A wave crashed into the bow of the boat and splashed water on the ship hull, raining down in a light sprinkle above the deck. An uncomfortable grunt came out of a rusty hunk of armor, as it watched water sprinkle it.
"Wearing armor like that out here can be a death sentence boyo. You better lose it, before it pulls you under."
"Not a chance."
I was standing on the deck letting fresh air flow through the metal armor to get something to breathe, being stuck below was agony. Unable to escape the tin can, I was also stuck in a hot humid environment that made me sick from the rocking. Even if it was dangerous to stay on the deck I chose to be here. Just one problem, a guy thought I enjoyed his company and wouldn't go away.
"This is probably your first time at sea right? Don't want your first time overboard being your last do you? Just take it off for a while."
"No."
I couldn't exactly hit the guy, but I kept trying to make it clear he wasn't welcome. He was the captain of the boat, a man who looked to be cosplaying a certain pirate from a movie franchise. He was a bit of a screwball, constantly chatting away while his crew worked. At first I had no idea he was the actual captain, since I always thought the serious seeming older guy was the captain.
'Who in their right mind made this brain dead chatterbox a captain?'
"We are coming up to the mermaid waters, you are better off below deck. We will pass through it quickly in an hour tops, but they aren't very friendly to us…"
"Mermaids? Like the ones from movies?"
It piqued my interest, being the first thing I might see besides the totally desolate ocean. After a day of staring out at sea with absolutely nothing besides the waves, seeing something else was strangely exhilarating.
"No, nothing that fun, these are just pieces of crap people. They worship Poseidon and intentionally changed into mermaids so they could live unbothered with the rest of world, they barely let ships like me pass."
"Hmmm"
'I wonder if they could know where the location of paradise island is, or what the true intent of the cult is. Seeing as they are free to swim anywhere being mermaids and all.'
"I will stay on deck for this."
The captain didn't say anything after that, instead he gave me a helpless shrug walking away finally. I had to seize every chance, otherwise I am going to fall for her trap again. However word got out mermaids were coming and the entire gang stopped playing cards below and came up here.
"Boss, can we catch one!"
"What if they are ugly, I don't want an ugly bitch."
"Where have you seen anyone ugly, they all look hot here."
A fog came out of nowhere filling the entire sea, as the boat sailed into it slowly. Soon afterward it became too hard seeing anything besides stuff close to the boat, however I felt it. We were being watched, and it was intentionally making us all feel that.
"The mermaids used some sort of defensive magic that restricts everyone who enters their sea, even noticing it requires being directly up to it."
"That so."
Me and the Captain were standing close together in the center of the ship, I was avoiding being pulled in while he just seemed bored. The worry I might be pulled to my death wearing a heavy suit of armor wasn't my only fear, I also was worried after seeing my gang doing stupid crap.
"I am going to jump in!"
"Stop it idiot, there isn't even a mermaid so why do that?!"
"Why do you twins always have to cause so much shit!"
They turned into a fist fight on the edge of the boat, and the inevitable happened. One of the twins actually fell into the ocean, and I now had to take action. Rushing to grab a rope I planned to throw it to save him, before the boat left his ass stranded at sea. Instead I heard a scream of panic that sounded unlike something a man could make.
"Something touched me!"
"Pull your pants down, maybe it's a mermaid."
"Yea do it, no balls!"
'What are these idiots saying now?'
Just before I threw the rope at him, I stopped mid action. I saw the twin without pants in the water being strangled by a girl with a fish tail, while another fish tailed girl was punching him. He didn't seem to be bothered as he kept feeling up their exposed breast, which only enraged them more.
'I guess mermaids do exist.'
*****************************************************************************************
"You scoundrel! I save your life and you repay it by trying to rape me!?"
"Nuh uh! I normally swim without pants!"
The boat was stopped and two mermaid women were on the boat, when they got on they somehow transformed their fin thing into legs. On one side of the boat was my gang surrounding the one idiot, and on the other looked like a duo wanting to skin the idiot alive.
'There goes getting information from the damn mermaids…'
"I am not handing over my man, I don't care what law he broke."
"He should be killed for attempted rape! I am a minor too! I am only thirty five years old!"
My mouth hung open, unable to come up with a response. Part of her statement made sense, but the rest was incomprehensible. I looked down at her body and saw a fully grown woman, even with some wrinkles on her from the years.
'In what world is thirty five a minor?!'
Turning to the captain in complete disregard for this crazy bitch, I saw him and his crew holding weapons. They weren't on anybody's side, just seemingly trying to survive this whole event.
"Do mermaids age differently or is there something obvious I am missing."
He didn't answer me quickly, but I saw him break under the pressure from my entire gang staring death stares at him. Especially the one twin, I knew he was an idiot but he never swung for low in years before.
"Mermaids age no different to humans, and she probably is someone new to being a mermaid. You can see she doesn't have scales, so she can't have been a mermaid longer than a year…"
"Shut up! That's all nonsense! Ever since I was reborn as a mermaid I am now just one year's old in my heart, even if my body is thirty five!"
I realized the issue, we are dealing with a nutcase. Since that is the case, I don't need to worry anymore.
"Enough shit, either you get out of the way or else you aren't leaving."