Disclaimer: I do not own Arthur or the characters. All Arthur characters and materials belong to Marc T. Brown.
Cover Image is of Arthur and his Friends in High School Years. Characters were made by Deviant Art member KeysComics, who gave me permission to use his pictures of the Arthur characters, although I created the picture you see using two of his drawings in Microsoft Paint. Thanks again KeysComics for permission to use your pictures.
Click to get a larger version of this picture.
The Story:
Arthur and his friends are now Juniors at Elwood City High School. Arthur and all of his friends are now sweet 16s, except Binky, who is 17.
Chapter 1
We start off in third period in Mr. Perkinson's American History Class. Mr. Perkinson is a brown 46 year old anthropomorphic squirrel, kind of like an adult male version of D.W.'s imaginary friend Nadine, only without the tail, we'll give him short brown hair. Only five of Arthur's friends from Mr. Ratburn's class are in this room, Buster, Brain, Binky, Francine, and Sue Ellen, some of whom share some other classes with Arthur. Mr. Perkinson is passing back the History exams to his students.
Mr. Perkinson says, "Sam, good job. Janis, wonderful! Binky, not bad but please try to do better. Francine, great job! Sue Ellen, you did great as well. Arthur, good job. Buster, not bad but try to do better than a C minus. Alan, as always, you get an A plus. Keep up the good work!"
"Thanks, Mr. Perkinson," Brain says.
There are several other students in the classroom but I won't get into them.
After third period is lunch. Arthur, Buster, Francine, and Brain sit together at a table.
Arthur starts, "So how about that History Exam guys?"
"It was tough!" says Francine.
"I'll say," says Buster as he's nibbling on his bacon double cheeseburger.
"But I got an A minus," says Francine, "what did you get Arthur?"
"I got a B," he answers before taking another bite of his cold turkey sub. "I had to listen to D.W. and Kate argue and Pal kept having to go to the bathroom."
"At least you did better than me," says Buster, "I can't seem to do better than a C minus."
"You can," says Francine, "you just need to apply yourself more."
"That's what they keep telling me," says Buster.
"Maybe you should try taking that advice," says Francine before she eats some more of her chicken fettuccini alfredo.
Buster sighs, "You're right. I am sick of getting low grades. While a C minus is better than anything lower, I almost wish I could be as good as Brain."
Before taking another bite out of his chicken sandwich, Brain says "If you want to be as good as me, you have to study long and hard."
"I said 'almost,'" says Buster, "not 'exactly.' But you always get A pluses."
"Buster that's not true and you know it," says Brain, "I've gotten lower grades before.
"Really?" asks Buster, "name a time."
"Don't you remember Buster?" asks Brain, "I got that B- in Mr. Ratburn's class that one time when I was changing the music at my parent's Ice Cream Shop."
"Oh yeah," says Buster, "I lost my appetite when you played that one chick's song about her boyfriend not treating her right."
"That was Koko Taylor," says Brain.
"I remember that time," says Francine. "That when I wanted to play 'You Stink.'
"And Buster and I sung a song from "We Stink," says Arthur.
"Yeah," says Brain, "then I had to make you all be quiet. Fortunately we came up with a solution.
Brain goes on to say, "The point is, I may seem like a good student but even I get low grades on occasion."
"You're not just good," says Francine, "you're the best."
"Or one of the bests," says Buster.
"Oh stop it," says Brain, "I'm not the best."
"Trust us," says Arthur, "you are."
Author's Notes: The name Mr. Perkinson, a name I had to decide on, is named after one of my High School teachers. And in case you're interested, the Arthur episode connection to this fanfic is Breezy Listening Blues. At least this chapter.
Stand by for chapter 2.