Title: Nightmares and Dreamscapes- Chapter 17/?
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: Sorry if the updates take too long for you guys, but I do have other stories and other things (yanno, like RL) on my plate. But thanks for all the reviews!
As they walked the forest got darker and darker, whatever light that had lit their path now mostly blocked by the heavy canopy; it was just with the little bit of light filtered through the leaves that illuminated their way. The trees got thicker and pulled in closer around them, the flickering of the memory-lights slowly dying away to nothing. As Wisdom stomped along whatever path he saw, he had to push away branches and squirm around tree trunks. "Keep close," he hissed to Sportacus as he edged through a thin space between two close trees. "We don't want you getting lost in here. The last thing the All needs is the Instincts or Defense coming after you. Or, All forbid, Glanni."
Glanni? Hadn't he heard that before? Hadn't Sadness mentioned it—him when he had been talking about the Instincts? "What, exactly, is Glanni?" he asked Wisdom.
Wisdom shot him a glare over one white shoulder and let the branch he was holding swing back. It missed Sportacus's face by centimeters. "Nothing," he answered roughly.
Sportacus reached through all the branches and sticks and wrapped one hand firmly around Wisdom's arm. "Both you and Sadness mentioned him. He must be of some concern," he tried logically, hoping to appeal to Wisdom's main characteristic.
Instead, Wisdom ripped him arm out of Sportacus's grasp and narrowed his eyes even further. "Nothing," he repeated. "You just worry about the Instincts and the Defense."
Sportacus eyed the trees and squeezed his way through him, carefully following his guide. "Why do I need to worry about them?" he asked curiously, still quite not sure why these figures elicited such a response whereas the mysterious Glanni did not.
Cursing lowly but creatively under his breath, Wisdom stumbled over a few twisted roots. Then, on more or less even footing, he explained. "Everyone has instincts. The need for food, shelter, water, and sleep, fight or flight, lust, and will to live are just a few of them. They're very…ah, primitive. They see you and most likely, will steal you away for whatever purpose their particular instinct tells them to." He threw a wary glance up at the canopy.
Then he continued, his tone taking on a lecture-like quality despite how they were in the middle of a dark forest. "It's Defense you may need to worry about. He's the personae of protecting oneself. Since you've seen so much, he may just attack." One shoulder lifted in a shrug. "Who knows what exactly will happen if that occurs?"
Sportacus took in a deep, calming breath. "Would you be able to stop him?" he asked quietly.
Wisdom seemed more concerned with climbing over a rather large, fallen trunk than answering the question. Sportacus crouched, boosted the personae up, and watched as Wisdom inched his way over the tree. His words floated over the obstacle. "Maybe. Defense is automatic to the mind. I'm not sure what will happen if I'm confronted by him over an intruder." There was a crunch and a heavy thud as Wisdom presumably landed.
Sportacus bounced on his toes a few times, crouched, and then flipped, landing in a handstand on the trunk. Wood gave way beneath his palms, his balance shifting dangerously, and he quickly pushed off, spinning through the air. He nearly broke something by landing awkwardly on a tree branch, but everything seemed to be in perfect order. Wisdom leveled him with a flat look and they continued walking.
Shuffling sounds in the trees surrounding them had Sportacus almost paranoid, eyes wide and searching for any movement. It was with a particularly loud crack of a tree branch that had Sportacus jumping and spinning around.
Ahead of him Wisdom snorted in laughter and continued. "Move it, elf," he ordered lazily over his shoulder.
Sportacus searched the shadows and then froze when he saw two dark eyes staring back at him. He stepped closer to the shadowed copse of trees, stopping only when he could see the darker, thinner outline of a person.
"Hello?" he called hesitantly.
The shadow flinched, merging even further into the surrounding darkness that threatened to engulf it.
Sportacus held his hands up peacefully. "I won't hurt you," he said softly.
The shadow paused and then hesitantly leaned forward, moving nervously into a lit area. It was Robbie, the dark blue of his clothing blending easily with the shadows. His eyes were wide, his pallor almost sickly. "Be careful," this Robbie warned in a shaky whisper. Glancing around, he licked nervously at his lips. "They're coming," he said, frightened.
Almost against his will, Sportacus took another step closer. "Who's coming?" he asked.
Robbie's skin somehow paled even further. He brought trembling hands up to his mouth, his laced fingers a cage for whatever knowledge he had, and shook his head, tears gathering in his wide eyes. Then he quickly pulled back into the shadows, gone from Sportacus's sight.
Leaning forward, Sportacus searched the shadowed copse with his hands, finding nothing but more trees. When a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder, he jumped and spun around.
It was just Wisdom, looking furious. "Didn't I tell you already? You need to keep up."
Sportacus looked back at the shadows. "It's just that there was another personae and…"
Wisdom sighed. "Dark clothes, nervous, and frightened as hell?"
"Yeah," Sportacus answered distractedly, still searching.
"That's Fear. You'd only be able to find him way in here." Then he grabbed Sportacus's arm and started dragging him away from the copse. "He won't be back. It's in his nature to freak out over something and to hide." Another tug and Sportacus was stumbling over twisted roots and fallen branches. "Now, come on."