Sportacus grabbed his small shoulder pack from inside his closet. Opening it, he began to place all sorts of fruits and vegetables in it. They were all just for snacks, hopefully.
"What do I need?"
"Nothing, my boy! Not a thing!"
"Huh? No clothes? Nothing?"
"NOTHING!"
Sportacus sighed. How was it possible that he didn't need extra clothes? He was going to be there, what, a few weeks at most? Sportacus definitely knew that he wouldn't stand to wear his same pair of clothes for each day. That would be unsanitary. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, Sportacus climbed down his ladder and walked to Stephanie's house. He needed to say his goodbyes. They'd all worry about him, otherwise.
Sportacus refused to admit it out loud, but he was already feeling homesick. He had been in LazyTown for so long now. The very idea of leaving it for weeks on end tore at his hero heart. The kids, the mayor, Ms. Busybody…Robbie; he just couldn't detach himself. Each little detail Sportacus sketched into his mind. The playground, the billboard, everything; just in case he needed some comfort.
Walking down the street, Dr. Fuuten's body language darted from side to side in Sportacus's mind. He seemed to just grin at Sportacus with his hands behind his back. What made it worse was that spark in the good Dr.'s eye that Sportacus didn't like before. It was creepy, like he was planning something horrible. The thoughts were shaken from his mind when he finally knocked on Stephanie's door. The Mayor answered.
"Oh, well hello, Sportacus!"
"Hello, Mr. Mayor."
"And what brings you here today?"
Sportacus scratched his head, "Well, I needed to talk to Stephanie-"
"Oh yes, yes! She and the rest of the children are in the living room! Study groups are always fun!"
Sportacus slowly walked in, a smile on his face. Excellent. He only had to make one stop, excluding Robbie of course. Young voices could be heard from the living room, some confused and some frustrated. Sportacus tip toed to the wall and peeked into the living room. The children sat in a circle on the floor, books propped open.
"Come on, Stingy!"
"No!"
Ziggy huffed, "Stingy, you can't take claim to something like this!"
Stingy stuck his nose in the air, "Oh yes I can!"
Trixie gawked at him, "Oh yeah? How?"
"Because I WANT IT! It belongs to ME!"
Pixel shook his head, "Stingy, you can't take claim to Pythagorean's theory! You didn't theorize it! Pythagorean did."
"I don't care!"
Stephanie only rolled her eyes.
Sportacus bit back a chuckle. He wasn't going to miss Stingy's obsessed ways of claiming everything. Nor was he gonna miss Trixie's antics or Ziggy's overeating of candy. Shaking his head, Sportacus wandered into the room and stood tall.
"Hello, kids."
They all smiled, "Hi, Sportacus!"
Ziggy pointed at Stingy, "Sportacus! Tell Stingy that he can't have Pythagorean's theory!"
"Stingy, you can't have it."
"But I want it!"
Sportacus sat between Pixel and Trixie, sighing. How was he going to tell them? He hadn't left LazyTown for long periods of time like this. How would they react? Clearing his throat, Sportacus sat up straight.
"Kids, I have something to tell you."
---------------------------
Robbie paged through thousands of old papers. He hadn't looked at these boxes for years. Old receipts, bills, letters…he just needed to find the one paper with all of his personal information on it. Pink and yellow and white papers flew into the air as Robbie tossed each wrong document aside. He stopped when he picked up a white, flimsy sheet.
"Ah, here we are."
The paper had Robbie's address, phone number, everything. Sportacus might want it. Robbie lay it down on the table near his orange, fuzzy chair. The elf never had been to a real city before, let alone a big science facility. Might get homesick. Who knows? Anything is possible.
--------------------------------
"WHAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE!!!!!!!!!!!"
Ziggy ran over to Sportacus, flinging himself at him and toppling Sportacus over. Sportacus grunted in surprise. He held Ziggy as the blond haired boy sniffled. The rest of the children were in a bit of a shock. Sportacus hardly ever left. What if they were in trouble and he was gone? Who was there to save them then?
Trixie dropped her pencil, "Leaving? Where…Where you going?"
"To a city."
Stingy wasn't quite sure what to do, "For how long?"
"Few weeks tops."
Ziggy stomped his foot, "Few weeks too LONG."
Sportacus had expected the sort of reaction to his announcement way before he even started. The kids adored the elf to a high degree, and that was getting dangerous. Sportacus loved the attention and affection he got from the kids. However, they were getting way too clingy to him. The few weeks he'd be gone would be good for them. Maybe they'd learn some independence from him.
"I'm sorry, kids. But this is for a good cause. It's not like I won't be back."
All the kids ran up to him and hugged him, some unable to speak for fear of sobs and one, namely Pixel, who just did to help show affection. Sportacus hugged them all back in comfort. His heart melted over and over again. I won't be gone that long.
"I will be back. Don't worry."
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Sportacus paused before the big billboard scratching his head. I dunno…should I tell him? Should I wait til' I get back? What would there be to gain if he told Robbie about his feelings for him now? Would there be anything at all? Sportacus felt his stomach turn. Robbie was important to him now. One side of him probed at his mind. Tell him now. Make Robbie yearn for your homecoming. Make him yours and guarantee yourself something more than a friend and a bunch of nose pickers to come home to.
Sportacus shook his head. No, telling Robbie now would just make Sportacus feel sicker. It'd mean he'd be more homesick than ever. Robbie would have to learn the truth when Sportacus came home. Opening the door to the pipe, Sportacus hopped in and darted down through the twisted tube. He landed in Robbie's chair upside down, legs thrown up and hanging over his face. Slowly opening his eyes, he squinted as he heard a familiar chuckle.
Robbie tilted his head upside down to match Sportacus's, "Ready?"
Sportacus smiled, "Yeah, let's go!"
---------------------------
There was an awkward silence for a while as Sportacus and Robbie walked to meet Dr. Fuuten at the taxi stop. Sportacus fidgeted often because of it. He wanted to make conversation, but fear of accidentally revealed Sportacus's secret to Robbie kept his mouth shut. His stomach twisted over and over again. What Sportacus really wanted to do was grab Robbie and hug and kiss him to death. But he knew better. He watched Robbie from the corner of his eye. Robbie had a docile smile on his face, his eyes soft with fatigue. Must be relaxed or something…Maybe glad I'm going.
Sportacus couldn't have been any more wrong than he was. Robbie was deep in thought. His face told a lie. Inside, Robbie was fighting with weird feelings. Hunches came natural to the tall man, and over 90 of the time, they were correct. Robbie always had that instinct that said "This isn't right. Go back. It's not safe." And at particular time, it was lashing at him from all sides, especially when Robbie thought about Sportacus going with his former mentor. Robbie couldn't even bring himself to admit it. No, he wouldn't even try and accept it. A lump welled in Robbie's throat as his eyes swept down to the sports elf. I hope to God my instincts aren't right…
They arrived early at the taxi stop. The Doctor was no where to be found, or anyone at that matter. Robbie figured they were all at work, but it had never been so quiet as it was that day. His instincts were slapping his face again from the mere fact of being alone on the street. It was like one of those Western movies with the tumbleweed rolling across the dirt. Eerie, soft, and dead.
Robbie glanced up and down the street, "Guess we'll wait."
Sportacus plopped down onto the bench, taking a deep breath. His pre-homesickness was getting worse by the second and nearly drove him to the point of backing out of his promise. It was hard for the blue elf to even hide the fact he was nervous. His entire body twitched, and he drooled slightly. Sportacus did his best to calm himself. It's ok. It's ok. It's ok, get a grip!
Robbie watched Sportacus with pity. He was just like a child going on his first day of summer camp with out his mother. A warm smile spread across his face, and he sat down next to Sportacus, arms propped up on the back rest. He was silent for a moment.
"Nervous?"
Sportacus jumped slightly, "Huh?"
"Are you nervous?"
"Maybe. I've never really been away for longer than maybe 2 days."
Robbie sighed as he pulled out a piece of paper, "Here."
"Eh? What's this?" Sportacus asked as he looked at the paper.
"Things of mine. You know, like a phone number. In case you get really homesick, you know."
Grabbing the piece of paper, Sportacus's frown slowly turned into a warm smile. He read all the numbers and letters on that little sheet and wanted to hug it all the same, like a love letter he had just received from his true love off at war. It even smelled like Robbie.
"Thank you, Robbie."
"Don't mention it."
There was an awkward moment of silence. Robbie stared at the empty street. Dust blew across the vacant street. Sportacus smiled at the paper. All of the information was written in black ink, but already memorized in Sportacus's memory. The paper was at eye height, the paper shining in the sun. This was valuable stuff, and Sportacus sure as hell wasn't going to lose it.
"Have you ever wanted to be a cloud, Sportacus?"
Sportacus snapped out of his trance, "Uh…no."
Robbie was silent.
"Well, do you?"
"All the time."
Sportacus slowly lowered the paper to his lap, "But why?"
Robbie was quiet. He never looked at Sportacus. Sportacus was confused. A cloud? What's so special about a cloud? He looked at Robbie with concern.
"Robbie?"
Robbie looked up at the blue sky, clouds floating, "Well, look at them."
Sportacus raised his eyes to the same blue sheet with white blobs.
"Way up there in the sky. They can see everything up there. Fairs, games, races, crime…Everything. They don't miss the world. They aren't disturbed. Left completely alone by the watchers from below. Slowly and surely, they tweak by in the world. They don't need the pleasures of the common folk. They don't need nor do they want the fancy foods or fancy clothes or fame, glory. Just air, floating lazily under a blue ocean of sky with their counterparts and companions. They can love one another, keep each other company, and live an entire lifetime with each other."
Sportacus remained silent, trying to understand.
"They're free, free to love and be careless. They're free, free from oppression, discrimination, pain, suffering…and when they die, they die peacefully slowly into nothing, knowing that their life was neither well spent or completely wasted. That's what I wish I was, Sportacus. Free. A free cloud that doesn't have to worry about making anyone happy or trying to make a difference." Robbie sighed loudly, "Just watch the world go by, and be free."
Sportacus's eyes fell to Robbie, "But…Robbie, aren't you free already?"
"No."
Sportacus shook his head, "I don't understand."
"I'm not free. My inner feelings and fears keep me incarcerated in the life of an ex-villain, someone trying to adhere to the norms of regular life as presented by the common folk. As time goes by, you begin to become accustomed to the new world, but the more accustomed you get, the more susceptible you are to the emotions and desires of the young and old. Upon time, you begin to slowly know what you want, but what you want is always sociably unacceptable." Robbie tilted his head back up straight and stared at the street, "So you hide what you want, and if successful, fool the entire world. Hiding in the depths of a dark, damn place lies what you want, never to see the light until it is finally able to be sought out."
Sportacus blinked slowly.
"That's why I want to be a cloud: to release my inner desires and not be criticized or even rejected from the world because of it."
Sportacus watched the street, processing all that Robbie had said. Sportacus really didn't understand it. Intellectual topics or looking for deeper meaning in words was not his strength, but he sure as hell tried.
The silence was broken by the sound of a motor coming down the road. Sportacus looked up and saw an old, black car driving towards them. The motor puttered as if it was exerting more power than it should be. The car slowly came to a stop directly in front of Robbie and Sportacus. The rust against the black rims was bright red and little chunks fell as the car's puttering came to a dead silence. Sportacus didn't notice the gold hood ornament in the shape of a man with wings.
The back passenger door flew open, and Dr. Fuuten emerged with a bright smile. His glasses shimmered in the sunlight and he squinted slightly. His eyes quickly caught hold of the blue and purple blurs sitting on the bench, and he smiled.
"Well, there! Fancy this day being so nice, eh? I hope you two haven't been waiting long!"
Robbie grabbed the doctor's hand and shook it, "No, we have not, sir."
"Jolly good, then!" Dr. Fuuten's eyes went to Sportacus, "Well, now, my boy! You ready to be off?"
Sportacus nodded shyly, "Y-yes, sir."
"Well, then! Let's hop to it, lad!"
Dr. Fuuten moved away from the door and made a sweeping motion with his arms. Sportacus smiled nervously. His stomach was turning even more now. He was actually leaving. Sportacus turned to Robbie for one last bit of comfort. Robbie smiled.
"Well, Sportacus…I guess I'll see yo-"
Robbie was interrupted by Sportacus bringing him into a hard hug, slightly shaking from nerves. Sportacus buried his face into Robbie's shirt, and Robbie could swear he heard muffled, quiet sobs coming from the elf. Robbie hugged Sportacus back momentarily and pulled away from him.
"Come now. LazyTown will always be here. Go. And you behave!"
Sportacus smiled, nodding. He turned and slowly walked to the car. Dr. Fuuten walked to the other side of the car and quickly hopped in. Sportacus quickly gave Robbie one last smile before climbing in himself. But once inside, Sportacus continued to watch Robbie through the window, his smile vanished. Robbie continued to smile, for Sportacus's sake, and raised his hand to wave goodbye.
The car slowly began to move, and Sportacus had a tough time keeping his eyes on Robbie and LazyTown. They gradually began to get faster, getting farther and farther away from the bench Sportacus and Robbie had been sitting on. Sportacus turned completely around in his seat, watching as Robbie got smaller and smaller and finally unable to be seen.
In turn, Robbie continued to wave at the car. His smile slowly disappeared as the cloud of dust got smaller and farther away. When nothing was left to be seen, Robbie lowered his arm and continued to watch in the direction Sportacus had gone. He kinda felt empty. His only really good friend in all of LazyTown was now gone for a while with his greatest icon in all of Robbie's life. What was there for Robbie to do?
Robbie sighed heavily. He used to love being lonely. Now, being lonely sucked major. Turning around, he began to slowly walk back to his billboard.
"Hm. He'll be fine."
He could tell himself that, but unnoticed to Robbie's full attention was an aching feeling. His instincts were punching at him from all sides.
Go get him back. It isn't safe. Go get him back. It isn't safe. You will regret this later. It isn't safe.
Sweat dropped from Robbie's brow down to his chin. I must have some issues that need to be taken care of. Robbie walked faster. A nap would do him good right now. He tried to drown out the echoes for the rest of his walk, but to no prevail.
It isn't safe.
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Sportacus sighed loudly as he watched all of the country side pass him by. He missed home greatly already. He missed the kids, the airship, Robbie. I can do this. It's not going to be that long. Maybe a week or so. Che. I can do this.
"So, my boy."
Sportacus jumped slightly.
"Are you nervous?"
"Well, kinda. It's my first real time away from LazyTown."
Dr. Fuuten waved his hand, "Oh, it'll be all over soon." He glanced out his window and spoke quietly, "All over and forgotten soon…"
"Huh?"
"Just a thought, Sportacus, as I am a doctor and all, but…have you ever given any thought as to why you are as you are?"
Sportacus raised his eyebrows. Huh? What kind of question is that? It indeed confused the sports elf. Why should he wonder why he was what he was? He shouldn't care as long as other people loved him, or that's what Sportacus thought.
"I…don't understand."
"It's quite a simple question, really. Have you ever wondered why you are an elf instead of a human?"
"Well…no, not really."
"Well, why not?"
Sportacus blinked, "Should I have?"
Dr. Fuuten pulled out a pipe and lit it, "Of course you should. It is quite odd, isn't it? How our creator, whoever or whatever deity it was, decided that you, of all the creatures in this world, is the single elf among a colony of humans? I have researched your kind and you all have extraordinary powers. Just think of it. You have the powers to play 'God' with all those around you. Have you not ever wondered what it is to be a god?"
Sportacus shook his head.
"And why is that?"
"Well, I believe that, not matter how much more powerful I am, I shouldn't take advantages of those who I love and love me in return. I don't understand why I or anyone would want to hurt or experiment on those around them. I guess with great power comes great responsibility-"
Dr. Fuuten puffed his pipe, "And do you think your power is so great that responsibility includes practicing it and finding your limits?"
"Well, no not rea-"
"Rubbish. Deep down inside every soul, including pure elves like you, want to exercise their power," Sportacus's eyes drew away from the good Doctor and back out the window as he listened, "and as they do not practice it, the results of restraint are devastating. Potentials are not reached nor realized. People go on without learning their place. New discoveries are never discovered."
The car continued driving. Not another car or truck or vehicle passed them on the road. The eerie feeling of being alone struck Sportacus's heart and he pressed his forehead against the clear window.
The Doctor watched Sportacus with the familiar twinkle in his eye, "No…You will have experienced the feeling of 'God' before your life is done."
AN
Oooooo. Creepy, neh?
Anyways, Venom is ALIVE. And actually...so is Creme. But right now, Venom. Yes Yes. Now what is there actually to say about this chapter's beginning?
Ah, yes. The scene with the kids. Of course, Study Groups are fun, so indeed it was a must. Otherwise...I really didn't have any other excuse for them being in the same place at once...Stingy and Pythagorean's theory. Taking in Stingy's personality, who wouldn't want the Pythagorean theory?? The whole scene is reletively a joke, the calm before the storm of Sportacus's announcement. Neh. I love Robbie. Looking out for his little elf buddy. Actually, Robbie would seem to have taken a big brother role to Sportacus. To me, Sportacus is sorta naive when it comes to the bigger world and Robbie is what I'd call Street Smart. Robbie's little inner instincts just move the idea along.
My favorite part of the whole chapter: The clouds. The cloud bit is something that developed gradually over time, thinking and personal experiences. Back last year, I do remember, I sat outside one summer night. The moon was so bright, you wouldn't need a flashlight to manuever safely around and each star was out. Well, I did this multiple times, but this night was the one that brought upon the idea. It was the night of the second day of the fair and I had recently been recovering from a crush on one of the graduates. I had seen him that night and even got a hug. Problem was I felt sick again with the same little "should I say something" bug I had all that year. I sat out in the grass that night, thinking about many things and what could happen. There was one single, little cloud in the sky. It didn't have a single worry. Just floated on by, seeing what others were doin. Thus, Robbie's theory of clouds was born. It was hard to actually write (One of those moments that you know what you want to say, you just don't know how to say it) and hopefully it made sense. I dunno. I love it. Sums up my feelings.
"Play God" is something I got from a SciFi movie. I don't remember what it was called, but the movie gave me a lot of inspiration for much of Dr. Fuuten and his story. The books he looks at and all he confiscated from the island is included in the inspiration. They all tie together, playing out much like the movie inspired me to.
I hope you enjoy and review!
