Komaru hummed to herself as she flipped through a book she had found at the bookstore in town, it was about the myths and legends of sirens, she could only chuckle at some at how absurd they were, she even let out a laugh when she saw the one picture many believe to be a mermaid when it has been proven that it was nothing but a hoax. "W-what's so funny?"

The brunet looked up at Toko who was leaning against the edge that met the platform, "Oh, just this book. It's about the myths and legends of mermaids, but some of these ideas are kinda ridiculous, especially since I met you."

"W-what does it say?"

"Well, it says here that mermaids can control the weather, which is mostly folktales from sailers that survived shipwrecks."

"T-that's stupid, we're not Gods."

"Yeah, but it'd be incredible if you could, oh what's this," Komaru paused for a moment as she skimmed the page of her book, "Huh..."

"Huh, what?"

"This here says if a mermaid gets dry on land, they won't die, rather their tail will turn into a pair of legs."

Toko didn't say anything as she frowned at the book, she knew of some of the myths that were spread about her kind from the times she would overhear humans on boats in the water, but this one was something new, no one had ever said anything like that, then again she didn't get along with her family as they hated her, she wasn't exaggerating, since they have said it to her face for as long as she can remember, however, this greatly piqued her curiosity, she's heard many stories that Komaru has shared and she's become fascinated with seeing what was beyond the ocean and inside this room.

There was then a beeping sound, "Oh my food's done," Komaru stood and walked over to the ladder, "Be right back!"

That left Toko alone, her eyes slid back over to the book that laid open, she could try, she knows she shouldn't she could suffocate, but what if she could have legs, then she would never have to go back to the ocean, yes she has been wanting to return, but that's because she hates being locked up, and the ocean is the only place she can travel, but if she would walk, then maybe she could escape that trap as well. She took a deep breath and attempted to lift herself out of the water, her arms burned at attempting to lift her weight out of the water, but she kept pushing, her arms collapsed though and her chest landed on the platform, she wasn't going to give up, she used her tail, it flailed wildly, splashing the water around her. Toko used her tired arms to start to crawl, and with her tail helping her made it, she made it out of the water.

"Toko? Are you okay, what's going?!"

"Y-yeah..."

She felt a sharp pain in her tail, causing her to gasp, her insides burned as the water around her gills quickly dried, and the pain in her tail elevated, she opened her mouth to scream but nothing would come out, her mouth was too dry, was she going to die, was this just some stupid mistake because she listened to a fairytale? Then there was another sharp pain as if she was being stabbed and sliced in two. Her vision was blurring more than it already was, and her ears were ringing, was this it? She didn't hear Komaru yelling for her, nor did she see her come over, and then her vision went black.

Komaru was just gone for a couple of minutes to get her dinner and was about to return however with the wild splashing see grew worried, she called up to her friend and received a weak reply, she left her food behind and ran back over to the ladder and by the time she got up to the top, there was Toko laying on her stomach out of the water, "Toko!"

She ran forward and knelt down next to the mermaid and saw that she was unconscious, she was about to try and lift her back into the water, when she saw the purple scales on the purple-haired mermaid's tail began to fall off, she was in shock for a moment as more began to wilt and fall, they almost shriveled up into nothing, and she could see what looked like skin underneath where the scales once laid, she bit her lip but saw that Toko was breathing. Soon all of the scales fell, and there were a pair of legs, actual legs!

Komaru's eyes widen at the sight, this was amazing! So a myth from that book was true, wait did Toko want to try and see if that was true?

There was then a groan, "Toko!"

The siren's eyes opened, "K-Komaru?"

"Hey, Toko."

"W-what happened?"

"You got out of the water, but you've got legs!"

"What?!"

She looked over her shoulder and there where her tail once was a pair of pale legs, "N-no way!"

"Wanna try and walk?"

"W-what? I just got these th-things and now you want me to w-walk?"

"You don't have to..."

"No! I-I want to try..."

The scientist smiled softly at the other, "Okay."

She stood up and offered her hand to Toko, who took it with little hesitation, and with a pull, Komaru had Toko on her newly acquired feet. The siren was able to stand, although her new legs under the weight, she turned her head to look at the other woman and gave her a shaky smile, as soon as she tried to adjust her standing position, she ended up falling on top of the other woman, both landing on the metal ground with a yelp, well more like Komaru landed on the metal ground and Toko landed on top of her. Komaru let out a groan but looked up to see Toko's face inches from her own, and her eyes trailed down, and that was when she realized, that Toko, was completely naked.

She let out a yelp as her face turned into a bright red, "Komaru, a-are you okay?"

"Yup! Never better!" Her voice was louder and more high-pitched as her face remained bright red. "Let's try again."

"Why is your face all red? Are you thinking dirty things?" Toko gave her a perverted smile making Komaru's blush worse, she forgot that Toko was a bit of a pervert, but mostly when they were so close like this.

"O-of course not! W-which we should try again, a-after all practice makes perfect!"

So once they were able to get situated, they tried again, and again, and again, until finally, Toko was able to take a couple of steps without holding Komaru's hand, "Way to go Toko!" She cheered as she gave a small yet exciting clap. Toko's face turned red as she looked away and replied, "T-thank you..."

Komaru then let out a groan as she looked at the time, "Oh no the scientists are gonna be here soon..."

Toko's body stiffened, "W-we're not gonna tell them about this right?"

Komaru looked up at the still naked woman, but she had the same fear in her eyes when she revealed she can talk, she gave her a sincere smile, "Of course not, I won't say anything."

"Th-thank you."

"No problem, now you should probably get back in the water, doing so should bring back your mermaid tail."

Toko nodded and wobbled back over to the ledge, she was about to step in, only for one of her legs to collapses on her and she fell in the water, KOmaru watched from the platform as Toko's legs melded into one and purple scales grew back over them, just in time as the elevator doors opened. Komaru let out a sigh of relief only for her stomach to growl she realized she never ate her food last night, oh well guess it'll be breakfast now.

It was another late night, Komaru yawned as she climbed back up the ladder with her late-night dinner, she was able to get a good sleep the day before actually having a day off, which she felt awful leaving Toko alone, but the mermaid claimed she liked to be alone sometimes, but that didn't stop her from feeling bad.

She made it up the ladder where Toko was waiting, "T-took you long enough."

"Hey food takes time to cook, we don't eat raw meat like you guys," the brunet replied as she sat on the ledge and dipped her bare feet into the salty water, she's been doing this for a couple of weeks now and Toko hasn't said anything about it, so she's just continued to do it.

Toko's gray eyes watched her for a minute as Komaru bit into a riceball, the brunet's eyes then saw Toko's gaze on the food in her hands. Toko's never had rice before, she's always been underwater, she looked down at her bento box and saw three other rice balls, with a small smile she plucked one out and offered it to the other, she's surprised she hasn't offered her food before, "Here, I can see you eyeing it, why don't you have one."

"W-what, I don't-!"

"Don't lie Toko, maybe you'll like it."

The purple mermaid frowned but shakily accepted the riceball, she sniffed it before taking a bite out of it. She made a face but continued to eat it, "So how do you like it?"

"It's weird."

Komaru laughed at the response, "Well that's how it is when eating foreign foods, want another?"

Toko glanced away for a moment but nodded. Komaru smiled as she handed her the other, she tended to get full by eating two anyway but always brought extra in case, she watched as the mermaid nibbled on the other riceball and couldn't help but think how cute she is was. Her face then flushed red, no, no don't be thinking about that! She's a mermaid who has to return to the ocean soon!

She quickly gobbled down the rest of her food, trying to hide her blush and change her thoughts.

"K-Komaru?"

Said woman looked up at the other who looked at her with her head slightly tilted, "What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing, don't worry about it," she stood from her place, she was going to place her now empty dish in her bag, however, the first step and her ankle rolled, causing her to yelp as she lost balance, she heard a clatter, more than likely from her plastic dishware hitting the platform, and then a splash, she tried to let out a gasp only for salty water to enter her mouth, her body cringed at the lack of oxygen, she was about to cough when she felt arms wrap around her waist and pull her up. She spotted out the water that was in her mouth and coughed but greedily took in air. Her eyes were blurry but she could see the purple braids that belonged to Toko.

Her body was heaved onto the ledge, and Komaru crawled up and out of the water, still coughing and trying to get enough air back into her lungs. She then heard Toko's voice. "Komaru! Komaru are you okay?!"

She turned to look at the mermaid, shakily she replied, "Y-yeah, thanks Toko."

"You idiot you need to be more careful! What if I couldn't carry you?!"

"Heh, I'd rather not think like that, I'm actually an okay swimmer, guess I was just caught off guard."

"Idiot."

The brunet laughed, she coughed up a bit of water, but she deemed herself okay.

After a few minutes of finally catching her breath and sitting in wet clothes, the caretaker stood and walked over to her bag, "W-wait where are you going?"

"Oh, I just need to change clothes, can't be stuck in these wet ones all night." She rummaged in her bag and pulled out a set of dry clothes, she's been carrying two extras in case something like this were to happen, she's surprised it hasn't happened sooner. She slid off her wet lab coat and stripped off the rest of her wet clothes, leaving her only in her undergarments, "W-what are you doing?!"

She turned to see Toko with a very red face, "Changing clothes?"

The mermaid's blush stayed as she asked, "S-so that's what humans do?"

"Well yeah." Her mind then drifted, and even though it was for just a moment, it made her face inflame into a bright red.

'Take a swim with Toko.'

Why did she think that, and why did she now really want to do that?

However before she could stop herself, she asked, "Hey Toko, care if I take a swim with you?"

"W-what?! Why you almost just drowned!"

"I know, but, I guess I wanna explore your world, even if it's in a tank, but I wanna see through your eyes, after all, you kinda get the same experience now that we know you can walk on land."

Toko frowned and glared at the woman, but sighed, "F-fine, but I'm not gonna let you g-go of you, got it!"

Komaru smiled and nodded, "Yup." She walked over, still in her underwear, and sat on the ledge, dipping her feet back into the water, Toko watched her like a hawk and gripped her arm, "Okay."

The brunet used her free arm to launch herself into the water with Toko still holding onto her arm. She kept herself afloat by kicking her legs, and it helped that Toko was keeping her up. After a couple of minutes, Komaru asked, "Can we go under?"

Toko frowned at the request, but sighed, "F-fine, but you humans don't last long under, s-so it'll be quick."

Komaru took a deep breath, and Toko then went under, bringing her with her, she was able to open her green eyes under the water, they stung a bit as the salty water hit, but she kept them open, she turned to Toko, her braids floating in the water, and her gray eyes watching her. She smiled as they drifted a bit, The woman couldn't help but admire how beautiful Toko looked, even underwater. Her thoughts began to drift again, but this time she didn't stop them. She knew they were going to return to the surface soon but she wanted to, and she allowed her body to move, she used her free hand to tilt Toko's face more in her direction, and then, she shut her eyes and closed the distance between them. Their lips met, Toko let out a surprised shriek, but after a moment, she felt the mermaid push back.

She felt a flutter in her chest as she pulled back, she smiled at the mermaid whose face was beet red, but she pulled them up to the surface. Once there Toko pulled Komaru over to the platform, "W-was that a kiss?!"

The brunet flushed but nodded as she scratched her cheek bashfully, "Y-yeah..."

"I-I've never been kissed before, my mind does it too, b-but..."

"O-oh so I was your first?"

"S-so what of it?!"

"N-nothing, just, I've never kissed a girl before, it was...nice."

"W-well...of course, it was nice!"

Komaru gave a small laugh, "Yeah."

Now she had no choice but to accept it, these feelings that have been building for the past couple of months, she was in love with a mermaid, and a mermaid, who just may return the feelings. She'll enjoy what time they have here, but once Toko gets released, then they can continue what they're doing.

She'd like that. She'd like that a lot.