Tommy for a Day
Summary: When 2-year-old Tommy gets the worst case of Foot in Mouth Disease his doctor has ever seen, can Zachary take his place and lead the other rugrats on an expedition through the Cynthia Land amusement park to find Tommy a get well present and ride the most exciting, yet scariest ride known to man, a rollercoaster called The Enchanted Castle of Doom?
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original characters from Rugrats, they're the property of their original creaters. Also as a reminder, Zachary has been with the gang since Rugrats and the Gray Plague.
Author's Note: As you can tell from the summary, this story is not a spin off of the episode of Rugrats from season 5 titled, Angelica for a Day, when Chuckie and Angelica switched places for a day by wearing one another's shoes. Besides, that would be hard to do, since at this time, Tommy and Zachary don't wear shoes. Came up with this idea because I'm feeling nephew deprived in reality, as my family continues to suffer from the Foot in Mouth Disease epidemic, which now my brother, Zack's dad has the worst case the doctor has ever seen, after Zack had the virus, followed by his mom, AKA my sister-in-law, and now, it's my brother, AKA Zack's dad's turn. However, my parents, and Zack's grandparents have still managed not to catch this terrible virus. But just the same, it's a virus that's swept the nation in not a so pleasant way, and the epidemic has now spread all the way from Wheeling, WV to Pittsfield, MA, and now, it's plagued the land of the Rugrats in Yucaipa, California. So hang on to your diapies babies, as we see how this terrible epidemic has effected the lives of our young friends all the way across the country from where I really am right now.
Chapter 1
An episode of Cynthia P.I. is currently on the TV, when the show goes to a commercial break.
"Cynthia P.I. will be right back." Said an announcer when the show cuts to the commercial break. A commercial comes on advertising Cynthia Land.
"Are you bored and looking for something to do to fulfill your summer vacation? Then why not take a trip to Cynthia Land, where we have all of the best rides, food, and shows for children and adults of all ages! From the lazy river and wave pool in our water park, to the Cynthia teacups in the little kid section. Plus, we have all of the best food you can eat, the best games one could play with tons of prizes, and brand new, is the Enchanted Cynthia Castle of Doom, and if you don't take a ride on this thrill ride of a rollercoaster, then you haven't really experienced Cynthia Land. It's an adventure, waiting to happen! So go online to www dot Cynthia dot com, and order your tickets today!" Said the announcer as pictures of the park showed on the TV.
"We now return you to Cynthia P.I." Said another announcer, as the commercial break ended.
We fade away from the TV to find Susie, Angelica, Phil, Lil, Chuckie, Kimi and Zack all playing in Susie's living room.
"Hey guys, guess what?" Said Susie.
"What?" Replied the rest of the gang simultaneously.
"Remember how last year I won an all expense paid trip to Cynthia Land?" Asked Susie.
Everyone nodded.
"Well, you're all invited to come with me and my family tomorrow to Cynthia Land, since my mommy tells me my all expense paid path is nearly expired. I believe she said we only have one more day to use it!" Said Susie.
"Oh wow, that sounds like fun!" Said Kimi.
"Hey, would you guys pipe down over here? I'm trying to watch Cynthia P.I." Snapped Angelica.
"Ok Angelica, but you already know how this case ends. It's a repeat of the show." Said Susie.
"Oh all right fine. It's not like I'm going to Cynthia Land anyway." Grumbled Angelica as she switched off the TV.
"You're invited too! After all, if it wasn't for you I would have never won the trip to Cynthia Land in the talent show last year in the first place." Said Susie.
Later, everybody is rolling a red ball around with a yellow stripe on it while Angelica and Susie are off somewhere else playing with Susie's Cynthia town house. The Rugrats are having fun laughing and playing except Chuckie. Zack looks up to notice Chuckie isn't having any fun.
"Hey what's wrong Chuckie? Aren't you looking forward to going to Cynthia Land with Susie tomorrow?" Zack asked.
"I was just thinking, we haven't seen Tommy in a while. I miss him." Replied Chuckie.
"Yeah, it has been a while." Said Phil.
It was true, nobody had played with Tommy or Dil in two days, but to a young child of only 1, 2, and 3-years-old, not seeing your friend for just two days can seem like a lifetime.
"The lasted time we saw him is when that nice boy Peter babysat and we went off to some woods with some friendly aminals who helped Dil get all well from some disease caused by putting your foot in your mouth." Said Lil.
"Guys, I thought Peter told us that's not what caused the disease." Said Zack.
Just then, Angelica overheard the entire conversation and came into the room.
"Peter's right, Foot in Mouth Disease isn't caused by putting your foot in your mouth, it's called that cuz it turns you back into a tiny baby when you do nothing but put your foot in your mouth." Said Angelica, skipping around the room.
"That's not true Angelica." Said Susie, who walked into the room at this point.
"Oh yes it is Susie, and you dumb babies are never gonna see Tommy again cuz he's turned back into a little baby again and does nothing but cry and drool now." Said Angelica.
"Whatever you say Angelica." Said Susie with a sigh.
"Guys, did you hear that? Tommy's a little baby again. We've gotta help him." Said Chuckie with a panic.
"Come on now Chuckie, you know Angelica is just faking." Said Zack.
"And how can you be so sure?" Chuckie asked.
"Hey, doesn't Susie live across the street from Tommy's house?" Kimi asked.
"Yeah, I do live across the street." Said Susie.
"Then let's go across the street and see what's really going on." Said Kimi excitedly.
"Uh guys, we're not allowed to go across the street without a grown up." Said Chuckie.
"Wait, I've got an idea. Let me just pull out my telescope and look across the street into the windows of Tommy's house and really see what's going on." Said Zack, as he pulled out a folded up telescope out of his diaper, unfolded it, and pointed it out a large front window at Susie's house, looking in the direction of Tommy's front yard.
Zack looked around with the telescope to see a deserted front yard and Tommy's grandpa's stationwagon in the driveway.
"What do you see Zack?" Asked Lil.
"Well, nothing, except Tommy and Dil's grandpa Lou and grandma Lulu must be visiting cuz I see the car they usually drive in." Replied Zack.
"Can you see inside the house at all?" Phil asked.
Zack tried zooming the telescope into the windows of the house, but there was too much of a glare to get a good view.
"Afraid I can't see much more than this. There's a glare." Said Zack with a sigh.
"What's a glare?" Kimi asked.
"It's when the sunlight comes and gets in the way of seeing things." Replied Zack.
"Maybe I can ask my mommy if she's heard anything." Said Susie.
Just then, Lucy called the kids in for dinner from the other room.
The gang goes into the kitchen and sits around the table with all of the grown ups.
"Dig in everybody, there's macaroni and cheese, salmon, and roasted vegetables." Said Lucy, as she set down casarole dishes on the table filled with the assorted food items.
Everybody dished up plates of food and started eating.
"I have some exciting news everybody. You're all invited to come with us to Cynthia Land tomorrow, which Susie won last year in the Young and Young at Heart Talent Show." Said Lucy excitedly.
Everybody clapped and cheered.
"Say mommy, shouldn't we invite Tommy and Dil to come with us tomorrow too?" Susie asked.
"I was just wondering if any of you have heard anything from Stu and Didi?" Betty asked.
"We haven't heard anything since we took Phil and Lil with them to that Dummi Bears on Ice show the other day." Added Howard.
"I've been trying to call their house but nobody answers." Said Kira.
"Yeah I'm starting to get worried!" Said Chaz.
"Maybe I should head over there and see if everything's ok." Said Lucy.
"Can I come with you mommy?" Susie asked.
"Of course you can." Said Lucy.
After dinner, as the sun was setting, Lucy and Susie headed over to Tommy's house where they rang that annoying buzzer doorbell and grandma Lulu answered the door. The other Rugrats watched out the front window at Susie's house through Zack's telescope, and saw Lucy and Lulu talking, but couldn't hear a word they were saying. They saw them disappear into the house for a few minutes, and then, return to Susie's house a few minutes later, Lucy, carrying Dil. They arrive, and Susie and Dil come into the living room where the other rugrats turn away from the window to see them.
"Hey guys, look who's here!" Said Susie.
"Hi Dil." Said Zack.
"Hi." Snapped Dil.
"Um… Dil? Where's Tommy?" Chuckie asked.
"He's not here!" Snapped Dil.
"But uh… Why not?" Chuckie asked.
"My mommy tells me that Tommy is very sick." Said Susie.
"Oh my brother's sick all right. And so are mommy and daddy." Said Dil.
The others gasped
"What do you mean?" Asked Kimi.
"Dil, why don't you tell your friends what has happened." Said Susie.
Dil sighed, took a deep breath and began.
"It's all my fault. I gotted my family sick. First, it was me, and you guys did a nice job taking me on that adventure to get me all well, but the next day, ok, a couple of yesterdays ago, my brother just, started crying and drewling. I tried to ask him what was wrong but he couldn't respond. He just kept crying, and the inside of his mouth looked red, like it was on fire or something. He couldn't eat, and didn't want anything to drink. Then, he got these little red bumps all over the bottom of his feet, his hands and fingers, and his face. Either my brother is turning into a monster or an alium, or he's turning back into a little baby." Said Dil panicking.
"Your brother is turning into a little baby. Just like I told your dumb friends earlier." Said Angelica, who came back into the room at this point.
"Now Angelica, Tommy isn't turning back into a little baby." Said Susie.
"From what Dil says, he is, or maybe he's turning into a baby monster." Said Kimi.
"Maybe we should give Tommy an itchynation, that will keep him from getting littlerer." Said Dil.
"But how are we gonna do that?" Asked Chuckie.
"I think we're suppose to have Tommy do a summersalt." Said Phil.
"No we're suppose to have him do jumping jacks." Argued Lil.
"Summersalt Lillian." Argued Phil.
"Jumping jacks!" Shouted Lil.
"Stop!" Shouted Susie.
Once everybody was calmed down, Susie continued.
"Guys, let me explain to you what's going on. Tommy isn't going to turn back into a little baby. He's just very sick with a disease that makes your face, ears, throat, hands and feet hurt. Tommy can't do very much right now cuz it hurts to use those parts of his body. My mommy says that he has a virus, and if anybody touches him or eats or drinks after him, they could catch it too, because the virus is, oh, what is that word again?" Susie asked.
Just then, Lucy walked through the room, overhearing Susie talking to the babies.
"The virus is contagious. That means anybody who touches Tommy, or gets too close to him could catch it. And according to his mommy, when she took him to see his pediatrician, Doctor Shockter yesterday, he took one look at Tommy's throat and said it was the worst case he had ever seen." Said Lucy.
"Does this mean Tommy can come with us to Cynthia Land tomorrow?" Susie asked.
"I'm afraid not Susie. He's still very sick and contagious. The best thing for him to do right now is to drink lots of fluids, eat lots of warm soup, and rest. But Dil will get to come with us tomorrow since he's over the virus, while Tommy and his mommy and daddy rest." Said Lucy.
"Stu and Didi are sick too?" Betty asked from the other room.
"They aren't as sick as Tommy, but they both have soar throats and fevers. Stu's parents have gone over there to take care of everybody, but Lulu asked if we could take Dil with us to Cynthia Land tomorrow, since he's well and seems to be growing bored, not being able to play with his older brother or go do anything with his mommy and daddy." Replied Lucy.
"I'd be happy to let Dil sleep over with Zack tonight, since Dil has slept there before." Said Aunty Celeste.
"That's a great idea." Said Kira.
"I'd better go help finish cleaning up in the kitchen kids. You guys get your stuff together, as it will be time for you to head home soon. We have a long drive to Cynthia Land in the morning." Said Lucy, as she headed back towards the kitchen overhearing the other adults talking.
"So Tommy's not turning back into a little baby?" Kimi asked.
"No, he's just drewling because his throat hurts too much to swallow any food or drink, and, well, what do you guys do when something hurts on you?" Susie asked.
"I recall crying when I was sick." Said Dil.
"Exactly." Said Susie.
Just then, all of the grown ups came into the living room to gather up their kids.
"Time to go princess." Said Drew, taking Angelica by the hand.
"But daddy, I wanted to play some more with Susie's Cynthia town house and little red sports car." Said Angelica.
"But tomorrow we're going to Cynthia Land! Isn't that where you've always wanted to go?" Drew asked.
Angelica nodded, as Drew, Angelica, and Charlotte all headed out the front door.
Betty came by and scooped up Phil and Lil, while Kira came and grabbed up Chuckie and Kimi by the hand, and the Devilles and Finsters also headed out the door.
"Have a goodnight everybody, we'll all meet up bright and early tomorrow morning outside of Celeste and Zack's apartment, since they're on route to Cynthia Land." Said Lucy, as she saw the Finsters and Devilles off.
"Zachary, Dil, it's time to go." Called Aunty Celeste from the front door.
"Come on Dil, we've gotta go meet up with my aunty. You're sleeping over tonight." Said Zack.
"Without my brother?" Asked Dil as a tear rolled down his cheek.
"Yes Dil, come on, we'll talk when we get back to my home." Said Zack, as he took Dil by the hand, the two of them ran over to Aunty Celeste, and they headed out to her driverless van, and headed for Zack's apartment.
Back at Zack's apartment, Zack and Dil are watching a Goober DVD on the TV.
"Hey I thought you didn't like Goober." Said Dil.
"I don't, but I know you've probably had to give up watching Goober since your brother got sick." Replied Zack.
"Yeah, I've seen so much Reptar and Dummi Bears since Tommy got sick, I'm surprised I don't burst into singing the Happy Song." Replied Dil.
Dil turned away from the TV, looking sad.
"You miss Tommy don't you? Zack asked.
Dil nodded.
"Well don't you worry, we're gonna have so much fun at Cynthia Land tomorrow, you won't even think about Tommy." Said Zack, picking up a Cynthia Land brochure book off of the coffee table. He opens the book and flips through the different pictures of the Cynthia Land amusement park.
"See? This book shows us all of the fun things we can do in Cynthia Land." Said Zack, pointing at the different pictures and showing them to Dil.
"Like what?" Asked Dil.
"Well here's what I want to do. I wanna ride the Enchanted Castle of Doom rollercoaster. It's this huge ride that goes upside down and around and around. Like the TV mercial says, you haven't experienced Cynthia Land until you ride it!" Said Zack, pointing to a picture of a tall green castle with a dome on top, and a gold crown on top of the dome.
"Wow! Neat!" Said Dil excitedly.
Dil then took the book from Zack's hand and flipped through to find some water park rides, face painting, and some games with prizes.
"Oooh look, we can also play some of these games, and try to win a prize for me to take home to my brother to cheer him up and make him feel better." Said Dil.
"That's a great idea Dil, let's do it." Said Zack excitedly, closing the brochure and putting it back on the coffee table.
"Come on kids, time for bed." Said Aunty Celeste from the doorway of the living room that led through a hallway back to the bedrooms.
Celeste got Dil and Zack into their pajamas and tucked into Zack's Reptar racecar bed, a green bed which has Reptar's head sticking up at the foot of the bed.
"Goodnight Zack, goodnight Dil, sweet dreams." Said Aunty Celeste, as she blew them a kiss from the door, closing it behind her.
The room was now dark, except for two little red lights coming from the eyes of the Reptar head at the foot of Zack's bed. Dil tossed and turned, unable to get comfortable.
"Something wrong Dil?" Zack asked.
"I can't sleep. I miss Tommy and my mommy and daddy. And I'm a little bit nervous about tomorrow's trip to Cynthia Land. I've never gone anywhere without my big brother before." Said Dil.
"You know Dil, there's a firstest time for everything." Said Zack.
"There is?" Dil asked.
"Yeah! So why don't you look at this as a new adventure." Said Zack.
"But I've never done that without my brother before." Said Dil.
"Yeah, maybe so, but now you can go have some big fun tomorrow, and go home and tell your brother all about it. I bet you telling him the story of our big adventure at Cynthia Land and winning him a cuddly stuffed aminal from one of those games will make Tommy feel all better." Said Zack.
"You know what Zack, you're right. I'm gonna have fun tomorrow." Said Dil with a smile.
"So, do you think you can go to sleep now?" Zack asked.
But try as he might, Dil just couldn't get to sleep.
"It's those lights, they keep staring at me." Said Dil, pointing to the red lights on the Reptar head at the bottom of Zack's bed.
"I guess we can sleep with those off for one night." Said Zack, reaching up to one of the scales on Reptar's head, and flipping a switch, turning the lights off.
But Dil still couldn't get to sleep.
Zack lay there, thinking for a few minutes, trying to recall that lullaby that Tommy use to sing to Dil. Or at least what he heard of it that night they were trying different things to help Dil feel better when he was sick. Then, Zack opened his mouth and started to sing.
"Dilly please, rest your head. Now it is, time for bed. I'll protect you like no other, you're ok for Tommy's little brother. As you grow and laugh and play, in my heart you'll always stay, so sleep and dream the night away." Sang Zack, as Dil eventually yawned, closed his eyes, and fell asleep. Now you should all know, that Zack had never heard the entire lullaby before, so him coming up with the correct words just now was a complete guess. Zack fell asleep not too much longer after finishing singing the song. Soon, they were both asleep, as they rested and prepared to head off to Cyhnthia Land the following day.
The next morning, Zack and Dil ate goober flakes cerial for breakfast.
"I got this out for you Dil because I know it's your favorite." Said Aunty Celeste, as she set down their bowls of cerial in front of them.
Zack and Dil finished breakfast, got dressed, and before they knew it, Angelica's family, the Finsters, Devilles, and Carmichaels had all arrived outside of Zack's apartment.
"Well guys, it sure would be nice if we didn't have to take up a bunch of parking spaces." Said Betty.
"I know just what to do." Said Aunty Celeste, as she hit a button on the remote of her driverless van. All of the sudden, the van grew, turning from an eight passenger van into a thirty passenger van.
"Hop in everybody." Said Aunty Celeste, as everybody climbed into the van, and headed off to Cynthia Land.
"50 miles to Cynthia Land." Said the automated GPS voice as the driverless van continued to head down the street. The rugrats were sitting in the back of the van, side by side in their car seats.
"You know what guys, I'm kind of looking forward to Tommy not coming with us to Cynthia Land today. We can have a nice quiet day at the amusement park, with no big adventure to get us in trouble." Said Chuckie.
"Don't count your chickens before they hatch." Said Zack.
"Huh?" Asked Chuckie.
"It's just an expression that means don't talk too soon." Replied Zack.
"So what are we gonna do in Cynthia Land?" Kimi asked.
Zack and Dil showed the others the brochure booklet of the amusement park, and told them their plan of going through the park in search of a get well present for Tommy, and the chance of a lifetime, to ride the Enchanted Castle of Doom rollercoaster ride.
"Destination on the right in one quarter of a mile." Said the automated robotic GPS voice, as the driverless van turned a corner into the parking lot at Cynthia Land.
So what would happen next? We'll follow them on their big adventure through Cynthia Land, in chapter 2.