lostcarnival | LEARN 2 SWIM WITH SORA

Mitsuki... is failing as a merman. It's a good thing his life doesn't seem to depend on his ability to stay moving in the water because he would be belly up pretty much immediately. Sure, he's a dancer in his regular body but even getting to the skill level he's at took him years of exhausting work. Trying to learn how to move in a brand new body? What did he do to deserve this?

This is why his main form of locomotion is a combination of tail swishing and dragging, using whatever objects are nearby to stabilize himself as he gets used to how swimming with a tail works. He's using this to attempt to get to the cookhouse when he sees a small group of people watching another person. He recognizes him a little, having seen him around the games when he goes to hang out with Chiaki, but he doesn't really know him. That's not going to stop him from scooting up to the side of the group to see what he can learn, however. The teacher--Sora? He thinks so--clearly has some confidence in what he's doing, and that alone tells Mitsuki he's probably worth listening to.

His own practice isn't going as well, though. He can't seem to stay straight. Every time he picks up even the slightest bit of speed, he ends up aiming downward again. Sighing, Mitsuki rights himself and tries again.

Sora thinks he's got a pretty good grasp on the carnival and its workers at this point, having been here a month now; usually he can recognize people, at least by their faces, if not by their fae markings. Which is why it's weird that he's somehow never seen this guy before.

The poor guy is definitely struggling, though, and Sora, in his kindness, can only leave a friend upside-down for so long. Making sure the rest of the 'class' is in good shape, he leaves the front of the crowd, and swims over to the new guy.

"Hey! You, uh, you need some help?"

Mitsuki didn't mean to make himself the center of the instructor's attention but Sora's not wrong. He's a little embarrassed when Sora comes over, but he only pauses for a second before nodding. Pride goes before the fall, or in this case the crash into the ground.

"Yeah, I think I might, thanks. Your instructions were really helpful, though; this is very kind of you, holding a class like this!"

It's not Sora's fault Mitsuki can't make his bottom half work properly anymore

"Uh, well, it's not really a class..." Sora answers sheepishly. "Some people asked for help, and then some more, and then there was a crowd. But I wanna help everyone if I can."

Sora swims a circle around the guy, looking him over.

"So, what are you not getting?"

Yuuri had tried. He had tried extremely hard and while Sora was definitely a very good teacher it just wasn't as easy to move with his cuddlefish half as the other moved with his more streamline and fish-like tail.

Still, he gave it his best shot and managed to at least use some of the tips the other had given in order to shift through the water easier. It was the whole propulsion thing that Yuuri wasn't grasping well.

Sinking down to the floor again, tentacles spreading out as he rested for a moment, Yuuri let out a bubbly sigh as he crossed his arms over his chest. What was he missing? Why wasn't this working for him? Maybe he was thinking too hard? Maybe the movements were more of a natural thing rather than something he needed to force. But how exactly was one suppose to just naturally propel themselves? He'd seen videos of squids and cuddlefish swimming before and...yeah.

Why couldn't he have just been a seahorse or something?

This was the first time Sora had met Yuuri in person, but honestly, he'd recognized him immediately; the new recruits were always easy to pick out.

Unfortunately, Yuuri was also yet another person who got a transformation Sora was unfamiliar with. But, he could totally help! So, Sora swam his way over to where Yuuri was resting on the floor, and flipped himself to sit next to him.

"Hey, Yuuri! Are you having some trouble?"

Movement caught his attention and he glanced over as Sora approached, managing a smile despite how frustrated he clearly was with the situation.

"Hi Sora," he greeted as he let his arms drop from their crossed position so he could rest his hands in his lap...against his upper tail...what did one even call that anymore? "A lot of trouble. Moving with this is a lot harder than I was expecting."

Especially since so many others had already gotten use to their changes.

"Yeah, it takes a lot of getting used to," Sora replies. He certainly had some trouble until someone showed him what to do; it must be way worse for Yuuri.

"You just gotta keep practicing, you know? It's totally different from having legs. And, hey, it's not like you're getting thrown into a fight like I did when I was learning."

"Just like I had to do with ice skating," he mused with a slight smile, adjusting his position and trying to just relax; trying not to think too hard because he knew that was part of what was making it difficult for him.

"Wait, you had to learn in the middle of a fight?" Yuuri looks at Sora with wide eyes. "What--why?"

"Because that's my job, back home. Fighting the darkness. At that time, someone had taught me the basics of how to swim, and then the heartless came, and I had to fight them," Sora explains.

It wasn't the first or last time it happened, and by now, Sora is used to that kind of lifestyle.

"That's just how it is."

Yuuri can't help but stare at the younger man for a long moment.

"You're...you really do go through a lot of stuff, don't you Sora?" he said in a bit of awe and maybe with a tinge of worry. How is it that one person can go through all of this--and Yuuri hasn't even heard the half of it--and still wear a smile like Sora does?

You are something else, kid.

Without him realizing it Yuuri had managed to right himself and was floating in place, his tentacles shifting slowly to keep him where he was.

"I can see why you like having a break."

"Ah, I guess," Sora answers sheepishly. In all honestly, it wasn't something he thought about a lot. It had been his life for a while now, and even now he always keeps an eye out for the darkness, his hand sometimes twitching for his weapon involuntarily. It was like he said; it was just how it is.

But, stepping back from the situation does give one clarity to it.

He smiles at Yuuri, though, and stretches upwards.

"Having a break is nice, but I didn't exactly make a contract just to have one. I have a lot of people who need me."

"So the sooner you get back there the better." The good old contracts. Keeping them from what they needed to be doing whether it was something simple or involved saving worlds. Yuuri couldn't help but give the other a sympathetic look, feeling bad for the teen for a lot of reasons honestly.

What a life.

"How much longer do you have?" he asked, forgetting the point of being here for a moment, far too interested in Sora's story.

But hey, he's swimming even if he doesn't realize it--well, hovering in the water. So that's something!

"Um..." Sora stops, and counts in his head quickly. "I think... Ten months? Maybe eleven. Time's gotten a little fuzzy lately. But, I definitely haven't been here more than two months."

He looks up, and swims a circle around Yuuri, grinning.

"But, hey, look! You're really getting the hang of swimming, now."

"So not that much longer than me," Yuuri said thoughtfully, though really it was nothing to be thoughtful about. A year seemed like such a long time and if time got fuzzy after awhile, wouldn't it just seem even longer?

The young man blinks and looks down, surprise flickering over his face.

"I didn't even realize!"

"Really?" Sora laughs. "I guess the trick, is not to think about it."

Sora swims another circle around Yuuri, faster this time, and adjusts his necklace a little.

"Guess you're all set to go!"

Sora. Sora stop swimming so fast you're making him dizzy!

"I guess so? I mean, I hope so!" Yuuri said with a half smile, not overly confident with the whole swimming thing just yet but hey, practice makes perfect! "Thanks for your help, Sora. I really appreciate it."

"No problem!" Sora grins. "I'm here to help, after all. What're you gonna do now?"

Yuuri's expression turned thoughtful as his tentacles shifted to keep him upright, the young man much more at ease now which was making everything easier.

"I think I might go check out the market. I heard some people talking about it and it may be worth checking out," he finally said, smiling now as he focused on Sora. "Might find some neat souvenirs to take home!"

"Yeah, it looks like there's a lot of cool stuff there," Sora says. "You could find something neat for your... husband? Are you guys married?"

And now it's time for Yuuri to blush. A lot. But even with how flustered he looks blushing all the way to his ears, a shy little smile does appear as he let's out a laugh.

"No, not..not yet. It's something we've kind of talked about," he admitted, looking down at his ring.

"Oh, that's cool. Well, I hope you guys are happy together," Sora grins. "If you get married here, I bet everyone would throw you the best wedding ever!"

Yuuri can't help but smile a bit fondly at Sora. Seriously, you are just too nice.

"Thanks, Sora. I appreciate it," he said sincerely before a laugh escapes him. "It would definitely be a wedding to remember!"

"You're used to this?"

Chiaki's transformation was one of the stranger ones; rather than just having a tail, nearly her entire body had been turned into a manta's. She was currently attempting to flap her fins like wings, and it wasn't really helping her move very far.

Chiaki's transformation was not at all what Sora had expected. In his experience, most people stayed shaped like they originally were, at least from the torso up, but to see the girl be basically a manta ray was a little odd.

"Yeah. I've been doing this for a while now. And I grew up on an island, so I guess you could say I've always been a strong swimmer," Sora laughs. "But fins takes some getting used to."

"I mean the fins... I've seen how you swim, even with a tail!" She sighs, pausing in her flapping for a moment. "It's tiring."

"Yeah, after a while, I could see that," he admits. "No wonder all the locals are so fit, I guess."

That was a terrible joke. Apparently Sora is good at terrible jokes.

"Like I said, it just takes some getting used to."

After a lovely day of drifting around and making his way around by grabbing onto everything and pulling himself around, Jimmy figured it was time that he followed up on Joker's mention of swimming lessons.

He doesn't know if Sora can actually help, given that Sora's got a fish tail and Jimmy.... doesn't. But even just commiserating over how much this all sucks is a good start.

This guy is probably one of the older of Sora's students, but that's not saying much around here. Hell, the Ringmaster's old as hell and she looks like she's twenty five. Looks aren't everything, around here.

Anyway, there's a brief break while everyone attempts to try out what they've been taught thus far, and Sora drifts between them, offering tips and asking how they're doing, until he comes upon this scruffy looking dude.

"Hey! How's it going?"

Jimmy has to double-take at Sora. On the one hand, Joker said he knew what he was talking about and that he'd been turned into a merperson before. On the other hand, Sora looks like he's twelve.

But Jimmy did come here for help, and Sora was the one he got pointed at. "Sora, right? Hi." He flounders a little to double check that his hat is on straight before turning around. "Joker suggested I head over here for swimming advice?" There's a fair bit of hesitancy over whether or not Sora can actually help, given that Sora has fins and a proper tail, and Jimmy... doesn't. (He'd prefer not putting too much thought into the precise mechanics of how he swims, thanks.)

"Yep, that's me," Sora grins widely. He swims a circle around the new guy, examining him. Another one with tentacles, but at least he's not completely unfamiliar with that.

"Well, he wasn't wrong. It seems like I've been helping everybody today, hehe. What's your name?"

"Jimmy. Jimmy Novak." Apart from the hat, Jimmy's pretty unremarkable. Gold chain with a coin pendant, black octopus from the waist down and a black stripe up his spine. He turns enough to keep Sora in view as he gives Jimmy a look over.

"I'm hoping I can get a few pointers, at least. Although, I think I'm the only octopus I've seen." Which, granted, does make Jimmy a bit uncertain about how much help there is to be had.

"Nice to meet you, Jimmy," Sora chuckles. "I've seen a few around. You're not the only one."

Sora floats to a stop directly in front of Jimmy, and settles so that they're eye-level.

"Is there anything you need help with in particular, or just in general?"

"Just in general, I think. Trying to learn by watching other people swim only gets you so far when you don't have fins or a tail." He shrugs helplessly. "And I still don't have a whole lot of ideas about what's going on with these either." Jimmy holds up his hand and spreads his fingers, showing the translucent webbing between the digits.

"It's made work a bit more interesting, that's for sure."

Well the webbed fingers are definitely new, but they shouldn't reflect on your swimming. Sora looks at them carefully, curious, but he's pretty sure they'd actually help.

"Yeah. I think everyone's been kinda shoving work off a bit today."

Himself included, actually, but the carnival's not even open today anyway.

"But, yeah, tentacles are definitely harder than a tail, I think. But, it shouldn't be too hard."

"Well, that's good to hear. I'd hate to think I was the only one taking the day off." Although, as excuses for calling in sick went 'Sorry, I got turned into a fish.' was pretty high up there.

"Yeah. Eight arms and none of the arms seem to know what the others are doing." Speaking of, while Jimmy was talking, the tentacles seem to have found a rather interesting rock and are investigating it.

Sora watches the tentacles pick up a rock off the ground, and... that was something he'd never seen before. It's pretty funny, actually.

"Yeah, that, uh, seems like a problem," he says, muffling a laugh. "They're kinda like arms, I think. So you just kinda gotta... move them all at once."

Jimmy nods. "Yeah, that and find someplace to practice that isn't in front of everyone." And after he's given it a good cleaning. Inking yourself out of house and home isn't something he thought he'd say he'd done, but he'd done it.

And the tentacles continue to be very picky in their rock selection, scooping up one rock, patting it all over and passing it up and down a row of suckers before discarding it and picking up another.

"Oh, I don't think that'll be an issue. No one's gonna laugh. Pretty much everyone is starting from square one, here," Sora says nicely.

"That's good to hear." Jimmy still seems blissfully unaware that the tentacles are sorting the rocks into different piles according to some esoteric scheme.

"I don't know. Everyone else seems to have the basic 'fins and tail' setup for the most part, and I... don't. But I think someplace a little more private, and probably well padded, would be the best bet."

"Well, I mean, if you'd rather do a private lesson, I don't have a problem with that. Just, you'd have to wait a bit. I don't wanna leave everyone else in the dust."

Sora gestures vaguely behind him at the other people learning to swim, all at varying stages between 'moving at a decent pace' and 'barely moving, in the wrong direction'.

Jimmy nods, watching one of the aforementioned backwards swimmers, trying desperately to go the other way. ".... Not that there's a lot of dust to leave people in, sometimes." Maybe Jimmy's lucky in that he only has to worry about which way the forward propulsion is pointing. (And not thinking about what everything probably was last week.)

"If you wanna go get that, I'll stay here and practice?" Which mostly means 'Small thrusts forward and dragging his tentacles in the sand as makeshift brakes' but it's a start.

"Sure! I'll come back as soon as I can, okay?"

Sora looks behind him, finally, and notices them going backwards. He should probably. Help them.

"...It, uh, might be a bit."

"That's okay. I can wait." Jimmy watches Sora head off after the drifter. "And thanks for the talk. Good luck with the other guy."

LEARN 2 SWIM WITH SORA

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