Motivation is a scarce resource for me, (it doesn't help that no one reviews... I make my frowny face at you!) I use this statement to excuse myself for THE shortest chapter I have ever updated. Under normal circumstances, this would not be acceptable, and I would wait for at least 7 pages before I post. BUT, because of my lack of motivation, eclipsed by my desire to finish this story, I see this as a necessary stepping stone to the conclusion of the story. (Whatever it takes to keep myself going.)

In that sense, please excuse my midget, 4-page chapter, and enjoy what IS here.

"Hey, dude, you ok?"

Sosuke felt a poke on his face, and he was startled into a state of awareness once more.

"Oh lovely, I finally woke up." Sosuke looked around, and noted the aquatic scenario. Groaning miserably, her realized it had not been a dream at all, it was all still a living nightmare.

His gaze then focused on the fish in front of him. Spiky, dull red hair covered the head of another deathly fish. This one appeared to be a male, and looked to be in a better condition than the one that had attacked him. He seemed friendly, but Sosuke didn't take any chances, and he darted backwards. Smashing his face into a wall, Sosuke floated over backwards.

"Dude… are you alive dude?" The voice was reminiscent of an American surfer.

"Um… yes… you're not going to eat me, are you?" Sosuke quivered.

"No dude, I mean, I could if I wanted to, but, nah, it's not my style, man. I'm Wave, by the way. My real name's Jeffery Alexander Dorando, but, everyone calls me Wave." He nodded expectantly, upside down in Sosuke's point of view.

"Mine's Sosuke. It's good to know not everyone is against me here." Sosuke strained to reach his fin as a handshake.

"What are you doing, man? Why are you holding your fin so close to me, dude?" Wave obviously didn't understand the custom.

"I'm trying to shake your hand, erm… fin. It is a form of formal greeting where I'm from."

"That's a really weird custom thingie, dude. So, what are you doin' in the Dead Trench?" Wave asked him, a distant look in his eyes.

"Well…" Sosuke thought about it for a moment, and the reason flooded back into his head, "That's right! I need to find Ponyo! Can you tell me where I can find Ponyo?!" Sosuke swim close to Wave's face, and the fish back up a bit.

"Whoa dude, calm it down a notch, we cool? So start from the beginning, tell me what's up and happenin'." Wave settled down to lying on his belly, lounging around without a care.

"Uh, I'm really rushed, I need to find my adopted sister, she died because I kissed a girl, and now I have to apologize!" Sosuke replayed what he had just said in his head and looked down, finding a new way to reword the statement. "Ok, I know it sounds weird, I'm sorry!"

"No man, I hear this story all the time!" Wave smiled coolly and started to float again.

"But I only have like, about 2 and a half more days to find her and apologize to her so that I can free myself from being haunted by her memory or her spirit. If I don't make it in time, the portal will close and I-"

"Don't worry little man, I've got you covered, I'll find your Ponyo girl in no time. What does she look like, man?"

"She has long, curly, red hair, and is really, really pretty." Sosuke felt himself jiggle inside at this brief description.

"Righteous, dude. Come, let's find us this pretty red haired fish." Wave casually glided out of the cavern, and Sosuke followed him at the leisurely place

.

Four Hours passed, and Wave and Sosuke had traveled a good distance.

"This isn't any good, we're not finding any sign of her." Sosuke groaned, looking at the ground in pity.

"You did say she was a bad person, right?"

"No, not at all. She is the fairest, sweetest girl you'll ever meet."

"Dude! Why didn't you tell me this bodacious piece of intel?" Wave shook his head in confusion, "We have been looking in the wrong place."

Sosuke shared this confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Well, lemme put it this way, there is a good fishy underworld, and there is a bad fishy underworld. You're in the bad underworld, which is why you found me, and any other weirdoes you've found so far."

"I guess that makes sense, but- wait, you're a bad person? Like… sent to… the bad place?"

"I'm here, yep. That sounds about deece, man."

"What did you do?"

"Meh, that's not so important, dude." Wave shrugged it off, steadily swimming towards a new place.

"So you're sure she'll be in this place you're taking me?" Sosuke asked kindly.

"Yes man. If she's as nice as you say she is, she won't be found in this dump."

"How far is it? I mean, I'm kind of rushed…" Sosuke did his best not to be rude.

"Where? Look in front of you, man." Wave made a notion forwards, and made a wry smile.

"Whoa…"

Sosuke was at a loss of words. The palace in front of him was vast and beautiful. Its walls were pearly white, made entirely out of some form of seashell. The entrances were decorated in different colors and shade of gemstones and stained glasses, it was truly otherworldly. Towers made of conic shells gleamed with reflected sunlight as Sosuke took the scene in with wonder and awe.

"So this is heaven…" Sosuke whispered, turning to his side. Wave had his eyes shut tight, wincing in pain. "Are you alright?" Sosuke asked, a tad worried for his friend.

"I can't do it, man. It's so bright!" Wave turned around in mild anguish.

"You can't help me?"

"No dude, I couldn't help you. There are like, a ton of guards in there, all trying to stop dudes, like me from getting in." Wave muttered.

"So then… what do I do?"

"You're the one with the girl to find, man! Go in, find her. Do what you need to do."

"Ok… so… just get in?" Sosuke was confused.

"I don't know, dude, I never thought about trying to get in there. Chances are the guards'll toss you out. If you can get past them, you ought to be good, man."

"Thank you so much, Wave. This means the world to me." Sosuke smiled and looked down at the palace in the valley, searching for a vantage point.

"Don't mention it, man. Do me one favor, give her a kiss for me." Wave chuckled.

This took Sosuke by total surprise. "What?"

"C'mon dude, you don't travel into the land of the dead for just any friend. I know she's a special friend, man." Wave winked with a laugh.

Sosuke turned beat red, as anyone does when accused of liking someone.

"It's not like that! She's like my sister."

"So was my girlfriend, then we almost got married, then, well, yeah, this. But that's not important. What is important is that you make kissy faces with this pretty girl, ok man?"

"I'm telling you, she's just a friend!" Sosuke was cross.

"I'll be seeing you, man. Just do what you need to do, ok?"

"I plan to… thanks." Sosuke nodded his head peacefully, restraining his frustration.

Wave waved his tail and casually swam off.

Sosuke watched him vanish, the shook his head, focusing on what needed to be done. He glanced at the palace and then swan down into the valley that it was located in. In moments warm, positive emotions overcame him and a sense of happiness settled into his soul.

But something offset these great feelings. He didn't notice it at first, but a glimpse of cherry red sparkling from a window awoke him from the spell of the palace.

Ponyo.

So, I want one bit of feedback, how did my dialogue differentiation go in this story? I tried to adhere to Sosuke's younger language and tried to make it distinctly different from "Stoner" Wave. (Hopefully you kind of caught onto that.)

Well, I'll try to update more soon.