1458/You Mean I Can Breathe Underwater

You Mean I Can Breathe Underwater
Date of Scene:	26 April 2024
Location:	Beach
Synopsis:	Yuuto learns more about himself post transformation.
Cast of Characters:	Yuuto Shiraishi, Coco Kiumi

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Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
It's been a long night since the attack on the beach that resulted in the physiological changes to Yuuto that made him from human to merfolk/human hybrid. Finally, however, Yuuto had managed to get a little sleep. However, that only lasted until the excitement hit again and woke him up. Having gotten up early, he had made a decision and texted Coco.

<PHONE> Text to Coco: Hi love. <3 I... I think I'm ready to try out the flippers, if you're interested in showing me the ropes?

With that message sent, the teenager waits for Coco to respond before setting up a meeting place so that the pair of them can take that first important step... swim? together.

Because in Yuuto's mind, there's noone else that he would rather have show him or be with him than his fiancee.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
That was really a hard night for everyone involved. First, the Black Beauty Sisters try to breach one of the defenses Aqua Regina put around Gaito finding his twin, and then the two water demons putting Yuuto in serious danger, with only Aqua Regina's intervention to save him from their last gesture. Right after everything was said and done, and some assurance he didn't feel pain anywhere, they had to separate for the night.

The following morning, she wakes up to Yuuto's message, and a reply comes soon after.

<PHONE> Coco Kiumi texts Yuuto Shiraishi: Of course, let's meet at the beach!

To be fair, they had already swum together in the past, but this is the first time they are going to do it with Yuuto as himself. Coco can't deny she is very excited at the prospect. And moreover, she has a few questions to ask Yuuto about what Tinker meant at the end. So, as soon as lessons as over, Coco drops everything in her room, and after leaving a message for Cho, doesn't waste any time heading to the beach.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
There's something different betweem swimming with legs, swimming with someone else's tail... and swimming on your own. Much less breathing underwater on your own. With the beach still being most secluded due to the cold conditions as spring holds on tightly for a bit longer, Coco will find Yuuto standing near the changing booths, looking out over the water, a bit of trepedation on his face. That is until he notices the familiar blonde hair of his fiancee and raises a hand in greeting to her. "Coco!" he calls out.

When she approaches, he wraps her up in a hug, pressing close to her for an affectionate kiss before setting her back on the ground. "I wasn't sure if I should bring anything, or if it worked like it does with you... but I brought a swimsuit just in case." he admits with a small thoughtful look. "I'm really about to do this, aren't I?"

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Yuuto!", Coco smiles, hugging him quite tightly when she sees that he is still all right, and kissing back with joy. "I am so glad to see you are in top shape", she laughs happily, before taking his arm and starting to lead him to the beach. "I can certainly tell you that if it didn't work like me, your tail would rip those swimming boxers apart", she smirks lightly. "So going as you are certainly works!"

"Don't worry, I will be there with you every step of the the way", she reassures him with a shining smile. "And remember that the worst that can happen is me having to lead you back to the surface in case you can't work out how to swim. Since you can breathe underwater, you can't drown."

She then rushes in first, and once the water is deep enough, dives in, swimming a bit further before emerging and waving at Yuuto. "Come in, it's very nice and calm here!"

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
When she mentions his swimming trunks ripping, Yuuto suddenly blushes, before he laughs a little, following the blonde out as she eagerly rushes into the water. Following after her, he moves to stand waist deep, feeling the water against his lower torso. And at first he wants to dive in and chase after her, but he takes a moment to calm himself. "Alright. So... I should just?" he asks, looking towards Coco.

As he stands there, imagining the change, it suddenly just happens, his legs come together and form into a tail, his fins and flippers coming out, and when he goes into the water, Coco can make out the yellow tail that he wears just as clearly as her own as he takes a moment, just being underwater, and the shock of his green eyes fading as he finally letting going of his breath and taking in his first breaths of water for handling. He looks over himself, but then turns his attention to Coco. Still the same green eyes, same brown hair. Torso is bare to her, down to where his fins take over into the elongated tail, which he experimentally moves, remembering that from his time as Maria.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco cheers for him as he goes towards her, and this is the first occasion she has to see how Yuuto looks like as one of their own. Gently kicking the water with her own tail, her heart swells with the thought Yuuto will be able to live with her, underwater, and he won't really have any issues no longer. "You look very handsome", she whispers to him after taking the sight of him in.

"So! How do you feel?" she claps her hands, wanting to quickly get brought up to speed on the first impression of his new underwater life. If he gets used to that, next they can try diving under.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
"This is still... so weird." Yuuto admits as he kicks his tail a few times, and realizes that there is no communication issues with Coco. She doesn't have to do anything special to talk to him and his hand catches hers for a moment in an affectionate squeeze before releasing and he swims a short distance away and then returns back to her. "This is nothing like walking!" he admits with a laugh. "It's actually a bit like doing a dance. I keep wanting to feel for two movements, but it's just one..."

And then she points out that sshe thinks he's handsome, and he blushes for a moment before doing a little twirl in the water so that she can take him in. "Still want to marry this?" he asks her playfully, before moving to join her. "Deeper. Right. I'm good with going deeper. Can we actually see down there?" he glances down. He can see where the sunlight disappears. "I know how deep your palace is."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Of course, it's nothing like walking, do you remember that sudden practice run", Coco smiles at him, encouraging Yuuto to recall the way he was moving back then so he can have an easier time at things. "And of course I want to marry you. I was thinking about that just now, you know? How you will be able to live with me, underwater, with really no issues any more."

Diving back under the water surface, she encourages him to do the same. "Yes, there is really no limit we can see at. It's not always going to be very bright, but that's the only thing you have to keep in mind, because at the bare minimum we can always see if we are about to crash into something."

As she takes hold again of Yuuto's hand as his squeezes hers, she says "So, what is it that Tinker was saying at the end yesterday?"

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
Returning back to her, Yuuto gets back close again as they discuss going deeper, both in the water and in the relationship. he gives a nod at her pointing out that they can see better underwater, and then when she captures his hand, he comes back to her and tries something he has been wanting to since he changed forms. His tail lightly wraps around hers for a moment, holding her close as his eyes meet hers.

And then she's asking about Tinker and he blinks a couple of times, snapped out of his romantic thoughts of the girl and his cheeks color for a moment. "He said that with the changes made to me, he did some modifications to my powers." he explains. "Something about it being more suited to the water and capable of handling things and that I'm not really a Propel anymore."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco stops swimming when Yuuto approaches her, letting him stay close to her as they peacefully float in the water. When he suddenly joins in the hugging of their tails, Coco gives him a smile, realising that they can now hug in their own special way whenever they want. "Just the two of us now", Coco says placidly as she relishes in Yuuto's affection.

A "uh" escapes her lips as Yuuto explains the meaning behind the title Tinker announced back then. This transformation just keeps being a surprise. "Is that alright with you?", she inquires. "This change is already big by itself, and then you have these new powers too to get used to."

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
Coco will always be a little bit of a flirt and Yuuto knows that, but now... this is only something between them. No other guy will get to caress her tail the way his is gently pressed to hers as the moment, his hands settled in hers as he gives her a smile, "Just the two of us." he agrees.

And then there's the mention of the renaming and the powers. "I haven't tried them yet." he admits. "I figured I'd get used to this..." he looks between them, their two yellow tails nearly touching again. "Because this is a forever thing... and then figure out the powers part of it. It's alright with me." he finally offers. "I don't have singing powers like you do. This allows me to still protect you, to be your Prince in more than name."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"It's ok", Coco reminds him kindly. "I can protect you too. We can work together, work out a rhythm that makes us move in perfect synchrony." The tone of her voice is a bit joking, as she keeps hugging his tail lovingly, using the play on words to try and keep things lighthearted despite the subject.

Playing with each other like this, she keeps moving downward, letting a slight current do everything. "I bet you have never tried resting on a bed of seaweed", she half-dares, half-suggests. "It's very soft."

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
"If you're talking about a duet, I'll have to rely on you to carry me." Yuuto teases back, realizing they are slowly sinking deeper, and his grip tightens on her for a moment before releasing, trusting her - and trusting in his new body as they head deeper into the depths of the ocean. "I thought it would feel colder." he admits to her as he glances up. At this depth, he'd never have surfaced again had he sunk this far as a human.

"No, I've eaten seaweed, but never tried to rest in it." he admits with a laugh and then blinks a couple of times. "Is that what our beds are made of?" he asks her curiously, and she may be pleased that he's adapted enough to realize what he is and grouping them in together.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Even in my embrace?", she smirks as they keep falling down and Yuuto starts wondering about the cold. Of course, she doesn't intend to leave him in the dark, so she actually explains what is going on after a brief pause. "It's just being a merfolk that does it. You could swim in the the Arctic and you wouldn't notice a thing."

This is followed by a shaking of the head and a playful boop. "Of course not", Coco smiles. "We have actual beds there. You will find my kingdom is in no way inferior to any commodity", she informs him with a smile.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
"I've seen your kingdom, just not your bedrooms." Yuuto's cheeks flare with a blush for a moment, before he shakes his head at the boop. "No, Coco, your embrace is the safest place I can think of." he confesses to her quietly as they continue down. "So... you're okay with me having a yellow tail like yours?" he asks her.

He looks around him, taking it all in as they continue to drift downwards. "It's so pretty, Coco." he admits quietly to her. "So tranquil and nice and just... this is nothing I've never seen before."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco looks down at their two tails embracing the other. "Why wouldn't I be ok with it?" She ponders curiously. So many merfolk have her own tail colour. She would have never considered that question had Yuuto not brought it up.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
"I was just surprised we ended up in the same color, is all." Yuuto responds, a tightening of his tail against hers in a hug as he turns his attention back to her from the surroundings. His arms loop loosely around her waist to hold her as he chuckles.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco isn't really sure how what is basically asking her for permission correlates with being surprised, but she lets it go. "Now that you don't need the protection of my palace to survive underwater, you will like exploring the sea, I promise."

Then again, he will have to deal with the fact she knows all the best places already, so she will be zipping around and teasing him with renewed playfulness.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
He's fine with that - Yuuto wants Coco to show him everything, all the things she enjoys and loves, so that he can figure it out himself. It's everything that's opening up to him. He'll just be another merfolk in her kingdom, and he's good with that. "I look forward to exploring with you." he tells her with a small smile of affection.