Mer-Manic Harmony Ch. 01

"Woah that's some story," he said interested in hearing the real tale of it, it made him feel weird, looking at her see her cute face growing so red, then he realised, "Wait so is she a descendent or something?"

"No, no when a jewel or gem mermaid dies a new jewel mermaid is born with the blessing it could happen to any mermaid, it could only happen to a girl because of the goddess or something and I just happen to draw the lucky weed, the jewel mermaids are said to be extremely powerful because of there link to the ocean goddesses, I can't wait till I'm older and more powerful, I'm excited to learn special ocean magic."

"Ocean magic? So it likes magic but...from the ocean."

"Bingo," she giggled, "it a super special type of magic that not like water or ice magic, it's powered by the ocean, so think, super special exclusive magic, anyone can learn it even humans but just how you learn it which is the troubling thing."

"Huh magic? Nah magic sound like too much effort I'll leave it to you can you do some?"

"Yes, I can do the basics I could show you later."

With a tender smile, he nodded, pretty interested in this magic. The two newly made friends continued walking entering little shops that caught her interest, even noting what looks like a gipsy shop or some witch's shop hidden away. The two of them were slowly getting used to each other, James was actually enjoying this she seem to bounce off walls with excitement always being interested, open, friendly and optimised with him, and Melody was getting used to his grumpy attitude but find something deeper noticing small detail he says...There was something more than just blind grumpiness, There was a reason which made her more interested in him, plus she was liking him as a first friend more and more.

Once they explore near the beach walk melody noticed the pier being interesting but he stopped her not having time, saving for another day.

Plus if he was going to protect her then he couldn't with what he had, checking the conduction of his baseball bat, seeing it was getting shit so he needed to buy a new one, Melody with so interested she just nodded following him like a duckling following it mother.

The two were now walking down an empty side street behind the shops in the back alley James needed to head to a certain place to get his new bat, it just this was the best way of getting there.

"This place is kinda spooky," Melody whispered, sticking close to James.

"It's only the back alley and unfortunately the quickest way to the shop but if anyone tries to mug us I'll protect us...Well, protect you."

"T-Thanks James."

He grinned a little an oddly chipper smile on his face which confused himself, why was he feeling so-

Suddenly a figure appeared, a man wearing a leather jack and black jeans, his hair dirty and wild, A strange crazy look in his eye staring at them, he also look injured but even so, something felt off.

It couldn't have started already right?

Melody Just hid behind James, while he stood his ground.

"Hey buddy, You alright? You don't look too good."

That got the man's attention who took a step closer grinning, "The scent is intoxicating, the smell of a...Delightable fishy," he licked his lips, staring at Melody, she hid more behind him.

"The hell your talking about?"

"Hungry...So hungry," the man mumbled, crouched seemingly in discomfort, "couldn't eat because of an angry fishy," he chuckled creepily

Melody was scared out her mind stumbling away from James, but he grabbed her wrist, she looked at him find not fear but confusion.

"I guess this was the shit Azure said about," he gave a dark stare, "Hid behind the dumpers, I need to deal with this trash."

"Y-You can't fight him, you're a human! it's too dangerous!"

He stared at her, "Do you trust me?"

"O-Of course I trust you, I just don't trust your human body."

Once again monsters testing him because he was human, it was pissing him off, frowning at her for a moment...then giving a strangle smile.

"Oh sweet buddy melody put your faith in me, this will be fun," he grinned patting her head just making her confused, "Go now."

She didn't like it yet, backing off quickly hiding away letting James just watch staring with slight disbelief, werewolves huh? Whatever? Vampires? He suddenly wondered if they sparkled.

"Foolish weakly I'll use your bones as a took pick!"

"Shut up let's get this over with."

He laughed, his hackle voice echoing throughout the isolated alley, no one would hear him it was too far from any person to hear. Watching the guy shifting and twitch Jame slightly began to regret coming here.

But after that weird feeling of being watched, annoying him for the past 20 minutes, he quickly realize that it wasn't some thug wanting revenge it was something after melody.

The mermaid herself only backed off, trembling with fright while Jame just glared really having no idea what to expect.

It wasn't going to be too crazy right? He was wrong.

The guy fell hard to the stone cover ground, panting like a beast, the two looked confused at one another, before it happened.

He started changing.

James and Melody watched horrified as the creepy homeless-looking creep transformed into a wolf...A werewolf.

But skinnier and mangled, a deranged looking in his amber eyes shaking both human and mermaid to their cores.

"what...What the fuck!?" Was the only thing James said or could say.

What was the normal reaction for something like this, he already had to deal with the fact mermaids and the supernatural existed and now this!? Already? Guess Azure wasn't joking.

The beast laughed again adjusting its new form in the eerie dread-filled alley, standing tall and terrifying at 7 or 8 feet...shorter than he thought a typical werewolf would look.

"Finally I get a good meal! And there no point running, I'll catch at least one of one!" the shaggy beast spoke its voice deep and almost demonic.

Backing off a little, with a firm hand quickly reaching from the bat in his backpack, the end sticking out like it always did.

His hand tightened around it...Fear is slowly taking over.

Standing, hands firmly on his weapon ready to face his first real encounter with the supernatural.

"Be careful James!" she spoke, in that second the fear faded turning back to the mermaid.

Crouching hiding behind the dumpster he turned back to see her.

That frightened look on her face, her body shivering from fear, Melody was in danger...he had to protect her.

With that single emotional passing through any remaining fear within him left, he made a promise.

Besides how hard could it be?

It snared and charged!

James stood his ground, pulling back the bat waiting, watching unmoving unfeeling, knowing full well he would need to time it just right! Just as the beast closed in, it lowed itself as if it was going to pounce, he saw the hesitation on the creature's face.

Giving him the moment he needed to swing, smashing his worn-out baseball bat direct into his face! The force of the hit made it stager, stunned the beast had expected him to panic and run or at least move not a hit him head-on.

Dazed, pain erupting it tried to shake it off, but its eye snapped to the man before him his arm eye baseball in hand.

An empty rage full look in his eyes.

"You mother-"

Silenced by another smack to the head by the bat, silence once more before another strike came down upon him.

James like a possessed demon kept swinging the bat again and again smashing the thing

Melody watch him, mercilessly pummelling the wolf into the ground grunting and growling like an animal, watching him hit harder faster as he justified, confidence taking over and guiding his movements.

His muscles pulsing bulging showing the full force of his swing and the beast couldn't do a thing, only stare up at a face that only conveyed.

Rage.

A kind that sent a chill in her hidden fins.

Even if the wolf wanted to hurt her and James, she couldn't help feeling bad for the beast. Forced to watch the brutality before her James didn't stop he just kept hitting it.

Uncaring as more and more blood covered the bat.

If no one stopped him he might kill the wolf! She had to do something.

"S-stop," melody whispered trembling.

"Enough!" the wolf roared, its voice ringing out freezing everything in place, trying to rise before falling to its knees blood pouring from its mouth, James held back a little watching wary, "a mere human, this is impossible," using the last of it strength to push itself up, "I am a beast! A proud werewolf! I won't be beaten by a weakling like-"

"Shut the fuck up," James roared pissed beyond belief pulling back the weapon standing with the sun's heat burning his head revealing the dents in his old weapon, a merciless look in his eye, "And get out of my town bitch!"

He swung, with as much force as he could possibly muster no longer holding back, tired of this annoying fucker.

Putting the fucked up dog down.

The swing was perfect, glorious, A perfect home run swing, collided with the beast's face.

Breaking the bat in a glorious explosion of wood and bloody shards.

With that the beast finally fell, slamming to the floor still breathing tho only barely, it going to have one fucker of a headache.

James was left panting, he didn't often use this much energy but if he didn't stop, Melody would get hurt others would, giving him the push he needed to finally knock out the fucker.

After all that tho, the fucker might need brain surgery or whatever...Meh, he didn't care.

Panting sweat dripping over his arm quickly wiping it away Melody watched everything unknowing of how to feel.

Always knowing, sensing a darker side to him but to go on like that to such an extreme, she felt conflicted. She didn't do a thing, letting him do the fighting he was her protector after all.

To think someone would attack her so soon, so quickly, noticing her hand begging to shake terrified maybe even a little traumatised, the surface was already its darker side.

"Shit, this is the second this month," he complained taking a look at the sheer damage to the thing.

Even with that bubbling rage as she emerged she felt a calmness too, James was a good person even if he was grumpy and aggressive, she needs to remember he only wanted to protect her, he was her guardian after all.

Everyone always called her innocent or naive.

Guess this was why.

Melody could only tilt her head in confusion finding it a little odd that, that! Was what he was concerned about, he then turned to her with those powerful intimating eyes staring her down, making her feel so small.

Like a guppy in a school of fish.

"You ok Mel?"

The mermaid jolted looking at the bearly breathing beast.

"y-yeah," she shook her head trying to dispel the fear which overtook her, he wanted to project her he did protect her, the wolf wanted to kill them both, "you beat him, a werewolf!"

Seeing that surprised look on her face, the fight was worth it smiling, crossing his arms even proud himself, from fiction they always depicted werewolves as brutal unstoppable creatures.

But danm that was easy.

"See I told you I would protect you," still holding the broken bat, glancing at it with an annoyed look, "to think the principle was actually right," he mumbled glancing down at the groining...He thinks it's knocked out, glaring a little at him.

"So what the hell do we do now? Call Azure? or-"

"watch out!" melody screamed pointing to the beast.

Like a bat out of hell using the last of its energy to strike.

He shot a wild blinded attack on whatever it was closest, but before it could grab him he saw a figure moving on the roof, with impossible swiftness it struck from the sky, a flash of something familiar, a blue trident.

Slamming into the beast's back crashing it to the ground, its claw reaching out for him but never advancing.

The figure concealed itself, slowly rising from the body, more and more he reckoned its feature...and a painful sigh escaped his lips.

Still, in uniform, her arms showing a few patches of light reddish orange scales, a woman stood there glaring at him, her trident in hand.

"Kai!" melody shouted running beside James a joyful relieved look on her face.

"Kai?" James only spoke calming himself, frowning, "what are you doing here?"

Removed the weapon from the beast spinning it in a fancy way before letting it rest on his shoulder before answering him.

"I'd been tracking this wolf for a while now, got reports of a suspicious activity around the city, trash cans strange shadows nothing too dangerous, but I'm surprised James," she tapped the beast's back who was truly knocked out this time, still alive too, "you actually have some uses."

Glaring at the woman towering over the beast, trident in hand smirking down at him.

"Yeah finishing what you clearly can't! Oh thanks for the help after I knocked it down"

The smug smile on her face faded glaring before jumping off, something was happening from the guy, "I still finished it off and besides I noticed it before you, I saw it coming here, you were never in any real danger actually," she spoke smiled crossing her arm to the two of them, "I planned all of this, lured it here to see if you actually meant your words, You were never in any real danger anyway, the governess sent me to evaluate."

"And?"

Now she was groining rolling her eyes a little, "I will admit you didn't back down In the face of danger and you did beat a werewolf which is...Slightly impressive."

"Slightly!? I think I did pretty damn good, my first 'real' encounter with the supernatural and I beat it to the floor! why are people scared of them anyway, werewolves are really not that tough."

"Sure," she leaned down with a smug look on her face that smelled like trouble, "good job facing this weak omega anyway," during this time the werewolf itself was transformed back into a man, melody noticed never seeing the process before only hearing about it.

A naked man lay before them yet James and kai took nor cared or noticed, more set on staring down the other.

"Wait an omega?" James's concern was that then the shifting man before them.

"It's the term of werewolf hierarchy, they are the weakest, the runts, the useless one," she stared at him as if to make her point, "this one's been kicked out his pack, left starving and alone, submitting to his feral instincts! But still well done Jame, so very proud."

"F-Fuck you!" he shouted turning back to the girl still hiding, "Come on melody I need a new bat," discarding the broken piece of the ground-

"Don't litter James," kai spoke up glaring all while she put some weird cuff on the naked pasted-out wolf man.

It took a lot of effort not to just give her the finger and walk, but she did help him out in the end and with the way melody looked at him earlier, he didn't want to be seen more like a bad guy than he already looked

So he took it from the ground, throwing it into the dumpster where melody hid, flinching when she saw it coming.

"Happy? What are you going to do with wolfie?"

"Simple, arrest him and contract SPG now run along James this is 'official' supernatural business."

Scoffing at the site he just hurried along, meek little Melody quickly followed look back with only a thankful look on her face.

Kai only smirked, it was not every day she get one over James, and it just felt sweet.

####

The walk had been oddly quiet.

Leaving the dark alley and returning to the main street to the east, this was smaller, with little hobbies and knick-knack shops, shops that were more for the actual people that lived here.

Still feeling bright and welcoming there was even an open street market, this path apparently said by James, which led all the way down to the sea, and even the pier.

Something he would show her later if she wanted.

It all fascinated her and filled her with curiosity but she kept most of it to herself.

Ever since the fight with the wolf James had become almost...Distant, no that wasn't the right word, maybe just quiet, brewing with anger.

Should she try and speak? She didn't know, James was a hard man to read, having no idea if he would just brush her off or even get upset.

Only knowing that he was upset-

"The shop is up ahead," he spoke up almost making her squeak In surprise, "to the right, old sport place."

The shop itself was small, cozy and most of all hidden away, a place that blend in with all the other shops she has seen when she arrived here.

Outside laid a collection of beach tools, like colour spades and other strange items, even a pink bucket and tiny spade, along with other strange plastic tools, which were hanging from the wall, it made her tilt her head In confusion, how it was possible.

A plastic barrel filled with plastic sticks and thingy ma bobs, a few posters plasters on the windows too, something about a sports event and swimming event to come In the coming month, just little mindless things humans would overlook.

Yet she wanted to see them all.

Theatre, dancing, good food on the 'pier', it all fascinated her.

James had already opened the glass door, and a gush of chilly air blew out which got her attention reminding her of the cold sea, she quickly followed him inside.

"James my boy, it's not working day right?" a voice quickly called out to him, Melody jumped a little to it while James barely reacted.

The young girl look past him deeper into the store, standing there behind a counter was an older human with an odd blue hat on, she saw fishermen wear.

A cigarette in his mouth, reading something.

"No Semore just need a new bat."

The older guy rolled his eye returning to his magazine.

So with that James carried on leaving melody to her own devices, guess the older man hadn't noticed her. Following behind, her eyes look around the simple human store, the wall filled with all kinds of strange and alien objects tho most looked used for human sports activities.

Everything was filled with mostly colourful surfboards and overlooks, even swimsuits which was the first thing she noticed, the colour, size and design, most were similar to the types back home, with skirts and wraps but only one truly caught her interest.

The silver one, hanging up there alongside a few others of similar colour really got her attention, James noticed it, watching her eye sparkle at the shiny thing.

Something of note guessed.

Moving on, Melody noticed the countless photos of the sea, the town, almost everything and anything scattered across the walls, filled with mostly the same human, a young man but said man was with a lot of people.

The picture themselves were black and white meaning they had to be quite old she recognized that. Fishermen, surfacers and cute girls in swimsuits, she didn't understand why they were up there but these were just random things humans filled their stores with.

"Which do you think? Metal? Or wood."

Jolting from his sudden voice finding him standing before a collection of sticks, no wait baseball bats! In a range of colours and materials, all hanging from metal nails.

Looking to his expecting gaze she grew nervous again, this was their lives she was thinking about.

"W-Wouldn't it be better to use something more suitable? Like a," she turn back to the old guy who was still distracted, "a real weapon?" she whispered.

James considered it of course but had his reason which annoyed him.

"Well yeah of course! but people are not allowed to carry stuff like knives or crowbars, things that would be a much better form of defence so this is the next best thing, a guy has to protect himself this isn't the big safe city...tho it kinda is too, anyway now I got to think of protecting you too, so which do you think?" he moved showing her two he picked out, "Metal or wood."