"We are doomed! My career is over before it even got started! I'll be the laughing stock of all the Seven Seas! This is a disaster! This-"
"Calm down, Sebastian. I'm sure we'll find it soon. It's just a harp." Athena sat down and brushed her hair some more, thinking where she last left her golden instrument.
"But what will you use for the music?! The concert starts in less than ten minutes!"
Sebastian continued pacing, a thousand scenarios playing in his mind, reviewing every possible way the concert could go wrong.
The two were sitting in the music room, having lost track of the instrument's location. Athena had figured they could simply use another harp, but the jamaican- accented crab had insisted on using Athena's harp because it matched with the rest of the instruments and decorations.
The door suddenly slammed open, and Mel burst in yelling,
"I FOUND IT!"
Sebastian was ready to faint with relief, but quickly got to work worrying about something else.
"The concert starts in less then ten minutes! We have got to get you girls up on the stage right now!"
He screamed,
"You have your lyre, Mel?"
"Got it." She said, waving it in the water.
"Then let's go!"
The three exited the music room and sped towards the stage fast- Athena with love in her pounding heart, Mel with the determination to support her friend, and Sebastian with the worry he would feel if a shark was chasing him. They all squeezed through the entrance, crashing against the orchestra who were making their way in front of the stage.
"May I present, Sebastian! We are here to witness his first-ever concert, all composed by him and the voice of Athena!"
The tiny red sea horse bowed and swam back, taking his place beside King Alastair and Prince Triton.
Sebastian scuttled forward, tapping his baton with all the authority of a conductor. He lifted his claws, and directed the orchestra with glee.
It started out with the soft rumble of percussion, then winds taking over softly in a melody which made Triton smile as he recalled where he had last heard that.
Athena took a quick and deep breath and began singing, her fingers strumming against the harp's strings elegantly.
The chimes twinkled, the lute encouraging her, and Athena raised her voice with happiness, letting the notes flow freely.
*****
Curiosity was smacking Triton's brain over and over again.
What were they planning?
As he settled down next to his father, he couldn't help but observe the stage. It was splendid. The mer were in sections, and vines decorated the walls with pearls. He could smell the delicious scent of cake and custard pies, baklavas and other delicious treats. The water seemed to hum with cheerfulness, and each time a citizen congratulated him on his seventeenth Name Day his heart swelled with joy.
His spirits heightened with every centimeter the red sea horse covered in the water, Triton's ears thrumming with anticipation. He couldn't hear, his eyes glued to the stage which seemed to glow below him.
Then the music started. Triton felt his heart stop as he spotted Athena entering the stage, smiling to himself as he caught up on the familiar tune. She began singing, and his heart soared along with her notes, though of course not as gracefully or stunningly. Athena was elegant in a shimmering blue skirt that hung from her hips, dotted with soft specks of gold.
A golden diadem of leafs was draped down on both sides of her face, and Triton was ready to burst with ecstasy.
Wave hello.... and wave.... goodbye.....
With that Athena ducked her head shyly, the clapping and awed eyes irrefutable. Mel hugged her friend, and Athena hugged her back harder, glad to have dragged her into Triton's surprise.
Triton swam down to meet Athena, a smile stuck on his face. Athena swam up to him, and clasped her hands behind her back.
"That was beautiful." He said softly, making her grow red with happiness.
"Only the best for his majesty." She grinned, and Triton took her hand.
"Let's go to the food stands!" Mel called out, swimming up to them.
The red head took her friend's arm and nodded, letting go of Triton's hand.
"You want to come, Triton? I heard the mini cakes they are making are already selling out."
Athena asked, and he nodded as she took his arm. The three of them swam as fast as they could, crashing into several food stands on the way.
"Wait for me! I don't wish to be left behind! Athena!"
Sebastian swam after them, but the trio were too far away to hear him.
"We'll see about that." Pulling up his non-existent sleeves, Sebastian whistled loud and clear for the tiny seahorse. Everyone stopped to look at the crab, and he smiled sheepishly.
"I just want the seahorse."
"What's the problem, Sebastian?" The seahorse asked.
"I need quick transport to those reckless young merfolk." Sebastian said, pointing a claw at the three merpeople.
"But... aren't you a young crab as well?" The sea horse began, but then stopped at seeing Sebastian's scolding face. Then the crab smiled, embarrassed.
"I suppose so. Well what are you waiting for?"
"Nothing, sir! I'll be right back, Sebastian." The red seahorse swam away to get a conch shell.
Seconds later, the seahorse came back pulling a conch shell with two reins attached.
Sebastian hopped on at once.
"Faster!" He yelled as the red creature pulled him along. He snapped the reins twice, and they went faster and faster.
"Why the hurry?" He asked, and Sebastian said,
"They left me behind and no one le-"
They smashed into blond waves, and Mel turned around in surprise. They all watched as Sebastian's head got stuck in the shell, and the seahorse landed face-first into the sand.
"Listen here!" Scowled Sebastian as he struggled to get the conch off him,
"You leave me behind again and you will see just what a crab's rage can do!"
The crab waved Athena's hand off as she reached down to help him, and he threw the conch shell on the sand floor and swam on top of a nearby stand.
"What do you merfolk have to say for yourselves?" Sebastian stood up on his legs.
"Friends never, and I will say again never leave frien-"
"Excuse me, sir." a blue fish with green fins said,
"You can't be on top of here."
Sebastian whipped out his tiny contract which appointed him as a conductor, though it of course had nothing to do with being on top of a food stand.
"So you see, friends never, ever ever leave friends behind, that is what I always say."
The fish shrugged, and went back to selling the last of his mini cakes.
"We're sorry, Sebastian!" Athena said sincerely.
Sebastian shut his eyes and pursed his lips, shaking his head firmly.
"Inexcusable, simply inexcusable."
"Don't be like that, Sebastian. You're here now." Triton sighed, a bit of guilt seeping out.
"It is irreversible!" He frowned, shaking his red head some more.
"We really are sorry, it won't happen again, we promise. Would you like some cake?"
Mel offered him a slice of vanilla cake, and Sebastian's face turned redder than it already was.
"Cake sounds fantastic! And it's alright, we're all together now." Sebastian helped himself to a slice of cake, blushing as Mel handed him a flat coral stick.
The four went on to swim around, getting Name Day complements and performance praises. They ate and ate until Sebastian could no longer fit in his shell, and much to his pleasure Mel cradled him, occasionally dropping him a few times but the experience enjoyable as a whole. They played games and watched the giant seahorse races, all of them hyped as to who would win. The sun soon began to set, and Mel and Sebastian each went their own separate ways.
Triton and Athena swam together to the palace to help clean up, then when finished perched on top of the rocks above the sea just in time to see the sky turn beautiful shades of red, orange, pink and purple. They sat there with their hands intertwined, unknowing of the 5 cecaelias swimming far away in the distance.