Chapter Seven The Tale of the Foolish Fish
Troy watched Sharpay's figure disappear from his line of vision. When she was completely gone, he felt an overwhelming bout of fear again. Will she come back for him?
For a long time he stayed that way, unmoving in the water and unsure of what to do. But finally he could see that the water above him was thinning. He realized the tide was slowly receding. He had to move further into deeper waters or else he would suffocate again.
Cautiously he swam forward towards the open ocean. It was like this vast expanse that went on and on. And he realized that that it was a different world in here. He swam a little further and each time he did he began to relax and breathe easier. His stomach, however, grumbled. It was probably breakfast time back in the house and he realized he was starving. He could see some rough rocks covered with thick layers of green algae. He slowly made his way to it. He stared at it in wonder. Before, he thought algae were rather slimy and disgusting to touch but as a fish it just looked magnificent to him. In fact, it looked quite juicy. He approached it and some instinct told him to just take a bite. And when he did, he discovered that not only was it edible, it also tasted quite good. He continued to nibble at it for a long time, savoring its delightfully pleasant though strange texture and flavor. He was enjoying himself when he suddenly felt a movement above him. He stopped and looked up. To his horror, he came face to face with a fish half his size. It was pale blue with faded yellow fins and tale. However, it looked frightening because one of its eyes was missing and its left gill was bruised so that it hung limp and ugly. Troy fearfully stepped back but could do nothing further. He was too frozen with fear.
"Relax, young one," the fish spoke in a booming low voice. "I'm a plant eater just like you. Care to share your food there? There's plenty for both of us."
"O-okay," replied shakily. He still kept his distance out of fear that the other fish might do something to him. But the fish merely made its way to the other side of the algae he was eating and started nibbling on it too. After a moment it glanced back at him.
"I scare you, don't I?" it said in a rather teasing manner.
"No," Troy uttered.
But the fish just looked amused. "What do you know? This old fish's still got it. I'm flattered. You're not from around here, are you?"
"H-how do you know?" Troy asked.
"Well, coz everyone that knows me doesn't get scared of me anymore. They just think I'm an old harmless softie. I've been hanging around this place too long. But I can't really leave anymore. Haven't got the strength to go out there and compete with the young ones with my injuries, see?" And it showed Troy his bruised fin and eye. Troy was reminded of those old war time veterans that he used to visit in the home for the aged for community service. The fish appeared to be showing off his battle scars.
"I'm at the end of my life, I know," the fish continued. "But it was a good life. I've travelled a long way and I've seen a lot of things. Care to hear them?"
"Oh sure, yes," Troy said just to be polite. As long as the fish was just talking and not hurting him, he was content with that.
"My name's Aukai." The fish introduced itself.
"Troy."
"Strange name you have," it said. "Well anyway, I've travelled to places you'll probably only dream of. I've drifted far beyond the reefs, yes I have." And it kept on chattering and chattering about places and things Troy just couldn't grasp. Occasionally, it described some things that Troy figured were coral reefs or other beaches of some islands in the vicinity. But before long, Troy began to relax and resumed nibbling on another part of the rock that had some more algae while Aukai chattered on and on between bites. Troy only half-listened to what it said.
"…And then I came upon the foot of the sacred rock of Fufu…"
Troy suddenly looked up. "Fufu? You know the spirit Fufu?" he asked.
"Oh, yes the Fufu, the Great," said Aukai. "Of course everyone knows him but not all have had the privilege of getting close to its rock as I have. Of no, the other fish haven't the courage like I did."
Troy suddenly remembered Ryan's story about the wishing shrine and although everything was muddled in his head right now, he knew he needed as much information as he could get about this strange spirit god. "You said sacred rock, you mean the wishing shrine of Fufu? You've been there?"
"Oh no! No!" gasped the fish. "Not the wishing shrine, no. Young one, you must not speak of such things."
"But you said sacred rock?" asked Troy.
"I meant the foot of the mountain that you can only approach when the ocean spreads its power over the rocks so that they touch."
Troy figured Aukai was talking about the high tide when the water touches the foot of Mt. Fufu. "So it's not the wishing shrine then?" he asked.
"Oh no, never the wishing shrine. I would not be so bold. That is beyond the reach of us sea fish. We leave that to the strange fish of tasteless water. That is their misfortune."
"Misfortune?" Troy asked, puzzled. Though he did have an idea by what Aukai meant by "strange fish of tasteless water:" the fresh water fish living in the island.
"Why yes, dear young one. Haven't you heard of the foolish fish?"
Troy answered in the negative.
"Why it's just the finest story of them all about the strange fish of tasteless water. I have heard it from my grandfather. Would you like to hear?"
"Yes, of course," Troy said eagerly. Anything that had to do with Fufu might be important.
"Well then," said Aukai who seemed rather pleased to have a listening ear. "We all hear of Fufu the Great and that he has a most powerful place called the wishing shrine hidden among its sacred rocks. We sea fish cannot ever go there even if we want to but my grandfather has met a fish from tasteless water that converted to a sea fish and heard the story from it. We all know about the story of the shrine. It was said that once you find the shrine you are granted one wish by Fufu the Great. But, for every wish granted, comes a curse." Aukai said the last word with a dramatic boom of voice. He paused before continuing.
"Well, the fish of tasteless water are most likely to find the shrine so they have all been warned since birth: If you have the misfortune to find the shrine, never make a wish. It is the only way to ensure your safety. But according to my grandfather who heard it from the fish from tasteless water, one foolish fish did make a wish. And its wish was so horribly evil that it was cursed for life..."
Aukai gave a seemingly suspenseful pause.
"What did it wish for?" asked Troy.
"To become human." Aukai gave another dramatic pause. Troy was starting to get annoyed with the constant pausing but he kept his patience in check. Finally Aukai continued.
"It was horrible. No fish would ever think of committing such a gruesome wish. To be one of those awful creatures…" the fish spat in disgust and Troy felt a bit insulted that his race was being snubbed. But then again he did remember humans eat fish. He could just imagine how badly the fish thought of them.
"And that's not all," said the Aukai. "Do you know why the foolish fish made that wish?"
Troy shook his head.
"To be with another human. Can you just imagine the shame of it? A fish desiring to be with a human instead of its own kind?"
"Yeah, I can imagine," Troy said as she thought of Sharpay and her fish friends. It was weird of course but not entirely as shocking as Aukai was picturing it to be. "So Fufu granted its wish then?"
"Yes," said Aukai. "It mated with its desired human and lived like him. But now it is cursed forever to walk the earth as a human, to breathe the sickly air instead of the healthy waters. And long after its human mate passed on, it continues to live as one, alone and forever cut off from its race."
He ended his tale with a tone of tragedy. And Troy couldn't help but feel depressed. Was he doomed like the foolish fish to remain like this forever?
"And its name," Aukai suddenly continued that Troy was startled. "Its name was forever put to shame. Would you like to know its name?" Aukai said excitedly like a little boy on the brink of a huge revelation.
"Why yes," said Troy.
"Oh, but you must never repeat it to the other fish. It upsets them," Aukai warned. It took a deep breath as if bracing himself for a difficult task. Troy likened him to some sort of a drama king. Aukai was beginning to sound like male fish version of Darbus. "Its name…" It took another very long dramatic pause and then: "Is Liat."
"What?" Troy gasped.
"Don't make me repeat it. It's a rather taboo word now."
"No, no, you don't have to, I got it," said Troy. He just couldn't believe it. Liat? Was it just a coincidence that the foolish fish had the same name as Sharpay's creepy nanny? There was a possibility she was a fish. After all that happened to him, Troy no longer took anything supernatural for granted. Didn't Sharpay said Mama Liat is sensitive to Fufu, like the fish? If so, then the key to his freedom really was Mama Liat. If she knew where the wishing shrine was, Troy could go there and wish himself back!
"When do you think this Liat became human?" Troy asked.
But Aukai didn't respond. Its mouth fell open without uttering a word and Troy could see its one good eye was wide open staring fearfully at something behind him. Troy turned around and to his horror he saw in front of him a huge ugly dark green fish with a long body. Its red eyes stared at him and slowly its mouth curved open in a hideous smile that revealed several rows of razor sharp teeth.
"Uhhmmm… hello?" Troy said to the fish fearfully as he grasped at something to say. "W-would you like to share our breakfast too?" he said indicating the algae.
"Young one," choked Aukai. "You don't invite a barracuda for breakfast."
"Uhhmmm, why's that?" Troy asked to Aukai without letting his gaze away from the big fish he now identified as a barracuda. It suddenly clicked on his head why even before Aukai could answer back:
"Because to a barracuda, we are breakfast. Swim!!!"
Troy felt his instincts kick in and he put on a burst of speed in the opposite direction. He felt the violent movement of the water around him and he knew the barracuda was at his tail. He didn't know where to go but all he could think of was to get away from the huge fish. He felt its breath so close to him for a second that he thought he was done for, but he managed to jerk downwards and high-tail in the opposite direction. From the corner of his eye, he saw Aukai flee towards a cluster of rocks and hide. He was a bit relieved that the other fish was safe, but he could still feel the barracuda after him. He swam as he never swam (or run) in his life before, darting past rocks and plants.
But finally, he felt himself exhausting, he was slowing down. He felt the barracuda's breath closing around him, its teeth grazed at his top fin and he knew he was done for. But then he involuntarily flexed his back and he felt his spine erect that in turn prevented the barracuda from swallowing him whole. He took advantage of the predator's sudden confusion and put on a burst of speed. But then he didn't see where he was going and he came upon a large rock. He realized he was cornered. He turned to face the approaching barracuda fearfully and shut his eyes knowing his end was about to come.
All of a sudden he felt a movement somewhere above him. He opened his eyes and saw to his amazement the barracuda had moved upwards away from him. His eyes followed the direction the barracuda went and saw a larger white fish above him. That was what the movement he felt. In split-second the barracuda closed in on the white fish and opened its large jaws. It bit on the fish's flesh, spilling blood and guts everywhere that for a moment Troy was frozen with terror. But he came to and didn't lose another second. He swam away as fast as he could in no particular direction, as long as it took him away from that barracuda.
Finally, exhaustion wore him out and he had to rest. He looked at his surroundings. Everything was just an empty expanse of green with a few rocks at the bottom and some small plants growing. He had no clue where he is and he had no hope of ever getting back to the beach. Even if Sharpay were to come back for him, he wouldn't be there to meet her. If he could, he would cry. But even that was denied him. The only thing he can do was to swim and hopefully find a way back to the beach. And so after he rested a bit, he did just that. He swam in no particular direction, past unfamiliar rocks and plants, though he did so cautiously for he didn't want another encounter with a predator. A single quote from Finding Nemo came to his head: "just keep swimming." It struck him as funny that he was following the advice of Dory, the forgetful fish. But right now, it appeared to be the most sensible thing to do so he kept on for several minutes.
He made a sudden stop. He felt a shadow above him and moments later, several large black fishes about the same size came to face him that he didn't have time to move away.
"Hello, humuhumu!" one of the fish greeted, though Troy felt the manner of greeting wasn't very pleasing.
"Hello," Troy replied back unenthusiastically. He hoped perhaps they were friendly enough like Aukai and might give him directions to the beach.
"Want to play with us?" asked another fish though the invitation was rather mocking rather than genuine.
"Yeah, play with us," encouraged a third. "It's fun."
Something about the way the fish said it made Troy very uncomfortable. And so even though he was desperate for directions, he didn't feel like taking his chances with them. "Er… no thank you. I'd better be going now." He began to swim away but one of the fish blocked his path.
"Oh stay," said the fish. "We like to play, don't we fellas?"
Troy was really nervous now. He was awfully reminded of those senior bullies that picked on him when he came to East High as a freshman. Eventually they backed off on him, but they were pretty intimidating at first. He decided maybe if he sounded a bit more assertive they would leave him alone, just like those bullies did after he stood up to them at the middle of freshman year. He involuntarily flexed his spine up and realized he appeared a bit bigger. "Look, I really have to go!" he said with his voice rising.
But the fish didn't appear intimidated at all. "Ahh, little humuhumu doesn't want to play," teased the fish. "Well that's okay. That's more fun for us anyway."
"How so?" Troy couldn't resist asking.
"We could have fun chasing you," said the fish.
"Yeah," agreed another. "Real fun..." And it smiled gruesomely to show its teeth. It wasn't as big as the barracuda's but Troy could tell it could be just as deadly, especially when there were several of them working together. He had a brief image of being torn to pieces before the fish confirmed his suspicions:
"It's going to be fun playing with you… before we eat you."
Another Finding Nemo inspired chapter. But I hope you like it even if some of the elements are borrowed. I just pictured Troy a lot like Marlin when he's desperate and I came up with this. I have to thank "THE.CAPSLOCK.QUEEN." and "Pernia Needs an Update" for reminding me of that quote by Dory "Just keep swimming." That was just such an adorable quote. I had to put it in.
That part where Troy escapes the barracuda by flexing his spine when he's about to be eaten was actually inspired by what I read about the reef trigger fish's abilities. According to Wikipedia, the humhumunukunukuapua'a has the ability to flex its spine to prevent it from being swallowed by predators or to enable it to squeeze through crevices to escape.
