Blake stared numbly as the bars of their cage melted, forming a glistening metallic puddle on the floor that slowly widened to the size of a small pond. He watched, mesmerized, as an enormous fish's head protruded from beneath the surface. A wide, unblinking eye regarded him for a moment, even as he realized that Mallory had just been right next to him and he now had no idea where she was.<br/><br/>"BLAKE," the fish roared in a booming voice befitting a lion or a bear or something, "YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME."<br/><br/>"Wh-wha? How'd I do th-"<br/><br/>"CODIE IS A<span style="font-style: italic">TERRIBLE</span>NAME FOR A FISH. YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF."<br/><br/>Blake was stunned. How could this be happening? How could Codie not be a good name for a fish? He felt his lower lip quiver as his hopes and dreams came crashing down around him.<br/><br/>"Bu' why? Why can't it be'a good na-"<br/><br/>"IT IS TERRIBLE, I SAID. IT IS SO BAD, IF I WASN'T A FISH I WOULD DROWN MYSELF RIGHT NOW."<br/><br/>Blake felt tears of grief and disappointment forming in his eyes as he moved closer to the black pond, staring imploringly at the giant creature.<br/><br/>"Please… wha's y'name? Please, I wan' to ge' better a-"<br/><br/>"MY NAME IS JOSEPH. AND YOURS, FISH OR NOT, SHALL NEVER BE CODIE. YOU ARE FOOD."<br/><br/>"Wh-what?"<br/><br/>"It's food!<br/><br/>Blake opened his eyes, which were still somewhat wet, to see Mallory holding a couple of crackers in her grimy hand; he stared at them for a moment, blinking as he regained a sense of where they were, before realizing just how hungry he was. He took one and devoured it without hesitation, chewing greedily as he looked up at her, beaming. He had no idea where she'd gotten them, but that was just Mal being brilliant as always. He was sure she'd managed to make them, or perhaps she'd found them hidden somewhere nearby. Her hair was looking very disheveled and her skin seemed even filthier than before, but he knew a genius when he saw one.<br/><br/>"Thag goo," he mumbled with his mouth still full. He glanced hopefully at her other hand, wondering if she also had something to drink. Crackers always made him thirsty. He wondered if Joseph ever got thirsty.<br/><br/>His arm was still throbbing painfully, but the bleeding seemed to have stopped. He hoped it wasn't because he'd run out of blood.