Disclaimer: I don’t own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX.
“You can’t swim? Then, why are you here?” asked Jaden, his brown eyes focused on the boy who crouched on the pier while he treaded water.
“I want to learn to swim,” the boy, Syrus, pointed out. “My brother studies here and he’s an excellent swimmer.”
Jaden smiled at his new friend’s determination. “I could teach you. I’m a natural, as you know.” He leaned back to expose a pair of billowing light red fins and part of a red scaled tail.
“You could, but swimming with legs is different than with a tail.”
“Yes, you’re right,” Jaden sighed as his fins and tail went back under the water.
“I do appreciate the offer, though.”
Jaden grinned at Syrus who smiled back. Syrus was a freshman at a private boarding school on an island with an emphasis on aquatic careers. Most students went on to be professional swimmers in the sports field. Syrus told Jaden at the beginning of their friendship that he wanted to be a marine biologist, not knowing Jaden was a merman…at least not yet.
“That sounds cool,” Jaden had said when Syrus spoke of his plans.
“Thanks. I hope to meet a mythical sea creature and study it in its natural environment.”
“You wouldn’t try to capture it?”
“No way. It wouldn’t act naturally in captivity and I would hate to see it cooped up and away from its home and its freedom.”
“I’m happy to hear that,” Jaden had said. “I’ll share a secret with you.” It was then that Jaden revealed that he was a merman. Syrus was surprised and delighted; naturally he asked Jaden questions and he received answers to them.
“How did your final exams go?” Jaden asked, bringing Syrus back to the present.
“I passed all of them except the swimming test. I attend my lessons but I can’t seem to get over my fear of drowning.”
Jaden flashed that charming grin again. “I can help you with that. I know a sheltered shallows area that would be perfect for practice.”
Before Syrus could answer, a voice called, “Syrus Truesdale!” Jaden dove underwater as Syrus turned to see the headmaster, Crowler heading his way with a look of disapproval.
“Uh, hi Doctor Crowler,” he squeaked.
“Come with me, Mr. Truesdale,” Crowler barked before putting a hand on Syrus’ shoulder and steering him away from the pier, unaware of Jaden following them from under the water. Crowler seemed scary to Jaden and he clearly scared Syrus. He doubted that Crowler was giving Syrus good news and elected to follow them as far as he could so he could cheer Syrus up once he was alone.
“I just received the results of your final exams,” Crowler said.
“Oh,” Syrus said.
“Now, I’m pleased with your written exams but not so much with your swimming test which you failed.”
“I’ll practice over the summer and get better. I promise.”
“Sorry, that’s not good enough and it’s too late for that.”
“You mean…I’m expelled?” Syrus asked, his voice faint.
“Yes and you’re going to be punished most severely. You see, I’ve already spoken to your parents and your brother about your test results and agree that this school’s ancient traditional punishment should be dealt.” Crowler steered Syrus to the island’s highest cliff that hung out over the water.
“What punishment is that?”
“You cannot swim so your punishment is death by drowning.” Crowler gave Syrus a big shove before walking away and the freshman fell over the edge and screamed as he fell and hit the water.
His head popped up as did Jaden’s, the latter holding the former above the water. “Sy, you okay?” he asked.
Syrus shook his head, eyes full of tears. “I’ve been expelled and my family’s agreed to let me die by drowning. I’ve been…disowned.”
“That’s not right.” Jaden gazed with sympathy at Syrus. “Sy, I…can help you but it requires a condition.”
“How can you help?”
“I can turn you into a merman but you’ll never be human again. That’s the condition.”
Syrus’ eyes lit up. “Ja, my family has already decided for me to die, so I’m all right with not being human again.”
Jaden smiled as he put his hands on Syrus’ arms and his tail around Syrus’ legs before he closed his eyes and sang a series of notes that washed over Syrus with a warm feeling. The feeling faded and he felt Jaden pull him under the water and he took a breath before going under.
“Sy, you can’t drown now and open your eyes.”
Syrus opened his eyes which he had closed during the warmth and the instinct of going under. He let out his breath, looked down, and gasped. His legs were gone and a long yellow tail with billowing light yellow fins was in their place. “Oh, wow!” He grinned. “I’m really a merman.”
“You are and I have to say that yellow suits you.”
Syrus laughed and flicked his fins back and forth. He looked at Jaden. “I think I’ll take you up on those swimming lessons now.”
“Of course.” Jaden took Syrus’ hands and swam backwards, pulling his friend along. “Move your tail up and down gently. You don’t want to kick it too hard or you’ll go too fast which we’ll work on at another time.”
“Where are we going?” Syrus asked as he worked to move his tail.
“My town. I told my parents about you once I assured them that you were trustworthy. I’m sure they’d be happy to have you live with us.”
“That would be nice, but what about the rest of your town? Would they be okay with the fact that I had been human?”
“Absolutely. You may not believe it but we’re quite curious about humans. I imagine you’ll have a lot of questions to answer.”
Syrus gulped. “I will?”
“Don’t worry. Once I tell them you’re shy, they won’t overwhelm you with questions. They will want to help you adjust to life in the sea.”
Syrus smiled in relief and kicked his tail a little harder. He liked what he heard and looked forward to seeing Jaden’s town and meeting other merpeople. He also realized something: Jaden had released his hands and he was actually swimming! A wide grin broke out on his face and he laughed in delight. “I’m swimming! I’m really swimming!”
Jaden also had a wide grin on face at Syrus’ realization. I knew Sy would get the hang of it. He’ll love living here and can still be a marine biologist as we do have a few merpeople who study our fellow sea creatures. He’ll encounter lots of sea life as he spends his life underwater.
