As Alberto's tail let go of Luca, Alberto, still in his sea creature form, slowly backed away, staring at Luca in his sea creature form. He cursed the red lighting in the room due to it not allowing him to see the true colour of Luca's scales.

But just as that thought passed Alberto's mind, Luca's sea form instantly disappeared, returning his body to his human form.

Luca looked down at himself and instant frustration overcame him.

"Aw, man! I had it!" Luca cried as he started to fist his hair, pacing.

Alberto started to get confused again. 'What was he talking about? ' He had so many questions.

"You're a sea monster?" Alberto asked him.

Luca stopped his actions and looked at him, judging him. "Technically...yes. But I'd prefer you'd use the term 'sea creature'." he said bluntly.

Alberto's eyes widened at his mistake. "Oh! Heh, right…" He usually didn't make that mistake but since showing up at the base more often it was the term he heard used most of the time by others.

There was a brief awkward silence between the two but Alberto broke it.

"How- What was that you just did? You weren't even wet."

"I attempted to 'change' on command..." Luca sighed as he leaned against the wall. "Unfortunately when I try it never sticks. I really thought it'd work this time because if it doesn't work now...how can I expect it to at all."

"Wait," Alberto said, waving his hands. "You're telling me that's a thing we can do?!"

"Yep. I guess your parents never told you you could too."

"...No…" Alberto confirmed looking away. Oh, how Luca knew so little about him. Not that he'd ever want Luca to know. Alberto logged that thought away. He shook the worst of the water from himself, becoming drier. He slipped his hands into his pockets also leaning on the wall beside Luca. "So…, how do you do it?"

"Well, it's mostly based on your fear. Fear of showing your sea creature form to people." Luca then smirked a bit. "Are you afraid, Alberto ~?" Luca said in a mischievous tone. Alberto always teased him so Luca figured he'd throw some of that teasing back.

However, to Alberto, Luca's tone sounded like it was challenging him. A tone Alberto wasn't used to getting from him. And the way he said his name in that tone. It strangely excited him. But he knew what Luca was doing. Alberto wasn't about to let him have the upper hand. Alberto swiftly turned his body in front of Luca, now dangerously close to the other boy with one of his hands against the wall, close to Luca's face, almost trapping Luca between the wall and himself.

"Please, I'm not afraid of anything." Alberto stated in almost a whisper, wanting to see Luca squirm.

Luca, looking up at Alberto as close as he was, immediately regretted his teasing. He was just thankful the room had red lighting because if it hadn't Alberto would have definitely noticed his face turn a very apparent shade of red. Luca let out a tiny gulp but he stood his ground, not stepping away.

"S-show me then." Luca challenged, crossing his arms.

That wasn't the reaction Alberto was expecting from Luca. There were two ways he could go about this. Either he could try doing the change and end up looking like an idiot not being able to do it or just confess that he was bullshitting. He decided the latter would be less humiliating.

"Okay, fine. I can't do it," he admitted, pushing off against the wall. "But I'm not afraid, okay?" He quickly added, now crossing his arms.

Luca wasn't buying it but he was relieved Alberto had put distance back between them so he decided not to push him any further.

"Mhm... It's not easy. It takes a lot of concentration. The past week has been really hard for me in trying to learn. Sometimes only half of my sea creature form would show only halfway, which was really scary. Sometimes it'd all be too overwhelming that I'd breakdown cr-" Luca stopped himself on that last part.

Alberto raised an eyebrow.

Luca tried to subtly continue. "Giulia has been there for me through it all though."

"She knows about you!?"

"Well, it wasn't by choice. It was an accident." Luca said sheepishly. "But I trust her. She hasn't told a soul."

"HA! Yet." Alberto said rudely.

Luca's face turned sour again, making Alberto want to take back his words. Luca was just starting to talk to him again.

"Hey!" Luca pushed off the wall, his stance becoming defensive. "You know nothing about her and have no right to talk about her like that." Luca now remembered what they were fighting about. "Especially not after what you did."

Alberto rolled his eyes. "Okay, I'm going to say this again. I have no idea what you're talking about!"

Luca said nothing but didn't look completely convinced.

Alberto sighed. He put his hand to his heart, like a jackass, he thought, then raised his other hand. "I swear on my life. I have no idea what you're talking about."

Luca's distrustful expression then changed to confusion. He didn't believe someone guilty would act dumb for this long. "So...you weren't there?"

"Weren't where?"

"After the first day, your gang tried to splash me by driving over a puddle with their bikes. They didn't get me but they did get Giulia because she jumped in front of me."

That information took Alberto by surprise. A human would do that for a sea creature? Had he misjudged Giulia?

"She did that for you?"

"Yeah. She's a good friend. And she'd probably do it again..." Luca said, his voice trailing off. "I'm sorry I accused you."

Alberto now felt a bit guilty. If he went with the gang to the base he might've been able to prevent that from happening. But then again that didn't sound realistic. He didn't have any real power over the rest of the gang or at least over Ercole at the time.

Alberto tried to play it cool. "Eh, non preoccuparti. It's understandable that you'd think that I'd be there too, I guess..."

There was once again another awkward silence. Luca looked around the room, his eyes finding a clock on the wall. He saw the time. Oh no!

"Oh, carp! My History class! I'm late!" Luca then grabbed his backpack that was on the floor and raced out of the room, leaving the door open.

Luckily, Alberto was already fully dry. However, the pictures that were hanging up in the room on the line, were now slightly ruined from the light in the hall. Noticing this, Alberto also rushed out of the room, not wanting to get blamed for something else.

Alberto, who was late for his math class, played it cool as he strolled into the room. His teacher, Signora Marsigliese, shook her head as she noticed him coming in, annoyed that he distracted her other students. A lot of them had watched him as he came in.

Luna, who was in the class as well, was one of the students who had looked up at Alberto as he walked in. She didn't think much of it though. Luna looked down at the sheet of paper, plastered with math problems, pretending she was working on solving them. She chewed on her pencil nervously, her mind on seeing Luca change into a sea monster. She wondered if Luca made it out okay since he seemed to look like he was in trouble, considering that other sea creature's tail was wrapped around him. She regretted not going in anyway. But then again, reflecting on the way she was now, she'd probably do the same thing if given the chance for a do-over. Luna quietly let out a groan.

In front of the class, Guido didn't even give Alberto a second glance. ' Typical ' he thought. Alberto had done the same thing time and time again last year. He rarely ever got in trouble for it because of the good grades that he got him when he and Ciccio were doing Alberto and the gang's homework. Guido took comfort in knowing that Alberto was going to see just where his unwillingness to try in school was going to get him this year. He had no sympathy for the arrogant boy whatsoever.

When Alberto had sat down in his seat and got a view of Signora Marsigliese's expression of annoyance looking straight at him, he knew he was going to be in the room a little while longer after the bell rang.

Luca had made it to his class finally. He noticed that the door was slightly open. He peeked into the room to see his situation. His teacher was distracted, turned towards the chalkboard writing something. This was probably his best shot to not get caught. He got down on his knees and quietly crawled inside the classroom. A few students noticed him but luckily none of them pointed him out to the teacher.

Luca then made it to his desk next to Giulia and swiftly slipped into his seat. He exhaled in relief.

"Luca, dove diavolo sei stato? I've been so worried." Giulia whispered harshly to him.

"I'll explain later." He whispered back.

He was going to have to think up a good lie. There was no way he could tell Giulia the truth. He was worried about what Alberto would probably do to him if he found out Luca told a human his secret. Alberto already didn't trust Giulia with keeping his own secret. Luca also didn't want his one connection to another sea creature, outside of his family, to be affected by some kind of unspoken broken trust. Even if that sea creature was Alberto. Because, Alberto being a sea creature, like Luca was, changed everything

Luca wished he didn't care any of that though. He hated lying to Giulia.

Alberto had been correct. When the bell had rung, Signora Marsigliese had stopped him at the door as the rest of the class tasted freedom for the rest of the day. Alberto sat across from her as she sat at her desk.

Alberto started. "Look, Teach, I had no intention of being late, okay? Some more important things got in the way an-"

"Ah, so my class isn't a priority to you then? That makes sense." Signora Marsigliese interrupted.

Alberto raised an eyebrow at that. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You are failing, Alberto." she stated bluntly.

"Failing?"

"Si. Increasingly. It's very impressive considering your first month back at school is just barely coming to an end."

"B-but...how is that possible?" Even that didn't sound convincing to Alberto. He knew exactly why this was happening.

"Yes, yes, it's all very unusual. It's as if you are completely unfamiliar with the basics of the lessons…" she then eyed him accusingly. "Is there something you should let me know?"

' There's no way she knows...unless Guido ratted me out… ' Alberto thought to himself in a panic.

"Nope." he said coolly.

"Indeed." She said. Not buying a word. "Either way, you don't want this to continue. If you want to stop failing, the only way I can suggest you fix this is by getting a tutor."

Alberto sat up at this. "You've gotta be kidding."

"I kid you not. I can ask Guido if he'd be up for the challenge tomorrow, considering he is the best student in the class."

Alberto put his head in his hands in frustration. He doubted that Guido would give him the time of day after last year.

Signora Marsigliese continued. "...That is if you care enough to have one. I can't force you to get a tutor but as your teacher I strongly recommend it."

Alberto did want to pass his tenth year. He just hoped he'd pass it with his dignity intact. He didn't think he'd get to keep his dignity with Guido's help. Guido was probably going to hold his stupidity over him. Mock him and try to make him suffer through it all to get revenge. And if Alberto ever tried to beat him to a pulp, Guido would probably threaten to not be his tutor anymore or worse, tell the gang how stupid he was. Alberto shivered at that thought. But he knew that when Guido was doing his homework for him last year, it was smooth sailing for his grades.

Alberto sighed. He was going to have to suck it up. "Alright...if you can get him to agree to it."

She nodded, satisfied with his answer.

As soon as Luna left her last class she bolted for the exit so she could try to catch Giulia and Luca before they went home. She never came to Luca's aid before fourth period but she had to talk to him in private about what she saw. No way could she keep this to herself. It was too huge. Giulia and Luca were practically joined at the hip most of the time and she was a grade older than him. Chances for them to be alone were low. So she thought of another idea, an idea that, for some reason, made her nervous.

She spotted the two just leaving the parking lot. Luckily she wasn't too far away.

"Giulia! Luca!" she yelled to them.

The two turned around. Giulia having a big smile on her face. She made a 'come over' hand gesture to her. Luna did.

"Hey, Luna! What's up?" Giulia asked. "You wanna walk home with us?"

"Oh, actually I go in the other direction." Luna then started to hold her backpack's straps tightly, looking away from Giulia and instead to Luca before asking. "I actually came over to ask you guys for your phone numbers? You know, so we can all talk outside of school?"

Luna didn't know why she was nervous about asking and why she couldn't look Giulia in the eye while doing so.

Luca nodded. "Sure."

Giulia thought it was a bit weird that Luna wasn't looking at her while asking the question. She was asking them both that question, right? So then, why did it seem like she was asking Luca only? Giulia looked between the two, pouting, but quickly shook herself out of those thoughts. She, a bit obnoxiously, leaned in front of Luca's face to make it so Luna was looking at her.

"Absolutely!" Giulia said.

Giulia eagerly opened her backpack and got out her notebook and a pencil and started to write her number. She then passed the pencil and notebook to Luca so he could write his and Luca then passed them to Luna so she could do the same with her number for them.

"Awesome. Thanks, guys." Luna said, handing Giulia back her notebook and pencil. Their hands brushed each other's as she did so. Luna and Giulia looked at one another as it happened, their eyes widening. Giulia took back her notebook, holding it tightly.

'What was that? ' Luna asked in her head as she grasped at the ends of her shorts awkwardly. "Well, I'll be going now. Talk to you guys later!" She then turned in the other direction, heading home.

Luna let out a breath. Well, the hard part was over...right?

(A/N) Yeah, Luca isn't fully good at turning on command yet. Poor boy. Did I make Signora Marsigliese a teacher her for the heck of it? Yes. Yes, I did. I wanted to use another in-canon adult for this story. Luna hasn't put together that Alberto is the other sea monster she saw because she only saw Luca do the change.