Levi honestly didn't know what he expected. When he was informed that there was a merman swimming around in one of the aquarium exhibits at the research center, he wanted to believe that it was just some huge, elaborate prank. He wanted the whole thing to blow over, and then move on as if it never happened.
He most certainly was not expecting this.
Hanji was revived on the trip to the research center, and Levi was later informed that she cried the whole time for not getting to deliver the news. When they arrived, Hanji took the lead and began explaining how they found the mermen.
Apparently a commercial fishing vessel had hauled in a net full of fish along with the merman, whose tail had been caught on the net. They saw him hanging from the net and thought he was an unlucky diver, until they saw the giant green tail.
They dumped it on deck and had to scramble to keep it from jumping back into the water. It wounded itself in its escape and nearly died because it couldn't breathe. They managed to keep it alive by dumping buckets of water in its head until they wrangled it into an old water heater.
This was almost a week ago, and when the vessel came to port, the captain came straight to the AMRC (Aquatic Mammal Research Center).
Erwin and Hanji had been the only ones present at the time, and they were more than happy to get the merman off of his hands.
Everyone had decided then and there that it would be best if the merman's existence was kept a secret for now.
Erwin managed to get the merman into an exhibit tank, and that was where the thing was now. Erwin had wanted to get his marine mammal expert on the scene before they attempted any sort of interaction with the merman, much to Hanji's disappointment.
Everything after that, Levi was fully up to speed on.
He was still struggling to process some of it.
Erwin had ushered him into the aquarium far too quickly, and all of them had stood and waited by the glass for what seemed like ages. Nothing happened.
Levi had had quite enough at that point, and had been ready to turn and leave when suddenly something crashed against the glass.
Levi looked up, and what he saw there should have been impossible.
It was a boy, a teenager. His eyes were huge, the most intense greenish-blue color that Levi had ever seen in his life. The boy's eyes were angry, shadowed by his brown hair as he banged a fist against the glass.
His chest was bare, and his muscles were well built, strong shoulders flowing into a sturdy, yet narrow frame. Levi wanted there to be legs past the boy's waist, but there was no chance.
Tanned skin flowed into deep green and gold scales that shimmered beautifully in the light. The long tail tapered elegantly, with only a dorsal fin branching out from its smooth scaled surface. The tail ended with a strong set of fins that had well-built muscles surrounding them. One of the fins had been ripped off though, and rather recently by the looks of it.
The merman slammed his hand on the glass again, and four slits on either side of his neck flared, the fleshy underside becoming visible for a moment before they faded into nonexistence, settling down easily with the skin of his neck. Gills.
The merman swam around in a circle, agitated. He was not happy with being thrown into the large exhibit and seemed to be struggling with his wounded fin.
Levi could only stare. This should have been impossible. Mermaids were legends, stories made up by fishermen with their tales of monsters, heroism, and sea beauties.
Yet here he was, staring at the stuff of legends that was now occupying a giant fish tank in a modern day human city.
It was almost laughable how a creature, who's existence has been heavily disputed for centuries, could just be swept up in a fishing net and thrown into the laps of modern day marine biologists.
The merman circled back around, becoming more and more tense at every second that passed.
Levi placed his hand against the glass, just in time to feel the vibrations of sound as the merman screamed in anger. Levi couldn't hear it, but the sound shook the glass of the aquarium, and he could see the frustration being let out of the merman as he screamed his anger away.
The vibrations faded, and the mermen clenched his fists, his body tensing.
Suddenly, he hurdled his body forwards, jetting through the water like a bullet from a barrel. He turned his body, and the merman's shoulder rammed into the glass with a resounding crunch. Shouts of surprise echoed through the hallway.
The merman pulled away, revealing a web of cracked glass radiating outwards from the point of impact.
Levi's eyes widened, the silver orbs making contact with the merman's green ones, which shone with determination.
The merman smirked, his chest heaving from the exertion. He backed away slowly, and it was only then that Levi realized he was reeling back for another attack, ready to slam his entire body into the glass.
Levi didn't stop to think. He turned and sprinted down the hallway, even as Erwin and the others called after him.
This was not going to happen. If the stupid merman broke the glass, then the contents of the aquarium's largest exhibit would be spilled all over the hall floor. Levi did not want to have to explain that one, not to mention the thousands of dollars it would cost them in repairs and for care of the displaced fish that also inhabit the exhibit.
Levi skidded down the hallways, cursing as he slammed through the maintenance doors. He sprinted up a flight of stairs as he pulled a set of keys from his pocket.
He couldn't get the key in the lock fast enough, and after what felt like forever, he was through the doors that led to the tank maintenance room. It was here that the workers made sure the tank was in working order, and it was the access point for people to get inside and clean the tanks.
There was a whole wall dedicated to the storage of scuba gear, and it was that wall that Levi sprinted towards. He didn't have time to get suited up, so he grabbed an oxygen tank, goggles, flippers, and some other necessary items.
He quickly stripped out of his shirt and pants, throwing them off to the side as he pulled the tank straps over his shoulders and secured them. It took him practically no time at all to get on all of his gear.
He ran into a separate room and grabbed another piece of equipment that he hoped would not be necessary, but it was better to be safe than sorry. If the merman tried to kill him, it would be all too easy for him to pull the breather out of Levi's mouth.
He checked the charge on the taser rod and secured it at his side. He kept the safety strap off. If he needed it, he would have to resort to the old fashioned quick draw style.
He waddled over to the tank entrance, and peered down into the water. A few fish were lazing around, but otherwise he could see nothing but the tank bottom.
Levi took a breath, and then placed the breather into his mouth as he sat down at the edge of the pool. He did one last check on his gear before quickly flipping backwards, his head breaching the cold water first.
He swam through this tank and every other tank in the facility a dozen times over. He often found that the cleaners did not accomplish their task to the degree that he would wish, so he knew every corner of this tank from top to bottom.
He made his way towards the far side of the exhibit, where the merman had been smashing into the glass. This tank had viewing spots on three sides, serving as one of the larger fish homes within the building.
Levi paddled quickly, and had reached the cracked spot before he knew it. The merman was gone.
It looked like he had made another pass at the glass during Levi's absence, but had not made nearly as much of an impact as he had the first time.
He could see Erwin, Hanji, and the others through the glass. Erwin had stepped up to the glass and was slapping his hand against the surface, shouting something, but the only sound that reached Levi was the dull thumps of his hand impacting the glass.
Levi shook his head, trying to tell Erwin that he had no idea what he was saying.
Suddenly Erwin's eyes widened and the blond man jabbed his finger into the glass in a panic. Too late did Levi realize that he was pointing to something in the water behind him.
Levi whipped around, just in time to see his attacker as he was rammed into the glass.
A green and gold tail thrashed in the water, drilling Levi into the glass, and strong arms squeezed his torso. He was being squeezed so tight that he was struggling to breathe. The merman released him, pulling away only to ram him into the glass once again.
Levi brought his hand to his side and grasped the hilt of the Taser rod. The merman pulled away once again, this time ratcheting his arm back to deliver a powerful punch. Levi glanced into his eyes, and saw gold tainting the bright, angry green.
The merman was furious, and rightly so. Levi would be pissed if he was dragged onto land in fishing net and trapped in a glass container that paled in size when compared to his natural home.
If this were any other situation, Levi would let the merman hit him; he would let him get his anger out. But Levi couldn't now. He was underwater, and if he let the merman beat him, then he would surely die here in this human attraction.
So, when the merman let his fist fly, fully charged with his rage, Levi whipped out the Taser rod and jabbed it into the merman's chest.
The merman screamed, and his body convulsed in the water as the electricity traveled through his body.
The merman went limp, his body falling still in the water. Levi breathed a sigh of relief. This was too much to deal with for one day. The fishermen should have just let the poor merman go.
But they didn't, and now the merman was here, and Levi and his team were here, and everything was completely fucked up.
Levi made sure the merman was still alive and then assessed the damage on the glass. The crack was not as severe as he had thought. The glass was thick and strong, and the damage had not reached the outer layer. Good. Less trouble for Levi.
Erwin smiled in relief from the other side, and Hanji and the others had disappeared. They were most likely waiting at the entrance for him.
Levi glanced back at the merman and decided that he needed to be moved for now. The facility had several outdoor areas where they kept the Dolphins or other such animals that were being rehabilitated. Only trainers were allowed back there, and it was out of sight of the public. The merman could stay in there until they were sure he wouldn't try to break something else.
He grasped the merman's shoulders and pushed his body back to the tank entrance. When he reached it, he positioned him at the bottom of the tank under the entrance, and then swam up himself.
He surfaced, and Hanji and Petra were waiting for him.
"Are you okay?" Hanji asked, her glasses gleaming. "How's the merman? Did he say anything to you? What's he-"
"Hanji I don't have time for questions," Levi snapped, his irritation reaching a new level.
The scientist's glasses gleamed, but she said nothing else.
"Get a transport gurney; I don't want him in this tank. We're moving him to one of the outdoor areas.
Surprisingly enough, the scientist complied without any further inquiry. Petra gave Levi a relieved smile and followed after her.
Levi sighed and dived back down to retrieve the merman. Luckily he was still knocked out, but Levi was sure he would regain consciousness soon.
He pushed the merman upwards, holding his body in place as he surfaced. Petra and Hanji were already there, along with Oulo, and they quickly slid the gurney into the water and under the merman. Oulo helped Levi lift from the back as they all worked together to get the merman out of the water.
Petra draped a water soaked cloth over the merman's neck, covering his gills. The water in the cloth would help the merman breathe long enough for them to transport him.
They all lifted the gurney together, and Levi was surprised at just how heavy the merman was. Levi kicked off the flippers, and his wet feet left a trail behind him as he walked.
They had just made it through the door when the merman began to stir, blinking his eyes in confusion. Hanji looked down at him and smiled, trying to comfort him as they slowly made their way down the stairs.
It was tough going, as the merman's fish end was considerably heavier than his human torso. They struggled to make it to the bottom of the stairs, and when they did, they had to gently set the merman down to catch their breath.
Levi huffed, and Oulo cracked his neck as Hanji rolled her shoulders. The only down side to the plan was that that the access door to the outdoor facility was on the other side of the building, and the Merman was far too heavy to carry consistently for that distance. They would have to take multiple breaks.
"Hanji," Levi turned towards the scientist, clearly annoyed.
"Why didn't you take him to the outdoor facility in the first place?"
"Ah, well, when the captain and his crew showed up, they were in a big hurry to get rid of the merman, and I thought it would have been better to put him in a more familiar environment rather than into a rehabilitation area."
Levi quirked an eyebrow, but said nothing as they prepared to lift the gurney again. Levi had just grasped his side of the pole when the merman's tail suddenly began to writhe, slamming into Levi's ankles.
He went down, and Oulo and Petra rushed to hold the tail still. Levi picked himself up, clumsy with the tank still strapped to his back.
The merman's arms flailed, trying to find purchase on the slick tile floor. His hand grasped the towel draped over his neck, and he yelled something intelligible, clearly confused.
Hanji's eyes lit up with glee, and she quickly leaned down to speak with the confused merman.
"Hey buddy! What's up!"
The merman yelled something at her, but none of them could tell what language he was speaking in.
"Ohhhh!" Hanji cried, her eyes sparkling in wonder.
"Your language is so beautiful. I wonder, can you sing as good as the legends say?"
The merman didn't respond, instead opting to snatch the glasses off of Hanji's face. Before anyone could stop him, he had broken the glasses like a twig, and was brandishing the broken metal at Oulo and Petra when they came too close.
Hanji didn't seem at all bothered by the merman's display of aggression, and instead took out a pen and notebook and scribbled something down.
"It's clear that your people have developed weapons of some sort, and that you are experienced in their use. Tell me, what advancements have you and your society made?" Hanji scooted closer to the merman, undeterred by the sharp object he was now wielding. Hanji was ready for his response, her pen poised over her paper in anticipation.
The merman's only answer was to stab Hanji in the hand.
The scientist screamed, quickly pulling away. The merman was about to make another slash, but Levi, who had seen enough, quickly batted it out of the merman's hand.
Hanji was still screaming, not from pain, but excitement. She was giggling as she pulled the metal from her hand, and Levi shivered. After today, he would have to put a restraining order on the scientist. He didn't want her anywhere near his house ever again.
Oulo and Petra grabbed the merman's hands, trying to restrain him before he did anything else, and Levi was quick to pull out his Taser and prod the merman in the side. The Taser wasn't on, but it was a warning.
Levi looked the merman dead in the eye, his thumb resting on the button to turn on the Taser. Everyone was still for a moment, waiting to see what he would do. Levi's eyes never wavered from the merman's, and finally the green eyes lowered, and the merman snatched his arms away to grasp his forearms.
Levi put the Taser away; still keeping his eyes trained on the merman's every movement as they all moved to pick up the gurney once again. The merman keep his head angled down and his eyes closed, clearly trying to remove himself from his current situation.
After ten minutes of struggling to transport the merman, they made it outside and to an unoccupied pool. No one wanted to get in the water with the merman, afraid that he would regain some courage to strike out once he was back in the water, but their concerns were unneeded, as the merman simply turned himself over and threw all of his weight towards the pool. No one could stop him from sliding into the water, and none of them tried.
The merman splashed the water angrily, settling at the bottom of the pool to stare at them angrily. Petra and Oulo excused themselves immediately after, not wanting anything else to do with the merman for the rest of the day.
Hanji and Levi stayed for a little bit longer, making sure there was nothing near the pool that the merman could use to do something stupid. Hanji was enamored, watching the merman's every movement and writing things down, muttering cryptically to herself.
Levi left her there, just as done with the whole situation as the others. Hanji would be keeping a very close eye on the Merman, and if it somehow killed her, then Levi wouldn't necessarily consider that a loss.
Levi had to scoff at the whole situation. If they were smart, they would just go dump the merman in the ocean somewhere and act like this whole thing had never happened, but it was too late for that.
They were committed now, and something told Levi that the subject of their newest project would not cooperate with their efforts.
Fucking Fantastic.