2170/Opening Hearts

Opening Hearts
Date of Scene:	09 December 2024
Location:	South Pacific Kingdom
Synopsis:	Coco shows Entrapta the South Pacific Kingdom and the princess of Dryl shows the mermaid princess her passion, and even her loneliness.
Cast of Characters:	Coco Kiumi, 281

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Coco Kiumi has posed:
"I can't move water with my mind", Coco admits over Entrapta's explanation of what mermaids are like over at Etheria. You'd think that might be an obvious power for a mermaid, but she is first and foremost an idol. But enough dallying, she is here to spend time with Entrapta and show the other girl her home!

"That would be awesome, I should pass you Hinoiri's notes on magical music, give you a headstart on your project", Coco smiles, giving her hand to Entrapta. It's not really necessary for the purple-haired girl to hold it, but given it's likely her first time so deep underwater, she figure it would provide her some reassurance if Entrapta needs it. Even if they are going to be indoors with only the windows to show how deep they are.

"I am going to open a portal, but before that, you should know that we have water indoor too, but there is a spell which will allow you to breathe, so try not to worry about that", she speaks preemptively in a reassuring tone.

With all the preparations out of the way, Coco's pearl inside her shell locket starts shining as the mermaid focuses on the opening of the portal, a yellow disk large enough to let 3 people through opening in front of them. Coco walks inside, and once Entrapta follows, she will find herself in a large atrium, the entire place coloured in various shades of yellow.

Entrapta (281) has posed:
Entrapta DOES love notes. Taking Coco's hand in hers, Entrapta glances around to make sure that she's not left anything dangerous. Not that she's worried about hurting anyone, she just doesn't want to lose data.

"Portals?" That got her attention. "I've been working on portals for a year now, I would love to go through one of yours! Can I see how it works? Do you use antimatter particulates or move energy counter-rotation to the prion axis?"

Whatever that meant.

Apparently breathing isn't her issue, it's the technical aspects. But she watches the magic start up with widening eyes. Then she bounces, hopping as she goes through the portal. Hop. Hop. Hop. "Ooooh, what's this?" It's like leading a four year old who needs a dose of their meds. Whatever meds they might take.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Once on the other side of the portal, Coco automatically returns to her true form, her legs replaced by her yellow tail and her clothes switching to her underwater getup. Despite the clothes change, Entrapta will be able to note that her own clothes doesn't feel any less dry that they were before she entered the portal.

"I have no idea how the portal works", Coco replies with an embarassed smile. "All I know is that I can visualise it opening and it leads me home." She may have used it for situations when she didn't have guests, when homesickness got the best of her.

"Anyway, welcome to the South Pacific Kingdom! I will be your tour guide for this trip, so take it easy and enjoy yourself!", she winks at Entrapta, starting to swim out of the entrance hall still holding onto her hand, swimming at a pace the other girl should have no problem keeping up with.

Entrapta (281) has posed:
"Yeah, that works too," Entrapta says as she's explained about portals. Or not explained, though she was looking forward to geeking out about them. She pauses and touches her own clothing, then lets her eyes move around the new area.

She looks up, then her hair gets into her face. She pushes it aside, and then it's going another way and she's turning slowly upside-down. Making a squeak of joy, she slowly pivots in the water til she's entirely wrong side up, her face clearly enjoying the sensation.

"How am I breathing?! This is amazing!" She waves an arm, and the inertia starts her moving again. "So cool!"

So this is how she's so good in freefall later in life. Experience! She kicks a few times, and slowly learns how to keep her hair out of her face. "How do you ...swim?"

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Apparently the non-explanation was enough for Entrapta. She certainly takes things in stride, Coco thinks. Not that her not having the minutiae of how her portal works is hard to deal with, but the yellow mermaid certainly appreciates how calm Entrapta is in this environment unknown to her. Or being her usual excited state, anyway.

Letting go of Entrapta's hand, she lets the other girl joyfully explore her surroundings, Coco being charged with happiness at Entrapta's joy. Just something about her being so excited is nice to see, like she is radiating energy. To be fair, there is also something to say about someone reacting so positively about seeing your home for the first time.

"It's just magic we have for when people that can't breathe underwater by themselves come over", Coco smiles, staying at Entrapta's side during her exploration. "That's not really that unusual. Sometimes we have the special human visit here, even if it's a rarity, and we need to make them feel at ease too. It helps with the water pressure too. Though the spell doesn't extend outside of the palace, so please try not to get out by yourself, we have other means if you want to get outside", she explains.

"How I am swimming?", Coco repeats with surprise. "Hmm, just kicking the water with my tail", she tentatively answers, not sure which specific answer Entrapta is seeking. "Is there anything in particular you would like to know?" she asks, in the meantime leading her guest to a spacious room able to fit a huge number of people, at the center of which Entrapta can see a huge yellow shell with a soft cushion-like surface on the bottom half. "That's where each new South Pacific princess is born, and our throne too", Coco says.

Entrapta (281) has posed:
Entrapta seems fascinated with all of everything. Which is, admittedly, her life in a nutshell so that's not new it's true. "How far down are we? I know the math for water pressure." She slowly rotates til she's looking the right direction, slowly also picking up how to maneuver. Whoop, too far! Little back. Better.

"I was trying to...ask..how do I swim?" She pauses, putting her feet together, then tries kicking them like Coco does. It ends up with her upside-down again. "Agh! Wait, I'm getting this, what if I use my arms to counter the rotational motion..."

Kick. alter the angle on the arms. She moves forward, swimming like a mermaid. She IS a quick study! "Aaah!" It sounds like a joyful squeak. "I'm doing it!"

Okay, NOW she can be showed around the place.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Oh, she was trying to ask how to swim herself, it wasn't one of her inquisitive question, Coco realises her mistake. Though, even if now she is aware of what Entrapta really wants, she isn't any more equipped to actually answer it. "I have no idea how to swim with legs", she lowers her head as an apology for a few seconds.

It's a good thing that Entrapta is figuring this out on her own then, even through getting repeatedly turned upside down. She... has never swum at all in her life, Coco realises embarassed by her oversight, still keeping a hand on Entrapta's arm, just in case doing so would help her finally stay stable now.

"You are doing well, you are a fast learner", she speaks warmly, even though she has no idea if it recommended for humans to swim like a mermaid. Everyone that had come here prior had their own styles. "How are you feeling?"

Entrapta (281) has posed:
No answer.

When Coco looks, though, there's a reason. Entrapta is too busy looking at the underwater location. She looks at one wall, and the way the light ripples down it is there, then gone. She turns, looking, and..

There's a window.

Entrapta pulls up to one, her face pushed right up against the glass with a giggle, her eyes shining. Outside, there is silt from a passing shoal of fish. But as it settles, she gets to see the ocean.

A stingray goes past, then it's revealed what is outside. The water moves visibly, a ripple hiding a current causing it to twist, tiny fish riding it like a carnival in the sea.

She can't speak. The sea is there, and it's amazing.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
With Entrapta have started to swim on her own, Coco doesn't realise she has left her for the windows until there is no reply from the purple-haired girl, causing the mermaid to turn around and join her with watching outside of the palace. "It's quite a special place, isn't it?", Coco says softly, looking fondly at the beauty of the vast sea.

"If you want to go outside, I only have to surround you in a Live Stage to let you survive in its environment", the blonde girl suggests, watching the sealife dance around out of the palace, memories about being out there playing with others of her kind a while back resurfacing in her mind.

"It's about 2300 meters deep here, but I am glad you are managing the difference well, and enjoying it too, Entrapta", Coco tells her.

Entrapta (281) has posed:
Entrapa beams. She turns to look, suddenly remembering that Coco is here! She's like that, does it to everyone eventually. Life is too fascinating to pay attention to anything else. Sometimes. :)

"Oh no that's okay I am going to make a suit to come down here on my own how deep?" That was a sudden shift in topic. She blinks, then smiles. "That would crush me so fast! That's incredible! I want to make a better suit!" her mind is already whirling with what she'd need to invent. "I don't think the technology exists yet. But that only makes it more fun!!!"

Yeah, she's like that. "Can you show me around a bit?" Wow. ADHD much?

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco is still mostly in her present mentally when Entrapta beams at her, giving back a happy smile of her own. She hadn't paid any mind to Entrapta having gone to admire the outside. She knows what that is like, to have a new world out there, so different and enchanting, regardless of how easy that may come to Entrapta.

It is a bit unusual that the thought of the crushing water pressure makes her giddy too, but that's actually for the best, all in all, and the yellow mermaid gives Entrapta a smile, moving onto exploration of the palace they are in. "Sure thing! I can start "I don't know on what way I can help, but if you need an extra hand, I am right here."

With Entrapta wanting to see the palace from the inside, Coco points her to the shell throne. "This is where mermaid princess to this kingdom are born from the Yellow Pearl, and where I sit here when official events require me to."

Entrapta (281) has posed:
Entrapta nods! "Princesses rule our world too! Though admittedly we generally get left to our own devices." She grins, liking that little wordplay, even if only she would get it. So she tries to explain. "Devices. I'm a princess, and they leave me to my devices! Ooh, this is nice!"

And she's already on another tangent, as they enter into the throne room. or throne area. She reaches out to touch the shell, unafraid of anything. "This is a real shell! The crustacean that made it must have been ancient! This is so incredible! The history, the way it all holds up with magical support under the crushing waters!"

She actually giggles, rolling over upside-down again. Then she kicks once, straightening her posture. "Are you the only princess for this domain?" Huge grin.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco laughs at the wordplay Entrapta stumbles onto. "Sure sounds like that would be the case. It's kinda the same over here, but with none of that passion about technology, it's not dry enough", she smirks when she points out the obvious.

"The shell throne is one of the immutable elements of the kingdom. It has always survived any disaster that has occurred in this kingdom, and it is as old as our oldest record", Coco explains its importance in a crystalline tone, not actually minding the close examination, just leaving Entrapta space.

"Always one princess per kingdom, and each one of use with our Pearl", Coco replies bringing a hand to her shell locket when the precious life-giving jewel is safeguarded. "I was born from the Yellow Pearl when the previous princess wasn't around anymore, and my heir will be born when I won't be here anymore either", she explains to Entrapta.

Entrapta (281) has posed:
Entrapta headtilts, her hair floating in a halo around her. She has a lot of hair. "I could possibly do something about that," she thinks. Actually having some ideas for tech for down this low, she files it for later. Anyway. She floats closer, then floats near Coco's arm.

"So you didn't know your parents either." Yes, that's where her mind went with that statement. How lonely it is, and how little control you had over anything. She looks stumped for anything to say, looking like she knows this is a sensitive topic but having no idea how to handle it.

"I...would have been lonely."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"It wasn't that terrible", Coco reacts to the sadness that she had perceived in Entrapta. "I made friends, I had Aqua Regina and Sara. Aqua Regina is like our mother, and she is sweet, understanding, patient and always willing to lead us when she ought to. Sara is my best friend forever, she is really amazing. We have always been there for each other, and that's why it's my duty to save her now that she has fallen to the darkness, no matter what happens", Coco confides calmly in Entrapta.

"I don't know if you had friends like that over in Etheria, but even if not, you can make them here. Radiant Heart is a special place, and it's as welcoming as its name suggests. I think you will find yourself prosper here. You have the instruments for it. Your passion is sincere, and you are honest and hardworking. People will see that and repay your effort tenfold", Coco promises Entrapta.

She kinda figures that Entrapta isn't just saying she would have lonely, but she in fact was, possibly. Is that why her reaction was so strong when she brought it up. "If you have any problems here, never hesitate sharing them, if you can. I want to help you, and I am sure others will too. You can tell me things, ok?", Coco suggests her.

Entrapta (281) has posed:
Entrapta ;'s family were robots. She grew up with robots, she made robots, she was raised by robots.

She's never had a best friend. It's not something she understands, but maybe someday. In her heart, she knows that someday she'll find that special person.

(Too bad it's Hordak. Nobody tell her. XD )

Looking around, Entrapta looks at the undersea world that she's within. She reaches up and pulls her hair down, holding it as it tries to move. Somehow, her hair moving seems somehow right. It should move, all the time. This is how it was meant to be.

"I have science," she says, like it's enough for her. But she knows how much Aqua Regina and Sara mean to Coco. How much her friends mean to her. And she wonders, is this all there is?

Well. There'll be time for her to learn. And what better place to do it than...the South Pacific Kingdom!

I mean, than Radiant Heart Academy! Of course I meant that. She doesn't live down here.

Her stuff would get wet.