Fairly Oddparents copyright Viacom
Chapter 35: Cosmo's Choice
Written: 9 May 2006-13 May 2006
Posted: 13 May 2006
Cosmo found himself sitting on a couch with a hot cocoa in hand in a beige hospital waiting room, waiting, of all things, for his mother to return. She was taking her time. She had said that she was getting "a special surprise" for him. Cosmo hoped that it would be something good. Like a pony. Or a bowl full of pudding.
There was always room for pudding.
His mother appeared at a side door with a wicker basket in hand. "I have a special treat for my Cosmo-lulu."
"Ooh, ooh. What is it?"
"Only your favorite." She raised a porcelain lid out of the basket, and the aroma was quite distinct. It was chocolate pudding.
His favorite.
As he began to snack on the pudding, his mother sat down beside him and put her arm around his shoulders. "Do you like the pudding, son?"
"Uh-huh."
"There's a lot more of it."
Cosmo raised his spoon in the air. "Bring it on!"
"Okay," Momma Cosma laughed. "But there's something I want you to do for me first."
"What?"
When his mother told him what it was, he flung the pudding into his mother's face. "I'll never do something so de-spec-tea-bull."
Momma Cosma wiped her face off with grace and decorum. "But do you even understand what I just told you?"
"I understand well enough!" He started to get up, but his mother pushed him back down.
"I'm sorry, Cosmo," she said softly. "But it has to be done. The future of Fairy World depends on it."
"I don't see how…"
She held him tighter. "Trust me, Cosmo. It's all for the best."
Cosmo wasn't so sure. "But what about Wanda?"
"Don't worry, Cosmo. She will be returned to you. As good as new."
-OOO-
Timmy ate porridge from a wooden bowl with a wooden spoon, even though it seemed a bit clichéd to do in a log cabin. He could taste the honey in it. It had even raisins in it.
But it was still porridge. The most bland substance known to man. (And some fish.) And he was eating the slob.
As Timmy was eating the porridge, he was also keeping his mouth shut as Johnny was talking with his sister. "You still haven't explained what you're doing here."
Heather pounded the table. "Looking for you. That's what. You leave the house. And you came back! How do you think we are supposed to feel?"
Johnny blanched. "I didn't think that-"
"That's right! You didn't think. Now what am I supposed to tell mother?"
"Say, just how did you get here anyway?" Timmy spoke up for the first time since they had got to the cabin.
"I don't see how that matters," Heather said in a tone that brook no argument. And Timmy half-wished that he hadn't said what he had said. "I'm here to pick up my little brother and bring home. Got it, twerp!"
Timmy winched. Heather held more than just a passing resemblance to Vicky. No wonder Johnny had a fairy godparent. Perhaps he should have kept his mouth after all. "I'm sorry."
"No, I'm the one who's sorry, Timmy." She began to stare out the window. "Actually I don't know how I got here." She sighed. "I just said I wished I knew where Johnny was and I found myself here. It was the weirdest thing really."
Timmy, who some inkling of what might have been the explanation, kept silent. She wouldn't believe if he told her. And if she did, she would probably press into areas he didn't want pressed into. In any case, Heather didn't look as if she wanted to be disturbed. So he ate his porridge in silence.
But they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Heather stood up. "Hide under the table while I go see who it is."
That was a strange request, but Timmy and Johnny complied anyway. They took their bowls and ducked under the table.
Heather cautiously opened the door and peeked outside. "What do you want?"
"Uhm, yes. I'm looking for two boys who by the names of-"
Timmy jumped out from under the table. "Miss Oracle! You found us."
Heather looked perplexed. "So you know this woman?"
-OOO-
Vicky entered the tent without preamble. "So, twerp, how did you do it?"
"I didn't do it," Sally explained. "It was A.J. who had save you."
Vicky snorted and waved her off. "Whatever."
Sally planted her hands onto her hips. "You know he didn't really want to unfreeze you. But he still helped you anyway."
Vicky didn't look impressed. "What's your point? And beside you didn't answer the question."
"Oh. Well… he took a pair of tongs and took the marble from between your fingers."
"Huh. I was wondering what happened to it."
"But it's the thing that you froze you in the first place."
"You should really mind your own business." Vicky started for the opening. "If you know what's good for you, anyway."
Sally sighed. "Look, Vicky. A.J. overstepped his prejudices. Perhaps you should the same."
"Look, twerp, I don't have any prejudices. Everyone knows that little brats are nothing but trouble."
"The only brat around here is you," Sally said after Vicky had left.
Vicky poked her head back in, causing Sally to jump. "Say, where is that egghead kid anyway?"
"How should I know? You should go ask Fanny."
"Fine. But I should warn you that should keep better track of your friends." Vicky left without returning, leaving Sally alone to fume.
-OOO-
Vicky found Fanny and the other fairies in a huddle discussing something that she couldn't quite catch. Stupid fairies! Didn't they have anything better to do? "Hey, what's going on here."
"It seems that A.J." Wanda replied. "And Timmy and Johnny and The Oracle still haven't returned from searching for me."
"Don't look at me. I didn't do it."
"No one is saying that, dear."
"You're all thinking it."
"Oh my. Aren't we paranoid?" Lucas said.
"Now, now, dear," Fanny patted his hand, "it isn't her fault how she ended up."
Now what was that supposed to mean? "I have a question."
"Yes, Vicky," said Wanda.
"The faster you the others, the faster we can leave? Right?"
Wanda nodded.
"Then you can count on my support."
-OOO-
Cosmo had thought and thought. (He had also looked for a way out of the hospital.) And he had come to a conclusion.
He was going to ask Wanda. She would know what to do.
But first he would have a find a way out of this crazy place. Now this door marked emergency exit only looked promising…