Chapter 1- A First Impression
My first fanfic ever. I know a MerItalia seems a little strange but that's the kind of weird stuff I was hoping to experiment with. I'm sorry if it's a bit slow at first but you know...experience comes with time and I'm fine with suggestions and comments as long as they are constructive. Thank you!
Eyelids gently closed in simple relaxation, a young merman was for the moment suspended in water, feeling the security of the reef and the warm waters of the Caribbean all around him. Beams and patches of sunlight drenched the surface of the shallow coral habitat, rays splashing the male's olive-grey skin in different shades of flickering color. Auburn hair swayed and danced around in the blue waters as the merman clung to a smooth rock with his webbed fingers, careful not to disturb anything residing on the rock, such as the starfish nearby that overlapped one another and decorated the rock in different splashes of limbs and color.
It was a long day of travelling and the male was really starting to feel it in the long muscles of his tail stock and fins that had propelled him forward for miles as he travelled onward with the dolphin pod he had come to know and reside with ever since he had awoken in the depths of the Mediterranean sea.
They travelled a great length in search of the shifting feeding grounds, minds set only on food and a chance to relax for a bit, at least for the hungry dolphins that were now swarming the shallows for a swipe of fish.
The merman could afford to live on without consuming for a long period of time since he really wasn't like anyone of true normality; his existence was extremely unique, fashioned by the creations and notions of a dysfunctional world that was constantly being tampered with. He was the one destined to calm the tides...
Alas, the oceans were never ending, deep and wide, they continued to hold so many deep secrets that such a being of tiny stature couldn't possibly hope to sustain….unless there were others like him. His memories were far to lost to recall anything of the sort and the only information he was granted to keep was a familiar language and his very own name. Feliciano. The dolphins seemed to know more about his circumstance than even he could hope to understand.
Urgent clicking filled the coastal waters; suddenly making the merman blink back into clarity as his head tilted upward from the smooth boulder towards the vibrating communication between dolphins. Swarms of five or so swam with a distressed mother trying to comfort and ease her as she clicked and beat her tail anxiously towards the shore. Feliciano recognized her immediately as a first time mother, who was known by the name of Meek in dolphin speech pattern. She had arrived from one of the juvenile pods only just a few weeks ago, her body swelling with a new life that was eager to introduce itself to the changing world. The labor had been long and excruciating for her first time but the young mother's patients had paid off and she was blessed with a daughter of her own.
Now, the only problem was...where was Meek's underling? The little dolphin was nowhere to be seen in the chaos of fish and pod. Feliciano sprang away from his perch under the water and swam up beside Meek as he gently brushed a few fingers over her side to claim her attention. Her swimming slowed gradually as soft eyes watched the merman beside her, mouth clicking and sending the vibration out for the sandy shore.
He's curl gently bobbing in the movement of the clear water Feliciano nodded in understanding as he brushed Meek with a last reassuring stroke before swishing his tail up for the surface. Body breaking the water as droplets sprayed out all around him, Feliciano felt the warmth of the sun and coolness of the air hitting his skin instantly. Eyes scanning the shoreline, Feliciano beamed hopefully when he caught the struggle of the beached baby trying to roll her way back into the ocean.
The merman leapt forward until he was caught into the push and pull of the waves sending him forward towards the shore and beating his tail when he was pulled back until it was shallow enough to reach the sand. He clawed his way with the helpful shove of the fumy waves onto the shore and maneuvered over to the trapped dolphin, hitting his tail gently in greeting, his skin gleaming with a tannish sheen in the sunny day as the young merman smiled warmly towards the dolphin that tilted her head up, flicking her fins around excitedly for rescue. She had put up quite a fearful struggle, heart racing and terrified of this new land that threatened to keep her immobile and helpless.
"I'm here Keekee, everything is going to be just fine. I promise!" He greeted with a soft little pat of her side. Feliciano got to work, weaving his arms around her middle and proceeded to lift her up onto his lap.
"Ooph, you're getting so big already…" Feliciano struggled to say, his arms tensing to lift the dolphin up further only to slack in the sounds of panting. With many apologies, the merman rolled, pushed and lifted the young dolphin back into the seawater. With the pull of the waves to accommodate them the rescue was a success and the baby spun through the water in a burst of relief and freedom as she zoomed off with full agility.
Laughter sprouted from Feliciano as he watched her make an entrance, shooting into the air and squeaking thankfully at the merman before falling back with a flopping splash. How did she get so fast? Well it seemed like a reasonable explanation for how she sped up onto shore in the first place. It was very impressive but he could only imagine what her mother would have to say about that.
The sunny day continued to glint throughout auburn locks, and sand clung to slippery skin as his laughter died down into a simple smile. Feliciano didn't hurry back into the water right away, his caramel chocolate eyes drifting and scanning the beach line from side to side and then turning to peer into the unknown before him. It was a land of towering palms and vegetation that began where the sand ended. He was fascinated by the way such plants could stay tall and stable without the effects of gravity swishing them back and forth until they tipped or fell over completely. Gravity didn't seem to exist when someone was always suspended in water and therefore his curiosity peeked as chin rose higher and higher until the merman almost fell backwards upon reaching the tree tops above.
Initially it was where one world ended and another began, ending and beginning simultaneously and in that moment Feliciano felt like he was sitting right in the center. Deep in contemplation, the merman lifted his tail closer to his body, wrapping his arms around as the sun warmed his dampened skin.
So where did he begin?
The finned male lowered his chin in an attempt to control the loneliness. It had an unfortunate habit of sweeping over him like a foreign toxin carried in from the ocean current. These aquatic air breathers showed him the way, welcomed him into their community, as a part of their family and he could communicate with them well enough without the need for verbal communication. They were so energetic and playful just like him so it really was no surprise that he could fit in perfectly with their games and clever tactics. Still, there was no stopping the clear difference between him and the dolphins. The detachment he started to feel over the past several months of travelling and learning everything there was to know about these beautiful creatures was beginning to hollow out an empty space deep inside that he still couldn't quite identify.
Indeed, Feliciano had the clear features of the intelligent bottlenose dolphin. Without a doubt he was a part of them now, half of them in the familiar curve of his tail stock and the flukes that moved with vibrant grace and speed through the dense salty waters. Besides those clear attributes, there were differences that were impossible to ignore even to the dolphins that still welcomed him unconditionally.
And yet, the uncertain male was still left to ponder if there was anyone else like him. Was there someone with a full head of hair, someone with long arms, and webbed fingers that could easily manipulate objects? What about someone that could tell him where he came from…? Feliciano sighed half-heartedly at such a hopeless thought before scooting his way back into the water, shifting and pushing through the waves until his fingers no longer needed to brush against the sand underneath.
The water was rejuvenating for his sandy and drying skin allowing him to close his eyes as he let the current pull him gently back into the coral world. Happiness returned to the merman's face upon seeing Meek reunited with her baby and with a click of welcome they circled around him brushing against his arm with gentle gratitude before shifting back to the surface together.
The pod drifted on soon enough when they were finished feeding and kept themselves in the sandy shallows where the water underneath was light and clear from the sun above. Gradually it deepened until Feliciano caught sight of a kelp forest off in the distance. The sandy bed dropped off into deeper waters with the kelp standing at remarkable heights from their roots below. The sun could reach these deeper crevices that the seaweed liked and provided a nourishing environment for them to stay plentiful and healthy. Luckily this particular kelp forest hadn't suffered as readily as a few others Feliciano had passed.
The growing acidity of the ocean was contributing in ways that continued to harm many species and it had increased much too quickly over the many years for these animals and plants to even begin adapting. Still it was a gradual process but nonetheless needed attention.
Feliciano continued on eagerly without so much as a thought, swishing into the kelp leaves just above the drop off where his eyes dazzled at the depths of which these plants had climbed. Some of them reached over a hundred feet in length.
The moment he brushed past a few more of these sea plants, there was a thunder of warning clicks as sonars echoed around him into the clutter of kelp forest beyond. Neck hairs stood on end as the merman went still, hovering cautiously, his eyes darting everywhere as he wondered what could be alerting the dolphins in such a way.
He observed this behavior before when a colony of sharks had swam into their proximity in the past. Feliciano and the pod were able to evade them quickly enough before paths collided but now the same familiar squeaks were sprouting as the marine creatures guarded the young and hovered close to one another in an attempt to find a different course of direction. They hesitated when Feliciano didn't come back though, a few individuals proceeding closer as if to keep watch over the young merman.
Feliciano's arms curved inward slowly, pupils widening as his webbed fingers graced up to his cheeks as if he was getting ready to shout. A light hum replaced that instead and it grew from the back of his throat until lips opened and the sound wave released into a little trill. Sound has a way of travelling much more effectively through water than that of air and Feliciano's wave did just that. It surged outward through the thin kelp trees until suddenly it bounced off of something much more bulky and dense and then swiftly directed back to the merman. It was a creature no doubt, for it wasn't thick enough to be a rock and Feliciano could sense this by the pressure of the sound wave that bounced back at him. The problem was he couldn't identify what it was exactly. Usually he could tell right away if it was a shark or whale of some kind but now… the consistency wasn't the same.
It was much too small to be a whale, Feliciano could at least figure that much. He nervously sunk down to the drop offs edge, looking cautiously over the side as his eyes shook with curiosity and anxiety but luckily it wasn't so deep that pitch black took over. It was lit up relatively well where he could see a few fish scuttling around through different marine plants and crabs crawling around in search of a meal.
Without warning something shifted off in the distance, rustling the seaweed plants a few yards away. Feliciano's eyes darted up as he carefully released the edge and floated back to eye level. Sending out the sound of his sonar again, the merman flicked his tail as a peculiar familiarity began to rise from the echo that bounced back. He felt it before, somewhere, somehow he recognized it.
Don't be shy… the merman thought tentatively.
As if the creature had heard his thoughts it quickly took off in the opposite direction instead. Curiosity peeking now Feliciano suddenly sped on after it, ignoring the warning calls of the pod behind as he twisted and pushed through the tall plants. He followed the path of bubbles and shifts of the kelp, looping and turning in every dart and change in direction like he was playing a fun game of chase.
Come back! Why do you swim away? Feliciano wondered in settle amused, impressed by the creature's swiftness as he tried with all he could to push onward through the water after it.
When the sea forest abruptly ended and Feliciano had shot out through the last seaweed plants, his mouth opened in surprise as bubbles escaped from his lungs and he slammed head on into the chest (?) of another creature.
His first glance was discovering the presence of light skin, tough and thick like that of a shark's and there were arms, long arms crossed over one another and even fingers…. But not even the amazement in Feliciano's expression could cease from there. Feliciano blinked questionably tilting his head upward as he witnessed a face, a face with blonde hair and features similar to himself that towered above with leering eyes that stared back at him with so much intensity and conviction. They reflected the space around them, the sky above and the crisp shallows below. A shocking blue that somehow imitated the piercing attributes of a shark's menacing pupils. They were captivating and terrifying all in one swoop.
The stare even made a whimpering noise flare up in Feliciano's throat as he instantly recoiled backwards, giving the other merman a thoughtful look over and of course valuable space. Eyes widening with each perplexed blink, his curl twitched towards the other merman's tail that swished with such control and precision. It was shaped differently somehow, vertically positioned unlike Feliciano's own horizontal tail flukes. No doubt, he was another merman but also a species of shark as well. Feliciano was still yet to identify the shark of origin but maybe that was the reason for the dolphins calling out a threat in the first place.
Feliciano was so taken by this meeting though, terrified and exhilarated to actually be seeing this merman in the flesh. Where had he been all this time?
Realizing how very much he was staring, a cute little smile graced Feliciano's lips as they perked outward. He gave a greeting whistle with the air he had left in his lungs, waving his hands around with another friendly squeak to show his intentions to not harm.
The male furred his brows in uncertainty; clearly he was just as surprised as the brown eyed merman by this meeting and the fact that he continued to partake in such strange behaviors. Was it really that necessary to flap his hands around so much? Feliciano suddenly felt foolish under such a gaze and quickly lowered his hands, rubbing his side to give them something to do in the meantime.
He even contemplated the male's physique, impressively built and most likely very strong. Even his hair was strong as it managed to keep itself contained and slicked for the most part with only a few little wondering strands.
When still no response was returned, Feliciano promptly whistled again in concern and this time the larger of the two fell into some kind of doubt or unease, the depth of his eyes faltering briefly before looking downward into the empty space below them. The end of the kelp forest had dipped away into a dark abyss of ocean and not even the sunlight could reach what could be hidden below their tail fins.
You can't understand me, huh… Feliciano thought tilting his head in front of the other's wondering eyes. Immediately, the male gave a startling lurch backward through the water as he stared at Feliciano disbelievingly. Whatever he had been contemplating was deeply interrupted by something Feliciano did. It was still unclear to the smaller merman of what the reason could be but he was only thinking, wishing so badly to find a helpful way to communicate with this merman.
Feliciano couldn't let this chance go to waste after feeling hopeless and alone for all these months since he woke up. It had to be some kind of a miracle or amazing luck to run into him now.
The little merman's eyes grew slightly hurt by the blonde's reaction from before even as he imposed himself further on the other merman, flicking his tail closer again only to have the male backtrack in mild frustration at his close proximity. Feliciano wasn't going to give up so easily though, taking it upon himself to persuade the merman to communicate with him. When the other began to turn away from him, Feliciano quickly followed, swishing his tail with the male that continued to move away until they had literally gone into a spinning circle. So far the other hadn't made any attempt or response to communicate and didn't even seem interested. He was rather a stiff one in his disposition if someone were to describe him, even in water.
When the last straw had been reached, Feliciano flinched as hands shot out and clamped onto his shoulders, arms stretched out to full length to manually keep Feliciano from drifting closer to him again. Feliciano's curl drooped along with his chin at the male who glared back at him in what could be easily identified as annoyance.
Slowly and carefully the male released him keeping his hands held out as he moved away. All the while Feliciano watched him do this in discouragement and confusion. How was it that he wasn't even happy to see Feliciano? Surely he was alone as well. Caramel eyes lowered with a sad smile as they came upon something very interesting on the other merman's neck. Something that was moving and maybe…breathing?
This merman actually had gills. Gills embedded on both sides of his neck that opened and closed with the flaring motion similar to that of a shark or fish.
Wow! You don't even breath air?... he expressed in his mind, conveying this interesting observation with a point of his fingers towards the other merman's neck. Feliciano found the other merman looking anxiously below them for the second time. This noticeable habit of the shark man's was really getting suspicious and not in a good. What was so fascinating about that creepy darkness underneath?
The male's eyes once narrowed and uncertain actually looked up and widened profoundly once again, but only to turn sour and cold with distrust.
Who the hell are you!? Get out of my head! A rough and angered voice suddenly jolted throughout Feliciano's mind making him wince and cover his ears hurriedly. He was so exasperated that it took him a moment to comprehend the merman's swift movement, the male shaking his head downward before shoving Feliciano backward through the water.
With such a force Feliciano made a disorienting flip in the water until he finally came to a stop head first towards the darkness. The color in the little merman's face was immediately drained away….there with a heart pounding leap of fear he witnessed a creature of nightmarish magnitude. A large silhouette below was now charging towards him with violent speed, eyes black and endless, a gaping hole of jaws opening to show hundreds of teeth meant specifically for tearing flesh. Feliciano was looking into the mouth of a great white shark and it was on direct course for him.
In a fit of manic terror, Feliciano shrieked outward as his slender body scrambled towards the other merman for protection but not before the shark's snout came bursting at him. Somehow or another he was able to avoid the silencing bite of the great white and instead found himself hitching a ride on the back of the beast.
Horrified, he managed to grab tightly onto the shark's snout as they both hit the surface. Still in mid air, the shark immediately reared and thrashed its head back in anger, and with that Feliciano was easily tossed off like a little rag doll. Crying out again with the strength of such a throw, Feliciano's little body easily made a few involuntary flips before slamming back against the ocean surface and sinking below.
A pained groan escaped between his lips as he shuddered and watched the great beast fall back into the sea. Taking in several quick gulps of air the panicked merman dunked down without a moment to lose and shot off for the tall seaweed with the marine predator now in hot pursuit and catching up to him fast.
By the time Feliciano reached that point with fins flapping like mad and adrenaline rushing throughout the entirety of his muscles and veins he could see the pod coming into view as several of them bravely charged towards him and the shark for attack. Even before they could reach Feliciano though, someone suddenly appeared underneath him. The Merman from before had swam up close, tail and muscles working with brilliant speed and accuracy.
Hold onto me tight…the voice demanded effortlessly. Without hesitation or questions Feliciano latched onto the tough skin, firmly wrapping his arms around the other male's neck as he held on for dear life. Eyes tightly snapped shut as the merman underneath him gave a forceful swing of his body, flipping Feliciano with him until he was facing the shark with Feliciano safely behind.
As sudden as his movement was, the shark man reared up and came to a complete stop in front of the great white. He didn't even wince or move but simply forced the palm of his hand out in front.
Why they stopped Feliciano was too scattered to react and buried his head into the male's neck as he waited for impact…