a_musingly | [Closed to disassembling MERTRASH

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disassembling,
mcu

[Closed to disassembling MERTRASH

He wasn't supposed to be out so soon during the aftermath of a storm, especially one that was as big as a hurricane. Especially not one of this magnitude. But his body, after the series of treatments containing nasty tasting potions as concocted by Erskine had worked, was strong and new to him, and he loved doing all the things that his weak and sick body couldn't do before.

One of those things were riding the still-strong waves in search of interesting human artifacts to bring back to the clan. There was always more floating around after a storm, especially the bigger pieces, from shipwrecks and things that humans have left carelessly unsecured on their ships when a storm hit. Now he's actually strong enough to bring the bigger pieces home and could go further than he could before. Some of the more interesting pieces he will keep for himself but other would be given to friends or traded for other things.

In the far distance under the sunshine that was starting to peak out from the clearing storm clouds, he spotted the glint of metal and started to swim towards it, eager to find out what his first find of the day would be.

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He was far more used to people and mers alike fearing him or at least giving him a wide respectful berth in all things. He stared at the blond who seemed intent to have some kind of conversation with him as to the reason to be out in the currents. "I shouldn't keep you from that then," he remarked pointedly.

He undulated his tail and began to move out into the strong currents slowly, his shoulders making the motions stiff. He couldn't remember when he had associated with a group of his own kind. "I have a package to drop off." That being the briefcase still in his deathgrip. He swam slowly, making little progress but using it as an excuse as a 'warm up' for more aggressive swimming.

Others might be afraid or at the very least wary at the sight of the wild looking mer with the metal arm, but not Steve. Instead he was fascinated, never having met anyone like the other mer before. "Don't worry you're not." He answered cheerfully, with a cheeky look in his eyes. "I can swim and talk at the same time just fine."

He wasn't really all THAT curious about the briefcase, or so he told himself. ~~HE WAS~~. He was more worried that the other mer will collapse someplace. The currents were still stronger than usual thanks to the storm that had only passed a an hour or two earlier and progress that slow will not get him moving anywhere soon. Steve swam a bit ahead easily before rolling so that he was facing the other mer, his motions smooth and elegant compared to the stiff movements the other mer was displaying. "Also not stopping you."

This was a persistence merman, clearly willing to follow him as he struggled against the constantly changing currents that were responding to the wind that still raged above them at the surface. He had no choice but to follow in the blond's wake, Steve's body cutting through the water and providing him a slightly easier time as he forced his body to endure.

"You talk a lot," he remarked with a growl. He was still thrown around a bit in the water, but he was starting to make head way towards the shoreline, which was many miles off. He narrowed his eyes and huffed, ducking his head and pushing through the water. "You don't have to follow me either."

Stubborn was his other name, according to friends. Steve told himself it was justifiable concern for the other mer, seeing him struggling in the currents that he himself was having no problems with, and was sure that normally would be no problems for the other mer had he hadn't been injured by the fallen beam. So he had every reason to hang around some more, no matter how growly the other mer was being. It was kind of cute actually.

"Not especially. Maybe it's just you who brings it out?" He responded cheekily, doing another unnecessary twirl in the water. "And have you considered I might just be going in the same direction as you are? A happy coincidence?" Steve WAS wondering where the other mer was going. There wasn't any other mer clans in that direction, so far as Steve was aware. Only humans in their dwellings on land close to the shore.

There was no pausing in completing a mission, even if he was grossly delayed because of being trapped. It still meant that he had to show up, to hand off the necessary items and accepting punishment for his tardiness, even if it was beyond his control. He struggled through the currents still, single-minded in his intensity to push through the pain he was in, putting more effort in.

"I have my doubts you are going to land-based civilization," he replied, glancing suspiciously at the blond. It seemed highly unlikely, given that what he remembered was that the clans avoided detection as much as possible. "Go back looking for treasure."

"Of course not. Humans are..." Steve's answer was derailed as his mind caught up to the implications of what the other mer had just said. "But you are. You're going to humans to..." His eyes flickered to the briefcase still tightly clutched in the other mer's hands. "That briefcase is for them. You work with humans?!?" Steve's voice sounded like a mixture of horror and shock. He couldn't imagine any clan allowing this, not even his own, and his clan was considered one of the more open ones. It was just too dangerous; there have always been stories of humans doing awful things to mers they've caught.

He certainly can't go back to looking for treasure NOW.

He watched the other mer as he struggled against the mixed currents, heading towards the shoreline without caring how it might appear. He curled a lip, exposing a hint of sharp teeth at the accusation, even if it was plainly true. His masters demanded that he bring this treasure to them, and he performed on their order.

"You should get well away from me. They won't hesitate with good fortune should another of my kind were to surface with me."

Steve kept up easily with the other mer, his body moving on automatic even as his thoughts swirled around his mind frantically. He ignored the bared teeth even as his flared instinctively in response. "But why?" He demanded, baffled at why would any mer would work willingly with humans, especially since these ones don't seem like the type to treat one well. "You don't have to go back. You can stay here, out of reach." Human couldn't reach them easily so far down in the deep after all, not often and not with the aid of machines or clumsy gear.

This mer was annoyingly persistent when he had made all of his warnings and intentions clear. The flare was as good as a reaction he had managed, and he glared as he tried to put some distance between them, but the other could keep up with him easily.

"No, I can't. I have to go back," he replied coldly, shifting his grip on the briefcase and pulling it closer to his body in an attempt to stream line his form. "I don't expect you to understand. Now go away. You following me will only end in pain for you."

Steve was well aware he was being pest but this was just to wrong for him to let go. Just what was in the briefcase that the other mer was retrieving for humans didn't matter any more, just that he was doing it. And all the warnings about pain being in store for him if he followed only convinced Steve that whoever these humans were, they're not treating the dark haired mer well.

"Well, since you're not explaining anything, I don't see how I could understand. I can be very very stubborn." Stranger or not, Steve wasn't the type to let anything he sees walk willingly into pain and suffering for no reason.

"I work for them," he finally clarified, which was the simplest explanation and also the least confusing. It wasn't entirely the truth either, but he could see no other way to convince the other mer to leave him to his mission. He was not about the risk another of his kind to be captured and enslaved, even if it was difficult to mentally call himself that.

"I'm not in physical condition to fight you or drive you off, so I expect you to be gone before we hit the shallows of your own volition."

That really didn't clarify much for Steve; he already guessed he other mer worked for humans. What he wanted was details, the whys and the hows. Maybe then he could understand and make his arguments on why the other mer should get himself away as far and quick as possible.

"That doesn't explain anything at all." Steve complained even as he continued to swim, matching the other mer's slower pace. "I know how to hide from humans, thank you very much."

He turned his head to regard the other mer still diligently keeping up with him, and even with his continual struggling, he had to admire some of that tenacity. It annoyed him too but he respected it too. Chasing off this particular specimen was going spectacularly. Normally it only took saying that he worked for humans to get a snub and a hiss of insult for his apparent life choices.

"And they know how to catch merfolk," he replied coldly. "I have a time limit; if I haven't made contact at that limit, they will come to find me after paralyzing me. If they don't come fast enough, I drown." There was way more to it than that, but it was the basics.

His innate stubbornness was what kept him alive to this day, or so many people have told him. Steve had long since learned to turn it onto anyone and anything, and right now that subject is the other mer still fighting against the currents to his destination. It will take much more than horrifying tales and a cold demeanour to get him to go away once he's interested.

And he IS interested. There was just something about the other mer that fascinates him and Steve doesn't want to go that easily.

The other mer's were appalling and that made Steve all the more determined to get him away from the nasty humans. "I know people...wise people...I'm sure they can help with that." He said desperately. Erskine was old and he didn't travel far from his isolated home any more but his mind was still clear. Erskine had helped him, Steve was sure he could help this mer too.

"There won't be time," he growled, flicking a glare at the blond that persistently followed and questioned. "I've been trapped under wreckage for hours. I have to report in." He fully intended to check in, hand off the package and would get looked over once he was hauled out of the water.

Yet, he twisted in the water to face the blond, showing all of his sharp teeth. "I think you've misplaced your concern for me. I don't need your help. If you stay or follow me, you're going to get hurt or worse captured."

"I think it's YOU that have misplaced your concern for me. I can take care of myself, even around humans." Steve hissed back irritably at the further sign of aggression, fins flaring once more. He'd never met anyone so resistant to being helped. Never mind the fact Steve himself had hated being 'helped' when his body had been small and weak. But he had also accepted help when he really needed, like that time he was so sick he couldn't keep any food but this particular kind of seaward. (His body was far less picky now and he was very thankful about that.)

"Have you tried leaving before?" Was that why the other mer wouldn't leave? Or they are blackmailing him with something, Steve thought darkly to himself, his general opinion of humans going downhill the more 'ideas' his mind came up with.

He hissed and showed all of his sharp teeth in reply, his fins making an attempt to rise in return threat but his dorsal ones caused a spasm up his spine. He shook himself out in the water to rid himself of the ebbing tingling. "Then take the risk and if you're caught or killed, you can't blame me for what happens to you."

He might not remember everything that happened to him, but there were signs. The scars, the pools where he lived and how they were specifically set up to drag him from the water when necessary. There were specific matts and fans to blow the water from his body, to force his scales to dry and crack so that he could assume human form if necessary for land missions.

"I don't know, but I suspect that I have," he replied.

Steve, other than his first instinctual response to threat displays is to return with one of his own, has never been impressed with them otherwise. And the other mer's wasn't particularly threatening to him either, not with a visible spasm that interrupted it, despite the sharp teeth shown. "I already told you I'm not going to blame you no matter what." He sniffed.

And no one, human or mer had helped the other mer escape, Steve thought sadly. Or other mer might have taken his word that he needed no help and humans...well, it was already humans who was doing this to him. "Oh...well, maybe we can change it this time around." He said brightly. Because two heads is better than one, right?

"The only way to change any of this is for me to get to land before I drown, and on land, I am vulnerable for awhile. I don't suppose you go wandering up on two legs, huh?" It was highly scandalous to do so except for specific hunting purposes for occasionally for mating when the pickings were slim or unfavourable. He spent as much time on two legs as he did in the water, but at least he could breathe above the waves when his gill slits sealed over.

So he continued to head to the shore, aware that it was a source of survival. The fact that the blond was still persistently following was less of an irritation and more of a curiosity now. Few mers were so forceful.

"O...occasionally." Steve answered evasively, eyes shifting guiltily away. He really wasn't supposed to but his curiosity got the better of him the few times he snuck landside and explored topside on two legs. Never too far away from the shore or too long of course, and always making sure no humans were nearby too see. Or any other mers either for that matter. He would never hear the end of it if someone actually spotted him, especially as there wasn't anything he was hunting and definitely not for a mate.

It wasn't curiosity that drove him onward this time but sheer stubbornness added with concern. Some was say (and probably even the mer in question) would say the concern was misplaced but Steve was a firm believer in doing what was right. And helping was the right thing to do.

The Soldier turned his head and revealed his sharp teeth at the evasive answer, a knowing grin if there ever had been one. He might not have all of his memories intact, but he knew from experience the taboo nature of just wandering around for the sake of trying out one's legs. "So you have no idea how to even blend in while on land. You'll only bring more attention to me."

And they were fast approaching land. There were the wide mat of floating debris on the surface from and the sea was more restless the closer to shore they came. He struggled less in the currents because everything was pushing towards the shore now, and he dipped closer to the sandy bottom to keep from touching the debris from the hurricane.

"Or maybe, that's what we should do, exactly." Steve said, pausing mid-stroke. "Instead of blending in, if I draw off all their attention to me, then you can have a chance to recover then escape." Steve can be impulsive, especially after having decided on an action that he believes firmly should be done, but it didn't mean he was going to charge in blindly into a situation he doesn't know. "What do they do exactly after you go up to land..." His voice trailed off as one hand flapped to the side in a gesture that meant 'you know what I mean'.

He picked up his pace again, following the other mer's lead in ducking closer to the bottom. There were quite a few debris floating on the surface that he usually would be interested in picking through for something new to bring home, but now his attention was fully on the other mer.

"That's a good way for you to get captured and tortured," he replied but didn't discount the idea now that it was clear that he would be followed right up onto the land. It was an emergency situation where technically Steve could make sounds enough to warrant investigation for injury and then head off the agents that would be retrieving him. "Normally, a team is dispatched to collect me. They guard me until I can obtain my legs and then walk me to transport to be taken back to the current base of operations. I give a mission report and am checked over."

He slowed his pace only to look around for landmarks on where he was supposed to haul himself up. The briefcase would not leave his grip until he had handed it off. "I may receive a medical once over while I wait to change."

"They'll have to be able to catch me first. If I stay in water, and draw their attention that way you can get away, right? Even if it's in shallow water I'll have the advantage." Steve said confidently. "And if they're that eager to catch another mer, I should have no problem keeping their attention." He paused for a moment, then added. "How many guards?" He was good but even he couldn't fight against too many humans with their weapons. Hopefully there wouldn't be too many.

He frowned at the words 'medical once over'. It all sounded so cold, but he suppose he couldn't expect much more of humans who would force a mer to work for them against their will. "Will that be enough time for you to recover?"

"I'm not certain that will work," he replied but thought there was a chance. After all, he did not associate with his own kind much, but he was certain that he was always the prize for capture. There wasn't any specific memories associated with multiple captures, but it was an impression that he had. "Standard tac-team," he replied before glancing over. "Ten to twelve men on the ground to collect me and remove evidence I ever existed."

He swam slower in the water, sensing that they were getting closer to shore. He could breathe if he had to should his time be up. All it took was shoving through the debris with his head and taking a deep breath. "I need approximately ten minutes to dry off on sand. If there is too much debris, it will take longer."

[Closed to disassembling MERTRASH

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