Playing Koi (19) (Patreon)

Jemma moaned, struggling with her fins. She jerked her tail as hard as she could, then drew in a sucking mouthful of water. Her filter was gone—what happened? She remembered the battle only dimly—weapons blasting, then the terrible impact as something ripped into the submarine.

She'd fallen. Shouldn't she be dead?

Jemma sat up. She pushed off the stone floor with one arm, resting in a sitting position. Someone had removed her repeating crossbow, her armor, and even the emergency radio. At least they hadn't bound her tail and hands.

Distant sounds echoed far overhead—impacts, grinding metal, shouts of pain. They're still fighting. The great navy of Algaegard was here in force. Though from the sound of it, their victory was far from certain.

If predators found me, I would already be dead. "Hello?" Jemma rolled over, then stretched all the way out in the water, expelling several sharp breaths. That did for her gills almost the same as coughing might do for lungs, scattering a little of the debris she'd inhaled.

If a fish took in too much, the damage was fatal—but Jemma only felt mildly sore. She could still see well enough, anyway.

The room was huge, and made entirely of stone and coral cement. Arched ceilings stretched across a huge interior space, covered with text smeared beyond legibility. Pale algae lights filled the cavernous room with blue, illuminating a makeshift... shelter?

In one corner, a cluster of hammocks swayed in the currents. A few had blankets or stuffed toys inside, along with little colored nametags. But if any were occupied, she couldn't tell.

Meanwhile, heavy crates filled the center of the room, in various stages of opened, torn apart, and outright decomposed. Many still had block letters printed on their side, clearly legible even across the room. 

"THETRIA EXPEDITIONS DEPARTMENT"

"Hello?" Jemma asked again, a little louder. "Whoever you are—you don't have to be afraid. I'm not like those fish outside, promise."

No one answered. Of course they didn't—this was Thetria. If anyone wanted to talk to her, they would have to let her see them.

Motion caught her eye, causing Jemma to spin suddenly in place. Something shot out from behind a crate, only to misjudge the distance to a doorway beside Jemma. Instead of swimming through it, she smacked into the frame, and drifted awkwardly to the stone floor in front of her.

Jemma stared down at the creature, meeting those huge, gray eyes. It was a goldfish girl, perhaps four years old at most. Her hair was cut short, ending in a little bun over her head. She had grease smeared over both eyes too, making two dark circles almost like glasses.

Jemma swam over, reaching down towards her with gentle hands.

There was more movement out of the corner of her eyes, but she ignored it. Now Jemma had purpose.

"It's okay, sweetheart. I'm not gonna hurt you." She eased the little fish into a sitting position, brushing the mud away from her shoulder where she'd struck the wall. "Are your fins okay?"

The fish trembled in her grip. Fins shifted to either side, and her eyes looked desperately past Jemma. What was she waiting for?

"Are you gonna eat me?"

"No," Jemma answered, pulling her into a brief hug. "Of course I'm not gonna eat you."

She expected the little fish to let go. Instead, she pressed up against Jemma's arm, burying her face there. Her tail squeezed hard, circling her as best she could.

Jemma ran her hand through her hair, touch soft and soothing. "It's okay to be scared," she whispered, her own voice wavering slightly. "Even big fish get scared sometimes."

The child clung to Jemma, her silent sobs wracking her tiny body. Even if Jemma could've understood her like that, she didn't have to. Her meaning was obvious enough.

A pair of goldfish appeared from the gloom just ahead, a boy and a girl about the same age. The boy carried a piece of sharpened wood like a spear, while his sister had something else—a chunk of glowing crystal wrapped in wire. Far more dangerous than a spear, if there was any working magic there.

"You sound like them," said the boy. He swam towards her with the spear—then retreated just as quickly, darting off to float beside his sister. "The ones outside. Teeth."

"Let her go!" said the sister. "I know how to use this!" It wasn't clear she did, not from the awkward way she held the captive crystal.

Jemma lifted her arm even so, away from the child. It had no effect, of course. The child was clinging to her, not the other way around.

As they spoke, the sound drew more attention from the cavernous room. More silent fish appeared, poking out from inside barrels or around corners.

"I'm not here to hurt you. And if you thought I was... why would you rescue me?"

"Wasn't us," the boy said. "Any fish who goes outside... doesn't come back."

The child finally released her, looking up. "You're so big! And you can make all that... noise!"

Jemma eyed the fish appearing. The longer they spoke—and she didn't hurt anyone—the more got brave enough to show their faces.

Every single one was a goldfish, which she expected. The city had no other fish inside it, with the brief exception of Jemma herself. Yet of all the fish she saw, the twins with their weapons were the oldest. Most were somewhere between six and eight, though a few held even younger fish in their arms.

Jemma reached out and gently placed her hand on the young goldfish's head, her touch soft and soothing. You shouldn't have to see your world end.

The oldest boy eyed Jemma warily, his makeshift spear wavering in the water. "We don't trust you," he said. He puffed out his chest, making a few menacing gestures with the spear. "Why did you even come here? You're not a goldfish. Just... look like one."

"I'm looking for someone important to me."

The goldfish girl glanced at her brother, then back to Jemma. She tightened her grip on her crystal weapon. "No one to find down here. Just us... until the food runs out, or the magic does."

Or the navy kills the last of those predators and clears the city.

The little goldfish on her lap finally shot off to join the others, swimming inelegantly through the water.

Jemma followed behind her, careful to keep her hands flat and movements slow. Those two young fish could still hurt her, if she scared them badly enough to try. "How did I get here?" she asked, keeping her voice as quiet and gentle as possible. "If none of you brought me, then..."

"Same as us," the boy lowered his spear, turning it away from her. "Even though you're... old. And not a goldfish."

The others nodded, though floating so close to each other Jemma couldn't really understand them.

Not really an answer. "Who's taking care of you all?" Jemma asked, a little braver now. "Where are your parents?"

"Gone," the oldest girl yelled. As much as anyone could yell without making a sound, anyway. "I told you! There's no one else. No big fish. No... parents, or big brothers or big sisters. Just us."

She could guess what might've happened to their families. If they were lucky, they might be hiding in the narrow stone crags and ruins of Thetria. If they weren't...

They surrounded her on all sides now, little fish with trembling fingers and huge, desperate eyes. Many glanced up whenever something loud happened above—be it a giant fish's roar of pain, or the impact of a submarine's weapons. So long as the noise continued, Jemma didn't have to worry.

"Listen, everyone. I'm here from another city—you haven't heard of it, but we're... civilized. The way Thetria used to be, a long time ago. It's a safe place to live. There are lots of fish there who can take care of you. We just have to sit tight until the navy finishes with the monsters outside. Then we all get back into the submarines and ride to safety."

Jemma watched the young goldfish, searching for any sign of recognition on their faces. Their silence and puzzled expressions told her everything she needed to know. These fish had never known safety—maybe they didn't even believe it could exist.

"Wait here," said the brother, making one last threatening gesture with his spear. "Be right back. Have to... figure out what to do with you." He turned, then swam a short distance away with his sister. The two turned their backs on Jemma, and just like that went completely silent. They could still glance backward in her direction, ready to rush back if she did anything she shouldn't.

Jemma took the opportunity to observe the other young fish. She saw no sign of disease—nor were there emaciated forms with ribs protruding above their scales. A few had healing salve covering little wounds. Someone had even tried to style their hair. Little buns, braids, and ponytails.

Jemma turned to one of the nearby goldfish, sinking down through the water to his eye level. "Is there anyone older hiding with you? Someone as big as me?"

The young fish hesitated for a moment before pointing nervously towards a doorway. Jemma nodded her approval, patted him on the shoulder, then flicked her tail once. She floated towards the door, nice and slow. She only had to make it through the opening...

Water stirred, and a pair of gold and white figures slipped past her, blocking the path. The brother and sister again, with their weapons.

"You're not allowed to go that way," the brother said.

The sister nodded in agreement. "We promised not to go into the lab. It's off-limits."

"If there's anyone here, I need to talk to them," Jemma said. "Please. We can coordinate with the fleet up there. If we have to evacuate before the battle ends, we have to be ready."

"Battle," the brother said, sticking out his tongue. "Do promises mean anything to you, big fish? We promised. We keep our promises."

"I didn't," she said. Jemma held out her hand flat, reaching for the spear. Slowly—that would be a painful wound if he decided to strike. "I'm guessing the fish who rescued me are down there? Whoever they are... we need to talk. I promise not to hurt anyone, or to stay very long."

The siblings shared another look. Finally, the brother spoke again. "I follow you. If you try anything, you get hurt. Understand?"

"I understand." She nodded hastily. "Won't try anything, promise. Just talk."

"Be careful," the sister said—not to Jemma. But she could see, the words weren't hidden from her. "Big fish like her—smart, tricky. Stronger than us. What if she's like the other ones?"

"I'll be careful," he replied, giving her a brief hug. That obscured whatever else he might've said, but Jemma got the idea.

Seconds later, he released her, gesturing down the hall. "Go on then, big fish. Right in front of me. Don't try to get away, or touch anything. I mean it."

Jemma nodded, holding her hands out to either side for him to see. "Just like you said. Won't touch anything, promise. Just tell me where to go so I can see the other fish living here. I'll talk to them, then leave. That's all."

They swam ahead through old stone halls, past a few doors crusted over with silt and grime. Text had once been carved on these, though all had eroded to almost nothing. Maybe with the right tools she could get an impression and try to read what it said, but she had none of those.

Her escort said nothing—he couldn't with Jemma swimming ahead of him. So she spun in the water, very slowly.

The fish made another threatening gesture with his spear, but that was all. None of these fish are going to hurt me. He's not even gripping that right. "I told you, don't try anything."

She nodded. "The things I brought—I had a radio with me. Where are you keeping my things?"

He glanced over his shoulder, then back to her. "Nowhere. Doesn't matter."

"So long as you have it." She turned away from him, and started swimming forward again. "We need it to call for help."

She didn't look back to see what he might be doing. Something ahead attracted her attention—a brilliant blue glow, reflecting off the worn stone walls. Powerful magic, stronger than anything she'd seen in this ruined place.

It came from another door, the only one that wasn't caked over with debris. She swam through the opening, then looked down.

A balcony jutted out from the wall, overlooking a circular chamber below. Not a true balcony—part of the floor had given way long ago, leaving a jagged precipice. From here, Jemma could finally see the source of the light.

Crystals of every size and shape filled the room. Some were embedded in the walls, their jagged edges protruding like teeth. Others hung suspended in midair, rotating slowly to an unknown design. Glowing runes etched onto every surface connected the crystals in a complex web of magical energy. The water crackled with power, filling it with the scent of distant storms and harsh chemicals.

Sheets of metal and translucent plastic were bolted to every surface. On them were more drawings of runes, chemical diagrams, and even anatomical drawings of goldfish. A single figure moved at the room's center, dwarfed by the impossible scale of it all.

A female goldfish swam in frantic circles around a metal cube atop a pedestal. She was covered in grease, her scales dull and grimy. Bandages were wrapped around her arms and tail, covering dozens of ill-treated wounds. Thick goggles obscured her eyes, magnifying them to unsettling proportions.

She was incredibly thin, with ribs visible on her skin and bony outlines on her tail.

The young goldfish worked feverishly, her movements jerky and uncoordinated. She twisted wires together with her teeth, sparks flying as the metal connected. She didn't even seem to notice Jemma watching her from above.

Jemma's escort tugged on her arm, pulling her back from the edge of the broken floor. "Don't get too close," he whispered. "She says it's dangerous. Fish sometimes get hurt when they go down there." He moved to block the path, his makeshift spear wavering in the water.

"Who is she?" Jemma asked.

"The Inventor," he said. "She saved us. Brought us here when the... barrier... fell. Before we could get eaten, she—knew. Brought us to her secret place."

Jemma floated a little higher in the water, so she could peer over the goldfish down at the Inventor. All these years had not been kind to her. Her cheeks were gaunt now, instead of round. Her hair was frayed, and her tail a mix of dull and cracked scales. She belonged in a hospital, not a lab.

"What's she doing down there?"

"Trying to save us. She says she can get us out of here. Back to... somewhere safe. Follow the other goldfish to a place far away, a place where the big fish can't find us." He paused, glancing nervously back at the doorway. "The Inventor can do anything. She probably would've finished by now, except she has to go upstairs and help us all the time. We try to take care of ourselves, but... we don't really know how."

"That's not her name," Jemma said. "That's Kisten. My girlfriend."