Back in the bathtub Mary had already tested out her new ability to breath underwater, so surely next thing was to see how her new body could both handle great depths and how powerful her tailfin was. So before she knew it Mary was pulling herself out of the rock-pool and into the vast nearby ocean.
As it turned out her swimming strength had been boosted to powerful levels as with little to no effort already she had swam at least 30 miles as she learned when she briefly stopped to check and look back to find the area where the rock-pool had been was now barely visible. “That’s speed checked. Now for depth” Mary noted to herself. Not being surprised at all that she spoke underwater. Hay she was currently a mermaid and mermaids were aquatic humanoids so it shouldn’t be odd.
Before she knew it Mary was swimming out further and deeper, her body not affected at all as it should have been back when she was human. Eventually however Mary was 500 meters down and by now instead of going lower and lower as she could was merely swimming about enjoying the marine life, chuckling happily as a school of flounders swam past her as she stopped for a moment to look about.
But suddenly in the distance Mary caught sight of a figure baring a humanoid build and the same green-blue coloration of scales and fins she bore. Had she really just seen another, maybe a natural mermaid? Mary knew she had to see and swam after the figure while maintaining a distance.
But if the fact she might have seen a genuine mermaid had excited Mary, what awaited her at the end of this tailing she had nothing to say about. For the following had resulted in Mary finding what amounted to a colony of merfolk as having made a home out of caves and coral with mixtures of shipwreck parts and bioluminescence seaweed.
“Hello there. Were you the one following me?” a kind female voice then asked from Mary’s left. Mary turning to see this other mermaid, Asian at maybe 4 years older than her with flowing sapphire blue hair and deep brown eyes. “Yes. I’m new to the area here and just noticed you” Mary admitted. “No it’s fine. Just happy to help” the new mermaid assured with a kind smile “Oh I’m Mizuko by the way”.
After breathing in a bit to build her courage up “I’m...Mary” Mary then greeted. “Oh you’re that new huh? How long since getting your Vial case before trying this out?” Mizuko happily returned. “Huh?” Mary questioned. “Relax you’re not alone here. We’re all former humans or descendents of such here” Mizuko explained “Just you’re not settled yet. I can tell by your name”. “I...had no idea so many Vial cases like mine existed? I thought I was just lucky in my order” Mary confessed. “Actually it’s more like the cases seek out people who deep down have a feeling they weren’t really born to be human” Mizuko continued. “Well if I’m being honest I only just got it today” Mary admitted.
“Well alright then Marine. Just take your time. Look around a bit before making your mind up like I did” Mizuko suggested. “Marine? And ‘making my mind up’?” Mary inquired. “I forfeited my legs for good 2 years ago and really it felt liberating” Mizuko answered “As for the ‘Marine’ part. Maybe it could be your true mermaid name as they quite often share certain characters with your former human one”. “Oh... Alright then” Mary accepted “But I’ll stick with Mary for now if that’s alright” Mary accepted. “Oh of course” Mizuko accepted: