I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! I researched to learn the name of Joey's mother but I came up empty so I selected the name Marina. If anyone knows the real name, I would appreciate if someone sent it to me via review or PM. I will continue to use Marina for the story, though.

Chapter One- The Merpeople Race

The sweet, yet haunting song floated through the air audible over the waves crashing against the rocks that jutted out of the water. A pink-tailed mermaid with reddish-brown hair sat on a rock that barely protruded out of the water. Her pale eyes were fixed on a nearby fishing boat, her song drawing it ever closer to the jagged rocks.

A blond merboy bobbed behind the rock, peering around to watch the boat, his brown eyes sad. He loved hearing his sister sing when she was having lessons or to the sea creatures, but not like this. Princess Serenity was a sweet, kind mermaid, but about three times a month, she becomes a siren who lured humans to their deaths with her song.

The boat drew closer to the rocks and the boy could see a lone humans steering his vessel, his eyes blank and unfocused. The boat crashed into the rocks and started to sink. Serenity kept on singing until it was guaranteed that the human had drowned. She ceased her song, clapped her hands in glee, and giggled.

"Sis, I don't find any of this a reason to be happy," the boy said. "I mean, a human just lost his life."

"Oh, lighten up, Joey," Serenity said. "As far as I'm concerned, any human sailing across the ocean is evil and deserves to die."

"Is that what you believe or are you just repeating Mother's beliefs?"

"Of course I believe it, big brother. I've always believed it. It just becomes very clear to me when I become a siren." She slipped under the water and Joey followed suite. Once he was under, Serenity added, "I think you're jealous of what I can do."

"I'm not jealous," he said as he headed home, his royal blue tail propelling him through the water quickly with Serenity behind him. He didn't take Serenity's comments personally; she always acted harsh while she was in siren mode. He wasn't jealous of her ability as all mermaids engaged in this behavior. Mermen usually stayed under the waves farming, marketing, protecting the kingdom, and helping raise their families.

A mermaid's siren side usually shows when she turns thirteen but when and how often varies. Joey and Serenity's mother, the queen, stated that no merperson under eighteen was allowed the visit the surface along, so Joey would accompany Serenity to the surface where she would sing humans to their deaths.

Joey knew he was different from the other mermen. He, too, had a beautiful singing voice and a secret life as well. Mermen in the past used to become human; the time and length also varied. However, the king a long time ago, managed to convince mermen to resist the ability to be human and it was believed that no merman had retained this power. Joey, however, came into this power when he was thirteen. He had gotten an urge to go to the shore of a nearby kingdom. He went there before dawn on the Summer Solstice and pulled his tail out of the water. When the sun came up, Joey's tail had split into legs and the clothes of a prince cloaked his body. Joey had spent three days and nights on land and when dawn came after the third night, he had become a merman again. From then on, Joey went to shore every Summer Solstice and no one knew he was violating the law of not becoming human not to mention the law his mother had laid down concerning who was allowed to surface alone.

I like being human during the summer. It's through this ability that I've found that humans aren't evil. Thing is, I can't tell anyone as no mermen should be able to become human. Hmm, I think I'll look in the library for more information on the subject.

After returning home and assuring his mother that no one spotted him and Serenity, Joey swam into the library and scanned the shelves. He found a history book on merpeople abilities and sat at a table to read. He started with the mermaids and learned that the frequency with which mermaids turned siren would increase and stopped increasing when they turned eighteen. A very small number of mermaids would turn completely into sirens and migrated to a distant siren village and live the rest of their lives there.

Oh, boy, he thought. I hope that doesn't happen to Serenity. I think Mother would be devastated if she became a complete siren. I know I would be. Right now, she only turns siren three times a month and not back-to-back. But according to this, her siren times will increase and hit a fixed number once she's eighteen. I'm in for a rough period. She's thirteen now, so over the next five years her siren singing times will go up. How often will she turn siren? Once a week? Every three days? I'll have to wait and see. Now, what about merman abilities?

The book gave a detailed history of mermen becoming human: How it came about, the uses mermen put it to, and why it was forbidden leading to them losing the ability, all of which Joey found fascinating particularly the last part. According to the book, a merman fell in love with a woman during one of his human phases and the woman was in love with him. He convinced King Poseidon to make her a mermaid. He acceded to his request and the couple lived happily for several months until the mermaid fell for a human and when told she could never be human again, she threatened to expose their race. Her threatening caused her to turn completely siren and she left for the siren village. Poseidon then urged mermen to forget about being human and resist the urge.

Joey leaned back in his chair. Wow, so this ability threatened our race's existence because a human-turned-mermaid fell for a human and grew angry that she couldn't be human again. Yeah, I can see why we were urged to resist. All of them lost the power, but I didn't. I guess that makes me a genetic throwback or maybe just special. Yeah, definitely special. Resisting and losing the power isn't hard. One has to be on land in order to change and through force of will, the urge to surface is defeated and they don't change. No one told me to resist as it's believed that no merman can become human anymore.

He returned to the book to discover a surprise: After his annual summer change, he would be able to become human for three days and nights whenever he chose as long as he changed at dawn. The length of time was due to his annual change and this new facet happened to all mermen once they changed a fifth time. Joey was excited. This is so cool. Both mermaids and mermen gain new facets of their respective gifts, though mine is better and speaking of my gift, this summer will be my fifth time. After my annual three days, I'll be able to be human for three days whenever I want!

Queen Marina gazed fondly at her daughter at dinner that night. She was proud of how nicely Serenity was developing her power. She was certain that her daughter wouldn't turn into a complete siren since she didn't and besides, she was a princess. Surely, royalty was immune to their races' darker sides.

I'm certain of it. After all, Joey doesn't become human. He will make a great king one day. Marina admired her son. He paid attention in class, had a lovely singing care, cared about the citizens, and was the envy of several mermaids. He also seemed to make friends easily and speaking of friends…

"Joseph, you'll be making your annual trip to see your friends soon, yes?"

"Yes, Mom. In about two days." Joey made up a story about meeting someone after his second change and said he promised to meet his friend at the same time every year and for the same length of time. Truthfully, he did meet someone, but couldn't tell her it was a human he met.