Dr. Fish

Matinik is the resident physician of Malaya school of fishes.  Whenever a fish or any sea creature sustains injury, Matinik’s extra fish bones are always handy.

When Claustrophopic Talaba was locked inside his shell, Matinik came just in time.He whipped out two fish bones from his tail—a big and thick one to pry the shell open and a long thin fish bone to hold up the upper shell while Talaba was being transferred to his new home. “Matinik, how could I ever thank you…one more minute trapped inside that shell and I would have ended up….  ” and Claustrophopic Talaba ended up crying a shell-ful of tears on Matinik shiny scales.

When War Freak Swordfish broke his sword, Matinik came to the rescue.  He got four fish bones and strapped them on  War Freak Swordfish’s nose while he  wrapped a long broad sea grass around it. War Freak Sword lost his sharp composure when he saw his nose back in its place and hugged Matinik tight, too tight that he almost cut Matinik.

When Odd Octopus caught one of her seven tentacles in a bush of poisonous sea weeds, Matinik was there with his extra fish bone to cut the stubborn seaweeds.  With his famous antidote, Odd Octopus got better.  And from that day on, whenever Odd Octopus would run into Matinik, he would squirt jets of ink from excitement and would wrap all his seven tentacles around him as a gesture of thanks.

Not only was Matinik a healer of all sorts, he would also nurse a broken heart.  When Mr. Seahorse lost his wife in one of Pating’s eating frenzy, Matinik was there to comfort him with a ready fin to cry on. And when Starfish 1 and Starfish 2 were fightng over a wish fishybone, Matinik spared one of his to end the twin’s brawl.

One day,  the enormous Butanding had an encounter with the razor-sharp teeth of Pating, he went straight to the humble Matinik to recuperate.  Matinik magically produced another fish bone  which he used as a needle to sew Butading’s open wound.  Afterwards,the  great Butanding swam gracefully upwards, his booming voice echoing throughout the ocean floor, “Thank you Matinik! When I’m better, I’ll give you a ride.”

But there was no time to have fun for the whole underwater community, upon hearing about Butanding’s brush with Pating, was frantically preparing for the visit of the enemy. Grown-ups were busy fixing and fortifying their homes and hiding places.  Children were forbidden to go beyond the yellow corals.  The Chief Fish made sure the guard fishes always kept their watch so Malaya School of Fish would be warned of the approaching terror.  Mr. Seahorse almost went mad with fright just by hearing Pating’s name.

Matinik helped by giving away his fishbones.  The sharp and pointed fishbones served as weapons, reducing the fear that settled in the hearts of the inhabitants of Malaya School of Fishes.

On those dark days, Matinik went to visit Lakay Hermit Crab who lived in an old barrel beyond the yellow corals.  The blue water seemed to go on forever without a single coral on the sand floor.  Matinik felt a heavy presence following him but he dismissed it as the anxiety spreading like a disease among their community.  Besides, he needs to deliver the old Lakay Hermit Crab’s medicine.

Suddenly…

He felt a powerful ripple. Then a splash!  Matinik swam as fast as he can, blinded by fear.  His gills swelled from panic and he can hardly breath.  He whirled blindly and came face to face with jagged jaws.  The perfectly pointed teeth of Pating caught light and glistened under the fuzzy ocean water.

Matinik froze with terror. He closed his eyes, ready to be swallowed.  But the powerful snap never came.  Instead, he heard a sharp cry of pain from the great monster. Pating was wounded!

Matinik, who was always helpful, quickly came to his aid.  He inspected the wound and saw the cut was made by the strange mesh that loomed on the shallow part of ocean. Pating escaped the people’s and got hurt in the process.  Matinik whisked out a few of his fish bones to treat the wound.

When he was able to stop the bleeding, he stayed with Pating until the enemy opened his eyes.  “Dr. Fish, thank you for your kindness.  How could I ever repay you?” said Pating in a very weak voice.

“It’s my duty to help and I’m honored to be of service to you” said the humble Matinik.“I heard about you—you’re the gentle Matinik who cares for the residents of  Malaya School of Fishes.  Your compassion will go along way my friend.”

From that day on, Matinik and Pating became good friends.  And you would always find them sprawled on the ocean bed chewing on seaweeds or chatting inside Matinik’s little clinic that Pating helped built.

Pating never again laid a fin on the fishes of Malaya School of Fishes and Mr. Seahorse found himself a Mrs. Seahorse and was never afraid of the great Pating again.