Christmas Presence

#1

It was Christmas Eve on Pax, and in The Encampment people were celebrating before they headed to bed to bring in Christmas Day proper. There was even a tree in the centre, decorated with many and various decorations, tinsel, and lights. Even the Horn and Halo was decorated, green faux vines covering the tops of the entranceway and the roof with spiky leaves and red berries everywhere.

Snow was lightly falling as it was beginning to get dark, and everything seemed perfectly fine-for once. The spirits were high as well as flowing tonight, the people in the very mixed dwelling place relaxed and having a good time.

Once everyone got home, they'd each find a Christmas Card had been pushed through their doors, left on their entranceways or simply dropped on their sleeping places if they were one of the people who didn't have a house. One for each house, or in the case of the inn, one for each residential room. The cards themselves had differing pictures featuring various holiday themed creatures or items-a reindeer, a christmas tree heavily decorated with baubles, sugar plum fairies or a more simple one with tinsel twisted around christmas lights decoratively. The cards all held a simple message inside once opened: 'Seasons Greetings'. They weren't addressed to specific people, and weren't signed by anyone either.

Odd.

#2

Oh man, could they ever throw a Christmas party down there...

Cp stumbled, unsteadily down the hall before he slowly started to list to the right. The severely intoxicated mouse bumped right into a closed door, bounced back and stared at it for a good while before turning around and discovering his room was a little further down.

This was bad... He had partied a little too hard. He had gone down just for a few Christmas greetings, and ended up drinking, then the whole thing had errupted into a night long cycle of craziness - He had been pretty sure he saw Tala with a lampshade on her head.

CP entered his room to see all the presents he had wrapped for friends the next day, piled high on his work bench. They seem to have doubled... he had to give his head a shake to keep them steady. Boxes, each a different color, size and shape, ranging from a big long purple rectangle, to a tiny black box, like the kind jewlery would be in. The tiny one was simply labeled "TO C".

The electric mouse flopped on his bed, nearly dozing off before he realized he was laying on something. It was a Christmas card, simply stating "Seasons Greetings". In the dark it didn't look like it had any other marks... Where had this come from?

CP thought about it, and tried to figure if he had bought a blank Christmas Card earlier in the day to give to someone, and hadn't got around to writing the message. It didn't seem to ring any bells...

He soon dozed off with the card on his chest, mystery not even close to solved.

Jent · #3

The night, livid in merriment and joy to all, followed an exhausted resident of the Encampment returning to an oak tree right at the town border. Why such a place, you say? Living off in the 'streets' deemed a bit much for him (for the streets were exposed to nature yet still) as his previous quarters were, how to say, demolished.

Not the tree, however. Leaping up to what have been a hard knock on the noggin, he sneaked aboard a tree house a few refugees fleeing their country constructed, redone in a manner fit for 'royalty.'

"So had fun at the inn, Jent?"

The man turned to face the voice, mouth rising to a soft smile. "Probably a bit too much," Jent affirmed. "So Solvieg, how is she doing?"

Before him, a women sat up from her cushioned seat. The being, hollow as an old tree trunk, continued to wear the garments used to flee to here: tattered remains of clothes sewed together in all sorts of ways. "She is just tired, staying up all night to finish with her presents under the tree. Though, there is this card for you."

((Had to redo post, D:))

#4

Inside CPs room something watched the mouse collapse into the bed from the shadows, more curious than anything. A bit disappointed, perhaps, but that didn't really matter.

As the Pokemon slept a small black pool of oily fluid formed next to him on the bed, flowing from somewhere underneath. The pool rose and resolved into the form of a small black female Pikachu, the detail of the markings of the species a lighter grey, but the eyes glowed bright red. C stared at CP in his drunken stupor before she spoke "First greed, now gluttony, you are ever full of surprises, little interesting one" the entity prodded CP with a slick, fur - less paw. "Wakey wakey now"

#5

"Wakey wakey now."

CP heard the smooth, sultry voice, and felt the paw run across his face. It was comforting, in the ignorance of sleepy haze... at least until it wasn't . The electric mouse opened his eyes in a flash, looking up at the female Pikachu standing over him with deep, crimson eyes. His suspicions were confirmed... the Collector was in his room.

"Mmm... Haven't seen you wear that one in a while. Special occasion?" Coolpikaaa mumbled, closing his eyes. He wasn't sure how long he had been asleep, but seemed to have sobered up a bit. He wasn't exactly awake though. "Oh! It's Christmas, isn't it? That's it. You said you'd come."

CP rolled on to his side to face the feminine entity.

"Did you get me something? Like... even one slightly neat thing without terrible implications?" He asked, grinning. He wasn't sure what else she would have appeared for. Well... there were a few things, but they all seemed to terrible for Christmas day, even for The Collector. Coolpikaaa hoped... maybe once, things would be different.

#6

The God of Insanity coalessed near his mailbox at Ft. Yorick. It wasn't often mortals sent him mail, so he figured he should check it when one did.

He opened it up and retrieved the letter. He opened it up and pulled out the card. It simply read "Season's Greetings". However, it wasn't what the card said that worried the God, it was the feeling he got off of it.

((Swix, this is where you come in))

#7

CPs room

C smiled thinly at CP, after watching the mouse get up and start grinning at her. He was so... perky, even after what sheÃ¢â‚¬â„¢d done. She hated it. "It really should come as no surprise to you that I am not fond of this holiday" the entity answered "and giving another a gift is an unselfish act" C's smile disappeared "So, no, I didn't get you anything"

CPs card flipped over when the mouse turned over, showing the heavily decorated Christmas tree picture on the front.

<hr />

Jents Tree?

Jents card, whenever he gets around to opening it, featured sugar plum fairies. The atypical type of fairy with insect wings, clad in flowing purple clothing and dancing.

<hr />

Ft. Yorick

DPs cards design was the more simple one, with white and silver tinsel entwined around green and red Christmas lights.

The Immortal would get the feeling that the card contained an ancient and malevolent magic woven into it, clearly it wasn't all that it seemed. The card also contained something alive, just waiting to jump out at some unknown trigger. None of the people other than DP would be able to sense this, it was concealed from all but a God.

#8

"Giving a gift?" CP asked, watching the entity. He thought about it for a moment and matched the slight smile. "Oh no. You have it all wrong. Think of it as a trade. You do deals don't you? Repaying a debt, see, I got you something."

The electric mouse let that sink in for a moment.

"It's over there. Little box with your name on it. You can open it up, assess the value and throw something together to make it all fair. How's that sound?"

#9

CPs room

"... Interesting" the entity said, following CPs paw to the box, and not saying anything more. The entity walked over to the box, picked it up, and started to unwrap it to see what was inside.

There's a tree in the corner of CPs room, all heavily decorated with baubles.

#10

The dark entity would open the jewlery box to find two things inside. The first, was a small paper slip coiled around the second. The slip simply read "We had fun, but I don't need you anymore." Under it was obviously the main gift. It was a single red scale, heavily armored with a slight lightning bolt pattern visible if it caught the light. It had clearly been extremely well preserved, and polished several times to a wonderous sheen with care.

"I figured you would have gone ahead and taken the box from under the tree at some point without me noticing." CP eventually said, watching the Collector appraise and her gift. " But since I'm here I can explain more. For a long time... since we both stopped being Dragons on fact, I've held on to those memories. I focussed for a long time on the guilt. Guilt that I had hurt so many people... guilt that... that I enjoyed it."

The scale shone again... obviously well taken care of...

"But... I need to let go. I'm come to realize that wasn't me. I wasn't in control. The guilt isn't mine to hold to anymore. I want... I want you to have it. The last piece of who he was. The last of the Dragon, Red."

In the dark it was hard to tell CP's expression...

Jent · #11

What a perplexing gift, quite different than the lengthy ones drawn up by Solveig, barely holding the scribbles of the person meant for on the cardstock. Receiving the mysterious card from her, Jent examined the card. "... Little sugar plum fairies? Seems someone likes that particular play a lot, but can't tell who. Nowhere on it says a name," he commented on it. "To be fair, it might be just a general one given out by someone in the town possibly."

Jent sat down at a table with the huldra, sipping from a mug of cocoa placed by him. Solveig, turning her head off towards a door leading to the living room, smiled. "I believe they are ready to deliver the gifts now."

Bursting past hurriedly, a young woman tangled in a mess of thread panted as she herded a swarm of mist. "My friends, hope you guys aren't tired, I just got the presents ready," she asked the glittering mass. Normally, this would be a cause of concern for regular folk, though the huldrefolk find it to be a common occurrence. The swirling particles condensed to the floor, swooping down to snatch several sacks of gifts before heading out.

#12

Jents Tree?

As soon as Jent took his eyes off the table for a second, an entire feast of sweets appeared in front of him. From mince pies, Christmas cake, panettone, gingerbread and shortbread butter biscuits to chocolate coins and candy canes of all varieties. There was even a dessert in the very centre shaped like a plum, dusted down with icing.

Jent · #13

Treehouse

"Ahhhh, so delicious."

"Solveig, you are aware of legends of 'fairy food,' right?'

Pouting, the hulda kept her fingers at a distance from the mouth-watering treats that sprung forth on the table. Maria could easily smell the banquet laid out, holding a cloth to her nose of the enticing aroma. "It is hard to read the minds of the fey, even for us. Could be an insult to refuse the offer," the priest suggested.

"... I rather lean on the former, thank you. Don't feel like turning into a scarecrow or something," Jent grumbled, turning his head back to the tree. A tiny oak spliced into the housing of the treehouse, its branches were garnished with trails of glittering silver and gold appearing tinsel uncoiled from the top-down. To an added touch, golden apples hung at random points of the tree for a warmly feel in the room. Frowning, Jent left his chair, looking at the presents below the Christmas Tree.

---

Roadside

Idling by the side of his house, Grathon gazed out at the night sky, glad to be far from the ruckus at the him. A pristine night only hampered by watching three bleating goats. "Suppose it could be worse," he guessed, smiling when the glowing mist carrying presents drifted to his doorstep. "Fantastic, just drop off the gifts in their sleighs, they will take it from there.

Answering in a musical tone, the mist agreed. Slowly, each of the sacks were placed in the tiny wooden rides. The multicolored animals: blue, yellow, and green; stared blankly into space. "You know where to go, now get going!" Grathon shouted, watching them go to their respective destinations.

((Which goats go to who should be obvious.

))

#14

Ft. Yorick
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DP did not recognize the magic, but he recognized danger when he saw it. This did not bode well. First thing first he had to deal with the danger in his hands. The Master summoned the Sanity Blade, and it appeared for it's master's beckon. DP grabbed it and with one fluid motion, he tossed the card into the air and sliced through it with the celestial blade to dis-spell the magic within the card.

There were so many questions. Was this the only one....DP had to think evil. And if he was - it wouldn't be. So where would the bulk of them be?

Where the bulk of the population was - The Encampment. That was also where his team was. That wasn't good. His team was improving, but they weren't really a team yet, and were most definitely not ready yet. He really needed to get to town. But how....dragon? No, even that was too slow. If everyone had these cards, it may already be to late.

"Well, no time like now for the dramatic" He mused, and disappeared

Encampment
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Although there were not many clouds in the sky, thunder sounded and lightning struck in the market near the H&H. When the flash faded, DP Stood, Sanity blade ready, battle cloak around him. He looked around....he had to find his team, make sure his plans hasn't been undone already. Swix - he wasn't sure where she lived. She could fend for herself for a bit.

Jent, he knew where was, but had also DP made sure he had some defense as well.

That left the Pikachu. CP - was still a bit off from his time as Red. If there was a weak link to exploit it would be there. That is where he'd strike if he was trying to break the team. With that DP headed off towards the H&H, throwing some of his power ahead of him to knock open the door.

#15

CPs Room

The Collector stared at the item and the note CP had left for her, unmoving, with her back to him. The entity was actually pretty impressed with the care taken by the mouse for the scale. It shined and showed the detail she'd designed into him when she'd used the brush to make Red. "... Very well, we shall do a trade. This time"

The fur - less black Pikachu absorbed the scale and the note into the palm of her paw.... and then had her head tilted sideways at a sickening angle as something smacked into it from the side. "How many times do I have to tell you fools-" she started angrily as she turned, the heavy bauble that had hit her sliding to the floor as the face reformed. It wasn't CP that had done that at all.

It was the Christmas Tree in CPs room that hadn't been there before, animated now as it's branches spun violently clockwise and anticlockwise in sections, the trunk growing roots so it could start to drag itself closer. The baubles, from glass that shattered to the dangerous plastic slivers to ones that were as heavy as the one that would have easily broken C's neck had she been alive were violently thrown every which way inside the mouses room. "Well well, seems you don't need me to ruin your season" C drawled, ducking under a glass ball that shattered on the wall behind her "I'm going to enjoy watching this". The entity melted into the dark pool and retreated into the shadows, leaving CP to fend for himself.

<hr />

Jents Tree?

Jents Christmas Tree wasn't really the thing he should have been watching, it was the sweet treats on the table. The centre of which folded in on itself until it became a small fairy similar yet different to the ones on the card. It still wore purple, and it still had insect wings but both the wings and the dress were tattered and torn. It's tiny nails were sharpened to fine points, it's teeth were tiny needles and it's eyes were segmented, compound eyes. It's blonde hair too was long and unkempt, dirty and uncared for. "Hey!" she yelled in a shrill little voice "What's the big idea ignoring us? We're certainly not going to ignore you!"

Every single one of the sweet treats folded inwards to reveal a massive swarm of the tiny creatures, and the swarm arose as one. The fairies fluttered in the air before splitting into groups and going after every one in the tree. They would bite and scratch and claw like an angry swarm of wasps but worse.

<hr />

The Horn and Halo

The doors of the inn flew open with a loud bang when DP threw his power ahead of him. The result was definitely dramatic and caused the party inside that was still in full swing despite a fully Were formed 7 foot Werewolf with a lampshade on her lupine head to stop and stare at the God standing there battle ready. Even the musicians stopped playing their happy tunes.

Naturally it was the sivak draconian Syllak who was guarding the doors tonight, and the reptilian stepped towards the God, eyeing his drawn sword. "It's a surprise and an honour to see you here Lord Psycho but the rules are still the same - no weapons"

Before anybody could follow this up however there was a terrified scream of abject horror emanating from upstairs, and the barmaid who'd retired early for the night came sprinting down the stairs, tripped on a step and fell to the floor before spinning around so she could keep her eyes on the stairs. "Nym, what-"

"Stay away from me!" Swix's sister yelled at the stairs, as a very long and strange sight appeared to chase her. White and silver razor sharp tinsel made of icicles entwined around Christmas lights that sparked with electricity "... I don't want to be a popsicle!"

The Christmas snake hissed and went for the nearest drunk instead, coiling around him, so the icy tinsel froze the man solid where he stood.

"Given the circumstances I'll make an exception" Syllak said to DP after seeing this, drawing her own twin katanas. "EVERYBODY OUT!"