The Zoo-Requested By: Acres

The little clown fish swam around in the large tank that stood in the large aquarium, swimming around the bright colorful coral. Emma watched the little fish swim around and around the bright coral with its friends tailing behind, like playing a game of tag. The clown fish swam around the rainbow coral with its little tail fin wagging around and then finally slowly approached her, sitting in front of the glass starring back at her.

Emma smiled and giggled at the little fish and pointed at its face. "Thats my fish." She said. "I will name you, Shwimy. J.D. look."

She called to her best friend beside her and introduced her to her new clown fish friend. Behind Shwimy came a bright Angelfish and floated right next to her. They looked like friends. J.D.'s eyes went wide and she smiled at the pretty fish. She pointed at it claiming it as hers. Emma smiled agreeing that the fish was perfect for her. "She's pretty. Whats her name?"

J.D.'s smile vanished and she gave a little scowl to her friend who quickly apologized. "Oh, I'm sorry J.D. Can I name her for you?" She asked. J.D.'s scowl lifted as she contemplated her question. She of course couldn't give her fish a name. She smiled and then nodded at Emma to name her fish. "Yeah! Okay. What about Puffy, no, Floopy, no no." Emma thought long and hard, thinking about the perfect name for her best friends fish. After awhile she thought of one. "How about Fishlord McFishykins?"

J.D. smiled and nodded. That was a great name. They watched as the two fish turned around and swam away together into the opening of the coral fortress where they lived. They popped out of another side and started swimming around with another school of fish to continue their game of tag and ventured into the other side of the tank. The two girls waved at the two fish good-bye before leaving themselves. "Bye, Shwimy. Bye Fishlord McFishykins." Emma said and the two girls walked out of the aquarium.

They ran outside where their parents were waiting for them. Emma ran into the arms of her mom while J.D. sauntered over to her father. "Mommy you should've seen our fishys. They were super pretty." Emma said to her mom. Carolina smiled and blew into her cheek making Emma smile and giggle. "You should've seen J.D.'s Uncle Mitch it was prettier."

Michigan smiled and laughed. "Em please, the last thing I need is another mouth to feed. This one right here eats a ton already." J.D. gave her dad a shove, nearly knocking him down. "Hey I'm kidding." He apologized and then gave her a hug and a kiss on the top of her head..

"Come on. Lets go see some other animals." Carolina suggested.

Emma immediately threw her arms in the air and shouted. "PENGUINS!"

"Baby the penguin exhibit is closed for the evening." Carolina said much to Emma's dismay. Emma frowned and then stomped the floor angrily.

"I want to see Penguins." She said sadly.

Carolina took her hand and they all started walking together. "Come on baby. Lets go see some tigers." Tigers were pretty too. Emma lightened up at the idea of seeing Tigers.

While walking across the grounds of Armonia's Hullum Park Zoo the walked past all sorts of pens and cages for other animals. They saw lions, bears, birds and monkeys, but Emma was really set on seeing the Tigers. Tigers were pretty. However along the way, Emma's stomach began to grumble and so did J.D.'s and amongst the sound, Emma detected a sweet scent in the distance past all the souvenir shops. There was a pretzel stand. Her eyes widened and she pulled her mom with her toward the delicious treats.

"Mommy!" Emma cheered. "Can I have? please?" She pointed toward the pretzel stand. "Pretty please?"

Carolina just smiled and pulled some money to give to her. "Okay baby. But not too much, we're still gonna have dinner when we get home."

"Okay mommy." Emma took the money and quickly ran toward the pretzel stand.

She stood behind three other persons waiting in line. Emma was shaking with anticipation of the sweet sugary taste of the sweet pretzels. She could smell the cinnamon as the pretzel man powered it over the pretzels. After the last person walked away and it was finally her turn. She walked up to the pretzel man and ordered pulling up two fingers. "I want two sugary pretzels. Super sugary." She said.

The pretzel man started with pulling out two pretzels that were freshly backed out of his mini oven and then plastered warm butter over them. The butter melted as soon as it made contact with the warm bread and then the pretzel man sprayed the cinnamon and sugary powder over them. She handed him the money and he handed her the pretzels. "Thank you." She said and the ran back to where her mom, her uncle and J.D. were waiting. She sat beside her mom with her two pretzels in hand. "Yummy." She sad and took a bite out of one.

J.D. witness Emma's joy and her tasty pretzels. She turned to her dad and pointing at the pretzel stand. "Okay. But remember what your aunt Carol said." Michigan said and handed J.D. money.

J.D. ran toward the pretzel man and handed him the money for the pretzel. Another cinnamon sugary pretzel just like Emma's. After she received the pretzel she turned around only to see a large crowd obscuring where her group was. She started when she spotted Emma she started walking toward them on the bench. She was half way there when a group of younger kids ran by, bumping into her and knocking the pretzel out of her hand. Her mind started the count down for the five-second rule. She got back up ready to run to pick it up, but someone had already stepped on it. Ruined it.

J.D. rushed back to her dad pointing at the ruined pretzel asking to get another one. Before he could give her the money, J.D. saw the pretzel man already closing down his stand. She was too late. They were already going.

They all got off the bench and continued there trek toward the tigers. Emma saw J.D.'s sadness and saw her absence of a pretzel. She was half way done with her first but the second was still warm in her other hand. She took her current pretzel and started gobbling down every last bite. She took her last pretzel. "Oh no Mommy." She tugged her moms arm. "I'm full. And I have one more pretzel." She said and then turned to J.D. "Here J.D. you can have it. I'm full, you can have it."

J.D. smiled graciously and took the pretzel from her friend. She broke off a piece and hand it to her as a thank you. They ate together as they finally arrived at the tiger enclosure. The Tigers were large and their stripes were very bold and bright. Two sat on large stone platforms just sitting around watching the other viewers while one walked across a wooden bridge. The third tiger leapt off the bridge and down onto ground where they were watching. The tiger slowly stalked towards them while they watched. J.D. didn't like the way the tiger eyeballed them.

She slowly backed away as the tiger got closer to them. J.D. instinctively grabbed Emma's arm trying to pull her away. Emma was enjoying the entire thing, she tried calm her friend down. "J.D. Its okay. Look." She said and then knocked on the invisible wall standing between her and the tiger that was right in front of her. "Its super glass. The tiger can't get us." She said as the tiger opened it large mouth and started grinding its teeth against the window like it was trying to bite her. Emma turned around seeing the tigers large teeth and giggled. She lifted her arms and said "rawr." To the tiger.

"Baby come over here." Carolina said and took Emma's hand and they walked over to another enclosure close by. There were little tiger cubs mopping around and playing with each other. J.D. and Emma began to glow with excitement seeing the little tiger babies. "Go on, pet them." Carolina said and Emma and J.D. reached over the little wall to the cubs. They quickly walked over to them licking their fingers and moving their heads to get under their hands.

Their fur was soft as they brushed under J.D.'s hands. Emma put both her hands and the little cub gave a coo. Emma giggled at the adorableness. "Mommy look. They like us." She said. Carolina smiled and knelt beside her and petted the little cub too.

The intercom sounded telling the guests to return to the Tiger enclosure. When they returned to their spots they watched a small gate open and the little tiger cubs rushed into the enclosure. The larger tigers perked up seeing their children running to them. The tigers stood up and waited as the cubs started running around their mothers excited to be reunited with them. Emma and J.D. watched with such awe and amazement seeing the cubs playing with their mothers again. Carolina picked up Emma and hugged her closely, watching the mother tigers taking their cubs.

The intercom announced once again that the zoo was getting ready to close and for the attendees to start making their way towards the exit. Emma was disappointed that they had to leave but she was happy they got to see the tigers. "The tigers were really pretty mommy." She said.

"Yes they were baby. Come on lets go home."