Stars, stars everywhere, I was knocked out and I knew it. I was attacked and I knew it. "No, no! I have to wake up! I have to!" I thought, but I could not. Instead, I was transferred into a deep dream world. ... “We were walking down the dreaded dirt path lined with hard gray rocks that stared us down like a master questioner pulling your darkest secrets out of you. We had only Luna’s glow and the rich light of the moon to guide us, but we did not mind as we skittered down the dreary path waiting for an adventure. If I ever go back in time I would take that wish back. A questionably two-headed fish lumbered by, a small silver thing stuck in his tail. I shuddered but thought, “your Aunt will protect you.” If you hadn't already guessed we were going to my Aunt and Uncle's home they had a little hatchling and I was so excited! But soon I would not feel this way. Atlanteins were raised to honor their elders so Luna and I planned to do just that but since Aunt Merlin is someone you will never meet it is important for you to know that if given the chance she is not worth respecting. But at the time we did not know that. Now at the time, I feel stupid for not seeing what a pokey, curvy, shiny, thing meant and as we edged closer to her home the water became sadder with deep green fungus growing all around us the whole ocean slowed and with a final breath of fresh cool clean water we burst into the unknown. In the ash cloud, something poked my tail but I did not I care to look. A pale blue dead dolphin was staring at me from the shadows. This was where life went to die and I did not intend to be next. We approached Aunt Merlin and Uncle Stone’s house and I could now tell It was a mere heap of sand covered in brown moss hence it reeked of trash and burnt toast. As we reached the front door and stood on the unwelcome mat [of course] we knew that Aunt Merland was no different then her sandhill moss-covered reeking house. “Hello,” an old woman answered the door, she had to think sea glass glasses and a thin red and purple tail. Aunt Merlin was short and had an upside-down smile on her face. She had a pouch slung around her shoulders, and I could hear faint crying from it. Uncle Stone came up and hugged us both and told us he wanted to see us so bad and he couldn’t wait. Uncle Stone was a pale sandy gray and had hidden bright blue sparkles that would shine when he smiled. His tail had golden stars every once and a while, that would give us a hopeful glimmer of light in this wretched place. He ushered us inside, kissed our cheeks and gave us both short sticks with waving rainbow seaweed tied to the ends so we could dance to some old records and laugh to our heart’s content. He gave us both sandwiches about an hour later. As we sat down to lunch, he gave us crab cakes and sweet buns. He also gave us this cool food called sushi, but we couldn’t pronounce it, so we called it swishy. When we first got there we assumed Aunt Merlin was in a bad mood, but at lunch, she snapped at us for talking at the table, and just about screamed when we started to bring out finger paint. It took awhile, but poor Uncle Stone cleaned up all our messes. I miss Uncle Stone, even though it was my fault he was taken away. No, not my fault. Some old man's fault. Or his boss's fault. Or even the leader's fault! But even blame can't stop me from being hated. It just happens. … My eyes blink open. My back feels like the pressure of the sea is actually working, even though it normally doesn’t. Luna is holding me, shaking me, and all I can say is: Ouch. Luna smiles. I say ouch again. Aunt Merlin is staring blankly at me, and then the usual hate glows in her eyes for me. My tongue feels dry. And I'm underwater. Honestly, I could say I've always seen that hate in her eyes, but for a moment, I saw a teeny bit of softness. She actually had smiling eyes, as Uncle Stone did. But it had disappeared in a cold blink. Luna talks to me, but I can't hear her. I felt my short ears and felt something sticky. Dang, it! Again! I wear hearing aids cause I was born deaf, but I break them every week. Mom says to be more careful. I can't help it. I don't like making jewelry like other girls. I like the old ski-ball machine the boys fixed up. It had fallen off a cruise ship, and the boys had fixed it up. I had the high score, and I got it higher every day. The boys and I always rough house. We can't help it. It’s sooooo fun! Sorry for poor quality. This was written 3 years ago. ~~~ So, that's my girl Nautili. She's a species called an Atlantein, and she is twins with a rare variant called a Moon Atlantein. Her other sister's defense is messed up, because unlike a normal Atlantein whose tail will become feet on land, Asteria gains feet underwater and a tail on land. She breaks her hearing aids daily. Her design used to be much more complex, and uglier. Songs: Never Forget You + Feel So Close + Youngblood
