[Kyar]

Mᴀʏʙᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ'ʟʟ ᴛʀᴀᴅᴇ ꜰᴏʀ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ sʜɪɴʏ?

Twig’s fest drifted back and forth with the gentle tides of the cove. The water was sparkling with the early morning sunlight, but he stared down at it with a deeply furrowed brow.

How was he going to convince the mers to trade him that piece? To be honest, he didn’t have a clue what it was. Just looked like a piece of scrap metal to him. But Shark insisted they needed it. So who was he to argue?

That wasn’t so much the problem here. Despite the crystalline water and pocketfuls of mermaid scales he kept stashed away in his bag, what around here was shiny? What could he offer them?

He’d worked hard tossing bottles, but that was only a distraction. He needed a trade here. The metal contraption was already an established part of their hoard. How could he compete with that?

As he stared down at his reflection, he suddenly went wide-eyed. His badge! The starfish charm he’d found on the beach, his sheriff’s star!

He stood at once, pulling it from its careful pinning to his shirt, and his hand closed around it in affirmation. Sure, he’d wanted to take it home with him. But this was more important, for Shark, for the whole crew, and all the passengers aboard the cruise ship. Sometimes, sacrifices had to be made.

Isn’t that what a hero does?

[LivingLethal]

prompt #8
username: LivingLethal
team: Octo
kruiser: Mushi
response: Things Mushi did not expect to work:

[sobble]

Gengar.
Team Squid
Prompt 8

[Northstar.]

Northstar. | Team Squid | Feat. Bunny Holland, Ellys, Ellie, Torii, and Ares

[SilhouetteStation]

SilhouetteStation / squid / sign up / 531w

What does your kalon trade the mermaids to get the spare parts?

"Um…"

Annie rocked back on her heels, thinking hard. She thought she'd just be coming here to relax in the sand, enjoying this private part of the beach; not haggling with mermaids. She knew what this cove was called, yes, but she didn't think she'd actually find any mermaids here. What would the chances of that have been?

High, apparently, if these four wanted to strike up a deal.

They watched her, eyes glittering in anticipation, as she tried to come up with something to say. Eyeing the parts she needed, very much out of reach, she knew there was no way of obtaining them without giving something in return. But she hadn't expected this kind of situation to arise, and so she hadn't exactly planned to trade anything. The fact that it had to be shiny just upped the difficulty.

"I have food and stuff?" She tried, and was met with a stony silence. "Yeah, I didn't actually think that would work...um…how about some shiny life advice? Not physically shiny, but you know, everyone could do with some nice tips every now and then..." She trailed off as there was still no response. One coughed awkwardly, and another looked as though they were trying not to laugh.

Annie desperately raked her brain. She had no jewellery on her - she'd taken it off in case it fell off and got lost - and the only remotely shiny things she had were the buckles on her backpack. They were worth a shot, she supposed. Sitting down on the sand near the shoreline, she fiddled with the buckles to get one off. The mermaids, seemingly curious, moved closer.

"You guys want these?" she asked, holding one out flat on her palm. The sunlight glinted off the metal, helping to improbe the shininess. "They jingle, too," she said, holding an end between her finger and thumb to make the metal bits clink together. The four of them exchanged a glance.

"I've got four of them," she tried desperately. "One buckle each. You could start a little music group or something. Or like…you know."

"You don't have anything else?" one of them asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm literally giving you the buckles from my backpack. If I had anything else, I would have offered it. I wasn't exactly prepared for this," she added in a joking tone.

The four of them discussed the matter privately, and then one of them swam forward to address her. "We will accept your offering of belt buckles," they said. "Because, we suppose, they're sort of cool. We don't get a lot of buckles, and it's good to have a wide collection of shiny things."

"Also we feel a bit sorry for you," one of them piped up, and the one speaking to Annie rolled their eyes. "That's okay," she replied, letting out a little laugh and rubbing the back of her neck. "I think I'd feel the same."

Buckle-less, but backpack still full of the spare parts, Annie began her trek back. Faintly, back in the distance, she thought she heard the sounds of metal jingling.

[carpe]

pangurbanka • iris • male • team squid

What does your kalon trade the mermaids to get the spare parts?
Spread out on a rickety wooden bridge, Iris looked at the duckweed-drawn water and dreamed. Would there be a boat here, he would awaken the pond from hibernation, he would disperse the green cover to the shores, he would show the blue water to the summer sun. Maybe on the boat, he can travel from here almost to the sea. Or maybe he can play hide and seek with merkals or dance with them in the water...
Iris himself didn’t see any merkals in his life, but he heard a lot of stories about them: some scary, some funny, some even romantic.
Iris lied with his chin in his paws, looking at the water, thinking a sad thought. Suddenly he heard someone laughs. Iris looked around but saw no one. “The sun is too hot, it messes with my head,” he decided.
He lied for a few more minutes on the rickety boards of the wooden bridge, looking at the duckweed pattern when suddenly he heard a loud splash as if someone was bathing. Kalon raised his head, examined the water surface, but did not see anyone. Only light ripples swayed away from the duckweed. “The fish lets the water go round”, he decided again.
Iris lied still, watched as a small fish circling among duckweed leaves. Suddenly he saw blue water fluttered, parted a green veil, and a wrench somehow rose to the surface from the depths of the pond.
The kalon gasped. He sat on the bridge, thinking how to get a wrench out of the water without wetting his fur. A wrench in the sun sparkled, winked at Iris with water drops as if asking: "Please take me."
Iris tried to reach the wrench with his hand, but nothing.
Then Iris got up, looked around, sighed and went into the water. Coldwater was chilling the skin warmed by the sun, driving a stubborn kalon back to the bridge.
Iris gritted his teeth and made his way deeper, pulling wrench with his hand. Suddenly he felt that someone tickles him, grabs his knees. Iris was frightened, released a wrench, peered into the water... But he saw nothing.
Iris again stepped to the wrench, grabbed it... And again, someone tickled his calves, grabbed his knees. He stepped back from the wrench, lowered his hands into the water, looking for if the river mud or fishing nets got tangled up with his legs? But found nothing.
And for the third time, Iris took the wrench, lifted it. He twirled wrench in his hands, admiring it. Suddenly he felt again someone tickles his legs, grabs his knees, and makes bubbles underwater. Iris was frightened, hastened to move away from the mysterious place.
"Why do you need my wrench, boy?" Iris heard a loud voice.
He turned around, saw a blonde kalon leaning on a bridge with her lower part of the body hidden under the water.
"Why is it yours?" Iris was surprised.
"Pond is mine, and everything in it is mine. And a wrench, then, too". The girl laughed.
"Why would it be your pond? It belongs to no one." Iris was again surprised.
"You are funny." The girl jumped from the bridge into the water, almost instantly appearing behind Iris and still laughing. "Hey, sisters?! It appears this pond is not ours!"
The water rumbled around Iris, foaming in duckweed. He was frightened, he turned his head around, thinking how he’s getting to the bridge, and the girl still laughed:
"Hey, sisters?! Do you hear that?! People don’t believe in us anymore!"
Water began to splash around Iris, even more, whipping Iris, as if punishing him for disbelief. Iris trembled with fear and because of the cold, but he did not release the wrench from his hands, gently pressing it to the chest and backing off to the bridge, wanting to get away.
The second Iris touched the bridge with his paw, the bridge staggered, creaked under an unknown force and went under the water.
Iris looked at the wrench, swallowed his soundless tears, saying goodbye to his friends and family in his head.
Then he suddenly remembered that mermaids love gifts, and shouted in the last breath:
"Forgive me, water spirits! Accept as a gift the only thing I have! The colorful flower wreath that I gathered on my way to your pond!!"
The laughter ceased here, the water calmed down, the merkal emerged from the water, looked at him with her blue eyes, waiting for the continuation with a silent consent.
Iris sighed, looked at his precious flower wreath for the last time and handed it to the mermaid, and she disappeared with laughter in the water, leaving Iris with a wrench in his hands.
Well, he should've at least take a photo in his wreath before this whole thing happened.

[VoidRinkusu]

Your kalon found the Cove!

The mermaids in the lagoon, Ares, Ellie, Ellys, and Torii doesn't seem very inclined to help you however. They have some parts you might need but don't want to give them up for nothing.

Mᴀʏʙᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ'ʟʟ ᴛʀᴀᴅᴇ ꜰᴏʀ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ sʜɪɴʏ?

What does your kalon trade the mermaids to get the spare parts?

Wylan - 526 words - A tie pin

“It’s incredible that all these materials were moved here by the tides.” I remarked.
“Oh? Who said anything about these things ending up here naturally?” Said Ares with a sly smile.
“We heard the commotion and slipped over there when you all were too busy to notice us. We found these nice looking scraps that had sunk near the ship.” Explained Ellys.
“So naturally, we took them.” Ares finished for her.
“Well.” I said, “Don’t suppose there’s anything wrong with that. We do need the parts to fix our boat and leave, though.”
“Finders keepers.” Smiled Ellie. I was a little taken aback by their attitudes.
“Hold on.” Began Torii, “maybe we could benefit from this.”
“Ooh, well, I do like the sound of that.” Agreed Ares.
“How about this? You bring us something really shiny and the scraps are yours.” Suggested Ellie. The others nodded in agreement.
“Very well. I’ll be back soon with something to offer.” I said, starting the long trek back to the shore where our belongings were kept.
“Goodbye, then!” One of the merkals called after me.
“Bring something good!” Yelled another.

I was never a flashy guy. I preferred simpler belongings that showed style in their modesty, so I struggled to find something good. I had considered giving them a nice bottle or finding some sea glass but I doubted that would cut it. In a last-ditch effort, I began looking through my clothing. I would have to buy something if I couldn’t find anything and I didn’t know where I’d even look. I had brought a suit in case there were any formal events and as I moved it to the side, something fell from it. I went to pick it up. It was a tie pin that Hawking had given me back when we were visiting the island Kestrel. It showed a rose made of an expertly cut red gem with a leaf of gold on either side. It glimmered in the lamplight. The idea of giving up a gift was far from appealing, but a quick search through the rest of my bags proved that it would be the only suitable trade. With a huff, I left for the cove where the four mermaids would be awaiting my return.

They saw me walk down the shore towards them and swam over to meet me.
“So, what have you brought?” Asked Ellie. I dug the pin from my pocket and held it out for them to see.
“This tie pin.” I said. They gathered around to inspect it. It sparkled as I moved it around.
“It was a gift from a close friend.” I admitted. A useless detail, an impulsive remark.
“Oh-ho! It’s got emotional value and everything!” Ares grinned.
They found it suitable and helped to drag the scraps to the shore but I would have to bring them back by myself. I grabbed as much as I could carry and started heading to the boat. I looked over at the mermaids again. They were passing around the pin to see whose scales it matched best with.
“Hey.” I caught their attention, “Take good care of that.”

[lonk]

what does your kalon trade the mermaids to get the spare parts?
venita & rudy - that's a good question | 1052 words

after speaking to the mermaids, venita and rudy knew that words were utterly useless when trying to get the parts from them. they were by no means very friendly, and it was immediately made apparent that they weren't about to just give up their belongings for nothing. the few things that they showed them didn't seem to pique their interest either (rudy was a little mad that they didn't like his hat), so what more could they do but draw back to the thinking chair? the pair found a spot on the edge of the lagoon, resting in the shade, miserably trying to figure out what they were going to do.
rudy rummaged through his bag, its contents spilling out, a pile of junk on the ground next to him. "uh... i've got some advil. you think they have some? will they even know what it is? um........ my sunglasses? nah, they've got a lotta trees...." he rambled on and on, his frustration growing. venita sat with her head in her hands, ignoring her companion. "...but i bet they don't have phones or anything, so they wouldn't want earbuds. and... ven? are you good?"
she jumped, her eyes widening. "y-yeah. i'm fine. i just... i know what i have to do. i almost did it back on our last big adventure, or at least i tried to, but... it was different. you remember the last time we dealt with mermaids, correct?"
rudy blushed, and ran his fingers through his hair. "i know, i know. i got captured and you got me out. you don't have to make fun of me, man."
ven smiled, but it couldn't hide the worry in her eyes. "it's not like that. i offered something very important to me. a family heirloom- a crown. i always carry it with me, so... yeah. i know that it'll be enough for them. let's just get it over with."
she swung her bag over her shoulder, letting out a sigh as she pulled herself off the ground, and began to walk toward the rock where they'd met the mermaids. rudy scrambled to get his things together, and panted as he jogged up beside her. "h-hey, ven, we can think of somethin' else! i'm sure they've gotta like something i've got."
she merely shook her head. "it's fine, rudy. getting back onto the ship is worth more than something insignificant like this."
"but it's clearly not insignificant! it means something to you, dude. and that's enough, for me, to excuse not trading it away. like, would i offer my guitar? probably not, but considering the circumstances, i can replace it, i guess. we can just see if they'll take it! and then you don't have to be all sad and serious. i hate seeing you so... like this." he gestured wildly before putting a hand on venita's shoulder, stopping them both on their path. "seriously, my guy. we can figure something else out."
venita had no response. she kept silent, leaving rudy standing behind her as she approached the mermaids. they stared at her with bored eyes, basking in the sun on the edge of the shore. "took you long enough," the purple one said, watching venita as she took her bag off her shoulder.
"i have something that you'll like," she began, her voice still strong and steady as always, "something that'll make those ship parts seem like garbage." ven began to unzip the main pocket, rudy watching, mortified, in the distance. "this is something that is very special to me-"
"and i have something even more special. something much better, for the lot of y'all." a familar voice rang out from behind the pair of land-dwelling kalons. oh dear god. he trudged up to the edge of the water, hands in the pockets of his ratty green coat in the hot summer sun, bright orange backpack rattling around- filled with goodies that the mermaids would like.
the short man squinted. "there's one, two... four of you. dammit. how'd you get involved with that many mers?" he laughed, throwing his head back. "i knew y'all liked trouble, but not like this."
the yellow mermaid scowled, narrowing his eyes. "are we making a deal or not?"
palmer grinned, his catlike smile unfazed by the creatures in the lagoon. "of course, my friend. i've made many trades throughout my time, and i'm sure that this one will be just as successful as the rest." he began to rummage through his bag, pulling out an ornate box. the intricate green and yellow patterns sparkled in the sun, grabbing the group of mermaids' attention.
"bracelets. one for each of you, and you each get your own color! very nice. very fun. and all for.... whatever those two were asking for. i'm sure that this will be a worthwhile deal, my friends."
a murmur ran through the mermaids before the purple one spoke up again. "we'll take it."

"d-dude, how did you even get here?"
rudy's eyes nearly jumped out of their sockets again as the now trio dragged the ship parts down the path. palmer shrugged. "oh, you know. i have my ways. and, well, i smelled danger, so... why not come along and help y'all out?"
venita sighed. "thank you, palmer. it really means a lot to me that you'd give them actual jewelry for some old junk that we need." she blew a strand of hair out of her face before letting herself smile. "i really didn't want to give them the crown."
"it's no problem, kid. i've got so many treasures like that at home that it doesn't really matter to me. of course, you two owe me now, but don't worry about it for now." ven and rudy's grins of relief faded. "i'm on vacation now too, huh? i'll be bunking down with you, so i hope we're not upset about that."
rudy bounced back. "yeah, it's all good! even if we have to do some weird crap for you, we'll just enjoy the island as a group, now." his cheerfulness was contagious, letting venita slide back into a good mood. "it's nice to spend time with you, palmer!"
the short kalon yawned, nodding. "it's nice, alright... oh, and, rudy?"
"yep?"
"you'll be taking the couch."

[uηsρεcifiεd ¢ryҏtiɗ]

Prompt #7

What does your kalon trade the mermaids to get the spare parts?

Username- Drasheep | Kalon- Uktena |Team- Octopi | Sign-Up

"Well, I've got this old comb-thing from when I was a kid, you're totally welcome to it!"

[Chickpea]

An old key!