Knowledge of the canon isn't required, but the canon is Rescue Bots for the most part. The Little Mermaid is touched upon, but most of that canon was thrown out the window (aside from... two things?) The fic in question was the mermaid one we sparked in badfic on Discord (I think you were there?)

TL;DR: Technically Rescue Bots and The Little Mermaid, although the latter is mostly just touched on rather than fully integrated.

-kA