Ruby: "So, you know how mermaids are half-fish, half-human, right?" Jane: "Yeah, I've seen that in movies. But what does that have to do with mating?" Ruby: "Well, when a mermaid and a human mate, the mermaid lays her eggs in the water, and the human fertilizes them with his sperm." Jane: "Wait, what? The eggs are laid in the water?" Ruby: "Yep, that's why mermaids usually mate in the ocean. The male human has to be in the water with the female mermaid to fertilize the eggs. It's a pretty delicate process." Jane: "Wow, that's...interesting. Does that mean a mermaid can mate with any human?" Ruby: "Not exactly. Mermaids are only able to mate with humans who possess a certain gene. It's pretty rare, but it's what allows a human to reproduce with a mermaid." Jane: "So, what happens after the eggs are fertilized?" Ruby: "They take about a month to hatch, and then baby mermaids are born! They're born with tails, and moments after they take their first breath, they're able to swim and breathe underwater." Jane: "That's incredible. I had no idea mermaid mating worked like that." Ruby: "It's all part of being a magical creature. We have our own unique ways of doing things."