Stranded on a Tiny Planet
Chapter 31: Swimming Lessons

Pixie looked at Merco with uncertainty. It was an inborn reaction of Ansheetans to be wary of water and all it contained. The Ansheetans who lived by the lake had conquered that fear but she wasn’t sure if even they knew how to swim.

A nagging little voice kept warning her it was a bad idea, “You’ll drown! There’s monsters in that water!”

But there seemed to be a small part of her that wanted to try it.

“I-I don’t know.” She admitted to Merco, shifting her feet.

“It’s not really hard. He gestured for her to come in, “I promise I’ll be right here.”

Pixie bobbed her head after a moment and began to remove her jumpsuit. Unexpectedly, Merco averted his eyes, turning to the side.

She stared at him, puzzled, “What’s wrong?”

“Well...it’s...it’s rude to watch someone undress.” Merco admitted. “It’s...private.”

Pixie kicked away her jumpsuit shaking her short plumage, “I think that must be a human thing...Ansheetans don’t see it that way.”

Merco still wouldn’t look at her, “Then...why wear clothes at all?”

“Well, it designates our professions, protects or skin, and we’re vulnerable to cold. But seeing another Ansheetan without isn’t rude or private.” She explained.

Merco kept his eyes away a second but finally relented. True, he’d seen Pixie without clothes when she Emerged, but at the time he hadn’t known if it was a cultural norm or not. Now his own human thoughts on the matter were trying to assert themselves. Finally, he looked at her. He couldn’t distinguish any secondary sex characteristics or anything he attributed to a nude female. To his eyes she was like a little lavender-colored doll. Still it felt...weird.

Pixie shook her head, “It’s ok Merco. Really.”

He sighed and shook his own head as if to shake loose the thoughts of his social norms, “If-If you say so. All right then, just come on into the water.”

Pixie stood on the shore staring at the ominous water expanse before her. It wasn’t very clear so she had no idea how deep it truly was but judging by Merco’s size it looked deep. Way too deep. She hesitated.

“It’s ok, Pixie.” He extended his hand out toward her so it was closer to the shore, “Just take little steps until you touch my hand.”

Pixie whimpered, taking a deep breath. Her plumage flattened to her head and she put a foot in the water. It only covered the top of her foot. She exhaled and took a second step. The water was up to her ankles. By her fourth step it was up over her knees. Merco’s huge hand seemed so far away.

“That’s it, nice and steady.” He encouraged.

Pixie took another step and suddenly the bottom seemed to disappear as the water shot up to her shoulders. She squeaked with panic and tried to back up but the bottom was too slippery. Panic clenched at her as she flailed her arms haphazardly. Suddenly, Merco’s finger curled underneath her chest and she held onto it in a desperate hug, shaking.

“Aww. Pixie. It’s ok. I’ve got you.” He chuckled at her overreaction.

“I can’t do it!” she blurted out, still clutched to Merco’s finger.

Merco brought her into the palm of his other hand and set her down, “Let’s try this then.”

His hand dropped slowly into the water. Pixie jumped when his palm was engulfed with water.

“Wait! Wait!” she cried out, fear gripping her.

“It’s ok. You feel my hand underneath you?” he asked gently.

She nodded.

“I’m not going to make it go lower until you’re ready.”

The water was just deep enough to cover Merco’s hand. Pixie stood up and the water was at her ankles again. She was ok with that. It was over her chest she had problems with.

“Ok. A little deeper.” Merco announced as he very slowly lowered his hand until it was over her knees.

Pixie exhaled.

“Ok. First I’ll teach you to float on your back. Even if you can’t swim this will help you if you ever replace yourself in deep water.” He explained, “Go ahead and sit down.”

Pixie slowly did so and the water was up to her chest sitting. She exhaled again but the warm platform of Merco’s hand beneath her reassured her that there wasn’t an endless bottom to the lake.

“Good. Now...” his other hand came in as he set his finger behind her, “...lean back against me and very slowly extend yourself out on your back.”

Pixie glanced back to make sure his finger was there and leaned back. She slowly extended her legs.

“There ya go. Now put your arms out a little bit from your body.”

She did so.

“Ok now take a nice deep breath and hold it.”

She inhaled, puffing her tiny chest. Merco could feel the rigidity of her body with his finger.

“Easy. Just relax. If you stiffen up you won’t float. Just relax...” he coaxed.

Pixie tried to relax but she went stiff again when Merco’s finger retreated from her head. She sputtered, getting water on her face. His hand was still there holding her.

“That’s ok. That’s ok. You just have to relax...just like you’re sleeping on the surface of the water. You can’t sleep if you’re tensed up.” He explained, “Let’s try again.”

Pixie leaned back and laid herself out. She held her breath and tried to relax again.

“Ok...I’m going to move my finger. Just remember to keep relaxed. And when you exhale, do it slowly and then breathe again.”

She felt his pressure leave from behind her and her ears went under the water, rendering her deaf to everything but the dull hiss of the water. But through the water she could hear the dull low pounding of Merco’s heart. It seemed to calm her, making her feel more relaxed.

Merco slowly lowered his hand deeper but when he did Pixie was floating on her back without any assistance! She exhaled and he could see her lower half beginning to sink but she inflated her tiny chest again and was floating like a pro. He cupped his hands on either side of her as a precautionary.

“You’re doing it Pixie.” He said happily.

Her blue eyes opened and looked up at him as if she’d barely heard him. But then she noticed his hands on either side of her and mistakenly lifted her head which ruined her float. Quickly, Merco brought his hands together and secured her before she could dunk.

“You did it! You were floating.” He announced, holding her up.

“I was?” she asked with disbelief, trying to shake water from her pointed ears.

“You were! Good job!” he lowered his hands back into the water, “Ok. Let’s see if you can do it without my help.”

“Don’t move your hands away! Please.” Pixie begged with slight panic.

“I’ll keep them all around you. I won’t let you drown. Trust me?”

She nodded. After several attempts, Pixie got the hang of floating on her back. Merco kept his hands around her like a small caged pool and that seemed enough to keep her calm. He next taught her to paddle with her arms and legs while floating whilst placing his finger beneath her back to support her. Though she relied on him mostly and still seemed to fear the water, he felt he’d made some progress with her.

Soon, however, Pixie was ready to be on dry land and Merco gently placed her on the shore.

“My shirt is back that way if you want to use it to dry off.” He offered. “I’m going to swim down that way a bit.”

Drenched, Pixie nodded and began walking through the trees to where he indicated, “Thanks, Merco.”

“You’re welcome. Anytime you want to learn more just ask.”

“Maybe...”

It was obvious from her tone that she appreciated it...but she definitely kept her aversion to the water. Merco smiled a bit and rolled over on his stomach, using his arms to pull himself through the water into the deeper areas of the lake. Granted, he had yet to replace somewhere where he couldn’t touch bottom but anything above his waist was fine for swimming.

...

Not far away...

Trit was an Ansheetan fishing village populated by a unique group of Ansheetans who didn’t fear the water as most others of their kind did. Being able to swim was a special skill set however and even the Trits had only a dozen members who could swim well. Fishing was their main source of commerce, mainly harvest of little blue crustaceans called Vimvim; similar to earth shrimp in body design but with thin flapping fin wings similar to a manta. They were numerous in Anashee Lake and a special food item for those in the neighboring city. At certain times of the year they would spawn and swarm in vast clusters, turning the water blue with their flashing iridescent markings. But the time had yet to come when the Vimvim were due to spawn. Still, it didn’t stop the Trits from venturing out in their boats to subsidize themselves with other edible species.

Three such Trits were out in their boat fishing with nets.

The eldest was a Trit named Geri-sini but everyone called him Ger. He’d been fishing Anashee Lake since he Emerged from it and was up in his years. Yet he remained a spry elder specimen of Trit. However, as of late his friends and family had wondered about his mental state. Only a few sun cycles ago he had been going on and on about some sort of giant monster living in the lake that pulled him overboard when he was fishing. Everyone insisted it had been a Gold Scaled Leviathan as they were known to easily snap fishing gear to twigs, capsize boats, and even eat citizens of Trit who fell overboard. But Ger was adamant that it hadn’t been a Gold Scaled Leviathan because after he was ripped right out of his boat and was drowning he was put right back in the boat and he swore it had talked. So, everyone in Trit thought he was crazy.

That is, until the hook from the Trit sign disappeared as well as several lengths of net rope. More disturbingly, several scales and a pile of Gold Scaled Leviathan guts was found nearby. Finding that started the chatter in Trit about what was lurking in the waters and what exactly had Ger encountered. Still...there were doubters, his friend among them.

As they drug their nets, hoping to fill them with Vimvim, Ger’s friend Niris began gibing him, “Think we’ll catch any monsters today Ger?”

Ger sighed and flattened his broken plume, “Leave it alone Niris.”

“Oh, so now you don’t want to talk about it? You’ve been on and on about this gigantic monster that pulled you out of your boat for several sun cycles and now that we might catch it you don’t want to talk about it?” he asked playfully.

Ger shot him an irritated glance, “We couldn’t catch it with the biggest boat and net in Trit.”

Niris shook his head, still thinking his friend was making up stories, “I’m still saying you accidentally hooked a Gold Scale and it yanked you overboard. Lucky it didn’t eat you.”

“Then how did I get back in the boat, huh Niris? I was drowning! I can’t swim like you can. How did I get back in the boat? Explain that!” the elder Trit argued.

Niris sighed, knowing the same argument they’d been having for the past few sun cycles was getting rehashed again, “I don’t know Ger.”

“Exactly!” Ger pointed at him, “You don’t know! You weren’t there! You didn’t see what I saw!”

“Wait...didn’t you say you were drowning? How did you see it?” his son asked.

Ger looked flustered and shot his son a look, “I saw it’s silhouette from beneath the water.” He raised his plumage, “It wasn’t a Gold Scale! It was OUT of the water, towering over it like a huge tree! Gold Scales don’t loom over the water.”

His son put up his hands placatingly, “Fine. Fine, dad. Let’s get the nets in.”

“You both started it!” Ger grumped, moving across the deck to the mechanical winch that would haul in the net. “I know what I saw and it wasn’t a Gold Scale...”

All at once the winch stopped mid-turn and began to whine with strain. Ger immediately turned off the winch to prevent it from stripping. Suddenly, the water began to churn in a distinct S-shape out near the end of the heavy line that was attached to the net. Any Trit knew that was the water trail of a Gold Scaled Leviathan swimming just beneath the surface. But what was worse was whatever was in their net had attracted the huge beast’s attention and it had subsequently eaten the entire net and its contents. The pole that winched in the net began to bend and groan and the whole boat started to turn with the beast’s path.

Ger swore loudly and began to shout, “Gold Scale has the net! Cut it! Cut the line!”

With a violent jerk the boat was pulled backward as the monstrous water beast swam away. The three crew members were thrown to the deck from the force of it. A large wave began building at the back of the boat as it was hauled along. The Leviathan swam unabated and began to submerge, causing the surging water to spill up the back of the boat and wash onto the deck.

Ger’s son was up first and was fumbling to replace an energy blade to sever the line.

“Cut it or it’s going to drag us under!” Ger shouted, trying to help.

A fresh surge of water spilled over the back of the boat and swept them off their feet again. Now they were wet. Flying off the boat wasn’t an option anymore and Niris was the only one who was an accomplished swimmer.

“We have to bail!” Niris insisted.

“We can’t swim! We’ll drown!” Ger’s son cried.

“Quick! Grab the floatation devices!” Ger urged him, pointing to the side of the boat.

Of course, he knew the floatation devices would prevent them from drowning, but it wouldn’t stop them from getting eaten should another huge fish spot them struggling at the surface. But it was their only hope as the Leviathan was diving deeper and the back of the boat became swamped with water. Ger’s son floundered across the deck, laid a hand on one of the devices, and that’s when a shadow engulfed the boat.

The anglers looked up and beheld the biggest arm they’d ever seen swooping over the top of the top of their boat. They swore to every deity they knew when the enormous hand grasped the line to their net and stopped the Gold Scale in its path. The boat, no longer being dragged backward, bobbed back up though swamped with water on the deck.

“Ooo. Hang on there, little guys. I’ve got it.” a rumbling voice proclaimed in a strange Ansheetan accent.

Soaked and sloshing around the watery deck the three Trits stared up dumbfounded by the gigantic being whose torso towered over their boat like a wall as it seemingly rose from the depths of the lake. Rivers of water cascaded from the colossal form, showering the deck.

Ger was elated to be saved but more importantly he wasn’t crazy! It was the same silhouette he’d seen beneath the water above him! But now it was illuminated with detail. Whatever this giant thing was, it was definitely not a Gold Scale...it was much bigger.

Ger wanted to shout but all he got was a whisper, “I told you...I told you!”

“Looks like you boys need a bigger boat.” The colossal being stated as it reached over with another huge hand and began pulling in the rope, length by length.

The tension immediately transferred to the giant being, relieving the boat. But the Gold Scale at the other end didn’t like the turnabout of being pulled. Like a golden missile of rage the huge fish exploded from the water, thrashing its head from side to side. Ger could see it had swallowed their net and some of it had entangled in its jagged teeth. Try as it might to spit out the ill begotten meal, the net was ensnaring its teeth and jaw, allowing the giant being to pull it closer. Slowly, it began pulling in the Gold Scale until finally with a heave he hauled it up out of the water. The Gold Scale thrashed violently but one of the enormous hands released the rope and found a grip underneath its gill flap. It panicked and bashed its body and tail against the massive torso with deafening slaps.

“Ow. Ow.” The giant muttered with each hit but refused to release the thrashing fish.

The green-gray eyes of the huge creature fell on them a moment, “You three ok? No one injured?”

They shook their heads. None of the Trits could believe such a colossal being actually existed...much less that it could speak their language and had benevolently saved them from being pulled under.

“Mind if I take this?” the giant asked, gesturing to the fish he held.

“Um...yeah...C-Can we have our net back?” Ger timidly asked, though he didn’t know why he did.

The giant looked at the net inside the Gold Scale’s mouth and smiled, “Sure. Give me a moment.”

With some careful picking and maneuvering the net was freed from the teeth of the fish and was draped on the side of the boat. There were a few Vimvim still trapped in it but it was pretty damaged.

“There you go. Can you get back to shore?”

The trio sporadically nodded to his question.

“You-You saved our lives.” Niris stated, still disbelieving.

“You looked like you needed it.”

Ger nodded, wiping water off of his broken plume. Quite abruptly he turned to his son and Niris with triumph in his tone, “SEE! I told you it wasn’t a Gold Scale that pulled me out of my boat! I told you!”

The pair nodded, no argument.

The giant tipped his head slightly, “Pulled you out of your boat...Oh! It was you that day?”

Ger nodded adamantly, surprised but pleased to know the giant being actually knew what he was talking about, “No one believed me!”

“Heh. That doesn’t surprise me. Sorry about that. You hooked my hand while I was swimming. Hurt like Hell. You weren’t hurt were you?”

Ger rolled his shoulders, “My arms still hurt...but it’s...it’s ok. Really.”

The giant being chuckled, still speaking in that odd Ansheetan accent, “Well, thanks for the fish. You boys be careful.”

“Uh...yeah. Thanks!”

With that the huge being strode through the water that came up to his waist, still gripping the struggling Gold Scale until he disappeared around one of the bends in the lake. The trio still stood dumbstruck by the whole event. Who knew the craziest fish story in Trit history turned out to be true?