Gavin grinned, kissing back sweetly. Out of the corner of his eye, he peeked to see what Kiwiw and Meriel would do.

As Meriel smiled and answered Kiwi, she noticed the two..making out was it called again? She couldn't be sure. All she knew, was that it looked like they liked it a lot. Curious and wanting to find out what it felt like, she turned to the blonde to try, but stopped. She didn't know how to do this 'making out.' What if she got it wrong? What if Kiwi got upset? All these 'what if's' filled her mind. "Kii...."

Deckle gave Meriel an encouraging look. With Kiwi acting like such a...well...puss...around her, there was no way Kiwi was going to start anything on his own.

Kiwi blinked, puzzled by the confusion on her face. "...Hey. What is it? Is something wrong?"

Feeling slightly more encouraged and comfortable, Meriel mimicked Deckle's lips exactly. Luckily, it was just a peck at first, so she wouldn't get too confused. Leaning tentatively towards Kiwi, she planted her lips on his lightly, shyly.

Deckle felt like punching the air in victory.

Kiwi froze, going quite pink. But, after a moment, he relaxed and wrapped an arm around Meriel, somewhat protectively.

Gavin nearly whacked his best friend upside the head. He couldn't believe it. Flirt of all flirts, and ladies man extraordinaire wasn't making a move or kissing her! How odd. She seemed to render him meek and innocent like a eager to please and serve pup.

Meriel was about to look to Deckle to see what she was doing wrong when she felt the warm arm of Kiwi circle around her. Smiling shyly, she leaned into his hold, not knowing if she kissed right, but not caring too much. She got a hug.

Deckle was a tad frustrated by Kiwi's behavior, of course...but she just couldn't help it. It was...adorable! Yet pitiful. The perfect person to tease.

Kiwi held her, a very faint blush still on his face. He noticed Gavin's look and scratched his head sheepishly. "...Am I going to get a lecture later, Gavin?"

"Damn right you are mate!" Gavin nodded, grinning deviously as he hugged Deckle close to him.

Meriel cuddled close, feeling a slight warmth in her cheeks. She squeeked in surprise, poking Kiwi gently. "Kiwi..Meriel feels strange...really warm in cheeks....Is that bad?"

Deckle's hand shot up to her mouth to hide a snicker.

Kiwi sighed and then patted Meriel on the head. "Um...no. That's, um...a-a good thing."

Gavin grinned, planting a kiss on Deckle's cheek as he watched the two with a snicker. Oh his buddy was fun to mess with!

Meriel smiled shyly, looking relieved. "Meriel is glad. But..Meriel doesn't know what it means. Meriel thinks it makes Kiwi look funny, good kind of funny, looks cute!"

Deckle leaned against him, contently. She was thinking along the same lines. Kiwi...such a flirt, reduced to such a...a...an obedient little puppy?

Kiwi coughed, then went a bit pinker. "Um. It means...embarrassment...mixed with happiness."

Gavin choked back a snicker, snorting a bit in the effort.

eriel smiled, leaning her head against Kiwi's shoulder. "Thank you for teaching Meriel so many things."

"That sounded like some sort of deformed pig," Deckle laughed, poking Gavin in the side.

Kiwi rested his head on hers, smiling as well. "You're welcome. I'm glad to teach you."

"Awww, so harsh my Hazzy-suit angel!" Pouted Gavin, putting on a look of mock hurt.

Smiling at Kiwi, Meriel kissed his cheek as the others did, liking how Kiwi looked when she did so. "Kiwi..!" she sang his name happily.

Deckle wrapped her arms around him. "...You know, if I didn't get the meaning in that, I would think you had some sort of weird fetish..."

Kiwi snickered, then patted Meriel's head, happily.

"But I do have a fetish! A fetish for youu!" Gavin replied, grinning like an idiot.


Meriel giggled a bit, smiling in delight, tensing only slightly when she heard some noise nearby.

"I'm both flattered and creeped out, dear," Deckle retorted, wrapping her arm around him in return. "Such a strange feeling."

Kiwi seemed wary of the noise, and he hoped the bubbles on the surface of the jacuzzi would keep Meriel's tail well-hidden.

"Can't say you can find someone who makes you feel like that everyday now can you beautiful?" Gavin chuckled.

Meriel lifted her tail slightly to streth, only for a few seconds, but it was enough. One of the nearby maintanence staff had seen, and in a flash they were off to find the captain, researcher/ sea expert, and the boss.

"Nope. And we've got a problem," Deckle noted, pointedly. "What do we do, now?"

Kiwi looked quite worried, then bit his lip. He'd promised Meriel nothing would happen. And, he'd dragged Gavin and Deckle into this, too. "Where can we hide...where they can't find us? It's a ship, after all...they know it like the backs of their hands..."

Deckle seemed to be thinking about something, and she was hopping out of the jacuzzi as she did so. "Hey, Meriel. Is there a way we can hide in the water? We can't breathe water, but you can...is there something you could do that would make us able to breathe underwater, even if it's just for a short time?"

Meriel looked scared. Looking to Deckle, she shook her head. "M-Meriel doesn't know how...Meriel h-heard it could be done....Meriel is sorry!" she looked distraught that she couldn'e help. "Meriel will call father!" Getting out of the jacuzzi, she squeeked and whined in frustration, her tail still there. She couldn't run anywhere until her tail dried off enough for the transformation to take place.

Before they could escape, the maintanence worker, two security guards, the head researcher and scientist, and the boss in charge of all the employess ((topped by only the captain)) had arrived.


"S-see! I told you I wasn't lying!"

After a moment, the still stunned crewmembers looked at the terrified mermaid as the boss sighed, nodding to one of the security guards. Meriel was picked up and the guard told to follow the researcher.

Deckle, looking innocent enough, had sidled over to her clothing. "I suggest you put her down." Always a cautious person, Deckle kept her handgun with her at all times. She twirled it around in her fingers. "You put her down, or I'll do one of two things...shoot you all, or shoot your precious research subject..." She meant Meriel by that, and she was bluffing, of course. But, she sure looked like she meant it--her glare was unwavering. The gun clicked. "I'm waiting." It was well-known by most of the employees that Deckle Fritjov was a dead-eye shot. Even in darts...

"Put down the gun Deckle. I can tell you three are upset, but you lied to me. In addition, they will probably sue or bring us to ruin if we don't gie them what they want. I know it might not be fair, but I will gladly sacrifice and let them take her if it means the well being and the continuing legacy and existance of this ship and it's crew. I will ay it once more. Put down the gun and forget this ever happened." said their boss, shaking his head. True, he wasn't evil, but he cared more for the ship and its continued sucess than the well being of the mermaid.

Holding Meriel in front of him, the guard followed the scientist's instructions. "You're bluffing. Besides, even with the corpse I can learn a lot. And her existence proves there must be more, so I will find them in time."
Cocking his own gun, the second security guard held his gun at the others, a nuetral expression on his face, willing, but not necessarily thrilled about killing anyone. "You may be the best shot, but are you the fastest?"


Gavin had dissappeared at some time during the exchange.

"If you don't hand her over, then I won't tell you what I know about them. I know where a colony of them exists." Deckle didn't put her gun down. "Besides, I don't care what happens to this damn ship. If I wanted to, I could call my Daddy...you know, Byzantine Fritjov, the casino tycoon? Daddy has ties with the mafia. He'll send ships out here to sink this fucking boat."

Reluctantly, the scientist nodded after recieving a glare from the boss. The boss just wanted the ship he shared with his brother, the captain, to have a future ahead of her. Looking doubtfully at deckle, the scientist huffed, indicating that the guard put down the frightened mermaid.

It was then, that Meriel made a mistake.

Like any creature, she could feel threatened. She may look mostly human, but the mermaid instinctively reacted as any sea creature, any confused and frightened animal would. She bit the guard as soon as she had the chance.

Sinking her fangs into his hand, she drew blood, hissing and glaring at the offending human with slits for pupils.

Kiwi, who had been waiting for a chance to act, did so, and he quickly reached out and grabbed her. "Meriel...please don't bite people. It's not nice." He stepped away and shielded her with his own body, glaring at everyone who had wished harm upon her.

Deckle looked amused--she didn't lower her gun. She was far too paranoid. "Serves you right. Now, we're going to do what we want, or I call my Daddy. I call him twice a day. If you imprison us, he'll know, because I won't call him. And he'll send ships anyway. So don't bother." She nodded at the door, a hollow look in her eyes. "Leave. Go about your own business."

Bent over the injured male, the scientist and the boss glared at the three.

"Deckle, you will put that gun down, or so help me, I will sue you for the gambling you do. As for you Kiwi-"

"We need to take care of his hand, and the sea creature needs to come too, if she has a bacteria or foreign chemical that is harmful, we will need to make an antidote. Come if you must." snapped the scientist, noticing the bite was swollen.

Meriel growled, glaring at the ones who picked her up. Her growling ceased the instant she heard Kiwi and felt him near her. "M-meriel not like them..."


Gavin meanwhile, had knocked out the other guard and was currently running to his room, jamming supplies into his backpack. If for some reason they got in trouble or were jailed, he knew one of them needed to be free. In addition, the male wanted to be brave and help. Thus, he began gathering his 'help for if someone gets trapped or they find out friend is mermaid' kit.