Blue

The leaves rustle softly as I go to sleep each night. I can easily imagine the trees and undergrowth that is my home. The forest is really beautiful, both in the morning and at night. About to go to sleep with my mate besides me, it's a little hard not to think of my former home. There, the river was calm and cool. Actually, it kind of smells like my old home here especially at night when everything goes quiet and a cool breeze plays. It smells fresh and peaceful. I used to live in a river far away from here where the air was always had a breeze and the air was misty. I used to be a fish.

I hatched out of an egg at the bottom of the river along with all my other siblings. All of them were brightly colored, orange and red. I was the only black one, the rarest of them all. No, no one made fun of me and I was included with everyone else. My color didn't matter in others eyes and for that I was grateful. We loved playing hide-and-seek, tag, and racing. The river was full of life and it was too exciting to not play.

As we grew, white spots began showing on our bodies. We were excited, we were finally going to grow up into true koi. Every one of us looked forward to the challenge. We had all seen small hatchlings playing in the river banks, swimming, breathing air. They were baby dragons, all colored differently, all with parents. Some of us scoffed at them, but with a sense of regret. Being a dragon was an often argued topic. Some spitefully say its better being a koi but we can tell their longing. Others say it would've been easier to be born a dragon, it doesn't matter if we weren't a legend. But I say that I will undertake the challenge with my best.

As young adults, we had achieved our forever colors. I had a sleek white body, splashed with black. My fins could propel me effortlessly through the water that was my home. My siblings group had thinned, scattered, some joined others, some disappeared. I was now in a group with 2 other fish. My bright red brother and a cute pale orange male. Blow bubbles, find food, play tag, sleep, that's how our trio passed our days. Until one day, the challenge called.

The challenge first took the form of a dream. We had it at about the same time and were intrigued by it. Soon, it became a pulling at our hearts. My brother, Cardinal, my friend, Argon, and I soon decided to pursue the challenge. We swam upstream, North, fighting the soft current. It wasn't really hard. Argon was always talking, telling jokes, stories, riddles. I loved those days when we knew we were pursuing the challenge, knowing at the back of our mind that it was only the beginning.

Months passed, the currents had gotten stronger. At times, we were fighting to not slip. We barely got any rest. At one point, my dear brother Cardinal decided to give up. The challenge was now over for him and he would stay a fish. Argon and I continued until we got to a point where the water was calm but separated into many different directions. A few would carry you downriver at an uncontrollable speed, risky and dangerous. With others, you would need to continue to fight the currents. I had heard one of the downriver passes would take you to the ice lands but with the risk of being bashed into pieces along the way. Argon and I chose upriver, Northeastward.

The last leg of our journey was a real challenge. Argon's pale orange coloring was getting paler by the day. My coloring didn't fade as much but I felt the strain as much as he did. At last, we came to the end of the path. It was a waterfall, much bigger than the ones along the path. If we jumped over, we would become dragons. If we failed, we would've failed the journey and wasted our time. I refuse to give up like my brother did.

Argon went first. He swam to the bottom of the river while I could barely breathe for anxiety. He jumped and landed back. I tried and failed. Dusk set and my body felt bruised and winded. On his last try, Argon fell back hard and got carried away. I loved him but the challenge was cruel. If I failed, I would find him again. Swimming to the bottom of the river, I splashed upwards as fast as I could. I felt a familiar rush of hard air and struggling. Suddenly, my breathing got easy. I landed on top of the waterfall, suddenly many times my regular size. I had wings and fur.

I sat there on the riverbank for a few minutes, awed and thinking of Argon. He would've been happy for me. A smooth tail landed on my back. I turned, it was a green dragon, never a koi before. After a while, he taught me to use my wings to fly and to use my legs to walk. It was amazing. I travelled with him back to his camp, empty at that time. I has thought there would be more things I would have to face. But instead, I learned his name was Waner and he accepted my name as Blue.

That was a long time ago. I live now in the Viridian labyrinth in my small clan. Though Waner is my mate, I have met a young coatl also named Argon, with the same color range as my old friend, nearly the same humor and personality. I would be tempted to believe it is my Argon but he has never been a koi. Nevertheless, I love my home and my family.