The little fish looked in awe, a sight to behold, a gentle-slow moving Whale Shark hovering right in front of his eyes. The juvenile fish can only lay motionless in front of the gaze of the Whale Shark. It was not fear, probably, but some admiration is definitely there, in no small number, no less. The Whale Shark bears some nasty looking scars.
Battle scars
The small fish muttered to himself. One was slicing thinly across the Whale Shark large, long body from just behind the left gills to the underbelly. Its aged wound suggests the battle was long gone, but the scar remains nonetheless. One can only argue about the pain it may still cause.
He may be a fighter, holding on up to 3 enemies at once. Who is he fighting? A group of passing Orcas? Opportunist Great White? Wandering Humans? Who dares to even come up with a malicious intent on this magnificent Whale Shark?
author rendition
The Whale Shark also has countless, barely visible cuts around its tail. But one that is surely attracting the sight of any passing onlooker is the deep laceration just behind the dorsal fin. The cuts are so deep, it didn't heal all the way, leaving a tiny gap in between. One could arguably slice the dorsal fin clean with little extra effort. It was painful to see, and undeniably even more painful to bear. The tiny fish can only hope that tragedy does not ever happen to him, or his friends, or his family.
"What is wrong, little one?" The huge Whale Shark speaks slowly, taking his time.
"Your scars, sir. How did it happen? Was it done by a group of Orcas? A hungry Great White?" the little fish asked, hastily, curiously, almost mistakenly done in a way of disrespect.
The wise Whale Shark was taken aback, its mind processing the quick-fire question done by this young journalist. Whale Sharks are in no way sociable fish, they are imposing, lofty, a spectacle to anyone nearby. This one is no exception. The scarred body may show attributes of a survivor, a hardened warrior. But this one is more from the meek side. Long has he resigned his dream of becoming a scholar, an academic, studying the vast knowledge of the ocean and its inhabitants.
The dream is not buried completely per se, the Whale Shark designated himself to learn anything to know locally as he drifted from one ocean to the other. Spending decades to perpetually circle the earth, something unthinkable for most fish, including the little young Blue Marlin.
"Many things happen in one's adventure. Such is life. Good deeds, bad deeds, all have their own consequences, with varying outcomes and significance. One's life is full of exploit and accomplishment. No one else shall be dictating what is One's purpose" The Whale Shark replied with some pauses between words, with no slightest hint of doubt in sight.
The young Marlin was bewildered by the long answer, not expecting such a simple question would yield such a complex and frankly confusing answer. He was not anticipating this, he was trying to sate his simple and youthful curiosity.
"One must be careful in life, for such negligence could bide its time in the dark for so long before unleashing its wicked, untamable ideal. Influencing those who are unenlightened and devastate those whom it deemed adversary" The sage Whale Shark remarked.
The Blue Marlin spent the coming days in restlessness, thinking hard and wide about the Whale Shark's response. Such articulate wording and phrasing is simply too much for the young Marlin to grasp. Not even his friends and parents could help him decipher those words into an understandable and satisfying paragraph.
Then it hit him, on the fifth day of pondering. What he believes is the genuine meaning behind the Whale Shark's long and intricate response. Of course it didn't come up to him naturally, one of his friends answered his enquiry in a simple fashion.
Maybe it's just a smart-sounding gibberish. That's what those brainy drifters like to do. Sounding smart and knowledgeable. Don't pay too much mind into it, just live your life as usual.
This is the kind of answer that is satisfactory for the adventurous young Marlin. He is not an education-freak like the lonesome Whale Shark. He is a man of action, he lives in the present and where he is right now, one place at a time. Though his 'here' hasn't changed much, yet anyway.
And so he spent the rest of his childhood with a carefree attitude, working on one problem at a time. Focusing on what's right in front of him, ill-advised of the big picture, almost ignorant. Blue Marlin are well known as a fast swimmer, but this particular Blue Marlin is even faster than the crop. Outpacing his peers since adolescent youth.
Now he matures into a full-fledged, apex predator. Hunting with swiftness in the water. His stride is unmatched by his prey and any fellow predator is sensible enough to leave him alone, for he can fight back ferociously, especially if his life is on the line.
His back sporting a pointy dorsal fin along the body before sloping all the way into his tail in bold navy blue. His body is shining bright as he swims near the surface, the last thing his prey saw before succumbing into a quick death, a beautiful aquamarine figure zipping on the clear ocean. His silver underbelly masking his appearance from any spectator below him, and finally his proportionally-massive tail with powerful muscle all round it, giving him the decisive advantage in life. One of his less dominant features is the barely visible deep-blue stripes on his body, and even less so as the line crosses the color-border between lustrous blue and mysterious silver.
No one can elude him, no one can defeat him for he is invincible and he knows it. He hunts with conceit. His arrogance was backed with his physical gifts. He intends to use his innate talent to the fullest. Proclaiming himself as the top dog. Smites those who dare to oppose his selfish declaration.
His journey to the top was not easy, with his parents being the first of many of those who objected his over the top ambition. Outcasts of his own kin and comrade, he travels alone, following his own will before settling down in what seems to be a lush hunting ground far from home. No known acquaintance means no weakness, free for all, the might deserves all he can get. The ideal environment for him.
His domain is a large open water, with a menacing rocky abyss to the north and sand dunes around it. It was the migrating path of some smaller fishes, giving him ample nourishment, there are some species that didn't bother him, namely a flock of Rock Crabs that dwell on the shallow ocean floor, and the sporadic sighting of migrating pods of Humpback Whales. He even considered making himself acquainted with the flock of crabs, due to boredom.
In fact, one time a few months ago, he personally greeted the passing Humpback Whale. They are quite the open and communicative type, happily sharing their travel experiences to those who they converse with. The pod is four head large, with one Humpback Whale noticeably smaller than the rest. They are migrating southbound to the warmer water. There are different pods that pass through the area, of course. But this specific pod is the only one that the assertive Blue Marlin greeted while passing through.
The conversation was pleasant, positive in general. The pod shared their stories of travelling between shipping routes, military parades (or patrol, they have no idea), and even side by side with a commercial cruise ship, gathering the full attention of its passengers and some of the deck-hands.
To become God is the loneliest achievement of them all. He is the maverick, sole leader of his turf, the pinnacle of this lonesome patch of ocean in the Atlantic. He met that pod of Humpback Whales from time to time, almost regularly every few months. But that is the only regular conversation he had since he drifted away from his family and friends. He is an adult now, certainly within maturity age, and he too desires a mate. It has been years since he saw a fellow Blue Marlin.
On a special morning, he starts having doubts about his own solitary life. The bounty is plenty, he can live comfortably for the rest of his life, but it was not enough. He yearns something he has not felt in so long, companionship. Those pods of Humpback Whales are the closest thing there is, but it is still not one he can call companionship. The brash Blue Marlin is beginning to show hesitations, he felt uneasy. He became restless.
This familiar yet buried feeling re-emerged with some forgotten memories, his carefree youth, his detached parents, his equally laid back friends, the wise Whale Shark. It is all coming together again, these distant memories. It felt so recent now, nothing has bothered him this much since, ever. He did not recall the last time he was this troubled.
He asked the flock of crabs as one last resolution. But the crabs did not heed his question, for they never talked back to him at all. They keep everything to themselves. All the chatter, all the babble, no one let this enraged Blue Marlin join, infuriating him even more. They don't break, at all. Few days ago his irritation grew to the point he just smacked some poor crabs with his tail, launching them meters away from him, some blasted breaching ocean surface and back, but they never paid one attention to him and his aggressive persuasion.
And so, the displeased king leaves his throne in the middle of nowhere, treading the ocean with mighty pace, recalling the steps to the place he once called home. As he stride along the ocean surface, he was staggered, breaking his pace. He cannot believe his own visions. On the distance in the deep blue sea, he saw the wise Whale Shark from his childhood, the smart-mouthed scholar with some nasty battle scars. Swimming gracefully along the waves.
His mind made up, his objective clear, he pursued the Whale Shark with all his might. Closing in was easy, but actually starting a conversation proved difficult, for the Blue Marlin was baffled as to what to ask, what to say to the Whale Shark. Did he make the wrong decision somewhere? Is this what he was meant to do?
Upon reaching the Whale Shark's proximity, the Blue Marlin visually confirmed the identity of this familiar Whale Shark, and more.
The Battle Scars!
He was dumbfounded, the horrible laceration by the dorsal fin on the Whale Shark somehow got worse, now the fin itself is flailing helplessly. The wound does not seem recent, however. The Whale Shark seems to age badly these past few years. While the Blue Marlin was battling for supremacy, the Whale Shark might have been battling for survival. For a knowledgeable scholar, this one sure is reckless.
"Good to see you, little one. I have recalled your face and in turn brought back the memory of our conversation many ages ago. You have matured into such a fine predator" the Whale Shark greeted him first.
The Blue Marlin asked about the fin injury, yet as to what happened back then, the Whale Shark did not answer him directly, for he talked in circles and in many expressions. Like a poet reciting an age old poem, like a storyteller telling the legend of a far away land. The Whale Shark demeanor has not changed a bit.
The painfully still-attaching dorsal fin was the center of the Blue Marlin's attention throughout their conversation, he caught himself glancing every few moments, barely noticeably by his conversing partner.
It was time to part ways again, the Blue Marlin determined to return home, while the wayward Whale Shark continued to drift aimlessly from one civilization to the other, absorbing any available knowledge for personal keeping. It was his calling, his passion to do so and he had no problem repeating it for the rest of his long life.
It was something that the Blue Marlin was searching for, that excitement, that zeal, obsessive interest toward something, anything that keeps him moving other than the primal instinct to survive. The Blue Marlin ruing his decision to go rule a foreign land, leaving his childhood behind. But maybe this was necessary for him. It was essential for him to learn. To decide what was important to him. Right now, returning home to his friends and parent are the utmost importance.
He cycled through many emotions as he pushed through the open water, first it was the tranquility he felt during his meeting with the Whale Shark.
Then it was the confusion he felt during his brainstorming session, thinking hard about what he actually wants.
After that came excitement from the joy of imagining him meeting his friends again, him embracing his parents after so many years living in the self-proclaimed kingdom.
But finally, came dread from him, unable to grasp what the reception would be as he returned. His parents were the first to object his lofty ambition. Then there is his friend. Will he be accepted again? Or even acknowledged as a fellow species to them, whom he continually ridicules during his boastful youth?
These raging emotions kept him focused, he surged forward with vigor.
It has been days since he last ate, he thought he could shave the travel time if he avoided any detour of any purpose, including hunting. He is practically running on steam now, moving with sheer will. Surely any kind of attack would be a losing battle for him.
And then he noticed this shiny little fish near the surface, alone and barely moving but just enough to be discerned as a potential prey. The color could only be described as a vibrant lime green with a light shade of gray underside. It was a lovely color, too bad now it is his prey. A meal of this size might not be enough, but speed is of the essence at this moment, the Blue Marlin is on a rush, a tight schedule. He will eat this seemingly static fish because he did not need to waste any time chasing and trapping.
Primed for the kill, his eyes lock-on the target, he snatches the road snack with ease.
This guys is refusing to die, he is fighting inside my mouth
The Blue Marlin was greatly annoyed with this little snack putting up a resistance, not that it matters, but exactly because it won't free him from the Blue Marlin that makes it agitating.
It's useless to resist, why do it anyway?!
THUMP
The road snack fought so hard, the Blue Marlin could taste blood. His own blood, his mouth is injured and exuding a sharp pain. That last attack was so ferocious, he was actually off-tracked. His movement stopped, his head turned sideways. This painful sensation caught him off guard.
THUMP
Another hard hitting attack. This time the Blue Marlin was dragged, he was attacked in quick succession, giving him no time to mentally catch up with the last one. The bleeding on his mouth is getting worse, he could feel sharp pain on his cheek and then moving up into the roof of his mouth.
This little guy is no fish! It's a lure! A human-made lure!
His realization came a tad bit too late, he is hurting badly and can no longer escape the painful clutch of the lure. It stabbed his mouth, almost puncturing his cheeks.
Now his mind refocused, he started the counter-attack with his newfound strength. It was a matter of inconvenience back then, now it is a matter of survival, and he did not back down from anything with his life on the line. He dashed to the opposite direction, the pain intensified but he paid no mind.
He managed to pull away the lure for some distance, almost effortlessly. But the fishing line shows no sign of giving up, carefully managing the tension to keep it from snapping. The Blue Marlin is in for a good fight but not once he doubted his chance.
The tug-of-war continued for 3 hours, both parties showed signs of fatigue but it was the Blue Marlin that had it worse, for he is fighting both fatigue and the intense pain at the same time. It was unknown how much blood he lost or how much more he can keep up. His only sign of winning is the distance he managed to pull in the 3-hours long battle. He was further now than when he first took the bait.
His mouth is numb, what knows how torn the inside is right now. He is wincing in pain. This relapse in concentration was paid dearly, he was pulled violently by the lure. His long built advantage seemingly gone. He was closing in more than ever before.
This human must be tired after all this time! How?! I was so close to breaking away, just one more dash, jus-
He was agape, his tail went numb! He can't seem to move a muscle! All those lower body strength is gone from his body! The fishing line sensing no resistance, pulled with unmatched power. He never felt this much pulling power from the fishing line.
The silhouette of the fishing boat was in sight. It was not quite the size of the commercial cruise from the Humpback Whale's tale, but it was no small raft either. It was barely smaller than the Whale Shark judging from the outline alone, but he had no idea about the part that is above water.
Perhaps this is the chance to make it out alive, one last push. The Blue Marlin puts all his chips on the table in this do-or-die moment. He came up with a plan, perhaps he could sever the fishing line by maneuvering between the propellers. Granted it was in off-state but the blade should be sharp enough, or so he thought.
Biding his time, he was ready to act, the greatest escape act he ever did.
THWACK
The adventurous Blue Marlin was harpooned right above the pectoral fin, piercing his body as whole. The tip of the spear penetrates the skin easily. Effortlessly gliding past a slab of meat, and into the other side of his body. The initial pain was minimal, the result however was fatal.
Perhaps there is no escape after all, I am a fool.
He lamented his poor self. He fell for the hook, line, and sinker. His journey is at it's premature end. A journey worthy of praise. If only there was someone to witness him right now, surely they will make a song of him, a tale of his feat.
But that tale was something he did not cherish, for he questioned himself to the end if it's actually worth it. He continued to do so to the last moment, as his consciousness faded, his vision darken, his body lifted off into the boat and taken as a trophy.
THE END
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