This was not part of the plan.

Robbie paced across the floor of his lair. His steps were short and fast, not like his normal long legged stride. It wasn't the contemplative stalking he desired so much as a restless trot back and forth to eat up some of the uncomfortable energy inside him. And he had a lot of energy to burn.

He shuddered and quickened his pace but there was no way to outrun reality. The Mind-Me-Matic had given him control of Sportacus, all right. Just not the way he had intended. It took one look in the mirror to confirm his worst fears. He was inside Sportacus' body.

"Stupid blue elf!" Robbie exploded. He jumped at the resounding echo of Sportacus' voice shouting back at him throughout the cavernous chamber. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

It would take a while to get used to hearing Sportacus' voice when he opened his mouth. Not that he wanted to get used to anything about this.

He needed to get back to his body. But where had he left it? He vaguely remembered falling into the bushes before waking up in the hero's head. It ought to still be there, then, it wasn't like it could just get up and walk away without him, unless…

The rusty orange speakers dropped down from the ceiling, clamoring out with children's voices. Robbie ran across the room to the control center. Without thinking he vaulted up and over the railing onto the catwalk. It was so effortless in the athletic elf's body, no wonder Sportacus jumped and flipped everywhere. Robbie determined not to do anything of the sort again if he could help it and reached up for the periscope.

The periscope was just out of reach. Robbie stared at the offending object, his head going hot. With a growl he jumped up and grabbed the handle bars. Yanking it down he glared into the view port.

His jaw dropped.

"Guys, look what I found!"

Ziggy pulled the Mind-Me-Matic out from the bushes. The other kids crowded around.

"Isn't it the coolest thing you've ever seen?"

"What is it?" Trixie squinted. "It looks like one of Bessie's hair dryers."

"That's no hair dryer," Pixel said, studying the thing while Ziggy waved it around. "It looks more like some kind of ray gun."

"Wow, cool!" Gripping it in both hands Ziggy jabbed it in front of himself, aiming all around and forcing his friends to step back. "Pew-pew! Take that, space bandit!"

"Let me see it," Stingy demanded. He grabbed for the controller. "I want to hold it."

"Stop it, Stingy," Ziggy protested. The two boys grappled over the controller. "I found it, I should get to play with it first."

Robbie couldn't bear to watch any longer. He shoved the periscope back up and hopped over the railing, hitting the floor at a run. He had to stop those kids before they did anything reckless with that remote.

Wait!He skidded across the floor as he tried to halt his momentum and tumbled head over heels, springing back to his feet no worse for the wear. There was no way he was going up there where everyone would see him looking like this. He turned back to the control center, making a bee line for the row of tubes displaying his costumes.

"It's disguise time," Robbie declared. Somehow it didn't have quite the same ring to it coming out in Sportacus' voice.

Stephanie crossed her arms and shook her head while Ziggy and Stingy fought over their new toy. They yanked and pulled, spinning around the sidewalk. Pixel had wandered down the path after poking through the bushes for any more ray guns, but there appeared to only be the one. Trixie blew out a sigh through her lips.

"Just let him have it, Ziggy," Trixie said.

"No way," Ziggy grunted, "Stingy always takes my things!"

"Stingy should wait," Stephanie said, "it's Ziggy's to share."

"Ziggy doesn't own it," Stingy said, "he only found it."

"Finders keepers," Ziggy said.

A shrill whistle blew and made the kids cover their ears. They turned towards the source to see an officer in blue striding towards them.

"Not so fast, sticky fingers." The man flashed his badge at the group. "Name's Officer Obtuse, and I'm responding to a noise complaint." He pointed at the ray gun. "Have you got an open carry license for that thing?"

Neither Ziggy nor Stingy said a word, merely staring at him. The officer held out his hand.

"I'm going to have to confiscate that as evidence. Hand it over peacefully and I won't be forced to arrest anyone."

Neither boy moved to comply. The kids kept staring at him.

"Sportacus," Stephanie said, "what are you doing?"

The man looked back at her for a full beat. "I'm not Sportacus," he muttered. How he wished that were true. Robbie felt his face heat up under the scrutiny of the children.

"Why are you dressed like that, Sportacus?" Ziggy asked. "Is this a new game?"

"Can't you see I'm an officer of the law?" Robbie made one last attempt at keeping up the ruse, but it was pointless. Somehow the kids had seen right through the disguise. Was it because of the mustache?

Stephanie put her hands on her hips and smiled at him. "Does this mean you're feeling better? You were acting strange before."

"He's acting pretty strange now," Stingy said, looking him over. "What's gotten into you?"

Robbie shrugged out of his officer's overcoat and stuffed the badge back in its pocket. "Nothing," he said. It wasn't a "what," so much as a "who." Pixel came walking up behind him.

"Hey guys, I found something else. Check this out."

Robbie turned. The gizmo kid was holding the headpiece from the Mind-Me-Matic, the strap in tatters.

"Don't touch that!" Robbie shouted. The kids took a half-step back at the sharp tone and Pixel nearly dropped his discovery.

"Don't worry, Sportacus, it's safe," the boy said. "See?" He shook the thing up and down. Some tiny pieces rattled inside it like a maraca. "I'm pretty sure it's broken."

"Broken?" Robbie's heart filled his throat. "Where… did you find it?"

"Just down the road there," Pixel said. "Robbie must have dropped it, he was wearing it a little while ago."

Robbie, indeed… His heart sank back down, deep into the pit of his stomach. It had been too much to ask for his body to still be lying in the bushes. It was out there somewhere, and it didn't take a neurosurgeon to tell him who was with it.

Trixie snorted. "That headband must have scrambled Robbie's brain. He sure looked confused."

"Do you think Robbie dropped this too?" Ziggy raised the ray gun. Robbie's eyes riveted back on the device.

"That's right," Robbie said, and reached for the controller again. "I came back to get it, so give it here."

"Shouldn't we give it back to Robbie then?" Stephanie asked. The corners of Robbie's mouth twisted around a scowl that made the pencil thin mustache twitch on his lip.

"You leave that to me to handle. Now," he gave his outstretched hand a shake, "give. It. To. Me."

Ziggy hugged the ray gun to himself and hesitated, his brow quirking as he looked up at the grim expression on his hero's face. Slowly he unfolded his arms to relinquish his possession… until his eyes widened and he clasped the remote close again with one hand, pointing at Robbie with the other.

"Your crystal!"

Robbie took in a deep breath and let it out in a low hiss. "My what, now?"

Stephanie joined in on the pointing. "Your crystal's all lit up, Sportacus. Someone's in trouble!"

Now that they mentioned it, there was a faint beeping sound coming from somewhere outside of Robbie's own ears, a ringing that had nothing to do with his rising blood pressure. He glanced down at his chest. Sure enough there was the crystal flashing inside its casement like some kind of laser light show. He glanced back up at all the expectant faces watching him.

"Aren't you going to get that?" Stingy asked.

Robbie grit his teeth together. "I suppose," he growled. As he turned to leave he pointed sharply at the bunch of kids in warning. "Don't try anything with that machine. I'll be back!"