That night, Mermando watched from his bedroom window as Mabel played with Waddles. Mabel then caught Mermando looking at her and waved with a smile. Mermando shyly waved back and went inside. Soos was there too.

"This has got to be, without a doubt, the single most humiliating day of my life." Soos frowned.

Mermando just patted Soos on the head.

"I hope you appreciate what I go through for you young man." Soos then scolded.

Mermando just sat on his bed and was a little caught off-guard by how soft it was. Grinning, he flopped onto the bed and stretched out.

"Now, we've got to make a plan to get that girl to kiss you." Soos said. "Tomorrow, when he takes you for that ride, you gotta look your best. You gotta give her a flirting look like this, you gotta pucker your lips like this-"

Soos stopped upon noticing that Mermando was happily asleep with the covers over him. He couldn't help but smile affectionately at him before blowing the candle out.

"You are hopeless child, you know that?" He said. "Completely hopeless."

He then skittered into Wendy's room to check on her. She was already in bed but she wasn't asleep. Instead she was gazing at the ceiling lost in thought.

"Wendy?" Soos said.

Wendy turned and saw Soos there.

"Worried about Mermando?" Soos guessed.

Wendy shook her head.

"Oh...wait, is this about the young prince?" Soos guessed.

Wendy bit her lip and nodded.

"I see...are you starting to develop feelings for him?"

Wendy looked away.

"Hm..." Soos wasn't sure what to make of that. "Well if you are...from what I've seen he is a polite young man. I know you are afraid of humans but I think you can trust that one. Give him a chance."

Wendy didn't turn around or anything. Soos assumed that she didn't want to 'talk' about it anymore so he went over to blow out her candle. He then went back to Mermando and slept on his bed. Even though he liked both Mermando and Wendy he knew everything relied on Mermando ending up with Mabel and so decided to pay more attention to them instead of Dipper and Wendy.

Under the ocean, Nereido and Wendy's father Dan had ordered multiple search parties. Dan was part of the search party while Nereido stayed behind in case one of the search parties returned with good news. Dan showed up.

"Any sign of them old friend?" Nereido asked.

"I'm afraid not, there's no sign of Mermando, Wendy, or even Soos anywhere." Dan sighed. "Why did you have to lose your temper with your trident?"

"I don't know I just...I was just hurt and scared I guess." Nereido sighed. "I wanted to keep Mermando from getting hurt but instead...instead I just made things worse."

"Well I wouldn't worry too much about them." Dan said comfortingly. "Wendy knows how to survive far from civilization and Soos is with them. Even though he can be a worrywart at times he does know the right decisions to make. The only thing you have to worry about is if your son will ever forgive you."

"That is what I'm worried about...I trust your daughter and Soos so I know he's safe it's just..." Nereido hung his head. "What did he see in that human anyway?"

"Well during my travels I have spotted humans who were kind towards animals and each other." Dan admitted. "Maybe this human is one of those kind ones. Anyway, I'd better get back to the search."

He left.

"What have I done?" Nereido said to himself with remorse. "What have I done?"

After Mermando and Mabel left in a carriage (with Soos, who was hiding) the next morning and Dipper, Wendy, and King and Queen Pines waved them off Dipper led Wendy back inside.

"I think you might like this room." Dipper said. "It might not become your favorite - it's okay if it doesn't, it's not Mabel's favorite either - but there are a lot of cool things in it."

Once they reached the room, Wendy saw that it was a library. But not an ordinary library, along with the books the room was also filled with all sorts of artifacts and paintings.

"Mabel and I collected these on our travels." Dipper smiled. "They and the books are why this is my favorite room. The sewing room is Mabel's favorite, especially since it's filled with all sorts of cloth and other sewing items she collected during our travels."

Wendy had to admit that even though she wasn't that much of a reader the room was very cool. She was also kinda glad that Dipper and Mabel were collectors like her and Mermando. That meant that after Mermando and Mabel ended up together then he can just join her and Dipper on their travels and collect things with them.

"Feel free to read whatever you want in here...except for the books that are locked up." Dipper said. "Those are collectors items and are on display. Not even I read them. But don't worry, we have less valuable copies of them."

Wendy smiled gratefully and looked around. A shelf soon caught her interest: it was full of books on sea creatures, including mythical ones.

"Ah yes, I've been studying those ever since Mabel and I started our travels." Dipper went over to her, setting aside a mystery he picked up. "I knew the information contained in them would come in handy. They did too. So, is there anything in particular you would like to read?"

Wendy rubbed the back of her head, not sure how to say what she wanted to say. Dipper thought for a moment and then snapped his fingers.

"Wait here." He left only to shortly come back with a piece of paper and a pencil.

"I keep these here in case I want to take notes. Mostly when I'm reading a mystery." Dipper chuckled. "I like to see if I can solve the mystery before the detective in the book."

Wendy smiled and accepted the paper and pencil. On it she wrote 'Do you have anything on merpeople?'.

"Merpeople?" Dipper beamed. "Sure do, been getting interested in that subject lately. Glad to know someone else does, no one else seems to believe in them except for the sailors."

He grabbed a few books on merpeople and gave them to Wendy.

"Don't like talking to the sailors about them either because sailor talk is mostly superstition." He added.

Wendy took the books over to a table and glanced through them. Interestingly, a lot of the info was accurate. Some details were either a bit off or completely wrong, but since humans rarely got to see merpeople this was forgivable.

"So, what got you interested in merpeople?" Dipper asked as he joined her with a few mysteries. "In my case I just love mysteries in general. Especially mysteries that allow me to travel and see faraway places."

Wendy frowned for a moment. Would he believe her? She sighed and wrote on the paper 'I am a mermaid'.

Dipper gaped at her after reading the message. Wendy just looked away, afraid he'd find her insane or something.

"So you're...wait a minute, you did look familiar...you really were the one who saved me weren't you?" Dipper realized. "Same with your friend...that was how you two disappeared so fast, you went into the water."

Wendy nodded.

"This is amazing!" Dipper grinned. "Oh there's so much I want to ask about merpeople...but I probably should wait until later huh? However I do want to know right now how you and your friend got legs...and what happened to his voice?"

Wendy wrote 'My friend Mermando wanted to be with your sister so he traded his voice to a sea sorcerer for legs. I did the same thing so that I could keep an eye on him. We only have two days before the spell runs out, and the only way to make it permanent for Mermando is if your sister kisses him'.

"I see...well count me in." Dipper smiled. "Any guy who's willing to give up his past life just to be with my sister is good enough for her in my book...or books." He chuckled before asking: "What about you, how can we make it permanent for you?"

'That's up to me' Wendy wrote. 'After Mabel kisses Mermando I get to choose whether to stay a human or turn back into a mermaid'

"Oh...well...even though I'm sure you miss your family I...I would love for you to stay with me." Dipper blushed. "I've never met anyone like you...and it has nothing to do with your species either. When I looked into your eyes I...I saw a kind, brave, and adventurous young woman. And after learning what you did for your friend...well, I gotta add 'selfless' to that list."

Wendy blushed a little as well and looked into his eyes. She decided to stop being scared and take a chance. She ended up grateful too, after looking into his eyes she realized that she really did love Dipper. She smiled and wrote something. Dipper looked at the paper and read:

"'I'll stay'." He then grinned. "You-you will?"

Wendy nodded, still smiling. Dipper hugged her. Wendy's heart started to beat fast as she returned the hug. Dipper then broke free.

"Now, we gotta make a plan...say, how about a boat ride in the lagoon? We can hide in another boat nearby and I can play a romantic song on the guitar for them." He suggested.

Wendy wrote 'Or maybe I can suggest to Mermando to play his guitar for her to get her in the mood'.

"Oh yeah, forgot he had a guitar too...that actually might be a better idea, if I played for them it might embarrass them." Dipper nodded before smiling: "Another detail to add to the list: you're smart."

Wendy blushed and then wrote 'Also we have a friend with us named Soos, and he's a pretty good singer. He can sing for them as Mermando plays his guitar. I'll run the idea past him later'.

"That works...but who's Soos? That seagull I've been seeing near the castle?"

'No, a crab. In fact he was the one on your mom's plate last night'

"So that's what happened to her crab." Dipper laughed. "Pretty good prank, even if it was unintentional. Mabel and I used to prank our parents and some of the servants when we were little. Anyway, I'm glad he's okay, McGucket's a bit of an insane cook. Where is Soos now?"

'Left with Mabel and Mermando to keep an eye on things'

"Okay...how about this? When they get back I'll take Mabel aside to suggest the boat ride and you give Mermando and Soos the idea to serenade her."

'Good idea...you're smart too'

"Heh, thanks...oh I keep forgetting to ask: what's your name?"

'Sorry, it's Wendy'

"That's beautiful." Dipper smiled.

'Thank you' Wendy smiled as she wrote.