One and One is Two

Meg's Initiation

That night, in the fish tank...

"Meg. Suivez moi. Follow me" said Jacques.

Meg did as she was told. She followed Jacques up to the top of a volcano where Gill was waiting for her.

"State your name" Gill said.

"M-Meg" 

"Brother Bloat, proceed" said Gill.

Bloat approached Meg and said "Meg! Newcomer of tail, shells and glasses. You have been called forth to the summit of Mount Wannahockaloogie to join with us in the fraternal bonds of tankhood"

"I'm sorry?" Meg said.

"He's saying we want you to join our club" said Peach.

"Oh. That's very kind of you. But I can't. I have to get my legs back and get back to Paul McCartney. He wrote a song for me and since I've been taken here, he never got to sing it" Meg said.

"Did you say Paul McCartney?" said Deb.

"Well, yes"

"You know Paul McCartney?!" shouted Gurgle.

"Yeah. My friends and I met him and his fellow Beatles a long time ago. And Paul loves me more than life itself. I just have to go back" Meg said on the edge of tears.

"Listen, kid. You join our club, you get outta here twice as fast" said Gill. 

"Really?" said Meg.

"Yeah. Now go on. Make your choice" said Gill impatiently.

"Alright, I'll do it" Meg said.

"IF you are able to swim through... the Ring of FIRE!!!!" Bloat enunciated.

The volcano started bubbling rapidly.

"Bubbles! Let me..." Bubbles began just as Deb slapped him with a leaf.

"Isn't there another way? She's just a kid" said Peach.

Meg was able to swim through the bubbles. 

And when she got there, Gill, seemingly unimpressed, looked at her with a stiff expression.

That caused Meg to awkwardly smile at him.

"From this moment on, you will now be known as... Sharkbait" said Gill.

"Sharkbait! Oo-ha-ha!" the fish chanted.

"Welcome young Sharkbait" said Gill.

"Sharkbait! Oo-ha-ha!"

"Enough with the Sharkbait."

"Sharkbait! Oo... ba-ba-doo" said Gurgle awkwardly.

"Why name me that when I just gave you my real name?" Meg said.

"Don't sass me, kid" said Gill.

"I'm sorry" Meg whispered looking down.

"okay. Sharkbait's one of us now. Agreed?" said Gill.

"Agreed" said the other fish.

"We're gonna get her outta here. We're all gonna get outta here" said Gill.

"Gill, please. Not another one of your escape plans" said Gurgle.

"Yeah. They never work" said Deb.

"Why should this be any different" said Bloat.

"Because we've got her"

"Me? I'm sorry. I'm usually the one being saved. You want help? If my friends were here, I'd tell you to ask them" Meg said.

"You wanna get back to McCartney or not?" Gill said strictly.

"Yes"

"Then listen to me. You see that filter?"

"Yeah"

"What you need to do is take a pebble inside the filter and jam the gears. You do that, and this tank's gonna get filthier by the minute. Then the dentist will have to clean the tank. When he does, he'll take us out of the tank, put us in baggies, then we'll roll ourselves out the window, down to the ground, across the street and into the harbor" Gill explained.

"What about getting my legs back?" Meg said.

"Well... that depends on if McCartney has his legs. Does he?" said Gill.

"No. He's a merman too"

"Then you don't need your legs to get back to him. Who's with me?"

"I" said Bloat.

"I" said Jacques.

"I" said Deb.

"I" said Bubbles.

"I think you're nuts. No offense, honey, but you're not the best swimmer" said Gurgle.

"She's fine! So, Sharkbait, whaddaya say?" said Gill.

"yeah, let's do it. I'd do anything to get away from that fish killing maniac. Seriously, hers is a face that only a mother can love" said Meg.

"It is" said Bloat.

"I like this kid" said Gurgle.

Well, an escape plan is in motion.

But Gill really doesn't seem to like Meg, does he?

What's coming up? What could it be?

One more click and we will see!

Peace and love,

Sammy