Part of Your Pool

[raisingdad]

Who: Alexis Castle and YOU
What: She's a mermaid! The castle has given Alexis a loss and she's turned into a mermaid who lives in the pool for a day. As you can imagine, she's completely psyched about this.
When: May 15th
Where: The Pool
Rating: Probably PG at most.


Alexis had gone to bed on the night of the 14th feeling incredibly depressed. The unicorn was gone. She had been ecstatic when a tiny horse with a horn on its head had hatched out of her egg and had spent the last few days running around the castle playing with it and generally acting like a 10 year old.

How could she not? It was a unicorn. It was hers.

But she should have known that her fun wouldn't last forever and that it was silly to get attached to something like a unicorn. It wasn't her pet and she wasn't its mom. Basically, she felt like an idiot, especially because she had cried herself to sleep two nights in a row over it.

When she woke on the 15th, she wondered if she had literally drowned herself in tears because her whole body was wet. It took her a moment to realize that probably meant that something was wrong. Alexis found herself in the pool somehow, which made no sense whatsoever. She couldn't move her legs apart and thought they were bound, though when she kicked them a great rush sent her up to the surface.

Looking down, it all became horribly clear. She was a mermaid.

There was her big blue fish tail and seashell bra, like some awful real-life version of Ariel in The Little Mermaid. Alexis swam to the side of the pool, wondering if maybe this was a dream but knowing that it felt too real to be in her mind. She folded her arms on the edge of the pool and placed her head gently down on top of them.

"Seriously?"


[OOC: Come find her in the pool! She will be a mermaid for the 15th only because I am a merciful mun. Also I'm going to handwaive her making an announcement over the journals that she's a mermaid and wtf is going on. Her journal is laying off to the side of the pool so she can't really use it too much. If you want to come mock talk to the mermaid, she'll be in the pool all day, then will wake up in her bed again on the 16th.]

Comments

[yay_heiress]

It was shaping up to be a beautiful day, and not yet entirely grasped by the fact that she's in an enchanted castle, London decided to take a trip down to the pool. To her delight, there were already lounge chairs, and all she needed to bring was her towel, some shades, and a tanning foil.

It wasn't until she found a nice spot in the sun by the edge of the pool that she noticed the young woman in the pool.

"What are you doing in the water? This is the pool, isn't it?"

[raisingdad]

Alexis raised her head slowly to look at who was talking to her: a young woman who looked ready to sunbathe in one of the adjacent lounge chairs.

Her question was confusing though, even beyond the fact that Alexis was a mermaid.

"Uhh... isn't a pool for swimming?"

[yay_heiress]

London scoffed. "Yeah, maybe if you're five! A pool is for a touch of scenery while you're tanning!" She leaned back into her chair, comfortably resting her arms on the arm rests.

"You should try it! You look like you could use a tan."

[raisingdad]

Alexis just blinked for a moment and stared at the girl because holy hell, where did this one come from? She resisted making a comment and rolling her eyes. She liked her pale skin because it set off her red hair and blue eyes nicely.

"Well, unfortunately, I don't have much choice today."

She lifted her fin up out of the water.

[yay_heiress]

London had to double-take. Was that a fin?

"Wait..." She got up and slowly crept to the side of the pool. "Is that a fish tail? *gasp* Are you a mermaid?!"

[themuse]

Under any other circumstances, Kate wouldn't be anywhere near the pool. But this was Alexis, and Kate wanted to support her.

Even though her turning into a mermaid was, to be frank, really freaking weird.

Kate had even sucked it up and wished herself a tasteful one piece. She managed to talk Castle out of going with her this time, hoping to take advantage of the situation to have a heart to heart with Alexis. She mostly wanted to keep her calm, though, as well as try to figure out what had exactly happened. The thing with the dog hadn't lasted long - much to Kate's disappointment, although she would never admit it - and the spirals hadn't lasted forever, either. Kate's only comfort was that maybe this wouldn't last long either.

Her surprise was difficult to hide when she saw Alexis, though. Kate pressed her lips together and approached the edge of the pool, sitting down to let her legs dangle over the side into the water.

"Hey," she said, trying to keep her tone light and cheerful for Alexis' benefit. "How are you doing?"

[raisingdad]

Alexis had been under the water testing her ability to breathe. The sensation was strange: she didn't feel the need for oxygen like she normally would if she were underwater. She surfaced when she saw the legs enter the edge of the pool, relieved to see that it was Kate.

"Alright. Considering." She swam to where Kate was with surprising agility. Maybe this whole thing would have been cool if it hadn't been so sudden. Alexis wiped at her face, though she wasn't sure if it was tears or just water from the pool.

[themuse]

The water wasn't a giveaway, but the puffiness around Alexis' eyes was a dead giveaway. Kate felt for the young woman; this was a confusing situation, and she'd been plucked out of her life unexpectedly, thrown into all of this. Getting turned into a mermaid and having her pet unicorn taken away from her was the least of her concerns, but Kate could easily see how it was enough to drive someone over the edge.

She wasn't planning on pushing, though. Alexis would talk if she wanted to talk and until then, Kate had come to keep her company. Hopefully this mermaid phase wouldn't last long.

"Are you hungry? I can go find you something to eat."

[raisingdad]

Alexis shook her head. "I'm fine right now, thanks."

The shock of it all had stifled her appetite for the time being. She took a deep breath, tired of feeling like a kid whose toy had got taken away. It was time to start acting like an adult.

"Do you.. want to come in the water?"

She thought it might be easier for them to talk that way. It wouldn't make her feel like such a freak.

[themuse]

Kate raised her eyebrows and her first instinct was to decline, but there was something strange about the way she was towering over Alexis on the side of pool. She must feel so isolated and lonely in there, and it Kate's heart went out to the young woman, so she slid into the pool.

The water was a little cold but not unwelcoming and Kate got used to it fast, leaning up against the lip with her feet on the bottom. "It's a pretty pool, at least," Kate offered. She splashed a little water at Alexis playfully. "We'll figure out what happened and get you turned back, okay?"

[pompous_today]

Simon had seen Alexis' predicament in the journal and decided to come and visit her. Despite himself, he had been a little sad at the loss of their pet unicorn, too; if nothing else, the animal had been something for him to take care of, a reason for him to keep getting out of bed in the morning that wasn't work.

Depressing though it was, he'd been short on those ever since his sister had left for the third time.

Once he arrived, Simon opened his mouth to speak, then shook his head and pulled up a chair.

"So... I'm not really sure what to say," he admitted.

[raisingdad]

Alexis shrugged. "Seems like par for the course at this place," she replied, her tone bitter. "Where they give you a unicorn and then take it away."

And then turn you into a mermaid as an added insult.

[pompous_today]

Simon looked at her sympathetically, sitting cross-legged in the chair.

"I have to admit I'm a little disappointed by that, too," he confessed. "Even though I well know by now that nothing here ever lasts for very long... would allowing us to keep it have been so bad?" The unicorn could have made friends with the other castle horses and with Yfandes... "And now... here you are. Is there anything I can do to help?"

[raisingdad]

Alexis folded her arms over the edge of the pool and placed her chin on top of them.

"He was really tame. I would have kept him outside with the other horses." She sighed, and went back to trying to sound her age and not like a child. "I think I'm ok right now. There's not much you nor I can do about this, I'm afraid."

[pompous_today]

"I suppose not," Simon said grudgingly. "You'll change back when the castle is good and ready to change you back. ... Can I at least sit and keep you company for a while?"

[thebestseller]

Upon arrival at the pool, Castle stopped and pondered whether he should wish up a bathing suit and get in there with Alexis- then decided that she might freak out even more. However, he didn't want to stay completely away, so he comprimised by pulling off his shoes and socks, then rolling up his pant sleeves and sitting by the side of the pool, splashing a little with his bare feet.

"So, Ariel, how are you holding up?"

[raisingdad]

"Not funny, Dad."

She was glad he was here. She had spent most of the day so far clinging to the edge of the pool, hoping that maybe if she stayed there long enough the castle would give her her legs back.

"Why did this have to happen after they took away my unicorn?"

[thebestseller]

Castle was immediately sympathetic at her tone, reaching out to run a hand through her wet red hair.

"I'm sorry, baby," he said, and he sounded it. "This place just sucks like that sometimes. You get something nice, then... it's gone."

[raisingdad]

She reached up and grasped his free hand, wanting to hold onto him. Alexis let herself cry, despite being 19 and trying to be an adult, this was her dad. He was one of the only people she could cry in front of.

"Everything's gone. Pi's gone. New York's gone. Gram's gone. And now I live in the pool because apparently I'm a mermaid."

[thebestseller]

"I know, sweetie. Hold on..."

Not caring that his clothes were going to be ruined- this was one time he didn't care about wishing for more afterward- Castle simply dumped his pockets and slid into the pool. She needed him, and he was going to be there.

"All I can say is that it does get easier. The separation. It never stops bothering you, but... well. Like Kate told me about trauma once, one day you wake up and it just becomes part of your life."

the latest of late tags... totally missed this post somehow!

[therealrisette]

Rise hadn't responded at the time, but she'd heard someone talking over the journal about being a mermaid and stuck in the pool. It sounded like that girl she met a while ago, too... that Castle guy's daughter. She'd kind of wanted to get to know her a little, before depression over Alex Russo leaving hit her like a freight train. She'd been closed up in her room almost all the time, until a couple of weeks ago.

But now, she was feeling a little better, and it sounded like Alexis could use some company. So she got all dressed in her swimsuit and a cover-up tunic for an unannounced surprise visit to the now-occupied pool.

"Hello? ... Alexis-san?"

Taking a few cautious steps into the room, she scanned over the surface of the pool to see if she could spot the castle's latest mermaid.

that's ok!

[raisingdad]

Alexis glanced up at the voice coming from outside the pool. At first she wasn't sure who the girl was, having spoken with most people over the journal and not actually met them in person.

"Hey.. are you Rise?"

That girl had been really nice to her and they'd wanted to meet but hadn't yet. Figured their first meeting would be while Alexis was a mermaid.

[therealrisette]

As soon as she saw Alexis, Rise smiled and gave a little wave.

"Yep!" She seemed pretty pleased that Alexis remembered! It felt like ages ago that they had talked, even though it really wasn't that long. "Nice to finally meet you for real!"

Stepping in a little closer, she took a seat by the edge of the pool nearby. Even though she'd been a mermaid before, she'd never actually seen another one. So she tried to sneak a few curious glances, without staring too much.

"Heard you were stuck here, so I thought it'd be a good time to come visit! It can get boring out here if no one else comes..."

Was that the voice of experience? Because it sure sounded like it.

[raisingdad]

"Yeah you too... despite my current situation."

Always nice to meet someone for the first time when cursed into a mermaid form. Tends to make a good impression. Alexis didn't mind Rise looking at her though. If their places were changed, she'd be curious too.

"I've had a few people stop by but any company is nice. Has the castle done anything crazy to you while you've been here?"

[therealrisette]

It was a long time ago for Rise, but she could imagine how Alexis felt. She met a lot of people for the first time when she was a fairy.

She was just thinking back on that a little when Alexis asked that question, and a trace of a smile formed again. "Sure, a few times! Let's see... I was a fairy for a month, waaaay back when I was still new here. But that was okay, since Nora-chan got turned into a fairy too."

She let out a fond little giggle, thinking back on all the mischief they got up to. She still missed Nora sometimes, but spending enough time in the castle will do that. A lot of friends end up leaving...

"Then there was one time the castle thought it'd be funny to make me younger on my birthday. Like, a lot younger. I think I was a little kid for a whole week." She gave an annoyed little huff at that, but truthfully, it hadn't been that bad. "And just a few months ago, I was a mermaid, too! So I know what it's like to be stuck here."

Belatedly, she seemed to realize that an awful lot of stuff had happened to her, and she hurried to add one last thing. "But I've been here more than a year! Usually things are pretty normal."