Christmas, the time of giving and love. The time where family and friends come together to enjoy the loveliest time of year. The snow just began to fall from the white skies. Many dragons walked through the winterly streets of Warfang, trying to find a present for their beloved ones. Kids were playing, jumping from here to there, sometimes bumping into an adult, swiftly apologizing and running off again. In the middle of this mess a purple dragon wandered around, smiling all the time. A bag was securely stripped around his chest. Half a year passed since the fight with Malefor and Spyro was happy for this whole time.
'I love Christmas.' At this thought Spyro smiled even wider. He loved the kids playing and the decorations on the houses. This was his and Cynder's first Christmas in Warfang. With a jump in his step he walked back to the new temple located in Warfang, the bag waggling with him. There his friends and love were waiting for him. Back at the temple preparations for Christmas Eve were made. Here he stopped for a few seconds, admiring the moles and their beautiful handiwork. A huge Christmas tree stood in the gardens in front of the temple. Also some lanterns hung here and there. But what Spyro fascinated the most was that nearly every being seemed happy. Even the birds which stayed over the winter seemed content, chirping a slow but lovely song.
"Oi Spyro. How's the world's greatest hero doin'?" A mole asked from one of the ladders leaning on the Christmas tree. Spyro recognized the mole instantly.
"Hello Mason! I'm doing fine. Just going to meet my friends, and you?" Mason put the last candle onto the tree and then went down the ladder while replying.
"I've just finished the tree an' now I'm going to my family." With the word 'family' one question popped into the purple dragon's head.
"Do you have children?" By now Mason was down from the ladder and cleaning his goggles. He looked at him and smiled warmly. Something Spyro has never seen him doing.
"Aye. Two. One boy and one lill' girl. 'E boy is eight and the girl is four." Mason smiled even wider. "And tomorrow my girl has her fifth birthday." Talking more to himself than to Spyro.
"Congratulations Mason! I didn't know that you have children." Mason giggled. Also something that was rather rare for him.
"But now ya do. I'm sorry but I have to leave. I still have to buy some presents for 'em. Happy Christmas!" With this he turned around and started to leave.
"Happy Christmas to you too!" Spyro shouted after the leaving form of Mason. Then he started walking again. 'And now to the temple...' He made his way inside, still admiring the beautiful handiwork of the moles.
After a few minutes he came to a big door. He opened it, gasping as he saw what was within. A Christmas tree, as big as the one outside, stood in the middle of the circular room. Packages surrounded the tree, waiting to be opened. Next he saw his friends standing on the right side of the tree, chatting, sometimes laughing. Terrador, Cyril, Volteer, Ember, Flame, Hunter and Sparx. Everyone was there. The he saw all the beautiful decorations hanging on the walls. And at last he saw Cynder, approaching him.
"Hi Spyro." She greeted.
"Hi Cyn." He greeted back, trying to conceal his surprise but failing badly. Cynder gave him a quick peck on the cheek and then looked into his lilac eyes.
"What took you so long?" Spyro looked back into her shining green eyes.
"I just had a little talk with Mason outside." Spyro explained. Cynder nodded in acknowledgement and Spyro started to walk to the others, Cynder walking beside him.
"So, how does everything look to you?" Spyro looked around the room once more and then back to Cynder.
"Everything is beautiful. But not as beautiful as you." He replied sheepishly.
"Flatterer..." Cynder giggled mockingly. By now they arrived at their friend's side and Sparx flew straight into Spyro's face.
"What in hell took you so long!" Sparx shouted startling Spyro. "We had to wait for you to open the presents. All these wonderful presents..." He trailed of looking to the presents in a longing stare. "Care to explain?"
"I just had a little chat with Mason outside, Sparx." Spyro rolled his eyes. Just as Sparx was about to reply Terrador intervened.
"Spyro if you have a present for someone put it under the tree now. I think I speak for all of us when I say we want to begin."
"Exactly!"
"Sparx!"
"Sorry big guy." Spyro just rolled his eyes and Cynder giggled again. Spyro went to the tree and opened his bag. He looked at the content and put it under the tree. He had four gifts, two big, one small and one very small, all of them securely wrapped into wrapping paper. He put them under the tree and looked at them for one last time to make sure that everything was fine.
"I'm ready." All the others started to surround the tree, Terrador stepping forward.
"Then let's begin unwrapping..."
"WOOOO! First! First! First!" Sparx zipped by landing directly on one of his presents, already starting to tear the wrapping paper to shreds. Soon afterwards the others followed. Spyro looked around for his presents and soon he found one. He looked at the etiquette and read: "From Flame and Ember, Happy Christmas Spyro." He looked at Flame who was busy unwrapping his presents. Spyro smiled and unwrapped his. He took out the content and smiled even wider. It was a glass-bottle full of candies. Spyro took the bottle and put it into his bag. Then he went to the next present, then to the next. At the end he had five presents, the candy-bottle from Flame, a golden ceremonial helmet from Cyril and Terrador, a book with 24 Christmas stories from Volteer, a few rare stones for his stone-collection from Sparx and a tail-ball ball from Hunter.
Spyro nearly jumped because he was so happy, but one present was still missing. Cynder's. He looked through everything once more and then he found it, hidden behind some wrapping paper. It was a very small present not even as big as his paw. 'At least now I know why I couldn't find it at first' He read the etiquette once more: "From Cynder. For her love Spyro. Ps: Meet me on the balcony when you've finished unpacking." Spyro swiftly unpacked the present and gasped as he saw what it contained. It was a necklace with an onyx carved like Cynder, with two little emeralds as eyes. He couldn't stifle a short laugh. He fastened it around his neck and went to the balcony.
"Where are you going?" Sparx asked, crossing his path.
"I just want to the balcony. You know some fresh air." Sparx began to smile evilly and looked into Spyro's eyes.
"And it has nothing to do with Mrs. Queen of Evil who just went on the balcony as well, hmm?" Spyro flushed red and stuttered.
"N-no... you k-know me S-Sparx... I d-didn't even... k-know..." Sparx erupted into laugher at the rather funny behavior of his brother.
"Mwahaha, Ok Spyro stop! You make it too easy for me fatty. Go and get her." Sparx started to fly away. "Ohh but don't do anything stupid womanizer."
"SPARX!" Spyro got even redder than before while Sparx flew off laughing uncontrollable... Until he crashed into one of Terrador's horns. Spyro began to walk to the balcony once more. He stepped out into the open, inhaling deeply. He looked around. By now everything was covered with a thin layer of snow and the sun made her way behind the mountains, the clouds appearing orange on the evening sky. Spyro looked further down the balcony and there he saw Cynder. She sat on her haunches, staring at the sky. Spyro walked to her right side. Cynder noticed him and smiled.
"Hi Spyro. I see you got it." Spyro looked at Cynder's chest and saw the exact same necklace hanging around her neck. Only with a Spyro figure carved out of an amethyst instead of a Cynder figure.
"And I see you've got mine." Spyro giggled softly "We know each other too well huh?" Cynder chuckled and replied
"Yeah. We really do. But... I don't have a problem with it." Spyro sat down beside Cynder, still smiling. He looked up, at the orange-tainted clouds.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Cynder leaned onto Spyro and then looked up too.
"Yes. This is why I'm out here." Spyro looked at Cynder once more. She was still looking at the clouds dreamily.
"Is that the only reason?" Spyro asked an evil smile spreading across his muzzle.
"Nope" She looked into Spyro's eyes and kissed him on the lips. Spyro's smile got even bigger.
'I knew it!' He melted into the kiss, kissing back with as much force as Cynder.
"Whoa! Slow down a bit!" Both Spyro and Cynder's eyes shot open. They broke the kiss and looked at Sparx, hovering a few feet away. He looked as if he was about to puke. They both blushed furiously.
"Sparx! What do you want?" Spyro asked getting his courage back at first.
"I just wanted to tell you that the others want to sing Christmas songs. But when you two are busy, no problem. I'll just tell the others that you need some time." Spyro wanted to thank Sparx but he was stopped by Cynder.
"We're coming." Spyro looked at her questioningly. "What? I want to sing. And I think that we can continue our little 'fun' later."
"Blergh!"
Spyro smiled dreamily while he watched her walking back into the main chamber. "Hey dreamy-head, before I have to puke don't you want to go too?" Spyro shook his head once, coming back to reality.
"W-What? Oh right!" Spyro ran into the main chamber while Sparx face-palmed.
As Spyro came back into the main chamber, all his friends stood in one line, waiting for him. "There you are Spyro!" Ember chirped "We were waiting for you." Spyro got into the line when Volteer spoke up.
"My good old friends, I think it would be the absolutely best if we begin with the moderate Christmas-song that's sung every Christmas when..."
"Volteer!" Cyril interrupted. "I think a few words would have been enough. So let's begin with 'Jingle bells'" Everyone sat down, on haunches, chairs or horns. And then everyone began to sing.
Jingle bells, Jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh what fun,
It is to ride,
In a one-horse open sleigh
Hey! (x2)
Dashing through the snow
On a one-horse open sleigh,
Over the fields we go,
Laughing all the way
Haha!
Bells on bobtails ring,
Making spirits bright,
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A sleighing song tonight,
Jingle bells, Jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh what fun,
It is to ride,
In a one-horse open sleigh
Hey! (x2)
They sang into the night. Sometimes playing, sometimes laughing. But one thing was for sure. It was a Christmas to remember, for everyone...
The first Christmas after the Great War...