Of Phobias and Friends

WARNING!!! This fanfic contains stuff that may be unsuitable for people who have any types of bug phobia. Read at your own risk or, if possible, leave immediately. If you don't, this fanfic might give you nightmares.

Heffer: Duh duh duh!

Good point, Heffer. Now, as I was saying, read at your risk or leave. You have been warned!

--

Of Phobias and Friends

It was a really nice sunny morning in O-Town. Rocko was in bed, asleep. His dog Spunky jumped onto his bed and starting licking him. Rocko woke up.

"Good morning, Spunky," greeted Rocko. "I'll get ready and then I'll make breakfast."

--

Later, after getting ready, Rocko goes downstairs and sees the letterbox has mail in it. He gets the mail and starts going through them.

"Just bills," sighed Rocko, before realising something. "What's this?"

Rocko realises he has received a letter from the pest controlling service. This is what the letter says:

"Is there a pest in your house? Does it make you feel scared? Then call the pest controller! It only costs $5! To call, dial: 363-5577."

"A letter from the pest controller," smiled Rocko. "I just hope there's not a spider in my house."

Rocko put the letter down. That's when his stomach growled.

"Uh-oh," said Rocko. "Got to get something to eat."

Rocko went into the kitchen. He looked through the cupboard.

"Hmm, what should I have for breakfast today?" wondered Rocko.

A few seconds later, Rocko turned around, gasped and put on an anime scared face. What he's seeing on the wall is a big, hairy wolf spider (I'm scared of big spiders but mentioning them is fine for me. Small spiders are fine for me to see though). He started to tremble, fear overwhelming him.

"S-S-S-S-S-Spider…" he whimpered.

Rocko just couldn't take it anymore. It was starting to traumatize him. Really, really badly. He ran into the living room, screaming at the top of his lungs. He hid his head in his cushion on the couch.

"Why does there have to be a spider in my house?!" muffled Rocko. "Spiders scare me to death!"

Rocko timidly uncovered himself to see the spider crawling into the living room on the wall (Duh duh duh!). He hid himself again and started hyperventilating and whining.

"I don't want that spider to be here any longer!" Rocko wailed.

Rocko suddenly stopped whining.

"Wait! That pest controlling letter!" Rocko suddenly realised. "Maybe I can call the services to get rid of that hideous spider!"

Rocko uncovered himself again, went over to the phone and started dialling. The call picked up.

"Hello, this is the pest controlling service," the pest controller said over the phone. "How can I help you?"

"Please come to my house quick!" panted Rocko. "I have extreme arachnophobia and I just saw a huge spider in my house! I found it on my kitchen wall and now it has crawled into my living room!"

"Don't worry," the pest controller reminded. "I'm on my way."

"Thanks," sighed Rocko. "Bye."

Rocko put the phone down. He turned around and saw the spider crawling up to him. He screams like a girl, runs upstairs and hid himself in his bedroom.

--

Much later, the pest controlling man arrived. He knocked on his door. Rocko nervously went downstairs without looking at the spider and opened his front door.

"Hello," greeted the pest controller. "I heard you had a huge spider in your house."

"That's right!" Rocko replied. "And it's right here!"

"Stand back," informed the pest controller.

Rocko hid his face in the wall while the pest controller killed the spider. Later, he finished.

"The wolf spider's dead," the pest controller announced.

Rocko stopped hiding.

"Oh, how can I ever thank you?" Rocko pleaded. "Here's $5."

Rocko handed the pest controller a $5 bill.

"Call me again if you have another pest in your house," said the pest controller as he left the house."

Rocko waved as the pest controller drove off. Suddenly, he started feeling shaky. Apparently, the panic he went through with the spider has left him traumatized.

"Crikey, that spider incident has left me shaken," Rocko spoke with fear.

Rocko turned around and saw a tarantula crawling across the floor.

"AAAHH!!! NO!!!" yelped Rocko as he closed his eyes.

Rocko heard whining. He opened his eyes to see Spunky.

"Oh, sorry Spunky," Rocko chuckled nervously, letting out an anime sweat drop. "I thought you were a tarantula."

Rocko got an idea.

"Maybe a nap will calm my nerves down," thought Rocko.

Rocko went upstairs, got his blanket, went back downstairs, took his shoes off, lied down on the couch, put his blanket over himself and fell asleep.

--

Dream sequence

Rocko went downstairs and went into the kitchen.

"What should I have for breakfast today?" wondered Rocko.

Rocko opened the cupboard to see… (Dun dun dun! You guessed it!) a big wolf spider! He put on an anime scared face then ran into the living room, screaming his head off. He ran over to the couch to see another wolf spider on his cushion. Rocko was now really scared.

"I have to call the pest controlling services now!" bellowed Rocko.

Rocko ran over to the phone. But before he could pick it up, he saw another big spider! But it wasn't a wolf spider, it was a tarantula! Rocko ran over to the wall and hid himself.

"Please let there not be anymore spiders!" screamed Rocko. "I really hate them!"

Rocko looked up to see a small jumping spider crawling down his wall.

"SOMEBODY, HEEEEELP MEEEEE!!!!" Rocko shrieked at the top of his lungs.

Rocko turned around to see many spiders, all types and sizes, on nearly everything, especially the walls (Well, not the types that aren't seen in the USA)! Hyperventilating, he ran out the front door. But he sees many spiders in his front garden! Rocko had no choice but to faint.

End dream sequence

--

Rocko woke up, screaming. He panted several times then calmed down.

"I don't think naps are a good idea," panted Rocko. "Maybe I'll lie down and try not to fall asleep and not have another spider dream."

Rocko lied down and tried not to fall asleep. Then, he heard his front door knocking. Rocko didn't want to look shaky. So, he did a straight face, sat up, went over to the door and opened it. It's Ai and Zukin.

"Konnichiwa!" Zukin squealed with delight, jumping up and down.

"Hi, Rocko-chan," greeted Ai.

"Hi, girls," Rocko greeted back.

"We decided to come here so I can wait for Heffer-chan!" giggled Zukin. "Are you in a good mood today?"

"Well, to be honest with you two, I'm not in a good mood right now," lamented Rocko. "I just had a huge fright earlier on."

"Oh dear," said Ai.

"What frightened you? What frightened you?" asked Zukin.

"I don't think I should tell," replied Rocko. "It'll just scare me."

"Please tell!" whined Zukin.

"Well, okay," sighed Rocko. "I was finding something to eat for breakfast when I saw a huge, hairy wolf spider on my wall. I freaked out and ran into the living room but it actually followed me."

Rocko felt like he was going to cry. The poor wallaby was so traumatized.

"I called the pest controlling service and he got rid of it," he continued, fighting back tears. "After he left, I decided to have a nap but all I had a dream about was my house being full of spiders."

"How long have you been scared of spiders?" questioned Ai.

"Ever since I was a child," sniffled Rocko, letting a sparkling flood of tears flow down his face.

"Rocko-chan, kimi ga naiteru (Rocko-chan, you're crying)!" gasped Ai. "Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not okay!" sobbed Rocko. "Spiders scare me really badly. Even stuff related to them. They scare me so much that they make me want to get out of the place. But the types that scare me the most are…wolf spiders and tarantulas!"

Rocko buried his face in his hands and began to cry his eyes out.

"My gosh, you poor wallaby!" Ai comforted as he hugged Rocko. "Here's a tissue, Rocko-chan!"

Ai got out a facial tissue from her dress pocket and gave it to Rocko. Rocko blew his nose with the tissue.

"Rocko-chan, I have two types of animal phobia," explained Ai.

Rocko unburied himself and stopped crying. He wiped some of his tears from his face.

"Do you have arachnophobia too?" Rocko hiccupped.

"Yes, and I also have a fear of cockroaches," Ai stated. "But I don't have a fear of toy spiders or toy cockroaches."

"Ai, I have to ask you something," Rocko informed. "When was the last time you saw a spider and a cockroach?"

"The last time I saw a spider was when I was watering my backyard," replied Ai. "And the last time I saw a cockroach was when me and Zukin were unpacking at summer camp."

(Note: Zukin is 12 in the flashbacks)

--

First flashback

Ai was in the backyard, watering her flowers with her watering can. Once she finished, she went over to the shed, opened the door and put her watering can inside the shed. She looked up to see a small spider on its cobweb. Ai got scared.

"Kyaaa! Kumo (Spider)!" she squealed.

Ai slammed the door shut. That's when Zukin ran up to her.

"Imouto, did you see a spider?" asked Zukin.

"Yes!" answered Ai. "But now that I can't see it anymore, I'm calming down now."

"Goodie!" giggled Zukin.

End first flashback

--

Second flashback

Ai, Zukin and several kids were in their cabin, unpacking.

"I always wanted to be here!" thought Zukin. "I'm so excited!"

A scream is heard, startling everyone. They turn around to see Ai cringing at a cockroach.

"What's that in the floor?" questioned a girl.

"It's a cockroach!" exclaimed a boy.

"You naughty cockroach!" Zukin hissed at the cockroach. "You shouldn't be scaring my sister like that! I should take you outside!"

Zukin got a jar, carefully put the cockroach in it, went outside and carefully took out the cockroach to prevent it from coming back in.

End second flashback

--

"I was sooooo brave on those two occasions!" hollered Zukin. "If you two want to know what my animal phobias are, they're apiphobia, which is a fear of bees, and spheksophobia, which is a fear of wasps. The last time I saw a bee was when I was playing in the backyard and the last time I saw a wasp was when I got stung by one at summer camp."

--

First flashback

Zukin was in the backyard, playing with her paddleball. She suddenly hears buzzing sounds. She turns around to see a bee buzzing near her. She put on an anime scared face.

--

Meanwhile, Ai was in her bedroom, doing her homework. She suddenly hears a scream from Zukin. She put her homework down, ran downstairs and went up to the back door to see Zukin cringing with fear.

"Onee-chan, doushitano?" asked Ai.

"I just saw a bee!" squeaked Zukin.

"Don't worry," smiled Ai. "I believe it's gone now."

"Yokatta (Thank goodness)!" cheered Zukin.

End first flashback

--

Second flashback

Several campers were playing games with each other but a few, like Zukin, were relaxing. Zukin turns around to see a wasp heading for her.

"Aramaa!" gasped Zukin.

Zukin tried to run away but it was too late. The wasp stung her arm.

"YAAAAA!!!" Zukin screeched.

All the campers were startled by the scream. Ai and a few kids ran up to Zukin, who was wailing incoherently.

"What happened?" questioned Ai.

"A WASP STUNG ME!!!!" howled Zukin, as tears flew out of her eyes.

"We better take you to the first-aid room," informed Ai.

--

Later in the first-aid room, Zukin was having her wasp sting treated. The poor Japanese girl was snivelling.

"It hurts," Zukin sobbed.

"You'll feel better soon, onee-chan," Ai consoled. "I promise you will."

Zukin had a plaster on her arm.

"Feel better now?" said Ai.

"Yeah, much better," Zukin replied, wiping away all her tears.

End second flashback

--

"The sting was painful but it went away after," giggled Zukin.

Rocko was suddenly feeling better. He has wiped away his tears.

"I think you two have cheered me up," smiled Rocko. "Thanks, girls."

The front door is heard knocking.

"I'll get that," said Rocko.

Rocko went over to the front door and opened it. Heffer and Filburt are standing on the doorstep.

"Hey, Rocko!" Heffer and Filburt both hollered.

"Hey, guys," greeted Rocko. "Come in if you want to."

After letting Heffer and Filburt inside and closing the door, Rocko went over to Zukin.

"Guess who's here, Zukin," said Rocko.

Zukin turns around and saw Heffer. She got really excited.

"Heffer-chan!" Zukin squeaked.

"I knew you were going to be here, Zukin!" cheered Heffer.

Heffer and Zukin run up to each other and hug.

"What did you do when you arrive?" asked Heffer.

"Well, I found out that Rocko has arachnophobia," replied Zukin.

"No way!" gasped Heffer. "Rocko's scared of spiders?"

"Yes, he is," Zukin confirmed. "Wolf spiders and tarantulas scare him the most."

"Woah, I cannot believe what my ears just heard," said Filburt.

"Are you scared of any animals, Zukin?" questioned Heffer.

"I have apiphobia, which is a fear of bees, and spheksophobia, which is a fear of wasps," answered Zukin.

"Oh my gosh, I have those phobias too," Heffer explained.

"Really? I never knew that!" smiled Zukin. "Filburt-chan, what animal phobias do you have?"

"I have selachophobia, which is a fear of sharks," replied Filburt. "That's why I don't like Jaws."

"Yikes!" gasped Zukin. "And Ai has a fear of spiders and cockroaches."

"Ai has arachnophobia too?" Heffer and Filburt both asked.

"It's true," Zukin told. "Except Rocko's is more extreme than Ai's."

"Woah," Heffer and Filburt gasped.

"That's all!" giggled Zukin.

Zukin walked away from Heffer and Filburt.

"Wow, Rocko and Ai have arachnophobia," Heffer said quietly.

"Only Rocko's is extreme and Ai's is moderate," Filburt added.

Heffer and Filburt suddenly got an idea and get anime sneaky expressions on their faces.

"Hey, Filburt," Heffer reminded. "How about we do a spider prank?"

"Good idea, Heffer," Filburt whispered.

Heffer and Filburt sneaked upstairs. Zukin saw this.

"I'll be right back," Zukin informed. "I'm gonna do something!"

Zukin quietly went upstairs. She saw Heffer and Filburt getting out a toy spider.

"Hey, you two," called Zukin.

Heffer and Filburt get startled.

"Zukin, you startled us," panted Filburt.

"Sorry," chuckled Zukin. "I was just wondering what you two were doing."

"We're gonna hang this toy spider down the lounge wall and trick Rocko into thinking it's real," snickered Heffer.

"Is Rocko-chan going to scream his head off at that?" asked Zukin.

"You'll see," replied Heffer.

Zukin went back downstairs. She walked up to Rocko.

"You feeling okay, Rocko-chan?" Zukin questioned.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Rocko answered.

Zukin turned over to the wall to see the toy spider being hung down.

"Rocko-chan," said Zukin, pointing to the toy spider. "I don't think you should look over there."

"Where?" Rocko wondered.

"Behind you where I'm pointing," Zukin told Rocko.

Rocko turned around to where Zukin is pointing. He saw the toy spider. He realises how much he hates spiders. Thinking it's real, he screams and his brain springs out like a jack-in-the-box. Ai ran in the room just after his brain goes back in his head.

"Rocko-chan, what happened?" asked Ai.

"There's a repulsive spider over there!" Rocko replied with fear.

Ai turned around and saw the toy spider. She also thought it was real.

"Oh no!" gasped Ai. "Spider!"

Ai ran over to Rocko and they both cling onto each other.

"What are we going to do?" Rocko trembled.

"Guys, this is actually true," Zukin announced. "It's not a real spider."

"Are you sure?" Ai questioned.

Zukin nodded.

"Rocko-chan, stay right there," reminded Ai with fear.

Ai slowly walked over to the wall where the toy spider is. She realises the spider really is not real. And it's being hung on elastic string.

"You're right, onee-chan," Ai suddenly realised. "Rocko-chan, it's not real."

"But I don't want to look at it," whimpered Rocko. "It's looks so freaky. In fact, all spiders are freaky."

"Rocko-chan, do you want to go upstairs and see who's hanging the spider?" Ai asked.

"Okay," replied Rocko.

Rocko and Ai went upstairs.

--

Meanwhile, Heffer and Filburt are on the floor, laughing.

"You should have heard Rocko's scream!" hollered Heffer.

"I know!" cheered Filburt.

As they continue laughing, Rocko and Ai arrived.

"I think I know who used the spider," Ai confirmed.

Heffer and Filburt stop laughing and looked at Rocko and Ai. They are caught.

"Busted," Heffer and Filburt both said quietly.

"You two…used the spider?" Rocko asked.

Heffer and Filburt have no choice but to nod nervously. Rocko could not believe it! He was fooled into thinking it was real! His eyes brimmed with tears, his lips quivered and he clenched his fists. His tears were now dripping onto his shirt. He was angry and humiliated.

"How could you do this to me?" Rocko blurted out. "You've just embarrassed me!"

Rocko ran into his bedroom, wailing and crying. Heffer and Filburt stare at each other with shocked anime faces. Zukin came upstairs.

"What happened?" asked Zukin.

"Rocko's crying in his bedroom because of our spider prank," Filburt explained.

"I know some pranks can be funny but scaring a person with a toy animal which the person is extremely scared of is not funny," said Ai.

"We know," sighed Heffer. "But we always wanted to play a spider prank but we went too far so we're sorry."

"Like Heffer said," agreed Filburt.

"That's okay, you two," smiled Ai. "I'm going to give Rocko-chan some support."

Ai walked to Rocko's bedroom door.

"Rocko-chan, can I come in?" Ai questioned.

"Okay," Rocko's tearful voice called through the door.

Ai went inside the bedroom. Rocko was lying on his bed, crying. His crying is muffled as his face covered with his pillow. Ai sat on the bed next to him.

"Rocko-chan, I had a nightmare about spiders once," Ai explained.

Rocko calmed down and lifted his face from his pillow. His face is covered in tears, his eyes are bloodshot and his fringe is all ruffled up.

"Really?" Rocko sniffled.

"Yes," replied Ai. "I was going to the shed to get my watering can to water my flowers in my backyard but when I opened the door, I saw a little spider on my watering can. I got scared and slammed the door shut but then I saw a big spider on it. And when I went to the door to go inside, I saw lots of spiders. The sight was so scary I freaked out and that was the end of my nightmare."

As Ai said her last line, Rocko's lips trembled as more tears spilled out of his eyes. Once Ai finished speaking, Rocko hugs Ai and cries even harder.

"Oh, Ai," Rocko blubbered. "That's similar to my nightmare I had today when I had my nap."

"I know, Rocko-chan," said Ai, hugging Rocko back. "Oh dear, it's terrible seeing you like this. Your tears need to be dried."

Ai uses her thumb to wipe Rocko's teary eyes. Rocko calms down.

"Wow," sighed Rocko, starting to smile. "That's the first time another person has wiped my tears. Oh dear, my fringe is all messed up. Let me make it better."

Rocko straightens his fringe.

"That's better," smiled Rocko. "I think I'm ready to come out."

Rocko came out of his bedroom with a few tears still on his face. He saw Heffer and Filburt.

"Hey, guys," said Rocko. "I see you two want to apologise."

"We do, Rocko," replied Heffer.

"We're very sorry," he and Filburt both informed. "And we mean it."

"That's okay," Rocko smiled.

"Rocko, what happened to your eyes?" asked Zukin.

"Yeah, they look red and swollen," Filburt agreed. "And you also got some tears on your face."

"I think it's because of all the crying I did," Rocko explained.

"Let me give you a hug to make you feel better, Rocko," Heffer grinned.

Heffer hugs Rocko. Feeling comforting warmth, Rocko smiled and wiped away his remaining tears. Zukin, watching this, got anime hearts in her eyes.

"Hey, author, can we end the fanfic now?" asked Zukin, breaking the fourth wall.

The author (me) showed her a sign saying "Yes".

"Okay," giggled Zukin.

THE END