//------------------------------//
// Episode 15: Prepping for launch 
// Story: Sparkling Harmony EQG: Agents of SMILE: Yule Tide Assistance 
// by Captain_Cosmos 
//------------------------------//

North Pole
December 23rd, 2022
2349hrs

“We can’t let Flappy access our computers directly. Privacy concerns and all that.” Cornelius told Twilight in the North Pole control room. “But, We can download both the flightplan and the manifest onto a flash drive. All the necessary information Sparkler needs access to to pull this off.”

“Around the world in one night. Still impossible to actually imagine.” Twilight commented.

“Anything’s possible with a little magic.” Cornelius responded. “You should know that by now.” He said.

“Boy do I ever.” Twilight replied, thinking back to her experience with magic. She glanced around the control room, all the elves were taking their seats at their stations, ready to support the big flight. “Still can’t believe I‘m about to watch the ultimate mission this world has ever seen.” She commented.

“Suppose you can thank that mail rack for breaking and knocking Santa out of commission.” Cornelius responded. “Otherwise you’d be long gone by now.”

“Right, and of course I woulda rathered that rack NOT do that.” Twilight responded. “But you can’t blame me for being fascinated.”

“Who wouldn’t.”

“So, is the list going to be in order according to the flight plan?” Sunset asked.

“Yes. Each kid and item has been compiled to go in order from the start of the flight to the end.” Cornelius said. “And the stops are even time coded to ensure Santa stays on schedule, with only a few minutes allowed for error.” He explained.

“That’ll be appreciated by Sparkler I’m sure.” Daydream said.

“First time Santa and she’s not getting any training beforehand. She’ll need to rely on everything she has now in order to pull this off.” Cornelius said.





“Wait, you’re serious?” Rudolph asked as he walked beside Sparkler and Alex, who told him what happened.

“Dead serious Rudolph.” Alex responded. “Santa’s out of commission so Sparkler’s flying in his place. Gather the Reindeer and get them into position in front of the Sparkmobile.” He said.

“Aye aye! Can’t wait to fly with you Sparkler!” Rudolph responded as he galloped away.

Sparkler meanwhile raised her watch as they neared the Sparkmobile. “Flappy, we’re going on Santa’s route due to injury. You’re gonna get to be the sleigh.” She said.

“Sweet!” Flappy responded as Sparkler selected a sleigh and tapped the accept button. The Sparkmobile changed forms instantly to an elegant sleigh matching a known iteration of Santa’s Sleigh.

“God bless Cornelius’s brain.” Alex commented. “That little invention of his saved Christmas.”

“In more ways than one.” Sparkler responded.

“Oy! Sparkler!” Called out Zora. Sparkler and Alex glanced behind them to see Zora and Cortana catch up to them.

“We heard the news. You’re Santa now?” Cortana asked.

“ACTING Santa.” Alex corrected. “For tonight only.”

“But yeah.” Sparkler added.

“Congratulations.” Zora responded.

“And don’t worry. Zora, Clear-Cut and I–”

“Nope, Santa always needs to fly Solo.” Alex cut Cortana off. “No drones or drag–”

Clear-Cut roared angrily at Alex, a loud terrifying roar. Alex backed up a bit. “Fine, fine, No time to argue, Drones and dragon ok.” He said.

Sparkler just facepalmed. “Clear-Cut!” She snapped. “Did you really need to shout like that?” She asked.

Clear-Cut roared in response, saying he was not going to separate from her this time. Sparkler rolled her eyes. “Oh get over it. I needed you with team B because they needed all the protection they could get.” She said.

Alex took a deep breath, before gesturing to the main building. “Right, well, come on, it’s time to get you dressed.” He said. He led Sparkler and Clear-Cut into the main building, right up into Santa’s office, and came back from a closet with the Santa suit on a hanger. “Here, put this on, and while you’re doing that, I’m gonna need to see your watch.” He said.

“Why?” Sparkler asked.

“So I can load a special nonlethal Neuro-agent spray into it that will erase a kid’s memory of you should they catch you. Standard S.O.S. protection protocol.” Alex explained.

Sparkler eyed him for a second, before undoing her wrist watch strap and handing the watch to him. “Will the suit scale down to my size when I put it on?” She asked as she took the hanger.

“Yes it will.” Alex responded. “It’s magically coded to fit its wearer, so long as it recognizes that you intend to fly tonight, which it will.”

“Good to know.” Sparkler responded as she ducked into the closet and began to change, Clear-Cut and Alex waited by Santa’s Desk. While he was working on the watch, Alex called to Sparkler. “A few things to keep in mind for tonight.” He said.

“Shoot.” Sparkler responded.

“The Santa bag is linked to the list and the flightplan.” Alex responded. “So long as you go to the exact houses on the list, all the houses in that town will get their gifts and get the right ones.” He explained.

“So basically I just need to go to one house to cover a whole town?” Sparkler asked.

“Yep.” Alex said.

“Well that explains a bit how Santa hits the whole world in one night.” Sparkler commented.

“It IS handy. That’s for sure.” Alex said. “Next up, Put the milk and cookies left out in separate pockets in the suit. If you want any along the way you can eat them and drink the milk.”

“Cookies and milk in separate pockets? You mean in the suit?” Sparkler asked.

“Yes. Don’t worry the pockets are bigger than they look, and liquid proof.” Alex responded.

“So what happens when the flight’s over?” Sparkler asked.

“We convert the milk and cookies to resources we need that the magic generator can’t make. Such as toy making supplies and the like.” Alex responded. “It’s called bio-recycling.”

“Huh…Smart, and maybe a tad gross.” Sparkler replied honestly.

“Don’t worry we make sure everything comes out safe for kids to play with. When you’re in a frozen desert, you gotta make do with what you have.” Alex said.

“Fair enough.” Sparkler said as she tightened the belt on the Santa suit, the final piece to the look. As soon as she did that, she felt the suit automatically start to fit her form comfortably, so that it didn’t look like she was wearing a sack.

When she felt the suit settle, she stepped out of the closet. Alex blinked, as if not believing what he was seeing. “Well look at that.” He said.

“How does it look?” Sparkler asked.

“It suits you.” Alex responded.

Clear-Cut roared and flapped his wings to return to his rightful place on Sparkler’s shoulder, upon doing that, magic surrounded him and dressed him up in a cute little elf outfit. Sparkler giggled. “Looks like you get to be my little elf helper.” She told Clear-Cut.

“Now, Are you ready for the mission of your life?” Alex asked as he handed Sparkler her watch back.

Sparkler gave a determined nod in response as she took the watch and strapped it to her wrist. “Operation Santa Claus is coming to Town is go.” She said, Clear-Cut let out a roar, a roar of determination when about to enter into a mission.

To be continued…