Date: September 28, 2013
Setting: Gloom Beach Cafe
Event: Vandala and Sirena's lunch out starts off swimmingly, until one crude comment suddenly dampens the mood.
As Calm as a Typhoon
"Say that t' her again, ya lily-livered hog's head! I'll kick ya so mighty, ye'll be roomin' wit' Davy Jones!"
Vandala screeched back at the inside as the waiter slammed the door to the restaurant, fighting against Sirena's hold as she yanked the ghost pirate by the arm.
Sirena held on tightly, her lack of weight making it harder for her to keep a solid grip (times like this, she cursed her ghostly heritage). She yanked back, "Vandala, just leave them!"
Fighting against her for a moment, Vandala lunged at the restaurant, watching as the boo hag whom she'd had thrown her drink on took her skin off, flapping it out to get rid of the stray droplets that remained. I hope it sticks to your saggy ol' skin, she thought menacingly, though she was snapped out of it by the a sharp tug by Sirena, feeling the mermaid's webbed hands on her face as she forced her to turn her head to look at her, poudretteite pink eyes meeting lapis blue.
"'Dala, let it go!" Sirena scolded, her brows furrowed, "They're not worth it."
The pirate ghost stared at her, unwilling to back down. The ghost mermaid's glare proved much more intense, and she surrendered with a tired sigh and a drop of her shoulders. Sirena's stare melted away into sadness.
And the day had been going so well...
"Really? Neighthan and Isi?" Vandala asked as she squirted ketchup onto her fish and chips, staring at her ghoulfriend with an eyebrow raised.
Sirena nodded with a puffy-cheeked grin as she chewed on a mouthful of clam linguini. She swallowed, "Yeah, I know, unexpected. But I guess they've been fanging out after dance class, and he decided to take the leap and ask her."
"Blimey. I thought he was still holdin' out a fishin' line fer Frankie, th' poor scoundrel," Vandala giggled, "Imagine how bad a dance between them must be. Must be like hobbling on a peg leg wit' ol' Jack Ketch, I reckon."
The couple shared a laugh, visualizing just how disastrous a waltz would be in store for the graceful deer spirit in comparison to the clumsy zombicorn. Sirena calmed down, giving a loving glance to the pirate ghost before she reached into her bag. She pulled out a small box, presenting it to Vandala as a small blush made its way across her cheeks.
"Speaking of which, I got you something," she explained, a shy smile on her face.
Vandala looked down at the box, a sly grin growing, "Oh, what did ye do?"
"Well, I heard you talking to Kiyomi about how you were looking for some new jewelry pieces, and that they were really hard to find- oh, I just remember I was looking around the store, and the pieces were absolute fangbulous, and there were so many colors, especially these really cute pair of earrings-"
"Sirena."
"Right," the ghost mermaid said, getting back on track, "Anyways, I went to the antique shop, and there it was. Like it was destined for me. Anyway, Happy birthday."
She handed the box over to Vandala, the latter's smile growing at the gift. She opened the box, her eyes growing wide in amazement, her mouth opening in shock. Inside was a a beautiful necklace, the charms consisting of an anchor and a ship's weel. The whole thing was made out of shining rose gold, the ship's wheel decorated in small dark blue stones- possibly sapphires- their deep hue providing a beautiful contrast. The anchor had an enamel design on the front, white with pictures of red roses.
"Oh, Rina, 'tis beautiful!" Vandala exclaimed as she brought a hand to her mouth, still in awe of the beauty of the jewelry piece. "Oh, I lust it! Thank ye so much!"
She pulled the mermaid tightly to her as she wrapped her pale green arms around her, Sirena squeeling in delight that her ghoulfriend enjoyed the necklace, bringing her hands up and squeezing Vandala's arms in response. Vandala brought her head closer and kissed her cheek. Her heart was beating with pure ecstasy. She was so in love with this ghoul; it was quite amazing how they got to this point, considering how everyone regarded Vandala's initial hostility at Sirena upon their first meeting. Time proved to be all healing, however, and she couldn't be happier.
"Great, like I just needed to lose my appetite over a bunch of damn lesbos."
Unfortunately, the sweet moment was suddenly cut short.
The two nautical ghosts stopped hugging, turning their attention to where the remark had come from. Over by the windows, sitting at a booth, was a rather irritated looking boo hag. A few pieces of silverware rested in her baby's breath salad, her arms crossed and a pinched look upon her face. Her bright red hair was held up in a messy bun. Judging by the slightly wrinkled oxford shirt, kitten heels, and rather stiff looking blazer hanging on the back of her chair, she was on a lunch break. Vandala furrowed her brows at the woman, slowly loosening her arms from around Sirena's shoulders and making to stand up, before she was halted by the feel of Sirena's webbed hands grabbing her forearm.
"Dally, just leave it," Sirena fiercely whispered to her.
"I won't do anythin'," Vandala responded, "Yet."
Gently yanking her arm out of the latter's grip, Vandala scooted around the table, making her way over to where the boo hag was sitting, coming to a stop in front of her with her arms crossed. The skinless woman seemed to sense her presence, as she turned to her direction, her expression reading surprise before it quickly melted into contempt.
"What?" she sneered in a very rude tone.
Vandala frowned, "I couldn't help but overhear yer wee...comment, 'n was wonderin' if thar was a problem."
She made sure to respond with as much contempt as the monster in front of her.
The boo hag's frowned deepened, she turned in her chair, crossing her arms to mimic the ghost girl's stance, leaning her back on the window sill, her empty eye sockets narrowed in exasperation.
She spat in a Gullah accent, "Oh, nothing. Other than the fact I've had a very rough day and the last thing I need is having to see you flaunting yourselves out there for the world to see. Like there is a time and place for everything, but here is not one of them."
Vandala's eyes widened in disbelief and shock.
"'Flauntin'? 'Scuse me?!"
The boo hag waved her off nonchalantly, her brow muscles wrinkled together.
"Look, I know that with the laws changing and all this 'progressiveness' that you feel more comfortable being yourselves, and that's great and all, but that doesn't mean we all have to put up with your indecency. This is a restaurant, not a hotel suite."
Vandala felt her eye twitch, fists balling as she gritted her teeth. This bilge swiller had a lot of nerve, and a black eye with her name right on it coming right up!
"If ye don't like me 'n me ghoulfriend expressin' how much we love each other," she growled in between gritted teeth, "then I reckon ye can just ignore it."
The boo hag hissed, "Hard to when you're making out all over the table."
By this point, the standoff was beginning to get the attention of the other attendants in the restaurant, as well as some of the staff, some turning in their chairs to watch the exchange- a few sneakily getting their phones out, mentally urging for either party to throw a punch so they could record the action.
"Wait, we don't want any trouble here!" Sirena butted in, holding onto Vandala's arm, looking for any sign of negotiation from the boo hag, blue eyes nervous, "Surely you can understand wanting to just spend time with your loved ones, right? There's no need for any aggression from either of-"
"I don't think I was talking to you, half-breed!" The boo hag interrupted in a harsh volume.
"Oi! Don't call her that!" Vandala snapped back, slamming her hands on the table and getting face to face with the redhead.
"I be right here, so if ye have anythin' to shout, shout it, but ye leave her out 'o 'tis!"
The boo hag rolled her eyes, clearly un-intimidated as she brought her face closer to the pirate ghosts until the two were almost nose to nose, empty black staring down bright pink. She scoffed defiantly, "Figures that out of all people, you'd two be together: a reject Francis Drake and a freak of nature. Run along, you 'wee bonnie lass', and take your little mongrel with you, before you stink up the place with your seaweed breath-"
The boo hag suddenly cut herself off with a scream, caught off guard by the sudden feel of ice cold liquid being splashed all over her. She blinked her eyes, sputtering as she shot up from her seat. Sirena brought her hands to her mouth, exclaiming in surprise as she yelled to her date. Vandala still stood hunched towards her, her hand moving back towards her, her hand holding the boo hag's now empty glass of iced tea. She leaned forward, voice full of venom as she quietly whispered to the boo hag.
"Shove it up yer arse, ye worm riddled gut ache."
And with that, all hell broke loose.
"Well, there's one place we are now banned from," Sirena muttered as the two ghouls floated along the boardwalk, holding hands.
Vandala looked away in shame. It's not like she meant for them to get kicked out, but the old hag deserved it! It was one thing for her to spout her ugly comments, but the minute she started insulting Sirena, Vandala lost it. Nobody, and nobody, talked to her mate like that. Still, she had to admit, she did overreact a little with dumping her drink on her. And okay, maybe she did take a little far with body slamming the muscled woman on the table, but hey, it was a pirate's life. Someone take your booty, you gotta fight back.
She let out a sigh, swallowing her pride and tugging on the hybrid monster's wrist.
"Oi, you're right," she said, turning Sirena to her so she could see that she was being sincere.
"I be sorry. I didn't mean fer th' day to turn out like 'tis. Ye were so excited to come here, 'n Ihad to be off 'n lose me temper over some stupid cow's mouth."
Sirena smiled, appreciative at the apology. She took both Vandala's hands in her own, before reaching up and tenderly touching her cheek.
"It's okay. Hey, you want to go to that cove and look for shells?"
Vandala's smile instantly brightened, "Ye mean Baraboosa's cove? Where tons 'o booty is said to be buried?!"
"If you behave, I might let you see my booty."
Vandala smiled slyly at Sirena's comment, the two of their gazes growing with desire. Nodding her head in excitement, the pirate ghost dashed off, yelling over her shoulder at the ghost mermaid about last one to the cove being a rotten oyster. Sirena giggled as she darted off after her ghoulfriend, tail swimming rapidly in the air.
Okay, so it wasn't a total disaster...
Author's Note 7/9/2016:
What I changed: Yet again, another chapter completely rewritten. This chapter was originally just a brief chapter concerning Clawd and Cerise, the former thinking to himself about how the werewolves basically already know Cerise's secret despite everyone else still being in the dark. That was also probably one of the weakest chapters, so I'm glad to got to this one and mark a new slate. Especially since I get to write another one of my ships!
I am actually thinking about writing a SirenaxVandala fanfic concerning how they came to be a couple- I foreshadowed it briefly in this chapter- but I headcanon that the two didn't meet on good terms (it would concern my theory for Vandala's awakening as a ghost, which I plan to elaborate on in the backstory fanfic I plan to write about the MH ghosts that I mentioned in "Requiem". When that will be...I have no clue.
Stay tuned for the next chapter in the Great Rebirth!