Okay, I usually have a strict policy to do all of my Defender stories in chronological order. But since it is Christmas, I decided to put that aside for a while. This story is the reason why I wanted to finish The Defender Volume 2 so quickly, but now that is impossible. Please note that there will be a few spoilers as to the ending events of The Defender Volume 2, but they are needed in order to understand this story completely. I will not elaborate on the spoilers, so you will have to read the final chapters of Volume 2 in order to see how things happened. On with the show!
The Defender's Christmas
(Intro; spoiler warning!)
It's the Christmas season after the defeat of Apocalypse and the Dark Alliance, and everything is going smoothly. Evil Lilo (who is not evil anymore, and is called Nala) is now living with the ever-expanding Pelekai family. All experiments were rescued and have their own lives around the world. Myrtle and the gang can now be seen at Lilo's house almost everyday. They even have their own personal guest rooms for them and their families. This is because, due to the groups help in vanquishing the Dark Alliance, the Grand Councilwoman granted them a VERY large amount of money as reward. They used this money to expand the Pelekai house to mansion-like proportions, and there was still a LOT of money to spare. Kioko returned to his own Dimension. Aily now has a netnavi body and lives in the cyber network world of the house (Most of the house is now computerized and connected directly into the internet), but most of the time likes to live in the physical world during the daytime. She also goes to school with the other kids every once in a while, and downloads the lessons into the house computer when she doesn't so she can study. Andre and Lana are planning on dating each other soon. Andre and Nani are still studying in the university while Andre also works at the Birds of paradise hotel. (Hey, extra income is always good, even though you and your family are millionaires.) The knowledge of aliens and other dimensions are now revealed to the public. (If you want the real info on how everything previously mentioned happened, you will need to wait until the next chapters of the Defender Volume 2) Andre now is good friends with a man called Hector, who has a wife called Barbara and a daughter called Janice.
On Christmas Eve Andre was walking down the road of Kokaua Town. The preparations for Christmas were already set, and he couldn't wait for tomorrow to come, to celebrate with his Ohana, his family. He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard an angry shout in a building. He turned and found out that he was right in front of the company where Hector worked at. He then saw Hector exit. He went to greet him.
"Hey, Hector! My man! How are you doing?" Andre said as he raised a high five.
Hector responded with a high five, but Andre noticed that he looked very troubled.
"Hey, what happened? Your boss treat you like dirt again? I know that he can be a pain in the butt, literally. I don't even know why people put up with him. He never respects anyone." Andre said.
"That is not the case today." Hector said.
"Then what is?" Andre asked.
Hector sighed. "I asked him if I could have Christmas Day off." Hector said.
"And?" Andre asked.
"He said I was a lazy good for nothing for asking that. And then he fired me?" Hector said.
"This confirms my last statement regarding him. This also confirms something else. He is a (insert vulgar word here.)
"And now I am in the biggest of trouble of all." Hector said.
"Why? If you are worrying about presents for Janice, I could give you a hand." Andre offered.
"It's not that. Just before Yesterday, we took Janice to her regular checkup. We thought she was going to come out okay, but the doctors discovered a degenerative condition in her eyes. It is curable, but if left untreated se will go blind. She already has only 95 full vision, and it is steadily degrading. Me and Barbara are poor and don't have the kind of money necessary to pay for an operation like that. My salaries and the government coupons and support were only barely enough to keep us going, but now that I'm without a job…" Hector sighed as a tear ran down his cheek.
"Okay, how about we do this." Andre said. "You go home, and tomorrow you can come to celebrate Christmas with us at our house, to forget the bad times for a while. Then later we'll see what we can do to help you with your problem."
"Thanks. At least there is something good to look forward to." Hector said as he left after saying goodbye to Andre.
"I wonder how I can help Hector." Andre asked. Then an idea hit him. He started running at high speed to the Birds of Paradise hotel.
It is nighttime and Hector is tucking Janice in her bed.
"What is going to happen tomorrow in Christmas?" Janice asked.
"Well, we are going to see Andre and the others and have a party." Hector said.
"Will my friends be there?" Janice asked.
"I think so." Hector said.
"Then it will be a nice Christmas." Janice said.
"Yes, it will. Good night, sweetie." Hector said.
"Good night, daddy." Janice said.
Hector went back to the living room where Barbara was. She hugs him and he sighs.
"I just don't know what to do about Janice's problem." Hector said overwhelmed.
"Don't worry dear. The Lord will provide." Barbara said.
"Okay." Hector said.
(The Next Day)
There was a gigantic Christmas reunion in Lilo's house. Everybody who was family or close friend was there. Myrtle, Keoni, Yuki, Teresa, Elena, and their parents were there. David was there. Even Gantu was there. Everybody exchanged gifts and had Christmas dinner. After this Mr. Jameson called Hector in order to speak with him.
"What do you need?" Hector asked.
"Andre came and told me about your problems finding a job, and now that I come to think of it, I have an open spot in my staff at the hotel. Would you like to take it? It has good pay." Mr. Jameson asked.
"Really! Oh, yes sir! It would be an honor! Thank you so much!" Hector said.
"Don't thank me; Thank Andre for telling me." Mr. Jameson said as Andre walked up to the two.
"Son of a gun! I owe you big time!" Hector said as they high five each other.
"You owe me nothing." Andre said. "Now about Janice's operation…"
Andre gave Hector a check about 5,000 dollars.
"Get Janice the treatment she deserves. Don't worry. There is more where that came from." Andre said.
"I…I don't know what to say." Hector said.
"No need to say anything, my friend. That's what friends…or family, do for each other." Andre said.
Soon everyone was in the main living room, which was BIG. (We needed a place big enough for Gantu!)
"So everyone, as most of you know. The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ into this world. And even though this is the main reason for the holiday, this is also a time to count our blessings and be thankful for what we have. I ask: What are all of you thankful for." Andre asked.
Everybody gave their own response.
"As you can see, most of you answered that you are mostly thankful that you have your families and that they are together. That is another extremely important, if not vital, point…family unity. When I say family, I don't mean it in the Biological or Official sense; I mean in the general sense. People like Myrtle, Yuki, Teresa, Elena, Keoni, Jumba, Pleakly, Gantu, Janice, Barbara, and Hector. Although biologically we are different, we have become so close that we ARE family, a large one at that. That is another point of Christmas. It brings the families together.
Everybody nodded and made signs of approval.
"I propose a toast. Merry Christmas to our very large Ohana! May nobody get left behind or forgotten!" Andre said.
"Hear hear!" Everybody said.
Then a dimensional portal appeared out of nowhere, and Millie, Andre's sister, stumbled out.
"I'm so sorry, Andre! Am I late?" She asked.
Andre walked towards his sister.
"You couldn't have picked a better time to drop in." Andre said as he hugged her. "It's good to see you again after so long."
"It's good to see you too. Merry Christmas." She said.
"Come and join the party." Andre said.
"Why not?" Millie said happily.
Then they went on to continue the festivities. This was truly a Christmas to remember.
The End.
Now with this done, I'm going on Holiday Hiatus. But don't worry! I'll be back soon to finish the Defender Vol 2 and continue with the series! See ya later and hope you have a Merry Christmas!