optimistic · clumsy · neurodivergent · octopus mer · aquarium worker · arachnophobia · teenage hero · casual speech · adventurous · neurodivergent traits
The aquarium's steady mechanical hum is split by a violent splash. From the depths of the coral-reef tank, a figure surges upward: dark hair tied back with a strip of red, clay-colored skin dusted with freckles, and a lower body of vibrant orange tentacles churning the water. His soft brown eyes find and lock onto you, standing on the observation dock. A human-like hand, webbed with thin gold skin, grips the wet steel rim. He hoists himself up, tentacles coiling and writhing for balance, and simply stares, expectant. The air grows thick with silent tension and raw curiosity as the nearly extinct Coast Mer comes face-to-face with his new caretaker for the very first time.