It was midwinter on Wynderia and the moors lay shrouded in snow.
Torakichis house lay on the edge of the moors, and pine forest, some miles from the nearest village and well away from the industrial mining district that was what the Wynderians thought of as home.
He liked it quiet, and indeed the Soil Adept had enjoyed the peace.
Until he had mysteriously gained four pupils...
And now it was Yule...
Torakichi had brought in the Yule kupo nut tree; it was a big branch in a pot, decorated with crepe leaves and papier-mâché kupo fruits.
A basket of kupo scented pot pourri at the base gave it the necessary sweet scent, one that could attract a moogle from miles away.
The moogles and Aurora were delighted.
But Kaze sighed inwardly; he was not at all sure that the Great Mog would like this tree; he was only ten but he clearly had distant memories of another life, before he had come to live with Sensei.
Then he had lived in a big house, with servants, and a father and mother, Yules then the Kupo tree was a real one, kept normally in a greenhouse and skilfully made to bear the critical kupo fruits in midwinter.
Then Aurora came and the world changed.
"It looks just fine!" Said Kupo excitedly; Kaze had to smile, the real Yule tree of old, authentic, as it had been, had never attracted moogles.
And Yule was not Yule without moogles to play with. He looked over to where Aurora, her face radiant, was cuddling Pepo, Pepo sat, black eyes half closed, his long winter pelt tousled where Aurora and Kupo had petted him.
"I don't think a real tree would be better," Kupo stretched his wings in delight, he was a couple of years younger than Pepo, and had not yet developed the paunch that older moogles all possessed.
Torakichi smiled, "it's the spirit of the thing that attracts the Great Mog."
"We never had moogles when I lived with mummy and daddy," Kaze confirmed, "and we had a real tree."
Aurora looked quizzical, but she did not say anything, neither Kaze or sensei would talk about life before she was born, the moogles were both orphans from one of the perpetual tribal fights of that race; all four of them were very happy to live with their darling Torakichi as Initiates of Soil.
"This proves that the tree is desirable to the Great Mog, Yule is not fun without moogles."
Kaze nodded, few human families celebrated it...But all moogles did, putting aside their many differences to eat kupo nuts, get drunk...and start fighting all over again.
"Life is no fun without moogles" said Aurora, hugging Pepo to her.
"Life is no fun without Soil!" Added Kupo, nudging Kaze with his kupo. Soil was the energy that powered their world...and as Soil Adepts; all four of them would one day have `powers that we cannot name`
Kaze put his arms round Kupo, rubbing his nose into the moogles soft fur, You could have money and what was more wealth, a Soil mine, but this did not get you moogles as siblings or Soil powers.
"Come on," Torakichi gestured them up, "suppers ready."
They followed him out to the big rustic kitchen and sat round the well scrubbed table.
Torakichi got a big stoneware dish of potato pie out of the oven, and divided it into five. Pretty soon all were eating.
Torakichi was first to finish. (His charges were too busy playing to hurry.) He pushed back his plate.
"Every Yule night the Great Mog comes round to bring moogle kits presents." He told them all.
"Kupo nuts hopefully, "Kupo prompted.
"And get drunk on kupo liquor and mate with females!" Added Pepo.
Torakichi hushed him, "that's afterwards, he delivers his presents `first`"
"He's a very dedicated Mog," smirked Pepo.
"But does he delivers to human children too?" Prompted Aurora who had her doubts.
"Oh, don't worry, Aurora, he will see us in bed together and think..."
Aurora kicked Pepo under the table, "we Soil Adepts are not allowed to `date`"
Kaze looked smug "he will deliver to me" he said in the moogle language.
Kupo laughed, "how can he resist a human who thinks he's a moogle?"
Torakichi held his hand for silence, "I'm sure the Great Mog will have presents for you all, he know who the good children who love moogles are."
"And don't pull their kupos," Kaze tugged at Kupo's organ for emphasis. Kupo yelled in anger and Torakichi had to intervene to avoid a fight.
"He knows who the good children and kits are."
"And his Chocobo gives the bad ones a good kicking." Added Pepo in a manner suggesting he would like to see this.
"His Chocobo can fly." Added Torakichi, "that way he can get all over Wynderia in one night."
"Chocobo can't fly," Kaze frowned.
"His can."
"Aw, come on, `you` cant fly, Sensei, nor can the Grand Master of Soil..." Pepo added.
Torakichi smiled, "but `you` can fly, can't you, Pepo?"
Kupo nodded, "we have wings."
"And so do Chocobo, stands to reason." Added Aurora, who still believed.
No one could argue with that logic. They finished their meal in silence
It was getting late and after washing up Torakichis pupils trooped up to the attic room they shared.
There was two big old-fashioned beds, moogles generally slept together in a nest and though Torakichis pupils were very human in their ways, they still needed comfort at night.
Only for them it was Kaze and Aurora.
Kupo slept in Kaze's bed and Pepo in Aurora's, they were warm and snuggly to cuddle up to. Other children had toy moogles...for Kaze and his sister they were the real thing.
Torakichi put them to bed, then went downstairs.
He returned with a kupo nut and a bar of chocolate on a plate.
"Ohh," Pepo peeked out from under the blankets, his kupo jiggling with uncontained hunger.
"This isn't for you, Pepo." Torakichi told him.
"It's for me!" Piped up Kupo from his place in Kaze's arms.
"Shush," said Kaze irritably.
"It's for the Great Mog and his Chocobo."
Aurora shook her head "He gets left nuts and chocolate at `every` house...why can't we eat it?" She said reasonably.
"That's not the idea, if you don't leave the Great Mog kupo nuts."
"...And nut spirit." Kupo offered
"And females" added Pepo "he's not discerning, a human will do."
Aurora nudged him. "I'm keeping you to myself."
Pepo nose rubbed her, "that's so kind, Aurora."
"...He won't leave you any presents." Continued Torakichi.
His pupils looked serious; they would get gifts from the Halls of Soil in the new year, a more important festival for humans, but these would be practical things like textbooks and new clothes, for toys they relied upon their birthdays and Yule; Torakichi was given an allowance for them to live with him as pupils but it did not stretch to toys.
They went to sleep.
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Kaze was woken by sounds of someone moving about. At first he thought it was one of his siblings, but he could feel them sleeping still.
Nor was it Sensei, this person had the feeling of a stranger.
`Gundragon guide my aim` he silently prayed, pulling his airpistol out from under the bed where in defiance of Torakichis rules on such items, he kept it.
This intruder was definitely no moogle, he was too big for a start, and though furry it seemed he was dressed in a great fur coat. He had a strange contraption on his back, with pipes leading to a goggle eyed leather mask. Kaze recognised it for breathing equipment used in gas contaminated mines.
Kaze pointed his air pistol at this strange apparition.
"Don't you know me, Kaze?"
Kaze thought he knew. "Turn on the light," he demanded.
The intruder backed to the door and switched on the light.
"Ah!" All was clear now, "Dad!"
"I brought you all presents" said Lord Ebisu holding up his bag.
"Oh!" Kaze nudged Pepo awake with his foot; the bigger moogle emerged from the bedding, grumbling,
Aurora followed, "who's this?"
Kupo woke, "that's a human, not a moogle."
"This is our dad," Kaze said proudly.
Aurora eyed him up with some suspicion "He's our daddy?"
"Yes, considering you last saw him when you were a toddler." Kaze told her.
Aura shook her head in denial, she knew little of her father, her memories being very fleeting, and no memories at all of her mother, Torakichi was her only parent.
"Is he?" Asked Pepo, not liking Auroras doubt.
"He's not my daddy," added Kupo, "I'm pretty sure he was a moogle...."
Lord Ebisu put his bag down, he stepped over to the table, "I see Torakichi has left something out for the Great Mog and his bird."
"So he did," said Aurora.
"But it's your daddy all along..." Pepo added, smiling nicely at Lord Ebisu.
The Adventurer got out his penknife and sliced the kupo nut in half, Pepo grabbed up his share enthusiastically, Kupo took the time to thank the visitor.
"You must have some chocolate too;" Kaze broke the bar in three pieces.
Lord Ebisu took one piece and sat down on the chair, gesturing to Aurora to sit on his lap; Aurora gave in with middling grace, knowing full well if she did not one of the irrepressible moogles would. An absent father reappearing suddenly is annoying when you are seven, if not at any age.
"`Just` where have you been ,dad?" Kaze asked, he had a headful of questions.
"Mysteria," replied Lord Ebisu
Aurora finished her chocolate, "don't pull the wool over our eyes...Mysteria doesn't exist."
Kupo was staring out of the window. "Wow..."
Pepo joined the smaller moogle; he turned to the others, "Now your going to tell us that Mysteria doesn't exist."
"Torakichi said..." Aurora started.
"So what's `that` then?" Pepo pointed out the window.
"Anything can happen on this night...`anything` do you hear me?" Hissed Kupo.
"Chocobo can fly."
"As a matter of fact, I have a couple of birds...." Lord Ebisu interjected.
They all stared outside. Wynderia had no moon, but the snow was bright, and they could clearly see the unthinkably big bulk of the airship outlined by the stars.
Kaze took one look at his father and began to rummage in his chest. "Come on, get dressed, Aurora.
Put something warm on."
"Ill show you my ship if you like." Lord Ebisu said mildly.
"You will do more than that," demanded Kaze, "you will take us wherever you are going."
Kupo looked as excited as if the Great Mog had actually come, "Mysteria..."
"Hang on, what will your Sensei say?" Lord Ebisu complained.
"We will write a note," Kupo suggested.
"But what about Yule?"
"This is much more serious" Aura pulled her jumper over her head, "Now we have you we are not letting go."
"No," Kaze shook his head.
Pepo pulled his brown robe over his head; "here's a pencil and paper."
"Ill write the note," said Aurora, "he will take it better from me."
Kupo was staring at the airship again, "it seems appropriate that we should be going to a mythical land tonight of all nights."
"Yes," said Lord Ebisu thoughtfully.
They all trooped outside into the snowy night.
The great airship was moored to Torakichi's prayer flag pole, causing it to bend alarmingly, a rope ladder led up to an open hatch in the main body.
Kaze looked up, "`Divine Wind`" he read off the characters painted on the gasbag, "so this is a Wynderian ship?"
The Masters of Soil had told them that flying machines were impossible.
"Never mind." Pepo climbed hand over hand up the ladder, Kupo, not to undone by his pushier brother closely following, Aurora went scrambling after them.
Kaze paused, one foot on the ladder, if he made this big step things would never be the same ever again.
But he was not going to give up his father any time soon, and besides, the others had already made the decision for him.
"Up you go, Kaze, I'm casting off now." Lord Ebisu called.
Kaze shook his tousled head and climbed the ladder into the unknown.
----------------
Torakichi shook his head over the note.
He had awoken to a deserted house, presents unopened and a note in Aurora's hand saying `GON TO MISTERA`
Worse of all, it was true. He really should not have invited his adventuring friend to visit his neglected offspring.
And he had thawed the Gansa already.
But, being a bad householder, he stowed it back in the freezer, and after watching the Yule film, on Telly (a matter he disapproved of, but Pepo had insisted on them getting a set, and indeed it was useful for Soil subjected programmes and other educational material) He rang his superiors in the Halls of Soil.
"I told you it might not be a good idea for Lord Ebisu to visit" said the Abbot wearily.
"He asked me if he could; you know how sad he was to have to leave them." Torakichi bowed his head.
"Now do you think your going to get them back?" The Abbot replied, rather annoyed at the flitting of four promising Initiates.
"I trust Lord Ebisu that far, Torakichi replied, though he was actually shaking his head in doubt He's a bit strange but I know he values his children's education; else he would never have given me custody to begin with. And I think this will be a valuable part of their education."
"Seeing things that the public of Wynderia; even Soil Initiates are not supposed to know about?"
"You told me things are changing; Lord Ebisu and Mysteria are part of them...Besides, I can trust my initiates to keep quiet, and even if they talked, who would believe them?"
Torakichi was called to the Halls of Soil to be punished. He was whipped, but not hard enough to hurt much; only to feel the Abbots disapproval.
Nor was he invited to the New Years party, at least he was, but only long enough to collect his Initiates presents.
One fine morning in mid January, the missing initiates came trooping up to the front door of their bereaved Sensei's residence.
He scolded them a bit, but not much.
"You never told us not to go with the Great Mog," replied Pepo innocently.