Drabble: So Many Fishies Left in the Sea

[illwynd]

This just jumped up and wanted to be written, so here goes...

Title: So Many Fishies Left in the Sea
Author: illwynd
Disclaimer: Not mine, just playing.
Characters: Déagol, Sméagol
Rating: G
Notes: AU, written for the “Different Decisions” challenge at tolkien_weekly

With golden scales it swam in the river waters. Its existence was cold and simple—small insects in the silty bottom for eating, lazy slumber on the currents, yearly spawning. Just now it was drawn by a plopping sound from above—a juicy worm had fallen from the sky! He was lured by it, drew closer… but then his eye was caught by something new. A ray of light slanted to the bottom, glinted off of something. Forgetting the worm, he went to investigate…

“Not a nibble yet, Déagol?”

“No. But it’s a fine way to spend your birthday anyhow.”

Comments

[mrkinch.livejournal.com]

Oh, gosh! Who do you think found it, and when?

Even a fish's decision has endless repercussions! What an intriguing idea, and wonderfully expressed.

[illwynd.livejournal.com]

Who knows? It could be just about anybody! *wink*

Yeah, that fish had quite an effect... makes ya wonder who else's little decisions made such an impact! Anyhow, thanks for reading! ^_^

[kortirion.livejournal.com]

'OOooo... shiny' as the phrase goes! Very original point of view - and I wonder what would happen if the fish ate the Ring?

[illwynd.livejournal.com]

Heeh, shiny indeed! :P And I was pondering that too... what if he swam out to sea, then got caught in a net, and wound up on someone's dinner plate far, far away? Or perhaps he would become Ringwraith Fish. O_O

But yeah. Thanks for the comment!

[lilan14.livejournal.com]

Ringwraith Fish!! LOL! Would he dress up in black on top of his golden scales?

A very interesting drabble indeed! I don't know if I entirely believe that Smeagol would have lived a happy hobbit life if he hadn't come across the Ring, but it would certainly have been better for poor Deagol. But it's the kind of thing that makes one ponder about "bigger" things! Well done (said by a person who doesn't normally read AUs)!

Just a little question: first you refer to the fish as "it," and then it's "he" - was that deliberate?

[illwynd.livejournal.com]

Heeh, maybe he would. And maybe he'd have guppy minions... heeh. :p

And well, can't be sure, but it would likely have been a happier life than what he wound up with, no? Definitely stuff to ponder, though.

And, um... it was kinda-sorta intentional? It felt like a perspective-shift, closer in. *shrugs*

But yeah, thanks for reading, and glad you liked it! ^_^

[cressida0201.livejournal.com]

You know, I think we've just figured out the identity of the Demon Fish: clearly, it is the EVIL FISH LORD after he ate the Ring!! *nods*

[slashista.livejournal.com]

i'm quite happy that Deagol and Smeagol lived happy, hobbit lives in this. i was always rather touched by the tragedy in Smeagol's life. :)

[illwynd.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I can't help but feel for him, too--and I don't doubt that if it hadn't been for a certain incident, he would have lived out a happy life, as you say. Glad to hear you liked this! ^_^

[isha-libran.livejournal.com]

Lovely. The power of one fish's decision!

I like this, because, as you said, I think if he hadn't found the ring, Smeagol would have been just an everyday sort of hobbit.

Thanks for sharing this. =)

[illwynd.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I hadn't really thought about it before this, but that fish certainly did change the course of events.

And I agree... it's so much a habit to think of Smeagol as all Gollum-y from the start, but surely there were other possibilities for his life.

Glad you liked this!

[fawsley.livejournal.com]

What an original idea and so well told.
Yey for happy-ever-after Sméago and Déagol, but now I'm worrying about the fish...

[illwynd.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I usually don't write about those two, but I couldn't pass up giving them a different future, if only for 100 words.

And yeah, I think maybe it's a good idea to worry about the fish, now... *wink*

[caras-galadhon.livejournal.com]

Oooh, wonderful. I love the fact that the perspective is the fish's, and how ominous the whole thing is. Lovely!

[illwynd.livejournal.com]

Thanks! His little fishy brain surely had no idea of the consequences of that decision, and there's no guarantee that things would have gone any better this way... and could have gone a whole lot worse. Glad you liked! ^_^

[foxrafer.livejournal.com]

I love this. A fish's decision not to go for the bait, and possibly even eating the ring ... there are so many places this could go from here. Really fascinating to think about.

[illwynd.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It really was a kinda pivotal moment... so much would have changed, likely in quite unexpected ways. Would indeed be interesting to see how it might have played out. But yeah. Glad to hear you liked this! ^_^

[cressida0201.livejournal.com]

That's a wonderful drabble, Illwynd! Very thought-provoking, yet also fun. The tiny glimpse at the end of Sméagol and Déagol having a pleasant, uninterrupted day is very effective--especially since it's so understated. It took me a moment to realize what the conversation meant, and that made the realization all the more powerful. Great job!

[illwynd.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I tried to make it not too oblique and not too obvious, so I'm really glad that bit worked for you. ^__^

[roh-wyn.livejournal.com]

Heh! That's terrific...what a great idea. That a distracted fish ("oh, look! shiny!") could alter the entire course of events in Middle-earth.

Of course, I'm disappointed at the utter lack of fish puns in this drabble! ;)

[illwynd.livejournal.com]

Indeed! I hadn't really thought much about that scene before, but if the fish hadn't taken the bait, how differently things would have gone! Glad you liked!

And yeah, no fish puns D: but I couldn't squeeze any into 100 words. *sigh* Next time, maybe... ^_~

[shebit.livejournal.com]

Hehe.

What a good fish.

[illwynd.livejournal.com]

*nod* A very good fish. And he probably wouldn't have been tasty anyway. :p

Thanks for the comment!