[Creative Fairy Tale] The Night Yuta Rode a Goldfish

My name is Yuta Mori. I am an eleven-year-old fifth grader.
My friends have dogs, cats, or hamsters, but my house had a goldfish. I got it at a goldfish scooping stall at a festival last summer, the first time I ever tried it. I caught three, but two died right away. I gave the last one a name, pouring all my wishes into it.
That was Dekabui.
It was the biggest of the three, and it had a white mark on its forehead that looked like a victory V-sign.
When I tell my friends that a goldfish is my pet, they all make bored faces, but as an only child, it felt like my family had grown, and every day was incredibly fun.
When I get home from school, I always peek into the tank and sprinkle some food for it.
Dekabui's appetite is enormous. When it first came home, it was only about three centimeters long, but in just one year, it grew as thick as a log and was already ten centimeters long.
"Yuta, did you know? Goldfish can grow as big as you let them. The more they eat and the longer they live, the more they just keep growing!"
My uncle from Kamakura said that when he came to visit.
"Really? Is that true?"
"Don't be silly, Yuta. If you don't believe me, try getting a bigger tank. It'll probably double in size in no time."
"Wow, that's amazing!"
I couldn't help but imagine it. Dekabui, like a tuna, swimming leisurely with its bright red scales shimmering.
"Wait, if that happens, I'll need a tank as big as the ones for sharks at the aquarium. Alright, I'll save up all my New Year's money and put a huge one right in the middle of my room. I'll buy out all the water plants at the pet shop and make the perfect home for Dekabui!"
My dreams expanded without limit.

Once summer vacation started, my daily routine became taking a shower after soccer practice and then feeding it.
"You're going to be two years old soon, aren't you?"
When I peeked into the tank to feed it as usual, I thought, 'Huh?'
Dekabui was acting strange. When I clapped my hands to signal it, it usually opened its mouth and made happy little sounds, but now it was just sitting still at the bottom of the tank.

The next day, and the day after that, Dekabui didn't eat. Its orange dorsal fin, which should have been standing tall, was pressed flat against its back, only lifting up for a fleeting moment when I peeked in.
Before long, Dekabui's body began to sway and tip over. Watching it made my chest ache with pain.
Is Dekabui going to die?
"Dekabui! That's absolutely not allowed!"
What could have gone wrong? I ran upstairs and pulled the "Goldfish Care Handbook" off the bookshelf, but I couldn't figure it out at all.
"Maybe the water we changed the other day didn't agree with it. It's a pity, but it might be too late."
My mother looked back at me with a dark expression in front of the tank. I bit my lip in frustration.
"How about this? Why don't you release it into the temple pond? There are carp there, and maybe a goldfish could live there too. Maybe Dekabui will get better."
"Don't be stupid, a place like that! Goldfish and carp are different."
I shouted before I could stop myself, but I didn't have any confidence that I could save Dekabui either.
Let's see... maybe, just maybe, that place...
As I watched Dekabui swaying painfully, it started to feel like that was the only option left.
I couldn't just leave it like this.
Because if I did nothing, it might be floating belly-up on the surface by tomorrow morning.
I borrowed the largest stew pot from my mother and gently moved Dekabui into it. At the bottom of the silver pot, the faded Dekabui looked like it was about to collapse at any moment.
"Hang in there! Hang in there! Hang in there!"
I called out to it and walked quickly to the temple, carrying the pot carefully so the water wouldn't ripple.
The pond reflected the cloudy sky and was an eerie shade of green. Standing at the edge of the pond, I suddenly felt anxious.
Suddenly, Dekabui tipped over to the side. A chill ran down my spine.
No! There's no time to hesitate.
I plunged the whole pot into the pond and waited for Dekabui to come out.
"Please, pond water. Heal Dekabui!"
Before long, Dekabui poked its head out of the pot and drifted down into the depths of the pond.
"Goodbye, Dekabui."
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I didn't cry. Because,
Dekabui will never die. Someday it will grow bigger than the carp and become the temple's famous goldfish!

It started raining that evening, and by dinner time, it was pouring.
"It's incredible, Yuta! Water is gushing out of the drains. The road has turned into a lake."
My father, who had just returned from work, sat heavily on the sofa while wiping his head with a towel. Usually, I would be excited, but for some reason, my heart felt heavier. I was worried about Dekabui.
"I wonder if the temple pond is okay."
Even when it was time to sleep, the rain kept drumming violently against the window glass. Lying in bed, I thought back to when I released Dekabui into the pond.
"It's fine. It's fine. It dove down to the bottom of the water, after all."
Wrapped in my towel blanket, I tossed and turned many times before closing my eyes.

It was the middle of the night. I opened my eyes to a strange sound.
Glug. Glug.
Through the blue curtains, a strange, shimmering light was spreading throughout the room.
I left my bed, crept to the window, and peeked outside from the edge of the curtain.
The garden, which should have been dark, was glowing blue. A large bubble formed from the corner of the flowerbed and slowly drifted upward. Floating in front of me was a pale blue soccer ball.
"Whoa!"
I was so surprised that I landed hard on my bottom. Outside the window, it was actually an underwater world.
"This is a disaster..."
The heavy rain must have submerged this whole area underwater before I knew it.
That was when it happened.
Something was coming from across the deep blue garden. Something incredibly huge. I squinted and stared through the gap in the curtains.
As it got closer, its identity became clear.
My clenched fists grew hot. It wiggled its bright red body, and on its forehead was a clearly shining white V-sign!
"Oh, it's you!"
It had grown to the size of a large motorcycle; it was undoubtedly my goldfish, Dekabui.
I threw the curtains wide open and waited for Dekabui. Dekabui drifted up to the window, turned in front of my face, and stared at me with eyes as big as serving trays.
"Wait! Dekabui!"
I opened the window before I could stop myself, then thought, 'Oh no!' This is underwater.
But strangely, the water didn't come in. It clung to the window frame like a transparent wall, just like cold jelly from a refrigerator. When I tentatively poked my finger through, my body was pulled in instantly, and before I knew it, I was standing in the water.
From the top of my head to my toes, it felt cool and pleasant. I couldn't help but take off my pajama top. I decided to keep my pants on, just in case I met someone.

Looking up, a faint light was shimmering. The surface seemed endlessly far away.
"Anyway, let's go look around."
I started walking along the bottom of the water. Gulp, gulp.
When I went out from the gate to the street, the neighbor's outdoor cats, Ramu and Ponta, were floating happily under a streetlight, tails intertwined while they slept.
"You guys are so carefree."
I laughed a little, amazed. Still, it was quiet. All I could hear was the faint sound of bubbles rising up. It seemed like no one else had noticed this great catastrophe yet.

"Where did Dekabui go?"
I decided to go down the stairs to the bus street. The grass under my feet swayed like seaweed in time with my movements. I hopped down the stairs five at a time, like in slow motion.

When I reached the street, Dekabui was waiting for me.
"You came, Dekabui!"
Dekabui let out a big bubble and rolled its eyes.
I grinned.
I know, Dekabui! You want to say, "Let's play together, Yuta. In this town at the bottom of the water where no one else is!"
Dekabui swam up beside me and tapped my shoulder with its soft pectoral fin.
"Is it okay? Dekabui."
I immediately climbed onto Dekabui and held on tight to its dorsal fin with both hands.
"Alright! Dekabui, let's go!"
Dekabui wiggled its tail fin and suddenly started swimming at full speed. The water rushed against my body. Dekabui's back was slimy, making it hard to hold on.
We went down the bus street and turned the corner at the intersection. The traffic light was blinking, piercing the blue town with yellow laser beams.
Crossing the intersection, I saw the two-colored glow of the convenience store. Turning that corner, the school was there.
"That's it, let's go to school! Left! Dekabui."
Dekabui flapped its gills in response and turned left, picking up speed. My legs flew off Dekabui's body, trailing behind me in the water.
"Whoa! This feels great!"
What a thrill!
We decided to take a break at the squirrel park along the way.

The rusty swings and jungle gym were sleeping at the bottom of the night water. Every now and then, fine bubbles would fizz up from between the bushes, and the light from the park's streetlamp cast flickering shadows on the ground. I swam up and up along the streetlamp pole. I wondered what kind of mysterious world it would look like from directly above.
That was when it happened. My heart skipped a beat.
There's something on the slide!
No way, it's a huge crayfish!
The swing moved. A baby crucian carp was riding it.
Looking down behind me, a family of loaches was staring at me from the park entrance.
"Dekabui, come here!"
I called for help before I knew it. Because they were all as big as Dekabui!
Dekabui swam up next to me, winked its huge eye, and let out a bubble from its mouth.
Are you telling me to try it?
I rounded my mouth and puffed out a breath. A large bubble was born from my mouth too, and it slowly drifted upward. Then, the crayfish, the crucian carp, and the loaches all started releasing bubbles one after another. The night park was instantly filled with sparkling bubbles. I guess this is the pond's greeting. They were all Dekabui's new friends.
"I'm really glad I released you into the pond. Everyone, take care of this guy!"
I said that to everyone and left the park with Dekabui.
We rode Dekabui up the hill. It was when we passed through the school gate. It felt warm and fuzzy, a bit different from before.

The school loomed black, like a shipwreck that had sunk a hundred years ago.
I got off Dekabui and approached the entrance. I tried pushing the door, and to my surprise, it wasn't locked. The door opened slowly, kicking up sand.
"Want to go in?"
I looked back at Dekabui. There's no way the brave Dekabui would say no. It was staring at me with its big eyes blinking. I swallowed hard.
"Alright, let's go!"

I took Dekabui and boarded the shipwreck. The inside of the school building was pitch black as expected, but there was a bright light shining far ahead. It was because the light from the schoolyard was coming in through the windows. We touched the walls with our hands and headed straight for it.
Finally arriving, I looked outside through a large window, and I almost stopped breathing.
"Whoa! Where on earth is this?"
It wasn't the schoolyard I knew. White sand stretched out into the distance, and rocks covered in things that looked like pink, orange, and red sea anemones were rolling around on it. For some reason, car tires and some kind of sign were caught on the soccer goal in the distance, swaying along with things that looked like seaweed.
"Wait! That's a restaurant sign, isn't it!"
My family and I had just gone there the day before yesterday. I couldn't believe it, but it was like watching a movie, and I was just mesmerized.

"Yuta."
Suddenly, someone called my name from behind. I turned around, startled, and saw Kentaro with his hair swaying upward and a pale face. He was supposed to have transferred schools before summer vacation.
"Oh, you came here too?"
Kentaro nodded and furrowed his eyebrows seriously.
"I can't believe it's come to this."
I called Dekabui, who was at the end of the hallway, and introduced it to Kentaro. Kentaro's eyes went wide, but he sighed and said, "That's amazing," looking very envious.
Of course he would! I'm definitely the only person in the world who is friends with such a huge goldfish.

"Anyway, it's serious. Come here. There's something huge out there."
Suddenly, Kentaro grabbed my hand and ran up the stairs.
"It seems like this area is the ocean."
"The ocean?"
Told by Kentaro, I finally realized. The strange things that appeared in the schoolyard were all things washed away from the ocean.
"I see. In other words, the heavy rain must have caused a massive flood in town. The river water kept overflowing, and finally, our town merged with the nearby ocean."
"Yeah, that must be it."
Kentaro nodded deeply.
"I see, that's why the water felt different at the school gate earlier..."
"Yeah, that's probably the boundary."
When we reached the third-floor landing, Kentaro pointed at the schoolyard through the window with a tense face.
"Look. You can see it well from here."
I gasped. In the schoolyard, shimmering in the streetlamp light, something huge was swimming. It was casting a black shadow on the sand, slowly circling around. And it wasn't just one.
"Sharks?"
I turned back to Kentaro. It was already cold in the water. I couldn't help but feel a chill down my spine. Kentaro nodded with a serious face.
"It'll be a disaster if they attack the town."
I thought of my sleeping mother and father, and the happy Ramu and the others. As Kentaro said, if they crossed the school gate, it would be the end. Kentaro and I looked at each other. We felt the same way. We had to defeat them ourselves!
"Dekabui, what about you?"
No need to ask. Dekabui has people it wants to protect too. Its new friends from the pond. Dekabui flicked its tail fin powerfully.

We went back to the first floor and snuck into a first-grade classroom to hold a strategy meeting.
"There are five of them. Listen, if they all attack at once, it's game over."
"Ugh!"
At Kentaro's words, I swallowed hard.
I don't want to die. The plan has to be perfect.
Lying on the classroom floor, we shared ideas and came up with the best strategy.
First, we decide on one decoy. The other two hide under the window. Then, we open the window quietly. The decoy goes wild to get their attention. When they notice and try to enter the classroom through the window, that's our chance. The two hiding will slam the window shut with all their might and squeeze the body of the one caught. That's how we'll take them down one by one!
"Dekabui, you be the decoy."
It's a dangerous mission, but it can't be helped. Dekabui, being a fish, can't close the window.
"Don't worry! I'll definitely protect you."
Dekabui wiggled its body.
"Whoa. This guy is totally fired up!"
Kentaro looked at Dekabui and puffed a bubble from his nose.
"Let's go!"
We looked at each other, burning with passion.
When Dekabui stood by at the back of the classroom, Kentaro nodded and quietly opened the window. Lukewarm water mixed in. I signaled Dekabui. Dekabui started to go wild.
"Good job! Dekabui."
Dekabui shook its body, looking like it was really injured and in pain.
"It's coming! Yuta."
Kentaro shouted in a low voice. One of them turned and headed toward us. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would jump out of my mouth.
I have to do it!
The shark picked up speed and opened its mouth wide right in front of the window. It was huge! We would be swallowed in one gulp.
"Now!"
"Whoaaaaa!"
We slammed the window shut with all our might. With a dull thud, the shark was perfectly caught.
"Push! Push! Whoaaaaa!"
The shark wiggled its body with incredible force. We put all our strength into it, squeezing it tight. After a fierce battle, the shark finally rolled its eyes and flipped over.
"We did it! It's a huge success."
"Dekabui, keep it up!"
Facing the shark that was as long as the blackboard, we struck a victory pose. And so, with our excellent teamwork, we defeated them one after another.

Finally, there was only one left.
"Let's finish this easily!"
However, the last enemy was the biggest, and its strength was unbelievable. No matter how hard we pushed the window, it wouldn't give up, wiggling its body. That was when the worst thing happened. Because the shark was struggling so much, the window came off its track.
"Whoaaaaa!"
I was blown away into the schoolyard along with the shark.
I ran through the water looking for a place to hide. But I'm not a fish. I couldn't move the way I wanted.
"Yuta! It's coming! Hide quickly!"
Kentaro was shouting from inside the classroom, spraying bubbles. The enraged giant shark shook its head, glared at me with small, ominous eyes, and slowly circled the schoolyard. Then it turned and charged straight at me.
This is it, I'm doomed! Its huge mouth opened wide.
"Whoa, I'm going to be eaten! It's all over!"
Just as I was about to close my eyes,
Thud!
There was a dull sound, and sand flew up. The shark was flipped over in front of me. Beside me, as I sat on the ground, was the bright red, shining Dekabui.
"You came for me, Dekabui!"
"It's a chance! Go! Yuta."
Kentaro's voice made me snap out of it. The shark was dazed from Dekabui's surprise attack. I gathered my courage, stood up, and delivered a killer toe-kick to the shark's face with my right foot. The shark shook its head and swam unsteadily toward the soccer goal. Dekabui dashed toward the shark at full speed.
"Good! Go, Dekabui! Shoot!"
Dekabui rammed into the shark's side like a bullet. The shark flipped over and got tangled in the goal net, struggling wildly. It looked like it was about to break the soccer goal.
"That's it! Stay tangled up!"
How many minutes had passed? As we held our breath and prayed, the guy finally ran out of energy, showed its belly, and stopped moving.
"We did it! We did it!"
Kentaro and I shouted with joy.
"Thank you, Dekabui. You're my lifesaver."
The V-sign on its forehead wasn't just a pattern!
Dekabui rolled its eyes and proudly spun its pectoral fins.
Kentaro came over from the classroom doing the frog stroke. He didn't seem to have cooled down yet.
"Hey Yuta, we did something amazing! We could even be on TV."
"After all, we're heroes who saved the town!"
And so, the two of us and one goldfish looked around at the five sharks lying there and laughed heartily, blowing bubbles.

When I realized it, the surroundings were getting dimly bright. Morning seemed to be near. The school building, which had looked like a shipwreck, had started to glow white at the top before I knew it.
"It's probably time to go back home."
The town will wake up soon. I wonder what will happen to everyone from now on.

I let Kentaro ride on Dekabui and sent him off near his house. As we parted, Kentaro stroked Dekabui's back and said the best thing.
"You are the strongest and coolest goldfish on Earth!"

Dekabui and I swam side by side over the town at dawn and returned. Dekabui followed me all the way into the garden.
"See you again, Dekabui. You get some rest too."
I returned to my room the same way I entered the water, and when I looked back, Dekabui disappeared into the bright morning light. I let out a big yawn and collapsed onto my bed.

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
I jumped up at the sound of the alarm clock. Bright light was spreading all over the room. It seemed like nice weather. When I opened the curtains, the water had completely receded.
When I went to the kitchen, my mother was cooking bacon and eggs with a peaceful face.
(She doesn't even know what I went through)
I was a little dumbfounded, but I sat down at the table feeling refreshed. After all, I am the secret hero who saved the town!
My father said while drinking coffee.
"That was some rain."
My mother, who brought the bacon and eggs, sighed and looked at me.
"Dekabui, that was a pity, wasn't it?"
"Why?"
I swallowed the bread in my mouth whole.
"The temple pond, it seems it overflowed."
"Huh! Does that happen?"
My father's eyes went wide.
"What are you talking about? It's fine. Because Dekabui came to play. It got so big. And then we went to school..."
Having said that much in one breath, I finally realized something was wrong. My father said with a dumbfounded face.
"What? Was it a dream?"
That was it... After all, it was full of impossible things! It's so ridiculous I could cry. But then, what about Dekabui...

As soon as breakfast was over, I left the house and went to the temple pond. The temple grounds were truly soaked, and in the brown pond, along with various trash and tree branches, a small crayfish was floating upside down, showing its belly.
I pictured Dekabui's red body being swallowed by the water overflowing from the pond in the heavy rain and being washed away like a leaf. I bit my lip. I couldn't believe that Dekabui, who was about to die, could win against the flow of water.
"Dekabui, you're there, aren't you? Show yourself!"
I stared at the water surface for a long time without blinking. But, as expected, no red color surfaced in the muddy water.

I hung my head, left the temple, and went down the bus street. I turned the corner at the convenience store and headed toward school. The path Dekabui and I took last night.

Passing by the squirrel park and going through the school gate, the school during summer vacation was exactly as it always was. It's obvious, but there were no giant rocks rolling around, and the windows weren't off their tracks. The schoolyard was completely dry, shining white in the midsummer sun, almost blindingly so. I leaned against the school building wall and remembered the proud battle from last night.

"That was fun, Dekabui."
Dekabui's rolling, brave eyes and its cool, large back.
Even though I said "See you again"...
The empty schoolyard during summer vacation.
"I'm sorry, Dekabui..."
Suddenly, tears overflowed.

The wind rustled the cherry tree and circled the school building.
That was when it happened.
In the schoolyard, shimmering through my tears, something sparkled. A little in front of the soccer goal, something transparent about the size of my palm was shining in the sunlight. It looked just like a fish scale...
(Could it be?)
I'll never forget! Isn't that the place where Dekabui delivered a blow to the shark to save me!
I kicked the ground and ran to the scale Dekabui dropped. I scooped up the sand with it. The sand fell through my fingers, and what remained in my palm...
I stared at it blankly. What was shining was a piece of a plastic bottle.
After being incredibly disappointed, I slammed the piece onto the ground with all my might and stood up. I felt so frustrated that my heart felt like it was burning.
"Dekabui is alive! There's no way that guy would die!"

I ran to the temple at full speed. I slid in front of the pond and waited once more.
"Come out! Dekabui!"
Every time the wind stroked the water surface, small waves sparkled like scales.
"Ah!"
At that moment, I definitely saw it. Somewhere in the middle of the brown pond.
It was only for a fleeting moment, but a red shadow surfaced. The white shining V-sign!

Even now, I sometimes go to the temple pond. Since that time, Dekabui hasn't shown itself, but I know for sure it's alive. It's grown big and is lurking at the bottom of the water.
Standing at the edge of the pond, I talk to it.
"When it rains hard and the water overflows again someday, then Dekabui, come play again. Let's continue our adventure!"

And there is one strange thing. The pajama top I took off was never found...

The End