Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Lazy Town. They belong to their respective company of the same name. I am just borrowing the characters for this fan fiction. I only own Readsmore and Lidenbrock, but the name of the latter is somewhat inspired by Jules Verne's character from Journey to the Center of the Earth. My thanks to KrysSaiyan for her continued comments! Also thanks to Amethyst11 for her reviews on I really like the ideas that you are giving me! This chapter is a bit more on the serious side though.

Behind the Crystal

Getting Along Swimmingly

Soon Gretchen Lidenbrock trotted back downstairs with a small gym bag loaded with her change of clothes, towel, and other things. Offering her his arm, Sportacus opened the door and let her go before him. Behind her she closed the door and locked it with the set of keys she kept on a lanyard. Sportacus led the way down the steps, already moving. He made a big point of stretching and limbering up, so she made her best attempt to copy his movements on the front porch.

They took a quick jog during which she tried to keep pace with him. Sportacus did not want to tire her out needlessly and debated if she would care using another mode of transportation. "How far too this swimming place?" she asked him.

"Not far! The mayor had a new pool installed in the gym on Active Street," he said. She followed the number ten logo on the back of his pack as she pumped her arms frantically. He dropped to a slower pace alongside her, urging her on with nods and smiles. Bravely she smiled, sweat pooling everywhere on her body. Sportacus shot out his hand and grasped hers, giving it a squeeze.

"Come on, we're almost there! You're doing great!" he urged.

"All you need… is a set of pomp-poms," she grumbled. With his hand, pulling her along she managed to run the rest of the way towards the steps of the Lazytown gym and racket club.

"Now slow down, let's walk a bit… don't just stop," he instructed. He took her for a small walk around to cool down the pulsing race of her heart and lungs. Then he opened his pack and grabbed a bottle of water to throw her. She clumsily fumbled and caught it, then gulped it down while walking back and forth. Sportacus was right when it came to not abruptly stopping because it would be harder.

"This… is… whoa… I'm not USED to this, but I don't feel bad," she panted. He leaned down, stretching while she attempted to do the same.

"But don't' you feel GOOD?"

"You can't sit still for a minute can you?" she asked, then flopped down to sit on the front steps.

"Your heart and lungs need to slow down gradually so it's better for you body," Sportacus said without even panting. He was sweating a bit but she felt far out of her league with him standing so confidently there and jogging in place. He dropped to do a few sit-ups while she sat there struggling to catch her breath.

"I'm tired already, not to be a pest," she grumbled, swigging the rest of her water down. An apple shot up from nowhere, landing in her lap and making her shriek a bit. A striped cap and goggles shot back up into view with his smiling face and rather charming wink.

"Why didn't you say so? I have plenty of this where it came from," he said.

"Would granola hurt?" she asked.

"As a matter of fact that's a good idea," he said.

"Here you go, Sportlein," she said, reaching into her pack and fishing out a granola bar. She tossed it clumsily but he caught it with one upraised hand. Gretchen eagerly tore off the wrapper and devoured the bar. She slipped the apple into her pack. To his slightly disappointed look she said, "I'm saving THIS for later. Carbs are good for quick energy but a sports expert like you should know protein is also…"

"Of course, that's very good. You DO know your nutrition," Sportacus praised her.

"And I do know my strokes," she said, pushing herself up to stand. She was a bit stiff but did not want to show Sportacus how stiff. He pretended not to notice, and took her hand in his again to lead her into the gym/workout center. Yet, he darted around to open the door for her quickly, sparing a glance up at the airship floating in the distance over town hall. His blue eyes narrowed and he saw the light flashing from the end of a scope.

Far above Lazytown, Nimrod wrapped one hand around the pole, standing nimbly on the platform of Sportacus 10's airship. His other leather-gloved hand clutched the telescope made of brass. Unlike the blue and white one Sportacus had, this was his own fine piece lovingly polished to shine like gold. Hawklike eyes watched Sportacus as he worked out with Gretchen, and he nodded. Then Nimrod turned his scope and angled it down to the playing field. The childern were out kicking a small rubber ball around in a game of kickball.

"Good. Now let's see if the professor takes the bait," Nimrod nodded.

Droplets collided with the cement deck around a medium sized swimming pool. Wearing a black one-piece suit, Gretchen hauled herself up the metal ladder. Her dark hair was tucked under a white bathing cap to keep it from drifting in her face. Most people in Lazytown did not bother, but she liked having it out of the way and minimizing the damage from chlorine. She strode to the other end and then jumped off the medium board into the pool. Pressing off from the far wall she flipped over on hr back and pulled her arms in a slow steady backstroke. Easily she floated and glided through the water. Bare legs were cleanly shaved and her skin was moderately tanned though the upper arms and thighs were far paler. Shortsighted eyes were left bare to the pool instead of wearing glasses or goggles. Sparkly sequins were sewn on the front of the suit that came up to just behind her chin and fastened around her neck in back. The back of her suit was covered in a keyhole cut leaving the rest open.

She had just completed one lap when she heard another splash and droplets of water hit her in the face. A muscular figure shot up from the far end of the pool, using his powerful arms to tug him through the water with a freestyle stroke and kick. As he turned his head to the side she could see his blue bathing cap with twin white stripes around a black, and the familiar goggles covering his face. She only caught hints of the extent of his muscular body as he swam to the end and then flipped over. Gretchen flipped on her stomach, and then started to lash her arms and legs in crawl stroke. Every other stroke took her face partly turned up to peer at the blur that was he. She glimpsed a red and yellow 10 on the hip of his leg, then blue, white, and light blue.

Despite the fact he wanted to be athletic, she guessed he was wearing swimming trunks. They were only slightly loose and flared at the bottom, and held up with a drawstring when he pulled himself out of the water. Powerful thighs, calves thrust up, and he stood on the edge. Then he turned abruptly and strode towards the high diving board. Indeed, they were swim trunks for she saw them clinging to his muscular backside. Like his costume they had twin white stripes enclosing a black one down the sides. The front was dark blue instead of the light blue of his sports pants. Higher up on his left hip was the logo 10 that he always had on most of his clothes and paraphernalia. She spent a minute or two admiring the view, and then returned to swimming laps.

Sportacus arched off the board then sliced into the surface of the water with hardly a splash. Then he shot underwater like a shark to hit the far end of the pool. Gretchen continued her strokes, having flipped on her back to watch him as she moved. Despite her poor vision without glasses she could see enough to know he filled out those swim trunks nicely. Strangely, she expected him to wear Speedo's, but knowing how he wore more modest togs, the trunks made more sense.

A smile crossed her lips and she crossed paths with him indirectly in the other lane. Sportacus lips twisted in a mischievous smirk seeing her swimming so peacefully. He had to admit that he liked the way the suit curved over her backside and generous hips. Although she had some fat on her legs, they were tapered and feminine, and her shape pleasing to the eye. He wondered what her hair looked like wet. So he dove under the rope and followed under her ways swimming on the bottom on his back. Gretchen heard a snapping crack and burbling of the water for sound was magnified several times. Although she did not see Sportacus swimming under her, she suspected something was weird when she saw a shadow. Then two strong hands grabbed her hips and flipped her over on her side.

"Got you!"

"Nice try, Sportlein!" she spluttered, trying to shove him off. Wrapping an arm under her legs and back, Sportacus trapped her in his arms and kicked off the side of the pool towards the deep end. Past the lanes, he swam holding her, using his powerful legs alone to move. Gretchen laughed and wrestled against him trying to get away. His hands were almost impossible to break free from, and he was laughing as he dragged her along with him. Once he was over the deep end under the diving board he remained on his back and looked down at her squirming in his arms.

"What's the big idea, eh? I thought we were working out?"

"We are, but while swimming laps is good exercising it's more fun to play a bit," he teased. She grabbed the goggles and tugged them up so she could see his eyes. Distracted, he let go of her with one hand, and she lunged out of his arms holding them by the strap.

"HEY!"

"You missing something?" she laughed, brandishing them aloft. Sportacus dove under, his feet kicking up and he swam after her. She put the goggle strap between her teeth and swam powerfully around the deep end. Something lunged up and grabbed her bathing cap, yanking it off. She yelped and let go of the goggle strap, and the things landed in the water. Fortunately they floated, past where Sportacus held her bathing cap with a flourish of triumph.

"Now the score's even a bit," he laughed, spitting out water. Holding it out he lunged after the goggles. She lunged forwards, kicking her feet and laughing to grab the goggles away. She snatched the goggles before he could rescue them and tossed them up on the side of the pool so they were a ways from the edge. Sportacus retaliated by flinging her bathing cap much further. Soon they were laughing and splashing each other by slapping the flats of their hands hard on the surface. Somewhere in the wrestling match she grabbed his swim cap and yanked it off to reveal his dirty blonde hair and ears sticking slightly out. Gretchen's long braid swirled in the water behind her head like a mermaid's tail and her coppery brown eyes gleamed free of glasses. Again she felt his arms under her and he held her fast. She was surprised when he lifted her up and stood on the bottom, then walked towards the shallower end.

"You're going to go find where you threw those things!" he laughed.

"How do you expect me to find them without my glasses, eh, smarty?" she asked, pushing his bangs out of his eyes. Without any head covering, he looked younger, and shivered at the brush of her hands past the tips of his ears. Gold hair covered his shoulders and chest, and down his arms, two shades lighter then his dark wet mess of waves. He guessed most female humans must shave their hair off, and figured he would ask Stephanie why women did so later. They had strange hang-ups when it came to their bodies that Sportacus did not quite get, compared to females of his kind. Nevertheless humans couldn't easily use magic to change their forms like elf kind, relying on machines and cosmetics instead to hide their old age while elves could feint age with the flick of a hand.

She was more solidly built then an elf, but Sportacus was not exactly a featherweight. As many elves went, he was more of the stocky sort. Not barrel chested and stout like dwarves, but not as long legged and slender as Nimrod's kin does. Most elves from her region were the slender fair-haired ones of Tolken and mythic legend. Her human body was soft and feminine, and she put out a great deal of warmth when he held her against his chest playfully and looked at her clear skin with only a few freckles. Gretchen shivered being so close but hated the fact she could not clearly see him unless she was almost on top of him. Now she was literally and his forward motion made her drape one arm around his neck and bare shoulders as he climbed up the steps still carrying her.

"You can put me down, silly!" she laughed, slapping his bare back. It gave her an excuse to touch the strong prominent muscles. Against her side his muscular chest brushed, solid and hard.

"Not without your glasses! I told the Captain I'd look after you," he said. Then his eyes narrowed and Gretchen saw him swivel his head back and forth. Scrunching her face, she tried to hear a distant musical beeping coming from the side. Without stopping to put her down Sportacus dashed forward so it became louder. He let her legs swing down and then grabbed up the vest that had his crystal case attached to it from the neatly folded pile of his sports clothes.

Gretchen grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her waist, then shoved her feet into a pair of sandals she brought from the locker room. "Someone's in trouble," he muttered. Grabbing the white shirt he pulled it on over his still wet chest, and tugged it over his head, then snatched up his hat. She realized he had a different pair of goggles then felt silly tossing his aside. However, he was still dripping wet so she threw him a towel. He did not waist time trying to pull on the long pants, he simply shoved his feet into a pair of shorter sneaks and socks quickly then tugged his vest with the crystal case on it over the shirt.

"Go on, I'll be fine," she said. Sportacus shook his head but seeing her grab up her clothes and rush to the locker room, he knew she would not listen. Quickly he bundled up his possessions, stuffed them into the back, and rushed after her.

"No time," he said, grabbing her around her waist. She yelped and shrieked as Sportacus dashed out through the gym carrying her swimming suit clad form over his back.

"Sportacus, you idiot! My clothes… my glasses!" she yelped.

"Whoops," he apologized, and then dashed past the chair where she had put her glasses case, and a small change purse with a T-shirt to wear later. He shoved the items into his bag as they went along, darting out and running as fast as he could with her staring down at his fast moving legs. Despite her protests, he raced out carrying her into the bright sunlit day.

"Who's in trouble, Sportacus you put me down! I'm only slowing you down!" she shouted.

"We're in trouble!" Sportacus panted. Suddenly a strange smoke drifted over the windows, blotting out the sun. She smelled something acrid like burning wood, and another oddly sweet chemical. It was definitely one of Professor Drekspatz's smoke bombs, but she hated to think of what would happen next.

He reached up and grabbed something out of his backpack, then twirled it around his hand. Gretchen saw a rod telescope out to the length of a vaulter's pole. Sportacus held her steady with his other, while holding the pole in his right.

"Hold on! I need both hands!" he said. She did so, squeezing her eyes shut. Sportacus dashed forwards then pushed the pole down. She felt a quick sensation of leaping then a jarring as they stopped. Then she felt herself being plopped down on some sort of seat sideways. Still the towel was latched around her hips, and her body shivered from the rush of air. Blinking she realized he had slung her behind him on one of his sky chasers and was quickly pedaling the craft towards his airship. He did not have to ask her to latch an arm around his waist and hang on for dear life.