Ocean Treasures (ch 1)

EARLY RELEASE FOR PATRONS! THANKS, YOU GUYS!!

Ahhh finally! I wrote this about 4 months ago and the wait to post it has been killing me, but it's finally come! My Mermaid AU fic! It's Monochrome because I first saw art for a Mermaid AU by dashingicecream, who drew Blake and Weiss as mermaids, so that is the main pair of the story.

Thank you to gophersaurus (thank you so much!) and the brilliant dashingicecream herself!

A/N: As you'll soon discover, Faunus exist in this world, too~

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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							Ocean Treasures

						      Chapter 1. Encounter

Separating two formidable continents of land was a vast expanse of ocean.

The water was always bluer than the sky, clean despite the waste and carelessness of humankind. Many believed that the reasons for maintaining such pristine waters was by no means because of humans, but a different species.

Mer-people were rare to see, and rarer still to capture or claim. A man saw a mer-person about as often as he unintentionally witnessed a great white shark jump clean out of the water.

And a man caught a mer-person about as often as he caught a humpback whale on a fishing boat.

The species rarely shared encounters, though they all shared the little bedtime stories of star-crossed romances between a human and a mer-person.

Some believed that perhaps such a story was true at one point in time or another.

After all, such a tale was what led many to believe how Faunus joined the ocean many decades ago.

There were land-walking Faunus just as there were humans, but a fraction of mermaids also bore extra ears or horns.

The secrets of the ocean were as numerous as its fish and as deep as its darkest, untouched chasms. Sometimes, if one listened with their eyes closed, they could hear a mer-person, drifting on the rolling waves, singing.

That was what a certain mermaid always loved to do, but rarely got the chance to.

Her name was Weiss Schnee, and she was a beauty, even amongst mermaids. Her shells were pure white, as impeccable and untainted as any pearl of the depths, her eyes bluer than any ocean wave or fraction of the summer sky visible from below the surface.

Her hair was pure white, even in the ever-present dampness of being underwater, and whenever the sunlight could reach down far enough to catch in it, the result was almost ethereal.

But most breathtaking of all about her was her tail, made of flawless layers of light blue scales that shimmered even without light. Each individual scale was smooth and pleasant to the touch, though few persons other than Weiss herself ever had such a pleasure.

The membranes at the end of her tail between the flippers were silver, akin to the tiara of gems and pearls she adorned in her long, flowing hair at the back of her head.

She was the epitome of beauty and every mer-person within the vast Coral Reef they called home knew it.

However, Weiss had always regretted the single marring on her white skin, a pink scar that ran along her left eye, a wound she'd sustained as a child from a sharp fishing hook.

And it hadn't been an unsuccessful hook, either.

Every day, that scar was a constant reminder of one of the mer-folks' most horrid days in their history.

Weiss' own mother had been hooked by fisherman, and her father's efforts to hold onto her hand and drag her free had been in vain against the half dozen human men on board the ship above-water.

They'd managed to take her, screaming and crying as she'd reached for her husband and her young daughters, and even minutes after she'd been pulled up, they could still hear her screams...

Weiss' scar would be a constant reminder - both for Weiss herself and for every member of her species - a reminder that humankind was a vicious, intrusive species with only their own benefits and interests in mind. They defiled the ocean so many other species called home on a daily basis, without a care in the world.

Weiss had heard stories of the whales and fish that had gone entirely extinct because of Man, of the sheer millions of sea lives that were lost due to a single, careless oil spill, of the senseless seasonal harpooning of porpoises and whales, the poaching of sharks and mollusks and crabs, all of which were dwindling in numbers by the minute.

For all of her outer beauty, Weiss matched it on the inside with a bitter hatred of humanity.

And her father hated them a thousand times more.

Every morning when she rose from her bed of sea grass within her section of the Great Coral Reef, she would find him among the interlocked crevices and tunnels. And even when he smiled at her and wished her a good morning, she couldn't help but see the sadness in his grey eyes when he looked upon her face.

Or perhaps she was imposing such things herself, but either way, it never failed to sting Weiss' heart more painfully than any manta ray's tail ever could.

Her loathing for humans was loosely linked with fear of them, though more strongly tied down by anger.

Which was why Weiss chose to spend her days sticking close to the Great Coral Reef.

It was as large as any human city on land, only undoubtedly cleaner and positively untouchable by their grimy, greedy hands.

It was located several leagues below the surface, just far enough to be unnoticeable at the depth a human could dive at, but just high up enough to be able to catch the sunlight.

The Great Coral was in fact composed of various coral reefs that had been grown together by the mer-folk themselves in ancient times.

There was nothing achromatic about it, nothing dull or unappealing to the eye. The colors alone were astounding, ranging from ashen-white to seaweed-green, then to parrotfish-red and dolphin-blue.

But even more breathtaking was the intricate network with which each coral was connected to another, and where one cut off.

Numerous families of mer-people resided within certain parts of certain corals. Small, carved holes and tunnels provided entryways into separate "rooms" of sorts, differentiating where the children and parents slept, or where the family came together to eat supper.

The main purpose of the coral homes was just that – a place to sleep safely and comfortably at night.

However, there were other areas of the coral closer to the open water where young mer-children often swam and played together under the watchful eyes of parents.

Due to the mer-peoples' presences, life around the Great Coral flourished. Thousands of diverse fish species only added to the impressive display of colors the corals already provided – flashes of pink, yellow, orange, and blue.

More often than not, dolphins were common visitors, and perhaps even neighbors. There was a bond between dolphins and mer-folk that had seemed to exist since the beginning of time itself.

Because of this, sharks rarely posed a threat to the Great Coral or any of its inhabitants. Of course, there were horror stories of straying mer-people who had never come home because of ferocious sharks. But even so, the frequency with which sharks claimed the life of a mer-person was about as often as Mankind did, perhaps once or twice in a lifetime.

Losing a loved one to a shark was only second-worst to losing them to humanity.

Weiss and her family had been the first ones in decades to suffer such a terrible tragedy.

At night, when she curled up on her bed of soft sea grasses, Weiss imagined she could still hear her mother singing to her and her sister sometimes, her voice brought to them on the distant, overhead whispers of the combers.

Weiss knew she would never see her mother again, but finding solace in what remained was essential if she was determined to move forward.

Ever since that fateful day, an unsurmountable rift had formed between Weiss and her sister.

Winter hadn't once looked her in the eyes in over a decade now, though she did still talk to Weiss on a daily basis, laugh with her, swim with her...

But she refused to look at that scar, and Weiss couldn't blame her.

. . .

Weiss awoke to a sunny morning, rays of white light filtering down from the surface to grace her bed of sea grass. She relished the faint warmth as she stretched out her tail and arms, working out the kinks in her muscles that had formed in the night.

It wasn't uncommon for small fish to find their way into a mer-person's home, and Weiss woke to find some in her room on a near-daily basis. She presently watched a few flitting about for a moment before rousing herself.

A wave of her tail elevated her, leaving her hovering in the water now as her eyes traveled around her room. Small crevices in the coral made for shelves of sorts, which was where she reached now for a bar of naturally-formed sea soap. She took care to polish every single one of her scales with it, a meticulous and painstaking process not every mer-person had the patience to do every day.

But with her overprotective father who rarely permitted her to leave the Reef, Weiss didn't have much else to do with her mornings.

It took some time, but eventually she finished, leaving a lean, sleek collection of scales behind. They caught on the sunlight and sparkled, and Weiss couldn't help but smile; one of the few things that brought her joy was seeing the success of her labors.

She put the soap aside, using the residual layer on her hands to rub over bare her shoulders, arms, and stomach, and then running her fingers through her hair to clean it.

She next swam over to her mirror, composed of a reflective mesh of sorts, one of many examples of human waste that the mer-people had found purpose in. She checked her appearance, adjusting her tiara and pearl earrings.

Around her neck sat a matching pearl necklace, tied together with a string from an abandoned fishing net. It was a trinket that ensured the pearl's security, but then again, Weiss didn't often partaken in many strenuous activities around the Reef.

Even so, the jewelry had belonged to her late mother, and Weiss treasured it above all else in the world.

Once she had finished preparing herself and was satisfied with the gleam of her skin and scales, Weiss swam down one of the tunnels carved into the coral. It led her to the small living area of their home, decorated with sea flowers and various collections of shells. A few fish swam here and there as well, eventually finding their way back into the tunnels and the ocean beyond.

Her father was already there, and Weiss greeted him with a smile, one he managed to reflect.

Meals for mer-people typically consisted of various harvested underwater fruits, and her father had just returned from his daily trip to collect some. He laid out a large scallop shell full of different sea-fruit, some big and some small, and this would serve their entire family for the next few days.

No one knew for certain how it had come to be that mankind's seeds had been bred to grow underwater and produce such pleasant results.

Some legends stated that a brave group of mer-folk had stolen many seeds straight off of men's boats and brought them down to the sand beds at the bottom of the ocean where sunlight still reached. After much toiling and trials, they had bred the seeds and resulting fruits to be water-resistant, and delightfully scrumptious.

There existed miles of underwater gardens where such fruits were harvested on a daily basis by the mer-people. Typically, the mermen and women made the journey in groups, simply because the gardens were located a few miles away from the Reef, and traveling in a pod was just a means of precaution.

The taste of the sea-fruits was only pleasant to the pallets of mer-people, so there was no competition for the food with other sea life.

Weiss had been chewing on her second red fruit when Winter arrived. Weiss greeted her, and Winter replied with a quick smile, though it had been over a decade since she'd last looked Weiss in the eye.

Weiss forgotten the color of Winter's gaze long ago.

It had only been within recent years when Winter had started flashing her smiles and glances again, though. Weiss was hopeful that her younger sister was finally beginning to heal.

The family of three curled on their tails and ate together until they were full. Winter told her father she had plans to play in the seaweed fields with friends today, and he wished her well as she swam off. He looked to Weiss next, a smile present above his small beard.

"And what plans do you have for the day, my dear?"

Weiss wasn't a mermaid who typically socialized much with others. She tended to keep to herself, often going to the Reef's library to study scrolls of history, though she did go for the occasional swim along the Great Coral, visiting nearby neighborhoods.

"I think I'll go to the library today," she decided. She knew he loved to hear of her interest in learning, and her father nodded approvingly.

"Very well. Just make sure you're home by sunset. And mind the tides."

"I will, Daddy."

She swam up to him to kiss his cheek, and he briefly wrapped an arm around her shoulders. When he let her go, Weiss swam for the tunnel that led to an opening and the boundless ocean beyond.

It was quiet inside the coral, though as Weiss reached the opening, she could already hear the sounds of the lively sea.

The sounds of the rolling waves were much easier to distinguish out in the open water, and there was a constant motion about her. Fish swarmed the corals, some salvaging for food, and others seeking shelter. Currents swept and pulled in all directions, and Weiss selected a steady one that led her along the edge of the Great Coral.

There were dozens of other mer-folk already out and about. Few adorned Faunus ears, as the mer-Faunus were more common several districts away.

Weiss observed the children as they played, chasing one another in games of tag. They raced the fish, played hide-and-seek among the corals, and tossed balls of compacted seaweed between one another, or sometimes hit it with their tails.

A few of the mer-folk close to Weiss' age called greetings to her, though they could all assume she'd deny them if they asked her to join them for the day. Weiss was known to be a loner who preferred the company of sea scrolls rather than other mer-folk.

But Weiss had been planning this day for a while now in her mind. She'd told her father she'd be going to the library to study, but for once, Weiss had no intention of doing so.

It had been a couple of years since she had drifted along the length of the Great Coral Reef, as it was a massive structure. There were five districts to either side of where she lived in the Middle District, five to the East and five to the West.

She knew it was possible to start from the Middle District, travel into all the neighboring districts off to one side of the Reef, and make it home before sunset; if she hurried, her father would be none the wiser as to her whereabouts that day.

Weiss always studied alone, but rarely ever swam as such. But today was a clear, sunny day, and she wanted some time to herself.

She stuck to the water current she had initially selected, making sure to keep close to the Reef. Traveling along any part of it was always an unforgettable experience. Kaleidoscopes of colors exploded before her with every push of her tail, fish darting between anemones and various plants.

The mer-folk were known for playing together, and there wasn't a moment so far when Weiss hadn't been within range of a group of them.

She continued down the Reef, able to distinguish when one neighborhood began and another ended.

But there was no sense of unease here or anywhere along the Reef; mer-folk weren't fond of disputes or grudges, especially amongst their own kind, Faunus or not. Traveling to a foreign district of the Reef held no dangers, which was different for humans or Faunus who traveled alone to foreign towns on land.

Weiss noticed when she started seeing more mer-Faunus; she'd read that the Faunus on land sometimes sported mammal-like tails, but beneath the waves, their tails all resembled those of other mer-people. Faunus underwater simply had mammal-like ears or horns atop their heads, a potentially-humorous image. But unlike their cousins on the shore, the mer-people underwater never discriminated against mer-Faunus.

The mer-Faunus tended to live on the outer districts of the Reef, while mer-people like Weiss lived toward the middle. But it was a settlement made by choice and preference rather than some petty feud of social status.

Weiss floated for hours along the Reef, occasionally pausing for rest by means of settling her stomach amongst the corals, curling her tail beneath her as she watched the little fish and eels swim about.

There were always other mer-people or Faunus present, and it was a comforting feeling to be able to sense that she was welcome here or anywhere.

A group of local mer-Faunus of this section of the Reef where she was currently resting swam up to her, politely inquiring where she was from.

"From the Middle District," Weiss informed them. "I'm simply traveling along the Reef today for recreational purposes."

Like dolphins, recreation was something mer-people understood best of all.

The mer-Faunus offered her a few fruits to fuel her energy, and Weiss thanked them humbly as she accepted. She ate for a few minutes, watching the mix of mer-people and Faunus playing together here, performing the same tasks as they did in her own neighborhood.

Some cleaned grime and harmful fungi from off the coral, not unlike the jobs performed by the fish that cleaned debris away. Mer-folk always ensured the health of the coral above their own health, because the coral sustained their people and many other species.

When Weiss felt rejuvenated enough to continue on her way, many of the mer-Faunus wished her well, and she waved back to them.

She selected her current again, swimming at a leisurely pace. When she looked up to the surface miles above, past the motion of the waves overhead, she could tell it was only midday, and she could easily make it home before sunset.

She continued onward along the Reef, rolling herself in little twirls as she went, enjoying the cool currents along her skin.

Toward the ends of the Reef, the waters became a little murkier, simply because fewer mer-folk lived here and were able to clean it.

A passing pod of dolphins ensured that most of the ones who did took off in front of Weiss.

One shout of "dolphins!" had every mer-folk who was able darting across the open waters to join the energetic group of mammals.

Weiss watched them from afar as the two species mingled together like groups of old friends. They could understand one another, if not by sound than through body language. She watched them all swirling and swimming together before racing off together in the opposite direction.

Races between dolphins and mer-folk were the most common form of interaction and activities they partook in together. The mer-folk would match the animals for as long as possible before exhaustion demanded they return back to the Reef together.

Weiss observed as the large group took off now, tails swishing and flapping as each creature tried to be faster than the one beside it.

Weiss longed to join them, but she was too far from home now; if she got separated from the other mer-people, she could have trouble finding her way back to the Reef.

But she did feel she'd traveled far enough now, and that it was time to start heading back.

She tilted her tail and angled herself slightly upward to turn herself around.

As she did so, she found herself in a particularly strong swath of sunlight, warm and inviting in contrast to the darker waters here. She chose to indulge herself and swam upward a little ways, until her entire body and tail were encompassed in warmth.

Mer-people gained energy from sunlight - so long as it went through water first. Too much direct sunlight could be deadly.

After the journey she'd just made, Weiss wasn't about to refuse some help to boost her energy and get started on the way home, so she opted to bask in the warm water.

For a moment, she closed her eyes and savored the light, letting her tail take her a few feet higher.

It was when she felt a tug when her eyes snapped open instantly.

There was something on her tail.

With a short cry, she jolted, her body jerking as she tried to get away from whatever had touched her.

But she only found herself much worse off now.

Bits of wiring tangled around her tail, getting hooked beneath some of her scales.

It was a net.

Strings somehow coiled around her neck and shoulders, but as she moved her hands to try and free herself, her tail only became more enmeshed.

Panic flared through her as she tried desperately to wriggle free, but her struggle only served to trap her further. Her silken hair was a knotted mess already, her polished scales beginning to tear off from the pressure of the wire.

Weiss gasped for breath, her mind flashing with images of her mother being dragged away to the surface to meet her fate.

Bubbles rose up all around her, evidence of her predicament.

Weiss quickly froze, heart pounding wildly as she panted for breath, trying to let the oxygenized water fill her lungs and calm her.

Past the seizing terror, she managed to think, to remember what she'd read and what she'd been taught to do if something like this ever happened. She'd already failed to do two of those things; refrain from struggling and remain calm.

She tried to slow her breathing now, making certain not to move a muscle.

She glanced up past the murky waters, and was able to make out a large, dark shape hovering on the water's surface above her. This net was attached to a boat, which meant she'd be pulled up just like her mother if she didn't free herself somehow.

There was danger of being caught in abandoned nets as well; she'd seen the wreckage for herself – turtles, sharks, dolphins and fish snared within the wires until they starved to death.

But there was immensely more danger of being caught in a live net, one that was actively in-use.

Weiss considered herself lucky that her previous thrashing about hadn't alerted the fishermen to their net just yet, and she looked around quickly for her fellows.

She was only to call out for help or make noise if she was certain someone was nearby to hear her, otherwise the sounds might attract unwanted attention.

But all of the mer-folk had swam off with the pod of dolphins not too long ago.

Swims with dolphins could take up to three hours sometimes. That was plenty of time for Weiss to be hauled up onto the fishermen's boat, or worse-

She'd heard of that too, the fate of fish trapped in nets that weren't pulled up quickly enough. The disturbed waters of the struggling creatures often alerted sharks, and the trapped fish made easy meals for them.

And with the dolphins and mer-folk gone now, there'd be no one to help Weiss if such a predator should come along.

She did her best to slip her arms free, but every sway of motion felt too great, too dangerously telling that there was something caught in the net. She managed to free one of her hands, but there was no hope of untangling her tail without making a fuss.

In addition to that, her hair was tangled in the wires as well, and several of the ropes had caught around her throat. One wrong move and she'd strangle herself even before the fishermen could pull her up.

Tears welled up behind her eyes and slipped down her cheeks, remaining only for a few seconds before being absorbed into the ocean.

It was said that the salt of the ocean was made of mer-folks' tears.

Weiss shuddered to think that a bit of salt might soon be all that was left of her presence here.

Fear settled in when she realized there was nothing more she could do but wait.

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The districts of the Great Coral Reef were divided into eleven sections.

There was a Middle District, and then five branching out to either side from there.

Blake lived in the Fifth East District, the one at the very end of the Reef on the eastern side. It took about a day to swim to the Middle District, and an added night to reach the West End of the Reef at the Fifth West District - all in all, a journey of two days and nights from one end to the other and back again.

Blake had made the trip once, albeit reluctantly.

She'd made friends with a pair of sisters in her younger years, and they each seemed to have limitless amounts of energy.

The younger of the two was Ruby, who had short, wispy hair the color of a dark nurse shark's skin, tinted with red. Her shells were pearly pink, as was the end of her tail, but her scales were vibrant red, eyes silver like the moonlight through the water.

Her older sister was Yang, who wore pale yellow shells in contrast to the gorgeous, deep golden color of her scales. Her hair was a small ocean of its own, long and flowing like liquid sunlight, her eyes purple like so many little fish.

Blake's shells were flint-black, and her eyes a pleasant golden color, her wavy hair and Faunus ears onyx. But she'd never liked her scales; they were a dull greyish color, tinted with faint purples. But no matter how often she polished them, they never revealed some true, hidden color like she'd hoped they might.

Regardless of that, Ruby and Yang had always loved her like a third sister.

And Blake loved them too, like the siblings she'd never had.

Her parents had died of illness when she was very young, and Ruby and Yang's parents had taken Blake in as their own. They'd grown attached to each other instantly and had been inseparable ever since.

Blake was always accompanying them on their little adventures, be it hunting for shells with Ruby or more perilous things with Yang. The blonde was known for punching sharks in the nose, a valiant skill that had saved many mer-folk on occasion, but had once almost cost her a hand.

The two of them could be a bit much to handle sometimes, but Blake loved them dearly, hence why she always tagged along.

This morning had been no different, and Blake had swam down with them to one of the sand beds at the foot of the Reef to watch the crabs scuttle along the bottom.

Blake had been enjoying herself, resting on a jutting piece of the coral beside Yang as they watched Ruby flip over crabs that had unbalanced themselves.

Blake had once said to Ruby long ago, "Thousands of them fall over and then get eaten by predators when they're prone and helpless. Why are you even bothering to flip them back over? It won't make a difference."

Ruby had then turned over another small crab to allow it to scuttle away out of harm's way.

"It made a difference to that one," she'd said.

And that was how Blake had discovered just how beautiful her sisters' souls were.

Presently, she and Yang waited lazily by as Ruby darted about to flip over the little crabs in distress.

Then, Blake's Faunus ears suddenly twitched at the sound of distant movement beneath the water, and Yang perked up as well.

"Dolphins!" she cried.

Her little sister immediately darted up from the sand bed.

"Really?! Where, where?! Let's go race!" Ruby grabbed one of Blake's wrists with one hand and Yang's with the other, pulling them both up.

Blake could distinguish the sounds the dolphin pod was making, but there was something else she couldn't quite place, something that didn't sound quite right.

She gently shook off Ruby's grip, and the sisters turned back to her with curious eyes.

"Blake?" Yang tilted her head. "What's up?"

"We gotta hurry!" Ruby said, swishing her tail. "We don't wanna miss the dolphins!"

Blake's ears flicked again.

"You two go ahead. I'm gonna sit this race out."

Ruby gasped dramatically.

"Sit out? A race with dolphins?!"

"Easy, sis," Yang chuckled, ruffling Ruby's hair. "We did kinda wake her up super early this morning. Let her rest. I'll be with ya chasing those dolphins' tails, though!"

Ruby grinned up at her.

"I'll beat'cha!"

"Is that a challenge?"

"Yeah, it is!"

They laughed together, and Blake smiled fondly.

"Be safe, you two."

"We will!" Ruby promised. "Just meet us back home!"

"Got it."

Blake waved them off, just as she caught sight of the sleek shapes of dolphins darting off in the distance. Ruby and Yang hurried after them, as did many other mer-people and Faunus. The only ones who didn't follow were the young and the old, the sick or the new parents with infants, or those who were too tired to join in.

But Blake had different reasons.

She closed her eyes, concentrating on her ears.

The movements of the water made by the dolphins and other mer-folk were consistent, steady splashes, clicks, and laughs.

But there was a different noise coming from somewhere, sounding in sudden short-lived bursts before dying down again.

Blake could tell it was far bigger than a fish, probably about the size of a small dolphin, and judging by the way the thrashing was growing weaker, it was trapped.

Initially, Blake hadn't been the type of mermaid to go out of her way to save a dying creature. But after living with Ruby and Yang for the past twelve years, it was impossible to ignore the urge to at least try to help.

Blake followed her ears, beating her tail against the water to try and follow the sounds.

She was left puzzled for a few moments, pausing as she hovered, trying to listen.

The thrashing had stopped.

She opened her eyes as a sense of urgency overcame her, and she let instinct take over.

She swam in whichever direction felt right, ears swiveling to catch anything that might help guide her.

Minutes passed, and still nothing.

Blake's shoulders slumped as she eventually turned away, heading back for the Reef.

But then, the sunlight shifted strangely.

She turned around once more, directing her gaze upward toward the surface.

About a mile up from where she was, she caught sight of something drifting in the water, tangled in a net.

Blake quickly propelled herself upward, and with each wave of her tail, her heart pounded harder.

She could see now that it wasn't a dolphin.

It was another mermaid.

"Hold on! Don't move!" Blake called up to her.

She wasn't even sure how long the girl had been there or if she was even still alive, but Blake absolutely refused to let the humans take one of their own – not if she could help it.

She reached the mesh of wiry net and came to a stop a few feet away, ensuring she herself wouldn't get snared.

Blake couldn't help but notice the stunning beauty of the other mermaid. Her scales were a gorgeous light blue, her shells a perfect white, her hair just as lovely, though tangled and knotted. Her skin was pale, and the jewelry she wore suggested she lived near the middle of the Reef where pearls were more common.

But her eyes were closed, and she wasn't moving.

Blake swallowed, swimming an inch closer.

"H-Hey... Can you hear me?"

She'd never seen such a horrible sight before in all her life. She'd heard the stories, but to see such a thing for herself...

She felt sick.

Blake reached out tentatively to touch the girl's shoulder, intending to feel her neck for a pulse.

Upon the contact, the white-haired mermaid jolted, a gasp flying from her mouth in bubbles as her scared blue eyes flew open.

Blake jerked back for an instant, both surprised and relieved the girl was still alive, but knowing of the dangers she still faced.

"Don't move, don't move!" she cried. "Hold still! I'll get you out, I promise!"

The other mermaid met her eyes, and Blake saw the extreme exhaustion in those brilliant pools of blue. Judging by the state this girl was in, she must've been trapped for at least an hour now.

"Gods..." Blake murmured. "How awful... But I-I'll get you out, okay? Promise." She reached for one of the girl's hands and linked their pinky fingers together, a little gesture Ruby had taught her.

The white-haired mermaid wheezed a feeble breath, fighting to keep her eyes open.

Blake set to work quickly, moving back a pace to assess where the worst of the issue was. The girl's tail and hair were badly snared by the net, and it was nothing short of a miracle that she hadn't been hauled up to the surface yet.

But surely it wouldn't be much longer now.

Even more startling than her enmeshed tail were the wiry strings that had found their way around her throat. She must've been slowly suffocating for nearly an hour now.

Blake went for those first, curling her fingers around the strings. There were four around the girl's neck, each one pressing tighter to her white skin than the last.

"Don't move," Blake told her. "Just relax. Breathe."

She hooked her nails beneath the first of the strings, starting to saw away at it. She moved as quickly as she could; had she found this girl half an hour ago, Blake might've been able to work more efficiently, but time wasn't on her side anymore.

The first string snapped, and Blake sighed in relief.

But horror quickly filled her chest when she realized the loss of the first string had only tightened the remaining ones.

The white-haired mermaid gasped painfully, whimpering as her back arched. Blake grabbed her shoulder in an effort to still her.

"No, no! Don't move!" she hissed. "I'm sorry, I-I'm sorry."

The only way to do this would be to cut all three of the strings at once. She couldn't do that with her nails alone.

Blake's ears flattened, but she had no other options.

"Listen," she said seeking the girl's blue eyes. They were ridden with fear and pain, and Blake's heart went out to her. "I hate to do this, but I've gotta get something to help cut this. I'll be as fast as I can, alright? Just try not to move. Take deep breaths, okay?"

The other girl blinked, fear overriding her gaze at the thought of being left alone. Blake wrapped their pinkies together once again.

"I'll save you. I promise," she murmured.

She refused to make a promise she couldn't keep, and she was determined to keep this one.

The white-haired girl nodded once.

Blake swam back a pace, but just as she turned to swim off, she heard a meek voice from behind her.

"Weiss..." the white-haired girl rasped.

Blake's keen ears picked up on the sound, and she turned to look back over her shoulder briefly.

"Weiss... that's your name?" she asked. "It's lovely. I'm Blake, and I promise to save you."

With that, she turned away and took off at top speed, propelling herself downward faster than she'd ever swam before in all her life. All of those races with dolphins and journeys with Ruby and Yang were being put to use now in these crucial seconds as she darted back down to the sand beds where she'd been with her adoptive sisters all morning.

Blake dove down, eyes scouring frantically for what she sought. There were no discarded crab claws that were big enough to be effective against the net, but she kept searching.

Before long, she found a large shell and scooped it up out of the sand. She then hurled it with all of her might against the coral reef, shattering it into several large pieces with rigid ends. Blake grabbed the two biggest ones before speeding away back through the water, cutting through the currents like a swordfish.

She was relieved to find Weiss was still there, albeit she didn't seem to be in any better condition. Blake came to a stop before her and caught her breath.

"I'm here," she murmured.

Weiss opened her eyes slowly, and there was relief there, but it was concealed by creeping agony.

Blake put both shards of the shell in one hand, reaching forward with her free one to ease her fingers beneath the three remaining ropes around Weiss' neck. It wasn't easy, as the wires were pressed tightly against her throat, making short work of cutting off her breath.

Blake wiggled her fingers beneath them, feeling the feeble pulse against her skin as she tugged the ropes away from Weiss as much as she could.

"Don't move," she repeated. "I've got you. Just breathe."

She slipped one of the shell shards underneath the ropes alongside her fingers, needing to drop the other shard as she started working. She turned the sharpened edge against the net and began sawing.

But it was a risky situation; if she worked too slowly, she risked Weiss suffocating, or the net pulling her up. If she worked too quickly, she risked accidentally cutting Weiss with the shell, and just a drop of blood in these waters would attract sharks within minutes.

The waves of fear and distress pulsing off of Weiss were probably already serving to do the latter anyway, tough.

So Blake worked quickly, tilting Weiss' chin back and away from the shell as she cut at the ropes. One of them snapped, and the white-haired girl gasped again, her eyes shutting in pain as the remaining ones tightened.

"Hold on," Blake willed her. "Just hold on..."

The second wire snapped, and she cut harder for the last one.

But Blake's hand slipped, and the shell cut a line up Weiss' throat. Red instantly filled the water as the girl cried out.

"No!" Blake yelped. "No, no, no... H-Hold on! Just a bit further..."

She poured her strength into a few more tugs, and at last the final wire around Weiss' throat snapped.

But the absence of the net at her neck was hardly a relief now that there was a long cut along the underside of her throat. Blake pressed her palm to it, muttering to herself as her eyes flashed about. The scent of blood was strong even for her, and she knew sharks would be swarming soon.

She might've just been prolonging Weiss' suffering.

Her hair and tail were still trapped, and Blake had lost her other part of the shell, so she could only use the single shard she had.

But still, she refused to give up.

She coaxed Weiss' free hand to the cut on her neck.

"Just apply pressure to it. It's not deep, but we've gotta slow the bleeding at the very least."

Weiss' eyes fluttered, but she nodded.

Blake took solace in the fact that the girl could at least breathe a bit better now.

Blake then swam up to the net coiled in Weiss' hair. It'd surely be much easier to cut the hair itself, but Blake swore only to do that as a last resort.

As it turned out, she only needed to cut two sections of the net to free Weiss' hair and shoulders.

Blake's ears lifted as she hurried down to Weiss' tail and began cutting her free.

Perhaps she'd save her yet.

But Weiss' tail was caught in at least eight different places, and Blake could still smell blood in the water. She looked up to find the other mermaid holding onto the net with her free hand to support herself.

It was clear that Weiss was very severely weakened.

Blake focused on cutting faster.

She'd just freed the tip of Weiss' tail when she heard a scream.

"B-Blake!"

Blake didn't need to ask in order to know what was happening.

It wasn't sharks, but probably even worse.

The net was being reeled up.

"NO!"

Blake tugged furiously at the ropes, digging the shell into the string and yanking with all her might, cutting whatever she could now. Weiss let go of her wound to try and reach down and help Blake untangle her tail, but there were still a few spots where her scales had been snared.

Blake had to swim upward as Weiss was dragged along with the net. The mer-Faunus cut vigorously, her ears catching sounds of Weiss' choked voice.

"No..." she whimpered. "Mama... please, no..."

From just those words, Blake understood.

She'd heard the horrible story of a mermaid being taken by fishermen about fifteen years ago. To know that had been Weiss' mother...

She refused to let them take her, too.

"Hold on..." Blake huffed. "J-Just hold on, Weiss..."

They were nearing the surface now, but even all the cuts Blake had made in the net weren't helping them very much. She sliced another section of Weiss' tail free, but there was still one string looped around her stomach.

Blake swam up to start cutting it, but was thwarted. The net was suddenly lifted up higher and faster than the speed it'd been moving at until now. It was a forceful yank, and it cause Weiss' tail to knock into Blake's hand. She dropped the shell into the depths of the water.

"No!" Blake cried out, making an effort to swim after it, but quickly finding it to be futile.

She swam back up to Weiss and grabbed the string around her stomach, pulling as hard as she could. There was no way to unknot it, so Blake dove in with her teeth to bite, hoping her added weight would slow the fishermen down.

But there could've been thirty of them on board that boat for all she knew, and pulling up a couple of mermaids would be child's play for them, especially considering the solid boat beneath their feet; Blake and Weiss had nothing to anchor them in this open water, nothing to hold onto.

Except each other.

Blake abandoned the rope around Weiss' stomach and swam up to hug the girl's shoulders, turning her a bit and trying to swim with her against the pull of the net.

Weiss clung to her, trying to move her tail as well, despite her enervation, but the rope around her stomach simply wouldn't give, and it was impossible to slip out of.

They were pulled higher, and Blake could hear the mens' muffled voices now, just a few feet above them.

"No..." she whispered. "No, no, no..." She slid her grip from Weiss' shoulders down to her hands, interlocking their fingers and making an attempt to swim backward and pull the other girl free.

But Weiss had stopped struggling.

Her eyes looked down into Blake's, and the mer-Faunus saw tears running down her cheeks.

"Blake..."

She sounded so tired.

"Thank you, but... you... should go home..."

"No!" Blake screamed. "I promised!"

She held stubbornly to Weiss' wrists, refusing to let go.

But Weiss shook her head.

"Don't let them... take us both..."

"No, Weiss! You're so close!"

Blake swam back up to her, wrapping her arms around Weiss, their stomachs pressing together as she splashed her tail. She could feel Weiss' heart pounding rapidly, thick with fear – Blake's was, too.

"Just pull! Swim with me!"

"I-I can't..." Weiss whispered. "I'm so tired..."

"Yes, you can!" Blake looked over the other girl's shoulder. Weiss' tail was a few feet from breaking the surface. "Come on!" she cried. "We can do this!"

She surged downward, yanking Weiss along with her, and the net actually gave an inch in their favor. Weiss was wounded and half-conscious, and Blake couldn't have blamed her if she decided to conserve her remaining strength for whatever outcome awaited her.

But she could feel Weiss' nails clinging into her back, felt the swirl of water in time with her tail as Weiss pulled and tried to swim with her.

Blake swam with every shred of strength in her body, and she could feel that Weiss was doing the same now, too.

An agonizing moment passed as they struggled.

Then, Blake heard a splash as Weiss' tail breached the surface.

If a hand grabbed her now, it'd be all over.

But there was a loud thumping sound instead, and it took Blake a second to realize it wasn't just her heart thudding in her ears.

Weiss was slapping her tail against the side of the boat, using its support to push herself away from it. Blake pulled with her, fighting for dear life-

And the next thing she knew, she was shooting back down into the depths of the ocean, bubbles flying up in trails behind her.

The fact that she could still feel a rapid pulse over her own told her that Weiss was with her too, and when she opened her eyes, it was confirmed.

The net had snapped.

Blake was still trembling from the endeavor, but she'd kept her promise.

"We did it..." she wheezed.

Slowly, she eased her grip on Weiss and let her go.

The white-haired girl seemed as shocked as Blake felt, her eyes wide and disbelieving.

"W-We... We really..." Weiss' voice was almost inaudible, and Blake quickly realized she'd gone limp. She grabbed the other mermaid, swimming beneath her to hold onto her arms.

"H-Hey, Weiss?!" She put a hand to the girl's collar and the other to her back to stop her from sinking. "Weiss? Hey..."

She could still feel the dull beat of Weiss' heart beneath her palm, but it was much slower now and seemed to fluctuate. There was still a trail of red streaming from her throat, and Blake knew she needed to be treated and fast.

She quickly swam beneath Weiss, pulling the girl's hands up and around Blake's neck, holding onto Weiss' knuckles to ensure Blake didn't lose her. Weiss floated limply over her back as Blake swam, carrying her down toward the Reef.

"Come on, Weiss. Don't give up..." she begged.

She followed a current toward the Coral, bound for the home she shared with Ruby and Yang. A glance back over her shoulder told her Weiss wasn't going to regain consciousness anytime soon.

In the distance, Blake could make out the shadowy shapes of creatures swimming toward the spot where she and Weiss had just been, beneath the boat. The side-to-side swaying of their tails told her they weren't dolphins.

She hurried onward at the top speed her body would allow after such an ordeal, and it was several minutes later when she reached the section of the Reef she called home.

The tunnel that dug into the coral was just big enough to allow both of them through as they were – Weiss wasn't very big, after all.

Blake carried her inside to safety at long last, never before having felt quite so relieved to be home. Ruby and Yang had taken her on many a harrowing adventure before, but never anything as perilous as this had been.

She swam Weiss through another tunnel until they reached Blake's own room. Her bed of sea grass had just been refreshed yesterday, so it was soft and full now.

Carefully, Blake unhooked Weiss' arms from around her neck and guided the girl to the bed, easing her down onto it until the weight of her tail kept her anchored down.

Weiss' neck was still bleeding a bit, and while sharks didn't fancy swimming through the tunnels of the Reef, it still wasn't the best idea to attract them nearby.

Blake hurried down another tunnel, one that led to the wide opening of their main living area, where she and her adoptive family ate together every morning and evening.

There were several bushels of seaweed they kept growing in one corner, all with long, flowing green leaves that swayed slightly in the stiller inside waters. She inspected the different kinds briefly before finding the one she sought, tearing off a leaf and then hurrying back to Weiss.

The girl hadn't moved from the bed, and Blake quickly swam to her, turning her to lie on her back, exposing the wound. Blake rubbed the seaweed between her knuckles, until it started to ooze a thick substance.

She then pressed it over Weiss' neck; the goo the seaweed leaked was highly affective for closing up wounds, so long as it was applied for a proper amount of time.

Blake settled down onto the coral floor beside the carved-out bed, keeping her hand pressed to Weiss' neck to hold the seaweed in place.

Part of her wished Weiss was awake so Blake could speak to her more, and yet the other part of her was glad she was resting.

Still, Blake had nothing else to do now but wait, and she could't help but let her eyes travel over her guest.

Despite the knots and tangles her white hair had sustained from the net, Blake could tell Weiss' hair was very fine and soft; when it was brushed thoroughly with a sea-shell comb, she imagined it was even more beautiful.

A few of the girl's scales were ruffled out of place, but Blake was thankful none of them had been torn off; a torn scale was often painful for the first few days afterward and typically took months to regrow.

She reached out toward Weiss with her free hand to gently smooth out her scales, taking great care in doing so.

Weiss' pulse was slow beneath her other hand, and Blake couldn't help but worry. Her chest was rising and falling very faintly, and Blake would've missed it if she hadn't been looking for it.

Her eyes traveled to Weiss' face, and even though she wasn't conscious she still looked so exhausted.

There were pink marks around her neck, shoulders, and stomach from where the net had dug against her skin, and Blake's ears flattened at the sight of them.

The girl's family must've been worried sick, and she didn't know how they might react if they were to see her returned home in such a condition.

But then again, at least she'd be returning home at all.

A few more minutes passed before Blake lifted the seaweed to peer underneath. The cut had stopped bleeding and the skin was beginning to heal with the help of the paste. Still, Blake held it there for another moment, just to be safe.

But just as she'd been about to withdraw her hand, her ears perked up at the sound of a small moan.

Weiss stirred beneath her touch and Blake recoiled, worried she might've hurt her somehow. She watched as Weiss' eyes blinked open, long lashes kissing the apples of her cheeks before revealing those alluring blue pools.

Blake kept her voice soft as she addressed her.

"Weiss? How are you feeling?"

The girl's gaze flicked to her, filling with recognition for Blake, but the room was foreign to her.

"Blake..." she rasped. "Where...?"

"Oh, I took you back home. To my home," she explained. "This is my room. I think you should stay with us tonight, at least until you've recovered."

She saw the girl's brow furrow.

"But... Daddy will be so worried," she whispered. "I-I already lied to him. I told him I'd be going to the library, but instead I went for a swim on my own and th-that awful thing happened and I-"

"Hey, it's okay," Blake soothed.

Weiss had started to cry, understandably upset. The mer-Faunus rested one of her hands over Weiss' and squeezed gently to gain her attention.

"As soon as everyone comes back, I'll ask someone to swim a message over to your father, alright? We'll say you got tangled in a kelp forest, and the folks who helped you live in a different District and that they took you back there. We don't have to tell him what really happened if you don't want to."

Weiss blinked at her, wiping an arm across her face.

"I-I don't want to," she whispered. "He already lost Mama like that. I can't... I can't let him know I almost..."

"I understand," Blake nodded. "But don't worry, okay? We'll have you rest here for the night. I'll explain things to my family."

Weiss inhaled softly before nodding once.

"Okay," she murmured. "And... Blake... I never... I never thanked you yet for saving me," she said, her voice already starting to wobble again. "It was... it was so awful... being trapped there so helplessly, not know what was going to happen... You saved my life..."

Weiss broke down into quiet tears again, burying her face in her hands.

Blake couldn't resist the urge to comfort her, and closed the few inches between them to wrap the girl in her arms.

"You don't need to thank me," she whispered. "I'm just glad you're safe now."

Absentmindedly, her fingers started stroking through Weiss' hair, and when she felt the girl relax in her embrace, Blake held her a little tighter.

But after a moment, she pulled back slightly, ears flattening in apology.

"Sorry. I just..."

"No," Weiss murmured. "It's alright. I just need to get my bearings..."

With Weiss' permission now, Blake re-engaged her embrace, easing her fingers through the little knots in those alabaster locks. She made a mental note to comb it for her properly later.

But a familiar ruckus coming from beyond the Reef made her realize that would have to wait.

She could hear Ruby and Yang calling out her name excitedly as they swam toward home.

Blake released her hold on Weiss, coaxing her back down onto the bed.

"I'll be back in a few minutes. Just let me explain everything to them."

Weiss nodded before closing her eyes, not looking like she would have been able to keep them open for much longer anyway.

Blake swam out through the tunnel back to the main room where Ruby and Yang had just entered.

"There you are!" Ruby squealed, swimming over to hug Blake tightly. "You missed it, ohmygosh this one dolphin jumped out of the water while Yang was holding onto his dorsal fin and she actually managed to hold on the entire time it was so crazy!"

"It was a bit rough dropping back into the water, though," the blonde put in. "Did you rest up a bit while we were gone, Blake?"

The mer-Faunus flicked one ear sheepishly.

"Not exactly..."

She didn't tell them truthfully what had happened – she didn't want to worry them by confessing she too had almost been hauled up over the side of a human boat.

She stuck to the story she'd forged before, telling her sisters she had found Weiss tangled in a kelp forest. It was a believable tale as well, as the thick, compact plants could prove to be a great hassle to wrestle one's way out of, especially if they were already weakened from a long swim.

Ruby and Yang listened quietly, eyes wide with concern until Blake had told them she'd successfully managed to free Weiss.

"She's resting in my room now. I think she should stay the night, just until she regains some of her strength. She's really shaken up."

Yang and Ruby nodded in unison.

"Yeah," the blonde said. "I can't imagine how scary that must've been. I'm glad you both got out safely." She hooked and arm around Blake's shoulders in a partial hug.

Ruby swam forward to hug her stomach.

"I'll go get her some fruit, okay?"

The youngest one released Blake before swimming off.

Blake asked Yang to pass the story onto their parents once they came home, and requested they find someone who could swim over to deliver a message to the Middle District. The blonde agreed, and Ruby returned with a few fruits to give to Blake.

"We'll tell Mom and Dad," Yang reassured her. "So you just stay with her, alright? If you need anything, just call for us, got it?"

"Yeah. Thanks, you guys."

Fruit in hand, Blake swam back through the tunnel to her own room.

Weiss hadn't moved since she'd left her, and Blake settled on the floor beside the bed. Weiss' breathing was softer now, unplagued by fright or doubts, and Blake knew she was sleeping peacefully.

She curled her tail and got comfortable, reaching to one of the crevices of the coral where she kept a few of her scrolls. She opened one and began reading while there was still a bit of sunlight shining down, taking an occasional bite out of one of the fruits Ruby had given her.

It was a while later when she heard Ruby and Yang's voices again, muffled beyond the coral walls, but she could tell their parents must have returned home and the girls were explaining Blake's situation now.

Her adoptive parents were kind, caring mer-people, and Blake knew they would do everything they could to help.

Ruby called down the tunnel to her a few minutes later to inform Blake they had sent an envoy over to the next District to pass along the message of Weiss' story until it reached the Middle. Blake thanked her again and returned to her scroll.

Little holes in the coral wall made for windows, allowing streams of light to illuminate the room to guide her vision.

By the time the last of the sunlight had vanish and the duller glow of the moonlight had started drifting through the water, Blake was feeling the effects of the hectic day.

But Weiss stirred just as she put her scroll away, and Blake turned to give her full attention to the girl. She handed Weiss the other fruit and told her everything had been taken care of.

"So you can rest easy here tonight," Blake promised.

Weiss finished the last bit of the fruit before offering a small smile, the first she'd shown Blake so far.

"Thank you so much for all of this, Blake."

She leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to the mer-Faunus' cheek. Such was a common form of greeting and casual display of affection and gratitude amongst mer-folk, but Blake had never had it done to her before by people outside her adoptive family.

And for some reason, she felt Weiss' kiss was different from anyone else's might've been.

Blake felt blood rush to her face, and the blush must have been visible in the pale lighting as well, because Weiss gave her a puzzled look and leaned back.

"I beg your pardon," she said.

"Oh, not at all! It's fine," Blake said quickly. "It's just... that was my first one... outside of my family, that is."

Weiss was silent for a moment, a small "oh" passing over her lips.

"Was it alright?" she asked at last.

"Of course!"

"I'm glad then," Weiss smiled. "Because it was my first time kissing a stranger."

Blake's ears lifted slightly when she realized Weiss was blushing as well. The mer-Faunus chuckled softly.

"Well, then I'm glad it was with me." She hadn't thought at all before she'd spoken, and a palm flew to her mouth instantly. "I-I mean, um-"

"It's alright," Weiss chuckled, though she herself was still blushing, too. "I suppose you're not exactly a stranger anymore, Blake. But we've both had a long day."

"Y-Yeah..." Blake muttered. The awkward tide of water started to dissipate and roll away as she went on. "Anyway, you can just rest there."

Weiss frowned.

"But isn't this your bed?" she protested.

"It's fine. Just for tonight. I can't let you sleep on the floor."

Weiss' smile returned, her blue eyes shimmering with gratitude.

"How can I ever hope to repay you for your kindness today, Blake?"

Weiss leaned forward to kiss her other cheek, causing the mer-Faunus to blush once more.

"You don't have to repay me," Blake mumbled.

Though she wasn't complaining about the kisses.

She noticed Weiss' hair kept floating into her eyes, and the girl kept pushing it away. The mer-Faunus reached into the crevice near where she kept her scrolls and retrieved a comb-shell. She offered it to Weiss with a small smile.

"This should help."

Weiss humbly accepted the shell with another "thank you."

Blake watched as she removed her tiara for the moment, running one hand through her hair to pull it over her shoulder, then running the comb through it. She worked quickly but carefully, never displacing a single strand, her hair flowing together in little waves like a white current.

When she'd finished, she repositioned her tiara and handed the comb-shell back to its owner. Blake couldn't help but speak admiringly as she put the trinket away.

"Your hair is beautiful."

Weiss tilted her head.

"Funny. I was just about to say the same about yours."

"M-Mine?" Blake's ears swiveled, flattened, then perked up.

Weiss giggled.

"Why, of course! There's no one else in the room now, is there? Your hair's absolutely gorgeous. But I'm truly smitten with your scales."

Blake was convinced she'd misheard that part.

"My... scales...?"

She'd never like their color. Ruby had always said they looked cool, and Yang would agree, but Blake herself had never agreed with them. This was the first time in seventeen years a stranger had told her they liked her scales.

Weiss was smiling again.

"Yes," she said. "They're silver with a tinge of purple. Now I don't know about you, but I've never seen such a beautiful combination of colors on scales before. It's really quite something. I'll admit I'm a bit jealous."

"You? Jealous of these?" Blake waved her tail, incredulous. "Have you seen your own tail? That's got to be the prettiest blue in the ocean, second maybe only to your eyes-"

She cut herself off when she saw Weiss was blushing again.

Blake looked away quickly, feeling the increased and erratic beat of her heart, imagining Weiss' wasn't any different.

They'd been awake together in this room for perhaps a collective hour, and already Blake had blushed more times now than in her entire life thus far.

She'd never seen another mermaid like Weiss, so incomparably beautiful.

And for such a mermaid to compliment a mer-Faunus like Blake...

She couldn't believe it was real.

But she wasn't about to leave Weiss' compliments hanging.

"Thank you..." she murmured. "No one's... ever said they liked my scales before. Not like that."

And Weiss had been told of her own beauty countless times before, but never quite like how Blake had told her.

It was different somehow, made her heart flutter a little faster.

Weiss simply smiled again and dipped her head.

Another moment passed, and Blake picked up the seaweed that had drifted to the floor. She shifted a bit, her eyes finding Weiss', encouraging the girl to show her the wound on her neck. It was starting to close up, but Blake pressed the plant there for another minute just for good measure.

When she pulled it away, her eyes were drawn to the other red marks all over Weiss' pearly skin.

"Do those still hurt?" she wondered.

"A bit," Weiss murmured. "It stings a little." Her eyes went down to the long red coil around her stomach where the final rope had cut into her skin.

Blake took the girl's wrists first and patted the seaweed down onto the marks there.

"This should help with the pain a bit. Just lay down."

Weiss did as she advised, and it was only a few seconds before she felt the effects of the plant. A coolness ran up her wrists where they had previously stung with heat, and she couldn't help but sigh.

Blake pressed the seaweed all up her arms and over her shoulders, rubbing gently beneath Weiss' throat where the marks were reddest.

Weiss closed her eyes and exhaled.

"It feels much better. Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Blake moved the plant down Weiss' sides, over her ribs and at last to her stomach and waist, tracing it over the imprint of the net.

The waters grew darker with the night, but it wasn't much longer before Blake realized Weiss had fallen asleep once more.

She put the seaweed bundle aside and shifted her tail into a more comfortable position.

Blake folded her arms on the edge of the jutting coral that made the space of the bed Weiss was sleeping on. The sea grass tickled her bare arms as she rested her head over them and closed her eyes.

The only sounds now were the occasional rush of far-off waves, and Weiss' soft breathing.

Blake didn't know what tomorrow had in store for them, but if it was a day she could greet together with Weiss, she was eager to find out.

----------------------

A/N: Phew! I hope I could describe the underwater world well, and I hope the Districts weren't too confusing to imagine. AUs are hard to write since it's nowhere to be seen in artwork or in the show. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns!