Petra walked slowly around the large table, studying the wide variety of food.  She was impatient for the fuss to be over, especially since she'd been relegated to staying at home.  While she was very effective, there were certain situations where her power was perceived to be a danger rather than useful.  It irked her, but she had to agree - underwater work was not the best place for someone who created shockwaves.  While unstable molecules would survive being blasted apart by her powers, the chances of her wrecking a re-breather or blowing up a bulkhead were too great a risk.<br/><br/>The sacrifices of the mighty.<br/><br/>She glanced sidelong at the other guests.  Like them, she was dressed formally, but in her case she had adopted the more androgynous look of a pants-suit, white dress shirt, and cravat tie; she had not bothered to shed her collar-choker, with the delicate glass pendants.  Petra rubbed absently at the silver and sapphire cufflinks, unused to wearing them as she was.  Still, it was better than wearing a dress.  Her powers had some very....revealing side effects when she used them while wearing a dress.  Not that it bothered her, but the rest of her team mates were largely either more staid or too interested in what she wouldn't let them have.<br/><br/>The one thing she did do was steal another glass of effervescent cider; they were being strict on the drinking ages, of course, so the champagne was off limits, and there were far too many people who might notice.  Another sigh slips from parted lips and she drank sparingly to make it last.  It was only moderately better than being stuck at home, with only the vids she'd watched and the books she'd read again and again.