Rottenella was sprawled on the fluffy orange chair, her legs dangling over the side. She was absentmindedly watching Robbie make a new contraption to ease his mind. It had been two days since the rocket incident, and it was also the day the children had chosen that they'd execute their plan. In fact, Rottenella's nonchalant laziness was actually an act of inconspicuous patrol to make sure Robbie didn't realize what was going on. However, with how scatterbrained he currently was, she could have hired a whole orchestral parade and set them loose through the town and he STILL wouldn't have noticed. Glancing at a watch that Pixel had lent her, she saw that it was 6:30 in the afternoon- sunset. The optimal time for Sportacus to be done with his last major patrol. She took note of this- any second now, her father would lose his head over Sportaboi again. She pitied his overemotional state, but knew that tonight, he'd feel better, thanks to the deviously marvelous plan she and her friends had concocted. "Like father, like daughter," she thought with a little grin. A screech interrupted her- he had reached his wit's end, and he promptly laid face-down on the floor. It was time to begin. She reached into a hidden pocket that she'd sewn into her dress while Robbie wasn't paying attention, and she flicked on the walkie-talkie that Pixel had made for the plan. "You seem as if you would benefit from a walk. As an insider to their activities, you can trust me when I say that they aren't actively busy today." She breathed in, and said the key word; "In fact, I daresay they're being lazy for once." She put her hands behind her back matter-of-factly, and turned the walkie talkie back off in another swift motion now that her first step was completed. Robbie turned his head to face her, his expression brightening a bit as he registered her statement. "Also, according to the way the human body works, you do need some fresh air. Therefore, I recommend you pause your latest scheme and head up to the surface." He opened his mouth to protest, but didn't wanted to argue with a walking dictionary; the evidence stacked against him, and he silently pulled himself up and walked towards the exit hatch. He fumbled with the latch; Rottenella had conveniently coated it in a mixture of oil and butter earlier, so his hands wouldn't be able to grasp it right. The others had at least 5 minutes to get the next phase of the plan done while she stalled for time in looking for something to help clean the latch. (She'd taken into account the messy disorganization and utilized it.) Rottenella smiled smugly as she briskly strode to the closet; the first phase was in motion.
Pixel, having received the radioed message, nodded to the others; they were sitting around him eagerly, waiting for the chance to strike. Stingy grinned, cackling quietly and exiting the treehouse. He gleefully plopped into his trusty car; it had a wagon attached to it that held an overabundance of triagonal signs from his garage. Trixie hopped in the wagon too, armed and ready with her shovel. They quickly zoomed around, Trixie hurriedly digging tiny ditches and potholes, and Stingy placing signs neatly in front of each one. They were strategically placed so that Robbie would go a certain direction on his walk; the destination that they would also lead Sportaflop to. Once their task was complete, they contacted Pixel, who sent out the next wave. Ziggy immediately jumped up, a bag of taffy wrappers in one of his hands. He and Stephanie climbed down quickly, with Ziggy purposely littering the trash behind him like a Hansel and Gretel trail (mentally, he apologized to Sportaclean.) Stephanie held a note in a cylindrical tube, ready to be mailed up to the ship once the time was right. Pixel intently watched his computer; it had little icons on them that showed where each of the townspeople were. He looked at the mapped-out plan so far, and watched closely for the little chibi heads of Stephanie and Ziggy to reach the designated spot (which was a clearing to the northwest of the center of the town; an area that the kids didn't often go to, which meant it'd be safe for the encounter to happen.) They reached the spot, and they split to their own tasks; Ziggy arranged the bag under the bench and on the wall behind where Sportadude would sit, letting the sugar scent waft into the air; he returned to the clubhouse quickly once he was done. Stephanie backtracked to the beginning of the trail; the mail cannon. Another message from Rottenella came through on the walkie talkie; "Ok, he's out meandering. Mail time." Pixel signaled his pink friend to shoot it, and she did, sprinting back to the clubhouse after doing so. Pixel pulled up the live footage of the camera he'd hidden at the meeting spot, and cast the video to the projector he'd set up. Once Rottenella had sneakily escaped the lair without Robbie noticing, they all gathered around on the floor, waiting eagerly for the scene to play out.
Sportacus read aloud the sudden note that had arrived. "Dear Sportacus- follow the taffy wrappers." It didn't even have a name on it, so he was perplexed; still, he trusted the kids, and wanted to entertain them with whatever was happening. He flipped down from his airship, landing at the start of a wrapper trail. He followed it curiously; there was just enough sugary residue in the air from them to make him slightly less bouncy. He didn't flip, which made sure that Robbie wouldn't hear him coming and avoid him. The residual leaking colors of the sun, now below the horizon, sent a pastel rainbow through the air that gently gave way into night sky. He gazed at the sight, smiling at the peace that it radiated and getting distracted from the wrappers right on time. He sat down on one end of the long bench. Another person was approaching from the other side of the curvy street, also absorbed in the sky. It was a rare moment for Robbie- he was actually tranquil, his villainous theatrics melting away in the sleepy sky. Still transfixed, he sat down on the other end of the bench. (The kids all high-fived each other at their victory, and Stephanie resisted the urge to break into song.) The pale colors continued slowly giving way to twilight, and stars started appearing in the sky, one by one, lighting up the eyes of the two bench occupants. Subconsciously, Robbie's natural monologue began- another excellent observation of Rottenella put to use. "I'd never admit it," he breathed, hesitant to pierce the silence, "but the sky at this time of night is absolutely breathtaking..." Sportacus sighed a soft "Yes..." in agreement; Robbie hardly thought anything of it. They were both so relaxed (Sportacus because of the craftily-created sugar air, and Robbie because of his secret love of the sky.) Only after a couple of seconds did he wonder who replied, and he looked over to see Sportacus. "Whoa, hi, didn't see you there," he said, being too lethargic to react properly from his 2 days' worth of sleeplessness. Sportacus shifted to look at Robbie too, and giggled, slumping over on the bench. Robbie still had enough mental capacity to make sure his friend didn't hit his head. He scooted over quickly, catching Sportacus. Absentmindedly, the sports boi stretched out, resting on his lap. Finally, as if on cue at the lightly blushing face he was now gazing down at, Robbie's feelings caught up with him.
Sportababy looked so sweet and happy there, smiling softly in the light of the ultramarine sky, that he quietly burst into tears.
"Whoa whoa whoa, what's wrong?" Sportacute inquired, intently concerned. Robbie hiccuped. "You're too...pure..." he spoke softly. "I d-don't deserve you." Sportacus' heart cracked a little at hearing those words come out of his friends' mouth. He twisted a bit, reaching upwards to wipe away the tears. That only made Robbie sadder, so he wordlessly leaned down and hugged Sportaflop, his mouth agape in a silent cry. The effects of the sugar wasn't enough to win over Sportaboi's instinctive need to make people happy. He sat up, still embracing Robbie, who sniffled. "It's okay, Robbie." he reassured, rubbing his back. Eventually, he released him, holding his shoulders at arm's length. "What would make you feel like...like you don't deserve me?" Sportasweet hesitated to say the painful words again. Robbie whimpered, gathering his words before answering. "Y-you go around, always helping everyone you see," He paused, letting Sportacus wipe away a fresh tear. "A..and, and you're a-always so supportive of me, and y-you always catch me w-wh-when I fall..." Robbie's breaths were ragged. Sportabro answered, "I help people. I'm a hero, it's what I do." "B-but," Robbie weakly retorted, "I'm a villain...! A-and the heroes aren't s-s-supposed to help the villains!" The expression on his face was one of helplessness. "D-do you even know why I always try to k-kick you out of Lazytown?" he asked regretfully. Sportacus shook his head solemnly, a tiny curiosity bubbling inside of him. "Y-you make me feel...e-emotion. A-and I'm a villain! Villains sh-shouldn't start feeling all warm and b-bubbly inside when they see the hero. It..it'd ruin my r-reputation!" Robbie hesitated, trying not to break down again. "It...it's...I love you..."
He couldn't escape a fresh bout of crying when he saw Sportacus' eyes grow wider than dinner plates. "It all makes so much sense now!" the blue sports man exclaimed gleefully. Robbie shot him a look of confused frustration, tears running down his face. He hissed, "What do you mean?" Sportacute smiled radiantly, silencing him into a blushing mess. "Well, you see," he began, talking quickly and energetically, "I felt these weird feelings but I had no idea what they meant! Seeing you always just made me inexplicably happy and I just- now I know why my face always felt so hot with you around! I was worried that I was getting a fever but NO! I thought I was unhealthy when my stomach started flipping around just as much as I did but it was all just LOVE! I finally understand!" He squealed, bouncing now on the bench with the joy of a kid in a candy store (or rather, a Sportaflop in a fruit aisle.) He pulled Robbie into a bone-crushing hug, and Robbie started giggling. Giggling, of all things, with his tear-streaked face shining in the moonlight. (In their homemade theater, the kids were screeching of pure joy, tangled in a group hug.) The two sat under the moonlight for a little longer, letting it calm them back down. They remained in an embrace of silence until Sportaboi broke it. "So does this mean we're...boyfriends now?" he asked innocently. Robbie though for a second. "I mean, I guess, but it doesn't feel OFFICIALLY official," he admitted. "And I still want to make plots and schemes, please don't tell me I have to stop that!" Sportaflop chuckled heartily. "Of course not! I want you to do what makes you happy." A smile started to bloom on Robbie's face. They were both blushing and laughing nervously. "Did you hear that?" Sportacus asked, looking concernedly in the direction of the treehouse. "I thought I heard a distant shriek just now..."
It was actually six distant shrieks, to be precise, coming from six delighted children who were ecstatic at the occurring events. Six children who decided to have a celebratory sleepover in their clubhouse, and when Sporp did end up checking on them, he found them all fast asleep, snuggled up in a heap together (and all dreaming about the exact same thing.)