Disclaimer:

Two marine fishes are swimming altogether at a reef that should be familiar to the 'Finding Nemo' fans. They slow down when they spot a certain huge anemone standing alone at the edge of the reef. One of the fishes is eying the scene with impatience. Cue Dot, a Domino Damselfish, called for three white spots on her black body, one on her forehead and the other two on her sides. Her companion is a Regal Blue Tang, JC, and he is calmly waiting, also watching the scene. Off-screen, you would hear faint typing and lastly, it ends with a feminine voice 'Ta-da!'

Dot glances up at the silence and throws her fins up in triumph. "Finally! I thought she'd never finish the Author's note."

JC's dark red eyes close half-lidded in practiced patience. "She's the author, of course. She has the right to do it."

"Yeah, but she didn't hafta make it so long!"

The Blue frowns slightly, then glances off-screen to read something. "It's only one page long."

Scowling, the Damselfish shoves a curled black fin right in his face. "I didn't ask you to be my critic, man."

JC eyes the curled fin. Even that Dot is half his size, she has the famous challenging attitude and boldness that her species bear. It's silly and stupid to challenge her, and luckily for her, he is a gentlefish. He gently pushes her fin aside and voices calmly, changing the subject. "Anyhow, we need to tell the readers about the disclaimer."

Dot expresses her disgust of the disclaimers, though she had jumped at the chance to use the disclaimer to earn her fifteen minutes of fame. Whatever. "Lousy, lame, good-for-nothing . . ."

"Yes, yes. Start the disclaimer, Dot."

"Fine!" Dot flaps her tail to move herself closer to the screen, close enough to glare over to you with deep golden eyes. "Now, you pals! Yes, you, with the mouse, quivering over the screen! Listen up, guppies!"

"They're humans," JC helps out.

"Here you go with the critic thingy!"

"Shutting up now."

"Good, my man. Now, listen, ya humans. This novelization is only made from an insane fangirl, who simply wants to declare her weird admiration for animated fishes."

JC smacks his forehead and winces at the bitter inhale from the author.

"So she doesn't own any character in this story. The Pixar sharks did, those darn lucky bas - "

"Cool it!" JC scolds, yanking her tail.

Dot sticks out her tongue. "Man, you're strict."

"I have to be, what with your aggression." JC then points toward off-screen. "Now, let us leave and let them enjoy the story. Please?"

Dot shrugs, swimming to the edge, then stops there. She turns and yells, "You will see me again in the next chapter! Mark me, guppies, I shall be back!" With a devilish cackle, the Damselfish departs.

"Yes, unfortunately," JC mutters as he follows.

End the Disclaimer!

Prologue: New Parents

The Great Barrier Reef.

One of the beautiful, breathtaking reefs of Earth, formed near the eastern coast of Australia. Home to thousands of species of fishes. Made out of the fragile but colorful coral, dangerous anemones, and mysterious areas that can only be born out of dreams. The name of this reef was perfect for its protection of the tropical fishes, sheltering them with equally bright coral, painted among the ocean floor much like an underwater rainbow. Rainbow was definitely the right word for the underworld, its colors and lives never fading even during the night.

Worlds went on within worlds, and underneath the gently billowing surface of the crystal water, a new life was going to begin.

At one of the Drop-offs, a lone anemone stood near the edge, its long pinkish-lavender tentacles silently swaying by the movements of the ocean. Its colors seemed to clash against the darker, almost frightening waters that lurked just beyond. Anybody would be foolish enough to swim in the waters of the drop-off, but two new residents weren't frightened at all.

Two Clownfish were nestling inside the anemone, poking their heads out. They were startling orange in color with white stripes lined across their bodies. They weren't concerned about the high possibility of their colors showing to predators, for they were safe inside the anemone. The anemone - their permanent home - provided protection with its stinging tentacles and used their colors to mingle into its colors nicely.

The shy Clownfish were admiring the view of the drop-off, the male one exclaiming with awe as the female simply smiled on.

"Yes, Marlin," the female finally murmured, glancing over to him. Her pale orange and white scales are strikingly beautiful for a female, along with soft orange eyes and a face that had attracted many Clownfish. She did attract many, but only one had attracted her and stole her heart - her newfound mate, Marlin.

Marlin turned toward her with a wide, excited grin. He wasn't an attractive fish, but his gentle and humorous personality was just enough for her. With his dark scales and matching orange eyes, she often wondered how this simple-looking fish had attracted a beautiful one like her. He was very friendly and kind, a perfect friend anybody could ask, and definitely a perfect mate for her.

"So, Coral," he was saying, "when you said you wanted an ocean view, you didn't think you were gonna get the whole ocean, didn't you?" Coral again smiled at Marlin's efforts to impress his mate every time. She wasn't worried about how perfect his presents were. The fact that he cared was enough. Even so, his latest gift - this anemone - was one of his best. Marlin swan off into the drop-off. showing no fear of open spaces. He took a deep breath. "Oh yeah! A fish can breathe out here. Did your man deliver or did he deliver?"

"My man delivered," Coral replied admirably.

"And it wasn't so easy," Marlin said proudly as he glided back.

"Because a lot of other Clownfish had their eyes on this place." Coral added an inward giggle. She would love to see the jealous gazes upon her other friends!

Marlin nodded, still watching the dark waters. "You better believe that - every single one of them."

Coral's smile grew as she held on her mate's fin. "You did good." She then led him up from the anemone and faced the coral reef. "And the neighborhood is awesome."

Sure, it was far from her old home, but when she told Marlin that she wanted a good, friendly neighborhood for their future children, Marlin didn't fail her. She was amazed at how hospitable the fishes were, how they helped Marlin to find a perfect home for her and also showed their kindness to the new residents. Coral already loved the neighborhood. But . . .

"So you did like it, didn't you?"

Coral gazed back to Marlin, who had the worried visage on his plain face. Her heart melted at his worry of failing her, and she reassured him. "No, no, no, I like it." She touched his face, smiling. "I really do like it." She then shook her head; it was absurd to lie to her mate. She wanted him to be happy for himself, too, not just for her. She swam closer to the Drop-off, continuing, "But, Marlin, I know that the Drop-off is desirable with the great schools and the amazing view and all that, but do we really need so much space?"

By her side, Marlin was chuckling. "Coral, honey, our kids deserve the best. Look, look." Coral always admired his unusual speed for a small Clownfish as he darted into the anemone. He then poked his head out, pantomimed rubbing his eyes. "They'll wake up, pop their tiny heads out and - Whale! Right by their bedroom window."

In her mind, Coral was laughing with glee, but the mother-to-be simply gave her mate a lightly warning gaze and a fin at her lips. "Shh . . . You'll wake the kids."

Marlin followed after the female downward to a small cave built for the nursery underneath the anemone. The cave was dark, but as Coral peeked inside, she beamed at her four hundred eggs resting safely. They were like tiny dim suns nestled together to her. "Aw, look, they are dreaming." She was glad that her eggs were still safe. She kept on worrying that her eggs were vulnerable because they were at the Drop-off, but as always, Marlin assured her that they were safe. She only hoped so.

After a moment admiring the tiny eggs, Coral turned to Marlin. "We'll need to name them."

Marlin gave her an astonished expression. "You want to name them right now?" With his wide fin, he 'separated' the eggs into two halves with an imaginary line. "Ok, then we will name this half Marlin Junior and the other half Coral Junior." He nodded in satisfaction and darted upward.

"I like Nemo . . ." Coral whispered. She didn't know why she liked the name. It sounded just right to her.

"Nemo . . ." Marlin overheard her, floating down. "Ok, we will name one Nemo, but I'd like to have most of them to be Marlin Junior."

Coral then grinned widely. "Just imagine, in a couple of days, we will be parents."

"Yeah . . ." Marlin's voice suddenly was anxious. "What if they don't like me?"

Coral rolled her eyes. "Marlin . . ."

"No, really," Marlin said as Coral glided back to the anemone.

"There are over four hundreds eggs, Marlin. Odds are that one will like you." With that, Coral turned fin into the anemone. Silly Marlin, worrying about his own children not liking him! Who wouldn't like him? He was so lovable, so kind, that any kid would love him as a father. Why won't he see that? Why wouldn't he see that everybody does love him, and his children will be very lucky to have a father like him? She was lucky to have him as her mate. As she rested on the anemone bed, she looked back to see if Marlin has entered, and she was surprised to see him floating among the tentacles, eying her with sincere love in his orange eyes.

"What?" Coral voiced, blushing.

"Do you remember how we met?" he said almost dreamily.

She made a knowing smirk. "I try not to."

"Well, I remember." Marlin darted toward the backing Coral, sticking out his lower lip. "'Excuse me, miss, but can you check and see if I have a hook in my lip?'

Coral laughed with delight as her mate tried to place a kiss on her, chasing her around. "You were getting a bit closer because it was wiggling!" A bit of his speed and Marlin was almost onto her, but Coral escaped with a quick flap of her tail. "Get away! Get away!" She rushed upward from the tentacles, then froze . . .

She should've known! She should have! She should've listened to the sounds outside the anemone. Silence. Eerie silence. Deadly silence. Only her mate's teasing voice broke through the silence, he not knowing the danger.

"Here he is. Cutie's here."

Coral's eyes shifted slightly and noticed a dark shadow far ahead . . .

"Where did everybody go?" Then she heard a gasp from Marlin, he also noticing a predator - a Barracuda. It was barely seen against the dark waters, its grey and black scales like metal, smooth and cold. Its piercing black eyes were powerful enough to spot any unsuspecting fish, and they were sharply locked on her. Her tiny heart began to hammer with absolute terror. She couldn't move, her gaze trapped under its hypnotic glare. She wouldn't move if she had to. A slight move, and the Barracuda will bite on her in seconds. It can move fast, too fast for eyes to notice.

"Coral . . . " Marlin murmured, his voice thick with fright. "Get in the house."

House . . . Marlin . . . kids. Kids! My kids! Coral's eyes finally broke from the glare and shifted down to the cave. Her babies . . . she can't let that monster take them away . . . She can't . . .

"No, Coral, don't." The male's voice grew hard, demanding. "They'll be fine. Just get inside - you, right now."

Marlin  . . . I . . . I . . . No, I can't!

With all her speed, Coral shot for the cave. She only felt the rushing of the water passing her scales, stroking her fear further, then heard the screams and grunts as Marlin battled the barracuda for her and their babies' lives. She made it! She made it in the cave. Her kids were safe, her kids were safe. Marl -

A flash of orange burst past her vision, then blackness.

***

He couldn't remember anything except for the pain that has been aching in his side and head. He felt dry in his head, pain clouding his thoughts. He didn't remember how long he was hurt, but eventually, almost instantly, memories came in. Fangs. That were all he saw. Fangs. Long, ugly, flashing fangs . . . Fangs . . . Barracuda. Barracuda?

Marlin weakly opened his eyes, seeing darkness. The anemone was silently swaying its bluish tentacles, the result from the settled night. A new memory burst into his head and he gasped.

Coral!

"Coral!" Marlin screamed as he righted himself. He was inside the anemone, alone. He remembered now. After his mate swam for the cave, the Barracuda sped forward. It was like black and silver lightning, but Marlin was fast, too, ramming his head against the slick body. After almost snapping its fangs at Marlin, the Barracuda had swiped at him with a turn of its tail. Marlin was knocked out cold as he crashed against some coral, and . . . and he must've tumbled into his anemone.

But he was alone.

Marlin quickly swam out, calling out her name. Nothing. All he saw was the moonlight shifting through the waters, not enough light to illuminate his vision. It was so dark . . . It looked like night, but with despair and fear hanging in his chest, Marlin felt like he was all alone.

Where was his Coral? He gazed down to the cave, and was distressed to see no light from inside. He couldn't see anything down there. "Coral?" Slowly, fearfully, he swam downward until he arrived to the entrance. There, he made a small gasp. The cave was empty . . . all of his eggs . . . gone. His Coral . . . gone. He searched inside, still not believing his calamity. "Coral?" He then went out, hoping to see a speck of orange and the soft smile of his mate. Anything . . .

No . . . He was alone . . . all alone . . .

The lone Clownfish buried his head in his fins and began to weep. He couldn't believe it . . . He thought he would be happy with his new life with Coral and his future kids, but now . . . it was all his fault. He should've known that it was too dangerous for any small fish, especially Clownfish to live near the Drop-off. There were too many predators to enjoy life there . . .

Marlin peered down toward the cave, again hoping to see his Coral there and . . . there! He was shocked to see a dot of dim orange upon one of the sand beds. It looked like . . . an egg! One of his eggs! Marlin quickly swan closer and was despaired to see the tiny infant in the egg shaking with fright. "There, there, there," Marlin soothed as he tenderly picked up the egg in his fins. Oh, it was so tiny! So tiny that he could hold it in his fin . . . "it's ok. Daddy's here. Daddy's got you . . ."

Turning the egg around, Marlin then regarded a hairline crack across the infant's right side. It was damaged, but the infant was still alive. The attack has almost taken his life. "I promise I will never let anything happen to you . . ." He paused, remembering his mate's last wish. He then smiled. "Nemo."

Author's Opinions: (I will discuss my opinions about the scenes; you will see them in each chapter)

This is one of the saddest scenes of the movies that nearly caused me to weep my heart out. I was surprised that the Pixar guys would choose to show this sad scene so early in the movie, but then of course, they had a reason. I really liked the way the movie first introduced Marlin and his mate as new parents, all ready for their children to be born, then this tragedy . . .  Let me tell you: that barracuda did scare me the moment it targeted for Coral. Man, that thing does move FAST!