trans_9 | The Sinking Feeling You Get When You Eat Magic Food

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The Sinking Feeling You Get When You Eat Magic Food

Welcome meatship crewmembers to the instrument of pure silly.

It had been a long period of waiting, but a prank was about to be issued after these dire dark times. As such, tables were set up around the WITCH Bus and other locations, unmanned stands where Lemonade and Brownies were available with the compliments of your friendly companions.

Do you dare risk chocolately goodness or sour-sweetness to discover it's dark delicious secrets?

(ooc: tag around, bug others and feel free to continue to madness. IC duration is about a day. Unless you deliberately take more with you. As a reminder, Lemonade brings you up ages to a good looking adultish level. Brownies turn you into kids. GO NUTS. Refer to the ooc post for details and ask questions there.)

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In his mind, for just a moment, he could see the faces of all the people he missed dearly. It was hard, but having this was enough.

"You'll definitely hear more from me."

Billy held her there for as long as she wanted, well aware of how slippery he was. As the friends embraced, the two dolphins made happy sounds and leapt as one over their heads.

"...huh."

There were quite a few places where memories were missing: these were the most regretful things of being stuck on Stacy: knowing there were people that were no longer in her mind even though she could definitely remember some of the things she did with them then.

"Good. I have a feeling in the coming few days we might have a lot more things to say to each other."

Oh, she was thinking Matt here, and is sadly unaware of the missions eh would be taking part in soon.

Katara looked up as the dolphins leapt over their heads, and she giggled. "These dolphins are definitely one of the more active creatures I've ever met in awhile! I wonder why they did that?"

"I can hardly wait," he joked, watching the dolphins wave their tails at them.

"They're friendly and perceptive creatures. People on my world are fascinated by them," Billy explained, watching them swim away. "Do you want to head out and dry off, or would you rather torment me some more"

Katara, fully returned to her normal state, took this time to give Billy a defiant sticking out of her tongue.

"I can see why. I already have a thing about water, but these creatures, its like they're full of secrets all their own. I really do wish something like them existed in our world."

She grinned. "No, we can come in. I guess you could say I wanted to explore my playful side. I might as well enjoy it, now that I think about it: I'll never get it back, right?"

Billy nodded, then looked puzzled as they started toward the shore.

"...what do you mean you'll never get it back?" That wouldn't do at all, he thought.

Don't look now, Katara, but someone's flicking water at you.

"I mean that I'll be turning sixteen soon," she said, "and it'll have meant I spent two years already on this ship. I've been keeping track. I don't really know a lot about the days, but I do know that acting like a kid will be happening less and less, the more danger we face."

She looked down thoughtfully a moment, casually catching the water and flinging it back at Billy.

That was a problem, he agreed. And he'd felt the same way. Billy did nothing to dodge the water, instead letting it splatter him with a mirroring thoughtful look on his face.

"I'm almost eighteen," Billy started slowly, "and I still play with you and Renne. It doesn't interfere with my official duties, of course, but I need to see you smiling. To know that danger's out there, but it's not our entire lives."

Billy moved closer to her, a shy smile on his face. "I was just like you, Katara. I knew that I had to be a responsible adult and avoid all that silliness. Then you two came along and I started to unwind. What I'm saying is that we're both mature enough to do our duties, but we'll keep finding time to escape. I know you're more than clever enough."

She laughed lightly. "It's not like I don't want to play Billy: nothing would make me happier. But unlike you, the idea of playing and having fun wasn't really an option with a war going on. Not that I'm not going to play with you or Renne: I just know that I'd better take the time to do it when the opportunity is there."

She smiled. "Nothing makes me happier than the time I get to spend with you two, with the exception of maybe one more person. But I agree with you, of course: I think we should take the time to unwind when we can."

"I was lucky back then, I suppose," he answered quietly, understanding more fully what she meant. "We only had one enemy, and though her attacks were fairly unpredictable they never overwhelmed us. The threat's more immediate now," he whispered, standing a few steps in front of her. Rita and Zedd's attacks had never left him scarred, but these had.

And the scars on his heart, though not as tangible as the angry ridges over his breastbone and shoulderblades, were just as permanent and painful.

"But I'm not ready to let darkness overtake us entirely," he answered. "I never will be."

"No one is lucky when they have to go fight enemies instead of getting to enjoy their life," Katara said. "My world just had it worse. I only wish I could have been in my world after the war ended for a bit longer. I would have cherished that time."

"I never would doubt that," she said to Billy, and now did notice the scars. "How did you get those?"

"I never knew how the would have ended on my world," Billy answered, "but I hope you return to that someday." It would be nice to know that Katara was happy, even knowing they would have to part ways. "A happy ending for us seems impossible now, but...maybe, just maybe, we can do well with what we have."

Katara's question puzzled him for a second. How did he get...what? Billy paused, feeling her eyes on his back. As far as he knew, there was nothing to really look at except his scars. Oh, of course. Those. He squirmed uncomfortably, still self-conscious about their presence. This, Billy thought, was why he rarely took his shirt off. But everyone probably had some, right?

"They're marks from the battles we've faced," Billy blushed, staring down at the water. He twisted his arm around to point to marks as well as he could. "Heavy debris fell on my shoulder when Jamie and I were working our way through the Nightmare King's battlefield---I shot something out of his way and it hit me. My arm was hit by the Ohm on Zokez II, as was my leg. They're not painful anymore, just unpleasant to look at."

He turned warily, exposing the odd one on his stomach and looking down at it. "...and that was the result a disastrous experiment as a child. I was exceptionally cautious with scissors from then on."

Billy paused briefly. "But they're not too serious, just reminders of far more substantial losses."

Edited 2010-11-22 20:55 (UTC)

"I do too, honestly," Katara admitted, "But in the meantime I'll still do what I can do here. Believe me, the kids on this ship take the threat of the Ohm seriously."

Katara brought her hand to Billy's chin, and brought it down to her view. She brought her shirt down JUST enough for him to spot a sideways gash going a little lower down. Katara had not told anyone about these scars, as she had an idea that they would have tried to come after the person who had made them. She was reddening a little too, but to less of an extent, even though it almost showed her budding chest. The act was something she hoped Billy would understand as her saying she trusted him, deeply enough to do this.

"I don't usually get lasting scars, since I can heal, but this was one that couldn't be healed: I got it when I tried to get Steve to calm down. It was no wonder you fainted: it was a pretty severe gash, I was glad Alex helped me."

She looked at him directly. "I never knew you got that hurt. I wish I could have helped you with those you got on the ship, but at that time I don't think we knew each other that well."

Edited 2010-11-22 21:00 (UTC)

Billy had to wonder what was going on when she guided his face downward. It was exceedingly impolite to look at a woman from this angle----oh. When she explained where the scar had come from, he nodded and glanced back up at her face.

"If I'd been conscious, you would have scared me half to death," he shivered, just imagining how bloody that must have been. "I'm all right, Katara, they don't impede my functioning at all---unless you consider human attraction a critical function, which I don't."

A tiny smile flickered over his face. "Come on, we've almost missed the entire sunset," Billy bribed, making his way to shore and beckoning her.

She nodded as she saw the dawning comprehension on his face. Just as well: she was hoping he didn't misunderstand and think she did strange things. She sighed when he said that: she knew she would have done the same thing.

"I know, Nanashi gave me a talking to after I came to. It was pretty dangerous, I just didn't want anyone to hurt Steve while
he was in that form. But um, what do you mean about human attraction as a critical function?"

She smiled, and joined him. "Good plan!"

Billy briefly squeezed her hand as they settled on the shore. "You're one of the strongest and bravest people I know, Katara. I might not like worrying about you, but I wouldn't expect anything less brave."

Once they settled on the shoreline, he gazed out at the sunset and sighed. "Ah...well, perhaps I phrased that badly. It was a reference to physical attractiveness. I tried to say that I'm not especially concerned about losing mine, but I know some people would be."

It's more the implied vulnerability that troubles him about the scars. He shook his head, draping a towel over his shoulders and smiling at her. With a flick of his wrist, he offered one to her too.

Edited 2010-11-23 01:43 (UTC)

She looked appreciatively at Billy. "Thank you. I know most people would just say I was being stupid for putting myself in danger like that, but at least I tried. I just need to make sure not to do anything that dangerous again."

She made a face and conked Billy lightly on the head. "Girls don't exactly hate scars Billy: if anything, you could probably use it to your advantage. You're not that kinda guy though, and just as well: the girl that likes you will probably be really different anyway. But you've learned a lot since then about girls AND scars anyway, right?"

She'd be the first to tell him that his vulnerabilities weren't as bad as they might have been before, and gladly took the towel to dry off.

"Maybe you were, but I don't exactly have ground to stand on. I know I'd do something similar---but I'll remember to be careful." He thinks he will, anyway. It's tricky to keep a level head in situations like that.

Billy rubbed his head with a feigned grumpy look, considering that. "What kind of advantage is that? I fight, but not well enough to avoid them. That's hardly flattering."

Just another of the rituals of dating that he doesn't quite understand. He rubbed the towel over his hair, looking over at her for a moment. "I don't think I'll ever understand love."

"Yes, please do," Katara warned. "I worry about you. Why do you think I want to make sure you get stronger? It's not like we can watch over each other all the time: battle will come to us and then we'll get separated. So I figure, the stronger we get, the more prepared we'll be when there's a select mission that we're not together."

She gave him a knowing look. "Not yet, but we'll fix that. Sooner or later, the things you'll do will make your scars look WAYYY better."

Here, she shook her head. "Can anyone ever say they do? I definitely can't. Just look at me and Matt: we can't be together easily even though we care about each other. I know he still feel guilty about Will, and I do too, not to mention I know I'll still love Aang forever. Love doesn't come with an instruction manual, but you know it when it happens."

She smiled, reddening a moment. "Everything just...connects."

Billy heeded her warnings like an obedient puppy, nodding and fiddling with his toes in the sand. "I know, I'm still fighting. I'll never be the natural talent that the rest of you are, but maybe I'll be competent enough if I work myself enough."

He inched closer, feeling her pain. "I know it's hard, and you want to be loyal to your original loved ones forever, but...take this as the groundless advice from a completely inexperienced person that it is, but I don't think you should have to put that part of yourselves on hold any more than I should avoid bonding with new friends because my old ones aren't here. You're fine."

Billy would have to take that last statement at her word, as he lacked any personal experience to compare.

"Billy, I love you but you really need to stop putting yourself down all the time! Natural talent is a myth! Maybe its easier to some, I guess, but nothing you want can be obtained without hard work and the intelligence to improvise: both things you don't lack, but self confidence is important too! Without that, you're just fooling yourself."

Whoa. He actually did hit the nail on the head here, and she was glad to get some advice from him this time. "It isn't just us: he has friends here, both of them really loyal to Will. Heck, I even talk with one of them. We're moving slow because...it would disrespect her memory of we just jumped in. I guess you could say I know when to be selfish, but this isn't a time I can just have something I want. I'd never want to hurt anyone by what he and I have. I want it to be special."

She did duck her head a little here. Who was the kid now?

"I''m trying to transfer that confidence over the things I've done right, Katara. From the people I've helped. If I have a small core of knowledge that I have helped, I can motivate myself to be more. It's small right now, but I'm trying to expand it."

And his Bondeds are about in the middle of that core right now, he thinks with some relief that might leak out.

"Then you're doing it carefully, as I know you would. Give it time and it just might work out." Billy was only vaguely aware of the complications of relationships, but he had to try his best.

As the sun dipped below the horizon in a beautiful spread of life, he conjured a robe and wrapped it around him. It's a nice night.

"I understand that, I do. It's just...I hate hearing you put yourself down, that's all. I know you have flaws, but I also believe you can beat them. I mean, you're a power ranger. Renne revers that, and you, so much he worships Zordon. He has faith in you, and so do I."

She smiled and brought out a red robe of her own, missing the colors since she had to go undercover in the fire nation. The sun looked wonderful at dusk, and she had a longing look on her face.

"I'd like to see my world again one day...but if that never happens, I think it would be nice to live in a world that isn't just images."

'She's right,' Billy thought to himself. 'If everyone else believes you can be strong, Billy, so should you.'

"I'm sure you'll find one," he assured. "We'll stop the Ohm before they destroy everything, somehow, and you'll find a home with your friends or with Matt. I'll try to invent something to keep us in contact, but it will probably have to be far stronger than our rings."

Billy didn't like to think about what happened when the war was over---if it did end, and they survived, they'd have to separate, wouldn't they? He hoped not.

Katara blinked. That hadn't occurred to her at all: the idea that they would be apart. Oh, she was sure that Renne would never leave Billy of course, but the idea of what she would do, who she would be around then, she hadn't thought of that. As it was, she wasn't sure what she would do if she had to go on without Aang or Sokka or the others.

"I'll look where I can. I...I really don't like the idea of being apart from you and Renne, but even I don't know how I'll feet at the end of everything. Let's just wait until that day comes."

"I can do that," he whispered, reaching for her hand, intending to squeeze it briefly but faltering. Would Matt mind? He'd have to ask her, Billy thought.

"We have much bigger problems to consider now. And we'll meet them."

The Sinking Feeling You Get When You Eat Magic Food

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