((AN: ok so i'm so sorry for not updating in so long, i've been busy with work and school ect but more chapters will be coming out frequently i promise! This chapter just kinds of gets all the questions out of the way and opens up the story, the chapter after this will also be the same because it was too long to have it as just one chapter but after that there will be Courn interactions i swear! Anyway i hope you enjoy please r&r))
Mermaids - a myth extending over millions of years full of stories about breath taking maidens capturing the hearts of fair princess with songs and falling in love. However mer-people are far from tales of love and pretty women. They are murderous cunning creatures that elicit pleasure from the destruction of humankind and it just so happens that there are some living in the waters of lake were sixth of them inhabiting the waters of this part of the lake that they knew of - four females and two males. They had all once been a part of a larger tribe that lingered around the outskirts of the lake, far deeper into the waters than where the 6 live currently. However, each of them were banished from the tribe and forced into exile. At that point they decided to stick together to at least make a valiant effort to survive rather than meeting a lonely perishable were they banished and never allowed in those parts of the waters as long as they lived? Simple, they were freaks- and even in the deep depths of the waters, freaks are not welcome.
Despite popular belief above water, not every mer-person is a beautiful and breath taking by the standards of land dwelling society anyway. Since they were created due to mutation, some were more mutated than others, thus appearing more 'ugly' to those living above the water. However under the water the perception of beauty was flipped, mutation was a respected honourable trait: the more mutated you are, the higher your class rank and class is what lead to Justin being outcasted by the rest of his tribe. Justin was gorgeous. Everybody knew this, but he liked to keep everyone reminded of it. He truly was. Tanned skin, deep blue eyes, chiseled features, and a body to match. However, no matter how gorgeous he was, it didn't take away the fact that he was the lowest class of the sea. You see, Justin was one of the least mutated people in his tribe. He was still mostly human apart from gills and the tail of a paradise fish. Justin was quite an arrogant and vain man, relying on his appearance to get him far in life. However, looks aren't always everything, especially under the water. Justin was harassed constantly by the upper class, spat on and treated like he was lesser than the rest. For years he'd been ridiculed for his low mutation and decided to stand up and challenge one of the high ranking members of the tribe. Of course Justin's arrogance got the best of him and he'd lost, only subjecting him to more humiliation and ultimately got him exiled.
Dakota was a prime example of the higher class of mutation. She was at least twice the size of the rest of the tribe, her skin mostly made up of scales apart from the main part of her face. Fins rose out of the tops her shoulders and at the side of her hips before descending into a tail of a saw shark. Her teeth were sharp and pointed fangs, the sclera of her eyes were bright orange and her pupils a deep red. Her hair was replaced by a thick head of short green scales and her ears split into three points at the tip. Dakota was proud of her mutation. She was one of the highest classes in the tribe and oh how she loved it. She loved attention and oh how she would love if one day she became a well known figure of beauty to be worshiped. However her pride in her looks and mutation were tainted when a disastrous accident occurred and ruined Dakota's status forever. Dakota was hunting alone on this particular day, exploring the outskirts of the lake where they were advised not to go- what's the worst that could happen? Pollution. Dakota had ended up trapped in the middle of an oil spill - the chemicals from the oil bleaching half of her skin and her scales so much that patches of scales started to fall off. Thick claggy black gunk clung to her scales along with sticks and other litter found floating at the top of the lake. As she tried to free herself, she managed to damage one of her lower tail fins in the process and also lost sight in one of her eyes. She made it back safe to her tribe hoping to get some sympathy from the others and maybe a cure for her injuries but all she was met with was ridicule. She was disgusting, vile, a monster. Everyone who had loved and adored Dakota Milton now only looked away in shame and pity and eventually stared at her with dull emotionless faces as they watched her being forced out of the tribe forever. Dakota could hardly cope with this sudden change, all she ever lived for was gone and replaced by an uncontrollable amount of anger. Nowadays Dakota never talks, she just swims aimlessly back and forth for hours on end with the same expression that the people of her tribe looked at her with.
Heather was the leader of the pack, it was her idea in the first place to start fresh with the other rejects so she found it only fair that she should rightfully be the leader. Heather had a strong belief for the saying "there are only two types of people in the world ; shepherds and sheep" and Heather was definitely a shepherd. She had no intention of following anyone else's orders, she was born to lead and although most of the group didn't like her having all the power, they thought it was best to just go with it rather than to get on her bad side. Even her appearance showed she was not one to mess with : long pin straight raven hair, sharp slanted dull eyes and large lips that were constantly etched into a frown; her face always masked in a scowl. Her body was slender with fair skin, scales scattered her arms,across her stomach and slightly into her hairline followed by the tail of a Japanese koi fish extending out past her waist. Just like her exterior, she was just as cold and ruthless on the inside. Life was a big game to her and she intended to manipulate everyone to her beck and call to win.
Alejandro was the second male of the group. A confident charming spaniard with a tail of an eel. His power of manipulation coupled with his charm was almost unstoppable. He had every female and even most males wrapped around his finger with the sweet words he'd lure them with. Alejandro was a very talented young man and excelled in a lot of things. With outsiders he was a very modest and humble man, but back in his own habitat he was a very arrogant show off. He spoke in such a soft gentlemanly tone that could make the strongest willed people melt. His looks definitely helped as well. Dark tanned skin, deep green eyes framed by thick eyebrows, thick brown locks of hair, and an outstanding and Heather were both banished for the same reason: love. It didn't start off as love between the two, first they had a very strong competitive relationship, rivals you might say. But after time they started to notice this sudden spark that no one could really explain and then it spiralled into this complicated mess they call love. It wasn't meant to happen - neither of them had intentions to be in a positive relationship with each other, but sometimes life is just unexpected. Just like the view of appearance under the water was flipped, so was sexuality. Homosexuality was the norm in the waters. Relationships were a common thing. Once a mermaid or merman found their other half they would normally work together in capturing a human victim and would be classed as a pleasurable bonding experience to do as a couple. Of course under the water it was exclusively homosexual. Heterosexuality did occur from time to time, but it was seen frowned upon. Heather and Alejandro weren't told they were banished exactly, but after months of being blanked by almost everyone in the tribe and having everyone act like they didn't exist, they decided it was for the best that they leave.
Then there was Dawn. She was elf like in appearance. Such a small and dainty frame with snow white skin, even her ears were pointed and sharp. Her eyes were a dull blue, framed by thick eyebrows and dark bags under her eyes, and her hair was a thick mane of pale blonde hair. Beneath her waist was the bottom of a Stellata jellyfish, a rather harmless creature with a mild stinger. Dawn was such a sweet and caring individual, especially when it came to nature, which was what led to her exile. You see, Dawn was able to see the good in anyone and any creature. Even humans. However it was deemed revolting to have any positive emotional attachment to a human. Dawn vowed to never cause harm to any living creature no matter how vile but that didn't sit well with the others in the tribe. They were supposed to cause destruction to the human race, not make friends with them. Which was why they decided that the human siding freak should leave the tribe.
Of course every story focuses on one particular character, and in this story she goes by the name of Courtney. Such a determined and wise individual. She knew what she wanted and exactly how to get it. Twisting laws and finding loopholes to her advantage. Thick brown hair decorated with shells and seaweed framed her face and sat neatly on her shoulders. Her eyes were large and dark with a flurry of thick lashes accompanied by a small upturned nose and wide thick her waist was the tail of an angel fish, a strong purple base with dual fins either side, and a large fin in an almost olive colour that matched the few stripes decorating the the others, her actions were not the reason she was forced into exile. She followed the rules, she was a good girl. Poised and proper and absolutely perfect. However herreputation of a perfect child was shattered when a murder occurred in the tribe, but of course Courtney had nothing to do with the murder of a fellow mermaid. But due to a certain grudge held between her and another member of her tribe, Courtney was framed and banished from their part of the waters. It was extremely unfair as she wasn't even allowed a fair trial and of course she commented on that - she wasn't going to leave without a fight and that's why she was forcefully dragged out kicking and screaming.
Mermaids hunted males, mermen hunted females, it had been that way since the dawn of time and the tradition would stay that way for many years afterwards as was a custom among all mer-creatures that the opposite gender of the victim would be allowed to do what they please with the victims body. Be that feast upon the victims flesh, use their innards to decorate themselves and their homes, or to keep any items they found on the person's body. Merpeople of the same gender as the victim are not permitted to partake in these rituals. They stay silent and watch from the sidelines instead as a form of respect for the victim. Merpeople would collect items found on the victims body and keep them as a trophies. Items such as clothing and jewellery would be worn with pride as a symbol of accomplishment. Another custom was that the person who captured them would have first choice on what to do with the victim and take whatever items they found on their person, whatever was left was open to the other mer-people to do what the please with.
