It was a burning hot day in the te July. The sounds of lush grass and snapping sticks beneath Ci's feet, the scent of salt, and the sound of distant colpsing waves of a nearby beach where the only indication of where she was going. That, and the bit of a hike Remora took her on before covering Ci's eyes with her hands and guiding her a bit more up the hill.

  "Ah...! Remora!" Ci stumbled, but was quickly rebanced. She heard the girl giggle behind her.

  "Rex, Eggshells, I've got you. Just a little further..." Remora's mouth was right over Ci's shoulder as she guided her, and she could feel her breath tingle against her neck.

  "This better not be some horrid prank..." Ci whined quietly. Remora gasped, feinting being appalled.

  "I'd never!"

  "You would!" Ci protested. Remora shook her head and continued to push her forward gently.

  "Okay... aaand... open your eyes...!" Remora removed her hands. Ci blinked and fluttered her eyes open, her pupils shrinking and her face scrunching as she adjusted to the blinding world before her. But as the world came into view, she gasped.

  She overlooked a marvelous hillside from its peak. Lush grass and palm trees descended down and down before her, until the green and rich brown earth faded into peach sand, which was softly cupped by the saturated blue sea with gentle waves. Rocky gray cliffs poked out against the clear-skied horizon.

  "Wow... Remora, this is..." Ci curled her hands in close to her heart. Remora looked upon her with a glimmer of pride.

  "Come on, there's more." Remora grabbed her by the hand and pulled her down, earning a yelp of surprise out of Ci as they raced down the hillside, eventually colpsing from breathlessness into the sand.

  Ci lifted up from the ground in awe, the pale grains sticking to her short bck hair as she witnessed the calling water. She hurried over, watching the sea massage the shore. Remora followed her, carrying her shoes, and smiled as Ci looked at her with pure unadulterated wonder.

  "See those cliffs over there?" Remora motioned. Ci turned her head, seeing the jagged dark cliffs many yards down and nodded.

  "That's where we're headed." Remora put her hands on her hips.

  "Ooh, is there something cool there? What are we going to do?" Ci approached her with beaming curiosity. Remora hummed, feigning deep thought as she tapped her finger to her chin.

  "I'll tell you...... if you can beat me in a race." She gave her a sly look. Ci cocked her head

  "Wha-?"

  "Three-two-one-GO!" Remora spat out hurriedly, before sand kicked up behind her and she bolted towards the cliffs. Ci froze, but a sudden and exciting drive made her move to grab her shoes.

  "HEY!" She protested, ripping her footwear off and clutching them as she hoisted her legs forward. Remora was a tough sprint ahead of her, but Ci felt a burn inside her that made her strides wider and her movements faster. She panted, turning her head to the sea, watching the light upon the water move with her. She smiled wider and wider until she was ughing, turning her head back into her determined pursuit.

  She moved like a meteor across the sand, almost like she was burning so hot from the joy of her freedom that it could turn into gss. And with her height and determination, she began to gain on Remora. And gain on her, and gain on her, until she passed her with a pyful skip and a "HA!".

  Remora gasped and shouted some breathless protest, but watched as Ci reached the edge of rocky ground of the cliff sides before her. She slowed to a stop and doubled over, heaving loudly.

  "Shit... you are fast..." Remora noted.

  Ci could only respond with a giddy and just as breathless ugh. Remora brought herself to the ground, resting against a stone, and Ci followed her, colpsing next to her. Remora rested her head on her shoulder, allowing themselves a quiet minute to catch their breaths.

  "So... I win... You gonna tell me what I sprinted all the way here for?" Ci nudged her pyfully. Remora scoffed and nodded in defeat.

  "I'm gonna teach you how to swim."

  Ci's smile dropped and her eyes went wide.

  Wait what...???

  ...

  Remora led her into the stony paths of the cliff-sides. Ci looked up as shadows fell over her, feeling like she was being swallowed by the neutral earth. She could see the tides wading further back as they entered the cove.

  She was astounded when they came upon the sight of an opening and a rge pool of water, a smooth eroded path circling it. Openings in the cove above shone sunlight down on the turquoise pool. She was so enchanted by its natural beauty, she hardly even noticed Remora was stripping herself from her dress.

  When she turned, her jaw dropped and heat rushed to her cheeks. Countless times Remora had done this in the bedroom she agreed to share with her back home, but it always caught Ci off guard. She turned away in a panic.

  Moments ter she heard a rge spsh, and spun around to see Remora had submerged under the seawater. She yelped and rushed to the edge, watching in fright like a helpless cat, wondering if Remora was going to drown and leave her here all alone...!!!

  Then she surfaced and Ci released her breath. Remora ughed.

  "Ahhh...! That's so nice. The water's perfect, Ci." Remora ran her hands over her head, smoothing back her hair as she met Ci's terrified eyes. Ci only responded with an anxious ugh. both from relief and from nervousness at the sight of Remora's bare shoulders that floated above the water. Remora drifted over to her.

  "You ready?" She lifted her elbows onto the rocky floor, looking up at the girl. Ci shook her head and shrunk to the ground.

  "No... No, I don't think I can, Remora... I'm going to... I-I'll... What if I-?" Ci stammered, covering her head with her hands. Remora's smile didn't falter as she lifted herself out of the water, sitting with her legs dipped into the water.

  "Hey. Look at me." Remora demanded calmly. Ci lowered her hands and blinked at her. "I'm not gonna let you drown. Trust me. I've got you." She reassured.

  And how it bewitched Ci, she did trust her. She trusted her fully with anything and everything. But it was on days like this that she wished she didn't. She nodded and muttered out an "okay", which Remora beamed at.

  "But you can't swim in that, honey. All that fabric's gonna weigh you down." Remora pointed. Ci blushed and looked down at her dress, swallowing down a lump stuck in her throat.

  "R-right. Right..." Ci turned. She took a breath before sighing with hesitancy, and reached down, unbuttoning her men's shirt. She shifted it back, revealing her concealed chest and back via her bra, and then undid the buttons on her pants, peeling them down, leaving her in her underwear. She could feel Remora's eyes on her, and she knew she was being gazed at most casually, but to Ci she couldn't help feeling entirely embarrassed. She tossed her clothes to the side and turned, covering her chest with her arms, almost like she had to contain her chest for her heart might leap out of it. Remora smiled at her.

  Remora lifted, taking her by the hands and leading her to the shallow water. Ci's breath quickened as the water pped at her feet, and she shivered.

  "It's cold..." She meekly protested. Remora let out a pyful huff.

  "You'll adjust, I promise." She took a slow step back, guiding her further into the water. Ci cmped her eyes shut as she felt it rise all around her body, from her legs, to her thighs, to her hips, to her stomach, and to her chest.

  "How's it feeling?" Remora asked softly. Ci's voice wavered.

  "Terrifying..." Ci looked all around her, still holding onto Remora's hands. Remora squeezed them in reassurance.

  "First lesson is floating. Before you can move in the water, you have to understand how to stay on top of it. So for example..." Remora drifted away, before turning onto her back. She took in slow deliberate breaths, and like magic, her limbs and her face kept above water. Her hair waved underneath the water like kelp, and she looked like she were in her element.

  Ci watched her in awe. She looked so natural, so still and calm, and her eyes were lighting up with astonishment. Remora floated over to her.

  "See? It's not hard. Now..." Remora let down her feet, wading upright. "Your turn."

  Ci gulped, but her protests defted as she felt Remora touch the underside of her arm, guiding her a bit further into the water.

  "Ready?" Remora squeezed her arm.

  "No." Ci whimpered.

  Remora giggled and helped her tip back. Ci sucked in her breath as she felt the water run up her back to her neck and into her hair, and her feet stopped touching the floor of the pool. Her eyes squeezed shut, like she was about to be consumed, and her breath started coming in short bursts.

  "Breathe... Rex... I've got you." Remora attempted to reassure. Ci could only focus on Remora's gentle hands underneath her arms, her only source of stability. She id ft on her back, striving to slow her breath.

  "Good. You're doing good." Remora praised. Ci took in a deeper breath at her words, feeling her face burn hot again. Her heart was hammering but she forced her breath to slow.

  "Okay, I'm gonna let go now." Remora whispered. Ci's eyes shot open and she felt her warm palms leave her.

  "No... wait..." Ci protested voicelessly.

  "You've got it, you're doing it." Remora reassured.

  But Ci could hear the hammering of her heart in her ears and her blood pumping adrenaline to each of her limbs. Her breath grew rapid and she felt like the water would pull her under and swallow her whole.

  "NO!" Ci shouted as the anxiety swept over her, and so did the water. She sucked in a breath but air only met her lungs momentarily before a flood of saltwater followed it. This was it. She was going to die.

  Then she felt that warmth returned as Remora's forearms wrapped around the underside of Ci's, pulling her up. As Ci surfaced she coughed and she leapt in the direction of Remora. Her arms reached out blindly until they found the other girl, and she wrapped her arms around her, pulling her close for stability.

  "Hey! Hey! You're okay!" Remora's voice cut in past the humming adrenaline in her ears. Remora wrapped her arms around her and held her close. "You were doing so good!"

  "So good? I almost just died!" Ci wanted to protest if it weren't for the fluids in her lungs she was ridding of in unfttering coughs. She whined as she clinged to her.

  "Don't let me go..." Ci begged weakly. Remora chuckled.

  "Okay, I won't but you can touch the bottom. Go on, try." Remora kept her steady, rubbing her back. Ci blinked and slowly slipped one foot down, meeting the smooth floor of the pool, then the other. She released a breath and turned her head away in embarrassment.

  "You did great, Ci. Don't feel ashamed. It takes time to get." Remora brushed some hair away from Ci's eyes. Ci shook her head.

  "I don't think I can do it, Remora." She kept her eyes averted.

  "Are you kidding?" Remora put her hands on her shoulders, and Ci's hands fell to Remora's hips subconsciously. "Yes you absolutely can! Look at where you came from, Ci. You started off as a weepy, meek, and terrified princess and now look at you... You've learned how to cook, clean, sew, use tools, garden, and you're even learning how to use a sword! You can absolutely swim."

  "But it's terrifying and I just..."

  "I know." Remora stopped her, looking at her with a pure calm intensity. Ci felt her world slow. "But you're going to be alright. I'm here." Remora took her hand from her waist.

  "Just remember this... Don't panic and you won't sink. Deep breaths. If you stay calm and focused, you're capable of anything. I promise you that." Remora didn't break eye contact a singur time, and Ci couldn't find any weakness behind her statement in her eyes. She shakily exhaled, and nodded.

  "Okay."

  "Okay?"

  "Okay." Ci nodded, and Remora did so in return. She helped her onto her back once more, holding her by her arms.

  "Don't panic and you won't sink."

  Ci repeated the mantra in her head as the water rose around her sides. Remora gave her a moment to rex, then slowly took her hands away once more.

  Ci inhaled deeply, still keeping her eyes shut.

  "Don't panic and you won't sink."

  Even with Remora's hands gone, she imagined them still holding her up, her soft palms cupping her back... her arms... her waist... She flustered as she imagined them roaming, and focused her mind back.

  "Ci. Open your eyes." Remora's voice cut through the depths of her mind. Ci's eyes fluttered open after the request, to the side of sunbeams diving through the holes in the cavern's ceiling. She could feel it all, like she was one with it. She could hear the ocean breeze outside, the call of seagulls, the feeling of waves kissing the shore. She imagined the distant summer sky, like she was just drifting inside it.

  "You're doing it." Remora's voice was eager. Ci gasped in awe.

  She was floating.

  Remora chuckled and joined her, floating on her back too. They gazed up at the light in a long silence, the sounds of ripples and droplets being the only interruptions. They were upsidedown from one another, their heads close as they softly drifted in the still pool.

  Remora turned her head to look at Ci. She really had come so far. Remora imagined her sitting couped up on a throne, pale and prim. And now here she was. Here they were. Like two pieces of distant driftwood joined together in one still moment.

  It was calm and yet... strangely nervewracking seeing Ci like this. Remora felt her heart beat a bit heavier against her ribs, and a strange tingling feeling in her mind.

  For once, life didn't have to be hectic. It didn't have to move fast. It didn't have to mean anything. It could just be them.

  "If only..." Remora thought. She thought of many things. Many distant possibilities. If only she weren't a princess. If only they'd met way sooner. If only this moment could st forever.

  And then a dangerous idea crept in.

  "If only she were a man."

  Remora's eyes widened and she turned her head back to the sky. Why on earth would she think such a thing? To her, it should be a rude thought, for she admired Ci just the way she was, so she never meant it in the way of wanting her to change or be different. But for some reason... she wondered... wouldn't it be more convenient if she was?

  Because it's wrong to think about your best friend in that way...

  But... in... what... way...?

  Remora blinked and her face tensed, a blush creeping across her cheeks. Why was this all suddenly so confusing??? Now SHE was the one panicking, and her feet started to descend down. Ci turned her head as Remora sunk to be upright.

  "Everything okay?" Ci asked, still on her back.

  Remora smiled and nodded, recovering her confidence.

  "Yeah. I think it's time for the next lesson."