The day passed by so quickly that before she knew it, it was dusk. The feeling that had been driving her to stay this morning intensified as the night drew near. It was if something had wrap chains around her entire being and was now trying to drag to Star Lake with a team of stallions. She couldn't fight the sensation much longer, otherwise she would go mad.

The moment she was sure that Howl and Michael were asleep, she was out the door heading to Star Lake.

It was a exceptionally beautiful night. Thousands of stars were over head with the full moon shining. The lake of so calm and clear that it appeared as if Sophie was in space surrounded by stars.

It was even better once she was in the lake. The moonlight glistening on here scales making them shine like jewels.

As she swam in the lake, she still felt restless. She began to swim around in circles around the moon's reflection. She couldn't figure out why she felt this way. What was she waiting for?

She got her answer soon enough as she swam closer to the center of the moon's reflection. Just as she thought she was going to lose her mind. She was suddenly encased within a ball of light.

Every cell in her entire being fell as if it was supercharged. It was both painful and empowering all at the same time.

Before her eyes she saw the entire universe. All the stars and planets as they traveled through space and time. Galaxy after galaxy she saw until she came to see herself still within the ball of light.

She then felt as if she was she was pure water. That she was truly one with the lake, with all the oceans in all the world.

Then as quickly as the sensations took over her. They ended.

Sophie opened her eyes to see everything was the same. It was if nothing had happened. The moon still shined and the lake was still as calm as ever.

"What was that all about?"

She looked in the water to trying to see her reflection and her tail. To see if anything has happen to her after the mind blowing experience.

Her scales her still sapphire blue, if a bit more glossy and shiny. Her hair was still moonshine silver and her eyes were still blue.

She didn't think anything about her had changed, until she got a good look at her right arm.

'When did I get a tattoo?' she thought as she stared at the now present markings on her arm.

The so called tattoo was shaped like some sort of tribal crescent moon. The markings were a dark silver blue color that stood out on her cream colored skin.

She couldn't believe that a tattoo was the only thing that she could take away from that mind shattering experience. At least that painful feeling of restlessness was finally gone.

Sophie started to towards the edge of the lake to get back to the castle. Once there she grasped a rock to try and haul herself out.

She was halfway out when a pale, ringed hand appeared on top of her own.

'Oh Please No!'

Sophie stared at the hand that grasped her own before raising her eyes to see its owner.

Unknown to Sophie, Howl had woken up when he felt a surge of powerful magic. Thanks to the strength he recovered from drinking Sophie's potion, he was able to get out of bed and put a dressing robe on as he made his way to see what was happening outside through the window.

Howl's jaw dropped as he gazed through the window to behold the most beautiful creature he has ever seen. A Mermaid! Howl had heard of such creatures but had never seen one, he didn't think that they existed.

Yet here she was. Even in the dark he could her startling beauty. He had to get closer to her.

He tried to run down the stairs as fast as his weakened state would allow him. He flung open the door and rushed out to her.

Almost as if she was waiting for him. She lingered by the shore as he reached out to take hold of her hand.

She was absolutely gorgeous in the moonlight. Her eyes shining like sapphires her hair like silver. Her face... became fuzzy as what was left of Howl's energy was completely spent, he couldn't stay awake much longer.

Sophie was both surprised and relieved when Howl closed his eyes and fell over in a dead faint. Well maybe not surprised, she had a feeling that he would still have to remain in bed for a few days.

After making sure Howl was really out cold, Sophie dried off and slipped her robe on before carrying him back inside.

When Howl awoke the next morning he felt as if he had been drinking have the night and was now suffering from a wicked hangover. He looked over to his nightstand and saw that Sophie left a glass of water there for him.

When he tried to sit up and reach for it, he found that he couldn't. He struggled to remove the covers to see why and saw that he was wearing a STRAIGHTJACKET?

"So, you're awake?"

Howl's eyes shot up to see Sophie walking through the door carrying a glass of her magic (liver) potion.

"You gave me and Luna quite a fright charging out of the house last night. You're fever came back making you delusional. You ran out to the last shouting something about a mermaid." Sophie said quite bluntly as she set aside her tray on the night stand.

Howl stared at her in astonishment at her statement. He remembered what he saw last night and knew that it was too real to be an illusion. There was no way he was imaginative enough to create the image of absolute beauty itself.

"I was not delusional. I really did see a mermaid, and what in heavens name am I doing in a straight jacket?" Howl shouted as his astonishment turned into anger.

"I did promise you, didn't I?" replied Sophie calmly. "That if you got out of bed for reasons other than the bathroom before I said you could a would chain you to your bed for a month. You should be grateful that I decided that you'll only be stuck in it for a week instead."

"Oh really, I suppose I should be grateful that you used a straight jacket instead of chains as well. Right!" Howl retorted.

"Of course. After the humiliation I have suffered last night, it would have served right if I had put you in chains."

"HUMILIATION! WHAT HUMILIATION COULD YOU HAVE POSSIBLE ENDURED?"

"Seeing you run through the house in your birthday suit and receiving a good view of your bare bottom for starters!"

Howl's shut his mouth and turned a embarrassing shade of red at hearing that. He thought he had put his bathrobe on before running out to the lake. Apparently he had not.

"Now then, if you are done with your ranting. You have a potion that I would like you drink before you go back to sleep." Sophie simply stated before putting the glass to Howl's lips.

Howl was still to stunted with embarrassment to realize he was drinking the potion until he finished drinking it and he tasted it's aftertaste.

Howl could only watch as Sophie tucked him under his covers and left the room.

'She couldn't have been serious about chaining him in bed for a week!' thought Howl.

'She had to have been joking!'