The Secret Lives of Eragon and Francis

Welcome!
Hi betta lovers!  I just thought that I should write a little fiction story about Eragon and Francis, just for your enjoyment.  Starring these fantastic fish, an exquisite story will be weaved by yours truly.  It's the Story of Eragon--see The Story of Eragon--from Eragon's point of view, extending on until after the adoption!  A continuation will be added every once in a while, depending on how my brain's working.  By the way, anything in parentheses will tell you what Eragon is seeing that he can't understand, such as plastic, is.  And, all names (except Eragon, Francis, and Jessica) are fake.  Enjoy!

Jessica




    Funny how things always work out.
    Hi!  I'm Eragon, a betta fish.  And this is the story of my life.  I hope you enjoy it!
    I was born into captivity and temporarily named Little Blue Betta.  Wasn't much fun.  Sure, the world was interesting, but not interesting enough.  That's why I'll skip ahead to the exciting part, if you don't mind.
    The next thing I knew, I was old enough to be sold.  Humans took me to Petco, where I awaited adoption.
    This wasn't a party either.  It was so cold, I just sat around to stay warm.  All the other betta fish were boring.  My home (temporary tank) was also boring, not to mention small and shallow.The only excitement was when people came into the shop and looked at me.
    But that was about to change.
    If anything, it was the most amazing--and scary--moment in my life!  Jessica, as I later found out that was her name, picked me up and took me to this strangely shaped thing on a platform that made click noises (cash register on a table) on the day after Christmas.  Then they put me into a giant thing where everything whizzes by (car).  Finally they took me to their home, where Jessica gave me a name: Eragon.
    I considered the name.  It was acceptable; in fact, I probably couldn't have named myself better.
    The following afternoon, Jessica put me in this new home (tank) they had fixed up the night before.  And it was deep!  And round!  And big (about goldfish bowl size)!  I was thrilled.  It had comfy gravel, sparkly shiny thingies (glass jewels), a plant made of some strange material (plastic), and a great view of Jessica's home!  Wow!
    A bunch of not-Jessicas (other people) loved me also.  There was Jack, the young boy; Katherine, the nice woman; Steve, the tall man; Nancy, the shorter woman; and Tom, the shorter man.
    From my spot on a platform (counter top), I watched these humans closely.  I could see them rest around another platform (sit at a table).  I could see Jessica practice her weird moving sequence (dance).  I could hear them laugh and talk and sigh.  I could even see the tall light-up shiny tall thing (Christmas tree).
    I developed a pattern.  I would sleep behind my plant and watch the humans from the front or side.  I would also look if anyone approaches me.
    There were round things (pellets) dropped into my home every other day, which I found to be delicious.
    The next week, a scoop thing (net) was chasing me!  I was still new, so I thought that it meant me harm.  I wiggled away, but it got me anyway.  I was put back into my small shallow home while Jessica and Katherine cleaned up my tank.  I thought, happily, "So they don't mean me harm.  I'm glad."
    They put me back after a few minutes.
    Once, Jessica and some of her not-Jessica friends left, leaving me alone with Nancy and Tom.  It was dull but OK.
     It basically went on like this for a few months.  Until Francis, a red betta fish, came.
    His tank was a long octagon, with two short plants.  His gravel was bigger.  Jack claimed Francis as his own and named him, well, Francis.
    We were basically next-door neighbors, so I told him my story. Afterwards, Francis said that his story was exactly the same except for a few minor differences: his other home (temporary tank) had been deeper, he was brought to Pet Smart, he had stayed longer, Jack named him Francis in the giant zoom by thing (car), and he had been adopted by Jack.
    We had long discussions with each other, about our experiences with humans, such as what we've observed about the weird way humans move (walking); about our species, such as how we're destined to fight and our life in the wild, even about our preferences, such as our preference in food, rest, play, talk, color, fighting opponent, name, etc.
    A few weeks later, Tom and Nancy said good-bye to us and left.  We haven't seen them since.
    Jack took out the second plant in Francis' tank, since he saw it was too crowded for him.
    Jessica told me that we were going on a trip somewhere else.  A chance to see the world!  I immediately told Francis.  We both listened in, and it turned out that we would both be in Francis' tank, divided only by a see-through barrier made of the weird material (plastic separator), and the plant would be removed.  It would happen in a few weeks.  I was so excited!  In about 20 days there would be a new home to try out and more of the world to see!
    While waiting for the exciting traveling day, Francis and I had to do something, so we talked about the outside, water-less world.  It did keep us busy.  Here's one of our more interesting conversations, about the zoom zoom all around thing (car).
    "Hey Francis?" I asked.
    "Yes?"
    "What do you think the fast zoom thing (car) is?"
    "I have no idea.  Perhaps it's a system (machine) so they can go somewhere else."
    "Why not just swim?"
    "Haven't you noticed, Eragon?  There's no water outside our home except some which eventually gets swallowed."
    "I didn't notice the stuff in the small holders (glasses) was water," I thought.
    The conversation about water came back to me as water drops fell from the sky (it started to rain).  I was worried and excited as I heard the pitter-patter, even though we were protected by a bunch of hard protectors (walls).
    And then a big boom (thunder) rang through the air.

    "Why don't they put me back in my home?" I wondered.  "They usually do."
    I had just been removed from my tank.  Francis was about to take his turn.  But his tank soon looked different.
    Jessica and the not-Jessicas had put a barrier (separator) in the middle of the bowl and separated the plants.  Then they put Francis on one side and me on the other.  I could see him through the barrier (separator) and immediately had the urge to fight.
    I spread out all my fins and my frills.  "Hey Francis!" I called out.  "How 'bout a friendly sparring?"  I rammed into the barrier (separator), trying in vain to knock it down.
    Francis wanted to at first, but after a few hours he gave up and rested.  I couldn't get anything out of him except the occasional ram and fin spread.  I could see he wanted to fight, but he figured out it was no use and fell asleep.
    I still watched him, facing him even as I slept.
    Only then did I realize that I was being picked up.  The water sloshed around.  It was like this for the next 7 hours.  Our home was kept in a box, so there was nothing to see.  Sometimes I would ram the barrier, sometimes I would get distracted and swim around--only later remembering I was watching Francis, and sometimes I would stay at the bottom because the water was really sloshing.
    It finally stopped when we were moved to a new landscape.  It was cold.  I slept.
    I didn't know where I was.  But I caught phrases like "Birclee" (Berkeley) and "Norfurncaliforniu" (Northern California).  I also heard "Upnorf" (Up North).  These phrases are meaningless to me, and probably will be forevermore.
    Soon, it was slosh water mania again.  But I was returned soon to my tank in my habitat.
    All right, I admit it: I'd developed an attitude.  I threaten and puff up at Jessica when she comes over to watch me.
    However, Francis also seems to do this.  And that's how we found something else to talk about: Jessica.
    How does she change her body coverings (clothes)?  How does she manage to catch the little creatures we feed on (pellets)?  How can she turn on the sun (use lights)?  How can she live without water?  And exactly how big is her tank?  How big is she?  Why is she in the outside world?  And what are those things (arms and legs) where her tail and fins should be?  Everything we could think of went onto the list.
    It took us an entire day to do this.
    The next day was spent making up theories.  And the next.  And the next.  And the next.
    I'll tell you when Francis and I work them out.
    I was put in that home (tank) with Francis, the one with the barrier (separator), and Jessica left.  I was left with some strangers for a few months.  It was almost like they were replacing Jessica.  My A-day came and passed.  Then Jessica came home.
    I wasn't hungry after that.  I just didn't have the appetite.  But I did congratulate Francis because it was his A-day.  They gave him a new plant as a present.