With Coral adamantly determined to become a permanent mermaid, she felt drawn to a specific place in the ocean; and an instinctual sense of how to get there. She quickly got used to the feeling of water flowing into her mouth and out her gills; but she savored it all the same.
She swam along for about 20 minutes before the most enchanting voice called out to her. "Hello, there!" Coral turned to see a silvery-scaled mermaid swimming toward her. "Are you on your way to the temple, too?" She asked.
"Y-yes." Coral answered with a blush.
"Of course, I can see your shells are still held on with seaweed."
"So are yours."
"That's because I'm not yet a permanent mermaid, either. Oh, I'm Marina, by the way." The other mermaid said before holding out her webbed hand.
"C-Coral." She answered, taking her hand and trying to figure out how to shake it; with the webbed fingers, and all.
"Here, like this." Marina said before brushing the front and then back of her hand across Coral's. "Mermaid hands aren't built for handshakes; but I met a natural-born mermaid who showed me how mermaids greet each other. She also told me that once we're permanent mermaids, our shells adhere to our breasts permanently; and our tails will become more colorful!"
"That sounds lovely!" Coral said with a blush.
"I'm hoping for something in a lavender or violet. How about you?"
"Oh, I'll take any color... as long as it's pink!"
Marina giggled and Coral soon joined in.
"So, Coral;" Marina began, floating a little closer to Coral; "since we're going to the same place... care to go together?"
"I'd like that." Coral answered with a shy blush.