Twenty minutes later, sat around the campfire, Stephanie and Trixie were still laughing at Pixel's plight. Stingy stood a few metres away pacing back and forth, still uneasy about leaving Pixel in such a predicament.
Trixie took a gulp of whiskey out of the glass bottle. A small hiccup escaped her lips as she began to go through the pile of clothes from where Stephanie had dropped them upon their return. Inspecting the garments one by one, she tossed them haphazardly about.
'Ohhh… check these out Steph' she cooed holding up a stripy pair of white and red boxer shorts.
'Mmm…nice' Stephanie remarked sniggering.
'Yeah, I wonder how Pixel is getting on without them.' Trixie said, chuckling as she caught Stephanie's eye.
'Well I'd hate to think you'd ever do something like that to me' Stingy admonished, horrified at their blithe attitudes.
'Oh lighten up' Trixie groaned, throwing the boxer shorts at Stingy's head.
'Yeah, you're starting to sound just like Sportacus' Stephanie chipped in, 'always don't do this and don't do that'.
Jumping to her feet she launched off into what seemed like a well-rehearsed performance.
'Don't forget to eat your carrots…' she said, wagging a finger in the air.
There was a sudden flash of blue behind her that she critically failed to notice.
'Make sure you don't stay out too late…' Stephanie continued now placing her hands on her hips in imitation of Sportacus's trademark heroic stance.
'Errr…Stephanie.' Trixie squeaked, looking troubled.
'Always remember to brush your teeth…' Stephanie continued, ignoring her friend.
'Stephanie' Trixie persisted, her voice growing louder.
'And most important of all….'
'Pinky!' Trixie finally shouted.
'What?' Stephanie snapped irritably, annoyed at being interrupted mid act.
Taking a gulp Trixie nodded past Stephanie's left shoulder.
'Trixie, this better not be another one of your jokes…' Stephanie warned. Spinning around on the spot she took short leap back in surprise as she came face to face with Sportacus. She realised that he had probably been standing there for some time.
'Oh f…'
'Stephanie, swearing is never called for' Sportacus interjected disapprovingly.
For a split second Stephanie looked taken aback but then her eyes narrowed. 'Haven't you got anyone else to go and pester at this time of night?' she asked venomously.
'Thinking about it isn't it past your bedtime anyway?' Stephanie goaded further.
Trixie's eyes grew wide at Stephanie's audacity. They were all tired of Sportacus putting the dampener on their fun, but in the past they had showed him grudging respect. However, lately Stephanie had been treating him with nothing short of outright hostility. It seemed especially ironic since out of all of them she had been his biggest fan when they were little.
There was a deafening silence as everyone waited to see how Sportacus would react.
Simply ignoring her Sportacus turned away and started to search about the campfire. 'Has anyone seen Pixel's - ah here they are!' he exclaimed upon spotting Pixel's garments strewn about the place. He hopped about picking them up off the ground.
'What's this?' he muttered half to himself coming across an unlabelled glass bottle half-filled with liquid. Sniffing the contents his face fell.
'You know you're too young for this' he said gravely. 'How did you get hold of it?'
No one said anything.
'I'm afraid that I'm going to have to let your parents know about this' he said, shaking his head with disappointment.
Stephanie snuck a peek at Trixie, who looked like she was going to burst into tears. Biting her lip she stepped forward.
'It's mine' she claimed brazenly looking Sportacus straight in the eye.
Sportacus looked unconvinced.
'It's mine' she repeated adamantly. 'I got it off someone from high school, the others didn't have anything to do with it, they didn't want any' she fibbed.
Sportacus looked almost sad.
'Then I'll have to have a word with the Mayor' he said solemnly.
'Fine, whatever' Stephanie said, feigning indifference.
'I think you should all go home now' Sportacus said bleakly, giving them a firm look. Emptying the remainder of the drink onto the grass and tossing the empty bottle into a nearby bin, he somersaulted back down the hill taking Pixel's things with him.
After watching him disappear Trixie gave her friend a weak smile. 'Thanks for that, my parents would have hit the roof…again' she said gratefully, 'and after last time they were seriously threatening to send me away to live with my cousins for a while – and you don't know my cousins'.
'You owe me one' Stephanie agreed, 'my uncle's speeches are starting to get real tedious.'Stephanie walked back to Trixie's before returning reluctantly to her uncle's house. By the time she arrived Sportacus was already inside.
She could tell by the way they both stopped talking as soon she entered the room that they were discussing her. They both turned and stood shoulder to shoulder, scrutinising her. Finding their attentions unnerving Stephanie dropped her gaze to the floor.
'Oh Stephanie, what have I told you about underage drinking? It's unacceptable, you're only seventeen!' her uncle wailed.
Stephanie braced herself for the usual long-winded tirade. She had learnt from experience that the less she said the quicker it was usually over.
'What have you been up to? Sportacus said he found Pixel running around town with only a plastic shopping bag to hide his modesty!' the Mayor continued. She knew that he was upset by the way he flustered about.
'Sorry uncle' she muttered, trying to sound genuine.
'Stephanie, if there is anything bothering you, you know you can always talk to us' Sportacus urged her.
Her eyes darted upwards and she fixed them with a look of astonishment. She found it amazing that they still expected for her to be able to easily discuss any issues that might be troubling her with them. Sure, when she was a child and the worst of her problems had been a grazed knee or being trapped up in the treehouse without a ladder, but after she had passed a certain age it had become increasingly difficult and embarrassing to share things with her uncle or Sportacus; and especially after the disastrous talk on the birds and bees her uncle had tried to give her several years back.
Having given her ample opportunity to reply the Mayor heaved a deep sigh as if resigning himself to something unpleasant.
'Sportacus has suggested that a bit of discipline might be what's needed' he said squarely, 'so I've decided to give it a try and as punishment for your behaviour this evening you'll be grounded for the next two weeks'
There was a moment of stunned silence.
'And you'll also be required to complete a drugs test' he added hastily.
Stephanie's mouth fell open.
'You don't seriously believe I'd be messing with that stuff?' she fumed, struggling to keep her outrage in check. She glanced back and forth between her uncle and Sportacus to see if it wasn't some sort of joke but their faces remained deadly serious.
'I'm sorry Stephanie but we - I mean I - need to be sure' The Mayor quickly corrected himself.
Stephanie snorted her derision. 'So he put you up to this too!' she said throwing Sportacus a look of seething resentment.
'You can go to your room now' the Mayor said sternly, paying her allegation no heed.
Gritting her teeth Stephanie barged between them into her bedroom feeling humiliated and rather shocked at her uncle's new no nonsense attitude.