Jack was getting better at 'hearing' other people now. Though, it was hard to miss the King's voice since it was so strong and loud inside his head. So, it was much easier to understand when he was being spoken to which was a nice improvement. "It was not a problem sir, it was the right thing to do. Plus, Kiache is my friend, I couldn't let her stay in that place." Jack looked down while he spoke, he didn't yet know Mer etiquette, he probably shouldn't be talking at all in fact, but he had to let the king know that he truly cared about Kiache and he hadn't helped her just because it made him look good.

Despite getting used to everything, Jack still felt out of place. Even compared to Quinn, he just didn't fit. Jack looked like a Mer, moved like a Mer, but didn't feel like one. He didn't give off the warm vibe the others did. Although he was warm, and didn't get cold under the water, he could also feel his own, cold power twisting through his veins. It was hard to stabilize himself down here when his own powers were fighting to maintain control of his body. Though, he could tell that they were trying to come to some sort of agreement, which was nice.

The King smiled, and he swam over to the two, clasping a hand the size of their heads on the shoulder of the two new Mer, "I thank you for it all. It was the right thing to do, and you both have my eternal gratitude." Bubbles escaped the mouths of both Fy and Kiache. Eternal was forever. With those words, the Pes had promised to never harm the two, "Come to my home-city. The heir to the kingdom is home." Pes's eyes and face shifted to Kiache, his eyes sparking with an oceanic light.

Jack's blue hair drifted in the water currents, as did his tattered shirt. He was still stunned by the beauty and strength that the ocean had. Truthfully, he really liked it, loved it here even. He was happy he'd be staying for the rest of his life.

The house was also set slightly apart from the bustling city, which was colorful and bright. The Kiache's Home-City was made of coral that created buildings, along with caves, and even actual structures made of driftwood and other scavenged parts. The city was lit up Mer fire, mostly for looks. In fact, Mer relied mostly on hearing to get around, and the sensitivity of their fins. Most Mer had horrible vision.

He couldn't believe he was actually here.

Age: 18

Gender: Fluid, like all Mer, but very feminine in appearance

Looks: Ripley is a beautiful Mer, but deadly too. Everything about them is sharp, to their teeth to their nails, to their actual facial structure. Ripley has elegant high cheekbones and a sharp jaw. Their ears are unlike most Mers in which the gills themselves are still just a regular skin color. If anything, they look like human ears with a pointy tip and another random point further down. Their nose is thin and comes down to a small upturned thing. Ripley's eyes are large and almost black in color, they are practically the same color as their pupil. Just like the rest of their features, Ripley has arched eyebrows that are an inky black in color. Their eyelashes are long and thick, much to long for a normal human as they reach a bit longer than halfway down their nose when closed.

Like all Mer, Ripley has a bejeweled face though it is significantly less than Kiache's. Since they aren't exactly any sort of royalty, they have a decent amount of pearls. 4 above each eyebrow that are pure white, in between their eyebrows is a small starfish that is a deep, deep blue in color. It isn't exactly dead or alive either. It could be technically be considered fake since it doesn't eat or anything like that. It's just decorative.

Ripley's lips are rather round but big. Their hair is odd, it starts sort of silvery at the roots but as it grows out it becomes black and at the tips it is a deep red. Like a bird of something. Their skin is tanish, they go to the surface often to scout for ships and such as is their job.

An odd thing about Ripley is the fact that they have sort of ventral fins. They are roundish and end with sharp points and are made out of skin and a few black scales. They serve no purpose and are relatively useless. Ripley would have cut them off by now if they weren't so sensitive. Their only use is the fact that they can help her feel around in the dark. Which is useless to her really. Plus, they hurt if touched to much or are accidentally rubbed the wrong way. The fins attach to their abdomen about 4 inches above where their abdomen turns into their tail.

Speaking of tail, their tail starts out silvery like their hair but turns pitch black. There is random dark red spots everywhere, like a koi fish. The tail leads to two separated long, flowing fins, like a koi fish. They are relatively flat, though have a larger bottom and practically no breasts. If they were human and they cut their hair, they could be considered a very feminine looking boy.

They are well muscled, being one of the best soldiers in training out there. Because of this, Ripley also wears armor time to time. This is made out of tough shark hide that was taken from one that tried to attack a town. This training has also given them quite a few scars on their arms but never on their face. Although their proud of their scars, they are also proud of their pretty face.

Their red scales tend to move when they sleep. Meaning that they are sometimes not even on their tail but on their skin. They move around especially when Ripley is scared, sliding under their skin and appearing somewhere else a fraction of a second later.

Personality: Ripley is rather mysterious to most people, pulling away from social interaction that doesn't involve critique on their fighting skills. After Kiache got taken there wasn't much to do help her.

Which pissed Ripley off.

This is mostly the reason why Ripley is so set on being a soldier, to protect those they care for from harm.

Despite their cold demeanor, Ripley is quite the tease. Using their physical appearance to mess with people. It's all in good fun though and they haven't seriously dated anyone for awhile. They don't think anyone would want to go out with them.

Despite their cocky outward demeanor, they can be quite doubtful of their abilities. Even though they are one of the best fighters of their age, they always strive to be better, for people they care about. After all, Ripley's real family were abducted by humans when they were only 7 and ever since then they strive to always be in control. Even if it seems impossible. They need to know that their friends will be all right.

To friends, Ripley is calm and rather mature. Their flirting/teasing is reserved only for Mer who won't take it the wrong way or are one of their friends. They are kind and caring, always there to give a helping hand or a murdering one.

They can't stand humans.

Not a single one.

Extra: Their blood can be used to make images, or strangle someone.

Don't ask.

===

You know what? I am putting Kiache's story into a post, so add into this. It will be split up - one story about each of her siblings. As they enter the kingdom, she will remember them.

(except for the youngest, who was captured - also check page 45 for an important edit)

===

Kiache was the oldest of her other eight siblings, with another one on the way. The heir status was not given to the oldest, so her age meant little, other than it giving her superiority over her siblings.

That mindset made her closest sibling, Toru, annoyed. They were only a year younger, but Kiache always made Toru feel that year age difference, especially after one incident.

-

Toru and Kiache were exploring the deepest part of their Pater's kingdom when it happened. This was before the increase in Mer kidnappings, so no one minded the two royal children going off on their own. It was a two hour swim at a normal pace, but they raced, and made it there in a little over one hour.

Kiache won.

Once they arrived, Kiache bossed Toru around, despite their retorts that she was not, in fact, his superior. After a long while of Kiache telling Toru what to do, he snapped, and decided to swim off to explore on their own. Toru had his fill of Kiache.

Kiache had snipped that if Toru needed help, to call for her, to which they said they would never need her. She would never admit it, but Toru's words hurt, especially since he had meant it.

-

That meant, when Toru's frantic yell entered her mind, Kiache was swimming to them in an instant, not even pausing to think.

What she found nearly made Kiache double over with laughter. Toru had gotten themselves into a predicament - meaning they got their arm stuck in a little rock cave. Toru had pouted, and told her to stop laughing and help them get out.

The laughter quickly left when Kiache couldn't get Toru's arm out without breaking it. They were well and truly stuck. Perhaps now, at her older age, she could have figured something out that was different, but right then, there was only one thing she could do. Toru tried to convince her not to do it, but Kiache wouldn't budge. If she left Toru, they were an easy target.

-

This incident led to Kiache using her first facial ornament. It was a small pearl at the outside corner of her eyes. It hurt it a lot more than expected, and Kiache almost cried, but it had to be done.

Facial ornaments have many uses, but overall, it has amazing power.

So, Kiache apologized to Toru, and yanked his arm out so hard his bones snapped. The pain only lasted a moment, though, as Kiache crushed the pearl on his arm, knitting together the bones and healing the wound.

Toru had been prepared, and was more concerned about Kiache using a pearl than his arm.

The two left the deeps soon after.

Kiache and Toru still have never gone back.

===

Kiache felt her body quiver. She wanted to see her siblings again. Toru... oh, they fought and argued and seemed to be enemies, but really, they loved one another like the closest of siblings.

Ripley was heading back to their town after a long day of scouting. They still lived in the area where the royals lived. Most soldiers did since that was where most attacked occurred. That's when they got the news. Kiache was alive!

Ripley does up, their armor slowing them down a bit. Of course, they had just gotten out of scouting so it made sense.

It was surprising how fast a Mer could swim when they wanted to. Ripley's hair flew behind them as they raced back home.