Hello guess who's back with the next chapter. Sorry if this chapter is a little late I have been having writers block and I have been getting ready for school. Also I got Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance and I have been playing it non stop wanting to beat the game because this game is so addicting. The writer's block was really getting to me during the first part and first part of the second part. You will understand why I called this chapter The Change later in the story. Hope you like it see you at the bottom.
Ivan: Usual She does not own Hetalia or making any money off his fic.
Warning: Language and description of sex
~Bio-diversity~
The Change
Alfred started to move in his tank, which startled the fish. With a push of his tail Alfred started to move in a circle again. He had no clue why he had just done that. Telepathy only worked when humans had their mind's guard down. The mind's guard was something that the ancient humans used but somehow as generations passed the guard was an instinct to the humans. There were times, like what happened a moment ago, when the mind was caught off guard and telepathy could happen by accident. Alfred's people could use it because they needed it to communicate with each other and the animals around them.
"What got you all spooked?" Vash asked as he put the bucket of fish in the tank.
Vash had noticed that the merman had seemed to calm down just a little. He peered into the tank with the clipboard in hand. The notes he was taking were about Alfred's behavior. He was not eating, barely moving, and was lying at the bottom of the tank was all he was doing. Vash was getting worried about the creature, even though it had been nine hours it seemed to be getting depressed.
"You have to eat something sometime you know." Vash crossed his arms.
Alfred only reaction was to look at him and to move his tail.
~Bio-diversity~
It had been three days since Alfred ate. The team of four was getting worried more now. Alfred barely even moved now, just a tail move every few minutes or longer. He stayed at the bottom of his tank with his arms crossed across his torso and his hands in the section of where the somewhat human top became a tail. The team needed to approach him because they wanted to do two harmless tests. The test was nothing but an x-ray for identifying its bone structure and, hopefully, solving the question of its sex. There was also a blood test to see Alfred's gene structure. They were also going to check his body weight while they were at it.
"I say it's a female." Sadiq stated.
"It's a male, I am certain of it." Arthur said.
The two bickered back and forth for a few minutes. Heracles was listening to the two argue while getting a tranquiller ready. Vash's head was moving back and forth between the two that were arguing. He was going to split them up but watching Arthur trying to strangle Sadiq was entertaining for once. Sadiq was going into the tank to take Alfred out when he was knocked out. When the rest of the team was doing the test Sadiq had the task of cleaning the tank so he already had a wetsuit on and a scuba tank ready for him.
Shut it you two. I'm not in the mood. Alfred groaned which caught Arthur attention.
Alfred had not been talking to Arthur, even if they had been alone. Arthur would ask a question and only be met with silence. To say he was getting worried about the other was an understatement, he was frantic. Vash had decided to hook Alfred up to an IV to get some nutrition in him after the x-ray was done and a heart rate monitor to make sure nothing went wrong. He had to get a bigger needle because a regular one would have probably not been able to get under Alfred's shark like skin.
On the lift Heracles shot Alfred in the arm with the tranquilizer. Alfred just opened his eyes, no emotion showed in them, before closing them again. After the tranquilizer took affect Sadiq dove into the water and pulled Alfred to the surface and with the help of Heracles pulled Alfred out of the tank and onto the lift. All four men helped get Alfred on the metal gurney. The merman had to at least weight something between one hundred fifty and two hundred pounds but they want to know exactly how much.
Luckily the X-ray machine was portable because they did not want to take Alfred out of the room. Sadiq went and turned off the pump for the tank so he can clean the tank without any more agitation. So while Arthur, Vash, and Heracles were exanimating Alfred, Sadiq had to clean the entire tank by himself by hand. Swimming around with a brush in his hand was not such a bad thing, if anything went wrong with the test he could not be blamed for it.
Heracles was moving the X-ray machine to where Vash wanted it. They were taking x-rays of Alfred's entire body, leaving no part unchecked. It could take at least an hour for all the pictures to develop and for Vash to go get them and come back to the room. Arthur had the IV ready for Alfred and on Vash's call he brought it over. It took Arthur a little bit to find Alfred's vein but after about two minutes he found it. He drew the blood that he needed then attached the IV. Alfred let out a hiss but nothing more happened.
As the IV was draining Arthur and Heracles were watching Sadiq clean the tank glad that that was not them. Vash had walked out the room to check on the x-rays. He would come back with all the x-rays in hand an hour later. He had told Heracles to put Alfred on another tranquiller when the other one was about to wear off, and quick movements coming from Alfred were signs that he needed another one because his IV bag was only going to be half empty by that time.
The steady beep of the heart monitor was the only thing that allowed Arthur to keep his sanity in place. To keep his mind off the unconscious merman he just watched Sadiq swim back and forth in the tank. Every now and again Heracles went and doused Alfred with water to keep him wet. When Sadiq was finished he climbed out of the tank and started to mess with Hercules.
Shut up with ya'll bicker. I am tired of it. Arthur heard Alfred groan. I maybe unconscious but I can still hear ya'll. These bright lights aren't helping either.
"Would you guys shut up for two minutes, you are giving everybody a headache." Arthur tried to at least get some peace for Alfred.
"Why should I, unlike you I was swimming in a filthy tank cleaning it while you all ran around up here." Sadiq scuffed.
"I haven't been sleeping well because of something that happened to my mother four days ago, I'm sorry if I am tried and just want some peace." Arthur pulled the lie about his mom again.
Heracles started to push Sadiq out the door, "I can't say we will stop auguring but we'll leave. Just tell Vash to buzz us when the x-rays come in." With that they were out.
Why did you say something? Alfred said.
"You seamed distressed, some peace will do you good." Arthur sat down in the chair near Alfred.
I thought you would have been pissed at me for yelling at you a few days ago. Alfred's voice almost sounded apologetic.
"I'm not mad. I can see it is a shock to be in the sea one moment then in a tank surrounded by strange creatures the next. Only me Vash, Sadiq, Heracles and myself are going to be around you. The people that were with us to bring you here has been told to say quiet about everything, which they will Vash only brings his most trusted people with him."
Let me just say this. I am sorry about how I acted four days ago. But I do not like being in the tank, it is horribly cramped in there for me. But this time of the year is the most important for us, what do humans call us, mermaids or mermen so I can't help it my hormones are out a whack. Alfred almost sounded like he sighed.
"What time is it exactly? You keep mentioning something about it." That had caught Arthur's attention.
About this time every year all the pods from around the world gather at this spot every year at that beach for mating season. Around this time of the year the males' bodies are flooded with mating hormones and testosterone. The testosterone is basically to show rival males how strong they are if they want to mate with another's attended female, especially the dominate males. The mating hormones are for when the mating begins. The pair will mate continually over the next week in hopes on conceiving a child. A dominate can have more than one mate at a time, he can have as many as he can protect during mating and the pregnancy, if a child was conceived. We don't mate for life it is just a four month period of putting up with each other then we go our separate ways.
By this time Arthur had grabbed a clipboard and was writing all of what Alfred had told him, "What do you mean if a child was conceived?"
Most of the time the mating is unsuccessful between the pair, which is why a child is almost never conceived is any there are few. There are about thirteen hundred left and still somehow we manage to conceal all of ourselves during this time from the humans on that beach. Out that that number there are about six hundred that are still able to mate so we would roughly get about fifty to a hundred calves or babies. After thirty the female's reproduction organs shuts down and they are left to take care of the immature ones while the others mate until they die, so roughly fifty or sixty when they die. Dominate males usually do not live past twenty-five, while the warriors and scouts can live until old age like the females. Alfred had sounded sad.
"Why do dominate males only live until twenty five?" Arthur was getting worried because he remembered Alfred saying that he was the dominate male of his pod.
Fights with other dominate males for mates and to protect the rest of the pod from dangers. Arthur can we stop talking about this, I am starting to feel more depressed than I already am. There was definitely sadness in his voice.
"I don't mind. Alfred you know we just want to know more about your species. No one has ever seen your kind before." Arthur said in a soft voice, he did not want to merman to scream in his head again.
Arthur it is the humans that had drew us almost into extinction and we had to go into hiding because of it, luckily our numbers were able to come back but there used to be five thousand of us worldwide and when the humans started to hunt us our numbers plummeted to a little over five hundred. You know how long it took my kind to get back to where it is now.
"Sorry. If I can ask you one more question, what is it like down there, the ocean I mean?" Arthur really wanted to know.
It's dark and cold where I usually live. I live in the North Sea or Arctic Sea with my pod, it all depends on the water conditions for the year and if there are young in my pod. If there are young I move to somewhat warmer water them move to the colder to make sure the calves don't go into shock. This is the only time I come to warm water, so I tolerate it.
"I got the x-rays." Vash said coming back in the room. "Where are Heracles and Sadiq?"
"I was getting a headache so they left; I haven't got much sleep lately." Arthur said. "I'll go get them."
When Arthur left, Vash looked at the merman on the gurney, "Don't worry Alfred, you will be released soon. I never planned to keep you here long anyway." Vash saw the clipboard that was placed on the chair and read through it. "We still have a lot to learn about your kind don't we."
Alfred knew he could not talk to Vash like he could with Arthur so clenched his hand in a fist. Vash caught the movement and just laughed.
~Bio-diversity~
Arthur was walking through the halls of the lab trying to find Heracles and Sadiq. He went through all the labs that either one of them was supposed to be in. All the people in them said they have not seen them recently. So he just wondered aimlessly hoping to run into one of them. He growled at himself for just remembering that Hercules had a room here because sometimes he could no go home because of the tests he had to do before a deadline.
It took him seven minutes to go from one side of the lab to the other and up to the third floor where all of room here held. Heracles's room was all the way at the end of the hall. He knocked and got no answer so he tried to turn the knob and found that the door was open. It kind of scared Arthur because he always knew Heracles kept his door locked at all times, even when he was in it.
He walked to the bedroom door that was open all the way and peered inside. Arthur darted away so fast screaming and ran into the hallway and away from the room. He was going to need fire to get that image out if his head because it was going to haunt him whenever he saw Heracles or Sadiq. Both of them in a relationship like that was baffling to him, they always fought and were ready to kill each other at a moment's notice.
The image of Hercules calling out Sadiq's name while Sadiq rammed into him was not a good one. Arthur could feel his pants get tight just thinking about it more. He knew he was gay since high school and had boyfriends before but he had not had sex since freshman year of college so he was deprived. He made his way back to Alfred's tank and tried to make his body calm down. When he got back in Vash gave him a curious look.
"Where are they?" Vash asked.
"They are…busy at the moment." Arthur said rubbing his head.
Vash raised an eyebrow then chuckled, "They're having sex aren't they."
Arthur jumped a little and saw a smirk on Vash face, "How did you…" He could not get the rest of the sentence out of his mouth.
His boss just rolled his eyes, "I caught them one time. It was before you even got here. You think you can help me get Alfred on the lift, the tranquilizer is about the wear off.
"Yeah, I can." Arthur went over the lift and raised it so it was even with the gurney.
Both men were able to slide Alfred onto the lift without too much trouble. Arthur went up with Alfred and lowered his lower body into the tank. It took a couple of moments for Alfred to start moving but for some reason Arthur did not want to let go. When Alfred finally opened his eyes is when he let go of the merman and let his sink into the tank.
Sadiq and Heracles came back in by the time he had locked the door back. Arthur could not help the blush that crept on his face. The two acted like nothing happened and Arthur was sure that they heard him scream. Even though he was in the tank Alfred could sense the arousal coming from Arthur but dismissed it and just swam around the tank. Alfred was intrigued by what was going on outside the tank so he swam down to the window and peered at the humans.
"What about the x-rays? Did I win because it is a girl?" Sadiq asked.
That had stuck a nerve in Arthur, embarrassing memory pushed out of the way, "It is a boy, how many times to I have to bloody tell you, you wanker." His English accent was becoming more noticeable.
Vash waved the x-ray, "I got the answer."
Sadiq quickly grabbed it from Vash's hand before throwing it down, "Damn it."
Arthur was able to get it before it hit the ground, "Don't put it on the ground." It was the x-ray of the pelvis. The x-ray showed a longer tail bone and a smaller, width wide, pelvis indicating that Alfred was a male. A smug look came on Arthur's features, "Someone owes me dinner."
"Don't remind me." Sadiq grumbled.
The group started to look over the x-ray noting how his skeleton closely resembled a human. There were two legs that came together when it came to feet is where it merged. The rib cage looked hinged which Hercules came to conclusion that is was for deep sea dives. The group was alerted when there was banging on the tank. The banging noise was almost frantic for some reason.
Arthur I can't breathe. Alfred tried to scream. Help.
Arthur sprang into action. He ripped the key to the tank from Vash's hand and climbed up the latter to get to the top of the tank as fast as he could. The group of three stood shocked as Arthur got to the top of the tank. Alfred was on the other side of the tank as Arthur got to the door, the merman swam over as fast as his oxygen deprived body could. Arthur put his hand in the water which Alfred took without hesitation. He was able to pull Alfred's upper half out of the water. Alfred used his free hand to grip the edge of the tank. The people below were surprised when they could hear Alfred gasping for breath.
Thanks Arthur. Can I get down I promise I won't hurt them I just don't like heights. Alfred pleaded. Arthur just nodded his head and help Alfred get himself out of the tank and onto the lift. I owe you one big time, I promise.
"Arthur, are you insane?" Sadiq yelled.
"I'm the one insane; you forgot to turn the pump back on for the tank. He almost suffocated." Arthur yelled back.
Vash started to walk toward the duo on the lift. Since Alfred was lying down he hugged Arthur waist and hissed, which surprised everyone in the room. The merman was still breathing hard but not trying to get air in in a hurry. Arthur just put his hand on Alfred's head for comfort, which apparently worked because Alfred's body relaxed. When Arthur tried to get up Alfred's grip got tighter.
I'm tired Arthur. Alfred voice was wavering and Arthur saw his eyes get heavy.
"I'll be right back" Arthur said and was able to pry Alfred off because starting to go asleep.
Arthur put Alfred on his side to sleep, even though it was clear Alfred did not want to let go. Arthur was chest to chest with Sadiq cursing him out about not turning back on the pump. A fist fight was about to happen when Sadiq pushed Arthur away, Vash had to get into the middle of it to stop it. Vash pulled Arthur to one side Heracles did the same with Sadiq.
"Sadiq go turn back on the pump." Vash yelled.
Sadiq pulled out of Hercules grip and mumbles, "Why the fuck do I always have to do the shit." He froze in mid-step. "Uh…"
"What is it now?" Vash complained looking in Sadiq's direction.
On the lift where Arthur left the merman there was a naked eighteen year old boy. A boy with a big muscular build and sun kissed skin. Wheat colored hair was still damp from water. His body was still wet from water. Arthur slowly approached the sleeping boy. The other three were watching Arthur approach the unknown man.
Arthur got within two feet before couching down, "Alfred?"
Said boy opened his eyes showing those same blue eyes as the merman, "Yes." A voice came out raspy from unuse.
~Bio-diversity~
I made it through Chapter 4 Ve~. How do you think our group is going to act about this new development. Alfred had finally become a human and there will be an explanation on this next chapter. Mating season is still around and it looks like Alfred became attached to Arthur (insert France's laugh).
Alfred: Why the hell am I the fish?
Cause there are too many Mermaid! Arthur around and I wanted to do something different.
Alfred: In your weird brain who knows what is going on.
Arthur: Let's go Alfred lets leave her to do her work or the readers will be mad at her *drags Alfred off my his ear*
Okay now that that is out of the way. I got 11 reviews on the last chapter lets see if I can get to 15 on this chapter! All the reviews I got last chapter was pushing me to get this as fast as I could. Please be patient with me I will get the next chapter and the chapters to all my other stories at fast as I can but school had started and I have a full schedule with work, after school band practice, and homework. See you next time ^J^.
