The Tale of Carrot

Chapter 8

Carrot was shocked. Not by lightning but by what her name was. It could be a mere coincidence that her name's the same as one of Finn's daughter's name. He decided not to question her about it because it would be a completely random question. Carrot stuck out his uninjured fin.

"What a pleasure to meet my new prison buddy."

"You too I guess?" Sashimi hesitantly gripped his fin and shook it. She looked around the tank curiously. "What is this place?"

Carrot shrugged. "I honestly have no idea."

Only now did Sashimi notice how beat up Carrot was. "What the barnacles happened to you?" She asked, somewhat terrified.

"Oh this?" He gestured to all his cuts and bruises.

"What else could I be referring to?" Sashimi rolled her eyes.

"No need to be salty about it. I just got a little beat up."

"By what, exactly?"

"The barrier of this place." Carrot admitted.

"I don't see a barrier." Sashimi looked around in confusion.

"Come with me and you'll see. A world of pure imagination." Carrot motioned Sashimi to follow him to the barrier.

"I don't really think we're imagining this world."

"Buzzkill." Carrot mumbled.

Nonetheless, Sashimi reluctantly followed Carrot to the barrier. Able to be seen through the barrier was the tank full of sick, depressed and dead fish.

Carrot gestured towards the glass ahead of the two of them. "Ta-da! I present to you the thing that beat me up!"

Sashimi slowly swam up to it and examined it in awe. "I've never seen anything quite like this. Though, I don't understand how this bruised you that horrendously."

"First of all, who even says 'horrendously' these days? Second of all, getting injured from this barrier goes to show how manly I am." Carrot said mockingly proud.

"Uh huh." Sashimi uttered, barely paying attention to Carrot. She was staring ahead, through the glass and at the bowl of fish. Her face went pale and she was obviously traumatized at what she saw.

Carrot noticed how disgusted she was at the bowl of fish that were mistreated. "Oh yeah! I sort of forgot about that thing. I think that is going to happen to us in the near future."

"Excuse me?" Sashimi asked flabbergasted.

"All the fish in there are considerably older than the two of us. We're practically the only younger fish."

Sashimi nodded hesitantly. "So when we get older we'll be forced into that cramped up place and die?"

"Pretty much."

A fish all the way in the other tank caught Sashimi's attention. Sashimi perked up semi excited and semi devastated.

"No... That can't be." She murmured in awe.

"What can't be?" Carrot asked, pretending to be oblivious that Finn was in that tank. So his prediction had been correct. The Sashimi that is beside him is actually Finn's daughter.

"Oh my goodness, it's actually him." Sashimi repeated. "It's really him. I can't believe it! It's my dad!"

She rushed into Carrot's fins without thinking.

Carrot was surprised but still returned Sashimi's embrace. Sure he had pretty much just met her but he couldn't complain that a girl was interacting with him voluntarily.

Sashimi suddenly started sobbing. "It's my dad... Stuck in that hell hole of a place. He looks miserable!"

Carrot was still awkwardly holding Sashimi.

"Sashimi, we'll rescue your dad. I give you my word. Your dad's a friend of mine." Carrot murmured. He wanted nothing more than to save Finn from misery.

Sashimi looked at Carrot and hope gleamed through her eyes. She snapped out of her trance and quickly realized she was still entwined in Carrot's fins before rushing out of them in a hurry. Her sassy mode was activated again.

"You knew my dad?" Sashimi questioned curiously.

"Finn right?"

Sashimi nodded. "I may have been a kid when I was separated from him, but I swore I would never ever forget him. Did I mention my mom was taken away from me when I was little? Then I was removed from my entire family."

"Finn told me what happened." Carrot stated. "Basically, Takers came in and ruined your lives."

Sashimi nodded sadly. "You must've been pretty close with my dad. He would never tell these things to some random fish in the lake."

"I was pretty much a random fish in the lake. He just randomly abducted me and took care of me. Not that I complained. He's a great fish to hangout with."

"You must have caught his eye. You are sort of erm, oddly coloured." Sashimi said, trying not to be rude. "My dad always pitied the losers. No offence."

"I know you're judging me for my skin colour but honestly, I'm used to it now. Finn tried helping me by getting other fish to not hate me just for my skin colour but it didn't really work. You're the second fish that I've met who isn't swimming away in fear that I'll 'stain' them with my skin colour." Carrot said exasperated. "You're not treating me too positively but it's better than any other fish."

Sashimi snorted at the fact fish were afraid of him. Carrot wasn't exactly the most intimidating fish in the lake. "I'm happy to know I'm the second fish, right after my father. And trust me; I'm being pretty nice in my standards. My standards are pretty bad though..."

"At least your personality is sort of like Finn's. Like father like daughter right?" Carrot chuckled slowly.

Sashimi smiled. "Yep."

"Let's not get side tracked by bonding more. It's terrible talking with you, you're just so boring." Carrot said jokingly.

Sashimi mockingly glared at him.

"We need to get Finn out of that place. Maybe we can get the other fish out too. We have to have a good plan." Carrot trailed on. "No matter the hassle, we will get your dad; my friend out of there. Deal?"

Carrot stuck out his fin once more.

"Deal." Sashimi gripped his fin less hesitantly than before.

~-~End of chapter eight~-~

A/N: Oh hello there. Sorry for the absence. I was lazy. Hooray for the first upload of 2015! I'm gonna try and finish this story by the end of the year. As you could probably notice, all the relationships are pretty simple and rushed. It may not be realistic but I don't want to drag out relationship development forever. Please forgive me for spelling/grammar errors. Anyways, ta ta!