Au Claggor collab coming your way!🫵🏽 (the fic written by me and art drawn by @fiongbonto!) I had fun with this collab, so hope you enjoy the art and reading! (Artwork is shown at the end.)
Characters: sailor Au Claggor & mermaid, Ekko, Mylo, Jericho
❗️TW: mention of a injury
As Claggor worked partially at jerichos, he helped bring in fish and other sea ingredients for the diner. But while working, had an unexpected wonder over his head while fishing one day. Like a creature or fellow being was unexpected for him.
Claggor had steady mornings along the coastline of zaun while he was working. The feeling of the cold and soft breeze and smell of Salt water brushing across his face and open chest. Standing tall on the side of his boat while the fish below him swam and roam around the bottom of the boat, uncertain about the fishing hook that awaited them. Claggor was patient with the fish as he was when days were slow, whenever he’d got back to Jericho’s diner with a half empty load he wasn’t too nervous about the small lectures Jericho would give him. Including not understanding what he was talking about most of the time.
During Claggors breaks, jericho randomly would tell stories and past life experiences on owning the diner and different varieties of fish he cooked. But one of his recent stories mentioned something else, a mermaid. Claggor didn’t believe much of it because Jericho was one of the only people with a tail he knew. The other fishermen called it a myth and laughed it off , but Claggor was just happy to listen.
After the finished night shifts, Claggor and some other fellow fishermen would visit a pub or bar and sit at one of the docks, drinking and chatting. Tonight, Claggor decided to hang with them a little longer while they talked among themselves.
“Loading all that fish sure put a crook in my neck.” One fisherman said, slicking his hair and head back in exhaustion.
“You’re exhausted from taking loads? The stories from the fishman bored me to death!” Another replied, the fishman being Jericho.
“You said it, all that talk about merrrmaiids and mythical creatures, he might grow a bigger tail himself! HA!” Another replied, in slurred and teasing speech,drunk. Having them all cackle and clink beer glasses. Enough beers and booze now had them jokingly smack talking Jericho. Except for Claggor, he just observed and listened, not talking unless asked a question or approached.
One of the fellow men noticed Claggor at another table, as he was being timid and not joining in on the silly banter.
“Oi! Clag boy, you’re quite as a mouse over yonder. What you do think?” One yelled.
“Oh, the mermaids? I think it’s possible, no harm in believing it.” Claggor said, looking into his cup and taking a sip.
The other fellows looked at Claggor questionably with an awkward silence. Side eyeing each other and until all of them went into an obnoxious laugh, filling up the pub.
“There’s no way, you actually believe Jericho. Or even understand him at least.” One teased, inching to see if Claggor was for real or not.
“His stories seem pretty understanding. I don’t see the big deal.” Claggor stated.
“AUGH! the big deal iiisss coming back from the seas to the same or different stories in rotation!” One stated, the others nodded and agreed.
“But, I guess Claggor can catch us a mermaid and put us out of our misery.” One added, with an obnoxious smirk while raising his glass to the table, having them all laugh.
Even though Claggor felt a little embarrassed, he didn’t make an argument out the that comment. He simply paid his tab and left with a final response.
“Maybe it’ll put you out of the job.” Claggor stated, walking out the door and leaving his payment on his table.
Claggor didn’t think too much about the unnecessary comment or let it get to him. After he left, he went to go sit at the docks, to his surprise, Mylo & Ekko were already there, feet dangling over the water and catching up. As Claggor walked down the dock, Mylo took notice behind him.
“Ayy! Maty! What a nice surprise!” Mylo said, raising his arms in excitement.
“Maty? He’s not exactly a pirate.” Ekko chuckled.
“Might as well smell like one with all the fish.” Claggor said, taking a seat next to Ekko.
“Yeah and booze too. Where you been? Besides the seven seas.” Mylo asked.
“Came back from the pub. Came down here to get away from those other meat heads.” Claggor said.
“Kept Smack talking about Jerichos mermaid stories and how they sound ‘boring’. “ he added.
“Well, do you think they’re real?” Mylo asked .
“I don’t see why not.” Claggor answered, without hesitation or a second guess about his belief in mermaids.
Mylo shrugged his shoulders with a smirk , with Ekko nodding his head.
“Whatever rocks your boat Clag, literally.” Mylo teased,elbowing Ekko for a laugh.
“But, how do you know for sure?” Ekko asked.
Claggor shrugged his shoulders, in a mix of consideration and confidence of his response.
“I mean, they sound pretty legit. Coming from Jerichos past experiences I think they’d be true.” He replied. Ekko and Mylo didn’t question him any further that night. From there, Claggor said bye and decided to take his boat out for a night sail.
Regarding his belief in mermaids,he always felt an another being in the water, something besides catfish and sea bass. He assumed that it was just him being sea sick or paranoid about nothing. Tonight, Claggor went fishing and watched the sky. Allowing the glare of the moon to lay across his profile and glisten the water. With Claggor throwing his rod in, he sat and waited for any to come by, no rush or hurry for a delivery to bring back. Just a midnight getaway to enjoy himself. Then he got something, it was tugging on the hook of the rod like it was something huge.
Claggor eagerly stood up looking over the edge of the boat, seeing that the figure was struggling to move. Over and over again, it would squirm and wiggle some more then stop to ease the pace or catch its breath. But Claggor couldn’t tell it apart by its appearance, its mesh tail swaying up and down while its pale green tone showed. From the tail up, its body covered and coated in deep pastel shades on its scales. If only it could swim farther above, Claggor would be able to see its full profile. He didn’t suspect that it was a mermaid yet, so in action, he took his fishing rod and pulled it up. But creature had other plans, it fought back, yanking down and still struggling to escape the hook.
It seemed that this fish was stronger than he thought. He started to tilt over, loosing his grip and then falling into the water. The voice of another sailor was heard nearby as they saw Claggor fall in.
“Man overboard! Man overboard!” He yelled,trying to alert anyone else if they were near by.
For the few seconds Claggor was under the surface, that’s when he saw her. A mermaid. Claggor was taken aback, his attention not even on oxygen but on what was right before his eyes. ‘No way.’ He thought to himself too stunned to speak, but not from falling in. She too, the mermaid was startled, not only that but injured. She was able to escape the hook,but it caused a fissure in her hip. Her and Claggor floated there for a good minute, staring at each other in confused and bewilderment. Without thinking twice she began to swim away, but before she could get far Claggor grabbed her hand and mumbled “wait!”, pointing up to the surface.
Swimming up to the surface, Claggor gasped for air as she snatched her arm back, in frustration and fear, not sure of what intentions this human man had.
“Are you alright?” He asked.
She didn’t answer, the girl injured and confused wasn’t sure. But Claggor already took notice too her injury the red liquid spreading to the surface as she struggled to even keep a Float.
“Into the boat. You need care.” He said, swimming back and lifting her up, sitting her down. Her tail looked the same as before but now with her full profile, Claggor could see her long fluorescent hair and decorated top that complimented her tail. But his urgency on her injury. Taking a step back, he kneeled down to examine her.
“jeez. Im sorry-i- I didn’t know that… a mermaid would catch on instead..” He said in guilt, apologetic for what happened.
“I’m gonna go get an aid kit, stay right here.” He assured, rushing to the cockpit of the boat and ruffling through storage.
Coming back, he sat back down with her to start the process of healing her cut. While he went through the medical stuff he had side add ons.
“I gotta say, I’m surprised a big guy like myself got yanked like that.” he added, with a nervous chuckle. She didn’t talk as much yet, knowing that she was in need of help, it wouldn’t matter of he yapped the whole time. Without a response, still and awkward silence took place, one in disbelief and the other in delaying fear. Until she, said
Claggor looked up at her, in unexpectedness that she said something. “it’s alright, happens to most fishermen.”
He soon took out the rubbing alcohol and bandages, the hook already fell out of her hip when he lifted her in so all he had to do now was patch it down and stop the bleeding.
“hold still,this might sting.” He said, lightly patting the cloth on her injury, she took a quiet hiss in distress. Not only flinching up but flapping her tail agitatedly, after he finished , he secured the fissure with bandages and then carried her up to the cockpit. Unsure if she was able to swim again or not, he provided her with towels and blankets seeing that was shivering, he also provided her with food and snacks.
“mmm! What do you call these?” She asked, mouth half full and taking more after each bite.
“sunflower seeds, but… you don’t eat the shells..”
She took an instant pause and stopped eating them, taking notice that they Weren’t fully edible. “Oh.. oops.”
She seemed to quickly open up to Claggor now, even though she only knew him for a short amount of time, she didn’t see him as a threat or like another fisherman who would intend on harming her. It seemed that she too, heard stories about humans,similar to how Claggor hears stories about mermaids. They haven’t even exchanged names yet either.
“I never got your name.” Claggor said.
“Claggor.” He said, holding the palm of his hand up to his chest.
Claggor knew without proof that the other drunken fishermen were proved wrong. He didn’t feel the need to go to the diner the next morning and show evidence of a real mermaid. No need to boast or rub it in. Just taking in the moment and having open ears and eyes for a fellow being who too, was mistaken for whatever mythical thing they believed in.
