Zachary Saves the Day, A Rugrats Fourth of July Story
Summary: Can Zachary make his first fourth of July with the Rugrats a memorable one, as he helps Tommy overcome his fear of water and finds Peter a mommy and daddy? Follow them on their big adventure, at the newly renovated art museum. Based off of events that really happened on my fourth of July. Peter is an OC created by TCKing12. Going back to toddlerhood for this story.
Disclaimer: I do not own the original characters of Rugrats, or any other movies, books, TV shows, or cartoons that should crossover into this story, they're the property of their original creaters.
It was a rainy morning when Betty Deville with Phil and Lil showed up at Tommy and Dil's doorstep. Didi answered the door.
"Wow you guys look wet, come on in and get dried off." Said Didi.
"Yeah we just came from the fourth of July parade, it was raining cats and dogs down there! No wonder it ended half an hour earlier this year than last year." Said Betty.
"Oh, we all just watched it on TV, it's much drier that way." Said Didi, leading Betty into the house.
"We would have done that, except Howie has yet to set up the cable box for us to get the access channels, like California Public Television." Said Betty.
Didi leaves for a minute and returns with some beach towels.
"Here are some towels to dry off the twins. Then they can go play in the living room till it's time for us to leave for the big grand reopening of the art museum. Grandpa Lou will be playing his trumpet with the local band. And Taffy's gonna be there to lead us in a patriotic sing along!" Said Didi.
"Wow, that sounds great!" Said Betty excitedly.
"I certainly hope so. The last time we delt with Lou playing in a concert he took his teeth out. I certainly hope he doesn't do that this time. The museum is much bigger than it was 2 years ago when we took the kids to see the raising of the giant mobile, and they have beautiful reflecting pools in the front of it now to bring out the scenery." Said Didi.
"Oh don't worry Didi, I'm sure everything will be fine." Replied Betty, as she took the dried off twins into the living room.
Phil and Lil were greeted by Tommy, Chuckie, Kimi, Dil, and Zack playing circus.
"Hey guys, we're playing circus, wanna play with us?" Asked Chuckie.
"Sure!" Replied Phil and Lil in unison.
"I'm the ring monster!" Said Kimi.
"Yeah, she's a much nicer ring monster than Angelica, and I don't have to be the human candy ball this time." Said Chuckie.
"Nope, me and Chuckie are the summer salting accrabats this time. Ready Chuckie?" Tommy asked, getting ready to perform his summersalt on the living room floor.
"After you Tommy." Said Chuckie, as he lined up next to Tommy.
The two of them did their summersalts, but when they did, Tommy's screwdriver fell out of his shorts pocket and Chuckie's moon rock fell out of his pants. Not realizing what had happened, Dil snatched the loose items from the floor and stuck them into his diaper. Everybody clapped and cheered for Tommy and Chuckie when they were finished.
"Wow, that was excellent!" Said Zack.
"Thank you Zack." Replied Tommy with a smile.
Tommy looked around at everybody in the room.
"Now, who's next Kimi?" Tommy asked, looking in Kimi's direction.
Before Kimi could respond, Didi, Betty, Kira, and Aunty Celeste all walked in the room.
"Come on kids, it's time for us to go to the grand reopening of the museum where we're gonna hear grandpa Lou play trumpet in the band, eat dinner, and see lots of beautiful exhibits." Said Didi, as she gathered up Tommy and Dil.
"And let's not forget the fireworks. Tonight will be Zachary's first time seeing fireworks." Said Aunty Celeste, as Zack ran over to her and grabbing a hold of her hand.
Later in the car on the long drive to the museum. Betty and Celeste are sitting next to one another towards the front of the 20 passenger van.
"I don't get the whole fireworks thing I mean it's not like you can see them anyway." Said Betty.
"Maybe I can't anymore, but I want my nephew Zachary to have all of the experiences, both visual and non-visual he can get." Replied Celeste.
In the back of the car, the young toddlers sat next to one another in their car seats.
"Uh, Tommy, did your mommy say we were gonna hear Grandpa Lou play his trumpet?" Asked Chuckie.
"Yeah Chuckie, why?" Tommy responded.
"Cuz if he does that we're gonna have to go look for his teeth again." Replied Chuckie.
"Don't worry Chuckie, grandpa doesn't take his teeth out in strange places no more. He only takes them out when he's at the tired home." Replied Tommy.
"Shew, that's a relief, cuz I don't think I'm up for chasing after ducks today." Replied Chuckie.
"There won't be any ducks there we're going to a museum." Said Zack.
"Oh yeah, that's where I took home a bone for Spike." Replied Tommy.
"And played with masks." Added Phil.
"And wandered through the jungle." Added Lil.
"Don't remind me!" Shouted Chuckie.
"Uyh guys, I think this is a different kind of museum. I heard the grown ups say we were going to a art museum." Replied Zack.
"What's a art museum?" Asked Kimi.
"I know, it's where we see ourselves in the pictures! Remember?" Said Tommy.
"Oh yeah, although the only picture I remember is me going potty naked." Muttered Chuckie as he looked out the window.
"I know, but maybe things will be different this time." Said Tommy happily.
"Yeah! We're gonna get to attend a sing along, and there's gonna be fireworks! I'm really excited to be seeing fireworks for the first time." Said Zack with a smile.
"What are fireworks?" Asked Dil.
"Well my aunty tells me that fireworks are beautiful colors of light that fall from the sky." Replied Zack.
Just then, the car pulled up into a parking lot at the museum. They were greeted by Lou and Lulu, Lou was carrying his instrument.
"Hey everyone you made it!" Said Lulu.
The gang all stepped out of the car and gave them a hug.
"Yeah, I'd better go put my instrument on to the loading dock and find where the band wants us to set up." Said Lou, walking away from the group.
The adults get the kids strapped into their strollers and start wandering through the museum grounds through the long line of people. They approach one of the security people.
"You may leave your umbrellas downstairs, and there are consession stands around the grounds for yummy food. Hope you enjoy your stay." Said the security guard.
"Any idea when and where the band will be performing tonight?" Betty asked.
"On that band stand, by the reflecting pools." Replied the security guard, pointing his finger in the direction of the band stand.
"Thank you." Replied Stu, as everybody continued to pass through the museum grounds.
"Oh aren't these reflecting pools beautiful!" Exclaimed Didi, as they passed by them.
Just then, Dil pulled out Tommy's screwdriver and Chuckie's moon rock from his diaper.
"Mine!" Yelled Dil as he raised the screwdriver and rock to throw them.
"What are you doing Dil?" Tommy asked, as he looked over at him in their double stroller to see what he had in his hand.
"No Dil!" Tommy yelled, but it was too late. Just then, Dil threw the screwdriver and moon rock into one of the reflecting pools.
A little while later, everybody stopped for a bite to eat at one of the consession stands. The adults came around and handed each of the kids a box of French fries and a corndog.
"Mmmm, corndogs, my favoritest!" Said Zack, as he took a bite of his corndog.
Just then, Chuckie reached into his pocket to find it empty.
"Uh, guys, where did my moon rock go!" Panicked Chuckie.
"Uh, Chuckie, you may not like what I have to tell you." Said Tommy.
"What, where is my little moon rock?" Asked Chuckie.
"Dil threw it into a rejecting pool, along with Tommy's screwdriver." Replied Kimi.
"Oh great this is just great." Grumbled Chuckie.
Just then, a toddler wearing a yellow t-shirt, blue overalls, with long black uncontrollable hair similar to Chuckie's red hair walked up to them.
"Hi, I'm Peter!" Said the new kid.
"Hi, I'm Zack. And these are my friends, Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil, Chuckie's sister Kimi and Tommy's brother Dil." Replied Zack.
"Nice to meet you guys." Said Peter.
Everyone nodded as they continued to eat their fries and corndogs, and take sips of their lemonade that was recently handed to them in sippy cups.
"What are you doing here Peter? Are you here to hear the concert and see the fireworks too?" Zack asked.
"Well yeah, but I'm also here to find me a new mommy and daddy." Replied Peter.
"You mean you don't have a mommy and daddy?" Chuckie asked.
"Nope, my mommy and daddy disappeardid a long time ago and I've been living in an orphanage." Replied Peter.
"What's an orphanage?" Lil asked.
"It's a place for people like me who got no families. But it's not fun. It's a hard knock life in the orphanage, and we have to do chores from sun up to sun down. If it weren't for my bestest friend Annie, who's always telling me that tomorrow, tomorrow, she'll love me tomorrow, it's only a day away, I don't know what I'd do." Replied Peter.
"Maybe you should come with us then. We're off to the rejecting pools to find my screwdriver and Chuckie's moon rock that my little brother accidentally threw into them. Maybe there's a mommy and daddy waiting there for you too." Said Tommy.
"That sounds like a great idea! I accept." Replied Peter smiling, shaking Tommy's hand.
The toddlers finished their food. The grown ups were still eating, when Dr. Lipchitz walked up to Didi.
"Hello, it's Dr. Lipchitz." Said Dr. Lipchitz.
"Oh hello Dr. Lipchitz." Said Didi smiling.
"You know this guy? Asked Aunty Celeste.
"Yes, I've read his books for years and had him over for a goolosh dinner a while back." Replied Didi.
"And now he's here to see the sights of the art museum. Impressive. Sounds like everybody is psyched for this art museum thing." Said Betty.
"Oh no, it's the mommy." Said Chuckie.
"That's no mommy, he's got fur on its chin." Replied Zack.
"That's what I thought when I met him." Chuckie whispered to Zack hesitantly.
"Hey, maybe he's gonna be Peter's new mommy." Said Zack.
"Uh, I don't think so. I don't want a mommy with so much hair. Let's see if we can find someone else." Said Peter.
"Come on guys, to the rejecting pools." Said Tommy, tossing his empty corndog stick on the ground, setting off confidently. Before they got too far though, they were stopped by grandma Lulu.
"Don't you worry, I'll watch the kids while you guys go look at the exhibits." Replied Lulu, gathering up the kids and leading everybody inside of the museum.
She sat the toddlers down in a comfy easy chair and sat down in an easy chair herself across the way. A few minutes later Lulu had her head buried in a book.
"Ok guys, hnow's our chance." Said Tommy, climbing down from the chair and glancing over in Lulu's direction to find she was no longer paying attention.
Everybody else hopped down on the floor and lined up behind Tommy except Chuckie.
"Aren't you coming Chuckie?" Tommy asked.
"Uh, no, I don't think this is such a good idea." Replied Chuckie.
"But don't you want your moon rock back?" Tommy asked.
"Did I say I wanted my moon rock back? No I don't want my moon rock back." Said Chuckie.
"Awe come on Chuckie, it'll be fun!" Exclaimed Kimi.
"Ok if you say so." Chuckie said with a sigh, as he climbed down from the chair and joined up at the rear of the line.
Everybody headed out of the museum towards the reflecting pools.
"There they are!" Said Tommy.
"But Tommy." Said Chuckie.
"What is it this time?" Tommy asked.
"There are three rejecting pools." Replied Chuckie.
The gang looked around to find a small pool, a medium size pool, and a large pool.
"Ok guys, we're gonna have to split up. Phil and Lil, you look in the small pool. Chuckie, Kimi and Dil, you look in the middle size one, and me, Peter and Zack, we'll look in the large one." Said Tommy.
Everybody split up and looked in the pools they were assigned to. Phil and Lil didn't see anything in the small pool.
""There's nothing in here." Yelled Lil.
Chuckie, Kimi and Dil looked into the medium size one to find nothing.
"Nothing in this pool neither." Yelled Chuckie.
Tommy, Zack and Peter approached the large pool. Tommy spotted the screwdriver and moon rock at the bottom of the large pool.
"There they are." Said Tommy. But before he could jump in, Angelica walked up behind them, eating a chocolate-chip ice cream sandwich.
"And just what do you think you dumb toddlers are doing?" Angelica asked.
"Oh, we're just going into the rejecting pool to rescue my screwdriver and Chuckie's moon rock." Said Tommy.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Said Angelica.
"Um… Why not Angelica?" Chuckie asked.
"Don't you dummies know that rejecting pools are not for swimming?" Said Angelica.
"Then if they're not for swimming, what are they for?" Kimi asked.
"Everybody knows that if you go into a rejecting pool, you're rejected, meaning you're losted forever. If you go into a rejecting pool, you'll drown, and never ever come out. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha." Said Angelica, taking the last bite of her chocolate-chip ice cream sandwich and skipping away.
Tommy POV
As Angelica skipped away, I looked into the pool, and suddenly had a flashback to that fishy trip I went on with grandpa a few months back right after I gotted potty trained. Remembering how I nearly drowned when the boat tipped over, I suddenly started to have a bad feeling about this as I stood there, looking into the water, shivering.
End of Tommy POV
"Uh guys, maybe Angelica's right, maybe we shouldn't go into the rejecting pool at all. Come on, let's go find my grandma." Tommy said miserably, trugging slowly away from the reflecting pool back towards the doors of the museum.
"Poor Tommy! I haven't seen him that miserable since the grown ups tried to take his bottle away from him." Said Phil.
"And gave him that dumb cup with a happy face on it." Added Lil..
The gang continued to walk slowly behind Tommy, looking sadder than ever.
Zack POV
I stood there at the rejecting pool, watching Tommy shake uncontrollably. Something was wrong, and it was up to me to help him. Tommy turned down going into the water to rescue the lost items, and we slowly headed back inside the museum, me following close behind Tommy. I overheard Phil and Lil make some comment about not seeing Tommy this miserable since his parents took him off the bottle and gave him a cup. Now, you guys should know I've loved cups since before I was drinking out of a bottle, back when my mommy was still alive and I drank out of her. If only I knew Tommy back then, I would have made his switch to a cup funnerer, but since I didn't, the least I could do was help him out now. One way or another, me and Tommy are gonna rescue his screwdriver and Chuckie's rock, and I will find Peter a new mommy and daddy. Only question that remained in my mind was, how? As I thought to myself, tagging along behind Tommy bringing up the rest of my friends in the group as we headed back inside the museum and purched ourselves back in the easy chair we had lefted earlier.
End of Zack POV
So what will happen next? We'll find out, in chapter 2.