Jade shook her head ruefully as she helped hang ornaments on Uncle's Christmas tree...the tree in the back lot that - despite being an apple tree - never lost its leaves and had plenty of branches low enough to both hang ornaments and climb while not getting in the way of harvesting the apples it produced. Jade had questioned the tree when she'd first come out to hang ornaments and lights, but Sweetie Belle had just informed her, 'It's hers,' while pointing at Apple Bloom, and that had been enough of an explanation for the girl. After Audrey, an apple tree that apparently liked being dressed up for the holidays was not that hard to wrap her head around. It was the easy thing to accept about how the holiday was going. "So...Santa is...real?" she finally asked again.
"Eeyup!" Apple Bloom confirmed. "We've met him. He's real nice."
"How is that even possible?" Jade demanded in confusion. "What he does, I mean? Delivering all those presents in a single night without being seen or leaving evidence?"
"Every cell of his body is hyper-saturated with Good Chi," Sweetie Belle explained. "So tightly focused that he's practically a Good Chi Black Hole, guided by his gentle nature. Pretty sure as long as it's part of his job, the laws of magic around him are whatever the hay he wants them to be."
"I'm sorry, but that's kind of out there," Jade countered. "You might as well tell me he's Sun Wukong!"
"Uh...he did make Cumulo for me," Scootaloo pointed out, nudging her cloud out to where Jade could see from where she was hanging ornaments in the upper branches.
"...okay, I have no counter to that," Jade allowed. "Still, it's a little hard to swallow."
"Really?" Hsi Wu asked with a raised eyebrow as he leapt down to Jade's level, using his human form to keep wings from getting caught on the branches. "After everything you've been through, Santa Claus is where you draw the line of incredulity?"
"Well I know it's not logical!" Jade snapped out. "It's just...after being told for most of my life that the crazy things only I saw weren't real, while being told in the same breath sometimes that Santa wasn't going to bring me any gifts because of them..." She shrugged her shoulders. "And then finding out the crazy things were real..."
Hsi tilted his head in confusion as Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all piled around Jade in a group hug. "Umm...am I missing something?" he asked in confusion.
"Jade's magic has always been strong enough to pierce the Veil in what she sees," Sweetie Belle explained. "But in the world before magic was normal, that got her written off as crazy or a troublemaker with an overactive imagination, instead of noticed as magically gifted."
Hsi winced sympathetically. "Yikes..."
At that point in the discussion, Uncle stepped out of the shop. "How goes the decoration?" he asked happily. He sighed warmly as he took in the tree in its winter glory. "It always looks so much prettier than any other tree..."
"So everyone's ready for the holiday?" Scootaloo asked eagerly as she set the star at the tree's crown.
"Indeed," Uncle confirmed. "Jackie and Viper are setting up decorations in the shop. Tohru, his girls, and Mrs. T are in the kitchen baking. El Toro and Captain Black are decorating the outside of the shop. All is as it should be." Smiling, he turned to go inside...only to pause, turning to the fillies. "Oh, one more thing. There is an elf in the shop asking for you three."
Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo turned to each other in shock. "An elf?" they said together.
"This is starting to sound like the beginning of a Christmas special," Jade murmured softly. "Even with the one kid needing convincing about the 'spirit of the holiday' with me questioning Santa."
"And what does that make me?" Hsi Wu asked curiously.
"The angsty teen with a bad rep but a heart of gold who gets to show his true colors as they save Christmas and rediscover child-like wonder?" Jade teased playfully.
"Whatever you say, Mistress," Hsi Wu teased back.
"I'm not your Mistress!" Jade snapped back.
"Well, technically since I'm your familiar-"
"Can I go back to being your girlfriend?"
"Oh, so now you're saying-"
"And you're not my boyfriend either!"
Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo burst into giggles. "Isn't it adorable how they flirt?" Sweetie Belle observed playfully.
"Elf?" Jade growled out irritably as Hsi struggled to hide his grin.
"Oh, right!" Scootaloo declared as she led the dash inside.
By the time they'd made it inside, everyone else had gathered as well, staring at the elf in confusion. He stood no taller than Jade, dressed in green with red and white striped stocking, and stood with a very business like air about him. He seemed less like a jolly symbol of holiday cheer and more like a Secret Service Agent. "Can we...help you?" Tohru finally asked in confusion.
"And why did you give us all earplugs?" Captain Black added.
"You'll see soon enough," the elf replied as he handed earplugs to Jade and Hsi Wu. He then pulled out an ID. "Names Elvin, head of security...north pole."
"Magnetic or True?" Jade asked curiously.
"Magical," Elvin replied instantly. "And it's you three I need to talk to," he continued, turning to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "Nearly 13 and still in the True Selfless file, and firmly on the Nice list even separate from that..." He glanced towards Apple Bloom. "Though some of your pet's behavior is questionable..."
"Rhino?" Apple Bloom asked in surprise, glancing towards where the little rodent was happily rolling around in his Christmas decorated ball.
"Audrey III," Elvin corrected. "You really should keep him on a shorter leash, but that's a different matter. I need your help. The Big Red One has been abducted."
This statement was greeted by gasps all around the shop. "What?" Hsi Wu managed to say first. "Who would be crazy enough to try and tackle Santa on his own ground, and how much backup did they bring?"
"We have reason to believe your group knows the perp," Elvin continued, reaching into his vest. "Creative services crafted this likeness." He pulled out a doll of a very familiar dark wizard.
"Daolong Wong..." Hsi growled with venomous hatred. "So that's it. Santa enters this world as the sun touches the horizon Greenwich Mean Time, but his power doesn't catalyze until sunset GMT. In that period he's vulnerable, and Daolong Wong has spells for draining chi. He intends to steal Santa's chi during the time he can't defend himself!"
"We managed to secure the cottage with an elf magic barrier," Elvin spoke up, "but the perp made off with the cottage and the area around it. We are unable to get a bead on him without the Big Man's help."
"I can cast a locator spell," Uncle spoke up. "But will require personal item belonging to Santa Claus."
"All his gear is up at the pole," Elvin explained. "Including an empty sleigh and toys that won't be getting delivered tonight if we don't act quickly."
"Then act!" Hsi Wu snapped out.
Immediately, Elvin held out his hands, glowing blue white as the group was whipped up in a brief snow storm. When it passed, the group found themselves unmistakably in Santa's workshop. As realization struck them, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo's eyes all widened.
Every elf in the shop quickly put in earplugs. Uncle, Mrs. T, Jackie, Viper, Tohru, Sofia, Lucia, Ysabelle, Jade, and Hsi Wu quickly followed suit.
Captain Black raised his eyebrow at this odd reaction. "What-" he began, only for his own eyes to widen as he saw the three fillies gasp. He reached for his own pair, but moved just too slow.
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS SAVE CHRISTMAS, YAY!"
"Ow my ears!" Captain Black moaned as he rolled on the floor.
Is there a count for "Cutie Mark Crusaders <do thing>, yay!"?
If not, there should be.
you where warned Black you where hahaha, seriously Captain Black when you see everybody and there mother put in ear plugs you should as well.
Redneck squids asking for the still-beating heart of Jeff gordon? And the back up being 3 huge ass attack dogs that tear apart elves?
Where's my "elf on the shelf" joke?
8467558
Don’t forget one family of a agent of the CIA.
8467567
You’ve heard of elf on a shelf, now get ready for crusader on a raider
8467580
yessssssssssssssssss
8467558 Oddly enough, i'm picturing Sam (Sam and Max) saying something like that.
8467579 Them too.
I don’t know why it took me getting to the end of the chapter to figure out why everyone had earplugs.
Ouch. Poor Augustus. Still, he should have known that would happen. Seriously. It's the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
8467547
With how LITTLE the Cutie Mark Crusader Call was done in this story, the count is probably less than 10. I could be wrong.
Well. Christmas is either saved... Or royally fucked. And I am not sure which. For all we know, they could fundamentally change the fabric of Christmas by accident.
8467599
I swear one day they will crack reality doing that cheer...
...kinda like when majin buu from dragon ball Z screams...
Maybe that's how they get home?
If Valmont join in the rescue, he might score enough points to save him from the Counsel (if not getting a ticket to save Bai in the process too).
And Dao keeps digging himself deeper. I think at this point he has managed to piss off every single faction and major player in the planet, good, evil and neutral.
Will he end signing up with the Old Ones?
8467547
I believe that this is number 2. Make of that what you will.
8467547
There is it goes like this "Time to get the extra strength shampoo" cause most of there crusades end in sap
8467628
That was only pre-Cutie Mark. They are solidly post Cutie Mark, so it isn't an issue anymore.
Just be glad they're not Alicorns. Three words for you. Royal. Canterlot. Voice.
On the plus side, Doctors the world over would be getting quite the paycheck,
8467623
Nah the old ones would realize that having someone around that EVERY Faction HATES is a very bad idea, and simply teleport Dao to the closest faction
8467682
Or eat him that is if he survives long enough to find one of the Old Ones
8467613
Kinda like Gotenks when he was stuck in the Time Chamber on DBZ?
8467696
That happens right afterword so sure I guess.
Then they had the one time when vegito is beating him and he goes into a rage scream that starts to actually crack reality rather than make a hole.
8467697
Dah! Here's hoping that the CMC NEVER get to that level.
....I'm now imagining Audrey catching the defeated Wong....
A: "...So this is Christmas, and what have you done~" *opens jaw*
D: "...Mother-" *gets swallowed*
I started laughing like mad when I saw this. :D
That apple tree definitely branches out its utility quite well.
I'd think worrying about Audrey III is the leash of the elves (and Apple Bloom's) problems.
Guess Augustus now knows better to plug the event when it comes around.
Jade: "Wait, if Santa's real, like really real, why don't you get some of the other Mythical? Like the Sandman?"
Sweetie Belle: "The Tooth Fairy, or the Easter Bunny?"
Scootaloo: "Old Man Winter, or Jack Frost?"
Elvin: "Jack Frost and Old Man Winter are the same guy."
Applebloom: "Really? Huh, didn't know that."
Elvin: "Not many do, and we've already tried. Toothiana is busy with her usual work, same with the Sandman, E. Aster despises the cold, and Jack is hard to pin down, not to mention the emergency signal is kept in the wokshop so getting them here is next to impossible at this moment in time."
8467810
it almost sounds like the lineup of Uncle's next shop customers.
8467709
That, or:
Audrey: Well well well, what have we here?
Wong: *distressed Daolong Wong noises*
with An overactive
ScootalOO
Here's hoping Tohru's girls get their own chapters from time to time and aren't relegated to background decoration.
So everyone's ready for the holiday?" Scootall asked eagerly as she set the star at the tree's crown.
Somebody is suddenly changing her name here.
Ahhh, the good old times, CMC save Christmas, what's not to like?
8467597 Yeah you and me both!
8467810 with our author? I can see this.
Royal Canterlot Voice ain't got nothing on Excited Crusader Chorus.
And so Christmas is here once again, this time with the CMC here to save the day! So this is what everyone remembered! Can't believe I forgot.
Gonna be interesting with such a large group of saviors this time, though. We've got Uncle, Jackie, Viper, Jade, the girls, Tohru, his mother, his girls, Captain Black, Hsi Wu... dayum. Speaking of whom, I'm kind of curious why Hsi is the one that's so adamant about the speed of which they act. I mean I'm sure he has more knowledge about the possibilities that could go wrong as a demon familiar, but I would've thought Uncle would be just as adamant. Maybe he's just better at restraining himself. Hsi has no problem growling at another creature of good chi. I'm sure we'll see soon enough.
8467547 Yeah, I don't think it's happened frequently enough for a counter to be worth it. And speaking of counters, since Jade and Hsi both know about the two different timelines, I think I might have to keep my second one split in two!
Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Two
"Bad Day"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 40
"He's Not My Boyfriend!"/"I'm not his Mistress!"
Chapter Count: 1/1
Total Count: 45/3
Earplugs? What are those -
...Ah. So then the CMC are infamous enough for even the elves to know about them. So... should we be expecting the rescue to involve copious amounts of tree sap?
Well, let's see how they save Christmas! I feel sorry for Captain Black. That shout's gotta be hard on the eardrums.
Wait...but...its october...and todays my birthday...
Woo! Time to have a flank-kicking Christmas!
I enjoyed the buildup to the end
8467709
8467876 Either one is perfect
8467876
Is it bad that I REALLLY want that to happen?
8467601
u r not, this would bring the count to 2
And now for a magical montage...
HIT IT!
Chi Wizards in Winter anyone?
Jackie: This bad day's soundtrack brought to you by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
HSI WU: Making Christmas-themed boss battles possible.
Uncle: Ayah! All this cold magic is making Uncle's bones ache!
Jade: But it's worth it for epic Christmas Specials.
Let me get this straight.
If Santa Claus is Sun Wukong, does that mean that Daolong Wong is Krampus?
I had to ask.
How did the CMC escape the Book Of Ages containment cell? The new timeline is still in effect!
8468213
You must have skipped a chapter, because we're at Timeline 2, NOT Timeline 3 (Book of Ages). In fact the end of that story leads us directly into this new arc right now!
8468213
What're you talking about? This is old timeline again, just everyone that was in the chamber when the return happened still remembers the "New" timeline.
Wong, you... I... I can't even come up with a decent quip.
8467558
Lobo?
orig00.deviantart.net/5406/f/2014/003/6/3/lobo_vs_santa_by_adam_brown-d70p30d.jpg