“Busy” was a matter of opinion. For some, one customer was busy. For others, scrambling to tend to a horde of staring bystanders was busy. For Lucy, busy meant not really having the time to complete any one task before being promptly interrupted at the last second and having to abandon it, thus leaving odds and ends all over the store with the feeble hope that someone else might wrap them up or she’d catch a break to do so herself. This exact moment happened to be one of those precious windows of opportunity. Without hesitation, she scurried to the back room and loaded up several fresh bouquets onto a little cart for the front display cases.
Maybe, just maybe, people would see her hands full and bother someone else out of consideration because the cases were starting to look a little bare. Keeping her bright head down, she was borderline giving herself whiplash turning back and forth between the cart and case as she ferried the arrangements like some mad woman on her third shot of espresso. Once one side was sufficiently full, she let the door fall closed and scooted the couple of feet to repeat the process in the next case over.
She’d always been a curious one. Maybe it was partly a result of the fact that she couldn’t sing like the other merpeople: Since she couldn’t lure in sailors and ships, she instead watched everything intently, missing nothing, learning through observation what she couldn’t learn through experience.
Of course, maybe it was just her nature, and she would have been curious either way.
Naturally, that was what got her into trouble. A human vessel was passing overhead, so she swam up for a closer look, as she often did; next thing she knew, she was tangled in a net that had been dropped from above without warning. Though she cried out - it was only her vocal cords which didn’t work, after all, and they weren’t used to communicate underwater anyways - no one else was close enough to help, and she was soon hauled up, along with several fish, and dumped out on deck in an ungraceful heap.
Though dazed, both from the jolt of a landing and from the abrupt switch of environment, she quickly rolled to her stomach, propping herself up with her arms and slapping her tail against the deck impatiently as she glared up at the woman who was now staring down at her. She was practically defenseless, unable to enchant her way out of the situation, but her expression made it clear that whatever was happening, she wouldn’t go along without a struggle.
After weeks and weeks of scouring the scorching and suffocatingly humid Floridian coastline, a boisterous uproar suddenly breathed life into another otherwise still night of fruitless searching. Courtesy knocks abandoned in the heat of the moment, obsidian eyes lifted up from where the nails of a tense hand tapped against a stained and treated map littered in scribbled notes and chaotic, cryptic indicators of varying age and color. Loose red curls bounced and tumbled over her shoulders and down to the small of her back, a strange sense of urgency giving an almost desperate speed to her steps as she descended the stairs to the main deck. Initially it was impossible to see what the gathered crowd was fussing over but a forceful nudge accompanied by an impatient “move” was enough to break the circle and kill the excited chatter.
A mermaid.
Eyes widened, face smooth despite internally teetering back and forth between overwhelming relief and incredulity. Space alien stared upon sea alien, sun-kissed face cocking in natural curiosity as she took in the impossible sight. Heeled boots knocked with each step forward until she suddenly crouched down to the creature’s level with a face angled like a predator trying to work out its prey. “Do you speak?” she asked, though if the tales were indeed true then these sirens could do a lot more than just that. Luckily she was immune to its charms, protected by the same femininity that gave mermaids such a fearsome and lethal reputation.
Like an island poking out from a sea of wooden and stone buildings, the ‘castle’ was more akin to a compound of grand, multi-storied houses sitting atop a small peak of sorts and connected by a series of elaborately carved, domed walkways. The capitol city itself was built snugly against a tiered mountainside with cool, misty waterfalls tumbling downward like a whimsical backdrop of clear veins from the planet itself, unobstructed by any man-made buildings. While it may appear primitive, placement was meticulous in the sense that everything was harmonious with its immediate surroundings.
The streets were paved with flat and interlocking, though asymmetrical, stones outlined in determined moss and dusted with fallen, magenta leaves. Homes are raised off the ground, their foundations stone but pointed roofs constructed of a sturdy, pale wood. Nearly every building is surrounded by an open but covered porch, giving glimpses into the immediate interior. There are no jarring colors or paint anywhere in sight, allowing the foliage and beauty of nature itself to take center stage.
“Your highness.”
A soft hum escaped the redhead, doe eyes blinking to snap free from a dangerously wandering mind. Sheer, nude chiffon carelessly dragged against the wooden floor as Lucy reluctantly stepped away from an arched balcony and faced a rather...flustered...messenger. “What happened?” she asked apprehensively, a sense of urgency in her tone given the man’s breathless state. Maybe it was cynical of her to assume the worst, but the reclaiming of her planet was hard won; at times she almost expected their peace to pulled out like a rug from beneath their feet.
“We’ve taken an outsider into custody from the city, but he doesn’t speak our language so we don’t know what he wants. He’s...otherworldly and strange.”
A messenger of doom, perhaps? Or maybe an intergalactic travel who steered off course? Either way, times were certainly slow if she was taking personal audiences with any tourist who dropped by their world. Granted, if this were some diplomatic venture, it did fall under her jurisdiction of responsibility.
“Please show him in.” A gentle order, but one might have thought the guard’s livelihood was at stake by how quickly he darted away. The princess queen sighed, tucking strands of scarlet hair behind her ears as she meandered her way back towards a throne carved like the trunk of a tree whose headrest bloomed outward in dainty branches decorated in intricate flowers.
Lusine herself was unchanged for the most part, not taller or shorter than she had been on Earth. Her hair, obnoxious as ever, currently cascaded down to her hips in loose, wavy curls. Gone were the flimsy, floral dresses, and in their place was something no human would be caught dead wearing out in public. A plunging neckline met the princess waistline, and that might have been the only scandalous thing about the long-sleeved dress if not for the material itself. The neckline’s trim was of gilded, embroidered leaves and, for modesty’s sake, additional leaves and flowers were layered in a unique pattern akin to lace atop the chiffon around her bust. Her lower body was obscured by winding vine-like branches which became much more bare the further downward they reached, leaving the silhouette of her legs almost entirely visible from the knee to bare feet. Her only jewelry was the dainty, golden circlet sitting on her head.
The curled ends of thick, scarlet tresses met and dragged across the ground like a curtain, completely overwhelming her nearly three foot frame. A tiny hand curled around the man’s index and middle fingers while its twin was actively pointing in the direction of something that caught her interest across the street. The child peered up at him with a crease in her brow and confusion apparent in her dinner plate eyes. A sharp, short language escaped the girl in the breathy bursts that only a kid unaccustomed to the pace of normal conversation could fall victim. Of course, how was she to know he didn’t understand Balahyan?
repulsive || hideous || ugly || not attractive || unappealing || not unattractive || meh || no preference || ok || mildly attractive || nice looking || cute || adorable || attractive || pleasant on the eyes || good looking || hot || sexy || beautiful || gorgeous || hot damn || would tap that || perfect || godlike || holy fuck there are no words
not if they were the last person on earth and the world was ending || fuck no! || never || no way || not likely || not sure || indifferent || I’m asexual || maybe || probably || it depends || fairly likely || likely || yeah sure || yes || would tap that || hell yes || fuck yes! || wishing that could happen right now || as many times as possible || we are already having sex
Level of Friendship:
never in a million years || worst of enemies || enemies || rivals || indifferent || neutral || acquaintance || friendly toward each other || casual friends || friends || good friends || best friends || fuck buddies || bosom buddies || practically the same person || would die for them || true friends || my only friend ||
First impression of them:
I hate them so much || I don’t like them || I don’t trust them || they annoy me || they’re weird || I’m indifferent || meh || they seem alright || they’re growing on me || truce || I think I like them || I like them || I’m not sure if I trust them || I trust them || they’re cool || they’re genuine || I think we’re going to get along || I really like them || I think I’m in love || oh fuck they’re hot || I love them
Current impression of them:
I hate them so much || I don’t like them || I don’t trust them || they annoy me || they’re weird || I’m indifferent || meh || they seem alright || they’re growing on me || truce || I think I like them || I like them || I’m not sure if I trust them || I trust them || they’re cool || they’re genuine || I think we’re going to get along || I really like them || I think I’m in love || oh fuck they’re hot || I love them
How good of a kisser:
worst kisser ever || terrible || bad || awkward || just okay || alright || pretty good || good || makes me moan || excellent || exciting || oh god they’re good || I dream about it || fucking amazing || absolute perfection || we haven’t kissed
"I've always wished I could be like the elders Elves who are able to read stars and decode things under moonlight," she whispered, staring up at the night sky. "Do you see that star?" She points in the general direction as she continued, "It shines brightest out of all of them. I would love to read what it means."
Large, dark eyes lifted to the indicated star, one much more prominent than the rest dotting the night’s deep canopy. “I can see it,” Lusine assured her fellow redhead softly, gaze unwavering as she focused on the twinkling speck far beyond their reach. Perhaps it was a naive curiosity or simply her nature, but sometimes she couldn’t resist the childish urge to reach out for them, the stars. Her outstretched fingers loosely curled, arm recoiling to return down to her side and help steady her small frame on the branch they’d chosen as their bench for the night. Somehow, she reasoned that this was for the best. After all, what would become of them if anyone could just pluck them from the sky?
“There are still some who can read the sky; there must be,” she mused, stealing a glance over at her companion, “Not here, of course, that would be too convenient. In other places, though. Perhaps one day you can learn and-” she reached over to playfully nudge the other with her elbow, “-bring it back here to teach me.”
The redhead sucked in a barely audible breath, dipping a fresh cloth into a basin of cool water then ringing it free of excess before acknowledging the bleak comment with the slight bob of her vibrant head. “I fear that I’m becoming desensitized. These halls have not seen so many patients since, well…” her voice trailed away with a side-swept glance, mind scattered with memories of a particularly bloody battle’s aftermath. She swallowed, feigning a resigned smile as she chose not to dwell on such thoughts and gently pressed the damp cloth to the captain’s dirtied cheek. As Lusine gingerly washed away the cracked blood and layer of grime, she voiced her honest observations out loud, “The wound looks angry in appearance only; I doubt it will need more than a good cleaning and looking after while it heals. It shouldn’t scar.”
acai berry: what is something you’ve always wanted to try but have been too scared to?
“I’ve always wanted to learn how to defend myself. You know, unarmed, but when the person gets too close I start to panic. So, I never get to learn anything at all…”
cilantro: describe the perfect dinner
“All I really need is my family or loved ones, and that’ll make me happy. It doesn’t matter where we are or what we eat.”
french vanilla: what does love feel like to you?
“I’m not quite sure. It feels…warm, I think. Like everything is alright, like you’re safe.”
