Hopeless Love

4-Super Crazy Council Meeting

     When I embraced sleep in my dreams, my eyes opened and I was awake again. I sighed. This time was no exception. There was a knock on the wooden pole near the tent door. I grunted in response and a head poked in. It was Sebastian. He handed me some food. I examined it closely before eating it. It was a small squirrel and some thick seaweed milk. It was delicious. And gone in about three seconds.
     After I finished eating Sebastian handed me some clothes. He had picked out a bright green tank top the color of the river moss that I had only ever seen after coming to these rivers. There were some black cargo shorts and some new socks and black hiking boots with thick soles and laces. I started to take off my shirt before turning around and glaring at Sebastian, telling him to get out with my eyes. I changed quickly, stuffing my old clothes into my worn bag. I walked out of the tent with my bag on my back, all my belongings in that one bag.
     I looked to the left, staring over the open plains over the river that way. Then I looked to the right, towards the cliff I had lived on until yesterday afternoon. Blocking my glorious view was Sebastian. He was blushing and I frowned at him.
     Looking puzzled, he asked, "What?"
     "You are blocking my view of my cliff," I informed him with just a bit of impatience in my voice. He raised his hands in surrender and stepped out of the way. I smiled as I gazed at the little cliff and the majestic waterfall I knew was hidden from view just behind a curve in the cliff. When I had gotten my fill of the view I turned back to Sebastian. He turned towards the center of the camp and, I assumed, the council tent. I followed.
     As I watched everything movie around me, I thought, This might be the most peaceful place I've ever been. At that precise moment, the council tent came into view. It could not have been more visible. It was bright, venomous green with swirls of crimson, cerulean, violet, gold, and silver through it in paisley patterns. On top of the toxicly bright rainbow assualting my eyes, there was a riot of color surrounding the tent as mermaids streamed in, the vivid colors and patterns thrown from their hair by the light of dawn as they streamed into the tent. I changed into my beastia, my feline eyes more capable of taking all this...color vomit in better than my other ones.
     Sebastian started looking around for me frantically when he noticed I was gone. I roared at him, that being the only sound my beastia was capable of making. I was a lion after all, even if I was a tiny one. He jumped and looked down at me with wide eyes. I glared at him impatiently until he picked me up. I purred with contentment as he gently petted me and I took in the explosion of colors around me without my brain exploding. I closed my eyes and relaxed...which was a mistake as we entered the tent and my ears were assaulted as viciously and relentlessly as my eyes had been. I screeched in terror as I was sure I was going to be murdered by the bursting of my eardrums. I changed before that could happen. I decided to keep my eyes closed as the inside was almost worse than the outside. Sebastian was prepared this time and caught his balance before he fell over. I clasped my arms around his neck and leaned my head on his chest as he sat us down.
     "ORDER," was yelled by Moriah. It instantly became silent as a grave. "Put her down Sebastian. She can sit on the bench without your support," she ordered. It thought I heard a slight tint of amusement in her voice. He set me on the bench carefully, like I was made of porcelain. I glared at him with my eyes still closed. "You can open your eyes Jet. This is not a religiously holy space if that is what you are afraid of. You will not be stuck by light spears," she said.
     "It is actually too bright. It burns my eyes and it is too loud in my beastia. I can't see in here unless I am intent on going blind," I informed her.
     "Ok," she agreed, "Everyone will be silent or everyone will miss out on the post-council donuts." I changed into my beastia and opened my eyes. She smiled at me.
     "Now, onto business. How is everything in camp," she asked. There was a moment of silence where Sebastian clapped his hands over my ears. Then came the muffled yells of excitement. It was like that for a long time. Moriah would ask questions and there would be shouts of excitement or disapproval. Finally, it was time for me to be judged. Sebastian picked me up and walked in front of the podium. I climbed onto his head and sat there with an easy grace I usually lacked.
     "Are you all in agreement that she should stay," Moriah asked. There was a discordant chorus of agreement and disapproval. Moriah nodded sagely. "Bring out the Harp of Truth," she shouted. I put my ears back as they brought out a large smoky silver harp smudged with electric blue.
     They set it up in front of me. They played music that wove the story of my life, of all my life experiences, into the air. After the song was over all the mermaids had seen my life and they all raised one finger on their left hands and two on their right.
     "It has been decided," Moriah announced. "She will stay!" I smiled down at Sebastian and curled up on his head.

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Hello land sharks. So I have realized after looking back a bit that if you came from Shimmer you may be confused on why the alpha has a different name in the two stories. It is because Colla misinterpreted her name when they were introduced. Anyways hope you liked it and sorry it is a bit late. I totally forgot I was supposed to write today. See you next week or Friday if you are reading The Diamond.