How is he supposed to get true love's kiss now?
"Ah!" The guard behind you screeches. "Racoon!"
Using his new favourite move, Grim leaps on the man, growling, scratching, and biting. It may not involve magic, it it's effective nonetheless.
"Y/n!" Erica gasps. "Wait!"
"Rielle!" You sprint forward and tackle him, the sudden impact forcing Jade and Floyd to let the blonde slip from their grip. Quickly, they move to restrain you as Rielle wiggles free. "Go-mph?!"
"NO!" Azul screams, composed demeanor falling away in seconds as he sprints to pull you apart.
You don't know how to react as Rielle's lips are pressed against yours. Mind blank from shock, you find yourself unable to do anything but stare straight ahead blankly. You don't even register his hair changing colour until he's pulled away. His blue eyes look into your e/c ones as he gives you a smile, red hair reflecting the remaining rays of sunlight.
"...Rielle?" Erica whimpers.
"Don't you dare touch her!" Azul yanks you back as if he can stop what has already happened. Noticing the defiant, blue eyed scowl that's being sent his way, he screams. "No!"
Your mind is spinning. Rielle traded his appearance for legs... for YOU???
Dear lord, this story is screwed.
That's when it hits you. You have an audience. Mortified, you look around the ship, face turning as red as Rielle's hair. Your eyes lock with Erica's, who looks as if her soul is being torn apart. You really hope things reset after you leave.
"Ah... Ahhh..."
You look at Azul, looming above you with soulless, hollow eyes.
"Aaah, aaaaah..."
The twins look at him, concerned.
Jade reaches out tentatively. "Azul-"
"NGAAAAAH! I HATE THIIIS!"
The crowd jumps as he suddenly wails, alarmed.
"Azul," Jade tries to pull him away.
"It's gone." Azul mutters, eyes vacant as he stares at his feet. "My carefully threaded plans... our omnipotent power..."
"Mr. Ashengrotto?" Grimsby hurries toward his friend. "What's going on? Please step away from them- they're highly unstable individuals."
"All of it, up in smoke!" Azul screeches, ignoring everyone around him. It no longer seems to connect with him that he has an audience. Any thoughts of maintaining his carefully crafted facade have long since disappeared, replaced only with the anguish of loss. You can tell he's having a breakdown, which means you can't talk your way out of this. "How could you DO this to me?!"
You wince, and immediately shove Jade. "Sparky!"
"Raaaaaaaargh!" He snarls, lunging at Floyd and biting his already sore hand from earlier. Floyd tries to fight him off whilst maintaining his grip on you, but eventually can't hold on.
"Get off of her!" Rielle shrieks, and throws himself at Jade, clawing at his eyes.
Your glance at Erica as you stand, catching her gaze. They hold a pool of emotions: confusion, shock, remorse, and betrayal. It feels like a punch to your gut.
I didn't know. I swear.
No one seems to be able to move, the guests standing around and watching in horror until Grimsby steps forward. "Guards! Restrain them!"
"No!" Azul leaps for you like a man possessed. "You're not getting away!"
You act on pure instinct: you swing your fist toward him, knocking him on the jaw. He stumbles to the side, and you lunge for his hat.
"Sparky, time to go!"
Azul glares at you, breathing heavily. "No! You... you impudent little-"
"Y/n?" Rielle calls. "Wait!"
You and Grim sprint to the back of the ship, Azul hot on your heels. You need to find a safe spot to teleport. With your heart pounding in your chest, you race back to the room where you were captured, the sound of Azul's footsteps crashing behind you.
"Get her!"
You and Grim burst inside, slamming the door behind you. Pressing your back against it to block the exit, you fumble with your necklace.
Azul pounds on the door. "Get out of there you insignificant fool!"
"No thanks, I'm very comfortable in here!"
"You ruined everything!" He yells. "All my hard work, gone!"
"Look, I'm sorry!" You yell back, bringing the necklace off of your neck. "I didn't mean to interfere! Trust me, I really didn't!"
Azul pounds at the door. "You were out to get me this whole time!"
"No!" Unfortunately, you have no way of keeping the door shut without your weight. You need to get him to stop banging on the door so you can get closer to the window. "I just wanted your hat!"
How can you get him to stop? You either need to scare or shock him, and you doubt you'll be able to manage the former. You think back to all your interactions with him, and the ones that left him the most stunned.
"Why would you want my hat?" He demands, pushing against the door.
"Not important!" You yell, unable to believe you're about to admit this. "But I never wanted to hurt you because I am very much attracted to you!"
The pounding stops instantly, and you can imagine how red his face must be on the other side of the door.
Good. Let him suffer.
"...what?" Another voice asks. Rielle.
Oh bother.
Why do men make everything so complicated!
"It's his fault! He could have had me as part of his mermaid army but he refused to give me an outfit. It's not me, it's you!" You dart away from the door and lower your voice to Grim. "We need to go, now!"
The monster gives you the most judgemental look you have ever received in your life. "You liked Azul?"
"We can discuss that later!" You grit your teeth and hold the crystal up the light. "Through!"
With one last look he leaps into the gem's fading refraction, and you follow him into the light.
***
Rielle has been labelled a madman on land, and can't return to the sea without magic. Much to Azul's delight, the prince is being brought to the royal dungeon. Serves him right for costing Azul his father's trident.
Erica clings to Azul's arm, batting her eyelashes at him. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that! I can't believe how manipulative he was!"
"Nothing I couldn't handle." He assures her. "But I must be going. Have a good night, Princess."
"Good night, Mr. Ashengrotto." She giggles. He flashes her a charming smile, though it hurts his face to do so. He doesn't plan on being out of bed for a while. Still, he turns up the last of his charm for the princess.
"Please, call me Azul."
She giggles. "Only if you call me Erica."
He smiles at her softly, gazing into her eyes. "You have my word."
"Princess." Grimsby calls, and sends Azul an approving look. "Let's be on our way, now."
"Good night, Azul!" She giggles, batting her eyelashes.
"Farewell, Miss Erica."
Once she's out of earshot, Azul drops his smile. "What a trusting, idealistic airhead."
"Incredibly so." Jade agrees. "What's the plan with Y/n?"
"The guard I charmed earlier will support our claim that we have brought our former colleague into our custody for rehabilitation." Azul explains. "Out of the goodness of our hearts, of course."
"Ha." Floyd snorts. "What a load of morons."
Azul sighs as they begin walking. "I apologize for my earlier behaviour."
"It's fine." Floyd laughs. "Keeps things interesting."
"I'm glad it was interesting," Azul remarks dryly, shooting him a look.
"Not as interesting as our former kitchen hand." Jade states, lacing his fingers together.
"That's a lotta trouble to go for just for one measily hat." Floyd agrees. "They're not even cool, like shoes or something."
"I have to agree. There's also the fact that she specifically wanted mine when it would have been so easy to simply acquire one from the Mostro Lounge." Azul points out. This has been the longest, strangest, and most emotional day he's had in a long time. You most certainly are an oddball...
Azul's face begins to burn as he thinks back on what you had said before you disappeared.
"I am very much attracted to you!"
He would be lying if he said he hadn't thought you are pretty, but had never crossed his mind that you could think the same. The memory alone sent his mind spiraling. Why had you wanted his hat? Where did you come from? Where had you gone?
"The weasel has magic." Azul clears his throat, walking further ahead of the twins to hide his face. "We can trace it and find out where they went."
"Excellent plan," Jade says with a smile, a practiced mask for his true thoughts.
"Can't wait!" Floyd chuckles, his grin wide with excitement. "She was a real hassle, but it's fun! I'm gonna give her a big squeeze."
"Then it's decided," Azul smirking slyly. "We'll start our work in the morning."
Satisfied, they turn the corner. The night was simply a bump in their road to omnipotent power. They would regroup, strategize, and before anybody knew it they would be the rulers of the land and sea.
Their smiles fade in unison as they reach the spot where the Mostro Lounge once stood, now reduced to nothing but a heap of ashes and shattered business plans. Their stomachs drop in horror.
Had you started it, or been a victim of the flames? Is this petty revenge or a barely eluded tragedy?
Azul swallows. The restaurant didn't set itself on fire, and it is unlikely that anyone else would be linked to the flames. You, somehow, are connected to this.
Did you do it in an attempt to get back at them for locking you inside? How terribly reckless of you.
Worse yet, did you somehow start a fire while inside? How did you manage that?! Did you turn on the stove and throw napkins on it? Are you that clueless?
Azul pauses. No, that's unfair to you. You are clearly incredibly intelligent, however you have had a rough past. You aren't naive the same way Erica or Rielle are- though he strongly doubts either of their privileged behinds would know their way around a kitchen either. You are not naive by nature, but due to lack of opportunity.
...had you tried to cook something?
What happened?
Oh, you poor thing. You must have been so terrified! Azul feels his heart constrict in his chest. Even if you have ruined his carefully constructed plans, you didn't deserve this- if it had been an accident.
You have no idea, do you? Either you are the most petty person he has ever met, which while it angers him to think of the length you had gone to to prove a point he can respect it, or unfairly clueless in ways that are not your fault.
However, he can't simply let you off the hook. Not for this. He has a debt to collect, and he has no plans of letting you escape it.
Y/n: I have given up an idealistic life for you to pursue your dreams because I love and care about you, Grim.
Grim: *gets traumatized
Y/n: that wasn't part of the plan
Also, I'm letting you guys decide the update schedule for the next arc. The next arc is a little beefy, and there's a lot of moving parts to it. So, we have two options. I can write and edit the whole thing and do six updates within six weeks in some time, evening out the chapter lengths, or I can continue as usual- sporadic, but you will definitely get content sooner. It really depends on how long you all are willing to wait for the next chapter. Just add a comment on whichever one you prefer. Thank you all for reading!
1. Write everything at once
2. Update NOW woman
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