little brother.

This point, in particular, could be a reference to the popular theory that Morgana was Ursula's half-sister. Same mother, different fathers.

The theory goes that Ursula was the result of an affair Triton's father, the former king, had with an octo-mermaid. Such a scandal would bring shame upon the royal family, hence why Ursula lived with her mother away from the prying eyes of the court, but it would also make sense why, in her youth, Ursula still had ties to the castle and lived there from time to time (according to the movie).

A few years later, Ursula's mother had another baby girl with a normal mermaid. He wasn't anyone special like the king, with no royal lineage or special magic of his own, making Morgana "unremarkable" in her mother's eyes. Or maybe their mother truly loved this man, and the relationship didn't work out, so she takes her anger and insecurities out on Morgana.

With all of this in mind, it's possible that Azul's bio-dad could resent Azul's little brother in some way, giving him an inferiority complex a mile wide, just like Morgana. He wouldn't stop talking about Azul and how great he's become, how his brother should strive to be more like him.

It was always: Azul this, or Azul that, or (INSERT NAME) why can't you be more like your brother Azul.

He would grow to despise his Azul, his own brother, who he's never even MET yet. That's sad.

Now you might be asking, how would Azul's bio-dad even know about Azul's accomplishments? Glad you asked!

Either A): Azul's mother is the only one in contact with him and updates him on how Azul's doing from time to time.

Or B): His bio-dad enrolled the Morgana stand-in in Azul's school by chance and heard through the grape vine that Azul became the deal maker non-technical crime boss he is now.

Or both. Honestly, both of these combined would push little male Morgana over the edge. His classmates hear the rumors about an octo-mer who granted devious wishes a few years back and are either scared of or really unimpressed by the little bro's lack of magical prowess.

The bullying and self-hatred haven't skipped a generation, and neither has the body issues. Instead of being insecure about being overweight, Azul's little bro is insecure about being way too skinny.

This went on way longer than I thought, but to wrap up: All this to say, if we got Jamil's sister, who is a reference to Jafar's twin sister from that obscure Aladdin game, I think it's plausible for Azul to have a brother.

Thank you, and goodnight!

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kittyt-hexxed · 2 years

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Swimming with Tentacles

Demon!Cecaelian!Sevika x Reader

Word Count: 3.6k

Warnings: Perverted!Sevika, Dub-Con, tentacle bondage, nudity, breast fondling, groping, being fucked with tentacles (vaginal), throat fucking, choking, dumbification, stolen panties, being touched by something in the water, goofing off with friends, skinny dipping

Summary: On vacation with your friends, you get an amazing deal on a private beachfront house. You have a great time until you find out the reason the house’s owner was so eager to rent it for lower than it was listed.

You were in awe at the gorgeous villa that you and your friends managed to get at a discount. The six of you wanted to go on vacation to the Isle of Piltover for spring break so you saved up all year to be able to afford this trip. One of your friend’s friends had come to you about this villa called the Hand of Zaun that they stayed at and you decided to try your luck. When she told you the price, you thought it might be out of your budget but when you called the owner he happily lowered it! With your housing being below your budgeted cost, you could splurge on sexier swimsuits. You were excited for a whole week of nothing but sun and fun with your friends.

“I’m still surprised that we managed to get this place!” Gia squeals flopping onto the leather couch, “This place is gorgeous! I can’t wait for tomorrow morning.” She sighs happily.

“The owner was kind enough to stock the house with food for us, too.” Terry sits down with a cup of yogurt in her hand, “He was very sweet. What was his name again?”

“Silco.” You reply, taking a sip of your water, “He said this house has been in his family for generations, but he didn’t want to live here anymore so he rents it out.”

“I can see why.” Bailey says while coming downstairs, braiding her hair, “It’s a secluded area with a private beach and it’s an hour's drive to the city of Piltover. If you want a peaceful vacation, it’s the perfect spot.”

“RRAAHH!” Sophie springs up from behind the couch, making you all scream in fright, “Where no one can hear you scream!” You accidentally knock over your water when you flinch and Terry’s spoon goes flying out of her hand.

“Sophie, what the hell?!” You shout, hurriedly grabbing paper towels to dry up the water you spilled. She laughs as you all try to calm your racing heartbeats.

“How long have you been sitting back there?!” Gia hits her on the shoulder, “You could have given me a heart attack!”

“BOO!” Sophia jumps out, making Gia shriek while the rest of you burst out laughing. You knew that when it came to pranking people, the twins never did anything without each other. Gia was the newer addition to the group, so she was easier to pick on. It helped that she was the jumpiest out of your friends and a prime target. But, Gia could give it back and that’s how she got into your group in the first place. She had pranked the twins by putting clear nail polish over their pencil tips so they couldn’t write after they switched hers out of a fake one. You welcomed her with open arms.

“Gotcha!” The twins giggle before heading to the fridge for a snack.

“So, exploring first thing in the morning?” Terry asks.

“You bet!” You grin.

A few days go by and you’re absolutely in love with the area. The villa was at the edge of the shore with a large saltwater pool that the ocean fed into. You and the girls spent time exploring the beach and shoreline on the first day, checking out the tide pools and taking pictures. The goal was to get the pictures out of the way first so you didn’t have to worry about it. On the second day, the girls wanted to work on their tans so you joined them to soak up the sun. You didn’t want to worry about any burns so you made sure to put on sunscreen. You were surprised Bailey decided to lay in the sun, but it was nice to enjoy. Then came the day you’ve all been excited about.

“Last one in the water has to wash tonight's dishes!” Terry shouts and makes a break for the water.

“Hey! No fair!” You shout, running after her while the rest of the girls complain. You laugh as you run into the water, squealing at the cold temperature, and dive underneath. The cold water is refreshing on a hot day like this so you didn’t mind that your nipples were making themselves known. You gaze around at your friends, watching them shiver at the temperature with wide grins on their faces.

“Who was the last one in?” Sophia calls out.

“It was Sophie!” Terry laughs, “She tripped on the way down.”

“You’re not supposed to tell them that!” Sophie gasps, splashing her.

“Well, I did!” Terry splashes her back but gets Gia too.

“Oh, it’s on!” Gia grins. You all end up splashing around, laughing as you try to dodge each other and get saltwater out of your eyes. At some point, Bailey jumps on you and dunks you under the water. Your startled flailing ends up with you accidentally pulling the tie on her bikini top. Bailey lets you up as she yelps and hurriedly ties her top back on. You sputter as you wipe the water off of your face and blink at your friend’s devious smile.

“Uhhh, hiya Bailey.” You say nervously.

“Hiya, Y/n!” Bailey chirps, “Nice strings you got there.” She motions to your bikini top. You two stare at each other for a moment before she lunges at you. You shriek and try to run away from her in the water. The other girls laugh as you dodge Bailey’s hands, only to gasp as you feel your top come undone. You whirl around to see Terry grinning at you, holding your bikini top in her hand.

“Terry?!” You laugh in shock, “Give it back!”

“Come get it!” Terry giggles and starts backing away from you. Little did she know that Sophia was behind her. You watch with wide eyes as Sophia undoes her top and startles her. A shout from behind you has you whirling around to see Bailey’s top gone and her snatching Sophie’s. A little chaos breaks out as Sophia and Gia get chased before their tops are yanked off.

“We’re lucky this is a private beach!” Gia laughs, laying back and letting her body float with the waves.

“I will say that this is relaxing.” Bailey sinks into the water so it reaches up to her shoulders, “It’s nice to be in the waves. I fucking love the beach.”

“Me too.” You all chorus, deciding to embrace the fact that you’re topless. You had tied your bikini top to your bottoms so you wouldn’t lose them, so you weren’t worried about it. You stand around and talk with the girls before you feel something brush against your leg. You jump up with a squeal and stumble away from where you were standing.

“What happened?” Sophie turns to you, “Are you okay?” They look at you in concern and you nod your head, brushing your hand against your thigh where you felt something. ‘Wait.’ You pause, running your hand over it again before you groan in aggravation.

“I thought I felt something touch me, but turns out it was my bikini top floating away.” You sigh. ‘It was an old bikini but that’s so annoying. I could have sworn I tied it tightly.’

“Nooo!” The girls gasp.

“Did you bring enough?” Bailey frowns.

“Yeah, I did.” You nod, “I guess I could swim naked if I have to, but I have enough.”

“Ooooh, we should do that in the pool one night!” Terry claps her hands together, “A bottle of wine, some music, candles…”

“I’m down!” Sophia chirps. You agree and make a plan to do it on Wednesday night. That way you could go into the city and pick out a nice wine, maybe get a local dish to try out. You were craving sushi and Piltover made the best in the world so you added that to the list.

The next night you were laying in bed with a book in your hands. The day was spent back out in the water - with your tops on this time - before Gia decided it’d be hilarious to untie Terry’s bottoms. You were smug that your bottoms didn’t have any ties until your friends were ganging up on you. You laughed and shrieked, kicking your legs at them when Gia grabbed you. Your friend group was a little crazy, but that’s what happens when you meet in college. You got really close to each other so doing things like this wasn’t off limits, but only when it was in certain situations. The six of you ran around like crazy in the water, pushing each other around before deciding to see who could swim out to the edge of the rock and back. You were exhausted when you came back inside so you showered and got cozy.

It was raining outside and gave you the perfect atmosphere to relax. You could hear the girls laughing out in the living room as the room you chose was right next to it. It had a sliding door that lead out to the pool and you nabbed it for that reason. You wanted to be able to go out and swim without waking up the other girls since the rest of the rooms are upstairs. Sophie had wanted it too so you flipped a coin for it and won. She pouted when you won and went upstairs with the rest of the girls.

With a yawn, you decide it’s time to go to sleep. You get up from the bed to put your book on the counter, shout goodnight to the other girls, and reach up to turn out the light when you notice something. ‘Did I forget to close the screen door all the way when I went outside earlier?’ You furrow your brow, trying to remember if you did. You groan, getting out of bed and making sure to close and lock it. While you were in a private area, it made you feel weird not having it locked at night.

In the morning, while picking out an outfit to wear into the city, you noticed that the panties you had worn the past few days weren’t in the bag you keep them in. Confused, you search through your things for them but can’t find them. You shake your head and decide to worry about it later before throwing your clothes on and heading out. In the city, you got to enjoy a wide variety of the local cuisine and flirted with a few cute girls. You made the drive back to the villa, skipping inside to get ready to go out into the water. Since you’d be skinny dipping in the pool later, you wanted to swim around while the sun was out.

“You should wear the thong swimsuit!” Terry shouts as you head for your room, “Go ass out!”

“Are you going to take the picture for me?!” You shout back.

“Hell yeah!” Terry confirms and you grin to yourself. So you put on your thong one-piece and head off with Terry to take pictures. She stands in the water while you climb onto the rocks to get a better perspective. You’re instructed on how to pose, doing various amounts before you decide to pose in a way that completely shows your ass. As you’re moving down the rocks, you freeze as you feel something wrap around your upper thighs and over your butt.

“Y/n, don’t move!” You hear Terry say in a rush, “It’s just an octopus! It was probably hiding in the rocks and it got curious as to what you are! If you relax it’ll let go on its own.” You look down and sure enough, there are brown tentacles - matching the color of the rock - stuck to your body. You tense as they wander over your lower half, a weird mix of a slippery yet velvety feel and the suction cups stick to your skin. A low heat ignites between your legs, making your thighs twitch and you’re embarrassed by your body’s reaction. You blush fiercely when you hear Terry snap a picture as your ass gets squeezed and you’re appalled at the situation. ‘I am not in this position right now. I am not.’

“You did not just take a picture!” You question in shock, turning your head to look at your friend.

“The girls aren’t going to believe me! Besides, don’t you want the memory?” She laughs.

“OW!” You yelp, jolting as one of the suction cups tightly tugs on your skin, “Ow, ow, ow, ow! What the fuck!” You gasp, struggling as your skin is pinched. Your hands clutch the rock because if you try to tear the suckers off it’ll hurt more than it does now.

“Y/n! Don’t struggle, it’s only going to grab tighter!”

“I’d like for you to stay still in this position!” You huff, suffering through the pinching until the octopus finally lets you go. You sigh in relief and immediately get off of the rock, grabbing Terry by the arm and dragging her back to the house. She teased you the whole way there, your cheeks heating up, especially when she pointed out the round red marks all over your thighs and butt. You wanted to sneak into your room, but remembered that the sliding door is locked. So you prepare yourself for your friends’ reactions as you step into the house.

“Y/n got groped by an octopus!” Terry shouts as you walk inside.

“Terry!” You whine, “Why are you so mean to me?!”

“That’s what happens when you’re best friends.” Terry winks at you.

“What?!”

“No way, that didn’t happen!”

“Where’s your proof?!” After some back and forth, you begrudgingly turn around and the girls freak out. The marks on you are perfectly round and someone mentions that they look similar to hickeys, which makes you blush even more. You go through the pictures that were taken and can’t help but laugh at the one with the tentacles on you. If you didn’t know any better, it would have looked staged from how oddly… stylized it appears. As your embarrassment cools, you get excited about skinny dipping and even up laughing about what happened. It was hilarious that you were the one to get the wild interaction when the others were the ones who actively swam around there.

“Let’s get naaaked!” Bailey shouts, grabbing the wine while Gia grabs the glasses. You giggle and slip into your room to take your clothes off, tossing them into a pile on the floor to worry about later. Unlocking the sliding door, you slip through and step down into the pool. By you, an area of the pool is hidden by seven feet of wall to allow privacy before it’s the door into the living room. You wade over to the girls and a glass of wine is shoved into your hands. You weren’t much of a drinker, so the most you’d be doing is holding it until Sophia took it.

There was music playing, bottles of wine emptying, and a charcuterie board floating around as you talked. You swim around without a care, not having to worry about bumping into a fish or stepping on something. What happened earlier is pushed to the back of your mind as you talk about what to do for your last few days. The conversation dissolved into giggles and random topics as the wine set in and you cracked up as Terry almost dropped her glass into the pool. The others get tired before you since you’re not drinking and decide to go to bed. You wave them off, saying that you’re going to continue swimming and they bid you goodnight.

With a dreamy sigh, you fall back into the water and let your body float. In the pool, you didn’t have to worry about floating away so you were content to close your eyes. The sound of the waves was all that you could hear and you love it. ‘I’m so happy we’re here for a few more days. This vacation was more than needed after last semester. Maybe I’ll see if I can go on a date with Angie. She told me that she’s interested, and I’m into her a little. I don’t know much about her outside of her major, though.’ You feel the water shift underneath you right before something starts wrapping around your body. Your eyes snap open, a scream bubbling in your throat before a tentacle slithers around your neck and chokes you. You’re yanked backward until your back collides with something and a hand covers your mouth.

“Shhh calm down.” A husky voice whispers as you struggle, “I’m going to let you go, but if you scream I’ll choke you again.” Dark blue tentacles rise out of the water, one loosely wrapping around your throat and you furiously nod your head. ‘What the fuck is going on?!’ You scream to yourself in fear.

“Good girl.” The hand is removed from your mouth and you shakily turn around as the tentacles’ hold on you loosens. Your eyes widen when you make eye contact with a topless woman. Your gaze goes down her body, taking in her appearance and you make a noise in the back of your throat when you see that the tentacles are attached to her.

“W-What are you?” You stutter out. ‘She’s not human. What is she? Are these tentacles really attached to her?’ The fear was being edged out by curiosity. There’s a creature in front of you that you’ve never heard of before, and she was - quite frankly - beautiful. You swallow, watching her muscles flex as she reaches out to grab your chin.

“The humans refer to me as a Cecaelia or a Sea Demon.” She lifts you out of the water enough to expose your chest, her eyes focused on it, “You know I’ve seen so many breasts but yours are my favorite.” You squeak as her large hands cup your breasts and she starts playing with them.

“H-Hey, you can’t-” You yelp as she pitches your nipples.

“I couldn’t help myself earlier when you came out into the water showing yourself off like that.” She smirks, you feel tentacles move over your ass and squeeze it, “Such a soft-looking ass on a beauty like you.” Even in the water you can feel their soft, velvety texture and it has your mind flashing back to earlier.

“You’re the octopus that grabbed me?” Your eyes widen, heat rising to your cheeks as a low burning starts between your legs. You didn’t know if you should be relieved that it wasn’t a real octopus or mortified. Because an innocent curious animal is easier to rationalize, but an intelligent half-human creature? ‘Wait, it was on purpose? So she knew what she was doing?! Why does that turn me on?’

“I was.” She chuckles, turning you around and wrapping her arms around your waist, “I wanted to do a lot more than that, but you had a friend. You seemed to like it though, didn’t you? And, I wouldn’t lie. Or you might miss out on what I have to offer you.”

“I-” Your words falter as her tentacles tighten around your thighs, making the burning worse,“I-I mean- I like it- Liked it! But-”

“But what?” She purrs, her hands rubbing your hips, “You liked feeling my tentacles on you like that? Like this?” You inhale sharply as a tentacle rubs against your slit. ‘Oh my God, why am I so into this?’ They twine around your body, soft yet thick muscle moving to get a reaction out of you. A reaction she was getting as your breathing picks up and you struggle to respond to her.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” She taunts you, “Is this too much for you? Are you already so turned on by my tentacles doing this?”

“Y-Yeah…” You breathe out, a bit shocked you’re even admitting it. You were horny and curious about how it’d feel if she fucked you with them. From the way she was speaking, that’s what she intended on doing.

“Good.” She says, before the tentacle rubbing your slit pushes into you. You part your lips to moan but another tentacle enters your mouth as you do. It’s slick and salty on your tongue, pushing to the back of your mouth as you gag around it, “I can’t have you waking up those friends of yours. Besides, those pretty lips of yours were just calling me.”

The Cecaelia uses her tentacles to fuck you, thrusting down your throat and into your pussy. The suckers along the tentacles rubbed against your silky walls and provided a sensation you’ve never felt before. It made your legs tremble as it rubbed against your g-spot. Her hands found their way back to your breasts and she groped them, murmuring in your ear that your body is perfect to wrap her tentacles around.

You couldn’t say anything in response, her tentacle fucking your throat keeping you quiet. You were incredibly horny from this and enjoying it. You never thought that you’d be thinking that way at all, but she was fucking you dumb. The thoughts in your head vanished as you came and she continued to drill you with her tentacles.

“You’re my favorite human I’ve had the pleasure of fucking.” She hums, making you cum a third time, “Silco’s good at providing me with women to keep me entertained. I admit I’ve taken more from you than I have my other toys. I should stop before I break you, hm?” She pulls the tentacle from your mouth, saliva coating your lips as your incoherent babbling is now audible. Her tentacle thrusts into you roughly, forcing you to cum a fourth time before she stops.

“Come out like this tomorrow night and I’ll fuck your pretty little brains out.” She smirks, her silver eyes showing her satisfaction at your near listless state, “I might have to steal you away, human.”

#sevika x reader #sevika x y/n #sevika x you #sevika arcane #tentacles #tentacle smut #hexxed monstober fic week

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bayoubashsims · 4 months

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The Pantheon of the Nereitria

So I don't know if I'm going through with such a complex Lovecraftian idea for the merfolk of Monkfish Bay, but so far these are the fucked up mermaids I've concocted that live beneath the Besanyonne Sea of Monkfish Bay in a kingdom called Nereitra in the native tongue of the merfolk.

Thoggus, the Dark Emperor of the Seas

A long time ago, Thoggus ruled over the SImlantic Ocean in tyranny and he was dubbed the Dark Emperor of the Seas. He had the body of a merman, the arms and claws of a lobster, and the face of an octopus. A monstrous and power-hungry deity worshipped by many a merfolk, his centuries rule was ended when his own descendants usurped and dethroned him, imprisoning him in the deep with his daughters ruling together.

Mureina, the Queen of the Sea

Mureina, eldest daughter of Thoggus and the Kraken, was the mistress of the tides who ruled over the waves and where the sea met the land. With her father deposed from the rebellion that she led, she relinquished the rest of the seas to govern themselves to convene during important times in the Simlantic Council.

Nycothena, the Queen of the Abyss

The younger daughter of Thoggus and the Kraken, Nycothena is the ruler of the abyss, holding dominion over the strangest of fishpeople. Neither good or evil, this eight-tentacled and squid-beaked cecaelian is a mistress of magic and mystery. She guards the prison that keeps her father Thoggus away from the world, keeping him from taking over the seas once again.

Nen, the Duke of the Waves

Nen was originally a diplomat from the neighboring kingdom of Squaria who had long admired Mureina but truly fell in love with her when she liberated the seas from the tyranny of her father. Now, he stands by her side as she presides over the merfolk of Nereitria as a loyal consort.

Prince Chelan, the Prince of the Tides

Chelan was, like his mother before her rule, tasked with the tides and waves and the responsibility of where the land meets the sea. As the eldest, Chelan is next in line for the throne of Nereitria. But will he stop playing with the dolphins long enough for him to start taking his royal duties more seriously? Or will it take a landlubber to set his heart where it should be?

Princess Asherah, the Princess of the Marsh

The youngest of Mureina's offspring, Asherah is often the odd one out. A romantic at heart, she immediately claimed her territory when the tides receded far enough centuries ago to create a marsh at the inlet of Monkfish Bay. She spends her days pranking the local fisherman, and secretly dreams of marrying one.

#the sims 2 #the sims #ts2 #monkfish bay

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loominggaia · 2 months

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1:¿Cuál sería la cosa de este mundo que te haga pensar "me habrá querido más de lo que pudo demostrarme"?

2:hay alguna leyenda similar a la de la Atlántida?

(Translated via Google Translate)

1: What would be the thing in this world that makes you think "he must have loved me more than he could show me"? 2: Is there any legend similar to that of Atlantis?

1 ) I'm not sure I understand the question, I'm sorry! Maybe a translation error?

2 ) Actually, there are many ancient civilizations that have been lost to the sea! All traces of the greys (or "ancient ones") were buried in the deepest depths of the sea by the Body of Gaia. Occasionally, their artifacts float to the surface, or get discovered by Zareenite divers or deepwater cecaelia tribes.

There are also many old sirene and cecaelian civilizations that have been abandoned. Their ruins still lie in the sea, slowly rotting away.

Long ago, Zareen Empire once created an experimental colony in the sea. They built a bio-dome on the sea floor, populated it with 100 slaves and prisoners, and sealed it for a couple decades. But when the empire returned to open it, they found only skeletons. What happened? At first the Empire thought the inhabitants ran out of resources, but this was not the case (the bio-dome was self-sustaining with farms and water purifiers) Rather, social order broke down and there was apparently a civil war. Too many doctors and skilled technicians were killed in the war, which caused the rest of the population to spiral towards a slow demise.

Zareen Empire abandoned the project out of shame and refused to make the results of the experiment public. The bio-dome was left in a remote region of the ocean, where it still remains today. Some think it's only a legend, and many assume it's haunted by bad spirits. Not many know about its origins with Zareen Empire. There are a lot of conspiracy theories surrounding this mysterious old bio-dome, and some dedicate their lives to finding it and unlocking its secrets, sort of like the real-world Atlantis.

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

#ask #askhistory #askaquaria #askzareen #askancientones

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sichore · 5 months

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(( @inky-da-dinky has a Murmaider Merfolk AU that's thoroughly consumed me the past day or two, so I filled out another prompt using that as the setting.

25. Write about your ship bathing or swimming together. ))

Jimi watches the slow movement of her feet kicking underwater, her soles unnaturally pale in the light, and sighs. “I still think this is all just a ploy for you to see my toes.”

She feels Pickles’ laughter vibrate up through the current to her legs and body, before he breaks the surface and she hears it. Funny, how different it feels through the water, like gentle drumming, compared to the light and jovial snickers he vocalizes.

“I'm not gonna lie, they are cute.” The cecaelian grins as he folds his arms at the water's edge, flashing that golden canine at the painter. “Yer just so adorable, I could eat ya up.”

“Ohhh, so that's it! You're gonna have me for dinner.”

“When ya put it that way…”

The twinkle in those seagrass eyes this time makes Jimi gulp, and she looks away, pulling the towel more tightly around her shoulders.

“How ya feeling?”

“... Pretty good, I guess. Everything's all warm.”

The molly was working as intended, then. Truthfully, Jimi didn't feel all that anxious anymore. The water was no longer cool, she actually didn't feel any kind of chill that necessitated the towel around her. It was just a really nice towel, each little loop of cotton feeling like cloudsilk against her skin. The water didn't feel wet so much as, like, a second, comforting skin from mid-calf down to feet, velvet and natural against her.

And everything's so vibrant. She can almost taste the glow of the lamps off the water, the colors of the paintings in progress across the wall, and Pickles himself. Crimson and salt and iron and something else that feels just right for her to grind beneath her teeth.

Jimi blinks. Okay, yeah. She's definitely high enough for this now.

“Good?” Pickles pushes off the edge, tentacles flowing beneath him like a slow-dancing blossom. He floats in front of Jimi, watching her expectantly. “Ready?”

Taking a deep breath, Jimi sits up straight, letting the towel drop from shoulders. She stops moving her feet, letting them drift, but makes no move otherwise. There's still a tiny bead of anxiety in her, tickling the back of her mind like a long-buried memory, and it's enough to make her chew her lip as she stares into the shallows of Pickles’ tank. “... This is still weird.”

“How come?”

“People like me don't swim, Pickles.”

At the cecaelian's confused quirk of his lips, Jimi gestures at herself. It takes a moment, but his mouth forms a little ‘o’ of understanding.

“Well, that's just sad.” That's putting it lightly, Jimi thinks, but judging by the way Pickles sways from side to side, he means it sincerely. “She really loves ya, you know. S'why I wanna do this for ya.”

“Who's ‘She’?” asks Jimi.

But Pickles doesn't respond, instead drifting closer to her, holding out his hands. “It's better if I show you. I won't let ya go, promise. Just one lap.”

There's just one last, long moment of hesitation. It's too late to back out now. Jimi's already here and in the appropriate swimwear, already braided her hair down for this, and if something goes wrong, hopefully, it'll be quick. At least she'll be too zooted to feel the suffocation.

Taking one last deep breath, she pushes off.

Her stomach drops as she leaves the concrete for the fluid depths, feeling like she's dropping into a warm vat of nothing. A strong tendril wraps around her waist, leaving her suspended and above water from the ribs up. Her flailing hands are grasped firmly with fingers that are damp and only slightly alien.

As promised, Pickles doesn't let her sink. Wrapped around her like a safety belt, the cecaelian smiles at her as Jimi otherwise floats in the water, her feet slowly, naturally kicking. She's halfway to swimming, for the first time in her life. No thrashing, no silent screams as she's pulled and dragged under.

There's no panic or dread in her heart, only a calm sense of… belonging.

“Holy shit,” Jimi murmurs, and Pickles laughs again.

“I know, right?” His eyes are nearly black from the ecstasy, but he's still with her, still has a pinprick of focus on the painter that makes her shiver.

Jimi glances down, hardly able to comprehend the grass and rocks below for the mass of crimson around her. All writhing and wonderful and… chewy. “Can I touch ‘em?”

“By all means!”

“Don't sound so eager,” Jimi finally laughs, just a bit.

Pickles releases one of her hands as another tentacle rises up, the flexible little tip curling and waving in a little ‘hello!’ for her. Jimi reaches out with curious fingers and it – he – wraps around and through them and she's not sure what she expected, but it’s certainly not this. Firm and slippery, velvety with just the slightest give beneath her fingertips as she travels down the length. There's the faintest hint of texture, like goosebumps, and the suction cups feel like strong little kisses against her palm, but otherwise…

“Feels like a dick,” Jimi blurts out, and Pickles throws his head back in raucous laughter.

“Well,” The scarlet-headed cecaelian drawls, once he settles down into a fit of giggles. “If you really wanna, later, we can…”

His words stay suspended in the air, like ripe fruit for the plucking. Jimi raises two dark brows at him and he lifts a pierced pair right back at her.

“How about… we stay focused here?” The painter says carefully, a smirk playing about her lips.

“Eyes on the prize?”

“Eyes on the prize.”

Yet they're only staring at each other. Pickles takes Jimi's hands in his own again and slowly eases up on the grip around her waist. Still holding her, but also allowing Jimi to start feeling the encompassing embrace of the water. And she feels it all, the microscopic brushes of millions of crystals of salt on her skin, the ghost sensation of reeds and weeds against her legs, the faint call of precious daughter, come home.

Pickles pushes off without warning and suddenly they're moving, soaring through the water.

Jimi falls forward and wraps her arms around his torso with a yelp of “Oh shit!” She feels the rumble of laughter in his chest as he wraps strong arms around her, and they swim as one.

Well, Pickles is doing the swimming, really, as Jimi holds on for dear life, but they feel like one. Like there's no difference between his skin and her swimsuit and the water that flows around and through them. Pickles leans back so she's nearly laid atop him, head and shoulders kept up and out of the pool while the rest of her is vertical like she's swimming herself. The tendril around her waist eventually unwinds, instead steadying her from beneath as they slowly swim around the surface of his tank.

It’s absurd that Jimi was ever afraid of this. There is no distinction between herself and the crimson cecaelian and the water and the echoes of the ocean where they all belong. Being held in his many arms, unwinding like an unspooled ribbon, all to sway entwined just as it was meant to be. Here, she’s not small, she’s not insignificant, scared and seclusive. In the waves, she’s grand, she is brilliant, and together they have the universe as their domain. Schools of stars scatter before them, reefs of planet falls tremble as they pass over them. Winding between chaos and cosmos, they roar. A pounding of carmine drums, their many hearts beating in tandem. Light flashes at the edge of creation and lucent bells ring in response – the glow of the eternal one, reborn and rejoined to the crimson beast, at last. – come home, come home, o darling daughter, luminous and lost – The brilliant colors dull as Jimi sputters, turning over to eject more water from her nose and mouth, salt stinging her sinuses and making her eyes water.

“Ope, easy there.”

Pickles lays at her side, blocking a good amount of the light. Her coughs subsiding, Jimi pushes herself up on her forearm. They’re back on ground, and the water feels miles away, even though Jimi could see it if she could peer over Pickles’ form. The pull is there, fading ache, soon replaced by a yearning as deep as it was bewildering.

“What… what?” She sits up, and a cloth is dropped around her, dabbing at face and body until Jimi waves her hands. “Oof, hey – thanks,” she sighs hoarsely, throat stinging, as she takes the towel from the attentive tentacles attempting to dry her. Even in shadow, Pickles’ eyes are radiant, his pupils once again that unidentifiable dark shape surrounded by seagrass irises. He looks at the painter with an unreadable expression, and even his normally restless arms are subdued and steady. “What happened?” Jimi finally manages to ask, once she’s rubbed the droplets from her body and wrapped the towel around herself once more. Pickles’ fingers tap against the concrete, a rapid, uneasy beat. “... You tried to dive,” he says quietly. She should be more startled than she is. Instead, Jimi looks to where the water is, her brown eyes going beyond the pool, beyond Mordhaus Aquarium – to the rivers and seas and Ocean beyond. There’s a song within her, wrapped tightly in a helix shell, and it’s silent. “Can we go back?” Jimi asks in a small voice. The wet slide of tendrils foretell of the twin slaps that sound against the ground. Pickles wraps his arms molded in the shape of man around Jimi, and feels so very human when he breathes deep of the air and exhales against her neck. “I’ll take you anywhere ya want,” he says in a shuddering, world-trembling voice. Jimi nods and holds him in return, feels the swirl of galaxies churning and settling within her. “Okay,” she says, and she swallows down that spark, the newborn sun alight with her after a long cycle of shadow. “Thank you.”

[Soft OTP Prompts]

#metalocalypse #pickles the drummer #jamila calabash #mtl oc #my writing #more of the myth/lore side of mtl stuff

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nardacci-does-art · 8 months

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Squid mermaids/ cecaelians for Squidtember. I tried to go for a different type of design than I usually would, & I think they turned out pretty cute.

#nardacci art #squidtember #squidtember2023

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undercoverbisexualfrog · 14 days

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Phantasia AU - Main Characters

Karai Full Name: Chouriki Karai Age: 14 Gender, Sexuality, Pronouns: Cis Female, Lesbian but doesn’t know it, she/her Species: Human Occupation: Student Appearance: Picture Karai from the show but her hair is all black and is just above the shoulder in length. Also less makeup and piercings bc TC won't let her have any. Backstory: The daughter of Foot Clan leader Oroku Saki, except she doesn't know that. TC saved her when she was a baby and has since been living as their daughter. She remains oblivious to her true past as Saki's daughter. Extra Facts: - The adopted daughter of TC - Has a pet snake named Miwa - She saw a witch girl in the village she lives in once and now has a massive crush

TC Full Name: Chouriki ‘TC’ Takeshi Age: Uhhhhh 300+ they're immortal Gender, Sexuality, Pronouns: Non-Binary, Asexual, they/them Species: Anthropomorphic Bengal Tiger Occupation: Ex-Hitman Appearance: Humanoid tiger, light blue stripes on left arm and red stripes on the right, metal-tipped claws, missing right eye, missing tail Backstory: TC and Alopex, their sister, lost their parents when they were still kids. For about a century and a half, they depended entirely on each other. Until Alopex came to TC covered in her own blood and attacked them, claiming that TC was responsible for her wounds. A fight near the Foot Clan barrier lead to TC adopting Karai as their daughter. They haven't spoken to Alopex since. Extra Facts: - EXCLUSIVELY goes by TC - In Chouriki (長力), 長 means long, leader or chief while 力 means power, strength, or force - Sees the whole squad as their kids

Chris Full Name: Lord Christopher Azyrath Age: 28 Gender, Sexuality, Pronouns: Cis Male, Bisexual, he/him Species: Hellhound Occupation: Member of the House of Azyrath Appearance: Anthropomorphic wolf, black fur, light grey feathered wings with dark orange tips, dark orange eyes, flames on tips of ears and wings Backstory: Born into the Azyrath family, Chris had lived a life of luxury and worship. The House of Azyrath was one of the more powerful of the five houses, and so just for having the last name, Chris was feared and respected by all. Or perhaps 'most' was more fitting. He had met a siraelia (siren-cecaelia hybrid) one day who seemingly had zero respect. For this alone, the siraelia was thrown in prison (bc chris just doesn’t want his ego hurt). But the hellhound seemed to grow fond with the prisoner, whose name he learnt was Xever, and eventually released him. Since then they had secretly started dating. Chris would bring nothing but shame to the Azyrath name if anyone found out he was dating a thief like Xever. Extra Facts: - Has fire powers, just like all other hellhounds - If he really tried, he could burn someone with a glare - He knows that his family is planning for an arranged marriage between him and a woman from the House of Polilla. He doesn’t know what do about since he’s already with Xever.

Xever Full Name: Xever Ladrão-dos-Mares Age: 24 Gender, Sexuality, Pronouns: Transgender Male, Bisexual, he/they Species: Siraelia Occupation: Thief, Fashion Designer Appearance: Dark skin, gold eyes, black hair, painted nails, pink fins for ears, gills on neck, fangs/sharp teeth (cecaelian), black tentacles (cecaelian), grey skin (cecaelian) Backstory: Xever lived in the sea up until he turned 16, where peer pressure from his 'lover' Vitor drove him to steal from the House of Thalassa. For this, he was banished from the seas. He started living in the territory of the House of Azyrath, where he met Chris. Xever was put in prison for ‘disrespecting’ the Prince. There, they ended up falling in love. Xever has since been freed from prison and is dating Chris in secret. One day he hopes to return to the seas. Extra Facts: - Ladrão dos mares translate to ‘thief from the seas’ - Can shift between humanoid form and full cecaelian form - LOVES fashion and style, would absolutely tell people off if he doesn’t like the clothes

Baxter Full Name: Stok-05 or 'Baxter' Age: N/A Gender, Sexuality, Pronouns: N/A, Pansexual, any pronouns (but mostly uses he/him) Species: Digital Bug Occupation: Scientist Appearance: Normal 2012 mutant Baxter but he’s got lime green lines and shapes on his skin. And his wings are completely green with lighter green markings. Backstory: Stok-05, or Baxter as he calls himself, is a digital bug that fled from the Digital Gates into the neighbouring realm of Terra Mirandi. He has no intention of returning to his former home and hasn’t told any of his current friends that he’s an escapee and doesn’t ever intend to. Extra Facts: - In Stok-05, Stok is part of Stockman and 05 is the episode number that Baxter debuted in in the 2012 series - His antenna are shaped like TV antenna - His eyes are made up of mini screens

Anton Full Name: Anton 'Bebop' Zeck Age: 29 Gender, Sexuality, Pronouns: Transmasc, Gay, he/him Species: Anthropomorphic Warthog-Cupid Hybrid Occupation: Thief, Engineer, Bartender Appearance: Brown warthog, purple mohawk and fur on tail tip, black and purple eyes, damaged left tusk, black and purple sunglasses, white and pink wings, heart-shaped pupils, pink and gold halo Backstory: Raised and trained to be a matchmaker like all other cupid, but why do that when you can party? He only uses his cupid matchmaking abilities for fun rather than true love. Mainly because most cupids deem true love as between a man and a woman. He works an engineer on the side, mainly making equipment he can use to steal things with. One day he bought parts from arms dealer Ivan Steranko. A few more happened, and they started dating. Extra Facts: - Instead of the usual love potion arrows used by cupids, he uses heart-seeking hip and finger lasers - His wings are more for show than actual flight, but he can fly if he wants. Just not that far - His warthog side is from a peasant that had a one night stand with a cupid

Ivan Full Name: Ivan 'Rocksteady' Steranko Age: 36 Gender, Sexuality, Pronouns: Cis Male, Pansexual, he/him Species: Cyclopean Crystalline Rhinoceros Occupation: Thief, Arms Dealer Appearance: Cyclops eye, horn is made of crystal, grey skin, that suit that human Ivan wears in 2012, long tail tipped with crystal Backstory: Ivan was raised entirely by his mother. He and his stepbrother, Boltak, were extremely close and entered the arms dealing business together. Dealing weapons to Anton Zeck is how they met, and after a few more deals they started dating. Extra Facts: - His mother is from the Crystal Colony (10 dimensions post) but his father was from Terra Mirandi, so he has both crystalline and organic features - Doesn’t require as much food or drink as an organic, so barely ever eats anything - Visits Boltak every once in a while to keep their relationship strong

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neoninky · 11 months

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TWST Fanfic "Her Lost Voice": Chapter 19 (FINALE)

Chapter 19: Part of This World (Part 2)

"Make a deal with me. Release Junonia permanently and I will use my magic for your clan's benefit only."

The Muraeni crew stared at Elise with a mixture of looks. The two younger sons looked the attractive girl up and down like she was a new toy. Proteus seemed intrigued as well but no one had a sharper eye than Don Muraeni himself.

"Elise, you can't be serious!" Luna started to argue as she held her sister protectively, "Azul, say something!"

The boy merely pushed up his glasses with a defeated sigh, "You think I haven't already tried? What more can I say? She is determined..."

Elise stepped forward, straight toward Don Muraeni with little to no fear. The two sons bared their teeth and started to charge her before their father snapped at them, "Back off you two. Proteus...put them in time out."

The ray repeated the same ritual of unsealing two bottles that trapped the brothers inside them just as the previous bottle had done to Junonia. The Don then snapped his fingers at his right hand and the two men began to circle Elise like two buzzards. Muraeni's ice blue eyes, his nose, each sense noted every detail like an apex predator. She was young, beautiful even, but not reckless in her offer. Her luminous eyes, the vibrance of her features and her energy told him that she was no run-of-the-mill mermaid. If that didn't do it, the Royal Rose Queendom pins adorning her did. Proteus was on the same page judging from the widening grin on his slim face.

Muraeni paused to lean down and carefully sniff at her, "...you're a cecaelian mermaid. No wonder you reek with magic and ink. I admire your gumption but what exactly do you have that is so enticing?"

"Aside from your oh-so-pretty face," Proteus chuckled as he gripped the girl's chin to get a better look at her, "Lovely..."

Elise ignored the irritated shivers running down her spine and spoke directly to Don Muraeni, "I've been mastering my unique magic and other healing spells under His Majesty King Revon Castilene's teachings. I can show you exactly what I can do right now if it pleases you, Don Muraeni."

Her tone was the perfect marriage between confidence and becoming. After a moment of consideration, the Don smirked.

"You have my attention, Miss...?"

Elise's pink lips grinned in satisfaction, "Call me Elise, sir."

By some miracle, Elise had convinced Don Muraeni and the rest of the room to regroup down on the resort's beach. The sun was already sinking into the horizon, painting the clouds burning orange and lavender. Azul never said a word during this whole transaction but he never strayed from Elise's side either. Any fuss their companions made went ignored by the Muraeni pair and by Don Leech as well. Roscoe Leech simply raised his hand to stop his boys and their mates from proceeding further onto the sand. The silent command said everything they needed to know: they were to stay close to him and not move a damn muscle unless told otherwise. Indigo had stayed in close proximity to Elise and Azul at the front of the pack in silence. He only spoke once the three of them reached the shore first.

"I trust you know what you're doing, princess..." he didn't sound so sure but the spark in Elise's eyes was undeniable. She leaned in to whisper to him before the others joined them.

"I do, Indigo. Don't worry."

"Well here we are. On with it then," Muraeni had never been very patient. He and Proteus strode right onto the beach as if they personally owned it. Elise only smiled, unruffled by the man's bluntness. Azul hesitated to let go of her hand as she walked towards the water.

"Of course, gentlemen. Let me show you my most successful experiment."

Elise walked into the water until she began to transform, searching the waves, waiting for something. A spiny fin suddenly surfaced and cut through the water. The visitor rushed towards her and circled around her once, not wanting to keep his mistress waiting. Elise smiled and turned back to the group so they could see the new arrival.

"Say hello, Spindle."

Indigo's eyes widened as quickly as his father's narrowed. Spindle gave them both a weary look but said nothing as he rose out of the waters. Had anyone been paying attention, they might have heard the curse that left Proteus' mouth over the wash of the waves.

"Spindle...? A cute name for a runaway I suppose," Muraeni scoffed, "Good to see you return to us...alive." That last word was shot in tandem right at Proteus with a deadly glare from the Don.

Elise pretended to not hear the obvious anger in his voice, "Not only is he alive, but his body is also better than new. Take a look."

She gestured for Spindle to come closer inland so everyone could see his full body, head to tail, and its abundant lack of scars. Upon closer inspection, even his skin and colors seemed more vibrant than before.

"When I found him, he was on the verge of death. With my own magic, I reversed the damage so much, it was as if it never happened. Tell me, Don Muraeni. Sirens have no doubt given you power and every drop of prosperity at your enemies' expense. But can they do this? You'd never have to worry about a rival getting the upper hand ever again. Your men would never have to suffer fatal injuries or ailments with me in your corner. Why...at the rate I'm progressing, the Muraeni bloodline may even outlive us all."

The prospect was deliciously tempting if not downright terrifying. Don Muraeni felt the possibilities burn in his brain. Still...he didn't get this far by being gullible.

"A fascinating pitch. But how do I know you aren't just pulling some elaborate scheme with my youngest here? I'm not too sure where his loyalty lies these days..."

Elise's back tentacles curled protectively around Spindle's tail on instinct but her confidence only bolstered, "Your doubt only proves what a capable man you are, Don Muraeni. I would never dream of making such a flimsy proposition on my word alone. In fact, I want to give you a proper example. Tomorrow, in fact..."

He rose a cynical brow, "All of a sudden your grand proposal must wait until tomorrow?"

Elise walked back onto the shore, changing back into a human, "I understand your skepticism, sir, but I assure you. It'd be more than worth your time. The senior students of Sacred Crown, myself and Luna included, are holding a special seminar on campus tomorrow to show our progress in our individual studies. I want to invite you, and Mr. Proteus of course, personally to see the investment you'd be making firsthand. No tricks, no empty promises."

Muraeni looked to Proteus for any hint of suspicion. The ray silently tapped his chin as he weighed the girl's words in his mind. The proof of Spindle's own skin was too good to be a trick. Proteus seemed ready to sink his teeth into this charming little octopus but Muraeni wasn't fully convinced...yet.

"You drive a hard bargain, sweetheart. But it'll take more than that to close a deal with me," the Don stared down his nose at the girl, challenging her one more time. Lucky for her, Elise expected this and planned accordingly. She simply turned to Indigo and reached out for him.

"Don Cerith, can you help me prove a point then?"

Indigo tensed for a split second before closing the distance between the two of them. He silently questioned Elise but didn't voice any doubts. If she said she knew what she was doing then he would trust her. He followed her lead as she beckoned him closer and leaned down so she could place her hands on his face. Elise took a breath, smiled at Indigo, and began to recite:

"Return to what you once were. Undo the harm done and try again. Second Chance."

Indigo's eyes widened as they stared into Elise's bright pools. From her fingertips, he felt magic flow across his skin like cool spring water. Before their eyes, his scars shrank and the skin resealed itself back to its unflawed state. Even after the magic served its purpose, Indigo could still feel its revitalizing remnants tingle across his skin like a soft breath. Elise removed a compact mirror from her pocket to show him his rejuvinated face, "Well how did I do, Don Cerith?"

Indigo felt a pang in his chest that could only be equated with finding something precious that had been lost, "Amazing..." he whispered. When he snapped out of his wonder and looked to his father, Indigo saw hesitation but not a single shred of doubt. Muraeni began to observe his son in the same calculating fashion he had with Elise earlier. After a few minutes of silent contemplation, he turned to Elise to look at her properly.

"I shall attend your little seminar tomorrow then, my dear. My only stipulation is that you remain here in our wing tonight. Alone. My boys will escort you to your campus tomorrow to ensure that you have enough time to prepare...do we have a deal?"

He extended a hand to her and only then did Elise notice just what an omnious limb it was, its long fingers covered in golden rings that looked both deadly and impressive. Elise took another deep breath and put her hand in his, "It's a deal, sir."

Indigo watched the handshake between the two of them and felt a twist in his gut. The same dread he felt deep down was painted all over his youngest brothers' face and less so on Azul's. Elise had one foot in the door of the lion's den. Muraeni seemed satisfied until he locked eyes with his youngest son, remembering that unfortunate loose end.

"Hm...his outward appearance is completely reformed. Does that count for any internal injury as well?" he vaguely asked Elise, keeping Spindle squirming under his cold gaze.

Elise frowned disappointedly, "When I observed him after the fact, his vocal cords seem to be in perfect condition, and yet he will not speak. He hasn't said a word since I took him under my care. It's so strange."

Proteus sneered at this delightful bit of news, "How unfortunate...the poor boy must be traumatized."

His father checked his watch as if he were stuck waiting in a subway, "A bonus really. He may not be as strong as his brothers but now that he's healed, he's in perfect condition to pick up where Cowrie left off. If tomorrow goes well, I shall have to throw in a special thank you for you, Elise."

The girl fought the urge to kick him in the groin right then and there and instead just smiled, "You're too kind, Mr. Muraeni, sir."

The man took the compliment as plain fact, showing no signs of flattery, "Proteus. Show Elise to her room. Preferably one close to mine."

The grin on the righthand man's face turned the octomaid's stomach, "Gladly, sir..."

"Wait."

Indigo was speaking to his father but physically made himself a barrier between Elise and Proteus, "I will take her, Father. It's only right that I thank her for her care."

Had anyone else said the same thing, it would have meant something far more...unsavory. Elise knew this wasn't Indigo's intention but judging from the looks on Muraeni and Proteus' faces, they took his words very differently. Proteus raised his brows in surprise, "My, my...seeking out a second mate already, Don Cerith? You are your father's son."

Elise felt a shockwave of heat hit her face as Indigo put a protective arm around her. His expression was devoid of amusement, "I don't need nor desire another mate. It's called having integrity, you perverted bastard."

Muraeni waved off the rising argument with a bored look, "Fine, Indigo. Just make sure your brothers don't get any ideas. They're far more carnally driven than you are."

Azul nearly bit his tongue having to stand by and endure all of these insinuations. Spindle looked like he'd bite of the legs of anyone who even thought about going into Elise's space with bad intentions. Elise looked over her shoulder at both of them, giving them a silent nod. Spindle's features turned serious as he suddenly dashed back into the water and disappeared but his rash exit didn't seem to alarm either Don Muraeni or his subordinate.

"We'll fetch him later. Indigo. Bring her."

Without any further pleasentries, Don Muraeni and Proteus walked straight past the Don Leech and his brood without so much as a glance. Elise started to call out to Azul but Indigo abruptly pulled her along with him as he followed after. Azul wanted to argue but held his tongue. He trusted Elise: she was brilliant and she had a plan. He just didn't like feeling so stuck on the outside of it all. The twins and Cerith sisters watched Indigo escort their friend back to the resort, feeling just as helpless.

The young Don Cerith didn't say a word as he and Elise stood behind his father and Proteus in the elevator. Occasionally the two men shared a word or two regarding some other business that Elise wasn't really paying attention to. Instead she quietly looked up at Indigo's freshly healed face. Indigo Cerith was very handsome, well-groomed and polished with a quiet, deadly air about him even now that his scars were gone. He definitely looked even more like his father but his eyes, as tense as they were now, were far more kind. Elise suddenly felt his strong gloved hand take her much more delicate one without turning his gaze down, silently promising to watch over her. The elevator doors opened and the four of them entered yet another long, empty hallway. The father returned to his room behind a regal set of double doors without a word to the rest of the party. Proteus released the two other Muraeni sons and commanded them to keep watch over their new guest, "Give the lady her privacy but also...make sure she doesn't wander off."

They looked a bit drained if not disoriented but the two brothers nodded as they regarded the protective glare coming from Indigo. "Stay outside her room at all times," he growled once Proteus entered his own room for the night, "Only I'm allowed inside her room until further notice."

He quickly opened a nearby door for Elise and followed in after her, shutting and locking the door behind them. Elise felt an immense wave of exhaustion that forced her over to the giant bed on shaky legs. Indigo gave her a moment to settle before kneeling on the floor in front of her with a deep sigh.

"I admire your courage, Princess, but...no I should be thanking you instead of lecturing you. Not just for this," he gestured to his face, "but for what you're trying to do for our family. You're the most incredibly reckless human I've ever met. Which is saying quite a bit."

Elise gave a shakey laugh, "I was already determined when Spindle told me what was going on but then...I met her. She was the one who rescued me from that storm so many years ago. I cannot let her stay trapped any longer."

Indigo had a look of understanding in his quiet eyes, "You call him Spindle now. It suits him. You rescued my sister and my brother. Now you're risking everything to save our mother."

He paused and clasped Elise's hands before bringing them to his lips, then his forehead. The action seemed so gentle and devout as if he were in the presence of a saint, "Thank you, Elise. You have my loyalty for the rest of our lives."

Warm tears sprinkled down her cheeks as she leaned down to kiss Indigo's hair, "That means the world to me, Indigo."

The next day would be unforgettable for everyone across the campus for very different reasons. To most, it was another school event full of nervous energy for those perhaps feeling apprehensive regarding their presentations, or rather doing so in front of the entire faculty and their families. To the Leech brothers, Cerith sisters, and their two octopi: today was a chess match with no room for error. Each member in their place, waiting to move, as the day began. Luna was one of the first to present and if she had any unsettled nerves, no one would ever know. Don Leech with his Madam Leech on his arm, Don Muraeni, and Proteus were in the audience along with Indigo, his wife Ivy, and the Octavinelle trio. She had learned quite a bit from the short weeks of study but today, Luna focused on demonstrating the benefits of utilizing her portal magic specifically to enhance communication and transportation of imports/exports between the land and sea. That is, other ways to do so aside from the personalized method she made just for their crew alone.

Both the faculty and audience were impressed. She was congratulated by the Headmistress and given high marks by the rest of the teachers' panel right there on the spot. Floyd had gotten bored halfway through and zoned out, daydreaming about the cute future babies he and Luna were going to have, but still checked back in just in time to cheer on his girl at the very end. To the point where his father had to tell him to quiet down. Elsewhere in the crowd, Cowrie sat with the rest of her dorm and applauded her sister's achievements. She caught Luna's eye and gave her a genuinely proud smile in spite of all the inward stress.

There were a few other presentations that followed but soon enough, the Headmistress was introducing Elise to the crowd. The stage seemed to open up as Elise prepared to start. As she approached the podium, three volunteers entered the stage behind her, some with assistance from other students or medical staff. On the large screens surrounding the auditorium, Elise's full name and the following title of her presentation appeared: "Advanced Healing: Medical Studies in Personalized Magic."

Azul searched the crowd and sure enough in one of the VIP sections of the audience sat Reine along with her father, both looking rather eager to see Elise in action. There was another man sitting next to Revon Castilene that he did not recognize but he had very similar eyes to Elise herself. Azul ventured to guess that the regal gentleman was Elise's father which made him feel both very happy for Elise and very nervous for himself. Elise took a deep breath before turning her microphone on and smiled to the audience, thanking them for coming today. She also took a moment to personally thank her mentor for being in attendance today and for teaching her everything she now knew. Her mind was on autopilot as the rehearsed words flowed out of her mouth as if she were acting out a prepared role. She saw her friends in the audience, her father, Azul, and more importantly...Don Muraeni. He was there with his eyes locked onto her and waiting. Elise felt her adrenaline kick in as the true spectacle would begin any moment. This was more than an academic exhibition: this was a show, an auction curated for one specific patron and Elise had one shot to hook him.

"Alongside traditional healing encantations, I have mastered my own unique magic for the purpose of not just treating injury and sickness, but completely rejuvinating and rehabilitating my patients entirely. Starting with a case of optical first aid..."

Elise greeted the first volunteer, a fellow Sacred Crown student who had been banged up during Magift practice. The girl removed the bandages put in place by the school nurse, who had been specifically told not to heal the following students with magic for this exact presentation and showed the audience the scratches and bruises on her arm. Elise very gently held the injured arm and asked that the faculty observe it up close first. The teachers did so, confirming for the audience that the injuries were legitimate. Elise thanked them and assured the student that while they might feel strange afterward, the process was entirely painless.

She held a hand just above the broken skin and recited her encantation. A wave of awe rose up from the audience as the girl's arm was fully healed in seconds. Cheers and applause came from her peers and the Cerulamare dorm as Elise walked the first volunteer to the stairs by the stage. She continued to explain how the magic worked in varying degrees. She even paused her succession through the volunteers to show how the magic itself could also be used to repair machinery, other tools, and even architecture: "While my own Unique Magic cannot be taught to others, there are common threads of magic that can be learned and utilized in similar ways. With the ingenuity of each individual mage, the future of healing for both people and technology will ensure better lives across the board."

Her third and final volunteer was an older gentleman from the island's city accompanied by a certified nurse. He had the most severe injuries consisting of a broken leg and even previously damaged skin and teeth. He sat in a wheelchair and Elise quietly thanked him for putting his faith in her before very carefully kneeling to place her hand on his cast. There were a few murmurs hovering about the crowd, seeming to be full of skepticism. Azul carefully looked at Don Muraeni out of the corner of his eye. The man's gaze was unwavering and completely fixed on Elise. His expression gave away nothing. On the other side of him, Proteus was watching Elise with a smirk of a predator, patiently waiting to pounce and its prey the moment it moved. Azul turned his attention back to the stage. He felt a flutter in his chest as he watched how careful, how gentle and precise Elise's movements were. Watching her work gave him the same sense of wonder that he had felt for years watching his grandmother and mother in their elements.

The enchantment left her lips and her magic wrapped around the man's leg and damaged skin with a soothing aquatic glow. The man entered a trance as the spell wrapped him in a half-cocoon of light. As it dispursed, the electric chill of its trickling energy spread through the audience causing a collective shiver. Even those in the very back of the room could see just how the man's skin was renewed and how even his teeth were brought back to near-perfect condition. There was a hush as the nurse used their own magic to remove the cast...and then no one could hear the man's astounded cry as he stood, not for the thunderous applause. She would no doubt pass with flying colors but Elise's true victory came when she locked eyes with Don Muraeni. He stood up and clapped.

She had done it.

Elise accepted the praise from her Headmistress and the faculty panel on her impressive display and once again thanked her mentor and the volunteers that had put so much faith in her before she left the stage. She barely reached the bottom step when she saw Indigo's two brothers waiting for her backstage, tucked in the shadows where no one else would see them. They said nothing. They didn't have to. Their father had made his decision and now it was time to pay up. Elise braced herself and tried to stand as tall as she could in their towering presence, "Lead the way."

The resort seemed like too obvious of a spot to finish their transaction. The lake was too risky. Even now that he had made up his mind, Don Muraeni was far too suspicious to let someone even think about catching him off guard. No the final meeting place for the exchange would take place in the city square outside the school. A neutral territory where no one could interfere and live to tell the tale. So here she was, Elise was brought directly to the large, mostly empty square save a few locals walking about. The Leechs were nowhere to be seen. Neither were the twins, or Azul, or the Ceriths except for Indigo. Don Muraeni, Proteus, and Junonia waited, seated at a nearby outdoor seating area as if they were frequenting a cafe during their stay. Indigo rose from his seat next to his mother to pull out an empty chair for Elise between the two of them. As soon as she sat down, she felt Junonia grab her hand from underneath the table. Her eyes were desperate but she dare not speak out of turn. The princess gave her the bravest smile she could muster in return.

"You performed splendidly as you said you would, Elise. Well done," Don Muraeni's serious tone had barely any warmth to it, "I appreciate you coming without a fuss. I assume you are ready to keep your side of the bargain?"

Elise nodded, "Yes, sir. As I said, I will trade my freedom for Junonia's and in exchange, I will pledge my loyalty to the Head of the Muraeni house and use my magic for his and his family's benefit."

"Please don't do this-" Junonia started to beg before her ruthless husband snarled at her.

"Shut up, Junonia. You've wanted out for so long and now your chance is here on a silver platter. Take the out before I change my mind."

Elise squeezed the siren's hand and spoke in kindness, "Please, Junonia. Let me do this so you can be together with your girls again."

"Smart girl. Now then," Don Muraeni snapped his fingers and Proteus produced a document that looked eeriely similar to the magical contracts that Azul could conjure, "I have my staff procure very special paperwork for situations such as this. Sign yourself over to me and let's be done with this already. As he was for Junonia, Proteus will be your main handler."

Elise eyed the omnious document and gave Muraeni and Proteus both a light chuckle, "I'm sorry? I think you misunderstood me...I said that I would pledge my loyalty and services to the leader of the family. Isn't that technically Don Cerith?"

The two men's faces fell for a brief moment as this girl coyly bat her eyes at them. She continued, "Don't misunderstand, gentlemen, I'm by no means backing out. But this is a binding contract and a magically infused one at that. Regardless, I take my freedom and the use of my magic very seriously so these things must be handled accordingly. Am I wrong?"

This girl was wickedly clever. Indigo felt his lips tug upward into a smirk as his father cleared his throat and answered in a forced tone to hide his irritation, "You are not. It may still be referred to as the Muraeni family but Indigo is the acting head currently in power and thus has the authority over all legal decisions, contracts, and arrangements in circulation. It doesn't matter in the long run, the result will still be the same."

Without waiting for permission, Indigo slid the document over to himself before biting into his finger. A bright red drop of blood bloomed on the tip before he pressed it onto the top line. Soon after, the name 'Indigo Cerith' wrote itself across the line in his own manifested handwriting. He then in turn slid it over to Elise and asked for her hand. She gave it to him and held her breath as he carefully pricked her finger for her. One quick sting later, she mirrored Indigo and pressed the finger to the bottom line. Elise watched her name scribble itself onto the contract. Her eyes widened as her surname did not spell out Coralette but Cerith. Elise Cerith.

"You now belong to me, Elise Cerith. The deal is done," Indigo said with a sigh that betrayed just how drained he really felt. The bottle that had once held Junonia was placed on the table as it swiftly crumbled into sand. She was free.

"There you have it," Muraeni's tone was a bit sour at the hiccup but either way, he got what he wanted in the end. He didn't bother looking in Junonia's direction as he waved her from the table, "Go. I'm sure Luna and Cowrie are crying in some corner waiting for you."

Indigo helped her up from her seat. Any argument waiting to be made was silenced as he hugged her one last time. He whispered something in her ear making her tear up but Junonia left the table and made her way across the square alone without looking back. Muraeni huffed grumpily before checking his watch again.

"Wonderful. We have much to do now that our resources have opened up tenfold. I've had quite enough of the land life. Proteus-"

Indigo aggressively cleared his throat before shooting his father a challenging look, "I think you've overstayed your welcome actually. Both of you."

His father's eyes sharpened dangerously, "Watch yourself, boy. I've allowed you some leeway by handing my title over to you but don't forget who's really in charge here."

For the first time since he could ever remember, Indigo's smile genuinely confused his father as he chuckled, "Yeah...about that."

Indigo snapped his fingers and his eyes glowed vivid blue, matching the mage stone ring he now wore on his dominant hand, "Abyssal Snare"

His father couldn't move fast enough as the ground underneath him rapidly sucked him down like quicksand until it resolidified, trapping him at his shoulders. He screamed in confused outrage at his other two sons who merely stood there staring down at him. Proteus pushed away from the table in a panicked scramble, showing genuine fear for the very first time. Unfortunately for him, he was doomed the minute he sat down at that table.

"Heart's Lyre!"

The ray yelped as his arms snapped to his sides as he tumbled forward. He hit the cobblestone ground hard with a pathetic thud that bloodied his nose. The predatory heel clicks that approuched him from another nearby table put more fear into him than anything else.

"Well, well. Look what I've caught in my net..."

"Oof, he's an ugly bastard that's for sure!"

Proteus coughed as a cloud of dust was kicked into his face followed by a pair of wicked giggles. He crained his neck the best he could in his state but immediately regretted it. Hovering over him were the very smug and vindictive Cerith sisters. Luna's eyes burned as she quickly tugged at the glowing strings tangled between her fingers. Proteus shrieked as the gesture dislocated one of his arms.

"Oh no no. Don't cry just yet, " Luna purred darkly, "I'm just a placeholder, unfortunately..."

Both the former don and Proteus searched the area wildly, completely baffled that none of the locals that had been milling around earlier were reacting to this blatant assault on them...only to realize that they were all just standing there watching it happen like it was some form of entertainment.

"Oh don't worry about them. They're just here to watch after being promised a show, " Elise said, still seated comfortably despite the chaos, "it's truly remarkable just how organized the Leech and Murae-excuse me-Cerith houses truly are when they work together."

It was then that the 'locals' dropped any and all disguise they may have had and Muraeni's temper shot through the roof. Each one was a member of either Roscoe Leech's gang or his! This had all just been some elaborate setup and he had been completely played by both his and his rival's own people.

"How the hell did you...?!" he sputtered as Indigo bent down to address him as he lay stuck in the ground, "And where did you learn that spell?!"

Indigo flashed the ring on his hand and gave it a loving look, "First of all, you can thank my wife for procuring this magestone for me, straight from her family's supply. Also that wasn't just a spell, it's my spell...fortunately, I had enough time to develop it before you dragged me out of school all those years ago. Furthermore, if you're wondering how so many people came to the conclusion to help ruin you, Don Leech is a very resourceful and powerful man. He taught me well. He should be waiting to tie up any loose, unguarded ends back home right about now, actually."

Venom didn't even scratch the surface of his father's fury. He thrashed trying to free himself while screaming obscenities at his own son. It was a rather sad sight actually. In the ruckus, Proteus was helpless to escape but his horror had just began as a different pair of feet confronted him. At first, there was no answer, no declaration, or accusation made. Instead, the feet just kicked the paralyzed ray over onto his back where he was faced with terrible karma. His copper red eyes were globes of fear as the young man standing above him was Spindle. In his hands was the enchanted dagger that Elise had been given to originally break her own curse. In his eyes were years of resentment bubbling to the surface and ready to come to a head.

"I'm setting things right and taking it back..." his voice was clear and terrifying.

The agonizing scream that ripped from Proteus as the dagger was plunged into his leg echoed throughout the square but the pain from the wound couldn't compare to the feeling of Proteus's very life force being sucked out of him along with the stolen magic. Muraeni watched in horror as his loyal servant began to age and wither as Spindle's magic returned to where it belonged. He was still alive but Proteus seemed more like a walking corpse now that he was powerless. Luna released her hold on him. He was far too weak to fight back much less escape now.

He coughed and roughly spat at Spindle, "You devious little shit!!"

Proteus dugged his gnarled hand into Spindle's leg but he was so frail that it took barely any effort for the young man to kick him off. The bottles that had contained his older brothers tumbled out of Proteus' jacket and turned to sand. The sisters and Spindle walked over to the shriveled ray and stood beside Indigo as he spoke to their father.

"Judging from how Proteus' bottles disintegrated, it's safe to say that his 'collection' has now been dissolved," Indigo enjoyed the color leaving his father's face a little too much, "so it would seem that all of your assets you had him collect for you are now null and void." The dethroned Don now understood what Indigo had meant by 'loose, unguarded ends'.

Indigo straightened up and checked his watch as he had seen his father do all day, "But don't worry. I'll make sure the next one is well taken care of, or rather, Spindle will."

Cold, desperate panic flooded every corner of Muraeni's brain. He couldn't move. He was outwitted and outplayed by his own blood and the connection with his rival's family that he had wanted to extort so badly. He cried out as Spindle's eyes began to glow, "ST-STOP! I gave you what you wanted! Your mother, your sisters, I can give you even more-"

"No thanks," Indigo cut him off bluntly, "That's all the time we have. Spindle?"

The disgraced father's angry maw was muzzled by his youngest's unforgiving grasp. The boy spared no words as his glowing pale eyes bore into the man's petrified expression. The pitch of his screams warped as his body twisted and shifted into a small mishapen polyp. What was left of Don Muraeni's parting shrieks were quickly silenced as a small glass bottle formed around him and sealed him away. Spindle grabbed the bottle and gave it a hard shake making his dwarfed old man smack his gross little head against the glass a couple of times. Cowrie cracked up at the sight and begged her brother to let her do the same before he pocketed it.

Indigo turned back to Proteus who was being kicked and stomped on by his abused brothers. He waited a minute before stepping in.

"Alright, that's enough you two. Cut it out," he half-heartedly scolded them, "You two are still on my fucking list by the way..."

The two brothers quickly retreated away from their prey letting Indigo and Luna stand over the miserable husk. Indigo looked to his sister, "What do you think, Luna?"

The siren hummed as she glared down at the man that had tortured her and her family for so long. Seeing him like this, while completely well deserved, just seemed to take the fun out of vengence. Still, why waste a golden opportunity?

"Being bottled along with Step-father seems too kind...I bet the sharks are rather hungry after all the paces this cruel man has put them through for the past few years," her grin was merciless.

Indigo turned to the men that not only disguised themselves as island natives but secured the entire block to make sure any real pedestrians stayed away, "Gentleman, lend a hand if you will..."

In seconds the pitiful sack of bones Proteus had become was dragged away through some back alleys, away from the square, and out of sight before he could even hope to yell for help. Elise hadn't moved from her seat this entire time. She watched her new siblings at work, holding her breath until it was all over...and it was all over. She watched the four Ceriths finally let their guard down and actually enjoy the fact that they were together again. Indigo pulled Spindle into a relieved hug and said something to him that Elise couldn't hear but seeing the happiness on her friend's face was enough for her to know. The sisters quickly accepted the younger brother as well. Cowrie squealed as he not only hugged her but lifted her off the ground, happy to see that she too wasn't actually dead. They looked so genuinely happy...finally.

She suddenly felt a leather touch on her shoulder and a familiar smell of cologne that made her whip her head around. Azul Ashengrotto couldn't hide his smile from her even if he wanted to, "You know, I don't care for being left out of such an elaborate and dangerous plot at all, my love. But you handled yourself flawlessly...so I guess one time is acceptable. Just don't scare me like that again, Elise Coralette!"

Elise didn't even notice the twins arriving on the scene with similar complaints as she jumped up to melt right into Azul's arms, "It's Cerith now!" Before Azul could make another quip, Elise locked her eager lips onto his. Jade and Floyd decided to leave them be for once as they escorted 'Mama Cerith' back to her children. As the rest of her new family reveled in their freedom, Elise could only focus on the man in her arms. She rested her head against his shoulder as his arms wrapped securely around her.

"I'm ready to go back home," she whispered with a deep sigh, "I nearly forgot that we're still in school because of all this..."

Azul chuckled and kissed her head as he stroked her soft wavy hair, "Think of it this way, after everything you've accomplished-"

"We. Everything we've accomplished," she corrected. She was flattered but this was one hell of a team effort.

"-We, yes. The rest of the year will seem terribly boring," Azul had a point. Any academic stress was barely a threat after nearly selling her soul to a mob boss. Elise suddenly stood up and looked at Azul with a sad grin.

"Yes. But...I still need to finish my senior year so I can graduate and get my mage license. Meaning I'll be spending the rest of the year in the Rose Queendom."

Azul's mood suddenly took a nosedive. That's right. Elise was free as were Junonia and all of the Ceriths. She had become a mermaid again. But of course, Life just had to test his patience just a bit longer, didn't it? Well, he was a mature young man, and hell, he had waited this long!

"You'll do marvelously. After that, what will you do-"

"Elise..." Indigo suddenly interrupted the pair with a serious look in his eyes, "I think you and the others should return to the campus for now. Spindle and I need to help clean up here. Also...after you graduate, I'd like you to come live with Junonia, Spindle, Ivy, and myself at what will be the Cerith house. You are still one of us, after all."

Elise felt like her heart would burst. She had a future, she had a home! Azul felt a bit of relief knowing that she wouldn't be too far away. The relief didn't last once Indigo turned his eyes on the Octavinelle prefect.

"That is...until you get married, of course." He was talking to Elise but staring directly at Azul like a protective father sizing up his daughter's boyfriend. The pair had matching red faces at the implication. Azul now knew just who he'd have to go through to ask Elise for a proper courtship. He couldn't say he was entirely thrilled about it. The boy just grabbed Elise's hand and quickly followed after the eels back towards the school. He was too embarrassed to look back at Indigo who had a big smirk on his face.

Conversation flowed pretty easily between the two eel couples as the girls caught the boys up on the events they had missed, much to Floyd's annoyance. Azul and Elise hung back a bit behind the energetic quartet, Elise intertwining her fingers with Azul's gloved ones. She quietly giggled at his pink face and tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

"So...to answer your question, I want to open a clinic. Maybe collaborate with Luna as well. You're going to open up a proper Mostro Lounge aren't you?"

Her smile was brimming with excitement, it was infectuous. Azul felt his own passion stir in his chest, "Oh absolutely! I already have the blueprints and infrastructure all laid out. We start the process as soon as we become seniors. By the time we all graduate, Jade, Floyd, and I will have a real establishment up and running. Once Jade becomes the new Don Leech, he'll be very busy naturally but his support will only guarantee our success-"

Azul and Elise continued to talk about the future all the way back to the campus, swapping ideas and feeding off of each other's energy. Once they reached the gates, only one question was left unanswered...

"And after all that..." Elise mused, "I suppose then I can settle down and take a mate if the time is right. Yes...I think Elise Ashengrotto has a nice ring to it."

She said it so casually that Azul almost missed it. Or he would have had it not hit him like a freight train. His heart thumped in his chest wildly at the prospect. The desire, the intention had been resting in the back of his mind for some time now. Now that the dust had settled and the stars aligned, Azul felt ready.

"It does. It's a gorgeous name...and if you're willing to wait for it then so am I, dearest," Elise blinked owlishly at how unfrazzled he suddenly was. Not only that, Azul was removing a small, palm-sized item from his pocket, "Elise, I was going to wait to give you this later on but since we're on the topic..."

He opened his hand to her. In his palm was the spiral shell pendant that once held her voice. It had cracked once the curse had been lifted and became nothing more than a dull, damaged shell. Now after some clever care and polish, Azul presented it to her as a proper mating necklace: its cracks filled with gold and various-sized pearls adorned the surface, tracing the spiral shape elegantly. It was absolutely perfect. Her heartbeat pounded as Azul kneeled before her with a charming, loving smile.

"I would be honored if, in the future, you would become my mate. I cannot imagine a more perfect woman to spend my life with."

Elise felt like she could both faint and fly of her own volition at the same time. Her hands shook as she gently took the necklace and held it to her chest. She tried to speak but only a happy sob came out as she started to cry. She laughed and nodded enthusiastically before letting Azul put the necklace around her. She didn't even pay the cat calls from the eels any mind as her mate held her to him with a deep kiss.

This...was exactly what she had been waiting for.

The rest of the year passed at a blinding yet peaceful pace. Luna and Elise spent the rest of the year studying hard with their respective tutors. When it came time for winter break, everyone made a point to venture home and spend time with each other and their families before getting back to work. The two best friends graduated and quickly returned home to start laying down the foundation of their careers.

While it would have made more sense for Elise to inherit Madam Lorelei's position as the local sea witch, being her granddaughter-in-law and all, both Elise and Lorelei agreed that the honor belonged to Luna and Luna alone. She had earned it and would build a reputation just as polarizing as her mentor, later being called 'Madam Luna' by the locals. Elise had her own grand plan that quickly took off as soon as Indigo's reformation swept across the old Muraeni territory that was now called the Cerith District.

Junonia enjoyed a peaceful life and retirement from her siren days in her son, who kept his commitment as Don Cerith, and his wife in another home that Indigo had built in the same territory as the Muraeni mansion but in a much sunnier spot. The old mansion had been abandoned and eventually torn down. The only space that was retained was Proteus' old collection space. It was now empty save for one solitary bottle that Spindle personally guarded and kept locked in a vault. The other two older brothers continued to serve under Indigo but were constantly afraid that Spindle might trap them as well. Now that he had become Indigo's right-hand man, he had every authority to do so but still spent most of his energy looking after Elise, who he never strayed far from.

The Siren's Cove was shut down for good. The girls were either returned to their families or supported by Indigo to start new independent lives. Meanwhile, the building was gutted and rebuilt into Elise Cerith's medical clinic. Luna, of course, was more than happy to give referrals and help prepare and distribute medicines to supply her friend's business.

During their senior year, the Octavinelle boys stuck to their guns and developed The Mostro Lounge just as they had planned. While Jade inherited his father's role as Don Leech over time, Floyd stuck to what he was comfortable with: part-time head chef at the Lounge, part-time head of security and interrogation for his brother. Cowrie managed to stay ahead academically and entered her own internship as a senior during the same time as the boys. Once she became the new Madam Leech, her main focus would be supporting her husband and household, but at the same time, Cowrie Cerith desired something of her own. Studying under her sister or Elise had always been an option for her but instead, she surprisingly followed in Ivy's footsteps and acquired an internship at the Funebris magestone company. They had branches on land and under the Coral Sea for their unique pearl division. Cowrie took interest in the technical side of things but somehow attracted the attention of the marketing department as well.

To this day, Jade says that it was because she became even more beautiful once she turned eighteen. She went from being a petite, cute little sassy eel to blossoming into a nymph-like young siren that turned heads and broke hearts. It was awkward at first, mostly because of being in Luna's shadow for so long, but Cowrie quickly leaned into her alluring glow which quickly landed her a modeling/spokesperson career within the Funebris brand, eventually other Coral Sea brands, and even a few from the surface as well.

Once their lives, businesses, and careers took off and they all reached a point where they felt comfortable taking that next step, that's when the marriages started happening. Surprising no one, Floyd and Luna were the first ones - aside from Indigo and Ivy - to start having children. The entire Leech family was thrilled to welcome the first baby girl the couple was blessed with. And then the next. And the next. And the next. Eventually, Floyd and Luna had one son, who would ironically be the only child that would inherit his mother's siren genes, and then finally one more daughter. Either way, Narissa Leech was thrilled to have so many adorable little grandbabies right out of the gate. Roscoe Leech, though he'd never admit it, was extremely happy to have so many granddaughters.

For a while, Cowrie had worried that she wouldn't be able to have Jade's children after many failed pregnancies. Perhaps no matter how much they loved each other, they just weren't physically compatible. Just when Cowrie was about to give up hope, she contacted Jade in near hysterics when she found out that she was officially, fully pregnant with not just one baby, but two. A year after their nephew was born, Jade and Cowrie were blessed with twin boys. While they wouldn't reach their father's mammoth height/length, the boys did certainly take more after their father in their size which put a lot of strain on their mother while she carried them. However, in spite of the difficulties, Cowrie had her babies without any complications aside from her husband almost worrying himself to death. Between taking his father's place in running the Leech household and aggressively caring for the mother of his heirs, Jade was more exhausted than his mate.

As for Mr. and Mrs. Ashengrotto...

They married once a few different things happened: Azul had run the Lounge with booming success for about two years without any major losses, Elise had established a strong foothold in the community in both Leech and Cerith territory, and Azul had been granted Don Indigo Cerith's blessing to marry his adopted sister. There wasn't a huge ceremony, much to Mama Ashengrotto's outrage, but they did have an enormous celebration at both the Leviathan Club and Mostro Lounge respectively. After about two more years, Azul and Elise had a daughter that inherited her father's coloring and her mother's eyes. She was Azul's entire world, second only to his wife, and was absolutely adored by her grandmother, great-grandmother, and her eel uncles and aunties...and now that the two families that ruled the city were actually one big family...

Life under the sea couldn't be better.

---

Lazuli Ashengrotto could hear the jazz music from her father's lounge downstairs. She was turning fourteen today and preparing herself at her vanity for the elaborate party about to happen downstairs. She combed her long lavender-grey locks with one tentacle while she applied a small bit of color to her lips with another. Her father had fussed at her for wanting to wear makeup so soon but after many, many debates, they reached a compromise. His baby girl wanted to be just as beautiful as her mama so who was he to stand in her way?

"Oiiii Zuliiii~"

A rapid round of knocks sounded from the other side of the teenager's door just before opening. Never waiting for an invitation, Floyd's youngest daughter and child Juno swam in and wrapped her long teal-striped tail around her best friend.

"Let's go, let's gooo~ We can't get started without you and I'm STARVIIIINNGGAH..."

The young octopus just giggled as she pulled her wavy locks back with the final touches, "Alright, alright here I come."

Downstairs the Lounge had closed for a private event in which all friends and family were in attendance. All of her uncles, aunties, and cousins, and of course her grandmother who always insisted on catering for every single birthday party. And not just for her actual granddaughter but all of her eel 'grandbabies' as well. Between them and her business, Ursa Ashengrotto had her tentacles full.

Lazuli smiled at the usual chaos that came from these parties, why it had almost become a tradition. At one table sat her dear Uncle Don Jade Leech, Auntie Cowrie, and their twins that towered over their mother but would never dream of upsetting her. Unlike their father and uncle, Jet and Spinel Leech had clearer tells of who was who. Jet had the signature black streak in his teal hair and heterochromatic eyes just like his father: one yellow from Jade and the other blue from Cowrie. Spinel, however, did not inherit the dark strand like his brother, but his eyes were mirrored to Jet's. He also inherited his mama's gold freckles. The only matching trait the twins shared were the dark stripes on their tails and arms they inherited from Cowrie. It always made Lazuli think of a pair of raccoons. The boys watched their father closely as he discussed some sort of business with them as Cowrie doted on her niece, Lucine, that had swum over from another table. Lucine took after her mother in appearance and somehow came out with a far more demure and shy personality compared to the rest of her siblings.

Floyd and Luna's family took up one of the larger booths. Their eldest daughters Marissa and Cyane sat on either side of their parents. Marissa was the spitting image of her Grandma Narissa, thus the name, and held herself in similar elegance. Cyane was also very lovely but had her father and grandfather's sleepy eyes that often made her look a bit pissed if not threatening. Clustered among them was the only son and second youngest child, Calico Leech, who looked every bit like his mother with her same black hair and warm golden cream coloring. He was destined to be just as tall as his father though and already had to tuck his long tail underneath him to keep it out of the way.

Uncle Don Indigo Cerith and Auntie Ivy had just arrived with their own two children: Cobalt, their eldest son that could be his father's twin save for the fiery eye color he got from his mother, and Elsie, the youngest daughter who was a perfect combination of her mother's green color and her father's darker patterns. She was also named in honor of her Auntie Elise. Her Uncle Spindle arrived with them, escorting Junonia who was immediately ambushed by all of her enthusiastic grandchildren.

Lazuli made the rounds to greet everyone before noticing that her parents were nowhere in the room. She smiled knowingly and snuck over to one of the outdoor balconies. Her parents were very busy and industrious octopi so whenever they could squeeze in a private moment for just the two of them, they absolutely seized the opportunity. Their daughter found them enjoying the view and sharing a loving kiss or touch as she normally did. It used to gross her out how lovey-dovey her parents were but now it barely phased her. She cleared her throat to announce her presence.

Azul and Elise Ashengrotto turned to their little darling with warm smiles. "There's my princess!" Azul cooed to her. Lazuli was also accustomed to her father's abundant affection and soaked up every single drop of it. She jetted over and threw her arms around her father with a happy squeal. Elise's heart warmed at the sight of her husband and daughter. She stroked her girl's silky hair with a doting smile, "Happy Birthday, Lazuli, my darling."

Lazuli turned and hugged her mother before beaming up at her with matching turquoise eyes, "Are you happy, mama? Daddy?" She turned back to Azul as her arms stayed around Elise. She had become very in tune to her parents' moods from a young age. When they were happy, truly happy, they seemed to shine and Lazuli was convinced it was because they had so much magic. So every day, at the very beginning, she always asked: are you happy? And when they were, they said...

"Absolutely."

-the end-

Thank you for reading <3

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