Dedicated to Tomohiro Inoue
May all your dreams come true.
I
The sun rose just as it had every morning. Hope was restored. The Gods answered everyone’s prayers. We live another day. The boats were well out in the ocean by now. The business men have made their move toward the trains. The students reluctantly rose from their slumber. Life restarted just as it did every day. The sun showed its beauty and quality to all man. The distant waters gave birth to the sun every morning. The light cascaded over the reflecting waters. The people basked in its salvation and the possibilities were endless. All of life could change with this new sun. The sun promised this so long as we lived. And the sun moved, like a watchful eye in the sky, guarding the earth and all of its inhabitance. And the people all walked its streets. Tokyo had a New York feel to it. It was where business was held, where cars came in flocks, where pedestrians reigned supreme of the streets, where lights plagued the eyes of all man. The rush was a remarkable sight. Business was in full swing as early as ever.
Tomohiro Inoue was supposed to rise early along with all the rest of the students in Japan. His room was a treacherous spectacle. It was decorated with clothing, sports gear and other various belongings. Even his bed was a mess. The alarm sounded off and the boy was motionless. His body sprawled across the bed, his covers in disarray, his arms dangled from the bed, his legs spread in a V shape, his face buried deep in the pillow. The door of his room opened slowly. A woman struggled to enter because the clothes barricaded his room into a formidable fortress.
“Tomohiro, it’s like a dungeon in here!” The woman had a blue robe on, embroidered in a floral design. Tomohiro was still lifeless. “Tomohiro, get up! It’s time for school.” But Tomohiro wouldn’t move. His mother reached for a wooden stick next to what used to be a closet. She poked his rib cage with the stick and he growled like an irritated dog.
“Get up, Tomohiro,” she repeated.
“No.” Tomohiro spoke.
“Breakfast is waiting for you downstairs.”
“Not hungry.”
“Then say good-bye to your father before he leaves.”
“I’ll see him for dinner.”
Tomohiro’s mother was never one for filial disrespect. In an instant she raised her wooden stick and struck Tomohiro on the back several times. He screamed for his life. His once peaceful slumber was destroyed in an instant. He lays, fully awake, on the floor with his sheets covering his partially naked body.
“Mother, why did you do that? It hurt.”
“You go downstairs right now and have breakfast with your father.” Her once innocent voice was now laced with vicious anger. She didn’t tolerate a lack of morals. “And clean up this pig sty,” she continued. “It smells in here.” She slammed the door behind her.
A disheveled Tomohiro arose from the floor, completely stunned, and got himself ready for school. We walked down the narrow hall, filled with various artworks from various artists, and made his way to the kitchen table. He saw his father from behind. His father was sitting down enjoying his morning tea. It was a routine thing with his father. Every day the same thing happened. Tomohiro felt an overwhelming sense of déjà vu whenever he was home, and he hated it. Tomohiro took a deep breath and sat across from his father, whom was now reading the morning paper.
“Good morning, father.”
His father peered over the morning paper and over his reading spectacles. “Good morning, Tomohiro.”
Tomohiro’s mother entered the room and served his breakfast. She glanced at him in disappointment. She always wanted him to have a conversation with his father in the mornings but they always ended into arguments. Regardless, that glance meant ‘give it another try.’
“How are you today, father?”
“Fine, fine.” His eyes were still on the paper.
“Today is the last day of school, father.”
“Very good.”
“I was wondering if I could stay with grandfather this summer.”
“Hmm?”
“I want to stay with grandfather and go fishing.”
“You must be joking.”
“No, father. I would like to go fishing.”
“You are supposed to work at the office with me, Tomohiro. You know that.”
“I don’t want to go to the office.”
His mother shot him a stern glance. She knew what was coming. The father put his paper down to look at Tomohiro.
“You must go to the office this summer. After going to the University you will work at the office with me.”
“The office is so boring though.”
His father took off his glasses in a fit of rage.
“Father, your job is boring.” Tomohiro reiterated.
“Work isn’t supposed to be fun, Tomohiro!”
“People should choose a job that they love.”
“You must choose a job that pays and puts food on the table. You must support your family. That is what matters most.”
“I care not for raising a family I do not have.”
“You will one day.”
“But not now.”
“Stop this foolishness, Tomohiro.”
“Why must you make me go?”
“It is for your own good.”
“Being a business man is so monotonous. You work forever; the hours are bad. You hate your job, then you hate yourself for what your job has made you become. Then you become impatient. You take it out on your loved ones. I don’t want that to happen to me.”
Tomohiro’s father was insulted. He was never an angry man but Tomohiro was right, in fact, his job had made him impatient. The truth burned into Tomohiro’s father as he slammed his hand on the table. By now, Tomohiro’s mother had exited the room.
“How dare you make such assumptions? You think you know so much about my job? You are a fool. You think I will allow you to sit around and take up space? You think it is ok to have an unrespectable job? I will not stand for it.”
Tomohiro seemed shaken by his father’s anger.
“But fa-father, have you ever had dreams?”
“Dreams of what?”
“Of a loveable profession.”
“There is no such thing if you want to support your family. You must learn that we live, we suffer, then we die.”
“That is such a depressing purpose,” Tomohiro says solemnly.
“Life is a depressing thing, Tomohiro. We live to keep the cycle alive.”
“I disagree.”
“As long as you live in this house you have no choice. You will believe in what I believe in.”
“You must have had dreams when you were my age.”
“Don’t we all? But dreams are short lived for most. Few make their dreams a reality.”
“Dreams are what keep us human, father.”
“Dreams are for the weak. They are for the people who cannot grasp the truth of reality.”
“Why can’t people make their dreams a reality?”
“It is highly unlikely. What dream is this you speak of?”
“I want to catch Big Blue. I want to become a legend on the Japanese fishing front.”
Tomohiro’s father let out a vigorous laughter. His laugh was so strong he chocked and coughed. Tomohiro’s mother entered the room. His father continued the onslaught of insults.
“You want to be a fisherman? You think your some sort of peasant? You go to the most prestigious private school in all of Japan and you want to be a fisherman?” His laughing grew stronger. Tomohiro’s mother shook her head in disappointment. Tomohiro’s eyes welled up. “And what is this Big Blue? Big Blue is but a myth. He doesn’t exist. Do you truly believe a giant fish exists like that? If you do, you are a fool.” His father laughed once again.
Tomohiro’s tears sprung forth from their eyelash prison. His mother buried her head in her hands. He stood up and once his father saw his tears, all laughing seized.
“Father, you shall not belittle my dreams. If I want to be a fisherman then you should respect what I want to do. You should support me fully. But it is you who is the damned fool, not me!” His mother looked up in astonishment. Tomohiro picked up the chair he was sitting on and threw it across the room. “I have had enough with you forcing me to become something I want nothing to do with!”
Tomohiro picked up his briefcase filled with books and slammed the front door behind him, leaving his weeping mother and astonished father behind. He ran far and long past all the people that looked so much like his father. He ran past men with exquisitely iron pressed black suits, briefcases and cellular phones. He had no idea exactly where he was headed. He only knew he was angry.
II
The Japanese country side was a sight for soar eyes. No longer was his view plagued with tall buildings, health threatening smog, and suited clones. The industrial horror show was now over. He now enjoyed the fresh air and beautiful scenery. He heard the birds chirping from tree to tree. The leaves danced in the summer breeze. The flowers swayed melodically. The clouds coasted. The cherry blossoms fluttered. The green hills showed beautifully in the morning sun. The farmers worked tirelessly on their gorgeous green pastures. There was a multitude of humble homes that showed behind the farms. They weren’t like the homes you’d see in the city. The countryside was the epitome and sheer illustration of simplicity and Tomohiro knew this. He smiled largely at the sight because he knew this was what he was longing for.
Tomohiro relaxed in his secluded corridor. He knew the train ride would be very short and he would have little time to eat. Tomohiro lays his briefcase onto the table in front of him. The other passengers in his corridor give a curious glance. Tomohiro takes out a big blue book from exterior pocket of the bag. He loved to read, especially when the topic was about fishing. This book was about Big Blue specifically. Though deemed a myth, many fishermen have claimed to see him around the eastern coast of Japan. There were several oceanic myths in Japan. There has been many sightings of ‘enormous’ fish, the size of large boats, or giant buses. They call these large fish the ‘Deadly Seven’ as for only seven have been ‘spotted’. Specifically the Big Blue is a large blue fin tuna, said to be the size of an eighteen wheeler. There have been tales of fishermen who lost their lives and ships to this great fish. The book said that “he is merciless”, “his viciousness knows no bounds” and all those cliché lines. Each sentence amplifies the doubt he holds. He kept picturing himself falling victim to Big Blue’s wrath. He pictured his boat snapping in half like a twig, his harpoon shattering, and his crew members eaten. He then pictured his own end, falling off of the crow’s nest because the mast had snapped like the boat did. He saw himself fall into the blackness of the beast’s mouth, plummeting into an endless abyss. He thought, if he was fortunate, maybe the beast would have some mercy and let him drown in the water. The stress of his thoughts caused him to sweat profusely. One of the passengers took notice. The passenger saw his frightened expression. Tomohiro was transfixed within the pictures and passages.
“Plan on capturing one of the Deadly Seven,” asked the curious passenger.
Tomohiro was startled at the sudden noise which abruptly broke his concentration. He seemed embarrassed at his childish reaction and nervously surveyed the man. The passenger was an odd looking fellow with a long black beard. He wore a blue and white striped shirt with a large pea coat over it. At his left breast he bore a crest which showed an embroidered anchor. His pipe was fully lit and grey clouds emerged from the fiery pits like volcano smog. The man’s face was worn and beaten up. He bore many scars along his face and hands. He smiled wildly, showcasing his banana yellow-colored teeth. He seemed rather nice, yet one could tell he had his share of hardships. His eyes were unusually blue. They were cold and could penetrate iron walls. Tomohiro spoke with hesitance.
“Ye-yes, sir. It’s-it’s a dream of mine.” Tomohiro’s eyes wander away from the strange man back to the book. “But I don’t think I am good enough. Hundreds have tried and failed before me. What makes me so special?”
“Ah, but that is what dreams are for, kid.” Tomohiro’s eyes met his. “You are young. Filling yourself with a wild ambition sparks your inner ability to challenge yourself.”
“What makes me so special, though?”
“That is something you must find out on your own.”
Tomohiro’s eyes moved to the outside view of the mountains. The snow topped mountains showed beautifully in the afternoon sun.
“When will that be?” Tomohiro turned back to the man with hopeful eyes.
“A wise man once told me that humans have no actual knowledge of time. All we know of time is what we make of it. Terms are man-made. All we need to know is that within time things will work itself out. Time will unravel as it should.” Tomohiro seemed slightly confused. He didn’t quite understand what the man meant but he didn’t bother to ask.
“Thank you for your words of wisdom, sir.”
“Say, you are wearing a school uniform. Shouldn’t you be in school?”
“I should, but something happened.”
Tomohiro explained his story and took his time, relaying every tiny bit of detail to the stranger.
“You must think I am foolish, just as my father does.”
“Nonsense, young one. You stood up for what you believe in. If anything, you are the most mature individual in your household. I applaud you.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Just make sure this is your dream. The sea can be a merciless place. When her winds drastically increase, you may find yourself bailing out, or at the bottom of the ocean or in the belly of a beast.”
“Sir, you seem to be knowledgeable of the seas and you dress the part. Tell me, are you a sailor?”
“Yes, I am a sailor.”
“Are you taking this train to the fishing front?”
“Yes, I am. It has been a while since I have gone fishing in Japan.”
“Do you think you could help me with capturing the Deadly Seven?”
The stranger laughed at Tomohiro’s eagerness. The train finally stopped at the station. The other passengers in the corridor rose from their seats and exited silently.
“You are quite the ambitious one, aren’t you? Tell you what, meet me at Pier Toriyama tomorrow, bright and early. I will help you.”
Tomohiro’s expression lit up like a child’s face on Christmas Morning. The stranger generously gifted Tomohiro with religion and quickly exited the room after a nod of approval. Tomohiro looked back out of the window and toward the station. He was filled with jubilant wonders. Daydream after daydream bombarded his thoughts. He pictured himself on the top of a mountain hoisting Big Blue over his head, with two hands, for all to see. And he pictured his father in the crowd, smiling and applauding in approval. And he pictured his mother, no longer crying, no longer sad.
A train employee entered in the corridor as Tomohiro daydreamed. Tomohiro didn’t notice him come in. “Excuse me, sir. Are you getting off here?”
Tomohiro turned from his daydream and bore a heartwarming smile. His pearly white teeth showed and his eyes squinted tightly. “Yes, I am getting off here.”
III
It was silent. Tomohiro lay in his bed without a movement. He was nervous. He couldn’t sleep. His daydreams prohibited sleep and his mind raced. He had tossed and turned, anxiously awaiting a brighter sky. The sky was now a light navy and the clock read 4 a.m. He happily threw the quilt off his legs. Tomohiro put on his cargo shorts and tightened his belt. He took his red and white striped shirt from the window sill and put it on. Tomohiro tip toed around the house, desperately trying not to wake his grandfather up. He snuck down the stairs. Each wooden plank creaked like an un-oiled door hinge. Tomohiro made his way to the backdoor when he saw a pole-shaped object lying against the kitchen table. When he came closer he saw it was a fishing rod. Attached to the fishing rod was a note:
Tomohiro- I figured you would be trying to sneak out of my house. I got you a little something, I hope you like it. There is bait in the fridge. Try not to get eaten. Give em’ hell, kid. Enjoy. –Grandpa
Tomohiro smiled, crumpled up the paper and threw it in the waste basket. After taking the bait from the fridge, Tomohiro set out for the pier. In sandals, Tomohiro’s feet sunks in the cold morning sand as he jogged toward the pier. Pier Toriyama had a candy-cane colored light house at its tip. The light from the lighthouse still burned brightly into the vacant ocean. It served as Tomohiro’s beacon of hope. He grew excited at the sight and began to sprint. He saw a man sitting on the beach, in front of the lighthouse, motionless. The man had a newspaper over head and half eaten bread in his hand. Tomohiro got closer but a flock of seagulls reached the man before he could. The seagulls cried loudly, pecking at the man’s bread. The man had not the slightest clue as to what was going on. The relentless seagulls continued their wily pursuit of the food and laid siege upon the man’s arm. He screamed and swatted but the birds wouldn’t leave him alone. He fell backwards, on his chair, into the sand, lost in his newspaper.
“Where am I,” he screamed. “What’s going on?”
Tomohiro stopped in amazement and looked on without a word. The man still struggled to get up. The birds kept pecking.
“You damned birds! Get away! Get away!” The man finally realized what they were after and tossed the bread down the beach. Tomohiro let out a boisterous laugh and rolled around in the sand when he found out it was the man from the train. He looked disheveled, his hair was covered in sand and the newspaper covered only half of his petrified expression. The man quickly stood and showed embarrassment on his face. He wiped himself clean of sand and walked toward a rowdy Tomohiro. The boy seized all laughter once the man reached his body.
“That’s quite enough of that.” The man picked up Tomohiro from the scuff of his neck and brought him to his feet. “You’re late, kid.”
“I’m—I’m sorry, sir.”
“It’s quite alright. Let’s head out.”
“Where is your boat?”
“It’s just around the bend.”
“By the way, I never got your name.”
“Ryuji is my name.”
“Ryuji,” Tomohiro repeated. “I am Tomohiro Inoue.”
Ryuji didn’t seem too surprised. He made no sudden movements or facial expressions. He seemed indifferent. Maybe he wasn’t a morning person, Tomohiro thought.
They fished all day and arrived back at the pier at half past six. The boat showed beautifully for it was still extremely clean. Tomohiro felt triumphant and Ryuji stood tall and proud on the forecastle deck of the ship. He was happy. It was the first time Tomohiro had seen Ryuji smile since the train ride. Dangling from the mast of the boat were twenty-seven fish carcasses. The mast now looked like a gallows pole. The victorious executioners sailed back to the boat’s original spot and tied it around several medal rings on the dock. Ryuji took out a wooden cart from the boat’s hold, rolled it down the ramp and onto the sand.
“Tomohiro, load this up with all the carcasses. Roll it through the sand and bring it to Enryu’s Market.”
“You want me to roll this through the sand?” Tomohiro was astonished. “How do you expect me to do that?”
Ryuji picked up a piece a rope that is attached to the wagon on wheels and handed it to Tomohiro. “Here you are.”
“You expect me to be able to pull this all the way to the side street?”
“Yes. Work on your strength. You are going to need it when we set out for Big Blue next week.”
“Why won’t you help me?”
“I am going to speak to some of the locals. I need to find out where the most Big Blue sightings were. I also need to ask Enryu how much he will pay for twenty-seven tuna carcasses.”
Without any further word Ryuji walked away and Tomohiro began hauling the cart o’ carcasses. Tomohiro pulled for an hour and finally reached the bend. He could see the lighthouse and inspiration was renewed. Tomohiro saw a mass of people gathered by a large boat, near the pier. He could see some sort of creature hanging from the mast but he couldn’t quite make out what it was. He pulled the lever tighter and quickened his steps. He now saw a boy, about his age, standing on the boat. He could hear the people applauding. The creature was a giant octopus. Its head was the size of a small vehicle. It looked like an alien. Its tentacles stretched out the length of the boat. It seemed almost impossible for someone to catch a beast that big, Tomohiro thought. It had became clear to him that this beast was none other than the notorious Takoyaki no Fukushuu. He was one of the Deadly Seven and this kid had caught him. Tomohiro was confused and bewildered beyond his wildest dreams. Who is this kid, he thought.
Ryuji appeared behind Tomohiro.
“That is Satoshi Takasugi.”
“Satoshi Takasugi?” Ryugi nodded. “Who is that?”
“It’s your competition.”
Tomohiro made no comment.
“Let’s go, Tomohiro. Hurry up and get those carcasses to Enryu. He is awaiting your arrival. After that, I have some people for you to meet.”
IV
He was trying to breathe smoothly now. Tomohiro gripped the fishing rod with all his might. It wasn’t quite Big Blue but it sure was enormous, Tomohiro thought. The fish tugged way with such might. Tomohiro’s fully stretched body was almost in the water by now. Ryuji was holding onto his ankles to make sure the fish didn’t take him. The rest of their crew members held onto Ryuji.
“You bastard!” Tomohiro screamed to the fish as if he could understand. “Stop trying to escape me. I will capture you no matter what.”
“You need to capture this thing right now if you want to keep your ankles!” Ryuji spits out his cigarette into the murky brown water. The fish increased its pull and dragged the boat like a rag doll. Tomohiro and Ryuji screamed for him to stop. The fish dragged them all the way to the lake shore. The boat stopped. There was no tugging or pulling of any sort. Ryuji pulled Tomohiro back onto the boat. Tomohiro landed on his back and started to breathe hard as if he ran a track meet.
“That---that damned fish is going to be the death of me.”
“You can’t give up now. Give me the rod. Hurry up! You cannot let him eat the bait!” Tomohiro did as instructed. “Ok, now go down under and get that bastard out of his hole.”
“His hole?”
“Yes, he is hiding in a large hole, that is why he stopped. Get him out quickly. I will prepare your harpoon and the crew will prepare the mast line for the capture.”
Tomohiro was astonished. “How do you expect me to draw him out?”
“Stand here. Spread your arms out and chant: Great Catfish of the Wild.” Ryuji points to the ledge of the boat.
Tomohiro places both feet on the ledge just as instructed. He spreads his arms and readies himself. “Great Catfish of the Wi—” Ryuji, with his hands in his pockets, kicks Tomohiro in the backside and sends him splashing into the water.
“Whoops. My foot slipped.”
“Do I get any equipment?”
Ryuji fidgets through his coat pocket. He pries out a pair of goggles and tosses them to Tomohiro. “There you go.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it. Go!”
Tomohiro quickly puts on the goggles and descends within the muddy water. At first he couldn’t see much, so he would simply stroke and thrust. This pattern continued until Tomohiro saw a large black hole. Jutting out of the whole were two enormous whiskers flapping to and fro. He needed to catch his breath before taking any course of action. He returned to the surface.
“I found em’.” Tomohiro cries.
“Good, get em’ out.” Ryuji quickly replies.
Tomohiro takes a deep breath and returns to the water. He swims down near the hole and grabs on to the fish’s whiskers. Simultaneously he tugs, trying to enrage the beast. In the darkness appeared a large set of lips. The lips opened and the head shook. The line was still in the cat fish’s mouth but the bait was no wear to be found. The fish then shot out of the whole. Tomohiro panicked. The fish struck Tomohiro and lifted him upward. Tomohiro tightened his grip on the whiskers. The catfish leaped into the air trying to consume Tomohiro. Tomohiro saw something peculiar in the gills of the monster. Jutting out of the gills was a large trout carcass. It was a sheer stroke of luck and no matter what they had done, the beast still in captivity. Tomohiro leaped off of the beast and tried to reach the boat. The fish returned underwater. Both of Tomohiro’s arms landed on the ledge on the boat. His body still dangled in the water.
“Help me up,” he screamed. Ryuji and another crew member pulled him up.
“What did you see,” said the crewmember.
“The Gods have shown some sort of sympathy for me.” Tomohiro smiled childishly.
“What do you mean?”
“The bait is stuck in between one of his gills. It must have happened when I pulled on his whiskers. I don’t think he saw me. I must have startled him.”
The catfish jumped again, splashing the murky water close to the boat. No one seemed to notice too much. They were fixated on Tomohiro’s words.
“This is brilliant,” one crew member cried.”
“Sensational,” cried another.
“How fortunate,” another said.
Tomohiro wore a determined look across his face. “The job isn’t over yet. Is my harpoon ready?”
“Yes,” Ryuji replied handing him a long wooden shaft with a sharp knife at the end.
The fish jumped again, this time causing a large sum of water to cascade onto the boat. “The next jump will be his last,” Tomohiro says confidently. “Ready the reels!”
The crew members turn on the mechanical reel that has now been joined with the fishing line that was once on Tomohiro’s rod.
Ryuji turned to Tomohiro. “You have one chance to do this. You need to hit the target. Remember what we practiced.” Tomohiro thought of the training he had underwent the last week in preparation for the capture. He had to learn how to effectively throw a harpoon and hit the target with consistency. For this, Ryuji set up target practice in the vacant woods. This was the first time Tomohiro was hitting a moving target though. This also was a situation that requires a “one-shot kill” for success.
“Yes, I know,” said Tomohiro. The beast then rose once more. At its highest peak the catfish showed his completely open chest and Tomohiro struck. He chucked the spear like tribesmen and pierced through the beast’s belly. Blood spurted out the hole like the geysers of national parks. The beast fell on its side and sent an enormous splash through the water. All the men cheered. Tomohiro pumped his fist in the air. “I got em’,” he screamed. Ryuji was the only one that had kept his reserve. He crossed his arms and gave a slight smirk in approval.
“Reel him in.” cried Ryuji. He turned to Tomohiro. “Nicely done, kid. You’ve caught your first of the Deadly Seven.” Tomohiro let his smile show. He tried to be as modest as Ryuji but he was far too happy to let that happen. His stretched lips would stay that way until they arrived back at shore. All the people gathered around to see a monster suspended by an iron mast. The brown catfish hung lifelessly. Its gills were wide and slightly torn. The wound was most eye-catching. The blood still poured out like a fountain.
“I have captured The Great Catfish of the Wild! I wrestled his whiskers and harpooned his stomach!” All the people took a good look at the young Tomohiro standing on the ledge of the boat pointing at the giant catfish. The boy who caught the giant squid stood amongst the crowd yet he was the only one who was not celebrating. He had a sour look on his face. His arms crossed tightly and lips were perched. When Tomohiro got off of the boat he was approached by the boy.
“You are stricken with luck.” The sour boy says.
“I wouldn’t call it luck.” Tomohiro replies.
“Oh please. It was definitely luck.”
“How would you know?”
“I can tell by the way you walk, talk, and act you are from the city.”
“I am from the city. What of it?”
“City folk can’t fish like the locals can.”
“That’s stupid.”
“You aren’t good enough to catch any of the Deadly seven.”
“Clearly I am.”
“If you are so good, then catch the rest.”
“I think you should too.”
“Fine. We will both try. But you will fail.”
“I wouldn’t say so.”
The argument brought dead to an innocent ambition and gave birth to a lifelong rival.
“My name is Satoshi Takasugi, remember my name.”
“I know who you are.”
“Good. Expect to see capture the rest of the Deadly Seven.” Satoshi walked away with such arrogance. He turned his back and marched to the streets. Tomohiro watched his new found rival exit his time of glory. Tomohiro felt happy, and nervous and scared and excited and ready all together. He knew that Satoshi would become an interesting addition to his ambition. He knew that having a rival would in fact help him become a successful fisherman. Ryuji knew this as well. Satoshi would prove to become a worthy adversary.
That night the people had a large party. Enryu paid a fine sum of money to Ryuji and Tomohiro. The people bought fish meat and the smell of fried catfish filled the city streets. The lights glazed and the people cheered. The music perused around and the villagers danced the moon to sleep. Tomohiro fell asleep on his boat, filled with fried catfish, white rice, and roasted boar. He grumbled for he had ate too much food. The clean picked bones sat in a pile next to him. The birds ate at them in the morning.
V
Summers, autumns, winters and springs pass by. Both continued to pursuit the Deadly Seven. From the time of the catfish’s capture Satoshi successfully caught the Octopus of Lake Yuuji and the Swordfish of Hiroshima. Tomohiro successfully caught the Marlin of West Blue and the Okayama Shark. The only one of the Deadly Seven that remained was Big Blue. They had spent the majority of the last three years looking for Big Blues whereabouts. Within three years his father had not once tried to contact him. His mother had come to see him several times during various holidays sending him money and making him food. Once a week, Tomohiro’s mother would call him at his grandfather’s house to check in. Tomohiro never minded that his father hadn’t made an effort to see him. All he thought about was capturing Big Blue and proving his worth as a world class fisherman. With goal in sight Tomohiro still searched.
The ocean winds roared and the seagulls cried. The boat rocked back and forth. Ryuji slept and the crewmen sang. Boxes upon boxes of empty booze bottles piles up like pyramids. The large tuna bait was sitting slimy and swarming with flies. Tomohiro lay on his back looking at the sky. He wondered when Big Blue would appear. His callosed hands touched his roughed up face. He was twenty years of age now and had a full beard. He felt older than he was. The old man was in disbelief. He felt that time had passed him by so quickly. It was as if twenty years had flashed by and the whole world was in fast forward. Tomohiro had no recollection of current events. He knew of no political affairs or sociological changes. He knew not of wars or tragedies all he knew and needed to know was that Big Blue was still alive. All he knew was that the ocean wind still breathed and the sun still rose and flowers still bloomed his dream was still alive. That was all that mattered. Tomohiro began to think about Ryuji and how wonderful it had been that he met him on the train the evening of his arrival. Without Ryuji, he would have never caught three of the Deadly Seven, Tomohiro thought. Tomohiro learned a lot about the seas and the way the life of a fisherman worked from Ryuji. He had stepped in as somewhat of a father figure and raised Tomohiro in the past three years. Tomohiro felt grateful for Ryuji’s help yet he never truly knew his reason for sticking around. For God’s sake, Ryuji was skillful enough to catch the Deadly Seven on his own. The sun burned harder in Tomohiro’s eyes. He took a deep breath and soaked up peacefulness. Shortly after, the peacefulness was disturbed by a crewmembers scream.
“There is another ship approaching!”
Everyone stopped their activities to see what the commotion was four. All the drunkards stop dancing. Ryuji woke from his slumber. Tomohiro arose from his daydreaming. A slightly identical boat approached. Well dressed sailors stood upon the deck watching Tomohiro’s boat. The approaching boat flew through the water faster than it usually should. The neighboring boat didn’t have a ruttier, but it had a propeller that fizzed below surface. When the boat drew nearer Tomohiro saw that the boat belonged to Satoshi. Satoshi had his arms crossed and a proud smile on his face. Tomohiro sprang forth to the ledge of his boat.
“Satoshi, what are you doing here?” Tomohiro said viciously.
“Villagers believe that Big Blue was most frequently found here on the dawn of summer.”
“You’re sailing in my path!”
“Your path?” Satoshi laughed rigorously. “This ocean is as open as the rest of the world.
“Playing dirty I suppose.”
“If that is what you constitute as playing dirty.”
“Well, I guess its fine.” Tomohiro quickly turned to go speak with Ryuji who sat on the main deck kicking his feet like a toddler.
“You have a front row seat to watching me catch Big Blue.”
Tomohiro turned and laughed.
“Seriously,” Satoshi began. “Once I catch Big Blue you can no longer fish in these oceans. You can no longer show your face around here anymore.”
“Don’t be so sure.”
Just then both boats accelerate forward rapidly. At the tip of both boats were fishing lines. Both fishing lines were attached to the mast reels. Every crewmember in both boats fell to their feet. When they rose, a crewmember on Tomohiro’s boat screamed out, “It must be Big Blue.” The crewmembers shuffled over to the reel trying not to lose him. It was an unbelievable turn of events as somehow the monster had caught both baits at the same time. Both Satoshi and Tomohiro ran to the front of their boats. Big Blue had a furious pull. She was stronger than anyone of them would have expected.
“This is it.” Tomohiro said. He looked at Ryuji in an bewildered determination.
“This is my day, Tomohiro! Watch as I capture the deadliest of Japan’s beasts!” Satoshi screamed.
The boat was accelerating, the water was splashing, the crew members were yelling, the scene was beautiful. The monster jumped into the air as dolphins did. With a ferocious leap he lifted both boats of the surface of the water. When they landed a quick rain of water showered over them. Satoshi readied his harpoon for the strike.
“No Satoshi, don’t strike!” Tomohiro yelled. “It is not time yet!”
Satoshi didn’t listen to Tomohiro’s warning and threw the harpoon once Big Blue leaped again. The harpoon skidded off of Big Blue’s skin and it halted the fish.
“you idiot,” Tomohiro began, “he is going to kill us!”
Satoshi looked confused beyond his wildest dreams. They had no time to retreat for Big Blue devoured their bait at once and prepared an attack. Big Blue leaped into the air and crashed into Satoshi’s boat sending all the crewmembers screaming and jumping off ship. Big Blue returned to water only to attack Tomohiro’s boat next. He landed on the boat and everyone jumped ship. The crewmembers of each fisherman lay on the debris of the boat.
“Ryuji,” Tomohiro called out. Ryuji lay on a wooden plank in the ocean.
“Hey, kid,” he began, “you need to finish this bastard off.”
Tears rushed to Tomohiro’s eyes as he saw that Ryuji had been severely injured. The beast had devoured his left leg and amputated it completely. Blood rushed out of the gash as Tomohiro wept profusely.
“Take the harpoon .” Ryuji suggested.
Tomohiro took a glance at Satoshi who was unconscious on the debris across from him.
“Tomohiro, there is something I have been meaning to tell you.”
“What is it, Ryuji.”
“I am your real father. I left when you were young to be a fisherman and sail the seas of India. I am sorry I never got a chance to raise you.” Ryuji coughed up blood as he final sentence escaped his chapped lips.
With tear filled eyes Tomohiro took the spear and the beast arose from the dark depths of the ocean. Tomohiro screamed just as the warriors did before him. He lifted the harpoon and thrust it through the belly of the beast. Big Blue lay motionless; dead and wounded. Tomohiro lay in the middle of the ocean looking up at the sun and awaiting help. The sun burned back the seagulls cried again. The merciful sun spared his life. It had been watching over him all along. Its warmth brought him hope. The sun soon fell and gave birth to the darkness. Tomohiro cried for the hope he once had now was gone.
THE END
