At that moment the tavern door blew open, a foggy mist filled the room. All eyes turned to see a mysterious and attractive woman enter the room. She had long light brown hair with the ends tied. Her eyes were olive green and her skin was a deep tan. She wore a black corset, a long purple skirt, and an orange cape while around her neck hung an amulet that resembled a fox tail.

All the men in the tavern except Adrien and his crew were amazed by her. They bowed and kneeled before the woman. Some of them laid on the floor for her to walk on their backs. She looked over and winked right at him. Adrien scoffed and rolled his eyes. She smiled and began to walk over to him while stepping on the backs of her other admirers. Her name was Lila. Years ago back when he and his crew were doing business in a Singapore she worked as an illusionist and tried to pick pocket him but he saw right through her and was impressed. The two of them had started a relationship which she had hoped would lead to marriage but Adrien wasn't one for being tied down so when she got too close he and his crew sailed out of Singapore as fast as the tide however she had never let it go and was convinced that the two of them were meant to be.

"Hello Captain." She said. "Miss me?"

"Lila, what the hell are you doing here?" Adrien asked annoyed. "Shouldn't you be ripping someone off back in Singapore?"

"I got bored and found a little magic which is the best thing that's ever happened to me by the way."

"Oh yeah I heard about that, I heard you sold a man's heart to obtain it."

"Well you know how the world is." She said tiptoeing her fingers up his chest. "Sacrifices have to be made."

He pushed her hand down. "Excuse me but I need to look for someone, so why don't you flaunt your new power around the men you're using as doormats instead of me?"

With that he left, she only smiled and held her amulet. "I love it when they play hard to get."

...

Marinette liked the dress and fabric shop, it had so many beautiful dresses and gowns. There were also so many fabrics, threads, ribbons, and lace. Everyone looked at her quite strangely, some of them stared at her because of her incredible beauty others stared because of how different she was. She wondered around the shop wide eyed and curious about everything.

"You would look pretty in this." Marinette said holding up an aqua colored dress to Alix.

"Oh no. I don't do dresses." Alix objected.

"Just try it on." She insisted.

"Alright fine." She took the dress and tried it on in the dressing room. It was a perfect fit. She had also taken off her bandanna which allowed her hair to hang down. She actually looked pretty, Alix decided to buy the dress and wear it. Just for today. As the two walked back to the tavern Alix gained the attention of several men.

"Hey baby!" A dirty man called to Alix. "Wanna be with a real man?"

She threw him into the ocean. "Yeah, let me know when you see one."

Marinette laughed. When they got back to the tavern, the crew were amazed by how Alix looked. They never thought they'd see the day she would wear a dress.

"Who are you and what have you done with Alix?" Kim asked.

"Kim it's me you dunce!" She said.

Marinette couldn't resist giggling when she saw how surprised the men were. She went outside to the docks and saw a nearby beach. She walked down to the shore, took off her shoes, and stuck her feet in the cool water. Oh how she missed the sea, her home, her underwater garden, and her dear friends. Suddenly four women rose from the surface and swam toward her. Marinette was thrilled to see her friends again, she gave them a big smile. Alya swam closer and the two hugged.

"I have missed you all so much." She said.

Alya backed away and looked down at Marinette's legs. "So it's true." She sighed. "You have become human."

"Yes but only temporary. I'll turn back eventually."

"What's it like with the humans?" Mylene asked. "Are they cruel?"

"No they're actually a lot kinder than I thought."

"Marinette please come back to us." Rose pleaded.

"I can't. Not now, but I can assure you all once I get my tail back I'll come home as soon as I can."

"Take this." Mylene said handing her a conch shell.

"Whenever you need us just blow into it." Juleka said.

"Thank you."

"Marinette?"

The other mermaids swam away as Adrien ran down to where she was.

"There you are." He said. "What are you doing?"

"Just enjoying the sea." She sighed. Her eyes looked out at the horizon, longing to see the life beneath the ocean waves. Adrien gently took her hand and walked closer to her, her back was against his chest making both their hearts skip a beat.

"Why did you let me live that day?" He asked her.

"I honestly don't know. Maybe it was because you remind me of someone I knew once."

"Who?"

"Well I didn't exactly know him it was more like a brief encounter. I was about ten years old, we were migrating to a warmer lagoon when I spotted my first ship, I wanted to get a better look so I strayed from the pod to the ship." She said. "There was a boy, a boy with eyes like yours who jumped into the water. He looked like he couldn't swim so I held him giving him the ability to breathe."

Adrien looked at her nervously as memory began to replay in his mind. He felt familiarity wash over him as he listened to her words.

"Did you speak to him?"

"Yes I asked him if he wanted to be my friend and he nodded then he was pulled away from me by other humans."

"That was real?" He said. "That was you?!"

"I'm sorry."

"That was me! At least I think so. I jumped into the sea when I was kid and I could've sworn I saw a little girl with me. That was you! I knew she was real! I knew it wasn't a hallucination!" He said. "Wait a minute, was that also you who saved me a couple nights ago?"

"What do you mean?"

"A few nights ago while I was trying to catch a mermaid a storm just came out of nowhere. I got thrown overboard and was knocked out. Someone saved me...The last thing I remember seeing were a pair of blue eyes." He said looking up into Marinette's eyes. "These beautiful eyes that were as calm and deep as the ocean itself, your eyes!"

"That was you? You were the little boy and the man I saved?" She then blushed when she remembered something. "Why did you kiss me?"

"Beg your pardon?"

"You kissed me. Why?"

It took him a minute but soon it all came back to him. He's entire face turned blood red.

"Oh...I...I...I was feverish! Delusional! I didn't know what I was doing."

"Well that was the first time a man had ever kissed me, weather he was a human or a merman."

"Really? Did you like it?"

"Did you?"

"Um...I think I hear Nino calling. Let's go."

He then hurried off leaving her alone on the beach. Both his heart and hers were flying like the sea gulls over the horizon. What was this feeling? Why were they feeling so flustered and nervous? Were they getting sick? They hoped not. But they were getting sick. Love sick that is.