The Fish Problem in Miami

The Fish Problem in Miami

Ale

06/07/2022

It was like any other day for Roy. He woke up, brushed his teeth, put on his clothes, packed his swimming gear, loaded his kayak onto his truck and told his mother Milly Valentine that he would be back soon.

“Be careful dear.”

Roy always drove on down to the coastal areas so that he could kayak around and hopefully loot the now abandoned buildings filled with water and cars that have been left behind. Roy always had this keen sense of adventure since he was a young boy and the fact that his home city is half underwater is sort of nice for his adventures. Plus looting the places now abandoned allows him to sell the stuff and earn some money on the side. Roy doesn’t have much to do now since school is no longer in play due to flooding and half the state's population has left. Roy would still love to go to college but unfortunately, he neither has the money nor a college close to him now to do so.

But, hey, with all this free time he can at least do what he enjoys.

The coastal areas were perfect for Roy in the sense that he loves to climb stuff and do parkour. The only downside would be the 110-degree weather. He always tries to go later in the day, but he can’t help himself. So, with a towel to wipe the sweat and a big bottle of sunscreen, he treads ahead to the lands down under.

Traversing the area, he sees what used to be Miami Beach and its many restaurants, hotels, and stores. With his kayak, Roy manages to make his way too many different stores and hotels and sees all kinds of merchandise. A shirt that reads “Keep Calm and Enjoy Miami Beach!” catches Roy’s attention. Giggling, he puts it on. “Oh, I am, don’t you worry” he says sarcastically. Once swimming outside he immediately regrets putting on the shirt and takes it off before he begins to overheat. “I’m sure I’ll find a use for this somehow.” Leaving this area, Roy looks over the things he managed to find.

“Let’s see here ... uhhhh… sunglasses, watches, shirts, jewelry, a pack of gum that expired … in 2034.” It was already 2040. Throwing the gum away, Roy notices a small little stall that’s selling some more sunglasses. Upon closer inspection he finds multiple sunglasses, headphones, a massage gun, and some binoculars. “What a weird stall,” he mutters to himself. Roy has never owned binoculars and so he gives a little smile as he tries them. “Oh, wow. This for sure will sell.” While looking through the binoculars, Roy spots a big RV truck parked quite the ways from where he is. On top he can see something … blue. He can’t quite make out what it is, but he knows that its gotta be worth something. Rushing to his kayak and slowly making his way there, he sees the blue thing dangling off the RV roof.

“Is that a… hand?” Roy had never seen a hand like that in his life. It was shaped like any other hand but had webs between the fingers and was light blue and a little scaly in the back of the hand. Now he must see what or who this belongs to. As he makes his way on top, he finally sees the hand's owner.

“What…the hell… am I looking at?”

Roy couldn't wrap his head around what he was seeing.
“Is that a… person?”

Before him was a creature who had the appearance of a human girl, but the skin was light blue and had scales. There were gills where a human's ribs would be. The creature had hair as well. Long blonde hair. As Roy slowly stepped closer, a feminine voice said,. “My head… is killing me… I need to go back into the water. Are they still around?” When she looked around, she saw Roy peering over her head in shock. “AHH!!! PLEASE DON’T KILL ME! I'M SORRY!!!” Frozen in shock, completely still, the only words Roy could muster were “No…” Now the fish girl was trembling. “… No? Please I must go back to my home before they find out I am missing.” With his thoughts now flowing again, Roy says “No,no, I wasn’t going to kill you, sorry. I just… what are you exactly?... No offence.” A confused fish girl says, “You won’t kill me?” to which Roy replies. “God no, why would I do that? I have just never seen a person like you. And I use person generously. Are you a… person?” “Yes. I am. I am like you but born from the sea—” Her head hits the surface of the RV, and she couldn’t seem to speak anymore. “Woah woah hey are you okay?” “…Water…please… I… can’t…” Quickly, Roy picks her up and throws her into the water. As she slowly submerges below the water, suddenly she jumps out and goes “Oh man!! I thought I was a real goner there. Thank you for saving me. My name is Nori by the way. Nori Arlong. Nice to meet you kind human!” Surprised by her sudden energy burst, Roy responds. “Uh… I’m Roy. Roy Valentine. Pleasure to meet you too.” Nori with a surprising look on her face says “Ooo valentine? Like the love day you humans have? You know what I’m talking about right?... Right?” Giggling Roy responds “Yes. Like the love day. Hey so not make it awkward but like… What exactly are you?” “Ah sorry. You humans don’t know of us. I am an Okeanos. Named after our home of Okeana. I guess you humans call it the Atlantic Ocean. Us Okeanos have been hidden away because we know that humans are not ready to even comprehend that there is an intelligent life force living in their waters deep below where they can not see. Only recently have my people come out and reveal themselves to the world. Although it seems the news has not spread yet.” “Really, I haven’t heard of you guys yet and in fact I am still kind of in denial that you’re like… real… no offence.” Nori with a smile said, “None taken.” Roy felt a sense of calmness and peace after seeing her smile. He knew she was no threat. “I have to thank you again for saving me.” Nori said. “Some humans mistook me for a big fish and began to hunt me and chase me down in their boats. I managed to get away and climb this… what do you humans call this?” “You mean the RV?” Nori replied, “Yea that. I managed to climb this RV and escape, but I ended up falling asleep here and woke up out of water in my gills. Luckily you were there when I woke up or else, I might have been asphyxiated. So, a proper thank you Roy.” “You’re welcome, Nori. I can’t just let you sit there and die on me like that.” “Aww your too kind. That makes me sad.” Roy was puzzled by that remark. “Why does that make you sad?” Nori’s face seems confused. “Huh? I thought you guys knew already.” “What do you mean Nori?” “Well, our people have begun to hunt your people down. That’s why they have revealed themselves. They won’t stop until all the humans are gone and our people have taken over.” Roy was in shock. How could she say that with such a straight face? He thought to himself. “Woah woah woah woah hey hi yea um… what? Your people want to… Kill us?” Nori replied with, “Yea most of us deem your people as a direct threat to the planet and especially the ocean. Overfishing has become such a problem especially since you humans essentially are slowly drowning yourselves because you all decided to make the Earth hotter. A lot of species have died and even more have been fished out to feed you humans.” Roy couldn’t respond. He knew she was right. He knew that everything she was saying was the truth. “I understand your point. In fact, I must agree with you and your people that we humans have essentially killed ourselves. But not all of us are like this. I personally hate my own people for drowning the coastal areas and killing off endangered species and many fishes. This place that you swim on is my home. Do you think I wanted to drown my home? Do you feel like killing the humans is the right way to do things? Why not try and talk to us?” Nori with a saddened face began to say. “Personally no. I don’t think killing you humans is the right move. When I was younger, my mother told me stories of how she was saved by humans and even became friends with some who were kind and loving. But soon after our people found out and killed the humans that knew of her. So, she dedicated her life to convince me not to be afraid of them and understand that yes there are bad humans. But there are also good humans. Humans that will accept you and never imagine of doing you harm. And it seemed my mother was right. Thank you, Roy.” Roy responded with, “Of course. But I can not just stand here and let my people be eliminated from the planet. Is there anyway I can talk to your people Nori?” “I am sorry but, my people hate yours. The moment you step onto our lands they might kill you. And they will imprison me for being friends with a human.” Roy began to think. He needed time to think of a plan. “Hey Nori. Could you come and meet me here tomorrow around the same time?” Nori looks at the sun, then turns to Roy and says, “Yea. Why? Do you have an idea?” “No. But I need one. If it’s okay with you, could you help me in thinking of a solution to have our races not fight each other?” Nori with a smile says “Yea of course. My mother was right about you humans. After my mother died, my father began to try and get rid of the good things my mother said about you all saying that you guys are monsters and the worst of the species that live on earth. Yet here you are thinking of a peaceful solution not only for your race but also mine. You’re quite cool.” Roy blushes. “I’m just a simple guy. I don’t really know if I can do anything, but I can’t just sit here and do nothing. I must try to do something.” After their goodbyes, Roy made his way home and, on his way home, contemplated whether telling his mother was a good idea or not. Once he got home, Roy’s mother ran to him and gave him a hug. “Oh, my sweet Roy you’re alive. Thank you, God.” “What do you mean Mom?” Milly with a scared face began to tell her son about what she saw on the news. Roy’s eyes widened. He thought to himself, damn. That’s why she said it so nonchalantly. Milly began to say worriedly, “I mean can you even imagine? Fish people? What world do we live in? And they’ve started to pop up here in south Florida of all places and kill people. I thought they got my sweet baby boy.” Milly begins to cry. “Woah hey mom its okay. I’m okay.” Milly with tears in her eyes says” I know… Thank God. You are all I have left.” “I know mom. Your all I got too.” Roy’s father Luke Valentine was an enigma. No one ever knew what he was thinking and yet he was the one that knew the most about everything. He taught Roy absolutely everything that he knows now. He taught Roy how to fight, how to parkour, how to breathe through your diaphragm, how to play the piano, how to fish, hunt, I mean the list goes on. Yet never once did Roy question his father about how he knew all of this. And yet throughout teaching Roy all of this, the one thing Roy never could figure out, is how his father never showed any negative emotion. His father was like a plant. Never showing emotions of anger and negativity. He would simply smile and have a gentle voice. Even when hunting, He showed no emotions shooting his gun at animals. He always prayed after killing the animals as well, and always told me to thank any animal killed by me because they gave their life up so we can extend our own. “Pray for a good afterlife for them.” Roy can not recall a time where his father was even sad. Even when he grew so ill that he could not get out of bed, he simply told my mother and I “Do not be sad, for only in death is someone complete. I have given you all I have to offer. And I have lived a fulfilling life. Now my story concludes, and I will be complete.” Roy reminisces as he is laying on his bed how his tears could not stop flowing as those words left his father’s mouth. He would then grab Roy’s hand and tell him. “My son. I have given you the gift of freedom. You are strong. In this world the strong are the ones with the most freedom. Help those who are not as strong as you. That is your calling.” Soon after this interaction his father would pass away. Roy swore that he would keep his dad’s teachings and words close to his heart and ever since then, never skipped a workout. He has kept his body at peak athletic form. Roy after reminiscing of his father, began to think of Nori. “Okeanos huh.” He then proceeded to remember Nori calling him cool. He blushes again. “I guess I am quite cool.” He says with a smile. The next day Roy was planning to go back to the coastlines, but his mother stopped him. “Roy please you saw the news. The world is on fire right now due to there being fish people running loose. I heard the military is already on their way here to south Florida to make sure these fish people don’t do anything.” “I know Mom I read the news this morning, but I really must go today. I’m sorry” Before his mother had time to object, He ran outside and quickly drove away towards the coastline. On his way there his mother was blowing up his phone, but he simply texted her, “Ill be back before the sun goes down. I promise” Once at the coastline he grabbed his kayak and began making his way towards the RV. He noticed that no one was there so he sat on top of the RV and waited. After about 3 minutes of sitting, Roy began to think, “Did she ditch me?” And that’s when suddenly a voice directly behind his ear. “…Boo…” Roy jumped back and fell into the water. Nori who swam around whilst laughing said “I’m sorry ha-ha. I read some books that said this was a way of greeting humans.” Roy, who was still in shock, said “No. No it’s not.” Roy then began to wonder and said, “Hey I wanted to ask, how come you know so much about human culture?” Nori with an excited face said “Well, my mother managed to learn a lot from the humans, and they gifted her like a ton of books. So, most of her knowledge of humans is like from books and manga.” A confused Roy said “Wait so… How do you read underwater?” “I don’t silly. My mother had a little cave up on the surface where she had all her books and human belongings. She took me there when I was very young and now its my cave. She left it to me.” “Ohhhh okay that makes so much more sense.” Nori then begins to question Roy. “So now that I’m talking to a real-life human, I gotta ask you some stuff. I know you wanted to talk about a plan to stop my people but like I have never made a human friend before. So, tell me. What is a McDonald’s?” Roy giggled and responded, “Oh boy.” They then spent the whole day talking about human culture and random questions that Nori had. No plan was talked about that day. Roy had his ideas, but he needed to consult governors and inevitably talk to the Okeanos people. He just didn’t know what exactly to do to make that happen. They kept meeting for a couple days until after the 4th day of meeting with Nori where Roy knew now that the military was there it would be much harder to see Nori. Nori and Roy had become quite the good friends over the course of just 4 days after their initial meetup and Roy even began to feel a certain way about Nori. On that fourth night all he could think about was Nori. “Bro am I seriously attracted to a fish right now? No hold on she isn’t like… entirely a fish. She has the features of a human girl… she’s just… you know blue and has some scales. Her face is the same as that of a human and even has blonde hair… Such pretty hair… Woah woah woah really? C’mon Roy get it together man her people want to kill you.” Roy began to ponder his past week after trying to convince himself that it’s okay to love a fish girl. He begins to say to himself. “Man. First Miami goes underwater and now fish people want to kill humans. Only in Miami huh.” The next day arrives, and it begins pretty much how they have all begun the past couple days. Objections from his mother and him sneaking out. But before he could sneak away, his mother came up to him and hugged him. “I don’t know why you want to go to the coastlines so much but listen. Just be safe, okay?” “Thank you, mom. I’ll be fine, okay?” As he begins to drive on down to the coastlines, His mothers’ words stuck with him. “I must protect my mother.” He mutters to himself. After he arrives, he notices many military trucks and cars. He parks his car far away so that they may not see, and he begins to sneakily make his way onto the beach. He couldn’t bring his bright red kayak, but he knows how to swim well. After meeting at the RV with Nori, He tells her of the military trucks and all the people that are keeping watch. “I think we should find another place to meet Nori—” Just as he says that, a spear runs straight through and nearly hits Roy. “NORI!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT HUMAN?!” The voice slowly comes closer. “Oh shit. That’s my dad. He the military general directly under our king Neptune. He’s been suspicious of me leaving so many times that he followed me. I’m sorry Roy. He's going to kill you. You need to leave NOW. I’ll try distracting him, go please Roy.” Roy without hesitation starts climbing the buildings around him. “Dad stop, listen to me—” “Nori you have violated the one rule we told you to follow. You not only have left our home but have been sneaking off to meet with our enemy? Have you told that man our plans? Nori all humans are evil, and this man will turn his back on you. You are to NEVER RETURN HERE DO YOU UNDERSTAND?” Nori’s father then begins to call upon his armies to go find Roy. Soon enough hundreds of Okeanos men begin their search on Miami beach and are ordered to bring Roy alive to their commander. “Nori you will stay here. You must understand what it means to betray your fathers trust.” “Commander Daruma. The human man.” Roy couldn’t get far. Though he was fast and swift in movement, these fish people were entirely on a new level. “So, you are their commander. Listen. I know what you think of humans. And I agree that my race is not so great but please. We mean no harm. Not all of us are bad—” “Silence human. Ill believe it when I see it. You humans decided to drown yourselves and so we took the opportunity to wipe you clean of this Earth. I mean look at this place you call humans call Miami. Can’t even protect your homes.” As Commander Daruma ready’s his weapon, a voice is heard in the distance, “FISH PEOPLE OVER HERE AND THEY GOT A HOSTAGE GO GO GO!!!” Soon enough the military started shooting and beginning to fight the fish people. “HA. Watch human as I lay waste to your armies.” With one swift movement of his spear, he took out 13 men. “You humans really are the inferior race.” Roy took this opportunity to escape and asked Nori to untie him to which she did swiftly. As Roy then began to go for the nearest building for an escape, he is grabbed by a soldier and told, “GET DOWN QUICK THERES ONE OF THEM BEHIND YOU!!!” The soldier then shoots Nori in the leg, and she falls. She yells out of pain to which her father hears and yells “NORI!!!” As her father begins to rush to her, the soldier takes out his knife to stab Nori when suddenly, Nori with her eyes closed feels the weight of a person on her. She feels warmth dripping down her legs. And when she opens her eyes, Roy is on top of her with the soldier’s knife on his chest. “ROY NOOO!” yells Nori. Daruma which is close by sees this and makes quick work of the soldier and looks down to Roy bleeding out while being carried by Nori. Nori can only cry for she cannot make words. Daruma who is feeling conflicted looks at Roy. Roy then looks at Daruma and says “Is… Nori, okay?” Daruma is moved by his selflessness and responds with. “Yes. She is carrying you.” Roy with his now soft voice says. “Oh good. Commander Daruma. Please. On behalf of the humans, I apologize for terrorizing your people. We never knew you existed. Even now as your army fights ours, I’m sure many of us humans want peace with you. Not all of us are bad. I promise.” Daruma responds. “Ill believe it when I see it. You’ve shown me. I believe you. We will back away for now and in the future, work together with your race. That is my promise to you Nobel human. Your death will not be for nothing.” Roy smiles. “Thank you. More military personnel are coming. You guys must go. Leave my body with the human soldiers. Quickly go now.” As the soldiers pick up his body and take him to the land, Roy thinks, “I’m sorry mother. I’m sorry father. But in the end, I did protect the weak. I wonder… Father. Did I do it right? Was this the right option?” And with his last breath he says, “Father. I am now complete.” In the months that followed the Okeanos people did keep their word. Relations with them and the humans were established, and peace was brought to both. Roy’s mother got in touch with Nori after hearing about Roy’s adventures with her in the news. Nori had apologized to his mother for letting him die like that but, Milly knew Roy’s mind was made up. She knew that Roy was doing what was best. “I’m proud of you my baby boy.” She muttered.