The Star of Christmas
On the morning of December 24th, otherwise known as Christmas Eve, a young princess awoke, rubbing her tired eyes as she sat up in her bed. She stretched her arms over her head and glanced over at her closet, where her nanny was busy digging through her many beautiful gowns for that day's outfit.
"Ohayo, Seki-san," the princess said brightly, swinging her legs over the edge of her bed and slipping her feet into her favorite pair of fuzzy bunny slippers.
Seki smiled, poking her head out of the closet. "Ohayo, Small Lady. It's about time you woke up. Your parents are expecting you at the breakfast table."
"Mama is already up?" That was unusual. On most days, her mother liked to stay in bed until at least noon, if not later. Breakfast time was usually reserved for her and her father, and occasionally the other senshi, if they didn't have an early morning training session.
Giggling, the young nanny nodded. "Yes, the king and queen both awoke quite early this morning, though Serenity-sama was considerably less enthusiastic about the eight o'clock wake-up call," Seki answered, finally selecting one of the pouffy dresses and setting it down on the bed. "But there are many things to do today in preparation for tonight and everybody is getting an early start."
Bright ruby red eyes widened as the younger Serenity realized what day it was. She'd been looking forward to her favorite holiday for weeks. "That's right!" she exclaimed excitedly, running to her bedroom window. "Today's Christmas Eve. And, look, Seki-san! It snowed!"
Looking out the large window at the snow-covered city of Crystal Tokyo, Small Lady's pink mouth dropped in awe. Everything looked so incredibly beautiful. The ground was covered with a soft blanket of freshly fallen snow, about a foot or two deep, and to the eyes of the child princess, it appeared as if the entire kingdom had been sprinkled with fairy dust, sparkling in the light of the rising sun. Icicles hung from a nearby tree, and if she looked hard enough, the princess could just barely make out tiny flakes of snow still falling from the bright blue sky. It was a picture perfect postcard.
"It is very beautiful, isn't it?" Seki replied, walking up behind the princess. "Almost magical, even. We're very lucky it snowed last night. This year is going to be a wonderful white Christmas."
Nodding in agreement, Small Lady pressed her hands against the frosty glass, wishing she could go outside and build a snowman with the other boys and girls who were already bundled up in their heavy winter clothes and having a fierce snowball fight in the courtyard. "Can I go outside and play after breakfast, Seki-san?"
"I think that will be for your parents to decide, Small Lady. Like I said, there's much to be done around the palace, and I'm sure you want to help the senshi put up the Christmas decorations. Maybe later you can play with the other children, okay?"
The pink-haired princess sighed, longingly looking down at the courtyard one more time before closing the drapes. "That's okay," Small Lady said sadly. "The other kids in the palace don't like to play with me, anyway. They always tease and play mean tricks on me because they think I'm strange. I don't have any friends."
Life in the palace was very lonely for the young princess. Because she had yet to discover her powers, many of the other children liked to tease her, claiming she was a fake princess adopted by the king and queen. Though Small Lady knew their lies weren't true, it was still hurtful to hear. They were all so mean…
Kneeling down beside the little girl, Seki wiped away a tear that managed to roll down the princess's cheek. "Oh, Small Lady, I'm sure that's not true," the nanny said. "You have many friends. You have me, and your parents, and the senshi…"
"Yes, but it's not the same. Everybody is always so busy. Nobody has time to play with me, not even you. Sometimes I wish…oh, never mind."
"What?" Seki asked as her charge turned away.
Small Lady plopped back down on the bed, laying on her stomach with her feet in the air. The usually cheerful little girl looked strangely pensive as she rested her chin on her crossed arms.
"I wish I had a real best friend, someone who would always be able to play and talk with me, whenever I wanted," she answered.
Sitting down on the bed beside the princess, Seki began brushing the girl's cotton-candy colored hair. "Well, it is Christmas," the nanny reminded her while twisting her hair into two perfect cone-shaped odangos, the traditional hairstyle of the royal family. "Maybe your wish will come true."
"I hope so, Seki-san," she said, once again looking toward the closed window drapes where the sound of children's high-pitched laughter could plainly be heard. "That would be the best Christmas present ever."
When Small Lady finally finished dressing and went down to the dining room, she found her parents and her mother's guardians already sitting at the table, helping themselves to the delicious-looking breakfast spread. The fresh smells of coffee, pancakes, and bacon tickled the princess's nose as she walked into the room, and she could feel her tummy rumble in hunger. Blessed (or cursed, as the case may be) with her mother's notoriously large appetite, Small Lady couldn't wait to eat.
Bowing politely to her parents, the pink-haired princess took a seat in her usual chair beside her father, Endymion, who smiled at his daughter over a copy of the Crystal Tokyo Times. The king of Crystal Tokyo was indeed very handsome with dark black hair and cobalt blue eyes, and Small Lady hoped that when she grew up and married, her husband would be just as wonderful as her beloved father. The two shared a very special father/daughter bond.
"Ohayo, Small Lady," he greeted her. The king closed the newspaper and sat an overflowing plate of breakfast goodies in front of his daughter. "You woke up late this morning, didn't you? I'm afraid your mother is starting to become a rather bad influence on you."
A faint pink blush colored the princess's cheeks, though the twinkle in her father's eyes showed he was only joking. "Gomen nasai," she apologized.
Across the table from Endymion and Small Lady, the queen stifled a large yawn, her normally bright blue eyes still somewhat glazed over with sleep. "Don't tease, Endymion," Neo-Queen Serenity said. "There's nothing wrong with sleeping in late. After all, the average human needs at least eight to nine hours of sleep."
Beside the queen, the soldier of fire sighed. "And since the queen is anything but average, she apparently needs twelve," Sailor Mars commented.
Everyone at the table laughed, even the good-natured queen. It was no secret Neo-Queen Serenity loved to sleep almost as much as she loved to eat.
When the laughter finally died down, Sailor Jupiter, an attractive, tall brunette, gave the princess a huge grin. "So, Small Lady, I bet you're excited about tonight, aren't you?" she asked.
"I can't wait!" she exclaimed.
Ever since the princess could remember, the palace had always held a huge party in the ballroom on the night of Christmas Eve, though this was the first year she was being allowed to attend the annual event. Her parents always claimed she was too young to stay up so late before, but they had finally relented after months of her begging and pleading to let her go. Small Lady couldn't wait to get all dressed up and go to her first "grown-up" party. She was finally going to be the lady of which she always dreamed.
"I'm sure you are going to have a wonderful time at the party, princess," Mercury said. "The night of Christmas Eve is the most magical time of the year."
The blonde soldier of beauty nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, plus you can't forget the gifts!" Venus reminded them, her eyes bright. "Tons and tons of beautifully wrapped presents underneath the tree… What can be better?"
Beside Venus, Mars poked her friend in the ribs. "Venus, don't sound so greedy. There's more to Christmas than getting presents."
"I know, I know…'Tis better to give than to take."
There was a collective sigh from around the table at another mangling by the undisputed Queen of Misquotes. It would take a Christmas miracle for Venus to finally get a saying correct. The soldier of knowledge shook her head in defeat, rubbing her temple. "Well, at least she got the general idea this time…" Mercury said.
"What?" the sometimes ditzy blonde asked, confused. "That wasn't right?"
"It's 'Tis better to give than to receive.'"
Venus shrugged, brushing off the correction. "Take, receive…same difference. The important thing is that giving can be just as rewarding as getting presents, if not even more so. There's nothing better than making someone else happy. It's the best feeling in the world. But I still say it's great to have tons of gifts with your name on them underneath the Christmas tree."
"Speaking of presents," the queen said between bites of her syrup-covered pancakes, "what would you like for Christmas this year, Small Lady?"
The young princess didn't even have to think. She knew exactly what she wanted under the tree, and this year, her Christmas wish list was practically a mile long. Small Lady began rattling off her demands, keeping count on her jelly-covered fingers so she would be sure she didn't leave anything off.
"I want a new bike, and a tea set, and a radio, and plush toys of all the senshi, and coloring books with some new crayons…" Her parents exchanged looks from across the table, but the princess didn't seem to notice as she continued, not resting to take a breath. "And a keyboard, and a teddy bear, and that pretty doll I saw at the toy store, and…"
Finally, Endymion chuckled, holding up his hand to signal his daughter to stop. "I think that's enough, Small Lady," he said. "Santa needs to save some of his toys for the other children, you know."
Small Lady's pink lips curled into a tiny pout. "But I've been a very good girl this year, Papa!"
"Well, we'll see," the queen replied. "Now, why don't you be a good little girl right now and help the other senshi decorate the ballroom while your father and I take care of a few last minute preparations for the party."
"Hai," she readily agreed, following the four guardians to the storage room.
Setting the small box of Christmas lights on the floor, Small Lady looked around the empty ballroom, thinking it looked much larger than she remembered. It had been cleared out the day before to wax and polish the marble floors, thus giving the room the appearance of a large cave made of crystal. Even Venus' voice, happily singing Christmas carols at the top of her lungs, echoed loudly throughout the chamber, adding to the effect. Decorating, no doubt, would be an all day event.
Small Lady giggled as she watched the cheerful blonde dance around on the still slippery floor in her red and green striped socked feet, a long strand of silver garland wrapped around her neck like a boa. If anybody had the holiday spirit, it was Venus. All the way from the storage room to the dance hall, she'd been entertaining them with every Christmas song imaginable, and she showed no signs of stopping, singing Jingle Bells as she glided across the floors.
Mars and Mercury, meanwhile, were already hard at work on the decorations, checking the tangled strands of lights for dead bulbs and making garland out of popcorn and berries. The fourth of the group was nowhere to be seen, but if the pleasing aroma of gingerbread was any indication, Jupiter was probably in the kitchen, baking Christmas cookies for the party.
JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE ALL THE WAY! OH, WHAT FUN IT IS TO RIDE IN A ONE-HORSE OPEN SLEIGH-HEY! JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE ALL THE WAY! OH, WHAT FUN IT IS TO RIDE IN A ONE-HORSE OPEN SLEIGH!
Looking up from the strand of popcorn she was stringing, Mercury raised an eyebrow. "Venus, I really don't think you should be doing that while the floor is still slick," she cautioned. "You're going to get hurt."
"I know what I'm doing," the blonde insisted, starting into a chorus of Deck the Halls.
Mars sighed as she plugged in another strand of lights, obviously not believing her friend. "How much do you want to bet she's going to slip and fall right on her butt, Mercury?"
"Mars, that's not very nice!" the kind blue-haired soldier scolded, although there was the slight tug of a smile on her lips. "Besides, I don't think anyone will take you up on that bet."
DECK THE HALLS WITH BOUGHS OF HOLLY, FA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA! 'TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY, FA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA! DON WE NOW OUR GAY APPAREL, FA LA LA LA LA, LA LA - ahhhhhh!
Sure enough, a few seconds later, Venus took a wrong step and slipped, landing hard on her rear end. Small Lady ran over to help her, but the blonde just laughed, standing up without the aid of the hand the princess offered. By that time, Mars and Mercury had stopped what they were doing and came over to check on her.
"Are you okay, Venus?" Mercury asked worriedly. "I told you to be careful."
"I know, I know…" Rubbing her backside, Venus plastered a huge smile on her face, still cheerful despite the fact the fall must have hurt. "I'll probably be a little bruised, but nothing life-threatening. I'll be dancing again by tonight, and hopefully next time I fall, it will be in the arms of some handsome hunk instead of on the floor."
Mars rolled her dark violet eyes, throwing an arm around her friend's shoulders. "Venus, you haven't changed a bit. You're still as boy-crazy as you were the day I met you."
"Hey, a girl can dream," Venus said, a wistful lilt in her voice. "Besides, it's been a very, very long time since any of us had a boyfriend, especially you, man-hater."
The fire soldier haughtily flipped her long, raven hair over her shoulder. "I don't need a man, thank you very much."
"So you say…"
"I mean it!"
"Sure, Mars…"
As she watched the two friends playfully bicker, the princess felt a small ache in her heart. With all their differences, Mars and Venus were still the best of friends, and Small Lady wished for that kind of camaraderie with all her heart.
Sensing her sadness, Mercury gave the princess a tiny smile, squeezing her hand. "Is something wrong, Small Lady?"
"No, nothing's wrong," the princess insisted. She pulled her hand away from Mercury's and discreetly wiped away a tear, forcing a smile on her face. "Who can be sad on Christmas Eve? It's the happiest day of the year."
"That's right. There's no time to be sad around the holidays," Venus agreed, kneeling down beside one of the large boxes they had brought from the storage room. She took off the lid and began pulling out some more decorations, no doubt imagining herself underneath the mistletoe in the arms of some handsome prince. "Small Lady, why don't you help me put up these up? I could use some help."
"Okay, Venus," the princess said, her mood brightening somewhat. Venus was right. There was no time to be unhappy when there was so much to do before the Christmas Ball. She was just being silly. Besides, she loved spending time with the senshi. She didn't need any more friends.
Small Lady and the blonde guardian began hanging two dozen or so sprigs of mistletoe from the ceiling, while Mars and Mercury continued decorating the tree. Jupiter joined them about twenty minutes later, bringing them a platter of freshly made gingerbread men to munch on while they decorated, and soon everybody, including the princess, was back in high spirits, laughing and singing Christmas carols with Venus. Small Lady could barely remember why she'd been so down in the first place.
It took a lot of work on the part of the senshi and the princess, as well as some of the servants who offered to work on the holiday, but soon, the ballroom had been transformed from a crystal cave to a winter wonderland. A large tree stood in the corner, dressed in shades of red, green, and gold and topped with a gorgeous golden star which Small Lady had placed on the highest branch with Jupiter's help. Underneath the tree sat dozens upon dozens of gorgeously wrapped Christmas presents. Beautiful wreaths lined the walls every ten feet, connected by strands of red velvet ribbon, and dozens of festively decorated tables were set up along the sides for refreshments.
But the main focal point was the exquisite view of Crystal Tokyo allowed by the ballroom's single glass wall. It certainly was a sight to behold, the magical city covered with a blanket of soft snow. Delicate snowflakes still danced in the winter air, the storm growing slightly heavier as the day passed by, and the sidewalks were covered in a sheet of ice, perfect for skating, as a small group of children were already doing under the supervision of a nun.
Seeing the children, Small Lady wandered away from the senshi and walked to the wall, placing her hands against the transparent surface like she had done earlier. She smiled, watching the kids glide across the ice and try to catch snowflakes on their tongues. Everyone looked so happy.
Everyone, that is, except for a little girl standing off to the side, watching the other children play. She couldn't have been more than seven or eight, a couple of years older than the princess, with dirty blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail and dull blue eyes. Like the others, the girl wore what looked to be hand-me-downs. Her clothes were faded and looked about two sizes too big for her slender frame. Unlike the others, however, her chapped lips were turned down into a tiny frown, a tear running down her pale cheek.
"She looks so sad…" Small Lady said to herself, not noticing as someone walked up behind her until Jupiter rested her hands on the princess's shoulders in comfort.
"Those children live at St. Joseph's down the street," Jupiter informed her sadly. "They're orphans."
"Orphans?"
"They don't have any parents or families, and the church takes care of them, providing them with food, clothes, and shelter, " she explained. The brunette sighed, her emerald green eyes filled with compassion and understanding. "It's hard to spend the holidays without a family. I imagine Christmas at the orphanage isn't as happy as it is here at the palace. There's no money to buy presents for the children and often, there's not even enough food to make a proper holiday feast."
"No presents?" The pink-haired princess glanced over at the lighted Christmas tree, feeling a twinge of guilt as she counted the number of presents underneath. It didn't seem fair. Why should she get everything she wanted, when those children out there, skating in their worn-out tennis shoes, had nothing? She was ashamed of how greedy she had been earlier at the breakfast table. She didn't need all that junk. More than likely, she would play with her new toys for a few days, then toss them into the closet, forgetting they even existed.
Getting a idea, Small Lady's ruby red eyes lit up. She knew exactly what she should do. Without explanation, she turn and ran out of the ballroom, leaving the rest of the senshi to shrug their shoulders in bewilderment as they continued piling gifts under the tree.
Small Lady ran down the hall to her parents' office, ignoring the orders of one of the maids to slow down before she hurt herself. She was far too excited about her plan to slow down. Those children were going to have the best Christmas ever. Coming to the ornately decorated door leading to the king and queen's office, the princess caught her breath, then raised her hand to lightly knock. When there was no answer, she quietly pushed the door open and peeked inside.
"Mama? Papa?"
At his large desk, King Endymion looked up from the stack of papers he had been reading, surprised to see his daughter at the door. Her mother sat on the couch and seemed to be otherwise occupied as she petted the chubby black cat beside her, though the queen finally glanced up when Endymion spoke. Another cat, a handsome white tomcat laying by his wife, also popped his head up at the interruption.
"Small Lady, what are you doing here?" the king asked, putting aside his papers. "I thought you were helping the senshi put up the Christmas decorations for the party."
"We finished early," the princess answered, momentarily distracted by the black cat's pitiful mew. Her mother's chief advisor seemed in pain. Small Lady walked over to the couch and petted the cat's head, frowning. "Is something wrong with Luna, Mama?"
The regal queen shook her head, a soft smile on her face. "Luna's going to be fine, sweetheart. Don't worry about her," Serenity assured her daughter. "Now, is there something you wanted to tell us?"
Remembering what she came to ask, the younger Serenity nodded. The little girl climbed on her beloved mother's lap, a little bit sad as she realized the orphans had nobody's laps to sit on when they needed to be comforted or loved. She really was lucky to have two parents who loved her with all their heart.
"Mama, I saw a group of children skating on the sidewalk," Small Lady said, resting her head on her mother's shoulder. "Jupiter said they were orphans and that they won't have any presents underneath the Christmas tree tomorrow morning. Is that true?"
The queen tenderly pushed back her daughter's bangs, kissing the top of her head. Serenity then looked over at her husband, whose dark blue eyes saddened at his own childhood memories. If anybody understood the plight of the orphans, it was him. Endymion walked over to the couch and kneeled down on the floor in front of his wife, taking his daughter's hand.
"I'm afraid so, Small Lady. The orphanage barely has enough money to provide food and shelter, so unless people donate gifts, the children often don't get anything for Christmas, except for maybe a set of jacks or a toy whistle. I remember..." His voice trailed off, growing too emotional to continue.
"Remember what, Papa?"
"Nothing," the king whispered. "It's nothing."
Sliding off the queen's lap, the sweet princess wrapped her arms around her father's neck, giving him a tight hug. She didn't know what it was that upset him so much, but Small Lady hated to see him so sad. "Gomen nasai, Papa," she apologized.
"I'm okay, sweetie," the king insisted, hugging her back. "You don't have to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong."
"But I did! I asked you and Mama for all those toys at breakfast, not thinking about those who wouldn't get anything at all. I was so selfish."
Small Lady felt a tear run down her cheek and onto her father's lavender tuxedo. She tried to wipe it away, but the tears wouldn't stop coming. Soon she was sobbing, the king rocking her back in forth as he murmured words of comfort.
"I want to do something, Papa," she said, sniffling through her tears. "It's not fair. They deserve better. They should have my new toys, not me. I don't want them anymore. Can I give them away?"
Pulling out a handkerchief, Endymion lifted Small Lady's chin, wiping away her tears. "I think that's a wonderful idea, Small Lady," the king said proudly. "The children would be so happy to receive such wonderful gifts, and I'm sure they would greatly appreciate it. But are you positive you really want to do that? Won't it be sad to watch the other children open their presents at the ball, knowing you will have none?"
Small Lady shook her head. "I want to do this, Papa. More than anything. Can we go down to the orphanage? Pretty please with a cherry on top? "
"Go ahead, Endymion," his wife encouraged him. "I'll stay here with Luna and take care of any last minute arrangements for the party."
"Okay, then I guess that settles it," he decided, standing up and taking his daughter's hand. "Come on, Small Lady. Let's go to St. Joseph's."
The orphanage was a small rundown building, located behind St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Compared to the palace's grand ballroom, it was nothing more than a broom closet, and as they climbed the creaky steps leading to the door, Small Lady wondered how so many children could possibly live in such a tiny place.
While her father knocked on the door, the princess took a quick look around, shocked at the conditions the children were forced to live in. The orphanage seemed in terrible shape on the outside. At one time, the building might have been white, but it was difficult to tell as most of the paint was peeling off, leaving a dreary gray behind. A large hole, covered by two boards crossed like an X, punctured the roof. One of the windows was missing a shutter and another one was broken, again covered with a wooden X. Even the winter flowers, the only touch of color to be found, were already dead and wilting.
"Papa…" she whispered, reaching for her father's hand as the door swung open.
A kind-looking woman wearing a black habit stood in the doorway. Small Lady remembered her as the same nun she saw earlier, playing with the children by the palace. Recognizing the unexpected guests, the nun's dark brown eyes widened in surprise.
"Your Majesty, we're honored," the sister said reverently, deeply bowing.
"Please, Sister, it is we who are honored," Endymion replied, setting down the large sack of presents he'd been carrying over his shoulder and placing a red Santa hat on his head, identical to the one his daughter wore. "No need for formalities. Merry Christmas! May we come in?"
"Of course, Your Majesty."
The nun showed them inside, leading them to her cramped office, which judging from the cot in the corner, also served as her bedroom. The king put the bag on bed, then sat beside a suddenly shy Small Lady in a less-than-comfortable plastic chair in front of the sister's desk.
"Would you like some cocoa?" the nun asked, looking quite unsure of how to behave in the presence of royalty. It wasn't everyday the king and crown princess of Crystal Tokyo stopped by the orphanage. "I just made some a few minutes ago for the children as a special treat for when they come back."
Endymion shook his head. "No, thank you, Sister…?"
"Sister Mary Angela." She took a seat behind the desk, taking a sip of her own cocoa, which was already cold. "Your Majesty, if you will forgive my boldness, may I ask why you and your daughter have decided to grace our humble home on tonight, Christmas Eve?"
"Well, actually, this was Small Lady's idea," he informed her, reaching for his daughter's hand. "Why don't I let her explain? Go ahead, sweetheart."
Taking a deep breath, the princess finally looked away from the painting of the Last Supper hanging above Sister Mary Angela's bed and turned her attention to the nun. "I saw you and the children skating by the palace this afternoon," Small Lady said in a soft voice, as if she were afraid of disturbing the peaceful quiet. "Somebody told me the kids were orphans and that they probably wouldn't get anything for Christmas."
Sister Mary Angela sighed, resting her weary head in her hands. "I'm afraid that is true, Your Highness. This year has been rough, as we are trying to raise enough money to fix the hole in our roof before the heavy winter storms come. We don't even have enough money for a proper Christmas tree. Father Arakawa-sama and the other children are out right now in the forest, looking for one to cut down." She glanced back up, her eyes falling on the manger scene set up on one of the bookshelves as she reached for the simple copper crucifix hanging around her neck. "I know Christmas should be about celebrating the birth of our Lord and not the presents, but it still saddens me to think those children will miss out on one of the holiday's most beloved traditions. They've lost so much. It just doesn't seem fair."
"It's not, Sister Mary Angela-san," the princess said, sitting up in her chair. "That's why I would like to donate all my new toys to the children. They need them far more than I do."
"That is a very kind gesture, princess, but we couldn't ask you to give up your Christmas. I'm sure you want those toys very much."
The princess shook her head. "Not as much as I want to make sure the orphans have a happy Christmas. Please, let me do this, Sister. I want to."
The nun smiled, wiping away a tear. She then stood from her desk and walked over to where Small Lady sat, kneeling before the little girl. "You are the very personification of the holiday season," Sister Mary Angela whispered. "Bless you, child."
From the entrance, the slightly off-pitch, but heavenly, strains of O Come All Ye Faithful filled the tiny orphanage. Getting up, Sister Mary Angela went to the door and popped her head out of the office, the king and princess not far behind. "That must be Father Arakawa-sama and the children now," the nun said. "I hope they found a nice tree."
As the sister suspected, the priest and the orphans had just arrived back at the orphanage. Father Arakawa stood at the door, holding it open, as a group of about three or four older boys carried the tree inside. The other children continued to sing, clapping their hands when the boys set the tree in the corner of the large (if it could be called that) activity room. A person would have thought they had found a tree that could rival the one in Rockefeller Center by the way they cheered, though to Small Lady, the tiny, misshapen tree seemed hardly impressive. Most of the children could easily reach the top without even stepping on their tiptoes, and many of the branches were either missing or dying. Compared to the one in the ballroom in the palace, there was no contest.
"That's a lovely tree, children," Sister Mary Angela said, finally stepping out of her office. "Even better than last years."
A couple of the younger orphans ran over to give the nun a hug, positively beaming with joy. "Do you tink so, Sister Mary Angela-san?" a precious two-year-old girl with curly black hair asked.
"Yes, I do, Rika-chan. It's beautiful."
She affectionately ruffled the little girl's hair, a soft smile on her face, before looking back toward her office where the king and Small Lady were standing in the doorway, not wanting to interrupt the small celebration. Some of the other kids, following the nun's gaze, spotted the guests and began whispering amongst themselves.
Rika, releasing her tight grip around Sister Mary Angela, stepped forward first, her bright green eyes full of wonder at the sight of the handsome man dressed in a elegant red and green tuxedo and a Santa hat and his equally festively garbed daughter. "Are you Santa Claus and his elf?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
A couple of the older kids, knowing better than to believe in the legend of Santa, snickered behind the little girl's back before the elderly priest shot them a scolding look. The king simply smiled, letting Sister Mary Angela introduce them.
"Actually, Rika-chan, they are our very, very special guests," the sister informed her, turning back to the other orphans as Endymion and Small Lady pulled the large sack of toys out of the office. The sight of the green velveteen sack provoked even more excitement among the boys and girls. "Children, I would like to present to you King Endymion-sama and Princess Lady Serenity-sama. They were kind enough to come here with gifts for everyone."
A rumble of excited whispers came from the orphans. The younger kids wore huge grins on their faces as they pointed at the bag, wondering what could be inside. However, the older children were somewhat less enchanted. One of the boys, probably around thirteen or fourteen with unruly red hair, rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Presents?" he asked bitterly as if he didn't believe the nun's claim. "For us? Yeah, right. We never get no presents for Christmas."
"You will this year, young man," the king said, taking no offense at the boy's rudeness. "In fact, I have just the gift for you. Here, have this."
Reaching into the bag, Endymion pulled out a gorgeously wrapped gift and handed the long box to Small Lady, telling her to give it to the skeptical young teen. The boy seemed shocked as she placed the present in his hands, wishing him a cheerful "Merry Christmas." She grinned, her heart filled with happiness at the surprised look on his face.
"Go ahead, open it," she encouraged him. "It's yours."
Excitedly, the boy tore through the colorful wrapping paper, letting out a loud whoop when he saw what it was. He proudly held up present for everyone to see, the others "ahhing" and "ohhing" in amazement. "An electronic keyboard!" he exclaimed. "Just what I always wanted. Arigatou, princess."
Small Lady blushed, embarrassed by his gratefulness. She really was making a small difference in their lives, and it felt better than any toy could make her feel. "You're welcome."
Once the children were assured that the humongous bag of Christmas presents was indeed real and not an illusion, they all ran over to the king and princess, twenty pairs of eyes aglow with excitement. Father Arakawa told them to get in a line, youngest to oldest, and Small Lady passed out the presents, taking joy in watching the orphans rip through the fancy paper to find yet another fabulous gift.
Yet somebody was missing. With every child she met, Small Lady carefully studied their face, looking for the little girl from earlier. There were several girls in the orphanage who matched her general description, but none of them had the girl's sad blue eyes. When they reached the end of the line, the princess sighed, wondering where she could be.
"Where is she?" she said softly, not realizing she was speaking aloud until Father Arakawa gently touched her shoulder.
"Where is who, my child?" he asked.
"A girl I saw earlier with the other children," Small Lady said, looking around the room just in case she managed to miss her. "She had a long blonde ponytail and blue eyes. I saw her crying, and I wanted to give her a special present to cheer her up."
The priest pursed his thin lips together, his bushy white eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Ah, you must mean little Mai-chan," he answered after a few seconds. "She doesn't like Christmas, so we let her stay in the girls' room while we went to cut down the tree."
"She doesn't like Christmas?" Small Lady didn't think that was humanly possible. Who didn't like the holidays? Christmas was the happiest time of the year.
Father Arakawa sadly shook his head. "Mai-chan's parent's died two years ago in a car accident on Christmas Eve, so the holiday holds bad memories for her. We've tried everything to take her mind off of the anniversary, but nothing seems to work. However, if you would like to try to cheer her up, you are welcome to try, Your Highness. The girls' room is the second door on the left."
"Arigatou, Father Arakawa-sama."
Grabbing the last present from her father's sack, Small Lady went over to the door and knocked. There was no answer, so the princess quietly opened the door and stepped inside a small room, sparsely furnished with just four sets of bunk beds and an old chest of drawers. At first, she didn't see anyone else in the room. Then she heard soft sobs coming from the bottom bunk of the set farthest away from the door.
"Mai-chan?"
Small Lady walked toward the heart-wrenching sound, finding the girl laying on the bed, turned toward the pastel pink wall and her body curled up into the fetal position. Mai didn't hear the princess come over, or if she did, she made no motion to acknowledge her presence. She was whispering something to herself, repeating the same words over and over. If Small Lady listened hard enough, she could just barely make out what the girl was saying.
"Otou-san…Okaa-san…"
Setting the gift on the floor, Small Lady quietly climbed on the little girl's bed, petting her head in comfort as her father always did when she was upset. "Don't cry, Mai-chan," the princess said softly.
Mai's sobs lowered to a whimper as she rolled over to face her guest. Confusion filled her cornflower blue eyes. "Who are you? And how do you know my name?"
"My name is Serenity," Small Lady answered, holding out her hand for a handshake. "And Father Arakawa-sama told me yours. It's nice to meet you, Mai-chan."
Somewhat intrigued by the sweet pink-haired girl dressed in such fine clothes, Mai sat up in the bed and wiped away her tears on the sleeve of her much too big red sweater. However, she didn't take Small Lady's hand, instead wrapping her thin arms around her knees as she brought them to her chest. "Serenity?" she repeated. "As in the princess of Crystal Tokyo?"
Small Lady nodded, jumping back off the bed to retrieve her gift from the floor. She handed the silver wrapped box to Mai, who gasped in surprise. "It's for you, Mai-chan. But be careful. It's fragile."
"For me?" Mai, taking heed of her warning, gently held the box up, admiring the pretty presentation. For a second, her eyes lit up like the lights on a Christmas tree, but they soon dimmed back to a melancholic blue. Shaking her head, the girl pushed the present away, back toward Small Lady. "I can't take this, Serenity-sama. It's probably much too expensive."
"But I want you to have it," the princess insisted. "I saved this one especially for you."
"But why? I don't even know you."
Small Lady smiled, putting the gift back in Mai's hands. "Because it's Christmas, and as someone once told me, ''Tis better to give, than to receive.' Now, open it."
Following the princess's order, Mai began unwrapping the present, careful not to ruin any of the beautiful trimmings. She first untied the large pink bow, setting it aside on her tear-soaked pillow. Then, she slowly peeled off the tape at each end, trying her hardest not to rip the paper. Mai folded the silver gift wrap and set it down beside the ribbon before finally lifting the lid of the medium-size box.
Inside, cradled in soft white cotton, lay an exquisitely beautiful porcelain doll, the one Small Lady had seen at the toy store and wanted so badly. But seeing the look on Mai's face as she gingerly took the doll out of its box and held it up brought more joy to the princess's heart than a hundred dolls ever could.
"She's beautiful," Mai whispered, caressing the toy's rosy cheek.
She certainly was. The doll wore a white silk dress, trimmed with delicate Chantilly lace and silver embroidery. On her back, a pair of wings, made with real feathers, attached to the gown and fanned out to the sides. Her raven black hair was long and curly, framing her angelic face, and her large green eyes appeared almost real. To complete the look, a shiny silver halo sat atop her head.
"I'm happy you like it, Mai-chan," the princess said with a smile. "Now, you won't have to be alone for Christmas."
Mai placed the doll back in her box and gave Small Lady a hug. "Arigatou, Serenity-sama."
A knock on the door interrupted the sweet moment between the two girls, and the king came inside. "Small Lady, I'm afraid it's time for us to leave," Endymion informed his daughter when they finally broke apart. "We don't want to be late for the ball, do we? Say goodbye to your friend."
"Sayonara, Mai-chan," she said. "Merry Christmas!"
Mai gave her another hug, smiling for the first time that day. "Merry Christmas, Serenity-sama! Come back again sometime."
"I will. I promise."
When the king and princess left the orphanage a few minutes later, Mai had just joined in the holiday festivities, helping the other children decorate the little tree that really wasn't so bad after all. The joyful sounds of singing filled the air as Small Lady and Endymion walked down the tiny walkway to the street, bringing a grin to the princess's face. Not only did she bring a little happiness into the lives of those less fortunate than herself, she'd also made some new friends.
"Small Lady?" Endymion said as they walked hand-in-hand down the sidewalk to the palace.
She glanced up. "Yes, papa?"
The king suddenly stopped in his tracks, stooping down to give the girl a hug. "I've never been more proud to call you my daughter," he whispered in her ear.
"Oh, Papa…"
Later that night at the Christmas Ball, Small Lady stood by herself over by the tree, watching as the other children opened their many Christmas presents. To be completely truthful, she did feel a little left out, having no gifts of her own, but it didn't bother her too much. She knew she'd done the right thing by giving her presents to the orphans. They would appreciate the wonderful toys much more than she ever would.
She wondered what they were doing. Looking over at the clock, she saw it was about a half hour after midnight. The orphans were probably attending Midnight Mass at St. Joseph's right now. Small Lady sighed, wishing they could be at the party. The ball wasn't as fun as she thought it was going to be. The other children were ignoring her as always (but that was no huge surprise), the senshi were dancing with handsome beaus, and her parents were talking politics with one of their ambassadors. Nobody was paying attention to her.
"Hey, princess, where's your presents?" an older boy, one of her frequent tormentors, asked in a taunting voice, seeing Small Lady standing off to the side. The princess turned away, trying to ignore him, but that only encouraged him more. Grabbing his sister's new baby doll, the boy walked over and began wagging the toy in front of Small Lady's face. "Were you a bad little girl this year, Your Highness? Did Santa Claus forget to bring Small Lady her little-wittle dolly? Oh, boo-hoo! That's just so sad. I think I'm going to cry. Waa! Waa!"
"Go away, Kintaro-kun," she said, pushing the baby doll out of her face. "For your information, I gave away all my toys to the orphans at St. Joseph's."
"To those pathetic losers?" Kintaro laughed, causing the princess's blood to boil under her skin. How dare he make fun of her friends! "I didn't know you hung out with those misfits, although I'm sure you fit right in, don't you? I bet that's where your parents adopted you, isn't it, Princess Fake? That certainly would explain why you're so weird."
"I am not weird!" Small Lady said, stomping her foot in protest. She would have done more, but she didn't want to make a huge scene at the "grown-up" party and risk being sent back up to her room. "And neither are Mai-chan, or Rika-chan, or any of the other orphans! They are some of the nicest people I've ever met in my entire life. Just because they don't have parents, or fancy clothes, or cool toys doesn't mean they're any less of a person. You, on the other hand, are a stupid, ugly, smelly, mean-"
"Small Lady…" a familiar voice scolded.
The princess slowly turned around and looked up, finding herself face to face with her nanny, who did not look pleased at all. Small Lady blushed sheepishly. "Oh, hi, Seki-san."
Seki crossed her arms over her chest, a frown upon her lips. "Small Lady, I don't believe that's anyway for a proper lady to speak, especially on Christmas. Now, apologize to the young man."
"But Kintaro-kun…"
The look her nanny gave her immediately silenced the princess's protest. Reluctantly, Small Lady bowed to Kintaro and mumbled a short apology, to which he accepted with a raspberry before going off to give the doll back to his crying sister. She, in return, stuck out her tongue as he walked away. Oh, how she disliked that boy! If she were queen right now, she'd have him sent to Siberia for what he just said about her friends.
"Why did you make me do that, Seki-san?" she asked once he was out of earshot. "He was saying such horrible and mean things about the orphans."
"I know, Small Lady," Seki replied, bending down to retie one of the red ribbons tied around her odango. "I'm proud you stuck up for your new friends, but remember, a true lady does not resort to petty insults to get her point across. Okay?"
"Hai." The princess yawned, rubbing her sleepy red eyes. It was getting quite late. No wonder her parents hadn't want her to come to the ball. "Seki-san, can I go to bed? I'm tired, and this party is so boring."
"Well, you can if you want, but actually, I think you might just want to stay around a little while longer…"
Small Lady raised an eyebrow, getting the distinct impression Seki was hiding something from her. She had no idea what it could be, however. "Why do you say that?"
The nanny stood back up and took the princess's hand, a mysterious smile on her face. "You'll see. Now, come on. There are some people who want to see you."
Seki started leading her through the mingling crowds, heading toward one of the refreshment tables, where another group of kids were snacking on some of Jupiter's delicious gingerbread cookies. As the two of them approached the table, Small Lady's eyes widened in disbelief, recognizing their faces. They were here! They were actually here!
"Serenity-sama!" a blonde girl holding an angel doll in her left arm called out, waving her free hand excitedly.
"Mai-chan!"
Letting go of Seki's grasp, Small Lady ran toward her friend, ignoring the annoyed looks some of the elder guests gave her as she passed by. She knew she wasn't acting very lady-like, but she didn't care. All that was important was the fact that her real friends were here to help her celebrate the happiest day of the year.
When she finally reached the table, the two friends embraced, wishing each other a "Merry Christmas." The princess noticed Mai certainly seemed much happier than she had been earlier that day. She was so glad her friend was having a good Christmas.
"What are you all doing here?" Small Lady asked when she and Mai joined the others, who were just as happy to see her. "I thought you would be at Midnight Mass."
"We were, but fortunately, Father Arakawa-sama kept the service short this year," Yuki, the boy who received the keyboard, informed her. "Endymion-sama invited us to the party while you and Mai-chan were talking in the girls' room. You didn't know?"
The princess shook her head. "No, I didn't. This is a completely wonderful surprise."
"And that's not all, Small Lady," a male voice said, walking up behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders.
She glanced up, surprised to see her parents. "Oh, Papa, thanks for inviting Mai-chan and the others," Small Lady said.
"It was nothing, sweetheart. As they always say, 'The more, the merrier.' I do hope everybody is having a wonderful time."
Rika, the littlest orphan, wrapped her arms around one of the king's legs, hugging it tightly. "We have best time, Santa Claus! North Pole is pwetty! And Mrs. Claus is beautiful!"
Neo-Queen Serenity laughed, kneeling down to look the two-year old in the eyes. "Well, you're welcome here any time, tiny one. I could use more compliments like that."
"What is that supposed to mean, Serenity?" Endymion asked.
"Oh, nothing…" the queen replied playfully, petting the girl on the head before gracefully standing back up. "Now, I do believe it is time for this year's 'Star of Christmas' to be revealed, is it not?"
The princess's eyebrows knotted together in confusion. She had never heard of the "Star of Christmas" before. "The 'Star of Christmas'? What is that, Mama?"
"You'll see. Now, come with me and your father."
Why was everybody being so secretive lately? First Seki, and now her mother. Nevertheless, Small Lady obediently followed the king and queen to their elaborately decorated thrones in front of the glass wall. Curious, the orphans also followed them, despite Sister Mary Angela's meager attempts to keep them at the refreshment table so they wouldn't get in trouble. The children stood in front as the rest of the guests crowded behind them in expectation, their voices buzzing with excitement.
Small Lady bit her lip nervously, wondering what all the fuss was about and why everybody was staring at her so intently. Searching the crowds, she saw Seki standing somewhere in the center of the mob, mouthing something that looked like "Smile!", but she couldn't be sure. The princess forced a tiny smile on her face anyway, noticing a couple of photographers taking her picture. What was going on?
Her mother and father stepped forward as a hushed tone fell over the crowd. A small basket, decorated with a large red bow, sat in the queen's arms. From where she was standing, Small Lady couldn't see what was inside the basket, although whatever it was certainly caught the attention of her mother's cat advisors. Luna and Artemis were sitting on a pedestal beside the queen's throne, never taking their eyes off of Neo-Queen Serenity.
"Once again, we would like to welcome you all to our annual Christmas Ball," the king began, once he had everybody's undivided attention. "As most of you are well aware, every year we choose a 'Star of Christmas'. This is an honor we bestow upon the one person showing the true spirit of the holidays. This year, I must admit I am very, very proud of the recipient. While most kids her age think only of themselves and what they will receive for Christmas, she instead donated her gifts to the children of St. Joseph's Orphanage, who, without her generosity, might not have had any Christmas at all. The children are here tonight as our special guests, and I'm sure they will all agree with me that she is the very personification of the Christmas spirit. So, it is now my extreme honor to name my daughter, Princess Lady Serenity, this year's 'Star of Christmas'.
A loud cheer rose from the crowd as Small Lady hesitantly stepped forward, not exactly knowing how to react to the honor. It was so unexpected. However, the excited shouts and whistles coming from the front row put her somewhat at ease.
"And, as always, we have a special gift for the 'Star of Christmas'," Serenity continued, picking up where her husband left off. The queen handed the basket over to her daughter. "Small Lady, I know it was your Christmas wish to make new friends. By my count, I would say that wish came true twenty-one times over, but I do hope you have room in your heart for one more. Say hello to your new guardian cat, Diana."
At the sound of her name, the most adorable kitten popped her head out from underneath the green velvet blanket laying inside. She had soft gray fur and large magenta eyes, with a tiny golden crescent moon sitting in the center of her forehead. "Merry Christmas, Small Lady!" Diana squeaked. "It's very nice to meet you. I hope we can become the best of friends.
"Me, too, Diana," Small Lady said, setting down the basket and taking the small kitten in her arms. She then hugged her parents, fighting back tears of happiness, before going over to show her friends her new present.
While the princess and the orphans were busy fawning over the tiny kitten, nobody noticed as a certain blonde senshi grabbed a spare microphone and jumped on the small platform. Mars, standing nearby, groaned. "Please tell me she's not going to sing again…" she muttered as Venus brought the microphone to her mouth.
"Oh, Mars, where's your Christmas spirit?" Small Lady asked, throwing her arm around Mai while she held Diana in the other. "Let's sing!"
WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS, WE WISH YOU A MERRY, WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS…AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
"Merry Christmas, everyone!"
DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is the property of Takeuchi Naoko.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Happy Holidays! I hope you enjoyed the story.