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

[starbolts]

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.

Comments

[aphephobiaqueen.livejournal.com]

Satella imagined not many people would be using the pool. I mean, come on. Who comes to a formal dance and comes prepared to use a pool? Regardless, she wanted a bit of relaxation, so she hiked up her dress some and dipped her feet in the cool refreshing water.

There was no effect from the looks of it, other than the pleased smile on her face.

[8wings.livejournal.com]

Anwei sat down nearly - not too near; her organic-looking dress kept trying to wiggle purple-blue glowing tendrils in all directions. She concentrated on it, and the tendrils sank down and into the water, looking a little abashed.

She slipped her own toes into the water, and sighed in contentment. She glanced over at the unfamiliar woman. "Considerate of Stacy, to let us create this sort of luxury for ourselves."

[aphephobiaqueen.livejournal.com]

Satellizer quirked a brow, noticing the woman as she settled. She gave a curt nod and looked into the water.

"It's pretty amazing that it's this advanced... We had a simulation center at West Genetics, but this completely blows it out of the water."

[8wings.livejournal.com]

"So to speak," she replied, splashing her feet in the water and watching the drops sprinkle on the surface, overlapping rings wiped away by the waves of the other swimmers.

"Was the West Genetics center used for recreation or for training? Or both?"

[aphephobiaqueen.livejournal.com]

"Training," was her simple response as she looked out into the water.

"There were events planned by the student body and the faculty if you wanted recreation. The simulation center was for advanced Pandoras to train against simulated Nova assaults as to prepare for any encounters we would face later in our lives as Pandoras."

[8wings.livejournal.com]

There were people with tails swimming around in the water! Anwei withdrew her feet with a little jerk, and tucked them under herself. Her dress persisted in trying to crawl into the water; well, better than reaching for her neighbor.

So the West Genetics center sounded like a school. A battle school. But all she knew about a Pandora was it had something to do with Earth mythology. It was - a woman in a box? Now she was picturing women in boxes, fighting suns. That didn't seem very logical, though.

"I'm afraid I don't know about Pandoras. Are they like Gundams? Fighting machines?"

[aphephobiaqueen.livejournal.com]

"I'm not familiar with the term Gundam," she started as she looked at the people swimming by and eyed the curiously.

"But Pandoras are genetically altered and enhanced select females trained to fight Novas and be able to use Stigmas which grant us our powers. Novas are a mysterious race of aliens from another dimension that invaded our Earth out of nowhere and started destroying everything. Nothing could harm them until Pandoras were trained."

[8wings.livejournal.com]

"The Gundams are down on the hangar level. Bipedal robots, with implanted reactive weaponry and other energy weapons. I'm not sure what level of skill it takes to pilot them, but I suspect it is very high." They had been quite impressive in battle at NiSaris.

She listened, fascinated. No doubt why this woman had been chosen to come here. "That must have been incredibly difficult; genengineering under the gun, literally. Did you win? Defeat the Novas?"

[aphephobiaqueen.livejournal.com]

She listened intently at the description, they didn't have something that sounded that advanced, aside from the tank robots that the army possessed... but even those didn't even scratch the Novas. She'd have to look into those.

"No, but we did manage to push them back several times... Though..." She paused, frowning slightly before continuing. "I feared that they were toying with us considering that they usually never sent more than one or two Novas... and even then they also had varying levels of strengths... From F class novas, to S class novas... A single S class Nova could wipe an entire platoon of Pandoras.... And we're not easy to come by."

She sighed, "The last assault that I remember was the biggest one we had seen in years... Four S class Novas assaulted East Genetics... West Genetics ended up sending reinforcements since East got overwhelmed... An Academy full of Pandoras almost wiped in less than an hour... And I'm sure it would have been wiped out if it hadn't been a distraction..."

[8wings.livejournal.com]

Her shoulders slumped a little. War was her business, and business was always good, but what a happy day it would be if people could think instead of hit to settle their problems!

"It sounds like it may have been a turning point in your war," she said thoughtfully. "Perhaps, if the Ohm monitor the dimensions they attack, that was why they struck there and then. Right at the crucial moment, they do - whatever they do - and it all falls apart." She shivered; the salty air seemed cooler for an instant.

"A distraction?"

[aphephobiaqueen.livejournal.com]

She nodded, a grim expression on her face. "As soon as West Genetics reinforcements reached East Genetics... The Novas dimension jumped... They disappeared from all our radars... And appeared in West Genetics a moment later. All we had to defend ourselves where third years and below... It wasn't a pleasant sight."

[8wings.livejournal.com]

"It doesn't sound it. To lose so many, so fast." She thought it might be polite to bend the subject away from those battles.

"Did you find your Stigma on board, when you got here? Most people seem to have been given their weapons or vehicles."

[aphephobiaqueen.livejournal.com]

"They're engraved on my body and my genes... If I were to lose them, I wouldn't be able to function properly." she said looking down a bit grimly... She knew of a few Pandoras that lost their Stigmas... It wasn't a pleasant experience and it's the ultimate embarrassment for a Pandora.

[8wings.livejournal.com]

"That must have been a relief."

Anwei wished that she had come with a little more gear. Like her AI. Maybe some combat armor. Hells, why not throw in a fully staffed battleship and some sunbombs?

Though she would have traded all of those (well, except for Horanckk) for a clear transdimensional newsfeed.

[aphephobiaqueen.livejournal.com]

Satella nodded, "It was. I don't think I would have given up without them but... I rather not think of not having them actually."

[8wings.livejournal.com]

"I understand. I was fortunate, that most of my skills with computers could be applied to the systems here."

She looked out at the illusionary fantasy of coral and water and people beautifully dressed. "Did you have proms at West Genetics? Part of the recreation program, maybe?"

[aphephobiaqueen.livejournal.com]

"That sounds most fortunate." she said in agreement, knowing all too well she would hate being in a place without being able to do anything productive herself.

At the latter question she frowned a little, remembering a very unpleasant moment in her last one... and a bittersweet one as well. "We did... Mostly school dances, but there was always a prom every year."

[8wings.livejournal.com]

"I never had a prom before this one," she shrugged. "Never went to school, at least not the sort of schools that most people seem to describe. Large groups of my species' adolescents tend to be - fractious." Tend to savagely manipulate, humiliate, and fight one another until blood and flesh paid the price.

[aphephobiaqueen.livejournal.com]

She cocked her head curiously as she listened, "Don't think I've heard of such schools. Then again, there's many different types of school systems. I take it you're not from the same world, much like many of the others around here?"

[8wings.livejournal.com]

"No, I'm not. I was on Earth when I was - picked up, or rescued. But I'm from a planet called Fle. I just look human." She smiled, and let the corners of her mouth run back to her ears for an instant.

"I was a member of the Vizsnunishne Mercenaries, which would seem to be a reason to be rescued - maybe. Except that I was with the Clerical Division. And with the time irregularities, and people coming and going all the time, the last thing this ship would seem to need is an accountant."

[aphephobiaqueen.livejournal.com]

Satella simply listened intently, taking note of the differences and what she spoke off. At one point in her life, she would have been alarmed with all this talk of alien species, other dimensions, this ship and the non-human sitting besides her. But the Nova invasion put a whole new perspective on her life.

"Though, judging from some of the ship's crew. I don't think there's a definite formula for who or what the ship rescues and releases."

[8wings.livejournal.com]

"I'd say they put all the oxygen-breathers together, except I'm not even certain that some of the crew breathe." Did Zetta need to burn oxygen, for example, or did he breathe only to talk?

"The formula seems to be powerful people, or people who are related to powerful people. The ship saved our families, our friends, and apparently our enemies as well sometimes."

She could do without the family, personally.

[aphephobiaqueen.livejournal.com]

"Somehow, I don't know if that's wise. We're in a war, and from the looks of it, an incredibly important and hard one." She relaxed back a little, looking up in thought.

"I understand the need for civilians with the skills necessary to run things and keep things going, but it seems we're understaffed in the military department in consideration of the numbers I've been reading that the enemy possesses."

[8wings.livejournal.com]

"This was not meant to be a warship at first, I think. It was meant to rescue people, and those nearest to them, from certain death. Striking back at the Ohm seemed to have been a later plan.

"Perhaps," she paused and stared deep into the rippling water, as though hoping to see some image of what could have been in it, "perhaps we would have been put on some safe world - if there is such a thing - to try and rebuild our lives. But here and now, for a lot of people, what they are fighting for is not just memories of their worlds, but real people, awake or in the pods.

"I wouldn't mind more support personnel myself, actually. Lone heroes with amazing powers are great one at a time, but in groups they seem to want - not to group."

[aphephobiaqueen.livejournal.com]

That notion was all too familiar, those in power would rather work solo than in a team. But as a Pandora, there was no luxury such as that one, they were meant to work together, or there'd be no hope for Earth against the Novas.

"There should be more team building exercises then. A divided group is lacking the strength and potential of a well oiled machine working together as a whole."