Chapter 8, Defeating the Shadows
Location: the castle of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia, May 26, 2014
The following day, everyone awoke, and had some breakfast. It was then that Peter decided to put his plan into action , when he noticed, that Tommy, was only picking at his food, and not eating it.
"Don't eat that disgusting cerial that turns your milk green, it's gross!" Said Shadow Abbigale from within Tommy's head.
"Yeah! I hate it!" Said Shadow Tommy from within Tommy's head.
"Something wrong Tommy?" Peter asked.
"Yeah! I hate Reptar cerial! Give me something else." Snapped Tommy.
Peter was shocked. He knew Tommy absolutely loved Reptar cerial, and then, it hit him.
"Are those voices giving you ideas again?" Peter asked.
Tommy nodded.
"Listen, Tommy, try ignoring the voices." Peter suggested.
"Ignoring them? I'll never be able to ignore them." Tommy bellowed.
"At least try? Maybe if you ignore them, they'll go away. I mean really Tommy, can you honestly tell me, you like being evil? Can you honestly tell me, you want nothing more, but to claim the world as your own, and destroy everything you love? You may not care at the present moment about what you've done, but I know the real Tommy, and I know for a fact, that deep down, someday, you're gonna feel just awful about everything you've done. About destroying the park. About scaring your little brother half to death. About losing your friends. I know you, and I don't wish to see you scarred for life." Explained Peter.
But Tommy wasn't buying it. He was convinced that he was purely evil, and that he'd destroy the world, if it was the last thing he did. But try as he might, Peter was determined, to keep Tommy's attention off of those voices in his head. He attempted to go through the entire day, surrounding Tommy with familiar things he loved to do. He started out with a Reptar shapes puzzle, where each piece was a different shape, and once they went together, they formed a picture of Reptar. But all Tommy did was fling the pieces across the room. After that, he put on Tommy's favorite Reptar movie on DVD, Reptar versus the Aliens. It kept him calm for a few minutes, until the voices in his head spoke up.
"That green dinosaur is too much of a goody goody. Turn it off, turn it off!" Shreaked Shadow Abbigale from within Tommy's head.
"Turn it off! Turn it off!" Chanted Shadow Tommy and Shadow Abbigale from within Tommy's head.
They continued to chant this, until Tommy grabbed the clicker off of the table, stopped the DVD, ejected it, and threw it across the room like a frisby.
By this time, Peter had lost all patients, and couldn't take it anymore.
"That's it young man. It's off to your room with you for a time out." Said Peter, as he scooped up the evil-fied two-year-old toddler, now kicking and screaming, as he carried him up to his bedroom, and placed him in the crib he slept in the night before, which felt more like a prison to Tommy.
Tommy wasn't going to have it. He spent the rest of the day, throwing a tantrum, and rattling the bars, in hopes to pry them loose, so as he could make his escape, and get away from the Confederacy, and claim the world as his own. Peter did not give Tommy anything to eat for the rest of the day, and he even urged Dr. Doofensmirtz to stay away. Perhaps if Tommy was ignored, he'd mellow out, but boy were they wrong.
At some point in the middle of the night, Tommy had rattled the bars enough on that crib to the point that they started to become loose. Finally, the side of the crib that was away from the wall flew off, causing Tommy to escape. Making his way through the darkened halls of the castle, Tommy snuck off, in search of his Reptar wagon.
"I just need to find that Reptar wagon, and victory, shall be mine!" Tommy thought to himself, as he frantically searched the castle, for his escape weapon.
By the time he found it, the sun was starting to rise.
"Uh oh, I'd better hurry." Tommy thought to himself, as he attempted to pull the Reptar wagon out of its hiding place, and escape the castle.
Location: Richmond, Virginia, May 27, 2014
Not long after Tommy got the Reptar wagon out of its hiding place, Peter and Dr. Doofensmirtz awoke, to find that Tommy had escaped.
"We've got to find him, come on!" Said Peter, grabbing Dr. Doofensmirtz's hand, and searching the entire castle. Tommy was nowhere to be found, but then, they heard a noise outside, so went to investigate.
When they got there, they saw Tommy in the Reptar wagon, attempting to escape.
"And just where do you think you're going?" Dr. Doofensmirtz asked.
"Where do you think I'm going? I'm headed off to do the job you gave me. I'm off to take over the world, and nobody is going to stop me!" Snapped Tommy, as he took off in the Reptar wagon.
"Come on, we've got to go after him." Said Peter, as he and Dr. Doofensmirtz, chased after the wagon.
All through the streets of the Confederacy, and then, through the streets of Yucaipa, California, the two of them started chasing the Reptar wagon. Meanwhile, a Police officer saw what was going on, and reported it to the television news people, who got on the job of reporting the chase that was happening, interrupting all programming on all channels. Not only did their news report of King Peter Albany of the confederacy chasing the two-year-old Tommy Pickles hit the TV news in all of Yucaipa, California, but it also hit the TV news in all of the wrelms of the Disney characters. Two hours later, Tommy was once again, at the beach where he had ventured to two days prior, about ready to hit the high seas once again, in hopes to terrorize the entire world, but thanks to the Disney characters hearing of what was going on, to Peter, Dr. Doofensmirtz, and Tommy's surprise, all of the Disney characters popped out of their portals, and made a huge circle around the trio, completely surrounding Tommy, stopping him from going any further.
Before another word could be spoken, the rugrats and their parents, and Bobby Generic and his family, showed up at the beach, both for a day of fun and relaxation, and, to hopefully run into Peter and Tommy, and get to the bottom of this. Everyone was happy to find them there. At that moment, Susie, Angelica, Bobby, Jesse, Zack, Bassem, Courtney, Chuckie, who had since gotten a new pair of glasses, to replace the ones that Tommy had destroyed a couple of days ago at the park, Phil, Lil, Kimi, and Dil all ran towards the crowd of Disney characters that had gathered. Surely, if there were this many Disney characters there, it meant that Peter was there too, and with how close Peter was keeping an eye on Tommy as of late, surely they'd find Tommy there, and they could finally, get to the bottom of this.
"Minis! So good to see you!" Peter cried.
"We're here to help you." Said Bassem.
"That's right, Tommy's our hero, and we're not gonna let his evil side overrule us, right guys?" Said Zack.
"Right!" Said all of the toddlers and Bobby in unison.
"And I for one am tired of my cousin trying to be bossier and meaner than me. Don't you dumb babies know that I'm the only boss around here?" Said Angelica.
"Oh, are you saying I picked the wrong peck of Pickled Peppers to pick?" Said Dr. Doofensmirtz, pulling his Turn-Everything-Evil-Inator out of his pocket and aiming it at Angelica.
Before he could go any further though, Peter reached over and snatched the device out of Dr. Doofensmirtz's hand.
"No way will you use this device on Angelica. She's already evil enough without it. You use this on her, and the world will be doomed forever." Said Peter, as he placed the device into a pocket of his gray Confederate uniform.
"I think we're already doomed, doomed, doomed I tell ya." Said Chuckie.
"Do any of you have any ideas for us? I already tried to get Tommy to ignore the voices in his head, but that didn't seem to work." Said Peter.
"I think I've got an idea." Said Chuckie.
"Really? What?" Courtney asked.
"Well, a long time ago, Angelica tolded us that if you wear other peoples shoes, you start acting like them. And I remember this time when Tommy tolded me about how I wore Angelica's shoes, and Angelica wore my shoes, and I acted like Angelica, and Angelica acted like me. So, if we have Tommy wear one of our pairs of shoes." Explained Chuckie.
"Then he won't be mean no more! What a great idea! My brother is the bestest big brother ever!" Said Kimi excitedly.
"But guys." Peter started to say, only to get cut off.
"So who's shoes are we gonna make Tommy wear?" Lil asked.
"How about Phil's? Tommy would be disgusting, but at least he'd be nice, and not mean no more." Suggested Zack.
"I'd like that. Ok, I'm in." Said Phil.
"Ok Phil, hand over your shoes." Said Chuckie.
"But guys." Peter started to say again, only the toddlers weren't listening to him.
They continued with their plan. Phil took off his shoes and handed them over to Chuckie, who hesitantly approached Tommy.
"Put these on." Said Chuckie.
"No!" Snapped Tommy, but before he could escape, Bassem, Zack, Kimi and Courtney all jumped in and pinned Tommy to the ground.
Once they were more or less, on top of Tommy, Chuckie slipped Phil's shoes on to his feet.
Then, Phil walked up to Tommy, and dangled a worm in his face.
"Come on Tommy, eat the yummy wormy. It's delicious!" Said Phil, licking his lips.
"Eeewww! Get that thing away from me! And get these shoes off of my feet! I hate shoes!" Screamed Tommy, as he proceeded to kick and scream, causing the toddlers who surrounded him to get several bruises.
"Uh guys, I don't think this worked." Said Chuckie with a sigh.
"I tried to tell you kids, that wouldn't work, because what Tommy told you about when you and Angelica switched places that time, well, he was telling you about a nightmare." Explained Peter.
"You mean, it didn't really happen? It was only a nightscare?" Chuckie asked.
"Uh huh?" Peter replied.
"Great, just great." Said Chuckie sarcastically.
"Now what are we gonna do?" Lil asked.
"Can I have my shoes back please?" Phil asked.
Peter pinned down Tommy, while Lil grabbed a hold of Tommy's feet.
"Give me back my brother's shoes." Lil demanded, as she pulled hard on Phil's shoes, till she got them off of Tommy. Then, she threw them in Phil's direction, where he caught them, and put his shoes back on.
By this point, Peter was at a loss of what else to do. He slumped down on the ground, and did something he hardly ever did. He buried his face in his hands, and started to cry.
"Now, don't cry Peter, we'll find a way to get Tommy back, won't we?" Kimi asked, going up to Peter and giving him a hug.
"Of course we will Kimi." Said Zack confidently.
"But how?" Jesse asked.
Just then, Timon cleared his throat, and started to sing.
There's more to life than panic,
And bein' some other guy's snack.
I may be delicious, organic
But this little entree is fightin' back!
I'm gonna put diggin' tunnels behind me,
And live at a new altitude,
I'm gonna reach for the stars to remind me,
That meerkats are not merely food!
For once I'll be...
Lookin' out for me...
I'll tell you what I want
This cat is movin' on,
I'm bon vivant
Who're missin' out onbon
I'd be a bigger cheese
Far from the desert scene.
A little cooling breeze
A little patch of green!
And I'll be snoozin' in my hammock by a rippling stream
Many miles from any tunnel and the digging team
Looking after number one will be my only creed
That's all I need,
That's all I need!
I've always been good at runnin' away
Well, now I'm gonna run the show-ow,
I've always been seen as the ultimate prey
But now my status ain't so quo!
A dream sublime… it is shadow ti-i-i-i-me!
This caused Peter to stop crying, and everybody to listen intently. That is, until Timon's singing was interrupted by a grunt and a scream from Tommy.
"Stop! That! Singing!" Shouted Tommy, at the same time, the two shadows in his head were shouting the same thing, as the red and green glow in Tommy's eyes glowed so bright, it was nearly blinding to anybody who stared directly at him.
"Ok Timon, what gave you the crazy idea to start singing anyway?" Peter asked.
"Hey, singing helps me to calm down and get in a happy mood. Maybe if we all go around and sing our hearts out, that will cheer Tommy up too, and he'll stop being so mean." Suggested Timon.
"Let me try." Said Lumier, who cleared his throat, lit his candle labra, and started to sing.
Be our guest, be our guest,
Put our service to the test.
Tie a napkin around your neck seree and we'll provide the rest.
Soup we do, hot orderves, why we only live to serve!
Private gray stuff, it's delicious! You don't believe me I'm suspicious!
Let us sing let us dance, even though this isn't France,
Even in Yucaipa the food is never second best.
Come on unfold your menu, take a glance and then, be our guest, be our guest, be our guest!
Just as Lumier finished up the first verse, everybody couldn't help but notice, that Tommy was smiling and dancing, but his eyes continued to show an angry glare.
"Wait a second guys, from what it appears, the shadows don't like the music, but Tommy, is finally finding it easier to ignore them. Come on, we need to keep singing!" Demanded Peter.
At that moment, Ariel decided to sing a song.
Look at the stuff, isn't it neat?
Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?
Wouldn't you think I'm the girl, the girl who has everything?
Look at this trove, treasure's untold.
So many wonders, the wonders, unfold.
Looking around here you'd think, sure, she has everything.
I've got who's its and what's its of plenty,
I've got gizmoes and gadgets galoure.
You want thing-a-ma-bobs, I've got twenty.
But who cares, no big deal, I want more.
I wanna be, where the people are.
I wanna see, wanna see them dancing.
Walking around on those, what's that word again, oh, feet!
Kicking your fins you don't get to far,
Legs are required for walking, dancing.
Strolling along on that, what's that word again, street.
Up where they walk, up where they run, up where they stay all day in the sun,
Just you and me, I'd like to be, part of your world.
As Ariel finished up her song, Tommy started to relax, but his eyes appeared to be angrier than ever.
The next person to go was Bobby Generic.
"I've got one, I've got one." Shouted Bobby, as he made his way through the circle of Disney characters, placing himself nearly inches from Tommy's face. He opened his mouth, and began to sing.
The cars in the square, the jump roap over there, and the bells in the late afternoon.
There's music everywhere.
Using a garbage can for a drum, and a car horn for a bassoon,
That's life, playing you a tune,
There's music everywhere!
Just as Bobby finished up his singing, the shadows started to yell some angry words in Tommy's head.
"Oh, that Bobby Generic, if it's true, if there's really music everywhere, I'm not sure how much more I can take of this!" Shreaked Shadow Abbigale.
"Me neither! Make it stop, make it stop!" Shreaked Shadow Tommy.
Just then, the red and green glow in Tommy's eyes started to fade.
"That, was a lovely song! Where did you learn that one Bobby?" Jesse asked.
"A traffic cop by the name of Abe taught it to me, when I was having trouble learning my shapes a while back. He taught me that song, right before, right before…" Said Bobby.
"Right before what?" Jesse asked.
"Right before, he died." Said Bobby, as a tear rolled down his cheek, remembering back to that very day when it all happened, way before he met the rugrats, Peter, or the Disney characters.
"Guys, I think we're making progress! Look!" Said Peter, as he pointed to Tommy's face, to notice the glow was less intense.
"Are you saying, music is the shadows weakness?" Aladdin asked.
"Yeah! I think so! I bet ya if we sing a couple of more songs, we'll have Tommy back to his old self. Who's next?" Peter asked, as the concert continued.
Just then, Didi decided to walk up and join in.
"I've sung this song plenty of times at bedtime to get Tommy and Dil to fall asleep." Announced Didi, as she opened her mouth and began to sing.
Beautiful Dreamer, wake onto me.
Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee.
Sounds of the roodwore are heard in the day.
Love by the moonlight have all passed away.
Gone are the cares of life's busy throng.
Beautiful Dreamer, wake onto me;
Beautiful Dreamer, wake onto me.
As Didi finished up the song, she couldn't help but notice a faint glow of red and green was still in Tommy's eyes.
"Oh, Tommy, sweetheart, you've just got to get better." Said Didi, as she broke down crying, running to the comfort of her husband's arms.
That's when Dil had his brilliant idea.
"If this song doesn't work, then I say we give up, and feed my brother to the sharks." Said Dil.
"Really? What do you got?" Peter asked.
Dil pulled out the pocket watch, AKA sponsitility out of his diaper, and started swinging it like a pingilum, keeping in rhythm to the beat. Once he had a good beat going with his sponsitility musical instrument, he began to sing.
You make me like you if you knew I was gonna... I was gonna.
You make me hug you even and I didn't really wanna cause you ate a nanna.
Sometimes you make me happy, sometimes you make me sad.
And sometimes, Tommy, you make me really mad!
But even when you had a stinky diapee,
you're still a older brother that I care for.
I guess you make me love you! Ooh-hoo!
"I remember that song, didn't Tommy sing that to you back when we were trying to teach you about music?" Peter asked.
"Uh huh?" Dil replied.
Just then, something happened that nobody expected. Everyone stared at where Tommy was standing, to now see three figures before them. There was Tommy, appearing as his normal two-year-old self. He had his dark purple hair on top of his head, wearing his light blue signature t-shirt, with a pair of dark blue shorts, and his eyes appeared to be their normal color, the white with the black pupils in the center, but next to him, stood two other people that weren't there before.
The first person looked just like Tommy, same hight, same size, only this two-year-old had a head full of black hair with bright red polkadots throughout it. His eyes were the firy evil red color that use to possess Tommy's eyes, and he was wearing a black t-shirt with a bright red square insignia on the front of it, and a pair of dark gray shorts. Like Tommy, he too was barefooted.
Next to him though, stood a girl. She was taller than the two Tommy figures, but slightly shorter than Peter. She had black hair pulled back in a ponytail with dark purple streaks in it, and she had glowing evil green eyes. She wore a black shirt with a picture of a dark purple triangle insignia on it, black pants, and black boots.
"And who are you two suppose to be?" Dr. Doofensmirtz asked.
"Don't you know? I'm the Tommy you created." Said the Tommy with the black and red hair.
"And I'm Abbigale. Apparently, you'll be creating me in the year 2037, but somehow, I teleported to the past, and ended up in this good for nothing child's body." Said Abbigale, pointing at the original Tommy.
"I see! So, what made you two not wish to control Tommy's body anymore?" Dr. Doofensmirtz asked.
"It was that horrible music. We couldn't take it anymore, so we left." Said Abbigale.
"And now, it's time to finish the job. Come on Abbigale, help me finish this good for nothing toddler off." Said evil Tommy.
"No! I can't believe I let you two trick me into being meaner than Angelica. You won't hurt me no more!" Shouted Tommy, as he stuck his tongue out at the evil shadows, and began to punch and kick them out of his way.
Genie tried to perform some magic on them, trying to make them disappear, but it was no use. Peter pulled out a sword, and aimed it at the shadows, but they ducked, dodging his every attack. All of the other toddlers, tried to kick and punch them to the ground, but again, the shadows ran off, causing everybody to play a game of tag, only to have the two shadows win, as no matter how hard they tried, none of the rugrats could tag them.
"I don't think we're ever gonna defeat them." Said Chuckie with a frown.
"No you won't, why don't you guys just bow down to us, and all hail the dark purple triangle." Said Abbigale.
"No, all hail the bright red square." Said evil Tommy.
"No, dark purple triangle." Argued Abbigale.
"No, bright red square." Argued evil Tommy.
"Hault! Who goes there?" Bellowed King Triton, who now had his head above the surface of the ocean, watching everything.
He looked beyond displeased. If anything, he looked as angry as he was back when Morgonna attempted to harm his granddaughter Melody, and attempted to rule the seven seas.
"Surrender Peter's friend Tommy, and his friends, and all of my friends." Demanded King Triton.
"Oh no hno no no no, it's you who should bow down to us." Said Abbigale, sending an evil glare in his direction.
"Come on Triton, don't be a baby." Demanded evil Tommy.
But Triton failed to obey their commands.
"If you don't obey us, we'll put you in time out forever, right Abbigale?" Evil Tommy asked.
"Tommy, we'll put him in more than time out, we'll put him into prison! And Atlantica will never have another king again, cuz we'll destroy it!" Said Abbigale.
But before either one of them could make another move, King Triton raised his trident above his head, and began to attack.
"You will not harm Tommy, or my friends, ever again. There is no escape for you now." Said King Triton, as his trident began to glow a bright orange, and beams of green light shot out of the end of the prongs of the fork, aimed directly at the two shadows.
Just then, two stone sarcophiguses with a sheet of ice formed around the two shadows, imprisoning them for life, and the real Tommy, collapsed to the ground, passing out. Once the shadows were imprisoned in their stone sarcophaguses, Dr. Doofensmirtz came over, picked up the two stone sarcophaguses, and tossed them out into the ocean, where they made a loud splash, and sank to the bottom.
Upon defeat and disappearance of the shadows, everybody clapped and cheered, pleased to see the shadows were gone, no longer able to harm, or torment their friend and bold brave young leader, that is, until they caught a glimpse of Tommy's body in the sand, still passed out. Tommy's parents, Peter, and Chuckie, all rushed over to him.
"Oh my goodness! Tommy, are you ok?" Didi asked in a worried tone.
"Tommy buddy, speak to me." Said Peter.
As he stared at Tommy's face, he couldn't help but notice that Tommy's face was a pail color, his ears looked red, like they were infected, and a fountain of snot was coming out of his nose. Tommy opened his eyes halfway.
"I don't feel good." Muttered Tommy in a weak voice, followed by a moan, before he closed his eyes again, collapsing in the sand.
Peter saw enough of a glimpse of Tommy's eyes, even half open, they looked normal, but it was obvious, that something was still wrong.
"What's wrong Peter?" Chuckie asked, concerned for his best friend.
"The only thing I can figure out, is while Tommy was possessed by the evil shadows, the sickness he was sick with in the beginning, was dorment, while the shadows took control over his body, but now that they're gone, the terrible cold and ear infection that Tommy was plagued with before has taken full force on his body again, causing Tommy to not feel well. Hopefully now that those shadows are gone, he can take the next week to take his antibiotic like he's suppose to, and get well." Explained Peter.
"I hope so Peter, I hope so. I want my bestest friend back." Said Chuckie.
Stu and Didi picked up their sick child, and cradled him in their arms. All of the Disney characters made their way back through their rightful portals to their homes, but before Dr. Doofensmirtz could return to Danville, Peter stopped him.
"Heinz, before you head home, I just want to thank you." Said Peter.
"For what?" Heinz asked.
"For living up to what you did. You helped to defeat these shadows, and while Tommy is sick, he's at least no longer possessed by the shadows, and, in honor of your help, I pardon you of all sentences." Said Peter.
"You mean?" Said Heinz.
"Yes, you're free to head home, but please promise me, you'll never use that Turn-
Everything-Evil-Inator on any of my friends, ever again." Said Peter, pulling the Turn-Everything-Evil-Inator out of his pocket, ready to hand it over to Dr. Doofensmirtz, once he agreed to his promise.
"I promise, to never use this device ever again, and, to all of you, I am very sorry." Said Dr. Doofensmirtz, as he took the Turn-Everything-Evil-Inator from Peter, and went through his portal back to Danville, never to harm the citizens of Yucaipa, California, or the rugrats, ever again.
"But what about Tommy?" Didi asked, looking down at the sick two-year-old child in her arms.
"No worries Didi, I plan to come help you take care of him." Said Peter, as he rounded up the other rugrats, who all climbed into the Reptar wagon, and Peter pulled the wagon up the beach, with everyone's parents, and Stu and Didi, carrying their sick child, bringing up the rear of the line, headed for home.
So, while the shadows have been put to rest, will Tommy get better and return to his old normal self? We'll find out, in the next chapter, so please, do stay tuned, as we see to concluding this story.