Maddie's eyes widened when she realized that must have meant that Pan swam -- Oh dear. "Well, no. I mean, with normal clothes the water might make them really heavy, but swimsuits are designed to be used in water. You know, so people don't have to be naked when they -- should we get you a swimsuit?"
Maybe that should have been one of their first stops at the city? Maddie led the two of them back to their dorm, where she fished her bathing suit from her messy drawer and showed it off to Pan.
It was as simple as they came. A light blue one piece, lower on the back than the front. "You can get them in a two-piece, one-piece, or you can get kinds where they're like a shirt and shorts. We'll get you some in town."
Pandora stared blankly at Maddie, not understanding her terror at the realization.
"What?" She asked hesitantly, now sure she had said something wrong. She had no idea what she said wrong. She cocked her head in confusion as Maddie explained just what a swimsuit was, and still, she didn't understand.
"Then what's it made of? How does it not soak up water and slip off?" She inquired, baffled by the mysteries of these so-called swim suits... "Why does it matter if I'm not wearing clothes when I swim?" She asked as an afterthought. "I guess we can get one, if it's that important." She surrendered.
They made their way quickly back to the dorm, Pan still oohing and aaahing at everything the second time through, as if it was still brand new, until they got to their dorm room. When Maddie showed off the swimsuit, Pan retreated a step or two, staring in wonder at the garment before her.
"Woah... Does it make you swim faster?" She asked, her eyes wide. "What's the difference between the kinds of suits? What kind is this?" She asked in rapid fire format.
"What?" She asked hesitantly, now sure she had said something wrong. She had no idea what she said wrong. She cocked her head in confusion as Maddie explained just what a swimsuit was, and still, she didn't understand.
"Then what's it made of? How does it not soak up water and slip off?" She inquired, baffled by the mysteries of these so-called swim suits... "Why does it matter if I'm not wearing clothes when I swim?" She asked as an afterthought. "I guess we can get one, if it's that important." She surrendered.
They made their way quickly back to the dorm, Pan still oohing and aaahing at everything the second time through, as if it was still brand new, until they got to their dorm room. When Maddie showed off the swimsuit, Pan retreated a step or two, staring in wonder at the garment before her.
"Woah... Does it make you swim faster?" She asked, her eyes wide. "What's the difference between the kinds of suits? What kind is this?" She asked in rapid fire format.
"Because you be naked," Maddie said as if that was the reason Pan needed a swimsuit. And it was, so some less extent. On Manta Carlos, Maddie was sure there were plenty of people who weren't disturbed by nudity.
On their way back to the dorm, Maddie attempted to explain the use of swimsuits, though, that was tougher done than said. Pan knew nearly nothing about...everything Maddie knew about. And Maddie had never been very good at explanations.
By the time she'd shown Pan the swimwear and was being asked more questions, Maddie was almost as confused as the other girl. "Uh, no. And this is a one piece. The two pieces show a lot of skin. Maybe you'd be more comfortable with that kind?"
As Maddie went on talking, she put her suit into a backpack and slung it over her back, ushering Pan out and toward town. It was decently far by walking, and Maddie answered several more of Pan's questions on their way there. She stopped them at a small clothing store and opened the door for Pan. "Take a look around and see what you like. They should be in the back."
Pan just rose an eyebrow.
"I fail to see why that would be a problem." She shrugged, deadpan staring back at Maddie, as if it made no sense to her. "Is that not allowed here?" She inquired, the idea slowly dawning on her. "That doesn't make a whole lot of sense..." She muttered to herself.
When asked if she preferred a one-piece or a two-piece, she looked even more confused. "Wait, I'm allowed to show skin, but not too much?" She asked, baffled by the concept. Back home, nudity was a fairly normal occurrence for her tribe, and she never really thought much of it. She did recall that the missionaries always wore a ton of clothes, however.
As they walked, Pan had seemingly endless questions, and by the time they actually arrived, she felt she had a solid understanding of what exactly swimsuits were for. People were very uncomfortable with nudity here, that was plain to see, so she supposed she'd find one and play along.
"When in rome..." She said to herself, stepping into the store and looking around, walking towards the back and investigating the wares.
Almost right away, a forest green two-piece caught her eye, which she snatched up immediately. "How about this?" She asked.
"I fail to see why that would be a problem." She shrugged, deadpan staring back at Maddie, as if it made no sense to her. "Is that not allowed here?" She inquired, the idea slowly dawning on her. "That doesn't make a whole lot of sense..." She muttered to herself.
When asked if she preferred a one-piece or a two-piece, she looked even more confused. "Wait, I'm allowed to show skin, but not too much?" She asked, baffled by the concept. Back home, nudity was a fairly normal occurrence for her tribe, and she never really thought much of it. She did recall that the missionaries always wore a ton of clothes, however.
As they walked, Pan had seemingly endless questions, and by the time they actually arrived, she felt she had a solid understanding of what exactly swimsuits were for. People were very uncomfortable with nudity here, that was plain to see, so she supposed she'd find one and play along.
"When in rome..." She said to herself, stepping into the store and looking around, walking towards the back and investigating the wares.
Almost right away, a forest green two-piece caught her eye, which she snatched up immediately. "How about this?" She asked.
When Maddie had to explain it all out loud to Pan and see the faces the other girl had, it did sound stupid, the idea of bathing suits. Maddie even found herself blushing (big surprise, that).
When they got to the shop, and Pan went in search of a suit, Maddie followed her, trying not to comment on anything until Pan made her decision. She didn't want to influence the other girl. At seeing the green two piece, Maddie moved forward and looked at it, checking out the price tag.
"Oooh! Pretty! It reminds me of you," Maddie grinned. She didn't know Pan well, but for some reason, the bathing suit did remind her of her roommate. "Did you want me to buy it for you?" Maddie wasn't sure if Pan had any money on her or not.
Maddie sounded just a bit confused by herself as she explained bathing suits. Her reaction was almost one of embarrassment as it seemed to dawn on her how weird the idea of bathing suits were. As they looked for bathing suits, she didn't say that much, at least until Pan picked one out for herself.
Maddie looked at the green two-piece, expressing her approval, and Pan nodded, very satisfied with herself. While she wasn't sure exactly why she needed one, she at least liked the one she had. She took it to the counter, glancing back at Maddie.
"No, I've got this. My dad gave me a card for stuff like this." She explained, taking a small, golden credit card from her bag.
She swiped it without much ceremony, bagging the swimsuit, before looking back at her roommate. "...So can we go swimming now?" She asked excitedly.
Maddie looked at the green two-piece, expressing her approval, and Pan nodded, very satisfied with herself. While she wasn't sure exactly why she needed one, she at least liked the one she had. She took it to the counter, glancing back at Maddie.
"No, I've got this. My dad gave me a card for stuff like this." She explained, taking a small, golden credit card from her bag.
She swiped it without much ceremony, bagging the swimsuit, before looking back at her roommate. "...So can we go swimming now?" She asked excitedly.
Maddie watched with interest as Pan used her credit card. Maddie didn't have one herself; she just had plain money sent to her by her sister. When Pan turned to her and asked whether they could go swimming, she nodded, matching her roommate's excitement. "Yup!"
Nothing overly appealing happened as Maddie led the way to one of the many beaches in the area. They had changed back at the store, in the changing rooms, because Maddie hadn't wanted to change out at the beach.
When they got there, the place was empty, but that wasn't surprising. It seemed many of the beach fronts were idyllic in their isolation. Once on the sand, Maddie paused, closing her eyes and taking on her otter form. It was a slow process; she wasn't as used to this form as she was her lynx or coyote.
She moved like a newborn horse when the change was complete and looked up at Pan with a little chatter before making a sideways run for the water.
Pan followed Maddie once again, still a little unsure why exactly she wasn't all for changing at the beach, or why they had to change at all. Oh, well. As they say, when in Rome... She played along, she changed in the store, into the swimsuit thing... It took her quite a bit longer than Maddie, as she figured out how exactly to work the thing.
Multiple times, she would ask loudly across the changing stations for help, peeking out of the booth half naked. Thankfully for them, or at least for Maddie, nobody else was in the changing area. Eventually, whether Maddie helped her or not, she got into the thing, and it felt surprisingly comfortable, for all the bells and whistles needed to get the thing on.
When they reached the beach, Pan was delighted at the sight of the water, and even more so as Maddie shifted forms, transforming into an Otter.
"That is SOOOO cool!" She said, awestruck as the girl chattered at her, making her way to the water. Pan's body began to dematerialize as she became a gust of wind, headed straight for the water. She rematerialized just before she hit the ocean, diving head first into the sea.
Immediately, her form began to bubble and return to the surface. Swimming underwater was hard to do when you were naturally lighter then water.
Multiple times, she would ask loudly across the changing stations for help, peeking out of the booth half naked. Thankfully for them, or at least for Maddie, nobody else was in the changing area. Eventually, whether Maddie helped her or not, she got into the thing, and it felt surprisingly comfortable, for all the bells and whistles needed to get the thing on.
When they reached the beach, Pan was delighted at the sight of the water, and even more so as Maddie shifted forms, transforming into an Otter.
"That is SOOOO cool!" She said, awestruck as the girl chattered at her, making her way to the water. Pan's body began to dematerialize as she became a gust of wind, headed straight for the water. She rematerialized just before she hit the ocean, diving head first into the sea.
Immediately, her form began to bubble and return to the surface. Swimming underwater was hard to do when you were naturally lighter then water.
Maddie chattered more when Pan complimented her adorableness. She tried to keep up with the wind sprite as her roommate dematerialized and raced to the ocean, plunging into it. Maddie couldn't, of course. She was too wobbly on her otter feet.
When she got to the sea, she leaped into it and was swept up by a small wave. She weaved around, flipping onto her back to better keep herself up. She chattered, sounding as if she were laughing as she felt around for Pan.
Maddie wished she could speak in her animal forms because she wasn't comfortable with the idea of transforming back right then. Maybe she should have been more nervous about being a tiny otter in the ocean with all the predators there, but she wasn't.