Playing Koi (8) (Patreon)

They swam up and out of the crags, emerging into the main thoroughfare of Algaegard. Schools of brightly colored fish darted in and out of shops. Other fish patrolled near the tank entrance, clutching their little spearguns close to their chests.

"Hey Hakes!" Liam called, waving to a fish with a dented breastplate.

Hakes broke away from his patrol, his eyes widening at the sight of Jemma and the crossbow. "What's that?" he breathed; swimming closer.

"Jemma made it. Did you say what it was called?"

"Crossbow," she said. "Would be better if it could do a little repeating. But we would need something better than elastic for that."

"You made this?" Hakes asked, incredulous. He took the crossbow from Liam, turning it over in his hands to examine the intricate workings. 

"It was Liam's idea," Jemma mumbled, fiddling with the strap of her new breastplate. Hakes was bigger than either of them, about twice as long as Liam. After her experience in the caves, she wasn't exactly eager to be close to bigger fish.

"Crazy," Hakes finally said, shaking his head. "Aren't you that stray Liam rescued a few days ago?"

"Human," Jemma said, snatching the weapon back. "Used to be, anyway. Obviously, that's… past tense."

 Liam wrapped his tail around Jemma's, putting himself between her and the soldier. "So, we're heading out. Any news from the scouts?"

Hakes's face hardened; his earlier awe replaced by grim determination. "The big guys are still restless. Ever since someone took a shot at Goro…"

The two of them shared a nervous look. Liam released her, circling once in the water. "That ugly-faced koi? But he's such an angel. Why would anyone be shooting at him?"

Hakes rolled his eyes. "Dunno. Rescuing genius goldfish from the caves maybe." He eyed the crossbows again. "Mayor isn't going to ransom you again, Liam. If you two get caught out there, those monsters will tear you apart."

He nodded. "I know. We won't let that happen."

He nudged her shoulder, urging her past the entrance. "We're looking for a little fish. Probably won't even see any barbarians."

Hakes looked once between them, then shrugged. "Whatever you say, Liam. Keep your head down."

Jemma reached towards him, taking his hand firmly in hers. She held on tight as they left Algaegard behind, and the protection of its organized soldiers.

The aquarium got dark from there, into a junction tunnel purposefully clogged with layers of coral and cement. Jemma rested one hand along the side as they reached it. "Part of Algaegard's defenses?"

He nodded. "The wall. Even scarier than it looks, be careful. My mom helped make it. There's metal spikes in the cement. Anything that tries to push through gets impaled. One does that, the others usually take care of them before the soldiers get there." He shuddered, then sped through the opening.

Jemma followed, her own stomach turning in her chest. "I can see why you might have to. If there are other fish like Goro out there…"

"Too many," he said, expression darkening. "No one knows exactly how many. That's why we don't send fish out of Algaegard any more than we have to. Smart fish travel in schools; with the biggest escort we can field. Usually still lose fish. But it takes something really important to earn an escort like that. If you want anything else, you have to do it yourself."

Liam paused, gesturing with his tail towards a scattered pile of bones and tattered fins in one dim corner. "Don't recognize those, do you?"

"No. Those are green. She's yellow and black." She shuddered, swimming a little closer to him. Close enough that she brushed up against his tail.

Liam held his lantern higher, shining it over the maze of tunnels and caverns.

"How much further?" she asked, unable to keep the tremor from her voice.

Liam met her eyes, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Not far. There's a gap up ahead, barely even big enough for me. If your friends are still..." He trailed off, and she nodded. There was no need to say what they were both thinking.

They continued on in tense silence, Jemma straining to make out any sounds beyond the low hum of aquarium filters. Not total silence—there was another voice with them in the rock.

"I want more than this," Goro demanded, his voice muffled. "I smell them, you smell them! There's fish right here, so bring them! I want to eat so much I can barely move!"

Jemma's fins went rigid with dread. Liam stilled, his eyes darting up at the stone ceiling. The koi was close, maybe only a single floor away.

Without a word, he tugged her forwards, down a fork, then up a long vertical shaft. Eventually they came to a crevice, with Goro and the others still shouting far below.

He stopped beside the gap, wedging his fingers in tight. "Help," he mouthed. 

She took up a position beside him, pressing her tail up against the stone. They pushed together, and the rock gave way. A gap opened beyond, narrow and black. It extended barely wide enough for one of them to swim, before ending in a flat sheet of glass. "Back of the aquarium," she whispered. 

He nodded, urging her inside. "Quick. Gotta close it behind us."

The two of them squeezed through the tight space and emerged on the other side. Her chest brushed lightly against the glass. Something heavy ground against stone, then settled into place. "There," Liam said, a little louder now. "They'll never be able to hear us over that awful filter."

The space stretched endlessly in all four directions, flat and barren. Jemma released the breath she'd been holding, and finally let her trembling tail relax.

"We'll be safe for now," Liam murmured. "They can't get to us in here."

Jemma nodded mutely, leaning up against him. For a few seconds she rested there in silence, waiting for her heart to stop racing. 

Liam held patiently still, wrapping one hand around her back. "We didn't have to come out here if you weren't sure."

"I'm sure." She rested her face briefly against his armored breastplate, eyes closed. "She's from outside too. And she's got a little kid. They can't stay out here, just waiting to get…" She shivered, falling silent. "Doesn't the mall feed us? I've seen them putting flakes in before. Why would fish eat each other?"

"Tastes better, I guess," he said, voice bitter. "Never tried it. For… obvious reasons. Not a lot of fish smaller than me. Maybe the goldfish, but you're the only one who's been out of their tank since the barrier."

Her heart was finally settling. Jemma swayed, then released him. Liam was right, the proximity of the filter made it almost impossible to hear anything in here. Goro's shouting faded into the background.

But there were smells here, including at least one that was familiar.

Jemma burst forward, wiggling her tail back and forth in short bursts. She couldn't move any quicker, not without smacking it painfully against the glass. Her fins brushed up against something with each desperate stroke, but she kept swimming, getting faster with every second. There was motion ahead, near what must be either the top or bottom corner of the tank. She couldn't yet tell which.

Then she saw them. Two fish, yellow and black scales reflecting the glow of Liam's lantern. They looked the worse for wear, scales dull and eyes weary. She could even see Nicole's ribs protruding from beneath her seaweed top.

"Brady!" Jemma cried, propelling herself forward. She engulfed the other fish in a hug, her eyes stinging with tears of relief. "It's you! I thought… those predators might've caught you."

Brady stiffened in her embrace; her eyes wide with confusion. "Who... who are you?" she asked, shoving Jemma away. She retreated further into the corner, putting her tail between Jemma and Nicole.

Jemma pulled back, meeting Brady's gaze. "It's me, Jemma. We met a week ago, remember? I saw you, and you wanted me to go find help? I told you I was the help, and you helped me find the goldfish."

Brady's brow furrowed as she studied Jemma's face. "Jemma… the koi? But you're…" She gestured vaguely with one hand, silent.

Nicole darted forward from behind her mother, circling around Jemma. 

"She smells the same, Mama," Nicole declared, her earlier shyness seemingly forgotten. "It's her! Only… way smaller." She floated right up to Jemma, stretching her own body to its full length. "You were so big before! Like you could eat me. What happened?"

Jemma shrugged. "It's a long story. I'm just glad both of you are safe."

"Safe," Brady repeated, her voice turning bitter. "Until we try to leave. Predators out there, hunting. Got the last fish who tried to swim away. We're just… waiting for them to get full. Been waiting a while."

Jemma hefted her crossbow from her back, showing it off. "Liam and I came prepared. A little human ingenuity!" Then she winced, eyes widening. "Right! Liam!" She turned and found him floating only a short distance behind. Liam settled above her—it was the only way to be close in this practically two-dimensional slice of aquarium.

"Liam, this is Brady and Nicole. Brady came from outside, like I did. And her daughter…"

"I'm from Silverstrand," Nicole said, retreating closer to her mother. She looked away, tail twitching shyly from one side to the other. "By the toy store? Used to be a nice tank. Not so much anymore."

"Silverstrand? Heard there was… parasites? Some kinda… worms?" He shuddered, wrapping one hand around his chest. "You two look alright, though. No eyes looking through your scales from underneath."

"I tried to warn them," Brady said, exasperated. "Fish are stupid. Never listen. Uh… most fish are." Brady swam closer, taking her daughter's wrist and guiding her along beside her. "Not my Nicole. She's smarter every year. One day I'll get her to a real school."

"This is… probably the part I tell you our options," Jemma said. She floated just in front of Brady now, meeting her eyes. "There's two places we can go from here. One safer than the other, but with some… side effects."

Liam grunted. "Something wrong with Algaegard? I thought you liked it!"

She pulled her tail in close, twisting around to look back at him. "Not Algaegard, the other place we could go. Thetria."

She was in no rush to explain—the predators outside had no idea where to find them and weren't likely to find a way past the false rock face into their secret shelter. Unlike Liam, Brady had no reason to disbelieve her. She'd watched from the outside as Jemma swam into the barrier, and now saw the result firsthand. How could she argue?

"It's like… perfect in there. But if you try to force your way into goldfish civilization, the barrier will make you one of them. Doesn't wear off when you leave."

"So not… small," Brady said, nudging one of Jemma's fins. "Real goldfish. But you can talk!"

She nodded. "I'm resistant to magic. You saw before, remember? I could see you in the tank. It's a long story—important part is, you aren't. You and Nicole would change permanently. You'll have to talk in sign language for the rest of your time in the tank. And maybe after—I'm not sure how or even if it wears off."

Brady retreated in the water, circling back to her daughter, fins moving in little nervous pulses. 

"I know, it's a big decision. I can't tell you what you should do. I'll help you get there, if that's what you want."

"You said there was… another option?" Nicole asked, tugging on Jemma's arm until she met her eyes. "Somewhere better than in here? Is there food?"

She nodded towards Liam. "Liam is from there. Town called Algaegard. It's not like Thetria. No magic barriers, the fish there have to fight to survive. Sometimes there's not enough food, and sometimes predators get in. But you won't be a goldfish."

Nicole zipped back to her mom, whispering something Jemma couldn't hear. After a few seconds, both fish approached her again, with the smaller one poking out from just over Brady's shoulder. "Where will you live?" she asked. "You knew about the curse and came in anyway. You know about magic. I don't know how you can do all this, but… whatever you choose is obviously right. We're going with you."

Jemma winced, backing away from her. She spun in a slow circle, muttering quietly to herself.

Kisten would already have her mind made up. Despite her muteness to the rest of the world, the girl was as decisive as she was passionate. Usually, she got it right the first time, so Jemma didn't have to worry.

She began to hyperventilate, or whatever the equivalent was called with gills. Water rushed down her throat, then out the slits on her side. 

Soft hands touched her shoulder, tugging her back. "Jemma?" Liam turned her over in the narrow gap, so they were facing each other now. "Before you decide, there's a few things you should consider."

She nodded, though said nothing. Her eyes didn't even want to focus on anything. Deciding for herself was hard enough—but a friend and her daughter? If she picked wrong, a kid might die a gruesome death. How could she live with herself after that?

"If Thetria is everything you say—it doesn't need you. Those goldfish already have their leader. They're happy, they're fed, and they're safe. Right?"

She nodded tearfully. Just because she felt the heat in her eyes didn't mean any moisture came, of course. Jemma was already underwater. "Yeah. There were like… maybe a dozen humans in there? Kisten probably transformed some of them. Was almost—utopia." Almost. They were still constrained by living in a fish tank, with the limited resources that were provided. 

"Okay. Algaegard isn't that. We have problems." He hefted the crossbow in front of him, tapping one hand against the crank. "I won't force you to come back with me. But I'm asking. The goldfish don't need you. I do."

She sniffed, wiping her face on her arm by reflex. The gesture did nothing of course, there were no tears clinging to her eyes. "You?"

"We," he corrected, lowering the crossbow again. "Sorry. We need you. And if your friend here was human too, Algaegard needs her. You could make a difference."

Jemma nodded slowly. She moved her crossbow out of the way, resting up against his chest. "I'm not a fighter, Liam. I'm not a soldier or a scavenger. Will I be safe in Algaegard? Will Brady and her little girl be safe?"

He nodded confidently. "I'll make sure of it." He rested one hand on the back of her head, holding her just firmly enough. Liam was taller than Kisten, and stronger. Maybe he could fix what the goldfish broke.

"Okay." She turned slowly in the water, facing Brady. "I'm going back to Algaegard. It's not perfect now, but I think it could be."

Brady relaxed, smiling nervously. "That's a relief. Magic is how I got stuck in this awful place. Hiding behind it…" She shook her head once. "Magic takes and takes and never gives."

Nicole clung to her, wrapping both arms around her mother. "What about me? If you didn't turn into a fish…"

Brady sighed, ruffling her hair. "You would've been born human. Magic took that away from you. But maybe one day we can get it back."

She can't leave, Jemma thought. She looked between them, scales dull and bodies sunken from hunger. The last thing they needed now was demoralizing news like that. Nicole might not really mind; she didn't understand what she was missing. But her mother—Brady didn't need another shock today.

"How do we get back, Liam?"

He shifted in the tight space, settling the crossbow over his shoulder and replacing it with the satchel. He undid the buttons, then held out strips of dark green. "We get something to eat and get some rest. When the two of you are ready to move… Nicole and Brady, right?"

The little fish stopped in front of him, one hand inches from the strip of hard seaweed. She nodded shyly. "Y-yeah. Mom says I’m going to leave the ocean and live in the human world one day."

"And I'm sure you will," he said, holding both pieces towards her. "One is for her, okay? Escaping the ocean is too big for today. Let's just try to escape these caves."

The next few hours progressed more or less the exact way Liam suggested. They ate, then curled up in the tight space to rest. Whatever might be true of real fish in the real ocean, residents of the aquarium needed to sleep about as much as humans did.

Jemma spread out on the gravel floor against the glass, facing Liam.

"Not exactly my favorite accommodations in the world," he said, flat. "But the tight space is a little cozy. Like nothing could find us in here." He removed something from the satchel, offering it to her—more cloth, a blanket of thread. It felt faintly soft against her skin, covered with a thin layer of moss.

She took it and shook it out to its full volume. "Surprised you have these. No way it's tight enough to make you warmer."

"Warmer?" He tilted his head to one side, rolling onto his back. He rested his head up against the breastplate, where the armor now sat, limp. "No. But more comfortable. Even barbarians like sleeping on something soft."

She glanced over to the corner of the tank. Brady and Nicole were already resting soundly, with Brady holding her daughter protectively against her chest.

She handed the blanket back. "Okay. So, you sleep on this." She floated over to him, settling atop his chest. His skin was softer than any blanket. Their scales were hard by contrast, but yielding in their own way, smooth against each other.

The glow of Liam's lantern cast a warm light over the cramped space, illuminating the sharp angles of his face. Jemma floated atop him, barely brushing against his skin. They were not alone—the presence of Brady and Nicole kept her anchored firmly in reality.

Liam seemed to sense her unease. He reached out, his fingers brushing gently against her arm. "You're thinking too much," he whispered. "You need to relax, Jemma. It's okay to let someone in. Fish aren't meant to swim alone. We need… people."

Jemma's heart fluttered in her chest. Her fingers shook as they rested up against his chest. But when she tried to speak, the words wouldn't come.

"Is it… about your girlfriend?" Liam asked, his tone gentle. "Are you two still together?"

Jemma's feelings were a tangled mess, too confusing to express with words. Kisten had been her world. But so much had changed since Jemma entered the aquarium. For both of them, apparently.

"I… I don't know," she admitted. "I hope one day I'm ready to find her again. I want to go back to the way things were, the people we used to be. I hope it's possible."

Liam nodded. "Time is weird in here" he said. "Maybe that's a good thing. You don't have to go back right away. You won't be alone in Algaegard."

She took his hand, pressing her fingers together with his. She still didn't say anything. Neither did he. 

Maybe this was what Kisten found in her goldfish tank, with the one she called Jasper. What would an underwater life look like?

That morning, it looked like violence. A few desperate crossbow shots, then frantic swimming towards the wall with a group of bleeding, furious predators trailing behind.

They slipped through the gap, past the protective ranks of a dozen fish armed with makeshift weapons of all kinds. After that, it looked like being safe in Algaegard. 

Liam was right—the town needed her more than any goldfish ever could. It was Jemma's turn to build.