the fish project.final

,,,,,

It's your 16th birthday and you are getting a tank of fish. Are you excited? [[Yes! I am excited about my fish tank.]] [[Uh, no? This is a stupid gift.]]

Then there is nothing for you to learn here. You understand the value of a simple fish. You don't need to go on a journey of self discovery on your 16th birthday. [[No really. Your fish trip is to learn a life lesson. You're all good.]]

That's right. You don't want a dumb fish tank for your birthday. You wanted some sort of cool lizard but your terrible brother made it so you can't get one. When he turned 16 mom and dad let him get a bird but your terrible brother didn't take care of it. Mom and dad said no more big neat animals. Only fish. [[All right fine. I'll go to the pet store and get like a betta or something.]] [[I'm just gonna let mom and dad pick out some dumb fish.]]

You let mom and dad take you to the fish store. You pass all the neat lizards and fun snakes and make your way to the back where the wall of fish are. [[I'll look at all the tanks.]] [[Let's just grab a betta and get out of here.]]

You don't even want to go to the Fish Store. They'll probably force you to get some sort of boring guppy or one of those GloFish that are sickly bright. It's easier if you just stay home. It's a gift anyway. They should have to pick it out. You wave good-bye [[and they leave]].

You move to the back of the store where the wall of fish is. Standing about 15 feet high, the wall is backlit with blue light, making the fish stand out. Look at: [[Bottom Shelf]] [[Middle Shelf]] [[Top Shelf]]

At the cap of one of the aisles are a few shelves of betta fish in tiny plastic cups. You remember reading somewhere that betta fish do best with five gallons of water. Or did your friend James tell you that? James is sometimes a huge liar. You remember the time he told you in middle school that the moon landing actually happened and you make a fool of yourself in front of your crush and then you got too scared to ask her to the dance. James: wrong about the moon, wrong about fish. Probably. [[Look at the bettas.]]

You look at the rows of bettas. Even you have to admit that some of them are pretty. The one on the upper left has a big flashy tail and keeps doing circles as if trying to show off all his sides. Bellow him towards the center was a shiny pink fish with a much thinner tail. He almost looked spindly as he bobbed slowly to eat the dots of food that floated on his cup's surface. On the bottom shelf was a little red fish. His tail hung sadly as his belly brushed the plastic bottom. He let a few bubbles escape his mouth. Which fish do you want? [[Show Off.]] [[Pink Boy.]] [[Somber Fish.]]

That flashy little devil could be cool to watch. If you had to get one of these dumb idiot fish you could at least get this one. He looks agressive. Maybe you could get him to do that thing where betta's fight their own reflections and film it. There's gotta be some internet clout for fish videos. Do you: [[Buy This Fish?]] [[Go Back->Look at the bettas.]]

There was something a little creepy about this fish. Something a little unnatural. He was too thin. His dorsal fin and tail were a peach translucent and you could see the little veins that ran through them. Squatting down to look at him closer, you thought you could see his eyes traking you, shifting focus around your face. But that was silly. This dumb little fish couldn't be aware enough to do that. You liked how weird he looked though. If you can't have some sort of sick lizard, you could at least have this very strange fish. Do you: [[Buy Pink Boy?]] [[Go Back->Look at the bettas.]]

You pick up Show Off and carry him down the next aisle to look at tank decorations. There were lots of fake plastic plans and garrish "No Fishing!" signs. You needed something cool. You don't have a lizard to impress girls with, but you will have this brightly colored fish and you were going to make the best of it. As you walked down the aisle, you felt the cup in your hands jostle. Show Off had moved towards the edge of the cup was was pointing at a decoration on the self. Not that fish can look like dogs, but suddenly you felt as though you were holding the world's smallest, wettest pointing sight hound. [[See what Show Off is looking at.]]

Ok. This is the saddest looking fish you have ever seen. Could fish be depressed? Even if they couldn't be, this one sure was. Maybe after an eternity in a plastic cup he'd just given up. "You could have gotten out of here sooner if you acted fancy bud," you whisper softly to the red fish. He might be happier with you. That was something. Maybe this tank wasn't for you, maybe it was for Sad Sack. This was a rescue mission. Maybe the true meaning of Christmas was buying the saddest fish possible and spoiling him. Do you: [[Rescue this extremely sad fish?]] [[Go Back->Look at the bettas.]]

This eerie fish is very charming. He is seductive almost in his lazy motions and peachy hue. You pick him up and your hands suddenly feel cold. The icy feeling spreads up your arms and wraps around your chest, settling in the pit of your stomach. For a moment your vision hazes over. When it clears, you are facing an aisle in the store that appears to have no lights. [[Go down the dark aisle.]] [[Go back to the wall of bettas.]]

There's no way you can leave this fish here. Even your miserable room would be better than this dreary cup. You hope this little guy likes emo music. You look into his dark red face and glum expression. This fish will love emo music. [[Pick out some decorations.]]

You follow his gaze and see a miniature sunken plane. It's ceramic windsheild was cracked and it had painted on moss. It was genuinely very cool and you did actually like it. It was just big enough that it looked like Show Off could swin through the cockpit. Painted on the side was the name "Earhart". [[This is very macabre and you love it. You pick up the plane.]] [[Jokes about Amelia Earhart are not funny even though it has been over 80 years.]]

You take the plane and fish and go up to the counter to meet mom and dad and your terrible brother. Mom and dad have a tank set already and your brother inexplicably has a cardboard box of crikets. If those end up in your room you are going to scream so loudly that your terrible brother's bird will wake up and instantly attack him. [[Present your fish and your plane to mom and dad.]]

Show Off, that isn't funny. Every day you are sad about Amelia Earhart because when you were 6 you had a crush on her because of what a cool person she was and you will never forgive the mysterious circumstances that lead to her dissapearance. James once made a joke about her still being alive on some remote island and you have never forgiven him for getting your hopes up only to grind them to dust under his heel upon revealing that Amelia Earhart was in fact eaten by upsettingly large crabs. [[You will pick a more respectful platic log cabin.]]

Mom thinks the plane is funny and takes it to the register to pay. You follow her proudly with Show Off. [[Proudly?]]

Yes, proudly. You've gone on a spiritual journey and now understand what it is to love and appreciate a simple fish. Congratulations. Happy Birthday. [[I'm dissatisfied. Go Back->Start]]

Show Off clearly has no regard for human decency. The cabin reminds you a little bit of Ted Kaczynski's cabin, you know, the one that got auctioned off and eventually displayed in the Newseum? This fish reminds you of Ted Kaczynski what with his desire to live in Amelia Earhart's metal tomb. [[Take your fish and your cabin to the register.]]

Mom and dad meet you there. They already have a tank set for you. The modicum of excitement you had about your flashy friend is gone now. When you set up his tank in your room you will become bunkmates with a heartless creature. You decide not to tell mom and dad about the evil you sense in your fish and decide to just keep a watchful eye on him. You are his warden now. Happy Birthday. [[I'm dissatisfied. Go Back->Start]]

Slowly, keeping a careful grip on your very spooky fish, you start down the isle. On either side of you the shelves are crowded with dark objects that seem to move and sway in your peripheral vision. You hear a scuttling over your left shoulder but you do not turn to look at it. You probably shouldn't see what it is. At the end of the aisle, an impossible distance away, there is a faint incandescent glow. You think you can see a silhouette in that orange light. [[Go towards the orange light at the end of the isle.]]

You try to turn back to the end cap of betta fish but when you turn there is just more darken isle. [[Accept Fate->Go down the dark aisle.]]

As you foolishly approach the mysterious figure at the end of the aisle its shape becomes more clear. It appears to be wearing some type of hat, distorting the shape of its head. You freeze, stopping just shy of the circle of light. Standing in the center of the illuminated space is a short man with long, thin arms and legs. He wears intricately embroidered robes of pale peach and sports a matching hat. The hat was his most distinguishing feature. It had a wide brim hung with little gold moons and a steep point. This man was obviously some sort of evil wizard. You ask the evil wizard "[[Dude, why are you in a pet store?]]"

The wizard presses a long diaphanous finger to his lips and you feel the cold in your stomach swell, chilling you. Faintly, you hear a voice whisper behind you, "I lost a bet,". No. Not behind you. The voice was echoing inside your head. Instinctively you knew that it was the evil wizard. "[[How can I free you?]]"

"Take my vessel from his place and act as my flesh avatar. Together we can crush this miserable world and enact our own glorious justice!" the Wizard hissed in your mind. "Does that mean I need to buy this pink fish?" "Yes. [[Obviously.]]"

"Ok. And uh... What does being your flesh avatar mean?" you ask the evil Wizard. "I will impose on your form but occasionally to accomplish my dark chores." "Right... I've got like, school and stuff? I'm supposed to take the SATs next weekend." "This is acceptable. I am knowledgeable in many subjects. Math, chemistry, mid-century English literature. Before I was contained within this very skinny pink fish I was a finalist on Evil Wizard Jeopardy. It is because of Evil Wizard Alex Trebek that I am in this sorry state." "Do- do you want to talk about it? You seem kind of upset." The wizard turned away from you sharply. "N-no. I'm not upset. I am a very powerful and evil wizard who wishes for world domination." "Uh huh. I think you're just a magic fish who needs a friend." "No! I am a powerful and evil wizard and if you disrespect me again I will hide a teaspoon of sand in all of your sanwiches until the day you die." "[[I'll make you a deal Mr. Wizard.]]"

"I will agree to be your flesh vessel for world domination IF and ONLY IF you agree to be my friend." The evil wizard paused for a long moment before looking back over his shoulder. "This is also acceptable." "Great! Can we go back to the regular store and not this incredibly haunted dark aisle?" [[The evil wizard snaps his fingers and the lights come back on.]]

You find yourself at the register with the evil wizard Pink Boy in one hand and a large wizard tower tank decoration in the other. The feeling of cold is gone. Pink Boy winks at you. "Happy Birthday, friend." [[I'm dissatisfied. Go Back->Start]]

You take Somber Fish into the next aisle. You pass by rows of bright rocks and goofy looking baubles. Your terrible brother would think some of these decorations are funny. Not you and Somber Fish. You are a pair of sad intellectuals. Then you see it. A small carved skull with a little tuft of plastic grass poking out from its eye. [[Perfect.]]

You take Somber Fish and your skull up to the register to meet mom and dad and your terrible brother. "Aw gross," he said. "You picked out a dead fish!" "He's not dead!" you said. "He just doesn't want to see your stupid face." Somber Fish fluttered his fins, raising himself ever so slightly off the bottom of the cup. [[This fish understood.]]

Holding him felt right. You weren't gonnna let Somber Fish feel like this anymore. Somber Fish lived with you now and together you were going to go from emo to punk. Happy Birthday. [[I'm dissatisfied. Go Back->Start]]

All right, I'll give you one piece of wisdom: College Park water will kill crustaceans. You need to buy them special distilled water. Congrats on being able to drive! Happy Birthday. [[I'm dissatisfied. Go Back->Start]]

You crouch down to see the bottom row. The first few tanks only seem to have schools of feeder fish. Shame. These fish just get bought to be eaten. A neat lizard would probably enjoy them. Past the feeders were basic goldfish and tetras. You stop at them. [[Look at the Goldfish]] [[Look at the Tetras]] [[Go Back->I'll look at all the tanks.]]

The middle shelf has mostly community fish. Mollies. Gouramis. One of the tanks seems to be infested with snails. Gross. [[You really aren't interested in them.->Top Shelf]]

You move along the top row, standing on your toes to see above the layer of gravel. One of the tanks has only a few inches of water. Its main feature was a thick piece of driftwood that rose out of the water and rested against the dry glass of the tank. Sitting along it were three red crabs, each only a skosh bigger than a half dollar. [[Examine the Crabs]] [[Keep looking]] [[Go Back->I'll look at all the tanks.]]

You had never realized how weird goldfish actually looked. Their big bulging eyes stared back at you blankly, just as disinterested as you felt. Maybe that was the move. One of these bug-eyed little suckers. They were goofy looking and that was sort of... nice? You felt calm looking at them. [[Pick out a Bug-Eyed Little Sucker]] [[Go Back->Bottom Shelf]]

The tank with the tetras was crowded. There were more than fifty fish in there. You don't even know how you would pick one out. It felt so impersonal. So weird and alien. These were living fish. But in this tank they held no more individuality than grains of sand on the beach. [[Sit on the floor to stare at them.]] [[Go Back->Bottom Shelf]]

Of all the goldfish in the tank, there was only one that was actually orange. Most of them were off-white or calico. But there was one little fella that was classicly orange. "Interested in a fish?" a teenager asked from behind you. She had an official looking Fish Store Shirt that clashed massively with her dark eyeliner and green dyed hair. "Uh, yeah," you said. "Word. One of these chubby goldies?" "Yeah. The orange one." <img src="https://www.bangaloreaquarium.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/telescope-eye-goldfish-4.jpg"> "Bet. He's been here for months. No one wants the orange ones. Too basic. It's nice that you're taking him." You hadn't thought of it like that. [[Become a good fish parent and take this round orange man to the register.]]

You take your goldfish up to the register where mom and dad meet you with a tank set. "That's a boring fish," says your terrible brother who only wears sweatshirts from colleges he didn't get into. You give your brother a rude hand gesture while mom pays for the fish and tank set. No one disrespects your incredibly average son. [[Wait? Is this love?]]

Yes. You've learned to love your scaley son. Happy Birthday. [[I'm dissatisfied. Go Back->Start]]

You sit cross-legged on the floor, calves tired from squatting. You stare into the tank. The back wall, the blue glowing back wall seems more reflective up close. You can clearly see the end caps on the aisles behind you. The betta fish in their little plastic cups come more and more into focus. Far too much in focus. [[You turn to look behind you-]]

-and come face to face with the glowing blue wall. You whip around again and stare through the glass looking out into the store where your body sits cross-legged on the floor. You try to knock on the glass, but your fin doesn't have that much dexterity. Wait. Fin? Your body taps on the glass and winks. "Better hope someone else comes looking," it says before standing, leaving you to swim around the overcrowded tank. [[You start to panic.]]

You watch your body walk to the wall of betta fish and clumsily pick up a thin pink one. It shambles towards the front of the store. You are still in the tank. Your body leaves with mom and dad. You are still in the tank. Later, kids come poke at the glass. You are still in the tank. They leave with a dalmation mollie. You are still in the tank. The store closes for the evening. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. Happy Birthday. [[I'm dissatisfied. Go Back]]

Now, you could get behind these zesty gentleman. They scuttled about with pep and passion. One of them clicked its claws as if in a dance. This was more of what you were looking for. They certainly weren't very cool lizards, but they were very cool. Their faces were so expressive. [[Pick a neat little crab.]] [[GoBack->Top Shelf]]

You move to the next tank and you see her. <img src="https://azgardens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Hammers-Cobalt-Blue-Lobster.jpg"> She is the one. Without thinking, you press your hands to the glass of her tank, leaning your forehead to meet her little feelers that twitch in the water. [[Yes.]]

Surely your parents couldn't argue with this. "Your honor," you would say. "I found him in the fish section. How was I supposed to know he wasn't a fish? Do I need a degree in marine biology to get a fish? I'm sixteen!" Yes. These crabs would do. You flagged down a bored looking man in a Fish Store Shirt. He sighed as he scooped one of the crabs into a travel container. The crab pinched at the net as he was transfered. "Fight the system, little man," you whispered to him as you carried him to [[the register]]. On your way you grabbed a piece of wood like you saw in the big tank.

"Now, that is absolutely not a fish," mom protested, setting a tank down on the counter. "He's got gills, hasn't he?" you said. "I mean, I guess..." "Seems like a fish to me." Mom shrugged. "Fair enough." And just like that, you won your first legal case. Will a simple crab put you on track to law school? Maybe not. But on the other hand... Why not? You take your crab and your drift wood and your tank home. You name your crab Elle Woods. Happy Birthday. [[I'm dissatisfied. Go Back->Start]]

She is the one. In just a moment of looking at her, all of your qluams about a fish are gone. This lobster- no. This WOMAN will be yours. You will love her. Your perfect blue daughter. The next few minutes are a blur. You see nothing except for this Lady Lobster that you proudly carry in a plastic container. You find yourself at the register with your Lady Lobster, a massive tank, gravel, plants, and a receipt the length of a city block. Mom drives you home while you sit in the back seat with this Prom Queen of a crayfish. Happy Birthday. [[I'm dissatisfied. Go Back->Start]]

You sit on the couch and squabble with your terrible brother over the remote. When your parents return it's dark outside. "What took so long," your terrible brother asks. "You'll never believe who we ran into at the fish store," mom said. Mom hands you her phone to show you a selfie with- Oh my god. None other than your celebrity crush: Anderson Cooper. If you had gone with them you would have met Emmy Winning Anderson Cooper. Incredibly hot Anderson Cooper. Apparent fish-enthusiast Anderson Cooper. "Yeah, the store said he comes in there all the time to get his tank's water tested." Suddenly the guppy that your mom hands you is much more interesting. You see yourself keeping careful track of the pH level in your water. You know, for Ander- you mean, to keep the guppy healthy. Happy Birthday. [[I'm dissatisfied. Go Back->Start]]

You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You are still in the tank. You have always been in the tank.