trans_9 | Enchanted Aquatica---the Prom [WIDE OPEN Y'ALL]

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Enchanted Aquatica---the Prom [WIDE OPEN Y'ALL]

The day had finally arrived for her big event, and Starfire couldn't be happier---or more nervous, actually. She was certainly not an expert on the inner workings of a prom, but it couldn't be too terribly complicated, right? As long as the people could eat, dance, and talk, it should be a reasonable success.

With that in mind, her decorations sprung from her mind into the large dome all around her, transforming a grey Sensorium into a beautiful underwater world, one with clear waters and free from the possibility of a shark attack.

The first change was the scent of the air, shifting into the comforting salty scent of the seas. Then the ground beneath her feet became a hardened sandstone, maintaining the gritty texture while remaining easy to walk upon---except for the smooth dance floor, of course. The grey dome transformed into a flowing bluish-green, rippling all around with fish of all colors passing in the background. Some of the 'sky' faded into a violet tone over the dance floor, lit by glowing circular lights in every color. Suspended in midair, they almost looked like motionless fireflies, though they sometimes swayed in tune with songs.

Tables arose from coral in all colors, rising from the ground and twisting to provide a flattened surface on the very top---rounded ones for guests, and long tables off to the side containing shell-bowls of food. Chairs were large floating clam shells with well cushioned interiors, some large enough to hold two people. More comfortable spongy places to sit were also littered across the area, notably by the large shell-shaped enclosure that was the promised swimming pool. It too was lit by the floating lights, providing what she hoped was a romantic atmosphere.

Finally, the glowing stage above the dance floor couldn't help but attract attention with its chairs. Six royal thrones and one plush chair of all colors directly in the middle rested in the back of the stage, leaving the front open for announcements. Just off to the side of the stage stood the DJ's table, with even that machine painted to match the soft underwater glow of the scenery.

Everything finally seemed pleasing to Starfire. With one last change, dressing herself in the formal attire of the prom, she sent out the signal to everyone and waited. She hoped they would have a wonderful time.

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Kaya would have been pretty amused to hear about a custom of wishing on someone's tail. That just sounded silly.

"Not really, but what's so scary about fish?" Kaya said, surfacing. "Some of my best friends back in the Northern water Tribe were fish! Not talking fish, but you know, fish fish. But I'm not that scary, am I?"

"No, you're not," he conceded, trailing a finger in the water. It seemed perfectly safe to him from this distance. Perhaps it was a one time effect, or didn't happen until a person was fully submerged...

"One bit me when I was a child. I assumed that they would all bite, even when I had the logical skills to refute that assumption. It was a base aversion, but...nothing would bite me here, would it?"

Billy considered the opportunity. He could do it...maybe...

"Of course I'm not, unless you get me mad," Kaya teased, looking like she was thinking very much about pulling Billy in with her. She would like to see how Billy would react to growing a tail.

"I doubt it, and don't most fish not have teeth anyway? Come on, join me! The water is wonderful!"

"This one did. It was horrifying."

Billy still looked a little wary, though he knew he wasn't about to grow even sharper teeth. It seemed safe, it would just be very weird. But fascinating, that was for sure.

With a heavy sigh, he started peeling off the pieces of his suit and folding them to the side. "It's really a strange place for a pool. This can hardly be considered appropriate."

Really. Gallivanting around in their underwear at prom. Just what was the world coming to? He hesitated at the water's edge, slipping a toe in. "We can't be entirely sure it's safe, but..it's a reasonable chance it will only be a silly half-transformation like yours, isn't it?

"It does sound pretty creepy," Kaya agreed, then taking another deep dive before surfacing up again.

She rolled her eyes. "What do you mean, 'appropriate?' It's a party! It's one of the few times we can forget about all of the insanity and attacks and anger and just have fun! Who cares about being proper?"

Kaya nodded. "You know you want to, Billy."

"You've never cared about approval," Billy retorted, inching ever closer to the water. Whatever happened to him it it was just an illusion, it was easily undone. It was going to be fine.

"I do have a certain curiosity, and this is a relatively safe environment...all right," he swore, pushing off the ledge and submerging before he could stop and think.

Nothing happened for a moment, and then it came: the flash of light and stream of bubbles as Billy's mouth opened in shock. His body twisted into its new form in a few moments. Sure enough, after some flailing with the tail, his head broke the surface.

He propped himself up against the edge of the pool, using the leverage to lean back and lift his tail out of the water. It was a darker blue, almost black, and slick with scales---as usual for a fish. It quivered as he studied it, as he adjusted to the supremely weird sensation of being part-fish. It should've been an impossibility, of course, but it was not.

Kaya might have to snap him out of his staring.

"Not when it comes to having fun," Kaya said, whipping around in the water. "If I did, there's no way I'd gotten out of my dress just to do this. Sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind!"

And she waited as she watched him descend into the water, and then coming into the realization that he was now put in this unique situation.

And without waiting for him to stare at his new appendages, she had whisked him into the deeper end of the pool, giggling and laughing.

"Isn't this fun? I can move a lot faster in water than I used to!"

"In that case you must be close to moving at the speed of light," Billy gasped, feeling just a little disoriented by the rush. "You were already almost impossible to keep up with."

That said, he could...swim. Somehow. He wandered from her side and tested directional movement each way, then underwater for down and up. Some floundering at first was unavoidable, but he was soon navigating about as well as he had with legs.

"It gives us half the advantage of a fish in the water," he noted, "but without the other half of losing our arms and turning into fully fledged fish, we won't be able to move much further. Not that I want to," he rushed out.

"Oh, now you're just being ridiculous," Kaya said, sticking out her tongue. "I just take to my element very well, you know that!"

"Oh, I agree," Kaya said. "The advantage of arms is that we have them to steer in the water, and the main straight away of movement comes from the tail. That's why its so daunting at first, but then you realize in water, having a tail is like having a sort of bump in speed It's much more convenient than having legs since they were made for water!"

"Then I'll just hope for reasonably well."

Billy took his time in learning, propelling this way and that. Steering was similar to swimming with legs for the most part, but the propulsion was new. He almost collided into an edge once, the tail was so unexpectedly powerful.

"In water, yes, but I like my life as a land creature. This...sure is fascinating, though," he had to admit, slipping under the water for a quick swim. It felt entirely different on a tail than on his legs, and he could breathe! Gills, of course. His internal organs must have rearranged themselves to allow such a change, and he wondered how extensive it was....

For a land-lover, he was spending an awfully long time in the depths. Since anyone entering the water would gain the ability to breathe under it, it could stand to be deeper than an ordinary pool. It was almost a lake, and along the floor he saw the same breathtaking decorations that existed above.

Would you look at that.

"I'm sure you can do it!" Kaya said, smiling.

And she dived in with him, ignoring what he was saying. It wasn't that she didn't think it was important, she just knew that Billy had the strangest compulsion to over analyze something that should be fun. But she knew it would see it and feel it in time, just like she did. Billy, no matter what he said and did, had an adventurous spirit, as she did, and would come around.

And sure enough, she was smiling at him underwater, a look she gave him making it perfectly clear.

Beautiful, isn't it? Starfire really outdid herself this time.

It's amazing work.

Billy turned himself to face her, studying the waves and the sands. There were things there: seaweed, shells, lost coins. With a little smile, he circled around the seaweed and picked up a shell. It was an elaborate spiked shell, palest purple.

I probably could have found one scuba diving, but this is somewhat more interesting. He turned the treasure over in his hand. If it was real, I know a few people who would like it.

I'm really loving this prom! I know its not quite typical of what other proms might be like, but its close enough to my tastes! It's fun!

And really ingenious of Starfire to put in a transforming pool, actually. There was a little reason for her to not enjoy just about everything she was seeing right now. In fact, now she looking at the shell that he had just picked up.

Definitely! It's really pretty, isn't it?

It is.

Billy propelled himself close to one of the bright coral formations, finding a perfect spot to lounge against it. Just imagine dancing here, or bringing your date. That was probably what she was aiming for, though I still have to admit it's new. From what I saw, most of the committee was new to the concept of prom.

That was where all the creativity had to be coming from.

i definitely was. I'm used to Balls, but I never was able to go to them on my own, because they were for the Bourgeois, you know? I'm a water bender, we don't exactly care so much about having material wealth if we can help it. This though: this would be wonderful.

She smiled though the water. And I'm sure that Ronnae is having a wonderful time.

Balls? Billy laughed at the thought of being invited to one. The most I'd be invited to is a school dance in a plain room with some ribbons in it. Extravagant events were only for the most successful business owners and our best actors---I lived near a city of actors known throughout the world. They'd get to attend an event like this.

He nodded as best he could around the water. Nokosi too...I wonder if they'd be interested. Ah...maybe I should go back up, actually. He'd just realized how suspicious this situation looked. The last thing he wanted to do was encourage more doubt.

Kaya smiled at him. Hey, you at least had those events of a dance! This is one of my first nones besides the other ones I've been to on Stacy. This is mots definitely a treat for me. I'm glad we did this too, aren't you?

Well that answered that question. Are you sure? It's so nice down here.

It is really nice, Kaya. I just...

Billy hesitated, remembering the faces he'd seen when Ronnae had heard about some of his adventures with Kaya before.

I think she sometimes believes I want to be romantically involved with you.

Even with gills and the ability to breathe underwater, Kaya looked as if she were choking. She wasn't, but the face was priceless.

She thinks WHAT? But how can she? Doesn't she know we're like brother and sister? The idea of it is just...come on Billy, if we were going to be like THAT it would have happened awhile back!

Billy flicked his tail and came close, grabbing her arm to stabilize her. I know, but a...well...that might not be considered a barrier either. I think I've almost explained it, but I don't want to do anything that leaves room for doubt.

Might not be a... Oh right, the thing with her sisters. She had forgotten all about that. She can't possible believe I would do something like that to her though, behind her back? I'm the one who was pushing that you two get together!

I know you wouldn't. And logically I'm sure she knows. But insecurities can be powerful, he reminded her, recalling some of his own.

Anyway, it'd probably be safest to invite her and Nokosi here with us.

I suppose. But I would never do something like that to her, I would think she'd know that. It'd be as likely as her and Nokosi getting involved romantically with each other.

Besides, Billy was the one who believed in monogamy and raised that way, and Ronnae was not. So how had this come to pass?

I have no problem with that!

Definitely. I love you, Kaya, but we're not loving each other that way, he teased gently, paddling closer to the surface. It shouldn't be too hard to call out for them, right? There was just the little problem of being visible...he didn't exactly want to get out and look for them.

All right. Now we just have to draw attention---do you have any waterbending tricks that could catch their eyes from here?

Are you kidding? Besides Negi, you are the closest people I have to brothers!

At his question, she scoffed, and raised her hands, a moment later the water took on the appearance of a sort of water octopus, and made sure it was frantically waving in the direction of their dates.

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