PRESENT - four years after start of story. Inside the Lazytown church.
Mr. Jenkins was wiping a pew with a rag. Sportacus and the gang had just left after helping him with most of the chores. Father Allen walked into the room from his office and stared at the main entrance to the church they had just left from.
"Its disgusting" he sneered, "the way those two carry on."
"Which two?" replied Mr. Jenkins.
"The man and the pink girl. Always holding hands, and dancing together. He's far too old for her and should know better. His affection for her is nothing short of a terrible sin in front of God."
"But he has always loved her and she him, surely you have seen that. When she was little, she loved him as a father and he to her as a daughter. When she grew up some, their love became that of good friends. Now that she has begun turning into an adult, so does their love change into the strongest love of all, between a boy and girl or man and woman. And since he, as a hero, does not age as normal humans do, there is no harm in them pairing, because he can allow himself to age as she does, so as to live a normal life with her."
"Bah! Love is irrelevant, its only lust that drives him, and she's too caught up in her own lust to even think about it. And the other two are almost just as bad. The dark haired girl and the sweater boy. I can tell they already want to do things they shouldn't even be thinking about for many years to come. Apparently its true what people tell me about girls becoming sluts earlier these days. Before long they'll have stained the minds of the other two boys and have them committing sins with other girls"
At that Mr. Jenkins stood up slowly from his kneeling position.
"You mean Trixie and Stingy? How can you think the strengthening of their hearts is in anyway evil? You of all people should know that it is the most blessed that discovers the greatest of powers so early. Love is never late or early, it is always when and where it should be. Always. It is its own question and answer. And as such, while the evil of the world can corrupt the weakness in people's hearts into making them think love is what has hurt them, in reality it is love which powers them and sustains them against the winds of time and hatred."
Father Allen looked at Mr. Jenkins as if at a worm under a microscope.
"Awfully philosophical for a cleaning man. Just get back to picking up dirt and let those in charge of right and wrong put the world into the ordered state it should be."
With that, Father Allen went back into his office. Mr. Jenkins kneeled back down. Quietly and sadly, he resumed cleaning the pew.
Several days later, everyone in the group was getting ready for Stephanie's birthday. She was turning 13 today and a great party had been planned by all her friends and family. What made this particular birthday of Stephanie's extra special, was the fact that Stephanie's parents would be here for it! Her parents were both diplomats for the country which is why they were always gone and had to leave her in the care of Stephen Meanswell's brother, the mayor of Lazytown. Apparently, Father Allen had thought it would be nice if they could come to see her for such a big birthday event as turning 13, and so with the help of the Mayor, he had managed to contact them about it.
Stephanie was dressed up in clothes even better than her Sunday attire. Her hair was done up with a new headband for the occasion. The dress she wore, while still being mostly pink, had white lace and blue trim on it. She also was wearing makeup that Trixie had applied, and for the first time ever, Trixie managed to not play a prank when helping Stephanie with her makeup, but instead applied it perfectly to match her naturally pink and white skin tone. When Sportacus came into the house, he couldn't move or even say anything for more than a minute because he was staring so intently at her. This, of course made Stephanie blush to match her dress and hair.
"What? Do I look that bad? Its ok if you think so but please don't drive it home by looking at me like that." she said.
"Bad?" replied Sportacus. "Are you kidding me? You're the most beautiful thing I have ever seen on this whole planet. And I've been many, many places and thing many, many things."
With that he put his present for her on the table and went over to give her a hug. Everyone was busy getting streamers up or refreshments ready. (No one commented on Sportacus and Stephanie not helping. They were still hugging, so everyone made sure that it seemed as if no help was needed by either, so as to give them no reason to stop their embrace)
At this point the doorbell rang, and the mayor put down the big bowl of punch he was carrying and said, "Please continue everyone, I'll get it."
He went to the door and opened it. Standing in the doorway was a tall man with brown hair and green eyes. Although taller than the mayor he was still not quite as tall as Sportacus. Next to him was a woman with orange-red hair, in the same style that Stephanie kept hers in usually and brown eyes. She was about 6 inches shorter than the man.
"Hello Milford, long time no see." said the man.
"Stephen! Its been far, far too long." The mayor hugged his brother, but the stranger broke the hug rather quickly it seemed to Ziggy.
Milford Meanswell then turned to the woman, "And Lauren, I'm glad you could make it too!"
"I'm glad I could come. I haven't seen my baby girl in so long, I don't even know if I'd recognize her now."
"Yes, where is Stephanie?" asked Stephen Meanswell.
"Right over here." The mayor opened the door and moved so as to show everyone who the newcomers were.
Stephanie looked away from her still ongoing hug with Sportacus.
"Mommy? Daddy?" Tears began to form in her eyes, and she disentangled herself from Sportacus's arms, ran over to the two people in the doorway and threw herself onto them.
Pretty soon the mom and Stephanie were both crying and everyone in the room felt joy radiate from the two. Stephanie's father hugged her briefly, then let his daughter and wife hug while he turned to his brother. "Thanks for taking care of her while we're away. We have about a week we can stay before we have to be off again. I hope she hasn't been any trouble."
Milford Meanswell waved his hand saying "Trouble? Stephanie? Of course she's been trouble from time to time, but she has the most amazing way of making even trouble turn out to be fun. I promise you Stephen, I wouldn't take back the last four and a half years for anything."
"Good, good. I'm glad." Stephen now turned to look at Sportacus. "And who might you be?"
Mayor Milford smiled and said, "That's Sportacus, our local town hero. Usually he's the one who ends up getting Stephanie and the children out of trouble. If he hadn't been here all these years I'm sure things would be a lot different than they are now."
"Well, I'm guessing there's no reason I would want things to be any different is there? Thank you for all your help Mr. Sportacus."
"Sportacus walked forward to shake hands with the man. "Its just Sportacus actually, and its been my pleasure Mr. Meanswell."
Once again, although he wasn't sure how, Ziggy could feel the ill will in someone. In this case, it was Stephanie's father toward Sportacus. He smiled and took Sportacus's hand, but Ziggy could tell the friendly gesture was fake and empty. He also noticed how throughout the rest of the party, Stephanie's father never let her spend too much time with Sportacus. He always asked her for help with something, or to catch him up with her life whenever it seemed like she was going to go and talk with Sportacus or be near him. Stephanie's mom seemed not to mind Sportacus, and when she thanked him for helping keep watch over her little girl, she seemed genuinely grateful and appreciative. Eventually it got late and the party wound down. People went home and Stephanie packed some things since she was going to spend the week with her parents who were staying at the Lazytown Inn.