That evening, Daniel found it hard to sleep as he went over the day's events. Rescuing the most beautiful girl he's ever seen, only to find out about the threat of invasion from an enemy tribe, to his father dying, even though it wasn't for several months. As he gazed out over the balcony from his pillow, he drifted off into a sleep marred by fitful dreams involving many he knew and loved as merpeople, many of whom too hideous to be considered anything more than monsters, performed unspeakable acts on them.

"Good morning, mother, father." Daniel greeted them as he swam down to a breakfast of tuna the next morning. "Any word from Jasmine?"

"No." Replied his father.

"How can this be? We haven't heard from her since she arrived in Kraken Pacifica three weeks ago on that goodwill mission."

"Don't worry, Daniel, I'm sure your sister is fine." Affirmed the Queen.

"But-"

"No buts, Daniel, you heard your mother. We sent some of our best men with her."

"Oh, Daniel, we are to meet with Nicolai and Desiree today. You'll be getting your replacement amulet."

"Daniel, your father and I have something to tell you." Spoke Queen Madeleine as the royal coach made its way to the home of Nicholai, the royal metallurgist and jeweler.

"If it's about father's condition, I know."

"Your uncle told you, did he?"

"Yes, he did." The rest of trip was made in comfortable silence as Daniel stared blankly out the window next to him. In a few short years, all this was going to be his. As far as the eye can see and beyond. Ordinarily he would have been overjoyed, but now his innards felt like lead. Better to not think about it. He told himself. It won't be for several years anyway.

"Ah, Daniel, good to see you again, your highness." A merman with long, white hair and an octopus body said as Daniel and his mother swam through the cave opening. "Good afternoon, your majesty." He added, addressing Madeleine.

"Good afternoon, Nicholai. You have the amulet I asked for, I trust?"

"Here it is, the royal amulet, crafted by me, Nicolai, royally appointed master craftsman of all things metallic!" He announced as he presented her with the amulet. If Nicolai had any faults, it was vanity. He was good, and he knew it.

"Good afternoon, your Majesty, your Highness. You have an amulet for me?" The shapely sorceress asked as mother and son appeared at her doorway. The Queen presented Desiree with the amulet, the stones in it as clear as crystal. "I see Daniel has found himself a girl. Tell me, Daniel, how is Sam, anyway?"

"Uh, fi-fine, I guess. I-I don't know, I've only seen her once."

Desiree chuckled, in spite of herself. "Sam's fine. I'm sorry, Daniel, I know how unsettling my powers are to you, I just couldn't help chuckling at your reaction." With that, Desiree took the amulet and uttered a few words before gently grabbing Daniel's wrist. "Don't worry," she told him, picking up a pin from a nearby counter, "This will only hurt for a second." Pricking his index finger, she pressed it to the center crystal, which glowed a brilliant green for a second before dimming into a brilliant shade of emerald, the others responding in kind.

"Thank you, Desiree." Queen Madeleine stated as she rose to leave. "Come, Daniel, let's-"

"Just a second, your Majesty. I was wondering if I might speak with young Daniel in private."

"Very well. Daniel, meet me in the coach when you're done."

"Desiree," he asked, "I've always wondered why you live in a cave."

"The bustle of the city clouds my inner vision, what with all the other thoughts flying around. It gives me a headache." She responded, her eel's tail forming a ribbon of S's behind her as she slid through the water, Daniel following her down a short corridor. "Daniel," she started as they entered a room lined with shelves, each of which was filled with bottles of all shapes, sizes and colors. The room was so high, the ceiling looked to be about the size of a postage stamp. Some bottles were so big, they had to be placed on the floor, and some were so small, you couldn't even fit one of Daniel's scales in them. In the center of the room was a large cauldron three feet high and six feet in diameter. "As you know, Daniel, there comes a time in every merperson's life when he or she must under go the Transformation. Some Transform as soon as their bodies are ready, some take years. Your mother has the ability to communicate with animals and attract them to her. When I Transformed, I received my powers. The Transformation is also how Clockwork received his, and so on. You, Daniel, you haven't, but your body's absolutely ripe for it." Taking a ruby bottle just large enough for Daniel to easily slip his thumb through the neck down off one of the shelves about ten feet off the ground. Handing it to him, she added, "Your going to need this. Clockwork came to me this morning. He has seen the coming battle. Take this tonight before you go to sleep."

"What is it?" He asked, accepting the bottle.

"It's liquid Transformation. Ordinarily, the Transformation occurs naturally, but Clockwork said that your Transformation won't occur in time for the battle. This stimulates the body into producing the chemicals needed to undergo the Transformation."

"How will I know what my abilities are?"

"The dreams will tell you." She replied cryptically as she glided through the corridor. Without warning, Daniel almost bumped into her as she stopped. "They have Jasmine."

The whole palace was in an uproar that night over the princess' kidnapping at the hands of the Sons of the Tigershark as Daniel went to bed. Pulling his covers over him, he opened the bottle. "I hope this stuff tastes better than it smells." He said as he gave it a whiff. "Whatever doesn't kill me only makes me stronger." That in mind, he put the vial to his lips and guzzled the thick, oily liquid, which tasted strongly of shrimp and anglerfish.

That night as Daniel slept, he dreamed he saw himself, only it wasn't himself. His tail was black as the depths of the Marianas trench, his hair was as white as the ivory pillars of Kraken Atlantica, and his eyes glowed like the stone in his amulet had, that same royal green as seen all over Poseidon Volcanus. Without warning, the merboy started displaying powers both fearsome and wonderful at the same time, as beautiful and terrifying and untamable as the sea itself. Then, as the dream was ending, they merged.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A/N: Just to clarify, Desiree can see what's going on now, not what will happen. The more drastic the event, the stronger she feels it. The reason why I used Technus' is first name is because water + technologybad bedfellows (the only reason why I used Clockwork's name is because he has no other name).