Presents for Pronghorns

(A/N) Welcome to my little Christmas Special, even if Christmas is over^^,, I unfortunately didn't had time to post it here. I hope you can enjoy it.

„Just let me finish this last one and I will go, I promise sis. " "That's what you said one the other ten ago." Cassia, a young thirteen years old pronghorn just set up another sling trap were little bells were attached. With disbelief her older sister by the name Clove and nineteen years old, stared at the self-built thing Cassia called a trap. The other one were too from "qualitative high" value. Mostly where looking the same and it was a wonder Clove allowed to let Cassia place them in their little living area they had in their quarter. A small fir three sat in the Corner with some green, gold and white balls made out of glass. Plastic stripes in different glittering colours hang too from the small three and also a few pieces of candy.

Mostly they were some cheap chocolate ornaments wrapped in plastic or tin. "Cassia it's nearly 9 pm, and Santa Claus will probably not come for X-Mas if you don't go to bed." That paid Cassias attention, she hurried even more than before. The young pronghorn carried a plate with cookies and a glass of milk on a little table near the fir three. "I still don't understand why we just didn't bought them and you insisted in baking some. They got a bit burned." "Duh, because everyone knows that the store bought one there could be traces of nuts in it. And everyone knows that Santa is allergic to nuts." Clove just gave a nod and Cassia was about to leave before her older sister stooped her. Silently she reached out her hand.

For some time both stand just in silent. Cloves eyes looking straight into her sister one who was moving fast left to right and were repeating that process. Three little in tin wrapped chocolate balls dropped in the older pronghorn's hand. "You only do this so you can have them for yourself." "Your teeth will thank me for that." Cassia had really wanted now to stick out her tongue in front of her sister. But to risk it that Santa wouldn't come, or worse fill her whole room with coal! That was a risk she wouldn't and couldn't dare. Before she finally closed the door to her room, the younger Pronghorn was sure to hear unmistakable sound of wrapping out candy of tin foil.

…

A jingle let Cassia wake up. Fast she looked at her alarm clock. It was exactly midnight. She knew it! He would come and she had him in her trap! Her plan was finally succeeding. Like many people she knew the rule. If she would capture Santa he must give her a higher amount of presents that any other child on this world. Nearly as silent as nothing she stepped out of her bad. She was fully prepared. She didn't even changed into her pyjamas and was still in the clothing from yesterday. Slowly she took her tonfas from the bed desk.

Then she went to the door pressing gently down the handle so that the click sound was dull. The door was opened. And fast Cassia jumped out. Her both tonfas ready to defence her if Santa would try any tricks. But there was nothing. Cassia opened her eyes. And the first thing she reconciled was a sound, the sound from, eating cookies? The crumbling sound when you eat dry cookies, she recognised it clearly.

And then she saw it. Her eyes went wide. On one of the simple chairs in the little living room there sat a man. The chair was moved near the fir three. He sat there and seemed to enjoy the cookies he ate. Suddenly he opened his eyes, revealing glowing grey eyes. He stood up. And the once pretty determined Cassia that tried to capture Santa Claus got scared. He looked different that in the books and advertisement, he looked different than in TV or in the Internet.

First the coat was more padded than in the pictures, it was also made out of fur and it reached till the feet. The red colour was much darker tainted red. Probably equal to brick red than the well-known X-Mas red. The typical Santa hat was completely absent instead there was an also brick red hood which too was covered in fur. The only thing that looked like in the advertisements was probably the black boots. Made out of hard leather and also looked the black as they were lacquered on the boots. They shined a bit even in the darkness. The boots and the beard he had.

White, snow white with some grey stripes and at least he was grown till the throat. But what scared Cassia more was that the Human was 79 inches (2 meters) high and whilst he looked a bit chubby, he didn't have that remarkable Santa Belly. He went two steps forward to Cassia. He held the plate with the cookies on the right, and the half full glass of milk on the left hand. As he made the two steps in her direction it was a wonder for Cassia that the whole room, if not even the whole building was collapsing because when he walked it sounded like an earthquake came over them. When he stood in front of Cassia the man let out a lough, again Cassia wondered that the whole building was not breaking down into rubble.

Two loud "Hohohos" made the man, before he bent a bit over Cassia looking down in her eyes. And Cassia for the first time since some months was scared. Her legs shaking, he voice gone and probably she went a bit pale. It was a wonder she didn't fainted. Perhaps it wasn't the best Idea in trying to capture Santa Claus. She thought before closing the eyes and hoping that this would end and that it was just a bad dream

"I have to say, not many people know, that I'm allergic to nuts. It's always nice to see that some, who still believe in me remember." The deep voice made Cassias eyes automatically open. The man had put one a nice smile whilst shoving off some crumbles off his coat. Still stuttering Cassia wanted to ask a question. "And before you ask, yes I am-"he stood up again, taking a sip from the milk "Santa Claus. Ah, there is nothing better that a good glass of milk." Again he looked down at Cassia. "Come Cassia, take a seat. And don't be scared about me, I will neither harm you nor your older sister Clove"

Still weak on her knees she sat down fast on one of the chairs. The shock she had from that man was gone. But there was still something she had to ask. "How do I know you are the real Santa? How do I know you are not…a burglar or something? I mean you don't look like in the books." Again the man laughed. "Of course you want a proof. Cassia the Pronghorn. 13 years old, likes video games and television. Younger Sister from the 6 year older Clove the Pronghorn. Who I have to say deeply cares for you Cassia. But I believe what I'm telling you now won't satisfy you and you want another proof. So I believe you would like to see where I do make my plan and schedule for all the X-Mas that happed and will happen? So I believe you should take your tonfa with you just in case."

Cassia took them in haste. She was unsure…on the other Hand if this was not the real Santa, then how did he manage to disable the defence system? "But….won't that take hours. I mean Clove will find out and will be worried. I can't go without her." "Simple. Time is stopped little one." "What?" Cassia couldn't believe what she heard right now. "Time-"Santa Claus let the plate fall. And Cassia was prepared that it would fall down and break in millions of pieces. But it didn't. The plate was still in the air and didn't fell down. "Without time, it can't fall down. It will remain in place for eternity." "But how not this-"She looked at a clock that hung on the wall. Still there was the beginning of Midnight. Nothing changed. Not one minute passed.

"Do you believe I can bring thousands of presents with less than five or six hours? Even for me this is impossible little one. But it's not impossible for me to hold time." Cassia was baffled. She forgot everything. Fast she run in her room and looked at her alarm clock. The same time like on the clock. Time stood still like a tin soldier. "So shall we go to the place where X-Mas starts and ends? We have time." His hand, that Santa offered Cassia was covered in a red fabric glove. She hesitated a bit. Was "Santa Claus" trustable? But she had her tonfa and she could use them if necessary. And so she accepted his offer.

It didn't even take one second and Cassia felt cold. And that was no surprise because instead in the living room, there was snow. Lot of snow was there. No wonder because it seemed that they just got into a snow storm. "In here!" Santa Clause waved to her. He was already half through a door where yellow light was shining out. The young pronghorn run as fast as she could through the door and closing it on impact. "What! How! What was that supposed to be!?" Cassia waved with her arms furious. "Well we are where I'm working. North Pole. When there is no time, traveling fast is pretty easy." Santa let out a laugh, and then he activated a light switch. Both where in an elevator, there were only four buttons.

Two were supposed to close or open the door. Another one made himself noticeable with a green light that they were on this level. And so the white bearded man pushed the last button that made more or less sense. With a rather silent rumble the elevator took action and went down. "Time works here in my factory of course. Or I couldn't produce the presents. So, do you want to ask me something?" Santa Claus looked down to Cassia with a friendly smile. "Sooo. I believe you are really Santa Claus then. I mean you can stop time and travel fast like in some kind of video game which is kind of awesome! But…why is that Holiday called X-Mas? No one could tell me why and they only told me it is that way."

Cassia crossed her arms. "Please Cassia, don't call me Santa Claus or Santa. That is what people believe who I am. I might look like him and work under this synonym. But please I call you Cassia so please call me too by my real name. Tarben. Tarben Ulvestad. But now I want to answer your question child. X-Mas, it was once called different the X was once Christ. So it was called Christmas. And please don't ask me what Christ is. I don't want to talk and spread religion. And because of that, so that I don't have to explain the word Christ, I replaced it with an X." "And what does "Mas" stand for? " "I have no Idea."

"What!? But you have to know?! You are Santa Claus after all!" The Elevator stopped. Tarben made a cough before he once again began to speak. "Cassia X-Mas was there before I even existed. The Name Santa Claus was there before I existed. I might be the only real Santa Claus that exists. But I too don't know something. But I know one thing for sure." Finally the door of the elevator went open. Cassia was baffled of the view she was having right now. The Building, that obviously was under the earth was huge, it was a huge factory.

"How I put a smile on Children's Faces. The next question?" Cassia was still speechless of everything she saw. Clearly the legend about some elves was a hoax. Robotic Machines where building what seemed to be different toys. It was completely automatized. And as much she tried to find the end of the building. She couldn't. "How?" "I beg to pardon?" "Torben-""Tarben." "Tarben how is this all possible?" "What?" "I don't know…maybe everything here?! How can you probably produce so many toys? How?!" "Time and patience. It took me many, many years to accomplish all of that. It even took me two different timelines, but that's another story for another time I assume. Anyway It took me long to build all of this. Also I'm not delivering to every person presents. Only to the one in needs, grownups or children, like the ones that live in development countries. Those are poor or live in orphanages. Still I have to stop time for such an operation. People…children who are doing well. Well their parents or siblings are buying them presents. Come Cassia. This way, I'm, running out of time."

After the last sentence Tarben alias Santa Claus let out a heavy sigh. And his expression turned from a happy one…to one that looks frustrated. They didn't walk for a long time. Soon they stood near an old door made out of oak wood. Tarben opened it with a simple turning of the door knob. A simple but large room was revealed. Trough and trough full with big cupboards all labelled with letters like this "1. A , 2.A, 24.S, 5.U." etc. "Every name. Of every person is here labelled and also if they are nice…..or not." Cassias gulped a bit. Would Tarben now reveal that maybe she wasn't worth in getting a present? Perhaps she did something really bad one time, maybe because she once cheated in a video game? "Cabonita. Charles. Christin. Ah there it is Cassia t. Pronghorn."

He took from the cupboard a little Envelope were her name was written on the top. Cassia decided to stand beside him when he began opening him, watching him with curiosity and interest. Fast Tarben took out the content out of the Envelope, a small piece of paper. But it soon surprised her more, as the old man unfold the piece of paper and it got longer. Again Cassia let out a gulp. "Ok let's see."

Tarben took out glasses from his fur coat and set them on his nose. "Cassia the Pronghorn. Well according to this list you haven't done many well not nice things. Let's see…a half year ago you cheated on a video game." "I had to win that or I would've lost a bet!" "You lied to your sister one time." "That was one time!" "You lied to her another time." "Good…but that was the last one." "You lied to her another time." "…" "Ah and there it is. You kept it a secret that you shattered her favourite cup. Truly, that wasn't nice." That hit Cassia hard, that a stranger, well Santa Claus, Tarben knew that. Memories of that flowed back in her mind. "I couldn't-. I couldn't tell her, it was a keepsake for her. I couldn't tell her that I broke it."

"I understand." He folded the piece of paper back, stuck it in the envelope and then into the cupboard. He then took another envelope out, unfolding the paper, then reading it, this time he read it in silent and to himself whilst doing that he raised his voice. "There are things we do wrong. They are natural. And, we keep things secrets, to safe other people sometimes because we don't want to see others angry or sad. But it is good if we regret our decisions." Cassia gave the old man just a nod then she went silent for a bit. "You as Santa, Tarben, did you ever regret a decision?" The man who was Santa Clause went silent too.

"I think my greatest regret is. Not searching for a friend of mine I once had. There was once a great catastrophe. Back when I was….an explorer, a researcher in these lands. Thanks to him I survived but I never searched for him. And now, now he probably isn't under us anymore, I'm afraid." Again it went silent into the room. Both of them stand in silence. Remember the words the other just said some minutes ago. "Little Pronghorn one. There was a reason why I let you catch me. It was made on purpose." "Huh? What?" Cassia only heard with half and ear to what Santa Claus, Tarben said to hear. "It will be the only time we will see us."

Did, did she heard that right. This was the first and only time she had the opportunity to meet the one that brought presents. Santa Claus the guy, that brought presents as she found out to the one that need them, he will disappear, avoid her. The nice guy there in his fur coat. The man that could stop time and moving in one second to one place and then another. "Why?...WHY! Is it because I shattered the cup of Clove?! Is it because I'm one this Eggman Guys army?! IS IT BECAUSE I'M SICK?!" Cassia screamed out loud.

"Because there was never one person that I barley know, that saw me. You are the first one. And you know why? Because seven long years. Since your six you wanted to see the man that brought presents. But I never brought presents to you or your sister. She did. Clove. She brought the presents. And what did I? I never looked at you or your sister. And I never thought about bringing you or your sister a present. That is why I thought on this day, I could make this all up in one stupid day. I'm not worth being SANTA CLAUS!"

He was breathing heavy, letting himself lean one of the walls. "I…I looked at so many…but I forgot you. Heh…what person am I….that can't even bring really happiness who needs it." "Well, you regret your decision. That is good." Tarben still laid himself on the wall "You try to do the good things. And, thank you for telling me about all of this." "I have to say. I'm surprised. Not only that you aren't mad at me. For never bringing you and your sister a present but also that you are smarter than a thousand of years old being. You should be Santa Claus on X-Mas. Not Tarben Ulvestad." "Nah, I would keep that all for myself. You're doing pretty ok."

"Thank you… . Well, it is time. Unfortunately, I'm sorry, for everything. I wish I could do more" Once again Santa Claus was offering the young pronghorn the hand. "I bet you can." She grabbed the old white bearded Man's hand. And once again, as soon as she grabbed it….she was gone. "Yes…. I can."

…

The alarm clock went off. Loud, louder than she thought it would be. Was this all a dream? Perhaps some weird thought in believing that Santa Claus was real and in reality he wasn't. Cassia blinked her eyes before she moved out of her bed, the clothing from yesterday still on, the tonfas still on her night table beside here. Now she was sure. It was a dream. In the dream she had the tonfas with her. She then opened the door to the little living room. Seeing the small fir three, but something was different from it.

Cassia just couldn't tell exactly what it was." "Morning Cas." The young Pronghorn turned around to see her sister watching her. The older sister had a mug full of coffee standing beside of her on a cheap metal table whilst she was reading something. "You can open your presents if you want. Or should we first eat breakfast?" "No, no, opening presents is fine." "Ok, go on, I will just finish drinking that coffee." Cassia paid her older sister no attention and already kneed down beside the fir three. And seeing some presents that were wrapped in colourful papers. "Daw sis, you shouldn't have…" "What do you mean, I bet it was San-""Ah common I'm not a little kid anymore. I know you did, you shouldn't have."

"Why the sudden change of thoughts? Yesterday that sounded different? Still, you are my sister and I'm glad that I can present you something. It's not much." "Aw please, I bet they are wonderful sis." The presents were really nice. There was new clothing, some candy and also a nice book about the first video games." "Thank you!" Cassia hugged her sister. "You're welcome Cas. I'm glad that you are here. Wait here I will bring you and I breakfast." There was no kitchen in their housing complex. Clove had to go to the cantina in the Northamer Egg Base. She had to go to the cantina. Cassia was now alone. And she looked at the fir three. There was something odd on it. She looked and then saw something. There was another present, bigger that the ones she had previously.

It was packed in Red and Green Paper. With a golden colour the name "Cassia" was written on the top. Since this was the young pronghorns name. She opened it. Inside there was a letter, a smaller present packed in green and some box made out of grey plastic. "I better read that."

…

"I'm back. I hope you like cherry cinnamon jam wi- CASSIA!" Clove put down the tablet as fast as she could and run to her sister. "What is wrong? Why are you crying? Did, did I do-. I'm sorry whate-""No! It's not you. It's me. I forgot to give you YOUR Present." "What? Cassia you shouldn't have." "Yes I should, I broke it."

"Broke wha-"Cassia gave Clove the smaller present and the older pronghorn didn't hesitated in open the present. And as she saw what she got even she had some tears in her eyes. Even if right now she couldn't understand how this was possible. She knew her little sister broke it. But here, it was completely intact not even the slightest crack on the surface. The Tea Cup she once got from her mother. Custom made with the clove flower on it as a motive and her name written on the nice white porcelain. Even If she couldn't understand how her little sister managed to fix the cup she was happy. Both Pronghorn sisters ran down tears of joy and hugged each other.

..

"God Dag Cassia the Pronghorn or Cassia.

I believe little one that you thought this was a dream. It was not. And all what you saw happened really and still will happened. You know, I thought about the talking. And still I'm sorry of what I did. I'm really. That's why I brought you this year a present. You know back in my days as a researcher sometimes I got bored. So I hope that this portable video game console can bring you a bit fun. Don't be surprised if you haven't heard from these games, they are unique ;-). Anyway I also wanted to say Takk, thank you to you Cassia. You really helped me with your kind words. Since, I often hear criticism about me here and there on the world. Anyway, I wanted to make you for that a little "Takk Present". You know about breaking your sister's cup? Well it is possible that I somehow got my hands on the remains and repaired them. It is now, the cup in the green present so you can make your Sister a little X-Mas joy.

But now, to the important part at least for me. I thought about this whole, never see again thing. And I think that it was unfair from my side. I looked and looked at my appointment book up and down, up and down. And well, it seems I have a free day! Not on X-Mas anymore of course. One day at least in the year. Anyway I and my wife (I'm really angry at myself that I forget to mention her to you nor have you seen her.) would be happy to see you and your sister next year.

Merry X-Mas

Tarben and Anika Ulvestad

PS: I took the opportunity and hook some Candy Canes one your tree. Enjoy them!"

(A/N) And here we are at the end of this little OS. I wish you all some nice and wonderful holidays. If you want and have time you can leave a review.

Wit friendly greetings

The Bowlerhatwearer