The Last Emprex (19 page)

CHAPTER 29

“AND THAT'S HOW TAKIZA SAVED MY LIFE,”
Gray told everyone as he finished the story of the betta's battle with Hokuu.

Barkley, Leilani, Striiker, and Snork could scarcely believe their ears.

“Hokuu's dead,” Barkley whispered. “It's over.”

Snork shook his head. “I'm sad about Takiza but I know Salamanca is going to be mad. He really wanted to be the one to beat Hokuu.”

“Everyone wanted to,” Striiker nodded with approval. “But only one fish in all the wet world could do it. That Takiza was a great fin.”

Leilani looked at Gray. “Are you all right?”

Gray flexed his fins up and down. The one that had been sliced off tickled but otherwise felt fine. “I am. I miss Takiza, but now that it's over it's like this huge weight has been lifted from me.”

“Because you loaded it on me!” said Barkley, giving him a bump. His friend had been overwhelmingly chosen as the first-ever leader of the First Assembly of Fathomir.

“You had it coming,” Gray said. “Not because I'm getting you back for anything, but because I think you're the best fish for the job.”

“Really?” asked Barkley. “Not even a bit?”

“Maybe a little for all those fat jokes when we were pups.”

Barkley nodded. “I do think the fins of the Big Blue are ready for a change, though. The right ideas could transform the seven seas! And I'll have help from a lot of smart fish; Tydal is Indi's representative, Jaunt has been chosen as AuzyAuzy's, Judijoan knows
everything
, and of course Striiker will be protecting my dorsal fin and also creating the Fathomir defense force.”

Gray hadn't heard about this.

The great white whipped his tail from side to side eagerly. “Gonna be a lot of work but I can't wait. Remember how you combined Indi and AuzyAuzy into one fighting force after Finnivus was defeated? They worked together perfectly against Grimkahn, even though they used to be enemies. Well, I'd like to do that with
all
the ancient shivers. We rotate five hundred fins from each shiver into the armada and they train together. I mean, no one's gonna listen to the First Assembly unless its decisions are backed up by some teeth, right?”

Barkley took over, enthusiasm lighting up his eyes. “We'll have the most powerful force in the seas. That's good, but not the point. The important part is that sharkkind and dwellers from all over the ocean will get to know each other. When they go back to their home shivers they can say, ‘Hey I met those fins from Indi Shiver. They're not the bloodthirsty crazyfish we heard about; they're okay.'”

Leilani smiled. “That's a wonderful idea. You can stop prejudice and hate before it starts.”

“See?” Gray said. “I knew I picked the right shark. Or at least I picked the shark that would pick all the other right sharks. Either way's good.”

“I offered Leilani a position as an advisor but oddly she said no,” Barkley told Gray, giving the spinner a calculating look. “She's being very secretive about what she's doing in the future. Do you know anything about that, Gray?”

“I'm right here, you know,” Leilani said with a smile.

Gray opened his mouth to tell Barkley what they were going to do but was interrupted by a colorful blur—Yappy.

“Hey, it's Gray and Barkley! Barkley and Gray!” shouted the sea dragon as he waved his leafy flippers in excitement. “Didn't I tell you my cousins would come? And they're loads of fun. As long as you don't cheat at Tuna Roll. They don't like that at all. But I told you they'd come and they did!”

“They certainly did,” said Gray.

“You did great, Yappy,” Barkley agreed as he poked Gray with his tail. “Back to the previous topic. I think it's about time you tell us what you're going to be—”

Barkley didn't get to ask the rest of his question because Yappy blurted, “Hey Gray! Did you tell everyone how you're going to your old reef in the Caribbi Sea with Coral Shiver and all the other sharkkind who don't have a home?”

Barkley, Snork, and Striiker looked at Gray in surprise. Leilani was the only one that didn't. She was coming with him. It was why she hadn't taken a position in the First Assembly.

“No Yappy, I hadn't quite yet,” Gray said with a grin.

“Oh, I'm sorry,” Yappy said. “Did I spoil the surprise?”

“Not at all,” Gray told him. “What do you think, Bark?”

Barkley flicked his fins up and down. “That's amazing! Is your mom going, too?”

Gray nodded. “She is, along with every orphan that lost their parents through the wars with Grimkahn and Finnivus, and any other small shivers that want a new start.” Gray looked at each of his friends. “The place I grew up was destroyed by war. It feels right that it should be rebuilt by the survivors of this last one.”

“I'm going for sure!” Yappy said. “What about you Barkley?”

“Well no, I guess I can't,” said his friend.

Gray gave Barkley a slap to the flank. “Hey, who says the First Assembly leader doesn't go on listening tours around the oceans, including the Caribbi Sea?”

“That's right!” Barkley said. “It's very important to listen! You're a genius!”

“And
there's
something I've never been called,” Gray said. Everyone laughed. He turned to Striiker and Snork. “Of course, you'll both be honorary members of Coral Shiver.”

“I'm always up for visiting new places,” said Striiker.

“Thanks, Gray,” Snork said. “I'd love to come and see your home someday.”

“But not today, tomorrow, or next week!” said Salamanca.

“It's Salamanca!” yelled Yappy. “Hey, Salamanca! What's it like to have a big nose like yours? Have you ever gotten it stuck in a rock? Or coral? How about especially thick greenie?”

Salamanca rolled his eyes when he saw Yappy. The sea dragon began pestering the other bladefish who were with the big marlin. Salamanca leaned in to Gray and Barkley and spoke low. “Salamanca does not know if you have noticed, but the sea dragon called Yappy is formidable at continuously speaking. He is a wonder of sorts.”

“We might have noticed that,” said Barkley with a grin.

Snork swished his tail. “I'll complete my training and then who knows? Maybe I'll be assigned to look after your shiver, or Fathomir.”

“What's this?” asked Gray.

Salamanca nodded his long bill up and down. “The bladefish have become too secretive. We would like to be included in the various decisions made by this First Assembly of Fathomir.”

“So Gray, what are you doing now?” asked Striiker.

“I believe we just covered that in detail,” Barkley answered.

“No, I mean right this minute,” the great white said. He flicked his tail toward the giant celebration in the golden greenie fields of Fathomir. “If none of us is doing anything too important maybe we could join the party for a bit?”

Everyone looked to Gray to make this one last decision for them, so he nodded. “That's an excellent idea. For my last decree as Seazarein Emprex, I
order
you all to have as much fun as possible for the next few days.”

His friends cheered and everyone jammed together for a group rub before they swam over and joined the happy crowd.

They had earned it.

CHAPTER 30

PEACE HAD COME TO THE BIG BLUE. THE
water was warm and it was a beautiful summer day with the sun shining down from the chop-chop. Gray looked out over the reef at Coral Shiver and sighed, content. He swam by Miss Lamprey, the eel school teacher at the reef, and her two assistants as they taught a class on navigation to hundreds of pups.

Coral Shiver was much larger than when he had been young. Many of the refugees had chosen to settle down with them. Gray had taken the position of leader but the day-to-day decisions he left to his mother, Sandy. Onyx had insisted on putting together a mariner force but the training wasn't as harsh as it was when they were at war. For that Gray was thankful.

“Do you miss it?” Leilani asked. She too was a teacher and specialized in helping the orphans who were most traumatized.

Gray looked at the spinner and smiled. Although he knew what she was referring to he asked, “Miss what?”

Leilani gave him a rub to the flank. “You know, being a part of all the big decisions.”

“Nope,” Gray said, waggling a fin. “Not even a little. Even when there's nothing going on, there's always something, and that's tiring. Besides, things are going fine.”

Barkley was doing wonderfully. Velenka was his first advisor, and she had a knack for cunning negotiation. Maybe she'd be elected as assembly leader one day and in a way conquer the ocean like she always wanted. Other than a few minor territory disputes, the currents were smooth. Everything was being solved by talking rather than fighting, and that was a welcome change.

The First Assembly of Fathomir had voted that he be kept up on current events every week by quickfin messenger. Gray didn't mind getting updates but he didn't weigh in with his opinion unless specifically asked. Usually Barkley sent Eugene Speedmeister and it was always good to see the young flying fish. He had become a legend among the quickfins since his wild swim to the Arktik.

Gray shuddered to think what would have happened in the battle against Grimkahn without Hideg and Icingholme Shivers' help. And AuzyAuzy's, and Indi's, and Hammer's, and Vortex's, and Yappy's cousins, and even the mysterious and perfectly timed school of jellyfish that floated through the battle courtesy of Trank, although he denied it every time he was asked.

If even one of them hadn't shown up . . .

Gray banished the thought.

They had all come. The war had been won.

Gray had seen Tydal a month ago, when an official Indi Shiver delegation visited Coral Shiver. They had eaten and talked and watched many rounds of Tuna Roll. Gray even got to join in for a few games. That was fun. It was the first-ever official visit to Coral, and Barkley was miffed that it wasn't him doing the visiting. His friend was due to arrive in a month, when his schedule cleared. That was one of the numerous problems with being an important leader. Your time was never your own.

No, Gray didn't miss it.

Suddenly there was a commotion at the far end of the reef.

Leilani gave Gray a look. “What could that be?”

“Let's go check it out,” he said and they swam to the disturbance.

“If you ever do it again I'll give you each such a fin slap that you won't stop spinning for a week!” Onyx yelled.

“Aww, come on!” protested Riprap. “We were only having fun! The reef is boring!”

Ebbie looked to Sandy with her big eyes. “We weren't far away, Mom. And it's not even dark.”

Gray and Leilani joined them. “So what's this?” he asked.

Sandy gave them an amused grin. “It seems these two were attracted by a drove of bluefin tuna and ended up two miles away by the time they were done chasing it.”

“One of our patrols found them,” added Onyx.

“That sounds oddly familiar,” Gray said. He had done the same thing with Barkley. It got him banished from Coral Shiver and began his long journey into the open waters. Of course, they didn't need to fear being discovered by hostile sharkkind like in the old days. Coral was the largest shiver in the area and their neighbors were peaceful.

“I don't think we have to call a council meeting,” Onyx said to Gray. “Since you have experience with this kind of thing, you can decide their punishment.”

“You're not going to banish us, are you?” asked Riprap.

“Don't banish us, Gray!” said Ebbie. “We like it here!”

“No one's being banished,” he told the two. “But the rules are in place for a reason and you broke them. You're grounded for a week.”

Ebbie shook her head. “That's so unfair.”

“A whole week?” sputtered Riprap. “We thought you were cool!”

“Hey, I'm still cool,” Gray said with a smile.

Sandy pushed the little sharks toward the reef with her tail. “Go on, you two.” Sandy looked at him as she followed. “Not so great when you're the one in charge of the punishing, is it?”

Gray nodded at Sandy. “Sometimes that's the way it goes. But I'm not that mature yet, either.” He called after his brother and sister. “Why don't we play some hide and seek? You guys hide and Leilani and I will seek. But stay near the reef!”

“Totally cool!” cried Riprap.

“You'll never find us,” said Ebbie, and both sharks swam off.

Onyx gave Gray a fin waggle. “It's time to check how our mariners do in a surprise drill.”

“Try not to be too hard on them,” Gray said. Thinking better of this he added, “But make sure they learn.”

Onyx left Gray and Leilani to hover in the refreshing current. They looked out over the reef and all the shiver sharks.

“This is nice,” she said.

“I could get used to it,” Gray answered. “I think it'll be smooth currents from here on out.”

“So, should we go find Riprap and Ebbie?” asked Leilani.

Gray was about to say yes when he saw something in the distance. It was moving fast and straight at them. It was Eugene Speedmeister. The flying fish was totally out of breath by the time he got to them. “Oh, thank Tyro I found you! You have to come!” Eugene said. “The First Assembly needs you!”

“What's the message?” asked Leilani.

Eugene flicked his fins up and down in a salute. “Message to the last Seazarein Emprex Graynoldus from First Assembly Leader Barkley. Code word, Octopi. The message is as follows: ‘The jellies are threatening to go to war and they'll only talk with you. Please come as soon as possible.'”

“The jellyfish want to go to war?” said Leilani, not believing the words as they came from her mouth.

Gray sighed and looked at the spinner. “Well, looks like I jinxed it.”

Apparently the Big Blue wasn't quite done with him yet.

Then Gray heard something on the current.

It sounded remarkably like Takiza laughing.

THE END . . . FOR NOW