A/N: Here, have a mermaid!AU that my brain thought up while in the shower last night.

I hope you thoroughly enjoy (because I wholeheartedly enjoyed writing it :) )

Summary: Merfolk Toothiana and Jack visit the ship graveyard to learn about the human world, unknowing that in doing so, they would save the life of Pitch Black, notorious Pirate King and captive of the British Navy.

Words: 1250

Prompts:

(AU) Mermaid

(dialogue) "We're not going to the graveyard!"

"Tip of the Fin"

Huffing in annoyance as his friend swam away from him, Jack quickly followed after, his strong tail letting him catch up to Toothiana only a few seconds later. He reached out and tugged gently on her seaweed clad hair, making her pause and take a second to look back at him.

"We're not going to the graveyard," he commented flatly before taking her hand and attempting to pull her in a different direction.

"Just because my father stated we weren't allowed to go there, doesn't mean he's the boss of us and can tell us what to do!" she argued back, resisting his attempt to redirect her.

"No, just that he's the merchief of our village and technically that means what he says goes," he replied. The two paused, his tail swishing animatedly in the water to keep steady.

"But we're both adults already!" Tooth complained, her green betta tail flickered agitatedly beneath her, the iridescent emerald green color shimmering in the sparse light that filtered down to them. The rays on the fins were billowy, so they were great for languid swims across scenic routes, but weren't especially effective in races or sprints. That's where Jack had her beat. His tail was much shorter and of a brilliant blue dwarf gourami with faint red speckling trailing down his dorsal side. His tail was meant for speed, and was one of the reasons why Tooth's father entrusted him with her care. He knew Jack would be able to keep up with her should she try to outswim her protection detail.

Which is exactly what happened here.

"He has a good reason for us not to go there. It's not a graveyard of our people, Tooth. It's a graveyard of them. Them and their weird vessels. The wooden ones that float but sink," Jack replied. Tooth gave a dreamy sigh, which was the complete opposite of what he was trying to stress.

"I know," she replied, her gaze gaining a faraway expression as she daydreamed for a moment. "I'm curious about them, and want to know more. And what better way to learn than from their dead?" she asked with a wide grin. "After all, there would be no chance we could talk to a live one."

Jack had no response to that, and so he hesitated a tad too long, allowing Tooth to spin in place to dart off towards the ship graveyard.

"Hey, wait!"

Catching up to her easily enough again, Tooth side eyed Jack, waiting for him to stop her. Jack pouted, but kept his gaze firmly ahead of them.

"Well if you're going to insist on going, I might as well come along in order to keep you safe. You know. Cause you're helpless and stuff," he said teasingly, reiterating what the king has insinuated only hours earlier of his only daughter. They continued swimming and slipped through a narrow opening in the rock in order to breach the reef barrier that kept larger creatures out.

There really wasn't anything too perilous or supernatural about these waters, just a large coral reef that could rip open the wooden hulls of those monstrosities during low tide. Tooth and Jack paused for a moment to take in the sight of the ship graveyard before them, numerous wooden vessels sunk and half buried from decades of ships running afoul of the reef. "So, what things are you looking for here-" Jack started but he stopped short as a large shadow passed over them, blocking them from the sparse sunlight that streamed through the waters.

They both looked up to find a massive ship moving too fast on the surface of the water. There was an explosion, and several large things were blasted off deck and plunged into the watery depths. The first ship thankfully made it through fine enough, retreating from the second ship that seemed to have black flags flying high, and powerful cannons blasting occasionally.

Jack kept his focus on the second ship as it slowed in order to navigate through the core, but Tooth's gasp drew his attention to the sinking debris.

"Jack, look!" She exclaimed, pointing to a large long object that seemed to have a weight tied to it. She darted off towards it, ignoring Jack's call of "Tooth, wait!"

He quickly followed after, and realized that it was a human, bound and gagged, his eyes closed, a thick chain wrapped around his ankles that tethered him to the weight that dragged him down. A stream of bubbles issued from his nose, but all too quickly the bubbles stopped, and Jack realized the man was drowning.

"Jack, help me!" Tooth exclaimed as she grabbed the human from under the arms in order to drag him up. A second later and Jack sprung into action. Pulling at the chains around the ankles, he managed to loosen it enough to slip the human free as Tooth loosened the human's gag and hand binds until they floated away. Tooth immediately darted away with the human in her arms, ducking into an unused grotto that luckily had an air pocket.

"Here, help me haul him up!" She declared, and Jack nodded. They managed to get him up onto a rock shelf, free of the water, just before the human coughed horribly, expelling water from his mouth. Jack pulled Tooth back a bit and they cautiously hid in the water. It took a few minutes before the human was able to catch his breath, but once he did, he looked up and Jack heard Tooth's breath hitch at the sight of the human's golden eyes.

"Who's there?" the human raspily called out. Jack pulled Tooth further into the water, his hand over her mouth to prevent her from responding. The human voice was rough, but sensual, and even Jack had a hard time not swooning to it. "Well, whoever you are, thank you," the human continued before collapsing back on his side, looking like he needed to recover his strength.

The two Merfolk continued to wait in silence for several minutes until they were sure that his even breathing was an indicator of his unconsciousness. Letting Tooth go, Jack waited with bated breath as they approached this beautiful man, the one with pale skin and dark hair and golden eyes more precious than any treasure pirates have lost in these waters. His clothes were waterlogged, but his dark shirt seemed to be ripped open, and long bloody welts on his toned chest hinted at what had happened to him on the ship before he plummeted into the water.

"Who is he?" Jack asked curiously as Tooth reached forward to sweep some wet hair out of the human's face. She made a face at the weird texture.

"I don't know. Someone important, maybe?" Tooth replied with a shrug. At Jack's look, she explained. "One ship was chasing the other. The ship being chased had him as a captive. He's important to them, at least." The slightest bit of movement and a low groan made them flinch back into the water, but it was a false alarm. He didn't wake up.

"Well, I know you said you wanted to learn more about the world above from the dead, but all I've got is a living one. Will he do?" Jack asked jokingly, pointing at the human they saved. Tooth cracked a smile, unable to tear her gaze away from the beautiful man before them.

"He'll have to do," she replied back teasingly.