Endless Mackerels: The Choice

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Many things had changed in Iwatobi in the last 70 years but something had not. There was still a Iwatobi Elementary school. "Children, I hope you have all finished your assignments!" said the 4th year home room teacher, "Now who would like to read their report on local heros?" she asked.

"I will!" said a little girl with wine red hair and golden eyes.

"Great, class please pay attention to Mikoshiba Gou-kun," encouraged the teacher.

"It's Kou!" corrected the girl, "I am named after my grandmother and she always says her name is Kou! Although," she admitted sheepishly, "My grandfather and great uncle always call her Gou."

Her teacher only smiled and said, "Please go ahead, Mikoshiba-kun."

"I was going to do my report on my grand uncle Matsuoka Rin," started the girl, "Who is a great sports hero who won lots of medal for Japan in swimming. Then went on to be the head of FINA, the international swimming federation and finally the head of the International Olympic Committee! But great uncle Rin said that I should do my report on a true hero. So I am doing my report on Nanase Haruka, the water warrior!"

"Nanase Haruka was born and raised here in Iwatobi. He was a gifted swimmer but didn't really want to swim competitively. He just loved being in the water. Haruka really loved water and in fact, they said his first love with a waterfall in the mountains not far from Iwatobi. It was actually with that waterfall that our story begins. When Nanase-san was in 3rd year High School, some developers came who wanted to destroy the pristine waterfall and make way for a new planned city. Although he had a reputation for being dispassionate, Nanase-san could not stand-by and let his first love be murdered without a fight. So he, along with his best friend and the love of his life, Tachibana Makoto, went into action, organising and fund raising to protest and halt the development as he raised money to buy up the land and preserve it for future generations."

"My great uncle also helped as that was the year of the 17th Asian Games and my uncle used his wins to help publicize what his friends were fighting for. Nanase-san was successful and that started his life-long crusade to fight for water. He fought for lakes, rivers and of course waterfalls. He also bought-up freshwater reserves because he foresaw a time when freshwater might become scarce and created an innovation fund that granted research and development money to individuals, groups and companies that worked towards water preservation, detoxification and other purification technology."

"Nanase-san is a gifted artist and he raised awareness through his artwork and also by creating haunting images of the future of what-if scenarios should his warning not be heeded and developers just did what they wanted. Throughout it all, Tachibana-san stayed with him and helped him manage the foundation Nanase-san created. But Tachibana-san also helped in another way. He wrote books fictional novels and poetry all around the theme of water. These books were bestsellers and also won critical praise. Because of his body of work, last year, at the age of 86, he was finally awarded the nobel prize for literature."

Kou Continued, "Because of them, many people around the world have access to fresh clean water and many beautiful waterfall, lakes and other things are still there for us to enjoy. That's why, twenty years ago, Nanase-san and his foundation won the nobel peace prize. Nanase-san and Tachibana-san are now retired and live in Nanase-san's family home just past the first Torii of the Iwatobi Shrine," she finished.

"Very good Mikoshiba-kun," said her teacher, "Tell me, have you ever met Nanase-san?"

"Yes, he and Tachibana-san sometimes come to my great uncles house. Although the last time I saw them was six months ago at my great aunt Aki's funeral. She was a school friend of theirs and they used to call her Zaki-chan. Well Tachibana-san anyway. Tachibana-san was very upset at the funeral and cried a lot. But then great uncle Rin wasn't crying and my grandmother says that's why Tachibana-san was crying so much. He was crying for both himself and great uncle Rin," she explained.

"Thank you," said her teacher, "That was… more information than I expected. But never mind! Take a seat! Who's next?"

About the same time as Mikoshiba Kou was telling all her classmates about how awesome they were, Haru and Makoto were doing the most mundane of things. Buying fresh mackerels for dinner.

"Don't buy too much, Haru-chan," complained Makoto, "I can't haul as much I used to be able to."

"Makoto we are 87 years old," said Haru, "When are you going to drop the -chan?"

"But it makes me feel young again," protested Makoto age having not robbed him of his big, warm smile.

Haru rolled his eyes, and went back to selected his fish. Despite being 87, they were both in great shape and so wouldn't have a lot of issue carrying a weeks worth of fish back to their house. He made his selection and they headed back home.

"I want Mackerel's in Miso… is probably what you are thinking," said Makoto with a smirk.

"How did you know?"

"How long have we been together?" asked Makoto with a laugh, "I can tell from the way you were looking at the mackerel that you wanted to cook them in miso and not fry them or curry them."

Haru just pouted, "Now what am I thinking?"

Makoto stare at him for a moment then blushed and exclaimed, "Haru-chan! We are too old for stuff like that!"

"Hell no we aren't! We are doing it Makoto! Tonight, we firing-up the old console and playing Animal crossing: Deep Sea!" declared Haru.

"Fine, fine," said Makoto with a sigh.

"And afterwards…" Haru gave him a look.

This time Makoto went beet red but simply said, "We'll have to stop over at the drugstore in that case." Haru simply nodded.

That night, like they had countless nights of their intertwined lives, they shared a meal of mackerels. Then played games on a console so old that it was now a valuable antique and afterwards, Haru laid Makoto down and made sweet love to him. After they were done, Haru laid his head on Makoto's chest and went to sleep listening to his heartbeat.

Sometime in the night Haru suddenly awoke. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. But Haru couldn't really tell what. It was then that he realised, Makoto's heart was no longer beating. "Makoto! Makoto!" Haru called out as he shook Makoto, "Wake-up! Please wake-up! Makoto!" But he knew Makoto would not wake-up from this sleep, "Makoto! Makoto!" he kept calling but alas his voice would not reach Makoto.

"You promised," Haru tried to remind him, "You promised. You promised you were going to stay with me forever! So why, why won't you wake-up!" Haru screamed, "Liar! This is not forever! Makoto! Makoto! You are the only reason I returned to his stupid dull world where you have to fight for every drop of water. This world of limited colour and stupid people who think a shopping mall that might stay in business a few decades is more precious than a waterfall that's stood where it is for centuries! Makoto! Wake up damn it!" Haru shook Makoto's still body violently, "You promised to alway be by my side! We didn't promise till death do us part but eternity. This is not eternity! At least, at least," Haru began to cry, "At least die after me," he sobbed.

"Please Makoto," he begged, "I'll do anything you want. Just please wake-up! Makoto!" But Makoto did not wake-up. Finally, Haru laid his head down on Makoto's cold chest and cried until he couldn't cry anymore.

When dawn came, Haru placed a call to his and Makoto's lawyer and left it to him to organised the logistics around the funeral. He then called Rin, he didn't take it well. But Haru had no words of comfort for him. "Tell Gou and the others?" he asked Rin.

"Others? Whose left but Gou and Seijuurou?" demanded Rin, "I am sick of funerals."

"Downside of living long," replied Haru dispassionately.

"Don't die before me," begged Rin, "Just don't!" Haru didn't reply.

They had a Buddhist Memorial service. It had to be public due to Makoto's fame and status as a nobel laureate. There were statements of grief from prominent leaders, fellow writers and of course a statement by the foundation that Haru and Makoto had founded together but Haru always seem to get the sole credit for. If only because Makoto never bothered correcting anyone. Haru stayed stoic and silent through all of it. Only nodding as people offered their condolences. He didn't want to be here.

After the funeral was done. Haru sat down with his lawyers to put all his affairs in order, "Wha… what are you planning Nanase-san?" asked the worried lawyer.

"I am going to be living alone from now on," Haru pointed out, "And like Makoto might go to sleep and never wake-up."

"Fair enough," said the lawyer, "I just thought… never mind! I'll take care of everything."

After he was done. Haru went for a swim in the sea. Just for a swim, he had no other plans. He swam and swam and suddenly realised he was far from the shore. But he didn't feel like turning back. Instead he dived down as a need to touch the bottom of the sea overcame him. Suddenly, red ribbons shot out from the inky black depths and started to pull him down, down to the depths of the sea.

"So you have finished saying goodbye," came a sweet, soothing feminine voice.

"Ryūjin!" exclaimed Haru, "What are you doing?"

"Hmmm… didn't I make you an offer of fins, gills and an endless supply of mackerels?" asked Ryūjin, "Not to mention offer you the job of painting one of the inner courtyards of Ryūgū-jō?"

"That was 70 years ago!" Haru pointed out, "I thought…" he thought he had decided to stay with Makoto, on land.

"Did you really make that decision?" wondered Ryūjin, having heard Haru's thoughts through the red ribbons, "I thought you were simply saying goodbye."

"But 70 years…"

"My concept of time is not the same as yours," replied Ryūjin, "What is 70 years in the face of eternity. But I do see you have changed, no matter. I can change you back."

Haru felt the bloom of youth return to his body but not only that, his eyes changed again to be able to see colours no humans could and he could not breath water like he could air. "So," asked Ryūjin, "What will it be?"

"Where's Makoto?" Haru asked.

"You know, I have not the faintest clue," replied Ryūjin, "I have no idea what happens to mortals when they die. Surely your people have some ideas.

Haru had never once thought about what might be after death. His grandmother had believed in an afterlife. Is that where Makoto was? Then he could see him if he died right? But what if there was no afterlife? That's why some people believed. They believed once you died you simply ceased to exist. Go into nothingness and simply stop being. Haru didn't mind that. Because if Makoto no longer existed Haru didn't want to exist either. Yet, yet there was a third option. A third terrifying option. Reincarnation. What if Makoto and he were reincarnated but in their next life they never met? Or worse, what if they met but instead of being friends where were enemies? No, it was worse than that. If they were reincarnated, Haru would forget about Makoto! That was a horrifying thought and that was sure to happen because you did forget your past life when you are reincarnated right?

Ryūjin laughed, "If you don't want to forget about your friend there is only one option open to you. Come live with me. Be forever young and carry with you always the the memory of your days together."

"But they will never be anything more than memories," cried Haru, "I'll never see Makoto again."

"True but your choices are simply these," said Ryūjin, "Come with me and be certain that you will remember Makoto forever more or return to land and await death. If you are lucky, there will be an afterlife that you can share with Makoto or you and your memories will go into nothingness and simply cease to be. Or…"

"I'll be reincarnated and not remember anything," whispered Haru, "And Makoto will be reincarnated and not remember anything… no, it could be that I am reincarnated but Makoto goes onto Nirvana…" but of course Makoto would go to Nirvana. A good, pure, selfless person like Makoto… of course he wouldn't be back in the cycle of reincarnation. Haru cried out with a wordless cry, that was lost in the surrounding sea, he just wanted to see Makoto.

"That is impossible," Ryūjin said, "So let's do what's possible," and began to pull Haru towards Ryūgū-jō, as Haru's legs changed into beautiful dolphin like tail. He was going to live forever by being truly one with the water with an endless supply of mackerels. But Makoto would never be with him ever again… Haru was being pulled towards hell.

Author's Note: Thank you for reading my story. It's probably horribly lame and stupid but it was fun writing! ^.^