Mara? Even the name sounded magical. Mayumi said it in her head a few times. Mara. Mara. Mara. It flowed very easily. She would have tried testing it out loud, but was afraid she would look really stupid. She did not want to seem stupid to the mermaid. She wanted the mermaid to think she was really intelligent, funny, and just fun to be around, qualities Mayumi admired in a person. She couldn't believe Mara was talking to her and didn't seem to want to leave. It was astonishing. 

Then Mara said she was beautiful as well. Mayumi blushed and shook her head furiously. Oh no, she wasn't. She was just rather plain for a human, even for a half Japanese girl, at that. Her dark hair and dark eyes were very common among Asian girls and her skin was only tanned because of always being in the sun. She wasn't unique, not like being a magical mermaid.

"I-I am not..." She trailed off, bushed deeper and then looked down at her hands. They were shaking slightly. She was so nervous. This had to go right. She would be so distraught if something happened to make Mara hate her. "Thank you. I hope I live up to your expectations as well." She had no idea how she could. "And don't worry, you really do. Live up to mine, I mean."

Mayumi watched with wide eyes when Mara turned around onto her side, her pale, flawless skin glistening in the sun, and the scales on her tail seeming to glow. She scooted closer to Mara, until they were nearly touching, hip to where Mara's human body turned into her tail. She reached out hesitantly, her hands shaking some more and lightly put the tip of her fingers on the side of Mara's tail, the place where a human hip would be. It felt really unusual. Good unusual. It was soft, and did not feel slimy like a fish. There was warmth there, too.

She ran her hand down the length of Mara's tail, getting a little more bold, putting her whole palm down. She had been invited, after all. Right? As she touched the mermaid's tail, she looked up and sought out her eyes. She blushed. This felt awfully intimate a thing to do with someone she had just met. But the mermaid did not act like it was that big of a deal. So maybe it wasn't?

"You feel really... I mean, well..." She stuttered, fumbling around with her words. "I like the way your tail feels. It's really nice." She bit down on her lower lip and wondered if her desire to touch the mermaid's tail was mirrored in the mermaid's mind. Was she curious about human legs? So far Mara had not really glanced at her legs, so Mayumi didn't say anything, a little embarrassed at the idea.

"Are you able to be out of water long? I mean... can you breathe fine? Nobody can see us here. The only way in is through that gap," she pointed to where water came into the little oasis. "I imagine only a mermaid could get in here. I found a secret way, but to get here, it is a really dangerous climb." She smiled and pointed to the high rocks surrounding the cove.