I finally did it. I signed up for the Crab. I’d heard stories about it when I was younger and they always really stuck with me. As I got older I started doing research, and not only is the Crab very real, but letting it take you is actually a super easy process. All it required was filling out a form online. Where I lived, where I worked, etc. The government was required to take care of those things and make sure they were still there when you returned from your crab year. This was to make sure I wouldn’t find myself homeless and without a job when I got back.

The next Crab Day was a few months from when I signed up. It always took place on Colossal Crab Beach on the summer equinox. Throughout the world there were various locations where creatures of legend would show up periodically. Each one served a different purpose, but the only one that mattered to me was the Crab. Waiting for the Crab was killing me, but my friends, family and coworkers could tell how excited I was.

As Crab Day drew near, I was given a plane ticket so I could make my way there. The seats weren’t that great, but there were a lot of people going there for the same reason that I was and the people covering our tickets wanted to economize where they could. I had a window seat, and was content to watch the scenery go by and maybe take a nap, but the person next to me was way too excited and pulled me into a conversation about the Crab. All of us Crab passengers had name tags with our chosen names and pronouns written on them, next to a little picture of a cute cartoon crab.

My neighbor started talking to me and when I glanced down at her name tag and she pulled her shirt out so I could see it better. Her name was Lilah, and when I used it and her correct pronouns she had such a bright smile. I introduced myself as Lexi, and following her lead, we started going over everything we knew about the Crab.

The Crab, like all the other legendary creatures, predates all known history, both written and oral. It shows up once a year, and when it does, all of the passengers from the previous year get off. As is tradition, all of these people spend the whole day helping out the next batch of passengers. No one is allowed to talk about what happens down in the depths of the ocean, but everyone says it’s an amazing experience and that there isn’t anything to worry about.

The biggest thing is that when everyone returns from the ocean, they have bodies that suit them. Lilah and I got into a discussion about all the things our dream bodies would be, and all the hardships we’ve gone through as a result of having bodies so terribly far from what we wished they were. We also, like so many before us, speculated about what could possibly be waiting for us. The only clues we had was that before someone got on the Crab, they were handed a shell necklace and had to change into only a tunic with a top underneath.

As the plane landed and we walked through the airport, we promised to meet each other again later. It was still a few days before the big event, and I was content to spend the rest of the night sleeping off my jet lag. Even Lilah, despite her enormous reserves of energy, needed some sleep.

I was woken up early the next morning by Lilah calling me. “Hey do you want to meet up for breakfast? I found a nice place that’s between our hotels.”

I did not get enough sleep and yawned and groaned before being able to answer. “How are you even awake right now?”

“How can I not be awake? Our lives are about to turn around! We’re going on an adventure! But if you need to sleep still we can meet later instead.”

I yawned again. “No, no. I can go out. Just… Just give me a bit. Meet you an hour?”

“An hour? Yeah, sure! See you then! Byyyyyye!!!”

Where does all that energy come from? She could power a city with her excitableness. I yawned again and stared at the wall while sitting on my bed as I worked up the energy to start the day. After a few minutes I forced myself to get up. I promised to meet Lilah and didn’t want to keep her waiting.

The government only paid the minimum to take care of all the people hitching a ride on the Crab. This meant cheap flights and hotels. That didn’t mean that what they offered was terrible, but if you wanted more you would have to spend your own money. I didn’t make much, but I had been saving what I could so I could do a few things in the city while I waited for Crab Day to arrive.

I took my shower and began walking to the diner we said we would meet at. The walk perked me up a little, but I was in desperate need of coffee. I entered the diner and spotted Lilah in a booth to my left. She got this big grin when she saw me and waved me over. The place was pretty packed, but I suppose it would be with the massive influx of people during this time of year. I’m surprised there was even a booth available.

“Heeeey, Lex~! How’re ya doin’?” she asked as I sat myself across from her.

“Morning. Need coffee. Sleepy.”

“Not a morning person I take it?”

“Not really, but this is mostly jet lag. How do you have so much energy? It’s unreal. And how did you get a booth so fast?”

“I’ve always been pretty energetic. This is just how I am. The booth was the last one open when I got here, so I was just lucky.”

A waitress came over and I got my much-needed coffee. We ordered our breakfasts and they were big and delicious. By the end of our meal I wouldn’t say I was at 100% but I was close enough. Neither of us had a ton of spare money, so we mostly just spent the rest of the day walking around to various tourist attractions. At the end of the day we were holding hands.

“I’m glad you’re here with me, Lex. Having a friend from so close to home is really great.”

“Yeah. I don’t know if I would’ve done even half the stuff we did without you here. I might’ve even just watched TV instead of going out. I’m sure you would’ve found someone else to make friends with though if I wasn’t here.”

“Hmm. Maybe? I just clicked with you right away. It’s like you help calm me down and reel me in from just doing an endless stream of random things. That doesn’t happen with most people. I’m told often that hanging out with me is a lot to deal with.”

“Really? I think you’re fun to be around. And you’re kind of the opposite for me. I’m um… Sort of shy I guess? And it’s hard for me to get out there and see the world and I constantly overthink everything. You’ve kept me from getting lost in myself.”

Her grasp on my hand tightened and she looked me in my eyes. “Want to be my girlfriend?”

I gasped. “I, uh… W-What? But we just met? Are you sure?”

“Yeah! You’re lots of fun and this whole day has practically been a first date. If you want to just be friends then I can live with that too. Either way, I want to hang out with you more.”

“Yeah! Yes, we can… We can date. I haven’t really had much luck before though, so I don’t really know what to expect or do.”

She hugged me. “That’s fine! I know I’m kind of all over the place and sporadic sometimes but we can still go at your pace. Just tell me if I go to far or you need a break or anything, okay?”

“Yeah, okay.”

We ended the day by going to the top of a tower that overlooked the beach. There was a huge area of sand that was always kept completely clear of anything permanent. That was where the Crab sat when it arrived. Seeing pictures of it online was one thing, but looking at it as the sun set was really beautiful.

The next day was much like the first, and the final day we were both called into a government office along with other people from our area. We received our top and tunic that we would wear tomorrow, along with bracelets that identified us because we would come back looking different. We were to simply leave our luggage behind in our rooms, where it would be collected and stored somewhere safe, so we were instructed to make absolutely sure everything was packed along with a list of our possessions before leaving. If we forgot something, it would be an entire year before we found out.

Crab Day was here, and for once I was up early and full of energy. Of course, Lilah was even more full of energy than I was. Seriously, that girl is a constant sugar rush. We arrived on the beach, and surrounding us were hundreds of thousands of people all wearing colorful tunics. Luckily they had differing colors and patterns so we could tell people apart better. There was a designated area for us to meet in as well. Our patterns were watermelon colors in large wavy stripes. People from all over the world were here.

As the sun peeked over the horizon, the ground began to shake and an enormous bulge in the water started rising. It went up higher… and higher… and higher still before finally breaking to reveal people sitting on the Crab’s back, wearing a wild assortment of tunics just like us.

Around us the crowd cheered and began to jump up in down in excitement.

“The Crab!”

“The Crab is here!”

“Crab Day! It’s Crab Day!”

The Crab rose higher and higher still before anything other than its back was visible. It scuttled slowly and carefully, fully aware of the people surrounding it and the shaking effect it had on the ground as it moved. Finally it settled, and the cheering grew somehow even louder. Lilah next to me was jumping up and down while holding my hand. I wasn’t one to scream and shout with glee, but I couldn’t help but smile and laugh with everyone else.

Tall slides were brought to its edge, and the passengers slid down. It was actually a very organized process. Someone way back in time had carved seats and stairs into the Crab’s shell, and row by row they descended. Last year’s passengers found the groups with tunics that matched their own, and began to meet. The shell necklaces were handed off from them to us. As I put my necklace on, I held the shells in my hand and looked closely at them. I had no idea what they were for yet, but they symbolized the beginning of my new life. As the last of the passengers departed, the slides were replaced with lifts. Anyone who had trouble walking would be the last of the passengers to board, into seats near the edge. They still had to be helped into their seats, but this made it as easy as possible for them.

Lilah and I were sitting down on some towels on the sand, sitting across from the two who gave us our necklaces. They couldn’t tell us about what actually awaited us at the bottom. Supposedly we would understand once we were there. The advice they had for the descent was to hold onto the handles and not be afraid of the water when it starts to submerge us. As for the year in the ocean, our advisors got these dreamy looks on their faces as they told us it was very fun and relaxing. Finally, they said not to be afraid of asking for help of any kind. We wondered who was down there that would help us, but they couldn’t say. Other than that, we mostly just got to know each other, and were informed that each area of the world had a group where people who’ve ridden the Crab or want to know more about it can meet. We promised that when our year was over, we would check it out.

As we celebrated, the end of the day drew near. The Crab would leave at sunset, and people were boarding. Because of the sheer number of people, some had to sit for a long time, but there was no way around it. Strangely, despite some having to spend quite awhile sitting on the Crab, there was no discomfort, even from the hot summer sun.

Lilah and I talked with some of our fellow passengers, about our lives our plans. Being my introverted self, I didn’t talk as much but I still enjoyed their company. At long last, the sun set and all passengers were seated. The seats were carved to be smooth and comfortable, and the handles were easy to grab and hold on to. The air around us took on an ethereal quality as the Crab began to rise. I grabbed the handles, but I felt like I wouldn’t fall out of my seat even without them. Lilah noticed this as well, and felt comfortable enough to put her hand on mine.

The water level came closer and closer to us as the Crab kept moving. When it reached the edge of the shell, it seemed to hit an invisible wall. We went lower and lower, and the water became a giant dome around us. We were now completely submerged, but none of us were even the slightest bit wet. The Crab continued on, and what sunlight remained rapidly vanished. I hadn’t noticed before, but all over the Crab’s shell were faint swirling patterns. They began to glow a vibrant blue color.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

We were seated near the backside of the shell, and we could hear the crowd on the other side becoming excited about something. As word spread to us, we were apparently approaching some kind of light. In the water around us we began seeing faint lights moving around, and there were some in the distance that were stationery. When the Crab reached its destination, it settled once more. There were stationery lights all around us and many of the faint lights moving around on the other side of the water wall.

Then the bubble of air we were in started to rise without us and people on the lower seats where being submerged. Lilah gripped my hand tightly and was uncharacteristically quiet.

“Hey, remember what our advisors said? That when the water rises we shouldn’t be afraid of it?” The truth was that I was nervous too, but so far everything indicated that we would be safe. She nodded her head and relaxed a little.

The water was strangely murky as it rose, but the vague shapes of the lower passengers could be seen exiting their seats. It was now at our feet. Our shins. Our knees. When it reached our waists I felt a strange… tightening and twisting sensation around my legs. It was hard to describe, but it wasn’t uncomfortable in any way. I closed my eyes and the water completely covered me, but somehow I could still breathe. Lilah’s hand left my own and I heard laughter above me.

My eyes opened, and in place of my legs was a fish tail. I’m a… mermaid? I tentatively moved it up and down, finding that operating it was rather instinctual. There was a strange but comfortable energy coursing through me, but before I had time to really think about it, a pretty mermaid put her hands on my shoulders.

“Look at you!” She exclaimed in a song-like series of sounds that I had never heard before but somehow understood. “You’re so cute!”

“Cute? What? Who are you?”

“I’m Lilah, dummy! Come on! Let’s swim!”

She pulled me out of my seat, which had become somewhat awkward to sit in without legs. I floated in the water and finally realized the rest of my body was different. My chest was pushing out and my hands were smaller I could feel a gentle tugging on my head and realized that I had long hair. My clothes were intact and I realized that our legs changing was why we hadn’t been wearing underwear or shoes.

Lilah giggled. “Done checking yourself out? What about me? How do I look?”

“You’re so pretty! Gorgeous, even!”

She smiled, wrapped her arms around me and we shared our first kiss. When we stopped kissing for metaphorical air, we swam around a bit in excitement, watching many others do the same. The lights that were around us were actually buildings of a sort. They were made of all different kinds of coral and other oceanic materials I didn’t know the names of. The shapes weren’t the rigid squares like what humans made, and they jutted out of the landscape at odd angles.

The fainter lights that had been floating around us were the armbands of merpeople who were directing traffic. If the situation wasn’t so fantastical they’d be similar to those people who tell airplanes where to go. And other than the armbands they were completely naked. We were gathered into groups, where merpeople would tell us about the next year of our lives.

“Hello,” the leader of our merpeople group said while smiling. “It’s a pleasure to see new faces. My name is Anahita. I know you’re all excited to experience our city and life underwater, but there are a few things to go over first.

As you can see, all of you have been transformed into a body that suits you, with the exception of the tail. The necklaces you are wearing are what have transformed you and are what is allowing you to speak our language. This also means you can easily converse with anyone else from the surface. For safety, the necklaces do not come off while you are underwater. There are air pockets for times you wish to walk around, though we recommend holding off from doing this frequently until your transformation is solidified. You will know when the transformation is complete when the feeling of energy stops.

The energy you feel flowing through you comes from the ocean itself. As you might’ve guessed, it is magic. Humans of the surface do not have much access to magic, and as such you are not allowed to talk about us or the city when you return in order to make sure this city remains a haven. Other than your transformations and our language, there is one last spell that will prevent you from talking about us after you leave. If you focus your thoughts on your necklaces, you will be able to feel that those are the only three spells and their functions.

You all will be free to explore anywhere in the city. Surrounding the city is a barrier that keeps anything dangerous from entering. If you wish to explore outside the barrier, you will have to attend training to handle emergency situations, and you will only be able to explore outside with an escort. That said, there really isn’t much to see outside the barrier, so guests rarely leave.

If at the end of the year you decide you wish to live here permanently, there are ways to maintain your mer form until that too becomes solidified. Please note that if you stay, you will be expected to contribute to the community, and that it will unfortunately be impossible to go back. That is not a law we have, it is simply a limitation of magic. You are allowed to leave when the year is over and return in any of the years after. Many of those who wish to stay will do this in order to say their goodbyes to friends and families and sort out their possessions. In order to further maintain our privacy here, you are not allowed to take anything from the city with you when you return to the surface.

Each of you will be given, for free, a place to stay and food to eat every day. There will also be merfolk for each of you to contact for times you need something, want information or even just need someone to talk to. It is actually recommended that you talk to someone at least a few times. Even if your bodies are comfortable for you, adjusting to living in them as well as being a merfolk can cause stress that you may not even be aware of. Us merfolk are no strangers to magical body changes, and many of us came from the surface just as you have.

Many ask about sex. Because you are not true merfolk, having children is impossible. It will only be possible if you decide to stay and make your mer form permanent. Sex itself will obviously be different from what you are used to, but achieving pleasure is possible, and there are even toys you will be able to use, though you will have to ask for those and it will be explained to you how to use them. That is because your anatomy is different so you need to be informed. In the air pockets, sex is prohibited. This is because if someone gets pregnant or some other undesirable result occurs, it will interfere with the mer transformation and cause a lot of problems for both that person and the child. We take no chances in this regard, and maintain a strict watch to ensure it does not happen. In addition, those areas are open to all guests at all times, meaning you would have to be comfortable being seen. But again, it is not allowed in those areas by anyone.

Throughout your year here, there are also events and festivals you may participate in. And one last thing to note is that, as you can see, we don’t wear much down here. If you wish to wear something to cover yourself, that is perfectly acceptable and no one will judge you for it. You cannot, however, ask that those around you wear clothes if you are uncomfortable. There is an area of the city that is specifically designated as a clothing-only zone. Now, are there any in this group who wish to live in that zone? You are completely free to change your mind at any time.”

No one raised their hands. I seriously considered it, but decided to at least try not concerning myself with that for a few days. Plus Lilah right next to me had already stripped without me even noticing somehow. I decided to take off the tunic but leave the top on for now. It was similar to a sports bra.

Anahita nodded her head. “All right. Now before we get your housing sorted out, are there any questions? Please remember that there are also others you can ask questions to if something comes up later.” When no one asked anything, she said, “Okay! Now let’s get your homes sorted out, yeah?”

We swam after her into an area underneath a giant rocky overhang with bioluminescent plants all over it. There were large holes in the rock face, each one leading to a separate living area. Each entrance was also numbered and decorated differently from its neighbors to easily tell them apart.

Lilah grabbed my arm. I couldn’t help but stare at her because she was so pretty. She blushed and bashfully asked, “I know we only just met, but do you want to share a room?”

“I… Yes. Let’s.” It did feel a bit strange to share a bed with someone I only just recently met, but being around her was just so comfortable.

She showed me that incredible bright smile of hers and we told Anahita that we were going to be together. We weren’t the only ones who chose to do so, and it seemed to be a somewhat common occurrence. Our room wasn’t anything amazing. Not that it was bad, just that without any possessions or modern amenities, there really wasn’t much we needed. There was a big spongy bed for us to sleep on. It didn’t have blankets or pillows, but was still quite comfortable. The temperature of the water was pleasant, but could be somewhat adjusted by using some magic plants to be either cooler or warmer. To the side was a large table with a few drawers, both devoid of anything except for a decorative plant on top.

The bathroom was… strange. There wasn’t a toilet for obvious reasons. What we had instead was a walled off area with a hole in the wall that sucked stuff in. The most noteworthy thing about the room was the giant mirror on one wall. We were both in front of it, examining our new selves.

My black hair, when not floating around, now went passed my shoulders. My face was cute. I had emerald eyes, an adorable nose and my tail was a wonderful, shiny lilac color. Lilah next to me had long brown hair and eyes, and her tail was a golden orange. Seeing myself like this made me feel happier than I’ve felt in a long, long time. My girlfriend hugged me from behind and rested her head on my shoulder. We were both smiling. I turned my head to face her and we shared a long, loving kiss.

“Want to go explore?” I asked.

“Yes!” she replied. Before I could even think she grabbed my hand and led me back out. Despite me being the one who asked, she was the one who led the way. Anahita had already gone off somewhere, but she had shown us where to go for anything we might immediately need.

The city was absolutely massive, and it boggled the mind how humans didn’t know about it. I thought about the other legendary creatures of the world, but each of them had their own mysteries as well. I wondered what secrets they held.

Just the buildings themselves were amazing to behold. Because they weren’t based on squares and straight lines, this led to everything seeming like it had grown out of the ground. Some buildings were even giant shells or had plant parts. Everything was lit up with glowing, neon plants. Using magic, a lot of the lights of the city could be dimmed. Sunlight wasn’t visible from all the way down here, but this city still had it’s own day/night cycle.

Sea creatures of all kinds were everywhere, and many lived in the very same structures used by the merfolk. It was amazing being able to see the city from both within and above. They didn’t really use money down here. Everything was simply provided. For the true merfolk, they did something for the community, such as raising schools of fish for various purposes, growing some kind of plant that might be used for lighting, or food or breaking down waste, or some other service.

As we lived in the city for awhile, getting used to its people and its culture, we had lots of fun. Every day was just… so comfortable and enjoyable. Eventually we did have sex with each other. Even Lilah, with her incredibly outgoing nature, wanted to get used to her body before trying anything. When we did finally do it, the experience was unusual because of the different parts. It was leagues better than what I was used to, but that was because I didn’t hate this body at all, not because it wasn’t human. It was also that same day that I stopped wearing my bra for good.

As time passed, there were various events in the city. One was based on an annual harvest of a particularly delicious plant. Another celebrated the merfolk who founded the city. My favorite thing that happened was this grand underwater ballet involving dozens of brightly decorated merfolk.

When both Lilah and I stopped feeling the energy, we went to an air pocket to see what we looked like. It was actually a little underwhelming because the only difference from what we’d been seeing every day were legs instead of a tail, and we already knew what legs looked like. We couldn’t even leave the room. Still, it was fun, but we wanted to get back into the water pretty quickly.

As the year passed, we made a lot of friends, both locals and guests. Lilah helped me socialize of course, but because I was actually myself now I found it to be a lot easier.

Crab Day was only a few days away. I woke up on our shared sponge bed, before my girlfriend for once, and laid there in silence. When she woke up she saw that I was thinking deeply about something.

“What’s wrong dear?” she asked with care.

“I’m not sure I want to leave.”

“Hmm. I’ve been thinking about the same, actually.”

“Have you decided?” I was worried I wouldn’t see her again.

“Not completely sure yet, but I’m definitely leaning toward staying.”

“Me too. But I think... I want to spend one last year on the surface. If we stay we can’t leave, you know? I have people who at least deserve a goodbye from me.”

“I’m not exactly in the same situation in regard to people from my life. But if you’re with me, I think I could handle one last year up there.”

“Of course I’ll be there for you! This last year has been amazing and you’ve helped me through so much. If you need help dealing with one last year up there, then I’ll do everything I can for you.”

She smiled that beautiful smile of hers. “Okay. One last year with a dumb pair of legs.”

I pulled her close to me and kissed her. “I love you so much. Thank you, sweetie.”

The Crab was making its way to the city. No one knew what it did when it wasn’t transporting people to and from the surface. Somehow, despite its gargantuan size, it had proven impossible to follow. The water vibrated as it settled in. Nearly everyone who came down was going back up. While most people enjoyed their Crab Year, they considered it more of a long vacation than a place to spend the rest of their lives. We donned our tunics again for the first time in many months. The seats were a little awkward because of our tails, and I realized that the handles were more for the way up than the way down.

A crowd of merfolk saw us off and we started the journey back up. The water became brighter and brighter as we began to see sunlight for the first time in a year. We breached the surface and the odd feeling of having legs again was back. A huge crowd of people in bright colors were there for us and cheering wildly. The Crab settled, and after waiting awhile for our turn to get off, we were back on land.

We found our watermelon-colored counterparts and bestowed our necklaces to them. I was surprised to see my cousin in the crowd. I hadn’t seen them in a long time. They had no idea who I was because of my change in appearance so I had a little fun teasing them.

The following year was okay. Lilah and I gave most of my stuff to my family. I only met a member of her family once and they were… not so great. I easily understood why she was so eager to get back into the ocean. When the time came for me to leave for good my family was upset to see me go, but ultimately understood that I had found somewhere I belonged. They appreciated that I came back to say goodbye at least.

It took forever, but at long last we were saying goodbye to our legs for good. Our identification bracelets indicated that we were returnees, meaning we were immediately eligible to become true merfolk. Our new residence was larger than our last one, with a couple more rooms. It had a field in the back where we tended to a large garden, growing a variety of food.

Several years went by, guests came and went, and we eventually added a third to our relationship. I became a participant in the dance that had entranced me during that first year, which was so much fun. As I danced above the city I could see my wives and children watching. In that moment I truly felt complete.