After everyone gathered some cleaning tools and supplies, they started to tidy up the main room in the house. The greenhouse was too hot for setting up camp there for a longer time, but Cassie made it the second on the list, and invited everyone to camp there one night for stargazing. She set up her tent inside the cleaned room, and altho she could not nail down the ropes, there wasn't any chance a wind would blow her tent away.
Mayor Meanswell went by his day, stating he still has a lot to do, especially around Miss Busybody's house. In the meanwhile Stephanie took the lead on the kids team, and they started swiping the floor, and dusting the walls. Sportacus offered his help with the higher reaching areas and heavy lifting, and in no time they tidied up the whole room.
Cassie went to check out the kitchen, but the door was stuck.
"Sportacus, could you give me a hand over here? I think I need some muscle."
"I'm on my way." He jumped down from a ladder, landing smoothly on his feet.
He examined the door, and pushed it gently at first, but it didn't move an inch.
"Don't be shy, you not just so Slightly Above Average Hero" Cassie teased him, "kick it!"
Sportacus wasn't sure about it, his methods were usually more considered, but Cassie tried to hype him further. "I have to replace it anyway, just do it!"
"It would be dangerous to do that." Sportacus said with a concerned look on his face, tilting his head slightly in uncertainty. It wasn't wise to show a bad example to the kids."Think first Cassie!"
"Yeah, you are right," she surrendered, looking over to the watching eyes of the children, but she added more silently with a teasing smile, "you are no fun." Sportacus shrugged, and nodded towards the kids.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know" Cassie hung her head. "You are the responsible hero, and I am no hero, but still have to be responsible." She stepped aside, a little giving even more space to Sportacus. "What do you suggest?"
"I think it would need to be pushed a little harder," he said, and walked outside the front door. Cassie nodded, mumbling something like "Who's not?!" under her nose.
"APPLE" he shouted, and his airship dropped the fruit down, straight to his hand.
Cassie shook her head in amazement, and turned to Pixel "Woah. This is still the most bada… I mean the coolest thing I have ever seen. Does this ever get old?"
"Nope, it doesn't." He laughed. He really enjoyed seeing Cassie being amazed. "It would make a perfect blog entry. Doesn't it?"
"We'll see." She nodded. She wasn't sure about putting that out to the internet. It smelled like a secret to be kept in Lazytown.
Sportacus walked back, already eating the apple.
"Ewww. Did you even wash it?" Cassie teased him again, she enjoyed gently mocking his perfectly good attitude, because it was unrealistically perfect, and irritatingly good.
"It's already washed, and at the perfect temperature, not too cold to cause a sore throat, but cold enough to be kept crisp." he answered with a childish innocence. "Health first!"
He finished his apple, flexed his muscles and gave another push to the door, which fell into the kitchen like it was never attached.
"Man, I need an apple like this." Cassie laughed, shaking her head, and covering her forehead in disbelief. That guy was mysterious and dangerous, but still, she had a feeling he couldn't harm a fly.
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Stingy cleverly offered the quote.
"More like an apple a day to keep you unhinged," Cassie said walking to the kitchen, "just ask this poor fella'" she pointed to the broken door. Sportacus accompanied her, and Cassie leaned over to him, to say something, but the kids followed them closely so she decided against it. Even if the sporty hero noticed it, he didn't bring it up.
The kitchen was small, and functional, offering only a stove, a sink, a shelf and a table.
"Cozy!" Cassie cheered without any sarcasm in her voice. Sportacus still couldn't figure her out. At one moment she was mocking, teasing, testing the limits, at the next she was hopeful and positive. She was a puzzle for him, and for the long term wellbeing of his friends he needed to find out what Cassie was made of. She was a good hearted person, he could clearly feel it, but still, she needed boundaries, to keep her 'free spirit' in bay. A good person with a bad influence, that was she was.
Suddenly Trixie pushed her way forward, and looked around making a face of pure disappointment. "It's smaller than my room." She stated. "There is not even enough space for a proper fridge!"
"I mean, you aren't wrong about it. But I don't need or have a fridge. Yet. Altho I plan to stay for a while soo… " Cassie examined the doorframe. "if we could remove this wall… Sportacus already expressed that he doesn't like the closeness of that space, so we might open it a little more." She looked at the kids with her mischievous smile.
"I don't… " the blue hero mumbled. "You asked me to…" He couldn't finish it, because the kids started to laugh, so he just shook his head looking at her from under his brows. His expression said you got me, and he started to have a feeling their relationship will be based on these kinds of jokes, and he was okay with it, until it's not harmful to anyone.
"But enough of the destruction, and I'm looking especially at you Sportacus," Cassie announced, enjoying her small victory. "It's time to build!" The kids cheered on her statement, they love to craft, to build, to create.
"We need materials, so let's make a list to the Mayor" she continued, "I understand that he likes those."
"He certainly does," Stephanie laughed "So much so he doesn't seem to get rid of any of them."
Cassie chuckled, and shouldered Sportacus "I like this girl." He didn't give her any reaction, but stared at the floor for a moment, before he nodded.
"It would be better to talk to the Mayor today, but continue this tomorrow. It's already lunch time."
"You are right, my Dude!" Cassie turned towards the kids. "Team! Thank you for your hard work! We need to plan this out carefully so this will be the most awesome haunted mansion of Lazytown!"
Sportacus sent a warning look to Cassie again. Stephanie noticed it, and jumped in with her usual positive attitude.
"I think this will be beautiful." She smiled at them. A joyful smile spread across Sportacus' face. "I think you are right Stephanie!" He put a hand to her shoulder, but removed it immediately and put it back to his hip, glancing over to Cassie, if she noticed it.
"I think it is already beautiful. It just needs a little more time. Dreams take time to build." Cassie said, looking straight into Sportacus' eyes, because yes, she did.