Housemates

Disclaimer: All usual disclaimers apply.

Water lapped around his knees and he was extremely unhappy about it. He'd been woken up by a strange sound and before he knew it his lair was flooded. Robbie hated water, he couldn't swim and because of this flood he'd have to find alternative lodgings until it was sorted. The trouble was that he didn't know where to go. He had nowhere to go that he knew of. Reluctantly he decided to leave the lair and seek assistance in the town. He knew they'd laugh at him when he told them about this incident, not that they didn't laugh at him already.

Bessie looked up from her paperwork when she heard an extremely strange noise coming towards the town hall. It sounded like wet shoes that squelch every time a step is taken; looking out of the window she saw that it was still a lovely day outside, how could someone have wet shoes when the sun is shining and there isn't a cloud in the sky? Before Bessie could go back to her paperwork the door of the town hall was thrown open and in walked a bedraggled and extremely grumpy looking Robbie Rotten. Bessie suppressed a chuckle at the sight of Robbie but it came out as more of an undignified snort.

"Where is the Mayor?" Robbie asked pointing a finger threateningly at Bessie.

The sight of a drop of water falling from Robbie's finger rocked Bessie's composure and she burst out laughing, "He's there," she managed to choke and pointed behind Robbie.

Robbie turned round and saw the Mayor staring at him with utter amazement. The Mayor then turned and looked out of the door to see if it been raining without his noticing it, seeing that the ground was bone dry he turned to Robbie again and resumed his staring. At this point Robbie was fuming, he was angry enough already but could abide no further nuisances.

"If you're wondering why I'm wet it's because my lair is flooded. Seeing as it doesn't rain underground I'm assuming that a water pipe broke somewhere. As my lair is flooded I've been forced to find alternative accommodation which is why I'm here."

"What do you want us to do about it?" Bessie asked.

Robbie snarled at Bessie and turned back to the Mayor, "I thought that seeing as you're supposed to be the Mayor this town you might be able to do something."

"Erm, I'm sure I can do something. I'll have to think of it though. Can you come back in half an hour?" The mayor said coming back to his senses.

Robbie just growled in response and stormed out, slamming the door behind him. The Mayor looked at Bessie and shrugged. Going to sit at his desk the Mayor pondered what he'd do about Robbie's problem.

The kids were laughing and playing as was their usual way but stopped in their tracks when they saw a still soaking Robbie stomping about. The children didn't know whether to laugh at or feel concerned for Robbie, he seemed so distracted and was obviously extremely upset about something. None of them had ever seen Robbie like this and as much as it was almost funny it was also very worrying. Plucking up enough courage to ask Robbie what was wrong but came running back after getting half way over to him when he fixed her with a look that said 'don't come any closer or you're in trouble'. The other kids had seen the look also and decided to resume their playing some distance from Robbie so not to disturb him.

The Mayor's half an hour was almost up and he'd managed to decide on a solution to Robbie's problem but it was an awkward one at best and was unlikely to be popular. He'd decided that Robbie would have to stay with someone in Lazytown and that the others would draw lots as to who that person should be. The person with the shortest straw would have to put Robbie up until something could be done with his lair.

Putting each of the straws in his hand the Mayor ventured outside with Bessie and directed her to pull the lever to raise the podium. As soon as the podium was raised all the kids and Robbie came over to see what was going on. Sportacus joined them as well; he'd been looking over the town with his telescope and guessed something important was happening.

"Everyone, I have an announcement to make. Earlier today Robbie's lair flooded and I've come upon a solution to his problem. We all know that Robbie can't stay in his lair with the water there so I've decided that Robbie will have to stay with someone in Lazytown until we can fix the problem. I have some straws in my hand and the person that picks the shortest straw has to have Robbie in their house."

This announcement caused some murmurs between the kids and they all hoped that they didn't draw the short straw. The Mayor stepped down from the podium and everyone except Robbie formed a line to pick their straw. Pixel was first, then Ziggy, Trixie, Stephanie and then Bessie. Bessie put her hand to her mouth in shock when she saw she had the shortest straw.

An hour later Bessie showed Robbie through the front door of her house. She still couldn't believe she'd drawn the short straw and Robbie was none to pleased with it also. Part of him was glad that it wasn't Sportacus that had pulled the short straw but the downside was that he didn't like Bessie and had to spend however long it took to fix his lair with her. As much as he hated water he'd considered taking his chances with it rather than Bessie.

After Bessie had showed Robbie round the house and where everything he needed to use was she went back to the town hall. She didn't want to spend much more time with Robbie than was absolutely necessary.

Bessie came home two hours later and decided she'd take shower. She'd all but forgotten that Robbie was staying in her house and going into the bathroom ran the shower and then went into her bedroom to get undressed. Bessie came out of her bedroom five minutes later wearing nothing but a bath robe. She entered the bathroom and screamed when she saw Robbie standing naked in her shower.