McCree was breathing rapidly. He looked into the tangled net to see what appeared to be a man with long silky wet hair staring back at him in fear. Instead of legs he had a deep blue tale covered in scales and webbed fins. The creature gritted his teeth trying to escape. McCree froze and stared for a long time. The creature had a fixed nose and a cheek bone McCree could slice his finger on. His hair complimented his dark symmetrical beard. His arms and chest were strong. He had a strange blue tattoo on his left arm of a blue dragon. The creature reached into his quiver on his back and pulled out a sort of arrow with a shark tooth for the arrow head and began slicing the rope around him. McCree scrambled to his feet and ran to the edge of the boat.

"W-wait!"

The rope broke and the crearure fell out of the net and into the water below. McCree ran looking over the edge of the boat. Water splashed into his face. The splashing stopped and the creature was gone.

----------

"What the hell happened to my net, McCree?"

McCree looked distracted, but he finally turned to Jacob.

"I-I was cutting some seaweed off and I accidentally clipped the net." Jesse lied.

Jacob sighed.

"Alright well, I'll get you a new one tomorrow. Here's your pay for the day. Come in at 12 romorrow."

Jacob handed McCree a stack of cash. During his walk home McCree kept his head down and wrestled with his mind. He knew what he saw. Could it really have been a merman? He tried to forget about it, bit it was no use. Jesse had never seen anything so strong and beautiful. This image of a merman kept him up all night, but was awaken to the sound of his phone ringing. He looked at his clock. It was early. McCree answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"McCree? I need you down here. My last man Lucas was injured this morning. You're the only one who can take a boat out. Can you be here in 10?"

McCree sat up.

"Yeah no problem. I'll come right down."

He hung up to change his clothes and headed down to the dock. Jacob looked panicked. He turned to see McCree.

"Jesse, thank god! Lucas was just taken to the hospital."

"What the hell happened?"

"Lucas came back in a panick; started screamin about mermaids. They found a shark tooth wedged in his shoulder, but when he got off the boat he dropped and stopped breathing."

McCree gasped. He remembered the creature he caught having shark toothed weapons. Could he have done this to Lucas?"

"Heh the first fisherman to find a mermaid will become the richest man in the world." Jacob said. "Be safe out there McCree. You sure you don't need a partner?"

McCree chuckled.

"I work better alone."

McCree walked to his boat. Jacob had replaced his net. McCree paused, nervous to take a boat back out. What if he saw something again? He went back out to the island and looked closely into the water before dropping anchor. The gentle roll of the water knocked against his boat. Nothing out of the ordinary...yet. McCree started the lift and cased the net out. He sat in his chair and waited. He shook at the thought of seeing that strange creature again. All if a sudden he heard a splash behind him. McCree quickly turned bouncing out of his chair and looking over the side of the boat. He saw a glimpse of something diving into the water. McCree sighed and took off his hat.

"I'm not gonna hurt ya."

A figure emerged from the water. It was the creature with long black hair. He stared at McCree almost like he was frightened. He waded in the water and stared up into the boat. Jesse gasped in bewilderment. His breath sped up. The creatures pale face stared back and waited for a response. He had small webbed fins for ears. Water dripped from his face and hair.

"C-Can you understand me?

The creature nodded.

McCree looked around and then back towards the water.

"Are you the one who hurt Lucas?"

The creatures firm lips started to move. He had a deep voice, but a soft accent.

"Maybe."

McCree froze.

"Why?"

It was quiet. The creature changed the subject quick.

"I do not mind you fishing, but stay away from this island. I don't want to hurt you."

The creatures head started to descend back into the water.

"W-Wait!"

The creature sopped and looked back up at Jesse sternly.

"You got a name?"

"Fool. What does it matter? We will never meet again."

"I mean, not unless you want to."

The creature sighed and darted his stern eyes at McCree.

"Hanzo."

"Hanzo? What a nice name. I'm McCree. Jesse McCree."

"Leave this place Jesse. I'm warning you."

Hanzo's head slipped below the water. His tail followed behind splashing away. McCree stared in awe. A part of him wanted to be scared, but he was too bewildered by the graceful creatures' beauty. McCree turned and raised his net from the water. It was full this time. That night he headed home and sketched an image he captured in his head of Hanzo. In the morning Jesse sat at the doc with Jacob to watch the sunrise.

"You seem to be getting loads of fish by that island out there. Maybe I should send the rest of the guys to drop there too."

McCree tensed up.

"Well, I-I don't think I'm gonna fish out there anymore. I noticed a large group of sharks along that reef and they give me trouble sometimes. Might be best if you don't send anyone there, Jacob."

"I can't just not keep it off limits. The area is a gold mine. You get mighty lucky just fishin' out there."

"That's also where Lucas was attacked."

"How do you know that?"

"Didn't they find a shark tooth in him? They're everywhere. I'm tellin you Jacob. It's too dangerous. You gotta keep that island off limits."

"Alright, alright. I'll tell my men."

"Good and spread the word to the other fishers. I'd hate to be dragin' what's left of bodies back here."

"Good luck out there today. Be sure to get back before the storm hits."

McCree nodded and took the boat out. He stared into the distance at the island. He thought about Hanzo and his warning, but he didn't care. Jacob was right. The island was a gold mine. He needed the fish and the money. McCree sped to the opposite end of the island where he couldn't be seen. He cased his net and waited once again. McCree continued his sketch of Hanzo that he kept so vividly in his mind. He wished to hear his voice again. Hanzo seemed so mysterious. Not just as a merman, but as a person. To Jesse he seemed like the kind of guy he would actually get to know and drink with. Even so, McCree flashed Hanzo's image again in his mind and noticed a solemn expression. Hanzo looked troubled by something, lonely even. McCree looked up from his sketch at the world around him. The waves gently rocked his boat. Thick clouds covered him, but McCree could tell that the sun was above him. He looked down at his watch. It was nearly high noon. He stood and looked into the water. There was no tension on the net. He hadn't caught anything. McCree reached for the net and attempted to pull it out of the water, but it wouldn't budge. He sighed knowing something wasn't right. Jesse took off his shoes and rolled up his pants knowing he would have to hop in. He stared down and took a dive holding a long breath. He swam down and felt the pressure against his ears. The net was in a jumble on the side of a rock. McCree tugged on it, but it was stuck to the coral. It was too tied up and crooked. He fumbled with the net before shaking his head and kicking away to get some air, but he felt a tug on his foot. Jesse quickly looked down to see his foot tangled in the net. He stared wide eyed and thrashed around trying to break free. He gasped for air, but it was no use. He felt the air escape from his lungs. The dark blue abyss slowly faded to black around him as his body floated in the ocean water, motionless.

McCree woke up panicked and begging for water to come out of him. He screamed for air as it slowly started to pass in and out of his lungs again. He slowly opened his eyes. It was blurry, but he could make out the shape of a head. He gasped when his vision slowly came back to see Hanzo. McCree gasped and Hanzo flopped away from him. Jesse found himself backing up to the wall of a cave. He looked around the cave to see a pool of water in the center and dark cave walls all around them. The water washed up onto the sand scattered across the floor of the cave creating a sort of beach inside. Jesse began breathing loudly. He stared at Hanzo. His whole fishlike apearance was gorgeous, but sudden. He wasn't expecting to see him. Hanzo looked sorry and reached his hand out a bit.

"I-I'm sorry I startled you."

McCree was speachless. Even out of the water he was still gasping for air.

"Where are we?" Jesse asked.

"A cave within the island. I'll show you the way out once the storm passes."

"The storm? The storm! My boat!" McCree exclaimed.

"Your boat is fine. I made sure it would survive the storm."

Hanzo stared at him sternly, but looked away and crossed his arms sitting in the sand. His fish like tail curled up.

"I told you not to come back." Hanzo said sternly.

McCree chuckled a little and stood up. He walked up to Hanzo, but gasped when he looked closer at his tail. There was a large bloody cut in the side.

"You're hurt!"

"I'll live. Don't worry about it."

"Is that from my net?"

Hanzo sighed and looked up at McCree, but looked down giving and awkward look towards his legs.

"How do you swim out of the water with two tails?"

McCree looked at him curiously.

"Two tails?"

He looked down.

"Oh you mean my legs. Heh, I don't swim. I walk."

"Walk?"

"Yes, that's what you do when you're not swimin'."

"I've never walked before."

McCree knelt down.

"Doesn't surprise me. You got a tail."

Hanzo looked down at his tail.

"You humans are strange."

"I've never seen a merman before."

McCree came and sat next to Hanzo.

"I've never seen anything so beautiful."

Hanzo gasped, his eyes widened. His face filling with blush.

"Heh, you act like you've never been complemented before."

Hanzo turned away and looked down.

"I haven't seen another merperson in years."

"Really? Why is that?"

Hanzo was quiet for a while.

"I was casted out of my land in to exile for doing something unspeakable."

McCree stared at him. He memorized every inch of his face. Hanzo noticed and gave him a stern look.

"It is rude to stare, Jesse."

McCree quickly looked away.

"I'll show you back to your boat tomorrow. Until then get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow and then you will not be coming back here again."

Hanzo wiggled towards the water and dove in, but was once again stopped by McCree's voice.

"Wait. C-can you stay with me? It's awfully cold...and lonely."

Hanzo stopped and clenched his fists cursing at himself under his breath. He turned and wiggled back onto the sand. McCree layed down. Hanzo laying next to him with his arms crossed. He pouted, but Jesse gave him and awkward smile back. Hanzo sighed and rolled to face away from McCree. The two of them fell asleep.