I've been wanting to write something involving heat expansion for a while, and came up with a silly pool toy idea as a result!

Rho learns his more durable pool toy form is a little *too* resistant to heat when he begins to swell up...

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Pool Toy Durability Test
By: IndigoRho

August paced around the med bay, the black-and-white goat frequently glancing over at a digital progress bar displayed on a large rectangular machine The machine's humming had intensified as its task neared completion. Above the bar were two slightly different face shots of the same orange-striped zebra. The first looked normal, while in the second the zebra had an obvious sheen, his features rounder. Most ships didn't have industrial pool toy converters on board, but the peculiar crew of the Zephyr found use for it.

At last the humming ceased, a soft chime declaring conversion complete. The front of the machine lurched forwards, a wall of hissing steam pouring out from all sides before it split apart and opened.

From the short-lived cloud a zebra pool toy stumbled out. The steam made his vinyl body shine in the lights of the med bay, which was slightly translucent. Despite being filled with air he had the appearance of being portly. His hide was painted to give the impression he was wearing a gray body suit.

“Ugh, becoming a pool toy this way is always so disorienting,” the zebra grumbled, still wobbling some.

“Rho that's just because you don't spend enough time as one!” August laughed. “But how does the new material feel?”

Rho stretched a little, his body creaking as he did. “I don't know, maybe...heavier? I'm still not convinced this is necessary, though.”

“Nonsense, it's a safety measure!” August insisted. “As a pool toy you're resistant to gasses and heat, even more so with the enhanced vinyl. The whole ship could be split in two and you'd be perfectly fine.”

“If the ship's in that condition I don't think simply being durable will help.”

Oh don't be such a pessimist. Once you see how well your new body handles a laser blast you'll probably never want to turn back!”

August turned around and picked up a portable beam laser, the kind usually used in mining and clearing debris. When he aimed it directly at Rho the pool toy frantically waved his puffy paws in protest.

“Wait wait wait, that'll melt right through me!” Rho shouted.

August merely smiled and pulled the trigger. Rho recoiled and closed his eyes as the solid beam of energy struck him in the middle, instantly feeling its pressure. However, there wasn't a loud pop or the sensation of the beam passing through him. The pool toy nervously opened his eyes, and saw that the laser was striking him seemingly without effect.

“See!” August said over the noise of the laser. “Now you're laser-proof!”

The continuous energy of the laser was rapidly heating Rho up, but as a pool toy he couldn't properly “feel” the build up of heat. The air within him warmed as well. Rho's already-round middle soon began to expand, though both the goat and pool toy were too distracted to notice at first.

“I mean, I guess that's cool, but I really don't expect to be shot at a whole lot delivering cargo,” Rho said. “Honestly this just seems excessive. And stop shooting me!”

August was just about to comply when he noticed something seemed off about Rho. He swore the zebra looked wider, though perhaps it was just wishful thinking. But the longer he stared the rounder Rho seemed, until August realized without a doubt he was inflating. He only had the vaguest idea as to why his friend was starting to blimp up, and the temptation to make him huge was irresistible. Thankfully Rho appeared oblivious himself.

“It's important to thoroughly test out your heat resistance,” August snickered as he watched the show.

Rho's arms and legs were also showing signs of puffing up somewhat. The more inflated they were the more difficult it'd be for the pool toy to escape once he finally realized what was happening, and August was rather intent on seeing Rho get huge.

“There's definitely no situation in which I'd be hit by a laser for this long, and I think I'm starting to feel my material warp so cut it off!”

As Rho protested the first creaks managed to reach his ears, and the look of confusion on his face was enough to tell August the real fun was just about to begin. Rho nearly jumped when he looked down and realized how wide he'd gotten. When he saw August laughing his worry turned to annoyance.

“Was this seriously just a really dumb excuse to inflate me!” Rho growled, desperately trying to escape the beam causing him to blimp up.

Unfortunately Rho was just inflated enough to have his movement impeded. The pool toy's goofy waddling was easy for August to keep up with, his laser never once missing his increasingly larger target. As futile as the effort was, Rho refused to simply give up, making a comical flight towards the med bay exit. Even if he had reached it he'd have been too wide to fit through without assistance, and August certainly wasn't about to help him escape.

Eventually Rho's paws were too puffy to be of use, the pool toy toppling over onto his creaking middle with a frustrated yelp. He wobbled and squeaked, his belly growing larger and larger by the second. His body rapidly started to take on a spherical shape, arms and legs gradually enveloped over time. Rho's whole face expanded as well from the influx of air, his cheeks and snout big and round.

Despite the incredible heat Rho's enhanced vinyl held form, too hot to touch but not melting away in the slightest. He'd have been impressed if he wasn't becoming a balloon in the process.

Inevitably the air within Rho was warm enough to cause the expanding pool toy to lift right off the floor. He he whimpered and grumbled as he realized he was airborne, wobbling in place and utterly helpless. When he bumped into the ceiling a minute later he winced.

The building pressure was dampening Rho's senses, preventing him from thinking clearly. The constant creaks filling his ears weren't helping, either. He was still barely conscious when he felt the prodding of the laser finally cease. Rho was almost entirely spherical by then, a shimmering striped orb that sizzled as much as creaked.

August put down the laser and put on a pair of heat-resistant gloves he'd brought in case Rho actually had melted. He strolled up to the floating zebra and gave his taut side a teasing poke, delighted to hear a dazed groan in return. A faint hissing sound came from the valve on Rho's middle every time August poked him, the air desperate to escape.

“Aug...deflate me this...this instant or...oomph...” Rho mumbled, on the verge of incoherency.

“Wow, I'm honestly surprised you're still holding together a bit there Rho!” August said cheerfully, still poking his friend. “Most people end up completely out of it when they're that over inflated. Maybe you could use an extra puff or two.”

Rho only moaned in response, his gaze obviously drifting.

“Not hearing a no~” August squeezed his friend's sides, giggling as the zebra's eyes glazed over completely from the spike in pressure. “Though now I need to think of some more tests, specifically ones for a creaky, spherical zebra like you.”

Rho was just barely able to understand what August was saying, and offered a frown in return. He was going to be in a daze for a very, very long time...