The Best of Fish Worlds

Chapter Five

The next morning, when the sun was up and at the top of the sky, Hannah returned to the pond. She longed to be with her betrothed once more. This time, however, Hannah resolved not to be caught off guard like she was before. This time, she came prepared. In Hannah's svelte arms, she carried her prized purple guitar and an exotic turtle. When she arrived at the pond's edge, she could barely contain her giddy excitement. The deep connection she had felt with the fishman was unlike anything she had ever felt before. Even the feeling of a sold out concert attended by with millions of screaming fans couldn't come close. Hannah thought of the fishman, of his mercurial eyes and pecs like polished stone, and she knew deep inside that he could be the one. Hannah was sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that he felt the same way.

She stood at the edge, gazing meaningfully into the pond because she knew that's where the fishman was, and began to play her song Nobody's Perfect on her guitar. She got all the way to the chorus before two eyes poked out of the water like magnificent periscopes. Could that be him? Hannah didn't have to wait to find out, because the rest of the fishman's beauteous anatomy followed soon after.

She blushed, her alabaster cheeks turning scarlet. The fishman was about to go back underwater, for Hannah had interrupted his beauty sleep, but he changed his mind as soon as he saw her blush. Wow, he thought, she's cute when she blushes. The fishman blushed. Hannah blushed once more. She smiled and pushed her tawny bangs off her forehead.

"So," she began, "I have a present for you." She paused for a moment to build suspense. Once sufficient anticipation had accumulated, she pulled the turtle out of her pocket and held it out to the fishman. "This is for you!" she hollered. It was a big snapping turtle, and the second the fishman saw it, his eyes lit up like fireworks. He was truly wowed by the gesture. No one had ever given him a gift before. The only gifts he ever received were the golf balls people hit into his pond.

He immediately vacated his spot at the center of the pond and made a mad dash for the edge. Upon reaching the shore, he approached the turtle cautiously, his ocular orbs never leaving the turtle's beady eyes.

"Go on, my love," Hannah breathed encouragingly. "He is yours now."

The fishman reached for the turtle. His webbed hands were trembling so much that Hannah almost thought he was doing jazz hands, but when he grasped the turtle in his powerful clutches, his quivering ceased. He immediately put brought it up to his mouth and bit at its shell to see if it was a fake turtle. It wasn't. The fishman blushed. He leaped out of the water and wrapped Hannah in a big hug. The fishman's pecs felt like granite countertops against her. Holy Cannoli! She was wowed. Hannah hoped she could be the tile backsplash to his granite countertops.

They stood in each other's embrace for what felt like an eternity. The fishman felt safe in Hannah's arms. He could have stayed there for a thousand years. Enamoured, the fishman pulled Hannah into his pond next to him. She landed with a sploosh, and Hannah could barely believe his audacity. She shook her head in disbelief, smiling.

The pair splashed around in the pond for what felt like an eternity. They didn't have a care in the world. All other concerns faded away into nothingness, leaving only their love. The snapping turtle watched on in amusement, lounging comfortably on a nearby rock.

Suddenly, Hannah exclaimed, "Sweet niblets! I just remembered, I have a concert in five minutes!" She scurried off, leaving only a single shoe behind. When she was gone, the fishman ventured over to the forgotten treasure. He picked it up, examined it thoroughly, and signed to himself "another one for the collection". He tossed the shoe over his shoulder and watched as it made the slow, graceful descent to the bottom.

Hannah made her way back to the concert venue, eager to perform in another sold out show, her delicate skin beaming with the enchanting hunger of someone in love. She felt at peace in a way she couldn't describe. Just so... happy. Hannah was reminded of her song This is Me. When she was with the fishman, she felt that she was exactly where she was supposed to be. He was her destiny. Hannah was tired of keeping their love in the shadows. She was fully prepared to have the light shine on her. And shine on her it would, when her concert began in five minutes. Hannah had found who she truly was, the one who she'd been looking for, and now, hannah couldn't hold it in any longer. She was about to release her feelings with a show-stopping rendition of This is Me, but she only got one note out before she passed none other than her best friend Troy.

Troy and Hannah recognized each other instantly. "What are the odds?" the pair squeaked in unison. Crazy things like that always seemed to happen to Troy and Hannah when they least expected it. They did their secret handshake before continuing to converse.

"Wow," Hannah chirped. "What a coincidence meeting you here on this golf course." She laughed heartily. "Speaking of which, did you see those golf balls last night?" she inquired.

Troy smiled to himself for reasons Hannah couldn't discern and answered. "Bet! They were really amazing. So... romantic." Troy sighed and gazed off into the distance.

Hannah couldn't help but agree. "Definitely. Could really make a girl swoon." She too sighed while gazing off into the distance.

Troy noticed her vacant stare and was reminded of the fishman and his knees. "Bet. Can I ask you a question?"

Hannah was shocked. "A question? For me? Pop Icon Hannah Montana? Better make it good, I don't have all day."

Typical Hannah, thought Troy. He chose his words carefully. "Bet. Cool. So, like, how do you keep a man? If you find someone and you know that they're the one, and you know you want to be with them for the rest of your life, how would you go about wooing them?" Troy paused for a moment, out of breath, then quickly added: "Asking for a friend."

Hannah blushed. The friend in question must be her, she thought, but how does he already know about my relationship with the fishman? Hannah didn't know how that was possible, but she knew better than to question it. The less she knew about Troy's methods, the better. She knew exactly how to respond.

"Easy. You let them know through song that you want to be with them forever and you bring them a turtle. That'll steal the heart of any man," Hannah suggested.

Troy thought that was terrible advice, but he wasn't going to say that out loud. He and Hannah were best friends, and best friends don't do that to each other. He nodded solemnly.

Hannah took the opportunity to ask Troy a pressing question of her own, "So, now that we're asking for advice, when you find someone who's perfect, someone who likes you for Hannah and not just Pop Icon Hannah Montana, when you find that someone would you give up everything for them?"

Troy blushed. "Well, I think that if you find someone who makes you feel like you aren't out on your own, when you find that person or- or sensual humanoid or whomever, that's how you know that you've found The One."

Hannah didn't think that was very good advice. She never felt like she was out on her own because as a pop icon, she was always surrounded by flocks of adoring fans. Still, not wanting to hurt Troy's fragile ego, she politely nodded and smiled at him as if she was considering it.

Suddenly, Hannah shouted, "Sweet niblets! I just remembered, I have a concert in four minutes!" She threw Troy a quick goodbye and with that, she was gone.

Troy was puzzled by Hannah's sudden departure, but he knew better than to question it. Troy shook his head and smiled. She was always up to no good. He lingered where he stood for a second longer, then resumed his momentous journey to the pond the fishman called home.