Graceful Sink

 Alfonse hears his dad's voice, and Louisa's. 

They are standing under Admiral's Arch, admiring the stalactites.

Great stalactites, says Perrot.

This would have been a cave once, says Louisa.

No kidding! Yes, I guess it wasn't always an archway, says Perrot. 

Alfonse makes his way up from the rocks.

Terence talked to a fur seal! says Alfonse.

I hope he was polite, says Louisa.

All the fur seals are named Wrongly, says Alfonse.

Ha ha! laughs his father. Who says so?

They do, says Alfonse.

Actually, says Louisa, they have been named wrongly.

As in, wrongly? asks Perrot.

Yes, says Louisa. They're called New Zealand fur seals, even though they're native to Australia.

Blow me! says Perrot. So they're not New Zealand fur seals. How'd that happen?

Don't know, says Louisa. Maybe they look like their New Zealand cousins. But they're now called long-nosed fur seals.

I bet they don't know, says Alfonse.

He runs back to tell his sister, and Terence and Wrongly. 

What? says Terence.

They're called Long-Nose fur seals, says Alfonse.

Not so fast! says Wrongly. We've had that debate. We prefer the name Wrongly.

Why's that? asks Claudine. 

We object to Long-Nose, which is put-downish, says Wrongly. Whereas Wrongly reminds us every day of the ignoramus who named us.

Is Long-Nose put-downish? asks Claudine.

Only a short-nose would ask that, says Wrongly.

Ha ha, short-nose! says Alfonse to his sister.

Why not each have your own name? asks Claudine.

Like Fatso, says Terence. Or Slug.

Such names are highly offensive, says Wrongly. We may looks ungainly to you, but we're graceful in the water. You should watch us.

As you gracefully SINK to the bottom, says Terence.

This is not a good thing to say to a fur seal.

Wrongly shuffles to a nearby rock pool and plops in.  

Terence follows him to the rock pool.

Wrongly has disappeared, having exited to the ocean.

Terence leans over, too far, and falls in.

He gracefully sinks to the bottom.