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1''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10413935/1/Rugrats-and-the-Gray-Plague Rugrats and the Gray Plague]]'' is a fanfiction of ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' written by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5774748/celrock celrock]] who also wrote ''Fanfic/{{Prerugrats}}''.
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3It is the author's first fanfiction. It introduces the OC Zack who features in ''Prerugrats'' and the majority of the author's other ''Rugrats'' fanfics and gets alluded to in many others. Celrock occasionally writes about sickness or dark topics, this is one of her darkest stories as it focuses on Tommy having a serious flu.
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5The Finsters are visiting Chas's parents, the [=DeVilles=] are staying with Betty's brother Freddy, Tommy, Dil and his parents are at the beach, and Angelica and her parents are on a business trip, when a broadcast comes on about a serious flu epidemic called the Gray Plague that can be fatal to small children. Tommy meets a sickly homeless boy named Chongo and the kids have to go home early to get vaccinated. However, there is a limited amount of shots and Tommy ends up not getting vaccinated.
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7!! ''Rugrats and the Gray Plague'' provides examples of
8* AdaptationalSkill: Chuckie Finster learns to speak to the adults, since he's a year older.
9* AfraidOfNeedles: Chuckie mentions being afraid of shots because they sting.
10* AmbiguouslyAbsentParent: Chongo's dad is not seen and we don't know why.
11* AmbiguousSituation:
12** When Angelica turned the fan on, was she really trying to destroy the get well cards or was she just stirring the pot? However, it is very doubtful that, if she ''was'' trying to destroy the get well cards, it was because she didn't want Tommy to get better. She may be a brat, but she's not evil.
13** Did Tommy really catch the gray plague from Chongo like he thought or did Chongo just have a cold or asthma?
14* AppetiteEqualsHealth: One of the early signs Tommy has the titular ailment is him not wanting his sandwich.
15* AuthorAvatar: The author based Aunty Celeste on herself.
16* BabyLanguage: The babies have their own language, and when Chuckie turns three he can speak to both babies and adults.
17* BabysittingEpisode: In the third chapter, the kids are babysat by the Pickleses, then Taffy, then the Finsters, then Dil is babysat by the [=DeVilles=].
18* BabyTalk: The kids say babyish words like "prettyful".
19* BeachEpisode: In the first chapter, Tommy, Dil and their parents go to the beach with Lou and Lulu.
20* BestFriend: Chuckie and Tommy are best friends. Zack tries to be Chuckie's new best friend, but he turns into just one of his friends, not like Tommy.
21* BirthdayEpisode: Kimi turns two, and later on, Chuckie turns three, then the twins and Tommy turn two.
22* BrattyHalfPint: Angelica is her normal grumpy self.
23* CantGetAwayWithNuthin: If Tommy stops taking his medicine, there's a ''chance'' of the gray plague coming back---it does.
24* CheerfulChild: Kimi remains optimistic even when the going gets tough. Tommy is gloomy, but it's frequently mentioned that this is only because of the plague and he is generally a cheerful boy. Zack is also always willing to play.
25* ContinuityNod:
26** Chuckie refers to Phil and Lil's uncle Freddy as "that guy who claimed brothers and sisters are monsters". This references the episode "Brothers are Monsters", although technically it was Stu who said that about brothers, and both of them were talking about specifically ''[[BigBrotherBully older]]'' siblings.
27** Tommy remembers learning about his and Chuckie's family trees. This happened in the episode "The Family Tree".
28** Charlotte mentions Stu and Didi bringing Angelica to the Grand Canyon, which happened in the episode "The Grand Canyon".
29*** Didi's reply includes mentioning Angelica demanding chocolate pudding at three in the morning. This references "Angelica Breaks a Leg".
30** The fanfic is set directly after "Kimi Takes the Cake".
31** Charlotte mentions that she can't believe they let Miss Carol back on TV. Miss Carol was fired from her show in "The Word of the Day" for swearing onscreen.
32** Chuckie mentions getting lost in the forest. This happened in the movie.
33** Susie mentions getting her tonsils out, which happened in "No Place Like Home".
34* {{Continuation}}: This fic takes off where "Kimi Takes the Cake" left off.
35* DarkFic: ''Rugrats'' is a cheerful, comedic show but this fic deals with a baby getting a serious disease.
36* TheDiaperChange: In the third chapter, Taffy changes the diapers of Kimi, Phil and Lil.
37* DisappearedDad: We never see Chongo's dad.
38* DoesNotLikeSpam: Tommy doesn't like grape juice.
39* DownerEnding: Subverted. The author was going to end it with Stu and Didi divorced, but she rewrote it.
40* EatDirtCheap: Phil apparently eats dirt with his own spit in it a lot but is disgusted by the idea of eating dirt with Dil's spit in it.
41* EmpathyDollShot: Played with. When Chuckie sees Tommy's plastic screwdriver lying abandoned, he ''thinks'' that means Tommy died or disappeared or whatever, but really Tommy's still around.
42* ExtremeOmnivore: Phil and Lil eat dirt, but Phil will only eat dirt with his own spit in it, not Dil's. Dil also tries to eat a crayon.
43* {{Fainting}}: When Tommy gets the gray plague, he passes out from lack of oxygen.
44* FeudEpisode: Zigzagged. Tommy and Chuckie don't so much stop being friends so much as have a misunderstanding that makes them ''think'' they're not friends. Betty and Kira do have a little spat but they get over it.
45* FilthyFun: Phil and Lil mention that mud makes them happy when they are trying to cheer Dil up. Tommy's mentioned to like mud too, but not as much as the twins.
46* GenkiGirl: Kimi is very perky, she can even do somersaults.
47* GreenAroundTheGills: Apparently, Tommy's face turns a "funny green colour" as one of his first symptoms.
48* HappyEnding: Even though it was a DarkFic, it ended with Tommy getting better and the parents making up.
49* HowUnscientific: One girl is telekinetic in a mostly-realistic fanfiction.
50* IDontThinkThatsSuchAGoodIdea: Chuckie once says that he doesn't think the shots are such a good idea.
51* InSeriesNickname:
52** Phil and Lil's real names are Philip and Lillian.
53** Angelica calls Tommy "Melon Head" and Dil "Drool Boy".
54** Nurse Happy calls Francine "Commander Nora Nebulon".
55** Zachary gets called Zack.
56* InsomniaEpisode: Exaggerated for when Stu and Didi are kept awake taking Tommy to the hospital, Dil and Chuckie are kept awake worrying about Tommy, and Phil and Lil are kept awake by Dil's crying.
57* LateArrivalSpoiler: Other fanfics mention that Tommy gets the gray plague.
58* LittleProfessorDialogue: Subverted with Chuckie, who once says the word "attempt" in a sentence, but follows it up with "losted".
59* LovableCoward: Chuckie is still sweet and nervy like usual.
60* TheMedic: Several doctors and nurses, and one telekinetic girl who vaccinates Dil despite not having a medical degree.
61* MindOverMatter: The nurse's little sister Francine is said to be able to lift things with her "brain waves".
62* MisterStrangenoun: One of the nurses is called Nurse ''Happy''.
63* {{Nephewism}}: Aunty Celeste is Zack's primary caregiver, unlike the real world.
64* NightmareSequence: While sick, Tommy has recurring nightmares about an anthropomorphic gray plague.
65* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Kimi is concerned when the normally fearless Tommy is scared.
66* OpinionChangingDream: Tommy has two: one which convinces him ''not to'' take his medicine and another that convinces him ''to'' take his medicine.
67* OriginalCharacter: This fanfiction introduces the Original Characters Zack and his auntie Celeste, and also the ragtag group of nurses and Chongo and his mother.
68* OutOfCharacterMoment: Stu punching Drew in the face and Drew giving up on him.
69* ThePollyanna: Kimi stays positive even when Tommy is at the hospital.
70* PsychicDreamsForEveryone: Subverted. The anthropomorphic gray plague in Tommy's dreams claims he will die and although some of her predictions sort of come true, Tommy doesn't die.
71* RedIsViolent: The mean boy who pushes Tommy into mud wears a red shirt.
72* RightForTheWrongReasons: Angelica correctly predicts that Tommy will get the gray plague, but says it's because it's more likely in bald babies.
73* SayMyName: On Tommy's first night of his illness, Dil calls his name.
74* ShoutOut: One of the doctors calls herself [[WesternAnimation/DocMcStuffins Dr. McStuffins]] and when Didi says that she thought she only worked on toys, the doctor says that Didi is thinking of her daughter, who they call "Doc".
75* SiblingRivalry: Downplayed. While the siblings have tiffs, they also have a very strong bond.
76* SickEpisode: The main plot is about Tommy getting a serious flu.
77* SicklyGreenGlow: In Tommy's first nightmare, he almost drowns in green liquid.
78* {{Sleepwalking}}: Apparently, Stu sleepwalks through Betty's yard when Didi isn't living with him.
79* SoupIsMedicine: Tommy is fed soup while he has the flu.
80* SpeakInUnison: Chuckie and Kimi shout, "Yay!" in unison when they hear Tommy is coming home.
81* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Betty is called "Beddy", Kimi "Kimmi", Miss Carol "Miss Carrolle", Wawa "[=WahWah=]" and Shirley "Shirly" or "Sherly".
82* StrayingBaby: In the fourth chapter, the babies sneak off to find Tommy twice.
83* TemptingFate: Tommy says that he won't catch the gray plague. He does.
84* UnnamedParent: Chongo's mother is not named.
85* YouWontFeelAThing: One of the nurses says this line before sedating Phil and Lil. Later, Kimi repeats it, then Bobby Walker.

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