At six o'clock Lucy, Juvia, and Erza went to the beach together and walked along the shore, however they were careful to make sure that they didn't touch any wet sand or rising water that came toward them each time a wave crashed. During the walk Lucy brought up the legend that Sonya told them about in class.

"So you think that legend might explain why we became mermaids?" Juvia asked.

"Think about the moon, the sea, an island with a pool, and three women who are all connected to them. You can't tell me that's just a coincidence." Lucy said.

"Maybe but how does it all fit together?" Erza asked. "I get what you're saying but it doesn't exactly explain in detail how it effected us or if it even actually happened."

"I think it happened." Juvia said. "After all we never thought mermaids were real yet low and behold we ended up getting turned into mermaids. So I've reached a point in my life where I'll pretty much believe anything no matter how far fetched it is."

"Do you think Anna might know about this?" Erza asked.

"It's possible." Lucy said. "She was mermaid before us and she knew a lot of things we didn't know. Maybe she can't set us straight on the legend."

"Then let's go talk to her tomorrow." Erza said.

"We can't. She left on a trip to study the mating ritual of dolphins. Won't be back til next week."

"Then we'll talk to her when she gets back."

Erza glanced over to the side and saw Natsu just coming back from surfing which meant that now she had to commence phase three of the plan.

"Hey I think Juvia is getting a little dehydrated." Erza said.

"I am?" Erza nudged the bluenette to remind her of what they were doing. "Oh yeah! I am getting really thirsty. I should probably go get a drink."

"But you left your wallet at home." Erza said. "Don't worry I'll pay."

"You know I'm getting a little parched myself." Lucy said. "Let's go grab some smoothies."

"Okay we'll bring you one." Erza said. "You just stay here."

"Why?"

"Because we want to get you a surprise flavor."

"What?"

"You'll find that a smoothie is much more delicious to drink of you don't know what the flavor is. That's why surprises are so much more fun and exciting."

"Huh?"

"We'll be back."

Erza quickly ushered Juvia back down the direction in which they came in.

"A surprise flavor?" Juvia said to the red head. "That's the best you could come up with? We might as well of just told her the truth."

"Give me a break. This isn't as easy as I make it look."

Lucy watched them in confusion, wondering what in the world had gotten into those two? But before she could ponder on the subject any further she heard Natsu call it out to her.

"Hi Lucy."

When she saw him she felt herself start to panic internally.

"Why is he here?" She thought. "Oh wait! Duh! It's the beach, he's a surfer, of course he would be here. But why is he walking up to me? What was happening? Why haven't said anything to him yet? Say hi back stupid."

"Hi back stupid!" She said spontaneously. She quickly covered her mouth in embarrassment and prayed that he didn't hear her.

"What was that Lucy?" He asked once he got closer to her. "I got water in my ears so I couldn't hear ya."

"I said hi. Hello. How are you?" She was getting flustered.

"I'm fine." He said. "I'm really glad to see you."

"Really? That's nice." Oh how she wished that she could just run away and hide right now. "So whatcha doin? Am I bothering you? So sorry! I'll just leave!"

"Wait! Don't go!" He briefly panicked but then quickly calmed down. "I was just taking a break and catching a few waves before getting back to my project."

"Project? You mean the report for Miss Stellar's class?"

"No. Right now I'm trying to build and design my own surf board."

"You are?"

"Yeah I already got the right material and made the design but there's so much more I gotta do."

"Well I don't want to keep you from your project. I'll go-"

"Actually I do need some help. I don't need much, just someone to hand me the tools I need and I like to have someone to talk to when I'm working. Would you mind helping me?"

"I wouldn't but you see I was out with my friends and-" However before she could finished she spotted Erza and Juvia from a distance, using hand signals to urge her to accept. At once she realized she had been set up and had Natsu not been standing there she would have gone completely red in the face. "On second thought I just remembered my friends are suddenly really busy at the moment."

"Bummer. Don't you just hate it when plans suddenly change?"

"Yes. I also hate it when I'm deceived and tricked!" She shouted so that the two girls could hear her.

"Uh...Okay." He said. "So does that mean you'll be my assistant for the evening?"

"Sure."

Together they walked back to his house and went into his garage where he had all his surf making tools laid out along the wood material he had picked out.

"You're making it from wood?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah I know, wood isheavier and more expensive but it's also stronger and faster in the water. Stronger and faster are two things I need for the annual surf competition at the First Splash."

"Oh right. You've been trying to sign up for that competition every year."

"Yeah but they've never allowed me to participate due to my age. You have to be sixteen and up to enter because the time of the competition is when the waves are the most rough. Now I'm sixteen which means I can enter."

"That's great but quick question, why are you making a new surf board instead of just buying one?"

"Because that's what my brother did when he entered the competition and he won."

"I didn't know Zeref made surf boards."

"He made a new surf board for every competition he entered. He always said that by building your surf board you could really understand and know what you could do with it. That's why he always won."

Zeref Dragneel, Natsu's older brother and Magnolia's most famous professional surfer. He won Magnolia's surf competition followed by many other competitions he entered and when he wasn't training for another contest, he was teaching his surfing methods to his little brother. He not only taught him how to surf but how to make his own surf board and how to recognize certain wave formations. There was no one in Magnolia more gifted in surfing than Zeref.

The last contest that he won was going to send him to the state championship but on his last day in Magnolia before leaving, Natsu had been surfing late even though his parents had told him repeatedly to get out of the water while it was still light out. When it got dark he was still out there and he was attacked by a shark. Zeref managed to rescue him but the shark bit his leg and it caused a sudden lethal infection that killed him before anything could be done.

Natsu blamed himself for the whole tragedy and ever since then he had made it his life goal to win the state championship in honor of his brother. He felt that becoming a surfer was the best way to keep Zeref's memory alive and maybe atone for his mistake.

"Can you hand me a tape ruler please, I need to make some measurements." He asked her.

She handed him the tape ruler from his work bench and he proceeded to measure the wood. After that he began to make the stringer.

"Are you nervous about the contest?" She asked him.

"Not really. I've been preparing for this for years. When the time comes I'm going to be ready and I'm going to win."

"I believe you will." She said. "You know I'm pretty sure that making a board costs a lot of money. If you need any help I could always-"

"Money is no problem. I've been saving up to buy everything I need for this. All I need is just somebody to talk to."

"I can do that." She said.

"I'm glad."

He smiled, she smiled back, and together they talked while working on the board.