AUTHOR - This is my first and only piece. I wrote this for myself because I felt it needed to be written. I will probably not write anymore because I enjoy reading them way too much and this took away too much time from my reading. The first seven chapters is the main love story from Ziggy's point of view. The last 2 chapters are about the future of Lazytown characters after the fact. It should be stated that there are some Christian themes and ideas used in here, but I used them only because they are what I know best. The themes could have just as easily been portrayed with virtually any other religion. I also apologize for chapters not all being the same length. I began a new chapter when I felt it appropriate, not according to size. More notes at the end.
Standard disclaimer: I don't own Lazytown or the bible.
The day was bright and sunny, as were most days in Lazytown. Pixel, Stingy, Trixie, and Ziggy were playing outside on the tire swing when Stephanie and Sportacus came along to join in. Ever since the new additions to the local elementary school playground had been put in, the kids had been using them every day. In the midst of their revelry, An old gentle voice called out from the steps that lead down to the playground from the school.
"Be careful! That tire swing was put in just yesterday and as such hasn't been properly tested."
Everyone turned to see Mr. Jenkins, the school's janitor, coming down the steps carrying a trash can and some plastic bags.
"Don't worry," said Sportacus laughing. "We'll break it in today to make sure all the bugs are out of it."
With that Mr. Jenkins smiled and waved to the kids before walking around to place the trash can in its spot and set it up. He was busy now that summer was almost over, what with getting the school ready for students and all.
Ziggy watched him while he was waiting for his turn on the tire swing. Aside from Spartacus, he could not think of a nicer person than old man Jenkins. Not only did he work at the school, often doing far more than his job specifically called for, but he also volunteered time everyday to the Lazytown church where he helped Father Allen by doing all the cleaning and yard work for the small church. He was always kind and friendly. He never scolded kids if he caught them doing something wrong, just explained to them why it was wrong. Some of the older students made fun of him, and routinely did things to make his job harder. But every time they spilled something or broke something when it was plainly no accident, Mr. Jenkins just quietly set to work picking or cleaning it up, sometimes quietly humming bits of some song or melody that Ziggy could never make out, but was sure it was beautiful if he ever heard it properly.
"Ok Ziggy, its your turn" said Sportacus. He picked up the chubby 7 year old and placed him into the swing. "So what will it be, standard swing or the spin cycle?"
"Ummmm, spin! Yeah, spin me fast as you can!"
With that, Sportacus began to wind up the cable, turning Ziggy round and round, but not letting it unwind. After a solid minute of winding up, Sportacus told Ziggy to hold on tight and then let go. The swing took all of one second to reach its maximum rotation speed. Ziggy spun around in a blur and only just had time to get out, "I think I'm gonna be sick….." when he lost control of his grip and was instantly flung out of the tire. To everyone else it happened so fast they didn't even know what happened before it was over, but to Sportacus he saw Ziggy sliding out of the swing and right as it ejected him, Sportacus dived on the ground to the spot where Ziggy would land. He caught the young boy and stood Ziggy on his feet, whereupon Ziggy immediately sat back down. "Sooo dizzy…."
The kids all ran over to where Sportacus and Ziggy were, clapping Ziggy on the back and congratulating Sportacus on the awesome save. While Ziggy was on the ground, his head still swimming, he saw Stephanie hugging Sportacus, thanking him for saving them again, and Sportacus hugging her back. He wasn't sure why, being only 7 and all, but even for his small childlike mind, he always felt warm inside whenever he saw Stephanie and Sportacus together like that. As if the world was a bit more 'right' during those moments. He didn't understand crushes and those other things the older kids talked about, but he was pretty sure Stephanie was more than a friend to Sportacus, more than the rest of the kids were to him, and that Sportacus was more than a friend to Stephanie. Sometimes, only every now and then mind you, he got the same feeling about Stingy and Trixie, but they very quickly broke back down into their established roles whenever one of them began to show like that. Ziggy heard a familiar humming sound, and apparently the other kids either were too caught up talking about the coolness of flying out a mach speed of a tire swing, or they just didn't hear as well as Ziggy. He looked around the group to the other side of the playground, and saw Mr. Jenkins putting a plastic bag in another trash can and smiling. He turned his head up and looked straight at Ziggy. Mr. Jenkins slowly nodded his head and then gathered up his materials and went back up the steps to the school.
"That's enough swinging for now, lets go get some sports candy and water and then head to the park for some field games." said Sportacus.
The kids shouted their approval of the plan and so they got Ziggy up and went to have more fun.
That was pretty much how the rest of the summer was spent. Then school started and life settled down into its daily routine. Finally summer came again and the kids made the most of every day, dodging Robbie Rotten's attempts to ban Sportacus forever and also learning how to be better, healthier people from Sportacus. Three more years came and went in a similar fashion. And now that Ziggy was 11, he knew for sure several things that he only has ideas about when he was younger. First, Stephanie and Sportacus definitely liked each other more, and in a different way, than normal friends. Second, that Stingy and Trixie, although they showed it far less often and with less certainty than Stephanie and Sportacus, were in the same boat. He secretly hoped it was love for both sets. He also realized, growing up those four years, that he would never be quite as good at many things in life as his friends, but the one thing he wanted to do, more than anything else ever, (even more than ever eating candy again, which stunned him greatly when he thought about it) was to protect his friends from anyone that would try to hurt them or do anything to them to make them sad. However, it was usually Sportacus or someone else that ended up saving Ziggy, which is why he often was sad himself, but he always tried his best not to show it.
The third thing he had learned, was that of all the grown ups besides Sportacus (who was essentially a kid like them, just bigger and with more knowledge), only Mr. Jenkins was an adult whom you could go to with anything. Ziggy's parents were busy with work or his older siblings doing big things with their lives. Mayor Milford Meanswell was nice, but although he never judged you himself, often if he was pressured one way or another, he would cave in quickly, even when it was obvious he didn't believe in what he was being forced to do. As such, that made him not the best person to go to with secrets. Miss Busybody was totally in a different world than the children. Again, she was nice to them, but it had always been clear that she lived in the adult world and considered many of the things the kids did silly. Most of the other parents of the group were similar to either Ziggy's own, or to Stephanie's uncle. The worst though, was Father Allen. Not only did he constantly berate the children, but also was the first to demand punishment when one of the kids had done something wrong. He couldn't be trusted with even the simplest of secrets that you would want kept from your parents, and always looked at Sportacus with malice. It made Ziggy shiver every time he caught Father Allen giving that look to Sportacus. Why he hated Sportacus so much he didn't know, but although he didn't do near as much to get rid of Sportacus as Robbie Rotten did, Ziggy felt that Father Allen hated Sportacus ten times more. Robbie was another adult that Ziggy knew couldn't be trusted, but then again, he knew THAT even when he was little. Ziggy had other reasons for not liking Father Allen, such as the way he treated Mr. Jenkins. He never did things like some of the kids at school did, but his spite for the kind old man was evident in other ways. He always had him cleaning or fixing or trimming something that really didn't need attention, but requested it done just because he knew Mr. Jenkins wouldn't say no.
The day Ziggy felt best, was on one such day after church, when he heard the long list of chores Father Allen was reading to Mr. Jenkins to do. He ran home, changed out of his Sunday clothes, then called everyone else and got them to go over to the church after they had changed, and help old man Jenkins all day. They made the chores fun and enjoyable. Stephanie would sometimes break out into a song and then she and Sportacus would start to dance with each other. The kids sang along and clapped and pretended to play nonexistent instruments. Mr. Jenkins laughed, and clapped as well. Sometimes he would hum his song, which Ziggy had learned only he could hear for some reason. Every time he asked others if they heard it, they said they didn't know what he was talking about.
He hoped days like that could go on forever.