Chapter 1: Look What The Waves Washed In!
One Saturday afternoon, Molly, Goby, Oona, and Nonny were playing in the park. Deema wasn't with them because, since she was Jewish, she was attending a synagogue service, as it was the Sabbath.
"You know, I wonder where Gil is." said Molly.
Just then, Gil showed up.
"Hey, guys." said Gil.
"Oh, hey, Gil." said Molly. "What's up?"
"Not much." said Gil. "I was just watching a really cool TV show called "TUGS"."
"What's it about?" asked Molly.
"Well, it's about these tugboats who work for these guys called Captain Star and Captain Zero in this place called Bigg City Port." said Gil. "The ones who work for Captain Star are called the Star Fleet, and they're the good guys. The ones who work for Captain Zero, the Zero Fleet, are the bad guys."
"Nice." said Nonny. "What are their names?"
"Well, the Star Fleet tugs are named Ten Cents who's #1, Big Mac, who's #2, O.J., the oldest who's #3, Top Hat, #4, Warrior, Big Mac's brother who's #5, Hercules, the biggest and strongest who's #6, and Sunshine, the smallest and youngest. He's #7." said Gil. "As for the Zero Fleet, their names are Zorran, Zebedee, Zak, Zug, and Zip. They're also called the Z-Stacks, and I'm sure you can guess why."
"Yeah." said Molly. "Their names all start with the letter "Z"."
"Precisely." said Gil.
"You know, I think I've already found a similarity between that and "Thomas & Friends"." said Goby.
"What sorta similarity?" asked Gil.
"Both main characters have the number "1" and their names start with the letter "T"." said Goby.
"That was the idea." said Gil. "You see, "TUGS" is "Thomas & Friends"' sister show."
"Oh." said Goby.
"Yeah." said Gil.
"By the way, how did you come across the show?" asked Oona.
"My dad used to watch it when he was a kid." said Gil. "He found some VHS tapes of it he owned and gave them to me."
"Nice." said Goby.
"Hey, maybe Bigg City Port can be our next dimension machine adventure." said Goby.
"My thoughts exactly." said Gil. "Besides, I'd like to meet Ten Cents for myself."
"I just hope we don't run into those nasty Z-Stacks." said Oona. "They sound kinda mean."
"They sure are." said Gil. "Though, the chances of us running into them are pretty slim."
"Well, what're we waiting for?" asked Goby. "Let's go!"
"Hold up." said Nonny. "We should probably wait for Deema."
"Yeah." said Molly.
Just then, Deema showed up.
"Well, speak of the pretzel." said Gil. "We were just talking about you."
"What's going on?" asked Deema.
Gil explained.
"I'll ask my mom." said Deema.
"Okay." said Gil.
Later, Deema had asked her mother about joining the other Guppies in their trip to Bigg City Port. Sure enough, her mother, Sally, green-lit her.
"Just make sure you're back in time for Cousin Ricky's bar mitzvah next Wednesday." said Sally.
"Thanks, Mom." said Deema.
Deema then went to Gil's house and told him she got permission to go.
"That's great." said Gil. "I got the same response from the other guys."
"Great." said Deema.
The next day, the kids met outside the school where the dimension machine was. This time, all the Guppies were there at the agreed time. Nonny had also brought a plastic bag with him in case he got motion sickness.
"Alright, let's go." said Gil.
With that, they went into the machine and found the button that would take them to Bigg City Port.
"Here we go!" said Molly.
Molly pushed the button, and the machine did its job. However, much to their surprise, instead of landing them on dry land, the machine transported them in the water, which caused the machine to short-circuit and shut down.
"Oh no!" said Molly.
"Great!" said Deema crossly. "Now we can't get home and I'll miss my cousin's bar mitzvah!"
"Need some help?" a voice asked.
The guppies got out and looked to see where the voice came from, and were met by a tugboat with a black hull, a yellow superstructure, a white mast, and an American flag-styled red, white, and blue funnel that had the number "1" on it as well as a blue cap. Gil gasped when he read the wording on the craft's hull.
"Hey, you're Ten Cents!" said Gil.
"That's right!" said Ten Cents. "And you guys are?"
The guppies all introduced themselves.
"It's nice to meet you." said Ten Cents. "Welcome to Bigg City Port!"
"Thanks." said Molly. "How'd you find us so quickly?"
"I was on my way home from work when I saw this funny-looking device here." said Ten Cents. "I thought you guys could use some help."
"Yes, we would." said Molly.
"Okay then." said Ten Cents. "Climb aboard my hull. I'll give you guys a ride."
The guppies happily olbiged, and Ten Cents hooked the machine up to one of his tow ropes and he took the guppies back to the dock where the Star Fleet lived.
"This is really exciting!" said Gil. "We'll be meeting the other tugs soon!"
