A/N: Eh, I wasn't crazy about the last chapter because I couldn't find out a good way to word anything that happened. It's one of those deals where you know you can do better but you're just not sure where to start. Thanks for the nice reviews!
Stuck Together
Chapter Three: Guilt Trip
As promised Tootie's parents were still fast asleep when she arrived back home from her botched mission. While she did succeed in retrieving the arrows and possibly saving Earth from a loveless fiasco the 'broken bottle' incident still loomed over her head like a relentless storm cloud.
She passed by her parents snoozing on the sofa on her way upstairs. Instead of dropping her off back inside her room the vortex had let out in her backyard. Thankfully the fence prevented the neighbors from witnessing the strange occurrence. Still, it only added to her already crummy day.
Inside Tootie's room a certain genie godfather had started to worry.
"I can't believe she's not back yet," Norm grumbled as he emerged from the lamp for what had to be the fifth time in the past eight minutes. "I mean it's a love temple for cryin' out loud! What the heck could go wrong?"
Norm crossed his arms and smiled smugly to himself, "Heh, nothing could've gone wrong. She's fine," but try as he might he wasn't able to shake the nagging feeling that something might have happened, "Maybe I should call up Diaper Boy?"
Before he had a chance to whip out his cell phone the door opened and a miserable looking twelve-year-old came trudging in.
"There you are!" Norm found himself scolding her before he could remember that he wasn't supposed to care, "Where have you been? Do have any idea how worried I was!"
Tootie glanced up through a few strands of loose bangs and asked doubtfully, "You were worried?"
"I-" Norm paused, was he? No, this kid was a pain in the backside! Why would he be worried about some little brat's safety? "-don't flatter yourself Fruit Cup what I meant was that I was worried about my lamp. I mean, just look at it? Who else is gonna clean off all that smoof dust for me?"
At the mention of the lamp Tootie's guilt was magnified. The bottle...
Her shoulders slumped down and she found that she could no longer look her genie godfather in the eye. What would he say if he found out? Would he care? Would he blame her and want to leave (even more than he already did)?
"And another thing-" Norm raised a finger to emphasis his point but trailed off when he noticed that Tootie was ignoring him.
She kicked off her shoes, placed her glasses aside, and crawled into bed. After pulling the covers up over her head she muttered dismally, "Not now Norm, just go back in your lamp."
"Oh so now I get shoved back inside the lamp whenever you're in a bad mood?" Norm questioned indignantly, "What happened, fail your mission? Haha, it's not like you brought the whole temple down or anything."
Under the sheets Tootie winced at the memory. But it's not like I can be mad at Norm. After all, it was all my fault.
Out in the backyard a female genie hovered by Tootie's window. Thankfully it was nighttime so the shadows the moon cast on the house were enough to conceal her from sight.
"Norm?" Desmona wracked her brain for a minute before recalling exactly why that name rang a bell. "He's that jerky con-artist out to destroy Canada!"
She watched as he angrily went back inside the lamp. It was obvious to her now why the poor kid was racing through a collapsing temple all by herself. Still, genies weren't ones to get very close to their masters. So it was odd that Norm had seemed so emotionally attached just now.
"Maybe I should lay low for a while?" she took a second to check her energy levels, "I've got a few days to spare before any major effects hit me."
She knew enough about Norm through rumors and gossip among the other genies but the human girl was another matter altogether. Thus she resolved to tag along after this Tootie and see for herself just what she was dealing with. Her final master clearly had secrets and (regardless of the fact that she apparently already had a genie) her life was anything but easy.
"Besides," Desmona smiled softly as she watched the small figure on the bed curl up in her sleep, "the kid did try to save my tail. That makes her my hero...sorta...so I'd say she's earned three con-free wishes. All I have to do is find out what she really wants."
The next day...
"Tootie!" her mother called from the kitchen, "Hurry up and get ready honey! The bus will be here soon!"
Normally Tootie was given a ride to school by her sister Vicky (who had enough road rage to terrify even the big rig drivers off the highway) but since her older sister had started college she'd started riding the bus instead. Not that she was complaining.
Upstairs Tootie had just finished brushing out her hair. Her mood hadn't improved much with a restless night's sleep. Her dreams were plagued with the mishap of the mission.
Slinging her book bag over her shoulder she left her room without so much as a glance at the lava lamp on her nightstand.
Downstairs her mother had a fresh waffle and two slices of buttered toast waiting for her.
"Oh there you are sweetie!" her mother beamed, "I made your favorite, chocolate chip waffles!"
"No thanks," Tootie's reply sounded more like a tired groan, "I'm not hungry."
This worried the ebony haired woman who stopped Tootie before she could leave and pressed a hand against her forehead. "Are you feeling okay dear? You seem a little warm."
"I'll be okay." Tootie lied before maneuvering around her mother and heading out to the bus stop.
Tootie's mother stared after the little girl worriedly. It wasn't like Tootie to be so down in the mornings. And she'd been so cheerful yesterday. What could've happened?
She'd been standing at the bus stop staring down at the sidewalk for almost ten minutes now. The horrible scene from the other day just kept replaying itself over and over again in her mind. Poor Tootie felt her heart shatter every time she saw that bottle hit the floor.
Why'd it have to be me who got the arrows back?
Why couldn't Norm have just come with me? If he was around the other genie might still...
She was so busy blinking back tears that she barely noticed that someone else had walked up.
A young girl with white hair and a tan complexion stood beside her watching her curiously with concern shining in her ice blue eyes.
Wiping her face dry of tears Tootie turned away and pretended to be interested in something off in the distance.
"Um...hi." the little girl spoke. She couldn't have been more than a year older than Tootie. Her demeanor was so shy and naive but something remained amiss that Tootie couldn't quite put her finger on.
"Hi." the girl in black pigtails replied.
"I'm Dezzie." the white haired girl introduced herself while extending a hand to shake.
"I'm Tootie."
"Do you live around here?"
"Just down the street."
Up ahead the bus rounded the corner and slowly made its way towards them.
"Great! I'm new to uh-" What the heck is this town called anyway?
"Dimmsdale?" Tootie offered, she would've been suspicious had her spirits not been so low.
"-yeah!" Desmona was relieved. For a minute there her cover had nearly been blown. "Wanna sit together?"
This seemed to momentarily snap Tootie out of her depressed daze. "Huh?" No one had really offered to share a seat with her before. Her stop came near the middle of the bus route when there were still a few empty seats left. She'd always ended up sitting alone or next to one of the other 'geeky kids' like Elmer or Sanjay.
The bus pulled up and Tootie could only nod in surprise as the doors slid open.
"Alright you two pick it up!" the grungy driver ordered. "I've got soaps to watch!"
Once inside the two made their way down the aisle. Dezzie got odd glances from the other passengers. She wore a pair of faded denim flares with a blue silk shirt and navy silk belt held together with a gold clip on the side. The sleeves were just long enough to cover the gold wrist cuffs but the wide collar left much of her shoulders exposed along with the gold jewelry around her neck. Not your typical school clothes.
"Would you mind taking the window seat?" she asked turning around to face Tootie. "I get carsick easily."
Tootie shrugged and sat by the window. She couldn't help but wonder if Dezzie was serious or going out of her way to be nice.
Well if she's new around here she's probably just trying to make some friends. Tootie reasoned.
"Hey new girl!" a cheerful male voice greeted from the seat across the aisle. Tootie recognized him as one of Timmy's best friends—Chester.
Dezzie merely glanced his way and muttered a quick, "Hey."
"Where ya from?" Chester persisted.
Dezzie sighed and seemed to be thinking of an answer, "I'm from...overseas." Well... Desmona smirked ...it's the truth.
"Ah, a foreigner huh?" Chester just kept chattering away. "You're like my pal Sanjay then!"
"Chester," the dark skinned boy beside him hissed, "what are you doing? I thought girls gave you 'the hives'?"
"They do," Chester shrugged, then whispered, "but this one's really cute."
The other boy rolled his eyes and leaned forward to introduce himself properly, "Hi, I'm A.J."
"Dezzie," Desmona was getting bored with these flirty twelve-year-olds. They were about fifty thousand years too young for her.
The bus stopped again and another boy with buck teeth and a pink hat hustled up the steps. Desmona recognized him as the kid who had his face plastered all over Tootie's room.
So you're the one my little master's got the major crush on huh? Desmona smiled to herself as Timmy headed their way.
"Hi Timmy!" Chester and A.J. exclaimed scooting over to make room for their pal.
"Hi guys!" Timmy was about to hop into the seat when he spotted Tootie and panicked. "T-Tootie!"
"Chill man," Chester replied calmly, "she's just introducing us to her new friend here, Dezzie."
Timmy glanced from Tootie to Dezzie and back again. "So you're not here to try and smooch me again? Because my restraining order doesn't expire until midnight tomorrow!"
Desmona arched an eyebrow, Kids today are filing restraining orders on each other over cooties? How long was I in that bottle?
Timmy was surprised when Tootie actually seemed to get angry with him. It was the 'water balloon incident' all over again.
"No! I'm sitting her with my new friend Dezzie," Tootie snapped, "And it's not like anyone else wants to be your girlfriend anyway!"
"Ouch," A.J. whispered to Chester.
Dezzie just smirked. That's telling him kiddo.
Timmy opened his mouth as if to object but closed it again and sat down by Chester with his arms crossed and a sour expression on his face.
Is it my imagination or did those astronauts on his lunchbox just frown at each other? Dezzie shook her head, four magical creatures all in one neighborhood that was a little too unlikely.
Meanwhile in Fairy World a certain pink haired cherub was about to get the lecture of his life.
"I still can't believe it," Cupid groaned as his head sank down on his desk, "the entire temple—ruined!"
His right hand cherub Twitter just floated across from him with a sympathetic expression. "Maybe it can be rebuilt soon boss?" he offered optimistically, "Then your mom might not find out?"
But no sooner had the words left his mouth than-
Love Poof!
The jaws of both magical creatures hit the floor as they simultaneously exclaimed, "Aphrodite!"
"The one and only baby face," a tall slender goddess with angelic wings wearing a white toga and practically dripping with gold jewelry responded sweetly.
"Mother!" Cupid eeped. I will now hide inside my diaper!
Turning her attention to the pink haired fairy her face contorted into a frown of great displeasure, "Ah there he is, my darling son. I hope this doesn't come as a terrible inconvenience to you but-"
Cupid tried to sneak away but was caught by the ear and pulled up to eye level with his unhappy mother, "-would you mind explaining to your dear mother how her great Grecian temple came to be DESTROYED?"
Tugging at his collar Cupid started to laugh nervously before breaking out into a sweat. "Actually Mom it's a funny story. You see...um..."
"Funny stories are for the April Fool my dear," her tone had resumed its prior sweetness and—if possible—her son found her to be all the more intimidating that way. "You are a god of love, not a master of comedy! So do be so kind as to avoid the semantics and answer me straight out."
With a gulp Cupid wrung the corner of his diaper and attempted to spit it out (hopefully finding just the right words so as to avoid the wrath of a goddess). "Fine! I was trying to get that stash of love arrows I left in your temple and then a bunch of traps went off and pretty soon the whole place just collapsed!"
Aphrodite arched an eyebrow at her quivering son before releasing her hold on his ear, "And what have I told you about leaving your things lying around in my love shrines?"
Cupid sported a sheepish grin and scratched the back of his head, "Sorry Mom, it's just that—well—they make such lovely hiding places and-"
"And just how did you manage to set those traps off anyway?" his mother cut in. "I had them specifically set to deactivate upon the arrival of another love fairy."
Suddenly Cupid felt a wave of guilt wash over him. So Tootie almost got skewered because I was afraid of confronting my mother? Great...nothing like a guilt trip to spoil your day. I need a latté.
"Um...M-Mrs. Aphrodite, ma'am?" Twitter spoke up skittishly.
"Yes angel?" Aphrodite turned around and flashed a dazzling smile to the nervous cherub.
"About those traps, why did you set booby traps in a love shrine?"
With a sigh she explained, "I'm afraid I had no choice. Lately a rather nasty prowler has been lurking all about my temple and I didn't want the horrid beast getting inside and stealing my offerings. Goodness knows the mess he could've made. Little did I know that the biggest threat would be coming from my own son."
Cupid seemed to have that same cheesy grin plastered on his face. Mothers could be such a trial! Always blaming their kids, making them feel two inches tall...and all because they wrecked one lousy monument built in their honor!
"Now back to my last question," she glared down at her fidgeting son, "Since it's impossible for you or your cherubs to have set off my traps—who did?"
First period at Dimmsdale Junior High...
"Hello students!" a rather sinister looking teacher with a pale complexion and black thick-rimmed glasses greeted his class. "I hope everyone slept horribly last night. Because first thing this morning we're having—A POP QUIZ! AHA-AHAHAHA!"
The weird man's broken laughter made Desmona cringe. This creep has a face made for radio and a personality fit for the looney bin.
"And I see we have a new student in class." he noted when he spied the unfamiliar face up front. Stomping over to her desk he stared down at the slip of paper that had been left on his desk sometime before the final bell rang. "Dezzie is it?"
Desmona nodded careful to keep this wacko in plain view. She couldn't quite put her finger on it but something told her not to trust this guy.
"Well Dezzie, I'm Mr. Crocker and as is accustomed to my welcoming of all new students I'll start off your first day here by making you answer this question. What animal is featured twice on the state flag of Missouri?"
The other students exchanged nervous glances while A.J. waved his hand in the air muttering, "Ooo...I know! I know!"
Desmona took in their reactions before turning back around with a confident smirk and replying coolly, "The grizzly bear."
"Wrong! You get an F!" but Mr. Crocker froze, his left eye started twitching. "Wait—I mean—right? You get an...A?"
Tootie grinned from her seat behind the white haired girl. It was nice to see someone besides A.J. (or herself) receive a good grade from their tyrannous teacher.
"I don't believe it," Crocker seethed, "after countless years of teaching in Dimmsdale Elementary I come here and get stuck with a class of three smart alecks who I can't give Fs to!"
"Yeah life's just full of disappointments huh Sunshine?" Desmona couldn't help but mock the strange hunched over teacher as he ranted away about kids who managed to excel despite his best efforts.
"That's right Dezzie, laugh now. But let's see how much you laugh when I assign you—A DETENTION!" Crocker stormed over to his desk to retrieve his pad of detention slips but found the drawer stuck.
"Stupid second hand school desk!" he grunted as he continued to tug at the drawer finally placing a foot on each side for better leverage.
GONG!
Suddenly the drawer handle popped off which sent Crocker flying back into the dry erase board with a loud WHAM!
He slid down to the floor still clutching the handle when the markers rolled off and hit him in the head one-by-one before clattering onto the tile floor.
Tootie's eyes had gone wide at the sound of the gong. Norm?
Timmy had noticed too and his face had blanched at the thought of the vengeful genie lurking around somewhere in the classroom.
From her seat Desmona smirked. It may have used up a little magic but it was definitely worth it.
Mr. Crocker managed to pick himself up off the floor, "Alright students, while I go to the nurse and have my spine popped back into place you are to stay here and watch this documentary on the life and times of Dale Dimm."
"Cool!" Timmy exclaimed to his lunchbox, "He totally forgot about our pop quiz!"
"Yeah but now he's making us watch this boring movie." Cosmo frowned.
"Boring yet informative," his pink haired wife smiled, "that's school for you!"
On his way out the door Crocker paused to glare down at the new kid. "You win this round child, but be warned—Denzel Crocker always delivers his F!"
Desmona just smiled innocently as he trudged out and slammed the door while the documentary started to play. Once he was gone she reclined back in her seat and propped her feet up on her desk. Her sweet smile faded into a crafty smirk, "Now there's a man who makes learning fun."
Amanda/Artiste: Okay well, it's late. I'm tired. Blah blah blah...please review, no flames. Next Chapter: Tootie has a meeting with Cupid to discuss her 'magic bottle mishap' and Norm is getting seriously ticked off by her moody behavior. With only a few days left will Desmona be able to grant Tootie's greatest wishes or will the fading genie just end up making life harder for the poor kid?
Trixie: A post-chapter segment? Cool!
Veronica: Hi Trixie! Looks like we get to share the spotlight in one of these!
Trixie: :annoyed: Great.
Veronica: :picking up on her sarcasm: Huh? What's wrong?
Trixie: Nothing, it's just...a popular girl like me really shouldn't have to share the spotlight, you know?
Veronica: :growing angry: But I'm like your best friend!
Trixie: :powdering her face: Uh-huh, yeah. And your point is?
:Veronica's eye twitches as she's about to lose her temper. Suddenly a magical 'Trixie Tang' You-Do Doll is poofed into her clenched fist.:
Trixie: :arms are pinned to her sides as her face turns blue: Ack! Too...tight!
:Veronica is puzzled, stares down at the doll, then sports an evil grin.:
Veronica: Finally! Now you can like totally kiss the ground at my feet for a change!
:Trixie is dumbfounded when she instantly drops to her knees and starts kissing the ground at Veronica's feet.:
Veronica: :laughs insanely: C'mon dolly, I can't wait to take you home and find out what you look like with green hair and biker tattoos!