Title: Nightmares and Dreamscapes- Chapter 18/?
Fandom: Lazytown
Pairing: Sportacus/Robbie
Rating: T/M
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: This thing has been up for almost three months. Hmmm. One or two of you asked about Glanni. I think he'll show up in the next chapter. Hope you enjoy this one though! Also there's quite a bit of cursing in this one.
Earlier, it had been the forest had been getting denser and darker, as if trying to keep both Wisdom and Sportacus away from the center of Robbie's mind. Now, the forest was clearer, light spilling through the canopy and spotting the path, the trees spacing out so there was room for them to walk. Wisdom looked around suspiciously, one hand constantly wrapped around Sportacus's wrist so he simply wouldn't wander away, again.
In the clearer, lighter area, Sportacus felt less tense than earlier. He didn't glance around, paranoid, he didn't jump at the crack of a branch, and he didn't mind the rustle of the leaves above him. In such a bright place, how could one get hurt?
Relaxed, he ignored the almost violent creak of branches above him. Wisdom frowned and leveled a glare towards the sky as the canopy rustled. Narrowing his eyes at the shuffling leaves, he paused, hand tightening around Sportacus's wrist. "Hmmm," he murmured, eyes darting around.
"Something wrong?" Sportacus asked lightly, unconcerned about the shuffles and rustles and creaks.
"I'm not sure," Wisdom replied softly. "Perhaps…" and he trailed off into nothing. His paranoia suddenly seemed appropriate when something fell through the canopy and crashed onto the floor in a defensive crouch.
Wisdom drew back, pushing Sportacus behind him. It was another Robbie—at least, Sportacus thought it was. This Robbie was barely clothed in a ripped pair of black pants, the torn hems circling around his bare feet. Dirt stood out on the pale skin; scars, bright white and shiny, crossed his body. His hair wasn't the slicked-back style Sportacus was so familiar with; instead the hair was longer, curled, framing his narrow face.
This Robbie pulled up some from his crouch, jabbing what appeared to be a sharp rock at them. Brows furrowed, he scowled fiercely, shifting the apparent weapon in one hand.
Wisdom drew in a deep breath and said, "Hello, Defense. Whatever are you doing here?" Although his voice was steady, his hand, pressed against Sportacus to keep him back, shook.
So this was Defense, the protector of Robbie's mind? Interesting.
The weapon was stabbed at Sportacus.
"Ah, him?" Wisdom queried.
A sharp jerk of the narrow face was his answer.
Adjusting his glasses—almost nervously, Sportacus realized—, Wisdom sniffed delicately and said, "He is going to bring the All back to reality, Defense."
Those dark eyes narrowed contemplatively as Defense shifted his weight.
"He's the only one who can," Wisdom said.
Slowly, Defense eased from his crouch, expression wary. The tension seemed to vanish from him as he regarded Sportacus as something other than a mere intruder. This vision was broken when another something crashed through the underbrush and rolled to a stop in front of them.
It was another Robbie, dressed exactly like Defense, though this personae was minus the scars. Blankly, he glanced around at them. All of them watched, though Sportacus's gaze was only curious whereas the two personaes regarded the newcomer warily.
"Fuck," the newcomer mumbled. "Fuck. Screw. Heat heat heat. Sex sex sex sex." The blank gaze shifted so it landed on Sportacus; his mouth twisted into a lascivious grin. "Need heat, need desire, need fuck fuck fuck."
Wha…?
Defense pointed the weapon at the new Robbie and spat something at him in a guttural, harsh language. Tension tightening his shoulders, Defense scowled and shifted his weight contemplatively.
The new Robbie tilted his head. "Need," he wheedled softly.
Defense jabbed the weapon again, violently spitting more words at the creature. The new Robbie shook its head, eyes still blank. Growling under his breath, Defense stepped forward and kicked the Robbie away from them.
Breath catching in his throat, Sportacus surged forward. Yes, they were personae, but they were a part of Robbie. How would such violence from one personae to another affect Robbie's mind? Despite his strength, Wisdom easily held him back.
The new Robbie rolled away from the kick and landed in a sprawl. For a moment he simply stared at the canopy; then he pulled himself into a crouch as if the kick never happened and bounced away in a crouch as if he were some sort of monkey.
Defense spat after the creature, eyes on the rustling underbrush. When the strange Robbie had completely vanished, Defense turned back to Sportacus, tension gone once more. Stepping closer to Sportacus, Defense stared at him, brows furrowed in obvious confusion. Sportacus eyed him back warily, gaze occasionally flicking towards the loosely held weapon.
But then Defense gave him a small smile—more a simple quirk to the corners of his mouth, really— and brought up his free hand to draw it gently along one cheek. Just as quickly as it had happened, Defense stepped back, gaze on Wisdom.
He said something in that strange language—not so guttural or harsh now that the violence and scorn behind the words were gone—to Wisdom. Then, that done, he simply melted into the underbrush as if he had never been there.
Hesitantly, Sportacus moved his eyes from the bushes to the Wisdom. Then he chuckled. Wisdom looked completely flabbergasted, a different expression for the usually composed personae.
Catching Sportacus's eye, he straightened and rearranged his expression into something more placid. "Defense has just approved of your journey through the All's mind."
He started walking through the forest once more and Sportacus hurried to follow. "And…and what was that about?"
"Mm?" Sportacus could just catch the disgusted expression on Wisdom's face. "That was an instinct. Lust, unfortunately. Defense does not get along with the Instincts sometimes."
"And he…approves, you said?"
"Uh huh. Now come on, elf. We still have a ways to go."