(Mer) Lady of the Lake *OPEN*

[Sinsae Niniane]

Far across the barren wasteland that surrounded New Vegas, over hill and roads, there is a long stretch of water unfettered by the disease and decay of the apocalypse. The waters were still the clearest of blues, drifting out across many miles. Underneath the water's surface were millions of plants and animals that had made it their home. One such creature had been Sinsae.

Had been. Past tense. A boring trip along the world, imprisoned within a steel box strengthened with rivets, had not been kind to the young mermaid. For the first time in her life, Sinsae experienced motion sickness. At the thought of traveling all those miles again, Sinsae's stomach gave a quiet heave. The young mermaid gave a huff, air leaving her lungs as the men packed away that dreadful prison and wheeled it back out of the Sanctuary. Frankly, the air felt cleaner now that they were leaving. Not that they were mean, no. However, they were fucking scary.

Sinsae Niniane had been scared before. There were still creatures within the sea who did not find her kind to be friendly, though they had treated her with respect. A squid wasn't known to truss up one of the seafolk and gift them to the highest persona. Sinsae perferred the droll conversation of a squid to these light eyed 'vampires'. That was the newest of many words that Sinsae had learned.

The vampires seemed cold and deeply angry. There had been several 'vampires', though only one had spoken directly to her and only upon her capture.

"Oh. What luck! I think I've found my bottle of wine for the Thor Ericsson. I do hope he'll be pleased. Little fable, please behave on the ride home. I'd hate to have to punish you." The woman had chuckled, sauntering away without another word and Sinsae had learned her keeper's name, Jocelyn.

Time dragged on after she was dumped into her prison-box. Her beautiful ocean waves had turned into the saddest yellow sand. Separated from her only home and only family, Sinsae was incredibly lonely. Since her capture, she had tried once to speak. She had tried to sing. Her heart ached with terror and pain. She had lifted her head to the sky, opened her mouth and....nothing.

Not a sound.

She had spent the rest of her trip in silence, not even bothering to try. Her hands had stayed busy, beading her hair with shiny bits she had collected over the years and trying not to think of where she was going.

Now that she was here, in this lake of cool water....she wished that she had. She hadn't had much time to look around, but her fins felt refreshed for the first time in days. The men left and the tiny suns that were placed to and fro dimmed to nothing. Sinsae pushed away from the lake's edge, giving her fins a flex. It felt so GOOD to stretch and move again! The little mermaid gave a smile as she spun and dove far below the water's surface for a long intake of water.

She found a small cave under the rocks and algae. It wasn't big enough for her to fit her whole body, but it was large enough to store her collection. She started to unbraid her hair when a twinkle of light caught her eye deep within the rock shelf. Her hand was small and slender, so when she cautiously stuck her hand inside, she had no fear. Her fingertips touched the object and pulled it forward. It was a ...coral of some kind? No, it was no coral Sinsae had ever seen. It had little flaps, around it's center, spiraling out and curling in a beautiful array. She had seen a few of these on her way into her newest home.

A silver rose, a little bit dirty from it's time in the rock shelf, but nonetheless beautiful as Sinsae held it aloft. Her newest prize! She hugged the rose to her heart, unaware of it's name or that it was once a gift to the woman who once lived in Sinsae's new home. Tucking the rose just above her ear with a few soggy sea fauna she had already claimed for her own, Sin gave a sigh of happiness. Maybe this place wouldn't be so bad?

Sin made slow and lazy circles topside, leaning on the side of the lake with her pale arms and watched the topside with curious mermaid eyes, everything so new and bright.

Hello? Anyone there? Can anyone hear me? She spoke to the world around her silently, her brain so filled with sadness and fear. The words she spoke were not traveling from her lips, but from her mind. She watched the darkness of the Sanctuary and begged for a friend.

[Zacharias Grimm]

The young blonde boy was in the grass beside the meadow his eyes were half closed as if asleep he seemed to be curled up into fetal position. Zack often snuck in to the sanctuary. Vampires rarely came in to the sanctuary so he felt most safe there, in the under city there was hardly any light and then there is the fact he really did not have anywhere to go at the time. He did not want to return to the under city with what happened with the gun fire. None if the fables really bothered him and he couldn’t blame them hardly anyone wanted to interact with him for long, He smelt like a bug, more specifically a cicada in the spring right before it leaves its husk, there those who hated him for what he was and those who ran away from him for what was in him. He was staring into the small flowers while he was lying sideways. They were small and dainty. Beside him was a violin case. Around his neck was a small thread and tied to it was a crystal bell with ruins on it, as if it was from a church. Around him was wrist was a lapis lazuli bracelet with golden angel wings.
He started to hear movements from the water. The full moon shone on him with its silver radiance a rainbow casted from his bell. He was humming a small tune. He took a deep breath of the cool breeze. He would often hid from most when visiting, smelling like a bug was useful to hide his mutant scent. Lying on the lush grass was better than being in the under city and listening to the wolves cry out in pain of their transformations on the full moon. He only lived within one of the cage karts of the demolished Ferris wheel of old Vegas. He began to hear the water stir his eyes were starting to close as he sat up and looked at the lake. He saw a beautiful mermaid he waved slightly to her with a small gin, it quickly dissipated into a straight face there was nothing saying she wanted to even know of his existence let alone interact with him, he was slightly afraid she would just gesture him away.

[Sinsae Niniane]

Sinsae couldn't have grinned harder as she was shone kindness. She ducked below the water as she gave a great push with her fins. She rose slowly out of the water near the boy. He looked to be around her age, although short for her kind. Her frills perked up with excitement as she waved slowly back. She gave him a grin and pushed gently with her mind as she gave short and soft clicks with her mouth.

"Hello? Can you understand me? Please?"

She sank back down to take a little rest as she blinked at him. Could he even understand her?Sinsae nibbled at the inside of her cheek, afraid he couldn't understand her. Could it be true that she would be unable to make any friends in this sandy world?

She sprung back up, tilting her head to the side and leaned in anxiously. She pointed to his violin, that wooden thing that sat on his shoulder looked nothing like a tree. It's strings were shiny and black, and Sinsae loved the way it shined with light. Her eyes were wide with wonder at their beauty.

[Zacharias Grimm]

Zack made a sigh as he noticed what happened, it was obvious she wanted to communicate with him. She couldn’t speak she was a mute, she probably communicated through some other form of communication. Zacharias thought mermaids could sing beautiful melodies that would entrap sailors, shows what he knew. Seeing her smile confirmed she wanted him to be near. He grabbed his violin and bow began to walk near her and then crouched down their eyes were now just a foot from each other.
“I may not hear you but I can see you , so how about you pretend to speak and i read your lips?” he said with a calm yet carefree voice with a cheerful smile, he could not hear telepathy so this was the only thing he could do. His eyes were somewhat calm and cheerful and changed from a blue hue to a green hue as he looked at the beautiful mermaid. He watched as she wished for the violin, his greatest treasure, it was worn out and had hardly any special traits, it was the voice the boy would rather speak with though. If he couldn’t speak he would probably be a phantom and continuously play his violin with the gluttony that would force him to play so strongly and allow his fingers to bleed and dance macabre upon the strings. Zack had already polished the violin and cleaned of the blood.
He lifted his violin along with the arm that carried the golden bracelet he offered the violin for the mermaid to hold. It was as if they were in preschool and he was sharing a toy with the class beauty.
“I know that this box seems insignificant compared to the bracelet but make sure to give it back, its my greatest treasure” he pleaded with a kind trusting smile. Sure Zack was cynical but he was also kind.

[Giovanni Ignazio]

Giovanni stared at the opening in the fence. Someone had cut the wires again and snuck into his park. He looked out through the chain link and saw a VSF officer and his partner walking by. He sent feelings of alarm and frustration their way and they quickly ran over to investigate. They knew he could not speak but they also knew if he summoned them over, it was because there was an intruder. "Go get them your grace. We will wait here to apprehend the suspect when they emerge." One the VSF officers suggested. Giovanni nodded and took off at a gallop following the poorly hidden tracks. It was as if they didn't care if they were followed.

It did not take Giovanni long to find the end of the trail. It had lead to the small lake where the new mermaid had been given a home. He had been livid when he found out how she had been transported there. He had yet to be introduced but he knew she had to have been informed the the Sanctuarys guardian. King of the Fables.

The intruder was sitting by the lake, way to close to the mermaid. He trusted no one with the mermaid as she was a delicate creature and did not know the ways of the world. He galloped hard to close the last of the distance and came to an abrupt stop just as he was handing something to her. Giovanni snatched the violin, without breaking it and shoved it back at the young man and shook his head no.

Giovanni stood 6' at his haunches where his human body met his horse half making him an impressive sight. His black body quivered with alarm and nervous apprehension. He positioned his body between the mermaid and the man. He sent toughts of alarm and escape to the underwater beauty by imagining her hiding deeper in the water while he took care of the threat that had put her in dire danger. After what happened to the last mermaid he was not going to let anyone near this one. He turned back to the boy and pointed back toward where he came in and pictured him leaving. He projected it as a commandment to leave his domain immediately. To emphasize his point he moved as close as he could to the young interloper. He pointed again and gave a warning push with one of his powerful hooves.

He sent thoughts of protection and guarding to the mermaid to let her know he would protect her from this threat. He pointed again at the way back to the hole in the fence and gave the young man a look that said if he did not run right then, he would be picked up and thrown over the fence. He also pictured the sign on the fence that said, "DANGER: No unauthorized personell allowed. Tresspassers will be prosecuted, if the centaur lets them live."

[Sinsae Niniane]

Sinsae withdrew her hands as the beautiful, shiny, wooden box was snatched just from her grasp. She looked sad for a moment, like a kicked puppy, but that expression changed when she saw the hulking creature push forward toward her new friend. Sin gave a loud and angry splash, unsure if anyone could ever hear her as she shouted with her mind. Giovanni sent her warm and protecting thoughts, but Sinsae didn't see much protecting. She didn't want to be protected, she wanted a friend.

"Leave him alone! He's my friend! You big bully!" Her physical tongue gave a few short clicks a bit like a dolphin and she slapped the lakeside with the flat of her hands. Her eyes were dark pools of emotion as she felt so sorry for the poor boy who just tried to show her the first bit of kindness in weeks.

Unsatisfied with his reaction, Sinsae used her long tail to splash water at Giovanni's backside, careful not to hit the shiny wooden box. "Please! Stop! He's nice to me! Let him stay!" A vivid image popped into her her head of swimming deep beneath the water and hiding from this stranger, but all of them were strangers to Sinsae.

Her words were nothing audible, and poor Zach couldn't hear them except for her dolphin like clacks coming from her mouth. If no one in this grand city could hear her, she'd be damned if she'd be ignored. Sinsae fumed, young and immature as she was, she was so lonely and was not about to allow her first friend to be ushered away by a skinny manatee with muscular arms!

While Sin threw one hell of a water fit, she was no less beautiful. Her merform was more fish than human, with her dark scales and elongated fins that caught light so perfectly. The frills on her neck stood up in an angry fringe, practically vibrating with the force of her will. Granted, she didn't have any powers to force these people to do as she wanted. She was harmless. It's what got her caught in the first place.

Sin gave another angry splash, trying to get Giovanni's attention as the beads and glass wound tightly in her hair jingled and swayed. Her newest of prizes, the silver rose, stuck behind one ear as she begged one last time in the most lonesome voice her mind could conjure. "Please don't take my only friend..."

[Zacharias Grimm]

Zack watched as the man gave him his violin back. He now felt really sad when asked to leave if he left just then surely vampires would find him test his blood and then his head open while he was awake, that was why he hid, because his ability that allowed him to be oblivious towards telepaths and mind controllers was a threat to the vampires, and it has caused him to be alone for a long time.
Zack watched as the mermaid made a fit in his defense and the centaur intimidate him. she even looks pretty when angry Zack thought when looking at her as if he was sorry for her and sad about himself, his eyes showed he dearly wished to keep interacting with the Mermaid. Zack being the fool he was, not knowing her name yet, was already wanting to make her happy. That was the boys nature he liked to make people happy, if he flatters you it’s not to get anything from you other than your smile.
He decided to smile his eye colored turned brown symbolizing his logical state. He took a deep breath as he closed his eyes after analyzing the movements. The arrogant human stood up and opened his eyes they showed determination. His violins neck was being held in his right hand. Going through his memories of loneliness and how it edged at him. He first made a polite bow, trying to play the role of visiting prince the insignificant useless mutant began to speak.
Still bowed . Please let me present a blue truth strong enough to create hope” he said before he stood straight and looked to the mermaid with a nod and then back at Giovanni looking straight into his eyes. His eyes showed a emotion that could only be found in fairy tales long forgotten.
He took another deep breath I understand you wish to protect but please you must understand how important emotions are compared to the physical form. I may heal from physical wounds easily but surely the loneliness that will come from your decision will permanently bleed the soul of me and this young beautiful maiden. I promise that I will not harm a soul while I am here, I won’t even step on an ant or pick a flower. Instead of looking into the fear of what could happen, look into the hope it could possibly bring. My wellspring of wisdom may be limited by loneliness and desperate needs but I am sure that no harm can come of this. If you decide that I must leave still allow me to give this violin to this maiden, you see it has magic to stir the cages of cores, I have seen this magic at work it brings joy to cores of demons and priests alike, surely it would give the maiden a light of joy in the darkness of loneliness.
He pleaded with passion his eyes wide open and emphasis when speaking of the soul. He wasn’t going to give up his last spark of hope for friendship without a fight. The moonlight sparkled in his eyes. Surely the boy had found a kindred soul within the mermaid.

[Malach]

A faint laughter sounded from the nearby treetops, tinkling like bells as it floated on the evening zephyrs and growing steadily clearer before a soft golden mist like a swirl of glitter emerged from the foliage and flowed out along one of the branches, rolling and twining around it like a giant snake. The mist thickened and grew brighter, condensing at last into the form of a fair skinned young man with golden hair like spun silk. Mismatched eyes, one sapphire and one emerald, glittered mischievously above his wicked smile. Dark tribal markings covered his torso and limbs, adorned with shimmering gilt edges and sprawled as he was along the branch it was obvious he was wearing nothing in the line of clothing. A plaited metallic belt wrapped around his waist, shimmering in all the colours of the rainbow and from it hung the carved horn or tusk of some long dead beast.

Malach had heard the new mermaid calling out with her mind but he had ignored her having no particular interest in going swimming right then having had his fill with the kelpie earlier. He was not at the beck and call of these creatures any more than he was for humans or vampires. Only those created by the gods themselves could hope to impress their will upon the Djinn. The Sanctuary Park reminded him of a place he had been content once long ago and far away, but the djinni had outlived that place, its country and its continent. All things mortal came to an eventual end but whilst the world remained it would be Malach's personal playground to go where he willed and do as he pleased. When the centaur's angry thoughts joined the broadcast and he heard a human sounding voice he became mildly curious and arriving at the scene the irony of it had tickled him to laughter.

“His mind is both blind and deaf my fabulous friends.” Malach giggled down at them all in amusement. He had become quite familiar with the flavours of the fables little magics since he had taken up residence in the park and he could sense the way their efforts slithered off the boy, who was clearly thusly not a human. He peered at the human looking boy with his piercing eyes, devouring every detail of his appearance. “Do you wish for me to... help?” he asked of no-one in particular.

[Giovanni Ignazio]

Giovanni was growing impatient and angry with the little man. He was not impressed at all by his silver tongued words and could care less what he thought on the matter. The mermaid didn't understand the dangers of creatures other than the fables who were allowed in the Sanctuary. He stomped and huffed at the words that made no sense to him. He shook his head and stomped the ground in front of the human, causing it to shake and the air filled with the sound of thunder. He pointed again toward the direction he came in.

Giovanni whipped around at the voice of the magical creature. He should not be there either and if he continued to trespass he would send for the witch who had dominion over all magical beings as they could not harm him but he could harm them. He sent feelings of anger and warning toward the creature. He wanted the boy out and he wanted the Djinn out as well. He knew the Djinn had encountered the witch for he had heard the tale of what happened in the now abandoned casino. He sent and image of Mathias face to the Djinn and reinforced his warning.

Beautiful slender Water sprites appeared and ran to the aid of the mermaid, cooing and making soothing motions and noises. Brownies, which looked like tiny humans with wood for skin, and elves; tall, muscular, slender and gorgeously fair humanoids with pale hair, skin and eyes emerged and stood on the treeline surrounding the clearing. The elves held their magical bows at the ready, their tips coated in silver and iron. He whipped back around to the mermaid and sent her feelings of these creatures being her family and he was protecting her. They were protecting her and always would. He didn't want to have to do it but he sent her his memory of being bound while in his human form while the last mermaid was dragged from the water by laughing mutant teenage boys. Giovanni had been beaten and if it were not the the elemental named Rock, he would have never escaped their brutal onslaught. By the time they reached her, she was too far gone to save. He pointed at the mutant boy to indicate that he was dangerous.

He then noticed the silver rose and he gulped back a sorrow. He sent her the image of giving the rose to the mermaid and the joy in her eyes as he embraced her. He showed her how they lay in the sun and how he splashed on the banks while she did flips in the water while laughing because he wouldn't go in. He showed her the image of them sleeping under the willow, content, safe and warm. Then he showed his sad face reflecting off the surface of the empty lake. This will not happen again!

Giovanni turned once more to the Djinn and sent the image of him leaving with the boy. He stomped his hooves to emphasize that he wanted them gone...NOW! He took a bulls horn from his leather belt and blew it long and hard, sounding the alarm that any vampire would hear. He pictured Mathias once more and pointed toward the wall.

[Sinsae Niniane]

Sinsae felt her anger melt into sadness. The centaur was a strong creature, too strong for Sin's fit to influence. The air simmered with strange magics as Sin's eyes caught the Djinn. His mind was so different when she touched it at first with her mind's voice.

"Will you please tell the boy that it's okay? I don't want him hurt."

She gave another sad look as she sank partially under the water to catch her breath. The realization hit Sinsae like the broad side of a killer whale. She needed protecting in this world too. Another slave to her environment. She had no audible voice, no power, no strength. She was stuck here and she was still the worst of the mermaids. The frill of fins about her neck sank, limp with despair as the water sprites pet her arms softly and trilled softly in her ears.

She new these images of family and comfort were coming from the centaur, and any other time she would have accepted these creatures without hesitation, but she didn't understand why the boy couldn't stay. She watched as the centaur used her mind like a projector for his memories and Sinsae felt the truth in his telling.

"Please, just don't hurt him. He was just being nice to me."

By the time Giovanni blew the horn, there was nothing left of Sin at the top of the water but the silver rose that laid on the lakeside. Bubbles followed Sin downwards as she brushed off water sprites kindly. Although their affection was understood, it was not what Sin wanted. She wanted friends, not people who -needed- to protect her.

It was there, deep under the water and rocks, that Sin tried to clear her mind and hope that the young human boy wasn't being hurt, because what use was a mermaid to protect someone anyway?

[Zacharias Grimm]

When the mermaid began to be surrounded Zack looked away from her, he held no more interest in her, she needed no help nor wanted him, she had people and was wanted. So Zack’s first thought was “liar”. He now had a slight depressed eyes yet he kept on a smile as if happy for the mermaid because she was wanted. He looked at the elves with their weapons pointed at him and he giggled he was so afraid of many things, he was one of the weakest mutants of them all yet they all feared him to the point where they were aiming arrows at him. At this moment Zack believed the centaur to be half mule instead of half horse
After he was done with his giggling fit he took another deep breath. “it is really ironic and humorous actually. Me one of the weakest mutants being feared by elves of great strength and beings of such power, it’s so damn ironic. May I play you all one song on my violin, I rarely have such a grand and incredible audience, and with you all focused so much on me I must admit I am flattered, and if you may let the flying man stay to hear it as well” He said as his words echoed through the air.
He noticed the djinn in the air flying with its magic. He could see the djinn was analyzing his every trait curios about him once again having such focus on him made him feel flattered. So he decided to show the Djinn something curious as it stared into him. The boy was grinning as his iris’s began to flow with colors as if a rainbow along with northern lights were flowing through them. “I should say sorry to you, I think I may have gotten you in trouble with the centaur” he said rather calmly yet traces of joy and optimism could be found within his tone. This really was a fairy tale but he didn’t it should have such a bland ending of him just leaving.
He soon saw the Magical man laugh. When the magical man used the terms HIS glitter bug, Zack slightly blushed. When the elves kept on aiming it became obvious blood would be shed soon if he did not do something. He quickly jumped back gaining distance from the centaur and still taking a few steps back. His eyes turned a golden color. Zack was fully aware he would not be able to run he was healing. He had that hopeful gleam in his eyes. “I wish for you to save me in any way you can imagine and wish to employ” he echoed basically giving the magic man free range, surely the magic man had a better experience and knew more than the mutant boy, the magic man seemed to be the only one on his side right now, he could trust him with the free range if he wanted to harm the boy he could have just allowed him to stay there, any way Zack liked him he made him blush. Zacharias looked directly at the magic man to see what would happen next.

[Malach]

“Why should I grant you any favour when it is not a wish?” Malach responded to the fish girl in annoyance as she disappeared back beneath the water. He had much preferred the company of the kelpie, his little Kitalpha. She had been a playful creature and entirely fearless in her pursuit of what she had wanted. Her innocent determination had brought out his more frivolous nature and he had traded her innocent virgin kiss for his promise that her wish would do her no harm. It was a promise he was inclined to keep; it had been a fairly struck bargain. He should bring her another gift, he thought, something real this time. Something that had belonged to one of the vampire princes perhaps would sit well in her collection.

His darting thoughts settled again on the centaur as he made his displeasure heard, seen and felt. “You know well enough that I shall not long stay away whilst one here is owed a wish, Kirum-Sar.” Malach purred at the centaur king, who's name he had not so much forgotten as had simply never been inclined to discover in the first place. Malach went into the city to grant his wishes to the thoughtless humans there but he had taken to returning to the Sanctuary to think. The image of the man's face confused him for a moment and he had to ponder hard to recall where he had seen those eyes before; it was something he had chosen to forget. The Magister.

The flickering of the little mutant's eyes, for that was what he surely was, quickly drew his attention away from the stuffy centaur and Malach's laughter rang out again in delight. He shrugged off the idea of being in trouble with the centaur; for some strange reason the djinni could not fathom the creature did not seem to like him. “If you would have my assistance you must wish for it my little glitter-bug.” His eyes flashed with irritation as the centaur again threatened him with the Magister and he made a soft sibilant hiss under his breath. The little bug needed to hurry if he would wish; for all his bravura, Malach had no intention of directly confronting the Magister again.

“Granted.” Malach giggled as his half dissolved form flowed down from the tree to the ground in a golden shower of light and by the time he reached where the mutant boy had been standing a quite remarkable transformation had taken place. The boy's body too had begun to dissolve, condensing and shrinking, darkening as it did so until all that remained of him was:

Malach bent to pick up both the boy-creature and the violin with another giggle, “You are just as pretty the other way around,” he laughed in satisfaction. “Fare thee well Kirum-Sar.” he added to the centaur with an overly elaborate court bow before he half walked half drifted away, still laughing, in roughly the direction indicated, flowing over the wall rather that needing to bother with the hole which was now rather busy with VSF. When Malach fully reformed he was wearing an Arab thawb. He placed Zach on his shoulder and began walking barefoot through the city. “Where to now, my Glitter-bug?” his musical voice purred, echoing inside Zach's transformed brain.

[Thor Ericsson]

[Splitting thread as two have left on their own adventure.]