Authors Note: First of all, this is an old story of mine, something like three or four years old, and I meant to rewrite it this season alongside my Zelda one, but ran out of time. :P
So I thought it was still decent enough to throw up here before Christmas comes and goes.
I hope everyone enjoys, and one day I will revamp this story, just not right now. :D
How Much?
"Ugh." A grunt comes out of the darkness and the sound of someone fumbling around trying to find something they can't see. There is a *click* and light is flared out. The room is silver grey, with one desk, a dresser, and a bed placed sparingly all along the wall. Several magazines are scattered on the floor and draped on the desk. "Ugh, this day always comes to soon." The voice says again. Something blue is fighting its way out of the tangled white bed sheets. It then stumbles off the grey mattress, slips on the cold metal floor and smacks down on its feathered butt.
Falco Lombardi shook his head and blinked his large eyes blearily.
"Man, this better be worth it, 'cause I'm never getting out of bed an hour early, ever again." He pushed himself up, and straightened his bent tail feathers that were poking out of a hole in his white boxers. He walked over to his dresser, scratching at his exposed feather covered chest. He quickly pulled out a pair of creamy white pants, a black tee-shirt, and his usual black vest. He threw them on, then walked to his bathroom to comb up his head crest, smooth out his blue plumage, and to wash his beak.
"Okay," He said walking out of his bathroom and stretching. "I guess I need to get everything set, and make sure Slippy didn't find anything." He smiled wickedly. "This is gonna be fun."
Cautiously, he pressed the door button, and looked up and down the dimly lit silver hall, before quietly exiting his room and walking softly down one of Great Foxs' many corridors. He took extra care when walking past his team mates' rooms.
Once he reached the cargo hold, he relaxed. No one would come down here all day. He moved through the many large boxes that held their supplies, until he came to his own personal box. He opened it. "Yep, everything's here, now to set it up."
Once he was finished setting it in place he pulled a large white sheet over 'everything', then left the hold and started toward the mess hall, his yellow feet making clacking sounds that echoed all around.
"They should be up by now," he said, arms folded. "Normally they wouldn't get up for another couple of hours, but being what day it is…" he trailed off when he entered the right corridor. He uncrossed his arms and crept along the hall till he reached the door, then he pressed the side of his head to the door.
"Oh, Fox, It's beautiful!" he heard Krystal exclaim. Falco grinned, remembering the necklace his friend shown him. He had to admit it, Fox know what his vixen wanted.
Knowing that Peppy and Slippy were both in the room, Falco pulled his head back, arranged his face into a bored expression, then opened the door and walked through.
The others were all sitting around the paper strewn table. All of them were still in their pajamas. Fox, in white tank top and boxers that set off his tan fur, Krystal in a black sports bra and purple shorts, Peppy in brown sweat shirt and pants, and Slippy in what looked like a diving suit. Each of them had brightly wrapped boxes in front of them. Falco threw then his most passive look, before heading to the brown cupboards and the nearly full coffee pot.
"Sheesh, Falco," Slippy said from behind him "all dressed up and nowhere to go."
"Yea, buddy." Fox added as poured himself a cup. "Why didn't you just show up in something more in the spirit?"
Falco turned around to look at his friend, keeping his coffee black, then gave Fox a dull look. "You know I don't get this holiday," he shrugged "Why should I bother dressing in anything else?"
"Oh, come on Falco, Lighten up." Krystal said pulling at the shiny necklace around her neck.
"Yea Falco, come and open presents with us. We all got you something." Peppy added in his rusty voice.
Falco leaned back against the counter and took a drink, then said. "No thanks, I'll get to it later."
"Come on." Slippy cried and the others all said similar things.
"Jezze, you guys, how much would you do to get me to open presents?"
"A lot." Slippy answered.
"More than we already have, that's for sure." Peppy nodded.
Fox and Krystal both agreed.
'This is going perfectly.' He thought, then zeroed in on Slippy, knowing he was the easiest to excite. "How much." He prodded again. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Fox look startled as he realized Falco was baiting them.
"Slippy…" he tried to warn, too late.
"A whole lot!" Slippy answered.
Falco frowned, looked at his coffee, and then looked to his left. "No you wouldn't." he sighed.
"Slippy!-" Peppy gave it a shot, to no avail.
"Yes we would!" Slippy said jumping up and folding his arms confidently. "We'd do anything."
The others all groaned and made movements of exasperation. Slippy unfolded his arms and looked back at the others, then, realizing what he had done, turned back to Falco, face pale.
"Anything?" Falco asked, smiling mischievously. No one answered him. He set his coffee on the counter and pretended to think. "Welll… I guess you'll just have to…." He pushed off and ran toward the door calling back at them. "Catch me!"
He had already reached the door and pushed through it before he heard Fox yell "Get Him!"
He heard the pounding feet after him and Fox calling out commands as if they were in their Arwings. "I'll go left, Slippy, Krystal, keep chasing him, Peppy use the vents! He'll have to open presents with us this year!"
Falco smiled as he jumped down a ladder, things were going exactly as planned.
Fox came barreling around a corner in front of him, and Peppy jumped from a vent in the ceiling, both of them blocking the hallway.
"Give up Falco, we've got you," Fox yelled, grinning as he continued to run. "There's no way you can get past-" Falco gave a mighty bound then dropped to the floor and slid between them. "-US?!" Fox yipped, shocked.
"You guys are too slow!" he yelled back at them. He was almost to the cargo hold and the other were just the right length behind. He skidded to a halt in front of the cargo door, slammed his hand against the panel, ran into the hold, swiveled around to face the still open door, then folded his arms and waited.
Slippy came into sight, his eyes widened and he gave a big grin. He ran into the hold, jumped at him and yelled "I've got-" Falco moved one step to the left. "YOU?!" Slippy slammed to the ground and skidded past him. Falco continued to smile as the others stopped in the doorway, startled.
"Hey," Slippy said, still lying on the floor, and Falco turned to look at him. "What's this?" He was pointing at something shiny green that poked out from under the large sheet.
Falco's smiled widened. He walked over to Slippy, placed his hands on the sheet and pulled. Four large boxes gleamed, now revealed in the light. The green one had a tag that said, To Slippy, The blue one said, To Krystal, The orange, To Fox, and the Red, To Peppy.
"Merry Christmas, guys." Falco said tossing the sheet away.
"Wow." Slippy said, sitting up and looking at his present. "Wow."
"How did you?" Krystal asked as they walked into the room.
"I've been planning this since last year." He answered grinning.
"You sneaky crow," Fox laughed "Oh, you're good."
"Thanks." Falco replied.
Fox then threw his arm around his good friends' shoulder, and pointed a finger at him. "So, we sort of caught you, are you going to open your presents with us?"
Falco pretended to give him a thoughtful look and said. "I don't know, how much would you do?"
"Falco…." His friends all groaned.
"All right, I guess I can." He teased.
"Now that's more in the spirit." Krystal replied pulling on her present.
Happy Holiday's to all, and to all a good night!