As it started to become later in the evening the group of Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Juvia divided into two separate groups that went into different directions. Gray and Juvia had wandered off over to a nearby lake where the rested under a tree.

"It sure is peaceful out here." She said.

"Yeah, much better than that noisy market place." He glanced down at Juvia's feet and noticed that they were bleeding. "Juvia you're bleeding!"

"What? Oh..." She sighed looking down. "I guess I kind of over did it with the dancing."

"Here, let me help." He grabbed a cloth from inside his shirt then with great care removed Juvia's shoes and proceeded to gently wipe away the blood from her feet. "What was I thinking making you dance like that? You're already suffering enough just by walking."

"Oh no. It was wonderful." She said. "I wish we had dancing back where I'm from. It would definitely make things more exciting."

As he wiped her feet she looked over at the sun setting over the horizon. It was a lovely sight and she wondered how much more lovely it would look if she got a little closer.

"Gray."

"Yes?"

"Would it be took risky for me to go into the lake? It's just that I want to be a little closer to the sunset and there doesn't seem to be anyone here for miles."

"I don't know." He said. "We may be the only people here but anyone could walk by and if they saw you with fins there would be trouble."

He looked to see a discarded but simple little boat just off the side of the lake.

"I've got an idea." He smiled.

After checking the boat for holes and making sure that it was good condition, he and Juvia got into the boat for a ride on the lake.

"You're not scared are you?" She asked.

"Oddly enough...No I'm not." He said rowing the boat. "Then again a lake isn't as deep or out of control as the ocean."

"Not to mention there's so much to see above the water."

Indeed there was. There were lily pads floating, fire flies flying all around, ducks, geese, and swans swimming across the lake's surface, the wind was blowing through the trees, and apple blossoms were full in bloom. Juvia pulled out some leftover bread from dinner and started to feed bits of it to the ducks, geese, and swans.

"I've never seen birds like these before." She said. "What are they called?"

"Well the ones with the shorter necks are ducks, the ones with the longer necks and orange beaks are geese, and the ones with longest necks and the black on their beaks are swans." Gray told her.

"The ducks and geese are kind of funny looking but the swans are very beautiful."

Gray couldn't help but chuckle a little at her words because he thought that about her and her sisters. When he first saw the mermaids he thought they were strange looking like the ducks and geese but then he saw her and he thought she was beautiful like the swans. She was a swan among ducks and geese.

"What's so funny?" She asked after hearing him chuckle.

"Nothing." He said. "Just remembered something funny from awhile ago."

"Okay." She smiled. "You know I listen to that music box every night before I go to sleep."

"Really?"

"Yes, it's just so wonderful. Thank you for letting me use it while I'm on the ship."

"Not a problem."

"But don't you ever miss listening to it?"

"Actually sometimes I have a hard time listening to it because it reminds me of my life before I became a pirate. You know when my family was...Still alive."

She gently grasped his hand.

"I saw how happy you were with your family... It's an absolute sin that, that monster took them away from you. I wish I could bring them back."

"It's alright...I mean they're in a better place so I shouldn't be too sad."

"Still it's okay to be sad about them being gone."

"Look I don't really wanna spend my night off talking about sad things. We should enjoy this break while we can because tomorrow we set sail for Tendrou Island and we get that key built."

"Listen Gray there's... There's something I have neglected to tell you and the others."

"What's that?"

"You said that you needed a mermaid's tear to make the key?"

"Yes."

"Well I...I can't cry."

"What do you mean you can't cry?"

"I mean I can't. I never have and neither have any of my sisters."

"Haven't you ever been sad before?"

"Yes but a mermaid has no tears and therefore she suffers so much more."

"If that's true then why didn't say anything earlier?"

"I was afraid to. I was scared that if you all found out I couldn't give you tears you would kill me. I assumed that you all wouldn't be able to get the other items and that you'd give up on the key then let me go but now that you have all the pieces I...I don't know what to do."

"Now calm down. Look, we're not those kind of pirates okay? We're not going to hurt you. We'll...We'll work something out."

"I'm sorry. I would give you a tear if I could but I can't. At least I don't think so, I mean I could try but I really don't think it's possible."

"Let's not talk about it right now. We'll worry about it when the time comes and I promise you that no matter what the outcome is, I won't let anyone hurt you."

She looked at him amazed, she was so relieved that he wasn't angry with her.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Why are you so kind to me? I'm not even a real human woman but you treat me as you would any woman."

"Well for one thing you've saved my life twice so being mean to you would be uncalled for and pretty ungrateful. And you may not be a real human being but you act like one, you have human feelings and emotions, and you've got legs."

"But that doesn't matter, I'll never be fully human until I earn an immortal soul."

"You can earn a soul?"

"Yes. It's possible."

"Really? How does that work?"

"I can't tell you."

Truth be told, it wasn't that she couldn't tell him it was that she didn't want him to love her out of pity. He was a very kind young man and she feared that if he knew how she could earn a soul then he would give her his love but only to keep her from turning to sea foam. She didn't want him to feel obligated to love her. She wanted his love to be genuine.

"Why can't you tell me?" He asked.

"I just can't. It's complicated."

Her sad but elegant blue eyes drifted toward the lake's surface as the wind blew through her hair. She truly was the loveliest thing he had ever seen and before he knew it he was leaning in a little closer to her.

"I'd something wrong?" She asked noticing how much closer he was coming.

"No. No it's...Just...Your hair."

"What about it? Is it caught in my wreath?"

"No the wind just blew a little of it into your face. Here, I'll fix it if you don't mind."

"No not at all."

Using his finger, he brushed that little strand of hair that had fallen into her face.

"There...All better."

In that moment their eyes became connected and he continued to get closer. Juvia wasn't sure what was happening but she found herself closing her eyes and leaning in also. Gray's eyes were half lidded and he kept getting closer until at last their lips met. It was a kiss, a type of kiss that was foreign to Juvia. The kisses she had given were to help others and nothing more but there was something so different about this kiss. It gave her a warm feeling in her heart, was this what Lucy meant by giving kisses that meant love?

Her lips were like two rose petals. So soft and delicate, Gray had never touched anything so soft. He was pretty sure that these lips were softer than downy feathers or a butterfly's wings. But it wasn't long before logic overcame emotion and he realized what he was doing. All too soon at least for Juvia's liking, he broke away from her.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I didn't...I mean I...I."

"It's okay but why did you do that?" She asked. "Were you doing that to get help or was it-"

"Yes! It was for help! I...I was scared that I might accidentally fall off the boat so I kissed you so I would be able to breathe under water should that happen! Yeah that's it!"

"Oh...I see..." She said feeling disappointed. "And there was no other reason for kissing me other than that?"

"Nope. Wow it's late! We better get back to the ship!"

As he rowed back to land Gray couldn't help but wonder what happened to him back there. Why did he kiss her? What had come over him? Was it the heat of the moment? Or was he actually falling in love with a mermaid? No. No that wasn't possible. How could he be in love with a mermaid? They weren't even the same species. It was crazy. Crazy but true.