CHAPTER SIX

Now ensconced in Tootie's body, Timmy(-Tootie) headed downstairs. Timmy-Tootie silently grumbled about Tootie's taste in clothes while doing so. Wearing Catholic School attire really was not one of Tootie's brighter ideas, Timmy-Tootie thought. It must have been something wrought by Vicky, Timmy-Tootie deduced.

Walking into the living room, Timmy-Tootie saw both Mr. and Mrs. Flannigan smiling as she entered.

"Dad", Timmy-Tootie asked, "Could you give me the other shock bracelet? I've got Timmy tied up and I don't want him to run away while we're playing".

"Anything for you, Tootie, my favorite daughter", Mr. Flannigan replied. He handed Timmy-Tootie a key.

"You know where it's hanging", Mr. Flannigan said, "On the back of the closet door where Vicky's money is located. Just make sure you don't accidentally touch the thermite detonator. Okay?"

Nodding, Timmy-Tootie took the key and headed out of the living room and into the hallway, where the closet was located. Mr. Flannigan didn't see Timmy-Tootie palm the remote that controlled the detonator, but this job had to be done quickly before they realized it was missing.

Unlocking the closet, Timmy-Tootie opened the door and noticed the shock bracelet and its remote hanging on the door hook. However, Timmy-Tootie did not reach for it. Instead, Timmy-Tootie used the purloined the remote to deactivate the thermite detonator, then removed the inert detonator from the thermite charge (The detonator had a trembler device which would cause any attempt to remove the detonator to make it explode – this was in case Vicky got into the closet. Deactivating the detonator rendered it harmless, and thus safe to remove. Timmy-Tootie also grabbed a hacksaw that was laying in the closet amongst some other tools.

Grabbing the shock bracelet and its remote, Timmy-Tootie closed and locked the closet door, and then put the hacksaw and the inert thermite detonator in an adjoining – unlocked – closet. Timmy-Tootie then took the shock bracelet and its remote and walked back into the living room.

"Thanks, Dad", Timmy-Tootie said as the key was handed back to Mr. Flannigan.

Mrs. Flannigan was looking at Timmy-Tootie curiously.

"Are you all right, Dear?" Mrs. Flannigan asked, "Your voice sounds a little bit different, and you're walking almost like what a boy does. You're not ill are you?"

"Oh, no, no, no", Timmy-Tootie stuttered, "I'm…..uh…..trying to impress Timmy with my impression of him". Oh boy, Timmy-Tootie thought. How lame was THAT excuse?

"Well, you're doing an excellent job then", Mrs. Flannigan replied, apparently satisfied as to the answer, "Better run along and have your fun with Timmy".

Nodding (and breathing a sigh of relief), Timmy-Tootie left the room.

Picking up the purloined objects. Timmy-Tootie walked up the stairs and after picking up the aerosol can in Tootie's room, stopped outside Vicky's room. Timmy-Tootie sprayed the knockout gas through the keyhole and waited. After a minute, Timmy-Tootie listened, but could hear nothing. Quietly opening the door, Timmy-Tootie noticed that Vicky was asleep at her desk. Timmy-Tootie quietly put the inert detonator and the hacksaw on Vicky's bed. Taking a final look around, Timmy-Tootie left Vicky's bedroom and returned to Tootie's room with the aerosol spray.

Tootie-Timmy was still asleep on the bed. Just in case Mr. or Mrs. Flannigan came back in, Timmy-Tootie placed the ankle bracelet on Tootie-Timmy's leg, but the batteries on the remote control were removed. Timmy-Tootie waited for Tootie-Timmy to stir so that the switch back into their correct bodies could take place. The aerosol was placed on the nightstand so that when the switch was made, it could be easily reached.

While Timmy-Tootie waited, Timmy-Tootie started just out of sheer boredom to play with the bands holding Tootie's pigtails in place. However, Timmy-Tootie did not count on the sharpened fingernails and what resulted was that both retaining bands snapped, causing the hair to release. Silently cursing, Timmy-Tootie went through Tootie's drawer trying to find replacement retaining bands, but while doing so, Timmy-Tootie caught Tootie's reflection in the mirror. The reflection caused a pause.

Timmy had never seen Tootie in anything other than the twin pig-tailed hairstyle, so the sight of Tootie with hair hanging down was a different sight, and one that Timmy-Tootie did not find unpleasant. In fact, the hanging-down hair made for a more pleasing sight.

Timmy-Tootie looked in the mirror for a bit wondering how Tootie would look if she did not need glasses or braces, and started dressing decently. Just then, Timmy-Tootie heard a moan and could see Tootie-Timmy start to stir. Quickly taking the body-swapping joy buzzer, Timmy-Tootie contacted it to Tootie-Timmy. With a quick sensation of PRESTO REVERSO, Timmy was restored back into his own body, and Tootie was restored to hers.

"Timmy?" Tootie said perplexed, "What happened? I had the weirdest dream that I had teeth as big as yours.

"I don't know", Timmy lied, sitting up fully in bed, "but look, your hair is different".

"Oh darn!" Tootie said, successfully distracted by the hair, "Now I have to re-band it".

"Why not leave it the way it is?" Timmy asked, "It looks a lot better that way".

"Really?" Tootie asked, coming closer to Timmy. Timmy reached over for the aerosol.

"Now I'm going to have to smooch you for the complement", Tootie said. At that, Timmy sprayed the aerosol into Tootie's face. Tootie passed out.

Timmy placed Tootie on her bed and then reached into his back pocket for a radio walkie-talkie. Turning it on, he pressed the transmit button.

"Timmy to Wanda and Cosmo, are you there?" he asked.

"We're right here, Timmy", Wanda replied.

"It's done. I wish that I was back at home, and that a note is left beside Tootie explaining plausibly why I had to leave".

With a POOF! Timmy was zapped back to his room.

"Poof the ankle bracelet and remote back to Tootie's room", Timmy wished next.

As Cosmo did so, Timmy turned to Wanda.

"I wish that in the morning, Vicky will be just as brave as her parents", he said.

As Wanda used her wand, Timmy thought, "Now lets see what will happen with a level playing field…"