first link-based game

(set: $intro to "You are a pollinator! \n You spend all day, every day making the world go 'round by carrying pollen from plant to plant, and looking great while doing it :) \n Which pollinator are you?") (print:$intro) [[Honey Bee ->nice]] [[Moth ->nice]] [[Humming Bird ->nice]] [[Bat ->nice]] [[Butterfly ->nice]]

(print:"You are beautiful, just look at those wings!") [[Thanks ->What's your name]]

(set:$urname to (prompt:"What's your name","")) [Hey $urname, ready to go out into the world?] [[No ->lets get started]] [[Um I guess so... ->lets get started]] [[YES LETS DO IT! ->lets get started]]

[*Sobbing*, they see you. "$urname! You're not going to believe what has happened, they're all dead all of them I can't believe it the whole lot"] [[Who's dead? What's going on?->the warning]]

[You continue on your usual route of pollination, through the neighborhood, right past the house with the friendly pets and stickiest phacelias. You flutter around, take a little pollen here, dash some over there.] [[This is the life -> the lawn]]

You're floating along on a lovely day, taking in the sweet, fresh air of spring when you see a friend, Sir Mooth, a rather small butterfly. They look really upset but you're in a great mood. Do you want to stop and talk to them? [[yes -> chat]] [[no, keep going -> on path]]

[Sir Mooth: "I have to warn you, I was there I saw it all happen, the grass shouldn't be that green and those flowers, I've never seen them before. ALIENS!!"] [] [this guy's obviously losing it] [] [you: "alright man that is awful I'll be at the funeral, reach out if you need anything ok?"] Sir Mooth: "THE ALIENS THEY'RE INVADING!!" [[fly away-> on path]]

[All of a sudden you look and see the most beautiful thing you've ever seen! Long stems, exotic petals. Who is this amazing new flower in town?? You pause, remembering Sir Mooth's alien warning - but how could something so beautiful be a bad thing?] [[I gotta check this out -> alien flower murder]] [[better keep moving -> keep going]]

[As you approach you see there aren't any native bugs hanging around these plants. You begin to feel woozy and the air around you smells chemical. Next thing you know you're in the grass, grass too green to be in this neighborhood during a drought. You slowly fade out of consciousness with Sir Mooth's final warnining on your mind *the aliens are invading*] [[Why did I die? ->explain]] [[Try again and solve the mystery on my own ->choose your character]] [[I'm too young to die! -> the lawn]]

[You mosey along and land in a nice tree to rest in the shade. From above you see a bright pink flower. Wait that flower has legs...it's walking? It could be a well-dressed human or it could be the coolest flower ever. If [[you don't go ->onwards]] you could be missing out, but if [[you do go -> human hang]] you could be in danger.]

[[Great! Let's go (:-> lets g]]

[Turfgrass is the #1 most irrigated "crop" in the united states, maintained through the misdistribution of water resources and PESTICIDES/HERBICIDES. Pesticides and herbicides are synthetic chemicals designed to kill bugs, weeds, and animals to keep lawns green. In the process, they disturb the health of our environment.] [] [Gardening culture has recently been geared toward non-native plants for their bright colors and exotic looks. These "alien" plants are harder to maintian in their non-native habitats and recent studies show that they severely offset the balance of the local ecosystem, harming important contributors to our evironment. Like our pollinators.

[You continue flying, now desperate to find a nice flower to hangout around. This day has been so bizarre and what you need is some good old-fashioned pollination, the destiny you are proud to claim. You get to the end of your neighborhood and see a beautiful green glade with butterflies and bees fluttering around tall, beautiful grass and the wildest flowers in the county.] [Separating you from this heaven is a busy road with big metal machines zipping by at light speed. If [[you time it right maybe you could make it!->death by car]] Or maybe it's best to [[just turn around and try another yard->dog]]]

[You approach the walking flower to find it's a little girl walking through the park. Darn it! I do love her top though wow what a great design, covered in flowers.] [She seems friendly and harmless and you've always been curious about humans. Should you go over to try and say hello?] [[make a new friend -> try to say hi]] [[ATTACK!! -> death by mom]] [[no way I'm outta here ->onwards]]

[Nervous, you approach and clear you voice...what do I even say she looks so cool?] [[buzz-> death by mom]] [[hey I really like that shirt where did you get it?! -> death by mom]] [[ya like jazz? -> death by mom]]

[Out of nowhere you hear "Jessica look out!" and (text-style:"expand")[*WHAM*] you feel youself start to plummet and fade out of consciousness... [[what the hell is a jessica??-> pollinator culture]]]

(text-style:"expand","rumble")[WHAM SPLAT] [[try again? ->choose your character]] [[I'm too young to die!! ->onwards]]

[Sad, you make a left to go around the block and find some nice jimson weed to sniff around. You hear a rustle and lift your head to see a huge beast walking towords you.] [[RUN!!!! -> final yard]] [[stop and chat -> dog chat]]

[It's late in the day now and high time for your afternoon nap. You see one last yard in your path with some deerweed that is just dying for love. It's time to [[polinate! ->the man]]]

[you: "Hey Leslie, how're the pups?"] [Leslie: "Hey $urname, same as always, Chloe just learned rollover and the humans are really pumped about it"] [you: "Wow that's awesome tell her I say congrats"] [Leslie: "Will do, hey be careful out there I've been hearing some buzz about the lawns around here"] [you: "Yea yea, [[seeya!-> final yard]]"]

[You cross a great wide expanse of green yard (too green for this time of year) to get to the flower. By the time you land you see a big truck pulled up with big writing on the side that you can't understand] [A man gets out and grabs some tools out of the back before returning with a big bottle of something and a sprayer, you start to get nervous, he's coming right towards you. What are you going to do?] [[Sit very still, maybe he won't see me ->death by chemical]] [[RUN! ->run away]] [[ATTACK! ->attack]]

[You stay right where you are and the man comes right up to you. He doesn't seem to notice you or care that you're there though, man are you good at sitting really still!] [All of a sudden he activates his sprayer and begins spewing some kind of weird-smelling liquid all over to grass, you begin to lose your balance and fall to the floor, you open your eyes to face the mouth of the awful mechanism and in an instant you're gone] [[Why did I die? ->explain]] [[Try again and solve the mystery on my own ->choose your character]]

[You fly away as fast as you can but in your hurry you just got deeper into the yard. You see [[a portal into the house -> death by window]] or [[a dark corner under the porch -> porch]], where will you go?!]

[You get your courage up and charge at the man, going right for the eyes. He swats his hands around at you but you're too quick, he's all disoriented. Haha you've got hime now!] [[run away ->run away]] [[FINISH HIM -> death by man]]

[You fly right for the portal, oh man this looks safe, he definitely can't get me in there. Oh and look a flower in a little cup waiting for me thats so cute.] (text-style:"expand","rumble")[WHAM SPLAT] [You hit a window.] [[try again? ->choose your character]]

[You make it to a dark, damp space under the porch and watch the man walk around the perimeter of the yard, sparying his spray. He hasn't reached this area of the yard yet but you feel he might soon. You could [[wait under here ->death under the porch]] where it's safe and hope the chemicals don't make it this far or you could [[make a run for it -> run for it]]]

[You go in for the kill and out of nowhere get sprayed down by his weapon! Oh no, you can't feel your legs, you're slowly losing consciousness...this is the end] [[Why did I die? ->explain]] [[Try again and solve the mystery on my own ->choose your character]]

[You stay put while he covers every inch of the grass and you start to understand what is going on here. He starts getting into your quadrant of the yard and already the fumes have made their way over to you. You start to feel dizzy and realize Sir Mooth wasn't crazy afterall as you drift into the darkness. [[Explain! ->explain]] [[Try again and solve the mystery on my own ->choose your character]]

[You fly out as fast as you can but get smacked by the fumes of the yard, chemical and painful in your tiny lungs. Dizzy and disoriented, you know you need to get away so you [[keep flying->above view]].]

[By the time you realize where you are you look down to see the whole neighborhood, a busy road, the park where a little girl draws with chalk, you had no idea you could fly this high.] [Then you see it, the man's white van parked in front of a new house, wait there's another one there! And there! You count nearly 10 before realizing you can't count and that your mission is futile. Absurdly green lawns expand for as far as the eye can see. This is the end. [[Explain! ->explain]] [[Try again and solve the mystery on my own ->choose your character]]

[Because of the lack of meaningful pollinator information shared in the education system and around media, pollinators are underappreciated and often feared or hated. To protect our pollinators, we have to create a culture that loves and appreciates them for the ways they contribute to our ecosystems.] [[I'm ready to try again ->choose your character]]