roll the die!

What a carefree life Sayle must live. 

Kalliope was silent for a moment. The reversal of the question has clearly caught her slightly off guard. She tensed up, fingers reaching up to ideally twirl a strand of her hair as she gazed away from the other mer and out towards the open seas around them.

Why HASN’T she left? It would be so easy now, wouldn’t it? She would just need to jump overboard. She would be long gone before anyone noticed, and few on the crew would have a remote chance of catching up to her even if they did. She wasn’t chained.   Yet something did drive her to stay. She didn't really want to leave. At least most days. She glanced back towards the bard.

“Isn't it obvious? I want to gain more magic." Not a lie. But clearly not the full truth. Though the full truth seemed a thing even the mermaid wasn’t ready to admit to herself yet. 

... but that was not the case for a witch like Kalliope, right? Her spells were more... pick and choose. More versatile. So surely she didn't have to stay on this ship to gain more magic? The witch hardly seemed like the type to like people, there had to be easier ways to get it. Especially now that she's figured out how to get her own legs...

Try as she might, she can't seem to figure out how to put that question into words on slate. Shame. Still, she should respond with something.

　 　 ' Such things are made for landwalkers, so the best place to get things is by these vessels. The bounties up here are worth the risk. '

Well obviously there's merit to using bait to catch a bigger fish, even if it means letting a ship keep sailing. That was how her Family operated, after all. But that didn't answer why this ship. Even she had eyed some of the other vessels they came across, to see if they would be a better hiding spot. Not that they'd met her standards, of course. Or that wouldn't ask too many questions. This crew had barely given her any.

INBOX MEME.

❝ you can ask me anything you want. i promise i'll answer truthfully except the things i feel like lying about. ❞ - to kalliope, from sayle (asked via chalkboard, @curecriticalwounds)

“So everything.” 

The mer sounded quite disgruntled at that. Why bother asking Sayle anything at all then if it would just result in a lie? Then again, this at least made her more reliable than those who lie without being open about it. 

Her tail flicked, a clear sign of her annoyance. Yet despite that, Kalliope found herself unwilling to simply end the conversation there and storm away. 

She wasn’t… annoyed, exactly. Hesitant, perhaps. Yes. Hesitant, reluctant, untrusting. 

She eyed the other mermaid with clear weariness. 

“....You come from the same cove as me.” It was less a question and more a stated fact. A baseline. “So, why are YOU here?” 

... well, that is infact a lie. she would do that if she had reason to benefit. It's not like she ever hid that, either. Better to be transparent about one's dishonesty, no?

But Sayle doesn't seem offended at all - eyes twinkling in amusement as she held her chin on her palm, silver tail coiling around the barrel she'd taken to preferring to perch on. It was clear that Kalliope had questions - ones that couldn't be voiced while the rest of the crew was around. The witch was prickly - like a pufferfish - but she hadn't outed her yet. She may as well throw her a bone as repayment.

Clawed fingers tipped in black scales would tap against the blackboard in thought, the chalk twisting between them, before she'd erase her proposition and replace it, holding up the new answer.

　 　 ' For fun. '

There's no way she'd buy that - and Sayle knew it. Even if it were the truth. She was already erasing her message with her hand, and replacing it with another. And another. And another.

　 　 ' Personal interest. Needed time away from home. '

She'd replace it with the next nearly immediately, so that those particular words wouldn't be dwelt on.

　 　 ' I did not plan on staying after getting free of that rigging, and would have already left already if things here weren't interesting. '

And convenient... but not in the way that Kalliope was thinking (not that Sayle would know of that paranoia). Being out of the water and up on the boat simply wasn't where anyone would expect someone like her to be.

Pigeon by famous photographer Erwin Blumenfeld, mostly known for his fashion photographies for Vogue  in the 40′s - 60′s. 

Also good for superpower AUs. Make sure to specify a muse when applicable.

1. What’s your full ability, to your understanding? (Bonus Q for muns: Does this differ from their actual full ability? Or their potential?)

2. How do you consider your power: a curse, a blessing, a responsibility, or just an extension of who you are?

3. What age did you first discover your ability, or else recognized that it wasn’t just something that normal people did?

4. Did your power develop with age, as a result of some event, or were you born with it?

5. How normal are powers in the world you live in?

6. When using your ability, do you make efforts to disguise yourself, or otherwise hide that you have said ability?

7. What are your opinions on superheros? Super villains? People who have powers but refuse to get involved?

8. How do you view people without any superpowers?

9. What was the most creative application of your ability?

10. Did you ever lack control over your own power? What sort of events happened as a result?

11. How easy was it to gain control over your power? Did you have to train to keep it from use, or did you have to work at bringing your ability out?

12. Did you ever experience discrimination for the manifestation of your power?

13. Have you ever used your power for petty and/or selfish (or silly) reasons?

14. Has your opinion on your power changed at all over the time you’ve had it?

15. Is it possible to overuse your power? What symptoms do you experience as a result?

16. Did the burnout of overusing your power ever put you in a vulnerable and/or dangerous position?

17. Have you accidentally hurt anyone because of your power?

18. Has anyone hurt someone else (perhaps a friend or a loved one?) because of your power?

19. How frequently do you overuse your power, if at all?

20. What sort of weaknesses does your ability have? Limitations? (Bonus Q for muns: Do their actual weaknesses/limitations differ from their knowledge of it?)

21. Can your ability cancel out or dampen any other abilities, to your knowledge?

22. If you keep your ability a secret, does anyone know of it? How did they find out? If you don’t, do you flaunt your ability whenever possible or only use as needed?

23. Are you (or your secret identity) a pseudo-celebrity because of the use of your power?

24. Someone comes up to you expressing that they’re a fan of yours, how would you handle the situation?

25. Would you, or have you, ever abused how people view you (as a result of your abilities) in order to get what you want?