The clear, crystal blue lake water nestled in the remote mountain region was untouched for several decades. Possibly even centuries. It had time to build up on fish, game and other intense resources. Peaceful and quiet, everything was in perfect, rhythmic balance. That was until the first line was cast into the water by Kamikaze.
"Ahh! Nothing like breaking in a virgin lake!" he grinned and set up a fold-out chair to recline in. He pulled Tacki into his lap with a sigh of contentment.
"Really?" Tacki blinked at him to get a wider grin in response. Others began to cast in their lines and settle on the small chairs that were brought with them. Umbrellas were even set up for shade. King sat back in his chair with Kianna in his lap to let her work with the fishing pole and watch him play a portable game. Anno and Takeda set up a table for de-scaling and preparing any future fish caught. Buckets were set out to hold the fish in to keep them fresh, and Shenjou stretched out to take a short nap in the sun. Everyone was looking forward to some light gossip and hooking a fish.
"This place is beautiful!" Mitsumi gasped when she got out of the push cart to take in the surroundings. Saitama kept her close and looked around with her.
"This place looks like it's been concealed for a very long time…" Zenchu mused. "How'd you find this place, Inichi?"
"Wind Crane knew of it," Inichi nodded. "Ah…hmm…interesting…"
"What is it?" Mitsumi asked.
"There is something here. Definitely here in the water…" he blinked his red eyes with black cat pupils with curiosity now. "Wind Crane?"
The large crane monster strode over and dipped into the water to ruffle her feathers to have a small bath. She was purposely making loud splashing noises to alert whatever was in the water to come out and meet them.
"Hey! You're scaring away the fish!" Kamikaze scowled. Then he blinked at the massive, rippling whirlpool that appeared in the middle of the lake. It showed that Wind Crane clearly alarmed something. "Wait…"
"That can't be from a fish!" Fumio gaped.
"Back away from the water!" Inichi said quickly. Saitama stood where he was with Mitsumi, though. Even Wind Crane stayed where she was and watched the long, serpentine neck appear to rise up over the water at nearly four stories tall. Deep blue, iridescent scales shimmered in its own rippling way from the sunlight and revealed green and gold flecks in each one. A finned line went down its back and seemed to appear in layered waves around its face like that of a frilled lizard, but it almost resembled an elongated catfish from the muzzle. Long, antennae-like whiskers twitched with irritation at being disturbed. It also looked like there was a lot more of the monster under the lake waters, too.
"Who dares to disturb my…?!" it started before spotting Wind Crane. It definitely recognized her and was in shock that she was there after so long.
"You're so pretty!" Mitsumi gasped with delight.
"Ah…" the monster paused with shock and lost its intense hissing voice to reveal a deepened tone, but not so much that it was booming. "Thank you? I suppose?"
"Do you know her?" Saitama asked and pointed at Wind Crane.
"Once long ago. We met. We agreed to co-exist in exchange for peaceful needs. She did come by now and then when she could with others that accompanied her," the water monster blinked its liquid white eyes and swam over slowly to study them. "Humans…and monsters…together…?"
"Indeed," Inichi chuckled. "You have lived here in seclusion?"
"Centuries," the monster nodded. "Most would run at the sight of me. I am actually older than Wind Crane. I taught her how to swim and fish for herself. But…you don't run from me…?"
"Why?" Saitama asked. Wind Crane warbled softly and clacked her beak.
"That monster is older than you?!" Zenchu gaped at Wind Crane. At her small peck at his tail, he yelped to get the others laughing.
"We came here to fish. We don't plan to do anything more," Bane said with a nod of respect. That got the lake monster to blink and nod back.
"I see. I do have an excess of fish. I suppose you can take some. No other harm, though?" the monster asked cautiously.
"No. As long as you don't hurt us," Tatsumaki said and got a fond squeeze by Rendor. The lake monster nodded again and looked over at Mitsumi's shivering form of excitement.
"Can I pet you?!" Mitsumi asked.
"Calm down, love," Saitama chuckled and kissed her forehead.
"Pet?" the monster blinked.
"Yes," she chuckled and had her fans come out to levitate her and Saitama to approach the lake monster. "Just a small touch to your muzzle?"
"Hmm…" the monster was clearly unsure. What a change in circumstances! Then it paused on noticing that no others held the fans. It clearly recognized them. "Where are the others?"
"Others?" Mitsumi asked. Wind Crane sighed and mentally gave over the story. The lake monster sighed back with sadness and shook its head.
"So…you are the last one of her clan. A shame. I have met her clan a few times. None could wield all of the fans together from the power within them. But you have all of the fans. And they all work with you so beautifully! This is good, then. I will want to know how the power balances out in time. Hmm. I need to speak with Wind Crane. The rest of you may proceed to harvest from my waters. And, ah…yes. You may pet me," the lake monster said and moved to allow Mitsumi to run her hand over the top of its forehead.
It moved to a safer distance to keep the fishing hooks from catching on it and silently conversed with Wind Crane. She used the wind to hover easily to be at eye level. It was just as surprised when Inichi gave mental visions on everything, too. The visions helped it get fully caught up to speed. It was clearly disturbed on what was learned, and it was quite amazed at the Secret Skins that existed now. It had no idea.
"So…what's your name?" Saitama asked the lake monster.
"Name?" the monster blinked and paused at this. "I don't really have a name. I just…am."
"Can we call you something?" Mitsumi asked.
"Well…" the lake monster chuckled. "I suppose. I do remember that I was called Blue Ripple by your clan long ago. Likely from how my scales look on the surface. It was very rare that I saw the clan members, but they were so kind when they visited! Much like yourself. It is refreshing."
"Are you a guy? Or a girl like Wind Crane?" Saitama asked.
"I am like you. A male," Blue Ripple nodded. "I would like to know the history of the last Wind Crane Clan assassin. How you came to be. Can it be told? I would truly like to know."
"Oh…" Mitsumi grimaced and shivered.
"Easy," Saitama sighed and squeezed her. "Inichi can tell you her story."
"It is bad?" Blue Ripple asked. At the visions, he clearly started to seethe. "I see…it is bad…"
"I killed them all. If they apologized, then they lived. Like her sister, Himiko. She's on the beach with Zombieman. She hated what she did. We saved her life, too," Saitama said. Blue Ripple got the visions of what happened with her now, and he showed complete shock.
"Humans do so much to each other. Even more so when a monster can hide among them. You have been hunting such things?" he asked.
"Iwasaki is one of them, but she was tricked. She's giving us their secrets," Mitsumi said gently. "We know how to cure her, but her ailment also wants to be cured. It's a difficult subject. Much like my life."
"I may have something that can help, but I do need your assistance," Blue Ripple said. That got Saitama's attention now. "As you know, I am bound by the water. However, I know there is a disturbance on the land around me. I hear screams from the animals. Something is here. But…I cannot investigate."
"I can punch something," Saitama nodded. "Where does it live?"
"I don't know," the lake monster sighed.
"Allow me to investigate," Inichi said and hovered off quickly. Blue Ripple sighed with a touch of relief that it was finally getting looked into. Then he noticed Saitama rest his hand on Mitsumi's belly. He started to get a closer look, but Wind Crane lightly pecked at him with a mental warning to keep quiet. He chuckled with understanding that Saitama couldn't know yet, and he noticed that the fish weren't reaching the shore. They were all hiding…
"Hmm. The harvest is deep below me. I shall herd them," Blue Ripple snorted and ducked back down into the lake.
"Herd them…?" Mitsumi blinked. Then her fans were quick to pull her away with Saitama to a safer distance. Wind Crane sent a darting thought to everyone at the water's edge.
"Ah…shit…!" Kamikaze cringed and got up quickly to reel in his line. Tacki was quick to start pulling freed chairs away back into the brush. Zenchu and Garou were swift to help with any others that were just as quick to move things out of the way. A minute later had a small tidal wave appear with Blue Ripple's massive bulk shoving the wave at them. And it was filled with fish of all kinds.
"Buckets ready!" Tacki shouted out. When the wave hit the shore, everyone was now scrambling to gather up the slimy fish. That was until Tatsumaki simply lifted them all into the air and set them into the waiting buckets.
"You can do that?!" Blue Ripple stared with shock.
"Yeah," Tatsumaki nodded. Fubuki found herself chuckling softly at her older sister before moving to help sort the fish out for Anno to check over. Small ones were tossed back into the lake. Any larger ones were killed quickly and set up for examination to be prepped and filleted. The entrails would be given to Wind Crane and Shenjou to keep the area clean.
"I wonder now," he mused. "Deep in the lake is a boulder. It fell in a couple centuries back, but I cannot get rid of it. I can push it around, but I cannot get it out from the way it is lodged in. Could you…?"
"This one?" she asked on lifting the massive boulder out of the water. She was able to set it down on a far side of the lake in such a way that it wouldn't be able to roll back in. A few heroes were quick to start checking it out and pluck off shellfish that were growing on it.
"Ah…yes…that one…" he said with amazement. He noticed the water did recede slightly, but he wasn't hindered by it at all.
"I don't piss her off," Rendor said and got squeezed by her.
"You are her mate?" Blue Ripple asked.
"I am. I can also change into a monster," Rendor nodded. When he let himself transform, Blue Ripple had to peer closely at him before rumbling out softly with communication. "You know the spirit within me?!"
"I do. We were friends from the last host that carried it," Blue Ripple chuckled. "That was a very long time ago. I judge time by the land around me. The mountains rose up. The path to reach this lake has collapsed from weather. As much as it was peaceful, it was also…lonely. I can admit that."
"I know practically nothing about the spirit. I was an explorer and came upon the altar in my travels. Yes, it was a full moon. But it picked me when others tried to abuse it. The altar is destroyed now. It was agreed to be done to free the spirit. As to who destroyed it…" Rendor gave a small nudge at Tatsumaki's grinning face.
"I'm not doubting that," Blue Ripple chuckled.
"How much water do you need?" Mitsumi asked when her fans brought her back over. Saitama was easily sitting in the air again to keep her in his lap.
"I can safely submerse myself up to four times my length in the deepest part of this lake. The fish are plentiful, but I do not need to eat for years at a time to give them time to repopulate. At times, I can catch the usual deer that comes to drink," Blue Ripple said. "Why do you ask this?"
"I'd like to see if I can build you a new home on the land I have," she grinned. Saitama looked at her with amusement. "What? We have plenty of abandoned land. Building a massive lake is nothing."
"Wouldn't such a thing be…costly?" Blue Ripple asked.
"Not to me. I have immense funding," she winked. He was quite surprised by this. "City Z is pretty much abandoned from constant attacks from other rogue monsters. A complete ghost town in one of the main areas. It has miles upon miles of unpopulated buildings that are falling apart. So, I am slowly purchasing as much as I can and making it a home for heroes and monsters to live together. We have a restaurant, too, called Neutral Grounds. It's very successful!"
"How interesting!" the lake monster admitted. "How would I be transported? That is, if such a lake is built?"
"I can do it," Tatsumaki said from where she hovered with them now. "That's not hard at all."
"Now, a genuine challenge. Can you also transport water? The water here is the purest it will ever be. You can even drink it safely right from the shoreline. Something from me living in it does that. So, could you transport…all of it?" he asked. That had her blinking with a form of intense thought.
"I know Inichi can. He was able to move a drop of Shenjou's venom," Saitama said. "But a whole lake? That's…that would be pretty cool…"
"This entire mountain region looks like a giant bowl…" Tatsumaki mused. She focused and everything turned green before she started to levitate the mountainous region up into the air.
"Tatsi!" Rendor said quickly. "Not yet!"
"Oh…" she blinked and gently set everything back. "Sorry! I was curious! At least I know it can be done. It's ready for me to do it again."
"Wait until all of us are away from here. Please?" Rendor sighed and let her levitate him over to snuggle him. "We also need a place to put this area. We'll need to map out how large the land is. How deep the lake really is to dig down, too. If it goes over our boundaries, then that can be a big problem. We will have no issues digging down. It's expanding our current land. We can work on that when we get back. This whole mountain area is definitely over five miles. We would have to expand out into an area that's not populated. When we're ready, we know you can do this. Not yet."
"Okay," she smiled and pet his mane.
"She was…actually doing it…" Blue Ripple said with shock.
"Wow…" Garou blinked. "She's that strong…?!"
"Yeah…" Zenchu nodded and pat his brother's arm. "Don't piss her off."
"Noted," Garou agreed. They looked over to see Inichi bringing over a massive brute of a bear in a large bubble. He was quite amused, too.
"Here is your culprit," Inichi said. "Miss Tatsumaki, when you attempted to levitate this land, it spooked this creature awake. I was able to find it after it woke up. I am unsure what you would like to do with it, Blue Ripple."
"Hmm…" the lake monster flicked out a forked tongue. "Drop it, please."
"Of course!" Inichi said and let the animal drop into the water for Blue Ripple to snap down on it and devour it. Wind Crane chuckled and landed next to Zenchu to fluff out her feathers.
"You didn't have a past thing with him, right?" Zenchu asked. She looked at him like he was crazy. "I just have to ask! He said he's older than you…what? He's over a thousand years old?! So…baby sister. Okay…"
She shook her head at him and nipped his tail to make him scowl at her. That was when he looked over to see Blue Ripple looking at him curiously. Wind Crane clacked her beak and nudged Zenchu. The lake monster was now incredibly curious and craned his neck over towards them. "You're…with her?"
"Yeah," Zenchu nodded.
"You're strong?" he asked.
"Quite strong. I use the shadows to move and do other things," Zenchu chuckled. "We, eh…did something together. Just to see if it worked, but…"
"Did she produce an egg yet?" he asked. "She is giving off the sensation that she is developing something within herself. Like a human female with offspring. I have seen such events from her prior clan when it happened."
"What?!" Zenchu gaped.
"She didn't tell you?" Blue Ripple mused. Wind Crane clucked softly and seemed to hide herself under a wing. She was clearly embarrassed now. Tacki looked over with absolute joy at this.
"Huh. Shadows and wind, eh? That, um, offspring is gonna be murder to keep up with," Garou snickered softly.
"Are you…really…?!" Zenchu now looked at her shivering form of soft laughter. "So that nest…?!"
"Wind Crane?! Are you going to be a mother?!" Mitsumi gasped with surprise. The crane monster now looked at her and warbled softly.
"When? When is this supposed to happen?" Zenchu asked Wind Crane now. "Why didn't you tell me?!"
"Can monsters get married?" Saitama asked. Blue Ripple looked over at him and started laughing softly. "Seriously. Is that a thing?"
"Why?" Zenchu had to ask him.
"Um…isn't it obvious?! She's having your kid! Don't make me slap the stupid out of you," Saitama chastised him. "I totally will."
"Can I pay to see that?" Kamikaze asked.
"No," Zenchu growled and flipped him off.
"I wonder if she'll lay a clutch!" Tacki grinned.
"Ah…" Zenchu went completely speechless.
"I think some crane birds can lay up to five eggs. I wouldn't know about Wind Crane, obviously. I'm not sure if Kamiko would know, either. We'd have to ask her later," Kianna mused. Zenchu stared at her with shock.
"What? She's a bird! Many birds lay more than one. Think about it," Tacki said to get Kamikaze coughing out laughter. "I'm having twins. You know it's not common. But it's happening."
"You are with offspring?" Blue Ripple asked.
"Yeah. From me," Kamikaze nodded and chewed the stick in his mouth. "She used to be a bird monster. We cured her."
"It is good to know that cures are available to those that need them," the lake monster agreed. Inichi was able to introduce everyone to him formally now with a bit of history to help him learn more. He was completely fascinated with Garou's tale. And he was extremely curious with Saitama.
Twenty minutes later had him turning his long neck over to where Mitsumi and Saitama were still hovering with the fans. Many of them had opened up to provide shade for them, and the two of them were quite comfortable where they were. Saitama looked over and asked, "What?"
"Can you clear the path that has been blocked?" Blue Ripple asked.
"I could. Wouldn't you rather keep others out, though?" he asked.
"I am fairly sure that not many know of my home now. Once the path collapsed over a hundred years ago, I have seen none try to even attempt to come here. I was thinking on how you would access my lake when this area gets moved. A path would be needed. Why not have it now and show me your strength?" the lake monster chuckled.
"You want him to punch alone? Or with my fans for fire?" Mitsumi beamed. Blue Ripple found himself speechless at the thought.
"Ah…sure. With fire, please," he said.
"Want a close up view? I can bring you with them," Tatsumaki offered.
"Will I be dropped on land? I mean…my body isn't made for walking…" he warned. In response, she focused to let his body glow green. Then he was lifted out of the water. Now everyone saw what his full body looked like.
He had four large flippers that were lined with sharp, pearl-white spines. His tail was much like an eel's tail and lined with the same wedged fin that went down his back. It looped around his tail and disappeared between his back fins. The full bulk of his body could easily rival the largest blue whale.
"You look like a dinosaur," Kamikaze commented.
"Possibly. I've seen a few of their bones. Even I am not older than that," Blue Ripple admitted and found himself getting moved over towards land.
"I have to ask. How did you get here? Wouldn't you need more space?" Mitsumi frowned with intense concern.
"Ah. Yes. I was in the ocean once. This land used to connect to the ocean from underneath the lake. This place was my home. Until the tunnel caved in. The brackish water eroded the pathway through. With my scales cleansing the water, as I said before, all original salt has been removed. For four centuries I have been trapped here. You can imagine my delight when Wind Crane found my lake," Blue Ripple said with a soft sigh. "I was able to come and go as I pleased until the collapse of the underground tunnel. The last time she visited me was three hundred years ago."
"We could give you access to the ocean again now," Tatsumaki said.
"Ah! We can even make a special path for you, too!" Mitsumi beamed.
"So you could! Ah…hmm. Let us build up to that," Blue Ripple chuckled.
"Yeah, we can talk about that later. Anyways, where do I punch?" Saitama asked and let the fans move him and Mitsumi.
"There is a wedge just up the path east of us. The trail has overgrown, so…" the lake monster started before watching Saitama get set down with Mitsumi still in his arms. She got kissed lovingly, moved to stand behind him and her fans split out to start charging up in the sun. Saitama studied where he had to punch, pulled his right fist back and let loose the sonic blast with the charge her fans held.
"Is the path clear now?" Tatsumaki asked at the smoking, flaming wreck of the mountain path and landscape. A gaping hole with glowing red rock and embers went clear through to the outside world from where the original narrow path was blocked by falling rock and debris.
"I would say it is…" the lake monster could just stare with outright shock with a touch of fear. That path is a quarter of a mile wide! Nothing can block the path to here again! "Can you put me back in the lake now?"
"Okay!" Tatsumaki nodded and moved him right back to the center of the lake. Once safely in the water, he could only realize how powerful the visiting humans were. Inichi easily sympathized with him and began a gentle, mental conversation to help put the thoughts at ease.
"Is everything okay, Blue Ripple?" Mitsumi asked when her fans brought her and Saitama back over.
"Just…overwhelming. The power humans have now," the lake monster admitted. "It is a lot to take in."
"It can be," Saitama nodded. "But we can still act stupid."
"Much can be said for anything," the lake monster snorted to get them laughing in agreement.
"Oh. We helped you with your land problems. You said you may have something for us? With the Secret Skins cure?" Saitama asked.
"Ah! Yes. Let me fetch it," Blue Ripple said and ducked back into the water. He came back up a few minutes later to drop a large ball of seaweed from his mouth. "Study that. It has some intensive curing properties."
"Nice!" Tacki grinned.
"Can I use some of it for sushi?" Anno mused.
"It is edible," Blue Ripple chuckled and a long strand was given over.
"I shall transport the rest of it now. Child Emperor is aware," Inichi said and was quick to send the seaweed back to their City Z home.
"How much longer are we here for?" Saitama asked.
"We were given a lot of fish," his mother giggled.
"Takes the fun out of it, but it all looks pretty good!" his father grinned.
"Leaving so soon now?" Blue Ripple chuckled.
"You can always talk to me mentally," Inichi said. "Just think of my name. I have no issues with conversation."
"Conversation is highly addicting. I will take you up on that," the lake monster readily agreed.
"Oh. I have a question for you," Kamikaze said. "Eh…Inichi…ask him about my mission to keep it private."
"Ah! Hmm…" Inichi nodded. :Have you heard about the Moon Blade?:
"Let me think…" Blue Ripple blinked his solid white eyes. "Heard of it…yes. Seen it…no. But moonlight is the key."
"Same as what Wind Crane said…" Kamikaze frowned.
"I have a question, then," Mitsumi said to get a nod from Blue Ripple. "If what we need to find is in the water and not on land…can you help?"
"Oh! I would be delighted," the lake monster nodded again. "It will be a full moon tomorrow night?"
"Yeah. That and the night after. We may have three nights to try and search," Kamikaze sighed. "I have the twin to it."
"I had heard that one was found. Good to know you are guarding it. Let me know if you need my help now that I know I can be safely moved around," Blue Ripple said. "Oh. Ah…Tatsumaki? This is for you."
"What?" she asked and gasped at the blue scale with flecks of green and gold given over. Now Tacki looked over with a gasp of shock.
"You can shed scales?!" she asked.
"Tacki, stop," Kamikaze grunted.
"I can. Much like Wind Crane and her feathers. Why?" Blue Ripple asked.
"She can make things from those feathers. I break them down for her," Saitama said. Mitsumi showed off her fans to reveal the feathers on them.
"You…can break her feathers…?!" Blue Ripple blinked.
"Yep. Easily," Saitama nodded.
"Not even I can do that…" Blue Ripple admitted.
"Hmm…oh. Thanks, Inichi," Saitama said on getting a loose feather. When he snapped it in half, the lake monster's eyes widened with complete shock again.
"Okay….break this…" Blue Ripple managed to say and gave over a large scale. When Saitama broke it in half, and then into smaller pieces, the massive lake monster gave a throaty grumble of complete disbelief. "You would be the only one able to kill me. My scales are like her feathers. I am glad I am your friend and not your foe."
"He takes baths in lava!" Mitsumi beamed.
"Yeah. I can," Saitama shrugged.
"You can…I see…" Blue Ripple said and sighed with a small chuckle. "Mr. Saitama, you have my complete respect. So…I will let you in on a large secret."
"Oh?" he grinned.
"As you may have noticed, we have wind for Wind Crane and myself for water. Now we have Zenchu for shadow. There are also monsters for fire and earth. I am unsure for light, but I am sure a monster is out there somewhere that is as strong as us. You should try to track them down and have them become your allies. It has been…a small dream of mine to have us all connect. You may be the one to help with this. If you are interested…?" Blue Ripple chuckled.
"Garou can shift his shape. Can that count?" Mitsumi asked.
"A true shifter? Hmm…" Blue Ripple now looked at Garou.
"Yeah, I can. To a point. I can't get any larger, but I'm very strong this way. I'm also a very intense martial arts master. I learn fast," Garou said.
"What is your strongest form?" he asked. "Can you show me?"
"Eh…I'd rather not change into it. My mind might get fucked over. Shit happens when it does. I'll only change into it if there is no choice," Garou said with a small frown of warning.
"Fair enough," the lake monster agreed.
"And Saitama still kicks his ass," Zenchu smirked.
"Shut up," Garou said and flipped him off.
"So…do you know where the other monsters are?" Saitama asked.
"I know where the fire one is. I never learned the name. It was a mere glance to see it flying over the ocean while I was swimming long ago, but it resides in the largest volcano north of the land. If you see red flowers, then you are close. That is a trademark sign of it," Blue Ripple said. Inichi's eyes widened and he snapped his fingers.
"I know where it is! We had to harvest such flowers for Kianna's cure! We call those flowers Lava Lilies. We should definitely look into this either tonight or tomorrow night after the assessment. This is important, and we can search during the full moon, too," Inichi said. "What do you think, Mr. Saitama?"
"Hmm…yeah. Tomorrow night, though. We have a cooking event tonight. We can wait until then," Saitama said.
"Of course! We shall plan for it then. Blue Ripple, did you need a restock of fish? Or to gain new fish? I know that Tacki is going to insist on getting some of your scales," Inichi chuckled. "I am unsure if you regenerate."
"I do regenerate swiftly. I shall build up on loosened scales and inform when to collect them," Blue Ripple agreed.
"Thank you," Mitsumi said and gave a nod of respect to him. "Your scales are as impenetrable as Wind Crane's feathers?"
"Yes. In fact, she cannot break my scales. I cannot break her feathers. But we can break down our own. It is interesting now that I think on it," he admitted.
"And I can break them all down," Saitama shrugged. "Anyways, eh…I'm getting hungry. We should go. I'm sure we'll be back."
"Plan on that, please," Blue Ripple nodded and leaned forward to accept a small pat on his muzzle from Saitama. He dove back down into the depths of his lake with only a single thought on his mind. Soon I'll finally be free from this island prison! I shall salvage what I can to give over in thanks.
:Worry not, my new friend. You shall definitely be freed soon. Reach out to me if you need to chat. I shall definitely converse with you.: Inichi chuckled and moved to help start transporting the fish and his family back home.