****NOT SiE - Requested Other Works****
Since there were a few people who expressed interest, I decided to begin reposting my other works. People should keep in mind that these are *not* for the Batman/TDK fandom; I run the fan community for Lazytown, so these two pieces are from that particular fandom. If you aren't familiar with the show, you should be. XD
If people are confused and need a basic introduction to the show and the characters, I'd be happy to oblige.
I ran a very long RPG-story for the show using my own version of the Lazytown universe. The basic gist of it is: Lazytown is to the 60's Batman TV show what my AU is to the Nolanverse. It was far darker. There is SO MUCH complex plot to it, but what had originally been intended to be a side storyline developed a life of its own. Basically, if you like slash, pr0nz, and vampires, A Taste of Madness is for you. I will be posting its chapters at lazyhaven_logs.
For those who'd be interested in a shorter piece, I give you the following:
Title: Ragnarok
Rating: Mature
Author's Notes: This was written to fulfill a friend's Christmas request. Be forewarned that the entire piece is dark in nature and, depending on one's interpretation, could contain violence, torture, noncon, character death, and that said things are directed towards a minor. The request also included a wish for the fic to contain bits of Icelandic traditions and mythology, so some pieces of the story may confuse people who are not familiar with such things. I've tried to minimize the confusion as much as possible.
I don't prefer or particularly like this interpretation of Robbie. It was written as a present, because I said I'd write anything the person wished.
It began much like any other Jól. Perhaps the wind was crisper, the cold more biting; however, everyone was in good spirits for the holiday season. Everyone, that is, except for one: Robbie Rotten.
“They think they’re so much better than everyone else. So loud, so annoyingly cheerful,” he muttered, pacing back and forth before the costume tubes in his lair. “It wouldn’t be so bad if they actually invited me or gave some decent presents.” His nose twitched in irritation at the remembrance. Whenever they do manage to remember, they always seem to give me just one damnable pair of socks. Probably because of that stupid supersti-…superstition…
An idea began to surface. Mulling it over, he dropped into his chair to think, idly tapping at his temple. A devilish grin slowly inched across his face. “’For it is said, if every person does not receive one new piece of clothing, all shall go to the monstrous Yuletide Cat.’” Chuckling, he sprung back to his feet, already surveying the costumes on display. “Why not? I’ll have the best Jól ever, by myself, with all of their things! They’ll be too busy sitting around being depressed and crying to be noisy! Now, how to pull it off...”
Circling around the tubes, he discarded one costume after another until he came to the end of the line, staring at the darkly colored pants and coat, starkly contrasted with a bright red cap. Perfect. Even if I get caught, who would ever suspect and turn away a Yule Lad? Grin spreading from ear to ear, he strode over to the control panel. “…It’s disguise time,” he whispered smugly, and pulled the lever.
A few days later, all of Lazytown was in an uproar. Each day, at least one thing was taken, always some treasured object or something that was to be a gift for Jól. Stephanie’s boom box and favorite dancing shoes were missing, as was Ziggy’s secret stash of taffy and Trixie’s scooter and slingshot. Stingy’s beloved car had vanished right under their noses from his family’s garage, causing the young boy to go into hysterics. He was even more distraught to see the number of packages addressed to him dwindling on his list.
“Sportacus, you have to do something! All of my stuff is disappearing! What….what if I don’t get any presents this year?” he sobbed, scrubbing away the tears that emerged at the very thought.
“I’ll do my best Stingy, everyone,” the short man replied easily, though with a thoughtful frown upon his brow. “I just have no idea where they would go to, or why someone would want to steal anything. If someone needed something, all they would have to do is ask, right guys?” There was a quiet murmured agreement from the gathered crowd, though Stingy looked at the Blue Elf as if he had suddenly sprouted a second head. “Well, first things first. How do we catch the thief?”
“Sportacus, can’t you just use your crystal to tell where and when something’s being stolen?” Trixie asked belligerently, still sore over the loss of her toys.
“I’m sorry, Trixie. It only shows me where and when someone is in trouble, not something,” he remarked sadly, eyes full of sympathy. “We’re going to have to come up with a plan. Anyone have any ideas?”
Everyone mused for a moment, trying their hardest to think of a solution. Stephanie finally piped up, stepping forward. “There’s no real pattern between what’s getting stolen except that it is always one of someone’s favorite things, right?” she reasoned, thoughtfully tapping her feet. “So…all we have to do is gather all the stuff that’s left together, put it somewhere safe, and take turns guarding it. What about that?”
Arguing immediately broke out among them. Ziggy didn’t want to be parted from any more of his candy and Bessie was convinced that one of the ‘guards’ would start playing carelessly and ruin her good things. Stingy began loudly asserting that, indeed, since everything was already his and could only be being stolen by one of them, everything should be brought to his house. Sportacus rubbed at his temple, then moved into the crowd, doing his best to calm everyone.
It was going to be a long day.
Stephanie sighed, idly swinging her feet as she perched on her chair. She knew that they all had to take turns playing the guard, but that didn’t make it any easier to sit by herself, alone and bored, while the rest of the town was out preparing and enjoying yuletide festivities. “I sure wish Pixel would finish that security system,” she mumbled to herself, sketching in her diary to pass the time.
It seemed kinda pointless to simply sit around without anything fun to do, especially since the guards they’d set didn’t seem to be keeping the presents from being stolen, but who was going to argue with Sportacus and the Mayor? Or Bessie, for that matter, who was still regaling everyone with her losses and threatening special chores for whoever was discovered to be the thief.
Adding the last few whiskers to a kitten that was chasing a ball up the side of her page, she nearly dropped the small book when her ears caught the sound of something crashing to the floor. Bouncing to her feet, Stephanie snuck cautiously around the piles of goods, trying to catch a peek of what had happened. What she found was the last thing she’d expected. “…wh-what? Who are you, and what are you doing to our stuff?” she gasped, taking in the tapered red hat, rich white beard, and old fashioned clothing tied with a purple sash around the middle.
Whirling around, hands grasping uselessly at the air now that he’d been caught, a smile slithered into place as he tried to push the broken figurine behind a nearby box with his toe. “Why, surely times aren’t so bad that nobody’s heard of the Yule Lads, are they? I know we don’t put in a lot of personal appearances anymore, but I would think…”
“…Yule Lad?” she repeated, taking in the clothing once again, her instincts giving her a vague inkling that something was off. “Of course we’ve heard of all of you…but which one are you supposed to be? And besides, I thought you were supposed to play fun games and leave presents in our shoes, not go around breaking and stealing things…”
“Uh, what? Stealing?” he gasped, affecting an injured look, one gloved hand clapped over his heart. “Bless your soul, no. I was just…checking to make sure everything was still here, safe and sound! I’m Stúfur, by the way,” he added as almost an afterthought, extending one hand in friendly greeting.
“…but how can you be Stúfur? You aren’t short at all!” she exclaimed with a giggle, taking the outstretched hand and shaking it firmly. Is he really a Yule Lad? I always pictured something a little different…
“Yes, well…that’s a rather sore spot with me. Mother Grýla named me before I’d grown to my full height and… besides, we’re the sons of trolls! What were you expecting, a little dwarf?” he sniffed, still pretending to be a little hurt at her disbelief.
Smiling at the odd creature’s behavior, she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Stúfur. I just didn’t know what to expect. Why would you come all the way to Lazytown, though? Isn’t it a little soon for you to be down from the mountains?”
Glancing back and forth in a conspiratorial manner, he crouched down, beckoning her closer before whispering in her ear. “We are all a little early, but that’s because of what’s going on here. Father Leppalúði brought word that something didn’t go quite right in this town last Jól, and now the Yuletide Cat has set up a lair nearby to punish everyone and take their precious things for himself. We’ve been tracking him down from the mountains and taking shifts trying to find out where he’s hiding and how he’s getting into town. But don’t you worry!” he beamed, giving her cheek a pinch while Stephanie pulled a face. “We’re working very hard to track him down and make certain everyone has a happy Jól this year. The others are all skiing the countryside looking, and I’m here to keep an eye on Lazytown. It’s only a matter of time before we find the missing presents and send that Cat packing! You absolutely can’t tell anyone else about this, though!” he asserted, warm look vanishing, replaced by an expression of dire seriousness. “Nobody, do you promise? They might not be in league with the Cat, but we don’t know what the beast might overhear, and it might ruin everything…”
Stephanie felt a twinge of sadness at the thought of not telling Sportacus or her best friend. They should know that everything is going to be okay! But…if it would ruin everything, I’d better not… “Alright, I won’t tell them. I promise. How are you going to get everything back? An awful lot of stuff’s been stolen…”
The (very tall) Stúfur sighed, tapping the fingers of one hand against a nearby box top. “That might be a problem, depending on what we find its lair and how close it is to Jól. If there’s too much for all thirteen of us to carry, we may need a little help,” he added with a cheeky wink. “Would you be up to helping, if the time comes?”
“Of course!” Stephanie shouted, overcome with excitement for a moment, forgetting that they were supposed to be sneaky. “Uh…I mean, of course I’ll help! I’ll do whatever I can…” she whispered. Something still tugged at the back of her mind, but she couldn’t put her finger on what was wrong.
“Excellent! Now, don’t mind me… I’m tying these special tracker ribbons to everything,” he murmured, digging out a handful of red and purple satin ribbons from some secret pocket in his vest. “Mother Grýla was supposed to enchant these so we can find whatever they’re tied to, no matter how far away.”
Stephanie, however, stayed nearby to watch the whole process curiously, much to the Yule Lad’s chagrin. “That’s great! You’ll have to show me how those work sometime…” Plucking a spare purple ribbon from his hand, she tied it next to her pink bangles, grinning. I wish there was some pink, though… “How will you know when the time comes?”
“Oh, trust us. We’ll know,” he muttered cryptically, using the ribbons as an excuse to openly examine all the contents of the townsfolk’s little cache. “We’ll know. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ve marked everything in here. I’ll leave the watch in your very…capable hands.” Giving a little bow, he raced around the corner, nearly tripping several times as he ducked and weaved between the stacks. Stephanie did her best to follow, but as awkward as the lean creature seemed to be, she soon lost him.
“Stúfur? Where did you go?” Expression falling in disappointment at the sudden disappearance, she walked back to her previous post, sitting down and beginning to draw again. This time, though, no cats made an appearance. Instead, little stylized, dwarflike men scurried about on the paper, clutching beribboned parcels, tucking them into shoes and under decorated trees. I promise I won’t tell. I only hope they succeed and bring back everyone’s things. I wonder what went wrong last year, to bring the Yuletide Cat to Lazytown…? Stephanie determined that she might just have to do a little investigating. She’d have to be careful not to give the secret away, but it just wouldn’t do for everyone to make the same mistake again this year and put the Yule Lads through the trouble of fixing things all over again. Nodding in determination, she turned to the next page to start a journal entry, hoping the next watcher would get there soon. Dear Diary, I met the most interesting person today…
Days passed, and still more things disappeared from the little stronghold. Everyone was growing quite glum at this point; there were only a handful of days before Jól, and it was looking increasingly like there would be no presents to be had this year. Stephanie wished she could have reassured everyone, but she herself was too worried, her promise of silence aside. Where are you all? I hope you’ve almost found the Cat…we’re running out of time, and even Sportacus doesn’t seem to know how to cheer everyone up! All she could do was wish fervently that the Yule Lads would have success, that some morning she’d wake up to find everything returned and big smiles on everyone’s faces.
Let’s see here, now… Robbie paced the newest hallways of his lair, examining each item in his little treasure trove. Some of the things he hadn’t even particularly wanted, he’d simply stolen them to cause the owner pain. Moving down his checklist, he loaded his favored items onto a trolley to drive towards the main part of the lair, ignoring the rest or “accidentally” letting something topple and break upon the hard ground as he passed it by. “I’ve gotten nearly everyone on the list, from that wretched, gossiping Messy to overstuffed, sticky Zipper. All I have left is to deal the final blow to that cursed elf,” he muttered, pausing to examine Bessie’s beloved cell phone… then hurling it away, smirking as he heard the clatter of it shattering against the wall. “He’s the most trouble, as always. I could crash his ship, but it might be an impossible task… and that isn’t the thing he treasures most…”
Robbie continued to think, knowing time was growing short and that he’d need an especially good plan now that everyone in Lazytown was alert. Everyone except… A pleased grin fell into place as he considered that option, the pieces already set for the game. And he loves that girl so. It’s obvious to anyone who isn’t blind and oblivious.
Rearranging things in the storage cave and snatching up the few props he would need, he set off through the new tunnels. It was time for the “Yule Lads” to summon their help.
Stephanie had just about drifted off to sleep when she heard a quiet rapping at her window. Rubbing at her eyes sleepily and peering out, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of the bearded man again, smiling cheerfully and waving, beckoning her to come outside. Getting dressed in a flurry, she tiptoed down the hallway, careful not to wake her uncle. Slipping on her winter things, she snuck out the front door, matching the Yule Lad’s smile. “Did you find the Cat’s lair? Please say you did! Everyone’s been so depressed lately. They’ve been saying this might be the worst Jól anyone can remember…”
“Yes, yes, we’ve found all of your things, but we need your help with everything. Without one more person, we won’t be able to complete the surprise and take care of everyone in Lazytown,” he whispered cryptically, offering her one hand. “It will be dangerous, and most likely it will be scary. Are you up to the challenge?”
Stephanie hesitated for a moment, feeling that odd sense of wrongness again as the intimidating words sunk in. I want everyone to be happy, though, and I did promise I’d help… “I said I’d help, so I’m going to help. With all of us, nothing bad should happen, right?”
“With fourteen, the Cat should be a piece of cake,” he agreed, taking her hand and leading her down the icy pathways. Stephanie worried at her bottom lip, looking like she wanted to ask something as they set foot outside the town walls…but kept silent when her companion held one finger up to his lips and winked. There was only the quiet crunching of snow beneath their feet, flakes drifting to the ground around them, promising a few more inches come sunrise.
After several minutes passed, the Yule Lad finally stopped, leading her into the edge of Lazytown’s nearby forest, down through stands of pines, the ground springy underfoot. Eventually the narrow entrance of a cave came into view. Stephanie rubbed at her eyes again, not quite believing what she saw. It almost looks…like there’s hinges and a door hidden against the side! But monsters can’t make doors… can they? “Is…that the Cat’s lair?” she asked fearfully, mittened hand tightening. I’m not sure about this…
“Yes, it is. It took us so long to find it because the forest is so big, so full of caves…and the pine needles hide its tracks,” he explained, sneaking closer to the entrance. “Don’t you worry, we just have to be quiet when we go in. It’s a little dark, but we’ll have lights once we reach the end…”
Stepping into the cave, Stephanie swallowed hard as the light from the entrance quickly grew dimmer, her mind curiously noting the fact that the ground beneath her feet suddenly smoothed out, becoming more like pavement and less like natural stone. She opened her mouth to ask again and then shut it just as quickly, remembering the horrific stories Bessie had told her about the Yuletide Cat. Clinging to her guide, who seemed to somehow be able to see in the pitch black, she hoped they reached the end of the tunnel soon.
Her eyes finally caught a glint of light at the end of the tunnel. She wanted to race for it, but chose instead to stay by her guide’s side, giving him a questioning look. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and picked up the pace, fairly dragging her along.
The sight that greeted her eyes as they entered the lit room was nothing like she’d expected. Most of the presents and possessions she could remember were there, but most of them were broken - shattered to pieces, scratched up, ripped to shreds, or otherwise nearly unrecognizable. “Wha-… what happened to everything? I thought you said we were going to take everyone’s things back! We can’t bring back everything like this…” Belatedly, Stephanie glanced about the room again, realizing that she didn’t see any other Yule Lads… nor, in fact, any other doors as “Stúfur” shut the one behind them, locking it with a deft motion. Her eyes widened again as the Yule Lad stripped the snowy beard and wig off, a familiar face now hovering above her. “…R-Robbie? What’s going on? D-did you d-do all this?”
Moving forward one step for every step the girl took backwards, he took great pleasure in watching those graceful feet trip for once, catch on the debris scattered around the room. Robbie smirked. “Of course, I did, you silly girl. All this and more, for the best….or, I should say, worst…is yet to come. I’ve repaid back all the aggravation and neglect I’ve suffered under all of you. All but one. I’ve saved the best for last, the thing he holds in highest regard. The thing that can never be replaced, unlike the rest of this junk,” he hummed lowly, maneuvering her towards the corner he’d set up for the exact purpose.
“But…I don’t understand? What are you talking about?” she asked, truly frightened for the first time in her life. She let out a shriek as Robbie clapped his hands twice, drenching the room in darkness. Something shoved her, her hands pinwheeling wildly before she landed on a soft surface. She tried to push herself upright, feel her way around the piles and sneak for the exit, but hands pushed her back down, snatching up her hands. The familiar feel of satin ribbon twined about her wrists, tighter than was comfortable as they were fixed to something over her head. Her screams were suddenly cut off as something that tasted like dirty cotton was tied across her mouth, making her breath hiss through parted jaws.
“Of course you don’t understand, child. He had hopes for you, for the future,” a voice out of the darkness explained, similar ribbons snaking around her kicking legs, leaving her shivering and helpless. “He never told you, of course, but it was obvious for anyone who cared to look. I’ve taken petty, trivial things from the other townsfolk, but for Sportakook…” The voice made the name sound like a curse, hissed rather than said. “I’ll take his secret treasure, the thing he can never get back or buy a replacement for, do what will hurt him the most.” One hand caressed down a tear-stained cheek, ignoring the muffled sounds from his captive. “Don’t take it too hard, Pinky. You’re just the means to an end, a tool to achieve the effect I want. Just relax and it will be over quicker than you think. You may not even find it to be that bad…”
Stephanie bit at the cloth between her teeth, screaming out something unintelligible as something cold slid under her sleeves, down her sides. A chill washed over her skin as every piece of clothing was slowly cut off and lifted away, causing her to thrash again. Sharp pains began to prick through her wrists and ankles, the bonds pulling tight.
“Ah, I see. You’re thinking ‘You can’t get away with it! The hero always saves the day! Sportacus will see his crystal beeping and rush in here and save me!’” he intoned in a sing-song voice, mocking the very thought. “You’ve been lied to, little girl. Life isn’t like what you’ve been told in storybooks or seen in the movies. The ‘good guys’ don’t always win…and Sportacus can’t tell where the trouble is if he can’t see the vision from his crystal, can’t tell if it’s too far away. I’m afraid you’re lost in the woods with the wolves and Cats,” he murmured, fingers trailing down flesh that tried to twist away in vain.
She screamed again as the darkness brought touches of heat, agonizing sting lancing through her as one of the dark fires pierced through, the others still dancing mockingly across her skin. Waves of terror, pain, despair, and completely alien sensations washed through her, time seeming to stretch on forever. The pleading never made its way around the gag, energy waning as numb shock gradually took hold. Eventually, the heated strokings seemed to grow fainter, at least to her mind, the soft sounds that had caught her ears after she’d ceased her screams and moans slowly becoming muffled. The blackness seemed to grow darker somehow, eaten up by something deeper, and she surrendered to the escape with a quiet whimper.
The earth will start to shudder, then. The sea will rear up and waves will pummel the shore because Jormungand, the Midgard Serpent, is twisting and writhing in fury, working his way onto dry land. With each breath, Jormungand’s tongue will be covered with venom, and all the earth and the sky will be splashed and stained with his poison. Yggdrasill itself will moan. Its leaves will tremble, its limbs shiver and shake. Everything in heaven and in earth and Hel will quiver. The great wolf Skoll will seize the light of the world between his hungry jaws and devour her. So the end will begin. Thus will come about Ragnarok, the end of the world. The end, at least, for some.
If people are confused and need a basic introduction to the show and the characters, I'd be happy to oblige.
I ran a very long RPG-story for the show using my own version of the Lazytown universe. The basic gist of it is: Lazytown is to the 60's Batman TV show what my AU is to the Nolanverse. It was far darker. There is SO MUCH complex plot to it, but what had originally been intended to be a side storyline developed a life of its own. Basically, if you like slash, pr0nz, and vampires, A Taste of Madness is for you. I will be posting its chapters at lazyhaven_logs.
For those who'd be interested in a shorter piece, I give you the following:
Title: Ragnarok
Rating: Mature
Author's Notes: This was written to fulfill a friend's Christmas request. Be forewarned that the entire piece is dark in nature and, depending on one's interpretation, could contain violence, torture, noncon, character death, and that said things are directed towards a minor. The request also included a wish for the fic to contain bits of Icelandic traditions and mythology, so some pieces of the story may confuse people who are not familiar with such things. I've tried to minimize the confusion as much as possible.
I don't prefer or particularly like this interpretation of Robbie. It was written as a present, because I said I'd write anything the person wished.
It began much like any other Jól. Perhaps the wind was crisper, the cold more biting; however, everyone was in good spirits for the holiday season. Everyone, that is, except for one: Robbie Rotten.
“They think they’re so much better than everyone else. So loud, so annoyingly cheerful,” he muttered, pacing back and forth before the costume tubes in his lair. “It wouldn’t be so bad if they actually invited me or gave some decent presents.” His nose twitched in irritation at the remembrance. Whenever they do manage to remember, they always seem to give me just one damnable pair of socks. Probably because of that stupid supersti-…superstition…
An idea began to surface. Mulling it over, he dropped into his chair to think, idly tapping at his temple. A devilish grin slowly inched across his face. “’For it is said, if every person does not receive one new piece of clothing, all shall go to the monstrous Yuletide Cat.’” Chuckling, he sprung back to his feet, already surveying the costumes on display. “Why not? I’ll have the best Jól ever, by myself, with all of their things! They’ll be too busy sitting around being depressed and crying to be noisy! Now, how to pull it off...”
Circling around the tubes, he discarded one costume after another until he came to the end of the line, staring at the darkly colored pants and coat, starkly contrasted with a bright red cap. Perfect. Even if I get caught, who would ever suspect and turn away a Yule Lad? Grin spreading from ear to ear, he strode over to the control panel. “…It’s disguise time,” he whispered smugly, and pulled the lever.
A few days later, all of Lazytown was in an uproar. Each day, at least one thing was taken, always some treasured object or something that was to be a gift for Jól. Stephanie’s boom box and favorite dancing shoes were missing, as was Ziggy’s secret stash of taffy and Trixie’s scooter and slingshot. Stingy’s beloved car had vanished right under their noses from his family’s garage, causing the young boy to go into hysterics. He was even more distraught to see the number of packages addressed to him dwindling on his list.
“Sportacus, you have to do something! All of my stuff is disappearing! What….what if I don’t get any presents this year?” he sobbed, scrubbing away the tears that emerged at the very thought.
“I’ll do my best Stingy, everyone,” the short man replied easily, though with a thoughtful frown upon his brow. “I just have no idea where they would go to, or why someone would want to steal anything. If someone needed something, all they would have to do is ask, right guys?” There was a quiet murmured agreement from the gathered crowd, though Stingy looked at the Blue Elf as if he had suddenly sprouted a second head. “Well, first things first. How do we catch the thief?”
“Sportacus, can’t you just use your crystal to tell where and when something’s being stolen?” Trixie asked belligerently, still sore over the loss of her toys.
“I’m sorry, Trixie. It only shows me where and when someone is in trouble, not something,” he remarked sadly, eyes full of sympathy. “We’re going to have to come up with a plan. Anyone have any ideas?”
Everyone mused for a moment, trying their hardest to think of a solution. Stephanie finally piped up, stepping forward. “There’s no real pattern between what’s getting stolen except that it is always one of someone’s favorite things, right?” she reasoned, thoughtfully tapping her feet. “So…all we have to do is gather all the stuff that’s left together, put it somewhere safe, and take turns guarding it. What about that?”
Arguing immediately broke out among them. Ziggy didn’t want to be parted from any more of his candy and Bessie was convinced that one of the ‘guards’ would start playing carelessly and ruin her good things. Stingy began loudly asserting that, indeed, since everything was already his and could only be being stolen by one of them, everything should be brought to his house. Sportacus rubbed at his temple, then moved into the crowd, doing his best to calm everyone.
It was going to be a long day.
Stephanie sighed, idly swinging her feet as she perched on her chair. She knew that they all had to take turns playing the guard, but that didn’t make it any easier to sit by herself, alone and bored, while the rest of the town was out preparing and enjoying yuletide festivities. “I sure wish Pixel would finish that security system,” she mumbled to herself, sketching in her diary to pass the time.
It seemed kinda pointless to simply sit around without anything fun to do, especially since the guards they’d set didn’t seem to be keeping the presents from being stolen, but who was going to argue with Sportacus and the Mayor? Or Bessie, for that matter, who was still regaling everyone with her losses and threatening special chores for whoever was discovered to be the thief.
Adding the last few whiskers to a kitten that was chasing a ball up the side of her page, she nearly dropped the small book when her ears caught the sound of something crashing to the floor. Bouncing to her feet, Stephanie snuck cautiously around the piles of goods, trying to catch a peek of what had happened. What she found was the last thing she’d expected. “…wh-what? Who are you, and what are you doing to our stuff?” she gasped, taking in the tapered red hat, rich white beard, and old fashioned clothing tied with a purple sash around the middle.
Whirling around, hands grasping uselessly at the air now that he’d been caught, a smile slithered into place as he tried to push the broken figurine behind a nearby box with his toe. “Why, surely times aren’t so bad that nobody’s heard of the Yule Lads, are they? I know we don’t put in a lot of personal appearances anymore, but I would think…”
“…Yule Lad?” she repeated, taking in the clothing once again, her instincts giving her a vague inkling that something was off. “Of course we’ve heard of all of you…but which one are you supposed to be? And besides, I thought you were supposed to play fun games and leave presents in our shoes, not go around breaking and stealing things…”
“Uh, what? Stealing?” he gasped, affecting an injured look, one gloved hand clapped over his heart. “Bless your soul, no. I was just…checking to make sure everything was still here, safe and sound! I’m Stúfur, by the way,” he added as almost an afterthought, extending one hand in friendly greeting.
“…but how can you be Stúfur? You aren’t short at all!” she exclaimed with a giggle, taking the outstretched hand and shaking it firmly. Is he really a Yule Lad? I always pictured something a little different…
“Yes, well…that’s a rather sore spot with me. Mother Grýla named me before I’d grown to my full height and… besides, we’re the sons of trolls! What were you expecting, a little dwarf?” he sniffed, still pretending to be a little hurt at her disbelief.
Smiling at the odd creature’s behavior, she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Stúfur. I just didn’t know what to expect. Why would you come all the way to Lazytown, though? Isn’t it a little soon for you to be down from the mountains?”
Glancing back and forth in a conspiratorial manner, he crouched down, beckoning her closer before whispering in her ear. “We are all a little early, but that’s because of what’s going on here. Father Leppalúði brought word that something didn’t go quite right in this town last Jól, and now the Yuletide Cat has set up a lair nearby to punish everyone and take their precious things for himself. We’ve been tracking him down from the mountains and taking shifts trying to find out where he’s hiding and how he’s getting into town. But don’t you worry!” he beamed, giving her cheek a pinch while Stephanie pulled a face. “We’re working very hard to track him down and make certain everyone has a happy Jól this year. The others are all skiing the countryside looking, and I’m here to keep an eye on Lazytown. It’s only a matter of time before we find the missing presents and send that Cat packing! You absolutely can’t tell anyone else about this, though!” he asserted, warm look vanishing, replaced by an expression of dire seriousness. “Nobody, do you promise? They might not be in league with the Cat, but we don’t know what the beast might overhear, and it might ruin everything…”
Stephanie felt a twinge of sadness at the thought of not telling Sportacus or her best friend. They should know that everything is going to be okay! But…if it would ruin everything, I’d better not… “Alright, I won’t tell them. I promise. How are you going to get everything back? An awful lot of stuff’s been stolen…”
The (very tall) Stúfur sighed, tapping the fingers of one hand against a nearby box top. “That might be a problem, depending on what we find its lair and how close it is to Jól. If there’s too much for all thirteen of us to carry, we may need a little help,” he added with a cheeky wink. “Would you be up to helping, if the time comes?”
“Of course!” Stephanie shouted, overcome with excitement for a moment, forgetting that they were supposed to be sneaky. “Uh…I mean, of course I’ll help! I’ll do whatever I can…” she whispered. Something still tugged at the back of her mind, but she couldn’t put her finger on what was wrong.
“Excellent! Now, don’t mind me… I’m tying these special tracker ribbons to everything,” he murmured, digging out a handful of red and purple satin ribbons from some secret pocket in his vest. “Mother Grýla was supposed to enchant these so we can find whatever they’re tied to, no matter how far away.”
Stephanie, however, stayed nearby to watch the whole process curiously, much to the Yule Lad’s chagrin. “That’s great! You’ll have to show me how those work sometime…” Plucking a spare purple ribbon from his hand, she tied it next to her pink bangles, grinning. I wish there was some pink, though… “How will you know when the time comes?”
“Oh, trust us. We’ll know,” he muttered cryptically, using the ribbons as an excuse to openly examine all the contents of the townsfolk’s little cache. “We’ll know. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ve marked everything in here. I’ll leave the watch in your very…capable hands.” Giving a little bow, he raced around the corner, nearly tripping several times as he ducked and weaved between the stacks. Stephanie did her best to follow, but as awkward as the lean creature seemed to be, she soon lost him.
“Stúfur? Where did you go?” Expression falling in disappointment at the sudden disappearance, she walked back to her previous post, sitting down and beginning to draw again. This time, though, no cats made an appearance. Instead, little stylized, dwarflike men scurried about on the paper, clutching beribboned parcels, tucking them into shoes and under decorated trees. I promise I won’t tell. I only hope they succeed and bring back everyone’s things. I wonder what went wrong last year, to bring the Yuletide Cat to Lazytown…? Stephanie determined that she might just have to do a little investigating. She’d have to be careful not to give the secret away, but it just wouldn’t do for everyone to make the same mistake again this year and put the Yule Lads through the trouble of fixing things all over again. Nodding in determination, she turned to the next page to start a journal entry, hoping the next watcher would get there soon. Dear Diary, I met the most interesting person today…
Days passed, and still more things disappeared from the little stronghold. Everyone was growing quite glum at this point; there were only a handful of days before Jól, and it was looking increasingly like there would be no presents to be had this year. Stephanie wished she could have reassured everyone, but she herself was too worried, her promise of silence aside. Where are you all? I hope you’ve almost found the Cat…we’re running out of time, and even Sportacus doesn’t seem to know how to cheer everyone up! All she could do was wish fervently that the Yule Lads would have success, that some morning she’d wake up to find everything returned and big smiles on everyone’s faces.
Let’s see here, now… Robbie paced the newest hallways of his lair, examining each item in his little treasure trove. Some of the things he hadn’t even particularly wanted, he’d simply stolen them to cause the owner pain. Moving down his checklist, he loaded his favored items onto a trolley to drive towards the main part of the lair, ignoring the rest or “accidentally” letting something topple and break upon the hard ground as he passed it by. “I’ve gotten nearly everyone on the list, from that wretched, gossiping Messy to overstuffed, sticky Zipper. All I have left is to deal the final blow to that cursed elf,” he muttered, pausing to examine Bessie’s beloved cell phone… then hurling it away, smirking as he heard the clatter of it shattering against the wall. “He’s the most trouble, as always. I could crash his ship, but it might be an impossible task… and that isn’t the thing he treasures most…”
Robbie continued to think, knowing time was growing short and that he’d need an especially good plan now that everyone in Lazytown was alert. Everyone except… A pleased grin fell into place as he considered that option, the pieces already set for the game. And he loves that girl so. It’s obvious to anyone who isn’t blind and oblivious.
Rearranging things in the storage cave and snatching up the few props he would need, he set off through the new tunnels. It was time for the “Yule Lads” to summon their help.
Stephanie had just about drifted off to sleep when she heard a quiet rapping at her window. Rubbing at her eyes sleepily and peering out, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of the bearded man again, smiling cheerfully and waving, beckoning her to come outside. Getting dressed in a flurry, she tiptoed down the hallway, careful not to wake her uncle. Slipping on her winter things, she snuck out the front door, matching the Yule Lad’s smile. “Did you find the Cat’s lair? Please say you did! Everyone’s been so depressed lately. They’ve been saying this might be the worst Jól anyone can remember…”
“Yes, yes, we’ve found all of your things, but we need your help with everything. Without one more person, we won’t be able to complete the surprise and take care of everyone in Lazytown,” he whispered cryptically, offering her one hand. “It will be dangerous, and most likely it will be scary. Are you up to the challenge?”
Stephanie hesitated for a moment, feeling that odd sense of wrongness again as the intimidating words sunk in. I want everyone to be happy, though, and I did promise I’d help… “I said I’d help, so I’m going to help. With all of us, nothing bad should happen, right?”
“With fourteen, the Cat should be a piece of cake,” he agreed, taking her hand and leading her down the icy pathways. Stephanie worried at her bottom lip, looking like she wanted to ask something as they set foot outside the town walls…but kept silent when her companion held one finger up to his lips and winked. There was only the quiet crunching of snow beneath their feet, flakes drifting to the ground around them, promising a few more inches come sunrise.
After several minutes passed, the Yule Lad finally stopped, leading her into the edge of Lazytown’s nearby forest, down through stands of pines, the ground springy underfoot. Eventually the narrow entrance of a cave came into view. Stephanie rubbed at her eyes again, not quite believing what she saw. It almost looks…like there’s hinges and a door hidden against the side! But monsters can’t make doors… can they? “Is…that the Cat’s lair?” she asked fearfully, mittened hand tightening. I’m not sure about this…
“Yes, it is. It took us so long to find it because the forest is so big, so full of caves…and the pine needles hide its tracks,” he explained, sneaking closer to the entrance. “Don’t you worry, we just have to be quiet when we go in. It’s a little dark, but we’ll have lights once we reach the end…”
Stepping into the cave, Stephanie swallowed hard as the light from the entrance quickly grew dimmer, her mind curiously noting the fact that the ground beneath her feet suddenly smoothed out, becoming more like pavement and less like natural stone. She opened her mouth to ask again and then shut it just as quickly, remembering the horrific stories Bessie had told her about the Yuletide Cat. Clinging to her guide, who seemed to somehow be able to see in the pitch black, she hoped they reached the end of the tunnel soon.
Her eyes finally caught a glint of light at the end of the tunnel. She wanted to race for it, but chose instead to stay by her guide’s side, giving him a questioning look. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and picked up the pace, fairly dragging her along.
The sight that greeted her eyes as they entered the lit room was nothing like she’d expected. Most of the presents and possessions she could remember were there, but most of them were broken - shattered to pieces, scratched up, ripped to shreds, or otherwise nearly unrecognizable. “Wha-… what happened to everything? I thought you said we were going to take everyone’s things back! We can’t bring back everything like this…” Belatedly, Stephanie glanced about the room again, realizing that she didn’t see any other Yule Lads… nor, in fact, any other doors as “Stúfur” shut the one behind them, locking it with a deft motion. Her eyes widened again as the Yule Lad stripped the snowy beard and wig off, a familiar face now hovering above her. “…R-Robbie? What’s going on? D-did you d-do all this?”
Moving forward one step for every step the girl took backwards, he took great pleasure in watching those graceful feet trip for once, catch on the debris scattered around the room. Robbie smirked. “Of course, I did, you silly girl. All this and more, for the best….or, I should say, worst…is yet to come. I’ve repaid back all the aggravation and neglect I’ve suffered under all of you. All but one. I’ve saved the best for last, the thing he holds in highest regard. The thing that can never be replaced, unlike the rest of this junk,” he hummed lowly, maneuvering her towards the corner he’d set up for the exact purpose.
“But…I don’t understand? What are you talking about?” she asked, truly frightened for the first time in her life. She let out a shriek as Robbie clapped his hands twice, drenching the room in darkness. Something shoved her, her hands pinwheeling wildly before she landed on a soft surface. She tried to push herself upright, feel her way around the piles and sneak for the exit, but hands pushed her back down, snatching up her hands. The familiar feel of satin ribbon twined about her wrists, tighter than was comfortable as they were fixed to something over her head. Her screams were suddenly cut off as something that tasted like dirty cotton was tied across her mouth, making her breath hiss through parted jaws.
“Of course you don’t understand, child. He had hopes for you, for the future,” a voice out of the darkness explained, similar ribbons snaking around her kicking legs, leaving her shivering and helpless. “He never told you, of course, but it was obvious for anyone who cared to look. I’ve taken petty, trivial things from the other townsfolk, but for Sportakook…” The voice made the name sound like a curse, hissed rather than said. “I’ll take his secret treasure, the thing he can never get back or buy a replacement for, do what will hurt him the most.” One hand caressed down a tear-stained cheek, ignoring the muffled sounds from his captive. “Don’t take it too hard, Pinky. You’re just the means to an end, a tool to achieve the effect I want. Just relax and it will be over quicker than you think. You may not even find it to be that bad…”
Stephanie bit at the cloth between her teeth, screaming out something unintelligible as something cold slid under her sleeves, down her sides. A chill washed over her skin as every piece of clothing was slowly cut off and lifted away, causing her to thrash again. Sharp pains began to prick through her wrists and ankles, the bonds pulling tight.
“Ah, I see. You’re thinking ‘You can’t get away with it! The hero always saves the day! Sportacus will see his crystal beeping and rush in here and save me!’” he intoned in a sing-song voice, mocking the very thought. “You’ve been lied to, little girl. Life isn’t like what you’ve been told in storybooks or seen in the movies. The ‘good guys’ don’t always win…and Sportacus can’t tell where the trouble is if he can’t see the vision from his crystal, can’t tell if it’s too far away. I’m afraid you’re lost in the woods with the wolves and Cats,” he murmured, fingers trailing down flesh that tried to twist away in vain.
She screamed again as the darkness brought touches of heat, agonizing sting lancing through her as one of the dark fires pierced through, the others still dancing mockingly across her skin. Waves of terror, pain, despair, and completely alien sensations washed through her, time seeming to stretch on forever. The pleading never made its way around the gag, energy waning as numb shock gradually took hold. Eventually, the heated strokings seemed to grow fainter, at least to her mind, the soft sounds that had caught her ears after she’d ceased her screams and moans slowly becoming muffled. The blackness seemed to grow darker somehow, eaten up by something deeper, and she surrendered to the escape with a quiet whimper.
The earth will start to shudder, then. The sea will rear up and waves will pummel the shore because Jormungand, the Midgard Serpent, is twisting and writhing in fury, working his way onto dry land. With each breath, Jormungand’s tongue will be covered with venom, and all the earth and the sky will be splashed and stained with his poison. Yggdrasill itself will moan. Its leaves will tremble, its limbs shiver and shake. Everything in heaven and in earth and Hel will quiver. The great wolf Skoll will seize the light of the world between his hungry jaws and devour her. So the end will begin. Thus will come about Ragnarok, the end of the world. The end, at least, for some.