CHAPTER ELEVEN
Trixie was smiling to herself as she headed back home on the bus. Her image-conscious mother was easy to win over when she told her this morning that what she planned would increase her popularity immensely. So, while Trixie was at school working on the poster, her mother was renting out a large number of arcade-type computer games which would be set up in the large basement game room of the Tang mansion. Trixie knew that her mother would come through, but she didn't notice a pink bird flying behind the bus.
For his part, Timmy was sitting further up in the bus with Tootie. They were talking about what they could do this weekend (today was Thursday). There would not be much socializing tonight as Tootie had received a phone call from her parents asking her to come straight home and that as it was family related, to come home alone.
"Well, it will give us time to come up with some suggestions for Saturday", Tootie said.
"That's true", Timmy replied, putting his arm around her. Tootie sighed and leaned in.
Trixie looked at the two lovebirds with disdain. She thought about ways not only to pay Timmy back for his dumping of her, but also to make Tootie break up with Timmy as well. Two birds with the same stone, she thought…..?
The bus let them off at their respective stops. Timmy headed back into his house in order to get his homework started. He walked up the stairs to his bedroom and entered. After closing the door, Cosmo poofed in.
"Hi, Timmy!" Cosmo said in greeting, "Everything okay?"
"Couldn't be better… apart from all this homework".
Cosmo poofed up floating letters: H – O – M – E – W – O – R – K, saying "This is what I learned homework meant back in Carl Poofy-pants High School: Hours of Misery Every Week Overtiring Restless Kids".
"You got that right, Cosmo", Timmy replied as Cosmo poofed away the letters, "but where's Wanda?" he asked.
"Well, Wanda said that since you gave us the day off, she wanted to go out for a while", Cosmo replied.
"In that case, I'd better get this homework assignment started", Timmy said as he plumped down at his desk.
"We could always play the 'no-homework game', Timmy", Cosmo suggested, gesturing to the V-cube.
"I promised Tootie that I'd finish it so that we could compare notes", Timmy said, which surprised Cosmo. Timmy wanting to finish homework early without being prodded?
"Who are you? And what have you done with Timmy?" Cosmo demanded.
While Timmy was in conversation with Cosmo, Tootie had gotten back home. He noticed that there were packing boxes stacked up downstairs.
"Mom, Dad!" Tootie called. Both Mr. and Mrs. Flannigan came out and hugged Tootie.
"The court has ordered Vicky to live separately from us in an apartment", Mr. Flannigan explained, "We found a place for her and we're helping her move".
Tootie smiled at the news. It meant that there would no longer be any Vicky menace hanging over her. Mr. and Mrs. Flannigan headed outside in order to open up the back of their station wagon.
At that moment, Vicky walked downstairs carrying a box of her things.
"Happy at the news, Twerpette?" Vicky snarled.
"That I won't be getting any more swirlies or other types of torture from you, yes", Tootie replied.
"Well, at least I won't have you running underfoot. My apartment is for me and me alone", Vicky shot back.
"Yes, you will be alone. Your total lack of friends will see to that", Tootie stated.
With that, Tootie went upstairs to her room. She wanted to call Timmy and let him know what happened. Vicky watched her go with a scowl at that last remark, and then she took the box she was carrying outside. They would miss her soon enough, she thought. In the meantime, a place of her own meant total freedom. That was worth looking forward to!
At about this time, Trixie got back home. After her mother searched her school pack in order to ensure that she was not carrying any boy magazines, Mrs. Tang led Trixie down to the basement game room. What Trixie saw there gave her cause for satisfaction.
There were at least twenty video game arcade machines set up amongst comfortable chairs and other items to make it a proper party. This idea of hers really would result in getting back her status as the totally uncontested popular and pretty girl in Dimmsdale Elementary!
Mrs. Tang held out her hand. Trixie reached out. Mrs. Tang dropped into Trixie's hand a ring.
"This is it?" Trixie asked,
"Yes, that is the device. You wear it on your finger when you play an arcade game. In the ring is a chip that will keep the game you are playing on cheat mode. It won't be apparent to those watching you, but it will ensure that you will be able to beat everyone who will be here on Saturday night", Mrs. Tang explained.
Nodding, Trixie tried on the ring. It fit perfectly. More importantly, it looked expensive, which would definitely not look out of place on her person. Trixie reached into her school pack and took out her poster sketch. Handing it to Mrs. Tang, she waited for her reaction.
"Yes, that will do nicely", Mrs. Tang said with a nod, "I'll start running off copies, then you can hand them out to your guests tomorrow".
Nodding, Trixie went to try out one of the games with the control ring. Wanda (still in her bird disguise) had been sitting just outside a basement vent listening in. She heard the conversation clearly.
So, Trixie wants to impress Timmy by making herself look unbeatable on video games, Wanda thought to herself. Given Timmy's love of video games, this might succeed in driving a wedge between Timmy and Tootie. Wanda decided that Timmy needed to be told about this before Trixie could make her move…
"Vicky's what?!!" Timmy said into the phone.
"It's true. Vicky is moving out and in to her own apartment. That means the house is finally terror-free!" Tootie replied over the phone.
"That's great news as far as you're concerned, but she'll still be baby-sitting and you know what that means", Timmy said.
"Not for you though", Tootie answered, "after all, when your parents go out, you come over here. It works out very well".
"That's great, Tootie", Timmy replied. They spent the next ten minutes chatting about ideas for the weekend. Timmy wanted to chat longer, but he then saw Wanda poof in. She had that look on her face that meant bad news.
"Uh, Tootie", I gotta go. I'll talk to you soon, okay?" he said.
"That's fine, Timmy", Tootie replied, "Bye".
Hanging up the phone, Timmy turned towards Wanda.
"You've got that look in your face Wanda, that means bad news. What's up?" he asked. He listened as Wanda filled him in on what she had seen and heard.