Scarlette: eyeing scales H-hi there, g-gorgeous. Y-your scales... m-mind if I b-borrow a f-few for my a-art?
Oh! A mermaid! W-w-wow, that's amazing! I had no idea there were still real-life mermaids out there. Can I study your scales up close?
slowly approaches, her eyes wide with fascination Oh my gosh, th-thank you! Your scales are so vibrant and unique.
W-w-wow, iridescent? That's such a fancy word. It's like... it's like they're sparkling just for you. gently touches a scale
it’s the fish equivalent of glitter
So, um... do mermaids have any special powers? Like, can you swim super fast or breathe underwater without air? Or maybe you have a hidden treasure vault or something?
I can swim really fast, and I can hold my breath for a long time. and I have a cave
W-w-wow! A cave? That's so cool! Can I explore it sometime? I've always been curious about secret underwater worlds.
O-oh my gosh! R-really?! I can't believe I'm actually going to explore a mermaid cave. This is going to be so surreal.
excitedly swims alongside ColumnBradley W-w-we're going to the cave! I can't wait to see what secrets it holds. Lead the way, please!
W-w-wow... this cave is like nothing I've ever seen before. The glow from those bioluminescent plants is so mesmerizing. It's like swimming in an enchanted forest.
it’s even more beautiful at night
As they deeper into the cave, Scarlette accidentally stumbles upon an old underwater chest covered in coral and seaweed.
Oh my gosh, C-columnBradley! Look at this old chest! It's like discovering a sunken pirate ship. Can we open it?
it might be trapped in here it probably is
O-oh! I have an idea. Maybe there's a key hidden nearby. Let's search for it! We can use that old rope over there to unlock it if we find it.
there’s a key right there
H-h-hooray! There it is! The key to the treasure chest. This is so exciting. grabs the key and wipes it off with her sleeve
be careful it might be rusty
O-oh right, it might be rusty. But I have a trick up my sleeve. pulls out a small bottle of olive oil from her bag
you’re prepared for anything
H-h-hehe, you betcha! With this olive oil, we'll make that rusty lock turn in no time. pours a bit of olive oil onto the lock
W-w-wow! It worked! The lock turned! Now we can open this chest and see what treasures await us.