“Ashlyn Frances, is that you? Don’t forget to take off your boots!” Mom barked from the kitchen. “And take your swim bag with you to your room–hang up your towel and suit too.”
What am I, like five? With an eye roll, I kicked off my shoes as instructed and trudged towards my room. Yes, I’d forgotten to remove them, but the formal speaking of my name wasn’t necessary.
So, wow, that’s a whole lot of teenage angst.
Also, chill the fuck out. YA books need to stop shitting on Mom when she’s actually not bad at all.
“Did you forget I didn’t have practice today? And call me Ash,” I said under my breath.
Yeah this is just lame writing. I guess we’re trying to set up Mom as super strict and mean? But I mean… Ash needs to calm the hell down. It’s your mother, dammit, show her respect. (Not that mothers who actually are abusive deserve respect but Ash’s mom, at most, has asked her just to take off her shoes and not get the house dirty. Can’t hate mom for that)
“Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes–”
I closed my bedroom door so I couldn’t hear anything else and slumped down on my bed.
Yo if I treated Mom like that I would kick my own ass. And Ash is just moping around about Fin. Ugh cringy teenager shit pls stop.
She’s frustrated because he looked like he was gonna kiss her but didn’t. Well, that is frustrating but I’ll be honest I don’t really care. We already know he likes her. And like.. it isn’t like they’ve even really talked beyond a little bit of filler. Forgive me for having 0 investment in this.
If it weren’t for the fact that I’d lose my best friend, moving away seemed ideal.
I literally can’t bring myself to take this seriously or care at all. Sorry, luv.
Back to Fin, who is gilling out.
Gel lenses slipped down over my eyes like goggles, enhancing my night vision and clarity.
Now that’s cool mermaid shit. I would like a little more detail, though. Like, how does changing back and forth effect you? Are you less human sometimes, does it give you extra human abilities, like super strength, super senses…?
Or is it literally just 100% human or 100% mermaid.
While swimming, instead of making up a believable way to communicate, Tat and Fin just are super special because they’re twins and can “mind talk.” There is no mention of other mermaid abilities that are vaguely psychic. Are we gonna make this up as we go, cause it seems like it.
Fin, however, reassures her they probably aren’t being relocated, because their dad would just refuse if that were the case. Since I have no idea what mer politics are actually like I can’t really say.
She clutched her charm bracelet that held her most prized possession–a tiny vial filled with a blue colored liquid–the essence of out life.
Not gonna lie, probably really stupid to keep that on you in a glass vial, of all things. Also, why the hell is your ‘essence’ something that can be bodily removed, or is regularly separate from you? Additionally, why don’t we have a name for it?
Fin also thinks he might be in the run for a guarding job, in the case their father leaves. Tat mentions he might not be considered because he’s single and young, which is confusing. Being too young makes sense, but how is being single going to prevent him from doing to job? Especially when he’s already established in the human community.
There’s also mention of a council, which is apparently a governing body, even though there’s still a King. Their dad just happens to be a member.
Fin also lets on that leaving the mermaid community means the loss of memories and having to start afresh as human. Which means she probably couldn’t do college anyway, depending on what memories she would retain. Would she even have an identity? How do ya’ll function with world governments and shit? Tat… should probably be considering this.
Also, any society with memory altering powers is a little scary. Supposedly they’re only used for that, but who really knows? And is mermaid-ism something that can be taken away? Would they take her powers somehow, or would she realize years down the road that somehow she’s a mermaid? World building, people!
No one in their right mind ever chose to leave.
Well when you hold their entire life hostage… yeah.
How could she act as if our family didn’t mean anything to her?
Maybe she just wants some damn freedom. People have given up more to be free of a King. Secrets are heavy, man. You’re asking her to devote her life to a world she only lives in 10% of the time, while isolating herself from the human world, where she is probably going to be her whole life. People need people.
“You just don’t get it,” Tatiana swam a little faster. “They’d still own me.”
The cave, originally just a tunnel bridging Tahoe to Natatoria, was carved out by Dad to become a palace the Council to meet, far away from prying ears in the palace.
So… is this a resistance…?
Also how the hell did Dad carve out a whole fucking tunnel? Actually tho.
But anyway, Azor, the son of the King, Phaleon, is there, along with their uncle and cousin, which is apparently strange and unexpected.
Curiously, mom is apparently what is called a “beta-mer,” meaning she was changed into one. Meaning it is apparently possible to do that. So mer-ism is contagious…?
That fact made her cower in the presence of the pure-born, the native tongue still difficult for her to speak without an accent.
Uhhh ok. That’s… shitty, but ok. Societies all have their faults…
Their Dad is seemingly an expert at this mer shit, because he’s being called away on business to fix some big fuck up. In the meantime, their uncle will take over.
Why would they be allowing him to oversee again after the disaster last time?
A very good question that… isn’t explained at all. Why not just fly in some other merperson who can do shit? And why can’t mom do it? Even if she’s human-born, it seems like a cushy enough job. It doesn’t seem like they really live in an area with a huge population to hide or anything. Also… do these people not own their own property? Can’t they just be like, “hey, you know, this is our shit.”
Azor then asks about coming of age stuff, apparently there’s a whole festival around it, when promises are settled and stuff. And also he’s super gross and awful.
Dad said with a smile. “We’re allowing Fin and Tatiana to choose, you know.”
Azor’s countenance fell. “Well… hopefully they’ll find suitable mates before the festival.”
Dude…. Just… gross. Is it really that hard to find someone who actually likes you?
Fin seems less concerned with Creepy McStalkerFace here, and more offended because Azor then asks him to accompany him in training so he can eventually get a gate of his own one day. Fin is super offended because he’s already had a ton of training working alongside his dad, while Azor probably has no idea what he’s doing. And I guess Azor prefers to be a dick than to sweeten up Tat’s brother and potentially earn himself some good guy credit…? Not that it would work, but it’s better than DickBag credit.
Nonetheless, they agree to it because royalty.
“Excellent. Not that that’s settled, I’d like to speak to Jack and Alaster alone. We have details to discuss.” Azor raised his arm, directing us—the outcasts—toward the shimmering waterway in the opposite corner of the room.
So… Fin has implied Alaster (uncle) is pretty incompetent and doesm’t seem to have his own responsibilities or anything… why is he important? Like, if Uncle is pretty much a loafer, why would he be getting anywhere, when he can’t even pretend to be good at anything? I got shit like that happens, but like, there’s gotta be something to spur it along.
Mom asks, in English, how long he’ll be gone, and Azor overhears.
Azor interjected, answering to prove he understood her. “A few weeks, Magdalene. We’ll take good care of Jack. It’ll be difficult, but of anyone I know, you two can handle it.”
That’s… actually pretty nice. I’m sure Fin would be shitting on him if he didn’t know English and blow him up to be some cultural purist or something. It’s actually good to know languages outside your culture. Yeah, he’s a dick, but if you interpret everything he does to make him more of a dick, you’re trying too hard, and probably escalating your own problems.
NOW, however, Fin is mad because of the King’s power. Apparently it didn’t bother him when the King had the authority over memories? But I guess now that it affects him personally it’s an issue?
I wanted to jump up and demand Dad decline the mission. The whole thing reeked of danger. He shouldn’t have to feel obligated to go if he didn’t want to. What happened to the man who fought for his family? For honor? For what was right?
Are these things mutually exclusive? Based on the nature of other projects, this is somehow going to protect them as a species. And it doesn’t seem like he’s doing a whole lot back at home anyway… I mean, I’m sure incidents happen, but this seems to be a pretty pressing matter.
I don’t see anything dishonorable or weak in taking a major assignment. Fin just seems a little overdramatic here? It’s hard to tell because this is literally the first encounter they give us. Even filing it down a bit, or adding other mer people would help. We know very little about their culture and don’t know what is usual. We really can’t use our own morals to compare because humanity isn’t a culture that needs to hide itself in order to survive.
They take off for mer city, which is literally paved in gold and silver. No, really. And encrusted with gems and shit. I will give them points, because gold is actually alright in salt water, even though this is still pretty stupid.
For whatever reason, while they can easily survive in fresh water, salt water give their tails super cool colors, which is alright because fish have to attract mates and shit. Mermaids gotta be mermaids. Not sure about the science in salt water, tho.
Disappointingly, mermaids apparently still haven’t figured out gender equality.
The quicker Tatch put distance between her and Azor, the better.
She gave Colin, who seemed to be checking out her tail, one last sneer.
“You look nice,” he responded.
“Mermen are pigs,” she spouted only to me. “Yeah, whatever. Let’s go, Mom.”
“Feisty.” Colin chuckled and watched Tatiana leave.
I punched him in the chest. “Knock it off. You’re her cousin.”
I agree, that is gross as all hell. Disturbing, too. Also, fuck that feisty comment. Why is that such a weird cliché with creepy ass dudes? Like, fuck it because it’s a disturbing thing to say, but also fuck it because it’s sooo overused and has pretty much lost all meaning.
How is “let’s go” even close to being feisty?
Anyway, Colin is here to gloat when he’s alone with Fin.
“You’re going to lose the lake, you know. Your family has been getting a little too friendly with the humans and someone finally noticed. Maybe if you’d have stopped acting like you’re better than everyone else and lived with the pure-born, you’d get to keep it.”
No, this literally is full of contraditions.
If living with humans is bad, then Colin and his dad are the ones taking over. So… then they’re the ones cut off from the community? And it doesn’t seem like they’re competent in general, and failures when working with people. Which is important, and SHOULD be taken into account with positions like this—if your job requires working with people, you should know what you’re doing. Not to mention taxes, cars, various technology, etc.
Yeah, I don’t really see how Colin is finding reasons to gloat here. It’s like, “ha! You have a shitty job and are going to lose it. And I’m the one taking your shitty job!”
Really not impressed by these baddies.
Not only that, but do they have mermaid spies watching them and shit? And who did they catch? Tat? That’s really not gonna do you much good. You honestly can’t tell me shit like this happens a lot, when younger kids who have less impulse control are mingling with humans.
Since that tactic bombs, Colin tries taunting him about being Azor’s pet.
“He’ll do anything to get in good with the twin. He’s set his sights on Tatiana and he gets what he wants.”
It’s like they don’t even know how people work. “Muahaha! I’ll make her brother miserable, that’ll make her love me!” Especially with the whole psychic connection bit. I mean, if it was a threat it would make sense, but since he’s trying to win her over… he’s not really doing any winning. Like, honestly, he isn’t even trying.
Fin tries to say she can marry who she wants, but apparently using the word ‘marry’ implies a human… which he tries to cover up, but is probably as good as gossip by now.
The private meeting ends, and Dad wants to talk to Fin.
… Or at least that’s the plan. He really doesn’t tell him anything, just that shit is important and whatnot.
“Do we have to stay here? Can we go to the lake house instead?”
Dad looked anyway. “Your mom isn’t allowed to be there without me. You know the rules.”
The rules. Mermaids weren’t trusted outside of a merman’s protection. Their powers of seduction might get the better of them, causing loads of trouble and risk of exposure.
I’m starting to suspect this is a power, damn. Like… where do I start? “Yeah so women aren’t allowed to be alone cause all women are sluts.” And what this shit about ‘protection’? Seems like they can protect themselves just fine, dudes are just insecure.
That’s just… can we at least have some semblance of equality in fictional worlds? Like, this is straight up saying ‘our women are too sexy for their own good so we need men to protect them.”
And the women aren’t even allowed to be alone! Yo, Tat, get the fuck out of there and KEEP GOING. What a shitty place to live.
But of course the real problem is poor Fin, who isn’t 18 and can’t watch over the house by himself. Excuse me if I have trouble sympathizing when his ENTIRE CULTURE IS OPPRESSING ITS WOMEN. Who cares if they have a minimum age for positions of high importance? It’s responsibility, and while age doesn’t necessarily dictate that, it’s a good marker. THAT I can actually see as reasonable. Not this escort shit, I mean damn.
Tatiana was right. My situation was a huge crap sandwich.
YA BUT WHY AREN’T WE TALKING ABOUT TAT? SHE is the one who is facing some serious cultural oppression here, these dudes are literally looking at her like a piece of meat. Why aren’t we more worried about this??? Am I really supposed to get behind this poor dude whose problem will be over in 2 months, when his sister either lives her whole life in this shitty culture or has all of her memories erased? Damn son, wake the fuck up.
