Disclaimer: Fairly Oddparents is not mine.
Chapter Five: Exhibition
There, she was finally done with the last bit in the bathroom. Then again, knowing him, he'd probably give her another dozen chores to do, each more daunting than the last. He wouldn't be satisfied until he either caused her to beg him to stop or she collapsed, whichever one came first.
She'd known, of course, that he hated her, but she hadn't known the full extent of it until just now. Instead of feeling somewhat glad, she felt morose. A large, gaping hole threatened to encroach upon her heart and it was with leaden feet that she approached his room to ask if he wanted her to do anything else.
Despite their age differences, she couldn't keep from entertaining hopes that somehow, mysteriously, he'd fall for her. It'd be the greatest thing in the world, plus, she could finally discard of her charade. Yes, she was vicious and cruel, but she didn't have to be all the time. She wanted to be her true self, but, around Tootie and the world, that was impossible. Always, she had to keep her guard up and remain focused on the here and now, why she couldn't be soft and gentle for once.
Or, maybe now that the cat was let out of the bag, she could be. She could show Timmy just how much she loved him, if it didn't creep him out to hear it. Just thinking about that aspect caused her heart to further descend into the all-encompassing black void.
Gingerly, she knocked on his locked door and waited, all her previous anger and impatience subsided. In the light of his blackmail, she found herself uneasy and unable to focus on her defenses, therefore leaving herself prone to attack. Everything, when thought about, could be looked at from a military angle and, at the moment, she was losing the war- badly.
"Timmy?" She called, one side of herself cursing the fact she used his real name. Okay, well, not his real name, but his nickname. What right did she have to call him that? For the longest time, it was the twerp, nothing more. He still hated her, so why would he want her to call 'Timmy'?
A muffled sound, then a curse (she assumed from him, although, around him, it was awfully hard to tell), then, after what felt like a century, he opened the door and peered at her. Despite the fact he was smaller than she, she still cowered somewhat. He held all the power right now and he wasn't inclined to permit her to forget.
"What do you want?" Timmy snapped, folding his arms across his chest. Wow, she'd never realized how bizarre it was that a fifteen year old wore a pink shirt. Then again, this was one of the things she found attractive. (If he knew that, he'd probably wear all black).
Swallowing a nasty reply yet again, she glanced in to see Timmy's goldfish 'talking' to each other and the video game system on pause. Leave it to him to act as though nothing big was going on, as though she confessed her love for him every day of the week. That stung more than she could say.
"Got any other nasty jobs you want to saddle me with?" She grumbled, sensing her shields rising again. For God's sakes, she wasn't Tootie! She didn't scream at him how much she adored him whenever she could!
"As a matter of fact, I do!" Timmy countered, his eyes flashing in anger. Cautiously, she backed up. Hatred she could handle (since he displayed it every day), but hatred in the light of her confession, that was a different story. She'd exposed a little bit of her soul to him, didn't that mean anything?
"Well, what are you waiting for! Go on and exploit me already!" She screeched, sorely tempted to shove him into something. Make him hurt, make him cry out, then he'd know what it was like to see the result of her actions reflected back at her. Okay, so that particular thought had seen better days.
She truly did deserve the way he treated her, didn't she? But that didn't mean she didn't think he had a heart. Surely, sooner or later, he'd call this off and finally deal with reality. Shoving her away wasn't going to do any good.
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the pink eyed goldfish give her a particularly odd look. She halted in her swimming patterns and studied her. No, she was going crazy. Goldfish definitely did not understand anything that was going on.
The green fish halted too, but only because his partner had stopped. His eyes took in his fish wife and his lower lip quivered. No! This was ridiculous too! Fish couldn't get married, they couldn't examine things, and they weren't human!
Timmy's eyes followed hers and he paled. She frowned, wondering if he himself had a weakness she could exploit. If he did, that let her off the hook, didn't it? Freedom!
"My goldfish aren't going to help you with your chores," He spat suddenly and, pulling out a list that fell to the floor and rolled out past her feet, shoved it at before slamming the door in her face.
Okay, what was that about? Did Timmy Turner have something to hide? Was it worth more than her secret?
She didn't know, but she was going to find out, one way or another.
…
Cosmo finally left her alone long enough to think. However, since, courtesy of Timmy, she couldn't speak, she was left alone to marvel at Vicky. It'd been quite a while…
While time was inconsequential to a fairy, she remembered their first meeting as though it were yesterday. How could she have known that the small, bubbly, presumably only child then would become the cruel, vindictive, older sibling that babysat her godchild? When she'd seen her, she'd had the biggest shock in her life, aside from some other unpleasant business with Juandissimo. Hmph, jerk.
Still, it hadn't been entirely unpleasant to see her and see if the prediction she'd made oh-so long was true. Although she was strictly forbidden to tell anyone of her visions, lest they try to abuse her power, and Cosmo himself didn't know she could predict things every so often, she'd taken an interest in this girl. (As a matter of fact, not even Jorgen recalled she had precognition, but that was something else entirely).
Despite the fact she was rude, abrasive, and callous, Wanda sensed her true self lurking somewhere belong, desperate to be released if only someone had the proper keys. She hadn't realized Timmy fulfilled the prophecy until she noticed how he had the ability to push her buttons. Yes, Vicky hated every child, but Timmy really did a stellar job of causing her to hate him, and, after a while, anyone who really thought about it (and had the knowledge she did) could tell why. It was sad when people put up barriers like that to keep others out, but she could tell the reasoning behind it. In a way, she pitied her. However, her pity only went so far.
A smirk flitted across her face as she thought about how Timmy would react if he knew that she'd prophesized this. Then again, she wasn't nearly foolhardy enough to unleash such a potentially dangerous brand of magic on someone who had endangered the Earth many times and nearly killed himself numerous times with a stupid wish. No, this would stay with her.
But she'd enjoy watching it play out. When all was said and done, then perhaps she could reveal a little insider knowledge. As for now, she'd keep her mouth shut.
…
Tootie, left alone blissfully, wandered around her house. She was bored, what with her shrine idea petering out and her obsession beginning to fade with him. After all, no one could remain ten forever.
By reflex, she sped past Vicky's room, but, not without accidentally flipping the light switch. Everyone in the house knew there was one light switch and one dummy switch. The first one usually produced an unpleasant reality, so they avoided it. And, by sheer dumb luck, she'd unlocked it.
Candles lit the room and, gasping, Tootie drew back. Things she'd slowly noticed being stolen from her shrine had reappeared here. In fact, things she hadn't seen in years were here.
Why would Vicky steal her things, though? Creeping closer, she examined it and came to the only reasonable conclusion. Unfortunately, it was far from the one she wanted.
Sitting down hard on her sister's bed, she gaped open mouthed at her sister's collection of Timmy pictures, Timmy memorabilia and, as she jumped up as if stung, Timmy bedspread and pillows. All of these things had vanished from her room years ago and, now, here they were. A shudder coursed through her.
"No…no way in hell…" Panting for breath, Tootie remained a few more seconds in her sister's room before running out, screaming.
…
Vicky scrubbed the kitchen floor until her hands were raw. Then, she cleaned the gutters, took out the garbage, washed the dishes, mopped the floor, vacuumed, and everything else on Timmy's list. By the time she was done, she was exhausted.
Dragging herself to the sofa, she collapsed and fell into an awkward sleep. Unfortunately, this too was not without dreams.
…
Whenever she chose, she could guest star in dreams. Besides, this was the only way she could really talk to her without risking discovery. Cosmo had been foolhardy enough to get them discovered years ago, she wasn't going to risk letting him join her in dreams.
In dreams, she needn't shed her fairy form. However, to add mystique, she waved her wand once and recreated the grounds where she and Vicky had first met. Maybe she could write it off as something her subconscious brought to the surface.
Again, she was the fortune teller, but, now, she floated above the ground. Darkness struck the grounds and lit up the crown on her head. Enter the babysitter.
Vicky strode the grounds and hugged herself for warmth. Despite the fact Wanda had deliberately made it a balmy night, she knew recalling this had to be slightly creepy. For that she apologized, but she couldn't control her reactions.
"Ugh, why am I back here? Why aren't I dreaming of kicking Timmy Turner's ass?" The redhead snarled, rubbing her arms, full of goose pimples.
Smiling serenely, but discontent with her vulgarity, Wanda floated in front of her. Vicky backed up immediately, for some unseen reason afraid of her. Well, that was odd. Dragons she could understand (for she herself feared them), but a fairy? Especially a fairy as sweet as her? That was odd.
"You've grown up a bit since I saw you last," Wanda replied, waving her wand again and turning into the fortune teller she knew. She wanted her to remember some of this, in the very least. If it was unpleasant for her, she'd strive to forget.
Trembling, the redhead merely nodded. Perhaps it wasn't her form that frightened her but the memory of this place. Here, she'd learned far too early what her future was, but, she hadn't any idea of the power it held over her.
"Go away!" Vicky gasped, shoving her. Wanda held up her wand and the girl bounced harmlessly off.
"You cannot possibly hope to get him to even tolerate you if you do not tell him what made you the way you are now. You think he hates you, but he knows nothing more than hatred. You have not given him any other emotions to consider regarding you."
Very gently, she placed a hand on the teen's shoulder and Vicky regarded it with mistrust. This was another problem, but a problem for a different time, regretfully. Cosmo would notice her absence soon enough.
"You must be true to the person you were when I met you, not who you think society can fear. If you are not, Timmy will never love you."
Terrified, Vicky cried out, "Who are you?"
But, with a poof, the dream ended and the pink fortune teller vanished.
…
