It's coming Coldman ^_^ Cef is doing her best.
In the meantime, it's hereZ! 8D
Disclaimer: REFERENCESADAN JADNALJCNJSNXkascnkjwnllnejCNSXNjsnxcJNJASNJCN....PFFT.
Ch. Special: Christmas 2009: For Whom the Bells Toll.....Carole
“The love you take is equal to the love you make,” The End, The Beatles
Dong, dong, dong, dong. No corner of Tokieo Town escaped the timed bell of Spot Tower. In the brisk night air, it rang all the clearer.
A big burly strong man stepped outside a huge homey architecture with frosted windows and holiday decorations all attached on like refrigerator magnets. He was clothed in thick warmth from the cold, (save for his arms where the coat was removed of its sleeves), rubbing the connected metal to his right arm where a notable thick round, flat mouthed gun was attached, “Ooh this cold don’t work right for this.” He whistled for the children’s attention who were playing outside, protected from the cold their own different degrees, “Come on! Get on inside, there’s enough of y’all with the cold as it is, the last thing we need goin’ ‘round is the flu; food’s all set out, go on and fill up!”
He stayed out until the last little one scuttled on inside, and closed the thick wooden door.
“There y’all go, tomorrow we’ll go to the WareHouse again, how ‘bout that?”
“Yay!” a multitude of them piped,
“There y’all go, go on now.”
“Mr. Barret, when is miss Tifa and Nana coming back?”
“Soon, soon, don’t worry, I ain’t locking the door yet, you go on an’ eat, they’ll be alright.” Barret looked through the frosted window to the distant Spot Tower, *No one big ain’t got reason to get them.*
“Are you sure?”
Barret gave the boy a sure smile, and ruffled his hair with his good arm, “They’re comin’ back, don’t you worry.”
The night over Tokieo Town was waxing it’s to its fullest, the glow of the town settling down to a sleepy dim.
The P.A. system was silent for the night, only the wind sang low and solemn, twisting and turning through alleyways and creases.
A few pastry houses were still open, serving the last few customers; the Dot’s Alot however was still quite full in handing out ginger bread houses; among the other dinners and café delights, the Lunar Café was silent.
An empty square lot had been cleared of its burned rubble.
The Wayward Light Institute had closed down, leaving its patchy darkness in Tokieo Town’s cityscape; save for the projects burning the midnight oil within.
On a balcony of the “Home’s a Home” orphanage, Cid tipped his cigarette off, *Tsk, I don’t remember the glow bein’ this hazy, even the night sky seems a bit off.* There came a stern knocking at the room door,
“Hey!” called Barret, “How many kids are in this place? It’s time to eat!”
“I’m commin’!” called Cid, *Eh?* he held his hand out over the balcony, *Snow? But, where’s the clouds?*
Seritouge moved his presence up towards to his White Room in Spot Tower. Before entering, a beeping lock unlocked itself, then locked again. “Oiy…” The lock unlocked itself, then locked again, “……..”
It looked like the lighted numbers made a smiling face.
Seritouge unlocked the lock a third time, and quickly siphoned himself in, and almost instantly, there came a knocking at his door, “You know I don’t like it when you lock your door,” came Euphoria’s voice.
“A lock for a piece of mind dear sister.”
Euphoria hit the door then stomped off.
“Baha-Mute.”
The invisible creature brought forth its presence.
“How is Aurocile?”
But Baha-Mute’s attention was suddenly caught out to the window where the cloudless snow was falling.
“What’s this?....An Enchantment*, Baha-Mute – seek it out” –
“There’s no need!” a bubbly orb pipped suddenly bouncing into sight – Baha-Mute growled and pushed the new ghostly presence back –
“Hey hey now! I mean no harm!” cried the orb as it bounced off the window – “Oof” –
“How did you get in here?” cut Seritouge’s voice, though he felt the ghost could do no harm – that wasn’t the point –
“What, is this like the place where you go and suck your thumb or something?” the orb shook itself and popped back into the air, “Anywho, your privacy is not my concern, oh Spirit of Reason, you’ve got other problems than my measly entry; you’ve been a naughty, naughty boy” –
“Get out” –
Baha-Mute snarled ferociously –
“Ah ah! Wait, wait–wait! I’m just the messenger, you can feel me, I am of the Lifestream! Seritouge, Seeeeeerrrrriiiiiiittooooouuuuuuuuuuuge” – the orb began moving back and forth like a hypnotizing serpent – “Seritouge, tonight, you will be haunted by three spirits –“
“Say what–?”
The orb inflated itself – “THE REALLY SPOOOOOOKY KIND!” and deflated, “Well maybe they aren’t quite so spooky, but, they are ghosts.”
“I thought as much. I know this story, you pin me to the name of Ebenezer Scrooge.”
“Birds of a feather flock together, though you will not share the same ending as he great Spirit” –
Baha-Mute snarled viciously again –
“EEP” – the orb backed itself to the window.
“Oh boy,” Seritouge agonized what was to come from the Lifestream’s intent, “Did you not think that Scrooge was to become his way to be able to help those in need as much as he could later on in his life? That he was created as such to help the others when it was his time to be called upon?”
“Oh boy, if that’s what you got out of the story then the Natures were right” –
“GROROOOOUUUGGGHH!” –
“Wait – wait!” The orb, bravely began to move hypnotizingly again, “On this eve of Christmas you will” –
“It’s not Christmas yet.”
“Eh?”
“You’re a day early.”
“……..” The orb began to move hypnotizingly yet again, “No time can be wasted for youuuuuuu~ Youuuuuu must take action on, this, two eves before Christmas!”
“Why do you come to a Spirit from the note of one holiday?”
“Nya?”
“I look over the fabrication of existence; there are many religious sources for this time of year, and of any I partake to none.”
“………DOOOOOOOOOOM!” – the orb began moving erratically as if someone was shaking about a flashlight – bonk, it hit the window – “Ow ow ow ow ow ow – DOOOOOM I bring you a warning from the, the, shared meaning of gathering from these holidays! You will” –
“Be gone from here now thread of the Lifestream.”
The ghost glared at him flat eyed, “Can you at least pretend to get into the spirit, Spirit?”
“No.”
“….Can you reason with” –
“Baha-Mute.”
“GROOOOOOOOUUUUUUGH!! –”
“GAAAAAAAAAH!” The ghost flew out of top the building – “You will still get haunted by three spirits tonight!” – CHOMP – “AHH – regardless of what someone likes you believes in” – CHOMP – “AH! – you will look back upon your ways of deceit and immoral deeds” – CHOMP – “YAAAH –! You will, you will know of things to come from your actions!” – CHOMP – “HAHA! You missed me you stupid – CHOMP – “AH that was my rumpus bumpus you stupid – CHOMP – “ALRIGHT ALRIGHT! I’M GOING!” and the ghost dispersed itself as the un-seen Baha-Mute chomped down on its wispy exit.
Seritouge sighed, and shook his consciousness.
*They are hidden!* echoed the ghost’s voice, *But they live! They live! What are the memories of a spirit if it doesn’t trust existence?!*
“Humph, bah humbug,” played Seritouge making himself chuckle a little.
“I wouldn’t be laughing if I were you.”
“What – how did you get in here?!”
Another orb did arrive, but this one had two little orbs on top of it like ears, “Like what was said before that is the least of your concerns great spirit, and no time can be wasted.”
“Baha-Mute!”
The great unseen creature returned its presence snarled at the ghost, but the ghost’s own presence held firm – “SPIRIT OF REASON DO YOU JUDGE ME ON YOUR OWN PERCEPTION OR EXISTENCE’S?! DO YOU QUESTION A PRODUCT OF THE LIFESTREAM LIKE ME?!”
Seritouge snarled, “I question you not, I have no time for the Lifestream playing these childish antics with me – I know my faults, I know my consequences – now out with you! I will have not have a lecture brought to ME by a part of the whole! Consider yourself lucky you are a thread of the Lifestream and not some phantasm of the Chrost-Weik, GO!”
“You know I won’t leave. You of all things have already rationalized what I am based upon everything you know. I bring you no harm, much less that I could do anything to you, great spirit. What do you think something as humble as I have to show of something like you?”
“Nonsense, now you’re bantering my patience. You are a thread that weaves existence, there wouldn’t be a whole without the piece; it is meaningless what you’ll try to show me, I know it well.”
“And that is why I am here Spirit, and why the rest will come. You brought this upon yourself. In the end you are the Spirit of Reason. You are going to do what you will. I bring this light to you” – the orb’s glow filled the room, “I bring it, NOT for your welfare, but for that of others. You see this Enchantment* that has befallen Tokeio Town; the snow that falls without a cloud.”
Seritouge gave a deep resounding sigh, “You will show me nothing new, spirit, yet it seems I have no choice. Fine, show me what you will.”
The orbs shinned brightly, so brightly that Seritouge had to shut his eyes – Baha-Mute whined – “Wait, what is this?! – The Lifestream is” –
Seritouge opened his eyes and wobbled back – it was daytime, it was cold, he was in the snow – he had a body – “Oof” – and fell down backwards against a building, the people walking out and about not batting an eye – his sight! His sight, his sight only came from two eyes!
He was breathing hard, something alien, something foreign to the being that he was, he looked at his hands, his arms, his legs, his stomach, he felt his face – “Baha-Mute” –
“Was left behind.”
Seritouge looked up, and saw King Mickey.
“You don’t look bad as a human Seri,” Mickey smiled, “Not too badly dressed either. In this form, you will be able to interact with your surroundings, but nothing else, no person, no ‘living’ thing will be able to see or hear you.”
“Are you mad?” Seritouge breathed, “In this form” –
“You can die. Follow me if you want this to end quickly.”
“You are mad Lifestream, mad, what have you done” –
“Oh pipe down and follow me,” said Mickey, and Seritouge did, holding himself like a lost child as they walked a buzzing and lively street; the P.A. system playing holiday songs.
“I bet you could walk this area blind,” said King Mickey.
“Funny,” said Seritouge, “We have not left Tokieo Town.”
“Then I’m sure you know where we are?”
“Of course!”
“Then use those eyes of yours and focus on the area ahead.”
Seritouge did, and saw, “Ragiel – Lorenia – Dendjue?!”
Lorenia was waving by to Ragiel and Dendjue who were departing from the Home’s a Home orphanage, Ragiel blushing slightly with Dendjue keeping a secret kitten smile as the children around Lorenia waved goodbye, one playfully tugging on her skirt; Yugi quickly appeared behind Lorenia and waved goodbye too.
“This is, not but about two years ago, in the story, they go back much further.”
“We don’t need to go back any further than this,” said Mickey, “It takes no time to change. Or do you want me to show you what you already know?”
Ragiel walked right through Seritouge –
“Oh…” –
“What’s wrong?” asked Dendjue.
“I, felt like I just walked through a pillar of cold water,” shivered Ragiel.
“A preemptive feel of taking the plunge” –
“OH HUSH!”
Dendjue laughed and patted Ragiel’s back.
“What is it you are to show me Royalty?”
“You know who I am then? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Look at that orphanage.”
“Those children in there, I know, all but a few became orphans through actions that stemmed from me, they alone come from this system, I know I’ve cause similar damage to others in other systems.”
“And because Ragiel, Lorenia, and Dendjue could not stop such a tragedy, who shoulders the blame?”
Lorenia hugged each child around her, every boy and girl squealing in delight, one giving her a kiss on the forehead that she returned. Another child turned their attention to Yugi’s puzzle in which he let her touch.
“So shiny!”
“They are loved,” said Seritouge, “They will be loved. Ah” – the scenery around them dissolved slightly, as if two images were being superimposed on one another tropical and the Town, “A palm tree?”
From behind Lorenia ran out young, young Sora and Riku, “Come on Sora, to the boats!”
King Mickey turned back to Seritouge and glared hard at him, “How long ago?”
Seritouge and his blue eyes looked down and closed, “Show me no more.”
“When was it you started breeding them?”
“Show me no more.”
The scene had changed to night with Ragiel and Lorenia near the fountain, in a kissing embrace.
“You give the impression that you’re willing to uphold the responsibility for what you’ve done, but who really suffers the burden? You say you understand the consequences, do you only understand far enough that they don’t affect you, higher being?”
“Take me back – ”
Seritouge looked up, and found he was back inside his White Room, but still under his human guise.
“Spirit! You can’t leave me in this form! Spirit!” –
Baha-Mute’s growl cut through Seritouge’s resonating voice –
“Baha-Mute, it’s me, Seritouge, it’s me – Seritouge!” Baha-Mute only snarled further, Seritouge feeling his presence wrapping around him, those jaws were near–! “BAHA-MUTE!”
*That is not a living thing, that is a demon, and it seeeeees yooouuuuuuuuu~*
“Spirit!” Seritouge put his hands out in front of him in a futile attempt – those jaws muscled past and aimed for the throat –
“Surprise!”
“AAHHAAAHHA!”
Seritouge fell forward on a wooden floor, panting hard, his strange lungs still feeling like they were adjusting to a freighted toddler –
“I told you he doesn’t like it when he can’t see! Don’t wrap your hands over his eyes like that!”
Seritouge looked up to have his breath stolen away, it was Euphoria, but, she wasn’t all green, she, she and Aurocile – *Aurocile too?!* were human, and human dressed for winter, like he –
“What, can’t he be blind under the mistletoe? I don’t think he could handle a kiss knowing its coming.”
Seritouge looked behind him, *The Spirit of Light, the Spirit of Darkness – the twins, Older Sister, and Deos!* All Spirits under a human guise!
“I, need to go to the bathroom,” stumbled Seritouge.
“Then go you big baby,” said Euphoria.
Seritouge hauled himself up and ran to the bathroom, just knowing and not knowing in this strange, wonderful house, and splashed his face with cold water.
“Come on Seritouge! We’re about to eat!”
Ah, Seritouge rushed out the bathroom, “Euphoria, Aurocile! Come to me!” –
But the house was empty, devoid of all siblings.
“That’s how fast it happened. These shadows, cannot be changed.”
Seritouge turned around and saw a black pulsing orb.
“That’s how fast, they were torn apart.”
The decorated house’s light dimmed, transporting the ghost and Seritouge inside the dark settings of the Lunar Café.
“Abandoned this place is, for now at least. It sits dark, and unused where when not too long ago it was brimming in laughter and good tidings. Like that house.”
“Where are my siblings?” Seritouge growled, “Where’s Euphoria and Aurocile and” –
“And the others? Away from you. This is the present after all. Don’t you remember the story?”
The deep bells of Spot Tower rang throughout the Town, dong, dong, dong, dong, dong – Seritouge grabbed his chest, feeling under it a beating heart.
“How long you have lived in the present, lived in this emptiness. You tried to reason the other Spirit’s tasks instead of governing what reason is all about, you took charge, alone, and alone you will stay. You pushed the only two siblings left next to you away, and for what? Your reasoning is paradox, what you wish to protect the most you only push away. You have long over-lived this life out of fear and love for those you care about, more than anything in all existence. How twisted.”
Seritouge’s heart pounded in his chest.“Reasoning, is not governed by love, insanity is,” he said.
BA-BUMP.
“A physical form, only cripples the advancement of Reason; take me out” –
“Yet how do you advance yourself? Do not gaze at the stars anymore?”
BA-BUMP.
“Enough, I am done with you, your stubbornness is truly legendary.” And Macevoy’s presence pulled away; the outside of the Lunar Café turned black, and Seritouge was surrounded in darkness.
His White Room materialized around him, his physical form, disappeared away – he expanded its being to its fullest, as if he was inhaling and exhaling, and Baha-Mute made itself known to it’s master.
“Baha-Mute….”
“How’re you liking the trip so far?” The initial ghostly orb bounced back into sight, “Oh great Spirit of Reason?”
“You are the third specter?”
“Hardly, I’m just the messenger, remember? The third ghost will come on its own good time, so in the mean time, I’m going to take you somewhere, time is of the essence you know” – the orb expanded itself – “BEHOLD!.....(*an outside shadow passed across the room*).........Ah........” – deflate~
Baha-Mute began to growl.
“Baha-Mute….stop........” Looking through the ghost, a light was blinking slowly, on and off, on and off. Seritouge expanded his sight, and discovered he was looking at........ “Lookout....Tower....?”
It was Lookout Tower, not the one on Tumble-Stop though. Nay they were still in Tokieo Town, but, “Spirit, the last bit of that story is, revealing the future, is this...?”
“Ho ho, is the Spirit of Reason at question? Do you not believe what you see before you?”
“No, I understand you are an Enchantment* of the Lifestream now. Show me, what you need to.”
“Follow me.”
“Baha-Mute, stay.”
The invisible hound retreated its presence within the room.
Out through the window of Spot Tower, the air was cold, the snow was trickling down from the sky very slowly, not like the great winter it was earlier in the day, leaving the blanket of snow upon the ever creeping evening; the sun beginning its set.
This Lookout Tower was still under construction, its design highly resembled the old tower, accompanying new features that amplified its shimmering beauty. Something of a more pure light among the hazy neon glow of the town, oh, the neon glow, something was different about it too. It was clearer, each light more prominent than one hazy mass, clarity like the night sky on a clear cool night, like the shimmering of all the points of a diamond; at this point, Lookout Tower had reached an unearthly beauty.
Past the Lunar Café they went, shinning in brilliance with ice and busy, over the square with the sparkling fountain, past the Dot’s A lot to the Home’s a Home orphanage. “Come Spirit, it’s around this time of the year we can help you understand better,” said the ghost.
“Ooooh!” a young blonde maiden with her yellow hair up and blue eyes shinning cooed walking, “It’s snowing! It’s snowing! It’s snoooooooooooowwwwiinnnnng!!” piped Mihoshi.
“Yeah, and it’s been snowing off and on all day,” said Spike crunching up through the snow bank behind her, “And the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that.” Spike pounded on the door, “We’re back! Open up!”
“What’s the password?” chipped a young voice.
“You’re will to live.”
The door opened, and it wasn’t a child to greet them, it was Barret –
[exchange of glares: Barret – Spike]
“We’re back Barret!” piped Mihoshi, “The orders are all put in!”
“Hey! You guys out front,” called Bulma from behind the stonewall Barret, “We need some help in, ugth – wrangling up Chuco-ChucAAHH!” – the sound of glass crashing and tables snapping took Barret away from the entrance, and as for Spike, taking a bee-line for the back where another entrance, less hazardous – POOF.
“FEAR ME! THE RETURN OF THE LOLLY-POW PRINCESS!”
.
.
.
“Here Spike,” said Ms. Chi-Chi leaning his head back, “I know it may seem redundant to put on an ice pad after getting knocked out by ice, but, using the actual snowball just seemed to be salting the wound.”
“Thanks for the consideration.”
“Alright men,” said Abigale lining up her mini army of Goku, Ed, Serena, and the newly added Mihoshi, “We will take no prisoners, the evil snowmen of the Gindles and Grundles have threatened Santa’s operation of landing in Tokeio Town, look what they’ve done to the town! Totally covered in snow! They can move wherever they please with ease – like they own the place! They have shown us, that they can do whatever they like, well we will show them, that this, this is our land!”
“UUUUURAH!” shouted Ed –
“We will take them down with their own fibers!”
*crunch – crunch*
“A snowman approaches! Down in the trenches!”
“But I don’t see” –
“SSSSHHHHHHH!!!”
*crunch – crunch, crunch – crunch, crunch – crunch* -
“OPEN FIRE!”
Aside from a multitude of miss-fires and just random throwings, a single snowball packed tight and strong flew with the sheer force of catipultion apart from its poor spherical aerodynamics spinning like a newly created planet sucking in every bit of random ice particles in the air to further add and compact into its crust of chippy icey bits and smothering frozen cold – heading straight into the back of – WHOP! – Sephiroth’s head……
Isetzue and Avera just rounded the corner to see the aftermath, and the great one winged angel bearing a crutch to help him walk for the time being, turned around to the shocked ****less crowd, snowballs melting in hand from the magnetic field of fear –
“Who threw that?”
*POINT* -
“RETREAT!”
“What the hell was that?”
From afar, a tidal wave of snow encompassed short lived screams of terror, the shockwaves trudging through the ground.
“Something tells me we better get back home,” said Dendjue turning to Riku and Sora, “I felt a disturbance in the icicles.”
“OH DEAR GOD!”
“Look what I’ve made Izzy, Avera,” smiled Sephiroth, “Snow angels.”
*Twitch, twitch.*
The evening was eventually claimed (and settled) completely by the night, attention turning from the tribulations of the day to the decoration of night for the coming holiday.
Doink. “Exploding Christmas trees?”
“Of course!” yelled Ed to her mini crowd, “How do you think the ninjas get their exploding tags?”
“I’ve always had a suspicions those incantations were only part of the job,” said Naruto –
Kakashi felt a sweat drop, “No, no, by, inscribing the ‘explode’ – fused chak” –
“Exploding Christmas trees exist!” yelled Ed, “Listen to me now as I here tell, our journey of finding the seventy-foot Christmas tree that presently sits in the grand gall of Home-ba-Home! It was at the center of a whole forest of exploding Christmas trees! But luckily Yugi just called out Slyhper and we flew over them all, and then Slypher bit up the tree and flew it back here; it was no trouble at all, nopeity nope! My Yugi can do anything!”
“So, you’re telling us then,” said Inuyasha as his ear twitched, “That you picked an exploding Christmas tree out?”
Everyone slowly turned to face the seventy-foot tree.
………. “Well, we can all look forward to having our chestnuts roasting on an open fire.”
One of the pinecones jingled – “Eep.”
“Okay, are we ready to showcase Santa’s little helpers?!” piped Lorenia twirling like a stage announcer holding a toy mike, as she, herself was dressed like an elf before an audience of friends and orphans in a stage room, she flung her hand back ready to announce the out the helpers to exit out the dressing room door, “Santa helper number one! Wachu Elf!”
Washuu stepped out, or rather jumped out making all her bells jingle and elf hat tip to the side, the children clapping and cooing with delight,
Shonen puffed, “I thought you weren’t recruiting those that wouldn’t frighten small child” – WACK.
“Santa’s helper number two! Goofy Elf!”
*Cheers* -
Goofy jumped out, stepping on his own jingle-ball from his shoe, “OUCH!”
[Seriously, those things hurt when you step on them]
“And Santa’s helper number three! Eddie!...(*Cheers*!)...Santa’s helper number three!...(*Cheers~*).........Santa’s helper number threeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEDWARD GET OUT HERE!”
*jingle-jingle*…………
Stare.
Stare.
Stare –
“Say it........I dare you.....”
Faye bit, “Edward Elfic” –
“RAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRR!!!”
Lorenia grabbed the back of Edward’s coat and held him up while he swung, and kicked, and bit – “Now, now, elves don’t act that way, they are tiny, (*Edward’s rage turned to her, but was subdued with a lock of the arms*) tiny, adorable creatures who want nothing more than to help full fill the dreams of children during the holidays, ain’t that righ’? Edward Elfic?”
“I will end you before the night is through,” he growled – but the children swarmed him, as for the other elves, unable to contain their excitement from the magic before them –
“Edward Elfic! Edward Elfic! Can you personally deliver my letter to Santa?”
“Me too Edward Elfic!”
“Mine too! I had to revise it you see” –
“Please Edward Elfic, I really, really want a mommy and daddy this year!”
If that don’t beat all~
“Settle down all of you,” said Lorenia warmly, “We’re gonna go open up presents soon over at the Lunar Café!”
“YAAAAY!”
“Big brother Barret, Toboe, can you help us usher them to get their coats on?”
“Come on chillin’s!” he piped, “Before we get any more snow down! Hup – hup!”
“Follow me!” piped Toboe in his wolf form in a playful stance wagging his tail, “Follow the pretty wolfie!”
“There, while they’re all away we can hurry up and finish decorating this place,” said Tifa – vroom – “ACK – Yuffie!”
“HAHAHAHAHA! I’ve nearly perfected it!” said Yuffie screeching to a stop and spinning around, tashk – “My wheelchair’s got some moves now, I told ya I’d do it, ah, here ya go!” and Yuffie dropped a ton load of Christmas decorations in the grand hall near the tree, “Come on! This place ain’t gonna decorate itself!” – vroooooom~!
I…….
The kitchen was terribly busy with Ms.Chi-Chi wiping sweat off her brow in tow with, Tenchi, Jet, some outside volunteers. and a helping Alphonse Elric preparing a feast for the ages, pots boiling, vegetables getting sliced, and dough getting kneaded; Donald tried to sneak a taste of some pudding but was caught by the ever vigilant Ms. Chi-Chi.
“Oh good, another duck for the fire, oh Alphonse~” –
“AAHHHH!”
Upstairs in the “secret room” Aerith, Tifa, Bulma, Kairi, and Kagome were wrapping presents for immediate friends, not sparing hardly a break, Ein on guard from prospective peekers.
Mewtwo was using his psychic powers to hoist up large decorations all over the tall, tall windows of the front lobby with a curious Ryo-Okie looking on, and a bossy, loud, annoying to the point of breaking, Renge telling, him, exactly-lactly, where-to-put-said-objects –
“Okay – now millimeter and two bids the to the left” –
*twitch*
Reaper and Enma were outside, using their great powers, for other reasons, such as cutting up large ice pillars created by Suicune into grand ice sculptures, “And I’m doing it without scissor hands.”
Enma rolled her eyes as Reaper blew off ice bits from his scythe and twirled it gloatingly.
Everywhere in the house, hardly a friend was still, there was something to be bought, something to be calmed, something to be fixed, something to be found –
Above at the tippy top of Home’s a Home, Genkai was talking to the Deities, the Deities had offered to help before by instantly decorating everything, but where was the fun in that? Magic can do alot, but, not that.
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah, we looked everywhere for it, no one could find it,” said Goku.
Abigale slapped her hand to her face very Madonna-eque like, “Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaapuh. Well that’s that, we’ll have to find a replacement star in the mean time.” She looking up to the seventy-foot tree decorated in such splendor, the trimmings of the Rose Cathedral would be jealous. “Hhhhmmmmmmmmm~”
[Nonchalant turn to Yugi]
*Blink.*
*Blink-blink.*
[Target acquired] –
“NOOOO” –
“COME HERE!” Abigale horse-jumped Yugi and pinned him down.
“Is topping the tree off now that important?!”
“YES!”
“WHY?! And it doesn’t even have to be a star! It could be” –
“Bullcrap!” spat Abigale, “Atop the tree is a star, and only a star, giving homage to the very star that gave light to a world wrapped in darkness when few believed there was any light left. A star represents the single shimmer of hope among a blackened desolate landscape, there is nothing more befitting being atop a Christmas tree, and what shape is a Christmas tree? It’s an arrow POINTING UP! We are getting a frickin’ STAR! (*POINT*)! And anyway, you should be honored that you’re currently representing the star.”
Abigale tucked Yugi up – “N-n-n-n-n-n-ne-ne-ne-no-no-no-no-(Yugi turned to Goku for mercy but, “Sorry Yugi.”)-no-no-no-no-STOP–STOP–NA” – CHUUUUU~ “aaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH”–TOMP.
The top of tree wobbled sways of at least eight feet before the impact finally swung itself out; Yugi becoming hooked on a branch and dragged back and forth like a rag doll.
Goku cupped his hands into a mike, “You okay up there?”
“Why ‘inkdn’t ‘ou bus ‘ie mi up ‘ere?”
“Ah, ha...” Goku rubbed the back of his head and looked to Abigale who just shrugged her shoulders, “Sorry, the thought didn’t go through wa-our heads.”
“Wha a ‘urpise...”
“Okay now Yugi,” said Abigale, not batting an eye from her decrator mode “ – You just duck down, make like a star and twinkle m’kay?”
“M’KAY.”
“Good, now Goku, come, we must see how the gingerbread houses are coming along from the Dot’s Alot.”
“Okay.”
Yugi meanwhile nestled down into the top of the branch, showing only the top of his head, his hair, and from the ground, you really couldn’t tell.....
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Vincent was talking to Cloud and Leon when suddenly Red13 getting ridden by a child ran by – almost having them all spill their cup of coco – “Now you wipe those tears away little one,” said Red, “I’ll get you to the Lunar Cafe, they’re all probably worried sick and wondering where you are.”
At the Lunar Cafe, the scouts were getting ready, “Okay,” said Raye, “Here’s our game plan, we’ll file them in through a bottle neck handing them a present, and then” –
“We’ll just see what happens after that,” said Mina resting her head on her hand.
“We’re in for one wild night,” said Lita.
Toboe was doing a head count of the group he was in charge in shuffling over, and just as he realized that he had forgotten one, Red13 leapt down from the sky with the missing child.
“Oh thank goodness!”
At the Lunar Cafe, the ground began to shake, “Oh dear,” said Amy, and those were the only words spoken before plan bottle neck was implemented – and was a success! Much thanks to Santa’s helpers and Big Brother Barret who danced the single file dance making everyone laugh (and slowing the little one’s down a bit.)
Toboe and Red13 brought up the rear, shaking off some snow, for it had started up, again.
You couldn’t hear yourself think, the shredding of wrapping paper bombarded all air molecules into SHRREEEEE and CRRRRRRRSSSSSKKKKKK and ZZZZZSSSHSUUUUUU~
Ah “Edward Elfic,” said one girl beckoning him close to hear her, “I opened my toy, but then I dr-dr-dropped it,” she began to cry.
“Oh no, no, there’s no need to cry, look” – clap – the electric sparks of alchemy attached the horsie leg back on. “See? Good as new!”
The way that little girl’s face lit up, “Thank-you!” *hug* “I love you Edward Elfic.”
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Back at Home’s a Home, the lighting of the Christmas tree was ready to be tested, little Pikachu on standby near Ash and Ragiel as Layleri was ready to connect the lights, “Here we go! She pipped, on three, two, one! – Turn on the tree lights!”
“WAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!”
The tree radiated with such brilliance, it was as if diamonds had been captured all over it; Layleri and Ash traded glances, “What in the world was that?”
“I dunno, it sounded like it came from the top of the tree” –
“Yo-yo!” piped Abigale sticking her head in the room, “Come on! There’s still things to get and do’ugh!” – time out – *0* “IS THAT THE TREE?! HOLY COW!!!”
“Looks good don’t it?” smiled Ragiel, “Come on, before the little ones come back.”
Frazzled out of his cocked mind, Yugi took one of the beaming lights and began to move it back and forth like a searchlight/movie premier light – “Hahahaha, coming to a theater near you, attack of the chibi-bee-bees!”
Kairi passing by stopped in moderate terror upon hearing maniacal laughter coming from somewhere above, “Oh no, this place better not be haunted too....”
“Kairi!”
She turned to see Sora and Riku jogging up, “Hey, Riku and I are gonna go get the gingerbread houses with Goku, can you help us too?”
“Sure.”
Scuttling out, they passed by Hige in wolf form following a scent, “Hey, have you guys seen Starfish?”
“You mean Yugi?”
“Yeah. Pharaoh’s looking for him.”
All three shook their heads,
“Alright then.”
“I’m sure he’s around here somewhere, you know we’re busy to the brim.”
“Tell me about it.”
Treetop: “Oh no, wait, wait! That’s it! The Christmas Lights! LIGHT IS THE MESSENGER OF THE UNIVERSE!”
“Look, the top of the tree is blinking, at least one of its Christmas lights are; isn’t that some sort of light-speak?” asked Kenshin.
“This one does not understand that talk,” said Cheza.
“I don’t either!” piped Mihoshi.
“Hold on, it’s changing......Are those, smoke signals now coming from the top of the tree?”
“Hey, that one looks like Yugi’s puzzle! And that one looks like an arrow pointing to the top of the tree! And those look like the words ‘help me!’ Wow, the craft in those smoke signals is really spectacular,” said Mihoshi.
“Wait a tick – oh my goodness Yugi really is up there!” –
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“I’ve found the staaaaaaaaar~” sung Shonen Bat, “I know I know, you can all thank me later, thanks to me you are all sooooo welcome~”
“Just hush and hang it up,” said Genkai, “The little ones will be here soon.”
Shonen Bat shifted up through his Shadow Portal, dunked on the star, and shifted right back down – Abigale completely starry eyed all the while.
“Wow, it really does look good neh?” said Dendjue.
“So purddy,” purred Yugi leaning on Pharaoh, Ed was propping up his other side –
Bulma clapped her hands making everyone jump that were entranced by the tree.
“Okay! We are ready, let’s go get them little’uns!”
“Have you forgotten where you are Seritouge?”
“Oh.”
Seritouge pulled his presence back from Home’s a Home and faced the third ghost, another orb shape, different from the others.
“You were really getting into their festivities, looking all over the place; it’s been a while.”
Seritouge studied his host with almost a smile. “I’d imagine you’d be able to hide me to read your presence in the Lifestream, third specter, you are to be the most feared out of them all are you not?”
“I don’t know, I’ve never heard of that story.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Sadly I’m not, I’m just here to give you the sound of my thread, will you listen?”
“Of course, but may I ask you something?”
“Anything great Spirit.”
“Is this future real?”
“As real as a suggestion.” The company and grandeur of Home’s a Home and Tokieo Town faded away into darkness. “Such a future is not only going to depend on your choices, it is also going to depend on theirs. Isn’t that how existence works? The choices we make, the sacrifices we make, the hope we keep, maybe as encompassing to the whole as a single twinkle of a star,” a single star lighted in the darkness, “but…does not many a star make up the night sky?”
All the darkness then filled up with stars as many, maybe more than the night sky.
Oh, snow…..
“It is this time of year we remember it more than anything. Looking at what we love and cherish the most. You are the Spirit of Reason. Isn’t it reasonable, to note the power to believe? For the longest time, you’ve denied yourself your Coming’s End, to sleep and be reborn anew with the progress of existence. Existence evolves you, and the change these children will bring, will break you because you refused to sleep, refused to trust your siblings to take care of themselves, refused to believe existence can carry on. For when you face your Commings End are you not reborn as a creature of the physical plain? And when you awaken again, you are, ‘updated’ from the very thing you are trying to mold apart from yourself. It is hard for you, for what you are for how can a spirit believe? The faith of billions overruled by you? How can one such as yourself express hope? You do not have a heart of your own Seritouge, Aurocile is the heart, the heart of the Spirits. You are Reason, and all together do you all not weave a foundation? You understand everything is a part of the whole yet you separate yourself out.”
A bed appeared, and then the room, he was back in the house where all the Spirits were in their human form, all except for he.
“You of all creatures, should remember that despite what anyone believes in, hope, is universal.”
“Who is under those covers? It can’t be me….And there are two –”
“That? I don’t know this part of the story. Besides, they have a physical presence, you do not, how can you be under those covers?”
A crack of thunder cut through the great Spirit……. “No, it can’t be them under those covers…..No….No…”
“All I know Seritouge is that it is too late for you. Whatever is under those covers, still has the chance to be saved.”
Their faces…Seritouge’s eyes opened wide....all their faces passing before his memory…….
“Hardly a speck’s worth anyone keeps in belief of you Seritouge. I’m sorry it is too late for you, but perhaps you can save, what can be for them at least.”
And Seritouge finally recognized the entity as its true presence made itself known, “Tumble-Stop…”
“Don’t we all lean on each other to make up the whole, mortal and spirit alike? We are forever intertwined, don’t worry, everything will turn out alright, even if we don’t quite understand it at first.”
Tumble-Stop retreated its presence and Seritouge’s White Room materialized around him with the present day Tokieo Town, hazy and sleepy.
True snow was falling now, the Enchantment* made it so.
Baha-Mute made it’s presence known, but Seritouge let him go on ahead and retreat.
He then mustered up his strength and through the Seri-Cams, expanded his sight to all of Tokieo Town…..oh….he felt it, how long it had been since he felt it, how long it had been since Reason dared to dream, to have faith, he had looked it over so many, many times, he was living with it!…..It was small, and it was questioned, and beaten and battered and bruised, and shaken, but it was still there none-the-less, resilient under the hazy neon signs….
*The beat of hope….* and this but came from one Town, and to think through the stars tonight, how far that beat reached…
*Hope….* And for the first time, in a long time, Seritouge closed his eyes, and listened to the beat of existence.
END CHAP
And there ya have it! Wow, this was a little harder to write than I thought, but I hope y’all liked it! :3 I turned the Christmas Carol story around to make a Spirit believe instead of a human – yay for literature paradox! XD
And to everyone I am able to share this with tonight, MERRY CHRISTMAS – HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR! Though I’m gonna be around for that too, but well, no time like the present!
Abigale: Wait wait! God bless us, everyone. Okay y’all can go now.
