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gliphyartfan · 6 months

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@yanderelinkeduniverse @stars-for-thought @imprisioned-in-the-hole @screaming-until-god-hears-me @crestfallenmermaidan @ice-cream-writes-stuff @linked-heroes @eternadreeblissa

Howdy Howdy! Boy this one should have been posted a few days ago! Sadly I got rather sick and then how to deal with a few other things. I'm good-ish now!

But it's here! And I shall be taking a victory nap as a reward!

This one ran away from me. Did not expect it to follow the path it did. But it happened and I accepted my fate.

(Note to self: Never write about deities, they take full control of the majority of the story, making me write more than planned while they take center stage 😤)

What He saw was the sight of battle.

What He smelled was the scent of blood.

What He heard was the sounds of combat.

What He felt was the ground rumble below Him and the shifting of the winds.

Felt the scent of smoke and blood fill His lungs and escape.

Before Him, beasts that cried for flesh.

Behind Him, He sensed terror, caution, and pain.

He did not need to look around to know why He was released.

Unrestrained beasts that needed to be culled.

The Young Vessel's desire for their deaths urged him forward.

Yes. He understood well His purpose for being called.

He raised His sword, uncaring of the sight of beasts instinctively cowering before him.

It was not an unusual sight for Him.

It was only natural that the weak kneel before Strength.

It was the way of War.

The weak bow to the blade.

But foolishness comes to the weak sooner or later, shown as one of the beasts became brazen enough to charge forward, it's allies even more so as they followed suit.

He hefted His blade above His head.

And the hoards quickly fell to His might.

—

There is a eternal repetition in battle. Repetition in war.

Use your weapon. Kill your enemy. Move on to the next.

The methods that war is waged may change as eras pass, but remove all the ideologies that each side has, and the bare bones of it all is the same as the very first war to ever be waged.

There are the Victors, and there are the Defeated.

All of them have blood on their hands.

Gods are no different from mortals in that aspect. Despite what many, divine included, may say otherwise.

If it were not so, the Fierce Deity would have no need to exist. Perhaps he would have long been granted the Fine Rest all souls earn inevitably.

Imprisonment within the mask did not mean death of who He was. Even within the wooden cage, the Drums of War called to Him constantly.

Battle urged Him to come. To lay waste against those He would claim as enemies.

Having a hand in Majora's death was a satisfying return to the mortal plane.

But to bond with the young vessel that He laid claim to. A soul that could hold His power without risk of corruption. It lead much change for Him.

He sensed the Soul long before he ever step foot in that place of mourning and memories. Sensed the touch of divinity that coated his soul. (A touch that displeased him, though he had not yet known why)

A seemingly fragile shell with a Soul that wielded such uncanny Strength.

The boy had been far from his reach when he had first been made aware of it's presence, yet the boy's soul strongly reached for Him, as if it had known Him longer than the mortal shell had lived.

Many times the connection they held, fragile as it was, would strengthen without warning, then weaken after some time.

The sense of Divinity would ting within those moments.

The soul echoed it's emotions to Him when their connection grew during those times.

What emotions they were.

The force of them all pulled at His attention, left Him unable to return to the silence that his prison wrapped Him in.

Turbulent. Like a raging storm.

Yet at some point, it dulled. Repressed itself deep within. Yet with focus He could feel the raging force within longing to be released upon those that had wronged it's shell.

The urge would sometimes overtake the boy.

When it did, the feeling of loss would overwhelm them both. It was an agony that He felt through his incorporeal being every single moment until the connection would fade back to fragility.

Soon the connection no longer fluctuated in strength.

But it did grow closer.

and with it's nearing, it was inevitable that He would come to learn the reason behind the turmoil he perceived within it.

—

Young, weary yet hardened eyes took in the lands that held his prison.

Lands that did, yet did not, exist.

Still, those same eyes took in the life in this world, saw it with familiarity that one his age should not have.

He was a shell that was Weak.

Or so He had thought. In the beginning, at the very least.

He had not meant to speak to the boy when he sent foot within the land of timeless death, merely choosing to speak into the silence, aware that any answer would not be made.

Yet He had not been displeased when the boy answered Him back without a moment of hesitation. Even less displeased when the boy was unbothered by His return to silence.

He watched how those eyes remained dulled and unfeeling as the cycle of repetition continued.

They did not waver even when He spoke to the boy.

And still He watched. Witnessed the cycles repeating themselves, over and over again in this Timeless land.

The boy collected the masks, assisted every person that he could, and with each mask granted to him, their connection strengthened.

A question asked by Him for every moment the child Fell to the First Day.

The child would answer without fear or question.

The child who opened his very soul to Him.

It was...interesting...to watch this strange boy, to be allowed to witness all that made him who he was.

To see the vessel grown to match the strength of his Soul, to sense His claim over him within those memories despite never having claimed him before.

To witness the battles that had Once been fought by his hand.

To see others with souls as strong as his. Hardened through trials that no mere warrior could face without becoming corrupted.

To see them all slowly soften within the presence of a mere mortal girl.

She was a curiosity at most. Though an ignorable presence at minimum.

A being from another reality all together. One that does not have active gods nor active magic.

The world may have arose from Chaos but magic has always rested against the surface of the lands. To know of a world that exists without such foundations...that was what caught His eye.

He supposed the girl had a way with words and actions. Easily able to ease the sorrows of His Vessel and his companions with well meaning acts of kindness.

A maternal hand. Perhaps a touch uncommon for a woman of her age without young ones, but not out of the ordinary for someone to be naturally caring.

She was a curiosity. But a dull one.

In the beginning.

Yet he watched the memories that may as well also be His as His Vessel sharpened his blade and slaughtered all those that dare endanger her.

How he and his companions nearly tore one another apart in a bid to claim a place within the one who's heart they desired to protect and cherish.

It was then He began to focus on who the woman was.

This woman was knowledgeable as a royal scholar, wise with words in a way that even the most experienced ambassadors could not best.

A heart that opened itself to those that had good souls yet a steel gaze that was ready to pierce anyone who would dare to fool her.

In a way, all that was lacking was physical strength.

It was utterly fascinating to witness.

The souls of the Hylian Lands, they grew too used to peace. Rarely was war fought unless the Demon heir rose to bring it forth. The souls here preferring to stay in their ignorant comfort as the Goddess sent her Chosen Sacrifice of the era to do her bidding.

Yet this one soul, one without magic nor blessings...

Yes...He longed to see how much this woman's strength grew.

This woman was not as fragile as He first assumed.

He wondered, how she would take to the blade.

Perhaps a spear? Nothing so fragile as a Bow nor dagger. No, this woman would not be pleased fighting at a distance.

He wondered what expression she would show as she felled her enemies?

What gaze would pierce her dying foes as she cut into their flesh?

She was truly an...enigma...

Fragile yet strong.

Heart of kindness yet a heart willing to steel itself in the face of adversity and manipulation.

The only true reason His Vessel and his brothers succeeded in hiding the actions they committed, was simply because she saw no reason to suspect them.

They would not have done so well, had she viewed them as adversaries.

Indeed, The being that He once was, in a time no longer existent, had assumed too hastily.

She was a match for Him and His. More so than any of the Goddess' blood.

A soul worthy of His blessing and protection.

It would indeed take a strong soul to attract the hearts of those who the Goddess of the Hylian land would dare claim as Hers.

A sense of peace was instant her presence, one that His Vessel had never held before.

A peace that spread amongst those His Vessel eventually claimed as Sword Brothers.

Yet...even the Deity of War knew such peace was always at risk of being ripped from mortals who were not cautious.

And inevitably, the woman was stolen from them. (From Him.)

His Vessel and his brothers broken by her absence. (His immense displeasure at their failings)

Then...power. Much of it. Colliding and mixing in ways such differences each power held should not.

And then...His Vessel woke again. Body once more that of a child.

Awakening just as He took notice of the sudden connection that they shared.

One that should not have existed, yet had always been there.

It seemed the Vessel was as aware of their connection as He was. Perhaps that familiarity was enough for his mind,unbalanced as it was, to hold on.

He supposed His being had been used for worse purposes before. He saw no shame in a fellow warrior finding a semblance of grounding within the presence of a comrade.

When the moment came that his wooden prison was placed in his Vessel's hand, their connection solidified instantly.

Odd it was, to feel such a...sense of rightness.

This...was His Vessel.

How the boy relaxed upon wielding His mask. His power, His Being, coursing through his mortal veins, as the young Vessel's form adapted to house His soul.

As it was always meant to.

( When He returns to His prison at the end of their battle with Majora, He ponders what thoughts would fill the Great Ones of the Beyond. Should they ever learn of the Goddesses' actions? What would the Great Ones think of the Divine Maidens, sending infants to fight Their wars?)

—

He recognized the souls approaching Him from His Vessel's memory.

Where the other warriors treaded cautiously around Him, these souls walked without fear nor arrogance.

His Vessel was not pleased by their presence.

(his hurt echoing through Him at the sight of them.)

'Leave.' His Vessel's presence echoed within him.

Leave?

His Vessel? Unwilling to face them? Those that his heart claims as his own?

Unwilling to face the possibility that they would view him with unfamiliar eyes?

(Such an strong yet vulnerable soul His Vessel was.)

It was rather humorous to note.

The two warriors drew near and stopped before Him. Each standing a bit further away as if in respect of His Presence.

Murmurs from the surrounding troops gradually spread out over the temporary encampment. Easily ignored, He did not care for any attention paid His way.

He awaited their next action, silent as he was gazed upon by those that may or may not know Him and His well.

The two sides stared at one another, His mind immediately noted similarities between the two men and his Vessel.

Both possessed powerful souls, His Vessel's own soul calling out to it's brethren.

Their bodies relaxed, their hands visible. As if to assure him that they mean no harm.

But their eyes, such gazes hid many intentions. Yet they were clear to Him with ease.

...No, it was not that He was able to see their their facade. It was that they were not bothering to hide it from Him.

They sought Him-sought out His Vessel whilst playing the part of oblivious men.

And the intimidated men surrounding them, all were blind by such a weak farce.

It seemed they were done with their inspection of Him as He was with them.

The younger one took a step forward but was stopped by the elder one's arm.

The elder one ('Captain' His Vessel's thought echoed through Him.), stepped forward, closing the space between then til he was naught by a few feet away.

"May your sword never dull." The warrior greeted him, the corner of his lips turning upward in a faint smirk.

"Though if it must dull, May it dull after your enemies are long since slain."

It seems His Vessel saw fit to teach them proper greetings. Curious. (As was the surprising echoing from His Vessel.)

"Captain," one of the men in the crowd whispered toward the elder warrior, "He's dangerous! Ally or no, we can't risk antagonizing him!"

Without a hint of regarded to the whispered warning, the captain pressed his sword hand horizontally across his abdomen, bowing deeply to Him.

"We are honored by your presence, Great Deity, and your assistance in winning this battle." The captain spoke, voice calm and respectful "May we prove ourselves worthy of your continued favor in this war."

"...You speak well." Amusement sparked within Him as the men surrounding them jumped at His voice.

Yet His Vessel's brethren were not phased.

"I am honored by your acknowledgement." The captain replied smoothly, "I was taught well by a most trusted comrade."

His Vessel had indeed taught him well. Not many would greet Him with such respect and sincerity.

Even if His vessel was still displeased with the situation at hand. The urge to leave pulsing through their connection.

...He naturally chose to ignore it. (The annoyance that pulsed soon after indicated that His Vessel was very aware of his intentional ignorance.)

He observed the captain, noting His Vessel's emotions as he watched the man straightened.

Peace mixed with quiet joy. Yet also anxiousness and frustration.

Truly was His Vessel willing to hide away in order to avoid facing what troubles him?

Always so childish when it comes to matters of heart and soul.

No matter to Him, He had no wish to linger amongst solders who could not muster the courage to look Him in the eyes.

'I've faced my share of battles today.' He spoke to His Vessel, pulses of confusion and sudden panic swept through Him as He reached up and covered His face with His hand.

'Now you face yours.' And He released His hold on His Vessel, His power being pulled back into His wooden prison.

---

Warriors watched as a bright flash of light consumed the surrounding area, exclamations filled the air yet the light faded as quickly as it appeared.

Where the Fierce Deity once stood, now the men saw-

"Is that a child?"

The young boy, perhaps a bit younger than the Hero of Winds, stood there, mask in hand.

Bafflement clear on his face as he stared straight at the Captain.

"Hello Hero of Time." Warriors greeted him, a hand resting on his hip, his words inciting more whispers.

Time blinked repeatedly, lowering his gaze to the mask in his hand.

Slowly, his gaping mouth twisted into a scowl, and without a moment of hesitation, he threw the deity's mask to the ground before him.

"Damned God!" He exclaimed angrily, even as the surrounding men because to quickly step back, faces rapidly paling at the young hero's actions. "A devil more like! Always putting me on the spot when I least want his damned input!"

Warriors chuckled, which slowly turned into a laugh.

Wind behind him, biting his bottom lip and trying to stay silent despite his shoulders shaking from his own laughter.

---

"Oh, I haven't laughed like that in ages!" Warriors commented, still chuckling as they settled in a isolated corner of the encampment.

It had taken some time to calm his men, but eventually he had managed to guide Wind and Time away with him.

"They all looked like you insulted their mother." Wind snickered, legs kicking against the crate he sat on. "Then again, they'd probably look less insulted if you had."

"Moments like this makes me wonder why I let that one put me in the spotlight." Time grumbled, sitting on the ground and resting against the crate Wind sat on.

"Well, it seems he simply wanted you to stop trying to hide away." Warriors suggested, reaching behind him and unclasping the waterskin from his belt and holding it put to Time.

"Here, I doubt all that fighting in this soot filled air has done your tongue any favors."

Time eyed the hand before accepting the waterskin and taking a drink.

Silence reigned in their small corner.

Wind humming quietly as Time stared at the ground at his feet.

"...How have you been, my sword brother?" Warriors asked watching as Time set the waterskin aside as he shifted slightly against the crate.

"...I suppose I could be worse." Time replied. "I've been better, considering I don't feel quite as alone anymore."

"It's a nice feeling." Warriors agreed, smiling at his brother fondly.

"Mn."

Another silence reigned as Time stared at the ground.

"…Do you want to talk about it?"

"What is there to talk about?" Time said, "I woke in a body I had long thought I would never be forced to wear again. Forced to see the faces of my allies look at me with unfamiliarity. To bow my head towards the Goddess' heir. To journey again through places I never wished to traverse again." Time spoke through his teeth, his breath escaping in a hiss.

"All while trying to differentiate between truth and fiction within the confines of my own mind." He laughed bitterly.

"No, I don't have much going on in my life."

"Well pardon me for assuming you've been struggling." Warriors commented sarcastically.

He expected no answer to that but instead received only a scoffed laugh as Time leaned back against the crates once more. "Of course not. It would just be foolish on my part to assume otherwise, when the last time I was faced with the reality of a future that does not exist."

Warriors fell silent.

"But...you know it happened." Wind piped up. "We both remember it too, three for three. So that means the others must remember too."

That earned an agreeing hum from Time who didn't utter anything else.

"But why didn't you find us?" Warrior continued, "Why not find us so you could share your burden with ones who knows what it feels like?"

"Because I... couldn't burden you with something as trivial as-" He cut himself off, "-I mean-"

Time sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, his expression was solemn, his youthful face contrasting with such an old expression.

"I'm...nowhere near the end of this curse."

"Time-"

"How long will it be for you both, before we are all united once again." He asked, "One? Two? A few years at most?"

Wind and Warriors stayed silent.

"But what about me? Trapped in a child's body once again, and every aspect that comes with such a curse."

"Pardon if this may sound offending, but is it truly as bad as you say?" Warriors questioned.

"You are not the one who must wait decades to reunite with everyone." Time snapped, turning his gaze away from them to glare up at the darkening sky.

"I logically thought of all the benefits that came with this circumstance of renewal. What I could improve from my previous path. What I could change." Time left out a quiet laugh, face twisting into a weak smile before it return to the frown it had.

"I tried to see everything from the perspective of someone who could return to our goddess with strength and wealth that would benefit her and her happiness." He shook his head, eyes closing.

"But it was not returning to my past that hurt. Nor was it that all my efforts in the previous life was erased like wind blowing away words written in sand. To be looked at with pitying eyes who only see a child, no matter the efforts I do to prove otherwise." He opened his eyes, tears glistening at the corners and threatening to fall.

"What truly hurts is the length of time that I must wait to return to you all. Not to even bring up the length until we reunite with our beloved."

His eyes burned as the two other men stayed silent and patient.

(He hadn't even realized he had started shedding tears until Wind's hand gently rested on his shoulder and squeezed it tight.)

"I..."

His voice broke as he spoke, though he swallowed down the emotion before letting out another sob.

"There's nothing I want more than for us all to be reunited again, even moreso being reunited with our beloved." He whispered, "Yet I can barely handle it. The pain, knowing I'll spend decades waiting for my comrades to come together once more. In a way, seeing you both now is like salt on the wound, a wound that is then grind down by one's heel."

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes tightly, as a choked laugh escaped his throat.

"I'm sure you heard of the failed assault against the sorceress' forces? The one led by the Lieutenant General Doza?"

"He tried to lead an assault through the Palace of Twilight, right?" Wind stated, "And failed half way through, along with the slaughter of most of his men. . After that, he sent a message requesting for rescue and stating that the sorceress' forces are stronger than ever."

"Which they now are, thanks to his disregard of the warnings they received." Time spat, eyes opening wide as his tone went sharp and cold.

"He also claimed that he was 'caught unawares', and that if he had be 'properly forewarned', he would have succeeded."

"Something tells me he had been forewarned." Warriors remarked calmly.

"He was," Time answered, "By me."

"...What?" Warrior frowned.

"Before he neared the palace, I had crossed paths with him. I recalled you mentioning last time how the previous assault also failed and I had approached him with 'advice.'" He explained with a scowl. "He laughed at me and told me little children should not play at being a soldier. He ordered some of his men to escort me to safety while he marched his men forward."

"That arrogant-" Warriors pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply. "Seems the death of his captain took the last of his senses. I lent him some of my men. The very same ones who lost their lives there."

"The attack failed against the sorceress, as expected. The only reason there were any soldiers left to save was because I requested reinforcements after I was shoved to one of the far bases." Time continued.

"Didn't really stick around to see if they came in time, left as soon as I sent the message."

"That explains why I was praised for my foresight in the rescue." Warriors muttered.

"I knew how to make it seem like you wrote it, so I took advantage of that." Time sighed.

"Lives lost due to arrogance and overconfidence in one's position. Worst part? He'll never admit to it. Even if I had been an adult."

"Men like him never want someone else to order them around." Wind commented. "Is that why you've been sticking as the Deity?"

"He's imposing enough to make sure no one tries to treat me like a child." Time answered smoothly.

"Yet you were hoping that you could use him to bypass speaking to us." Warriors placed his hands on his hips, Time looked away.

"I already told you why."

"Yes, but why didn't you try talking to us sooner?" Warriors demanded. "The failed assault happened two weeks prior, where were you?"

"Does it even matter?" Time asked tiredly.

"Not particularly, but I'd still prefer if you would at least tell us why." Warriors said.

Silence reigned for awhile.

Finally, a sigh left Time's lips.

"I was scared." He admitted.

"..Scared?"

"Don't tell me neither of you were scared at the possible idea none of us remembered." Time scoffed.

Silence descended upon them once more.

"I was terrified." He confessed quietly, "I was petrified of facing you both, of seeing your faces look at me with unfamiliarity."

He rubbed his cheek with his hand, "I could barely stomach returning to my child's body. But seeing you both look at me with unfamiliar eyes? That would have broken me."

"But we do remember." Warriors quietly stated, taking a step forward.

"But I didn't know that yet, did I?" Time smirked weakly at him.

"Believe me, hearing you greet the deity as you did and knowing you could only do so if you remembered." He sighed calmly, "It lit my heart with so much joy."

"But then I suppose I became a coward in the time we have been apart. Here I was, willing to hide away so you would not see me like this." He motioned to himself.

"So I attempted the coward's way out of speaking to you." He snorted softly. "And you saw how that turned out."

Warriors took a step forward, then another. Slowly making his way to Time and kneeling before him.

"I'm sorry my sword brother." Warriors said softly, making Time look at him.

"Why are you sorry?" He frowned, looking away again.

"If I'd known it meant you this much pain, I might have stopped and thought things through better." He shook his head.

"No..I-" Warriors sighed, "I'm sorry that out of all of us, you suffer the burden of years. Something no sword can defeat. That you would be left alone in your era with no true support. With no one who could hear your words and know it to be true."

"I don't deserve such understanding, or apologies." His hands balled into fists, knuckles turning white and turning almost translucent under the strain. "None of us do for our arrogance."

"None of us do," Warriors repeated in agreement, "But that doesn't mean we shouldn't be forgiven. Or rather, cared enough about, to forgive ourselves."

"You-"

"We...have much to atone for. For trying to trap our beloved in a cage of our own making." He continued, "And for not being able to see it until it was too late."

He reached out slowly, taking hold of Time's shaking hands, and gave them both a gentle squeeze, Wind's hand never having left Time's shoulder.

"But we are here. For each other. And we will stand beside you, until it is time for us to part once more." He slowly leaned his head down, pressing his forehead against Time's.

"And when we reunite once again. We will stand by you, always. Just as you would always stand by us."

Time stared at Warriors, mouth slightly agape.

His eyes shone bright with unshed tears

Time blinked rapidly, the tears spilling freely. Warriors reached up and pulled him, and Wind, into a hug, letting Time bury his head in his chest and hold on tight.

"Let me go. Please." He said through his tears.

"Never."

"Please Captain-"

"Let us have this." Warriors pleaded softly to him.

"We won't let you go." Wind agreed firmly, burying his own face against Time's shoulder. "We don't want to, not when you need this as much as we do."

They felt Time shudder against them, and soon, he nodded.

They held him closer, silent as they soon heard his sobs grow louder and louder.

"I'm sorry." He sobbed, pressing his face against Warriors' tunic. "I'm sorry."

"We're here." Was all that was said in reply.

Time said nothing more as he continued to cry.

Allowing himself to finally let go within the arms of the few who had his complete trust.

#god i'm tired #nap time for me!#linked universe #yandere linked universe #linkeduniverse #lu #loz #lu wind #lu warriors #lu time #fierce deity #ttau #TTAU rewrite

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little-pondhead · 1 year

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I would like to hear the lore about your deep sea mermaid and her daughter with a prosthetic tail. I would like to hear it very much.

Well, you've convinced me! Here's everything I have on her. :)

Everyone can blame @elizabethemerald for the info dump about this post.

---

Let's start with some background! The two mermaids from my last art post are one of my many (many) OCs. They belong to a version of Earth that would best be described as science fantasy, I believe. There are equal amounts of science and aliens as there are magic and fairies. The world system isn't completely thought out yet, so we can come back to that later. The point is that there's a lot of stuff shoved into this one world. To me, it's basically one giant puzzle trying to figure out where science stops and magic begins.

For the mermaids, most of them are deep-sea based. This is because, as of right now, less than ten percent of the ocean floor has been properly explored, so it makes sense that the depths of the sea are where they're hiding. In the concept notes, a large disaster happens to Earth that floods parts of the world with new resources. This disaster stirred up the creatures living on the ocean floor, causing some to evolve and grow. This is what happened to the mermaids, who were already the top predators alongside the cliché sea monsters you find in myths. If you factor in the several decades of the planet trying to stabilize and recover from the disaster, by the time [HUMANS] found mermaids, these aquatic folk of the deep are now too big to visit the surface properly.

The last bit of backstory is that there are now many different species of intelligent life living on Earth and beyond. These beings are split up into different classes, depending on what they are. Mermaids belong to the [MYTHEON] class, as they can trace their origins to human mythologies. Other classes include [BEAST FOLK], who possess both human and animal qualities but do not trace their origins to mythologies, or [ALIENS], who originate from beyond Earth's solar system.

Onto the mermaids!

I'm gonna be honest, I came up with the mother's design on the fly. She doesn't really have a name, but I like to imagine that, at some point, she has to go to the surface, and everyone meeting her is just in awe of her size and beauty. I just think it'd be neat to draw. :)

Now her DAUGHTER, oh boy. She's one of the main OCs for this story I have cooking up. Due to the mermaid's natural habitat, they have their own language, similar to whale song. However, when roughly translated into English, her name is Marina! (Creative, I know. I like very literal names.)

Marina is based on an anglerfish, one of the most well-recognized fish in the sea. She's one of many who scuttle around the Midnight Zone. Her mother is several decades old, so Marina has a lot of siblings. The angler mermaids are recognized by their distinct lure, bioluminescent glow, and monstrous mouths. (For an easier time, I made it so the mermaids could close their mouths, so I wouldn't have to draw it open all the time.) Most anglerfish have incredibly poor eyesight, so the mermaids share this trait as well.

Marina is special among her siblings because she was born with no tail. As you can imagine, this makes it incredibly difficult to survive in the ocean. Once she's a few days old, Marina is slowly acclimated to the different pressures of the surface world and taken in by an old couple who owns a fish hatchery. Marina becomes one of the first mermaids in history to have a permanent residence on the surface, and so she's subject to lots of healthcare studies as she grows up. When she reaches the appropriate size, Marina is fitted with custom prosthetics that allow her the same walking power as a human!

And even further down the line, someone makes her a prosthetic tail, which allows her to freely swim like any other mermaid.

Below is the first sketch of her new tail.

You can see it's not connected all the way. My idea for her prosthetics is that she has thigh prosthetics permanently attached to her lower body, so she can switch out the lower part depending on her needs. The prosthetic attachments use the ball end of the thigh, which acts as a knee. She switches between her prosthetics depending on what she's doing, and I usually draw her with running ones on.

Her purpose in the storyline is still a little fuzzy. Marina has two jobs. She works as a hatchery technician for her adoptive parents, and in my notes, it also says she's a sidekick of the superhero kind. I don't know where the superhero bit came from, I think I was going through a phase in high school, but the point is she's a fighter and works for some kind of law enforcement. She had to be physically strong to survive on the surface, so she's buff as hell, and she's proficient in ice magic, which is especially useful in disaster situations.

Here's a few quick sketches of her designs over the years so you can see how she's evolved!

I created this character in 2021 and wasn't very good with complicated designs yet. This is reflected in the sketch, which is more human than mermaid. She has fins on her arms and legs, which are real, and therefore her outfit is limited because I didn't want to cover up her fins. (Please note that in these designs, Marina wears clothes meant for fighting, not everyday wear.) At first, I tried using a light color palette to signify her lawfully neutral alignment, but it came off like I was trying to make her some sort of saint. Marina is supposed to be the tank of the party. Her ice abilities make great shields, and her huge size makes her an easy target. She doesn't need to learn fancy maneuvers if her whole job is to just sit there and take attacks head-on.

With these facts in mind, my 2022 design is much closer to what I want her to be. She's gained prosthetics here, looks sturdier, and has actual armor. The armor is made from seashells and other things taken from the ocean. To be honest, I'm scrapping this design because I don't think the armor flows together well, and I also really don't want to draw seashells over and over again. It's a cool concept, but just not for this. I might reuse the seashell armor for something else. Her staff acts as both a weapon and a guide. Due to her poor eyesight, Marina has been declared legally blind and uses her staff as a cane to move around.

As a backup, Marina is also contracted with a minor water spirit, whom she named Sally after the famous seashell tongue-twister. The water spirit acts similar to a seeing-eye dog and also provides the water she needs to create ice structures when she's fighting. (Marina does not have the ability to create ice out of nothing, and her water manipulation is very poor. Contracting a water spirit was a way to fix her weakness.)

Overall Marina is the strong, silent type. She has the unique privilege of being a person of both water and earth, which has advantages and drawbacks. While she was adopted by a pair of human parents, Marina loves to visit her mother in the depths and show off what she knows. This just got easier when she got fitted for a new tail. Marina loves the town she lives in and protects the people who have accepted her as one of their own with fierce loyalty. She doesn't speak much due to her teeth and mouth shape but has the most elegant handwriting you will ever see. She likes to eat soft things, and her favorite food is pudding. She's allergic to tuna but likes raising them. Her hair has a pink tint and floats on land like it does underwater, but no one really knows why. (It's Sally's fault.) Her childhood friend is a coconut crab she found on the beach, and her parents were too scared to tell her to put it back. Marina is very large, over 6'5", and is expected to grow much larger as time goes on. Right now, she's barely 20 years old.

Everyone knows there will be a time when she must return to the ocean, however. Someday she'll be too big to survive on land.

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Oh lord, I think that's all for now! (If you read this far, have a cookie. That's some dedication right there.) I kinda just word-vomited up everything I had about her, and honestly, that's not much compared to other characters. Marina was supposed to be one of the side characters in whatever story managed to crawl its way out from under my bed, but now I'm obsessed with drawing her and pushing the boundaries of my character design abilities. I know there are some puzzle pieces I left hanging, but don't worry about it. At some point, I'll get off my ass and flesh out this story world properly.

#pondhead replies #doodles from a pond #seems like a single ask was all i needed to give in #god i'm tired #does any of this make any fucking sense???#guess i'll read it in the morning and find out #my ocs #art #mermaids

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