Change
"But Mama! I wanna go outside! I wanna go underwater and play!" Ace whines and her mother can't help but sigh.
On normal occasions, Elizabeth will allow it but considering that the Coral Sea is an unfamiliar habitat for the both of them, there are possible dangers.
" Well, if you want that so bad we have a potion." She raises a small bottle with green liquid inside and though Ace looks happy at that, there is no mistaking the small disgusted face she made. Elizabeth smirks at this, "However the taste is disgusting."
"... How disgusting?" "As disgusting as your Uncle Lun's cooking." At that, Ace's face turned pale.
"So, if you want you can stay here in this comfy and clean hotel or go underwater after drinking this disgusting and horrifying potion?"
Ace seems to have shut up, very deep in thought. Elizabeth sighs, will her princess still be stubborn after that? She sure hopes not.
"Okay... I'll stay here then Mama." Ace grumbles, clearly displeased but her disgust for the potion clearly won over her desire to go out.
Elizabeth smiles, glad about her daughter's choice. " Then will you promise me to stay here in this hotel while I'm at the meeting Alice?"
Ace pouts, "Yes Mama."
~~~
" I said that... but it's so boring!" Ace groans as she rolls around the hotel bed. Her mother has some business at the Coral Sea and asks her if she wants to come. It's not like she had a choice anyways because her brother is on a school field trip and her father is busy at the office leaving no one to take care of her.
Groaning once more, the small child finally decides to give in to her rebellious impulse. Ace walks over to her mother's bed and starts searching for the hidden potion.
"Found it!" Even though she's enthusiastic about her finding, she's hesitant to drink it.
'It tastes disguting' Her mother's words echo in her ears but after much struggle, she finally decides to just drink it.
" Bleeehh!!!" Ace gags. That was absolutely disgusting! But hey! Now she can go outside.
Sneaking out of the hotel was easy, the kind lady smiling at her as she opens the door for her.
"Just come back before supper okay?" "Yes Ma'am! Thank you!"
The moment she steps out, she can't help but gasp. " Wow..." The Coral Sea is beautiful. It's slightly dim despite the fact that it's still morning. But it only makes it more beautiful, there are a few things that glows to give off lights to see in the dark.
" It's an underwater wonderland!" Ace beams.
Excited, the young girl begins to walk around, admiring everything that comes her way. She avoids some of the merfolks by hiding behind rocks and plants.
Well, until she stumbled upon a huge looking pot.
" What's that?"
Ace swiftly draws closer and stills when she hears a voice.
"So if the Lance Flower is left to boil longer than five minutes it becomes poisonous..."
She can't hear it clearly so she sneakily walks closer... Until she slipped right near the opening of the pot.
" Eeeppp!" Ace squeaks and rubs the sore part that collided with the hard rock. " Oww... That hurts!"
" What is a human doing here?" Ace stills at the cold voice then raises her head to see a merfolk, one different from others.
Silver hair, blue eyes, lilac and purple skin complexion and instead of a fish tail...
"Octopus?"
Azul stills as he hears what the human child says. He was so surprised by the sound that he decided to check it out, not expecting a human, and forgot that he wasn't supposed to leave his pot!
'Stupid Azul!'
" What- What's the problem with that?! Are you gonna make fun of me too?!"
Ace flinches in surprise, " No!" "Then why are you staring at me?!" " Because you're cute!!"
Azul tries to say something but he just keeps silent because what? What did she just say? Did... Did she just?!
" Did you just call me cute?!" Azul squeaks, a bit red in the face.
Ace tilts her head, clearly not seeing anything wrong with what she said. " Yeah... Why?"
"Are you crazy?! How can you call someone like me cute?!"
" Because you are?"
"Im different from other merfolks! Im... Im an octopus!"
"And so?"
Azul stares wide eyed at the child. This... This human is ridiculous.
Ace tilts her head, blinking her bright and honest ruby eyes. "What's wrong with being different? I personally think it actually makes you stand out more! A one-of-a-kind! Also, you look cuter than any merfolk I've seen. Well so far."
Then she smiles and Azul can feel his insides melt and his face burn at the sight. " You're so cute! Like look at you! So chubby and you look absolutely cuddly! Your hair and eyes are nice too! Your eight tentacles are cute too! Look at them wriggling around!"
Azul can only shrink on place as he feels himself getting more and more embarrassed. This child... Is too honest for her own good!
"Ah! I forgot to introduce myself." She reaches out a hand to the child octopus and smiles. " I'm Alice but they call me Ace!"
He looks up to see sunset locks, ruby eyes, a gentle smile and an outstretched hand. Hesitantly, he places his hand on hers. "... Azul. I'm Azul."
"Hey Azul, can I hug you?"
" Huh?!Huh?! Huuuuh?! AMAMIYALACOURSE!! NO!"
Ace did anyways making Azul a massive blushing and embarrassed mess.
~~~
Ace mumbles a curse word as she gets pushed again inside the crowded hallway. She got hit again and was about to fall when someone catched her.
" Oh thank yoouuu?!" She looks up to see silver hair, blue eyes, fair skin and a familiar face. " Azul!" Ace beams, happy to see someone she knew from way back then.
Azul smiles at her while guiding her away from the crowd. " Are you alright Ace?" "Yes Im alright-!" Ace squeaks when Azul all of the sudden touches her face.
He holds her face in place so that he can fix her messed up bangs. Once done, he backs away and smiles. "There. All clean."
Ace gapes at him, her eyes wide and face flushed with pink. " Wha-What did you just-" 'What did he just do?! Is this the same cutie octaboy Azul that shied away from physical contact?!'
Azul smirks at her and fixes his glasses. "Nothing much Ace." He looks at her starting from head to toe before locking eyes with her again. "It's nice to see you again here in NRC." He smiles tenderly, "You've grown quite well, haven't you?"
" Ah- Uhuh..." Ace grumbles, still quite shocked at the difference of this teen Azul compared to the child octopus she met one day a few years ago.
"I'll get going now." Azul bows then leaves a small peck on the back of her hand. " Take care Ace. Enjoy your school life here in NRC." He begins to walk away exactly the same time her friends found her.
"Ace?" She snaps out of her daze, seeing Deuce and Yuu. " Ah, we're going to the cafeteria right? Let's go!"
As they walk to the cafeteria, now in a less crowded hallway, Ace can't help but think about Azul.
'He's no longer that easily embarrassed cutie octopus child that throws tantrums and cries. He... He grew up. Azul grew up and became so... Cool?'
"Ace?" "I'm coming! Wait up!"
'Since when did he change?'
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[Actually no]
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Azul only managed to get away for a few steps before entering an empty room and locking it. With deep breaths, he slides down the door and falls to the floor.
One, two, three.
" Aaaaahhhhh!!!" Azul screams into his hands. " What did I just do?! You idiot Azul?! Why did you kissed her hand?! How did you even touch her you idiot octopus!!!"
His face is completely flushed and his entire body is trembling. It might be shock or embarrassment or love, maybe all in one.
Azul covers his face, crawling into a ball. 'Ace used to be cute but she matured so much!She's still cute but she's also so pretty!'
"Ahhh..." Azul whines, "Why must she be here and torture me like this?!"
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[He didn't really change much, just got better at hiding.]