Chapter Text
“Oh hey, we’re in Lazytown, right? So that Rotten guy’s gotta be around here somewhere.”
“Rotten? He’s the town’s villain right? I think I’ve heard of him.”
“You’ve probably heard him too. That guy talks to himself all the time. He’s such a freak.”
Sportacus, who had been doing push-ups behind a wall in the park, froze. He wasn’t usually one for eavesdropping or spying, but the conversation the three strangers were having as they walked by struck a nerve. He crouched low behind the wall and popped his head up, watching them.
“Right? I remember seeing him in Mayhem Town once. He even walks like a freak,” One stranger, a man in a grey shirt, gave an exaggerated frown and hunched his shoulders up to his ears, almost waddling with his knees bent. The other two laughed at the inaccurate display. Sportacus’ eyes narrowed.
The second stranger, a woman with a large white hat, giggled, “I think I have seen him then! He comes into my shop sometimes. He always makes these weird faces when he’s looking around.” She scrunched up her own features and crossed her eyes. This was met with more laughter. Sportacus tried very hard not to grind his teeth.
“That’s so him!” cried the third stranger, even though it wasn’t, “I’ve heard he’s pretty stupid for a villain too. Lets little kids beat him. Lives underground like a mole.” He shook his head, “People like that ought to be put away.”
That was the last straw.
Sportacus leapt over the wall he had been hiding behind and ran at the strangers. He flipped over the three of them and landed in front of them, hands on his hips and fake smile plastered on his face, “Hello there!”
They all jumped at his sudden appearance. The man in the grey shirt pointed, “Hey, you’re that blue sport guy! Sporta-somethin’.”
“I’m Sportacus,” Sportacus said, jabbing a finger at his chest, “I’m Lazytown’s hero.”
The woman with the while hat snorted, “We were just talking about your freakish villain,” she giggled unkindly, “Looks like this town doesn’t need you too much. That guy makes his own problems.”
“About that…” Sportacus walked up closer to them, standing a foot away, “I don’t think you three know Robbie at all.”
The third stranger laughed, “What’s to know? He’s a weirdo, end of story.”
Sportacus hummed, reaching up to scratch his cheek with his left hand, “Well for one thing, my husband,” he flexed the fingers of his left hand deliberately, “is a very smart man. He makes all his own inventions and his own clothes. He’s kind and caring and never makes fun of people for things they can’t help.”
All three strangers were staring at him at this point, no longer smiling, moving their gazes between him and the ring on his finger.
Sportacus forced out a laugh, “Actually, speaking of tics, I have one too,” he said, stepping even closer to them and dropping all mirth from his face, “Whenever I hear people talk badly about my loved ones, I can’t help but want to break their noses. Weird, isn’t it?” He lowered his voice, “In fact, the only thing that stops me is if they leave Lazytown very, very fast.”
That was all it took to make the strangers bolt. Sportacus smirked to himself and walked away, absently rubbing his thumb over his ring.