Ariel had made her way back from the jungle and the shore. Her heart was soaring and by the time she had arrived back to her apartment it had been mid-day and she was entirely exhausted by the ordeal. She had collapsed into her warm, welcoming bed and had slept until early evening.
Then she had risen, showered and changed into fresh clothes. No longer did her legs hurt her so standing in the shower was much more pleasant. But the kicker was the fact that her voice had been returned. Ariel sang as she bathed, listening to the way her voice resounded from the warm, moist tiles of the bathroom.
When she was clean and her attire was comfortable, the mermaid took to the night. Her feet carried her through the apartment and into the warm night. Her own denim jacket fluttered in the soft breeze that greeted her. And the white bow in her wavy red hair tousled merrily. She wore a simple flowered summer dress with a jean jacket that flattered her figure and kept her arms and shoulders warm. The sleeves of the jacket had been rolled up to just before her elbows, and a small clutch on a thin strap was shouldered across her body.
Ariel walked easily down the sidewalk trying to decide where to visit first. She paused before a store window that held a small market of some kind, though it wasn't a food market. It held trinkets and antiques, and on display in the window were a number of treasures to behold.
Delighted, Ariel approached the window and peered in, not even aware that perhaps she might be blocking the traffic moving all around her on the sidewalk.