CHAPTER 5

While Timmy was looking out his bedroom window and pondering his next move, he noticed Vicky riding hurriedly home. He noticed that she was wincing some: probably due to the shock bracelet on her leg. The sight of Vicky's suffering – while satisfying – gave him an idea.

"Cosmo", Timmy said, "call up that crystal ball again, will you?"

"You got it, Timmy", Cosmo replied, poofing up the ball.

"What is it, Sweetie?" Wanda asked as Timmy looked into the ball.

"I'll tell you in a minute", Timmy replied.

"Please just don't poof up any more anvils in the meantime", Cosmo suggested.

Timmy was looking at Vicky returning home. Through the ball, he could see Mr. And Mrs. Flannigan 'greeting' her by shining flashlights in their faces and going "Muu-ahhh-haaa-haaa", then giving Vicky the choice of more shock treatment, or handing over the baby-sitting money. Biting her lip, Vicky handed over the wad of cash from her evening babysitting gig.

Nodding curtly, Mr. Flannigan took the money over to a locked closet. Unlocking it and opening the door, Mr. Flannigan put the money in with the large sack of cash that was Vicky's savings. Timmy noticed that strapped to the side of the sack was a charge of thermite, which was connected to a radio-operated detonator.

After the closed was locked again, Mrs. Flannigan curtly dismissed Vicky to her room. Timmy noticed that when Vicky had entered the room, it had been gone over. There was no more torture equipment or spiked furniture, plus the old man that Vicky had chained to the revolving wall had been released.

Timmy realized that that must have been the person sitting behind Pops on his motorcycle earlier in the day. He had heard the familiar "So long, Suckers", outside the classroom window and saw them both riding the motorcycle down the street.

As Vicky closed her door and lay down on her bed despondently, Timmy then noticed Mr. and Mrs. Flannigan going up to Tootie's room – yes, the one with all the Timmy pictures, and the set of clothes that he wore earlier. He watched them both dote on Tootie. His initial idea looked like it could work.

"Uh, Wanda," Cosmo said, "Timmy's got that glint in his eye again".

"What's going on, Timmy?" Wanda asked.

"I think I know what might change things, but first, I gotta see if I still have the items I'm gonna need to pull it off", Timmy replied. He rifled through one of his drawers and quickly found the two items he was looking for. One of them was courtesy of Mark Chang from Yugopotamia, and the other item was from a wish that Timmy had made a while ago.

Wanda's eyes widened when she saw the item.

"Sport, remember the last time you used that? It did cause a lot of trouble", she reminded him.

"Since your magic can't solved this problem directly, I have to try something else", Timmy replied. He then briefly explained his idea to them both.

The next morning, Timmy had been picked up by Mrs. Flannigan who was driving Tootie to school (and tailgating Vicky on her bike). Enduring Tootie's hugs and kisses, Timmy turned to her.

"As my parents are going out to the Cake and Bacon this evening, can I come over?" he asked with a face he was struggling to keep straight.

"Oh, yes, yes, yes!" Tootie replied. Mrs. Flannigan nodded.

"I have a lot of other games that we can play", Tootie promised.

Not if I can help it, Timmy thought to himself. His idea was a bit of a gamble, and both Wanda and Cosmo didn't like it all that much, but as they could not offer any alternatives….

The school day went at its usual glacial pace. After being finally let out for the afternoon, Timmy was dropped off at his house by Mr. Flannigan. With a promise of "See you shortly", Timmy went into his house and prepared for his little plan. Placing both items into a backpack, he quickly did his homework, ate the meal that his mother had set out for him, and watched some TV to help pass the time. At about ten to six, Mr. Turner called in to the living room where Timmy was watching TV.

"Okay, Timmy", Mr. Turner said, "Your mother and I are off to the Cake and Bacon, so you'd better get over to the Flannigans. We'll call you when we're done".

Nodding, Timmy went upstairs, grabbed his backpack and headed back downstairs. Timmy noticed that his parents were wearing their 'cake and bacon' hats.

"Have a good time, Dear", Mrs. Turner said as he left.

After a quick walk, Timmy arrived at Tootie's house. He knocked on the door and Tootie answered it.

"Timmy!" Tootie screamed, grabbing his left arm and pulling him in.

"We're both going upstairs to play, Mom!", Tootie called out.

"That's fine, Dear", Mrs. Flannigan replied. She was busy reading a magazine while her husband was working on a model sailing ship on the dining room table. Vicky wasn't around. Since her bike was still there, Timmy surmised that Vicky was in her room sulking.

After Tootie had pulled him upstairs and into her room (shutting and locking her door after them), Tootie then looked at Timmy with a predatory glint in her eye.

"What shall we play, Timmy?" Tootie asked.

"Before we play, I've got something for you", Timmy said. He pulled out a spray can with a weird symbol on it. He handed it to Tootie.

"Its an aerosol perfume", Timmy lied, "but don't use it just yet. I have something else to go with it". He pulled out another item but kept it cupped in his hand.

"What have you got in your hand, Timmy?" Tootie asked.

"This!", Timmy said, touching her hand with his cupped hand.

What Timmy had brought with him was the rainbow-colored body-swapping Joy Buzzer that he had Wanda create some time ago in order to cheat on a test. With a sensation of PRESTO-CHANGO, Timmy and Tootie changed bodies.

Timmy (now in Tootie's body), then quickly used the spray on Tootie (now in Timmy's body). The spray was a knockout gas that came from Yugopotamia (the same type that Mark Chang used when he kidnapped Vicky). Tootie-Timmy suddenly staggered, then fainted. Timmy-Tootie quickly grabbed Tootie-Timmy, and then laid Tootie-Timmy on the bed.

Muttering "I'm definitely going to need a shower after this", after looking in the mirror and seeing Tootie's reflected image stating back, Timmy-Tootie put the joy buzzer and knockout spray aside on Tootie's dresser, then unlocked the room and headed out. There was still a mission to perform.