Ever since you found out about the existence of merfolk, you were more than curious. What’s up with the fins for ears? Why do they have both a nose and gills? What about the potions that allow them to turn into a human? Can they feel their organs changing when it happens? If you cut a merfolk open when they’re in the process of changing, what would the organs look like?

Sure, it’s morbid, but you couldn’t help but wonder. You never wanted to be a bother, so you never asked anyone.

Until now.

You somehow worked up the courage to try and find one of the three merfolk you knew of at the school, but each time you encountered one (or all) of them, there was always somebody else there. Normally that would be fine, but you would rather save yourself the embarrassment if your questions ended up being dumb, or obvious, or just strange in general. Being labeled an odd one would really not bode well for you.

Today you decided to look around again in hopes you’ll catch one of them alone. You’d spotted Azul at the Mostro Lounge—not alone—and later seen Jade down the hall—not alone—where’s the last one?

Not in the gym, not in the shop, not anywhere. It was starting to get frustrating. You decided you’d check just one last place and you’d give up.

You didn’t even know the school had a pool until recently and had to wander around a bit to find it again, but you managed. You peeked into the spacey room through the door and lo and behold: Floyd. Alone, thank you, and in his merform. Even better, you can just point and ask what you’re curious about.

He was simply swimming laps and occasionally thrashing his tail at the surface of the water. You weren’t quite sure what he was doing, but that didn’t matter.

With quiet steps, you entered the cold room. You felt the need to be quiet, though it probably wasn’t even necessary.