Damien's Novela

Chapter 8 (Edited)

Damien's pov

I put my hands on my hips and thought hard. Remembering back to my childhood.

"Okay when Mama did this for me and Valeria, she had the chairs, the table, the sugarless snacks, and....the staff! Be right back!"

I ran inside up to Mama Sofia's room and rummaged through her closet of artifacts. None useful to me, but all held significant sentimental value. I carefully moved artifacts aside and found her staff. It was six feet tall. It was about a foot taller than I was, but it would suffice for the time being.  It can always be modified. Unlike proper wooden staffs, this one was made from the highest grade of ivory. It came to a once sharp point, but was dulled to a rounded point when Mama Sofia took me in; baby proofing and all that. As you go up the staff it branched out like a tree and each branch hung a small, but beautiful crystal. Each gem representing a council she held. I hugged them staff close and ran back outside. 

They floated there, Camilo hugging himself into a small ball, seemingly having an existential life crisis, Mirabel sitting thinking to herself, and the rest of the were glaring at their respective parents. 

"I found it!"

Everyone looked toward me. Mirabel's eyes sparkled and she popped her bubble by filling it it with air. 

"Damien! It's gorgeous! What's it called? It's not like the staffs I've read about? It's not made from wood! What's it made from? What are the crystals made from?"

As she rattled question after question about Mama Sofia's staff,, her wings and antenna materialized out of excitement. Her family save for Camilo, Isabella, and Bruno, were stunned and looked at me for an explanation. I groaned and rubbed my eyes.

"It's too early for this. Mira, go inside and sit in your chair. I did not want you to reveal yourself like this."

"Okay."

She flew up and into a window. I made the bubbles follow me inside, up the stairs, and into the guest room before popping them. I sat Selkie in her chair and motioned for everyone to sit down. Once they did, their chair and the bed corresponding to the chair changed to match their personality. I paid special attention to Camilo's bed when the bedspread had patterns of hearts and chameleons. I sat in my chair and smiled at them. 

My chair was raised a few feet above and behind Pepa's chair. The order went like so going to the right of Pepa. So, Pepa, Felix, Dolores, Antonio, Alma, Julieta, Augustine, Isabella, Luisa, Bruno, Camilo, and finishing it off with Mirabel on Pepa's left.

"Let the council, commence!"

I slammed the butt of the staff down and they were all stuck to their chairs. I soon grew irritated with Mirabel sitting so close to Camilo. I moved the staff and she and Antonio swapped places. 

"That's better. Now, this council was formed because of secrecy. More accurately, the toxicity of the secrets you've kept from each other. In order to abolish this sudden hatred and disgust, secrets must come forth and be revealed. We will go in order of age. Señora Alma, you may reveal your secret. If it is one that holds you back, you will be able to move. If it is not, you will be subject to five minutes in the bubble of shame."

I turned their attention to a hollow bubble floating above each of their chairs. 

"Alright, if I must. When my three children were younger, Julieta was my favorite child. She never created a fuss and kept the other two out of trouble."

I watched her struggle to move and trapped her in the bubble above her seat. 

"Miss Julieta, you may -"