Your parents were marine biologists, often taking you on their little excursions out at sea. Not that you mind. You loved traveling, sometimes you would even help your parents in their work.

And there was one mission that you found particularly interesting. You arrived in a local town with your parents. A town that was full of stories and superstitious tales of sea monsters and merfolk. There was constant imagery of it in tacky tourist traps and stores just on your way to the docks. There were even poor fishermen who warned you and your family of the dangers ahead, but your parents pushed forward anyway. "In the name of science", they said.

Your family's boat went out to the open sea, you watched as the town got smaller. You watched for a while before the scene became dull and went to the bow of the ship where the vast sea welcomed you.

Until you saw something. For a moment, you thought you saw something in the distance. A person, or at least a head of a person, but that can't be right. You're in the middle of the ocean. How could anyone else be out there?

Eventually the boat made its destination. However, the work would have to wait since the sun was going down, and there was no way for your parents to work without light. You had helped your parents prep their equipment for tomorrow's research before nightfall. They retired for the night but you didn't. Something was calming about standing under the moonlit night and its stars. The world was quiet while you stood at the bow of the ship, and that's when you heard it. Some splashing below you. Your gaze shot down at the water where you saw him. A smiling merman.

"Hi.~"