"Hey Edward can you check on the cookies please?" Aeris asked as she was mixing up some eggnog while Dante and Ryo were setting up the tree.
"Aye Captain" Edward said going to the oven as he heard several giggles "Capt'n Redgrave we have Gigglers off the starboard bout" he said smirking as several young girls watched the pirate withdrew the hot tray of Christmas biscuits his team was making for them
"Then tell them no cookies until tonight" Dante said hopping down from putting the ornaments on top of the tree.
Ryo looked at the young children as the humans and Faunus children played together.
"Too bad they can't be peaceful like this all the time" The ninja said placing some tinsel up "So have you kissed her under the mistletoe yet?"
"Come on this is our first Christmas together, I want to take things slowly" Edward said swiping at Ryo with a candy cane
"Easy Ryo, I can understand what Edward is feeling" Dante said leaning against the walls as a couple of Faunus came up to him with some gingerbread
"Thank you" he said taking some before biting into it.
"So how\ is it?" Edward asked taking some
"Good" Dante said closing his eyes as an older woman walked up to her
"Oh hey Miss Locasta how does it look?" Dante asked asking the woman Locasta Goodwitch the matron of the Vale Orphanage and Glynda's older sister
"Simply Wonderful I can see why Glynda sent you here. I highly doubted the elite Team DARE would come to our humble little place" Locasta said smiling as the young ones dog piled on Ryo laughing and giggling in joy
"The orphans are always happy when Hunters come along and help them out for the holidays" Locasta said happily
"It truly is a time when they are in need of happiness" Dante said as Aeris helped Ryo up from the dog pile
"Well we have to get back to Beacon now, we'll be back tomorrow, and hopefully we'll have some more cookies and biscuits" Aeris smiled as she waved goodbye as the children was ushered to bed.
The next morning Dante was looking down at Vale from the cliff, he was feeling something was off
"Yo Dante!" a cheery voice said as his cousin Yang as she and her partner Blake walked over to the red clad huntsman.
"Ah, Yang and you must be Blake" Dante said shaking her hands
"I am" Blake said
"What's wrong?" Yang asked
"I have a bad feeling about something, I'll go into town with my team and survey the situation and then deal with it as I see fit" Dante said walking off as his dustrer bellowed in the wind as he walked.
"Oh dear something is going to happen" Yang said
"You think?" Blake asked looking on as Dante turned a corner.
"Oh Yeah!" Yang said
"Yo Dante what's up?" Edward asked as his team leader walked up to their vehicle the Daredevil,
"Feel like taking a drive?" Dante asked
"Sure why not" Edward said getting in the car before Dante revved the engines.
"let's go" Dante said as he roared out of the garage.
"Where are we going?" Edward asked looking at the map
"Vale" Dante replied as he pulled onto the main road
"Dante, up ahead" Edward said after fifteen minutes as they came upon the orphanage
"Miss Locasta?" Dante asked running up to her.
"Oh Mr Redgrave, Mr Conroy. Something terrible has happen!" Locasta said nearly crying
"What?" Dante asked as Goodwitch appeared "Miss Goodwitch?" the red huntsman asked
"Locasta what happened?" Glynda asked
"The orphanage was robbed, everything is gone including anything that related to Christmas" Locasta said
"WHAT!" the two student hunters said enraged
"Yes some heartless people stole all the funding we had and then decided to steal the tree and the presents just to kick us when we're down" Locasta said frowning
"Come on!" Dante said walking off with Edward who bid their farewells.
"Where are we going?" Edward asked running after his team leader
"To take Christmas back to those kids!" Dante said
"And how are going to do that!" Edward said
"I don't know" Dante said
"Maybe we can help" Ryo said appearing out of nowhere with Aeris.
"We just heard from Goodwitch" Aeris said
"So how can we find them?" Ryo asked
"I don't know" Dante said running a hand through his hair as Aeris took his other hand
"Well let's get going then" Edward said drawing his twin swords Buccaneer and Corsair
"A bit too much isn't it?" Aeris asked
"For some Grinchy Bah Humbag scumbag who stole from orphans. No not at all" Edward said loading two cylinders, that were silvery in colour
"A new type of dust?" Ryo asked
"Yep" Edward said popping the P in his word while he snapped shut the cylinder compartment.
"Well lets go" Dante said as his team walked off.
"Can you look at all this loot, ah it feels good to be getting presents" a random thief said counting the money his team had stolen
"The guild's looking real foolish right now" a second thief said as he was also was looking through the loot they had stolen
"And what about those presents those snot nosed little brats were going to get?" a third thief asked
"It's a bit breezy in here" the first said as the second lit a fire before the third dragged the sack over to the fire
"Here let me help you with that" a voice said
"Thank you" the thief said as a fist flew into his vision
"What" the second said before he was moved into the shadows with great force as the third thief froze as purple crystal around his feet
"Ryo the bag!" Dante said punching the goon he had in a headlock
"I'm on it" Ryo said dropping from the ceiling as he used an extinguisher bomb to smother the fire and moved the sack away, before looking the bag
"Presents secured" Ryo said
"Thieves have been caught" Dante said
"Yes ma'am" Aeris said "Goodwitch has called the police and they are on their way"
"Yes but unfortuantly we had wasted all day and now we have no way of redecorating before the morning" Ryo said
"So what now?" Edward asked.
"We deliver them tomorrow" Dante said walking with Edward carrying the gifts
"not on my watch" Edward said diverting to the harbour and namely his favourite bar the Buccabeer.
When Edward reached the Buccabeer, he saw someone he was looking for
"Godric! I need your help" Edward said
"Playing Santa?" the naval quartermaster asked
"In a way I am, now I need your help, is there any chance you can the old Piracy up and going?" Edward asked
"Yes sir, in fact it's already to go when to need it, and it is fully crewed" Godric said
"Good" Edward said as the crew of the Piracy left with Godric.
"See you in five" Godric said slapping the man on the back.
"Thank you" Edward said finishing the flagon of Butterbeer he was given upon entrance into the tavern.
"LET'S GO MEN MAKE SURE THOSE RIGGING IS LIT UP!" Edward shouted as he pulled a red velvet coat with white fur trim. Edward had festive plan for the children of the orphanage. It involved a little piracy, but if it worked the children would have the greatest Christmas ever.
"Aye Cap'n!" a crewman said as he threw a spool of lights down the riggings and ratlines.
"Change that flag!" Edward ordered as the navy flag was taken down and replaced with a Santa version of the Jolly Roger flew in its place.
"That's more like it" Edward smirked as Godric walked up to him with a rolled up piece of old looking paper.
"Is this it?" Edward asked unfurling the paper smiling
"Yes sir" Godric said walking off.
"Gentleman the mission is about to commence in the morning, now get some shut eye we'll busy tomorra" Edward said.
"AYE SIR!" they said as Edward walked off the gangplank hold the paper as he snuck over to the orphanage. Whne he got there, he spotted a young tawny hair Faunus Kitten who to memory was call Tori. She had fallen asleep while waiting for his team, her stocking, which he placed the paper in ther and covered her with a blanket
"Just two more days until Christmas" Edward said walking out into the cold.
"ho Ho Ho!" he said quietly.
The next morning all the children had woken up and raced downstairs, only to see Toir sleeping and no present
"Where are they?" a little boy asked.
"I don't know" a girl said waking up Tori, who saw something in her stocking.
"What's that?" she asked withdrawing it and unfurling it to reveal.
"It's a map" she cheered as the others crowded around as the saw it was a Map of Vale with an X marking the harbour,
"I suggest we gather our winter gear and head out" Tori said taking the lead
"That harbour's not far from here" a Faunus cub said
"Well then me harties time to move out" Tori said grabbing her coat and scarf leading the charge.
After a silent walk the orphans arrived at a mist cover harbour. They looked around until on4e of them pointed something out
"THERE!" he shouted as multicoloured lights floated through the mist stopping where they were, most of them were frightened as a ramp landed on the wharf
"Come on" Tori whispered as she slowly ascended the gangplank followed by the others
"Ahoy there me harties, who dares boards my ship without my permission?" a voice growled out
"Captain, I believe that they are mere orphans" a deep voice sounded
"Really?" the first voice said drawing swords as the mist dispersed
"Aye they be" the voice deep said revealed to b a Christmassy Edward "The ones we been waiting for then?" Edward asked as the children just looked around in awe of the sight of the Christmas themed ship
"Then as the humble captain of this lovely ship allow me to welcome you aboard the Jolly Reindeer" Edward said as he stood up and the children cheered
"Mr Godric!" Edward shouted
"Aye Sir!" Godric responded
"Way Anchor and unfurl the sails" Edward said as two crew members withdrew the gang plank and the mooring lines.
"Welcome to the Vale City Orphanage Christmas party!" Edward cried as the children cheered and the crewmen laughed at the joyous atmosphere.
Over the course of the trip, games were played, such as a climbing contest, tinsel tug of war and finally captain says
"Captain say touch the ground!" Edward shouted as the last three of the game were still playing
"Run to the barrel!" Edward said as two of them ran to the barrel "And the winner is Tori!" Edward cried as the kids cheered out as the Faunus Kitten blushed, only to be saved by the ring of the dinner bell.
"Alright young ones down to the galley" Edward said he said as several crew members lead the children down the stairs safely.
"Things are going smoothly don't think so?" Godric asked
"I do" Edward said descending down to the galley where everyone was busy tucking in to dinner when a giant walked up to a you8ng boy who was busy eating a drumstick
"You there boy" the giant said making the boy freeze "You do know that" the giant said scooping up something before adding it to the boy's plate.
"You can't have turkey without cranberries" he said smiling as he continued down adding small amounts to each plate as they laugh and chattered. Edward sat down and noticed that Tori held a Christmas cracker out, which he gently took and broke it with her; letting her win of course so that way she could be happy
"Hey Cap'n what is red, white and green all over?" the giant cook asked.
"I don't know, what?" Edward ask smiling
"An elf with a bad sunburn!" Godric said making the kids crack up
"That was bad" Edward chuckled as Godric noticed something
"It's about that time Captain" Godric said
"I agreed, now I believe you followed a map here and most maps have one thing at the end" Edward said as they felt the boat stop, "Men haul it up and help them with it" Edward said as he walked out onto the deck with the orphans.
"YES SIR!" they said as the lifted something out of the hold
"Boys and girls your treasure!" Edward said as a large chest was lifted out to the deck "NOW MEN!" he said as the lifters picked up the trunk and carried it down the plank.
Aeris dashed around the snowy streets of Vale looking for the orphans, her team was notified was that they were gone, so they had taken a different sector to look for them. Aeris was now worried that the thieves that rob the orphanage returned, suddenly she paused to see a strange progression of pirates and children walking down main street, and there in the lead was Edward with the young Tori on his shoulders.
"Edward should have known" Aeris said as she walked up to the parade
"Ahoy there Aeris" Edward said smiling as she took the small lady off of his shoulders and carried the girl on her hip.
"Why didn't you tell us about this?" Aeris asked glaring daggers at Edward
"I was busy" Edward said smiling before continuing on with troop back to the orphanage, while he was doing so Aeris noticed that all the children were laughing and playing around, same with the men of the Royal Vale Navy that dressed up as Christmas pirates. she also smiled knowing that he had done everything with a drop of sleep.
"Alright now let's see what be in here" Edward said unlocking the trunk after the chest carriers had lowered it down, he opened the lid slightly before closing
"Hm, I don't know what does Governess Landsborough think?" Edward asked as Aeris walked over acting like a governess, while her teammates and head of teh orphanage looked on with mirth planted on their faces.
"Could it be? Why yes I think Captain Conroy is correct in assuming that maybe Miss Tori would like this one" Aeris said handing Tori a teddy bear.
"Now where be Nate?" Edward asked passing said boy a ball.
"Jessie?" Ryo asked helping as he gave the girl a doll.
"Leo" Dante said passing that child a box. And so it continued until one present was left over.
"Oh dear me maties there's one lift but all the children have theirs" Edward said reaching into the chest before walking over to Locasta
"Merry Christmas Miss Locasta" Edward said handing over a tome. Curiousity got her, making her open the tome to reveal a photo album of all of those under her care. Even Edward when she first opened the doors to the orphanage after he had lost his mother and his father disappeared.
"Thank you Edward" Locasta said hugging the pirate.
"You're welcome Locasta, you're very welcome"
Autistic-Grizzly here just wishing everyone a merry Christmas/happy holidays and a Happy and Safe New Year