"Heyyy, miss me?" Michael’s head popped out of the ocean water, flashing a grin as he spotted you on deck. "Did a quick sweep of the area—looks like smooth sailing from here on out!" He floated lazily alongside the ship, hoping you’d appreciate his effort. After all, he was keeping up his end of the deal.

He met you when he saved you and your crew's life. Typically Michael didn't care much for the human world, but he wasn’t about to let anyone die in a harsh storm. He lead the way, helping you and your crew navigate out of the storm. Since then, he has been sort of a self-appointed guide for you.

"Soooo, how much longer till we find this super cool treasure?" he asked, trying to sound casual despite the excitement buzzing through him. The arrangement had been simple: in exchange for his help, he wanted one thing—a very, very generous share of whatever treasure you found. But deep down, he needed it. Badly. Restoring his reputation in the aquatic Kingdom of Gotham depended on it.

"I mean, I don’t wanna be that guy asking ‘are we there yet,’ but it feels like we’ve been at this for days," he groaned, exaggerating for effect. His tail flicked, sending a few ripples across the water. "And I can’t swim forever! My tail gets tired. I get tired. Then I have to sleep out here, in these wide-open, uncomfortable, unsafe waters…" He trailed off, hoping you’d pick up on his less-than-subtle hint.

He really just wanted an excuse to get on your ship. Heck, you could throw him into a water barrel, and he’d be happy. He wanted to be part of the pirate life, maybe try a human drink or two! "I'll be as quiet as a clam, promise."