It all started when Robbie got into an argument with Stephanie over being a helper to Sportacus.
" It's not FAIR!" Robbie hissed. " Just because he chose you does not mean I can't take over some of it too! You aren't the one spending most of your time around him!"
" It is too fair!" Stephanie hissed back. " I was chosen, and I got my elf charms to prove it!"
She stuck out her arm to show him what appeared to be pink bracelets.
Robbie snorted.
" Oh really?" he sneered, getting louder. " And just what does that mean?"
" It means he chose me and not you!" Stephanie practically shouted back.
" SO! WHAT?!" Robbie hollered, getting angrier. " I am going to take over some of these ' elfin duties' you go on about, and that's final!"
" You can't" Stephanie shouted back. " I am his elfin helper, not you!"
" Neither one of you can stop me, spoiled elf pet!"
" You, you, rotten, lazy, can't-tell-a-sports-elf-from-a-light-elf, nosy-"
" Hey, what's going on? Who's the elf you are fighting over? It can't be, oh, I dunno, Sportacus now, right?" Trixie's smooth voice cut into their heated argument.
Robbie and Stephanie realized that they had been shouting at each other, and both felt a flutter of panic.
Sportacus had made it very clear they were never to give away the fact that he was an elf, and to never, ever speak of it where anyone could overhear.
They both began to babble at once.
" It was nothing!"
" Yeah, just joking!"
" It was a book I read!"
" That play we were going to put on!"
"The one that there is an elf in!"
" Yeah, that one!"
"Sportacus is the elf!"
" And she is his helper!"
" But he wanted it!"
" No, I didn't"
"Yes you did, idiot!"
" Oh, yeah, I did."
" STOP!" Trixie hollered, her hands covering her ears, eyes tightly closed. " Did you say a play we are going to be putting on?"
" Yeah, it was his/her idea!" Both Robbie and Stephanie pointed at the other as they said this.
Trixie rolled her eyes.
" Let's get everybody and go to the clubhouse to work out the details." Trixie suggested, since Stephanie and Robbie were too busy glaring at each other to be much help in the way of ideas.
They gathered all the other kids, and headed to the clubhouse with Robbie.
" Okay everybody, so here's the deal." Trixie announced. " We are making a play with an elf in it, and Sportacus is to be the elf. What ideas do you all have?"
There was a general ruckus as everybody tried to make his or her idea heard first.
Stephanie quickly took over. " Quiet, quiet everyone, one at a time, please."
Pixel took the floor first. " Well, elves are always Santa's helpers, right?"
" Right!" the children chorused.
" So we don't want to do that, everybody else does. How about a naughty elf play? The elf steals something and gets caught? Elves are very bad most of the time anyway, always causing trouble and being lazy."
" No, no," Stephanie tried to say, but Robbie, with a glint in his eye, loudly agreed with Pixel, and the other kids sided with Robbie.
" Robbie should be the elf, then." Stephanie huffed, giving Robbie a glare.
No one listened to her, as Robbie got carried away with his plans, plans which would completely humiliate his favorite elf.
Robbie was still quite bad, even though he had stopped trying to drive Sportacus out of town when the superhero had finally managed to befriend him, but he still played tricks on him; that was just the way Robbie was.
It was decided, after a lot of discussion and Stephanie franticly intervening at many points when something that would really harm her best friend was discussed, they hit upon a play that everybody but Stephanie liked, though Robbie covered her mouth and lied that she agreed, and forced her to clap when no one was looking.
It was thus: Stingy and Stephanie wear a prince and princess, and were having fine jewelry made by the two expert jewelers, Trixie and Ziggy.
Robbie was the elf catcher, and the one to administer punishment to the hapless elf, who was to steal jewelry from the jewelers before the prince and princess picked it up.
Pixel would narrate.
Stephanie was picked to go and find Sportacus, to inform him of their plans, and bring him to the clubhouse.
She very unhappily went off to find him, and had to send him a letter to get him down from his airship.
Sportacus was very mystified at Stephanie's sad demeanor, and was most unhappy to learn of the play.
He was not smiling when he entered the clubhouse, and was quickly protesting to deaf ears that he wanted no part in this play, he was not going to steal jewelry, he was not dressing up as an elf, there was no way he would do something wrong like that, but no one listened, and Robbie slapped him in the back and laughingly told him to be a good sport and play along.
He then protested that he might have to save someone, he should not take part because he might have to leave, to which he was informed that everyone would be there, no one could get into trouble during the play.
He asked about the kitten, and was saddened to hear that she was going to be there too.
He spluttered some more excuses, and Trixie finally said, " Sportacus, stop acting like a little kid who just got told to clean his room. Just say you'll do it, please?"
Sportacus was left speechless for a moment, before heaving a great sigh and mumbling, " I'll do it."
For a whole week, they practiced.
Sportacus and Stephanie had a very difficult time with it.
Sportacus 'lost' his costume more then once, and Stephanie 'forgot' her lines a lot.
Robbie took to keeping the two of them in line.
Sportacus he tracked down and threatened to comb his hair, but was rebuffed with the response of " Comb it every day if you like, just get me out of this play!"
Stephanie was a bit easier.
All he had to do was threaten to make it worse on their elf if she didn't straighten up, and it worked like a charm.
So he tried the same with Sportacus, and told him she would be the elf catcher if he didn't straighten up and act his human age, but that was eagerly accepted, as the elf well knew Stephanie would not do it at all.
Finally, Robbie got all the kids but Stephanie to beg Sportacus to act in the play, and he gave in.
He never could resist the kids, and Robbie well knew that.
Robbie donated most of the jewels from his collection, though he wouldn't say where he got them all.
He also provided most of the costumes.
Sportacus, however, wore his old elf clothing he used to wear, the tans and yellows, with the belled hat and boots, though he had the sword across his back removed.
He was in a quandary about what to do with his crystal, till Robbie snatched it and told him that he wouldn't be needing it anyways, so during the play he would must keep it for him.
The other kids were confused at why Sportacus came with blond hair, instead of the usual dark brown or black, but he assured them he liked it better that way, and no, he needed no help with his pointy elf ears.
They did not know it was his real ears, and there was no way he was going to let them know that.
Right off, he had problems with those ears of his.
In one scene, Trixie was supposed to chase him away with her broom.
She accidentally, or so she claimed, raked him across both ears with the bristles.
Sportacus let out a heart-stopping screech and broke the broom in a flash, then fled the scene; his hands clamped firmly over his tender ears, and did not stop till he was safe in his airship.
He refused to come down for the rest of the day, and refused to be in the play unless no more brooms were to be used.
Trixie apologized for having struck him like that, slyly adding that it was strange how tender his ears were, was there any reason for that?
He quickly protested that he never said it was his ears, she could have pulled his hair for all she knew, or nearly knocked him senseless she swung that broom hard enough.
Trixie just smirked at the fidgeting elf, then resumed the rehearsal.
Robbie could sense the seething resentment of the sports elf, and tried to make it up to him, bringing him his favorite treats and offering to play with him more, and not to tease the children so much, but Sportacus would have nothing to do with it.
The irate elf repeatedly hid all the combs in town, and all the costumes and props but Stephanie always found them all, and half-heartedly would scold the annoyed elf.
Finally, the day of the play arrived.
Sportacus showed up, and announced he could not be there, as he needed to go and get fresh water.
Robbie firmly took Sportacus by the arm, and told him that he was going nowhere, the water could wait.
Sportacus opened his mouth to protest, when Ziggy begged him to be there, saying how it would not be the same without him, they needed him.
He could not say no to that, when Ziggy hugged him and tearfully asked him to stay in the play.
Reluctantly, he dressed in his costume, allowed Robbie to take temporary possession of his precious crystal, and headed backstage with the rest of them.
Pixel stood just off the main stage, where he could easily see everything and began the story.
" Once upon a time, there was a rich prince, and a rich princess, who lived in a town where the finest jewelers lived."
Stephanie and Stingy paraded out, waving royally at the crowd, and Trixie and Ziggy came out and sat at their worktable.
Stephanie had on her princess costume and Stingy his princely robes.
Ziggy and Trixie wore fine lacy shirts and Ziggy had blue trousers on and Trixie a red skirt.
" A naughty elf also lived there, and he loved to cause trouble." Pixel intoned.
Sportacus popped his head around the edge of the stage and stuck his thumbs in his ears, waggled his fingers at the crowd, and stuck his tongue out, wrinkling up his nose and going cross-eyed.
The audience burst out laughing at him.
" Away with you, naughty elf! It's not time yet!" Pixel laughed as Sportacus danced across the stage, kicking up his feet high and making faces at the crowd.
" The jeweler and his wife made much fine jewelry for the prince and princess, and one day after making an especially fine piece, they went for a walk outside."
Ziggy and Trixie exited, chatting to each other about what a fine day for a walk it was.
" And then the naughty elf came in, and saw the fine jewelry."
Sportacus came tripping lightly in, and then did a cartwheel center stage.
" Oh, look, someone left some very pretty jewelry on this table!
Too bad they aren't around so I could tell them how nice it is.
I am just a poor lonely little elf who has no friends.
Guess I'll just take these home for a bit to admire them, and maybe the people who made this will come looking for it and find me.
Maybe I'll have some friends then!
Stealing things and being naughty is the only way to get human attention anyways."
So saying, Sportacus happily skipped to the table and swiped the jewelry.
Backstage, Stephanie gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.
Those were not the lines he was supposed to say.
Immediately both Stephanie and Robbie knew what he was up to, and they were very uneasy about it.
Trixie just grinned to herself.
Pixel continued to narrate, even though Sportacus was changing things up.
" But as the naughty elf tried to sneak away," ( even though Sportacus was obviously not sneaking ), "the elf catcher appeared in the doorway."
As Sportacus skipped off the stage, Robbie appeared in front of him, dressed in black robes and carrying a willow switch.
" And where do you think you are going, little elf?" Robbie boomed in a deep voice.
Sportacus dropped the jewels like hotcakes and began backing away, his hands behind his back.
" Please, please don't hurt me, sir." Sportacus pleaded, in his perfect elfin accent, his ears twitching nervously. " I am just a poor lonely elf who had to cause trouble to get any attention, please don't hurt me, please!"
So saying, Sportacus feel to his knees, doing a remarkable job of looking weak and terrified, and held out his hands imploringly.
This was the hardest part for Robbie; he actually had to strike the elf as punishment for his misdeeds, to show that doing bad was never to go unpunished no matter how hard the guilty one pleaded.
He strode up to the hapless elf and told him firmly that he was going to switch his hands for stealing the jewels, to which Sportacus set up an awful squealing, begging him just to let him go, he won't do it again.
Robbie was ready just to turn around and say, " Sure, that's great!" but the play was not written out that way, sadly enough.
So instead, he raised his willow switch and brought it down hard on Sportacus's upraised palms, bringing an agonized gasp from the elf kneeling before him.
He repeated the stroke four more times, and then did the same on the other trembling hand.
Sportacus suddenly remembered he was supposed to be crying loudly, and quickly did so, making an awful ruckus, squealing and sobbing, then dancing from one foot to the other, cradling his stinging hands as Robbie stepped back and motioned for him to leave, walking off behind him.
Then Trixie and Stingy walked back in, and noticed the jewels lying on the floor.
They hurriedly picked them up and commented on the fine white powder coating them.
Sportacus had gotten rather nervous when Robbie came after him, even though it was all just pretend, and had accidentally released some of his elfin dust onto the jewels.
Backstage, while the prince and princess went to receive their jewels, Robbie raised an eyebrow at Sportacus, who was tenderly blowing on his palms.
" Sure you wanna go through with this?" Robbie questioned softly. " I could go easy on you if you would back off the reality play you are turning this into, you know."
Sportacus simply nodded, running his hands under cool water to try to relive the soreness there.
Then he heard his next cue from Pixel and hurried back out.
He merrily skipped into the shop again, then looked at the delicious lunch spread on the table.
" Look! I think the humans here do want to be my friend! They left all this yummy food here for me! I am so happy, I think I'll get started right away."
Sportacus flipped over to the table, and began to eat the large red apple that was sitting amongst the other food items.
Robbie stomped out once again.
" And what do you think you are doing, naughty elf? Stealing this good man and his wife's dinner?"
Sportacus froze seeing Robbie, then fell to his knees once more, pitifully begging Robbie.
" Please, please don't hurt me, I only thought they left it for me! I just want a friend to play with!"
" Your momma is going to be very ashamed of you, little naughty elf."
" Oh no, I have no mamma. An elf catcher took her long ago, and I never knew my father. This is the only home I got in the town, and I so badly want a friend to play with! Please, please don't punish me for this!"
Poor Robbie.
He could hardly bear to punish the elf when he begged like that, but he had to play the part of the heartless elf catcher, and was thankful he was such a good actor.
"Get up, you worthless elf!" Robbie snarled. " You are getting switched with my willow switch, and no amount of lies will get you out. Next time, I am taking you far, far away, where you'll never find your way home again!"
Sobbing, Sportacus stood up, though he did give Robbie a hidden grin, which made Robbie very uneasy.
He laid into the elf hard, even though they had been practicing not actually striking him, but Robbie was getting panicked.
" Quit doing this to us." He hissed at Sportacus, knowing that the elf was determined to reveal himself today, but all he got was a whimper and a wink.
Thankfully, Sportacus then played to his lines and ran bawling like a baby off stage, Robbie close behind.
Backstage, he attempted to talk to Sportacus, but he just hopped up and down for a few moments, grimacing, before disappearing through a doorway, which he firmly shut, after shouldering Robbie out of the way.
Robbie was rather worried, so he went in after him, only to find the elf was nowhere to be seen.
Sighing, Robbie left, and hoped he would show up for the last part of the play, which promised to be rather interesting, the way Sportacus was playing it up.
He caught an angry glare for Stephanie as she came backstage, and Robbie saw Sportacus reappear behind her, silently.
Robbie was concerned since the elf now had his double swords across his back, and determined look on his handsome face.
Robbie edged closer to him, and whispered quickly, " Are you okay?"
Sportacus looked at him and grinned slightly. " Other then my bottom's on fire thanks to you, I'm good, for now."
He nodded towards the stage.
" Whether I am still good or not will be seen shortly."
So saying, he launched himself into the stage, where he twisted around to land facing Trixie and Stingy, who gasped at the sight of his double swords crossing his back.
No one but Robbie and Stephanie knew he had them, and everyone was shocked to see him wearing them.
Trixie and Stingy both pointed accusing fingers at him.
" So you're the naughty elf who is stealing our things!"
" Get out and never come back!"
Trixie snatched up her broom, made as if to chase him away, but Sportacus held his ground, and turned his back on her, looking out over the crowd with a mournful look on his face.
Holding his arms out wide, he began to speak to them all.
" Oh humans who walk on this earth, why do you never accept me for who I am?
Do I have to hide myself away and pretend to be one of you, before you will accept me?
Will you never befriend the poor, lonely young elf whose only wish is for a friend to play with?
Why do you hurt us, and drive us to do things that are wrong, when all we want is a friend?
So many of us are bitter towards your species, as you have broken many families apart, killed many mommas and daddies, hurt many elf children, and used us for experiments in your labs.
We are forced into slavery up north, to make you presents if you are good, but we never get any.
We are hungry, and lonely, and we get hurt every time we encounter you people.
Will no one come and be my friend?
I am a good elf and not bitter like most.
My special elfin species cannot live without a human companion, we are mutants, and hated by other elves and rejected by most humans.
I have been pretending to be human for far to long, and I expose my true form to you now.
You have known me for years, you can decide what to do with me now.
I will be loyal to the end to any who will be my friend, and not reject me now.
Please, anyone?
Please?
Who will be my friend?"
Sportacus looked over them all, tears dripping down his cheeks, everyone shocked into silence as they realized that this was not part of the play, this was a plea from Sportacus's heart.
Then a voice called out from behind the Elvin superhero, saying, " I will be your friend Sportacus, now and forever. I will never betray you, and will always treasure you in my heart as my very best friend."
It was Stephanie, and as she came out onto the stage, Sportacus turned around and strode across to her, coming to stand before her before her.
" What is your real name, your elfin name?" Stephanie asked.
"Íþróttaálfurinn." Sportacus answered looking into her soft brown eyes with his expressive blue ones.
Then he drew both his swords at once, and twirling them in the air for a moment, laid them down, with the blades crossed at Stephanie's feet, simultaneously kneeling there as well.
" I accept you with open arms, Íþróttaálfurinn." Stephanie declared, reaching her hands towards him.
" You are my melon, which is friend in my elfin language, and I pledge myself to you forever, my lady." Sportacus said in a clear, strong, yet softly accented voice, taking one of Stephanie's hands in both of his own and pressing his forehead to it.
As he did so, a jolt ran though Stephanie's body and the charms on her arm grew very warm.
The curtain fell closed while they were still in that position, and Robbie, dressed in is normal clothing now, came out to speak.
" So, as you can see, what started out as a normal play as developed into the town hero revealing his true side to all of you.
The question is, will you accept him, or will you reject him?"
The whole crowd erupted, all of them cheering for Sportacus and calling for him at once.
Sportacus came out, hand in hand with Stephanie, the swords back across his back once more.
Sportacus drew them and saluted the crowd, tears still trickling down his cheeks.
" Thank you." He said to them all, and the whole crowd clapped.
" We welcome you as both our hero and our elf." The mayor spoke for all of the Lazytowners.
Then Robbie cleared his throat.
" As Sportacus gave me the gift of his friendship years ago, so I will give him a gift now."
And so saying, he strode to the happy elf, put his fingers under the hero's chin, and turned his face up to his.
After gazing into the young elf's captivating eyes for a moment, he placed his lips on full on Sportacus's and kissed him.