Charlie’s Sirens - Part 1 [Mermaid TG]

Chapter 1

“This is taking forever. We reached the bottom ages ago. Why do we have to sit in this tube?”

“Depressurisation, Max.” Charlie sighed, “If you go outside before your body adjusts to the pressure, you’ll implode.”

“Gross.”

“Exactly, so just relax, we only have a few more minutes.”

“You said that twenty minutes ago.”

“It was five.”

“Same difference.”

Charlie ground his teeth and stayed silent; his mates could be annoying at the best of times but being stuck with them in a tiny metal room for almost eight hours was enough to drive him to madness. Max talked and complained the entire time, Harry slept, and James decided to make a habit of tapping his hands against the metal walls as if looking for a leak. Between the repeated questions, snoring and tapping Charlie was convinced he’d forgotten what silence sounded like. They’d won the exchange lottery, and now all three of them were sitting in the depressurisation chamber at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, waiting for the timer to ding. Then, the hatch would open and provide them with the medication necessary to turn them into mermen. Finally, the chamber would flood, and the door would open to reveal Atlantis to them. 

“How much looooonger.”

“Max, I swear to god-”

BEEP! BEEP!

“Oh, thank God.” 

The alarm sounded, and the little wall segment opened to reveal four small, dark blue pills shining under the lights. It seemed so tiny for such a big change. They all took one, the pill felt cold and slippery in his hand, a stark contrast to the heat rising in his cheeks. The others downed their dry with excited grins, and Max clamped Charlie on the back.

“Come on! Too late to chicken out now!”

Charlie gave him a nervous smile and popped the pill on his tongue, and felt it slide down his throat. A few moments passed in awkward silence as all four of them waited for some sign of change, and it started. Charlie felt a strange tingling sensation starting at the base of his spine, a warmth that spread through his body like wildfire. His skin grew itchy, as if it were too tight for the bones beneath. He looked down at his hands and watched, horrified and fascinated, as his fingers began to elongate and webbing grew between them. His legs felt heavy, but as he glanced down, he saw them fusing together, forming a sleek, powerful tail that shimmered with scales. The fabric of his pants tore away, unable to contain his new form. He wobbled back into his seat, feeling his feet shift and melt into a large, slightly shimmery green fin. 

The others were undergoing the same changes. Max’s scales glittered a brilliant gold, Harry's dark obsidian and James' silver. Once again, Charlie found himself standing out with his green, black, gold, and silver, which were all so classy.  He felt almost gaudy next to them.

“Ow!” Max howled with his hands rushing to his ears. 

Those same spines and webs that Pearl had were growing out from the shell and a layer of those same scales were tracing down his cheeks. Charlie could feel the same thing happening to him and he raised a now webbed hand to feel along the rough scales. They itched in the dry air, and apparently, he wasn't the only one because Max was scratching at his like mad. Harry removed his shirt and looked down at his chest, only to huff in disappointment. 

“I know, man,” James said, apparently understanding his silent friend. “I was hoping it would buff us up as well.”

“Why would it do that?” Charlie asked.

“Well, all the girls get giant tits, it only makes sense that guys would get more buff.”

Charlie opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to find a tactful way of saying that made no logical sense. Luckily, the conversation was cut off when all four of them felt a burning sensation in their necks; gills, sensitive little flaps of skin formed, and suddenly breathing became much more difficult. Charlie found himself spluttering as he focused on breathing through his nose instead of following his new instincts. Even Harry’s usual stoicism was broken as he gasped and coughed. There was another loud beep from the alarm and vents opened at the side of the room, flooding the area with salty seawater. Instantly, the itching in Charlie’s scales was soothed and he took a deep breath through his new gills, feeling the water pass through them was almost relaxing. 

“Woah, check me out!” Max flipped through the water and slammed his tail into the door with a mighty thud.

“Not bad!” James grinned, but I think my fins are bigger.”

“Maybe, but my tail is thicker.”

Harry just chuckled.

“I’m sure I am still thicker where it matters.” 

It was true, despite having a tail now, Charlie could still feel his manhood sequestered away behind a small plate of scales. Presumably, when he got hard, it would emerge. Charlie groaned; they could go on for hours once they started on these macho ‘I’m the manliest’ contests. His anxiety flared. There was no way he could stay male with these three like this. It was only a matter of time, unless he took charge in a way they couldn’t. 

“Come on, Charlie. Man up before you can't anymore.” He whispered to himself just as the door opened.

A buxom redhead wearing nothing but a thick string of seaweed and pearl over her chest smiled at them from the other side. 

“Welcome to Atlantis!” She beamed, “I’m Coral. I’m going to be your student guide!”

“I love this place already.” Max grinned, sidling up to the mermaid and giving her his most winning smile. 

Coral giggled and waved them out of the decompression chamber into a building that looked like it was made entirely of white marble. When they exited out, they were right in front of Atlantis University; a golden sign welcomed them and Coral waved at them to follow her. They all floated in awe as they were guided through the sprawling underwater campus. The ocean was alive with colour despite the depth, small glowing lights floated amongst the buildings and glowing seaweed and coral lit a path. 

“Welcome to Atlantis University!” Coral said, her smile warm and welcoming. 

It wasn't all that different from the Ivy Leagues back on the surface, except that doors seemed to open on every floor. It made sense; since everybody could swim, why waste space putting in staircases?

Charlie's eyes were wide as he took in the majestic architecture of the university. The buildings were constructed from a combination of coral, pearl, sea glass and that same white marble, forming intricate, organic shapes that seemed to grow naturally from the ocean floor, even when they had been fully constructed. He couldn't resist reaching out to touch a cluster of bioluminescent sea anemones that glowed softly along the corridor. 

“This is incredible,” he said, his voice filled with amazement. “I mean, look at these colours!”

“More important than that,” James whispered to him, “Look at the babes!”

Charlie followed his eye line; several schools of merfolk were swimming around, strange waterproof books in hand. A chime sounded, and suddenly, the area was flooded as the merfolk moved between glasses. Tails of every colour, huge-chested women hugged things to their giant chests, and despite the crowds, Charlie saw only three mermen, each with a small entourage of women following close behind. 

“There really are less men than women.” Harry hummed.

“Yes, for the longest time more women were needed to act as sirens in order to lure men away from Atlantis and the surrounding islands we make our homes.” Coral explained. “Our bodies adapted to make sure that there would always be enough female sirens as well as breeding mothers back in Atlantis at all times.”

Coral continued their tour. She pointed out various areas of interest, including the sports complex where merfolk practised synchronised swimming and underwater lacrosse. Their bodies moved so gracefully that Charlie was mesmerised.

“Look at the way their boobs move,” Max whispered to the group. “Half of them don’t wear bras! We hit the fucking jackpot!”

“Here’s the campus centre,” Coral said as they arrived at a large open area surrounded by a circular ring of floating platforms. Students congregated here to socialise and study, their voices mingling in a gentle hum through the water. “And over there, you’ll find the café. They serve the best seaweed smoothies.”

Charlie couldn’t help but grin as he watched a group of students engage in a friendly game of underwater tag, their laughter bubbling up through the water. Coral paused for a moment and reached into her bag, opening up a small glowing clam shell.

“So sorry, I forgot something important um…”

“It’s okay,” Charlie replied. “I read through the whole map on the way down, I can finish the tour.”

“Oh, thank you!” 

The mermaid started to pack up while James sidled up beside her again. 

“What’s that you’ve got there?” He asked.

“...A communication shell,” Coral said with a raised eyebrow.

“Pretty cool, since I’m new around here, think you could show me how one works sometimes. Maybe over lunch?”

Charlie smirked as Coral gave James a disinterested look and swam right past. The new merman opened and closed his mouth in confusion, and Charlie realised it might have been the first time he’d ever been ignored by a woman. 

“You just did the equivalent of asking her what a cell phone is,” Charlie explained as she swam away. “And Merfolk culture prizes education, to admit you don’t know what something so simple is and that you need help to figure it out…that was pretty unattractive.”

“Oh.”

Max and Harry snickered behind them and came to clamp their friend on the back.

“Don’t worry, mate, I’ll show you how it’s done.” Max grinned, swimming up to a lone, blonde mermaid floating a few feet away, eating her lunch. “Hey there, I’ve seen a lot of mermaids since we got here, but you are hands down the most beautiful.”

Charlie cringed and watched as the merwoman gaped at him before huffing and swimming away without a word with an offended look on her face and returning to a small group already around a male.

“See that ring around her tail,” Charlie said, pointing to the string of pearls. “You just openly flirted with a taken mermaid. She’s like…married.”

“I thought all these girls were into open marriages and stuff.” 

“Polyamory.” Charlie corrected, “They can still be in committed relationships, just with multiple people.”

“Well…still. How was I supposed to know?”

“By reading the information booklet? Or listening to the lecture?”

“Yeah but why do that when we have you?”

Charlie resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Max said that as if it was some great compliment, when really, it was just his excuse, as usual. But for once, Charlie was actually grateful. He swam to the lead and gave his friends a wide smile. 

“Just follow my lead till we get settled, come on, I can finish the tour.”

To his delight, all three of them fell in line behind him. It felt euphoric to be the leader for once. He was so used to being in their shadows that Charlie had almost forgotten what it felt like to be the one in the light. He showed them around the campus, pointing out the various buildings where their classes or the closest approximates, would be held. And quietly reminded them of each of the social norms before they made fools of themselves. To his surprise, they all listened. Being humbled within their first few minutes of arriving seemed to have deflated their confidence somewhat. Only Harry remained his usual aloof self, though Charlie could tell by the gleam in his eyes that the man was listening for once, even if he was trying to make it look like he wasn’t. 

“And finally, here is our dorm!” Charlie said, slightly out of breath. “Let’s go in, I need a breather, all this swimming is taking it out of me.”

“That’s because you need to work on your cardio, my man!” Max teased while Harry nodded. “Don’t worry, I’m sure even you will be pulling mermaids soon, that’ll get your endurance up.

Charlie opened his bag containing the waterproof forms with their dorm information on it and led the way. They swam right into the third floor of a large coral-coated building until they came to a door held closed by a strange pearl. Charlie demonstrated how to gesture to the pearl and the others gasped in amazement as the door unlocked. The doors slid open with a gentle swoosh, revealing a spacious and inviting common room. The walls were made of smooth, polished coral, and soft, bioluminescent lights set a warm glow throughout the space. Comfortable, seaweed-woven couches and floating hammocks were arranged around a central area, while colourful sea sponges served as makeshift tables. 

“This is incredible,” Charlie said, his voice filled with wonder as he floated into the room. The others followed, each taking in the unique and beautiful surroundings.

“Huge, too! Well done, mate!” Max grinned, giving Charlie a thumbs up. “This is the perfect place to entertain.”

Charlie knew all the dorms looked like this, but he wasn't about to tell his friend that. Harry, meanwhile, was drawn to a set of cosy-looking beds arranged in alcoves along one wall. Each bed was draped with soft seaweed fabric, and fluffy sea sponge pillows were scattered around.

 “This place is so comfortable,” he said, sinking into one of the beds with a contented sigh. “I could get used to this.”

“Well, we can get used to it later.” James cut in, I’m starving.”

“Yeah, my stomach is feeling kinda funny too.” Max agreed and Harry nodded.

Charlie floated over to a small, shell-shaped kitchen nook and peeked inside.

“Looks like we need to stock this ourselves…”

“Hm, uh how? Do they use money down here?”

“Relax and leave it all to me,” Charlie said, feeling more confident than he ever had, a feeling that doubled when the other three nodded. They were listening to him! Following him! Who would have thought three buff, jock types like them would ever defer to him! It made him giddy, and Charlie rushed to his bag, ready to organise and explain the Atlantean currency, when James held up a hand to stop him. 

“Mmmm…Does anybody else feel…sort of weird?” James said after a moment.

“Yeah…my chest feels sort of itchy.” Max said, “But…underneath my skin?”

A tingle went down Charlie’s spine, and a strange mixture of excitement and trepidation built up inside his chest; could it be happening already? They all set about unpacking, not that there was much they could bring with them at this depth. Charlie spent the whole time watching his new roommates. After a few minutes, Harry groaned, a deep guttural sound that was equal parts pleasure and pain. They all swivelled and saw him bent over, hands groping his own chest as the skin there pressed against his fingers. The growth was slow, but it was there.

“What the hell?” He groaned. “M-my chest.”

“Holy shit, dude, you’re getting tits!” Max laughed. “That’s hilari-ahhhh!”

The smile was instantly wiped off the jokester's face when he too, was suddenly bent over double with two round mounds growing on his own chest. James went pale, his eyes drifting down to his own chest, which, while not growing as much, was clearly starting to turn soft. His nipples were turning a dark shade of pink and growing pointed.

“Oh no. No, no, no!” James cried, his voice growing more high-pitched by the second. “What’s happening!? Was there something wrong with those pills?”

“They must have done something to them!” Max growled. “If this is the mermaid's idea of a hazing ritual, I will punch their lights out! I don't care if they’re a woman.”

James looked around in panic, perhaps hoping for some sort of hidden camera that would reveal the prank Max had theorised. 

“Hey! Why isn’t Charlie changing?”

All eyes turned to him and Charlie blushed and did his best to keep his face serious but it was hard to hold back a small smile as he spoke.

“It seems like there were too many of us together…so your hermaphroditic genes kicked in.”

“Our what?!”

It was hard to maintain a straight face as he explained exactly what Pearl had said in the lecture. Max looked furious, James horrified and Harry just stared at him blankly. An outside observer might have thought he was calm but Charlie knew the look in his eyes; he was distraught. 

“B-but why you? You’re the least manly of all of us!”

“But I took charge.” Charlie crossed his arms. “I can’t help it if nature figures I am the natural man in this scenario.”

Max just groaned, his tits were continuing to swell, and his shoulders cracked as they started to slope. Harry disappeared, slipping into one of the alcoves and closing the seaweed curtain behind him just as he let out another loud groan. One that James copied a moment later as his hips began to widen where they met his tail. Charlie couldn’t help but gasp; his friend's body was already starting to lose its straight, square shape. It wasn’t complete yet, but James was beginning to develop an hourglass figure with wider hips and a steadily growing chest. 

“I-I can’t be a chick; I just can’t! I don’t know anything about being a woman!” James wailed. It was honestly strange to see the big, tough baseball captain wailing like a baby. Charlie felt sorry for him, but he’d be lying if he said he didn't get just a little satisfaction out of seeing James shaken for once. He’d finally found a problem he couldn’t brute force his way through. 

“You!”

The furious voice made Charlie’s hair stand on end as he turned to see Max, looking thunderous.

“You knew this could happen! Didn’t you!”

“If you’d listened in the lecture-”

“You asshole!”

Luckily, they were all still getting used to being underwater, so when Max threw his punch, it moved slow enough for Charlie to dodge out of the way. 

“Calm down! We can talk about this!”

“My fist will do the talking!”

“Stop it, both of you!” James cried. “Can’t we all just get along? This is bad enough as it is!”

“Listen to yourself, man. You’re already going soft!”

“No, I’m not!” James sniffled, “Except…well, I do feel a little soft down there…”

Max groaned and stopped his next strike short, his hand went to the front of his tail where the scales hid away their cocks. Charlie couldn’t help but stare in fascination; what was happening behind Max’s scales right now? Was his cock melting away to form a new mermaid pussy? How did Merfolk have sex exactly? His own cock twitched in its sheath and he was forced to use all his self-control to keep it contained. 

“This isn’t over.” Max glowered as he crossed one arm across his chest and pressed his other hand to his head. Hair was flowing down his back now, beautiful and dark red in colour with a gentle wave. James was in much the same state, with his long locks flowing behind him as he nervously swam back and forth. 

“There has to be something we can do, Charlie, call a fucking doctor or something!” Max ordered, and despite his new confidence, Charlie couldn’t help but squeak a little. He’d never seen his friend so angry. He fumbled for the communication shell they’d been given and quickly found the number for emergency services. The woman on the line didn’t seem very happy when he explained what he was calling about.

“I get that this is normal for you but my mates are…really freaking out. Maybe a doctor could explain things in a way they understand?”

“Fine, but this is why I was against these exchange programs going ahead.”

Charlie felt his eyes glaze over, listening to the merwoman rant while they waited. Apparently, assholes existed everywhere. That was a shame. He’d sort of hoped mermaids were more casual and accepting. James’ face flooded with relief when somebody finally knocked on the door and several merfolk swam inside wearing white shell bras marked with a blue hospital cross—all except the lone male, who wore one on a necklace. 

“Oh, thank god. Please tell me you can stop this!” James cried, swimming right up to the male and indicating to his bare and growing chest.

“Um, I am afraid not, but…I am just a nurse.”

“I’m the doctor.” One of the mermaids introduced herself, holding out a delicate hand. “These are my nurses. Now, let me see if I can straighten this out for you.”

Charlie sat back and watched as James and Max got given the ‘bad news’, of course Charlie already knew there was nothing that could be done. But his friends weren’t exactly used to things not going their way. Max demanded a cure; if they had pills that could change them into mermaids, surely there was one for their sex as well! But no. There wasn’t. 

Over the course of the next few hours, Charlie sat back and watched as his formerly masculine friends turned into curvaceous, beautiful mermaids. Their hair grew long and luscious, their skin soft and their breasts could rival Pearl’s. With their glittering tails, they looked like jewels. Max sat in the corner, his eyes furious behind their new long lashes. The doctor and her cohort did their best to calm them, one even spent a good half hour trying to coax Harry out of his room to ‘embrace his new femininity with pride’. But that wen’t nowhere.

James continued to flit back and forth, only to remember that he was topless and get flustered before repeating the process. Harry was still in his alcove, hidden away but Charlie could hear strange grunting sounds, even without words it was obvious his baritone was long gone. Eventually, Max made an irritated sound and swam over and ripped the curtain back to reveal Harry, laying back on the bed with his back arched desperately trying to pull a t-shirt over his breasts. 

“Holy crap…” The words slipped out before Charlie could stop them; he knew mermaids were busty, Max and James were proof of that, but Harry put them both to shame. 

Blushing profusely, Harry gave up on his T-shirt plan and hurriedly covered himself as best he could with the long black hair now cascading down his body. 

“This feels…weird,” he said finally. “Not bad but…yeah. What do we do?”

Two soft hands appeared on Charlie’s shoulders and his back went rigid. Two warm, soft mounds pressed against his back and his mouth (somehow) went dry when he realised what they were.

“Charlie got us into this mess, but he can get us out. Right, Charlie?” James said, leaning down so his chin rested against Charlie’s shoulder. His whole body was pressed up against his back and Charlie felt his cheeks turning red. 

“S-sure, maybe uh…James you’re a little close.”

“Am I? Sorry, you just…I dunno, there is something about being a merman that really suits you.” 

“Oh great, this transformation is turning us loopy.” Max grumbled. “Well don't get any ideas, Charlie. I ain’t joining your hareem or anything like that!”

James went red in the face and quickly moved away but Charlie could see…something in the way his eyes twinkled. Pearl hadn't said anything about personality changes when mermen became mermaids. Then again, if it was a biological process designed to keep their population in check, maybe it came with some new urges she hadn’t thought to mention. He looked over his three friends, all now busty mermaids. This was the first day of an entire semester trip. Something told Charlie that one way or another, it would be one to remember.