Disclaimer: I do not own Dramatical Murder or any of its characters nor gain any sort of profit from them. They belong to Nitro+Chiral. This fanfiction belongs to me.
Part of Ren doesn't know why he ended up on a pirate ship but he had heard about the Fountain of Youth. He read about it in the bible at some point and he wanted to see if the legends and everything were really true. Of course he didn't like being on a pirate ship considering how the lot of them were bad and probably killed a lot of people. However, he thought their souls could be redeemed no matter what heinous crime they had committed. Ren hopes he could be redeemed for associating himself with these pirates. He didn't kill anyone for any reason or pilfered from various villages. Despite the fact he is surrounded by pirates, he still strives to be a good person and follow the rightful path of God.
The pirate leader, Toue, needed to find a mermaid. Their tears serve as a prime ingredient in a chance for living forever along with two silver chalices from the land of Hokkaido. they need to find a mermaid first.
The time it took to get to shore was a few days, Ren witnessed a few deaths at the hands of Toue. It made him turn his head away in mortification. Seeing such things will never be less of a shock to him as long as he lived. Seeing how awful Toue is as a person and not as a notorious pirate... Ren wondered if the man's soul could really be redeemed so he could go to heaven like the rest of the humans who pray for redemption.
The dark haired male didn't know what to expect when he was one of the people stationed at shore, about to catch a mermaid. Everyone else was out in the sea near a lighthouse. The lighthouse was going to serve it's purpose by luring the mermaids. When the light had turned on, shining on the pirates who were out in the water by boat, it was evident the mermaids will be on them within the hour. Everything soon went to hell when one of them had attempted to kill and eat one of the pirates. The ones at sea were probably not alive. Everyone else who is on the shore, prepared to catch some of the mermaids if they were to swim towards them. That would fail since they dragged half of the people onshore into the water with elastic tethers made of seaweed.
Ren managed to get away as he didn't want any part of catching the merpeople. An explosion from the top of the lighthouse occurred. The rocks and debris almost crush the male when he was suddenly pulled out of the way by something elastic wrapping around his leg. He was saved... The rescue had hit his head a bit, dazing him. When he came to his senses, he heard splashing nearby and he started searching for the source of the sound when Ren noticed a sky blue colored tail flapping in the water. It looked like it was swimming away. A mermaid? Wanting to make sure, he wanted to catch it. Not for the pirates but because he wanted to see it up close.
The creature continued swimming off as Ren stumbled after it, tripping over the rocks and debris cluttering the shallow water. He advanced on it and drew his sword. He then stabbed it in it's tail before it could get away. The mermaid revealed his face to Ren, surprised and frightened at the one who is keeping him from escaping.
Ren froze as he took in the mermaid...or well, merman's beautiful features with his own two eyes. The merman had long bright blue hair, currently wet obviously with it flowing over his shoulders. His eyes were brown, almost the color of honey. His skin was a fair color; a creamy ivory, probably. His face was masculine but soft somehow. Unlike how less masculine men are, this one seems to have a bit of a defiant look in his eyes. It made Ren want to back away but he didn't. He just continued staring at the blue haired merman in awe as he withdrew his sword from the merman's tail. The dark haired man didn't know the merman was staring at him the same way as if he was trying to figure him out.
If one word could sum up what Ren was thinking about the merman, it would most likely be "beautiful." Yes, he thought the merman was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. No human had ever appealed to him so much as this merman appeals to him. It wasn't his outward appearance Ren thought was beautiful. It was also what he saw inside. He knew something was different about this merman that set him apart from his siblings who are killing the other pirates as each moment passes.
While they stare at each other in silence, a net came down on the merman who had then hissed and struggled against it. The pirates came out from the other side of the rocks, laughing at the struggling merman.
"Well done capturing one of the mermaids, sailor." Toue said to Ren who was about to say he didn't intend to capture the merman. "Perhaps you won't be of no use after all."
"I..." Ren began as Toue talked over him.
"Take the creature and put him in the container. We need to make way towards the fountain." He commanded. The merman struggled as he was lifted out of the water and put into a glass coffin. It needed two people to carry it as he was dumped in there with a sufficient amount of water already inside. The amount of water was enough to keep him alive and the pirates figured he would also need it to breathe. He hissed again at the impact of being dropped so suddenly.
Once everyone who was still alive and able to move, the moderately sized group of pirates started making their way off the beach and into the thick brush of the jungle. The Fountain of Youth is somewhere on this island and Toue intends to find it soon before his time is up. Before the person from a far away land kills him out of revenge.
The trek to the fountain takes a while and the group hits an obstacle. On the way, Ren helped the merman breathe because he was suffocating inside of the glass coffin. He pried the cage open so he could get some air. With no words, the merman gazed at Ren with extreme relief as if to thank him. Ren touched the glass before replying with a simple "You're welcome." The journey continues...
Strange things happened that Ren thought he would never see in any lifetime. The pirates carrying the coffin dropped it and it shattered, the merman fell out of it. With no water to keep him in, his tail had turned into a pair of human legs. It seemed like his outward appearance had changed slightly along with gaining legs. His hair color transitioned to a lighter blue at the ends, his skin didn't have scales on them and he seemed more slim and frail. Toue stared at the merman coldly as Ren immediately went to his side to help him, wrapping a white collared shirt around his now naked form.
"Stand up and get walking. We don't have all day." Toue spat at the merman. The beautiful blue haired creature attempted to stand on his two legs and took three steps. After that, he collapsed to the ground again, letting out a frustrated sound. Ren noticed the merman was unable to walk because of him stabbing the creature's fin earlier. Toue ordered for the merman to walk again when the merman had responded.
"I can't..." he says in a trembling voice. Ren could tell the merman is frustrated at the predicament he's in. He wanted to help him.
"Let me help you," he asks in a gentle tone.
"I didn't ask for your help." snapped the merman.
"Please." Ren pleads in a slightly firmer tone, wanting to show the merman he has no intention of harming him or anything. Reluctantly, the blue haired merman allowed Ren to pick him up, carrying him bridal style as he felt the utmost shame. The beautiful creature in Ren's arms didn't protest since it was Ren carrying him and not one of the cruel pirates.
Half way to the fountain, the pirates decided to rest and Ren had set the merman down, allowing him to sit on a medium sized boulder. He took the time to really see him in this light, admiring his beauty. He hadn't found a human this beautiful but he could find a merman that way. Perhaps he hadn't seen true beauty in his life until this moment. After marveling for several quiet moments, Ren spoke to the creature in front of him.
"So beautiful... Surely you must be one of God's creatures and not a descendant of those dark creatures who found no refuge on the Ark." he murmurs as Aoba briefly looks away from him. "Only he can create someone as divine as you. So beautiful but deadly..." Ren sighed with a little disappointment as he remembered how the merman's siblings attacked the rest of the pirate crew. He was no exception.
"I'm not deadly, no." says the merman, wanting to prove that comment wrong. Or at least about himself.
"You attacked me."
"No... I pulled you out of the way."
This surprised Ren. It all happened so fast the other night, he hadn't had time to process what happened. "You saved me? Why?"
"You're different from them. From the other pirates. And other humans." the merman explained as he looked at the human man with certainty.
"How am I different from other humans?" Ren asked. Pirates, yes he was definitely different from them. But he's different from other humans? There were bad ones but there were also good ones. And he is one of the good humans the merman had claimed him to be.
"Most humans are selfish and cruel. You're not like that. Unlike them, you have this light inside that is bright like the sun. Pure."
The merman's words caused an emotion to swell inside of Ren he couldn't describe other than something resembling happiness. It wasn't because Ren hadn't been praised for anything in his life. He just hadn't heard himself being described in such a positive light. Ren wasn't just flattered. The words from the merman made him happy. He felt like he was going to float away if he weren't holding the merman's hand that moment. Obviously Ren couldn't keep himself from smiling and that made the merman smile at him in return.
"So do you have a name?" he asked the human. "I haven't heard it yet from the pirates."
"It's Ren."
"That's a nice name." Another smile graced the merman's features and Ren felt his own heart skip a beat from the sight of it. He wanted to see more of that smile from him. Actually, Ren found himself wanting to know and see more from this creature. Hopefully it wouldn't seem selfish of him to ask. Or seem like he was intruding on the merman somehow. After all, it's only curiosity. There was a lot of mystery surrounding the merman and Ren wished to know everything about him.
Just when he was about to ask him more questions, Toue decided that break time was essentially up. Guess the conversation between Ren and his new merman acquaintance is over.
"We should get moving. Bring the creature and cover it's head." Toue commanded as the rest of the pirates started collecting themselves after resting for a few minutes. The way Toue spoke about the merman really bothered Ren. He felt...angry, was it? Yes, definitely angry. Even if he is a merman, Ren thought he was a person too. As much as a person as he is. So he felt the need to speak up.
"He has a name!" he spoke up quite forcefully. Toue eyed him in amusement, his eyes flickering to the merman still sitting on the boulder for a moment.
"And what name is that?" he asked in a mocking tone.
Ren didn't actually know the name of the merman but when he first saw him, one name did pop into his mind. It may not be his real name but he wished to prove that the merman was as valued as any creature on the planet. And not some lesser being. He opened his mouth to reveal the merman's "name."
"Aoba. His name is Aoba." Everyone stared at Ren disbelievingly for that name. Including Toue. Ren didn't mind even after he looked over at Aoba who stared back at him in awe. It seemed he was happy a human gave him a name despite having his own. Well, Aoba personally didn't like his original name so he decided to stick with this new one. Especially after this particular human gave him one and treated him as a worthy individual. He fought back a smile as he was picked up by Ren and the group trudged on in the jungle.
Aoba talked to Ren a little, answering whatever questions the human had for him and his fellow aquatic siblings. He told him he has a twin brother, more kind than him and that they are close. That his friends lived in different parts of the ocean. Aoba missed them a lot because he rarely gets to visit them. Hearing Aoba talk about himself was refreshing for Ren. He could listen to him for hours. When Aoba asked to know some things about Ren, the male kind of shied away from doing that until Aoba kept persuading him to tell him otherwise.
Ren answered Aoba's questions about his life, what he did for a living before being brought onto a pirate ship against his will. What he liked and disliked. His hopes and dreams... Everything. Hearing Ren talk about how he hardly had any friends in life made Aoba frown. He told Ren he'll be his friend. It made the dark haired male's heart ache painfully because the pirates would most likely not let that happen. Not when they finally harvest one of Aoba's tears. The conversation barely managed to stay lighthearted as the journey went on.
The group reached the jungle pools and Aoba was suddenly wrenched out of Ren's arms by his hair by Toue, causing his face to wince in obvious pain. Ren lunged for him when he was restrained by two other pirates as Aoba was thrown into one of the pools. The water allowed the merman to regain his original form once more as he was tied to the trees like the other mermaids whose skeleton remains in several jungle pools.
"We're close to our destination. Now it's time for you to give us what we want, creature." Toue gripped Aoba's hair tighter as he said this and smirked triumphantly. "It hurts when I pull your hair, doesn't it. Why not shed a tear and maybe I'll let you go."
"Stop it! Don't hurt him!" Ren shouted at Toue who cocked an eyebrow at him.
"You have affection for this creature, don't you." it wasn't a question and Ren looked away from Toue, not wanting to answer him. He didn't want to give the villainous pirate the satisfaction of him trampling upon his feelings. However, he can't deny his feelings for Aoba. Even Toue could see that and he chuckled wickedly. "I wonder if he even feels the same for you."
When Toue glanced at Aoba, who is still glaring fiercely at him, the man could see the way his hazel brown eyes shifted to Ren. Not that he had heard their conversation on the way to this place but the villainous pirate can definitely tell when someone is interested in another. This couldn't have worked out any better.
"Ah, it seems that he does. What a gratuitous opportunity we have here!" he chuckled as Ren struggled against the two pirates restraining him. He wanted to keep the pirate leader from hurting Aoba. He didn't care what Toue will do to him if he lets the merman go free. He didn't want Aoba to be harmed by these pirates or anyone.
"Aoba, if you could shed a single tear...I will be grateful to you." Ren
The religious man grunts in protest when Toue gripped Aoba's hair more firmly and had forced him to keep looking in Ren's direction. When one of the pirates put a knife to his throat, the blue haired merman's breath hitched in his throat, feeling terrified for Ren's life. His form shook as he still didn't yield any tears for the treacherous pirate.
"Others have failed in this endeavor then died and so will you." Aoba snapped at the man gripping his hair. Combined with the mind numbing pain he felt physically and emotionally, he felt his eyes sting but the merman still didn't shed a tear.
"We'll see about that. Kill the boy." Toue commanded.
"No!" Aoba shouted just as the man had pretended to stab Ren's stomach, twisting the knife in the wound to make it more fatal.
The blue haired creature turned away, clenching his eyes shut. He heard the sound of splashing and he assumed the pirates had thrown Ren's body into the water. The emotions that washed over him: anger, regret, intense sorrow, and even more intense heartbreak. He had lost someone so precious to him and he never got to tell him that. It really knocked the wind out of the blue haired merman as he heard the pirates laugh around him. How dare they laugh at such a heinous thing! He was absolutely livid. Aoba wanted to do something to avenge Ren but his hands were bound.
He felt useless. Not being able to save the man he had fallen in love with finally took its toll. A single tear had escaped his closed eyelids and Toue had managed to catch it with a small vial. It didn't matter to Aoba that the pirates had gotten what they wanted. Ren wasn't alive so whatever these monsters in human form will do to him next would probably be an act of mercy. However, Aoba didn't want to go out without fighting. Toue released his hair and stood up, the vial still in his hand.
"You'll stay tied up here so you will dry out. It is a very slow, painful death like your kinfolk have done." Aoba hissed at the man as he said this. "Don't worry. You will join your human love in the afterlife." he murmurs in Aoba's ear before laughing maliciously and leaving the area with his crew.
Aoba's head slumped forward, wondering how he can get out of these ropes. He struggled against them, the rope digging into his skin more when he tried and he winced from the pain. It hurt because the sun is aiding in his slow dehydration. This is such a shameful way to die and Aoba would never be able to see Ren again. Maybe if there was an afterlife, he would be able to. That is if the god Ren is referring to is forgiving of the blue haired creature for being what he is.
Just when he struggled more, Aoba felt a pair of hands on his bound wrists. He flinched. Had the pirates come back to finish the job before the sun does? He was about to shout but a familiar, calm voice stopped him.
"Aoba..." The deep voice murmured as he felt the rope come undone. Aoba looked up to see who was helping him and was surprised to find it really was Ren. The human was alive after all. Thank goodness...
"Ren! I thought you were..." Aoba trailed off, not wanting to remember what happened what seemed like seconds ago. His eyes pricked with tears again when happiness started overflowing him.
"They did quite a bit of damage, I'm not going to lie... But I had to find my way back to you somehow. I prayed that I would." Ren murmured, sounding pained. Aoba looked at the wound on Ren's abdomen and grimaced a little. He is happy Ren is alive but he knew the human wouldn't have long if he didn't do something. "Aoba... I wish to have something."
"Ren, I'm not a genie," Aoba chuckled, his breathing a little shaky now. "But I can help you. All you need to do is ask."
"Then...will you forgive me?" The sudden question surprised Aoba. What was it that Ren did to make him angry? Aoba thought for a moment and quickly deduced Ren had never made him angry. On the contrary... He made him very happy in the last day they had met. The merman hadn't meant to fall for a human but he did. That human helped him and was so kind to him for no reason. Now Aoba wanted to give back to him that same kindness.
The merman smiled at Ren and cupped his face, murmuring a small, "Yes." Then he pulled the dark haired human into the pool with him with all the strength he could muster as he kissed him passionately. Ren wrapped his arms around the merman's torso and allowed him to take him wherever he is going to go. Whether it was to where Aoba lived with his siblings or not. It didn't matter as long as they were together.
Author's Note: Hnnn cross-posting from AO3 again. This is totally a RenAo version of what happens between that religious pirate and the mermaid in the fourth Pirates movie. Sue me, I liked that movie and the other ones. That one is probably my most favorite. I wanted to write this version for RenAo week day 5: AU~
Oh yeah, it is really hard to write in a religious person's perspective because well, I'm not really religious. o3o Along with me not being out with my sexuality to my family, I am not out with my religious preferences (or lack thereof) which is somewhat between Atheist and Agnostic. But enough about me. I hope everyone likes this fanfiction. ^^ It really was difficult coming up with an AU for these two beauties. Heh~ I will probably think of a better one, in my opinion, in the future.