Chapter Summary~ It's Bring Your Pet to Class day at Denton Elementary and everyone in the class has brought in their pets to show off, what could go wrong? An AU story, please R&R!

A/N: So here we are again with a new story (and me not working on my others) and I have to say this whole idea came around when I was talking to a girl I babysit that wanted a pet she didn't have to take care of, and well for me (and maybe more than a few of you) that was a pet rock when I was little. To sum that up this story came around cause I told a girl she should get a pet rock and I wanted to have a little fun with the Rocky/Shocky characters as kids! Enough rambling let's get on with the story! Enjoy!

~Pet Day!~

Wednesdays were always good days for school because classes let out early and today Miss Marnie Reed, better known to her class of 2nd graders as Miss Marnie (they liked that better than Miss Reed), was thankful for the short school day because she had gotten herself into something that could go very well or very, very horribly wrong, she was allowing her class to bring in their pets to show the class since they were learning about different animals, it sounded like a good idea at the time.

Marnie entered her classroom to find one of her students sitting at one of the round tables that acted as desks for the children. A little girl with strawberry red hair (dyed with "big girl"* temporary hair dye), warm brown eyes, round cheeks, a pink Mickey Mouse shirt, blue jean shorts and purple converses with neon pink laces that were half untied looked up at her and smiled.

"Good mornin' Miss Marnie!"

Marnie smiled back setting her bag beside her own desk before going to the girl kneeling to her height.

"Good morning Columbia, why are you in here and not out at morning recess?"

Columbia pointed to the counter where a sink had been put in for washing hands before snacks, lunch and after art time and beside the sink sat a small fish bowl with a single goldfish in it. Well at least this pet wouldn't cause much trouble.

"Mommy told me I couldn't keep Mr. Bubbles outside cause his bowl would get knockded over or broked so I'm stayin' in here with him."

Marnie smiled looking back at the girl before her.

"Well he's safe in here, why don't you go out and play I'll keep an eye on Mr. Bubbles."

Columbia smiled and jumped off her chair and dashed from the room to join the others outside. Marnie shook her head going to look at the goldfish, surely the other pets couldn't be too bad if energetic Columbia had a goldfish. The door to the room opened making her turn to see who had come in expecting a student with some minor scrape or a tattle-tale to point fingers at another student but instead found a woman with black hair, blue eyes, red painted lips, a leather jacket, a black dress and black boots holding a covered cage.

"Is this Marnie Reed's classroom?"

Marnie nodded going to the woman smiling kindly.

"Yes it is, what can I help you with?"

The woman held up the cage for her to take which she did after a second silently wondering what was inside.

"Eddie told me to bring it in for him since they were asked to bring pets."

Marnie smiled a little more nervously.

"Well thank you very much for bringing it Mrs. Scott, shall I send it home with Eddie after school?"

The woman nodded looking at her watch.

"Yeah just tell him not to take to long getting home, now I have to go."

Without waiting for a goodbye Mrs. Scott left the room making Marnie sigh and carry the cage to the counter and set it down. Putting her hands on her hips she looked at the covered cage, the creature inside was rather quiet and it made her wonder what exactly it was. Tentatively she grabbed the corner of the cover and began to lift it until a knock on the door made her turn around to face the door.

Standing in the doorway was a respectable looking woman with blonde hair, green eyes, soft pink painted lips, a pink blouse, pink pencil skirt and white shoes holding a small cage.

"Ahh Mrs. Wise it's nice to see you, dropping off little Janet's pet?"

"Good morning Miss Reed, yes I'm here to leave Janet's hamster, Chester."

Mrs. Wise held up the cage and Marnie took it looking in at the little critter inside smiling.

"Thank you, I'll be sure he's safe. Should I send him home with Janet after school?"

Mrs. Wise shook her head.

"No I will come and get him and Janet after school so tell her not to walk home. Now if you'll excuse me I need to get to work."

Marnie nodded and watched as Mrs. Wise left, after a few minutes she took Chester's cage to the counter and set it down. She looked at the clock, recess lasted another 10 minutes and so far she had a goldfish, a hamster and a mystery pet. No sooner had she walked away from the counter did one of her students skip into the room.

A little girl with long brown hair, brown eyes, a pale blue tank top shirt, blue jean shorts and pink converses with blue laces.

"Good morning Laura, why aren't you outside?"

Laura looked up and smiled before turning back to the door pointing as a woman with long black hair, brown eyes, rose colored lips, a blue dress with a white jacket holding a cage with a fluffy white rabbit inside walked in.

"I had to show mommy to the classroom but now I'm goin' ta find Collie!"

With that the girl ran from the room and out to the playground, Marnie shook her head going to the other woman taking the cage as it was handed to her.

"I'll be picking Laura up after school so she doesn't need to walk home."

Marnie nodded.

"Alright I'll tell her, thank you Mrs. Ansalong."

Mrs. Ansalong nodded then left as Marnie put the rabbit cage on the counter looking at the creature inside as it chewed on a piece of carrot. A goldfish, a hamster, a rabbit and a mystery pet, with only 5 minutes left of recess she doubted many more parents would be bringing their children's pets so that meant they were either not allowed to bring them or they were outside with the kids.

She went to the door waiting for her class when a woman with raven hair, green eyes, red lips and an over the top black dress with a bodice covered in sequins and black heels came up. Marnie recognized this parent without much of a struggle, her son had been in trouble enough to be sent home once or twice.

"Hello Mrs. Furter, what brings you to the classroom? Little Frank hasn't gotten in trouble already has he?"

The woman shook her head and held up the cage in her hand.

"No I've just come to drop of my baby's little pet off."

Looking in the cage Marnie found it empty, knowing Frank it was probably invisible which meant imaginary.

"It's hiding in there somewhere I'm sure it likes to hide in that hut. At any rate I have to dash."

Marnie watched her go then put the cage with the others shaking her head, now she had two mystery pets and no time until recess was over. The bell rang loudly and a few seconds later the class came in noisily and sat at their tables. Looking at the class Marnie now found two more pets in the room, a dog and a cat in the arms of two girls. Magenta was seated between her brother Richard, or as he preferred Riff Raff, and Columbia wearing a black dress and shoes that went well with her pale skin and green eyes and made her fiery red frizzy hair look brighter. In her lap was a ball of black fur that looked like a cat.

At the other table sat Nation McKinley wearing a jade green dress and a black headband in her red curls, beside her sat her brother Cosmo wearing black pants, a white shirt and his normal glasses. In his lap was a small dog looking around. Marnie smiled walking to the front of the room and rang the bell on her desk getting everyone's attention.

"Good morning class!"

"Good morning Miss Marnie!"

They all shouted back making her smile as she looked around counting heads, two were missing.

"Can anyone tell me where Frank and Brad are?"

The class looked around noticing the pair was gone before Columbia made a squeaking sound and raised her hand.

"Yes Columbia?"

The girl put her hand down and pointed to the door.

"Frankie had ta pee and Brad was talkin' to his mommy!"

Janet, who was sitting on Columbia's other side crossed her arms over the top of her pale pink dress.

"Don't use such bad words Collie! You could have said Frankie was in the bathroom!"

Columbia looked at the girl and stuck her tongue out at her.

"Because I don't wanna sound like a snooty goodie two shoeses!"

Marnie sighed and rung the bell again quieting everyone once again.

"Now girls that's enough, we should start our show and tell so everyone can have a turn. Frank you're not first."

The boy with curly black hair, green eyes, in make-up, a black tank top, a skirt with shorts under it, and black pumps froze where he was by the cages on the counter his hand inches from the cage his mother had brought. The class laughed at how he'd been caught as he stomped back to his seat and Brad settled beside him shifting his chair so it was closer to Janet, he didn't care for either people he was sitting by but he'd take Janet and her cooties over Frank any time.

Marnie took a jar from her desk drawer followed by a bunch of popsicle sticks all in different colors and placed them in the jar.

"Okay class who didn't bring a pet in today?"

Three hands went up at the third table, Ralph Hapschatt a little brown haired boy with green eyes, Betty Monroe a girl with deep brown hair and brown eyes, and Ricky Tritten a boy with light sandy hair and brown eyes. Marnie nodded with a smile having them come up to the desk.

"Ok each of you take one stick."

All three took out one stick and handed them to her. Marnie set the jar on the desk and looked at the sticks reading the names.

"Okay class Columbia is first, then it's the Vitus twins, then Janet will be our last one before snack time."

There were a few complaints but eventually after reassuring that everyone would get a turn Marnie helped Columbia move the fish bowl to the table in front of the class then had everyone move closer to see.

"Okay Columbia tell us about your pet."

Columbia smiled brightly, pretended to clear her throat then began to speak.

"This is Mr. Bubbles my goldfish! Daddy gotted him for me for my birthday! He likes to eat these funny smelling flake thingies mommy says we have to feed him! At home he has a bigger tank with lots of pretty rocks in the bottom and plants that he can hide in! And it's in my room so get to see him every morning and night!"

The class looked at the fish as it swam around but quickly grew bored until Frank stuck his finger in the bowl to try and touch the fish.

"Don't do that Frankie! Mommy says you ain't supposed to touch fishies with your hands cause then you'll get warts!"

Frank quickly took his hand out of the bowl leering at the fish inside before looking at Magenta as she spoke up.

"That's dumb you won't get warts from touching a fishy with your hands, it'll bite you!"

As if to prove some kind of point she pinched Collie making her yelp and rub the spot tears in her eyes. Marnie sighed helping Columbia off the chair she was standing on.

"Magenta that wasn't very nice, tell Columbia you're sorry or else you won't get to help Richard talk about your pet."

Magenta pouted but gave Columbia a weak apology, but that didn't matter the later hugged her and said it was okay anyway, before going to her brother as he set the black cat on the table where the fish bowl had been. The class gathered around and looked at the cat as it sat and licked it's paw.

"This is Fish, she's our cat that our mom got for us from the shelter because we asked for a cat. She eats this food that smells like tuna but doesn't taste like it and goes to the bathroom in a box of sand on the back porch."

Brad looked at the cat then at Riff confused.

"Why is your cat called Fish?"

Riff pointed to Magenta who gently pushed him.

"Magenta named her and all she could say was Fish."

Magenta pushed her brother again nearly knocking him over.

"You weren't supposed to tell that! Meanie!"

Marnie quickly separated the pair long enough to get their cat off the table before they stood beside each other to watch Janet. Janet opened the cage once Marnie set it in front of her and took out the little brown hamster holding it in her hands.

"This is Chester, he's a hamster that I boughted all by myself with my tooth fairy money and allowance. He's likes to eat this hamster food that looks like bunny poo but is really just dried grass maded into a ball. When he sleeps he hides himself under these pencil shaving like thingies in his cage."

She smiled proudly until Laura pointed at her hand laughing.

"He pooped in your hands! Poopy hands!"

The rest of the class did a collective 'ew' then started laughing as Janet put the hamster back in the cage and ran to wash her hands.

"Okay class quiet down. Now all of you line up behind Janet to wash your hands while I get the snacks."

The kids all lined up to wash their hands while Marnie got the snacks from the kitchen across the hall, when she came back she passed out the snacks stopping in front of Frank looking down at him.

"Did you wash your hands Frank?"

The boy nodded but kept his hands hid under the table.

"Frank don't lie, I'm going to ask again and I want the truth, did you wash your hands?"

Frank nodded again but didn't move his hands making Marnie sigh.

"Alright then show me."

Frank shook his head.

"No I don't have ta!"

Marnie put her hand on her hip looking at him until finally he gave up and showed her his hands, which had clearly not been washed.

"Go wash your hands Frank then you can have your snack."

Frank pouted but went to the sink and washed his hands coming back to his snack. After a while everyone was finished and Marnie smiled.

"Ok Columbia, Magenta and Janet come up and take a popsicle stick."

The girls all came up and each took out a stick handing them over.

"Eddie, Laura and the McKinley twins, that means Frank and Brad will be after play time."

After setting the jar aside Marnie went to the cages and lifted the covered one bringing it to the table setting it in front of Eddie who smiled hugely.

"Get ready to see the coolest pet ever losers!"

Marnie gave him a look and he softly apologized before taking the cover off the cage revealing a snake coiled around a small tree like branch inside the tank making all the girls jump back besides Magenta. Eddie reached inside and took the snake out letting it coil around his hand.

"This is Iggy he's a corn snake. He eats mice that mom brings home from the pet store."

Riff looked at the snake then Eddie.

"How's he eat a whole mouse?"

Eddie smiled almost darkly putting the snake back in the tank.

"He coils around them and squeeeeeeeezes them real hard then he opens his mouth and swallows it whole! Wanna see we can use Janet's hamster!"

The room was split in a chorus of 'yes' from the boys and shrieks of 'no' from the girls and Marnie who cleared her throat.

"Okay thank you Eddie why don't we have Nation and Cosmo go next."

The boys groaned disappointed they couldn't see the snake eat the hamster whole as Marnie took the tank back to where it was. Nation set the small chihuahua on the table and told it to sit, which it did wagging it's tail.

"This is Ferdinand* our dog. Our parents got him for us for our birthday last year. He eats dog food that's really small and hard and he does tricks for treats."

The class smiled and cheered as Ferdinand did tricks as Nation told him to.

"But he only listens to Nation."

Nation smiled proudly petting Ferdinand on the head as Marnie went to the cages and picked up the one with the white rabbit in it and set it on the table.

"Okay Laura your turn."

Laura smiled opening the cage and carefully taking out the rabbit.

"This is Lucy and she's an albino bunny. She was given to me by my aunt on Christmas. She eats carrots, bunny food, hay and lettuce. Her fur is really soft and her ears are very very very sensitive so loud noises scare her."

After each of the others took turns petting Lucy, and Frank giving her a carrot stick, Laura put her back in the cage then went off to play with Columbia, Magenta, Riff, Cosmo and Nation in the playhouse in the back of the room. Brad, Janet and Frank took the chairs at the drawing table. Ralph and Ricky were trying to stack wooden blocks as high as they could without knocking them over while Betty watched.

After two drawing two pictures and getting annoyed at Frank for eating (yes eating) the red, pink and green crayons Brad went over to where Laura and Columbia were playing their game of house with the two sets of twins. He watched quickly figuring out Columbia and Laura were the mothers, which he found odd but didn't dare say anything Laura scared him a little when she was mad, Riff and Magenta were the children and Cosmo and Nation were the doctors.

He watched as the two girls took the twins to the "doctor's office" for a checkup then we're asked to wait outside. After a few minutes Laura got bored and told the group she was going to play somewhere else, she ended up being followed by Nation who was followed by Cosmo, those two were always together like they had paste holding their hands together.

Columbia looked at the siblings still with her.

"Now what?"

The twins shrugged before Riff wondered off back to his place at the table and doodled on a piece of paper leaving just the girls and Brad. Columbia seemed to finally notice him and smiled.

"So what kinda pet did you bringded Brad?"

Brad fixed his glasses puffing out his chest making the girls share a look and cross their arms, it took Columbia a couple tries before she got it, looking back at Brad.

"I brought only the very bestest ever!"

Magenta rolled her eyes.

"Sure you did, come on Collie let's go dress up."

Magenta began walking away and Columbia followed making Brad blink and hurry to catch up.

"But I did! It's better than your cat or Collie's fish!"

Their girls looked at him slightly intrigued and mad.

"Is it a tiger or a shark? Those are the only things better than Fish or Mr. Bubbles!"

Columbia nodded agreeing with Magenta as she put a sparkly golden top hat on her head while Magenta grabbed a feather duster from the trunk of costumes. Brad pushed his glasses up again smiling.

"No but it's still really cool!"

"My mommy said that if you lie your nose grow until you tell the truth."

Brad looked at Columbia who was now putting on a golden sparkly jacket to match her top hat.

"I'm not lying!"

Brad squeaked at her tears beginning to prick his eyes. Magenta rolled her eyes again putting on a white apron.

"Well then tell us what it is then you won't be lying."

Brad shook his head deciding to be the more mature one and drop the subject looking at the girls as they put on the rest of their costumes, for Columbia that was a pair of sparkly tap shoes and a red sequined bow tie. For Magenta it was a doily looking headpiece atop her mess of red frizz.

"What are you guys playing? Can I play too?"

The girls shared a look then smiled nodding.

"Sure."

The way they spoke in unison made Brad sorry he asked as they grabbed him, great now he needed a double cootie shot, and began putting him in a costume. By the end of play time Brad had been forced to wear a fuzzy black boa, black fake heeled shoes, a sparkly red glove that went up to his elbow on his right hand and a black one on his left. The girls high fived, missing the first time because Columbia wasn't really paying attention, happy with their work before laughing and going to join the other students gathering near the presenting table.

Unlike the girls Brad got out of his costume before joining the group looking on as Frank stood at the table and Marnie set a cage in front of him. Frank opened the cage and moved the pencil shavings looking bedding around before lifting the small grass hut to reveal a ball of white, Marnie got a little nervous at this point because firstly the pet was real and knowing Frank there was no guessing what the little white fuzzy could be and secondly that he might 'accidentally' set it loose in the room.

Frank took the ball out of the cage and it uncurled into a sleek white ferret kit that looked around then scampered up Frank's arm to wrap around his shoulders while the boy smiled proudly.

"This is Rocky and he's a ferret! He eats fruit and food mommy gets from the store! At home he has a ball we put him in and he follows me everywhere I go! He's the bestest pet ever because I've never seen another ferret so he must be the only one in all of the world!"

The class shared looks but no one seemed brave enough to tell Frank he was wrong, that and none of them had ever seen a ferret around either. Marnie smiled looking at Frank.

"Now Frank he isn't the only ferret in the world there are a lot more, lots of people keep them as pets in apartments. Now how did you get Rocky?"

Frank lifted the ferret off his shoulders and held it in his hand petting it.

"Mommy gotted him for me after we went to the pet store and I didn't like all the boring animals!"

Marnie was about to have Frank put Rocky away when Columbia raised her hand jumping slightly to be seen from behind the Laura and the McKinleys.

"Yes Columbia what is it?"

Columbia pushed her way to the front making Cosmo leer at her.

"Can I pet Rocky Frankie? Pwease?"

Frank looked at Columbia for a minute then nodded holding out the ferret. Eventually everyone had at least touched the ferret, Brad had been scared to do more than brush his fingertips over the fur, and Frank put him back in his cage watching as Marnie put it back with the others before smiling at Brad.

"Okay Brad, it's your turn now."

Brad pushed up his glasses then dug in his jacket pocket taking something out making the class look confused then burst out laughing when he set a grey rock the size of his palm on the table. Hearing the laughs tears came to Brad's eyes but before he could start to cry Marnie quieted the class.

"Now now children you shouldn't laugh at Brad for his pet, when I was a girl,"

"When was that yesterday?!"

Marnie looked at Frank who smirked before laughing making Marnie shake her head and continue as if he hadn't spoke.

"I had a pet rock as well, it was a little blue pebble. Now let's be kind and listen to Brad talk about his pet."

Reluctantly the class quieted and Brad gave a small smile.

"This is Boulder and he's a geode rock, or at least he will be. He doesn't eat anything so I don't have to feed him and he doesn't need to be walked either so I can leave him in his cage at home or take him with me. I got him at a booth at the Fourth of July fair last year."

As Brad finished speaking the class began whispering amongst themselves about which pet was the best, clearly they were all better than Brad's even Columbia's fish. Marnie got their attention.

"Okay class it's time to get ready to go home, Janet, Laura and Columbia you girls are supposed to wait for your mothers to come and pick you up. So get your things together."

The class split up and got all their things ready to leave, most living just down the block from the school walked except for the ones who's parents that wouldn't dare let them do such a thing. After a few moments the bell rang and the kids that walked home grabbed their cages or pet, if they had one, and left the room while the three girls and Brad waited.

Mrs. Wise was first to show up to take Janet home, the second Janet walked to her mother she started complaining about how Chester had popped in her hands and everyone laughed at her then Eddie wanting to feed the hamster to his snake. Not much longer after Mrs. Ansalong came and picked up Laura listening to the girl go on about how everyone liked Lucy's fur. Next came Columbia's mother, a woman with brown hair and eyes dressed in a rose patterned dress, who carried the fish bowl as Columbia twittered away about all the other pets brought in.

After about 10 minutes Marnie looked at the clock then at Brad who was still waiting watching the door.

"Brad are you sure you weren't supposed to walk home?"

Brad nodded.

"Mommy said she'd come get me."

Marnie didn't seem convinced but said nothing going back to the lesson plan before her. After another 10 minutes Mrs. Majors showed up apologizing for being late. Brad said nothing until they turned to leave then Marnie smiled hearing him ask his mother in a very serious tone.

"Mommy am I ready for a real pet yet? Even Collie has her own fish!"

Mrs. Majors was quiet for a long moment before she spoke.

"Maybe we will look into getting you a pet darling, but something easy to take care of, maybe a fish."

Brad cheered happily before the pair left the room making Marnie shake her head, leave it up to s student in her class to have a pet rock because he thought he wasn't ready for a pet. Looking at the lesson plan while thinking about how this little show and tell went Marnie got the feeling next week's 'Share a Snack' was going to be much more….interesting if she knew her second graders.

(Big Girl Hair Dye- What Columbia's mother calls hair dye that washes out in a few days as opposed to the spray that washes out in a day.)

A/N2: well what did everyone think of the pets? Did I make good matches with everyone? Let me know if you would have chosen differently or not! I plan to update this story farther with other stories about Miss Marnie's second graders so I hope to see you again!