“Adagio-Chan, it’s so nice to hear from you!” Takeru said cheerfully, a day ahead of her as they conversed via technology from the Kougami Foundation. Consisting of two antennas, they created a holographic screen that Adagio could very easily rest on her desk. “...wow, you’re still working? They must be keeping you busy, considering Christmas time is coming and all.”
Adagio laughed. “Oh no, everyone else has already gone home for the holidays. I’m just choosing to do this! This paperwork won’t fill itself after all!”
“Adagio…” Takeru sighed, sounding sternly disapproving. “We’ve talked about this, you need to take a break.”
“I’ve never heard the meaning of the word,” she joked, but apparently her boyfriend didn’t quite find her joke amusing.
“...this is about Starlight isn’t it?” Takeru surmised, in realization. “You’re trying to get your mind off her, aren’t you?”
“Well, no, it’s just that…” Adagio sighed but realized she wasn’t going to get out of this one. Her boyfriend didn’t seem to believe her lie, not even for a second. “...okay, you got me! I’ve been trying not to think about her. She stole my medals!”
If Takeru noticed her eyes flashing for a moment, he didn’t comment on it.
“It doesn’t help that she’s seemingly vanished, correct?” he realized.
“Yeah, it’s… like after Giranbo died she’s gone underground. Of course, I’m not entirely surprised honestly, given that’s what Foundation X does. Stick to the shadows and all that. It’s just… well, now I’m honestly starting to get worried! Where the hell is she?”
Again, her eyes flashed, this time more vibrantly.
“Woah, easy Adagio-chan,” said Takeru, making calming motions with his hands. “Deep breaths, in and out. In and out.”
Adagio did as she was instructed, and slowly but surely the fiery rage began to leave her. In and out, in and out just as her boyfriend told her.
“Gomen-nasai, it’s just… she gets me so mad!” Adagio steamed before bowing in apology. “It’s like whenever I think of her I’m filled with this white hot rage. A sort of… desire, I think as well. This want, this need to ‘defeat’ her!”
Takeru laughed, with Adagio giving him a ‘look.”
“Sumimasen, it’s just you remind me of how I was with Makoto Nii-San once!” he explained before saying: “As your Sensei, and as your boyfriend I would advise for you to take some time off. Spend time with your family. Starlight can wait. Your family cannot.”
Adagio smiled.
“Yeah, you’re right,” she said. “Arigato, Takeru.”
“Dōitashimashite, Adagio-Chan.”
With that, the call ended, Adagio now having a new purpose for the next few days. With an extra spring in her step, she never realized that even now her boyfriend was placing a call to one of his fellow Riders.
“Yes, hello Eiji-Sama?” he asked, his voice filled with worry. “It’s about that thing we discussed, I’m beginning to worry about her. Is… is there any way you can help? I’m beginning to wonder if the OOOs driver is really safe for her right about now…”
“...well, I gotta admit!” Aria laughed, not bothering with the ‘sexy Santa thing’ unlike Sonata who seemed to be trying to look as cute as possible. “I didn’t expect for you to grace us with your holy presence, sister dear!”
“I’m not that bad.” Adagio returned, the three all bunched up into Sonata’s house for the evening.
“You’ve been stuck in your office for the past week,” Aria drawled. “You really are ‘that bad’.”
“Well ‘Mele Kalikimaka’ to you too, sis,” Adagio deadpanned. “I do have some ability to take time off, spend it with my ‘Ohana. Of course, if you don’t want me, I have some paperwork with my name on it!”
“I’m glad, I really am,” Aria said. “You’re making an effort this year, you really are. I was actually beginning to get worried. Ever since Halloween, you’ve been throwing yourself into your work!”
“Takeru said that as well, have you been talking?” Adagio asked.
“...actually yes, we’re both concerned,” Aria replied. “But enough worrying and fretting okay? We’ve got plenty to do, and not enough time! We’ve still got Christmas shopping, last minute of course, and some Kalua pork to buy! Alas, not sure we can go down to Ted’s and get some haupia pie, not unless Eiji is willing to lend us his private jet! I mean, I assume he has one.”
“...did you say pork?” Scootaloo asked, peeking her head in.
“We’re Hawaiian, we don’t do a Christmas goose. Give me rice and a nice fat pig any day over that crap!” Aria explained.
Adagio was about to ask whyScootaloo was here, but she remembered Sonata did say something about the girl bunking with her for the holidays. Suppressing a wince, she thought of her mother.
God, to be sorted out to Japan and not make it back until January! This was getting ridiculous. Not that she missed the loud mouth braggart, but she wished she could be here for her daughter! Oh well, never argue with the military apparently.
(And it wasn’t like she could contact Takeru and have him teleport Rainbow here or something. That would do wonders for Japanese/American relations, to have one of their superheroes suddenly steal away a soldier!)
“Why isn’t she with Fluttershy, I honestly thought she and Rainbow were dating…?” Adagio whispered to her sister.
“We drew straws,” Sonata replied, fiddling with the radio so that Bing Crosby could sing a little louder. “I drew the short one. ...not that I actually mind! The kid’s adorable, and playing adoptive mother for the holidays? I love it, it gives me that warm and fuzzy feeling! …shame we’re not back home though, Scoots would probably love to see the parades!”
“Oh, don’t get me started…” Adagio sighed, honestly feeling a bit homesick now remembering the grand celebrations that the Islands always threw. The parades of fancy multi-colored lights all on display, and Santa on his outrigger canoe pulled by a pod of dolphins.
“...maybe one day,” Sonata replied. “Maybe as soon as you defeat the Greeed, we can all go back home, forget about our troubles for a while.”
“Maybe, yeah…” Adagio smiled, thinking of better times long since past, of the sun and the surf and of her ‘Ohana.
In any event, they found themselves soon doing a bit of shopping. The 16th Street Mall beckoned, all done up in lights and with way too many times overplayed Christmas music playing over the speakers. Mariah Carey had done one too many remixes of her infamous hit, if you were to ask any of the sisters.
“Oooooooh, look! Charmant!” Sonata babbled excitedly, barely able to contain herself as she pointed at the famous cake store. “I didn’t realize any of it made it outside Japan! Oooooh, we gotta go in! We just gotta!”
“Come on ‘Nata,” Aria groaned out as she tugged her sister along before anyone made any purchases that their wallets would soon regret. “We’re on a budget, and Charmant, suffice to say isn’t in it!”
“Awwwwwwwwww…” Sonata whined.
“We’d just be buying a fruitcake, and nobody eats those!” Aria pointed out. “There’s only a finite amount of those in the world, as there should be, and I don’t intend to add to that amount! They always get regifted anyways, and I’m nowhere near cruel enough to force one of those on anyone! I don’t think the Geneva Convention even allows those!”
“But they’d be fruitcakes from Charmant!” Sonata proclaimed, eyes sparkling with want and desire. “They’d be fruitcake royalty!”
“Yeah, they’d still be fruitcakes!” Aria disagreed. Elsewhere, a very flamboyant baker-slash-mercenary felt an indescribable irritation.
“...you’re a fruitcake to not even want to try Charmant!” Sonata stuck out her tongue.
“Yeah, and you’re a fruitcake for even wanting to try a fruitcake!” Aria returned.
“Are they always like this?” Scootaloo asked her chaperone, remembering Halloween.
“...pretty much,” Adagio admitted. “Oh, you get used to them… eventually.”
“Merry Christmas, ho ho ho!” shouted one of the Mall Santas, ringing his bell and by his collection pot for charity. “Sisters, can you spare me a dime?”
Adagio flipped a few coins in his direction, before striding off trying to get that damnable Mariah Carey song out of her head. Alas, it was a losing battle, leaving her to wonder if even the Geneva Convention allowed such tortures.
“...oh, you don’t like it do you?” Sonata teased. “I mean, I can’t say I blame you as it is utterly terrible but I’d expect you of all people would like the song! Especially as you’ve got a boyfriend now…”
“Okay, uh, no,” Adagio groaned. “...do we really have to do this?”
“Yeah, we do!” Sonata grinned. “Admit it, you want him to fly over from Japan, find your home all dark except for a few candles and you on the bed ready for lovemaking… The song playing all the while…”
Adagio gave her sister a look of utter annoyance, trying hard for her to avoid seeing the interesting shade of red on her face.
“Admit it, you want your sensei to teach you a lesson!” Sonata continued, unable to stop grinning.
“He’s a monk, and I’m pretty sure there are vows taken,” Adagio shot her down. “So, no. Just no.”
“But don’t you want him to open his very extra special Christmas present?” Sonata asked, her charge having long since plugged her ears so she wouldn’t have to hear this.
“He’s a Buddhist, so he doesn’t even celebrate Christmas,” Adagio told her. “So it’s a moot point anyway.”
“Drat,” Sonata sighed. “Oh well, I’ll have to cancel my plans to get him here somehow. Because trust me, I’ve seen you happy and I’ve seen you happy. Like, you’re in a state of perfect zen around him, which for you isn’t easy.”
“...you’d really do that?” Adagio asked, touched.
“Of course I would,” said her sister in reply. “I’m your sister!”
Speaking of people who should be home for Christmas, Scootaloo looked all around her and sighed sadly, seeing families who were happy as can be. Sisters, mothers, brothers, fathers, all spending time together. And yet she was without her beloved older sister.
“...of course, it’d be too much to ask if she could come home for Christmas, wouldn’t it?” she pondered. “I know she has a duty to god and country, but… but I just want her home! Like my own personal Christmas miracle!”
She laughed bitterly, it apparently going unnoticed.
“Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus right down Santa Claus lane, he doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor he loves you all the same. ...just not enough to bring you home to me!”
For now, thought, she could take in the winter wonderland around her. Corny Christmas music and all! Okay, just for a moment she could pretend all was holy and bright with the world, seeing all the massive Christmas trees around her and the jingly music. It made her feel a few years younger, when she was begging for a Rudolph plushie on a drunken mall Santa’s lap with Rainbow looking on with a mix of happiness and concern.
“...Have a holly jolly Christmas, and when you walk down the street, say hello to friends you know,” Scootaloo sang along, waving to friends that she knew with Luster in particular giving a nervous wave back. “And everyone you meet…”
Of course, Scootaloo knew the next bit of lyrics in the song but she had no intent on following through with those! ...maybe. Luster was sweet, but so not her type. Brief flashes of bubblegum pink hair entered her mind, and for a moment she considered picking up the phone. But… well, Sweetie was probably spending time with her sister and didn’t want to be bothered. No time to think on ‘what ifs’ and could have beens.
Oh well, guess right now she had to stop Sonata from going a bit too crazy with the gifts. And stop Aria from killing her.
Soarin’, for his part felt reasonably skilled with the Birth Buster. It no longer shook in his hands with every shot, the recoil barely worth a mention.
And then…
“Go home, Soarin,” said Eiji, having been watching his progress all the while. “It’s the holidays, spend time with your family. Parenting, done properly, is a heroic act. Done properly.”
And Soarin’ obliged him, taking his hint.
“Well, I think he’s the greatest gift I’ve ever gotten,” Eiji remarked. “Loyal to his friends, and to his family. I think he’ll make a great successor as Birth.”
“Greatest gift?” Erika said in a dangerous tone. “I think I am the greatest gift you are ever going to get! You still owe me a Christmas dinner by the way, and don’t think you’re getting out of it with some KFC!”
“Alright, I’ll think of something…” Eiji said, placatingly holding up his hands in a surrendering motion.
Meanwhile, the Christmas spirit was in full swing back at 16th Street. Adagio found herself doing some last minute clothes shopping for her sisters, having shooed them off.
“OOOs,” said an unexpected voice, and the Rider nearly went for her sword recognizing it. “A honest surprise seeing you here.”
“Mez… Mezool?” Adagio gaped. “...what the hell?”
“Well, can’t a Greeed enjoy the holiday spirit as well?” she asked, with a little laugh as she continued looking through the clothing racks “Think about it, the wild emotions in the air. The desires for the perfect gift! Your human holiday has become all about the spirit of excess, gift, gift, gift! Isn’t that what it’s really about? Getting what you want for Christmas?”
“I swear, if you’re planning to try something…” Adagio said in a warning tone.
“Honestly, I don’t have any real interest in that,” said the Greeed. “I’m ‘complete’ now, but why bother with plots and plans if you’re not there to stop us? Don’t think I haven’t noticed you seemingly vanishing after Halloween. You and your heroics haven’t been on the news in a while now. I, at the risk of sounding like Uva, have actually come to enjoy our little bouts. A battle of wits, woman to woman!”
“And you want me to transform, here and now, just so you can go off and cause chaos?” Adagio asked, disbelievingly.
“Well, when you can,” Mezool mused. “Now, obviously, I’m not just going to give you my spare medals! Oh no, you’re going to have to hunt down your own. Starlight has them right? Presuming, of course, she hasn’t started experimenting with them already, go find a way to draw her out! Make her give you your medals back!”
“...just so I can kick your ass again?” Adagio replied, still skeptic.
“Can you believe I’m bored?” Mezool remarked, still looking through the clothes till she found a nice blouse, and held it up in front of her sorta frenemy. “What do you think? Does it suit me?”
“Yes, it is rather hard to believe,” Adagio replied. “And no, it doesn’t suit you. It’s not your color.”
“Oh, drat, I was hoping it’d look nice on me, but you seem to be the fashion expert,” Mezool admitted. “But honestly, Dagi? Can I call you Dagi?”
“No, you can’t. Only my sisters get to call me that,” Adagio replied. “And needless to say, you’re not one of them.”
“Oh, fine, Dagi,” Mezool replied rather enjoying the twitchy eye her frenemy sported at that. “But as I was saying, yeah, I’m bored. Hard as it is to believe, Greeed can get bored. What’s the use in going after medals if you’re not there to stop me?”
“...the only reason you want me to fight Starlight is so you can take your missing medals back from me,” Adagio surmised.
“Believe what you want,” Mezool sighed. “But between you and me, I’m tired of this old back and forth. Nobody’s gotten anywhere, and as loathe as I am to admit it, maybe Ankh had a point. Medals, that’s all we care about and I’m beginning to wonder if that’s all we should be caring about…”
Adagio was struck silent. Here was Mezool, basically admitting to her that she was incredibly tired of their war.
Should she believe her? Adagio wanted to, given she had long since realized that if things continued the way they did? They would be in this private little war for the rest of their lives. Now, Adagio knew the medals could handle it, but what about her body? It would grow old, and wither and soon it’d be next to impossible to pull off the moves she originally found so easy. No more Rider Kicks for her.
“...of course, you don’t have to believe me,” said Mezool. “Why should you? I haven’t exactly been making life easy for you.”
“And what do the other Greeed think about this change of heart exactly?” asked Adagio, honestly curious.
“Oh, Gamel will follow me no matter what I do. Ankh, pfffft, like I care what he thinks. And Kazari won’t give a damn. He’s still plotting and planning and honestly I’m not sure what he’s up to. I do know he’ll be coming after you though. See, another reason to get your medals back!” Mezool encouraged.
“...right, my medals,” Adagio said, her eyes flashing. And this time, Mezool did take notice.
“Oooooh, you may want to get your desires under control. Take it from someone who knows, okay?” Mezool remarked. “Your desires are dangerous, if you don’t learn how to balance what you want and what you need… Well, let’s just say there are some things worse in the world than me.”
She sounded honestly terrified by the idea, and for a moment Adagio wondered what could scare her so much. She wasn’t honestly sure if she wanted to know. “Uh huh, and you’re giving me this advice out of the goodness of your heart?”
“Well, as I don’t have a heart exactly, no. But I’m trying to be a friend.”
“A friend? You?” Adagio pondered.
“It’s Christmas, it’s the time for giving! Even giving free advice,” Mezool replied. “But yeah, a friend if you’ll have me. I know you’ve already considered your body giving out if we continue this forever war. I know I have. Better to make a friend rather than have another enemy.”
“So what, you want me to invite you and Gamel to Christmas dinner?” Adagio asked.
“If you want, though I never said anything about Gamel…” Mezool chuckled. “Just keep my words in mind okay? Merry Christmas, or Mele Kalikimaka as it is to you I guess!”
With that, she sauntered off leaving Adagio to think on her words…
Meanwhile, Aria and Sonata continued their shopping, trying so very hard not to get smashed into a wall.
“Woah, Jesus!” Sonata yelped nearly squashed into a wall by rampaging customers. “...I should sue for assault and battery!”
“Christmas gets crazier every year…” Aria mused. “And I thought working on Black Friday was bad!”
Now, it must be said, no store was crazier on Christmas than a game store. And poor Aria knew it, having walked in to get her sister a copy of Harvest Moon. And no game was crazier to buy than a certain series of first person shooters. Imagine a horde of ravenous zombies, licking their lips, with only a small plastic barrier between you and them. That was the situation Aria found herself observing while she, nervously, attended to her things.
And there were huge sales soon!
“I’m sorry sir,” said a nervous Button Mash, trying desperately to just do his job. A rabid customer was waving their hands with a copy of the latest Call of Duty grasped tightly in their grip. “But I’m afraid if you took a copy of that game to the registers right now, it would be marked as full price. The sale doesn’t start till several more hours!”
“Well, can I grab a copy now and just wait until then?” the customer asked.
As Button Mash tried explaining that no, he couldn’t do this, another shout rang out from across the store. “Call of Duty for 70% off!”
At that, he literally smashed through a certain barrier and the customer Button Mash was trying to fend off had realized he may miss out on this sale. In a panic, he practically stampeded over the second customer, poor Button shouting over everything.
“Guys! Sirs! You can’t…”
But it was too late. The zombies could smell blood, and within seconds poor Button was being mobbed by about twenty or so hungry flesh eating gamers. Hard work was gone in a second, display cases knocked over and Aria contemplated hiding behind something until it was over.
“...they do know those cases are empty right?” Scootaloo pondered, having worked in this store.
“I barely managed to get a word in,” Button whispered to her. “You try telling them! Oh well, the joke will be on them when they get to the checkout and find they won’t be able to scan anything…”
He, Aria and Scootaloo peeked over the aisle and saw a display of full tilt jungle madness. They were like animals, without a zookeeper to keep them under control. The ringmaster had left the building, the circus going into chaos. The zombies bit, grabbed, and clawed at each other for huge savings and Aria, for a moment, wondered if she was going to get out of there alive.
She and Scootaloo crept out, just barely managing to have purchased Adagio’s gift.
“...poor Button, don’t you think we should go back and help?” Scootaloo wondered, remembering how all was not calm and how all was not bright back there. “He looks to be in way over his head.”
“...are you kidding?” Aria scoffed. “You saw that store! I value my life and limb!”
“But Aria…” Scootaloo said, bringing out the big puppy dog eyes.
“Ugh, fine, I hate it when you do that to me, kid…” Aria groaned before deciding if she should be arrested for assault. Deciding against it, she, instead of sending a few crazed animals to the vet, took control of the in-store announcement system. “Would the following idiots who grabbed empty display cases please return them? If you don’t, I will be forced to call the police and have you arrested for shoplifting!”
All of the aforementioned idiots looked at her, and Aria with her arms crossed and best glare made a very intimidating sight.
“Thank you…” Button Mash said. “I thought high school was nuts! This is worse!”
“My advice?” Aria asked with Button leaning in. “...get a taser.”
“I’ll… I’ll keep that in mind!” Button stammered out. “Oh, and Merry Christmas!”
Adagio meanwhile, remembered that Fluttershy said to her yesterday that she was lacking a Christmas goose. So it was time to get one.
“...I wonder if these turkeys get any bigger…?” asked a little old lady to the left of her.
Remembering a certain comedy sketch, Adagio replied: “No, they’ve shuffled off this mortal coil, they have ceased to be, they’ve expired and gone to meet their maker. Bereft of life, they have ceased to be! They are ex-turkeys!”
The old lady laughed with her all the way to the checkout. And Adagio smirked, and Aria said she didn’t have a sense of humor!
“...you’re insensitive to the animal, you know!” said another lady. “What if someone joked about your death, would you take kindly to that?”
“No,” Adagio said and the woman looked satisfied. She then drawled: “...No, I wouldn’t care because I would be dead.”
With a smug look, the possibly crazed lady got in her face. “Would you kill me if I was a turkey?”
At this, she began to make chicken noises including clucking and if that wasn’t enough she began flapping her arms like a bird. By now, other customers had stopped and were staring, pointing and stifling laughter.
“If I was a turkey, would you kill me?” the woman asked again.
“...look, I’m trying to do some shopping,” Adagio said, about at the end of her patience. “Do you want me to give you the bird, or bust out some fowl language? I don’t want to end up gobbling my words, and end up feeling rather poultry!”
The turkey woman gave her a dirty look and marched out of the store, but not before giving one last shout: “I won’t ever shop here again until you get fired! Your soul will burn unless you repent you… you animal-killer!”
Adagio didn’t bother to tell her that she didn’t even work here. That being said, she did have one question… “Why was someone like her in a butcher’s shop anyways?”
Still pondering, she walked out with her newly purchased goose in hand. And then Adagio realized something. “Crap, I forgot the pork!”
“I’m dreaming of a White Christmas… Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten…”
Sonata kicked it over to another station, switching it to Bing Crosby’s dulcet tones. “...hey guys, did any of us ever get a white Christmas? I don’t see why we’re listening to this, we’re from Hawaii! We got Mister Green Christmas, Mister Heat Blister, Mister 101~!”
“It’s a traditional song, just let it play,” Adagio said, switching it back over, as she slid a plate of pumpkin haupia pie down the table smelling simply delectable. Some macadamia nut snowballs were to follow soon after, glistening white as the frost. “Besides, this is Colorado. It’s always Mister White Christmas here, Mister Ten Below.”
“Oh, don’t tell me you’re going to be quoting Christmas songs all night!” Gilda said from the kitchen, wearing an apron that said: ‘Kiss the Chef and Die.’ “Like, because if so? Oh chico, aquí vamos... As fun as that is, could you at least quote the good ones?”
“...did you…?” Sonata trailed off watching Gilda work on some red posole soup, apparently passed down from parent to child in her family. “You’re telling me you never seriously grew up with Rankin and Bass as a child?”
Gilda switched over to stirring something else, a nice chicken pozole verde. “No, mi chica. I had things like Plácido and Santa Claus. Oh, el Dios, there’s nothing like Santa in outer space fighting demons called Pitch!”
Sonata blinked, giving her a weird look. “...that is… uh, yeah is certainly a thing!”
“Oh, mi chica,” Gilda said leaning in with a smile. “We’ve only hit the tip of the iceberg! I need to show you stuff like Satanico Pandemonium or The Exterminating Angel sometime!”
“...and you say my flirting with Takeru is bad!” Adagio called, taking a sip of a drink Gilda had contributed, something she called champurrado. Thick and creamy, it was apparently filled with a mix of cinnamon, vanilla and a few other things.
Sonata just childishly stuck her tongue out at her in return.
“Don’t you have a family of your own to be with?” Adagio asked, wearing a particularly ugly sweater with dolphins on it as per tradition.
“Mi familia understands,” Gilda replied wearing an equally ugly sweater. “I’ll be with them later ton… HEY!”
She’d spotted Sonata’s hands drifting to the pork, swatting her away with the spoon.
“What did I say? You touch that pork, and you’ll be Feliz Navidead, you hear?”
Grumbling to herself, Gilda knocked back her cranberry margarita. Somehow, Adagio got the feeling by the end of the night they’d all be very drunk.
In the other room, Scootaloo and Soarin’ could overhear the threesome.
“...Huh, okay, uh wow,” Scootaloo blinked, overhearing something about marranitos, whatever those were. “Clearly, I’ve been missing out on something over on base! Man, holidays with this family is so totally wild!”
Already, delicious smells were starting to emanate from the locked dining room. Tantalizing forbidden fruits that would be locked away until later in the night. “Oh, if only sis was here to share them with us…”
Soarin noticed her expression, sitting down next to her. “Hey, it’ll be alright. Your sister will be back soon…”
“But I don’t want her back soon,” Scootaloo said, her lip beginning to quiver. “I want her back now. All day, I’ve been seeing families spending time together, all the while knowing Dash is… well, you know!”
Soarin’ brought her in for a tight hug, wondering all the while what he could do. Then he remembered something his boss had told him about. “I’ll be right back, okay?”
“But where…?” Scootaloo trailed off seeing him walk off, before throwing her hands up in the air in frustration. “Of course, go on, do your own thing. Best not to stick around, before my misery infects you or something, brings down the holiday cheer.”
Eventually, Sonata, Adagio and Gilda all returned from the kitchen/dining room. Adagio was conversing with Soarin’ over… something, before nodding and running off. Already, she was out the door and soon there was the roar of a motorcycle’s engine as it tore off down the street.
“...but where is she going in such a hurry?” Aria asked. “She’s going to miss the carolling!”
“I didn’t know you caroled!” Gilda laughed in her gruff tone. “...wow, guess you learn something new everyday.”
“It’s the holiday spirit, it’s infected me. We all have our little weaknesses,” Aria mused, watching Fluttershy find her book of carols. Gilda followed her gaze and suddenly gave an understanding nod and a little laugh.
“Ah, I see. Pequeña 'tímida got to you too huh?” the muscled Mexican mused. “Well, can’t say I blame you. If Sonata didn’t exist… well! But my pequeña panadera is just enough for me.”
“So I can tell, given you were talking about grindhouse cinema! Satanico Pandemonium eh?” Aria commented.
“Oh, you heard that?” Gilda chuckled. “Didn’t know you were even interested in stuff like that!”
“Uh, hell yeah!” Aria said. “That stuff is the shit for me!”
“Well, I’d have to invite you along one night. Hell, bring your gal. That is, unless pequeña 'tímida is willing to live up to her nickname…” Gilda replied. Aria suddenly barked out a laugh, even as they took to the streets.
“Oh, you’ll see! Fluttershy was actually banned from horror nights, largely because she’s always commenting on how unrealistic the movies are,” Aria replied, a certain vet giving a little nod of confirmation.
Gilda gave a surprised look, then barked out a laugh of her own. They walked up and down the streets, serenading them with carols.
“Come they told me
Pa rum pum pum pum
“A new born king to see
Pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring
Pa rum pum pum pum…” Fluttershy lead, with Sonata and Aria providing backing vocals. And the gift they brought was one of song.They may not have had any drums, but words were enough.
To the next house they went, with Gilda taking the lead. It was a less traditional carol to be sure, but no less welcomed.
“Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
Celebremos juntos la vida
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
Y que viva la alegría…” Gilda sang, her spicy Spanish accent ringing clear and true through the chill of the night.
This continued throughout the night, until they returned home and ready to eat, ready to stuff their bellies. But they had an unexpected guest that night. Two, actually. There sat Mezool and Gamel.
“...oh, you’ve got to be kidding me!” Aria said, cracking her knuckles. “Alright, out!”
“Oh, so you want to go?” Mezool asked ready to transform into her true form. Water gathered at her feet, pulling itself out of the carpets and ready to encase her like a cocoon.
“That’s enough!” came a shout, and Adagio stepped into view. “No, I let them in, as this holiday is a time for building bridges and tearing down walls. Going into the new year, I want to end this war of ours.”
Aria and Sonata shared a look, before shrugging.
“...okay, but if this goes bad, don’t say we didn’t tell you so!” Aria remarked while Fluttershy sent Adagio an approving look.
“I have confidence that it won’t,” said Adagio, firmly and confidently. “We’re all tired of this war, and it’s time to search for a better solution. The me today is stronger from the me from yesterday, and the me of today says to search for new solutions instead of kicking everyone. I’m not going to be like her, conquering and killing. I want to reach out to all forms of life, work with all animals.”
“Well said!” Mezool agreed. “I may come to like you OOOs!”
From a rooftop, watched a familiar bird. “Tch! She’s fooling herself if she thinks she can reach out and create a bridge between humans and Greeed!”
Nobody saw him sit there, and nobody saw him leave.
“Well, uh… if that’s the way you feel…” Gamel said. “I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
“Of course you would, dear,” said Mezool sweetly kissing his forehead.
“Now, when can we eat?” Gamel asked, setting off a round of laughter from the group.
“Righhhhhhhhhhhhhhtttt now!” chorused Sonata, bringing out the pork. “Now, who’s hungry? Go on, don’t rush me, don’t take more than you need! There’s plenty for all!”
“Mele Kalikimaka,” said Gilda to Aria, raising a glass.
“Feliz Navidad,” returned the punk rocker. Mezool and Gamel took what they needed, Gamel finding some star fruits and dragon fruits interesting while Mezool went for the bread pudding.
Adagio smiled, feeling a warmth rush through her at the sight. Maybe this could work after all. It had been a long, tiring year but… honestly, she felt a lot of hope for the future. It had been a strange year to be certain, but from it she had made many new friends and honestly? That was a win in her book.
Her and Soarin’ led Scootaloo away from the calamity that was their family dinner, and showed her their Christmas present. Bringing up two antennas, a familiar face soon became apparent.
Scootaloo’s eyes lit up seeing her beloved sister come on screen, as clear as day.
“Hey squirt,” Rainbow’s voice said, crackling a bit from the possibly bad connection. Scootaloo fought back a sob, like oh wow her eyes were a little wet. “I’m sorry I can’t be there with you this tonight, at least not in the flesh. But Merry Christmas okay, kid? How’s life been treating you?”
“It’s… it’s been good,” Scootaloo whispered, still a bit teary. “I’ve made a few new friends, I need to tell you about Luster sometime when you get home! She’s great, frighteningly smart. She reminds me of Twilight actually!”
“Don’t worry kid, I’ll have plenty of time to listen when I get home. And don’t worry, I’ll be home soon, okay? I’m on the next plane, and with any luck you’ll be seeing me before New Year’s Eve.”
“REALLY?” Scootaloo shouted, and Rainbow laughed.
“Yes, really. Japan’s been nice, really! I’ve had some… experiences, which I’ll tell you about when I can, but I miss home. I promise you, I won’t miss a minute with you when I get back, alright? Now, tell me you’ve been keeping up with Sweetie, okay?”
“Sis…” Scootaloo nearly whined, her face an interesting shade of red.
“No no, don’t make any excuses. I know that you like her, okay? No time for what ifs or could have beens or should have beens. As soon as we’re done, contact her okay? Wish her a Merry Christmas and all that!”
“I… I will…” Scootaloo nodded, and together they stayed talking long into the night. As Adagio and Soarin’ let them be, the Kamen Rider turned to her friend.
“That was a good thing you did,” she said to him. “It was a really good thing.”
“Eiji said it to me, actually. Parenting, done properly, is a heroic act. Done properly.”
Adagio smiled. “I think you’ll do fine.”