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“Come on, come on…” Mabel muttered, scouring the riverbank. He had to be here somewhere. She checked the note from the bottle he’d sent, just to make sure she had the right spot. Yup. Crystal River State Park Visitor Center. She’d made it. Now where was he?
She impatiently clicked her flashlight on and off a few times. It would’ve been so much easier to find him if they had done this during the day. Wouldn’t have been so easy to slip away from her parents though. Convincing them to organize a vacation to Florida was hard enough. Getting permission to go off on her own for a day? Fat chance. A midnight rendezvous was the best (and most romantic) option.
Mabel was still optimistic as she sat down to wait for a few moments. He’d be here soon. He wouldn’t forget.
Sure enough, a few moments later, something began to glow beneath the river’s surface. Mabel tensed. Was that him? Did he get some kind of new, glowy magic since she’d last seen him? No. He would’ve written about it. Still, the timing was too perfect. She got to her feet and called out.
“Hey! Mermando! Over here!”
“Shh! Not so loud! No one can know we are here,” Mermando answered, softly.
“Sooorryyy” Mabel whispered back, but she was practically vibrating with excitement.
Mermando chuckled. “It is okay. I am happy to see you Mabel,” he offered, a bright grin spreading across his face. His mustache had grown thicker in the two years since she’d seen him, but he still wore the same seashell necklace he’d had on before.
“Not as happy as I am,” she giggled. “So what are we gonna do? You said you wanted to show me your new home.” She let out a sudden gasp. “Am I gonna get my own mermaid tail?”
“Ehm, not exactly,” he answered, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Let me show you.” He gestured for her to join him in the water, and she happily followed, tossing her top layer aside to reveal her bathing suit - a white top decorated with red roses and some black shorts. Mermando took her hands as she waded into the river.
“I am going to make a bubble around you, so you do not have to come up for air. But I will need to freshen my breath first so it does not smell like fish.” He blushed a little, and Mabel smiled.
“Oh, so you need a mint. Hold on, I think I have one somewhere…” She started to comb her fingers through her hair. Usually she had one or two hiding up there. “Oh, here we go!” She pulled a mento from her locks and handed it over with a grin.
Mermando popped it into his mouth without hesitation. “Thank you. Now, let’s get started. Follow me.” He dipped his head beneath the water, and Mabel sucked in a breath before following suit. Once under the water, she could see where the glowing light was coming from. Mermando held a small cage with a bright blue jellyfish inside. Her eyes went wide, and she didn’t even notice Mermando blowing up a bubble until it surrounded her on all sides and she could breathe again.
“You have a pet jellyfish?!” she asked, brightly.
Mermando smiled. “Eh, it is not a pet exactly. Jellyfish are terrible companions. They have no brains. It is really more of a tool.”
“Aw, but it’s so cute,” Mabel answered, her eyes still bright.
Mermando glanced down at the cage. “Yes, I guess it is quite cute. In a way. Now, are you ready to meet my family?”
“Am I!” Mabel exclaimed, raring to go but struggling to maneuver her bubble. Eventually she settled on placing her hands at the front and propelling herself forward with her legs. “Wooaaah! It’s like a giant hamster ball!” she said, before breaking into wild laughter. Mermando laughed along, leading the way to the river’s outlet in the Gulf of Mexico, and then to the Manatee palace, built on a shallow section of the ocean floor, where numerous glowing stones were placed to light their way, allowing Mermando to free the jellyfish. The palace itself was light blue and crystalline, surrounded by kelp and held up by stone pillars. Mabel’s eyes widened again. “I didn’t know manatees could build palaces.”
“They cannot,” Mermando answered. “My family constructed it as a…wedding gift.” His eyes shifted downward, and Mabel’s heart sank. She had nearly forgotten about the betrothal. She shook the thought away. Romance or no, being friends with a merman was still pretty cool. “Is…is your wife home right now?”
“Yes,” Mermando answered. “But don’t worry. She will not be joining us. It is just you and me tonight. Unless…you would like to meet her?”
Mabel swallowed her envy and said, “Sure. I mean if she’s inside anyway, why not? I always liked manatees. Unless you don’t want to…”
Mermando smiled. “No, no. I would be happy for you two to meet. It may have been an arranged marriage, but we get along. She is kind to me, and we make a good team. I am even learning her language. And my family comes to visit every month.”
Something lifted in Mabel’s chest. It was good to hear that Mermando had a good relationship with his manatee wife, especially since he had looked so miserable in the betrothal announcement.
Once they reached the palace doors, Mermando addressed the guards in Manatese, while Mabel tried not to melt at the sight of their cute little faces. With that, Mermando began showing her the palace, pointing out his bedroom, the music room, the dining hall, and finally the throne room. Inside, his wife was lounging on her throne, and this time Mabel couldn’t hold back.
“Awwww, look at her!” Mabel cooed. “Those whiskers! And that little pink dress. Oh my gosh, you’re just about the cutest thing I’ve ever-”
Mermando cleared his throat. “Mabel, this is my wife, Queen Ondina de los Manat íes.” Then he reversed the introduction in Manatese. Queen Ondina joyfully slapped her flippers together, and squeaked. “She says ‘welcome’,” Mermando translated.
“Why thank you, Your Majesty,” Mabel replied, bowing as best she could inside her bubble, despite the way her hair spilled forward, covering her face.
With introductions out of the way, Mabel and Mermando went outside to explore the depths of the ocean. Mermando made a show of juggling urchins, and Mabel chased after sea dragons, having way too much fun with her hamster ball. An hour or two later, the two settled on top of a flat rock, laughing and smiling like the two years since they’d last seen each other had never even happened. Unfortunately, the joy didn’t last once Mermando began to scratch at his arm. Mabel looked down to see a bright red rash forming.
“Woah. You okay there, Mermando?” she asked.
“I-I am not sure,” he answered. “I think I may have…mermanaphylaxis.”
“Mermana-who-what?” she asked.
“Mermanaphylaxis. You see, I am allergic to seanuts?”
“Sea-whats?”
“Seanuts. They grow on little bushes on the ocean floor. We must have gotten too close to them.”
“Oh no!” Mabel exclaimed, watching as Mermando began to sweat heavily. “Is it serious?”
“I-in some cases, yes,” Mermando answered. “I am afraid my allergy is…rather severe.”
“Oh goodness!” she shouted again. “The closest doctor is probably all the way back in Crystal River. It’ll take hours to get to them! Unless…there are manatee doctors?”
“No,” Mermando answered. “There are not. There is a cure though. One that will not be hard to find.”
Mabel tensed. “What is it? Tell me Marmando! I’ll do anything!” Of course, she didn’t know how much she could do from inside her bubble, but she was ready to try.
Mermando panted. “The cure is…a kiss…”
Mabel gasped. A kiss? Like, true love’s kiss? Mermando had been her first kiss, two years ago, in Gravity Falls. And after his betrothal, she was sure she’d never get a second one. But this could be her chance. Her chance to once again save him with a grand romantic gesture, just like when she’d helped him get back to the ocean. Queen Ondina wouldn’t mind if it was an emergency, right? Mabel immediately started ramming into the edge of her bubble, attempting to pop it.
“M-Mabel. What are you d-doing?” Mermando asked, concern crossing his face.
“I’m rescuing you, silly,” she answered, continuing to poke at the walls.
“But Mabel, you…you can’t breathe!”
“Neither can you right now. Besides, I’ll be fine for a few minutes,” she retorted.
“No, Mabel, l-listen. You…didn’t let me finish.” Mabel stopped trying to get free, and instead went quiet. “The kiss must be from someone who has no allergies. Do you…”
Mabel went silent for a moment, disappointment growing in her chest. “I…I’m allergic to pollen,” she answered, without meeting his eyes.
“Yes,” said Mermando. “So even if you could pop your bubble, the kiss would not work. Ondina, though…she does not have any allergies. We need to get to her. Quickly.”
“Ondina?! But she doesn’t even love you!” Mabel blurted, before slapping a hand over her mouth.
“What?” Marmando looked shocked. “Why does that matter?”
“Y’know, like true love’s kiss. The person has to…” she trailed off, realizing her mistake.
Mermando shook his head. “No, true love’s kiss is not used to treat meramanaphylaxis. Though I am flattered that you cared enough to try,” he answered, still out of breath. “Now, vamanos .”
…
Mabel sighed as she waited outside the throne room for Queen Ondina to work her magic. She knew it was selfish, but she was just so…jealous. First, Ondina got to marry Mermando, the one guy who had ever returned her feelings. And now the queen got to be the one to rescue him too? How was it that she ended up third-wheeling a merman and a manatee?
Her bad mood didn’t last once Mermando came out, looking healthier. “It worked?!” she exclaimed.
“Yes. I am alright now, Mabel.”
She rushed toward him, spreading her arms against the walls of the bubble and pressing into him in approximation of a hug. Mermando blushed, wrapping his arms around the bubble in return. “Thank you for bringing me back here.”
“Anytime,” Mabel replied, as Mermando pulled away. “I’m…glad you have a wife to take care of you. Even if I wish we could’ve…” she trailed off, rubbing at her arm.
“Hey,” Mermando said. “This life is not what I pictured either. But I am glad to have you as my friend, for now.”
“Yeah,” Mabel said, forcing a smile. “Friends.”
“I said ‘for now,’” Mermando continued. “Manatees only live fifty years on average, and Ondina is already twenty-four. Which means…”
“Twenty-six years from now, you’ll be single again!” Mabel finished. “Oh my gosh, Mermando, that’s great news!” she shouted, before she caught herself. “Er…I mean…”
Mermando smiled. “No need. I know what you meant. And…I understand if, before then, you meet someone else you’d rather be with, but if not,” he cleared his throat, and Mabel could see tears brimming in his eyes. “I will be here, Mabel.”
Mabel felt her own eyes growing wet as she smiled back. “Thanks, Mermando. Now come on. We’d better get going if I’m gonna make it back to the hotel before Dipper wakes up.”