Mako hadn't always wanted to be a pirate, sailing the high seas and robbing innocent people of their treasure. He'd enjoyed being a fisherman, despite how little it payed. The lap of the waves, the smell of the salt and being adrift in his own thoughts was his idea of a good time. As a child, he had spent his days by the sea, living on a small island near New Zealand with his village, gaining quite the affinity for the ocean. But as he sat in his quarters, a golden crown perched on his head, his knuckles glittering like the sun and his missing tooth filled by a gold spike that jutted out of his jaw like a tusk, he knew he was a happy man. He had all the food he could eat, a crew that didn't interrupt his peace and quiet, and all the rum he could ever want.
He walked out onto the deck of his ship, thumbs under his belt, the dead shark cloak he always wore looking around as he surveyed his crew, all hard at work as they prepared to set sail away from the small island they had stopped at for supplies. Greetings were passed his way as he walked to the bow, all of the men looking at him with respect, fear even. He had something of a reputation for being a savage killer. Captain Mako, mothers said to their children, could crush a man’s skull with one hand and once killed a whale with a single punch. He may have been heavily scarred but he'd never lost a fight. Not once.
The sea air tasted foul, as though there were a storm coming. The clouds were few and far between, each as pleasant looking as could be. Mako turned on his heel, surveying the calm ocean, not seeing anything concerning. Usually his feelings were correct. A prickle at the back of his neck was usually the difference between life and death for him. There was something amiss.
“Captain! Ship, port side!” One of the men, Jonesey, called, tangled up in the rigging. “British colours, looks like she's bounty hunting!”
Sure enough, a huge galleon emerged from behind a massive rock formation. In the open sea, evading her would be easy but in a reef minefield, it would be a lot harder. Mako growled, looking around at his men. “Man the sails, we fight her in as open water as we can get! You, get to the gunnery! I want those cannons ready to fire!” He pointed to Gouge, one of the best navigation officers to ever be thrown out of the East India Company, and smiled. “Get to the helm. If we die today, we die fighting!” The crew roared in approval. They knew the drill, this wasn't the first time they had to fight their way out of a situation like this.
The ship was huge, twice the size of the Sea Hog, but that didn't deter Mako one bit. With wind in their sails, the pirate vessel sped into open waters, parting the waves effortlessly. As the larger ship drew close, the painted words on the side made Mako frown. The HMS Phantom, one of the fastest ships in the empire. Of course they would dispatch one of their best ships just for him. He was the most feared man on the sea. “Alright, wait for it… She's coming alongside…” He held up a meaty hand, pausing as he watched the other vessel inch ever closer, starting to come up beside the Sea Hog.
Mako frowned when he saw one of the crew on the opposite ship leant over the side to shout over to him. “We just want you, Rutledge! Come quietly to answer for your crimes and your crew will be spared!”
There was a pause before Mako clenched his hand into a fist. “FIRE!”
The sound of cannonfire always made the captain feel like he was on top of the world. It was a privilege to see his men blowing holes in the Phantom, polished wood flying everywhere in both chunks and splinters. The Phantom began to return fire as its crew threw grappling hooks at the Sea Hog, intending to board. Despite being handy with a cutlass, Mako couldn't slice through all the ropes and he soon found plenty of Englishmen on his ship. With a low growl, Mako charged forward, shoving men into the ocean or gutting them with a swift slice of his cutlass. However, he paused when he heard a gun cock, turning to look at Lt. Sutton. This was one man that Mako had crossed swords with dozens of times, someone who would not let go of a grudge. So Mako had sunk three of his ships, he didn't have to keep chasing him.
“Don't you move, Rutledge. You're coming with me whether you want to or not.” Sutton growled, baring his teeth. Mako stared at him, emotionless behind the shark mask. He knew there had to be a way out of this, there always was. He was resourceful, he could work out how to get away.
A voice called from the Phantom, barely heard over the sounds of battle. “Lieutenant! Whale off the stern, she's coming in fast! Hold on, that's… that's not a whale! Oh, shi-”
A crunch noise sounded, deafening, rumbling in Mako's chest. The waters parted, an unfathomably massive appendage rising from the water. It was a fish tail, the biggest Mako had ever seen. Towering above the two ships, it hovered in the air for just a moment, enough to give all the people below a good look at it. Orange-gold scales, pale yellow fins that were near shredded, scars and harpoon holes, barnacles and sludge clinging to it. The men aboard the British ship screamed. Just once. It came down with a splash that sent a tidal wave over the Sea Hog, splitting the Phantom in two. Mako knew his ship was okay, a little water never hurt it. Still, fear gripped him, knowing a monster that size would be impossible to fight. Lt. Sutton wailed as he watched his ship smashed to smithereens, just splinters. The tail disappeared, leaving naught but debris.
Still aiming his flintlock at Mako, he grit his teeth, looking from the pirate captain to the remains of his crew, clinging to planks of wood and cargo boxes. “By God's mercy… I will kill you here, Rutledge, and take your vessel for myself. Maybe this lump of splinters can get me back to somewhere I can string up your corpse as an example to all other filthy pirates.”
As he was speaking, Mako turned to look into the waters below. One by one the sailors clinging to the debris began to disappear under the water. The pirate simply pointed, turning Sutton's attention to what was happening. The men vanished, no blood, no bodies, nothing. Seven were pulled under before the surface broke again, a massive creature appearing. It seemed like a colossal version of a human, blond hair and bright, amber eyes with slitted pupils. However, its ears were more like fins, its neck sporting gills. It grinned, serrated teeth glinting in the morning sun, clearly drawn by the sounds of the heat of battle. Using claws as long as oars, it picked one of the sailors up, opening its colossal maw. The man screamed and writhed as he was held over the beast's mouth, dropped in like a piece of candy, swallowed without hesitation. Mako’s watched with horror, agape as he saw the wiggling lump go down the monster's throat, disappearing forever.
Before the beast could pick up another sailor, Sutton turned and fired at it, causing it to look up from its feast, not at all flinching at the bullet hitting its cheek. Its eyes turned from Sutton to Mako, blinking wide open. It opened its mouth, a sound coming out like the crash of the sea on rocks, loud and clearly aquatic. “You!”
Mako remembered this creature. It may have been a very long time ago but he remembered. A young man in his twenties, a rowboat and the goal to catch fish. A shallow cove, cut off from the rest of the world, quiet and untouched. Wails of pain, blood staining the sand red, torn scales being pulled into the sea. The sea monster was a lot smaller back then, clearly just a juvenile. Mako had taken his knife, cut away the nets that tangled its limbs, so tight around the right arm that it was cut off completely, or gnawed off when the flesh began to decay from lack of blood. He had carefully removed the hooks and harpoons that had cut him, hauling his catch onto the beach for the monster to eat. He talked to it, gently helping it get to grips with losing an arm, using his nails to scrape away the barnacles that were crusting around his eyelids and mouth after being adrift so long in the ocean. He used a bucket to carry water from the sea to his gills, making sure they stayed wet lest he suffocate. After becoming strong enough to move, the beast had fled, clearly terrified and wanting to go back to the ocean. There were some times Mako had thought that was a dream, perhaps brought on by being out in the sun too long.
Now here he was, a look of recognition on his slimy face. Mako took his opportunity, punching Sutton to the ground, yelling for his crew. The naval officers were surrounded in a moment, swords and pistols on one side and a grinning sea monster on the other. The giant merman scooped more men from the water, swallowing them six at a time, clearly enjoying himself, mumbling happy purrs.
Mako smiled, laughing softly. “Looks like we caught ourselves some bounty hunters, lads!” Mako called, the happy roar from his crew causing him to grin. “What say we give them an anatomy lesson? Here, fishy! Dinner time!” He gestured for the plank to be put out, one of his men setting it up.
The monster clearly understood, moving so his face was below the plank, looking up at Mako happily. “Dinner time!” The monster chirped back, tongue flicking out to lick his lips. Mako shoved Sutton and his men toward the plank, his cutlass at their backs. The Lieutenant looked down in horror as the monster's lips parted, strings of saliva connecting tongue to tooth, breaking off and pooling at the back of the chasm that was his throat. He stuck out his tongue, the tip touching the edge of the plank patiently waiting for his meal.
“N-No! You can't do this to me, Rutledge, you bastard!” Sutton trembled, looking at the grinning shark mask with nothing but terror. “P-Please, I'll do anything! Anything!”
Mako huffed and stomped on the plank impatiently. One of the sailors toppled back with a deafening screech, tumbling onto that slimy tongue. A loud, wet gulp sounded and the merman chirped happily, tongue flicking out again. “Okay, you'll do anything?” Mako smirked, getting a little idea. “Send your men to their deaths. Force them to jump.”
There was no hesitation. Sutton shoved his fellow sailors off the narrow plank, determined to save himself, each one falling after the other, cursing the Lieutenant’s name as they attempted to climb out of the mouth, only for those jaws to shut, cutting off the light for the last time. Mako watched the monster savoured the men in his mouth, poking them around with his tongue, a light blush dusting his face as flailing arms and legs made bulges through his cheeks. It took a few swallows this time, the bulge in the fish’s throat wide and writhing, pausing for a moment before a hard gulp sent it below his collarbone, the panicked screams growing fainter until they were no more. The fish laughed, a high pitched and mocking giggle.
Mako chuckled, coughing and wheezing slightly, clearly enjoying himself. “You fucking coward.” He watched as the monster opened his mouth once more, pearly teeth having fabric caught between them. Mako walked out onto the plank, hearing it creak violently beneath him at his weight. He picked up Sutton by the scruff of his neck, lifting him effortlessly and looking down at the gaping maw under them. The man screamed, kicking and writhing, trying to escape as he was held over the beast's jaws. From here, Mako could feel the heat radiating from the merman, slightly fogging the lenses of his mask. He shook Sutton, watching him dangle with a sadistic grin. “Ready to become fish food?”
The shrieking and begging almost caused Mako to reconsider, seeing the pathetic man pray for his release, hands clasped tight. Mako was about to drop him into the chasm below when he heard a particularly laboured creak. The plank groaned, snapping in two, unused to Mako's tremendous weight on it. The two men fell, both yelling. It was as though it were in slow motion, that face approaching fast. Mako watched the teeth rise on either side of him, tongue meeting his back. He slid down it, seeing the jaws begin to close like the gates of hell sealing him inside.
“Hey! Hey, I'm in here!” He shouted to the fish, hoping he understood. Mako knew he could probably cut his way out with his sword but he'd grown to like this merman; he'd done Mako a service. The teeth snapped shut and the two men were plunged into darkness.
Sutton began to swing at everything, Mako and the tongue that moved to curl between them. It was hot, throbbing, and the pirate could smell the strong scent of fish even through his mask, globs of spittle pooling around his boots as they sank into the hot flesh below him. He was just about to panic at how dark it was when the mouth was filled with light, the uvula hanging above the cavernous throat glowing like an anglerfish. A clever bit of evolution, simply open up and let the fish come to you. The pirate would've appreciated how useful that would've been were he not stood in the maw of a literal man eater. The tongue tip pushed Mako against the wall of razor sharp teeth, a soft purr coming from the back of the throat as the fish flicked Sutton backwards and slammed him painfully into the roof of his mouth, his ears popping as he suckled on him. The tip of the slick muscle pushed the man back and forth into the walls of his mouth, tasting him, scraping him lightly against his teeth. Mako noted that the fish hadn't had nearly this much fun with previous victims and he shuddered to think that he might actually be...showing off for him. Or demonstrating what was about to happen to him. The lieutenant screamed as he was pushed backward, toward his inevitable destination, trying to cling to the tongue to no avail. He attempted to grab ahold of the glowing uvula, finding purchase for only a moment before a hard swallow made the throat muscles grab his legs, peristalsis taking its course and dragging the man under. Mako watched as he was pulled backward, nails and feet and knees and elbows doing nothing to prevent his fate. One last gulp and he was gone.
The tongue was still now, laid flat, and the absence of movement made Mako realise that the fish was swimming. They weren't on the surface anymore. “I'm still in here!” He yelled, moving as much as he could to catch the merman’s attention. “Either let me go or eat me already!” He pounded his fist on the serrated teeth, a little shocked as it came off in his hand, the size of a gravestone but much lighter. He knew that shark teeth came off that easily but he wondered if he'd hurt the merman. A soft whine of protest came from him and nothing more, leading Mako to feel a little guilty. Still, he was worried that the monster was just saving him for later, his suspicion spurred on by the fact that the tongue below him began poking and prodding him, gently rubbing against his belly. The tip pushed under him, causing him to fall to lay on the broad of the slick muscle, feeling it curl around him, tasting him all over.
He couldn't decide if he liked or hated the sensation of tastebuds against his skin but the merman was quick to stop, opening his mouth once more. Mako sighed in relief when he saw sunlight again, two fingers entering the maw and plucking him out. He looked around only to see that the beast had towed his ship to the nearest pirate friendly port for repairs, a good distance away so nobody would spot him. His crew cheered at his safe return as he was set on the deck, the merman grinning at him.
“Thank you, uhh…” Mako frowned slightly.
“Jamison!” The merman chirped, licking his lips. “Thank <i>you,</i> both for saving me and for the meal! Super yummy and still squirmy!” He rubbed his stomach, clearly satisfied.
Mako chuckled softly, turning to his crew. “Drinks are on me tonight, boys!” He yelled, hearing the bellows of joy from around him.
oOo
Imbibed with enough rum to keep a warm feeling in his belly, Mako took a rowboat out of the port, leaving his men to celebrate and beginning to sail out toward where Jamison had left their ship. The sea was quiet and still. If he hadn't witnessed it, Mako would never have believed such a horrible feat of nature had happened that day. He smiled when a clawed hand reached out of the water, pulling the tiny boat towards a small, rocky island. Mako stepped out, watching as the massive merman heaved himself out of the water, laying himself down on the slimy rocks. He walked closer, using his fingers to pry some of the barnacles loose as he had done all those years ago, hearing Jamison purr at the scratching. “So, what are you gonna do now?” Mako asked, really getting to work on his itchy spots, making him wriggle happily.
“Well… if you don't mind having me, I'd like to stay with you! I don't have any friends and you lead an exciting life!” He splashed his tail in the water eagerly. “Besides, nobody wants to mess with the captain that controls a sea monster!”
He had a point there. Mako petted his nose, noting how he leant into his touch. “There are plenty of people you'd find tasty that deserve a good eating.” He smirked, looking into those happy, amber eyes. “I think you and I are going to get along just fine, Jamison.”