Jasmine
So… is this some kind of mutually beneficial colony or something? I’m not going to get clubbed or mauled if I show up on that beach, right? Nothing sparked any evasive instincts, and that familiar feeling remained. This is where I live, isn’t it? One way to find out. Jared dove back underwater and resumed his swim to the shore. The sand bank jutted up from the ocean floor, and Jared resurfaced one last time through the waves to finally crawl onto the beach, out of the froth.
There were about a dozen other seals lazing about the beach in both directions ahead of him. The humans were further up shore, doing what they had been when he first spotted them. Looks good so far. He jerked his way up the beach and onto the sand which stuck to his belly. An annoyed snort blew through his nose. There’s gotta be a better way to move than this. If only I had some legs to walk on.
Halfway up the beach he was spotted by one of the other seals. It let out a hoot, getting the attention of the others as well as the humans nearby. All at once the seals and the humans lifted their heads and saw Jared making his tenuous crawl. Then, to his surprise, they lifted their hands/flippers and gave him a wave. From the seals came a chorus of loud moos, and from the humans a collective, “Hey!”
Jared heard one of them say clearly, “Jasmine’s back!”
He came to a halt. Jasmine? I’m Jasmine again? It never occurred to her to check the suit’s gender. How was she supposed to know the difference between a guy and girl seal? Whatever. I’m used to whatever gender gets thrown at me by this point. Nor did she have to worry about a hostile welcome, these clearly being people she knew. Maybe I’m a pet? Shit, I hope they don’t treat me like cattle. Jasmine continued a slow trek through the sand on her belly. It was starting to get exhausting. Jesus. The moment I’m up the beach I’m laying my ass down and falling asleep.
But as she was making the climb he noticed something. Across the humans were a bunch of strange looks like she was doing something wrong. Jasmine came to a stop. Am I doing something wrong? One of the humans approached, her terrific length of black hair draped down her shoulders to her hips. “So, are you gonna take that off or are you going to stay like that?”
Her voice hit Jasmine hard. Maria? Jasmine hadn’t spoken to her sister since the skunk universe. She just now recognized her face, though she could be forgiven with how much was hidden behind those extraordinarily long bangs. Has she been carrying over with me to the other places this entire time? Jasmine couldn’t dwell on it long with Maria’s question requiring an answer. Take this off? Take what off? Jasmine gave an uncertain ruff sound, seal talk for “I don’t know.”
Written by TheGreatJaceyGee on 15 October 2024