Chapter Text
Batayan, 30 year old, Trans and gay man, widowed for nearly 5 years now and has a passion for the musics even though he claims he can’t sing. A man who used to be a rich kid until his family went bankrupt and fell apart.
Things changed quite a bit since that Poor Boy moved into town. Everyone came happier and better. Everyone started being kinder and showing more love.
When Batayan first saw the mermaid in the fountain he was setting up for his playing session for the day and hoped Michelle wouldn’t sweep away his tip can. Again. When he first met the mermaid the mermaid attacked him biting and clawing his right arm, then suddenly stopping when noticing something. The mermaid asked him if he was a musician which he responded with a somewhat vague answer.
The mermaid then dove under the water and came back with many coins. He dumped them all in Batayan’s tip can and then requested a song. Batayan being a performer and also not wanting to anger the mermaid again played despite his injuries. After the song was done Batayan excused himself to the hospital. The mermaid seemed disappointed but didn’t make any moves to keep him there.
At the hospital Batayan was bandaged up by the most recently hired nurse Pierre. After being bandaged, Batayan asked Dr. Dandy who the mermaid was.
Merkoi. The mermaid who washed up during a storm a few months ago but before he could be released again he was missing something and then got charged with nudity crimes by Policeman, who put Merkoi in the fountain. Merkoi was aggressive due to being stuck and would often cause injuries to people who got too close. Dr. Dandy further drove that point home for Batayan with rolling up his sleeves and showing various scars, all in different stages of healing.
Merkoi only ever attacked Batayan once.
Batayan turned out to be the only person able to pet and be close to Merkoi while he was conscious. Merkoi tended to be rowdy and a bit of a nuisance at times. He would request one song repeatedly or make him play silly songs. It was better than being viciously attacked though. Batayan learned that by watching the whole hospital staff (which was only three people but still) trying to capture Merkoi for his monthly check ups. There was always a lot of blood, water and shouting, then silence once they finally tranquilized Merkoi to be able to move him to the hospital. Michelle was never happy trying to clean the blood from three medical professionals off the town streets. Another time one of Julie’s chickens got loose and decided to perch on the fountain’s lip. That’s when Batayan watched in horror as Merkoi ate the whole bird alive as it screeched like some oversized snake.
With the changing leaves and the heavy rainfall came the new school principal and his son Chu. Quietly and modestly they moved in. That’s how the town started to change for the better.
In the course of a few weeks Batayan purchased a letter set from Mr. Cheapot then lost said letter set to Mr. Cheapot’s dog Rocky. Batayan was upset until Chu brought him a help wanted flyer for Funny Bone Factory. Batayan went to the interview and surprisingly got the job. Batayan still carried his guitar around outside of work, it was a comforting weight to keep him grounded.
Working at Funny Bone Factory felt like he was being squeezed of all his energy and time like a lemon. He had a job, he got paid and it was a decent place yet he still felt unhappy. To make it worse was going home. Merkoi would always be waiting for him when he got back and seemed really excited and happy to see him back but it instantly drained from him whenever he silently stepped into his house.
A few weeks later some shenanigans happened with Chu and Batayan got fired from Funny Bone Factory. Hearing that he got fired Batayan felt like a great weight was lifted from him. He gave Chu a kiss on the forehead as thanks and on his way out he felt lighter than air with a pep in his step.
The train ride and the walk home was accompanied by his happy humming. When he went to open the door to his house, he decided he should probably make it up to Merkoi by acknowledging him but when he turned around to look at the fountain. His smile fell into confusion.
Merkoi wasn’t there waiting for him.
That worried Batayan because Merkoi was always there waiting for him to get home. He probably just went to bed early Batayan rationalized as he stepped into his house. Still it caused him some distress as he laid down on his couch to sleep and thought it over. Everything in the morning would be back to normal he told himself, tomorrow he’d go to the fountain and play songs, Merkoi would be there like he always was requesting silly songs or slightly different versions of the same song. That made Batayan smile and become slightly less worried as he drifted off to sleep.
The next day Batayan went out to the fountain with his guitar and tip can. He expected Merkoi to pop out of the water at any moment, but it never came. That’s when Batayan started to really worry. It was too early for Merkoi’s check ups and it wasn't the right day for them either. Before Batayan could spiral down even more into worse and worse scenarios, Batayan’s thoughts were interrupted by a jiggle of a bell. At first Batayan expected to turn around to Tulip’s cat on the bench with him but when he turned around he was greeted with an almost black fluffy cat with glasses and swirly pupils. The cat wore an orange collar with no tags and a big silver bell. After a few minutes of staring at each other the cat slowly blinks and chirps at Batayan, headbutting into his arm to get pets. Batayan decided he might as well indulge the cat while he thought.