Robbie sat at his computer, checking the new board he had found last week. It was a board for town villains and other criminals. For the first time since Sportanoob had come to LazyTown, Robbie could talk about his feelings, and how he hated that the blue elf seemed to be everywhere, saving people. Finally, somebody understood that Robbie needed it to be quiet. He wanted to rest, he didn't want to be disturbed by playing and noisy kids. Everything had been so perfect, before Sportakook had destroyed the silence of LazyTown. One fellow villain called „The Punisher" had contacted him just a few days ago, telling him, how he had gotten rid of the various super heroes, who had named themselves as clever. Robbie had answered him that he could need some help. When he logged himself into the Fearless Villain Board, he saw at once that the Punisher had sent him a message. Excited, he clicked on the small envelope and opened it.
„My friend, if you want me to, I can come to your town and help you with Sportakook. He deserves to be punished and you deserve to rule LazyTown again. Yours, Paul, the Punisher. P.S. Do you have some cake? I love cake!"
Robbie smiled happily. He couldn't wait to invite Pual to his lair. And together they would get rid of Sportacuckoo forever. Taking a bite of his chocolate donut, he started typing. After he had finished his message, Robbie stood up and stretched. „Time for a nap," he thought. But as he sat down in his fluffy arm chair, he couldn't find any sleep. The kids were making such a noise, his ears hurt. Frustrated, he shuffled over to his periscope and looked through it. The children were jumping around like idiots, laughing and screaming.
„That's not fair!", Robbie wailed, suddenly feeling like the unloved child he had once been. Resting his head against the metal pole, he sighed. His parents had always forbidden him to go out and play. He had never had friends. He wasn't allowed to eat sweets; they had locked him up in his room with shelves full of books, boxes full of rubbish and old electrical devices. His parents had thrown everything they didn't need anymore in his room as if it was a storage. For more than ten years, he had read all those books, he had taught himself how to repare the devices, and build new machines. He had memorized every single recipe, although he never had the chance to try them. But he dreamt of eating all the delicious food he created one day. He had even found some books on costume designing. Instead of playing, or making new friends, he sucked in the knowledge of the books. When he was 18, he ran away from home. He didn't want to see anybody, he was insecure and afraid of other people. He hated happy children, he hated seeing them on the streets and in freedom. All the years in his own prison-like room had made him anti-social and bitter. He wanted to be on his own. He had become lazy and tired of everything. Sometimes, when he went to sleep, he hoped that he would never wake up again. He had travelled a lot, always searching for a quiet spot and then he discovered LazyTown.
Suddenly, his computer beeped, signaling him that he had received a new message. Shaking his head to clear his mind, he went back to his desk. Of course it was from Paul. It simply said: „I'm on my way."
Satisfied, Robbie crossed his arms behind his head and closed his eyes. All he had to do now was wait. And he was really good at waiting.
wwwwwwwwwwwwww
Sportacus was eating an apple, while he watched the children playing. It was a nice day in LazyTown. The sun was shining, the Mayor and Bessie had left the town to have a picnic. Stephanie and her friends were playing a game they had invented. There seemed to be no trouble at all. Sportacus wondered, what Robbie Rotten was doing. Sometimes, he felt sorry for that poor guy, who hardly saw the daylight, and who prefered to be on his own, full of hatred and anger. Sportacus asked himself, if he had always been like this. He knew the kids wouldn't mind, if Robbie also played with them.
„Hey, Sportacus, is everything all right?", Stephanie asked, as she noticed that the super hero hadn't moved at all for nearly five minutes, which was highly unusual. Sportacus snapped out of his thoughts, and smiled at the girl, who eyed him worriedly. „I'm fine. Now, let's play." He jumped up, did a cartwheel and listened to Pixel's explanation of the rules.
Meanwhile, Mayor Meanswell and Bessie sat under a tree at the outskirts of the town, and enjoyed the warm sun. The Mayor had baked some cookies and a chocolate cake, while Bessie had brought along ice coffee. „I'm glad Sportacus came to our small town," Miss Busybody said, sipping at her coffee. „You're right. The kids are feeling better, the town is clean and full of life, and were safe. Besides, he's just a nice guy. I hope he stays with us for a long time."
„He even showed me how to mix some healthy cocktails with loads of sportscan...I mean fruits in it."
Mayor Meanswell smiled at her. He was glad that she finally had time for him, and didn't need to make never ending phone calls.
„You want a cookie?"
Bessie nodded, sighing happily. „I bet they're even better than Sportacus' fruit drinks."
Paul, the Punisher, didn't live very far from LazyTown, and it didn't take long to find it, although he had never heard of it before. The town looked surprisingly nice, and it seemed quiet, but if his friend Robbie was desperate, he had to help him.
And first of all, he had to find out with whom he was dealing with. Robbie had told him that Sportacus had a crystal, which showed him, when someone was in trouble.
All he had to do was getting someone in trouble. In the distance, next to a giant billboard, he could see a couple, sitting in the grass.
Paul looked around. There was an old tractor standing on the field next to them. Paul slowly crouched to it. It wasn't difficult to start the motor. In his suitcase, which he always took with him, he found everything he needed to fasten the steering wheel. Then he placed a rock on the accelerator pedal, and jumped down. He hid behind a bush and waited.
„Oh dear...look! The tractor!", shouted the woman with the strange permanent wave. The man paled: „It's coming right at us! Help! We need help!"
Paul rubbed his hands with glee. His plan worked. Suddenly something blue rushed past him. It all happened so fast, Paul nearly forgot to breathe. The blue thing jumped high in the air, did some twists and turns and landed safely on the driver's seat. Now, Paul could see him. It was a man, packed with muscles and dressed in a blue tight costume. He stopped the engine, jumped down and ran to the couple. „Are you all right?"
„Yes, thanks Sportacus, you saved us," the man said breathlessly. „I don't know what happened," added the woman, who had gripped the man's arm tightly.
„Somebody manipulated it," Sportacus explained, looking around, „but I don't see anyone."
„Who could do anything like that?", the man's eyes widened. „It wasn't Robbie, was it?"
„No, I don't think so." Sportacus frowned. He hadn't seen Robbie for days. And Robbie usually didn't try to hurt people randomly.
Sportacus stood with his hands on his hips, and sighed.
„Maybe this was just an accident," the mayor suggested.
„Maybe," Sportacus repeated thoughtfully. He had seen the rope and the rock. This hadn't been an accident.
„Are you sure, you're all right?"
When Mayor Meanswell nodded, and Bessie mumbled: „I need to call my best friend Sally, and tell her all about it," Sportacus smiled weakly. „I have to go now. See you later."
As fast as he had appeared, he disappeared, jumping high in the air as if he could fly.
wwwwwwwwwwwwww
Paul had seen enough. They guy was sparkling with energy, but his soft spot was his need to help other people. And even this trained man – alien – whatever he was, couldn't have infinite energy. Curling his lips into a wicked smile, Paul turned around and walked to the billboard, Robbie had described him. He wondered, who had painted that awful looking picture on it. He hoped it hadn't been Robbie. He then climbed the stairs and knocked on the hatch that covered a large pipe.
There was a faint and repellent: „Who is it?"
After Paul had told Robbie, he could hear locks clicking and the hatch slowly opened. Cautiously, Paul peered into the dark hole. „What now?", he asked.
„Jump in."
„This doesn't sound like fun," he thought. And then he jumped.
It wasn't as unpleasant as he had thought. Sliding down the pipe reminded him of a ride on a roller coaster.
After Paul had tumbled out of the pipe, clutching his black suitcase to his chest, and scrambled to his feet again, he caught sight of a tall man in a striped suit. „You must be Robbie Rotten."
Robbie had jolted wide awake, when he had heard Paul calling him. He had never been so glad to be woken up like this.
Curiously, he eyed the man, who had fallen out of his pipe. He wasn't as tall as him, but looked a whole lot stronger. He wore black trousers and a black shirt. A tattoo on his arm showed an ugly skull. His black hair was tousled, his eyes dark green and his mouth a thin strict line.
„Hello, Paul, nice to meet you," Robbie said, stretching out his hand. His mischievous friend firmly grabbed it, nearly crushing his fingers.
„I already met that Sportacoon. Challenged him. Wanted to see, how he works. Interesting, but not insolvable."
„Well," Robbie began, „I nearly always almost succeed, but then...never mind. I'm glad you're here."
„You have a nice lair," Paul remarked, looking around. He didn't need all these machineries. He never disguised himself, but he respected Robbie's criminal proceeding. „Thank you." Robbie looked proud. „I built it by myself."
„You need to tell me everything you know about the so called super hero." Paul sat down on Robbie's beloved arm chair.
„Sure...you fancy some cake? Or a donut?"
„That would be awesome!"
wwwwwwwwwwwwww
Half an hour and three slices of cake later, Paul looked satisfied. He wiped his mouth with a tissue, and cleared his throat. „I know what we'll do. Trust me, this will work and soon your Sportacookie will be trapped."
„Trapped?" Robbie raised his eyebrows questioningly. „But I want him to leave LazyTown forever."
„Oh, but he will leave. After I had some fun."
„Fun? If fun means being lazy most of the time, I won't object." Robbie scratched his nose. He missed his after-breakfast-before-second-breakfast nap. Plus he hadn't even had a second breakfast, because of Paul's arrival.
Paul smirked, his eyes glowing like poison. „You can be as lazy as you want to be, after you have caught Sporta...whoever."
Slowly, Robbie nodded. „And how do I do that? I tried so often, and I never succeeded."
„Oh, but you were stronger than him, once. All you have to do is get some sugar into his system." Paul grabbed a vanilla donut, and shoved it into his mouth.
Robbie beamed at him. „Sugar...of course."
