Yup, it's a mermaid story, but don't worry, I'm gonna make it as original as possible, just keep in mind it's a combo of legends from mythical sea creatures, mostly mermaids, plus quite a few elements of Disney's little mermaid as well as the original legends so there will of course be a lot of familiar stuff. I'm taking a break from my canon fics cos I'm stuck on them and better at AU ones. More room to move you see.

I don't own this show or the little mermaid, Disney version or original version.

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One wrong move on the slippery rocks was all it took to send the young prince into the cold dark ocean, wetness soaking through his clothes instantly and chilling him to the bone. He struggled with all his might to swim back and find a safe place to climb back onto dry land, but the current pulled at him, making him weak and forcing him further and further away from safety the more he tried. And then they came.

The merfolk, with their strangely coloured hair and their cruel doll-like faces. Their slender silver tails glittered in the murky darkness of the water, sending beams of artificial moonlight in every direction. It was both the most beautiful and terrifying thing he had ever seen in his life.
The merhunters said they were immortal, and the only way to kill them was to cut out their heart. Their heart, which was a large chunk of unmeltable ice, was crushed into pieces, sold and used to make expensive decorations for jewellery, being used as a valuable stone.

And now, these mermaids and mermen were silently circling him. He stopped struggling, too weak to keep going and let himself sink further towards the bottom, ignoring the bitter cold of the night sea as his lungs cried out for air. The current had him trapped, as did the other worldly creatures. He was doomed.
The Merpeople were vain, and believed they had everything beautiful anyone could want, seeing human legs and the dry world as ugly and not worth their time, but the one thing they wanted but didn't have, was a soul. And so, due to their jealously of humans, when they discovered an unsuspecting victim in the water, such as the prince they had now encircled, they would kiss them with stone cold lips, drag their soul from their body and leave the lifeless almost-corpse to drown.

A million thoughts passed through Prince Lavi's terror stricken mind as he watched the evil creatures get closer. He was only eleven, the one surviving heir to the thrown. Who would rule his kingdom once he was dead? Would they ever find his body or would it be lost to the depths forever, to be used as shark food? Would his grandfather forgive him for disobeying his orders and walking around the rocks at night alone....

'Gah!' he cried out in pain as a flurry of bubbles left his mouth, his voice filtered by the water as the last of his air disappeared. A mermaid had just come forward and slashed him with her sharp silver tail fin. Red streamers of blood rose from his shoulder and disappeared much like his fading air. One, two, three more times mermen and mermaids swam forward and created deep cuts. Much like sharks they liked to weaken their pray before "feeding."

Just as his vision was going blurry, and the fear and lack of oxygen was teasing his mind with unconsciousness, however, just as one of the folk swam nearer to suck out his soul, a smaller one rushed forward, beating her away with his tail. It was a merboy, only a few years younger then him by the looks of it, with snow white hair, his pale peach skin in stark contrast to the pale green the others of his kind possessed. However, before he could see what was going on, the world went black.

Then, there was a blur of feelings and movement. First, coldness and sharp pain in his lungs, then, curiously warm small arms around him and the feeling of rushing upwards, and then stronger cold and icy night air.

Then, soft lips breathing the life back into his heavy body, and suddenly he gasped, trying to get as much air into his body as possible as he opened his eyes in time to see a pair of startled gray eyes disappear. When he managed to sit up from the rocks he had somehow been placed on he saw a silver tail flash in the moonlight before vanishing into the seemingly calm navy waters.

'What was...' be blinked and stood up shakingly, coughing slightly, his lungs sore from being a container for salt water, 'D-Did I just get saved by that merboy?' he wondered out loud, rasping as his throat burned.

He must have, he thought. How else would he have been brought back to the rocks with his soul still in tact?

'Oi!' a familiar voice called behind him, 'Usagi! Your grandfather is pissed! You better get... Why are you soaking wet?'

Prince Lavi turned to the Japanese boy who had run up to him, an eerily calm and confused look on face. 'I fell in the ocean Yu-Chan, and one of the Merpeople saved me.'

'What?'

'Yeah...' the redhead nodded, turning back to look at the water. He was vaguely aware of his friend muttering about crazy dreams, but he didn't listen. He smiled, reached up to his neck and undid the locket he had worn since birth. It was made of gold, and had the letter "L" carved into it, and it was the most valuable thing he had besides his crown. He raised his arm, and tossed it as far as he could. It landed a few yards away, dropping into the water with a splash. The Japanese boy raised his eyebrow in surprise and confusion at the prince's odd behaviour.

'What the hell did you do that for Usagi?'

The prince smiled brightly. 'I was just giving my saviour a present. That's what princes do when they're grateful after all.'

'Che, waste of gold. No way would a merperson save a human... Come on, Bookman it waiting...'

'Yeah...In a minute...'

The prince's friend rolled his eyes and started walking back through the rocks towards the castle in the distance. Lavi stayed, looking at the water for a minute, before raising his hands to his mouth and calling out.

'Thanks heaps!' the eleven year old shouted at the water, 'I'm really grateful!'

There was no response, only the sound of waves lapping wetly against the rocks. But still, the prince was somehow sure the merboy had gotten the message.

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Wow, longest prologue I ever did. Well, I promise the rest of the story will get better.

Thanks to Nella for beta-ing.

PLEASE REVIEW!