Outborn
(adj.) Foreign; not native
in which an Arctic civilian mermaid got too curious, it led her to another world.
tw: descriptions of genocide and brief implication of witnessing a murder. • masterlist
For as long as Yuu can remember, the Arctic Ocean has always been her home.
She was born here, she grew up here. she nearly died here.
Yet, she can't help but feel like she lost it on the very day the Dark Lovers successfully took over the Kingdom and captured her ruler.
Sure, the Mermaid Princesses from the Seven Seas won at the end and Princess Noel came back and rebuilt the Kingdom to how was it before—
Its just wasn't... home anymore. Not to her, at least.
it was the same merfolk — the orcas, sea angels, narwhals, whales and jellyfishes— it should be familiar right? or at least comforting, to see your fellow citizens is now safe and sound after the horrifying experience when the Dark Lovers took over.
But Yuu can't help but feel like she's wearing a mask, playing an act in a theater at the opera. Like an impersonator.
Everyone has been acting like everything is fine now— like the war they just went through didn't happen. A nightmare they all just woke up from.
Perhaps she would've thought the same if it weren't for the fact that she witnessed the death of many with her own eyes.
"Hide for your lives— Shit, behind the boulder and don't make a soun—" "Don't you dare touch them! You mons—" "Protect the whelps, Yuu..."
No, she can't do this. Surface. she needs to be at the surface.
And so, she's on the surface. behind a rock. watching the stars. away from the capital beneath the shore. because she can't handle it, again. Like a coward.
"...I think I understand why humans have addictions." Yuu mumbled, eyes on the night sky, stars brighter than usual.
Then, a brief glint of shine from the corner of her eye caught her attention. Curious, she swam towards the source, only to be entranced by the discovery of a mirror.
"Huh... did it got washed up here..? and it looked new too, not even a crack."
She noted as she carefully traced her fingers over the oval-framed mirror. She wonders if it's made of obsidian, considering it's not clear reflection that silver base does. The frame is rustic gold, with spirals and twists that adds to the charm.
And like any merfolk, they hoard any shiny objects.
But before Yuu can properly take it from the rough rocky terrain, a voice startled her.
“Ah, my lovely Lord,
The noble and beautiful flower of evil,
You are the most beautiful, number one in this world.”
Yuu flinched, as her world spun and its only her and the mirror before her. The cold yet coaxing voice echoed, as the surroundings dimmed and darkened.
"— Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the most...
—For thee, guided by the Mirror of Darkness,
Follow thy heart and take the hand of the one reflected in the mirror."
Scared. Yuu was scared, alerted and has goosebumps, as she was frozen in place, heart racing, she can hear it in her ear. She can see a hand appear in the mirror, offering.
"Flames that turn even stars into ashes,
Ice that imprison even time,
Great tree that swallow even the sky,
Don't be afraid of the power of darkness,
Come now, show your power."
—Stars? is that why this happened?! She shouldn't have come to the surface— she should've known better than to leave her home regardless how much it hurts to be reminded—
"Mine, theirs, and yours,
There's only little time left for us.
Do not let go of that hand, at all costs."
and suddenly, she was losing consciousness. Fast. Darkness took over her vision, as she disappeared from the ocean, not even a scale left behind, as the green ember in the mirror only pulsed, before it dimmed to nothing.
A single wave crashing over the mirror and the rock— before the water pulled back, and now gone.
—Why is she running from a talking cat? why is she in human form?? why does the cat want her clothes??? WHY IS THE CAT HAS FIRE ON ITS EARS???? ARE BOOKS SUPPOSED TO FLOAT?!WHERE IS SHE!?!?!?
"Ha! You thought you could escape the Great Grim!"
Yuu has been biting her cheek it's about to draw blood by how hard she bit it. Shes been hoping— praying to Aqua Regina for mercy. to make this all a nightmare—
"—NYAHH! What's with this thing? Let me go!"
—She officially lost it, Yuu thought, as she froze at the sight of the flaming eared talking cat wrapped by a whip. This nightmare is officially out of hand.
Someone wake her up. Please.
"—This is the whip of love!"
Whip of what?!
Notes: Hi! finally able to flesh this out after idk how many years 😭 also, for context, I roughly based it from my previous post here back in highschool. I realized I did it in the opposite way, where I should be inserting the (fandom) yuu into twst 🫠 but oh well, at least I know now? hehehe, anyways frost out!