Opposite Couple Two: Rattles/ Sue Ellen

The Tea Said So

Chapter One:
Prunella's Prediction

Sup? I figured since the stories in this series have nothing to do with each other, I can post them all at the same time.

Now, I know what you're thinking. . . 'What the hectic? Sue Ellen and RATTLES?! Valen, have you lost your mind?'

Think about it. . . I've never seen Rattles in a fanfiction. Ever. And I thought he was a pretty awesome character in Arthur, as was Sue Ellen. He's a strong, kind of bossy bully and Sue Ellen's a strong-willed, level headed, mature girl. Just the kind of person he needs. I know he kind of has Molly in the series, but you see a lot more Molly/Binky hints than Molly/Rattles.

Also, the guys are in fifth grade in the story. Rattles, Molly, and Prunella are in sixth grade. (Remember, Prunella is a year older than Arthur's gang).

Disclaimer: If I owned Arthur, I'd have to be a male named Marc Brown. But, alas, I am a female named Valen.

Prunella smiled at the long line of individuals in front of her. She set up a stand that seemed to fit her psychic 'abilities'. She'd read somewhere that people could drink herbal tea and read the leaves when they were finished drinking to predict their near future.

Well, her family didn't have any herbal tea. Her mother and sister drank it all during the winter time. But not it was summer, and she concluded that iced tea would have to do. And it was the perfect scam: People would come to drink the iced tea and most were curious about their futures so they'd pay another 50 cents (along with the other 50 cents they had to pay for the iced tea to cool themselves off) so that she would 'read' the ice at the bottom.

One kid that looked like a bear, third grade, sat at the chair and slurped down the iced tea in seconds. He then set four quarters in front of Prunella and asked her to 'read' the ice. With a smile, she picked up the glass and twirled the ice a little before peering inside.

Prunella didn't really see his future. All she saw was the backwash left behind, which Prunella shot a disgusted look. She then put on a concentrated face and tried to remember what she read in the horoscopes this morning. "Later today, you will have great luck during an anticipated event."

The boy's eyes widened. "I have a baseball game later today!"

Prunella sighed inside. Another one fooled. She wondered how long she could keep this up. She was actually doing quite good. Maybe she had a sixth sense after all.

Or maybe the people in your town are suckers.

He thanked her and was on his way. She threw the paper cup in the trash can beside her and filled another one. Buster came up and put ten dimes on the table. He, too chugged the iced tea, but not as rapidly as the bear-kid before him. She could see him already shaking from the anticipation of his fortune reading and all that sugar in the tea.

"Can I have my fortune now, please?" he asked, bouncing in his seat.

Prunella rolled her eyes. This was the third time Buster had come to her stand. And last time, he brought friends. "Oh crud!" she yelled into the cup.

Buster looked absolutely horrified. "What? What is it for goodness sake!"

She smirked on the inside. "Sorry. I just stubbed my toe. Now for your fortune." she chuckled a bit and concentrated on the ice. "Let's see. I see something. . . furry in your future."

"Like a kitten? Or maybe a fuzzy alien!" he yelled in panic.

"I can tell you no more." she waved a hand at Buster, dismissing him. He reluctantly walked off.

Prunella gulped as she noticed Rattles sit down next. He dropped two quarters on the stand and waited for his iced tea. Like always, he looked pretty irritable. Therefore, she quickly, but carefully, poured the drink into a paper cup.

Unlike Buster and Bear-kid, he seemed to savor the iced tea. Smart move. It would keep him cooled off longer. After he finished, he let out a sigh.

"Um. . ." Prunella hesitated to speak up. "Would you like me to read your fortune in the ice?" she offered him, gesturing toward the cup.

Rattles dug in his pocket and set another two quarters on the stand. "Why not."

Now, any other female would have been sensible and given Rattles a nonspecific fortune. Something safe. But Prunella was feeling slightly sneaky and mischievous, and decided to completely throw him off. This was too good an opportunity to pass up!

"I see in your future. . ." she thought for a moment what would be the best thing to say. Potential danger? Inevitable humiliation? Prunella had an even better thought.

What could be better than finding true love in what's left of your iced tea?

"Oh my. . . this is the most intriguing fortune I've seen all day!" she said into the paper cup.

Rattles was suddenly interested in what Prunella had to say. "What? What do ya see?" he tried to peer in at the ice, but Prunella held up her palm.

Prunella got that mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "I see love in the reflection of the ice." she looked up at Rattles, who had that 'I can't believe it' look on his face. Prunella continued. "There is definitely a girl in your very near future." she emphasized.

Rattles leaned back on the stool a little. "Well? Does the ice say who it is?" the smirk on his face told her that he thought he had thought he caught her being a fraud psychic.

But Prunella was crafty and resourceful. She leaned over a bit and saw Sue Ellen walking down the sidewalk carrying a travel magazine.

Oh, can life get any more perfect than this?

"Come closer." Prunella said to Rattles. He leaned forward. "Closer. . ." she hissed. Again, Rattles leaned forward. In her quietest whisper, Prunella told him. . . "Sue Ellen."

"What?!" Rattles jumped out of the stool, causing it to tip over. "I just remembered, I have to get home and feed my dog, Crusher." he practically ran away from the stand.

Prunella smiled, poured another glass and looked up. "Who's next?" Her brows knitted together as she saw a white rabbit sit on the stool. "Buster!" she yelled.

Meanwhile, Rattles was trying his hardest to shake Prunella's prediction from his head. Truth be told, he needed to talk to somebody about this. Molly was a girl. . . but she'd probably tell him to forget about it; something he was already trying to do. He wondered if talking to Binky would help. . .

Nah.

To keep his mind off of the little fifth grader, he decided to stop at the Sugar Bowl and have a milkshake.

That's right Rattles! Consuming sugar is the perfect way to clear your mind!

He opened the large glass doors hanging his head a bit in thought, and walked up to the counter. He didn't realize somebody was standing behind the counter waiting to take his order. He just let out a sigh and placed his head on the counter.

"Um. . . can I help you?" the voice behind the counter asked him.

"Oh, yeah, I was just gonna order a chocolate milkshake with a—WHAT the..." he panicked as he realized the person behind the counter was not Brain, nor Brain's mother. Instead, he stared into the face of, you guessed it, Sue Ellen. "What are doing here?!"

"Well, I was working if you're so curious. Brain's mother needed an extra hand, and I needed a little more cash. I don't know why you're so shocked. It's not like I'm Muffy Crosswire or anything. . ." she put a hand on her hip and waved an ice cream scooper at his face as she said this.

"Never mind. I just remembered something! I have to. . . give Binky that flea collar he's been asking for." he stood up from the stool.

"Binky doesn't have a dog." Sue Ellen protested.

"Yeah, well. . . he wants it for his pet rabbit!" Rattles yelled at her as he stormed out of the Sugar Bowl.

Sue Ellen watched him with a bewildered look on her face. "I didn't know Binky had a pet rabbit, either." And proceeded to help the next customer.

Rattles didn't have a flea collar with him, but he sure was going to Binky's house and having a talk with him

Heh, for something so short, I found this quite amusing to write and think it's one of my more creative plots. :) Reviews would be awesome! Also, if you want to vote on the setting of the next series, that would be wonderful, too. Remember, the choices are Hey Arnold and Recess. Chapter two will be up shortly. Kiss, Kiss!