How Green Becomes Wood

"You could have said no," Alec giggled. "Here, take Ivy back. I'll do it for real if it will make you feel better."

Xander watched them both in amusement. "The sign right there says it shocks. Why would you want to get electrocuted?"

"To see what it feels like," Alec said promptly. "It's just a baby buzz, I bet."
 
Alec snorted and touched the pipes. He bit his tongue to keep from saying anything as the fuzzy jolt ran up his arms and let go. "Nope, not bad at all," he squeaked.

Xander rolled his eyes and pushed the stroller forward. "Maybe they'll have a tank with red snappers for you to goggle over instead of buzzing yourselves like weird electricity junkies."
 
If it were not his children he was with, he'd make a joke but it wasn't one they should hear. "I am more than pleased to move on as I never wanted to touch the infernal contraptions in the first place, but I am obligated to attempt to please my children."
 
Alec laughed and shook his head. "I can't wait to see what else you can be talked into with that mindset!" He turned and then cooed in excitement over the next shiny habitat, scurrying away before Dark could reply to him.

"Why did you want kids, again?" Xander asked Dark dryly.
 
"Delusion, mainly." Dark replied grimly, walking on after them, checking the time on his watch, "After this next exhibit we should stop for a moment, I need to find somewhere to change Ivy and it's near her snack time."
 
"I suspect we have time," Dark replied, looking ahead, "It appears we have arrived at the Coral Reef." Looking at the map he said, "Good, we can look at these fish, I should be able to change Ivy after, and then there is the conveyor belt through the tanks that go overhead, which lead us to the sharks. That is convenient for us."
 
"The what-now?" Alec asked, mystified. "Did you say a conveyor belt? Are we supposed to stick ourselves on a belt like we're a bag of groceries? Or a car part?"

Xander snickered. He'd seen the picture on the map and knew what was up, but a part of him couldn't help playing along. "Probably. I mean, they get so many people through here, I bet they can't help but see us as bags of meat. Definitely dream of feeding some of the tourists to the meat eaters in here."
 
"No way!! A full sea turtle?" Alec cried out in excitement, hurrying over and looking in.

"What were you expecting, half of a sea turtle?" Xander snorted, following him.

Alec made a face. "Ew!"
 
"Perhaps he expected an estuary turtle." Dark replied with a smirk, going over to the tank and pointing it out to Ivy who, while holding on tightly, looked with amazement at not only the turtle but all of the brightly coloured fish swimming about the tank, her amazement never once dimming as they watched.

Taking a moment to look at her rather than at the Fish, Dark said, "I have no idea how I will be able to convince her to nap in her stroller."
 
Alec got a quick picture of Dark, Ivy, and the tank, triple checking that his flash was turned off. "What's an estuary?"

Xander watched the turtle swim past with a bit of awe before commenting, "I guess we'd better brace ourselves in the event that she won't nap. But maybe she'll pass out from exhaustion."
 
"I believe it is where seas and rivers meet but I may be mistaken." Dark answered, watching as a yellow fish chased another. Then, speaking as a man who had seen many battles to one on the eve of his first said, "Passing out from exhaustion is what we should dread most. It never happens unless preceeded by more rage than one so small looks capable of."
 
"Maybe all the pretty fish will keep her too distracted for rage," Alec said hopefully. "Ooo! Look at that one go!" He pointed out a red fish zipping around frantically.

"What's chasing its tail?" Xander wondered.
 
"We can only hope. Or I can take her back to the jellyfish and hope they soothe her to sleep." Dark joked before his attention was attracted by the red fish, "I would presume a predator of some sort. Tifla, my darling, you may want to look away."
 
The twins watched as the red fish suddenly dove down into a cave created by an overhang of coral. Cautiously, it looked out, its mouth opening and closing as it stared out.

"Oh, I guess it's fine now. Maybe fish get the zoomies, too?" Xander suggested.
 
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