DISCLAIMER: Still don't own LazyTown. Making no money off of LazyTown or its inhabitants. Seriously…nothing at all. Simply twisted pleasure. Although, it's not that twisted really, is it? Nah, just simple pleasure then.
A/N: Hellooooo…remember me? (:crickets:) Anyone?
Happy Valentines Day! I did it: another chapter (:grins:) HORRIBLY late, I know. It was…oh dear, almost four months? Sorry about that (:sweatdrops:) Hm, and this beginning might look a little similar to the ending of the last chapter…I rewrote it. Not because I thought it was bad, per se. It was just because…when I went to start writing the next chapter (this chapter) I was in the car on the way to visit my grandmother in the hospital (she broke her hip) and couldn't remember exactly where I had left off chapter five. Then I couldn't figure out how to meld the two so I just snipped the ending off of five and saved it elsewhere, incase later I figure out how to integrate it…
Thanks again for the reviews guys! (:eyes glaze over:) My pretty, pretty reviews... clears throat KrysSaiyan, LoveTHYconan, The Shekinah (twice:kisses:), Glanni Glaepur, Kytten, allikat225, AnonyMiss731, Shi Rurouni of the Aphrodesiac, and authoraisarete; you are all wonderful beyond words. Thank you (or anyone else who might not have left their paw prints) for reading.
Anyway, here's the next chapter, the longest yet, I do believe. Enjoy.
A Slippery Slope
Chapter 6: Blue Skies
Robbie glanced up at the blimp floating in the cheerful blue sky. The happy horizon was clear; not a single fluffy white cloud marred its perfection. Birds were chirping in the blossoming trees and butterflies flitted singly or in pairs about the verdant lawn. Sportacus' vessel hovered in the sapphire wasteland. Robbie frowned. How is one expected to reach that stupid blue balloon anyway? A gentle breeze ghosted across his skin as the blimp shifted slightly, unblocking the sun. Robbie winced.
"It was bright enough without that gigantic ball of fire piercing my eyes."
The children ignored his grumblings.
"Well, how do we get up?" Trixie demanded. The rest of the kids exchanged brief looks before turning to Robbie.
"Don't ask me," he huffed. "I'm sure I've never been up there."
Stephanie blinked. "Has anyone been up?"
The all shook their heads; Robbie continued to glare.
"Sportacus usually just calls his ladder down, right?" Pixel offered.
"Yeah!" Ziggy and Stingy agreed.
"So we should be able to call it down too!" Pixel continued.
"That won't work," Robbie interjected flatly.
"Why not?" Pixel was indignant, preparing to defend his suggestion.
"It's voice activated."
"We have voices," Trixie said haughtily.
"Yes," Robbie agreed impatiently, "but do you have Sportacus' voice?"
They shared looks of confusion so identical it was almost comical. Had Robbie not been in such a lovely funk of a mood, he might have even laughed at them.
"I'm sure all of his gadgets are keyed to his voice only. I have a few I've created in the lab, and I make sure they only answer to me."
"Yeah, but that's you, Robbie. Sportacus trusts people," Trixie blurted, placing her hands on her hips for emphasis.
The children nodded.
"Fine, go ahead and try it. You'll just that see I'm right, as always," Robbie crossed his arms.
"Okay, on three." Stephanie held up three fingers. "One." Ziggy held his breath. "Two." Stingy giggled. "Three!" Stephanie pumped her fist into the air as they all shouted ladder! dramatically.
Nothing happened.
Robbie began to chuckle. "See? Didn't I tell you—"
:flipflipflipflip:
:CLUNK:
"Ow," Robbie held his head and glared at the offensive assault weapon, which had finally descended to the group. It was a long way down from the airship.
"Yay!" the children chorused.
"Yippy," Robbie mocked.
"Mine!" Stingy clung to the ladder.
"Stingy," Stephanie admonished, prying his fingers off of the rungs. "We need to decide who's going up."
"I will, I will!" Stingy yelped. Visions of glittering treasure hiding in the floating fortress, which he would find and claim for his own, flashed before his eyes.
"Stingy, it's a loooong way up, and if you start to slip, we don't know if Sportacus will be able to rescue you, remember?" Stephanie continued to harp. Sometimes she felt like the sole voice of reason. Especially now with Sportacus missing. She sighed.
Stingy looked down. "Yeah, I guess," he agreed reluctantly.
"I can go! I'm a hero in-training! See my cape? See, see?" Ziggy pointed excitedly to the habitual, red cloth tied around his neck.
"Ziggy, same goes for you. You're still a hero in-training. You could fall too."
"Well, it's possible for all of us to fall, isn't it?" Trixie pointed out.
"Yes," Pixel agreed, "but since Robbie is the most experienced with a ladder, he should be the one to go up."
"Me?" Robbie pointed to himself. "What makes you think you can volunteer me?"
Pixel shrugged.
"And experienced with a ladder, how?" Robbie tensed, suspicious of Pixel's suspected ability to monitor situations with hidden technology. He was supposed to be the only one spying on the town. Who did Pixel think he was? Trying to cut in on his spying status... Did he see them last night, outside of Pinkie's room? Robbie was going to have a panic attack if one more of those brats found out about the…goings on of last night. It was bad enough that Pink Stink—
"You climb a ladder out of your home every time you come out, don't you?" Pixel explained.
"Oh," Robbie sighed. He was the only one spying after all. Then he tensed again, realizing what the wiz kid was suggesting. "Well, I guess—"
"Plus, since you're the oldest, you'll know what to do if Sportacus is really in trouble," Stephanie reasoned.
Robbie arched a dark eyebrow.
"At least, more than we would, probably..." She trailed off.
Robbie stared, arms held stiffly at his sides. He didn't have any counterarguments for her.
"Do you really trust me to go up there myself?" He attempted to play the "villain" card.
It was Stephanie's turn to raise an eyebrow, as she gave Robbie a pointed look.
Argh, she knows! Cursed weaknesses for blue eyes and impossibly cut physiques. Memories of the dream-picnic and last night's late-night-rendezvous broke free from where he had mentally padlocked them, and loudly announced that they had arrived in the forefront of his thoughts. Agh! Get out of my head!
"Alright, alright, I'll go!" The kids jumped, startled at his sudden concession. Robbie ignored them, looking up the impossibly long, and high ladder. He gulped and took a deep breath, hoping to steady his frantically beating heart. He really hated heights. His eyes darted to Stephanie. He felt like the accused being fitted for the noose at the gallows; and Stephanie was the clergygirl in the pink robes asking if he had any last words before the boards were pulled. He shivered. Actually, he did have a closing statement he wouldn't mind making...
"I'll go, but Pink Stuff is coming with me."
Her eyes widened. Then she nodded bravely, her chest rising slightly.
"What?! Why does Stephanie get to go?" Stingy objected.
"Because Stephanie is the oldest, besides Robbie and me, and I hate heights," Pixel shuddered.
"Yeah, but what are we supposed to do while the heroes are saving the day?" Trixie jabbed a thumb in the direction of Stephanie and Robbie, who had both gravitated towards the ladder.
Robbie scowled at her. "I can tell you what to do with that thumb you just thrust in my direction, but I don't know about the rest of your lovely self."
Trixie made a disgusted sound in the back of her throat, and opened her mouth to retort.
"Trixie," Stephanie preempted. "You guys can look around town in case there are any people that need to be helped, since Sportacus is off duty."
"Yeah, that's a great idea!" Ziggy cheered.
"But at least one of you should stay here and keep a look out for us."
"Good idea, I'll stay," Pixel volunteered. He sat down, pulling a laptop out of his backpack. "I'll look up remedies for sugar overdose incase that's what happened to him."
"Good thinking," Stephanie clapped him on the back. "Now, you three…" She turned to Ziggy, Stingy, and Trixie. Ziggy hopped to attention and the other two followed after a little urging from the youngest. "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to patrol the town and make sure no one is in trouble, besides Sportacus." They nodded. "Kneel." Stephanie grabbed her pink baton which had been leaning against a tree. "I dub thee: Deputy Heroes for the day. Now rise, as the new town heroes."
The three stood and saluted her, clicking their heels.
"Go forth and spread your justice," she gestured widely with her baton.
They scattered in three different directions, eager to prove themselves.
"Just make sure you don't get yourselves into any trouble!" Pixel called out after them.
oOoOo
"Okay, you guys ready?" Pixel looked to the two standing near the ladder.
Stephanie glanced at Robbie. "Me first?" She offered.
He glared at the rope ladder. "No, I'll go first."
A look of surprise blossomed across Stephanie's face.
"I don't want to spend the entire climb having to look up your skirt, or whatever that pink thing is that you always wear."
She rolled her eyes.
"Plus, this way if I fall, at least I'll have you to cushion me."
"And what if I fall?" Stephanie put her hands on her hips.
"You're small. You'll bounce."
Stephanie let it drop. Robbie was a stubborn man, and if he wanted to go first he could go right ahead. There were perks to arguing with Robbie though, and now that she wasn't she had too much extra attention to spare on the fear settling in her stomach. She cleared her throat. "After you, Robbie," she stated, sweeping an arm towards the ladder and bowing slightly.
Robbie scowled at her pomp, but grabbed the rope ladder anyway. As he started to climb the horribly unstable contraption, he could feel the fear curling in his belly as well. He carefully placed his foot on the next rung, grumbling under his breath at the injustice of it all.
oOoOo
"Ahh!"
"Robbie!"
"It's swaying!"
"It's just a slight breeze, Robbie. Keep going."
"I can't keep going; I'm too busy holding on for dear life!"
"Robbie, just take a deep breath, lift your foot, and take the next step. My arms are getting tired and we're almost there, okay?"
Robbie nodded, his look of horror softening slightly.
Stephanie looked down at Pixel, tens of feet below, his orange hair just a dot in the green backdrop. She tightened her grip and forced herself to keep her eyes on her hands.
They continued up.
oOoOo
Sportacus was knee-deep in old boxes. He hadn't even been aware that so many were still in his closets, stored away for safekeeping. It wasn't that he was a clutter bug; he only kept the things which were dearest to his heart. Apparently, he held a whole lot dear that he had forgotten about over the years.
After a short but balanced breakfast he had tackled the numerous boxes, hoping to find a photo album he had had since he was very young. They contained the few pictures of his parents he was able to collect over the years. Sportacus couldn't remember his birth parents, really; they had died in an airplane accident when he was only two years old. He had then been raised by his grandparents. They were wonderful people, but Sportacus had always felt ostracized by the other kids because his guardians were so much older.
He sighed. Not that it matters now… They're long gone and I am happy where I am.
At least, that's what he told himself. Lately, though, there seemed to be something missing. A sense of hollowness shadowed his joy. He loved the kids of LazyTown, they really were wonderful. But Sportacus wasn't a kid anymore. Stephanie was the closest he had to a "friend," and she was still too young to understand him completely. All of the kids hero-worshipped him and Sportcus didn't blame them for that. No, every child needed a hero-figure, and he was more than willing to be that for them. But…he needed something too. Not someone he could look up to, he was secure enough in his own accomplishments to be beyond that stage, but someone he could look to. He needed someone who could see his faults as well as his accomplishments; who wouldn't be crushed if he slipped up a little; and who could criticize him, then help him better himself. Someone with dark hair and hazel eyes, who ate horribly and didn't like to exercise… Someone who would foil him perfectly.
Sportacus sighed again, opening a new box and shuffling through some old schoolwork. A drawing done with brightly colored crayons caught his attention. It was of him, in a blue shirt and pants, and another figure, wearing a purple top with long, blue jean-clad legs, sitting underneath a bush filled with tiny red hearts. It was a valentine he had received from one of his classmates. Right before we moved away…
He was getting warmer.
oOoOo
A/N: Okay, so I'm not so subtle (:shrugs:) I still like me. I debated whether or not I should have called this chapter The Valentine, but I figured that would be too corny. And yes, I do realize that I introduced a potential storm at the beginning of chapter four, and apparently now it's sunny as hell, with no word in between as to why it changed… It based on a kid's show people! Don't put too much thought into it…please? Oh, and I do have the next chapter at least somewhat started, so it shouldn't take four months. I hope.