Lucy couldn't sleep a wink that night. She was too busy thinking about what her aunt had said and was worried that she knew her secret. And if she did how did she find out? She had just come here right? She had always been so careful not to get wet in front of other people. Careful not to let anyone see her when she had a tail. Did she slip up? Did Anna get a glimpse of her swimming one day without her knowing? If she did then this was bad. Very bad.

In the morning she didn't eat much at breakfast and when she went walking with Anna she barely said a word. What should say? What could she say? How could she find out if Anna knew her secret without revealing her secret? Also how come her mother never mentioned her once? Her father not mentioning her she understood. He never talked about people he didn't like but why would her mother not say anything?

"Is everything alright dear?" Anna asked her.

"Everything's fine but can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Last night what did you mean by three who keep a secret?"

"I was referring to me and my friends."

"Friends?"

"Yes. There were three of us and we shared the same secret with each other which we always kept."

"Oh I see." Lucy sighed in relief.

"Just like how you and your two friends share the same secret."

Lucy's eyes went wide in panic again.

"Aunt Anna."

"Yes?"

"Do you know something?"

"I know a lot of things."

"No what I mean is do you know...About the secret about me and my friends?"

"Let me answer that with a question of my own. Has your friend Juvia mentioned speaking with a mysterious woman? One who gives her warnings about the full moon?"

"Yes how did you know that? And how do you know Juvia?"

"Because I am that woman." Anna smiled.

"That was you?"

"Yes."

"You know don't you?"

"I think we should discuss this with your friends in a more private area. Like my boat, why don't you call them over? I have tea and cookies."

She didn't have to bribe the girls with sweets because as soon as Lucy told them that her aunt was the woman who had been giving Juvia the warnings, the read head and bluenette immediately went over to meet Lucy on the docks. The three of them were then escorted onto Anna's boat. It was one of those live in boats that sailors and travelers stayed in.

"I do hope you girls like tea cakes there my favorite cookies." Anna said putting a tray of them on to the table where the girls sat.

"They're fine thank you." Juvia said.

"So you're the lady who's been telling us about the full moon?" Erza asked.

"Yes I am. Tell me have you been heeding my warnings?"

"We've tried to." Juvia said.

"I understand, it's not easy to avoid moonlight. Would any of you like some milk with your tea?"

"No thank you." They said.

"Aunt Anna now that we're alone we don't have to tip-toe around the subject anymore." Lucy said. "You know that we're mermaids don't you?"

Anna looked down her cup of tea and took a quiet sip before answering.

"Yes I do."

"But how did you know?"

"I recognized the signs."

"What signs?"

"The signs I saw on Juvia. When I saw her working at the marine park I noticed how she did everything she could not to get wet. No person is that desperate to stay dry in public unless they have a tail that'll sprout once they touch water."

"Still there's no way mermaid was the first thing that popped into your head when you saw that." Erza said. "If that were true then everybody who saw Juvia that day would know she was a mermaid."

"And even if that is how you figured it out, how did you know Erza and Lucy were mermaids too?" Juvia said.

"Because I've been through all this before." Anna said.

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked.

Anna took off her locket and handed it to Lucy.

"Look at the picture inside."

Lucy opened up the locket and the girls looked at the miniature picture inside. It was of three teenage girls: One had blonde hair, one had dark purple hair, and the third had light brown hair and all three of them had fish tails. The blonde had an orange tail like Lucy, the dark haired one had a purple tail like Juvia, and the brunette had a red tail like Erza.

"You three aren't the first girls that Tendrou Island turned into mermaids." Anna said.

"You mean you're a mermaid?" Lucy guessed.

"I was a mermaid." Anna corrected. "It was a very longtime ago."

"Who were the other two?" Juvia asked.

"They were my best friends in the whole world. We were like sisters and we were always together."

"What were there names?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that. I promised if I ever told anyone about this I would keep them anonymous. You understand?"

"Sure." Lucy said. "Can you tell us how it happened?"

Anna sighed as she thought back to many years ago, when she was a young and carefree teenager. It was bittersweet for her because all those the memories were happy it made her sad.

"I was your age when it happened Lucy." Anna began. "Me and my friends decided to have our own private beach party at Tendrou Island. In the evening my more high spirited friend, the brunette with the red tail thought it would be fun to explore the island. Back then I had a huge fear of bugs, snakes, and things like that so I wasn't too keen on the idea but I ended up going with them. That's when we fell down that hole that led us to the moon pool. We went for a swim in the pool just as the full moon was rising over the volcano. The next day we had tails."

"I bet that was a pretty big shock." Lucy said.

"Yes it was. We were so scared when it first happened but it was a blessing in disguise. We shared the secret, we shared the adventure, and it brought us closer together then we had ever been. We could always rely on each other and our bond seemed unbreakable."

"Did you ever tell anyone?"

"The only person I trusted with my secret was your mother."

"Mom knew about this?"

"Over years as I became more secretive, Layla began to worry for me as all sisters do so one day when we were alone she pleaded with me to tell her what was going on. At first I tried to avoid telling her the best I could but if there was one person I trusted more than my friends it was my big sister so I told her everything. Well not everything...I only told her that I was a mermaid. I didn't tell her about my friends until I had their permission."

"How did she react?"

"At first she was very scared, scared for me. Scared that something terrible was happening to me. She was afraid that I was going to get really sick or something like that. She wanted to tell our parents and take me to a doctor but I managed to convince her that nothing bad was going to happen to me and in the end she promised to keep my secret."

"And Mom never told anyone?"

"She took the secret to her grave. That's why she didn't mention me that much when she was still alive. We didn't always see eye to eye but Layla could always be trusted and I'll forever be grateful to her for that."

"What about your friends?" Juvia asked. "Did they ever tell anyone?"

"Not really but keeping the secret was very hard on them, especially my more timid friend. It was hard on all of us but I think she took it the hardest."

"Is she the one with the dark hair?"

"Yes she is. She was always so very shy and nervous but one of the kindest people I ever knew. Much like you Juvia."

"Really?"

"Yes which is why I think it's very fitting that you wear her locket."

Juvia looked down at the pendent around her neck.

"Oh this was hers? If you want it I'll gladly give it to you."

"No. I have my own thank you and she..." Layla looked down at her hands sadly. "She threw hers away."

"Why?"

"She...She just couldn't take it anymore and eventually neither could I or my other friend. The burden became too great and we had to give it up."

The girls looked at her, surprised by her words.

"You can do that?" Juvia asked.

"How?" Lucy asked.

"Perhaps that should be saved for another time. I really don't like to think about that moment because that's when everything fell apart."

"What do you mean?"

Anna gently took Lucy by the hand and gave the girls a very sincere smile.

"You three have no idea how lucky you are to have each other. The burden you carry is too great to carry alone. Hold on to that and appreciate it, don't make the same mistakes that my friends and I made."

"Anna where are your friends now?" Erza said.

"I don't know. I haven't seen them in fifteen years but I miss them so much and not a day goes by when I don't think about them."

"We could help you find them, if you want?" Lucy suggested.

"No. As much as I would love to see them again I want to respect their wishes. They wanted to go their separate ways and at the time so did I."

Just then Lucy's cellphone rang. It was her father calling.

"Hi Dad what's up...We're just at the docks...Uh-huh...Okay we're on our way." She said. "Dad wants us home Aunt Anna."

"May I speak with him please?" Lucy handed Anna the phone. "Hello Jude? Yes we will be coming back but first I would like to stop and get some groceries...Because I'm going to cook dinner...Yes I know you have people who do that but I like to cook...For the last time Jude I'm not a vegan. Just because I like to travel doesn't mean I'm a hippie...I'll see you tonight. Goodbye."

She hung up.

"Ooo...What Layla ever saw in that man I'll never know."

The girls giggled at her comment.

"If you don't mind me asking, why are things so tense between you and my dad?" Lucy said.

"Oh we were bitter enemies as teenagers he thought I was crazy and I knew he was an arrogant rich jerk. He once told the entire school we were attending that I was practicing witchcraft."

"Dad was a bully?"

"Yep but he wasn't as bad as some and he changed after he fell in love with your mother. Fifteen years later, we got older, became more mature, and he still thinks I'm crazy and I know he's still an arrogant rich jerk."

"Rich kids." Erza said. "They are such a huge pain."

"Hey!" Lucy said insulted.

"Oh no offense Lucy."

"How is that not offensive. You know just because someone's rich it doesn't mean they're automatically mean."

"I know. I'm sorry. Sometimes I talk before I think."

"No kidding."

"Now, now don't argue." Anna said. "Would you ladies like to help me cook dinner tonight?"

"Sounds fun." Juvia said.

"We'd love to." Lucy said.

"Wonderful. In that case we better get to the market before all the best ingredients are bought up."