Title: Nightmares and Dreamscapes- Chapter 10/?

Fandom: Lazytown

Pairing: Sportacus/Robbie

Rating: T

Summary: There is no such thing as magic...right? However, when Robbie starts noticing something strange about Sportacus and unusual things start occurring in Lazytown, that belief just might have to be changed.

Author's Notes: Thanks so much for the lovely lovely reviews. Oh, and please don't hate me for this chapter. I…have a plan. Kinda.

Sportacus shifted, eyes on the elf-woman. "What do you want, svartàlfar?"

The dark magic around them twisted. He could feel its oily slickness slowly twining its way into his magic. "Oh," she sighed, tilting her head to one side. "I want your crystal, Ten."

Reflexively, Sportacus reached up and touched his emblazoned crystal, feeling the magic sing through him. The black magic jerked away as his own magic brightened and sparked, linked by his touch on the crystal. "Why?" he asked softly.

She scoffed and shifted over, leaning against Robbie now. "Well, Sportacus Ten," she said slowly and carefully as if she were speaking to a small child. "That crystal is very powerful. It enhances magic. And I can use something like that."

Her eyes were wide and bright, fingers spreading even wider on the pale skin of Robbie's brow. Her dark magic twitched at her words, curling fiercely, ravenously.

Sportacus refused to take that step back, instead sending out a few more tendrils of his magic, feeling her magic burn in response. "Why would you want it? What would you do with it?" The edges of his crystal case were cutting into his fingers; a twist of magic curled around his wounds, healing and healing.

Scoffing, her face turned twisted and ugly. "Why do you think, fool? That magic should not be used to protect these…pathetic humans," she spat. "It should be used to strengthen our hold over them."

Sportacus nearly flinched at those words. He believed so much in goodwill and generosity, but this svartàlfar was throwing all those beliefs in his face. Maybe his mamma had been right; maybe all the svartàlfar were greedy and cruel.

He rubbed his thumb over the crystal and felt the rush of light magic. He could not give up his crystal, especially for reasons like that. And yet, there was something about the spark in her eyes and the turn to her sneer that set warning alarms off in his mind.

"What will you do if I don't?"

Her laugh was high-pitched, spiraling higher and higher in hysteria. "Not give it to me, Ten?" For a moment, her hand broke contact with Robbie's brow. The man shifted in his spot, eyelashes fluttering. He groaned. Sportacus held his breath, his magic now fighting the black magic around the human.

But then the svartàlfar placed her hand over his forehead once more, fingers stroking the pale skin as if he were some sort of pet. At the renewed touch, her oily magic reared back and pushed the brilliant, protective magic away from Robbie's form. "You already know I have a hold of your town, Ten." She cocked her head girlishly to one side. "We both know that I have the power to plague this town with pain and disease. And I will."

Her smile was razor sharp and without any sort humor or kindness. "Also, there is this man." She smiled down at him; then her eyes, sharp and calculating, cut over to Sportacus. "I have seen you with this man. And obviously you care about him."

She rolled her eyes and scowled darkly. "Although, you damn light elves care about everything in existence. Disgusting," she spat. But then she sniffed delicately and resumed her place in her explanatory lines. "You care about him. It is easy to see that you will do anything for this human."

She looked down contemplatively, fingers drawing lightly over pale skin and dark hair. "Though, if you should pick a human, he is one of the better ones." A bemused look, her expression softening into something almost normal. "Almost like a svartàlfar himself. Or maybe a warlock, instead."

Then her expression lightened in cruel joy and the elf-woman said, "You have seen the extent of my mara powers. You have heard of the places of terror I take the children in their dreams. I have even stolen into this man's mind for his night dreams. I go easily into minds, just as easily as you flip about and be of the Sportacus line."

Sportacus's stomach dropped to somewhere around his boots. What, exactly, was her threat there? Was…was Robbie in more danger than he had originally thought? His breath caught and blood slid down his hand as his fingers tightly gripped his crystal, magic now at a standstill with the simple thought of protect Robbie.

"I will go into his mind," the elf-woman hissed. "I will lock him so deep in his mind that he will never be able to find a way out. He will be nothing more than a shell for the rest of his days." Suddenly, she giggled, bringing her free hand up to cover her now smiling mouth. "Isn't it just delicious?"

She held out her hand. "The crystal, Ten."

"Let go of him first," Sportacus said quietly.

She sneered. "Never." Then she resumed her cheery smiling. "I will just lock him in his mind now. Then I will leave. And then I will start on your other charges. How do you like that, Ten? Guardianship over a whole town of human shells? Sportacus Nine would be so proud." There was something mocking about her tone in those last words.

The crystal? His cherished, Sportacus line crystal? He took in Robbie's long-limbed, loose sprawl on the bench. He thought of the black scowl and dark eyes and long, wordy rants. There was no contest here. Without another word he unhooked his crystal from his vest and tossed it to the side.

The svartàlfar sprang from Robbie's side, grasping the crystal up triumphantly and crowing something to the skies. Sportacus, more concerned with the pale human, ran over to the bench and sat, not hearing a word she said.

"Robbie?" he asked quietly, worriedly touching the smooth cheek with his fingers.

Robbie turned his head and his mouth parted. Sportacus saw the flash of dark iris underneath fluttering eyelashes.

And then, almost suddenly, the sun rose.

The svartàlfar screeched. Startled, Sportacus turned to her. She had both arms up, her skin rapidly turning grey. Snarling, she spun towards them and threw out a whip of dark magic. Magic charged from the rising sun, Sportacus raised a shield defensively around him and Robbie but confusedly felt no shock of dark magic against his own. Then her screech suddenly died off as she became a stone statue, just like the ones that had stood at the edges of the forest in Sportacus's home.

Heart pounding, Sportacus let out a slow exhale. She was gone, his crystal was safe, and…

Turning frantically, Sportacus grabbed hold of Robbie. There was no flutter of eyelash now, no sign of waking. He gently shook the man. "Robbie?"

Nothing. Hands shaking, Sportacus pressed his fingers to throat for a pulse; thankfully, it was still strong against his fingertips. And yet…

Another shake. "Robbie? Robbie?"

Still nothing.