Rugrats and the Gray Plague
Premiss:
When a terrible Flu epidemic comes to town, will it change the Rugrats lives forever?
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Rugrats, or any other TV show that should cross over into this story, and this goes for any future chapters posted about this particular story. The characters are the property of their original creaters, unless otherwise stated.
NOTE: Starting in chapter 6, and going onwards till the end of the story, 2 new characters appear regularly. Myself, known in the story as Aunty Celeste, and my nephew Zachary. Everything is true about us except we don't live where the Rugrats live in reality, nor does Zack live alone with me, making me his care provider, and, I don't have a driverless car. Also, in reality, Zack isn't crawling yet at the time this story was written, but in the story, he is.
Recap of Chapter 6: The chapter starts out on the day before Chuckie's third Birthday. Everyone's excited, and, there's a pretty good chance, that Tommy will be going home from the hospital the following day. Tommy is so sure of himself, that he even makes a promise to be at his Birthday party. The following day, not only does Chuckie start being able to talk in full sentences to the grown ups, but he makes a new friend out at the park, Zachary, a young baby of 8 months old, who just moved to town with his aunt. Zack and Chuckie have the best of times, but Zack isn't so sure about Chuckie's other friends, and, as a result of lack of sleep in the hospital, Tommy grows too tired to play. After lunch, Tommy and Dil head home for a nap, which ends for Dil in time for Chuckie's party, but not Tommy. At the party, Chuckie soon discovers that Tommy never showed up, and is pretty upset that his best friend in the whole wide world, broke his promise. So Zack convinces Chuckie that maybe it's time to move on, and make a new best friend, since Tommy stood him up, and Chuckie agrees, in the heat of the moment, to give this a try. But could this mean war for Tommy and Chuckie down the road? Let's see what happens, in chapter 7!
Chapter 7
Chuckie's Birthday party continues, and Chuckie and Zack continue to have a good time, as they eat Reptar Birthday cake, and open presents. Meanwhile, Phil and Lil have gone to play in the mud, and after the party, they track it into the Finster's house. "How did mud get into my house!" Exclaimed Kira. "Must have been the pups, they love to play in the mud," answered Betty. "You mean, you're ok with mud getting tracked into the house? Kimmi likes to play in the mud too, but I make sure she's cleaned up outside," said Kira. "We just, clean it up before it stains," added Betty. "Well, I don't want mud stains in my house," argued Kira. "Then maybe we just won't come to your nice, clean house anymore," Betty snapped back, as she grabbed up her muddy twins along with Phil, Lil, and Tommy's party bags, and stomped out the front door. "We'd better be going too," said Stu as he grabbed up Dil. "Didi and Tommy never showed up, so I'd better get home and see what's up." "Thanks for coming," said Chaz, as Stu and Dil headed out the door.
At Tommy's house, Stu and Dil arrive home, and as the door closes downstairs, Tommy wakes up in his bed upstairs. He yawns, stretches, and slowly gets out of bed, rubbing his eyes. As he heads downstairs, Didi spots him. "Well hello sleepy head," she said smiling as she gently patted his head. "And how was the party you two?" Asked Didi as she turned to Stu, still holding Dil. Just then, the doorbell rings, and Didi goes to answer the door. It's Betty with Phil and Lil. "Hey Didi, good to see ya. I saw you and Tommy didn't make it, so I brought Tommy's party bag." She said as she took the now clean twins inside, and she put them into the playpen. Didi got Tommy and put him in, and Stu dropped off Dil.
"Hey guys," said Tommy with a frown. "Hey Tommy," said phil and lil simultaneously. "Sorry you missed Chuckie's party," said Lil. "We brought you a party bag," she added, as she handed the bag to Tommy. "Sorry I didn't make it guys," said Tommy. "I was really sleepy, and I guess, being in the hopcicle was just, too much." "Don't tell us, tell Chuckie," said Phil. "It was Chuckie you broke a promise to," added Lil. Tommy frowned, as tears start to come to his eyes. "And while we're on the subject, that Zack kid? He convinced Chuckie to be his best friend, and Chuckie agreed to it," said Phil. "And while you were in the hopcicle, Chuckie lost your screwdriver down in your basement," added Lil. "And I don't think we'll be playing at Chuckie and Kimmi's anymore," added Phil. "On account that our mommy and their mommy had a fight today," said Lil. As they're telling Tommy all of this, his face continuously gets redder and redder, until he just, breaks down crying. Betty and Didi rush into the room. "Looks like it's five o'clock fussy time," said Betty. "I think you're right," answered Didi, as she picked up Tommy, who continues to cry in her arms, as she tries to comfort him.
"The doctor did say that crankiness and tiredness were side effects of the medicine Tommy has to take right now, and he slept all afternoon, and is now fussy," said Didi. "Well, we'd better be going," said Betty as she gathered up the twins. "We'll see you tomorrow night at Reptar Live," Betty added, as she headed towards the door. At this point, Tommy stops crying, resting his head on his mommy's shoulder, and closing his eyes.
Later that night, Tommy has a dream, where he recalls all of the great moments from the past he's had with Chuckie, ending in Zack coming along, and breaking them up. "Tommy's not good enough for you," says Zack as he pushes Tommy's face into the sandbox. Tommy then awakens, opening one eye. "I've gotta have a talk with Chuckie," he mumbled, as he falls back to sleep.
That evening, everyone has arrived at Reptar Live, and they're sitting in their chairs in the theater, waiting for the show to start. Tommy is sitting between Kimmi and Chuckie, with Dil on the other side of Kimmi, and Phil and Lil on the other side of Chuckie. Tommy yawns. "Uh oh, it's happening," Tommy sighed. "What's happening again?" Asked Kimmi. "It happens every time I take this medicin I'm on. I get really sleepy, and can't stay awake, and I'm cranky too," Tommy added. "Yeah, Tommy cried a ton when me and Lil saw him yesterday night," replied Phil. "Why are you taking the medicine anyway?" Asked Kimmi. "I think it has something to do with making sure I'm over that stupid Gray Plague. But you know what? Once I've had my bazillion nappies I seem to be having a day right now after my meals, when I've taken the medicine, I'm either cranky, or I feel fine. I just hope I manage to stay awake for Reptar," Tommy said in between yawns. "Don't worry Tommy, I'm sure you'll stay awake for Reptar Live," said Chuckie. Tommy turns to Chuckie. "Um, Chuckie, can I ask you something?" "Sure Tommy, what's up?" But before Tommy could answer Chuckie back, Zack shows up.
"Hey Zachary, you made it!" Said Chuckie with a smile. "Yep, thank you for inviting me and my aunty to see Reptar Live, I hear it's gonna be the story of Reptar and the wolves! My grandpa where I use to live played the music from that for me, and, I loved it! But I've never seen the whole live performance." Zack said excitedly. "Come sit down next to me Zack," said Chuckie, as he patted a chair between him and Phil and Lil. "No offense Chuckie, but can we do some seat rearrangements?" "Oh yeah, I forgot," said Chuckie. Kimmi and Tommy switch places, putting Tommy next to Dil, and Zack in between Kimmi and Chuckie. Tommy is not pleased, but before anyone can argue, the lights dim in the theater, and the curtain on stage opens.
A man in a duck costume walks out on stage. "Hello boys and girls, it's almost time for our Reptar show tonight, but while we're waiting, let's sing a song. Everyone, come on, sing along with me now… Quack, quack, quack. Oh, and while you wait, Bob the cow will be around with sippy cups, with the juice you ordered when you bought your tickets!" A guy in a cow costume walks up and down the rows of seats, handing out sippy cups to the young kids. When they get to the Rugrats row, he mixes up Tommy and Zack's juices. "Yum! Apple juice!" Said Zack with a smile as he took a sip. "Yuck, grape juice, I don't like this," said Tommy. "I think they mixed up our juices Tommy, and sorry, but it's not polite to drink after other babies, so enjoy your grape juice." Said Zack Furious, Tommy takes the sippy top off of his juice, and throws the cup at Zack, spilling juice all over Zack and on Chuckie, who's next to him. "What did you do that for?" Asked Chuckie in a furious tone. But before Tommy could answer, Reptar appears on stage, and the show begins.
As the show continues, Tommy's eyes grow heavier and heavier. Try as he might, he eventually, just, can't keep them open anymore, and ends up falling asleep. He has a dream where he's in his house, and there's a huge knock at the door. He answers it, to find Reptar standing there. "Roar," says Reptar, as he takes a huge breath, and breethes fire right in Tommy's face. "What are you doing Reptar? You're suppose to be our hero," shouted Tommy. "And what are you? Baby Dil? If you don't wish to lose your friends, you'd better either stop taking that medicine, or be doomed to a life of loneliness," roared Reptar. "The choice is yours," said a distant chorus of voices, as Tommy starts to float around in the air. Passing through, the gray plague appears, laughing evily.
Tommy then awakens from the dream, only to find himself in his stroller, in his living room, looking at Dil who was across the way in the playpin, giggling and chewing on the colorful rings that you put on to the poll. "I missed Reptar?" Tommy shouted angrily, bursting into tears, as he got out of his stroller. "That's it," he said in an angry tone of voice. "I'm tired of being sleepy, and cranky, and not feeling like myself. And I'm tired of Chuckie playing with Zack, who doesn't care for me. Reptar was right, I've gotta stop taking my medicine, and, that's exactly, what I'm going to do!"
Back at the theater, the Reptar show has concluded. Chuckie asks, "So, how did you guys like it?" Everybody shouted, "Reptar rules!" "What did you think Tommy?" Asked Chuckie. When he didn't get an answer back, he turned, only to notice Dil and Tommy were gone. He turned to his daddy who was sitting behind him. "Where did Tommy and Dil go?" "They left early Chuckie," replied his daddy. "They didn't seem to be feeling well come intermission, so Tommy's mommy decided they'd better go home early." Chuckie turned to Zack. "Well Zack, it's official, you're my bestest friend now. Tommy and Dil don't like me no more." Zack gives Chuckie a hug, as tears stream down Chuckie's face. "Like they say Chuckie, I hear the Gray Plague, literally destroys a person," said Zack, as everybody heads out of the theater for home.
Is it true? Does the Gray Plague, really destroy a person? Will Tommy have success with retaliating the medicine? Or will mommy stop him? And if he does retaliate, will the plague take on full force, completely destroying him? What about his and Chuckie's friendship? What will happen the next time they have a playdate? Will Tommy ever rescue his screwdriver from the basement? Find out the answers to these questions, and much more, in chapter 8.