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starless_skySomeone was going to die. Someone on the surface was going to die, they didn't know it yet but just as well. Noctis liked a show and watching panicking human sailors when they realized they were doomed was as entertaining as it got. He was hungry anyway so he might eat a few while he collected his Regalia back from them. It was embarrassing enough that they got it from him to begin with. He was on his own here retrieving the thing so he didn't have to explain how he lost it to a human. If he had to say it to Ignis or Gladio, or worse, his father he'd hear about it for years to come. No matter, he'd handle it alone and be back home before the sun rose and he could sleep in.
The Regalia was in the hands of a pirate, near as Noctis could tell, it seemed pirates were the crew. They didn't have uniforms though they seemed disciplined, the sails were a rare color, and the ship didn't have many barnacles on it. Either it was cleaned regularly by some poor diver or it was in motion too much for many barnacles to attach to it. It didn't sail a merchant flag either. Which meant the Regalia was to be taken for their personal use or worse, to be given to the black market. He couldn't allow either outcome so here he was, waiting at the ship's side. it was nighttime, the crew seemed to be mostly asleep.
He began to hum and once he heard footsteps come closer he sang as if to himself. He waited for the sailor on patrol on the deck to notice him and become ensnared. His song was like any mera who sang, humans couldn't resist it but it worked best when they weren't expecting it. He needed a sailor to unlatch the Regalia from the ship, it was rigged tightly with several ropes he couldn't cut on his own, not without being noticed and attacked. It would be so much easier to seduce a human sailor. Or rather, trick the human into releasing the Regalia and once he came out into the water for a quickie Noct would simply eat him. It would make for a decent cover story at home too; he took the Regalia out looking for a midnight snack is all. Humans were delicious after all.
He was singing a stupid song from the land, one he'd heard on a number of ships, some old sailing shanty. The sailors all sung about the same boring things; wind, women, money, home.
Oh we'll be alright if the wind was in our sails
We'd be alright if the wind was in our sails
We'd be alright if the wind was in our sails
And we'll all hang on behind.
And we'll roll the old chariot along
we'll roll the old chariot along
we'll roll the old chariot along
and we'll all hang on behind.
He felt eyes on him, he peered up at the deck of the ship and gasped for drama's sake. There was a sailor watching him. He seemed ensnared already, eyes glossy and fixed on him, lips parted, he had that stupid look men had when they were getting aroused. Noctis continued singing but tugged on a rope, hoping the sailor would pull him up. Slowly but surely he was dragged from the water, clinging to the rope while serenading his prey until he sat on the taffrail.
"It's... you're really a... mermaid. A merman. It's true..."
"I came to see you humans... I want to ride in that ship you caught, can you let it loose?"
"You can talk? I... I can't, captain's orders."
"We won't be gone for long, I'll bring it back."
"This isn't real... It'd take ten men to moor that thing again. Fraid I can't... but I got somethin' ta entertain ya if yer bored, pretty thing." the sailor pet Noct's cheek and he was growing a bulge in his pants. Noct took his hand. The music had worked and his speaking voice was doing the same, this sailor had a weak mind, he was being seduced simply standing here.
"You must be an excellent sailor to be out here alone, you can guard this whole ship... I know they'd help you put it back once we were done... maybe I can bring you down in it with me. I bet you can hold your breath a long time..."
"A few minutes..." the sailor's hand moved to Noct's neck and down his body. He didn't bristle, forced that response away. He smiled seductively.
"How fast can you unmoore that ship?"
"No rush for that poppet... I've never seen a merman up close..."
This would go on all night if Noct didn't get control. He needed to get the ship unmoored and hopefully get a human dinner to go with it without having to entertain his sexual response to the singing. "Oh, you can see it all as close as you like once you get it unmoored. Okay?" he put both hands on the sailor's cheeks and the man nodded then disappeared. The rest of the ship might notice that soon the main ropes attaching the Regalia to the ship were suddenly loose. A single sailor was making almost feverish work of undoing them while scurrying about the deck, careful not to walk to heavily over and around the captain's quarters.
Whispered hissing in front of the captain's quarters. "Who' are ye doin'?"
"Shhh, jess fixin' the tethers."
"Fixin' them!? I see what you're doin, you're taking the ship for yourself ya rat."
"What, nono you don't gotta... I got a... someone back there."
"I bet ya got a woman in mind, one in every port once you sell that thing. Not on my watch. Now tie 'em back before I wake the captain." a splash was heard behind them as one of the remaining ropes was cut. Noctis heard the argument and he didn't have a lot of time, he had one more rope left and he could ride off empty-handed. No big deal, he just needed the ship.
"You really got someone back there helping you!?"
"I..."
But before either could move, a door creaked open.
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Date: 2020-03-11 02:10 am (UTC)It is better to be feared than loved or perhaps just feared. Ravus seemed to be making a career out of it given how his crew parted for him like water. The wrongdoing sailor in question isn't about to speak up, the question of who did this was just as much an order to fix what displeased the captain, didn't matter who got them here. Or at least hopefully that was the case?
The one with a boner tried to disappear into the scurrying men, tried to remain anonymous from the captain's keen eye. He was going to get away with it too until he leaned in too closely to the sailor next to him, the one who was about to wake Ravus, and he was outed.
"Don't cling to me ya rat, get off me!"
"Wait, no, I was-- I tripped!"
One man shoved the other into the middle of the deck in front of the captain. He still had a bulge in his pants that gave him away if one knew what else had made it aboard. His eyes were wide as he faced his superior, he was a rat caught in a trap but the wire hadn't snapped shut. Yet.
"I-I didn't mean to, i-it was an accident, I was adjustin' the ropes and--"
"Adjusting!? Is that what you call untying the greatest treasure ever found on the open seas."
"He was trying to take it himself!"
"Like he'd ever figure out how to steer it himself, he's got brains like two rocks beat together." two of the sailors watching all this chuckled. They couldn't tell he had an awkward boner. The way he stood that was... well only Ravus ought to have that information as this sailor tried to cower and disappear from the ridicule and from the sword of Damocles over his proverbial head.
"Throw him overboard!" one shouted and while that suggestion got murmurs around the crew there was another splash. Faint. Most didn't catch it but a scant few did. The one in front of Ravus did. Awkward Boner did. His eyes widened and he noticed a few of the crew rushing to the stern to investigate.
"No-- no don't hurt him!" he rushed to the stern, ignoring Ravus unless he was physically stopped.
"You really DO have someone helping you, ya rat!"
"He's innocent! Don't touch him!"
"Is he one of us!?"
Crewmen rushed to the stern only to find an empty deck. Nothing was on the back, including the ropes. All but one had been cut and the Regalia... it was under the surface of the water. A sharp eye could make out some of its lights from the deck but most human eyes would see only black water and moonlight. A single rope descended into the depths and it was twitching, something was cutting it.
Noctis had to move fast, the crew was getting new ropes ready and they were at the back of the ship looking for him. His fins were sharp but not sharp enough to cut through human rope, the stuff was too thick. He had a knife he'd taken off a human corpse but it was slow. He needed more time and getting rushed at the stern... well he hid over the edge of the taffrail. Trying to stay in the shadows, hanging off the rope and cutting it at the same time wasn't the smartest idea though and he soon abandoned it.
He needed to slice the rope where it was dry, the wet fibers swelled and were slower to cut. Seconds counted and even one rope would see the Regalia in human custody. He needed to get this one off, just one damned rope and he could leave but he was out of time. Maybe if he got into the ship and sped off at full blast he could snap the remaining rope and be gone. It seemed that was all that was left to him. Now he just had to slip into the water without being noticed.
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Date: 2020-03-12 12:48 am (UTC)Ravus slams his hook hand down on the rail in frustration. He'll flog an explanation out of his crewman later. For now, the most important thing is securing the Regalia.
"Into the water. The first man to put his hand on that ship will have a double share of our next haul." It is recklessly dangerous, going into the water in this darkness, but Ravus has not come this far to let it slip from his hand.
The pirates at the railings hesitate, but they jostle and shove one another until one finally takes the dive. More are rushing forward with more ropes.
Ravus throws a leg over the rail, then the other, planning to climb down the remaining rope and safeguard it until the others can be secured. That is, unless he spots the second saboteur on his way down.
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Date: 2020-03-12 01:56 am (UTC)The stammering sailor could be heard until his voice disappeared below decks. He wouldn't do well under the flogging, he would have preferred death by drowning than the shame of the brig and the wrath of his captain. He might try to jump if he had a chance at freedom. As he sits in the brig he will realize what trick the merman was playing on him.
The crowd at the stern was large but only one jumped in. Then a second one. Noctis watched as slowly they started to drop in. He ought to slip down into the water and take them out one by one. He ought to hurry so he could do it before they noticed their mates not coming up for air. He'd have to sink the bodies so they didn't come up dismembered and floating and give himself away. They outnumbered him and though he could escape them with ease he couldn't with the Regalia. Not until it was freed. One more rope...
Two legs came into view and he knew he'd missed his window. The surly captain. Dammit, he had to get down but how to do so without being noticed? He was drying out, he ought to get into the water, he moved faster there. He couldn't slice the rope now, it would give him away. He'd just have to try for it, untying it or slicing it underwater. Quietly he slid down the stern. Or at least he tried to. Quickly he got off balance and instead of dropping straight down he fell outward, into the light from the deck and into full view of the crew. Damn it all to hell.
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Date: 2020-03-14 06:03 am (UTC)Ravus grits his teeth and says nothing. His scowl says everything. No sea beast is going to destroy his plan for revenge. He. Will. Not. Allow. It.
He hooks his prosthetic around the rope and lets go with his other hand and feet so that he can slide down, dizzily fast. He splashes into the water above where the Regalia waits, partially submerged. He will stop this damned fish from getting it if he has to skewer him with his own hook hand!
"Show yourself, Mer. You shall not take from me what I've rightfully plundered!"
Ravus's men scramble with their ropes, terrified to be in the water while a mer-creature swims among them. Only the fear of their captain's unbridled fury being turned to them keeps them from abandoning the Regalia to the depths and re-boarding the ship empty-handed.
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Date: 2020-04-03 02:23 am (UTC)He thinks he's going to get the Regalia like this? It's mostly returned to him now. Just one more tether and he was home free. He'd need to climb inside and drive it away. But this man, this... well he was rather large but just a human. Only a human and a one-handed one at that. What could he do?
Noctis dove under the vehicle and tried to untie anything he could that wasn't already loose. He didn't want to approach the human until the last moment... wait. He was a moron.
Ravus might lose his footing as the Regalia lurched and skimmed forward racing toward the ship hull. The Regalia would survive it, the human, not so much. Right? Noctis could untie it, back out of the wreckage, and drive off... and make some excuse to Cid later.
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Date: 2020-04-04 10:43 pm (UTC)There's only one way for the merrow to escape, and that's by piloting the craft down into the depths where Ravus' crew can't reach it. That means, he'll need to enter the Regalia...which means, Ravus must get there first. The merrow may be faster, but he is burdened by needing to sever the ropes. Ravus paddles directly to the hatch and begins forcing it open. He will take this vessel, singlehandedly (literally) if that's what it takes. Perhaps this moment is a twist of fortune, in fact. Ravus doesn't know how to pilot the Regalia...but the merrow, in theory, does. Ergo, if Ravus captures the merrow, he can force the key to the controls out of him.
He slips inside the Regalia and ducks into the shadows to lie in wait for the Merrow and seize both craft and pilot. A pirate's life for him, yo ho.]
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Date: 2020-04-05 04:07 am (UTC)Noctis thought he was watching exactly where the captain was at but he got mixed up with another sailor. They were all thrashing and splashing and humans all looked the same anyway. He had to get underwater and they were moving around so much... it was a poor excuse and not one that would hold if he came home empty-handed. Home didn't know he had lost the damned thing, he had to bring it back and he could make up whatever he liked then, he could say he went hunting or on a joyride or to meet a girl.
He was mid-thought with that happy ending when he swam underwater and opened the Regalia door. It was ajar just slightly, it wasn't how it should have been closed. He didn't think much of it, he had to get in, he had to start it and be gone. No one was in here, the most capable pirate here was that captain and Noct had clearly watched him go down closer to the ship. Or he thought he had.
Noctis swims into the Regalia and quickly turns it on. Lights come on in the console, a humming starts. He's in a rush, not looking behind him. He needs to get enough speed to snap these ropes and be gone. Without waiting he guns it, speeding the craft ahead at an alarming rate. He hits several sailors, given the screams he injured them or worse. Oh well.
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Date: 2020-04-11 11:36 pm (UTC)The finer details of the ship's handling is still a long way off for Ravus, but now that he feels confident he could start the Regalia, he can learn the rest by trial and error. The merrow has served his purpose.
The craft goes faster than expected --good for Ravus' eventual mission, but a...concern here--, and Ravus grabs a seat to keep from pitching forward. He hears screams from without. Unfortunate, but Ravus can't afford to get weepy-eyed for every seaman who signs on to his ship. They knew the risks, and were well-compensated.
Ravus finds his footing and takes silent steps up behind the unaware merrow. He draws his saber and brings it down beside the creature's neck, touching but not yet cutting.
"Surrender the vessel and I'll let you leave with your life, boy," he growls.
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Date: 2020-04-13 12:37 am (UTC)He would get some pushback from the crew about the 'well-compensated' bit. They always argued they weren't paid half what they were worth but most of them thought they were worth a king's ransom. No matter, most of the ones in the water wouldn't survive Noctis' escape. Either sliced by the Regalia or dragged down in its undertow.
As soon as the blade touched his skin Noctis gasped, or rather he shrieked in a very unflattering manner. He wasn't alone. That thought was all he could hold in his mind even as the captain spoke. This happened at home, mera were reminded to look in their vehicles before leaving, that thieves and other criminals could be in there waiting. It was rare but how fucking stupid could he be? This was easy. He knew the door was ajar, what the hell was his problem? This was his fault.
The human wanted the shuttle well he wasn't going to get it. Noctis slammed on the controls and the Regalia descended, missing the ship, taking out a few more sailors, and lowering into the sea at an incredible speed. He could be gone in a moment, he could simply drive this thing lower and lower until the pressure got to the human. He was a mera, he didn't need to wait to get to the ocean floor, he could speed right there, this human... wait. He was overthinking it.
As the Regalia sped along the ropes began to pull. They slowed down and there Noct's heart leaped. The engine groaned with effort, they slowed to a stop. How could he get out of this should the ropes not break? They weren't old. Perhaps sunbleached but not weathered enough to just snap but in a few seconds there was the faintest popping sound and the Regalia's engine revved back to a healthy rumble. They were speeding off into the darkness of the sea. The ship and its crew abandoned behind them.
Now for its captain. Noct took a breath.
"Why would I hand it over? It's as simple as filling this cabin with water. That's how it's supposed to run you know." in fact, water was seeping into the floor. Noct's hand darted out and touched a foreign-looking symbol on the console. Water began to rush into the cabin. He shrugged away from the blade or tried to. He reached up his hand and dug his nails into Ravus' wrist.
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Date: 2020-04-15 02:30 pm (UTC)He sneers at the Merrow boy.
"The moment the water reaches my knees, I'll cut your pretty head from your neck, sea-devil. If I'm to be dragged down to Davy Jones' locker, it will not be alone."
So it seems they are at somewhat of an impasse. Ravus doesn't know what controls will send them deeper down or flood the cabin, but if the merrow makes any move to kill him, Ravus will strike him down. He's absolutely serious about it, too. There's an anger that burns inside of him that demands vengeance. Whether it be man or beast, whoeverso it be who finally kills Ravus will pay a price most dear.
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Date: 2020-04-17 04:29 am (UTC)"To be called pretty by a surly captain. Such high praise." he grinned. "Who is Davy Jones anyway? You humans seem taken with dying as he did." he sighed and pulled his nails out of the captain's arm.
"There's no use in cutting my throat. You can't steer this thing without me and it will sink and you will die then. If you want this thing so badly you'll have to keep me here. Unless you can read anything on this console."
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Date: 2020-04-20 06:33 pm (UTC)He's too furious to engage in banter with the merrow. A smug sea-demon like this one must know he's pretty, using his wiles to drag sailors down into the depths or lure them to their deaths upon the rocks.
He glares daggers into the console, because of course he can't read it. If sheer willpower could change the letters into something decipherable for him, he'd be alright, but that isn't the way of the world.
"Take us back up," he repeats. "and we'll...negotiate." The last word, he hisses out like it tastes foul in his mouth.
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Date: 2020-04-21 03:13 am (UTC)Aaand this guy was too mad for jokes. Clearly. He should have known better than that, he was trying to show he wasn't scared of him or maybe prove that to himself but that hadn't worked for either goal. He could just sink this thing to the bottom of the ocean but that would take too long. The human would surely cut his throat while waiting for a high-pressure death.
With a huff, Noctis began to surface. "What do you want with my ship that yours can't do? Your crew wanted money. You're after something else." so they were just tools to him, to be discarded in time. "Who do you want dead?"
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Date: 2020-04-29 03:59 am (UTC)He feels the direction of the ship tilt up, which is a relief. The creature is wise enough to parley with him, at least for now.
"Who do I want dead? We don't have that kind of time, boy. Quicker to ask who I don't want dead." It's a much shorter list.
"But my current target is the relevant one. I am after the Empire. They have stolen from my family, and I will not rest until that which they have taken has been restored."
His sister, his dear sister, but the sea-monster need not know that. Better for everyone to think Ravus merely a pirate captain, hell-bent on seizing some long-lost treasure.