1:
The little fish swam in a circle. Its scales were yellow and the fins on either of its shiny body and top were a translucent orange. Behind it was a distorted face with warped blue eyes, a skewed nose, and a twisted mouth.
"Don't get so close to the glass! You're probably scaring it!"
Buzz crouched on the outside of the bowl. That morning before school Andy had set the fish in the center of his bedroom. Now his two favorite toys were getting their first look at the newest member of the Davis household. "What does it do?"
Standing behind him, Woody shrugged. "It swims and it eats."
"That's all? What kind of pet is that?" Buzz tapped on the glass.
"Don't!" Woody said. "That hurts its ears!"
"It doesn't have ears."
"Well, neither do you." Buzz frowned and rubbed the side of his head. Woody bent down to look at the fish. "Mom says if Andy takes good care of it he can get a bigger pet. Something with fur like a hamster or a bunny…"
"Or a puppy?" Buzz suggested.
"Don't even joke about that."
"Sorry. So," he continued. "How do you take care of a fish?"
"All he has to do is make sure it has clean water and food."
"What kind of food?"
Woody pointed with his thumb. "It's in that yellow tube thingy." Buzz stood up. He picked up the container from near the bowl and read the side: Nemo Brand Fish Flakes. There was a picture of a smiling clown fish underneath the words.
As the Cowboy stood over the bowl for a closer look, Buzz opened the plastic bottle and looked inside. All he saw were colorful bits. They almost looked like Fruity Pebbles. Buzz took a sniff and grimaced. Well they certainly didn't smell like cereal. He took a pinch and put the flakes in his mouth. As soon they hit his tongue he began to choke and sputter.
Hearing his best friend retch, Woody hurried over and quickly gave him a smack on the back. "Buzz are you ok?"
Spitting the flakes out, Buzz nodded. "Uh-huh."
"Why did you eat the fish flakes?" Woody demanded.
"I just wanted to know what they tasted like." Woody rolled his eyes with a groan. "Why would you give a fish something this awful?"
"Well apparently they like it." Still holding the container, Buzz walked back to the bowl. Taking another pinch he dropped some food inside. At once the fish swam to the top and began sucking the rainbow flakes into his mouth.
Buzz smiled. "Hey it likes it!" He dropped in another pinch. Then another. Then another.
"Buzz stop! You're giving it too much!"
"It's eating all of it! It must be hungry!"
"Save some for later!" Woody ordered. "That stuff's four ninety-nine a pop!"
Buzz shrugged and dumped some more food into the bowl, then screwed the lid back on. The fish kept eating.
As the two toys walked away, Buzz said, "I wonder what it's like to be stuck in a fish bowl. Always seeing the world from behind your glass bubble."
"I don't know Buzz," Woody said teasingly. He pushed a button on Buzz's uniform and the Ranger's helmet whooshed shut. "You tell me."
"Ha. You know what I meant. Besides it's not the same thing at all."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah," Buzz said. "My bubble's plastic!"