Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Hey Emma. Hard time sleeping tonight?”

Her surrogate nibling gave a simple nod as she clutched tight to a stuffed toy.
“Just feel like missing Mom and Mae.”

“Same. But they’ll be back in a couple more days.” Having experience and mostly help from Oum and Bee on occasion, she might know just the thing, “How does a story sound to help pass the time?”

Emma simply deadpans; “If it’s another one with you guys and talking frogs, the couch beckons for your warmth.”

“Okay, none of those,” she promises through a chuckle, extending her pinky for proof. Pondering for half a minute, her face then lit up, “I~ could add your moms and yours truly into a random timeless folktale instead.” Emma thought for a moment, as that does sound better than all those ‘tall tales’ her family would share. Launching onto the bed, her aunt takes it as a yes. “A'ight then! Now, we may as well start off with that good old fashioned 'Once upon a time'…”

~ * ~

The oceans feel most fair today.
Ongoing breezes perfect for sailing, gulls embracing the winds on their feathers and wings through a rather sunny overcast, even a few dolphins here and there leaping out from their watery abode, performing tricks while eventually making way for a passing ship. This particular sail ship, well known as the Dinglehopper, is one of few that belong to a royal family and their nearby kingdom living right off the coast. And at the moment its crew, as they are tending their vessel and hauling catches of the day, can be heard loud and clear singing to a shanty of a myth old as these waters.

🎶I’ll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue, an’ tis hey to the starboard, heave-ho~!
Brave sailor, a mermaid be await’n’ for you, in mysterious fathoms below!

Fathoms below~! Below~!
From whence wayward westerlies blow~!
Wher’ the Merfolk’s just King, and his good subjects sing,
In mysterious fathoms below~.🎶

Up at around the ship’s helm is a young lad leaning his crossed arms casually on the rail line as he looks out into the jovial weather, taking a deep inhale through his nostrils. “Ah…Isn’t this great, Anne?” He says to the latter, who also enjoys the view whilst hanging onto the climbing ropes like an acrobat.

“Why wouldn’t it be? I mean, perfect day to be out here!” she agrees, before doing a verse of her own.

(Anne)
🎶The salt on your skin, and the wind in your hair!

(Sprig)
🎶And the waves as they ebb and flow~!
We’re miles from the ports, and guess what…

(Both)
We don’t care!🎶

(Sasha; looking tough and enduring some sort of daze)
As for me, Imma bout to heave ho… [retches in a nearby empty barrel]

“Heheh—more like another perfect day for you to avoid more potential lady suitors, eh, yer youn’ highness?” Her mood was nearly flattened at the mention of her personal situation, as it came straight from the ship’s Captain and Helmsman, Hopadiah Plantar. “I’m right about so, ain’t I?”

“Just because you are doesn’t mean you’d have to mention it.” retorted Sprig, the same lad we just mentioned, and like a sibling to the tomboyish Princess.

“The crew n' I agree with ya bout the waters, y’Majesty.” That voice came from one of the crew members, the ship’s troubadour ‘One-Eyed’ Walliam Ribbiton. “Fine strong winds and smooth currents, that means Triton is yet in another jovial mood!”

“Triton?” repeated both Anne and Sprig in question, which cued the crew’s shanty’s next verse.

(Crew minus Hop Pop)
🎶I sing thee a song of the King of our seas,
An’ tis hey, to the starboard, heave-ho~!
Ruler of these waters, is Triton, y’siree,
In mysterious fathoms below~!

Though Triton, at times, would get miffed,
And the moment it shows, beware!
We tell ya folks, should you make Triton mad,
How waves’ll buck, rock to an’ fro!
Nice knowin’ ya, down as ya go!🎶

“King Triton and his fellow merpeoples,” Hop Pop says with a brief eye roll as if giving a dismiss to the notion, “Just one of those widower’s tales I overheard from a round trip at the archipelago country, Titan’s Remains. Nuttin’ too fancy.”

“Widower’s tale or no, Captain, they can hold an ounce of truth.” says another crew member, and Anne’s occasional swordsmanship tutor, Tritonio. “There is said to be a whole other world, deep at the ocean’s sandy floor. A utopia well-protected by Triton.” His attention turned mostly to the Princess, showing her and Sprig a small refurbish trinket depicting some sort of story. “He's in charge of maintaining balance in the seas. Protecting them from mainly poachers, or those who hunt and kill out of personal pleasure…especially since he risked his own keister in a quaking battle against Ursula.”

“And that ‘Ursula’ person is…” Sprig made a light motion of letting them all continue, singing again.

(Tritonio, and a bit of One-Eyed Wally)
🎶Fathoms below in the ocean,
Once lived Ursula, witch of the sea!
She plotted, she schemed, wickedly dreamin’
To bring chaos to the dear ocean floor!
Rule and desolate the ocean floor!

(Crew)
🎶She craved to rid life in the bottomless blue, and tis hey to the starboard, heave-ho~!
But huzzah~!! She was slaughter’d with such ease by Triton!
In mysterious fathoms below~!

Fathoms below~! Below~!
From whence wayward westerlies blow~!
Where Triton is King, and his good subjects sing,
In mysterious fathoms below~.🎶

“I guess that sounds good,” Anne responded with a shrug, “But, I doubt the dude must’ve done all that with just bare fists…?”

“Right you guessed. Ursula may have had abuse of potions and spellcraft, but even she barely stood a chance against his cunning and Trident, an ancient conduit that channels the seas at the wielder’s will… but mostly his cunning.”

“Okay, cute folklore sharing.” Hop Pop dismisses, “Now onto why we’re even out here, Anne; you can at least save it for your birthday celebration tonight.”

“You may be Captain and my grampa, but Anne still outranks you as the Princess~,” Sprig replied back, “And also she’s the next Queen, so this is more her lifestyle.”
🎶This is where she’d belong,
Everything seems more peaceful here, in each tide’s swift flow~!

“Here here, Spriggo!”
🎶And when the pull is strong,
It’s like you could hear the sea, wild and free,
Calling down from fathoms below~!

(Both)
Calling us straight from fathoms below~!🎶

“Yes, but Her Majesty Oum’s still in charge,” Hop Pop puts his foot down, readying to return to port, “Also, more important, I think Sasha’s endured enough.” He added, pointing to their seasick friend. “Why is she even out here with us anyway?”

“Polly dared her to overcome seasickness for fifty coppers.” Anne said, bluntly. Still, while not wanting to face so much responsibility from their royal positions, the two still knew better when the young knight had enough gut related torture. “But yeah, we should probably head back now. Take us back ‘round.”

“Aye-aye, m’ladyship.” With that, the Dinglehopper steers back for port.

(Crew)
🎶For Triton is king firm, yet just, fair, an’ true,
And tis hey, to the starboard, heave-ho~!
Heed warnin’, such power his trident can do,
In mysterious fathoms below~!

As the two look out at sea once more, Sprig then asks; “Do you think the stories about Triton and merfolk could be true under our nose hairs?”

Anne, temporarily snapping from a rather wistful yards-long stare, replied this with a midhand wave; “Eh. Some demigoddess of the oceans and seafaring named ‘Moana’ I could get behind. But merfolk? Kin~da bit far-fetched to my tastes.”

“If you say so. Still, it would be really cool to find out they do exist.”

“...Yeah. I guess it would.” She replies again, smiling rather dreamily as if looking back on a memory.

(Crew)
🎶Heave ho! Heave ho!
Heave ho,
In mysterious fathoms beloooooow~!🎶
[As the crew’s shanty ends, a random fish that a sailor was absently holding slipped out from their grasp, flopping high on the deck without getting noticed and eventually reaching the sea bedded safe haven.]

Without even knowing himself, Sprig was somehow as right as Walliam and Tritonio…

Far down somewhere embedded on the seafloor is the fabled handmade city of Olmlantica; home to all the merfolk. They are quite the kaleidoscopic sight as each one’s lower half is a different fish. And—strangely—some of them have facial features and/or the structure of an amphibian. Mainly frogs, newts, salamanders and axolotls.
Merfolk all around the city are abuzz, swimming forth to their just king’s astounding palace whose ends extend to the city walls. Some of the merlets zipping around here and there in a little laughter of youthful excitement, for whatever the event could be.

Inside, seats of an amphitheater are almost filled up with even fellow sea life as the adult merfolk help merlets contain their whizzing joy. The sound of tuning instruments makes rather surprising acoustics until it dies down. Afterwards, a row of trumpet-faced fish plays a short fanfare, cuing a small seahorse dressed in a ruffled collar swimming up with effort. Clearing their throat, they then announce; “Presenting his royal excellency, Andrias Leviathan: King of Olmlantica and the seas!”
For a reader’s clarification; while people up on the surface refer the Sea King as 'Triton', his name is actually Andrias.

With a bit of dramatic flair, per his personal amusement of doing an entrance, the well-beloved ruler enters.
Andrias is well recognized as a merman up to about 11 feet, making him the tallest of his kin, a well-fit build, and his merfolk tail the color of a royal purple with subtle yet decorative accents. His naturally pearl white hair and luxuriant beard both adorned with a few rectangular braids flowing in the waters, and his headband-like crown with the front shaped like a large shark tooth indicating his status. Another feature of him being his skin a brilliant morning sky blue and his facial structure being more that of a giant salamander.
As he rides upon a seashell chariot pulled by dolphins of different species for his flair, the smiling Andrias then shoots out gentle sparks from his trident—a lemony yellow with golden tone and adorned with four colorful gemstones at the base—as they light up the chandelier, giving its gleam a rainbow accent. His subjects give a roaring applause for his theatrical display. “Never gets old.” He chuckled to himself quietly.

“And presenting his distinguished troubadour and court composer,” the Seahorse continued, welcoming whomever is next, “Horatio Thelonious Ignatius Crustaceous Sebastian!”
The fanfare for the latter is that of a simple kazoo. But, the composer commonly more known as Sebastian was met with and given a hearty applause, as the Crab reveals himself on a smaller chariot pulled by rather strong clownfish. His chariot sped up to meet beside the King on his left.

“You seem in a happier mood.” Andrias points out to his friend, “Looking forward to showing me your latest piece?”

“Oh, Your Excellency,” answered Sebastian with personal pride of his occupation, “This is the finest of all my concerts I’ve ever written. Your daughter will be spectacular!”

“Ah yes, Marcy. While she’s more a violin kind of mermaid, her voice can still be most lovely.”

“Agreed!” Sebastian’s mood suddenly shifted to a moody one, grumbling out, “Now if only she’ll show up right on time compared to rehearsals…”

“D’awh cut her some slack,” Andrias gave a playful eye roll, his often-casual mood much to the crustacean’s chagrin, “You know how she loves to explore outside kingdom walls—with a friend accompanying her, of course.”

The seahorse, meanwhile, was given a piece of paper by Benjamin, a manatee, and reads it aloud to their own questioning. “And last, yet never least, Grand Advisor to the Olmlantician Throne and fairest of all merfolk: Marina Del Rey…?” This grown mermaid who looks like someone trying too hard to look pretty reveals herself with stretched out arms in glamour, awaiting ‘the biggest applause from her subjects’. Of course, there was complete silence…not even the sound of water can be heard…the only noise coming from Benjamin clapping his flippers fast, before he slowed down from seeing everyone else give flat looks, his face dropping by half in the awkward silence he is supposedly also given. “I’ll…take my seat now, Miss Marina.” He says shyly, doing just that.
Trying to maintain her poised smile despite a mad eye twitch, she swims up to where Andrias is on his right.

“Still into making a grand entrance yourself, eh?” innocently chuckled Andrias cat-smirking impishly, not helping Marina’s internal vainglory, before nodding to Sebastian. The crab’s chariot is now under a spotlight as he rides it over the stage and takes his place at the podium. Taking out a book of his music, he taps with his conductor baton, leading the orchestra.

Indeed, true to his word, this latest orchestra is Sebastian’s finest piece, considering how long it must have taken him to pour out. Everyone in the audience (with the obvious exception of a lazing Marina) and even the composer himself awaits in excitement to hear the King’s heiress and only child Marcy Leviathan’s little aria for the very first time, as a large shell rises. The merfolk and sea critters in whole at the edge of their seats, in a quite literal sense, as the shell to reveal the Princess opens and…

The music suddenly stops as if playing a wrong tune by accident to Sebastian’s brief confusion until he looks back, double-taking, his face shifted within a nanosecond to that of panic and rising internal humiliation as his jaw drops in comical proportions, choking in a squeaky gasp.

The shell is completely vacant, to his and even his performers’ utter shock. Poor personally mortified Sebastian can already feel Andrias’ fury of a primordial sea, crouching and covering his head in reasonable fear with gibberish whimpering, pleading for mercy and forgiveness through his teeth. He is most definitely to be steamed and served with seaweed now.

Andrias, however, just blinked before commenting as if knowingly; “Eh…Honestly, this was pretty much what I expected to happen.”

Chapter Text

[“Why did you put 'Sprig' and 'Hop Pop' in the story?” Emma asked with a raised brow, “I thought you promised no talking frogs.”]

[“Course I promised. You can just easily imagine them as humans instead of frogs.”]

[“...Fair. Okay, continue.” And her surrogate Aunt did.]

Marcy Leviathan, daughter of Andrias and Princess of Olmlantica. Her hair is an ebony black, short bob down to the top of her neck. Bright brown eyes. The lower half of her merfolk physique a vibrant forest green with yellow-green undertones. And a teal sleeveless top with a frilly end that covers her whole torso, starting at her shoulders, with a giant white shell adorned at the center also covering her torso. She is also known to have a coral barrette on the left of her hair.
Right now, she is in the midst of her favorite pastime; exploring for treasures from the Human world. Having just spotted one she hasn’t seen before, her energy abuzz with curiosity, Marcy swims closer to the shipwreck.

“Mar-Mar! Wait up!” She heard a voice from not too far behind. Turning her head, Marcy could see another merfolk a few years younger, her tomboyish appointed handmaiden Ivy Sundew, catching up. Ivy is around two-thirds of Marcy’s height with bright ginger red hair in a low ponytail that looks about to come loose.

“A little easy next time…you know I can’t swim as fast.” she pants out briefly.

“Yeah, sorry.” Marcy scratches the back of her head lightly before showing them their next big find, her eyes sparkling, “Anyway, doesn’t this flag ship look fantastic? It looks like it hasn’t been down for too long, just from how many years.”

“Yeah. Like the design.” agrees Ivy, looking closer at it with some concern forming on her face, “But, uh, lil close to the off-limits…” If one can see beyond the ledge behind their long sunken pick’s right, there is a peculiar seabed made of many wrecked ships that must belong to the same part of the surface world. According to Andrias, those ships once belonged to a number of humans that rubbed him and many other merfolk the wrong way too much, but he spared their lives regardless.

“Okay, true, it’s stuck on a ledge right next to the grave site,” Marcy agrees, “But back on topic. Notice a particular flag~?” Looking to where the Princess is pointing with a v-shaped smile, Ivy almost didn’t believe her own two eyes.

“Pirate ship.” She says bluntly.

Marcy’s v-smile grows to more a smirk by an inch, “I do recall you always wanting to see what a boat belonging to pirates would be like, despite Dad and mostly your own Mom warning about humans—” She was about to persuade Ivy into coming along, only for the young mermaid to just zoom in ahead like an underwater blur.

Ivy pops her head and overexpressing arms out from the porthole she entered. “Omiyour old man whatcha still swimming around for, get over here!!”
Marcy simply smiles, following suit. The two unaware, however, of something swimming around as if following.

While most of the Human treasures she and Ivy would find are mostly everyday utensils and even some small tools the same as merfolk back in her Dad’s kingdom would, Marcy is always more intrigued by any surviving treasures from up in the surface, a particular treasure Humans call ‘books’. Having found a few before, their physical limitation makes it impossible for her to enjoy whatever could be written in them as ink on the pages would break down to almost nothing. Of course, all the good stuff is located in the captain’s quarters. And since this ship belonged to pirates, Ivy takes more interest in any weapons left lying around, or even gold and jewels they could have possibly stowed away somewhere. Speaking of…
“Psst—yo, Princess~...” Marcy whipped her head from whatever she was holding, seeing Ivy in something rather considered ridonculous to a merfolk (even though it’s just a dress coat and feathered hat) and wielding a thin blade. She wishes it around a bit, pointing to Marcy; “Avast! The fabled Princess Marcy of the merfolk, lest a’ be mistaken. Ye’r acomin’ with me an’ mah crew, for I bet the King oust t’ make a fine payment for yer safe return!”

“Oho darest I’d say~!” Marcy replied in mock distress whilst tossing her back palm to her forehead, playing along, “What’s a dear defenseless heiress to mine Papa’s throne to do…?” Before whipping out what she thought was supposed to be a nearby sword…only for the mood to almost dissipate when it was a ‘dinglehopper.’ The two looked at it blankly before Marcy switched with the sword near her, saving the energy of the moment in time. “Not with that.”
From what Ivy was able to sneak good long peaks of swordplay from the Olmlantician Royal Guard—something Andrias had made to help teach his people to defend themselves in case he should be absent—she would share some of what she saw and tried to learn with the Princess in discretion.

“This shall be y’r grave, missy!”

“Heh…that’s a bit dark.” said Marcy as the two exchanged parries and strikes, deflecting one another.
In all fairness though, neither of them were good even with real weapons, as Marcy had somehow managed to twist her blade around Ivy’s, entrapping it, before the grip of her own blade slipped off so suddenly as she tried to disarm Ivy, out where there would have been a door. The thin blade darts straight, almost hitting something as it whizzed by. Said something, making the mermaids’ small make believe along with their moods drop stiff upon what Marcy almost hit; a rather grumpish shark who had already made this place its abode.

“Sorry about that, sir…or, ma’am..?” Marcy apologizes with a meek and nervous smile. “Bit hard to figure out your gender sometimes…”

“Gee, was this your place? Clumsy us.” Ivy chimed with a half-stilted tone through a toothy cat smile in similar emotion, she and the Princess ready to turn tail as the grumbling cetacean’s teeth gave a faint twinkle.
With such speed, the shark lunges with an open mouth to bite only for the mermaids to be on par, making a swift dodge as the shark chomps hard on a large glass frame instead.

“Time to go now?”
“After you!”

The shark continued pursuing the mermaids as they swam for an upper half of the sunken ship, catching up to them by breaking through the floor with its chest and jaws. As the two still evade, Ivy’s own bag—having been filled mostly with gold and gems—got caught on a loose lifeline hook, which then sank back below from the added weight. “My loot!” notices Ivy, swimming back for it.

“Ivy wait!”
She refused to stop, going around from the outside where the shark might not look before Marcy followed suit from within the wreck…although the Princess could have looked first and tried a bigger porthole, considering the smaller one had gotten her stuck midway. “Well, this isn’t my day.”

“Oh c’mon…!” Seeing and tending to her friend’s situation first, Ivy struggles with teeth gritting at her lower lip. It’s practically a good thing she accompanied the Princess due to her clumsiness that lessened throughout the years. Seeing the lunging shark’s bare teeth yet again was what caused an ounce of adrenaline to help the panicked Ivy push Marcy out and out a bigger porthole, just in time before it bursts through the wall. Spotting the ‘trespassers’ swimming around up to remains of a crow’s nest, it hastily chases after them further. But the shared zig zag pattern in their swimming was giving its eyes an ache, unaware it was swimming right onto a crossbeam, knocking itself out in the process.

“Eesh,” Ivy’s face made a wince at the poor cetacean’s accident, same as Marcy. “They’re gonna feel that later.”

The little expedition finished, both mermaids ending up with a full satchel of things Marcy already found, she was still content with it regardless whilst Ivy was glad herself finding pirate treasure for once, and the two ready to head back to the palace…

“By the way, Ivy.” Marcy then asks, “Since I found some things I didn’t have in the grotto, d’you think—”

“Anything but asking Scuttle for knowledge.” Ivy answered quickly as if knowing, her tone and manner incredibly flat.

Speaking of the half-quarter-wit seagull…
Up on a serene surface of the ocean, Scuttle is looking around through a backwards telescope, humming a tune to himself. (“Four-teen-nin’tytwo~, dah-de-dum-dee-do-do rum-dim-dim dee-do-dee-do~...”)

“Okay, even I’m aware about his complete lack of knowledge for anything human related. But at least it makes the gull happy to humor him.”

“He calls a fork—something merfolk also use—a ‘dinglehopper’.”

Marcy’s eyes then catch something letting a low gleam under the sands, stopping. Swimming closer, she is able to dig around the sand and obtain her newest discovery.

Ivy then noticed as well, “Whatcha got there, Marbles?”

“I’m not sure…” The Princess simply shrugged. From what either of them could make out, it looked like some kind of fancy box that can fit in one's palm encrusted with a sigil, unlike any of the sigils from possible groups of humans Marcy had ever seen in her treasures. She finds what looks like a key stuck to a lock and decides to try and free it, only to end up twisting it instead.

The box opens, revealing a figure in a dancing position, as at the same a simple yet dreamy melody begins to play, dazzling them both. They enjoy the tune, swaying to a dance to it. Who knew humans could also make music into something so convenient. She was nearly lost, giving a light trill to the notes. Both a sample of her singing voice in tune with the box’s chiming tinker make a perfect unison. While Marcy does have a pleasant voice and has loved playing violin since she was about 6 ½, she would always feel too tense, unable to perform to a whole audience. Something that she’d yet to confess to Sebastian despite the encouragement…

“It’s beautiful…” Ivy said in a calm voice, lost as her friend to the new treasure’s gift, “*chuckle* Might as well call this a ‘music box’. …See? We don’t need Scuttle to name a surface world objec—” An anchor drops upon both brain cages.

“Music…!?!” Marcy sputters out with a mortified face, her eyes close to bugging out.

(Marcy / Ivy) “Sebastian’s concert!”

“We gotta get movin’!” exclaimed Ivy as the music box was clamped shut, with Marcy putting it in her own bag. As a mermaid, being able to swim like you’re a rocketing cannonball is pretty handy if you feel the need to get someplace in the nick of time.

“Lucky you that we have your personal shortcut,” Ivy tries to reassure despite her own stress, mainly about her own mother Felicia Sundew, “Just gotta sneak back in my room, tidy us both up in time to eat before the show.”

Marcy could agree, “It’s kinda good Benjamin and Marina helped remind me about the time. We’ll only have around an hour before the concert.”

~*~

Andrias’ throne room…
“Careless! Reckless even, that’s what it is!” ranted on the crustacean to a guilty Marcy, her lips pressed lightly in meekness and her shoulders tense. “That entire concert—known to be the latest pinnacle of my work outside being your old man’s attaché—has been completely destroyed! No thanks to you I can barely show my face outside this palace! Me; reduced to a complete and utter laughingstock not too long by now!” Sebastian was running out of breath from his prolonged tiff upon the princess. Him, the King and Princess, Ivy and her flat-browed mother, and Benjamin strangely unaware of Marina Del Rey grinning in rather hopeful looking amusement at the scene before her.

“It’s not exactly her fault.” Ivy interjects, confronting the crab in defense. “We accidentally got on a shark’s bad side, and it chased us a bit. It’s probably part of why we were late—” She was about to add something before her words were cut off by…

“Shark…?” Felicia Sundew repeated, sounding not too convinced.

“It chased us around a—uh—sunken shipwreck…” Marcy chimed, tapping her indexes together with a side-eye. “Ivy and I didn’t know it chose that for a territory.”

Felicia could only pinch her eyes, after figuring out what her headstrong daughter meant. “Honest to His Excellency right in this room, first you messed up the time of Sebastian’s concert and you mean to say you were both at that place during so?”

Sebastian whipped his head in mild astonishment to Felicia, whilst Benjamin was putting one of his flippers near his mouth. “The graveyard…?”

“How many times would this have to be drilled deep enough into your noggin, Ivy, the graveyard of such…well, things…belonging to barbarians is extremely prohibited? King Andrias made it very clear.”

It was Marcy’s turn to try and defend her friend; “The ship we saw wasn’t in the graveyard. Technically. We haven’t broken Father’s rule.” In the background of the tiff, Andrias gave a shrugging nod, feeling like this is one of these ‘talks’ that may go on and get nowhere.

“Regardless, the King and his loyal advisor warned us good about those... well, 'creatures'. We live in his oceans under his rules. Same goes for you—I mean, you’re Heiress to the Olmlantica’s Throne!”

Ivy swam up in front of Marcy again, narrowed eyes towards her genitrix, “At least she knows how to have fun for the next Queen!”

“Do not take that tone with me again!”

Andrias, rolling his eyes, let an exhale of tired boredom at this family dispute riling up again, before tapping his Trident down on the floor a few times, the loud sound echoing across the room and signaling everyone to put a tight lid on it. “Enough.” His usual chill voice becomes more like that of upholding his authority. “I want no more of this kind of squabblin’ today. We’re all feeling pretty much on edge—except me, that is—because of what happened earlier in the amphitheater.” He turns his attention to the youths, “Marcy and Ivy. While I believe you technically didn’t go in the graveyard as promised, it doesn’t mean I won’t give a good fair warning; Best that you think before where to venture further in the seabed from here on out. And even if you stumble back into the graveyard by accident, be sure to exit straight away. Understood?”

The youths give a bowing nod; “As you wish, Your Highness.” “Yes, Father.”

Now that’s settled… Ivy and Felicia Sundew, Sebastian, Benjamin…the other one…” Marina tries to remain calm again for not sounding more important than even the princess yet again, “You’re all dismissed.” They nod in obligement, and swim out the door, attending to whatever random business, leaving only him and Marcy to which his tone softens.
“A quick word, Mar-Mar... I might have to agree with Sebastian on some account.” He says to her after swimming in front, and she reaches his eye level, “Now yes, I know you actually do your royal lessons for when you one day succeed me and become Olmlantica’s first Matriarch. This also means that concert meant so much to him, and all the Kingdom looked very forward to hearing you sing for the first time.”

“I know. Again, I’m sorry.” Marcy replied, still feeling bad about the situation, “I swore Benjamin said it was going to be after dinner.”

This did explain to Andrias as he understood, “I personally thought you’d flat-out hate performing in front of many people.” Seeing the stiffened form of his daughter’s attentive posture a second later just about confirms it, “Oh. You do?”

“I wouldn’t say ‘hate’. Just…very uncomfortable.”

“Huh…” Andrias pondered whilst continuing, “Well, maybe I can try and discuss with him how to make it easier for you to do so. When that’s resolved, I will expect you to be there and perform.” Marcy nodded in response. “Also, the whole ‘barbarian’ thing—Felicia’s words—while I always remain completely neutral about humans and the surface world in general…”

“As Merfolk, we must be careful never to be seen by human eyes, in case of whatever dangers they can be capable of, and exist only in their stories.” Marcy memorized, her head like a steel trap to these words since she was a Merlet.

“Uh—Yes, that. Here I thought I was gonna remind you.” Marcy then bows her head, about to take her leave after giving a sincere peck to the side of her father’s forehead, “Still love ya, Dad.”

“Love you too, Mar-Mar.” He replied with a smile.

As soon as Marcy left, and was far off enough, it dropped, some form of concern upon his face while his eyes wandered. Mayhaps even as if not ready to share something he and he alone knows to his little reef…

Marcy, meanwhile, too makes a similar face, her mind wandering to a memory from when she was around six or seven…

“What do you think Miss Marina?” she excitedly shows inside of her bag, as Benjamin was doing her hair, “I’ve never seen anything like them! Though we also have forks down here…” She added with a pondering finger. “I can’t wait to show papa.”

“Perhaps not so loud, Princess.” Marina, obviously disinterested despite the convincing tone she plants on her voice, “More important, you shouldn’t really have those…things…in your father’s domain. Or rather just in his palace.”

The young Princess tilted her head innocently, “Why not?”

“Most simple, really. He and all the other merfolk detest anything that belongs to humans. Even if the savage thingies do use forks like us, they are nothing more than obsessed with killing until they are the only living species left alive.”

“They do?” Benjamin looked with suspicion before getting elbowed hard by Marina, “Er—They do.”

“And surely, you better still remember how he found you as a newborn merlet; all alone, due to your parents just leaving you there either as if out of the blue or they got into a natural accident out there on the seabed—his words.” For Marina Del Rey, oh how are children too fun to discreetly gaslight. Especially if it’s the Princess to help her get the biggest promotion of her career; Ruler of Olmlantica. “Last thing he’ll ever want is to see you caught in a fish hook.”

Marcy nodded, disheartenment and guilt mixed in her face; “I just thought he’d like these for his birthday gift…I’m sorry…”

“I’m sure you are.” Marina looked understanding, patting Marcy on the head in ‘comfort’, “Our fair ruler, Andrias, is always King of Olmlantica and the seas first…”

“And my father, second.” Marcy finished. “...I’ll throw these away if it makes him happy.”

“That’s a wise decision of a future Queen.” Marina gave a ‘sincere’ smile, before Marcy swam off to somewhere else for said task. “Now please, do hurry before he finds out.”

“...I thought those human things looked interesting.” Benjamin broke the stiff silence.

“If only he or anybody else could take interest in my treasures…even just once…” Marcy said to herself, barely even a solemn tone.

Meanwhile, with Marina…
As soon as she is alone in her own quarters, not even with Benjamin accompanying like usual, she still takes extra precautions to check the whole room if anyone has wandered in and even is lounging about here. Now feeling like she IS completely alone, she makes a ‘come hither’ gesture at her window. Or rather, something or two hiding at her window; Two moray eels with matching pairs of eyes and sly grins are welcomed by her. Marina then touches one of her necklaces, in which it glows. “Yes ma’am. … That would be the pouch in one of their mouths containing the spell? … Thank you. Though, if I might add, how did you even know a ship full of savages will arrive wherever Marcy would be? … A temporary foresight potion…uh-huh… If you say so.” Marina then deactivated the communication spell on her particular necklace, before saying to the eels. “Flotsam. Jetsam. You both accompany me in case someone would be stupid enough to snitch.” The two eels eyed one another but accepted the request without even bothering to complain with their mistress’ co-worker, and the three sneak out of Olmlantica. “Don’t worry, Miss Ursula.” She lets an obviously despicable ‘grin’. “The heretic of those who worshipped you will meet his punishment, step by step.”

It had not been too long after dinner and after sunset…
Whenever stressed, Sebastian would take out his fits into writing music, something that's always helped soothe him like magic. But right now, he is currently walking off a remainder of his fit around a part of the palace, before deciding to head for Princess Marcy’s quarters to give an apology—mostly by order of her father. “Teenagers, am I right? Thinking they’d know just about everything…! Most likely my fear of His Highness becoming lenient on his own adopted heiress talking, but, why if either of the girls were my own I’d remind them who’s boss. None of that ‘interest in humans’ and/or such. No sir, I’d keep them on a tight straightforward path…something I should be doing in place of Marina.” His face soon begins to soften, the guilt of yelling at the Princess kicking in, “Of course, I had been careless myself at losing my temper… Alright. Now I should best apologize.” Sebastian then knocks at the door leading to Marcy’s chambers. “Your young highness…it’s Sebastian. Could I enter?” There is a brief moment of silence as he receives no verbal answer before deciding to open it. “Well, if you’re still feeling bad about what I did, that’s what I came t—Marcy??” He blinks in worry for a double-take. He can swear he sees the Princess’ fins leaving out the palace from this room. Closing the door first, he didn’t hesitate to follow in discretion. Soon, almost outside Olmlantica’s area, he sees Marcy accompanied with Ivy and…Benjamin? “Huh… Just what are those three up to?” Pondered the crustacean to himself.

Sebastian trailed Marcy, Ivy, and Benjamin without drawing attention for a good five to ten minutes before stopping to rest his legs, panting. Never had he used his legs for that long as he can also swim around. What he can see ahead of him next, was Ivy looking around before the three rolling back a large hefty boulder that reveals a cavernous opening and they swim inside. Hurrying to catch up, Sebastian had to flap his claws around in order to slip up from behind. He was able to make it…partially. For the boulder rolled shut on his legs. After pulling himself free, it caused him to bump into a strange glass object the shape of a figure eight with sand filled on the bottom half. He is initially surprised at such an object, standing back a bit, before he realized his surroundings, his mouth hung open at the walls of a grotto filled with various random keepsakes. ‘This would explain a lot about her…’ the still aghast Sebastian thought to himself, ‘Especially today.’

“Some more of the same stuff?” Benjamin asks while Ivy emptied Marcy’s bag before getting to her own.

“Give or take.” An excited cat smirk had formed on Ivy’s face, “But it wasn’t just any shipwreck~...” Turning her own bag upside down, and instantaneously what pours out is mainly coins and a few other things made of gold, along with precious jewels that seem to be giving a little color to the light shining in the Princess’ treasure trove. “Thank you, pirates, for also the Red Sun Shell.”

“Oh wow.” Benjamin too marveled at the makeshift rainbow that radiates from the jewels and rare seashell. “Those are quite pretty.”

“I know. There’s this old legend about my new shell, that if you find someone with a Blue Moon Shell, then the ‘two of you are set for life’.” Ivy rolled her eyes with quotation fingers at the notion. “Pfft—Well sorry-not-sorry, cuz I’m not letting an old myth tell me where to find love…if I feel like it.” She added swiftly.

“By the way, I should also say I’m really sorry to both of you…about what time for Sebastian’s concert was.”

“Eh, not to sweat it.” Ivy patted him on his back, “If you ask me, Ol’ Pincers mighta had his time schedule mixed up too.”

‘And I take that personally…’ Sebastian deadpanned in his head.

Benjamin lets out a small chuckle, before his smile lessens after eyeing Marcy just laying on a rock with the object, she and Ivy had called a ‘music box’ with an expression as if becoming bored. “Is everything okay, Marcy?”

“Just a little lost in thought…” Marcy answered, staring up at the grotto’s soft light, “Even after what we’ve been taught, I still can’t get why a world that makes a lot of wonderful things could be bad.”

“Up on the surface…?” Marcy nodded before Benjamin continued, “Well, who knows? Even if both worlds are very different, they could also have its good just as much as down here at the seabed. Things aren’t created black-&-white.” then saw what the Princess was holding in her hands. “That looks pretty.”

“We call it a ‘music box’. Just watch.” Ivy shares, as she then reached to turn the ‘key’ at the side real good, making the box open and play it's wonderful tune yet again. The rhythm-like chimes and dings even bring back a fond smile to Marcy’s face.

The tune plays alone for a brief moment, before a voice from Marcy, low and serene, begins to accompany it, surprising Sebastian as he too listens in…

All I ever dreamed,
Was the open shore and sky,
A world far from this life I’ve known~

Each day my thoughts are haunted,
As each hour and week rolls by,
Thinking of getting out on my own~...

I can just feel it, a sirenic aria,
Taking me with its rhythm…

My personal
Wild uncharted waters,
Miles out of actual sea~
Too long I feel bound, there’s lots to be found,
More discoveries and treasures await me~...

Oh to be on the shoreline,
In place of under the sea~,
The surface, my wild uncharted waters
I await you again~...

A singing voice that’s gentle and still clear to the ears(?) in contrast to loud and clear or operatic, and still beautiful. Sebastian would be immensely proud of his lessons for Marcy to have heartily paid off…If had he not been startled by a distorted reflection of himself and backs away, involuntarily going inside one of Marcy’s treasures that rolls down before tumbling out of it, falling on top of a springy colorful toy, trying to grab a cloth to hang, only for various other thing come crashing down on top of him.

The commotion startles Marcy, Ivy and Benjamin to a jump as one of them closes the music box back up tight. “Wh—Sebastian?!”

Shaking off the human treasures in a confused huff he then says with gestured claws of the whole grotto; “Marcy Leviathan—what even is all this???”

“Well…”

“It’s just a little grotto for her collection. Well, mine and Mar-Mar’s.” Ivy answered, “Cut her some slack.”

“Ah, her ‘collection’. I see…IF ANY OTHER MERFOLK, ESPECIALLY THE KING, WERE TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS PLAC—” Benjamin had to clamp Sebastian’s lips in case the shouting would cause someone to find them.

“Please use an indoor voice.”
Sebastian’s eyelids furrowed about what just happened to his mouth, but obliged to the manatee’s request nevertheless.

“Right. My apologies.”

“You wouldn’t tell anyone, would you? Marcy worked really hard and needed something like this.”

“Er—I don’t know…”

“And Marina only said I shouldn’t keep this stuff inside Olmlantica’s walls.” added Marcy, pulling off a particular face she hadn’t used since she younger and would save for him or Marina.

Sebastian–half to his chagrin or not wanting to endure 'the face' again–ponders further on this, before letting out an exhale, “Look, it’s been long for me. Right now, why don’t we just get back before anyone in the palace notices. Maybe I can make you something warm to drink…” Taking Marcy by the hand, the four were about to return to the palace if not for a shadow passing by them overhead. In which first caught Marcy’s attention, her huge dream of seeing things from the surface manning the helm yet again. “Marcy?”

Swimming out from her secret grotto, and up towards the surface of the seas, Marcy popped up first followed by Ivy and Benjamin, their attention easily grabbed by the sound of an explosion…a rather very colorful explosion might one add…not too far from where they are. The three looked on, amazed with an 'o' formed at their mouths at such colors bursting bright in a crisp clear evening sky. Eyeing each other, the ecstatic Marcy and Ivy just flat out cannot contain their curiosity as they rush towards the ship with a leap. Benjamin, still wary about the surface and humans as any other Merfolk, tries to talk to them, but sees they are already on their way, “Oh dear…” He decides to follow suit.

“Marcy, just what’re you—” Sebastian pops up last, before seeing the same sight with a gasping shock, his claws clung to his head, “Jumpin’ jellyfish!” But no more in shock with a side of panic as he also manages to spot the Princess and her friends far out and halfway there. “Girls, Benjamin! Please come back!” He pleaded just after trying to follow suit as fast as he could.

Chapter Text

The celebration of Anne’s birthday aboard the Dinglehopper had been in full swing not too long ago. Music fit for more than a simple jig filled the main deck, with Sprig in self-proclaimed lead of the players with his fiddle as he dances along with some of the crew members as well. (Playing an instrument and dancing at the same can take quite a skill) With the only, yet not at all harmful, downside being Hop Pop and ‘One-Armed’ Grimothy dancing along to the music center stage with their shared ‘freestyling’. To the rest of the sailors, it would look like two different species trying and failing to commune via separate mating dances.

As just Marcy and Ivy had reached the side of the ship before Benjamin, climbing up to and peeking through an open rectangular space, they could see humans. This is quite a lot for them to take in, seeing the surface-dwelling people for the very first time, especially when Benjamin had a clear point of the small nugget of wisdom he said to the girls earlier. From what they could make out, they’re all gathered around dancing, either by themselves or with each other in groups of two, to the jovial music performed by others. It may get Marcy and Ivy in trouble, eventually, but this moment of their lives is all too worth it. The princess, her irises and pupils widened and gleaming, was doing all she can to hold in a giddy squeal and avoid being heard and noticed, even though they are moreso focused on partying the evening away whilst Ivy and moved her head in tune to the music.

“This feels way too much like a dream even for me…!” Ivy squeaked, her voice still low, “Y’think they might have some loot stolen from pirates in this one’s cabin?” dancing her fingers on the wood at the daredevilish thought with a chuckle. Amongst the humans on board that seemed to have caught her attention ginger-haired boy her age playing the violin as if like pure magic. “Looks like you got yourself some competition, strings-wise, Marcy.” she said to her friend, who seems to be staring out at something with a wistful small smile.

A particular human amongst them that had caught the attention of Marcy the most, was a girl about the same age as her. Light brown skin. Dark brown eyes that could give a vivid honey accent if exposed to daylight. Messily wild hair of striking auburn that is kept in a neat ponytail.
She also appears to be dancing to the music along with another girl with blonde hair, blue eyes and a small beauty mark on the left cheekbone, and even with a boy who looked more of Ivy’s age as he played a violin.
Marcy couldn’t help herself wondering with everything else getting a little blurry, as the auburn-haired girl looks as if eerily familiar in a ‘the overlooked back recesses of one’s head’ kind of way. Yet, she just can’t put even a pinky on it…

“Hey there, Marcy!”

Instantaneously, she was yanked out of the near trance, whilst at the same Ivy tensed up in cringing personal despair, by a particular loudmouth—or beak in this case—closing in. Scuttle, an ever-blinking lightbulb of a seagull, was also seeing and enjoying the shindig from above before spotting his friends. “Quite a show, eh, girls?”

“Careful…!” Marcy shushed harshly at him, then whispering; “They might see you with us…!”

Despite lacking a proper braincell, the gull at least did know when to keep his voice down. “Oh—rii~ght. Gotcha.” He adds, hiding between the mermaids, much to Ivy’s chagrin. “We’re being intrepiditious. Out to discover… By the way, didn’t see either of you for today’s lil’ treasure hunt.”

“And for good reason.” muttered Ivy, rolling her eyes briefly, before she continued enjoying seeing the sight of humans dancing regardless.

The music was then put on pause at the sound of someone banging once on a large bell. Even the mermaids turned to see halfway down a flight of stairs to the captain’s quarters, two humans that look very well to be a married couple, and mayhaps royalty even from the head pieces adorned on their heads. Who rang the bell like a gong was a human female with long dark violet adorned with a top bun and rather impressive arm strength despite not looking like so.

“Now that we have all your attention…” Lady Olivia announces briefly before turning to the royals, bowing her head, “Proceed, Your Highness.”

“Thanks Olivia.” Oum says, an internal sweat bead formed, before clearing her throat and announcing to her and Bee’s people with a warm smile, “To start things off, my husband and I would like to thank you all so much for your help with the planning, as we all finish celebrating the birthday of our daughter, Anne Savisa Boonchuy, who as of today is now age of seventeen.” The crew gave an applause to both the couple and their princess, who gave a curtsy despite not wearing a gown. (Walliam: “Aight ho! Ha’py birthday, Annie!”)
Marcy herself had turned the same age as this Anne person approximately four months ago.

“In addition,” chimed Bee, with Lady Olivia gesturing towards an object covered in cloth and tied with a fancy ribbon, “We also like to give our thanks for this birthday present commissioned by some of our subjects back on the shores, to one Augustus of the far-away country of Dunwyn.”

Anne whispered to her friends from the side, “I had to pose a sketch for that.”

The cloth is unveiled, revealing a medium sized statue of the princess in a rather poofy gown, holding a ruling staff with the royal family sigil adorned at the end where she holds it. Sure, the actual Anne doesn’t mind too much about wearing a dress for events…but, this one felt a little too much. Of course, she still knows better than to turn down gifts.

“It’s–uh~–real somethin’.” was all Sasha could say, as she too had rather neutral thoughts about the statue.

“Yes.” adds Lady Olivia, “Even I took part in the request. Of course, personally, I hoped it would be more of an engagement present. Speaking of which…” She flatly adds, her face directly to where the princess stands.

“Ooo, looki’there. Captain Yunan is waiting to share a jig with you.” Anne excuses half-stiltedly, “M’k byyyye.” Brisk walking away to another part of the ship, she yet again evades an eyerolling Lady Olivia.

Unbeknownst to anyone, even Marcy and Ivy… just down below the ship on the seabed, Marina had just arrived minutes earlier before the princess, her little plot to attain ‘her rightful position’ among the other Merfolk ready to commence. What made it even better for her is that she could swear she also saw Marcy out at this hour; for should the princess be caught in the ‘incident’ as well—and/or even better, done away in the process—Marina can point the blame on the surface world, making Andrias easier to persuade than all the other times she tried. “The balm, please…” Marina asked for said item in one of the Moray eels’ mouths, to which he obliged without question. “Oho~, now to just wait and hope that the waste of a Merfolk dies along with those savages~! That would be a REAL glorious fortune for my subjects-to-be.” Such sickly wishing she blurts aloud to herself, untying the pouch containing the spell, and with cautious haste swims far away from the aforementioned radius by her fellow schemer.

Anne managed to find a bit of solace at the front of the Dinglehopper, a brief moment of personal silence before hearing her father; “Anne, sweetie…? Can we talk for a moment?” She patted on a free space for him to sit down beside her right. “Lady Olivia was making a point back there. it’s been a couple of years, and you still haven’t found a girl your age to court. Especially the previous one.”

“Ugh—Et tu?” Even when her parents had that oddly knowing hunch their little lilypad would grow to be lesbian a while BEFORE she finally mustered enough courage to yeet out the wardrobe, mostly thanks to Sprig and Sasha’s rather cringeworthy attempts of encouragement, it still felt unfair to Anne. Royal duty and whatnots.

“Can you blame me for not finding anyone to give that spark like you have with Mom?” replied Anne, “I just need time to find the right girl.” (Found her~! …*ahem* as we mean that Marcy decided to follow the princess before listening in whatever conversation she was having with the one that is her own father.) “Not like she’s just gonna show up unannounced at the front door…Or even one of the other entrances.”

“True,” says Bee, “But, your mom and I aren’t physically immortal. And you and Sasha are real close, just never in the romantic way that most thought. I’m certain even she wants to make sure you’d be well cared for.”

“I know, I know…” Anne sighs out with a distant nod.

“Especially that you have one more year.” The two jolted, seeing Oum as she says rather blunt and firm.

Even Bee was stunned in surprise as a short silence before Anne just let out a chuckle; “Heh. Y’know, for a sec it really sounded like you wer—Who am I kidding, you are serious.” She then deadpans.

“I planted both my heels down on this decision. Finding someone with that spark to share or not, potential suitors for you have become less in numbers. So, if you don’t find a girl before turning eighteen, your father and I will have to do the job for you. No buts. No excuses. And especially no trying to weasel your way out of this.”

Bee was about to interject, only for a simple look to keep him shut, prompting him to give his daughter an apologetic shrug. “Can’t talk your way out of this one, sweetheart…sorry…”

It still wouldn’t stop Anne from retorting about this personal situation…or she were about to if the Boonchuys hadn’t notice something off about the night sky. It was glowing with stars just a moment ago…a strong scent of approaching showers, and the waves beginning to stir…
Even the hiding Marcy was seeing this as well…

“Did you seriously have to bring a harpoon every we’re out at sea, Polly?” Hop Pop questioned his granddaughter.

Polly, the ever physical embodiment of chaotic neutral, simply answered; “If it means eating even one piece of Merfolk meat and gaining immortality, then duh~.” (Ivy was somewhere between grimacing and completely weirded out upon hearing such a story about her fellow kin most outlandish)

“Oy, AGAIN with this talk ‘bout merpeoples…”

It wasn’t long either that some people on the ship began to notice the sudden change of weather.

“You heard ‘em too, right Sprig?” Sasha says to the latter, both having overheard. “Kinda feelin’ a bit bad for our future Queen.”

Sprig simply shrugs in part of his response, “Okay, so Anne’s got one more year of freedom. But if we and anyone else aboard knows her, she’s not one to back down! Whoever’s the lucky gal, it’ll hit her tenfold—maybe even us too—like…” Unaware of the storm clouds rumbling and the waves stirring, in which causes Sasha’s gut to flop around again, the sound of thunder with a lightning flash within the background finished his sentence. “Yeah, like lightning! Wait—huh?” Soon came another flash and thunder, only bigger as do become the waters.

“Hurricane!” hollers out one of the sailors, everyone scrambling around to different parts of the ship. “Stand fast!”

(Walliam) “Y’donna think we accident’ly disturbed Triton during a nap?!”

“Everyone to the lifeboats!” Hop Pop hollers out from the helm, his tone giving firm command as he struggles to keep hold of the wheel.

“Wh—But what about you Hop Pop??” Sprig calls out in return, worry in his voice.

“My crew and mostly my grandkids’ lives take priority! Now go!”
Although hesitant, Sprig obliged anyway as he joins with an enduring Sasha getting every last person off board and onto the lifeboats, leaving only Hop Pop left and…

In the oceans, a large wave crashes the mermaids, Benjamin, and even Sebastian. Though they are unscathed this storm still got to them without warning.

“Wally, Tritonio, Olivia…” Sprig counted on a lifeboat being shared with the royal couple, Sasha, and Polly, “That’s gotta be everyone…”

“But what about our daughter???” exclaims Bee as he darts around the lifeboat, rocking it further.

“Oh crud…!”

“Please calm down, sire…” Sasha grimaces, struggling not to lose her meal again despite the color on her face. “Lordy, I hate sea storms…”

The wheel, eventually, was spinning out of control, with Hop Pop still clinging as he spun along much to his poor stomach, before it stopped by the firm grip of another. He did his best to not hurl now before turning his head in short gratitude… “Thanks, Anne!” …and then realizing where she is steering the ship into. “What’re ya doin!?!”

“Scold me about the ship with the stupidest name later!” Anne says, grabbing Hop Pop and avoiding the lightning strikes upon the Dinglehopper, “Lifeboat, now!”

“It’s not stupid!” retorts the old mariner before the princess bluntly tosses him onto the lifeboat. Smelling a strong scent of particular powder, they both whipped their heads, almost frozen in horror at the sight of where the lightning bolts started hitting next…
All the people on the lifeboats looked on at what they see next that stands out well in the storm, sharing the same ill-struck emotion; The Dinglehopper…crashing onto the nearest batch of jagged rocks while at the same blown into half by the explosion of leftover barrels of firework and gun powder.

But no more so than the Queen and King as Oum clasped her mouth tight, choking out her little gem’s name at her supposed premature fate.

“Look, over there!” They all see to wherever Grimothy was pointing at, and to their fortune Hop Pop and the princess are unscathed, albeit shook from seeing the explosion that close and their lifeboat flung off by the force of said explosion, flying like a perfect skipping stone. This felt like a hurricane of emotions—pun partially intended—but the future Queen is still safe, as most of the crew show relief.

Something within the storm, as it was close to the form of a whirlpool by the time she crashed the Dinglehopper, catches Anne’s eye within the spiraling waters. She doesn’t know if her head was playing a trick or two for a moment, but leaning closer on the boat for a better view it almost looks like…

“Anne! Are you okay?!” Sasha calls out despite her growing ailment.

The latter's response being; “Someone’s down there!” Without a second thought, Anne dives head first into the raging tides.

“Are you kidding me right now, young missy!??” exclaims Oum, hardly believing her daughter’s sudden action whilst Bee jaw drops in equal disbelief.

Marcy could see her friends as they too struggle with escaping these vortex-like currents and trying to evade some of the fast-sinking debris of the sail ship. It wasn’t until the Olmlantician heiress spotted something at the very center of the forming whirlpool and mayhaps even the cause of it. “Guys! Down on the seabed!” She tried calling out to them in the roaring of the currents, just before she was ensnared by a rogue fishing net, entangling her by half. As Sebastian and Benjamin both struggle to get it off Marcy, what with manatee flippers and the net being rather sturdy against the crustacean’s pincers, Ivy directed her focus to whatever her friend referred to. Managing to dodge almost every piece of debris she succeeds in reaching what looks to be an open pouch…and even causing the whirlpool as if by sorcery…she was then nabbed and getting coiled by two rather shifty Moray eels before she could reach and close the pouch.

In spite of his efforts, the nets still would not fully cut off and Sebastian was eventually swept away back in the currents. When a large shadow looms over her, Marcy and Benjamin see in shock of the largest part of that same sail ship hurling right to them…! Solely out of brief adrenaline, the two were able to outmatch the debris’ speed by, out of impulse and the will to return back to the palace alive, swimming along with the currents and picking up speed despite the princess still caught in the net. After jumping up to the surface for around a second, the scene revealing to be a storm roaring and chaotic compared to her situation back in the waters, it was if by some luck Marcy was able to escape the currents of the whirlpool…and then suddenly caught by a thick metal string of links attached to a rather heavy object. Although tired of this whirlpool and the stuff hurling at her, she is still terrified. Especially when the chains had grappled around her throat…!

“Marcy!” exclaimed Ivy albeit through a muffle after seeing her friend in further danger. Having enough of these two Moray, she opened her jaws wide to inflict a deep chomp on one of them most effectively as it shouts out from the pain in the process. Then struggling to get free enough to punch both their faces, Ivy is able to nab and seal up the pouch and stop the storm affecting both halves of the world, before lunging after a trapped Marcy.

“That’ll be enough for now, dears.” The Moray heard their owner telepathically just when they were about to re-retrieve the one who closed the pouch. “Yes. The rather feisty one in her beginning teens spoiled Marina’s fun, but no matter… Return to hiding for the moment.” Feeling rather grumpy about losing what could be a rare meal to them, Flotsam and Jetsam are still very loyal to their owner.

“As you wish.” One of them said, and with that, they swam off with careful discretion.

While fortunate for the four that whirlpool stopped thanks to Ivy, there is still the dire situation of Marcy getting herself ensnared by the combination of fishnet and anchor with chain as it continued to constrict her. Choke her even. As she sank down on the seabed. Even with their best of efforts, the chains were too heavy… Losing her best friend was definitely the LAST thing on a tearing up Ivy Sundew’s mind. And even Sebastian’s.

Despite the darkness in the oceans, Anne is able to see the distressed person, whomever they are, thanks to…glimmering scales??? Questions and possibly figuring out that Merfolk could very well be real may come much later, as she focuses on the poor stranger’s problem. And she wouldn’t have made it in time had it not been for the second anchor to be sinking down as well and grabbing it for better speed. Granted this was never thought through as Anne hadn’t taken a deeper breath and the hearty nudges of the water pressure was getting to her already, her vitality slipping away at a slow manner, but she cannot just ignore the stranger…

Ivy was the first to notice what even she might not believe at first glance, dragging Sebastian and Benjamin out of the way.
“Ivy, just what are y—oh…!” The crab too sees in further shock for his peepers.

Marcy could hardly believe her own eyes either despite the struggle and pain. She had heard some stories from her father about his past discreet observances on the surface of the ocean. Been told and forewarned many times by Marina about how humans only pleasure in nothing but death to other species. But then why is this one—the very same Marcy had seen on the ship and a princess just like her no less—risking her own life??? Taking out a fancy looking blade, the human uses it to first slice off the net ropes before moving on to the chains with her own bare hands, all the while being careful to not injure the princess by accident. The human gave Marcy a warm smile of reassurance as soon as she was freed with effort, her remaining held breath distinguishes. Her life inches from that one way trip to encountering Davy Jones as her eyes are giving out, and mouth went slunk with bubbles of what little air she was able to hold in despite the immense water pressure spilling out.
A human…Anne, was it? …had just saved the life of a merfolk… Then what came like a flash of lightning was a memory reclused deep in her mind…‘What am I still staring at her for????’ Marcy chastised to herself, quickly figuring that humans may not breathe underwater. With swift motion she drags her unexpected rescuer by under the arms, back up to the surface and its dying storm. And it is made with shorter work thanks to Ivy and Benjamin who carries the human on his back.

Bursting out to the dying down waves with the human still in tow, as she was now in a coughing fit of getting out any seawater that could have leaked in, they were able to spot drifting wood thick enough to support her and return her to the nearest form of land.

The storm had long cleared up by the time Marcy, Ivy, Benjamin, and even Sebastian brought the resting human girl onto shores, lying her down on her back. Her coughs subsided for she managed to get any saltwater out, and is able to breathe normally again.

There was a moment of rather serene silence aside from the crashing of waves as ambience, before Sebastian blurts out, feeling mortified; “I can’t believe we just did that for a surface creature.”

“The ‘surface creature’ has a name, y’know.” Ivy corrects, rather bluntly. “She also helped our friend first.” Benjamin nods in agreement.

“Well, I’m not gonna continue standing around.” Sebs added, hopping onto the manatee’s head. “Besides, it’s way past both your curfews.”

“Fine. I won’t argue after recently.” With partial reluctance at first along with an eyeroll, Ivy agrees as they all—aside from Marcy still staring at the human—sink back into the waters. “I even feel worn out.”

“Another thing. We pretend this whole thing has never happened for the sake of others. Andrias, especially, must and will never know. You won’t tell, I won’t tell, and I stay in one piece.” Sebastian says, finishing with a praying position and a smile.

Marcy continued staring at Anne as she rested peacefully, her face a hint of handsomeness to her feminine physique that just draws the mermaid in without effort. Gently taking the right hand to Marcy’s own left, she presses them together as if seeing that they look just the same. She is unaware of a hearty jolt that bursts around within her from this chaste physical connection as time feels like it was slowing to a standstill. While all the other merfolk have either a light or heavy webbing on their hands, Marcy was the only one who doesn’t, making her at times feel like some sort of outcast. Though besides the matter. Anne’s hands felt strong from whatever she does with her life, and yet all the same, warm and gentle. It’s almost hard to believe it, but, it’s as if she met this rather handsome lady some years ago albeit without a formal introduction. She is unaware of a hearty jolt that bursts around within her from this chaste physical connection as time feels like it was slowing to a standstill.

Wild uncharted waters
Just up right off the sea~,
How I hope to be shown more of the open air,
Could you be that map to guide me?~,

Time can change in the seabed,
But it won’t change much for me~,
I don’t care of what price
To see what wonders you hold up here~...

The rest of her song was closer to a whisper, cautious of waking her up by accident, yet a small smile on Anne’s face shows that she enjoys the melody, making Marcy smile back. Both their hands having minds of their own as they entwine…
Of course, what can be well described as a juicy moment to a reader is quickly diminished when the princess of the Merfolk’s finlike ear twitched madly, for it picked up the sounds of what humans have call ‘feet’ arriving to where she kneels.

“Marcy…!” she heard Ivy whisper-holler her name, seeing her motion with her hands that it’s well time to go. Mainly due to the crucial rule about Merfolk remaining more of a seadog story. And so, the two mermaids were gone, back into the ocean as they return to Olmlantica.

“We found her!” one of the Dinglehopper shipmates hollered out loud and clear, much to the emotional relief of the royal couple. Oum took zero hesitation in lunging after her and Bee’s unconscious gemstone first, hugging her tight followed by the King.

“Don’t ever think about scaring anyone like that again…!” Oum managed to scold the princess, who simply mumbles out incoherent speech despite her state. “I know. We still love you too.” With help from Sasha and the Plantars, they all carry Anne back into the palace.
Sprig, meanwhile, took a moment of looking out to the sea…whoever was the one that Anne helped from drowning and vice versa in return, perhaps they can meet again so he can thank them…