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Fairly Oddparents copyright Viacom

Chapter 20: Into the Cave

Written: 24 May 2005-1 Jun 2005

Posted:2 Jun 2005

Lucas had found that he had to crawl through a narrow, cramped tunnel to move forward. He didn't know just what was up ahead, but his mother had been so sure that Wanda was in there. And Lucas wasn't one to argue with his mother. He had feeling that it was a Fairy Squad base. But since Wanda was trapped inside, he had no choice but to go in there and rescue her.

After all, what else were big brothers for?

Even with his wand lit up so he could see, a bright spot in the distance was now visible. He turned to face Fanny, who was in lighted-up region about twelve paces behind, and said, "I think we're almost there Mom. There seems to be a light up ahead."

"Oh, thank goodness. It seems like we have been in this tunnel for hours."

"I know what you mean. But," he checked his watch, which he poofed up at the beginning of this dungeon crawl, "it was only five minutes ago."

"Oh great. Time slowed even faster than I had thought. What's next? Jorgen waiting at the end of this tunnel for us?"

"Mom, saying such things has a bad habit of making it so."

"I know. I know. But we have to hope for the best."

"But prepare for the worst," Lucas countered.

Fanny nodded, but said nothing.

They continued crawling forward. Extra speed had entered their pace since they were almost out of the gods-forsaken tunnel. Three minutes later, Lucas crawled out. And found that the tunnel emptied into a men's restroom. A line of stalls filled the wall to the right, and sinks lined the opposite wall. Urinals were to his left and his right. "You were right, Mom. I shouldn't have worried," he said when his mother poked her head out.

"Momma always knows best."

Suddenly the bathroom opened.

And Jorgen entered the room. He looked very surprised.

"Or maybe not," Fanny noted.

OOO-

Timmy listened as his mother gave Vicky a "stern talking-to." "You had a responsibility, Vicky. Taking care of our defenseless, helpless ten-year-old son." Timmy bristled when he was called weak and helpless, but kept quiet. "And you're simply abused your job as babysitter. And we aren't going to let you get away with it anymore. Right, honey?"

"That's right, honey," Mr. Turner said in a less-than-interested tone. Mrs. Turner just rolled her eyes.

Frowning, Timmy wasn't sure that he liked where this was going. With Vicky under heel and his own mother a fairy, did Wanda and Cosmo have to go away forever? From Timmy's experience, the answer was probably a big, fat yes. He sighed before realizing that there had to be something that he could do. But what?

"Say, mister, how did you get your pants back?" Johnny asked suddenly.

"What are you talking about?" Mr. Turner said decisively. "I've always had on my pants."

Timmy smiled. There's something that will never change. His father's natural goofiness would last through anything.

"The cave is up ahead," Vicky said eagerly, as if she were trying to make up for whatever she had done wrong. Like that was possible, Timmy thought.

Sure enough they came upon a cave that the river emptied itself into. A few yards from the mouth of the cave, the river turned right toward who knew where. The Fairy Squad was Timmy's guess, but he wasn't too sure.

The group began to enter the cave, except for Vicky, who ha suddenly stopped. "I'm not going in there."

"Why not, Vicky?" Mrs. Turner asked.

"Because that is where terrible stuff happens," Vicky answered, trembling.

"You're one to talk," Timmy scoffed.

Vicky didn't budge an inch.

Mr. Turner shrugged. "Okay, Vicky. See you later."

Timmy felt relief from leaving Vicky behind.

Until they entered the cave, however. "Vicky was right. Evil deeds are performed here." An evil aura seemed to come from the walls, and it seemed to want to enter through their pores, given a quarter of a chance. But sniffing the air soon proved it to be just noxious fumes. But Timmy wasn't about to let the evil smells stop him.

He was going to rescue Wanda and nothing's going to stop him.

"Everyone has a hardhat and three sources of light?" Mrs. Turner asked.

"Of course, Mom." Timmy placed a yellow construction helmet, with a coal miner's lamb attached, upon his head. "Doesn't everybody?"

OOO-

A.J. was starting to wonder where Timmy had ended up. He hadn't shown in class for the past two days. And he couldn't reach him or his parents at his home. Which was very odd, as A.J. had always been to reach him before. A.J. feared the worst.

He was using his detection and ranging equipment, which resembled a radar set, when the doorbell was rang. He waited for his mother to get, until he remembered that his parents were away. He sighed, before turning to his security monitors and found a blonde girl in a pink dress at the front door. "Yes, what is it?" he asked into the intercom.

"I know where Timmy Turner is," was all the girl said. But it perked A.J.'s attention. He activated his teleportation ray and beamed the girl right into his lab.

"Oh my," she said. "How did you ever manage that trick?"

"I'm a super genius," A.J. replied. "It's comes with the territory. Now what's this about knowing where Timmy is."

"Well, don't I get an opportunity to introduce myself first?"

"Sorry. Go on." A.J. showed to a chair, which she sat in.

"My name is Sally Vontrap."

A.J. nodded.

"And I can show you where your friend is."

"On a map?"

Sally frowned. "No, I don't think I could find it on a map. But surely you have gadgets you could use to take us there with and I could point to you when we get there."

"I got inventions that could you anywhere you want to go. But if you can't find it on a map, then I how could I find a path to where he is? And how do I know that you are telling the truth?"

Sally hesitated before answering. "I wish I could show you where he is, A.J., but I just don't know how." Then her eyes lit up. "Maybe I can show you after all."

OOO-

They came upon a massive steel door a few yards from where the cavern disappears into the dark depths of the water. There seemed to be no way to open it up, and a search of the area appeared to prove that assessment. "Man, it looks like somebody likes to keep secrets," Mr. Turner commented.

"There has to be a way into there," Timmy said.

"Maybe you have to be a fairy to open it," Mrs. Turner whispered into his ear. She was squatting next to her son so they could talk in secret.

"Or poof their way through," Timmy replied. "But what could possibly be on the other side of this door could be so important that they would put it behind a big steel door in a cave in a valley in the middle of nowhere?" he asked. But he knew what was really important to him. Wanda was in there and she wanted out. "But whatever is in there, he have to go in."

"Wanda," Mrs. Turner said simply.

"Yes. Wanda," Timmy nodded.

Without thinking, he reached out and touched the door with his palm. It felt warm to his touch, despite the almost chilly conditions in the cave. For a second nothing happened. But then the door slowly opened, revealing a bright light from beyond the doorway.

When it had opened far enough, Timmy stepped forward, taking it for granted that his parents and Johnny would follow him in.