Leviathantale Mermay 2022 Days 8-9: Leviathan, Seafoam
Summary: As an impossible being made from seafoam, Reaper never knew that he would be capable of creating life.
Unlike his mate, Reaper never tumbled out of a womb. Nor did he hatch from an egg. His beginning came when his creators spun him into existence from seafoam. Though he was the second to be created - that honor was Ink’s - Reaper was the first to be created with a soul.
His creation went against all nature. Honestly, all of the Leviathans were impossibilities turned into the possible. But hey, Sans and Papyrus had always been miracle-workers. All mer and selkie kind exists because of them.
But miracles always had a price and Reaper thought the price was that, as a Leviathan, he would never be able to have children.
He was wrong.
The appearance of Tenpatch and Palette Roller completely flipped Reaper’s beliefs on its head. And then, suddenly, creating children - on his own - became a possibility. As a being who spread ice, decomposition, and death, the ability to make life was something Reaper secretly envied about mortals.
After talking about it with Geno in length, they decided that it was time to give Blank a little sibling. They started to try conceiving. While a little disappointed that the first attempt didn’t work, Reaper knew that things like this took time and luck and stayed hopeful. After the fourth attempt, he grew worried. After the sixth, he was distraught.
“Well, that’s that,” Geno had sighed after the seventh failed attempt. “It might be you. It might be me. It might be both of us. It might be because there isn’t some ancient mage performing a fertility ritual.”
At this point, Reaper was resigned, so he agreed. Eventually, the sting of disappointment and grief was pushed back in favor of focusing on Blank. Perhaps they could look to adopt other orphaned selkies and mers after the thought of children didn’t sting so much.
Then, on Blank’s twelfth birthday adventure, Geno got injured. Thankfully, it wasn’t life-threatening and Blank was able to heal the worst of it with healing magic. They might’ve overcompensated a little in their panic, but Geno was safe.
Not even a month later, the couple discovered that Geno was pregnant.
When the disbelief wore off, Reaper was over the moon. He doted on his mate as Geno grew rounder and rounder and made plans for the new baby. He broke out some of Blank’s baby clothes and prepared new space for the baby.
“I can’t wait to meet our Blubber baby~!” Reaper sings happily as he feels Geno’s baby bump for the thousandth time.
“Reaper, don’t call the baby that.”
“Blubber baby!” Blank chimes in with a mischievous grin. “Poofy baby! Roly-Poly baby!”
Geno gives them both an unamused look. He doesn’t stay grumpy with Blank, of course, but Reaper would later have to give him two freshly-caught penguins to gain forgiveness.
The baby is due soon and Reaper just can’t wait.
“Do you ever think that new baby is going to be loved more than you?”
And then Chara asks the question over a video call with Blank that sends Reaper reeling after accidentally overhearing. It’s a concern he’d never thought to address since he was confident Blank knew how much they’re loved.
They seem happy about the baby. They adore Palette Roller and Tenpatch and they’ve been begging for a younger sibling for forever, but what if they changed their mind? What if they felt neglected and replaced?
“Of course the baby’s going to be loved more than me.” Reaper’s breath catches at the matter-of-fact tone that Blank uses. No. No. That isn’t true at all! Before he could intervene, however, Blank continues to speak. “Because I’m going to give the baby a lot of love too! That makes one more person! Silly Chara.”
For a moment, both Reaper and Chara are stunned into silence before the young selkie bursts into laughter. “Yeah, I am pretty silly.”
Reaper sags with relief and smiles at himself as he hears Blank chatter about the baby and the things they plan to share with the pup.
“It’s going to be great!” They conclude with so much confidence that it must be true.
And it is.
When Reaper finally meets his son, he chokes up, completely overwhelmed, as he holds the wiggling selkie pup. It - he - barks and bites him. Just like his Mama.
“Hi baby,” Reaper says softly, cradling the baby and kissing his nose. “Hi, Goth. You’re finally here. We’ve been waiting for you.”
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Notes:
As promised, Goth is here! Blank is happily an older sibling to an adorable brother! While he’s born as a Leopard Seal selkie like his Mama, Goth’s parentage makes his pelt…unique. He can pretty much turn it inside-out and become an orca mer like his Papa. Shape-shifting siblings! Goth plays a lot with Palette Roller and Tenpatch when he grows big enough.
Blank, holding a baby Goth: I’m going to teach you how to play fun games and how to swim on your own and how to properly beg milk off of Mama and -
Geno: Now wait a minute.
Reaper, to Goth: I will make sure that you won’t fall in love too early like your sibling did. Deciding your life partner at the tender age of two is too young. But you’ll be fine.
Palette Roller: (exists)
Goth when an orca tries to eat him: Hold up. (Turns his pelt inside-out and becomes an orca mer)
Orca: shooketh
Blank: (leading a conga line of babies as they babysit their siblings/cousins)
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More world building fun facts about sea life for MerMay!
This time it's Seals, Sea Lions and Selkies. I'm including Selkies, even though they are mythical, because I like them and also because they are in Leviathantale.
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----- _______Selkies_____ --------
A quote from Wikipedia:
In Celtic and Norse mythology, selkies (also spelled silkies, sylkies, selchies) or selkie folk (Scots: selkie fowk) meaning 'seal folk'[a]
1) There are both Male and Female Selkies. Both are said to be gorgeous, an unearthly beauty.
* Female Selkies are more often featured. More often tragic. Due to the nature of their magic/nature, they are often forced to become brides to human men.
* Male Selkies on the other hand, appear to be more often the "one night stand" to lonely human women. Although there is potential for them to become forced husbands.
2) Human/Selkie Offspring
* It is thought that the myth of the Selkies was used to explain why some people were born with webbed hands and feet. Called "selkiepaws".
* In more modern stories/artwork it is common for Selkie children to be as beautiful as the Selkie parent. Often with dark eyes and hair.
***** This part is from memory,*****
But I could of sworn that the children would be gifted swimmers and great fishermen... But for the life of me, I can't find a good source for that, so call that some flavor text.
3) What are Selkies?
*** This is debated, some think their origins are Fallen Angels, humans that came to an "unfortunate end", and some debate that Selkies are fairies or Fae.
* Selkies are shapeshifters. They live their lives as seals for the most part, but can turn into a human form when they shed their seal skin.
* In some artwork/adaptations the skin can look like a skinned seal, or it can look like clothing, such as a cloak or a hoodie.
4) The Selkies Skin
* The skin allows the Selkie to transform from Seal to Human
* If a person steals a Selkie's skin, they can force the Selkie to marry them.
* If a Selkie gets their skin back, they'll be drawn back to the sea. Even if they love their spouse, and even if they have children... The Selkie will go back to the sea.
* I have a vague memory, I can't find if a Selkie never returns to the spouse, or if it's a set time like seven or ten years or so.
5) Species of Seal?
*Since Selkies are mythical creatures, it's difficult to have a solid species for the seal. It would be similar to pinning down the species of wolf for a werewolf. But there are some seals I think fit the bill, location wise
* There are two species of seals that are native to Irish waters: the Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) and the Harbour (or Common) Seal (Phoca vitulina).
* But in modern/worldwide/just for fun, there are lots of seal species that would be fun to have has a Selkie base.
-----------_____ Seals and Sea Lions______-----------
1) Seals and Sea Lions and Walrus are pinnipeds, a group of Marine mammals. Pinniped means fin or flipper-footed in Latin. Seals and and all Pinnipeds are semi aquatic mammals... Try to get that one song about secret agent animals out of your head.
2) Most Pinnipeds will spend most of their time in the water, sometimes they will even sleep in the ocean. Like most marine mammals, they can sleep in water by turning off parts of their brain, so they are alert enough to gauge when to wake up and breathe.
3) In general, Seals and Sea Lions will go to land for a few reasons. Breeding, raising their pups, sleeping and warming up in the sun.
4) Baby Seals and Sea Lions babies are called pups.
* The season when pups are born is called "Pupping season."
* Seal mothers and their pups will gather together for safety. The mother/pup group/area is called a rookery.
* Seal mothers nurse their pups for around a month or so, depending on the species. They'll nurse until the milk supply runs out. So once that is done, the pup needs to be independent.
* PSA if you see a pup in the wild, leave it alone, because they are living off the milk from its mother, and then hunt for itself. It wastes precious energy fleeing from humans and dogs. The pups are still learning how to hunt. Also lots of countries have laws to protect marine mammals breeding areas.
5) Main differences between Seals and Sea Lions
Sea lions tend to bark loudly, they are better at 'walking' on land using their large flippers and have visible ear flaps. Sea Lions are much more social. Sea Lions eat with just their mouths, they don't use their flippers to hold food. The foreflippers are not covered in fur, this aids them in swimming fast. Tend to be a solid color.
Seals have small flippers, wriggle on their bellies on land, and lack visible ear flaps. Seals tend to be more solitary. Seals use their foreflippers to hold their food while eating. The foreflippers are covered in fur and have sharp claws, this helps them in holding their food. Seals can have spots or ring patterns in their fur.
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Extra: Story potentials. I might explore these ideas myself, but please feel free to explore them yourselves! I'd love to see the art/read the stories!
*** Fallen angel Geno Selkie...***
- Reaper, doesn't matter what version, "Hey, did it hurt?"
"Did what hurt?" Geno asks, confused and irritated.
"When you fell from heaven." Reaper says in a flirty manner.
"Who told you?" Suddenly transforms into a traditional scary angel type with a thousand eyes and wings. "That I, Genocide, was a fallen angel!"
"Chill out Geno! Reaper was trying to flirt!" Blue tells Geno.
Reaper has a fear boner.
***** An AU where Geno was part of an aquatic monster Underground.****
The Undertale's story plays out, but in an underwater/underwater cave instead. Geno is a Selkie. He gets stuck in the save screen. Is not affected by Reaper's death touch. Reaper gets a hold of Geno's skin and they become married. Geno gets his skin back much later after having Goth. But since Geno's home AU is gone it gets corrupted and transforms Geno into Error. Not only is the Selkie nature of returning home working against him, but the corruption makes him forget about his previous life and family.
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