Contentment came in many forms. She experienced one kind when she slept in on Sundays or when she watched Burpy use flatulence to propel himself up. The soul-deep kind was more elusive. The first time she felt it was back on her ninth birthday, when she sneaked into Gramma's room and found a photo of her parents—a grainy, candid shot of them on the cays, laughing under a coconut tree. Clad in wide-brimmed hats and sand-specked holiday shirts of a bygone trend, they appeared to be no older than twenty. Dad's profile showed her where she got her smallish nose, and Mom, despite the attire, exuded an elegance that brought to mind a queen.

Now, as she watched Dilip descend the staircase to greet her, spurring visions of a better tomorrow, that warm fuzz of contentment blossomed within and spread all the way to her extremities. Her mind blurred out the background noise and soaked him in. He was a work of the finest terrestrial art with his effulgent smile that outshone the crystal chandelier above.

Suddenly aware of curious onlookers, Dea took in a tremulous breath and glided forward. The hubbub of many voices resounded in the commodious space and drowned out the subtle whir of her land machine.

Dilip advanced towards her, oozing charisma from his impeccable outfit to his perfect smile. "Dea, I'm so glad you could make it! Welcome."

She beamed and tapped out a reply. "Thank you."

His curious gaze focused on the unfurled ogi in her hands. "That is...a strange device."

"It works a bit similar to your devices."

He raised his eyebrows. "You're full of surprises!"

Dea sensed heads turning towards the staircase again. She glanced up in time to see a portly human amble down, flanked by two men in suits.

"That's my dad," Dilip said in answer to her quizzical look.

The prime minister of Serendiva! A jolt shot down all the way to her flukes at the prospect of her great reveal and the reactions it would elicit.

"How are you feeling?" Dilip asked, long eyelashes fluttering as he surveyed her closely. "I was thinking about what Miss Shiromi said—"

"I'm alright," she hastened to respond, flattered by his attention.

"Can I get you a drink?"

"Thanks. Maybe later."

"Hm, would you like to go somewhere more private before dinner?" he asked. "I have so much to ask you."

"Yes, I'd love to." Dea's grin strained against her cheeks. "I have so much to tell you too."

He made a sweeping gesture, the perpetual smile sitting snugly on his face. "Follow me."

Dilip walked across the foyer, and conversations stuttered in his wake. He exchanged words with several guests along the way while she synced with his step, almost light-headed with giddiness.

Soon afterwards, she found herself traversing a hallway with gigantic windows, which afforded a view of the moonlit garden. Her thoughts strayed to Anuk, and she gave her head a quick shake.

The noise lowered to a dull throb the further they went. Dilip breezed up to glass doors that led outside and flung them open. A cool wind wafted in and ruffled her hair.

"How about a walk?" he asked.

A night-time stroll with Prince Dilip! She wouldn't have thought it possible, but the delight she experienced was greater than the time she won a selfie opportunity with the Dottyback Boys, her favorite pop rock band. She almost wanted to pinch herself to check if she was dreaming.

"That would be lovely," she finally responded.

The stroll commenced through perfectly-pruned terrestrial shrubs, their ovoid shapes rising up into the night. Even though the sky was largely clear, only few stars peeked through—much to her surprise.

"So, Dea," Dilip said, curiosity coating his voice, "how did you do that trick?"

When Dea glanced up, his smile broadened, and she reciprocated the gesture. "Where's the magic when the illusionist reveals the trick?"

A laugh escaped him—a mellifluous sound as charming as his manner. "Maybe you can perform it for our guests?"

"I actually do have something in mind." She made a show of smoothing her hair while her stomach curdled. "Something far better than last time."

"Oh?" His eyebrows arched. "Fascinating. I look forward to it."

Dea sat up straighter in an effort to project more confidence. Gravel popped under the wheels as they went along the twisting pathway. The lively soundscape of terrestrial night enfolded her, making her wonder about the animals behind the unfamiliar chirps and calls.

"I still don't know anything about you other than your name," Dilip said after a while. "Where are you from? How did you end up at the girls' shelter?"

"It's a long story." Dea hesitated. "Maybe I can tell you after dinner?"

"Yes, that would be best—we would have more time."

"What is this event for, by the way?"

"It's one year since I took up office," he said, his pace relaxed. "Several ministers are in attendance tonight—some of them are my close family."

"Oh, more of your family are in politics?"

"The Goonewardane family has held important positions in the government of Serendiva for decades."

"I see. May I know what your office is?" she asked curiously.

"The Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Food Security."

You should be able to help us then! She fought the urge to tell him everything then and there, though Merlingo conveyed none of her enthusiasm. "Congratulations on your achievement."

He bowed his head. "Thank you."

She sneaked another glance at him, and her mind dwelled on the contrast between him and Anuk. Two human boys that fate flung into her life—yet, they had nothing in common but for their legs. Dilip was radiant, from his resplendent attire to his styled hair, while Anuk was darkness personified, from his black minimalism to his unruly curls. Maybe the brine pool jerk managed to break out of the bathroom. What if he's stuck in there forever? She shook her head. It was annoying how he intruded upon this precious moment with Dilip.

"There's something about you, Dea," Dilip suddenly said, a thoughtful look on his face.

She almost dropped the ogi in her hurry to type. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not talking about that crazy trick or your strange...devices." He watched her again, peering into her eyes. "You somehow match this girl in my vision."

Dea's heart skipped a beat. "Your vision?"

"I...was in an accident out at sea. There was a cyclone. I somehow washed up on shore, though I swear..." He paused, his gaze roving over her before resting on her head. "Anyways, I hallucinated a girl with pink hair."

She said nothing. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest.

Dilip continued, "It's strange how I ran into you before a week passed by. The universe works in mysterious ways."

Slowing down, she stared up at him. There was something in his eyes she couldn't make out. He seemed more fascinated than puzzled—or it was merely her reading too much into his expression.

Up ahead, a bright object snagged Dea's gaze, making her falter in her tracks.

"That's a gazebo," Dilip explained. "You haven't seen one before?"

"No." She observed the glittering string of lights snaking up the columns. "That's pretty."

"Not as pretty as you."

She blinked and snapped up her head to stare at him again. It was as if the words twisted her tongue into a knot. He merely walked on ahead, hands clasped behind his back.

A flush of heat suffused her face. She wasn't a stranger to such compliments. The very first was from a boy in kindergarten, though she was less flattered when he also called his toadfish pretty. Then the "uncouth youths" down the neighborhood swimway hurled it her way, which was more irritating than flattering—until Gramma gave them a piece of her mind. Coming from Dilip, the words were swoon-worthy. Dea was glad she was ensconced in the Cypod.

They approached the gazebo—a wooden octagon with fairy lights interspersed with leafy vines. Dilip guided her in, and she eased the Cypod to a stop with her back to a column. He perched on the fence right next to her.

Aware of his scrutiny, she started typing a message.

"Amazing phone you have there," Dilip said, the words slinking down to her ears. "That interface...and your language."

Dea started, realizing how close he was, and then hit the translate icon. "Dilip, I don't know how much you know about it, but the oceans are facing many problems right now. For instance, the plastic art is killing turtles and sea animals—especially the ones in the form of nets. I don't mean to offend anyone—I'm sure it has cultural significance. But the planet cannot survive without the ocean, so we have to protect it."

He was silent for a moment. "It's sad, isn't it? I'll get a beach clean-up going sometime."

Beach clean-up? Dea frowned. "That sounds great, Dilip. But I was talking about wider policies for the future. The oceans are getting warmer, and marine life is dying. If we don't act, entire eco-systems will crash. The domino effect will claim life on land too. Serendiva would also have to face climate disasters, crop failures, poverty..."

"It's great to hear you care about the environment," Dilip said, his smile back on. "And a grim view of the future you project. Serendiva is quite an eco-friendly nation. We're the fastest-growing economy in the region as well. The ocean is vast—it would be up and thriving for thousands of years to come, regardless of what we do."

Dea was momentarily lost for words. It was possible that human scientists hadn't yet assessed the gravity of the situation. She wondered if chunks of speech were mistranslated due to Merlingo's limitations—after all, she had to figure out the occasional missing word. She absent-mindedly focused on his hand that was resting on the fence, long fingers stroking the fairy lights. Subsurface scattering made the skin glow red as it passed over the bulbs.

"Dea," he said, voice lowered to husky tones while his eyes never left hers, "I understand your concerns. I'm afraid for the future too. But these things need time."

It was like moonlight clearing away the clouds in her mind. She nodded.

He sighed. "Can you guess what my favorite pastime is?"

"What?"

"Going out to sea." His expression turned serious. "So I know what's at stake if the oceans die."

Dea's heart soared from the dumps.

"In fact, when I was small, I used to play on the beach all the time and make sandcastles." He let out a laugh. "Have you been to the beach often?"

She thought of the cays and smiled again. "Not much."

"Serendiva has great beaches."

Her fingers flew over the ogi screen to respond. This slow method of conversation was more frustrating than ever.

"It's mesmerizing to watch you type," he said slowly, even closer to her head. "Everything about you, in fact. Even this peculiar thing peeking out of your hair."

Dea almost reached up a hand to hide her earpiece, but realized it was too late for that now. She pivoted her head up and froze, struck by his proximity.

He was leaning down, just inches from her head. "I could swear this is exactly what I saw in my vision—the length and the color."

She sucked in a breath when his fingers stroked a lock of hair as if he was studying a bizarre creature. Then his keen stare glided over her face, making her gulp. Close up, his eyes were shrewd, pupils dilated, reminding her of a viperfish. A touch of grey diluted the brown of his irises.

The patter of footfalls interrupted the moment. Gravel crunched under heavy steps.

Dilip straightened up without missing a beat, while Dea looked away and patted her hair into place. A man in a suit, whom she recognized from earlier, came within view.

"Sir, apologies, but dinner is about to be served."

"We'll be right there," Dilip said, getting to his feet.

As Dea accompanied him back to the house, her mind replayed what transpired in an endless loop. Try as she might, she couldn't dislodge the unease that seeded in her gut. Dilip cares so much! He just doesn't know what merpeople are going through or what's happening out there!

It was up to her to become Calliathron's ambassador and bring up the issues for open dialogue. Dea didn't know what to make of her feelings about Dilip's interest in her. He was connecting the dots, but instead of elation, she was mildly disturbed. She wanted to sit down and unravel her confusing tangle of thoughts. It occurred to her then that she knew very little about him—even less than what she knew of her favorite band's private lives.

Dilip escorted her to a grand dining room, where everything glistened under ample illumination, except for the upholstered chairs. The centerpiece that captured her attention was the table, decorated with candles and flower arrangements. Uniformed humans guided in two dozen guests while servers filled sparkling glasses.

It was a dinner unlike any she had ever been to. Although she was preoccupied with the plan brewing in her brain, a part of her still worried about human decorum at such an event. Her memory brought up the unexpected respite at Anuk's place—curled up in the sofa and digging in to his simple meal that was a slice of heaven. She had to admit she would pick that over this any day. He rescued you from feral humans, cooked you dinner and you repaid him by locking him in the bathroom! Maybe he got out by now. What if he didn't? Would he sleep in that tub? It doesn't matter—focus, you silly gull!

Something vibrated in the backpack, making her squeak. Dilip flung her an amused glance, though he didn't slow his pace. Dea's lips quirked up sheepishly as she peered into the bag.

The phone that Anuk gave her had come alive.

It emitted a faint glow while motion graphics played in a loop. Is he trying to call me? He must be out! Relief washed over her, though she hurriedly pressed the button to turn it off.

"Come this way," Dilip said, leading her to his side at the head of the table.

Prime Minister Goonewardane sat down at the opposite end, and the other guests also took their seats. A cold weight roiled inside, despite her determination to go through with her plan.

A young server with pimply cheeks hastened to remove a chair to make space for her Cypod. "Is this alright, miss?"

"Yes, thank you," she replied, moving into position while many stares converged on her.

The server gave her a lopsided grin and scuttled off.

A minute later, Dilip got to his feet, bestowing everyone with the full brilliance of his smile. "I want to extend my thanks yet again to everyone who arrived here today to celebrate this occasion with me. The chefs have prepared an exquisite spread for us—including a special delicacy that is a personal favorite of mine. I've had great pleasure working with you over the past year, and I'd be honored for your continued support and cooperation for many more years to come."

A chorus of affirmations issued in response.

Then the prime minister straightened up, his bespectacled gaze fixed on Dilip, and raised his glass. "Here's to success! May the future shine still brighter, son."

A long minute crawled by as Dea quietly observed the human ritual unfolding before her.

"One more thing," Dilip said. "Dea here is a special guest today, and she's going to perform a marvelous trick that is sure to leave you speechless."

All eyeballs rotated in her direction.

The room suddenly appeared brighter—as did the fire that crackled to life inside her.

Without further ado, Dea raised herself up from the Cypod.

Location: Pufferfish Nest

https://youtu.be/VQr8xDk_UaY