Season's Greetings

By: Atomic Kokoro

Storyline

There's a great Christmas Party going on in Metro City, and everyone's going to be there! Food, dancing, laughing, and playing...what could go wrong?

...

Before You Read

I felt like writing an Astro Boy 2003 Christmas Special because I do! Also, I really needed an idea for something that is going to happen and this came to mind.

Merry Christmas everyone!

...

Season's Greetings

"Tomorrow? On the twenty-fifth?" Astro asked, making sure he heard correctly.

Ken nodded. "Yes. Yes, for the final time, tomorrow. It's going to be the greatest party of the whole year!"

Astro broke into a smile. "And everyone's going to be there?"

"Yep! Rino fainted when he heard Abbie was coming, too."

Astro laughed and slapped Ken on the shoulder. "Is he awake yet?"

Ken looked at Astro and very, very slowly shook his head. The boys broke out in laughter. "I'll see you at the party tomorrow," Ken said, parting ways into his house.

...

The Following Day

12/25/03

Everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves. The halls were decorated with holly and tinsel and small decor draped on one single tree in the corner topped by a golden star. There was one part of the hall everyone seemed to have avoided and that was the direct center where a small mistletoe hung gracefully.

Couples were dancing in circles, dresses flowing and quick, pretty music playing somewhere from the corners of the room.

Astro and his friends were hanging out at one of the tables near the corners across from the Christmas tree. "C'mon, you know it's funny!" Alejo chuckled.

Rino's cheeks were cheery red. "I didn't faint!" he insisted just as everyone spotted a young girl behind him, but he hadn't noticed. "I was just overly excited to know Abbie was coming here for a Christmas Party."

"Are you gonna kiss her?" Ambercrombie chuckled, his eyes still on the young girl.

Rino turned even redder. "Well, uh, I, uh, I'm not sure..."

Next thing he knew he was grasped by the shoulder of his clothes and dragged to the center of the room. He was still didn't catch who it was until he was practically thrown into the center of the room. He gasped and looked up to catch sight of the small plants tied together hanging from the ceiling.

He was spun around and his lips met with someone else's. At first he had no clue who, but when they pulled away, he got a good look of Abbie dressed as one of Santa's little red and white bunnies.

She grasped his tie (Ms. Yuko insisted that he wore a tuxedo to the party) and dragged him out of the party. "He's gonna have a good night," Ken chuckled as the door closed behind the couple.

"Totally," said Alejo.

An hour passed until food was served. It was buffet-like (Rino and Abbie didn't come back until food was served) so everyone had has much as they wanted. Alejo sat beside a girl he had a crush on since Grade 2 and asked her if she wanted to dance. Because it was Christmas, and Alejo was the only boy to ask her, she said yes.

Ken and Ambercrombie weren't one for crushes and dates so they stuck with Astro through the night, teasing for Rino and Abbie to "get a room". Abbie replied without any hesitation that they already did. Rino just blushed.

Astro thought it was so weird that Abbie was far more romantic then Rino, who was terribly hopeless when it came to love since he never had a crush before. But, then again, neither did Abbie.

Ken and Ambercrombie stayed by the buffet, talking and eating. Ken attempted to use a pick-up line on a pretty Chinese girl but ended up with fruit punch in his hair. He retreated to the bathroom to clean up.

Astro and Ambercrombie watched Abbie feed Rino with her own fork. They looked at each other before both breaking into sobs and hugging each other. "I love you, man!" they cried, obviously meaning as brothers. What caused this to happen was that they were the only ones not socializing with someone outside of the crew.

So, that's what they did. They parted and reminisced with some other friends. Astro came across a girl who tripped over her words and herself to just ask if they could dance. He smiled and agreed. Besides. Who else would want to dance with him?

The night passed and ended. No one had seen either Abbie or Rino until the early afternoon the following day in a hotel room they managed to rent out. When Abbie had left back to her country, Rino kept repeating it was the best Christmas he ever had (even though it was the only Christmas he really ever had).

Alejo had gotten himself a girlfriend, while Ken and the Chinese girl from earlier ended up being friends and laughing about the whole incident of the night before.

Everyone pretty much missed the whole "presents" thing, but they were all very happy, even without gifts.

Moral Of The Story: Christmas is a time to spend together. (It's also to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, which Rino learned since he pretty much had no religious views.)

Anyways, everyone was pretty happy.

The End