Risks and Rewards (Of a Life so Simple)

Baby Shower

"She's so cute. Do you have a name picked out?" Camryn inquired. She was the first to rush over once the news was shared with the Splatoon and Ilkani. Everyone wanted to meet the baby, and who could blame them? It was a rare occasion.

Deco held his nose high. Said guppy was curled into his side, half asleep and nibbling on her tail fin. "Salmonid have Title, not name. Only name if lose Title. So Deco give Title, let guppy pick own name if want when bigger." He explained. "She is Greatest Treasure of Deco the Salmonid." He said, slowly and carefully to get all the words right. "But if too long for Squid, just Treasure fine. She is Treasure. Special and worth."

Camryn reached out, wanting to pet her head, but Deco's gaze hardened. She refrained, because she was respectful and smart.

Luckily by now, she'd finally gotten her whisker tippers. Little balls of purple rubber, affixed to the end of each whisker. The charge simply dissipated when it got there, so now she was officially harmless.

Deco nuzzled her head with his nose. She woke fully, chiming back at him, and his face split in a wide smile. "Sweet little guppy. Good little guppy."

Cam chuckled. Meep came through the bathroom door, hand grasped on the doorframe. "Bath's all ready, Deco! You're good to go."

Deco gave a grateful nod. "Friend Meep big help, guppy appreciate." He sat up in the bed, and scooped up the little Zapfish. She made another chime, lower in pitch than most of the sounds she made. Deco made a soft noise of amusement. "Sorry guppy, need learn swim."

Another chime, but she didn't struggle against his hold as he carried her into the bathroom.

The water in the tub was very shallow, so as not to risk the little Zapfish drowning. Could Zapfish drown? Neither Meep nor Camryn had an answer to that.

Deco gently lowered his Treasure into the water, and she made a high-pitched noise as her tail fin got wet. She lifted it away, but Deco kept lowering her until she was laying in it.

She made another windchime-y sound, low pitch again, little face scrunched up in some manner of dismay. She wiggled her body around, and tried to climb out of the tub. She failed, and slid down the slick wall back into the water.

Deco leaned his head into the tub, and nudged her with his nose. She squeaked at him, trying to reach for him with her fins. He reached his own fin into the water, and splashed it around.

She observed with big eyes. She slapped her tail fin down, making a splash. It was like a switch had been flipped: suddenly she looked delighted to be in the water, rolling around and sliding through it on her belly, splashing with her fins all the while.

Meep and Cam observed fondly. "Aww, she's a natural!" Meep cooed.

"Egg full of water, probably meant be good at swim. Learn fast. Not Salmonid, but still fish." He replied. He gently splashed her, and she chimed at him before doing the same back.

The pair smiled, and Meep turned to Camryn. "Who else is here, so far?" She asked.

"Well, I brought Ilkani with me since she's been staying at my house, and I got a text from Marie saying her and Callie are on route. Dunno about Three, I mean Annabel and the Captain...no, Cuttlefish, yet." She paused with a frown, bringing a hand to her forehead. "That is gonna throw me off for months, I swear to Cod."

Meep just laughed. "I mean, it's not too hard for me."

"Yeah but like...Cuttlefish was never Captain to you and the other one is your girlfriend." Camryn pointed out.