After their lips parted, David asked "How long?"
"How long have I had a crush on? Years."
"I never realized...it never occured to me...I just...wow..." David was dumbfounded.
"You were too busy being in love with swimming. And I could never bring myself to tell you. You know how girls are: most of us are afraid to make the first move."
"Is that why you never asked me to give you swimming lessons?"
"Yeah, that was a big part of it. And turns out the whole time all I needed to do to get your attention was grow a tail and turn into a mythological creature."
They both had a laugh at that. Then they realized they weren't the only ones laughing.
David and Pam turned to see a strange woman standing close by. She had a black cloak, dark hair, and an air of strangeness about her. The woman was totally unfamiliar, but seemed completely unbothered by the merman and gray-legged woman in front of her.
"Greetings. I am Ms. Maisar."
David and Pam looked at each other in confusion. "Since you look as confused as I am" said David to Pam "then I'm guessing this isn't your neighbor."
"I am not a neighbor, but I am the one responsible for your current states. Or at least mostly responsible. Why don't you have a tail, girl?"
"I did" answered Pam. "I dried off."
"Curious. The change is supposed to be permanent." Ms. Maisar walked closer, examining her handiwork.
"My, my, but you turned out quite amazing" she said to David. "I had been watching you for some time and left you a present while you were swimming. Even better than I had hoped. It was your fondest dream to become a merman, wasn't it?"
"Yes."
"What have you done to us?" asked Pam, standing up to face Ms. Maisar with anger creeping into her voice.
"Not quite what I set out to do. Your change should have been permament as well. Did you apply the substance in the bottle I left for you?" She noticed Pam's legs. "Yes, it seems you did and it seems some of the change has been permanent after all."
"I'm not ready to swim off just yet. I like mermaids, but I haven't seriously wished to be one since I was a child. I just wanted to be able to swim with the dolphins."
"So I heard. Which is why that bottle reached you. As I said, I am Ms. Maisar. I am a practioner of the magical arts, with a specialty in potions, lotions, mixtures, and other substances. My latest concotion is a magical lotion that will transform a person into a merfolk of their gender. Of which you have both been excellent test subjects."
"You should have asked our permission first!" exclaimed Pam.
"I would have even volunteered" said David.
"If only I could find willing test subjects more easily."
"Try the internet" sneered Pam.
"I see I have angered you." observed Ms. Maisar. Let me express my appreciation for you being my test subjects. What might offer you to make your transistion to life as mers easier?"