Merry Christmas, Cyber Elf X….
{{a short story of my perception on why the holidays are so hard for X…. you might want to keep a box of Kleenex nearby}}
The holidays were always a bad time for X, mostly due to the fact that his creator, his father…. Died a few days prior to Christmas Eve. Still, Shonen tried her best to bring him out of his funk, and always ended in disaster. But, she still continued to try in hopes to not let him completely forget about the tragedy in the early stages in his life, but to at least interact with everyone else, and hopefully come out of his depression, if only for a little while. But with the death of Axl, around the same time of year… She knew her job was going to be one million times harder.
Ciel and Zero were both full of the holiday spirit. Managing to decorate every square inch of the resistance base and even parts of Neo-Arcadia. They even tried to decorate X's chambers, but even some miracles couldn't come to pass.
Ciel and Zero knew only one person who they could turn to for help…..
"Shonen?" Ciel called out. Her voice echoing throughout the hallway. "Shonen?… I need your help…"
Sighing deeply, Shonen poked her head out of the main library.
"Yes, Ciel…. What is it?" she answered in reply.
"X is packed back in his chambers and I would really like to finish my project."
Chuckling slightly, Shonen entered the hallway and made her way towards Ciel.
"You do realize that if I manage to get X out of his Chambers, and you DO decorate, he's going to go on a rampage and no one will be safe"
Ciel nodded slightly.
"I'm aware of the reprocuctions, but, you do realize that I'm only trying to help you out with you century long mission of trying to get X into the holiday spirit, which unfortunally has backfired on you time and time again…"
Shonen simply rolled her eyes at the comment. True, it has backfired on her, but she was not one to admit defeat.
"Feh, he's just being stubborn… just like his father… but, I guess I could use a little help in getting him to enjoy the holidays, just like everyone else."
Ciel smiled broadly.
"Good… then you do what you have to do and I'll do what I have to do. Just be quick about it."
Once again, Shonen rolled her eyes.
"Ok… but I am running out of ideas"
"You're resourceful, you'll think of something." Ciel replied as she dashed back down the hallway towards her room to grab Zero and her supplies.
Taking a deep breath, Shonen slowly made her way towards X's chambers.
"I just have a bad feeling that this isn't going to go well…"
"Father… there is a rumor going around that both Ceil and Mistress Blade are conspiring to redecorate you private chambers for a holiday called Christmas" Leviathan whispered into X's ear.
X let out a deep sigh combined with a low moan.
"Yes, I am aware of what they are doing, and as usual, Shonen is that mastermind behind this."
"So, what are you going to do to about this?" Fafnir questioned.
"…same thing I do every year…."
"Which is?"
X leaned his head against his hand as his arm leaned against his throne.
"Ignore her."
Leviathan stepped back a little.
"But father… year after year, she has tried to cheer you up, and all you do is ignore her and lock yourself up in your chambers until the New Year. Why don't you just humor her this year and try to engage in the celebration like everyone else?"
X looked up at Leviathan.
"It's not that I don't want to…. It's just that I can't bring myself to enjoy myself during that particular time of year…"
X then lowered his eyes and drew his hand to his chest.
"It's because…..my creator… my father… died, on Christmas Eve… three hundred years ago…. The pain just… never went away….. And my friend Axl… my dear, dear friend….Axl…." X's voice started to crack as he desperately tried to hold back his tears.
Fafnir stepped forward.
"Isn't it true, that Mistress Blade was the only one who actually watched Dr. Light pass away? And both you and Master Zero along with Mistress Blade were there when Master Axl was taken down by a cowardly maverick. Don't you think that this particular time of year would be harder on her than anyone…? Even yourself?"
Once again, X dropped his eyes.
"I never had the chance to say… goodbye…" He quietly whispered.
"We know… we are all deeply saddened by these events, but don't you think that maybe this one time… this one year… you just try to let her win this apparent never ending battle?"
"I would like to experience this Christmas that I have heard so much about." Leviathan replied in kind.
X raised himself out of his throne, stood up and straightened out his robe.
"I guess I should let her win this time. She has after all, tried really hard."
Fafnir chuckled a bit.
"Yes, from what I hear… it's been centuries. Funny thing is that you would think she would have given up a long time ago…"
X chuckled as well.
"My sister is very persistent…. She really never gives up on anything so easily…."
A soft knock on the chamber door interrupted the conversation.
"Enter!" X called out, his voice echoing throughout the large room.
Slowly the doors opened, allowing Shonen to enter.
Leviathan and Fafnir both bowed deeply as X gave a slight nod.
"May I speak to you privately, little brother?" Shonen questioned, her voice echoing as well.
Leviathan and Fafnir both turned to X, who responded with another nod.
Both deeply bowed once again, then turned and began to leave X's chambers, stopping only briefly to bow to Shonen.
Shonen returned the bow then walked towards X.
Once again X sat down in his throne and gave Shonen a slight smile.
"O.k. big sis… how are you going to try to convince me to engage myself in the holiday activities?"
Shonen stopped only a short distance from X and looked up at him.
"I don't know. I think I can honestly say that I don't believe anything I can say or do to try to convince you to get out of your yearly funk."
Chuckling slightly, X made his way down the platform and stopped a few feet from Shonen.
I would have to agree with you, but….."
"But?"
"But….. Fortunally for you, I've just had a short discussion with both Leviathan and Fafnir and I have decided that you will actually win this years argument and allow myself to be included in any merriment that you had in store for me."
Shonen couldn't believe her ears…
"I actually…won?" she questioned with a puzzled look on her face.
X stepped closer to Shonen, causing her to shiver slightly.
"Yes…. But, with one condition…"
"dammit." she thought to herself.
"You must do me one favor. And it must be done every year around this time."
X looked deeply into Shonen's eyes. Green into blue, blue into green.
"What is it? Yakasa?"
"We must have a memorial service"
Shonen drew back slightly.
"Memorial service? For who?"
X turned his head slightly as he closed his eyes.
"For two people who mean the world to me. Two people, who I miss every day."
Shonen dropped her eyes for a second.
"Dad and Axl…. Huh?"
X nodded slightly.
Stepping closer to X and placing her hand on his shoulder. X opened his eyes and raised his head slightly.
"Yes…" he whispered.
"X…. I could have done that years ago. All you had to do was ask. I would have been more than happy too… as it were."
"Really?"
"Of course…." Shonen replied then bit her lower lip briefly before she continued "is… is that why you've been locking yourself away for all these years?"
"Yea… something like that…"
Shonen smiled slightly.
"If that's what you want…. And if that's what it's going to take… then why would I have a problem with it? And anyway…I can truly say…that you were not the only one with that idea…"
"Why? If I am not the only one with that notion in my head, am I the one who actually spoke up about it? Usually, Zero is the one with the first say about anything."
Shonen shrugged.
"Maybe he's been occupied by something or with someone else…"
X smiled in turn.
"Ciel…"
Shonen nodded. Then she took X gently by the hand a began to lead him out of his chamber.
"Where are we going?" X questioned as he allowed Shonen to lead him out.
"Something that obviously should have been done centuries ago, but never came to pass until someone who doesn't really exist, brought life to it, so it could be a reality."
Tears began to form in X's eyes and slowly fell down his cheeks.
"Thank you sis…. Shonen…"
Shonen drew X close to her as they now began to walk down the hall.
"Merry Christmas Cyber Elf X….."