Little Dragons And Ducks
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The morning sun was just peeking over the horizon as I stepped out of my tent. The air had a crisp chill to it, but not enough that you’d need your jacket yet; in fact, if anything, this would be one of those rare mornings where wearing nothing more than shorts and sandals might actually make sense!
I made sure everything was packed up before heading back into camp for breakfast: some fruit from yesterday’s trip plus an omelet with cheese on top (the eggs were still good). It wasn’t quite as filling or tasty as what we got at home, but then again there weren’t any restaurants here either… so maybe they’re even?
After finishing off all three pieces of toast I brought along too, I headed down toward the lake shore. There didn’t seem to be much else around besides trees—and lots of them! —so I figured going swimming first thing in the morning could only help me get used to things faster. Maybe after today, I’ll feel like a local already?!
It took about ten minutes walking until I reached the water’s edge, which turned out to be surprisingly shallow compared to how far away it looked when standing by land. As soon as I waded through waist-high grasses and ferns towards its rocky shores though, I found myself looking straight ahead across a vast expanse of blue ocean.
A few islands dotted the landscape beyond the waves’ reach, while farther inland rose mountains covered in thick green foliage. Not exactly tropical paradise, but pretty close nonetheless!
“Wow…” I said aloud without thinking. “This is amazing!”
As expected, no other humans were nearby saved for the occasional bird flying overhead. But judging by their calls and cries, these birds seemed different somehow from than ones back home. They sounded almost musical rather than harsh, making me wonder whether they might have been domesticated instead…?
That thought reminded me of something important, however: did anyone know who owned this island? If someone came looking for us later, wouldn’t they find our campsite empty? Or worse, left behind completely!?
Then again, if nobody knew we existed, why should anybody care about finding us anyway? We hadn’t done anything wrong, right? So long as none of us went missing during the night, surely whoever ran this place would leave well alone. Right now I felt safe enough leaving my stuff lying around outside the tents; hopefully, that feeling continued throughout the day…
I walked further onto the beach itself, marveling at how soft the sand beneath my feet was despite being composed mostly of rocks. In fact, aside from the odd shell here and there, most of the stones were small enough to easily pick up and carry.
Some people might complain about having to do extra work, but I liked doing chores whenever possible. Even better, since I didn’t want to take the chance of losing any valuables, I decided to bring several bags with me. After all, I couldn’t very well expect to swim naked!
Once I finished collecting every last rock within arm’s reach, I started digging a hole near the waterline. This way, once I jumped in, I’d be able to dive deeper without worrying about hitting the bottom. Once I finally managed to dig deep enough, I placed the bag containing my clothes inside and dropped it into the pit.
Then, taking a moment to admire my handiwork, I stripped down to my underwear before jumping in headfirst.
What a rush! My body sank quickly below the surface, allowing me to explore underwater terrain unseen by human eyes ever since Atlantis sunk thousands of years ago. I swam slowly forward, exploring the depths from side to side using both hands.
Eventually, I noticed a large stone sticking out above the sandy floor, forcing me to tread carefully lest I accidentally bump against it. With each stroke, I kept moving closer to the object, eventually reaching a point where I could see it clearly.
To my surprise, it appeared to be shaped vaguely like a turtle. Its shell shined brightly under the sunlight, reflecting light upwards to create a rainbow effect. What really caught my eye though was the creature sitting atop the shell, apparently watching me curiously.
At least, I assumed he was staring at me because his face bore a striking resemblance to mine, albeit smaller. He also wore a pair of sunglasses, although unlike me, they were attached to a strap around his neck.
My initial reaction upon seeing him was fear. Why would such a strange animal be roaming free on an uninhabited island? Wasn’t that dangerous? However, as I watched the little guy sit motionless, waiting patiently for me to pass by, I realized I shouldn’t judge others based solely on appearances.
Just like everyone back home, this one probably had its own unique story to tell. And just like me, perhaps he wanted nothing more than to live peacefully alongside fellow beings…
The realization gave me pause, causing me to slow down considerably. The turtle followed suit, letting go of the shell and floating gently downward. When I stopped swimming altogether, I saw him turn sideways and begin gliding silently underneath me.
His movements were smooth yet graceful; not a single ripple disturbed the serene waters surrounding us. It wasn’t long before the two of us passed between the coral reefs and entered the open sea.
For some reason, I suddenly recalled the time I first met Tama. Back then she too floated freely along with her friend Pochi, never seeming concerned or frightened even after encountering a giant whale. Maybe I needed to learn from them and try relaxing a bit so I can enjoy life as much as possible…
With renewed determination, I resumed swimming. Although I still held my breath, I let my arms float loosely beside me, enjoying the sensation of freedom. For the next few minutes, I simply enjoyed myself, occasionally stopping when I spotted interesting things drifting past.
There weren’t many fish visible due to the lack of sunlight, but I did spot plenty of colorful corals and seaweed. As far as I could tell, everything looked healthy and vibrant. No doubt this ocean teemed with life, especially considering how warm it must get underground.
After what felt like hours, I began to feel tired. Perhaps it was the sudden change in temperature, which made me realize I hadn’t brought any food or drink aboard. But no matter—as soon as I reached land, I planned to buy something tasty. That said, I definitely wouldn’t mind staying longer and continuing to explore these beautiful surroundings. If only someone else could join me…
Suddenly, I heard splashing behind me. Turning around, I found another turtle approaching rapidly. Unlike the other one, however, this one seemed quite agitated. Noticing my gaze, it turned away and dove straight towards me, narrowly avoiding colliding with my tail.
By the time I understood what was happening, it already darted past me and disappeared into the distance. Afterward, I continued following the same path until I came across a small cave leading downwards. Curious, I decided to investigate further.
I descended several dozen feet beneath the waves, passing through numerous tunnels connected to various chambers. Some of those rooms contained stalactites hanging from the ceiling while others housed pools filled with glowing blue liquid.
Yet despite all their differences, none of them differed greatly from what I’d seen during my previous dives. In fact, most resembled caves back home, except here there was hardly anything living inside.
Eventually, I arrived at a chamber containing a circular pool surrounded by rocks resembling stairs. Upon entering, I discovered a number of large turtles resting within. They didn’t seem particularly interested in me, instead keeping themselves busy grooming each other’s shells.
One of them happened to glance up at me, prompting me to duck underwater. This caused the rest of the group to follow suit, leaving me alone once again.
It took me a while to find my way back to the entrance, mostly thanks to the confusing layout of the place. Eventually, I managed to reach dry ground without getting lost. Once outside, I noticed a nearby building constructed out of wood. Judging by the size, it might have been used as part of a village.
A quick look revealed a sign reading “Restaurant.” So maybe I should stop and grab something to eat…?
“Ah! Sorry!”
Just as I started walking toward the restaurant, I bumped right into someone coming in the opposite direction. Instantly recognizing who it was, I quickly apologized.
“…Huh?”
When I glanced over my shoulder, I froze mid-step. Standing directly behind me stood a girl wearing a white dress. She appeared about my age, although her face was obscured by a veil covering half her head. Her outfit also reminded me somewhat of the attire worn by women back home.
While I couldn’t see her eyes under the cloth, they somehow conveyed a sense of kindness. Still, I hesitated to approach her. What if she thought I was trying to steal her purse?! I mean, that would be rude enough on its own, but given our current situation, it just sounded downright dangerous.
Besides, I had absolutely no idea where we were. And besides, why would anyone want to attack an innocent person?
Decision made, I stepped aside and waited for the woman to pass. However, she remained standing motionless in front of me. My heart skipped a beat upon realizing this meant I now faced two choices: either walk forward or retreat backward.
Since neither option appealed to me, I chose to remain frozen in place. Unfortunately, doing so left me unable to move anywhere else. The moment I realized this, I panicked and frantically tried pushing against the floor using both hands. It worked almost immediately, allowing me to finally step off the platform.
Only then did I notice the strange creature floating above us.
The mysterious figure wore a long robe similar to mine. Its body glowed faintly orange, making it hard to discern whether it possessed legs or not. When I peered closely, I saw countless tiny lights swirling throughout its entire form. Each light orb moved independently, creating patterns reminiscent of flames dancing along the fabric.
At first, I assumed it was some kind of magical construct created by the people inhabiting this world, but judging by how much larger than normal it was compared to the ones I’d encountered previously, I suspected otherwise. Furthermore, unlike the others, it lacked any sort of pattern or design.
Instead, every single light orb formed a random shape and color combination seemingly at will. Despite being completely different from the rest, it nevertheless maintained a certain aesthetic beauty.
As I watched, the entity slowly drifted closer, eventually stopping before me. Then, after giving me a curious stare, it floated down onto the wooden surface beside me. For reasons unknown, it opened its mouth wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth lining its upper jaw.
Without warning, it grabbed hold of my arm with surprising strength. As expected, I screamed in surprise, causing the rest of the room to turn and look at me curiously.
A few seconds later, the thing released my hand. Apparently satisfied with whatever it found inside, it turned around and began drifting away. To avoid bumping into it again, I hurriedly followed suit, only to realize the exit door was already closed. Nowhere to go… Wait, is there another one somewhere?
If not, does that mean I’ll need to swim back to the starting point? No thank you!
After carefully examining the surrounding area, I spotted a small opening near the wall leading deeper underground. After confirming nobody was watching, I slipped inside. Fortunately, it wasn’t too far until reaching the next level. But what awaited beyond seemed even more bizarre than anything I could’ve imagined.
Upon stepping through the doorway, I entered a vast cavern filled with various creatures swimming beneath the water’s surface. Most resembled fish, while others looked like giant crabs covered in seaweed. Others still bore resemblance to sea serpents, albeit smaller versions.
There must have been dozens of species living here, all moving about freely in their natural habitat. Even stranger yet, these aquatic animals weren’t afraid of humans whatsoever. In fact, most swam up close to investigate, occasionally darting between them for fun.
They didn’t seem hostile towards each other either; instead, they simply went about their business as usual. None attacked nor showed signs of aggression toward those passing by. This whole scene felt rather surreal.
The End