Chapter 6: Garden of Violets
(Flaky's POV)
"So, what now?" I asked. Flippy shrugged.
"I don't really know. Maybe we should give our P.R.I.U.S some commands."
"Commands?"
"Hmm...I got one!" He turned to iFlippy. "Ok, iFlippy! Can you and the others help build Flora a home?" iFlippy bowed.
"Of course Master Flippy. And what sort of house would you like us to build?" Flippy turned his head and eyed Flora for a few seconds before turning back to iFlippy.
"Ok, here's what you three can build..." The rest was a bunch of whispers. "...got it?"
"Yes Master Flippy! Alright! iFlora! iFlaky! Let's go!" Then the three robots dashed through the open doorway. I tapped Flippy's shoulder.
"Um, what exactly did you tell them to build?" He crossed his arms.
"Something I think Flora would love. Now, shall we leave and get some ice cream?"
"Do they have cookies and cream?" asked Flora, eagerly.
"Yep, I'm pretty sure."
"Then let's go!" In a flash, Flora dashed out of the school. "C'mon!" Flippy chuckled and grabbed my hand. Heat rose to my face. Unfortunately, it also went to my hands. Dammit. Few minutes later, we reached the ice cream truck.
"Alright, Flaky, what flavor do you want?" I scanned the list. Blueberry, orange, cookies and cream, chocolate, vanilla, mint, twist, banana, pecan, rocky road, and strawberry.
"I'll have a strawberry please." I said, quietly. He nodded.
"Ok, I'll have one strawberry, one mint, and one cookies and cream." Cro Marmot stood there, unmoving. This went on for a few moments.
"Is he always like this?" asked Flora.
"Sometimes." Suddenly, three cones appeared on the counter when we turned back to face Cro Marmot.
"Well what do you know! Three cones appeared out of thin air!" Suddenly, an ice cream flew out of the truck and landed square on Flora's forehead, knocking her onto the ground. Flippy quickly fell onto his knees and waved a hand over her face. No reply.
"Shit, she's knocked out." He sighed. "Thank god it wasn't the cone that hit her head." he mumbled. I tapped his shoulder.
"Um, Flippy? I've been meaning to ask you this, but, why ice cream in the middle of winter?"
"A...little treat for you guys. I thought ice cream would be a good decision. Yeesh, I didn't know Cro Marmot would be like this..." Suddenly, a maniacal sound was heard from our right. We turned our heads to see Nutty, running down the sidewalk with a candy cane in his mouth. When he caught sight of us, he halted to a stop and stared.
(Flippy's POV)
Uh oh. I don't like that look he's giving us. After a few seconds, Nutty started to shake wildly, as if he's charging power for who-knows-what.
"AHEE-HEE. HEE HEE. HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE! ICE...CREAM! VANILLA!" I looked at Flora's forehead. It's chocolate. The ice cream is chocolate...what on earth is Nutty talking about? Then, I got up. Huh. No wonder why Nutty said vanilla. Only the cone was visible from this angle...and Flora's head is white...like...vanilla...!
"Flaky! Quick! Help me bring Flora back to your place!" She jumped back in surprise.
"Huh?! Wha- why?" I draped Flora onto my shoulders. Damn, the cone isn't coming off!
"Nutty! He thinks that Flora is ice cream! If he gets her..." I shuddered at the thought of Flora being eaten by Nutty. Eugh...too graphical. The maniacal laughter grew louder and louder. Quickly, I grabbed Flaky with my left hand and ran. Flora shook and shifted. I quickly held onto the midsection of her back with my right hand. What seemed like minutes seemed like hours. We finally reached a peculiar house on the hill and opened the door. And smashed it closed. Sounds of laughter and scratching echoed by the door. I ignored the horrifying sounds and ran to the bathroom, still clutching onto Flaky's arm. "Flaky, hurry! Fill this tub with warm water, now!" The porcupine frantically turned the knobs once I released my grip and closed the door. I quickly stripped Flora from her dress and removed the bell bracelets from her ears. Then I placed the clothes onto the table by the door. When I turned around, I noticed Flaky's reddened face.
"Uh, I thought we're going to only wet her face." I looked at the lavender bellied white cat in my hands and then at Flaky. Oh. Right.
"Err, well, at least the...um...dirt...would wash off from her body...Flaky don't look at me like that you're not wearing anything too." Now it was my turn to blush. I looked away from her, trying to hide my reddened face. She did the same.
"Well...then put her in the tub. I'll make sure she doesn't drown." Carefully, I placed her in the tub and turned the knobs to shut off the water. Flaky sat on the tub's rim and picked up Flora's head from the water. After a few seconds of splashing water at her forehead, the cone finally fell off. And right when the door has been opened with a BAM.
"ICE...CREAM...ICE...cream?" Nutty stood there dumbfounded. I shrugged.
"Sorry Nutty, there's no ice cream here. Why don't you go to the ice cream parlor?" The lime green squirrel smiled.
"Yes. Thank you Flippy!" he said, and with a smack of his lips, he dashed out the house. I sighed and sat on the floor, exhausted. My heart's fast pace slowed down to a slow and steady beat. Flaky followed suit. I opened my eyes halfway and gave a half-hearted smile.
"Heh...that...was close, huh?" Flaky smiled. Then I remembered something. My head snapped up.
"Hey...who's supporting Flora?!" Her eyes bulged and quickly got up. I scrambled to my feet and lifted Flora's head. Yeesh, we would've saved her for a second and then kill her by drowning on accident. "Psst. Flora." No answer. I lightly slapped her cheeks.
"Mmf."
"Flora."
"Mmf?"
"Flora."
"..."
"...Flora?"
"Mmm whatcha say?" I rolled my eyes. At least she gained back her consciousness. I lifted her out of the tub and wrapped her body in a soft cotton towel. Her eyes opened halfway.
"What's going on?" I gave her the striped dress.
"Long story. Don't ask."
At the ice cream parlor...
(Nutty's POV)
"Waiter!" I yelled, finishing my fifteenth cup.
"WHAT?!" shouted Toothy.
"More ice cream!" Toothy stood there, unmoving. He crossed his arms.
"No." I gave him an evil eye. It failed though.
"C'mon." He looked away.
"Nutty, that was your fifteenth. No more." I sighed. There's only one way that will work for this predicament.
"...please?" Toothy turned towards me with a smile.
"Ok!" I grinned. Please always work with Toothy.
Back to Flaky's house...
(Flippy's POV)
"So, when is my house done?" asked Flora. I shrugged.
"I don't know. Any moment I guess-" The door opened and iFlippy stepped in.
"Master Flippy, the house is done." I got up and walked towards iFlippy.
"Good job iFlippy! Take a rest, ok?" He shook his head.
"No thanks. Besides, we're robots. We'll manage."
"Oh, ok then." Then with a salute from iFlippy, he walked away. "Shall we go and take a look?" Both girls nodded.
Minutes later...
"Well would you look at that!" I said in awe. At first glance from outside, it looks like a huge plain tree house. But on the inside, it looks like the inside of a mansion. In the living room, there were four long purple couches, two on each side with a circular glass table at the center. A chandelier made with gold and amethysts hung from the ceiling and a circular purple carpet laid flat on the oak floor. The floor was polished too. A flute leaned on the white wall by one of the couches. A large plasma TV hung over a fireplace. In the dining room/kitchen, there was a HUGE - bigger than the one in the living room - amethyst chandelier hanging over a big Lazy Susan. The stoves/ovens were made of iron and so was the microwave in the wall. Rows of cabinets lined up above the marble counters. A big iron fridge stood next one of the counters. The bedroom has fluffy, poofy pillows and blanket on the bed. A white desk with a lilac lamp and a chair (the rolling one - whee!) stood by the wall adjacent from the bed and a round fluffy carpet was laid in the center of the room. The two guest rooms were equally magnificent. The bathrooms were also nice. But the best part of the house...is the garden itself. Connected to the back of the house was a large glass dome, bigger than the house itself. Violets grew around the dome, the circumference really. A lake surrounded a circular, medium sized island, which is at the center of the whole dome, connected by a white fancy bridge and a beautiful gazebo (with a willow next to it) stood dead center on the island. Purple lilies floated in the water, lighting the lake with a faint glow. Fireflies lazily flew in the air. The night made everything look better. It's like a garden from a fairytale of some sort. We all stood there, amazed at the sight.
"How...?"
"I don't know Flaky. But Sniffles is one hell of a genius. Good work iFlaky, iFlora, and iFlippy."