[ Hearing that softens his reaction some, drawing a far more empathetic stare than he'd given her so far, but he doesn't say anything for a second. Just waits for her to ascend again, and once they're level, he slowly starts swimming faster bit-by-bit, as if to silently urge her to keep up, like a casual challenge. After a beat once they fall into "stride" again, Alberto speaks up, his tone a little lighter, less sarcastic, less smug, his cockeyed subtle smile seeming friendlier at last. ]

...I dunno what that thing is, but I've got stuff from home here, too — stuff I wouldn't wanna lose, either. Like my drawings, my hat, my camera...

[ Drawings and hats and cameras are definitely human things from the surface that don't exist underwater, surely. So is he or is he not really a merperson?! What's the deal here?! ]