Thank you Kur8Kami117 for your suggestion of this idea! I wasn't sure what to do at first, but then I really had an awesome time with it! Such a wonderful idea! Anyway, it may be a bit on the shorter side, but I still hope you all like it. It's a fun one, I promise. Thank you for your unending support as always! :)


Maurice waited off by himself in the front of the school as a line of cars slowly made their way past, picking up their children. He'd only waited for the parent-pick-up once in his life. But that was in kindergarten. He was especially nervous because he wasn't going to be getting picked up by his own mother. Since his mother and father were at an important-sounding conference on behalf of the man's job, Maurice was instructed to go home with his neighbors. That meant Myrtle's parents. He gulped, silently praying that she wouldn't be out of school just yet.

A big black car drove up and rolled down it's passenger window. Maurice saw his female neighbor wave pleasantly at him to signal that he should get in the car. Maurice took a deep breath. He climbed into the car…and came face-to-face with Myrtle. She giggled and blushed a bit. The boy sighed, remembering his manners and what his mother instructed him to say. "Thank you both very much for picking me up from school today." he said to the parents. Both assured him that it was no trouble. Myrtle's father, the driver, began to pull out of the school. Thankfully, the adults talked to Maurice a lot about his day, his grades, choir, and all sorts of distracting stuff. It took away time from having to talk to Myrtle. Though he dreaded the ride at first, he gradually became more comfortable as the car rode forward.

Myrtle's father approached a red stoplight, applying the brakes and coming to a complete halt. They waited for the color to signal them to continue on their way. Suddenly, the whole car jolted forward and a huge crash! sounded from behind them. Myrtle shrieked. Her mother gasped. Her father's eyes instantly flew to the rear-view mirror. Maurice suddenly realized that he'd protectively grabbed the girl beside him and was holding her in his arms. The father sighed and shut the car off. "The bloody idiot behind me rear-ended us…" he muttered as he got out of the car. "Be careful, Daddy!" Myrtle shouted after him. Maurice glanced down at himself, then at Myrtle, then at himself again. Where did this instinct of protection come from?

The mother turned around in her seat. "Is anyone hurt?" she asked the two children. Both shook their heads. "It's alright," she went on, more talking to herself than them. "Everything's alright. It was just scary for a moment. Just a scary bump. But no one's hurt, and everything is going to be fine." Maurice cleared his throat as he let go of Myrtle, pretending to adjust his collar as she unnecessarily played with her two long braids. They realized that they were both blushing.

Myrtle's father came around and asked the woman to step out of the car to talk to the causer of the accident. He mentioned that the police would be on their way. Once the door shut and the two children were alone, Maurice sighed. "Well, this is a fine mess." he said.

Myrtle nodded. "Sorry you have to wait through all this."

"I don't mind. Nobody could've done anything to stop it. Are you…are you sure you're not hurt?"

"I-I'm sure."

Maurice could tell that his girl was a little shaken up from the sudden event that occurred. She had some tears running down her cheeks from just the pure surprise of being caught up in an unexpected wreck. He decided he wanted to lighten the mood a bit doing the thing he was best at: humor. "You know, my choir director, Jack Merridew, says that I'd be a terrible brain surgeon."

"W-Why's that?"

"He says that I'd be working on someone's brain, and then I'd 'get distracted by most miniscule of things'. Then he said I'd end up accidentally sawing off half of the brain while I was being careless." Myrtle giggled a little at this. Maurice liked where this was going.

"And actually, I think that would cure some people in this world. Sometimes Jack calls our friend Henry a coconut-head. So if I had a patient like Henry, then there'd be no harm done - - it would be hollow inside!" he elaborated. Myrtle laughed a little bit more.

"Do you ever wonder what kind of animal some humans would be? I think about it sometimes while I'm bored in my English class. That could also be why the teacher tells me I'm too preoccupied…but anyway, I thought of an animal for every person in my choir. You know all the boys by names, right?" he asked.

"Y-Yes, I do."

"Well, I think Robert could be a gazelle. I mean, when he gets scared or in trouble, his eyes get all round like they do. And Harold would have to be one of those tall crane things - - a stork. He's all tall and skinny and stretched out. I think Henry would be a fish because if he had gills then we wouldn't have to worry about him drowning in his own tears."

Myrtle was really enjoying these animal allusions now. Her tears had stopped flowing and the remnants were drying on her cheeks. "My good friend Bill would most likely be a bat because he can't see two feet in front of him, he talks loud, and he runs into stuff all the time because he's quite the klutz. Simon would be a koala bear; he's so sweet and cuddly and all that. Plus I don't think he'd ever not have a little happy look on his face - - you know how koalas always look like they're smiling? Roger would be a porcupine. He may look like all he needs is a big hug, but boy will he sting if you scare him too quick. Jack's most likely a tiger. Have you seen his hair? It gets more and more orange every day! He's usually solitary unless he has to lead a pack, then he gets the teeth and claws out."

"What type of animal would you be?"

"Me? Well, Jack tells me I bounce around too much and do a lot of 'unnecessary energy release'. So I guess I'd be a kangaroo. Which I'm alright with, or course, because I like bouncing and running and all that sort of stuff! I also wish I had a pocket on my tummy sometimes so I could keep my treasures I find throughout the day in there…"

"What kind of animal would I be?"

"What kind of animal would you be? Hmmm…I'd say that you'd be a monkey - - you know, the cute ones with the curly tail! You're full of energy, you express a lot of emotions, and…you're cute."

Myrtle wiped her face and blushed. Maurice did too after he realized what he'd just verbalized right in front of her. A policeman tapped on his window, indicating for them to step out of the car. Maurice helped Myrtle jump down and get to her parents. A big truck had arrived to take their car away to be repaired. The policeman offered to give the now stranded passengers a ride home, which they graciously accepted. Maurice took Myrtle's hand as they climbed into the backseat, holding it there even as they began driving away. The kangaroo and the monkey didn't let go of each other until it was time to go to their separate houses.