Saturday had come at last and Raina decided that Coney Island Beach would be an appropriate place to start. She called Luke's offices getting the number off the internet and left a message asking him to meet her at 8am. It was important they start early.

The beach was home to the infamous Coney Island attractions and Raina hoped that the infamousy of the place would make people think that no matter what they did- they fit in.

It was a chilly november morning and nobody was really out thanks to the cold wind coming off the water. The air was salty and the beach would allow for awesome access to the harbour.

Currently Raina was barefoot walking along the sand laying out everything they'd need for the day. There was a cooler with some food in it- sandwhiches and juices, two long and thick comforter blankets, a pile of towels, a first aid kit (incase) and all the diving equipment.

For diving equipment Raina had prepared for Luke a dry suit which was a bit bulky. In warm water if divers are in the water for a long time they'd generally still wear a wet suit to keep warm, but in cold waters it was crucial. The dry suits fill with air and Raina had a special pump with her to fill Lukes suit.

She'd brought a snorkel and an oxygen tank, masks, flippers, gloves, and incase he got adventerous a monofin

She had all these things laid out with her cell phone and ready for him.

She was still a bit early and knew she had some time so she began with some yoga poses. She was holding the Tree Pose quite eloquently dressed in form fitting stretchy fabric. She hadn't brought a change of clothes because she didnt want to rip through anything, Luke was just going to have to turn around while she stripped down she had decided.

The sand was white, the air misty and salty, and the water dark with small white caps. She knew this would be challenging... but she felt like it could open up a whole new world for Luke.

It was surprising for Luke to call in to work and get a message asking for him to meet Raina at Coney Island Beach at 8am. Thankfully his body had become used to going at all kinds of different hours so he could revert from night owl to morning bird quite easily. After arriving at beach the blind man stood leaning up against the railing on the wooden walkway as he looked out over the beach with his sonar. It was the work of just a few moments to find Raina and even from this distance her figure made him pause.

"If only I had eyes..." Luke murmured wistfully as he noted her skin tight clothing, "What a view."

Forcing himself to focus on the situation at hand he vaulted over the railing and walked out towards where Raina was standing with her hands points up to the air and one foot braced against her other leg. It was rather obvious that it was some sort of yoga pose though he had no clue exaclty what pose it might be.

"Good morning. You're looking as lovely as ever." Luke offered as a compliment when he finally got up close enough to speak in a normal tone, "I'm glad everything worked out for us to meet today."

Inwardly Luke was cringing at such a cheesy line... he really wasn't all that experienced at truly flirting and romancing a girl but he was beginning to think that if there was anyone worth learning those particular skills it just might be the girl standing in front of him. "We're friends... focus on friends." He corrected himself as he did best to maintain control, "She's helping me with my power... that's all."

"You didn't tell me in the message to bring anything so I hope you didn't need me to get something." He said as he offered Raina a warm smile, "I was going to call you and ask if you needed something but I haven't had a chance to have someone read your phone number from off of your card."

Raina was breathing silently while stretching feeling her body loosen when she heard the voice from behind her. She turned around in the sand to face him, "Mr. Luke Jacobs." she said with a grin. She hopped toward him and bobbed her head a bit in a greeting. She could never seem to remember that this man was blind as he moved more fluidly than anyone she knew. But she supposed even if she did forget at least it looked normal to anyone looking on.

"I never did ask for your number" she admitted. "I hope you didn't mind my sluething to contact you." she wasn't sure if she should bring up that night earlier in the week when she stayed there, and even less sure if she should bring up the meeting with the x-men... but decided she wouldn't unless he did. She was just happy to be in his precense.

She was more than just happy to see him, she was estatic... in the time they'd been apart her mind was free to wander and she found it constantly wandering back to him. focus, focus she told herself.

"I'm glad everything worked out too." she replied. "...and I think I brought everything you need today. " she motioned to the blanket where everything was laid out "It'll be a bit akward for you at first I think...' she said trudging toward the blanket. "It may take a half hour or an hour before you're even used to swimming with the gear before you can try any actual training. If you have trouble we'll focus on just using the gear. If you get the hang of it we'll take baby steps."

She was now at the blanket and picked up the dry suit. "Also, I'll be able to speak underwater and you wont. You'll be able to hear me... but you wont be able to respond which could be difficult. We may need to work on some hand signals or something."

She handed him the dry suit. "This is going to feel pretty bulky, it's a special wet suit that fills with warm air when you get in it to provide insulation from the cold water. It's trickier to swim in oppossed to the regular ones, I've got a few pairs of flippers here, a snorkle, and tank breathing appartus. If you'd like we can jump right in. You can put this on and I'll help pump it full of air. I'd uh..." she paused for a moment. 'probably only wear shorts underneath it."

her cheeks flared red and she was so glad he couldn't see.

"I never did ask for your number. I hope you didn't mind my sluething to contact you."

"Not a problem at all." Luke replied with a soft chuckle as he continued to enjoy her athletic and very attractive figure. If anyone was back on the boardwalk walking they would sure be getting an eyefull that would leave little to the imagination.

"I'm glad everything worked out too... and I think I brought everything you need today. It'll be a bit akward for you at first I think...' She began as the two began to walk towards a blanket that she had apparently lain out on the ground a little earlier, "It may take a half hour or an hour before you're even used to swimming with the gear before you can try any actual training. If you have trouble we'll focus on just using the gear. If you get the hang of it we'll take baby steps."

"Sounds like a good plan to me." The blind man said somwhat lazily as he lagged just a little bit behind Raina so he could continue to watch her. He knew it was probably wrong but he was as much a man as the next guy whether he was physically blind or not. "She is hot!" A part of his brain celebrated before the more controlled part butted in once again. "I'm here for training... cool it and relax. She's just a friend!"

"Also, I'll be able to speak underwater and you wont."[/b] Raina continued as he picked up what seemed to be a very bulk wet suit from off of the blanket, "You'll be able to hear me... but you wont be able to respond which could be difficult. We may need to work on some hand signals or something."
Raina was keeping things strictly friendly and professional so Luke could do the same. He nodded in understand as he took the dry suit she handed him. Holding it and feeling the weight he continued to listen to Raian explain about the equipment.

"This is going to feel pretty bulky, it's a special wet suit that fills with warm air when you get in it to provide insulation from the cold water. It's trickier to swim in oppossed to the regular ones, I've got a few pairs of flippers here, a snorkle, and tank breathing appartus. If you'd like we can jump right in. You can put this on and I'll help pump it full of air. I'd uh... probably only wear shorts underneath it."

It was a gut reaction to bring his face up as though looking at Raina, one eyebrow quirked questioningly. Had he heard her correctly? Only shorts? Luke wasn't embaressed about the way his body looked but revealing his physique to Raina when they were 'just friends' was not exactly at the top of his priority list.

"Ok... I think I can handle that." Luke thought, his mind suddenly racing as he tried to remember which pair of boxers he had pulled on. It didn't have any holes did it? He didn't think they did but of course he had no clue what color they might be. He did his best to keep everything neutral, solid colors but he knew there were a few pairs that had been slipped to him as gag gifts. "Please be a regular pair... please." Luke silently begged as he slipped off his dark blue windbreaker and laid it on the towel, followed by his brown hiking style boots, white socks, and plain white t-shirt.

For a second Luke's hand paused at the snap of his jeans... "Here goes nothing." He thought to himself as he unbuttoned and pushed them off quickly. Boxers were deffinately not a clothing meant for warmth and the blind man was in a hurry to get into the wet suit in order to keep from getting to cold in this fall/winter weather.

"I can't believe this is how I'm beginning my day." Luke thought, a a slight grin beginning to appear on his face as he slipped his legs into the wetsuit, "But I would deffinately love to know what she's thinking about right now."

Raina stiffled a laugh at Luke's expression but wasn't expecting him to start stripping right then and there. She was so shocked she kept staring and it wasnt until he reached for the button on his jeans that a little "eep" escaped her mouth as she remembered herself and spun around clamping her hands across her mouth to stifle any nervous giggles that might want to come out.
He was very chisled and her brain was wondering just how chisled while she mentally yelled at herself to keep her libido in check! This was so embaressing... uncomfortable... and yet thrilling at the same time. "Keep yourself in check!" she told herself.

She was relieved that there still wasn't any early morning joggers or anything. Though the cold rarely bothered her the wind was really coming up off the water which made her nervous for swimming but relieved that it was keeping joggers and passerbyes away.

She spun on her heals again to see Luke ready and waiting for her. "Okay, time for the pump!" she announced picking up the machine and taking a step toward him. "You're going to feel like I'm hitting you in the chest with a blow dryer for a second here."

She put a hand on his chest to open the right valve and she felt the instant electricity running through her fingers of a small shock. She pulled her hand back with a shrill "ow" followed by "static electricity. I shocked myself!" she gave her hand a shake and touched him again cautiously leaving her hand linger for a moment. Her eyes were wide looking at her hand- she'd left it still too long and she hoped Luke thought this was all part of the process.

She pulled up the pump which indeed look like a hairdyer and fastened it to the valve. She started it going and slowly Luke's suit began to inflate. "Let me know if it's too hot. It should seem pretty warm at first but it'll cool as your body adjusts and act as insulator once you get in the water." she fastened everything shut and checked the pressure. "It's important you move slow to keep your blood regulated," she added picking up the breathing gear and flippers handing them to him.

"You think you can handle this part on your own? Feel free to go sonar crazy. There's no one else around but me and I made sure to take some ibuprofine before I came and a decongestant to keep any pressure from building up in my head from being around your sonar. I'm going to have to go in the water first and get myself ready. Once you're ready I'll walk you through, just follow my voice."

With that she laid the already setup breathing appartus by his feat. "Just pull this on like a back pack and strap yourself around the waist. You'll feel the mask obviously and make sure to pull it all over your head and try to tuck your hair in really well. The flippers should be simple, it doesn't matter which is right or left."

She made sure everything was obviously laid out and easy to follow before heading to the water. It didn't occur to her to tell him "and don't watch me!" because she was so focused on trying to remember everything. At the surf she began to pull off her clothes and pile them neatly on the sand- she wouldn't be ruining anything today! And when she was satisfied she took a quick glance around for any spectators. There were some nude beaches in New York... but this wasn't one of them... if anyone in the public saw her she'd probably be arrested.

Not wasting any time she launched herself like a torpedo into the water meeting the waves head on. Her mutation kicked into overtime and she easily shifted into the form and glided with ease.

Sometimes when in the ocean or a lake ferral instincts took over and Raina would find herself colliding through the wave like an acrobatic dolphin. The ease of breathing when being completley submerged was welcoming.

After a few minutes of going at break neck speed she slowed herself down and sawm back to the shore until she could sit on the bottom with her head still peeking out from the water. "How you doing Luke?"

Once Luke was completely clothed again, Raina moved forward to begin pumping air into the 'dry' suit. There was still a slight smile on his face and he had to laugh slightly when she received a shock from the outside of the suit. "Hopefully you don't get shocked every time you touch me." Luke joked still trying to keep thing nice and easy, "It would kind of cut back on the time we spend together."

At first the suit seemed warm and then began to get hot but Luke wasn't about to complain. Even with the heat it was a nice change from the cold wind that had been blowing against his skin mere moments before.

"You think you can handle this part on your own? Feel free to go sonar crazy. There's no one else around but me and I made sure to take some ibuprofen before I came and a decongestant to keep any pressure from building up in my head from being around your sonar. I'm going to have to go in the water first and get myself ready. Once you're ready I'll walk you through, just follow my voice." Raina said before going into a full description of the diving equipment and how it was laid out.

"I think I'll be fine... thanks for the help so far." Luke replied with a quick grin before turning his attention to the equipment. Obviously it would be a pain trying to put on the flippers with the air tanks already on so Luke bent over to slip them on first. He was so occupied with getting ready that for a brief moment, he didn't realize what Raina was doing as she began to strip off her clothes. Suddenly, as her activities penetrated his brain, Luke's lungs seemed to stop working as he found himself now fully focused on the young woman.

"Wow..." Luke breathed softly. Her skin tight exercise clothes hadn't left much to the imagination but as she stripped and prepared to dive into the water there was nothing left to the imagination.

When Raina hit the water and disappeared beneath the waves, Luke remained in his stunned position for several moments. How in the world could he be expected to concentrate when this particular visual would be in his mind for the rest of the day? "Scratch that... the rest of my life." Luke mentally corrected as part of his brain finally kicked back in.

"Focus... focus... we're training. We're practicing and training. That's all." He lectured himself as he stood and lifted the rather heavy air tank up on his back.

"How you doing Luke?" Raina's voice broke through just as he was trying to get the mask situation on his face. With short hair it was really pretty easy and so as he called back a reply, he was already walking toward the water.

"Going fine... that was the easy part. I think I forgot to mention that other than swimming laps in a pool to workout, I don't have a lot of swimming experience. Especially under water like this."

As his fins finally touched water, Luke struggled to maintain his balance as he began to fight through the waves toward deeper water. "Any panic signals I should know about if I need to stop things?" Luke asked as he stood in the water up to his chest. Ever now and then a wave would slap across his face but with his sonar he saw them coming in and could make sure that his mouth was closed. It was strange how nasally his voice sounded with his nose covered by the mask but fashion and recording quality were not going to be an issue whenever he was diving.

Raina had to giggle seeing the strange site walking toward her, well, waddling. It wasn't easy to walk in flippers. "Well, if you need to stop, need help, or need a break make the time out sign with your hands." she said holding up her hands to make a T. "We'll go to the surface and take a break. " she reached out and took his hand. "we're going to start easy ok? Especially if you don't have a lot of swimming experieince. It's important to go slow and not too deep." she started leading him out into the water thinking they may not get to any actual training today. "At anytime if you feel unwell or in pain give me the sign and we'll stop."

She dove under the water and waited for him to follow. "Oh and Luke." she said underwater with a coy smile. "Don't look at my boobs." she crossed her arms across her chest and would have laughed herself silly. She was sure putting this guy in a hard position but hey, could he expect her to ruin every piece of clothing she had? "Come on, try to paddle a bit with all the gear on. It'll feel less heavy once you're completley under."

"Gotcha... slow... steady... just keep things nice and easy." Luke replied before putting the regulator in his mouth and ducking under the water. Already some of the weight seemed to dissapear from his back as he slowly kicked forward, following Raina in the water.

What was amazing was just how clear everything suddenly seemed. For people with regular vision he knew things were clearer out of the water and then when under water things seemed a touch murky but for himself it was the completely opposite. With the water he could see in detail he never would have imagined. Off in the distance he could see a school of some type of fish swimming while underneath them a ray was gliding just over the surface of the ocean floor. Just a few feet away swam Raina. She was beautiful and for once he could follow every curve of her body from her tail, to her hips to her...

"Oh and Luke. Don't look at my boobs." Raina suddenly spoke as though a mind reader.

"Oh shoot!" Luke thought as he swiftly dragged his attention to anything but the gentle swells that Raina had just covered with her crossed arms. He was busted... so busted that it wasn't even funny. How in the world was he supposed to concentrate on the swimming when she was right there looking so... wow...

"Come on, try to paddle a bit with all the gear on. It'll feel less heavy once you're completley under."

Luke flashed an OK to Raina using his hands and began to go just a little bit deeper using strong kicks as his arms basically flaoted at his sides. Leveling out at a depth of about eight to ten feet, Luke reached out with his sonar, allowing its power to grow as he looked further and further into the distance. He had never been able to see so far away before. On land his maximum range was about 100 feet when he was straining but inwardly he knew that he had to have at least tripled his range if not more. Focusing on what he could sense off in the distance Luke examined the way the sea floor moved up and down. Here and there rocks dotted the floor with some type of algae or plantlife clinging to them. Fish were everywhere and in all sizes. It was amazing and right now it didn't matter that Luke couldn't talk... the beauty of everything around him, especially Raina, left him speechless.

Raina saw the OK symbol and grinned. She wriggled around swimming gracefully ahead of Luke then decided to show off a bit. She spun in elegant circles and bent over in figure eights. A tautog figh caught her eye below them "Look down Luke!" she called out so he'd direct his sonar down and see the 3-foot-long fish "They've got those fish back up in canada too." she sang swiming underneath him, around him, above him, and finally beside him.

"You're doing well, carrying the weight really well." her hair floated around her in an almost mystical appearance and one would have to wonder if Raina was the only mermaid around. "Let's head out just a bit deeper. Just take your time, the air should give you a little bit of boyancy. No need to stress." she swam on her back with hardly any effort at all below him looking up. She gave a playful wave. Her eyes were big and shining though the water was dark and murkey- Raina knew the ocean like her own bedroom. Even when she couldn't see she felt comfortable.

She twisted around and headed back in front of Luke. She moved so effortlessly through the water. "I bet this is a whole new way of seeing things for you. Maybe in a bit we'll see just how far and deep you can see"

"Look down Luke! They've got those fish back up in Canada too." Raina sang out as she began to frolic around him. Luke focused his sonar down towards the fish but was soon distracted as Raina began to swing around him. He knew she had said not to look at... certain parts of her anatomy but with her continually moving around him and showing herself off at different angles it was extremely difficult to not pay attention to her nubile form.

"You're doing well, carrying the weight really well. Let's head out just a bit deeper. Just take your time, the air should give you a little bit of boyancy. No need to stress."

Luke's legs continued to kick strongly, but without uncessary strain as he propelled himself deeper, following Raina. It was amazing to be down in the water and able to see so well but at the same time Luke was swiftly becoming frustrated by his inability to move as gracefully and swiftly as Raina. Mentally he knew that her mutation assisted her here under the waves but at the same time he was so used to being able to keep up with almost anyone above ground that it was strange to feel so helpless. Down here he truly was disabled... not visually but athletically he was no longer the fit man he had always known himself to be.

"I bet this is a whole new way of seeing things for you. Maybe in a bit we'll see just how far and deep you can see"

It seemed silly to always be using the same sign language but really there were only two things Luke knew how to do. The T-symbol for time out and the OK symbol that they could continue forward. Sighing inwardly Luke gave the OK symbol and continued to follow Raina at whatever slow pace he could manage.

"Maybe this is good for me." Luke thought to himself as he continued to look around with his sonar, "This is an important part of life to Raina... she wouldn't want to be with anyone that couldn't share this with her and at this rate, I wouldn't have a chance. She can dive in anytime she wants while I'm restricted by air supply and equipment." It was a depressing train of though so Luke did his best to try and find something more enjoyable as long as it wasn't Raina. It was extremely difficult to tear his attention away from the beautiful woman but it took control to manage his sonar and with the same mentality he could keep from watching her curvy figure... at least some of the time anyway.

ooc: lol Luke you're so hilarious, I'm going to get in trouble at work if I keep laughing out loud like this

ic:
Though Luke could potentially see better down here Raina realized it was probably getting frusturating for him not to be able to speak. She took being able to speak under water for granted.

She waited a few more moments to let him get the jest of the gear and then decided they should make a game plan for what he wanted to do. Next time she'd have to remember to bring a mic for him to wear in the mask and she'd keep an ear piece. Then they could talk to each other.

She pointed to the surface. "Let's take a break." and made her way for it breaking it in stillness. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the brighteness and the chill in the air. They'd swam out pretty far from shore and through the mist that has been settling on the water. She barely had to kick to stay above, she mostly floated. Her hair dripped down her have and floated around her.

"Up here Luke!" she waited for him to meet her.

(OOC: My apologies if you get into any trouble at work.

The two were swimming rather peacefuly when Raina apparently got tired of the one sided conversation she had been holding. "Let's take a break." She suddenly said before heading towards the surface. Using his arms to stroke and change his course Luke continued to kick strongly, propelling himself after Raina though at a much slower pace.

"Up here Luke!" Raina called again a few moments before his head broke through the surface.

"Sorry if I'm slowing you down." Luke said with a grin after he pulled the regulator from his mouth. Thankfully it didn't strain much to stay on the surface and so with just a few gentle kicks he was able to maintain his position. "You're beautiful to watch down here Raina. It's like dry land is where you live because you have to while down here is where you belong."

Luke had to wonder whether, out of all the millions of mutants that were spread across the planet there was some other person that had gotten a mutation similar to Raina's. Surely there was someone out there that would be able to truly appreciate and enjoy her for everything that she was.

"Maybe we can work out a few more signals next time we do this. I feel bad that I'm not more of a conversationalist." The blind said, enjoying being able to speak again for the first time in... however long they had been down, "But I am enjoying your commentary on the sea life. Can I guess you're originally from Canada since you recognized that fish?"

Just bobbing here on top of the sea swells was relaxing but Luke knew there was more work to be done. He had seen the clarity of his sonar but beyond that they had not really done much testing. While one part of him was still excited to see exactly what his strengths were another part was to busy appreciating his time with Raina. This was fun whether they actually learned anything useful or not.

"You're beautiful to watch down here Raina. It's like dry land is where you live because you have to while down here is where you belong."

That caught Raina a little off guard when Luke broke the surface and removed his breathing gear. She was looking right into the blind man's cloudy eyes. "No one's ever put it like that before." she said reflectively. "But even before I had my mutation I was at least always boating on the frigid waters. " it was strange how someone who barely knew her could figure out so much about her that even she may not have known.

"your skins a little flushed Luke." she said reaching out and touching both her hands to his cheeks. "If you get too cold let me know. I don't want you getting hypothermia on me." she grinned.

"It's ok if you're not talking, I feel bad I'm talking so much! Next time we'll prepare some mics or something... it would probably make things easier. It's so hard to think of everything at once." she admitted taking her hands from his cheeks down to his elbows to give him a little more boyancy and support.

"The North West Territories is about as far north as you can go, and it's in Canada," she answered. "So uh, sometime I'll show you my igloo eh?" she mocked. "It be right good and we get some beer wa?" she laughed at her own bad joke.

"You should have another 40 minutes or so of air, I made sure we had an hour. We probably shouldn't stay in any longer than that anyway because you might get too cold and tired. You may be graceful and amazing on land Mr. Fancy Pants but I've got the trophey for endurance down here." she would have winked if he would have seen it.

"You want to test out your sonar? I can swim down deep and far and you can check your distance capabilities in the water." she offered

"My face may be a touch cold but the rest of my is staying plenty warm. I think the exertion of swimming combined with not actually being 'in' the water is working just fine." Luke replied as Raina touched his face. Steeling himself Luke knew the touch was just a friendly check to make sure he was OK, nothing more but if he let himself he could imagine all kinds of things coming from that one touch. His mind continued to race even more as she took her hand away and then gently gripped his elbow. He knew... just knew it had to be in order to help him stay on the surface but part still begged for it to mean more.

The North West Territories is about as far north as you can go, and it's in Canada. So uh, sometime I'll show you my igloo eh? It be right good and we get some beer wa?" Raina joked. Luke laughed along with her as best he could as he continued to wrestle with the mental battle that was currently plaguing him. "Friends... friends... friends..." He kept repeating to himself. That simple word was swiftly becoming his mantra as he tried to maintain the status quo without doing anything to change it.

"You should have another 40 minutes or so of air, I made sure we had an hour. We probably shouldn't stay in any longer than that anyway because you might get too cold and tired. You may be graceful and amazing on land Mr. Fancy Pants but I've got the trophey for endurance down here. You want to test out your sonar? I can swim down deep and far and you can check your distance capabilities in the water." Raina said, obviously teasing him followed immediately by an offer to begin the work they had really meant to do.

"Business... perfect... focus on business. We're here to get work done... not flirt shamelessly." He continued to mentally lexure himself before finally speaking again.

"Sounds good to me... you should be able to sense my sonar as you go out so you'll know when it starts to weaken." Luke replied as he began to analyze the situation as best he could. "Why don't we both go down to... thirty... thirty-five feet and then you can go out for distance. Ok?"

Raina nodded curtly. "Alright then, you just need to move very slow you hear me?" she lectured poking him in the chest. "I don't want you getting the bends from being all excited to go down deep. My body regulates my blood... something to do with my tail... but yours wont so you need to go nice and slow. If I feel you moving too fast I'll be back here..." she laughed. "i'll stop and make sure I can feel you too, incase you dont want to go as deep."

She gave a wave and "I'll see you down there!" then she leapt up into the air like a whale or dolphin and cacscaded back down into the murkey darkness. For a moment she allowed herself to go as fast as she wanted to burn off the stress of the moments.

Being around Luke was definently charged. She wasn't sure what to make of it but going deeper helped her clear her head. Why was she holding back so much anyway? Nothing happened with her and Flloyd, and Rupert was over a year ago... what was stopping her from asking Luke on a date? I mean really... she just should. Why should she care what other people thought?

The thought continued to wrack her brain as she went deeper and faster.