Requested by Just a Hijacker


Winter was ending. The water was warming. If Jack hadn't been so gung-ho for a fun time, he would have migrated north by now. But, no. He wanted to see the Blue Whales. They began their migration a week later then he did and never went as far north as him. And so, he stayed behind in the heating water to snag a chance of hitching a small ride on the back of one of those large mammals. It was fun. Who could blame him? Besides, if the whale he was on just happened to breach for air and if he just happened to be on its back, pushed up through the top film of water and allowed to see the world of creatures that walked on two legs, well, it wasn't really his fault.

The white haired merman lay stretched out on top of his latest whale turned ride. He tucked his hands under his head and gazed up at the sunlight penetrating the water. The constant undulating of the waves rippled the light, bending and twisting it back on itself. Closing his eyes, he let the light paint pictures with the blood vessels in his eyelids. He took a deep breath; water filtered through his gills as they snatched the precious oxygen needed.

Jack could feel his muscles aching. He was an artic creature and this warmth wasn't doing him any good. He had hoped that the whale would get him far enough fast enough and allow him to conserve some energy. But, as the docile creature meandered through the wet expanse and each passing second sapped a bit more of his strength, he realized that he'd have to get off soon.

Right after the next breach.

The whale shifted, moving deeper and further out from where Jack knew the shore to be.

What?

Flipping to his stomach, the mermaid rubbed a hand soothingly across the blubber.

What's going on? Thanks for the ride, he hummed. Tensing his muscles, he pushed off from the whale and swam towards the surface. An eerie moan of warning followed him up.

Taking a deep breath, he broke through the surface and was assaulted by a battering of water. Booms concussed his head, shaking every fiber. He gritted his teeth and squinted into the rolling darkness. A wave slammed into him so hard that it felt solid. He spun and tumbled. It took him a moment to regain his sense of direction.

Jack clambered back to the surface. A warm light pierced the storm. Squeals and squawks fell off a ship and smashed into the water. Ducking under the tumult of the waves, the merman swam closer. A strong shock reverberated from his left. He looked over to see one of the two-legged creatures struggling to make it back to the surface. Its green eyes were wide. Worn hands clawed at the swirling liquid as if they could find a grip. The creature's movements slowed until the waves cupped its body and played with it as if they had just been given a new toy.

The white haired merman lashed his tail and sped towards the sinking creature. Stopping underneath it, he hooked his arms underneath its and pulled up. He thrashed his tail, fighting to move himself with this added weight. He feared it had been too long when he finally managed to break free of the water's grip.

After that, Jack wasn't sure how he outswam the storm and got back to the shore. He beached himself onto the searing sand, dragging the creature along. He flopped down across its firm body. Forgetting that he was no longer under water, he took a deep breath. A torrent of dry air scratched his gills. In a panic, he pushed himself up and tried to pull himself back to the water. His fingers clawed at the sand. It chafed his underside. The waves tauntingly licked his outstretched fingers. His vision zoomed in and out, blurring along the edges. The clearest it became still put everything in a haze.

A wracking cough caught his attention. The merman twisted his head to see the creature roll onto its side. Water spew from its lips and dribbled down its cheek.

At least I saved it.

Green eyes turned to him, and eye lids pulled further back into its skull than he could ever imagine.

Harsh sounds poured from its mouth. Its fingers gestured frantically at him before scrounging around in the soaking fabric that draped its frame.

It pushed itself onto those two legs and stumbled towards him. Its legs snapped in two and allowed him to become shorter. Lips pulled into what looked like a smile, and Jack tried to return it.

Rough fingers grasped his skin and hauled him upwards. It moved behind him and began to pull him towards the water. The waves' cool embrace enveloped his heated body. He was set down. Sticking his head under the water, Jack took a deep breath before coming back up to inspect the two-legged creature.

Smooth rambles spilled from its lips now, and Jack wished he could understand. It pushed back strands of brown hair that clung to its cheeks and forehead. With a nod, it moved away to the beach.

With a flip of his tail, Jack swam out into the ocean. After he was away from the shore, he went to the surface and watched as it wandered down the beach.

He looked to the moon floating faintly in the bright blue. Hey, Manny. You think you could pull off making me a two-legged creature?