Changes In Paradise: Part 17 - Waiting, Wondering, Worrying free porn video

Disclaimer: If you're underage, stop reading (and stop drinking, while you're at it). If you're offended by transgender or transsexual ideas, stop reading; and if you're unlikely to enjoy erotic descriptions of sex, stop reading. This story is adult material. Finally, if mermaids aren't your "thing," read this story anyway; it might change your mind. Please read "Changes in Paradise, Parts 1 - 16," if you haven't already, and please take a moment to post a comment to the site on which this story appeared, or send an email. New comments on the old chapters are sexy. For newbies, when dialogue is set off in brackets, [like this], the characters are speaking via CHEW, which is--more or less-- elepathically. I want to thank those of you who have left comments on the various sites posting this saga. In particular, I am grateful to Josh (and his fan- fic), Len, and Pat(rick) for their help and encouragement. I would not have finished this chapter without these fine (fin) people. I very much appreciate your time and interest (and obsession). Thanks for the comments, suggestions, and encouragement on the previous parts. I really appreciate it. Your willingness to say anything is of great value to me. So, thank you again! Permission granted to repost to any free site with attribution. Changes in Paradise: Part 17 - Waiting, Wondering, Worrying By Patricia Sudhish Basra glanced back over his shoulder, checking the progress of the approaching storm front from the east. He sighed. His long walk away from the lagoon, a chance for him to sort out all the feelings that erupted after his second feeding, was going to be interrupted by the storm. He couldn't tell how far away it was--the gray-green ocean being a useless reference point--but he guessed it would be here before he could make it back to the lagoon. Maybe he should just cut back across through the jungle? No, he didn't really know the island very well and the beach wasn't going to get him lost. The sound of distant thunder echoed, confirming the storm's size. Well, if lightning struck him while he was walking back, it would solve some of his problems, he thought. He stopped, looking at the clear sky above his head. Who or what was up there? Why in Krishna's name had all this happened to him and his family! Why? Nothing. Just silence. Well, not really silence; there were the birds in the jungle, the wind in the palms, and the waves rolling onto the sand. And another peal of thunder. He shook his fists at the heavens. He loved his sisters, of course he did! But why, oh gods, why did he now feel so guilty about it? This morning, after their second feeding, he started to fantasize about having sex with his sister, Rani. He was appalled! Thankfully, his own shame and his shorts had prevented anyone from noticing his arousal before he regained control. Gods! Rani was beautiful! So was Vidya, but it was Rani's large, soft breasts that caught him by surprise this morning. Overnight the first feeding of mermaid milk had worked its magic, or that's what it looked like to Sudhish. Rani and Vidya were bursting with health, and since they were already in their early twenties, little else had changed. Well, that wasn't entirely true; both had become more shapely, especially up top, and both had decided to remain topless, since none of the mermaids wore anything. The sight of his sisters, topless, healthy, happy, and laughing should have brought him joy, but instead, it was agony. The queasy feeling rolled through him, and he wondered if he would throw up. He sank to the sand, breathing deeply, trying to make the feeling go away. His own sisters! He watched them this morning as they kissed each other in a most unsisterly way! He had been entranced and repulsed. What was happening to him, to his sisters? This was taboo! He crossed his legs and sat more purposefully on the sand, breathing deeply, forcing himself to meditate. His revulsion retreated, and his stomach settled. He opened his eyes, watching the surf and the approaching clouds. Yes, yes, he knew these changes were going to happen. He had seen how the other pods acted, and there were several sets of sisters who were already pod-mates. None of them seemed troubled by their new arrangements. In fact, nearly all the mers engaged in outrageous public displays of affection. Why couldn't he rid himself of his guilt and shame? One more feeding, and then he and his sisters would head for the mountainside pool. One more feeding ... would that be enough to make his feelings of disgust and self-loathing go away? One more feeding. He shook his head, rose, and began walking back towards the lagoon. After a few minutes, it began to rain. ***** "How much longer, do you think?" Leonard asked, peering out at the rain lashing against the mountainside huts. "Hard to say," Liz answered, leaning her long, supple, and naked body out of the door, gazing towards the east where the sky seemed to suggest an easing of the dark gray clouds overhead. "It should be safe to go up to the tub as soon as this dark patch passes. We don't want to be struck by lightning." "No, especially when all this ... stuff ... is about to happen," he agreed. Again, Len admired Liz's extraordinary backside. He'd followed it up from the beach for a good part of the afternoon, and he hadn't tired of the view. Liz's aristocratic breeding was evident in every part of her body. She was graceful, lean, and beautiful, a woman who might look equally at home riding a horse as slinking across a dance floor in an evening gown. Her shoulders were broad but lithe, her waist was high and small, and her hips were generous to a fault. From behind, she reminded Len of Jaclyn Smith from that television show, Charlie's Angels. From the front, Liz was almost a dead ringer for Catherine Deneuve. From any angle, she was a beautiful woman. Liz took a deep breath, smelling the rain, the earth, and the air. Not only could she walk again, but her senses had been reawakened. She could see, smell, and hear everything with heartbreaking clarity. She hugged herself as she stood in the doorway, feeling the her body's new energy and something else that had long been absent: her libido. She welcomed her reawakened passion, enjoying the thrill her body now gave her. She reached out an arm and caught some rain water in her cupped hand. She brought it back and splashed it over her breasts, gasping at the sensation. She turned back around, feeling Len's hungry stare. Her nipples had crinkled up and were poking from her chest. She saw Len's eyes orient on her breasts and she subtly rolled her shoulders, watching his eyes move back and forth. A warmth ignited in her groin, rising quickly through her trim body, bringing color to her cheeks. She moved her eyes over her future pod-mate, and admired his now trim and youthful physique. He noticed her noticing and blushed a bit. "It's weird, isn't it, being young again?" he asked. "No, it's lovely to feel young, alive, and able to walk," Liz said. "What's weird is that shortly, we'll both be mermaids." "Yea, I guess when you put it that way," Len said. "You've dreamed of mermaids since you were a kid," Liz said, her tone softening. "For me, becoming a mermaid was the price of my emancipation from my wheelchair." "You don't want to be a mermaid?" Len asked, taken aback. "I do now," Liz said. "But I didn't start out that way." "Well, I'm not even sure of what I'm doing," Len admitted. "But ... well ... I ... just ..." Liz walked over to Len, familiar now with his quirks and fears. She laid a hand on his shoulder. "Relax, Len," she said, smiling. "I'm not going anywhere. In fact, in the last hour or so, I've rather enjoyed feeling horny being near you. We're going to be fine." "It just feels like ... I don't want ..." he kept trying. Liz took his hand and brought it up to her chest. She clasped her other hand over his and pressed his hand to her sternum. Len stared at his hand, held by hers, resting between her breasts. Liz was classically proportioned, her breasts were two beautiful champagne glasses, modest B cups, topped with strawberry nipples now stiff with excitement. "Len, I've grown quite fond of you, and I know that we're about to be joined in a bond closer than most people ever even dream of sharing," she said. "I want to do this, and I want you to be happy." "I guess I'm just frustrated not knowing what's going on," Len said. "I'll tell you a little bit, how's that?" she said, playfully moving the back of Len's hand across her breasts. "As soon as these storm clouds pass, you and I will go up to the hot tub, and there, I am going to seduce you into having the best sex of your life." "What?" Len said, startled. He looked again at the classic beauty before him. They were going to make love? This experiment was a far better experience than he expected! "Really?" "Yes," she said, leaning forward and kissing him, her cool blue eyes fixed on his. "There, you feel better now?" "Yes," Len breathed, barely keeping his feet. Her kiss was so soft, so sensuous, making his entire body thrum. His cock stiffened. "Look, the rain has slackened," she said, looking out the doorway to the hut. "Let's go," she said, pulling on his hand. "Grab that relay box," she said as they passed through the open door. Len reached down and grabbed the small, black box as he walked out the door. Liz turned and walked forward, keeping Len's hand grasped in her own. A light rain still fell, soaking them within a few steps. The rain pitter-pattered throughout the jungle as they walked, their rhythm slowing as they made their way along the narrow trail. Len's attention remained fixed on Liz's beautiful ass, watching it roll back and forth as she walked. He was entranced by the gap between her upper thighs, occasionally glimpsing a wisp of blond hair at the apex, a gap and an apex he too would soon possess. Finally, they reached the hot tub, the rain slackening as the sky began to lighten. "I'll take that," Liz said, reaching for the black box. She walked over to the cliff wall extending up from the ledge, carefully placing the box near one of the listening holes. She walked back to where Len stood, more or less shocked and excited all at the same time. "Into the pool," she urged, stepping down herself. Len looked around, suddenly feeling as though someone was watching. He was about to check the path when Liz called to him. "Len, come here," she urged, holding her slim and youthful arms towards him, a smile on her face, her breasts reaching out towards him. He couldn't resist her and walked into the pool. She gathered him into an embrace, kissing his neck, face, and lips. She moved slowly, keeping her body pressed against his, his throbbing erection wedged between them. She ran her hands along his back, teasing his nascent gills. He shivered. "That felt amazing," he said. "Do mine," she urged. Len raised his hands from her hips tracing his fingers lightly up her back until he brushed against her tender gill fronds. She sighed appreciatively, still kissing him slowly, gently. She leaned away from him, reaching down to grab his penis, and then pulling him as she waded back towards the far wall, the same one on which Peter/Pearl had perched, imagining her imaginary lover earlier in the day. Liz scooted up onto the wall, still holding Len's stiff cock. She spread her legs and guided his cock towards her sex. "Watch me," she urged. "Don't look anywhere else, no matter what. You got that?" Len nodded, unable to speak, watching this ravishing beauty, a sight right out of a movie fantasy, as she rubbed his cock head over her sex, teasing both of them to greater heights of anticipation and passion. "Feels good, doesn't it?" she said. "Wonder what it will feel like once you're a girl?" Len nodded again, his heart pounding in his chest. "Push it in, slowly," she said, positioning his cock just inside her folds. She moved her hand from his cock to his hip, guiding him. Len pushed in slowly, feeling the rippling tight heat of her vagina as it opened slowly. She felt hotter and tighter than anyone else he could remember. "Slowly," she said, pressing her hand against his hip. Len backed off, just the tip of his cock resting inside her. When she nodded, he pushed again, realizing that Liz probably hadn't had a man inside her since her accident. His cock inched its way into her, bit by agonizingly wonderful bit. Finally, he was entirely within her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him into a kiss. He leaned forward, resting his hands on the rock wall, pressing his body lengthwise into hers. She moved her hips in little circles, loosening up her tight hold on his cock. She thrust her tongue into his mouth, her passion rising. Len felt his own passion rising too, and was surprised, because he wasn't moving. Liz was so tight and so warm, that her little hip movements were more than enough to stimulate him towards an orgasm. He wanted to slow down, to enjoy this moment, and so he put one hand on her hip to slow her down. His touch electrified her, and she moaned into their kisses. She held his face with both hands, kissing him and moving her body beneath him. Len felt the stirrings of an orgasm build, and seemed powerless to stop Liz from propelling both of them towards an orgasm too quickly. He heard someone enter the water, but Liz held him in the kiss, and he remembered her admonition to hold her gaze. Her hips began to buck, and he started moving his hips back and forth. Together, they began to fuck in earnest. As Liz continued to move beneath him, a warm soft body slid up against him and two enormous breasts rubbed against his arm. "It's me, Pearl," the soft, seductive voice said in his ear, and Len realized Peter must have transitioned on his own. He was about to turn towards her when he felt her hand press against his cheek. "No peeking," Pearl said, kissing Len softly on his shoulder. Liz reached up and pulled his face to hers, kissing him, silently urging him faster. Len could feel her lips moving and realized that she was saying "fuck me, fuck me, fuck me" under her breath. Len complied, thrusting into her in a frenzy. Len sensed someone next to Liz, and Pearl turned towards the new person. From the corner of his eye, he could see Pearl sucking on an enormous cock. It had to be Michael's, and realizing that, it both thrilled and frightened him. Liz started moaning, and she came to her orgasm, her breasts starting to leak milk as her eyes rolled back in her head. She still held his face as she thrashed out a quick orgasm. "Keep fucking me," she urged, as she recovered. Len stared into her eyes, nose to nose, slamming his hips into her, feeling his own orgasm miraculously continuing to build, not quite releasing, owing to the excruciating tightness at the base of his cock. He could hear Michael breathing as Pearl worked his cock, but Liz's fierce grip on his face prevented him from turning. "Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me," she urged, a second orgasm rising up and taking her. "Oh, god ... god, that's good," she gasped. "Oh ... my ... Liz ..." Len grunted, getting closer and closer. Liz watched his eyes as he pounded into her, and then just as Len felt the last peak in his orgasm build, she looked to her left. The first jet of Len's orgasm ripped through his penis, and he nearly lost his footing. He felt the second pulse gather and heard a deep baritone voice call to him. "Lucy, look at me," Michael ordered. As Liz ground her hips into him, a second pulse raced out from Len's cock as he felt Michael's cock brush his cheek. He looked up and discovered Pearl holding Michael's now very impressive cock, pointing it at his mouth. Time seemed to stop; nothing moved. Len's entire world narrowed down into the infinity of this nanosecond, a brief space of time in between his own orgasmic squirts into Liz. Michael's penis hung before him, enormous, red, and alien. Len had never been this close to another man's penis in his life. He'd never thought of doing what Michael wanted him to do. As another pleasurable pulse gathered deep within his own cock, Len's stomach clenched in fear and disgust. At that very same instant, he realized that Michael's cock offered the fulfillment of one of his greatest fantasies, to join these beautiful creatures, as a mermaid! All he had to do was lean forward, and .... "Go ahead, Lucy," Pearl encouraged as she slowly stroked Michael's cock. "It's delicious." His heart pounded even faster in anticipation, a third pulse rose from his balls, and he leaned forward and took Michael's massive cock into his mouth, 'This is it!' he thought. Michael's first pulse matched Len's last. The warm, salty fluid gushed in his mouth, and as the last, achingly beautiful pulse passed through his cock, Len felt a tingle rise along his spine and land at the base of his skull. A second pulse gushed from Michael's cock, and Lucy swallowed, feeling the warm liquid ease down her throat. She felt her cock quickly soften, slipping from Liz's warm vagina as a third pulse filled her mouth. A final pulse filled her mouth again, and she reflexively swallowed again. "Lie back," Michael urged, as both he and Pearl cradled her head in their hands. Michael stepped down from the rock wall where he had been standing. Lucy let herself be guided back until she lay horizontal in the pool, her head cradled by Michael, who was now looking years younger. She felt Pearl and Liz come to her hips and support her legs and lower torso, as the energies unleashed by her spike in prolactin began their work. Bubbles erupted around her, her body feeling like mush. She wanted to remind Michael of her desire to become Kelly Brook, but speech was beyond her. She felt Michael crouching down into the pool next to her, his face near hers. "Hold your breath," he urged, lifting her up slightly. She gasped in a breath, and Michael eased them both under the surface. She could see Michael's face through the veil of bubbles watching them finish his change to the younger version of himself. A searing pain tore through her torso and shattered her moment of tranquility, marking the start of her transformation. She doubled up into a fetal position, riding out the storm as her body was twisted, stretched, pushed, compressed, and reshaped. She felt the siren cells finally kick in and ease the sharp pain, reducing it to a dull, aching, throbbing pressure. She rode that wave of aching pressure as her body hurtled towards femininity. A series of sharp bursts of pain signaled the forming of her new hips, her smaller frame, new facial structure, and her slender limbs. The pressure in her abdomen and chest signaled the emergence of new or newly awakened organs, and her hair began tugging at her scalp as she rolled in the water. After a several more minutes of discomfort, the bubbles abated and slowly came to a stop. Lucy floated on the surface of the water, her breath easing in and out of her nose with a corresponding rise and fall of her chest. She could feel something there. She also felt the echoes of her last male orgasm still reverberating in a new emptiness she felt throbbing between her legs. As quickly as she focused on those echoes, the emptiness absorbed those vestiges of male lethargy, transforming them into a female readiness for more. That novel feeling spread outward from her hips in slow, persistent waves, bringing awareness of the width of her new hips, the new weights on her chest, the lightness of her new limbs, and finally the tug of her long hair on her head. The hands supporting her helped her stand up, and she found herself in the pool, the water lapping at her hips. Her breasts were the first things she noticed. They both looked and felt enormous. Michael must have made a mistake, she thought. She looked up at Michael and saw his gaze locked onto her breasts. The look in his eyes made her feel good, actually, and she decided that perhaps he didn't make a mistake. She looked over Pearl for the first time, and realized two things at once. First, that her new sister-wife's breasts were the equal, or even larger, than her own, and second, that Pearl was as entranced with her own new breasts as was Michael. Lucy felt even better after those realizations. "So, it's Lucy, is it?" Liz asked, still recovering from her orgasms. "From the book?" "Yes," Michael answered, not taking his eyes from Lucy's breasts. "How do you feel?" Liz asked, catching Lucy's eyes. "How do I look?" she asked, her trepidation rising as she heard her new feminine voice for the first time. "Like a goddess," Pearl answered. "Like a goddess," Liz agreed. "Like Kelly Brook," Michael said, lifting his eyes to her face. "Like Lucy, the Mermaid Scribe," Lucy said, smiling for the first time. ***** "If one more self-important, pompous representative of a head-of-state calls this office, I'm going to ... going to ..." Lucia muttered to herself. "You're going to what?" her boss asked from the other room. "I'm gonna have to kick some stuck-up-no-account-godforsaken-ass!" she said, entering with an armful of papers. "I completely understand that sentiment," Bart said, rubbing his eyes and pushing himself away from his computer. "Why you always gotta talk so good," she challenged. "Why can't you just say, I'm down with that. Something simple. Damn." "You'll be worse than me after law school," he teased. "Ha, not likely," she said, setting the papers on the growing pile on his desk. "A bunch of people from the old law firm have been calling you, like all day. How long do I halfta keep lying to them?" "Until I say otherwise, sorry," Bart said. "Besides, the next few days will either make all this go away, or it's going to be ten times worse than before." "I vote for go away," Lucia said, throwing herself into the seat across from him. "Me too," Bart agreed. "But our votes only count for so much, and we're all wading into unknown waters here. I've never tried to negotiate such a conference or summit or meeting." "It's not a conference or a summit or anything else," Lucia said. "It's gonna be a shitstorm; we already discussed this." "I very much appreciate your candid honesty, but I could do with a little bit more irrational optimism, at the moment," Bart said, turning back to his computer. "Do we have everyone's time zones worked out?" "I loaded everyone's locations into Google Maps, and then sent them invitations based on everyone's variation from UTC," Lucia said. "So, everyone should have the right time." "What time will that be ..." Bart said. "For us," Lucia interrupted. "Nine o'clock at night." Bart scanned the spreadsheet on his computer again, double checking everything. "Can I ask you something?" Lucia asked. "When have I ever said that you couldn't?" Bart asked. "Yea, I know, I can always ask, but you can't always answer," Lucia. "What did you send to all those scientists this morning that changed everyone's tune? I mean, it was like we turned on a switch, and now everyone is calling us back and acting all worried about us." "Do you really want to know?" Bart asked, turning towards her. "You'll never be the same after I give you the answer." "Yea, I want to know," Lucia said. "I've spent most of my life not knowing enough, and so, I'm done with that. I want to know more, and I want to know why we spent two days begging people to take us seriously and then one day telling everybody to back off." "You've heard the phrase 'Doomsday Device' haven't you?" Bart asked. "Like science fiction, right?" Lucia said. "Some sort of bomb that will make the world end, like a super big nuclear bomb." "Close enough," Bart said. "The mers have discovered something that will pretty much do the same thing, only it's made out of bacteria, basically." "Germs?" Lucia said. "Germs are gonna wipe out the whole planet?" "Well, not really," Bart said. "But ... now that I think about it, they sort of did already, probably a few times." "Really?" Lucia asked. "How?" "Well, there was the plague in the middle ages, which decimated human life in Europe and Asia, and nearly wiped out human life in the Americas," Bart said. "You mean, like Native Americans?" Lucia asked. "Nearly wiped out?" "The Vikings had been trying to colonize the Americas for nearly 900 years and never succeeded," Bart said. "The Vikings ... the badasses of Europe, and the native peoples on this continent kicked their butts back to Norway." "Yea, but the Pilgrims didn't get kicked out," Lucia said. "Exactly," Bart said. "If the plague hadn't wiped out nearly eighty percent of the native population, none of the early colonies would have lasted." "So, the mers have some sort of germ that will kill off humans?" Lucia asked. "No," Bart said. "They have created a bug that disaggregates seawater." "Dis-a-who?" Lucia asked. "Breaks down seawater into oxygen and hydrogen," Bart said. "Adding a huge amount of those two gases to the atmosphere would cause all organic life, plants, animals, ... us ... to burn up at room temperature." "Whoa," Lucia said. "That's heavy shit." "No shit," Bart said. "No wonder everyone changed their tune," Lucia said. "Are we in trouble?" "What do you mean?" Bart asked. "Could this dis-agra-something actually happen?" she asked. "I don't know," Bart said. "Hopefully, what we're doing now will prevent that from ever happening." "I'm down with that," Lucia said, rising. "Not burning up is at the top of my to-do list." "The summit is in three days, and so there had better be some other things at the top of that list," Bart said, trying to keep some humor alive. "No problemo, boss," she said. "I'm all over it." "I've got to check on that seaplane," Bart muttered. "Thirty years of experience, and I'm a shipping clerk." "You're the lawyer! I'm the shipping clerk," Lucia said, whipping out her cell phone. "Besides, it's a miracle you can use the computer." "Right, I'll go back to soothing egos and confirming schedules," Bart said. "Can I have the manifest? It's on the third pile from the left on your credenza," she asked, holding out her hand. He turned, found it, gave it to her, and turned back to his desk. "Bottom left desk drawer," she said, turning to leave the office. Bart reached down, opened the drawer, and saw the half bottle of whiskey in the drawer. "Hey," Bart said, stopping her. "What?" Lucia asked, turning in the doorway. "Thanks," he said, reaching for both the bottle and the phone. "No problemo," she said, winking and turning out of the office. ***** "I really can't wear this," Mac complained, removing the Service Dress Blue jacket and proffering it up to Jack. "When you finally get your gills, you'll understand. Besides, I don't look like a retired admiral any more. I'll show them my Navy ID card, from when I first enlisted, and that should do the trick." "Susan thinks it will make a difference," Jack argued. "Can't you just wear it for a few minutes, at the start of the polycom session?" "Two minutes, max," Mac said. "Seriously, having something other than your own hair over your gill fronds really messes up a mer. Jackson, relax. Getting all worked up will actually work against us. We have to project an air of competency or we're doomed." "Yes, I know, you've sat in the room yourself," Jack agreed. "I just wish Bart had given us more time. If we start now, I'll be in the middle of transition when the big conference call happens. Now I'll have to wait three more days before I can get my pod going." "Actually, I think that would be a mistake," Joy said. "I think you and Kyle should assemble your volunteers and get started. There needs to be more people with siren cells in their bodies, otherwise the four of us are exclusive--and relatively easy--targets." "Susan wants to start a pod too," Jack said. "That would make four pods of the Camo-mers." "Good," Joy said. "I liked her. How is she going to handle that?" "She's ready to retire and has some trusted friends who share her twisted sense of adventure, are also single, and want a second chance at life," Jack said. "Twisted?" Joy asked. "She's never been further than two hours from Washington, DC in her entire life," Jack explained. "But she's been dreaming of escaping to a south sea island since she was a little girl. Never thought about the mermaid angle, but she's dreamed about living in paradise." "But she's o.k. with the mermaid angle?" Joy asked. "Yea, seems weird, doesn't it?" Jack said. "Not to me," Bonnie said, stretching out along the floor. "So, what are you waiting for? Go get Kyle and get your pods assembled and get back here as soon as possible," Mac said. "I hate being the only good target in a room." "First put in a call to Bart and get him to up the number of headbands from Pat," Joy said. "We might as well have a few extras while we're at it." "What should I tell him?" Jack asked. "Let's make it 24, and see what that does for us," Joy said. ***** "Another day, another data point," Phoebe said, dusting off the detector mirror on their new spectrometer. "A clean mad scientist is a happy mad scientist," Pat said, glancing around the busy lab cave, watching all the activity. James and his pod were here because they now had all sorts of medical equipment to be used for wellness, rather than for experimentation or exploration, and they were arranging a new "medical area" of the lab cave that would be dedicated towards advancing what the mers knew about their diet, exercise, and injuries, even though mermaid milk took care of most of those. They were just finishing up their new corner. "How long did Rose say it would take her pod to get those headbands done?" Pat asked. "Now that everyone in that pod can make them, it should only take an hour or so," Phoebe answered. "They had to swim to the north side of the island to find a good upwelling current." "We have got to figure out a way to get others to learn how to make these headbands, or Trevor's pod will be forced to do these by the hundreds," Pat muttered. "Rose is working on it, she's been working with Eric and Sally, and Eric seems really close. He said the ones he makes almost work," Phoebe said. "Da, that is where they are now," Alexis confirmed. "Well, good," Pat said. "We really should bring Eric back in now that we have all this new equipment. We might learn something about how he sees our CHEW connections." "He does not like your instruments," Alexis said with a smile. "They're your instruments too," Pat teased. "My instruments are right here," Alexis said, lifting her hair to reveal a breast. "He likes these instruments." "Galina, when did Bart say that airplane would arrive?" Pat asked, switching subjects. Galina opened up the email account and checked Bart's email. "He does not say exactly, but it is this afternoon. I would say not for at least three more hours, at least." "Well, if that's the case, let's send a message up top to Michael and his girls that as soon as they see the plane leave, they need to switch places with Emma and the Basras," Pat said. "They can hang out on the beach for a one or two days while Emma finishes up her stage two transition in case we need humans on the island." "What are we going to do after the everyone transition to mers?" Phoebe asked. "We won't have anyone human left on the island, and then next delivery or shipment will have to be made to mers." "We'll have to talk to Bart about that, see what he thinks we ought to do," Pat said. "So, what good news do you have for us today?" Elise asked, salamandering up to Pat. "How much have those little purple pills been able to tell us?" "Actually, quite a bit," Pat said. "We have a much better understanding of the early stages of mer development and the mechanisms for bonding." "Give us the highlights," James said, joining his pod-mate at Pat's table. "I can't read most of what's written there," he said, waving his hands at the several computer screens in front of Pat's station. Pat glanced over the notes and reports arranged over several screens. Nearly everything they did in the lab was recorded as a mixture of math, English, and Russian, a common habit that the four scientists had fallen into without ever talking about it. She smiled, it was almost like a security feature. "Well, we've discovered that the three mer organs along our spines are created by Type II siren cells, so both bonding and mer senses are available to proto-mers who have completed Stage II transformations," Pat explained. "These organs become bigger and more powerful after Stage III transformations. We've also discovered that mermaid milk is also the key to most of the behaviors and benefits we've experienced as mers. It's actually extraordinary." "It changed us into mers, of course it's extraordinary," James agreed. "No, I mean it affects all kinds of biological and psychological systems in our bodies," she continued. "For example, most female mammals who are lactating have elevated glucocorticoid levels, which tends to decrease testosterone in surrounding males. That lowered testosterone encourages males to be less aggressive with each other and more helpful to the females who are with a child." "But that's not the case with us, right?" James asked. "Mermaids lactate regardless of their gravidity." "Gravidity?" Phoebe asked. "Archaic, the state of being pregnant or not," Pat said. "It's always a lesson, isn't it?" Phoebe said. "Not my fault," Pat protested. "He said it." "You were explaining," James said with a smile at Phoebe. "Right, sorry," Pat said. "In the case of mers, females have high glucocorticoid levels but males do not have a corresponding lower level of testosterone. In fact, mermen have very high levels of testosterone compared to normal human men." "So, the lactating females encourage strong bonds within each pod, and the high testosterone is why we can never have two or more males in the presence of a single mermaid," James surmised. "Well, we think that males would actually be even more aggressive if they were un-bonded," Pat said. "But we've never had an unbonded male," James said. "Correct, and since all our children are born female, that's likely to be a very rare occurrence," Pat continued. "However, merman aggression is tamed by the very high sex drives among both female and male mers." "So, it's just for a safer world that we have sex all the time," John joked. "Hey, I'll say anything to get laid." "You don't have to say anything to get laid," Phoebe said, grinning. "You get laid no matter what!" "Sex is almost as powerful as mermaid milk, and so it's not surprising that the two are linked," Pat continued. "Our bonding is reinforced each time we orgasm, which also helps keep male aggression in check, which also stimulates more lactation in females, which also strengthens bonding, which also helps keep aggression in check, which also stimulates our libidos, etc., etc., etc." "I'm afraid that all this talk has ..." James started, but he was yanked into the pool by Debra and Bridget, with Elise fast on their flukes. They tumbled into the water and were quickly entwined in the center of the pool. "I think that's a really good idea," Phoebe said with a predatory look at John. "Now, just a minute," John began. "What's going on up here? Is someone transforming? All the kids went into sleep mode," said Danni her head popping up from the pool. "Now," Phoebe said with a growl, curling her tail beneath her, readying herself for a spring at John. "Yikes," John said, launching himself towards Danni. "Protect me!" He tumbled gracelessly into the water, splashing water everywhere. Phoebe launched herself after him, gracefully arching in the air, slicing into the water near Danni and John. "Sorry ladies, but it's better to make love than war," Pat said, salamandering towards the pool. Alexis and Galania looked at each other, realizing their pod-mates were all at the lagoon. "It's better than nothing," Alexis said, raising an eyebrow. "It's better than most things," Galina said, waving her arm down her body. "You're right," Alexis said, and she shuffled over and embraced her fellow scientist in a fluke curling kiss. ***** Malaki seethed in his captivity. He was bound and gagged through most of the day and night, force fed food and water twice a day, and once a day he was dragged through the surf to clean off the grime and his own waste. No prisoner in the world had to put up with such degradation! He fumed in silence in his hut. Of course, if someone had been there to argue with him, they might have pointed to the countless prisoners, prostitutes, and kidnapped victims who had been treated as badly or worse by his own men over the years. Malaki would not have enjoyed the irony, of course, and probably wouldn't even recognize it as irony. His situation was hopeless, but he had experience with hopelessness. Sure, he was stuck on an island everyone in his organization thought was uninhabited, if they even knew the island existed. Sure, his sole, surviving son was an idiot, a brute of a man who was more dangerous than he was useful. He knew death was preferable to most of his other options, for the moment, but he was too stubborn to simply roll over and die. No, he would not make it easy for these monsters. He resumed the isometric exercises, trying to build strength back into his limbs. The mers had stopped giving him venom in the water, and his strength and energy had returned. If he had an opportunity, he was going to make these monsters pay. For the moment, he cared little for survival, or so he told himself. He existed solely to cause these creatures pain and suffering. ***** Lucy walked towards the mountainside huts, noticing the clouds slowly clearing as the sun grew brighter. The colors and textures in the jungle seemed more vivid and alive now than on her walk up to the tub only a short time ago. The greens were more varied and more lush, the browns were deeper and richer, it was almost like she could smell color. Not only was her surroundings more alive, her own body seemed more alive. It certainly moved more. Her hips rolled with every step she took, and her breasts never seemed to stop moving. She glanced backwards to check in on Pearl and was grateful, for a moment, that her own breasts weren't as big as her pod-mate's. Pearl's breasts jumped and wobbled like two fighting roosters tied to the same stake. Lucy looked at Liz's round ass ahead of her, and noted how her own small waist and wide hips were closer to Liz's than Pearl's. Yes, Lucy thought to herself, I may not be exactly like Kelly Brook, but I'm not unlike Pearl and Liz; I'm a mix of all three models. Ahead, she could see Michael's back, and she imagined his now flaccid cock bobbing along in front of him. Fear and desire stabbed in her gut, and she wondered if her fear would ever go away. She suspected that they were going to have sex, all four of them, in the huts, but she had been kept in the dark for so long that she was prepared for anything to happen. She watched as Michael entered the main hut, but Pearl called out from behind and told him to wait a few minutes. She waved the other two girls towards one of the smaller huts. "I know it's sort of cliche, but I wanted to do something with you girls," she explained as she entered Patrick's old bedroom hut. She walked over to the small bed and loosened the strings to one of the collection bags the mers normally used to collect food. Once the opening was wide enough, Pearl upended the bag onto the bed. A variety of women's clothing tumbled out in all shapes, sizes, and colors. "I've been dreaming of being a girl my whole life," she explained. "And I just wanted to wear one pretty thing before I became a mermaid, and then couldn't wear much of anything. You can laugh at me if you want." "Nonsense," Liz exclaimed. "It's perfectly understandable. The first thing I wanted to do was walk, and so the first thing you wanted to do was be a lady." "Thanks, Liz," Pearl said. "I've been worrying about this moment, thinking that you girls would think I was silly." "Of course we don't," Liz said. "Right Lucy?" Lucy looked up, caught staring at what looked like a red nightie. She blushed. "Um, no, of course not," she stammered. "I mean, it's not like we will ever have the chance again." "Yes," Pearl said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "I only wish we had a mirror so I could do makeup." "I'm pretty sure there is a mirror in the other hut, but make up is out of the question," Liz said. "I don't think there is any on the island. We'll have to make do with what we have here. What do you want to try on first?" "This!" Pearl said as she reached for a simple sundress. She held it up, showing it to Liz. "Do you think it will fit me?" she asked. "Only one way to find out," Liz said. "Put it on. Now, how about you, Lucy. Did you ever cross dress?" "No," she said, staring at the collection of female clothing before her. "Is there something wrong?" Liz asked. "No," Lucy said, feeling her blush rise to her face. "Which one do you want to try on?" Liz repeated. "I don't know," Lucy said, suddenly feeling like she was the boy in a girl's locker room. "Just pick something!" Pearl said, dancing with her dress as though it was a partner. "I'm going to wear a dress, and it's going to fit!" she said, stopping and lifting the dress over her head. Lucy watched Pearl shimmy into the yellow, tube style, sundress. Pearl had to keep pulling and tugging to get the dress over her breasts, and then she bent over at the waist, pulled the front of the dress towards the floor, let her breasts dangle freely, snugged the front back over her breasts, and stood back up, flipping her long brown hair behind her. "You look like you've done that before," Liz remarked. "Water balloons," Pearl said, adjusting her breasts inside the dress. "The real thing is so much better. Well, how do I look?" Lucy's vagina twitched as she looked at the sexy woman before her. Pearl's hair framed her face, with one strand curling over her shoulder, resting on the impressive shelf of her breast. The fabric was stretched tight over her body, conforming to the dramatic shape of Pearl's torso from the tops of her breasts to the middle of her hips, and then the bright fabric fell freely to just below her knees. Pearl twirled in the dress, making it flare out. "Look! I don't need straps to hold this dress up," Pearl said, pointing at top hem of the dress stretched tight over her deep cleavage. "I can hardly believe you got it on," Liz said. "Hey, what's going on in there?" Michael asked from the other hut. "We're dressing for dinner," Pearl shouted. "Find something to wear, some shorts or something. We're all wearing something!" "So that's what you were talking to Petra about earlier," Michael said. "Fine, I'll throw on some shorts. Don't be too long, I'm hungry!" "We are too," Pearl shouted back. "Don't you dare start without us!" "Lucy?" Liz asked. "I just don't know," Lucy said, feeling like her next decision would be a wrong one. "Lucy, you're a beautiful woman, you're allowed to wear these things," Liz reassured her. "How about this one," she indicated the red, lace confection that Lucy had been staring at. "Would that nightie even fit?" she asked. "It's actually called a baby doll, and so it should fit nearly anyone, though both you and Pearl are pretty big on top," Liz said, lifting the red garment towards Lucy. "It is beautiful," Lucy said, fingering the shimmering lace between her fingers. "But ... um, how do I ... I mean, where does this ..." Lucy asked. "Here, let me help you," Liz said, lifting it up. "Hold your arms up, that's right. My, that makes your breasts look absolutely spectacular. Hold still, no--keep your arms up, yes I know that feels good, but wait until we get you settled. I'm going to settle your breast into the cup, alright? Good. How does that feel?" she asked, her own nipples stiffening as she moved Lucy's incredible breasts around. "Pretty good, I guess," Lucy said, wishing Liz hadn't stopped touching her breast. She twirled like Pearl, enjoying the slight compression of the material across her new and impressive bust as the bottom fluttered around her thighs. "What are you going to wear?" "I don't know," Liz said, eyeing the pile of clothes. She picked up a simple, white, silk robe. "This will do. I've worn lots of women's clothes in my time. Besides, I don't think any of us are going to be wearing any of this much longer. If Michael doesn't rip that dress off, I may have to." "Don't you dare! I'm wearing it for all of dinner," Pearl said. "I'm starving. Let's eat." The three women walked out of the small hut and back to the larger one. They found Michael arranging the food he and Pearl had brought up earlier on the large bed that John had constructed after Patrick had become Patricia. He looked up and froze. The three beautiful women had unconsciously posed as they entered the room, and they took his breath away. "How do we look?" Pearl asked, turning in profile a bit more, arching her back. "Oh, wow ... wow," he said, his shorts quickly tenting in front. "We'll take that as really, really, good," Liz said, moving to sit on one edge of the bed, artfully allowing one side of her robe to open, exposing her breasts and belly. "Pearl, you come sit by me. I've already had my way with Lucy, and you've already had your's with Michael, right?" There was no answer, and Liz turned and saw that Pearl was looking into a mirror. "Pearl?" Liz repeated. "It was part of the experiment," Pearl said absently, stroking her face as she admired herself for the first time. "Each of us in turn." "I love these experiments," Michael said with a laugh. "It worked!" Pearl said rapturously. "I'm a woman!" "You needed a reflection to tell you that?" Liz teased. "Well, no," Pearl agreed, hefting her breasts in her hands. "But I ended up looking a lot like Cynthia Myers." "That's who you remind me of!" Lucy said. "I couldn't think of her name! She was the first playmate born in the 1950s." "Yes, my girls span the decades," Michael said. "Pearl, can I?" Lucy asked. "Sure," she said, stepping aside to allow her sister-wife access to the mirror. She joined Liz on the bed as Lucy stepped up to the mirror. "Oh my," Lucy gasped. She ran her fingers along her lips, down her chin, and along her neck. She was almost a dead ringer for Kelly Brook, but there was something off. What was it? She was certainly beautiful. Her hair framed her face just like the original, her eyes were large and expressive, her lips full and sensuous, and her features elf-like. "How about you, Lucy, ready for another stage of the experiment?" Michael asked. "Humm?" she said, lost in the beauty of her own reflection. "Is everything alright?" Liz asked, sensing Lucy's confusion with her proto-mer senses and the early bond she shared with her. "Something's not right?" Lucy said, studying her reflection. "Blue eyes!" "What's wrong with blue eyes?" Michael asked. "I'm partial to blue eyes." "Kelly Brook has brown eyes, and mine are blue," Lucy explained. "I'm sorry," Michael said. "No, no!" Lucy exclaimed. "I like blue eyes too, and I'm actually really happy that I'm not simply a copy of her. I'm Lucy; I'm me." "We're glad you're you too," Michael agreed. "Now, we have an experiment to finish, don't we?" Lucy looked at Michael and saw his bulge stretching the front of his shorts. She felt the same mix of desire and fear, but she was determined to overcome her fears. The best defense is a good offense, she decided, and walked over to Liz, leaning over until her breasts reached across Liz's shoulder and brushed against her sister-wife's face. Lucy watched Michael's eyes as they watched her lace clad nipple brush back and forth along Liz's cheek. "Before we continue, is there anything else I'm not supposed to know about?" Lucy asked, doing her best to look innocent and helpless. "You're the lawyer," Michael teased. "What does the evidence suggest?" "Am I still a lawyer?" she asked. "I'm not sure if I feel like one anymore." "You don't look like one either," Michael said. "But you will always have that bright and sharp mind, that incredible memory, and your wicked sense of humor." "You're not freaked out?" Lucy asked. "Are you?" Michael asked. "A little," Lucy admitted. "I'm not," he said with warmth and patience. "You're beautiful, you're still smart and funny, and there are no more surprises, or at least none that I know about. Pat wanted readings of a change when prolactin levels were likely at their lowest possible ebb. We created that situation." "Well, that is for sure," Lucy said, running a hand along Liz's neck, down her collarbone and into the valley of her cleavage. "I don't think I ever felt so male in my life. I had no idea you were so passionate," Lucy said as she bent over, simultaneously kissing Liz's neck and caressing her breasts. Liz's breasts felt wonderful in her hand, and her skin beneath her lips was soft and sensuous. "You can only kiss me if you're feeding me," Liz sighed, teasing Michael by twisting to show Lucy's hand on her breast. "I'm hungry," she said with a pointed look at Pearl. "Then try some of this," Pearl said, placing some fruit along the top of her dress over her cleavage. "See how you like it." "Off you go, to Michael, don't be afraid," Liz urged Lucy, giving her a gentle push on her hips. "I've got to eat some of that," she said, scooting over to Pearl and positioning herself before her incredible breasts. "Here, let's start with this," Michael said, holding a piece of fruit in his fingers. Lucy walked over to him, clasping her hands behind her back, pushing her lace-clad breasts towards him. She watched him watch her breasts as she walked to him and then took the fruit from his fingers with her lips. She kissed his fingers after she chewed on the tangy fruit. The touch of his fingers on her lips sent sent spasms of pleasure through her body. Her fears began to ebb, slowly overwhelmed by her growing confidence and desire. "More please," she said, looking up at him through her lashes, feeling like her breasts were growing, swelling with her passion as she stood there. Michael fed Lucy several bits and pieces of fruit, fish, and greens, his fingers lingering along her lips, chin, and nose. The heat between her legs grew, and she became more aggressive, snapping up the food from his fingers, licking and sucking each digit to get all the juices from the fruit and the morsels of dried fish. When she was done, Michael sat down on the bed and held out a hand with food in it. "Feed me," he said. Lucy reached down, took a piece of fish, and straddled one of his legs, feeling the heat from her crotch radiate downward. She fed him once piece of food at a time, rocking her hips slightly, feeling her body move as she fed him. When she had exhausted what was in Michael's hand, she reached forward, brushing one of her lace clad breasts into his shoulder, grabbed some more food, and then stood back up. The burning look of desire in his eyes made her shudder with anticipation. "We've got to eat this food, or we'll die," Liz said, nuzzling the top of Pearl's breasts. "So, do not take your dress off yet, or I'll never make it back to the food," she said as she gave one last lick and turned back to the pile of food. "Here, you eat some more, too," Michael said, reaching blindly behind his back, gathering a few morsels of food, and then bringing them forward to the goddess standing before him. As Lucy extended her hand to his mouth, she leaned forward causing his rising hand to brush against her breast. Her nipple was poking out under the lace, a thimble sized rise of flesh, and his fingers flicked it back and forth as his hand rose past it. She moaned as he inserted the food into her mouth but was overwhelmed by the feeling that she had wet herself. As she slowly chewed the fruit in her mouth, she realized that she hadn't accidentally peed. She was a woman who was powerfully aroused. She fed Michael another piece of fish and found herself looking at his face in a way she had never done before. She remembered examining many female faces and being mesmerized by the graceful curve of a neck, the soft down of hair behind an ear, the wide pools of a pair of beautiful eyes. Now she was looking at the tiny cleft in his chin, the deep recesses of his piercing blue eyes, the rich, unruly forest of his hair. He looked a little bit like a young, Robert Redford, she thought. For the first time in her life, she thought that Robert Redford was HOT. "Michael ... you're ... you're beautiful!" Lucy whispered. "Thank you, my goddess," Michael said. "Though I think the preferred term is handsome, when speaking of the male sex." "She's new to the girl thing, give her time," Liz said, helping Pearl peel her dress down from her now visible breasts. "Lucy, you are simply and amazingly beautiful," Michael said, reaching up and pulling her in for a kiss. As they kissed, Lucy slowly sank down until she straddled his thigh. Her naked vagina was pressed into his leg, and a spasm of pleasure jerked her body as she felt another's touch in her most private of places for the first time. It was the first time anything had pressed against her vagina, not even her own hand. She sighed into his kiss, putting her full weight onto his thigh. "Oh ... oh ... god," she whispered, her body buffeted by a whirlwind of sensations she had never felt before. It felt like her crotch was on fire; a wet, liquid, unquenchable fire. She ground herself down on his thigh, her lower lips making slippery squishing sounds as she rocked back and forth. Michael wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and thrust his tongue into her mouth. Michael fell back onto the bed, still kissing, pulling Lucy with him. She felt the bed sink as Liz and Pearl lay along side them, the heat from their bodies stoking the flames of passion rising in her own body. She pressed her body against Michael's as they kissed, his hard cock pressing into her stomach, separated from her by the gossamer material she was wearing. She growled! She wanted skin to skin contact! She pushed herself up from his embrace, straddling his waist, his cock pressed up against the crack of her ass. She crossed her arms and grabbed the baby doll and pulled it over her head, her breasts bouncing free. She threw the garment off to the side and pounced back onto Michael, kissing his lips, face, neck, and chest. Michael's hands roamed her back, sides, ass, and thighs, stroking her nascent gills, sending shivers throughout her body. She arched her hips up into the air, allowing Michael's cock to flop forward onto his belly, and then pressed her hot, liquid fire on top of it, stroking it with her hips, coating his cock with her juices. Her entire body was quivering with need. "You do that much longer, and we're going to have to start over," he said, gasping. "What?" she asked, confused, unsure. "I'm sorry, was I doing something wrong?" "No, no! You're amazing," he reassured her, holding her hips still. "I'm supposed to be inside you when I cum. It's the experiment, remember?" "Oh, right! Well, we can't ruin the experiment," Lucy said, lifting her hips. She glanced down past her dangling breasts and aligned her new opening with the bobbing head of Michael's throbbing cock. After two missed attempts, Michael reached down and held it steady while she lowered her hips onto his cock. "Oooohhhhhhh ahhhhhhhhhhh," she moaned. It burned as it went in, a wonderful, liquid burning, steadily increasing as she lowered her hips. Inch by inch it went in, and up and up leapt the fire. A spurt of fire splashed up her spine, causing her to gasp; she reached her hymen! Her insides were boiling, and she gently pressed down, but the pain spiked in the fire, arresting her movements. "Ooouuuuucccchhhhhhh," she said, trying to hold her hips steady, fighting the fire that forced her hips downward. "Relax," Michael said, stroking her sides. "I'm back under control, take your time." She looked down at him, his eyes now filled with tenderness, making her heart melt. She nodded, flipped her hair back from her face, bit her lip, and slowly pressed her hips down again. "Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhoooooooooooooo," she said as she felt the steel rod of his penis slowly push through the molten glass of her hymen, shattering it. She froze. When the prickly, fiery sparks of pain ebbed, she resumed pushing her hips down until her labia were sealed around the bottom of his cock. They both held their position, feeling the incredible connection rising within them. There was the literal and physical connection made by Michael's cock buried deep within her, but it was layered with an ethereal connection twisting up her spine, embracing her heart, and tickling her brain. It was so powerful and so physically transformative that she started crying. "Lucy?" Liz asked, her growing connection to Pearl disrupted by Lucy's wild swings in mood. "It's O.K.," Lucy said softly. "It's just ... so ... it's so ... beautiful." "Yes, you are," Liz said, shivering herself as Pearl buried another finger in her vagina. "And so are you," she said, kissing Pearl deeply. "Yes, you are so beautiful, my little Lucy," Michael said. "Lucy the Mermaid! Just look at you!" "I'm not a mermaid yet," she said, starting to move her hips. "God, you're so big ... it's so ... ahhhhhhhh." She collapsed back down onto Michael's chest, her vagina throbbing around his cock. Her first orgasm raced through her, leaving her breathless for a few seconds, but her need blossomed quickly in its wake. She feverishly kissed his face and lips, her hips twitching as his cock stretched and filled her. She gasped as his strong hands grabbed her hips, lifting them up a few inches. She put her weight on her forearms and knees, feeling her breasts dangle and rest on his chest. She continued to devour his face and lips, raining kisses down upon him. Michael raised his knees and levered his hips up into her ass, slapping against it wetly. Lucy lifted her head so she could see his face, her jostling breasts dancing back and forth across his chest. She began moaning uncontrollably, her body shaking, pounded by Michael's pistoning hips. The fire spread from her crotch to her chest, her nipples skittering like hot coals across Michael's body. Liz' and Pearl's moans broke through her awareness, and their passion stoked hers higher and higher. Her head buzzed with pleasure as her thighs, ass, and breasts rippled from Michael's relentless assault. After a flurry of lightning thrusts, Michael groaned and pushed himself deeply into her, lifting both of their bodies off the bed. Lucy felt him twitch inside her, grunting as he released his seed. Another spurt erupted inside her, and suddenly her second orgasm gripped her. A tornado spun madly in her belly, and she cried out, her vagina clutching forcefully around Michael's cock. The spinning and clutching, spinning and clutching, spinning and clutching mounted higher and higher until her eyes rolled back in her head, and she collapsed onto Michael's body, riding out the long, wonderful echoes of her second, but more massive female orgasm. Michael gently held Lucy as she quivered, moaned, and twitched, the huge orgasm overwhelming her. As her breasts pressed into his chest, he swore he could feel a thread of electricity spark from her chest into his, his own heart leaping in his body. He had never felt closer to another person before in his life, not even Johanna. ***** Two hours later, Michael and his girls arrived back down on the beach as the Basras and a now youthful and fully healed Emma headed for the mountainside huts. They had hung back, respectively keeping their distance as Emma said goodbye to her daughters. Once MuSu's pod had disappeared under the surf, Michael's walked out onto the beach. He set down the bag of clothing they had brought down from the huts and watched as his three girls skipped out into the waves, washing the jungle off their bodies. A few moments later, Bill's pod emerged from the water near them, and Michael hurried to join them, his protective instincts kicking in. "Hey guys, you all are looking great!" Bill said, gazing at the three women who played in the surf. "Ouch, what?" he complained to Mae who gave him a playful pinch and a glare. "Get to the point and quit gawking," she said. "Yea, right. So, Michael, Pat asked me to tell you that we're going to keep you topside for a few days," He said, rubbing his side. "With the possibility of a lot of unexpected minute traffic here, in the next few days, we thought we should keep some one relatively human." "Makes sense," Michael said. "I'll get to wear swimsuits!" Pearl gushed. "Oh, Lucy, you'll be a mermaid soon enough! Come on, let's see if our gills work yet." "Actually, yes, they should be working but you'll need to be careful," Mae said, unhooking a utility bag from Bill's belt. "We think these should all fit." They could see several swimsuits in the bag. "We made the back straps wider and softer on the bikini's and the neck straps won't hit your gills, so just keep the back strap lightly tied, and it shouldn't irritate your gills too much." "Thanks!" Pearl said, taking the bag and rushing back up onto the sand. "You can spend most of your time naked, if you like," Bill said. "We'll make sure to send someone if we know someone is coming." "What about the Basras and Emma?" Michael asked. "We'll see once they come back from their stage two transitions," Bill said. "It depends on how strong Martin feels." "She's going to take her son's name?" Lucy asked. "Yes, as an homage to her family," Mae answered. "Right, makes sense. We'll await further instructions," Michael said. "We'll continue work on bonding," Liz said with a gleam in her eye. "Just keep an eye out for the capsules," Bill said. "Save them in the little bags, and we'll recharge them and use them again when you transition to mers." "Will do," Michael said, watching as Bill's pod returned to the water. "Timi and Ragi hardly ever say anything," Lucy noted. "Why do you think that is?" "Don't really know," Michael admitted. "Maybe you can ask them the next time you see them?" ***** "It's not working," Sudhish said. "What am I doing wrong?" "It's not your fault," Rani said, her big, soft, brown eyes filling with tears. "We are too weak." "Yes, yes," Vidya chimed in. "We cannot overpower you. It is our fault." Sudhish stood between his two sisters in the center of the rocky pool as the late afternoon sunlight danced all around them. Everyone was bursting with siren cells. Emma watched the three of them from the edge of the jungle, herself equally young, healthy, her face restored to its former beauty, her body brimming with siren cells. Sudhish looked skyward and groaned mightily. "No, it's me!" he said. "I cannot ... I am keeping both of you out, I am fighting what is happening to us." "Do you not love us?" Vidya asked, surprised. "No, I do love you, my sister," Sudhish said, the look on her face breaking his heart. "That is the problem. I love you as no brother ou