Mermaids

''' Mermaids are to be added in a future chapter. Stay put for updates. '''

Analogy
Mermaids are beautiful creatures with the upper body of a woman and the lower half of a fish. Mermaids are popular amongst folklore for their beauty and rarity. Mermaids are not to be confused with Sirens, which are more bird-like and use their voices to lure sailors to their deaths while mermaids prefer to avoid contact with humans.

Description
The mermaids in the Yen Reader universe are unique compared to other mermaid. The mermaids have a scaly lower half and smoother, scaleless upper half. Their bodies measure from 5' to 7' fully grown and are light mint green, although some are sea blue. Their maximum swimming speed is 40 mph. They age very slowly so they can live through many decades. Mermaids have brown or black hair descending down to their shoulders. Their ear flaps resemble fins which they can close and open for listening in on echo location. Mermaid tails and hips and highly flexible and shallow without sacrificing lung capacity, with added fins on their sides for smoother stability. Barbs sprouts from their ear and torso fins to ward off enemies that dare try to attack them from their sides. Their eyes are wide, and their black pupils can easily increase to absorb more light to assist them in night hunting. Their nostrils are moved up to the ridge of their noses looking like two slits, acting like a blowhole and allowing them to breathe above water without fully exposing themselves. Lower on their snout they developed senses similar to sharks to detect objects emitting electromagnetic vibrations. They have wide jaws with sharp canines for biting into prey and for inflicting wounds on opponents, or to intimidate rivals. Mermaid hands have 5 fingers like humans and are webbed for assisted swimming with short 2-3" curved claws for slashing and gripping onto solid surfaces.

Mermaids are strong enough to stun a fish with a wack from their tails or to ward off a predator like a shark, with arms that can easily lift a boulder off the sea floor. But the most bizarre trait about a mermaids' arms is that they have folding limbs below their elbows. This "second arm" allows mermaids to stabilize themselves on land without needing to drag them bodies around on their bellies. This also gives them a combat advantage for quick maneuvering, to quickly leap back into water, or to avoid drying up should they beach themselves.

Mermaids can dive down to 400 feet below the surface and hold their breath for up to 40 minutes. The bigger ones can dive three times down as far and can hold their breath for an hours. Mermaids are omnivorous, meaning they will eat both vegetation and meat. For hunting, mermaids with use the same tactic as dolphins to swarm schools of fish until they break apart, then engage in feeding frenzies with their blackened eyes and bright white fangs. In times when food is scarce, mermaids will try to pack on as much fat as they can to go weeks on, or so that their blubber can withstand frigid cold waters such near the south pole or the Bering Sea in the northern Pacific.

Mermaids seem to have limited regenerative abilities. A mermaid's saliva has a powerful anti-toxin that heals painful injuries caused by poisonous creatures and invertebrates, such as Jellyfish.

It is unknown how mermaids reproduce. Theories may include the more rare "Mermen", or sexual encounters with male sailors. Some say mermaids were women that were physically converted or cursed into becoming one. Others believe that they can become pregnant through certain mythical powers through a certain time of the year.

Social Order
Mermaids live and travel together in pods of 6 to 20 or even more. Mermaids have distinguished markings and color. Green skinned members are primarily scouts and caretakers, blue skinned is for the sentries, or guards, that protect the young and the pod. When the young or the pod is in danger, the sentries will group together and "transform" their appearance by puffing up their barbed fins, bear their long canines, and spreading their clawed hands to scare predators.

The main alpha, or the Matriarch, is a giant 30 foot long female. The Matriarch has extra fins, thicker armor, and wider ear fins. The Matriarch in power and size, combined with large teeth and immense stamina and aggression, can easily rival a Killer Whale in a death match, and scare off large groups of smaller predators like sharks, which would be more of a pest than a threat to her. While slower at 30 mph, her large size can allow her to break through reefs of coral and smash small boats. During a pregnancy, the Matriarch can carry 6 or 7 babies inside of her. This slows her down further, and sentries will be constantly watching her 24/7, going into a frenzy at the danger alert. While in the womb, the fetuses have accelerated growth. They are born tail-first, resembling near fully grown adults. With this advantage, one or two of her offspring will inherit her genes to become the next one, slowly growing in size. If the Matriarch were to die, her body will release pheromones to the nearest mature mermaid to allow her to start taking her place.

Combat Skills
Even though mermaids are peaceful creatures, they are not afraid to fight to defend themselves. Under water combat is exceptionally proven to be with their skills, from evolving from basic humanoids to apex underwater predators. Their main form of attacking is slashing with their claws to inflict scar damage and their teeth to deal deep bite wounds to draw blood into the sea. Aside from offensive, this can also help a mermaid free herself if she became tangled in seaweed or rope net. They can also fight by lashing out their tails which the force is enough to kill small game and stun/injure larger foes. Their lower scaled body is like armor, but not their upper bodies so the fins on their hips are barbed to impale foes and their ear-fins are also barbed to prevent others from grabbing them by the neck. On land however, is a challenge. Thanks to a evolved extended joint from their elbows this can stabilize them to move around in order to whip and bite.

Mermaids have limited usage of tools, such as using fish bones and fallen spears as weapons.

They do not take well to humans unless they are passing by. In the event of trespassing human, a pod of Sentry mermaids will swim to the boat and investigate while staying hidden. If activity dies down, they'll lose interest and retreat. If they are spotted, they will all leap or climb onto the boat in a frenzy manner and attack to defend their turf, by slashing their claws, whipping their tails, or biting if they get close enough. If this does not work or a life is lost, the pod will retreat and the Matriarch will arrive to capsize the ship or push it towards the nearest reef to damage the haul. Any surviving humans they'll abandon to die as they show no interest in them.

Rivals
Mermaids have no naturals predators thanks to their defensive and offensive tactics against large predators such as Great Whites and Killer Whales. The only true enemies are the infamous Sirens: half bird half women hybrids with the perk of seducing victims with their voice. The Sirens are superior in air and land combat as the can pick off the younger mermaids with their claws to inflict deep wounds. They lack abilities to fight underwater, as Mermaids can leap out of the water and drown them. The large Queen Siren can easily snatch Mermaids out of the water and kill them. The Matriach Mermaid is the only member big enough and heavy enough to fight the Alpha Siren as she cannot be lifted out of the water.

Appearences
[SPOILERS]

The Mermaids known as the Ke Kola Mermaid Pod first appeared when Yen Reader and his troops along with Nemesis were on a armored boat in the Pacific trying to find a suitable island in order to develop a Navy. The Mermaids ambushed them and crawled onto their ship, with the Matriarch Mermaid arriving to try to capsize them. After realizing repelling the giant Mermaid was futile, Yen confronted the Matriarch on the deck. The Matriarch grabbed Yen and dragged him under to a underwater cave, not before yelling at the crew to leave without if he does not return in 24 hours. The Mermaids debated on killing him when he managed to talk to them by clicking two rocks together as to mimic echolocation through Morse code. The Mermaids surprisingly understood and listened to him, and they became friendly. He later befriended the Matriarch and her normal-sized daughter, which he named Sweet Girl and Bluetooth.

Yen and the Mermaids arrived back to the boat and told everyone that the Ke Kola Mermaids are in a losing battle with their rivals, the Sirens, who have killed most of their young and pushed them out from their home, Ke Kola Isle. Realizing their potential, Yen and the others agreed to help the Mermaids claim back their territory.

The Yandere Hunters and the Mermaids advanced quietly to Ke Kola Isle ran by the Sirens. The two factions took the Sirens by surprise and combined with their efforts bested the Sirens with their new tactics. While Sweet Girl fought the Queen Siren, Yen almost drowned in the fight until he was saved by Bluetooth. The Queen Siren was defeated by Sweet Girl by dragging her underwater and decapitating the large bird with her teeth. With no leader, the remaining Sirens retreated into the horizon, never to be seen again. The Yandere Hunters and the Mermaids won the battle with very little casualties, not only helping them reclaim their home but also saving them from extinction. With the Mermaid's trust and respect earned, Yen could recruit them to help build a Navy against the Yandere Navy. As an extra reward, Yen wrapped a radio collar/Bluetooth around Bluetooth's neck, allowing them to communicate anywhere at any time. The chapter ended with the Yandere Hunters driving into the sunset towards the mainland and the Ke Kola Mermaids tanning on their reacquired home island in peace.