Reserved #2.1

"Sounds like a regal name!"

He chuckled, putting his tail back in the water where it belonged.

"Do you have any noble blood? Cuz I know someone who does! He's a little weird, but he's the Duke of Aquaria, so I don't question it..."

Roman thought for a moment, before shaking his head.

“None that I know of.”

But he did. Little did he know that this Duke was his long lost brother. His mother was a mermaid, and his father was a human.

Patton noticed that the stranger's outfit had a part of it that looked like a sash. It could be used as a towel. Patton's kind could let their tail turn into human legs if they were dry, and could last as long as the merperson wanted.

Patton liked his tail, so he didn't do it often.

"Hey, could I borrow your sash? I'll teach you how to swim!"

”Hm? Oh, sure! Why do you need the sash, though..?”

He handed Patton the sash.

"Because I need legs...?"

He sat on the beach and started drying his tail, which eventually became legs.

"Pretty cool, huh?"

He rung out the sash and have it back to Roman.

Roman gasped. He also looked away quickly, due to the fact that pants aren’t exactly a natural thing...

“What- how..??”

"Evolution! And plot convenience-"

He slid back into the water.

"It's really simple, okay? Just kick your legs and move your arms!"

He provided an example.

"Now you try!"

“Um... okay...”

Roman got in the water and attempted to do that. ...It didn’t work as well as Patton had hoped.

Patton caught Roman every time, encouraging him to keep trying.

Roman actually started to get to get the hang of it. ...However, there were certain moments where he would mess up on purpose, just so Patton could catch him in his arms.

Patton didn't seem to notice. He let his legs fade into a single tail again, and grabbed a seaweed-looking plant.

"Eat this. It doesn't taste good, but it'll help you breathe underwater."

"Oh, uh... ok!"

Roman bit into the seaweed. He grimaced at the taste.