".....and that's why I will have my very own fashion boutique. Everyone from every ocean will come, just to get a glimpse of me- I mean, get something frilly, colorful, neon- but not too neon, you know the WHOLE sandwhich. Except the mustard, I hate the mustard it is absolutely disgusting!" Marina shook off imaginary mustard off her hands, then crossed her arms tightly.
"Who puts mustard in sandwhiches?" Sebastian asked, shaking his head in agreement while frowning.
The two were waiting for Triton to finish helping Athena do chores, and were waiting outside on the sand. Marina was wearing purple clam earrings, and two chunky, dark lilac colored bracelets, as well as two thin ones- one made of pink and violet beads. Her hair was wrapped in a neat bun with two strands poking out. She wore a bright purple shirt connected to her tail, which was an even darker purple with yellow and pink stripes. A neon pink feather boa was strung behind her neck and down her elbows.
They were to hang out together to watch a race, and Marina dressed up for the occasion. Athena had thought it was a good idea to invite her, much to Triton's distaste. Sebastian had never met Marina and thought she was an interesting merperson.
Sebastian cleared his throat, thinking that now was a good time to introduce himself, as he hadn't gotten the chance because of Marina's inevitable chatter.
"My name is Seb-"
"Oh, how I missed my off days! Ever since that terrible catastrophe I have endlessly been taking care of little brats- I mean precious little babies you know me- oh you don't know me, but I adore babies, I live for them, except when I'm on my off days. It's the first time in weeks that I have a day to myself and my friends."
Sebastian tried to interrupt.
"My name is Se-"
"But nope, I'll be back to dealing with swashbuckling endearing little imps who love to pull my hair and use it as a chew toy. Let me tell you, slobber does not look stylish in these shiny locks."
"Mari-" The crab tried to say, but was interrupted by Marina who quickly moved on to the next thing on her mind.
"What about you? What color would you want your hair? You should get an afro, it would go quite nicely. But not too much, you wouldn't want a neon pink afro, right? Your red shell and pink afro would be much too similar."
"MARINA!" He screamed, but she said excitedly,
"I know! You could get a purple afro and we would be twins! But you should have yours smaller, not too big or you will fall right over. You should get some bangs- wait, I don't think bangs and an afro go that well together as your eyes are rather big, you could have them curly but not too curly, because long curly bangs give me hives. You should get straight ones, and a different color! What about black? Yes! No! I know! Dark brown, or together. Hey, what's taking them so long I-"
"MARINA. DEL. REY!!!!!" Sebastian screamed at the top of his lungs.
She stared at him.
Dusting himself off, he stood up and formally said,
"My name is Sebastian. It has been a pleasure talking to you, and if I may say, I am in complete agreement with you. I will go investigate. Feel free to do me company." Without waiting for Marina to say anything, the crab quickly scuttled off the rock he stood on and entered the dishwashing room.
He scuttled to the end of the room where the two were talking, then Sebastian swam on top of the counter and crossed his claws, glaring at them.
Triton smiled guiltily, and Athena smiled sheepishly and took his hand.
Sebastian scuttled beside Triton and sulked,
"She is tearing my head to pieces! I understand what you mean now. She is a loosely-corked jack in the box!"
Triton nodded solemnly.
"Come on, guys. She's not so bad. She helped raise me. Marina's like an older sister. She was the one who found me as a baby in the sand. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here right now." Athena said, defending the person who put her to wash all the clothes twice because she didn't use the soap that smelled like flowers.
The four set off towards the game at once, and they eagerly sat in the front.
"So what are we watching?" Marina asked, settling down beside Athena. Before anyone could answer, she looked up and said with her mouth open,
"Little kids racing? Can't I get a moment without being around them? I feel like a full time nanny, endlessly following little babies and feeding their thumb- sucking little traps. If I could I would tape them all to their beds and let them shrivel in there slowly for all eternity for making me suffer endless torture of boo boo's and owies! We need to-" Marina stopped and looked up as she saw the whole aisle staring at her.
"We need to love them and look after them, little sweethearts they are." Marina plastered a fake smile on her face, then abruptly turned around to watch the little kids stretching their tails and arms.
Annoying. Little. Imps. We should go elsewhere.
A familiar little boy with wavy brown hair looked in her direction.
Oh, no. Not him.
He neared her with a giant smile, one of his front teeth missing. Marina put a hand up and waved, not realizing he wasn't close enough to see her actually waving him away.
"Aunt Maweenee!" He screamed excitedly, and Marina cringed as all the aisle turned to look at her. She quickly sat straight up and smiled brightly as she heard all the awwwws from the mer around her.
The little boy jumped into Marina's arms, squeezing her neck tightly.
Wheezing, she said,
"You should be getting back to the race, darling. You wouldn't want to lose before it gets started, right? Off you go now." She set the little boy down, and he swam off excitedly.
Ew ew ew ew ewwww! He got my boa all sticky with who-knows-what!
Marina looked down to see a tattered name tag on the sand floor.
Tim
She stood and picked it up, deciding to take it to the boy.
I will give it to him so he won't come back to me.
"I'll be back in just a moment."
Marina hurried to the entrance of the race, but he was nowhere in sight. She turned to check behind a sold-out food stand to find Tim crying in a corner.
"You forgot your name tag, Timmy. Get up and go to the race." Dusting the boy off and placing his name tag on his shirt, she took his wrist and pulled him in front of the race.
"Go make your mother proud." Marina said firmly.
"The bad guys stoled my mommy." He sniffled, wiping his slobbery nose with his hand.
"I know, I know, dear. But when she returns you can tell her you won the race." She exclaimed, then said with a tad of annoyance,
"Oh, stop wiping your mess with those hands. You're about to compete, the least you will do is look presentable."
She turned around and tapped a nearby fish.
"I request seven napkins, please."
"Seven?! Who puked?" The fish asked, looking worried.
"No one, not yet. I need three for the sticky boy and four when I puke cleaning his slobber." Marina exclaimed.
The fish shrugged and handed her seven napkins.
Marina bent down and cleaned the boy's nose and hands and arms, then gave them to another nearby fish, giving him the four extra napkins she thankfully didn't need to clean up the slobber from the gifted napkins.
"Off you go now." Hastily patting his sweaty head, she turned and settled down.
Athena smiled at Marina, then squeezed Triton's hand and grinned in triumph.
"The little man thought he could give up because he lost his name tag! Children these days don't know how to get up by themselves. If they did, nannies wouldn't be needed. And I could finally have a day off!" Marina scowled.
Sebastian nodded.
"Yes. That is why we must have nannies like you to teach them to stand up. Kids these days think they know everything."
Marina laughed, and a high pitched and quirky laugh it was, indeed.
"Wh-what's funny?" Sebastian asked, her laughter terrifying him.
"Oh, Sebastian! You are so funny! That is just what I was thinking! Only my voice is deeper than yours and when you say it it sounds priceless!" Marina held her stomach and laughed harder.
Blushing raspberry, Sebastian crossed his claws and looked up.
"I will not speak with you on the way back." Sebastian said solemnly.
"I believe she wouldn't give you the chance."
Triton whispered to him, and Sebastian grinned in agreement.
Athena tugged on his hand and said with a slight giggle,
"Shh. It's getting started."
*****
"I knew Tim would win! I called it!" Marina exclaimed excitedly.
"I knew it from the beginning as soon as I saw him. That is one ambitious little merman." Sebastian added.
"You didn't. You said, 'kids these days think they know everything'. And I called it from the beginning." Marina contradicted.
His mouth dropped open.
"But-but what does that have to with anything!? You were the one who said kids didn't know how to stand up by themselves! And it was me who called it."
"How could you have known he was sitting? I never said he was sitting! He could have been standing up. And I called it." She snapped.
Sebastian crossed his claws and looked to the opposite side of where Marina was.
"I refuse to argue about this. And I called it, those are my final words."
Gasping, she scowled while grinning evilly,
"You refuse because I am correct. I saw him sitting and told him to stand up."
"Aha!" He exclaimed, "so he was sitting! He stood up! I rest my case."
"But I told him to stand up!"
As the two continued bickering, Athena told Triton with a laugh,
"I knew she would let him talk."
"They're arguing like a couple of married seagulls." Triton pointed out.
She laughed and explained,
"I know... Mar just has a strong personality. There are two setting for Mar- crazy, let's-get-going Marina and crazy, mad Marina."
"And which one does she use the most?" Triton asked curiously.
"Hmm. I think... a little of both."