Extra - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree – Hannah Montana
A tale previously left out of life is a medley, like so many years of the twin's life.
Magnús put the tree down, not knowing where Stephanie wanted to put it. Seeing as she was currently busy cooking, the twins were playing quietly down the hall in the nursery, and the party not for a few hours, Sportacus felt it best if he just set it up in the most obvious place, the open space next to the fireplace. This way, there was area enough for the presents, being next to a table, and it wasn't in the walkway between the dining room and the living room. Once it was secure in the holder, the tree looked almost perfect. Although where he was from, they preferred to leave the tree almost bare, using things from nature to decorate, he had become accustomed to the plastic bells and globes that entertained the children, and adults alike, so much. They seemed to love watching the colours bounce off the hanging pieces and would sit watching for hours. It was the strangest thing, but whatever kept them occupied, out of trouble, and mess-free pleased him. Of course, he had learned very quickly after they were brought home that his children were not like other children. They had this calmness about them that was almost unheard of, and over the years, that demeanour never changed. Sometimes, rarely, they would act out, if they were scared or felt out of place. With Stephanie around them most of the time, they were barely ever out of someone's sight. That didn't mean, however, that they didn't get into their share of innocent trouble. With Aunts and Uncles like they had, they were bound to be a bit mischievous.
Stephanie, making a meal that would make even her Aunt Bessie a bit jealous, couldn't believe her luck. Another year passing and another year coming, she felt as if, for a brief moment, that her caution of a jinx on her husband, her children, and herself was only in her feeble imagination, that no harm would come to her peaceful family. The twins, in the innocent bliss children live in, were sweet-natured, well-mannered, good-humoured, and everything else that parents could want their children to be; they were themselves. granted, she gave up the prospect as a teacher to keep house, and raise her children, but under the duress of their preposition, she felt it best to give up her ill-conceived dream to care for the two bright stars of her, and her lover's, life.
All of this reminded them of a past Christmas, back when Robbie and Violet were still living…
(fade)
"I am not putting that outfit on, no matter wha—" He glanced at the pout on her face, and with a defeated look, took the outfit out of her hands and sulked to the bathroom.
"It's not as bad at it looks Robbie, I promise you. The kids will all love it."
He turned around as he tied the strings of the red pants around his waist. "How do you know they'll love it?"
"I just do, dear," She giggled as he put the red overcoat on, buttoned it, and then tied the darker red sash around his waist.
"All right, how do I look?"
"You're missing the beard and hat."
"Yeah, well, I hate hats and the beard itches, so I won't put them on until we get there."
"Fine, whatever." She lead the way out of their house and to the Mayor's, where Stephanie had organised a grand Christmas gala. At least, that was what she was calling it.
"And I have to come down the chimney?"
"That's what Stephanie said. She claims you've done it once before, by your own admission, and that it would add to the thrill for everyone. Apparently it's a Christmas mystery."
"That's why she's calling it a gala then. What kind of mystery?"
"Who is the real Santa. There will be two of you, and only one of you has a bag full of real presents. I don't know which one you'll be, Steph said she'd assign that when we arrive." They reached the house, but the doll lead her maker toward the back door, thankful he didn't question, just followed with resigned trust.
Upon entering the house, they were greeted by the Mayor, dressed in the same outfit Robbie was, while unlike the taller man by having the beard and hat to complete the look. Beside him were two identical satchels, both carrying small wrapped gifts, and next to that stood the master planner, Stephanie, wearing a nice red dress, for a nice change.
"All right boys," Here she smiled a grown-up smile that one doesn't often see on a seventeen year old. "You each take a satchel, and then Uncle will show you the way to get onto the roof. Right before going up, take a peak in your satchel. Whoever has the famed Naughty-and-Nice list is the real Santa in this game, okay?"
"Of course Stephanie dear."
"You're the boss lady." Robbie did a mock salute, making the host smile wide. Leaving the men, the two ladies went into the kitchen to prepare the rest of the party. Immediately, both men went for the satchels, and inadvertently picked at the same one. Bumbling apologises followed, and soon both men were outside, in the snowy drifts, and preparing to climb the ladder that had been, thankfully, secured to the side of the house.
"So, which of us is it?" Robbie wanted to know before trying to go up to the chimney, although why the Mayor had such a large port to his chimney, he daren't ask; it seemed rude, somehow, to inquire, back even when he first made this trip. He watched as the man stumbled on opening the satchel, and sighed a bit once he got it. Pulling what he found inside, the Mayor held the list.
"I suppose I'm Father Christmas then."
"Jolly good, then. I can act, but not that well," and up the ladder they went.
However, the party wasn't wide spread, and so for one particular neighbour, who liked spying and prying into the lives of others in her spinster years, called the police upon catching sight of two figures in red with satchels in their hands. "The Mayor's 'ouse's being burgled, I's tell you. get your bums ov'r 'ere before I do somethin' I'd regret in the mornin'!" Of course she watched what they were doing, and watched the police, lead by, in her opinion, the handsome Officer Lolli and his stud of a deputy, got up the ladder and brought the two brutes down from the roof. Leaving a window open, just a smudge, she listened as the party-goers in the house came out and tried assessing the situation with the police.
"But Officer, I don't understand," Stephanie, seeing the look on the man's face, gave up hope that her party would go as planned.
"We received a call that the house was being burglarised, and rushed right over. Being the Mayor's home, we have a duty to be prompt."
"That," Violet spoke up, "We understand perfectly. What we have trouble with is why you have yet to find out the identities of the men you apprehended."
"We felt it best not to bother the Mayor, and all of you, with this and are taking them to the office for further questioning."
"But Officer Lolli," Sportacus was always the most polite, "If you cared to take a look, you would find that the men you have are the Mayor and Robbie Rotten."
A look of abject puzzlement crossed the officer's face. Walking around the police car, he opened the door to peer in at the plump man seated there. For some reason, neither man spoke, but once he looked the smaller one in the eyes clearly, he could tell he had made a grave mistake.
"Mister Mayor, Mister Rotten," He spoke in stutters as he helped them out of the car and took the handcuffs off. "I'm very, very sorry about the mix up. A neighbour called perturbed about two people she believed were burglars on the roof, and we felt it best to-"
"It's quite all right-"
"All right my foot! I've never felt lack of confidence in the police force-"
"You're one to talk, having once been the worst troublemaker-"
"Playing a harmless game or two is not as-"
"You were more than just playing-"
"You caused lots of trouble-"
"Yeah!"
"And took my things-"
"If Sportacus hadn't been around to deal with-"
"Deal with me? Who's to say I wasn't just-"
"Whatever you were just doesn't matter-"
"You think I care much about what that blue elf-"
"Now Robbie, no need to call me-"
"Like I said, were it not for him reigning you-"
"Now see here, now one reigns in Robbie-"
Both beginning to get a headache, Stephanie and Violet each took a deep breath, and together screamed, "STOP!"
Everyone froze, turned, and shamefully faced the two women.
"Now," Stephanie began calmly, "We are going to enter the house, let Uncle and Robbie relax a bit, and together we shall celebrate the holiday. Is that clear."
"Yes Stephanie," They intoned, a chorus off pitch.
"And," Violet added lightly, "We're going to have a fun evening, sans Stephanie's mystery. Instead, we'll sing carols!"
"YEAH!" That seemed to lift everyone's spirits. Well, almost everyone.
"You too Robbie."
"Yes dear…"
Entering the house, Robbie took off the hat and beard, throwing them into the satchel gratefully. Milford, not being bothered by the disguise, left it on, and was treated mightily as Father Christmas even without the planned game. Everyone was found to still have lyrical voices, and even Officer Lolli surprised everyone with his tenor, bouncing off the walls and complementing the other three adult males and their timber. It was a night spent in joyfulness, and there wasn't a Christmas that could hit the same note of comical oversight and obtrusive familiarity, nor the comradely that was a staple thereafter. Sparkling cider was the drink of choice, and while some had never had it, the bubbling of the drink got to their heads, causing a few humorous encounters.
Stingy and Trixie sat in a chair usually for seating only one person, whispering sweet nothings in one another's ears and kissing every-so-often between sips from their glasses. giving into their basic instincts, and hiding the fact from those around who were viewing them, they began lewd petting publicly, causing them to feel a rush over the thrill of it. Noticing they had an, albeit, unwanted audience, even if said audience didn't know of the show that lay before them, the two love birds ran off to a closet shortly down the hall, one that had the comfort of hanging coats as a means to muffle the strangled sounds of passion.
Violet, Bessie, and Milford all seemed engrossed on the subject of sprucing up the greenery around town, and adding a nice homely touch all around. Robbie and Pixel were, once again and as usually in these gatherings, chattering about the newest technology and inventions the two had recent concocted, trying to see how one could help the other, if need arose. Sportacus was speaking to Officer Lolli and his deputy about ways of increasing patrols around the town, and keeping the police force healthy; all the usual for the fitness trained above average hero.
Ziggy, in his grief of not having someone or something to be attached to, kept drinking and drinking the sparkling cider, and once he noticed there wasn't much left, he wandered off to the kitchen to find something else to drink. In a cupboard, behind a few jars of preserves, he found a bottle of cooking sherry near a bottle of peppermint schnapps. Both seemed of the season, and he quickly downed them before being found out. Now successfully in a drunken haze, he meandered his way into the festivities, letting his lack of inhibitions control him.
Stephanie, who was busying herself by taking pictures of the party, now that everyone had opened gifts and eaten, was standing off to one side for a moment to contemplate her next shot. That was where Ziggy cornered her, giggling like a right fool and smelling sour. Noticing her friend's plight, she tried keeping a level head, a task he didn't make very easy, as his hands began tracing circles on her arms.
"Steph, Steph, my dear darling Steph. Have I ever told you how completely ravishing you are, sweet?"
"Are you drunk?" She was reeling back from the smell and trying to make sense of the situation, which seemed like a bad dream at first.
"Just a little cooking sherry, maybe something else, not really sure. I might as well get used to living the life befitting the ill-suited, unless you'll have me. Will you have me, dear darling Steph?"
"Ziggy, you know that I'm not dating anyone right now, I'm waiting until I graduate to think of things like relationships."
"Confusing, you are. You watch Sportacus constantly but claim to be in waiting. Why can I not have you, and we pretend it's the bubbles of the cider leading us, dear darling Steph?"
"I'm sorry, I cannot do that." She was reluctant to say it, knowing it could crush him.
"I'm resilient you know, strong as steel. I've loved you since you came here, don't you know? I've never looked once at another because I'm fond of you, fonder than I should be. I prattle nonsense because of you, don't you see?"
"Ziggy, I'm very, truly sorry. I have morals, and you're drunk."
"What does a little sherry matter?"
"It matters wholly; you're not in your right mind."
"You are right, I'm in my left mind, and it wants to shag you here and now."
"I can't." Sounding as firm as her aching heart would let her, she got herself out of his grasp and left him to crumble into the chair she had been standing by. Before reaching the other end of the room, she noted with relief that he had fallen asleep. Her feet, however, continued walking while she looked back, and soon she bumped into someone. That someone being Pixel, who was blushing and trying to conceal a shy smile.
"Stephanie?"
"Yes Pixel?"
"I was wondering if… if… um…"
"Let me guess: you have a crush on me too?"
"How did you know?"
"Well, you tried hiding it so hard, you made it all the more obvious."
"I'm sorry, I understand if you don't feel the same—"
"No, I'm sorry. I don't want to lead you along and then drop you later because I wasn't honest to begin with. I'm in love with someone else, and I'm sorry about that, truly."
"No, it's all right. Since we're about to apply to colleges, I thought it would be best to ask now, or I never would."
"Why does that matter?"
"Because then I won't have to worry about us seeing one another if we're not dating, and I can begin playing the field, so to speak."
"Well, I hope you find someone who appreciates you for all the right reasons."
"And I hope you get whoever it is you have your eye on."
"Thanks."
"What are friends for?" He hugged her.
Across the room, seated comfortably together in a warm semi-embrace, Robbie and Violet could only bask in the glow coming off their friends. This was their second Christmas as man and wife, something neither could have ever imagined would happen to them nonetheless. They watched as Milford cornered Bessie under the mistletoe, holding her possessively so he could kiss her fervently. They watched as Sportacus and Stephanie snuck gazes at one another, neither noticing their crush's own action while trying to hide the glances. They watched as Trixie and Stingy came out from their hiding hole with the look of lust-induced intoxication, the blush just beginning to fade. They watched as Pixel took care of Ziggy, taking the bottle of cooking sherry from his hand, wiping the drool from his mouth, getting him into a more comfortable position, and then affectionately covering him with the blanket that was on the back of the chair he crashed in. It was a peaceful time they took to observe, and both parties wished they could observe more to come, not knowing what Fate had in store for them…
(fade)
Not long after the chicken was taken out of the oven and the stuffing taken from the cavity, did the guests begin to arrive. The tree, dolled up and dazzling, had been finished long ago, allowing Sportacus to help with getting the dinning room table set, and to grant Stephanie the ability to catch her breath as she finished up. Some time after the tree was done, the twins came out of their nursery and sat beneath it, falling asleep peacefully lulled by the shimmer and the lights.
Milford and Bessie arrived first, living the closest, and put the gifts they brought under the tree, once the children were relocated to a more comfortable spot to finish their nap in. Shortly thereafter, Pixel arrived, pulling Ziggy along with him, the two seemed happy enough, boasting loudly of tall tales from work, since the two of them worked for the same company and the same department after the past few years of mismanaged business practices of their superiors. Amusement and merriment left a glow on everyone's face with the high times and low times of their misadventures, and while they elaborated upon themselves, more guest arrived. Trixie and her business partner, a tall black woman with no immediate family named Candle, supplied the party with liquor, thus allowing everyone the option of getting knackered by fine wine once again. Stingy came in shortly after, and quickly gobbled up his wife into his arms, completely ignoring the semi-inappropriateness in front of her co-worker.
Against the cries Trixie made, Stingy continued his attention toward her, albeit with less enthusiasm as before. While her co-worker was being detained, Candle took the time to make small talk with Pixel, and with a helpful mind, Ziggy left them to their chit-chat, noticing how his friend's eyes were suddenly brighter. These moments didn't last very long, however, before Stephanie came out to announce the completion of dinner. Everyone followed dutifully into the cosy kitchen and sat at the table, ready to dig into the meal that was set before them, while Sportacus brought in the chicken, which was already carved to make serving all the easier. The twins, still groggy from their late nap, remained strangely quiet through the meal, not asking for much, and surprised everyone when they just waited politely, once finished themselves, for everyone to catch up.
Soon the dishes were cleared and the children allowed to enter the living room once more, everyone took seats around the room. Milford and Bessie sat next to Ziggy on the couch, Candle and Pixel shared the largest chair together, Stingy and Trixie sat on the floor in front of the fireplace, and next to the tree, while Stephanie and Sportacus sat on the other side of the tree, the twins sat in front of the tree, surrounded by their makeshift family.
The first present handed to the twins was from Pixel. His creation, done in his spare time, was a thought projector that would allow the children to express themselves even when they didn't know how. Seeing as they were only two-years-old, it was more useful to their parents than them. While they investigated it, the screen popped on to show static. After a moment, the image cleared and a pink rabbit with a cigar in his mouth came hopping out of the screen into their realm.
"What the-?"
"Did that just-?"
"Did you see-?"
"It's pink-!"
"It's a bunny-!"
"Cute!" The twins, oblivious to how the bunny came, grabbed a hold of him and in a very civilised manner for two-year-olds, hugged him between them.
"Wha' the? Who are ya people? And who's these kids huggin' me?!"
Stephanie, the only one not in utter shock, said quietly, "You talk?"
"Course I talk, Pinkie- hey, youse a bit older than the other one I jus' seen. I's in 'nother dimension, ain't I?" because of the twins, who wouldn't let go no matter how much he squirmed in their grasp, the bunny somehow put his cigar out, making it disappear completely from view, as well as the odour it gave off.
"It would seem you know us?" Everyone was starting to get over the shock, but seeing as this visitor seemed to know Stephanie from wherever he came from, they made the silent agreement to stand witness while she took care of this.
"Yea, I knows y'all. But different like. I jus' came from 'nother dimension that was all topsy-turvy to mine, with this monster attackin'. And now I's here, talkin' to youse."
"Topsy-turvy how?"
"Well, the tall Rotten guy wasn't with the cute doll he usually has, and youse were with the hero, like youse are 'ere."
"The tall man and his doll…" Everyone gasped at that statement. "They're not here any more."
"Where'd they go?"
"They died, but we prefer not to talk about it."
"Oh! These their youngin's?"
"No, they are not."
"Youse guys', I'suppose?"
"Yes, if you must know."
"They looks like 'em." Everyone couldn't help but feel that this bunny, whoever he was, was very Magical;
Stephanie smiled.
"What's your name?"
"Bob."
"Bob the Bunny, nice to meet you."
"It nice to meet youse again, Pinkie."
"Meet me again?"
"Well, I's guess being dead and all, I shouldn't give any hint where's I come from."
"Considering you are from a different dimension, I don't think anything you tell us would affect our dimension."
"Yeah, suppose yar right." He adjusted his feet, Robbie and Indigo holding on harder still, both trying to get closer than the other.
"So," Sportacus spoke up, shuffling in beside his wife. "You're dead?"
"Well, yes." Something strange passed over the pink furry face, but it passed when he cleared his throat. "I was helping my Pinkie to protect a great power from a mad man, and when I wouldn't tell his goons what they wanted to know, they started torturing me for the information. I told them they would have to kill me, but I would never tell, so they did. At least I got to say goodbye to my Pinkie. She gave me this form, and even if pink isn't my colour, I'm grateful to her for giving me the one thing I couldn't get myself."
"This form? you mean you weren't always a pink bunny?"
"No, I wasn't. I was the guardian Spirit of a very special place, and as a Spirit, I couldn't have a stable form, I had to be able to respond to whatever was intruding in the place I guarded to best do my duty. But when Pinkie came along, her brilliant mind gave me this permanent form. After she left, I tried changing shape again, but couldn't. It's a relief really, since I was no longer plagued with learning any other form. I had the chance to also leave my place, because in giving me form, she freed me from my confinement."
"So," Pixel said slowly, "What are you doing here?"
"I don't really know. Right after I died, I was in this other dimension, though I had to run for my life from a monster. After that Stephanie took care of the creature, I appeared in this strange place, surrounded by cloaked figures. They told me I had died, and that as a Spirit, I was allowed to see the World I came from and it's many forms. Then I was here with all of you."
"Well, why don't you stay and keep us company while we finish opening presents?"
"Sounds like a plan Blue Boy." Everyone got a giggle out of that, and they continued with their tradition. Bob helped Robbie and Indigo, names he found rather amusing, with the rest of their presents, and sucked on a candy cane he accepted from Bessie. Just as everyone was becoming comfortable and friendly with their unexpected, yet pleasant guest, it came time for him to leave.
The bunny turned his head to the screen that suddenly came back to life he came through, silent static once again coming up. "Oi! That be my ride. I don't knows why the clandestine fellows let me come here, but I's gonna have to ask them when I's get back!" The twins hugged him one last time and each kissed a cheek, and waved as he hopped back into the screen and disappeared.
With the visitor on his way, everyone felt it was a rather unique Christmas Eve, at least so far. As the hour neared eight, they left one another with a slight pang of regret for those who were missing on the festivities.
(fade)
That night, still full from the meal and content with life, Stephanie and Magnús laid in bed, hands clasped between their prostate bodies, their passion slowed. Emotions were spoken through motion and touch, a discussion made beyond conventional means, brought to life by a deep, almost forgotten Magick.
(cross fade)
Rockin' around the Christmas tree
Have a happy holiday
Everyone's dancing merrily
In the new old fashioned way
End.