Thing's were different now. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing; in fact, maybe it even gave room to grow...but thing's were definitely not the same in Lazy Town. At least, they weren't for the Lazy Town kids. As they'd gotten older, their individual personalities and interests became more defined in their lives. Soon, the kids had different friends, and that worked out fine for awhile. However, the time they'd spent with each other was soon fading into occasional hellos until they weren't acknowledging one another at all. Even Stephanie Meanswell, who had been so determined to keep the group together because of her happy memories of childhood with them...soon, realized this could not be. They were teenagers now, they were going to high school...She convinced herself, maybe it was just time to grow up.
CHAPTER ONE: Present Day
A sigh escaped the pink haired girl as she saw Trixie with her group of friends after school near the lockers. Stephanie herself had become quite an idol in the small high school seeing as how she was the varsity cheerleading team captain, an active volunteer for school events, and an honor roll student all of her attending years. The other teenagers all seemed to like her, because she was always open to try new things. Confident, but polite, the young girl had gained much attention for her accomplishments from everyone including the more popular male students. There wasn't usually a complaint about her behavior, and everything went well for her regularly. Easy breezy, Steph thought sarcastically, except when it came to talking to the asian girl who I use to be so close to.
Stephanie would never complain to anyone about it, except for the worn pink diary that still contained all of her thoughts. She was missing something, and she felt lonely even in a crowded room. No matter how many friends she made there was always something nagging her. Often the teen would ignore it, or at least shrug it off for awhile--But it was continually coming back. Steph missed her old life, her old friends, her own confidants who she trusted with all the secrets she contained...Everyone she knew seemed to like everything she liked, and at first it was exciting. Someone to dance with, someone to shop with, someone to cheer with were all wonderful friends to have! Except for the fact that suddenly it all became normal, and no one seemed to want to do anything different ever.
Steph couldn't help missing the odd asian girl who smiled with mischievousness. She missed the girl who continually laughed at evil schemes, and seemed hesitant sometimes to help those who betrayed her. But...But, Stephanie thought strongly, Trixie was always there for you when you needed her! When it came to it, Trixie always changed her mind and realized that no matter what you were still her friend. That she should still help you, because it'd be the right thing to do! Trixie was always so confident, and always ran into 'battle' to give you a helping hand without thinking of the consequences first.
A strong ally, a strong friend, and someone who always made you feel protected. She was an amazing person in her own right, and definitely someone who you could look up to. Sure, she was a bit odd at times, but everyone is. Trixie could be overbearingly certain of herself and her actions...and sometimes hurtful, but always honest. That's what Trixie was, and wasn't that the type of person you could learn to love too? Stephanie frowned at the one thought that crossed her mind, as she took a place on the floor behind the wall. Averting her brown eyes towards the windows of the school which looked out on the senior eating areas...Trixie was the type of best friend who'd do anything for you, even if it meant she'd suffer for it. What friends do I have like that now? The harsh blow to her spirit was the fact that the answer was overwhelmingly a constant none. Everything was so superficial. The girl sighed, and hardly real...
Stephanie had found in her many years how to fake a smile quite successfully in front of her peers, and how to ignore the sickening feelings that usually possessed her. Realizing this was another time to shrug off her discomforting thoughts, she stood back up. The pink haired girl then threw her pink book bag lazily over her shoulder, and straightened out the skirt she wore. It was time to head out, and clear her head with the fresh air of the town's sunny day. Only giving the dark haired girl who was laughing so happily with her friends one last look of sadness, before disappearing through the standard blue double doors of the high school.
Trixie herself had grown up quite well, at least physically so. Any chubbiness that may have been in her childhood was worked away, and replaced with lean muscles as a gift for working so hard. Exercising herself, and pushing herself to the limits gave her the opportunity to find many successful ways to relax the built up tension that was also given to her as she got older. Her patience had become so thin as she got older that it was hard to contain, and she often had no real desire to keep her mouth shut from telling you exactly what she thought. For this lack of politeness she had gained (oddly enough) many friends, and many enemies as well as a reputation that gave people mixed feelings about who she really was.
Confidence which was often mistaken for leadership ability made her the automatic 'face' of a group of people who mocked her rebel style. They were a less popular side of the small, brightly colored school. Usually people who didn't know where they belonged, or didn't feel they fit in with the other preppy students that attended. These people she gladly made her friends with no real strings attached.
Skateboarding, rollerblading, running, and martial arts were favorite hobbies of hers which she regularly indulged in with good responses. Her friends idolized her skating, and blading skills. The gym teacher and track students gawked at her agility, endurance and speed when running. The record of fist fighting she had always declared her the winner, but she wasn't much admired by the faculty for that. However, the students praised her for it, or kept away from her. Both of which were easily understood by Trixie, who didn't care much either way.
The girl had long retired her three ponytails in turn for one in the back of her delicate head. Out of most likely laziness she allowed her hair to grow long enough that when let down it fell to her butt in silky locks of black. Trixie also had bangs which hid her eyebrows, and lingered just slightly above her eyes. A single bright, thick red stripe of hair rested there above her left eye. A few long strands also rested themselves near her ears which were brutally pierced a record of eight times in which seven were through cartilage. Her sophomore year she also decided on getting two piercings on either side of her bottom lip, and left her interest in piercing at that.
Trixie, and her friends, were also known for their odd style of clothing. Contrasting the brightly dressed people of the school, they wore baggy black pants with many pockets, and crossing straps in the back. Usually these pants were decorated with skulls, paperclips, or other darkly animated ideas. However, Trixie's favorite pants were nothing like that. Just simple, worn, and tight jeans with written words, which were slashed up to reveal her kneecaps and other innocent parts of her skin which she wore that sunny Friday.
"You up for skatin' at the park tonight, Trix?" One of the six oddly dressed guys standing around her said while she closed her locker. It was easy to see most of her friends were males, and it hardly bothered her at all. She'd never been a stereotypical girl, and she'd never be one. Trixie had long settled that inner debate awhile ago, and let herself be stuck in the middle like she figured she'd always be. Besides, Trixie always thought with a laugh, who needed the drama of girl friends that center their life around Hollywood and the superficial all the time? There was so much more to life then that. For instance, there were much better hobbies like pranking the local nerd or new teacher. There was also the certain unique glory of having a group of sexists be stunned when you kick their butts in a sport they so declared you'd never be good at. "We still have that idiot who thinks he's the best skater in town. I know he's been itching to show you a good time." The dark haired guy laughed, as he adjusted his skateboard under his arm.
Trixie smiled secretly to herself, as she put on her old black messenger bag. When it came to skateboarding, these guys were her best friends, but when it came to anything else they weren't much good for anything. Oh well, Trixie thought as her small smile turned into a smirk, Atleast they're good for something. "Nah. I'll beat him tomorrow. I have better things to do today then deflate a small boy's narcissistic ego." After tightening her ponytail, she pulled out a thick permanent marker from the pocket of her blood red hoodie. On her blue locker whose paint was slightly chipped was some sort of calendar. This calendar counted down to the end of school, where she gladly took the ink to the scribbled title of the month. She drew a clean line across it, and then she tucked the marker back into her pocket. "I'll catch you losers later." Trixie said casually, and took one or two's of the teenager's hands in a hand gesture of familiarity before heading towards the exit.
"Seeya, T." Trixie didn't look back, just waved a lazy hand from her position with her back towards the collected group of individuals.
"Yeah, Yeah. Bye."
Like Stephanie, Trixie was also someone who contained things inside of her. Well, somewhat anyway. Instead of expressing her worries, fears, or hurts in proper conversation she took it out on other people. When things went wrong, she saw no need to take things easily. No, everything was going all wrong, and was she the only one to see it? Was she the only one to see these horrible, gaping flaws in absolutely everything? God, she wanted to get away so bad...Get away from this stupid town, with all the stupid kids who were too stupid to understand anything she ever tried to say! For the moment however, things were fine. Taking a deep breath, she settled all these angry thoughts as her legs automatically pushed her forward towards her destination.
The place she despised more than any other place on earth--Her 'home'...the trailer where she had now resided in for so long more like a living corpse then an actual human being. With a mother who wouldn't even notice if she shot a bullet through her skull in the middle of dinner, and a father who...
Trixie's eyes wandered to the playing field where she use to spend so much of her time as a kid. It was now used for the school's after school practices, and a faint smile fell onto her face as she watched the soccer team jog around it as part of their warm up exercise. Fingertips trailing along a yellow brick wall, she watched from the opposite side of the wall as a certain blond haired boy ran. He was number eleven on the team, one of the youngest as well, but skilled with elegant movements.
Ziggy, Trixie thought sadly, He's doing well for himself. It'd been so many years since they'd talked of anything. He seemed so much more like a faint dream then an actual person anymore, but then again, everyone in Trixie's past did. Her feet came to a stop, and she sighed. Trixie then leaned heavily against the wall, and burying her face in her hands. She took in the sounds of everything around her, and droned out the miserable feelings she was containing inside.
Ziggy inhaled, and exhaled as he ran in line with most of his friends. Along with being a soccer player for the school's team he was also an active part of the after school cooking club. He'd started playing soccer two years before to get in shape to curb his superficial insecurities, but cooking was a talent he wasn't prepared to give up yet. Sportacus, who he still talked to occasionally on a free Saturday afternoon, encouraged his athletic extracurricular activities with much enthusiasm.
He still treasured Sportacus' advice, his role in the small town, and possibly treasured him as the closest thing to a fatherly figure he'd ever had. It was a part of his life he hadn't told anyone, and as far as anyone knew he might still have a dad 'stashed' at home somewhere who went unnoticed. Ziggy never really told about his home life, or even let anyone come over to his home. It was a personal boundary that no one crossed, and as long as they didn't Ziggy would be fine. Perfectly fine...
He was slightly shorter, and less muscular than most of the guys on the team. However, he wasn't at all as chubby as he imagined himself to be anymore. Although, the poor boy still never had the confidence that would be essential to him to get as far in life as he was truly capable of going. Ziggy was slightly shy, and sometimes allowed himself to be used as a door mat by others. He wasn't naive, but sometimes didn't spot an insult until it had already passed over his head. However, Ziggy did have friends of a disposition that wouldn't usually be messed with because of his goodhearted nature, and willingness to go to the aid of others. Because of these friendships many people stopped taking advantage of the poor freshman, who only really wanted to make his mother proud.
The guy's he hung out with on the soccer team considered him more like a young brother then an equal, however. Ziggy was quite use to the position, and every time they slung an arm around his shoulders to congratulate him on a good game--he was reminded of the friendships he'd lost along the path to where he was now. He didn't even see the sorrowful asian so far away from the playing field, despite him probably being overjoyed at the discovery of his old friend being so close for contact. However, Trixie was hardly willing to stick around for an hour and a half until Ziggy's practice was over to greet someone who she wasn't even certain remembered her face, or cared to remember it.
A sigh escaped his lips as he poured a bottle of cool water over his sweaty, hot freckled face. Ziggy's friendly, but tired blue eyes closing for a few moments to bask in the relaxing contrast between the two sensations of weather and water. "Good job today, Son." The coach said to him from the side. This caused Ziggy to stiffen slightly in surprise at the name. Shaking off the over exaggerating feeling of alarm, he shook his head slightly before taking the back of his hand to wipe off some of the moister from his face. It's just a name, Ziggy reasoned with himself, Don't act so surprized.
"T-Thanks, Coach." Ziggy smiled, turning his eyes to the older man who wore a dark sweatshirt in the hot weather. He always did. Ziggy found it completely insane to wear such a thing in such hot weather but never mentioned it.
"You have a good Saturday, boy. I'll see you on Sunday." Ziggy nodded his head, and the man returned with a short nod of acknowledgement of his own before turning away. Heading off the man placed a hand on his own son's shoulder, and the two exchanged a grin as they walked off in their similar destination. Ziggy's stomach clenched up, and he swallowed the lump in his throat from the scene. Shaking off the feeling he picked up his book bag, and his sports bag. Then he left towards the sidewalk which would guide him towards his home.
The quiet walk was once again a reminder of his odd circumstances. Passing by Stingy's house like he did everyday, he took a moment to admire the expensive house that was called home to his best friend... With a groan he corrected his thoughts, old best friend. Ziggy wondered how the boy was doing, and how life turned out for him. He, like many others, had heard the gossip during the summer that Stingy had been accepted to be a student at a well-known private school in the area. At first, he was overwhelmed with a sense of happiness for his old friend. Ziggy was sure that would be a great, and helpful boost to his future career plans.
That was, until he realized this meant he'd probably see less and less of the boy who was already fading away. Ziggy smiled sadly at these reviewed thoughts, and moved his feet forwards more. He missed Stingy. No, Ziggy realized, I miss EVERYONE. Stingy may have been a bit snobby, and self centered--but wasn't everyone at times? Ziggy knew he always turned a leaf, and realized what was important when the opportunity came. That was what was important. He gave one last look at the home which contained his friend who he was certain was so readily emerging in his future plans. "I hope you're doing well, Stingy." Ziggy whispered to himself, before heading the rest of the way towards his quiet two person home.
Stingy sat there in his home, in front of his brand new laptop which sat at his large kitchen table. Hand in cheek; he didn't seem to be doing much typing that day. It was a ritual for him to scope the latest stocks, but today he seemed rather uninterested. Odd, Stingy mused to himself, I thought I'd be much happier once I bought this laptop. The lanky teen wore his usual style clothing that the private school insisted made the students look like eager young adults.
Dress shirts, pants, shoes and suit jackets seemed to be the only fashion in the world of adult money making. Everyone looked the same there, and all conversed of their expensive tastes. This was perfectly acceptable by Stingy's standards. Wasn't that a lot more mature then talking of other silly things like childish games? Ha, the mere thought brought back the mental image of those silly kids he use to hang out with when he was in his younger years. Stingy definitely thought he was much happier without them, and their complete lack of concern for the future expenses!
"But, I guess Pixel would know how to help me modify this laptop to be more enjoyable...and show me how to find things on it besides what I see everyday. Maybe even a game or two that could interest me." Stingy said quietly to himself, before shutting off the laptop with a gentle hand pushing the monitor face down towards the keyboard.
Thing's in Stingy's world weren't going horribly. He didn't really have much to complain about really. Stingy's parents were away a lot on 'business', but that had always been. The teen sighed softly at the thought, resting his hands against the table top. Stingy wanted his dad's acceptance, and support more than anything else in the world. This was why he absolutely had to get good grades, and become someone of the utmost importance in high class society! He had to be like his dad. That's why he had to wear this tie, pretend he was an important person that you should take notice of, drink coffee, look at the stocks, look at the newspaper, and grow up fast! He couldn't worry about petty friends, and stupid emotions! Stingy nodded his head feverishly at the thought. If you had to push away a few little people to get to your thrown, then you had to do it!
..."I'm lonely." Stingy commented offhandedly, and stood up from his chair. He shook his head, and descending the stairs went to his large bedroom. It was a neat room with its pale yellow walls, and large floor space. Almost obsessively organized, all his expensive possessions were kept in their assigned places. Stingy walked over to his bed that had a small wooden shelf behind it, and picked up a pink glass piggy bank from his youth. He looked at it oddly, before sitting down on his bed. Falling backwards, he held the piggy bank above his head.
"No, I don't need anyone else but you, Piggy. Money's all that matters..." Stingy laid the item down on his chest, and idly gazed up at the ceiling. His fingertips rubbing against the painted glass of the bank as he continued his one sided conversation. "I don't need any pink haired girl enthusiastically convincing me otherwise, or any rebel spirits saving me from falling off an old tree house. I don't need any blond haired boy offering me candy so that I'll cheer up, or any computer geek showing me how to play the latest game. I don't need ...anyone." Stingy took a deep breath. "Nope, sure don't..." Why would you?
"Pixel, Pixel! Pixel, PIXEL… hunny! Good lord, Boy! Answer me, right this minute!" A chubby African American woman yelled up the staircase to try to gain the attention of her son. Sighing at her failure, she treaded up the staircase to her son's room muttering to herself. "One of these days I'm really going to have to take those damned computers away from him."
When she burst open the door of the teenager's room he was sitting at his computer utterly emerged in a game of Counterstrike with his headset clamped over his ears. Shouting orders to the other online players through a small microphone connected to his headset while pressing keys, and moving a mouse rapidly under the palm of his hand. Lifting himself slightly from his chair, he finally shouted the words that were caught in his throat for so long. "WE DID IT!"
His mother looked less than pleased from the doorway, with her arms crossed. Shaking her head in disproval, she soon walked over and yanked the earphones from his head. Pixel immediately looked up at her at shock. He hadn't known she was there at all…boy; she sure could be quiet couldn't she? "Hi, Mom." Pixel grinned innocently, as if hoping to dig his way out of whatever mess he'd gotten himself in from the way the older woman was gazing down at him.
"I'm disconnecting you. You go spend some time outside like NORMAL people now, okay?" Pixel's expression immediately dropped.
"No, No…No, Mom! I'm in the middle of a tourna-" He swallowed back the debate when the woman's dark eyes narrowed. "…Yes, Mom. I will right away."
"Your father will be home from work soon. Make sure you're home in time for dinner. Have fun, Baby." The older woman's expression sweetened, as she kissed the boy's forehead. However, immediately it became sterner. "Now get your butt out that door, young man!" Pixel shut down his computer, and then immediately rushed out the door to avoid the wrath of the woman who was a lot stronger than she appeared to be. "What has the world come to, nowadays?"
Pixel sighed, and kicked some dirt under his shoe as he walked. "When I become a famous inventor, no one will dare disconnect me!" He whispered angrily to himself, as he pulled out his IPOD from his pocket. Inserting the pieces into his ear, Pixel turned it on and let him get lost in the music. If he had to walk around for awhile, he might as well with some tunes, right?
Pixel let himself think through the last few years in his boredom. In the high school, he'd already been promoted to the senior class to the resentment of the rest of the student body. Pixel was captain of the chess team though, and a vital part of the inventor's club after school. He sighed, and stuffed his hands in his pockets. I'm the king of the geeks, Pixel thought sourly, won't they be jealous when they realize?
He was slightly chubby as a teenager, from his complete lack of exercise. Pixel didn't care though, except for the fact that his potential of getting a girlfriend was about the same as a zit's. Pixel laughed at the old memory of his crush on Stephanie, and her new found popularity. He had no idea what he was thinking back then. Pixel shrugged his shoulders sadly. What did it matter now anyway? They were obviously on two completely different sides of the 'totem poll' of high school popularity.
Pixel didn't know her now, but was pretty certain if he even attempted to walk up to her in the public eye of the high school hallways she'd completely resent their past friendship. Things had already crumbled and fallen apart, and from his calculations…
The chances of the 'lazy town kids' ever becoming friends again was one percent to none….and 'there's always a way' just didn't seem to be true until a pink haired girl bumped into the African American boy. A spark in the brown eyes of the two old friends as they realized this was the opportunity they had been waiting for, for so long.