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“Honestly I kind of hope so.” Maybe some kind of treasure or something they could split. “As long as it isn’t something that isn’t looking to take a bite out of me I think everything should be fine.”

If there was something living down in the reservoir she was sure that there would have been an overhead announcement instructing people to get out of the water. “It’ll be a cakewalk, easier than trying to swim through narrow underwater caves.” Now that could be a terrifying experience to someone who was new to the sport. If you’re not careful and cause too much of a disturbance with your fins. The sand particles could occlude your vision to the point that the pathway out would be completely blocked. Many divers had died that way, running out of oxygen waiting for the sand to resettle so they could get out.

“I just need you to be my second set of eyes. You might see something that I miss.” There were certain hazards and precautions her own mind would be set on that small things might go missed. But this reservoir was more like a training facility used by dive instructors to teach new students how to properly use their gear in a more controlled setting. There really shouldn’t be anything dangerous for her to worry about but then again the first time you make that assumption was usually the first time something went wrong. So it was better to just be prepared.

“Aye Captain,” Marissa brought two fingers to her brow and gave him a mock salute with an added wink. While most wouldn’t bat an eye at her comment since they were both running around as civilians, she kind of hoped he got the double meaning.

Although it was not needed, she picked up her snorkeling gear and put it on before jogging across the oddly squeaky sand to the water's edge. If you see something I don’t, just say something and tell me which way to swim and I’ll check it out. The request came through the tether that linked their minds.

With how warm it was outside, it was expected that the water would be rather cold. However, when Marissa stepped into the reservoir the chill didn’t really seem to register as it normally would have. As a kid, her brother, Nathan, would have had to pick her up, throw her over his shoulder and toss her into the lake because simply walking in was absolute torture. But she didn’t have him to help her just jump in and it seemed she wouldn’t need help either since the water felt more room temperature, to her at least.

The water’s great! You should come stand in it for a bit. There was a fleeting feeling of humor tailing that suggestion as she waded out into the swimming area. Once she was in hip-deep water Marissa dove and swam towards one of the connecting back entrances rather than the main one most people seemed to be exploring.

Once… Twice… Three times she rose to the surface to get air, not that it was needed but more so because she didn’t want the lifeguard to think she had drowned and caused a scene.

Ok… well… here goes nothing.

Honestly? Marissa swam deeper until she was sure that nobody would accidentally kick her if they were swimming overhead. I feel like I’m at home.

For a moment she just floated there probably a good ten or so feet below the surface. A depth that would have most people starting to feel a bit uncomfortable but most kids could swim this far down in a normal pool so to her it felt like nothing.

Through the link that tethered their minds she shared with Samir moments of her life that were precious to her. The memories were trailed by a ghostly trace of sadness but she tried her best to hide those feelings.

Much of her life was spent going to the pool with friends or family and jumping off the diving board, many hours spent laughing while trying new tricks or having water fights that usually ended with someone getting dunked. Another memory she shared was the first time she went ocean diving; leaning backward and feet overhead she fell off the back of the boat into the salty water where lots of tropical fish swimming around her curiously. It was a beautiful place to visit and someday she hoped to be able to go back to the reef again.

My grandparents used to say that I had water in my veins. I wonder what they would say if they knew how true that was now… Literally and metaphorically since becoming a Half-Youma, a reality she still seemed intent to deny.

Hmm, maybe because I feel more freedom down here. In the Dark Kingdom, she felt like a prisoner in the Barracks. The other officers were supposed to be comrades but, even if they didn’t make a comment out loud, Marissa felt like she was being judged by them.

Do you see what I’m seeing, the further down she sawm it seemed to be getting lighter.

Strange… it was definitely some kind of bioluminescent mineral or creature emitting the odd green glow but without a flashlight, it was hard to tell which it was. I’m going to get a closer look. interestingly enough, the further down she swam the issue she normally would have had with pressure didn’t seem to phase her as much as when she was human. Perhaps she had her dragon-like features to thank for that.

Not in person, no. I’ve only seen photos of a glow-worm cave that looks kind of like this. She wasn’t really big into spelunking unless they were underwater but the one she mentioned was, ironically, one that was on her list since it had a river that flowed through it. There was a point in time that she was considering going on one of the tours but school and work took priority of a fun vacation for herself so it landed on a bucket list that would likely never happen now that travel was restricted since she was a half youma with limited glamour time.

Still, this sight was a good second best and she would treasure the sight of these little lights just the same. Are you sure you don’t want to come down here and see them for yourself?” He was much taller than her and definitely wouldn’t fit in her scuba gear but she had some snorkeling things back in the storage unit if he had time to take her there really quick to grab it.

Kyuseisha no Hikari

’Fair enough’ Laven smiled to herself knowing he wouldn’t be able to see her expression but the humor she felt carried through the tether well enough that she needn’t worry.

’I’ll head back up then and we can figure out something to do on the beach.’ she hummed thoughtfully to herself as she meandered her way through the water depths back towards the surface.’You don’t happen to see any slushy booths or Hawaiian ice stands do you? It was far warmer here in Destiny City than it was in the Dark Kingdom and something nice and cold sounded absolutely amazing right now.

Deal

Marissa swam towards the surface and when she would out onto the sandy shore she was simply beaming with a smile that reached those icy blue eyes that shone as brightly as the water droplets that clung to her hair.

For the first time in a long while she felt more like herself. The person she used to be before having become a half-youma. Perhaps it was because of the sun warming her skin, not scales, or the feeling of gliding through water. Then again the answer was probably more simple than that.

Samir?

She scanned the crowd for her friend, her captain.

"Lead the way," She looked up at him with a glint of humor in her glacial blue eyes as she placed the cuff back on her ear.

While the underwater caves beneath the reservoir were a strange sight to witness, Marissa was glad Samir had brought her out here. There were many things from her old life she missed terribly which is why moments like these were so important. No matter how few hours she was allowed she cherished and held onto these memories because without them, Laven was sure to forget her humanity and fall further into darkness.