Post by MissChurro on Nov 30, 2015 15:05:01 GMT -5
~A Very Matsuri Christmas~
A Christmas Short Story.
A Christmas Short Story.
'Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house, a single creature was stirring, Churro pacing quieter than a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there… The problem was, he couldn’t be seen anywhere. The members were nestled all snug in their beds, but Churro stayed up scratching her head.
“They’re all counting on Santa,” she mused, staring at her friends sleeping soundly in the living room. Nuyori was by the crackling fire, her posture resembling that of a cat curling up to absorb the nearby heat. Striker was upright in a large armchair; a Christmas book lay open on his lap after its reader had abandoned it to succumb to gentle slumber. Lego was sprawled across the couch, letting out a light snore following the steady rise and fall of his chest under the blanket that Churro had previously thrown over him. As for Yuno… where had she gone? Ah, well.
Everyone had fallen asleep here waiting for Santa. They were all looking forward to it… but he just wasn’t coming! Churro was the only one still wide awake, powering herself on pure Kawaii Energy (plus a little bit too much hot chocolate), ready to wake her friends whenever she heard the sound of distant jingle bells or the clack of reindeer hooves on the roof. Churro tapped open the Santa Tracker app on her phone, and after observing the map, deduced that Santa had already passed them. Why would he skip them? Everyone had been waiting so patiently, and everyone had been so good this year!
“Well, some more good than others…” Churro shot a glare in Lego’s direction, knowing he had planned at least one too many kidnappings this year, and then continued on her train of thought. If Santa had skipped them, what could she do? They were all counting on Santa Claus…
…But wait. Why couldn’t they count on… Churro Claus?
Away to her closet she flew like a flash, threw on a coat and tied on a sash. The beard she attached resembled new-fallen snow, with pillows beneath her coat to give her belly the appearance of dough. When what to her wondering eyes did appear, but a bright red hat that signified Christmas cheer. She ran to the mirror so lively and quick, she knew in a moment she looked just like St. Nick.
She crept back down the hall and into the living room, cringing whenever her boots caused the wooden floorboards to creak. She was relieved to see everyone still fast asleep as she opened the door, and she snuck in front of the fireplace. She took a deep breath…
“Ho ho-!” She immediately slapped her hands over her mouth as she heard her high-pitched voice. She had forgotten to take that into consideration. She cleared her throat and tried again.
“Ho ho ho!” She bellowed in a very obviously forced deep voice, and the occupants of the room began to stir. Nuyori was the first to react, jumping faster than Churro thought possible to her feet, followed by a loud screech of “Santa?!”
Striker and Lego followed suit, all three were now inspecting Churro Claus, occasionally letting out an excited gasp or exclamation of “It is Santa!” Churro cleared her throat and gave a sheepish smile.
“Yup, it’s me! Ho ho ho!”
“Wait… where’s Churro? She’s gotta see this!” Nuyori looked around the room frantically searching for the sight of pink pigtails.
“Ah, uh-! Sh-She… fell asleep in the kitchen while getting more hot cocoa!”
“I’ll go grab her, she’s gotta be here for this—“
“No! …I mean, don’t bother… I really must be quick, see… lots of other people to deliver presents to, you know!”
At this point Churro was internally face-palming. She didn’t think this plan through, and unless she could get out fast, she’d be discovered in no time. She decided to distract them by beginning to open the sack of presents she previously prepared by taking a few of the gifts she’d bought and replacing the nametags to say “From: Santa” instead. Everyone’s eyes glistened as the brightly wrapped presents shined in the firelight. Churro couldn’t help but smile as she watched their faces light up while she picked each present up one by one and distributed them to their respective recipients.
“Well then, I’m afraid I must go…” Churro picked up the sack and slung it over her shoulder once more.
“Don’t forget your cookies!” Striker interrupted, handing Churro a plate of them.
“We all pitched in to make them.” The mischievous gleam in Lego’s eye reminded Churro that she probably should not eat these cookies, not knowing what Lego could’ve added while their backs were turned. Who knows if this was all some sort of Santa Kidnapping Mission. She shuddered at the thought as she put the cookies in her sack and handed the plate back to them.
“I’ll take them for the road.” She winked, “Well, I’ll be off.”
She turned to the chimney- Oh right, the chimney. How was she supposed to scale this thing?! She then remembered the fire lit in it, and sighed a breath of relief.
“Actually, since you guys left the fire lit, I came in through the front door…”
A chorus of regretful ohh’s filled the room as she stepped towards the hall door. She smiled once more and closed the door behind her. From there, she sprinted down the hall and out the door into the frigid winter air. She crouched beside the living room window, turned her phone sound on full volume, and played the sound of reindeer hooves and jingle bells. She cupped a hand around her mouth to make her voice sound muffled and distant before exclaiming: “Merry Christmas, everyone!”
From there, she rushed back inside the house, ripped off her costume, and wandered sleepily back into the living room, now just as plain ol’ Churro.
“Hey guys,” she yawned, “Did I miss something?”
“I’d say! Only Santa!” Lego exclaimed, and Churro feigned a shocked expression. “Really?! Oh no…”
“Are you sure he didn’t visit you, Churro? I don’t see any presents here for you…” Striker read the name tags once again, searching for a present for Churro.
“Ah… that’s because I didn’t ask for anything!” Churro laughed, and the others decided not to question further. Suddenly, Churro felt her eyes droop. Turns out being Santa at just one house is quite exhausting; she can’t imagine what it’d be like to cover the whole world. She began to understand why Santa may have skipped them...
“All that excitement sure was tiring… I think I might close my eyes for a few minutes…” Nuyori had already found herself back in her spot by the fire, and the others soon shifted into more comfortable spots as well, Churro finding herself a pile of pillows next to the glistening Christmas tree. She watched as her friends all slipped back into slumber with smiles on their faces... it is all she could've wished for.
“Mission accomplished,” she mumbled to herself before her heavy eyelids got the better of her.
When just beside her arose such a clatter, she sprang awake to see what was the matter. A wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon gave her to know she had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, and filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, and laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; he sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, and away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But she heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
The next thing Churro heard was the muffled chatter of her friends, as she opened her eyes and daylight poured into them. She nearly gasped at the sight beside her – shiny presents filled the room, not from her nor Nuyori, nor Striker nor Lego, but instead with gift tags signed in gold lettering: “From: Santa.”
She noticed a weight on her stomach and gazed to see the cause. It was a medium sized box, wrapped in red paper and topped with a glittery green bow. She gently removed the lid, revealing something all too familiar. She brushed her hand across the vibrant red hat made of fine, soft fabric. The edge was trimmed with what could only be real fur, the same material forming a fluffy ball at the tip. Atop the hat laid a simple note:
“This one is much more convincing. -Santa.”
“They’re all counting on Santa,” she mused, staring at her friends sleeping soundly in the living room. Nuyori was by the crackling fire, her posture resembling that of a cat curling up to absorb the nearby heat. Striker was upright in a large armchair; a Christmas book lay open on his lap after its reader had abandoned it to succumb to gentle slumber. Lego was sprawled across the couch, letting out a light snore following the steady rise and fall of his chest under the blanket that Churro had previously thrown over him. As for Yuno… where had she gone? Ah, well.
Everyone had fallen asleep here waiting for Santa. They were all looking forward to it… but he just wasn’t coming! Churro was the only one still wide awake, powering herself on pure Kawaii Energy (plus a little bit too much hot chocolate), ready to wake her friends whenever she heard the sound of distant jingle bells or the clack of reindeer hooves on the roof. Churro tapped open the Santa Tracker app on her phone, and after observing the map, deduced that Santa had already passed them. Why would he skip them? Everyone had been waiting so patiently, and everyone had been so good this year!
“Well, some more good than others…” Churro shot a glare in Lego’s direction, knowing he had planned at least one too many kidnappings this year, and then continued on her train of thought. If Santa had skipped them, what could she do? They were all counting on Santa Claus…
…But wait. Why couldn’t they count on… Churro Claus?
Away to her closet she flew like a flash, threw on a coat and tied on a sash. The beard she attached resembled new-fallen snow, with pillows beneath her coat to give her belly the appearance of dough. When what to her wondering eyes did appear, but a bright red hat that signified Christmas cheer. She ran to the mirror so lively and quick, she knew in a moment she looked just like St. Nick.
She crept back down the hall and into the living room, cringing whenever her boots caused the wooden floorboards to creak. She was relieved to see everyone still fast asleep as she opened the door, and she snuck in front of the fireplace. She took a deep breath…
“Ho ho-!” She immediately slapped her hands over her mouth as she heard her high-pitched voice. She had forgotten to take that into consideration. She cleared her throat and tried again.
“Ho ho ho!” She bellowed in a very obviously forced deep voice, and the occupants of the room began to stir. Nuyori was the first to react, jumping faster than Churro thought possible to her feet, followed by a loud screech of “Santa?!”
Striker and Lego followed suit, all three were now inspecting Churro Claus, occasionally letting out an excited gasp or exclamation of “It is Santa!” Churro cleared her throat and gave a sheepish smile.
“Yup, it’s me! Ho ho ho!”
“Wait… where’s Churro? She’s gotta see this!” Nuyori looked around the room frantically searching for the sight of pink pigtails.
“Ah, uh-! Sh-She… fell asleep in the kitchen while getting more hot cocoa!”
“I’ll go grab her, she’s gotta be here for this—“
“No! …I mean, don’t bother… I really must be quick, see… lots of other people to deliver presents to, you know!”
At this point Churro was internally face-palming. She didn’t think this plan through, and unless she could get out fast, she’d be discovered in no time. She decided to distract them by beginning to open the sack of presents she previously prepared by taking a few of the gifts she’d bought and replacing the nametags to say “From: Santa” instead. Everyone’s eyes glistened as the brightly wrapped presents shined in the firelight. Churro couldn’t help but smile as she watched their faces light up while she picked each present up one by one and distributed them to their respective recipients.
“Well then, I’m afraid I must go…” Churro picked up the sack and slung it over her shoulder once more.
“Don’t forget your cookies!” Striker interrupted, handing Churro a plate of them.
“We all pitched in to make them.” The mischievous gleam in Lego’s eye reminded Churro that she probably should not eat these cookies, not knowing what Lego could’ve added while their backs were turned. Who knows if this was all some sort of Santa Kidnapping Mission. She shuddered at the thought as she put the cookies in her sack and handed the plate back to them.
“I’ll take them for the road.” She winked, “Well, I’ll be off.”
She turned to the chimney- Oh right, the chimney. How was she supposed to scale this thing?! She then remembered the fire lit in it, and sighed a breath of relief.
“Actually, since you guys left the fire lit, I came in through the front door…”
A chorus of regretful ohh’s filled the room as she stepped towards the hall door. She smiled once more and closed the door behind her. From there, she sprinted down the hall and out the door into the frigid winter air. She crouched beside the living room window, turned her phone sound on full volume, and played the sound of reindeer hooves and jingle bells. She cupped a hand around her mouth to make her voice sound muffled and distant before exclaiming: “Merry Christmas, everyone!”
From there, she rushed back inside the house, ripped off her costume, and wandered sleepily back into the living room, now just as plain ol’ Churro.
“Hey guys,” she yawned, “Did I miss something?”
“I’d say! Only Santa!” Lego exclaimed, and Churro feigned a shocked expression. “Really?! Oh no…”
“Are you sure he didn’t visit you, Churro? I don’t see any presents here for you…” Striker read the name tags once again, searching for a present for Churro.
“Ah… that’s because I didn’t ask for anything!” Churro laughed, and the others decided not to question further. Suddenly, Churro felt her eyes droop. Turns out being Santa at just one house is quite exhausting; she can’t imagine what it’d be like to cover the whole world. She began to understand why Santa may have skipped them...
“All that excitement sure was tiring… I think I might close my eyes for a few minutes…” Nuyori had already found herself back in her spot by the fire, and the others soon shifted into more comfortable spots as well, Churro finding herself a pile of pillows next to the glistening Christmas tree. She watched as her friends all slipped back into slumber with smiles on their faces... it is all she could've wished for.
“Mission accomplished,” she mumbled to herself before her heavy eyelids got the better of her.
When just beside her arose such a clatter, she sprang awake to see what was the matter. A wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon gave her to know she had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, and filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, and laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; he sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, and away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But she heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
The next thing Churro heard was the muffled chatter of her friends, as she opened her eyes and daylight poured into them. She nearly gasped at the sight beside her – shiny presents filled the room, not from her nor Nuyori, nor Striker nor Lego, but instead with gift tags signed in gold lettering: “From: Santa.”
She noticed a weight on her stomach and gazed to see the cause. It was a medium sized box, wrapped in red paper and topped with a glittery green bow. She gently removed the lid, revealing something all too familiar. She brushed her hand across the vibrant red hat made of fine, soft fabric. The edge was trimmed with what could only be real fur, the same material forming a fluffy ball at the tip. Atop the hat laid a simple note:
“This one is much more convincing. -Santa.”