concoursec | Instant Fun, Just Add Shark

Characters: Billy and anyone!
Location: Garden's pool, fairly early one morning.
Rating: PG (nothing more saucy than people in swimsuits)
Open/Closed/Finished: Open!
Summary: Bubbles. Heart pounding. It's a shark---no, just Billy out for a swim.

When swimming, Billy prefers to keep his head below the water. It's not to show off his ability to hold his breath for a lap or two---that's a good side benefit, but it developed after his preference for staying underwater. He stays below because it's an easy way to drown out the world. With his head submerged, he can't hear any disapproval of offworlders. There's no commentary on his scarred body. And, perhaps most importantly, he can be aware of any lingering threats if his eyes are open.

So Billy spends as much time underwater during his laps as possible, prescription goggles firmly attached. He's a stream of bubbles and a peach and blue shape sliding the surface, only surfacing for air for a few brief seconds. This swimming is entirely serious business, you see. No time for chat. Just time to...run. Or swim, in this case.

His concentration is quite suddenly interrupted by the bean bags that some clown has decided to throw in. He scowls, surfacing for just long enough to toss one to the deck. You'd almost think some people have fun when they go swimming!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Hmmm, yeah, that seems right! I mean, it's just a title that doesn't mean much! I just wanna have fun!"

Pinkie counted all the beanbags. Yep, all twenty were there. "All safe and sound!" She looked to him apwith a soft smile. "You'll stop by though, right?"

Billy decided to risk leaning against the ledge, edging himself a little further out of the water. He really didn't need water getting in his mouth for talking. "Homecoming? I already promised you, didn't I?"

His smile was warmer than before. No matter what, he'd see it through. A promise for a friend was a promise to be kept.

"Oh, I definitely know you'll be coming there! I meant the party!" Pinkie knew he would keep his promise. "You don't have to stay long!" She also knew that Billy wasn't the best at socializing, but she could understand that. Someone once told her that there was only one Pinkamena Diane Pie. It took her a while to figure out what that meant.

Billy tapped his chin as if to consider it. It was...probably acceptable.

"I suppose I could. I'm just a little worried that I won't hold up as well in a crowd, if that makes sense. I'm---not exactly the most comfortable in water."

It looked like it cost him something to admit that.

Pinkie placed a friendly hand onto his shoulder and gave him an encouraging smile. "Don't worry! I have LOTSA floaties and stuff! You'll be safe with me!" She knew what his metaphor meant, so she used her own! "You don't have to stay long! Just pop in and let me know you're there!"

Billy looked a little more flustered than usual, but he managed to smile back at her normally enough. "I can definitely swim! I've been swimming here for a while, it's actually relaxing if I can convince myself it's all right. It's just that I have to check for fish."

We're they still talking about parties or swimming? Either way, Pinkie was going with her instincts, which tended to be odd.

"Why wouldn't it be alright?"

"I didn't actually learn to swim until a year or two ago. I tried when I was younger, but I was bitten by a fish before I got very far. I feared fish and the water for years afterward"

He ducked his head, looking awfully embarrassed to be admitting this. "I had to confront a really big fish, and then I started to recover from it. But old habits die hard."

She had no idea about that. Pinkie looked a bit sad at hearing that and squeezed his shoulder in support. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. You did a really brave thing by learning how to swim, Billy!" Pinkie smiled in encouragement. "I was always taught to just laugh at the things I find scary! I'm not sure how that would work for fish." There was a light laugh after her statement.

"You could imagine anything scary as something ridiculous? I know that technique for stage fright. I just never tried it with fish."

Billy scrunched up his nose as he thought, trying to picture the silliest fish he could. The bug-eyes were creepy, but he could mold the overall package into something silly. A fish flailing comically on the deck.

He chuckled tentatively. "...like that?"

"It works! Maaaayyyybe not all the time, but it works!" Hey, dragons are scary.

Pinkie watched his face, which may look like she was staring! She...was staring, but not in a rude way. Something was going on inside his head...

And then she saw a smile and that chuckle! Pinkie had to give a clap at that!

"Yeah! Nice job! You're on the first step to GLORY!!"

Billy smiled at her. He couldn't help it. She was entirely too smile-inducing. It had to be infectious.

"And that would make you the queen of glory? In addition to Homecoming Queen?"

It's totally infectious.

Pinkie cocked her head to one side at the comment.

"I'm not queen yet! You're the SECOND person to say that!"

"We say it because we have confidence in you," Billy shrugged. "Who was the other person, anyway?"

"There's still Princess luna and Rinoa!" They stood a good chance!

"And I like them," Billy admitted, "but...let's just say I have faith in your power to win hearts."

Gained through first-hand experience, of course.

"I guess you have a point! Smiling is like the windows to the sooooouuuullllll!" Pinkie replied, wiggling her fingers mysteriously.

"I thought those were eyes," Billy laughed, making a quick hand gesture of his own to point to hers.

"But that's another good phrase for a campaign speech. Trust me, you'll be fine."

"NO WAY! It's totally a smile!" Listen to her, Billy! Pinkie was an expert. "I think I'll stick one just one speech! Don't wanna have too many!"

Instant Fun, Just Add Shark

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject