Foreword: Deanna may not be at school today, but Jayla, Shelei, and Linyear always have another duck Animali to deal with - Ducki, of course!

*homeroom period*
Shelei: DEANNA'S NOT HERE!!! *yelling with happiness*
Ducki: You should be nicer to DeDe!
Shelei: She's not nice to me. *tartly* She wasn't nice to me when I met her, so...
Jayla: *tilts her head* Do you think you would ever be friends with her if she was nice to you?
Shelei: Depends, but don't believe everythin’ you hear.
Ducki: *sings* I'm a nerd, you're a nerd, everyone's a nerd, nerd!
Linyear: Eww! *wrinkles her nose* In your dreams!
Ducki: *sings* I am... tinkin’... of a nerdy... birtday...! Most like ta ones I'm too stupid to know...!
Shelei: You got that right.
Ducki: I'M RIGHT FOR A CHANGE!
Shelei: Yup.
Jayla: *giggles* Why are ya singing about nerds, Ducki? I thought you told us you didn't like nerds!
Ducki: *eyes bulge out* Oh no! YOU'RE RIGHT! I MUST DISINFECT MY TONGUE AND DUCKI BEAK! AAAAAAH! *flails his wings around wildly*
Jayla: *watching him with wide eyes* ... Oops. Shouldn't have said anything.
Shelei: Shut up, Ducki. *pauses* DEANNA'S NOT HERE!!! WEEEEEEE!!!

BOOP BOOP BOOP

*math class*
Shelei: Blah. Math. *slouching in her chair, deadpan expression*
Linyear: Tell me when math is over... *falls asleep in her seat*
Jayla: *slaps Linyear's shoulder* Wake up and pay attention, Lin!
Linyear: *jolts awake* Wha’?! *quickly wipes some drool from her chin*
Mr. N: *pins up a certificate on the wall*
Jayla: *looks over at it* Oh, it's Student of the Month for October.
Shelei: *looks too* Blah. It's… *squinting, trying to read the name from a distance... her eyes suddenly bug out* DUCKI???
Jayla & Linyear: DUCKI?!?
Jayla: Oh my GOD! *shocked*
Linyear: It should have been you, Jay!
Ducki: Blahoooooo! *celebrating, wiggling in his seat* Whoopiwancakes!!
Linyear: Mr. N, why did you pick DUCKI?! *looks at Ducki* Eww, Ducki - stop picking your nose!
Ducki: Why? *a feathered finger up his nostril* It feels good!
Shelei: EW! *pushes her chair back*
Jayla & Linyear: *look at each other* Uggh!! *make disgusted faces*

BOOP BOOP BOOP

*Reading Workshop*
Ducki: *sniffles sadly… he begins to sing* I'm by myself…tere's no one sittin' beside me...!
Linyear: You'll be okay, Ducki. I'll sit beside you if you want! *gets up and sits in Deanna's seat directly beside him*
Ducki: Weeeeee! *sings* I'm not by myself…tere's someone sittin' beside me...!
Linyear: *screws up her face* If you don't stop singing, I'll kill you! OR I'll move back to my seat.
Ducki: *eyes widen* Eeeeee! NO!
Shelei: Yaha! *chuckles in amusement*
Jayla: *silently staring across the room at a classmate* … I'm pondering… *looks back to her friends* ... what kind of dog is Digger?
Ducki: I KNOW! *raises his wing* He's a Heinz dog.
Jayla: *looks at Ducki strangely* What the…? What is THAT?
Ducki: *lowers his wing* A Heinz is a mongrel. *strangely matter-of-factly, a serious expression on his face* 57 varieties all rolled into one.
Jayla: *blinks* Oh… 'kay…
Ducki: Wait, wait - *waves his wings* I changed my mind! *back to his usual demeanor* He is a DALMATION!
Jayla: No, he's not. No spots.
Shelei: Yo, he's got spots, doesn't he? *now she's looking over at Digger* Black ears at least?
Jayla: Yeah… but I don't think he's a Dal -
Mr. N: Jayla, Shelei, Linyear, and Ducki. *scoldingly (they were supposed to be working quietly)* If you don't shape up and fly right, you'll never succeed.
Linyear: Sorry, Mr. N.
Jayla & Shelei & Linyear & Ducki: *get back to work*

*a few minutes later*
Jayla: ... It's driving me NUTS… *whispers after a silent couple minutes* Shelei, now that you've taken a good look - do YOU know what kind of dog Digger is…?
Shelei: Quiet, Jay. *whispers too - then she grins at her* Could be a mutant.
Jayla: *giggles*
Shelei: *looks back down at her worksheet* … My Gaw, this is stupid.
Ducki: Stupid like me?
Shelei: *glances his way* Sorta, but not quite as.
Jayla: *suppresses a laugh as she gets back to work*

END?
END!