AN: Hey y'all! Hope you like this chapter. Um, I hope it doesn't offend anyone.
"Now then class, I want you to interview someone who actually does whichever job you have been assigned. They will have you work for them after school."
"Do we at least get paid?" Wally asked angrily. He really didn't want to spend his time in a room full of flowers.
"You get paid in the joy of education," Mrs. Heath drowned. "Now then, class, I already have a list of names you can choose from to interview. Next to their business name you'll find the address. Have fun!"
Kuki ran to check who she was to interview. Wally dragged his feet; thinking angry thoughts that would be inappropriate to say (use your imaginations, people!).
"Okay, after school I'm going to Fred's Electronics. Where are you going?" Kuki asked.
Wally read the name. "Tick and Tock's Flower Power Utopia. Sounds pretty gay to me."
"I think it sounds like a beautiful place. Take Rainy with you!"
School ended and Wally rode the city bus downtown into the ritziest business neighborhood around.
He entered the flower shop and groaned. It was his worst nightmare. Flowers grew everywhere.
A balding man with a flair for fashion popped out of a pile of fuchsia flowers. "You must be my new apprentice. I'm Tick." He held out his hand to be shaken.
Wally looked at it like it was covered in something smelly, then grabbed it loosely. "I'm Wally."
"Tock, get out here! Our guest has arrived!"
A white man with bleached blonde hair came in through a back door and grinned, exposing perfectly straight white teeth. "Welcome to our humble shop." He gestured around himself.
There was something about these two that wasn't right, Wally realized. They were standing too close to each other. They kept shooting each other love sick eyes.
'Oh holy flaming crud!' Wally panicked.
"We hope you enjoy your time with us," The one known as Tock said eagerly.
Wally backed away towards the door. "I, er, got to go. I, um, left a ,er, food in the oven."
"You can't just leave yet!" Tick looked shocked. "Isn't the shop up to your liking?"
"Um, look. It's not that I have anything against, er, flowers or anything. I just . . . don't like flowers." Wally said lamely. Not only did these two freak him out, but he was beginning to suffocate under the deep aroma of flower hell.
"How can you not like flowers?" Tock asked.
"Um, they're, um, too girly." Wally said then regretted it. 'You don't tell gay people about being girly!'
"Oh really? Do you think being pricked by a thorn is girly? Hmm?" Tick seemed angry.
"Now Tick, you can't expect a mere child to understand flowers," Tock reasoned.
"You're right." Tick said dejectedly. "But he can't leave just yet. Not with all the work we need done."
"Work?" Wally backed farther away than before.
"But of course. You have to do something or your health teacher will flunk you. Have you forgotten this is a school project? Having a job is just as important as caring for the baby you know."
"Baby? OH MY GOD! I LEFT RAINY ON THE BUS!" Wally shrieked. "Kuki's gonna kill me." He bolted out the door as fast as his legs could carry him.
AN: Uh oh! Is Rainy lost forever? What's Kuki gonna do to Wally when she finds out that her 'daughter' is lost? What is the real story behind Tick and Tock? Find out in the next chapter!