p dir="ltr"When Dark woke it was to something wet and sticky-and smelling faintly of fish-poking his lips./p
p dir="ltr""Wake, burnt Jim." his blurry vision made out a man, who was far too close for his taste. "There's a storm coming. Jim must move for shelter before Jim gets caught in it."/p
p dir="ltr"The thing he was poking him with was a piece of fruit. It tasted sweet, like apple and... custard? He licked his lips. This island had star apples? He wished he could check for sure, but all his books were in the castle library. But he was nearly certain of it. And the purple apple looking fruit in the merman's hand confirmed it./p
p dir="ltr"Another detail caught his eye./p
p dir="ltr"Dark sat up, accepting the fruit from him and taking a bite. Careful around the skin as it wasn't edible. All the while trying to make out the odd indentations on the merman's tail. It didn't look natural./p
p dir="ltr"And once he noticed the small hooks he realized what it was./p
p dir="ltr""Jim."/p
p dir="ltr""Yes!"/p
p dir="ltr"Dark dropped the apple to his lap, reaching for the fishing line. Moving too fast for Jim's liking, making him hiss and flare his gills at the prince. Now they were both startled./p
p dir="ltr"Dark flinched, "Sorry-but doesn't that hurt?" he gestured to the line, noticing now that the tide had come in, making it short work for the merman to drag himself up along the shore./p
p dir="ltr""You mean the tangles?" Jim questioned, leaning back. Now Dark had a better look at the lines. They were digging into the merman's scales, wrapped tightly around him, possibly from the struggle. "A little... Jim is lucky, these tangles didn't belong to any bad boat Jims. The Jim takers." Jim takers? He'd have to ask about that. Later./p
p dir="ltr""I could untangle you." he suggested, and the look that flashed across Jim's face was one of realization and astonishment. As though the thought had never crossed his mind. Like he had just accepted that he'd have to live on with this fishing line digging into him. "It might hurt, a little bit."/p
p dir="ltr""Please! Help Jim!"/p
p dir="ltr"It took quite some time and a lot of maneuvering, and cursing, but eventually Dark had it. There were times where the young Jim cried. Usually whenever a scale was popped off or Dark's hand slipped up./p
p dir="ltr""I think that just about does it. I'd stay away from any fishermen if I were you."/p
p dir="ltr"The merman leaned back, sitting on wet sand with the water barely lapping at his tail. A small amount of blood stained the beach around him. And Dark's hands./p
p dir="ltr"Jim squealed in delight, throwing his arms around Dark. "Thank you, nice boat Jim!"/p
p dir="ltr""Actually-my name is Dark." he chuckled, patting Jim's back./p
p dir="ltr""Dark Jim!" close enough, he figured. "Now! It's Jim's turn to do the helping!" helping with what? Finding shelter? He hoped so. "Come come!" Come!" he released Dark, flopping back and rolling until he was in the water, beaming Dark's way as he said something to his brother./p
p dir="ltr"Where had the older two gone? They had to be nearby. They didn't look the type to leave these younglings unsupervised./p
p dir="ltr"Dark shoved the wad of fishing line in his pocket. He could make use of it. Jim wanted to keep the hooks, he didn't know where he put them on his person. Hopefully somewhere safe./p
p dir="ltr""Dark Jim! Come on! Follow the shore!"br /-br /He ended up in a cave of sorts, one the young Jims could easily reach themselves. As it opened at the water. Far in the back there was a nice dry area. Untouched by the tide and already lit by a fire./p
p dir="ltr"A man sat beside it, staring blankly into the flames. Dark recognized him. This was that striped merman. He didn't know who else would have such thick bands down the length of his body, all the way to his feet./p
p dir="ltr""Jim?" he spoke, sitting a few feet away opposite him, star apple in hand./p
p dir="ltr"He didn't answer, all he did was look up, stare at Dark, and then return to the flames. Whatever was eating him, it must have been terrible. It wasn't Dark's place to ask./p
p dir="ltr"Yet Jim began to speak anyway. "Jim knows Dark Jim has questions. 'Why is Jim upset?' Yes?" when the prince nodded, he continued, "Jim has lost. Much." the merman's hands instinctively went to his neck, where his gills-closed-lay. And now Dark could see it. A faint outline. Two hands. Wrapped around Jim's throat./p
p dir="ltr"In a world full of soulmates, people were bound to lose theirs. And when that happened their soulmarks changed. He's heard the physical pain in unbearable. As it fades it worsens. As faded as Jim's was, it must have been quite a while. But that didn't make the pain any less./p
p dir="ltr""I... am sorry for your loss, Jim." what else could he say?/p
p dir="ltr""So is Jim..." he hummed, running his fingers along faint outlines of fingers. "Jim's soulmate was a kind fisherjim. Helped free Jim, from the Takers." that would explain why the mark was around his neck. He was assuming the Takers were those who made a living hunting and trapping merfolk. Some for sport. Others for food. Or jewelry./p
p dir="ltr"It was disgusting./p
p dir="ltr""Jim used to wait everyday, at our spot. Such a kind soulmate. Jim couldn't ask for better." his smile faded, "Then... Jim never saw soulmate again. Now Jim knows why."/p
p dir="ltr""I can't imagine what you're going through."/p
p dir="ltr""But can't you?" Jim looked up, gesturing to his shoulder, where Dark's shirt had slipped down. Thanks to all those missing buttons. Now his mark was right on display. And he hurried to cover it. "Dark Jim's mark is black. So sad." he sighed./p
p dir="ltr""What-" he was confused, "What do you mean? Aren't they emall/em supposed to be black?" Dark had never seen anything different. Not in his entire life. His mother, his father. Everyone he knew had black soulmarks. Everyone whose mark he could see at least. "Why would that be sad?"/p
p dir="ltr""Black marks indicate imbalance. Soulmates are supposed to work together. To create balance. Sometimes, if one feels more for the other. Or has more control in the relationship. The mark turns black."/p
p dir="ltr"Dark never knew that. But now that he thought about it, his parents dynamics made a lot of sense now./p
p dir="ltr""Soulmates aren't supposed to mesh right away. Colors change. Ideally your mark will change to your soulmate's aura. And that takes work. And Jim sees many humans with pitch black marks. And that's why it's sad." Jim must have seen the look on Dark's face, because his somber tune changed quickly. "But Jim is sure Dark Jim and Dark Jim's soulmate will have a good bond! Soon!"/p
p dir="ltr"Dark looked to the fruit in his hand. "I... don't think my mark will ever change, Jim. But thank you."/p
p dir="ltr""Wake, burnt Jim." his blurry vision made out a man, who was far too close for his taste. "There's a storm coming. Jim must move for shelter before Jim gets caught in it."/p
p dir="ltr"The thing he was poking him with was a piece of fruit. It tasted sweet, like apple and... custard? He licked his lips. This island had star apples? He wished he could check for sure, but all his books were in the castle library. But he was nearly certain of it. And the purple apple looking fruit in the merman's hand confirmed it./p
p dir="ltr"Another detail caught his eye./p
p dir="ltr"Dark sat up, accepting the fruit from him and taking a bite. Careful around the skin as it wasn't edible. All the while trying to make out the odd indentations on the merman's tail. It didn't look natural./p
p dir="ltr"And once he noticed the small hooks he realized what it was./p
p dir="ltr""Jim."/p
p dir="ltr""Yes!"/p
p dir="ltr"Dark dropped the apple to his lap, reaching for the fishing line. Moving too fast for Jim's liking, making him hiss and flare his gills at the prince. Now they were both startled./p
p dir="ltr"Dark flinched, "Sorry-but doesn't that hurt?" he gestured to the line, noticing now that the tide had come in, making it short work for the merman to drag himself up along the shore./p
p dir="ltr""You mean the tangles?" Jim questioned, leaning back. Now Dark had a better look at the lines. They were digging into the merman's scales, wrapped tightly around him, possibly from the struggle. "A little... Jim is lucky, these tangles didn't belong to any bad boat Jims. The Jim takers." Jim takers? He'd have to ask about that. Later./p
p dir="ltr""I could untangle you." he suggested, and the look that flashed across Jim's face was one of realization and astonishment. As though the thought had never crossed his mind. Like he had just accepted that he'd have to live on with this fishing line digging into him. "It might hurt, a little bit."/p
p dir="ltr""Please! Help Jim!"/p
p dir="ltr"It took quite some time and a lot of maneuvering, and cursing, but eventually Dark had it. There were times where the young Jim cried. Usually whenever a scale was popped off or Dark's hand slipped up./p
p dir="ltr""I think that just about does it. I'd stay away from any fishermen if I were you."/p
p dir="ltr"The merman leaned back, sitting on wet sand with the water barely lapping at his tail. A small amount of blood stained the beach around him. And Dark's hands./p
p dir="ltr"Jim squealed in delight, throwing his arms around Dark. "Thank you, nice boat Jim!"/p
p dir="ltr""Actually-my name is Dark." he chuckled, patting Jim's back./p
p dir="ltr""Dark Jim!" close enough, he figured. "Now! It's Jim's turn to do the helping!" helping with what? Finding shelter? He hoped so. "Come come!" Come!" he released Dark, flopping back and rolling until he was in the water, beaming Dark's way as he said something to his brother./p
p dir="ltr"Where had the older two gone? They had to be nearby. They didn't look the type to leave these younglings unsupervised./p
p dir="ltr"Dark shoved the wad of fishing line in his pocket. He could make use of it. Jim wanted to keep the hooks, he didn't know where he put them on his person. Hopefully somewhere safe./p
p dir="ltr""Dark Jim! Come on! Follow the shore!"br /-br /He ended up in a cave of sorts, one the young Jims could easily reach themselves. As it opened at the water. Far in the back there was a nice dry area. Untouched by the tide and already lit by a fire./p
p dir="ltr"A man sat beside it, staring blankly into the flames. Dark recognized him. This was that striped merman. He didn't know who else would have such thick bands down the length of his body, all the way to his feet./p
p dir="ltr""Jim?" he spoke, sitting a few feet away opposite him, star apple in hand./p
p dir="ltr"He didn't answer, all he did was look up, stare at Dark, and then return to the flames. Whatever was eating him, it must have been terrible. It wasn't Dark's place to ask./p
p dir="ltr"Yet Jim began to speak anyway. "Jim knows Dark Jim has questions. 'Why is Jim upset?' Yes?" when the prince nodded, he continued, "Jim has lost. Much." the merman's hands instinctively went to his neck, where his gills-closed-lay. And now Dark could see it. A faint outline. Two hands. Wrapped around Jim's throat./p
p dir="ltr"In a world full of soulmates, people were bound to lose theirs. And when that happened their soulmarks changed. He's heard the physical pain in unbearable. As it fades it worsens. As faded as Jim's was, it must have been quite a while. But that didn't make the pain any less./p
p dir="ltr""I... am sorry for your loss, Jim." what else could he say?/p
p dir="ltr""So is Jim..." he hummed, running his fingers along faint outlines of fingers. "Jim's soulmate was a kind fisherjim. Helped free Jim, from the Takers." that would explain why the mark was around his neck. He was assuming the Takers were those who made a living hunting and trapping merfolk. Some for sport. Others for food. Or jewelry./p
p dir="ltr"It was disgusting./p
p dir="ltr""Jim used to wait everyday, at our spot. Such a kind soulmate. Jim couldn't ask for better." his smile faded, "Then... Jim never saw soulmate again. Now Jim knows why."/p
p dir="ltr""I can't imagine what you're going through."/p
p dir="ltr""But can't you?" Jim looked up, gesturing to his shoulder, where Dark's shirt had slipped down. Thanks to all those missing buttons. Now his mark was right on display. And he hurried to cover it. "Dark Jim's mark is black. So sad." he sighed./p
p dir="ltr""What-" he was confused, "What do you mean? Aren't they emall/em supposed to be black?" Dark had never seen anything different. Not in his entire life. His mother, his father. Everyone he knew had black soulmarks. Everyone whose mark he could see at least. "Why would that be sad?"/p
p dir="ltr""Black marks indicate imbalance. Soulmates are supposed to work together. To create balance. Sometimes, if one feels more for the other. Or has more control in the relationship. The mark turns black."/p
p dir="ltr"Dark never knew that. But now that he thought about it, his parents dynamics made a lot of sense now./p
p dir="ltr""Soulmates aren't supposed to mesh right away. Colors change. Ideally your mark will change to your soulmate's aura. And that takes work. And Jim sees many humans with pitch black marks. And that's why it's sad." Jim must have seen the look on Dark's face, because his somber tune changed quickly. "But Jim is sure Dark Jim and Dark Jim's soulmate will have a good bond! Soon!"/p
p dir="ltr"Dark looked to the fruit in his hand. "I... don't think my mark will ever change, Jim. But thank you."/p