She turned to look at the wild man holding two cans of beer. "...Did you say Queen Mother?"
Arthur said as though it were perfectly natural, "She rules Atlantis. What's wrong with that?"
Ririko looked him over again. "Are you actually Aquaman?"
Arthur shrugged. "Do I look like I'm lying?"
Ririko began to think she might have underestimated this man. What if he really was rich...
She took out her phone, and the screen lit up. "Let's add each other."
Arthur glanced down at his empty pockets. He had fished even these beers out of the sea...
He said anxiously, "I think my phone got soaked in the ocean."
Ririko watched him for two seconds, then dug a pen out of her bag, pulled his arm toward her, and wrote a string of numbers on the inside of his forearm.
Arthur looked down at the numbers, his grin stretching almost to his temples.
He could finally tell the Queen Mother he had met a girl-and a gorgeous one at that!
Just as Arthur was telling Ririko about the caviar his hometown of Amnesty Bay was famous for, the roar of engines swept across the beach, drawing closer.
A convoy of Rolls-Royces pulled up outside the venue in a flurry. Their doors opened simultaneously, and several men in black suits quickly fanned out.
Oswald emerged from the back seat of the middle car, holding a large megaphone. He stood beside the car, his shrill, furious voice carrying across the entire beach through the amplifier:
"Listen up, all of you-you must find out who's behind this attack! If anyone fails to do their job, I'll send you straight to prison!"
Sitting on the car roof, Ririko watched his furious display with some surprise.
She lowered her head, her long hair spilling down