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Ash’s Christmas
I couldn’t sleep in my room in Block E. No matter what I tried, counting muffies, going to my calm place, thinking of Riley and the others of Team 13, I just couldn’t settle down to sleep. As usual, there was too much on my mind. My human friend told me to relax, that she'd look out for me, but I could not.
It didn’t figure. There was a weird kind of truce. I was grateful for the respite, of course! No one was hunting me down, trying to capture or kill me. Riley seemed to be much calmer and relaxed than she’d been lately. Even my human friend, the one I always speak to through my pocket watch, was in a good mood. The last time we’d talked before this truce, I think she’d been near tears, though I can’t remember why. But even she was cheerful. She’d told me that she’d have more time to talk to me soon, because she had a couple of extra days off from her job to celebrate Christmas, and a week later, another day off for the New Year. She’d have two long weekends, and she seemed ecstatic! The last thing she’d said was something about not having to deal with strangers. I’d felt hurt at first, but she assured me she didn’t mean any of us Alyncians. She meant other humans she dealt with as part of her job. Now that I thought about it, I never knew the human I talked to all the time was a lady, and I wondered how I learned that, or how she was able to speak more freely to me? Normally there were strict limits on what she could say to me.
But in the end, that didn’t matter. What mattered was that this lady was determined to see to it that I got a chance to celebrate Christmas. Exactly how this was to be accomplished, I had no idea. Yet. After all, Christmas is a human holiday, and anything that had to do with humans had been banned. Anything, that is, except what was still hidden or that Chronos used.
"It's a time to spend with family,” she had said when I asked what this “Christmas” was. “A time spent with friends and family, where you exchange gifts, and if you are so inclined, take a few moments to remember why some humans really celebrate the holiday. Also, Santa Claus brings presents in the night to good boys and girls. That's fun.” I would have sworn I heard a giggle, almost like a little girl. “I loved doing that for my daughter, but she stopped believing in Santa a few years back.” A wistful sigh. “But she's old enough to help out, and she takes a turn at being Santa for us.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, she helps each of us pick a present for the other, and we say it's from Santa. We do the same for her, of course.”
I suddenly had a brain wave. There used to be stories, actually there still are stories but no one really believes them, of someone who went around Alyncia, leaving presents of gold or truly needed or wanted things for everyone, no matter the age. Somehow this person did it all in one night! “Wait!” I blurted out, “are you the person everyone talked about? This Santa that you now call the figure in your world?” It made sense to me! After all she could Turn Back Time. She'd done so several times in many different timelines, if I could trust what she said, and I had no reason not to. “You're Santa Claus! Or the Gift Giver—that's what we called the person a long time ago.”
“Uh...”
“No, really! Perhaps you can alter time in some other way! I mean, you can't always have been watching over me, right?”
“Uh, no, Ash.” She sounded amused and yet like she hated to disappoint me. “I'm not Santa Claus. I wish I'd thought of that, but I promise you I'm not.” I was disappointed when she finally convinced me, after a long discussion, there was no way she could do the job.
“I'll tell you how you're going to celebrate Christmas,” I heard my friend say in the darkness. “You're going to celebrate by bringing Christmas to others. You can't sleep, and I have time, so we'll get to work on it. First, you need trees, and then you need decorations for the trees, and then...”
After we had come up with a plan, I felt as if I could sleep. And I did.
I woke up early the next morning. I couldn't help it. The weather had abruptly changed, and it was cold! I didn't remember ever feeling so cold! Well, cold had to be better than dry choking heat like they have in Windsorhowl. I got dressed in some new clothing that I found draped across a chair. Clothing that seemed to be designed to protect me from this new cold.
I made a couple of griffin eggs and thought of A.C. while doing so. Then I made a bunch more, because it seemed like the swordsman was always hungry and ready to eat, especially if it was breakfast food, and I thought maybe I could give him some as a present. Then I made some more, because I know that Riley likes them, too. I'd cooked them all, but I was happy. I'd thought of these presents on my own.
Morty came in, then, carrying his little bag of gold for me, and I gave him a hot egg to eat as well. My furry little buddy always had to wait for me, and didn't get nearly enough treats.
“That's the spirit!” My friend startled me, but I managed not to spill the remaining eggs. I hadn't realized I'd spoken aloud. “You're on the right track,” she continued. “Now you just need to think of something for Roger, but actually, no you don't. I've got that covered, if you like.”
“What do you mean?”
“A.C. is getting apple pie if you remember. Elise is getting the fun of evading me when I try to hunt her, but Roger doesn't get anything, so far. I know he likes fruit, so I thought I'd make him an apple pie, too.”
“Uh...” I hated to do this, but it had to be said. “You've promised apple pie to me and A.C., I know, but how are you going to get it to us?” As far as I knew, she could tell me to access the pouch, and she could see what was in it, but she couldn't put things into it herself.
“I'm confident something will work out,” she said evasively.
“Well, it's good you've thought of something for Roger, but I need to think of things for him and Elise.” I sighed. That would not be easy. As far as I knew the only things Elise liked were death and tea, and the only thing I knew Roger was really into was anything by Master Indra Frost.
I scarfed down my breakfast and mentally prepared myself. I'd have to teleport. I don't like teleporting. It looks cool, and that's mainly why I do it when I must, but it feels awful! It feels like my insides want to be on the outside, and getting put back together at the end is even weirder. I won't even try to describe it, except to say it's a miracle no one vomits upon arrival at their destination.
“Where do we want to go first?” she asked. Really, I should try to get her name sometime, I thought.
“Nightshade Forest,” I said resignedly. We had figured we might be able to find pine trees there, but I was scared to go back. The fire. The muffies. The bomb. Ignis and...
“Stop that!” she said sharply. “You have to put those things out of your head. I know it's hard, but we've got to do this to keep moving.”
We teleported away. I had forgotten the rule! The one where we aren't supposed to teleport outside the Guild from inside. I should have walked to the gate first! Hopefully, no one would find out, or if they did, they wouldn't say anything.
I couldn’t sleep in my room in Block E. No matter what I tried, counting muffies, going to my calm place, thinking of Riley and the others of Team 13, I just couldn’t settle down to sleep. As usual, there was too much on my mind. My human friend told me to relax, that she'd look out for me, but I could not.
It didn’t figure. There was a weird kind of truce. I was grateful for the respite, of course! No one was hunting me down, trying to capture or kill me. Riley seemed to be much calmer and relaxed than she’d been lately. Even my human friend, the one I always speak to through my pocket watch, was in a good mood. The last time we’d talked before this truce, I think she’d been near tears, though I can’t remember why. But even she was cheerful. She’d told me that she’d have more time to talk to me soon, because she had a couple of extra days off from her job to celebrate Christmas, and a week later, another day off for the New Year. She’d have two long weekends, and she seemed ecstatic! The last thing she’d said was something about not having to deal with strangers. I’d felt hurt at first, but she assured me she didn’t mean any of us Alyncians. She meant other humans she dealt with as part of her job. Now that I thought about it, I never knew the human I talked to all the time was a lady, and I wondered how I learned that, or how she was able to speak more freely to me? Normally there were strict limits on what she could say to me.
But in the end, that didn’t matter. What mattered was that this lady was determined to see to it that I got a chance to celebrate Christmas. Exactly how this was to be accomplished, I had no idea. Yet. After all, Christmas is a human holiday, and anything that had to do with humans had been banned. Anything, that is, except what was still hidden or that Chronos used.
"It's a time to spend with family,” she had said when I asked what this “Christmas” was. “A time spent with friends and family, where you exchange gifts, and if you are so inclined, take a few moments to remember why some humans really celebrate the holiday. Also, Santa Claus brings presents in the night to good boys and girls. That's fun.” I would have sworn I heard a giggle, almost like a little girl. “I loved doing that for my daughter, but she stopped believing in Santa a few years back.” A wistful sigh. “But she's old enough to help out, and she takes a turn at being Santa for us.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, she helps each of us pick a present for the other, and we say it's from Santa. We do the same for her, of course.”
I suddenly had a brain wave. There used to be stories, actually there still are stories but no one really believes them, of someone who went around Alyncia, leaving presents of gold or truly needed or wanted things for everyone, no matter the age. Somehow this person did it all in one night! “Wait!” I blurted out, “are you the person everyone talked about? This Santa that you now call the figure in your world?” It made sense to me! After all she could Turn Back Time. She'd done so several times in many different timelines, if I could trust what she said, and I had no reason not to. “You're Santa Claus! Or the Gift Giver—that's what we called the person a long time ago.”
“Uh...”
“No, really! Perhaps you can alter time in some other way! I mean, you can't always have been watching over me, right?”
“Uh, no, Ash.” She sounded amused and yet like she hated to disappoint me. “I'm not Santa Claus. I wish I'd thought of that, but I promise you I'm not.” I was disappointed when she finally convinced me, after a long discussion, there was no way she could do the job.
“I'll tell you how you're going to celebrate Christmas,” I heard my friend say in the darkness. “You're going to celebrate by bringing Christmas to others. You can't sleep, and I have time, so we'll get to work on it. First, you need trees, and then you need decorations for the trees, and then...”
After we had come up with a plan, I felt as if I could sleep. And I did.
I woke up early the next morning. I couldn't help it. The weather had abruptly changed, and it was cold! I didn't remember ever feeling so cold! Well, cold had to be better than dry choking heat like they have in Windsorhowl. I got dressed in some new clothing that I found draped across a chair. Clothing that seemed to be designed to protect me from this new cold.
I made a couple of griffin eggs and thought of A.C. while doing so. Then I made a bunch more, because it seemed like the swordsman was always hungry and ready to eat, especially if it was breakfast food, and I thought maybe I could give him some as a present. Then I made some more, because I know that Riley likes them, too. I'd cooked them all, but I was happy. I'd thought of these presents on my own.
Morty came in, then, carrying his little bag of gold for me, and I gave him a hot egg to eat as well. My furry little buddy always had to wait for me, and didn't get nearly enough treats.
“That's the spirit!” My friend startled me, but I managed not to spill the remaining eggs. I hadn't realized I'd spoken aloud. “You're on the right track,” she continued. “Now you just need to think of something for Roger, but actually, no you don't. I've got that covered, if you like.”
“What do you mean?”
“A.C. is getting apple pie if you remember. Elise is getting the fun of evading me when I try to hunt her, but Roger doesn't get anything, so far. I know he likes fruit, so I thought I'd make him an apple pie, too.”
“Uh...” I hated to do this, but it had to be said. “You've promised apple pie to me and A.C., I know, but how are you going to get it to us?” As far as I knew, she could tell me to access the pouch, and she could see what was in it, but she couldn't put things into it herself.
“I'm confident something will work out,” she said evasively.
“Well, it's good you've thought of something for Roger, but I need to think of things for him and Elise.” I sighed. That would not be easy. As far as I knew the only things Elise liked were death and tea, and the only thing I knew Roger was really into was anything by Master Indra Frost.
I scarfed down my breakfast and mentally prepared myself. I'd have to teleport. I don't like teleporting. It looks cool, and that's mainly why I do it when I must, but it feels awful! It feels like my insides want to be on the outside, and getting put back together at the end is even weirder. I won't even try to describe it, except to say it's a miracle no one vomits upon arrival at their destination.
“Where do we want to go first?” she asked. Really, I should try to get her name sometime, I thought.
“Nightshade Forest,” I said resignedly. We had figured we might be able to find pine trees there, but I was scared to go back. The fire. The muffies. The bomb. Ignis and...
“Stop that!” she said sharply. “You have to put those things out of your head. I know it's hard, but we've got to do this to keep moving.”
We teleported away. I had forgotten the rule! The one where we aren't supposed to teleport outside the Guild from inside. I should have walked to the gate first! Hopefully, no one would find out, or if they did, they wouldn't say anything.
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