Happy Holidays everyone! Christmas is approaching and I thought that this would be a fun story to write as to spread the holiday cheer. I'll try to keep it so that there are no religious mentions, so without further ado…
Enjoy! I own nothing.
Hinaki ran around the dorm, collecting ornaments as she went along. She was humming holiday tunes along the way. Many of her fellow students were decorating the halls, as well as the rest of the school. Merriment and cheer filled the entire campus of Starlight Academy.
Hinaki finally reached the common room, where Akari, Sumire, and their friends were decorating the tree they had brought in from the woods. "There you are Hina!" Akari said with great joy, her face red from the cold. Sumire, Juri, Rin, Madoka, Nono, Risa, and all their fellow students were getting everything ready.
"I can't believe this is the first year they're letting relatives visit the school!" Madoka said.
"I know," Rin said. "This is so exciting!"
"I just can't believe they never did this before," Juri said.
"I overheard Johnny-sensei and Headmistress Orihime talking about letting the designers come to!" Sumire said.
"This is going to be the best Christmas ever!" Hinaki said in agreement.
"I can't wait to taste the food Hoshimiya-senpai and the others are going to make!" Akari said, licking her lips. "It'll taste even better when our families are here!"
"Where did they get the idea to let our parents come anyway?" Nono asked.
"Apparently one of Hoshimiya-senpai's classmates was upset that she wasn't able to see her parents," Risa explained. "So they thought it would be a good idea to let everyone's parents come this year."
"That makes sense! That way no one can feel like they're missing out on spending time with her family! What a great way to spread the Christmas cheer Hoshimiya-senpai!" Nono cheered, clapping her hands.
Everyone laughed as they reached for the ornaments. Soon, the others came in from the cold, covered in snow and red in the face. They laughed together and sipped hot chocolate while they watched the tree light up. The girl's clapped and cheered at their hard work, and started to head off to bed.
"Honeys, wait up!" Hina turned to see Johnny-sensei running down the walkway towards the dorm. "What is it Johnny-sensei?" Akari asked.
"I have some bad news Honeys," Johnny-sensei said in his heavy American accent. "I am sad to say that there is a storm coming in, and many of your parents might not make it for the party."
A collective gasp circulated around the common room, as the girls turned and looked at each other. "Now now Honeys. I didn't mean to make you all upset, but we just got a weather report saying that this one will be really bad. I am very sorry Honeys."
The girls couldn't contain their sadness, as some of them started to cry, while others began to question their teacher, and others pulled out their phones to call their families.
Hinaki stood there a moment and was about to ask about her parents when the dorm door opened. They all turned to see the designers come in and brush off the snow. The girls immediately ran towards the designers, taking coats and gloves, offering hot chocolate, and asking questions.
Hinaki, Akari, and Sumire stood back, along with a few other girls. They watched as Maya and Asuka questioned Johnny-sensei about the situation and Sunny invited Rin to dance with him as he put a CD in the music player.
Hinaki watched the room's atmosphere change as the other girls flocked to find some solace in the designers. They laughed and giggled at the designers jokes, but Hinaki could see the distress that was beneath. She would be lying if she said she wasn't worried. She was really looking forward to seeing her parents again.
Hinaki considered leaving. She began to turn around when she bumped into someone. "Oh. I'm sorry," she said quickly before looking up and seeing KAYOKO, the top designer for Vivid Kiss, her blue eyes shining.
"Oh, it's quite alright Hina-chan," the designer answered happily. Hinaki smiled at her favorite designer and was about to say something when the door opened and snow parents came through the door. Many of the girls cheered and ran to welcome their families. Hinaki hung back and stood on her tiptoes to see if her parents had arrived.
She could see Juri helping her mother with her coat, Akari giving her father a hot chocolate, and Sumire welcoming her older sister with a warm smile. Hinaki's shoulders slumped when she didn't see her parents.
"Are you alright darling?" KAYOKO asked. Hinaki turned to look at the designer to see her concerned eyes.
"I'm fine I suppose," Hinaki answered with some uneasiness in her voice. "I don't see my parents so I guess they probably couldn't make it because of the storm,... But I'll be okay! I mean, I've got my friends with me. Isn't that what Christmas is all about? Spending it with the people you care about?"
"I suppose it is," KAYOKO answered with a smile. Hinaki smiled to, feeling much better now that everyone she knew was here and spending time happily together.
Headmistress Orihime called for a toast and everyone raised their glasses. Everyone cheered and clinked their glasses together. Soon, the entire room was warm and happy as everyone wished each other Christmas wishes.
"Okay Honeys!" Johnny-sensei yelled over the crowd. Everyone stopped and looked at the teacher, who was standing on top of the small stage they had prepared with the mike in his hand. "It is time for Secret Santa!" The girls clapped their hands and cheered as Johnny-sensei began to explain the rules.
"Okay Honeys. Here are the rules. Everyone takes a number from the box and chooses a present from under the tree. It is first come, first serve. When everyone has a present, we can all open them. Okay Honeys? Let's all open those presents!"
The girls lined, excited to see what they would get. Everyone reached into the box, which had been decorated with trees, lights, and stars. Hinaki reached into the box and pulled out a small, red bell made of paper. When she got out of line, she opened the paper.
22. 'Not bad', Hinaki shrugged. She looked back at the line to see KAYOKO pulling a number out. KAYOKO saw her and smiled. Hinaki smiled back and joined her friends.
"I got 14," Akari said.
"Number 5", Madoka smiled.
"20", Sumire said.
"Aw man," Rin sighed. "35."
"It's not that bad," Juri said. "I got 55." Everyone laughed as they began to call the numbers one by one. Soon, Madoka went up, then Akari, and then Sumire.
"Number 22?" Johnny-sensei called. Hinaki went up and gace them back the small, red bell and went up to the tree. She looked at the colorful paper covered boxes. She reached down and picked a small, rectangular box with chartreuse wrapping and a red bow. She walked back to her friends and the next person was called. Soon, Rin and Juri were called to come up.
When everyone had their gifts, Headmistress Orihime gave the okay to open them. Wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows of all colors soon hit the floor as 'Oohs' and 'Awes' echoed throughout the common room. The girls, parents, and designers all began to put on gloves, hats, or coats, as others opened books, board games, or small, decorated boxes with every more surprises in store.
Hinaki pulled the paper off her present and gasped as it revealed a small wooden nutcracker wearing a red soldiers suit, a red hat, black boots, and carrying a small golden sword.
"How beautiful!" Sumire said, looking over Hinaki's shoulder. "The attention to detail is gorgeous!"
Hinaki agreed. It was breathe taking. The detail was exquisite, and the doll's glass eyes seemed to sparkle.
"Oh wow that's so pretty!" Nono squealed behind her. "You're so lucky! I wish I got something that beautiful! I got was a year long magazine subscription. Can I look?"
"Sure Nonocchi," Hinaki said. "Just be careful. It looks a little fragile."
"Okay Hina-sempai! Just let me show it to Risappe. Hey, Risappe!" Nono carefully took the nutcracker and called out to her childhood friend when Risa turned around and their hands collided. The world seemed to go still as they watched the nutcracker fall to the ground. The jaw made a shattering noise and broke into three separate chunks.
The girls fell silent as the party continued on around them."Oh no! I am so sorry Hina-sempai!" Risa and Nono immediately dove to pick up the chunks. Sumire, Juri, and Akari also helped to make sure no other parts were broken.
Hinaki stood and felt her face grew hot and her eyes becoming watery. She held back her tears when she heard KAYOKO come over.
"What happened over here?" she asked when she saw the situation.
"It's my fault KAYOKO-san," Nono said. "I wanted to see what Hinaki-senpai got and when I turned to show it to Risappe, we collided and the nutcracker fell. I am so sorry Hinaki-senpai."
It's not your fault Nonocchi," Hinaki said sadly.
"Do you think we can fix it?" Akari asked, holding the lever of the nutcracker's jaw.
"I don't think so," Sumire said. "Most of the shops won't be opened until after Christmas, and I don't think there are any shops close by that can fix it."
"Well, we'll just have to improvise for now," KAYOKO said, as she reached into her purse and pulled out a white handkerchief. She carefully tied it around the nutcracker while holding all the pieces in place. She tied it in a careful not before handing it back to Hinaki.
"Thank you KAYOKO-san," Hinaki said as she carefully held it in her arms. The party slowly came to a close as everybody began to leave. The girls began to put the food and trays away, and went to bed.
Madoka gave Hinaki the doll bed she had received from her grandmother to use for the nutcracker. Hinaki gently wrapped it in the blankets and kissed it forehead.
As she slept in her bed later that night, Hinaki dreamt of mice that began to walk on their hind legs and walk around. They grabbed armour, swords, and spears as they walked towards a light at the end of a tunnel. Hinaki then woke up and crept down stairs to get a drink of water. She went to the common room to check on the nutcracker and was relieved to still find it there.
'You know what, I'm gonna stay down here tonight. This Christmas tree light is too good to waste,' Hinaki thought. She quickly went over to a nearby closet took out a blanket, took the nutcracker from the doll bed, and laid down on the sofa with it in her arms.
As the night wore on, Hinaki thought she heard a noise. Her eyes twitched open as the noise seemed to grow louder and louder. When she woke up, she saw that the grandfather clock in the common room had chimed midnight.
'Was that all it was?' Hinaki thought. She gasped however when she saw KAYOKO standing beside the clock, wearing a dark blue cloak, her light green hair tumbling down her shoulders.
"KAYOKO-san, what are you doing here? Did you forget something?" Hinaki asked as she pushed the blanket off and stood up. KAYOKO motioned to the hands on the clock as the hands struck midnight.
Suddenly, Hinaki felt the room shake and turn as she saw the tree grow to be about hundred times her size. The furniture also grew bigger as KAYOKO-san smiled as she slowly faded out of sight and into the shadows.
Hinaki fell to the floor when the room stopped shaking and turning. "What, what happened?" She stood up and looked around and gasped when she saw her nutcracker was standing up right. Not only that, but his jaw was fixed and he looked more alive and adamant than before; he just looked so much more, human.
Hinaki was about to go over to him when suddenly large mice began pouring through the hole in the wall. Hinaki quickly ran behind a chair leg as the mice advanced on the nutcracker. Hinaki was about to jump out when the nutcracker suddenly reached for his sword and pulled it out of it's sheath. The nutcracker charged towards the mice while shouting, "Now toys, attack!"
Hinaki turned her head to see the toys and ornaments that were strewn around the tree and around the room. Soon, there was a mini war going on right in front of Hinaki. She watched as little toys soldiers fired their small rifles and shot with precise aim at the mice, and how the mice handled their swords and spears with great accuracy.
Hinaki watched as the battle unfolded. Soon, she saw a mouse that was a bit larger than the others, with a cape and a crown on it's head. It turned it's head towards the nutcracker and raised his sword. Soon, the mouse king and the nutcracker were engaged in battle. They seemed to be equally matched, but the mouse king soon overwhelmed the nutcracker.
"NO!" Hinaki yelled. She grabbed her slipper and hurled it at the mouse king. When it made contact with the mouse king's head, he stopped and his sword fell from his raised hand. He soon fell dead and everything stopped.
The room was silent, until a small figure came from the hole in the wall. She was petite with light brown hair in a side ponytail and dark pink eyes. She wore a pale fuchsia bolero which was lined with pale indigo fur with a design to match the tank-top and lined in gold going down each arm. Under her bolero was a dark purple tank-top with pale purple lines all over it that formed diamond tiles that were lined in gold with a light brown belt on the stomach, adorned with gold designs and a single ruby. On the left-hand side was a golden diamond. The collar is solid white, while the cloth hanging from the bow and sleeves are white with dots and lining. On the top white cloth is a crown drawn with three dots; blue, purple, and lime. On the left side of the bow is a gold design. Her skirt was a pale fuchsia pleated skirt lined in gold, with each pleat having two ruby gems above a curled gold design. In each pleat was dark purple coloring with pale purple lines. A white pleat petticoat stuck out from the bottom, with each pleat adorned with a single gold dot. Sewn to each hip was a red and gold bow with two, pale indigo fluffy pom-poms. On her feet were a pair of dark purple boots with thin, pale purple lines. Gold bows adorned the front matched the line going vertical on each side of the boot, as well as the sole. The toe and cuff were made of pale indigo fluff, with the cuff adorned with two small gold studs surrounding a large ruby gem with a crown on top of it. A gold and red bow was attached to the side with two fluffy pom-poms. On her head was a tiny crown with a gold curled down ornament, resting on top of a white fluffy rim and a large midnight-blue sphere in the center of it. On each point was a sphere of sky-blue, purple, lime, and orange. In the center was a red spheres on a tiny gold crown.
Hinaki knew at once that she was some type of princess some far away land. Hinaki noticed that the mice turned to look at her as if they didn't know what to do.
She finally spoke up after a long moment of silence. "Take my father away. He needs medical treatment."
The mice obeyed and carefully carried the mouse king's body away and through the hole in the wall. The Mouse Princess turned her attention back towards Hinaki and the nutcracker.
"I think I should apologize for my King's bad behavior," she said in a very calm voice.
"It's alright," the nutcracker answered. Hinaki turned to see that the nutcracker's appearance had changed. Instead of a blocky wooden head; there was a beautiful girl with light red hair that was in a ponytail and brown eyes. She wore a white form fitting tank-top lined in gold with three gold beaded chains hanging from gold buttons is worn beneath a crimson short jacket lined with white, green, and blue. The jacket was lined in gold to match the fringed shoulder pads, buttons, and a golden diamond was sewn to the left lapel. The cuff was a black and dull purple colored in a zig-zag design to match the torso lapel design, while hanging on the left sleeve was a midnight blue strap lined with blue stars. She also wore with a black choker with gold studs around her neck. Her pants were tight white pants with purple stars all over them. The belt was black with a single button, a midnight blue belt hanging beneath with an accented with a gold sword ornament and a small cloth hanging from the right hip that was the same as the jacket and boots. Three midnight blue and gold straps were on the left leg, and one was on the leg. Going down each leg was a green and white zig-zag design with blue and red lines all over them.
"Thank you very much, Hinaki-sama," the nutcracker knelt down, took her hand in hers, and kissed it. Hinaki didn't know what to say.
"I'm very sorry that we had to meet like this. Please forgive me. I will explain everything."
Hinaki smiled and turned to look at the two girls. "Okay."
Finally, a new story! I'm very sorry. I meant to put this up on Sunday and then yesterday, but things and homework came up. I promise I'll be more consistent in the future.
(All the outfit descriptions I get from the Aikatsu! Wiki pages.)