Hi, it's been a while. You know it's Christmas time… duh. I always wanted to do a He-man Christmas story. The original 80's special, I won't lie, had some cringe worthy parts. Don't get me wrong, I loved it still but I wonder if I could, you know, write something a little different.

Hope you like it.

I do now own.

"When will you be back, dearie?" The purple skinned witch asked Adora.

"Well, Christmas day is tomorrow so I hope I can be back the day after." Adora said as she gathered her things.

"Oh no dearie, I'm not rushing you. Take all the time you need. If there're any problems, Broom and I will take care of it, won't we?" She addressed the creature next to her.

"Of course!" Broom gave Adora a thumbs up.

Adora laughed. "I'm sure you'll have the Horde quaking in their boots."

She slung her bag over her shoulders. "All done." She stepped outside her tent. "Spirit? We have to go." She called to her friend. Spirit lifted his head from the water trough and trotted to her. She mounted her horse. "Okay Sorceress, we're ready."

When a bright portal appeared, Spirit stepped through with Adora waving to her friends.

On the other side she was greeted by the Sorceress and her brother.

"Adam!" She hopped off her horse and ran into her brother's arms.

"Good to see you, sis!" He smiled. "Father and Mother are on pins and needles waiting for you to come."

"Whatever for?" Adora exclaimed. "Why would they torture themselves like that?"

Adam was confused for a moment before he realized what he had said. He burst out laughing much to Adora's consternation. "I'm sorry, sis. I forgot you don't understand Earth colloquialism. It just means they are anxious to see you."

"Well, I guess I'm on tacks and nails too." Adora responded.

Adam laughed again. "Pins and needle, sis."

Adora scowled."Same thing."

Adam sensing his sister was getting annoyed, he cleared his throat. "Well, we have some things to do before we get home."

"Really? What?" Adora's curiosity overrode her irritation.

"I still haven't done my Christmas shopping. So I thought you'd like to see the marketplace." Adam said.

Adora's eyes lit up. "That'd be fun. I bought some presents for Mother and Father but I'd love to get something for Man-at-Arms, Teela, and Orko."

"I'm sure you'll find everything you need." The Sorceress's voice startled Adora.

"Oh, I almost forgot." She pulled out an object wrapped in tree leaves of her bag and handed it to the Sorceress. "I'm sorry there's not a lot of paper for covering in the Whispering Woods. Merry Christmas."

Sorceress smiled as she accepted the gift. "Thank you, Adora. Merry Christmas to you too."

"See you later, Sorceress." Adam said. "Come on Adora."

"Have fun, young ones." Sorceress said serenely.

Adora and Adam stepped out of Castle Grayskull into the snowy exterior environment. As they got into a waiting Attak Trak, a pair of eyes followed them as they pulled out of sight. The Eternian buzzard immediately flew off to inform its master on what it had seen.

0o0

Skeletor sat sulking on his throne.

"Skeletor!" Beastman stumbled into the throne room.

"What do you want you bumbling fool?" Skeletor snapped.

"Our spy says the princess has come back." Beastman replied.

Skeletor perked up. "She's back? Of course, it's that time of year."

"What time of year?" Beastman asked confused.

"Nevermind, you numbskull! Get my robot knights ready!" He watched his minion hurry off. "I let their mushy emotions get the better of me last year, but not this year. I will capture Princess Adora. Then I will force Hordak to admit I'm the better leader." He laughed maniacally.

0o0

"This is perfect!" Adora gasped.

"What? What is it" Adam tried to peer over her shoulder.

"Oh no. This is a surprise. You go over there and find your own present." Adora ordered.

"You're so mean." Adam pouted playfully.

"Of course, I use to be Force Captain." Adora smirked. "We're not known to be nice."

Adam laughed as he wandered over to the jewelry section. Adora made sure he wasn't looking and grabbed the folded dress off the counter. Rushing to the merchant she paid for her purchase with the money Adam had given her. Checking again to make sure Adam was occupied, she went over to Spirit and stashed the dress in his saddle.

"What are you doing?" Spirit asked.

"Shhh, I got Teela the prettiest dress. I don't want Adam to see. It'll be a surprise." She said in a conspiratorial tone.

Spirit shook his head. "I'll never understand humans."

Suddenly, his ears lay flat against his head.

"What is it?" Adora could sense his distress.

Spirit looked around. "Adora! Look out!" He pushed her out of the way as a net landed in the spot where she had been standing.

People began screaming and running away.

Adam looked up and his eyes narrowed.

"Skeletor." He muttered under his breath. He turned to the shopkeeper. "Do you have a changing room?"

The frightened man pointed to a back room with some curtains. Adam thanked him and rushed in. Looking around he pulled out his sword.

"By the Power of Grayskull!" A flash of light surrounded him. "I have the power!" He charged out the room.

Adora meanwhile was pushing back the attacking drones. With the hilt of the sword, she smashed the robot's optical receptor. Then she grabbed it and swung it against the other drones. Another robot grabbed her from behind pinning her arms to her side. Adora struggled against the metal restraints. Then the pressure abated. Adora turned and saw He-man had sliced it in half.

"Thanks." She said.

He nodded. Then in a loud voice he said, "You better get to a safe place princess like your brother."

Adora nodded knowing what he meant. She bolted away. Spirit followed. When she got to someplace out of sight, she lifted her sword. "By the Honor of Grayskull!" Sparks enveloped her disappearing to reveal She-ra. She pointed her sword at her horse. Spirit neighed as he transformed in Swift Wind. She hopped onto him. "We can't let He-man have all the fun. Let's go!"

He-man was dealing with the several robot knights. He punched one that knocked it into several others. As he stood over their broken shells, he felt searing pain on his back, bringing him to his knees.

"You should watch your back, He-man." Skeletor's voice echoed in his ears.

Luckily, the sheath on his back absorbed most of the blast. He got back on his feet to face his enemy.

"Still stabbing people in the back, eh Skeletor? Because you know you can't take them face to face." He-man taunted.

Skeletor's face contorted in anger for a second before smoothing over. "I don't have to deal with trash. Beast Man, Trap Jaw, Triclops!"

He-man found himself surrounded. "Three against one? Seems unfair."

"Then let me even up those odds!" She-ra shouted. She swooped down on Swift Wind. Jumping off in mid flight, she landed on Triclops taking him out.

He-man grabbed the metal debris from the floor and threw it at Beast Man and Trap Jaw. Beast Man was too slow to avoid it, getting hit immediately. Trap Jaw caught the metal and chewed it up.

"Ha! You're going to have to do better than that!" He gloated right before a high kick from She-ra sent him flying.

"How was that?" She-ra asked.

"You bumbling dolts! Can't you stop two measly people?" Skeletor raged at his minions. He stopped when he saw He-man and She-ra approach. "Some other time, you ninnies." Then he blasted off in his jet pack.

"Should we go after him?" Swift Wind asked.

"No, we still have to finish our shopping and get back to the palace." He-man said. "I know there are people anxious to see Adora."

"And Adam." She-ra added.

0o0

Marlena kept glancing at the door of the throne room. Adam was supposed to bring Adora back a while ago. Randor conducted business as usual with his nobles, agreeing to one policy while disagreeing to others. To the untrained eye, it was as if he was intently listening to every person. But Marlena knew better. He was as anxious to see his daughter as she was.

The doors to the throne room opened. Man-at-arm's stepped in.

"Announcing their royal highnesses Adam and Adora."

Everyone rose to their feet. Marlena ignored protocol and ran down the steps. Adora had only made it half-way through the throne room when she was tackled by her mother in a fierce bear hug.

Adora was only glad to return it. Then she felt more pressure. Looking up, she saw her father had joined the hug. Marlena held out her hand and pulled Adam in as well.

The world around them disappeared and it was just their family.

"We've missed you." Marlena said in a watery voice when they finally let go of each other.

"I've missed you too, mother." Adora said in an equally unsteady voice. "Father."

"Welcome home, Adora. We must catch up." In a louder voice he announced, "Court is now dismissed. You all are welcomed back tonight for the celebration of the Earth custom of Christmas."

Man-at-Arms and Teela cleared the throne room as the king led his family to a more intimate setting.

0o0

"I'm surrounded by incompetent fools!" Skeletor ranted as he paced back and forth in his throne room. Looking in his crystal ball, he saw the replay of the earlier fight. "Curse you He-man and She-ra. Always ruining my plans!"

"Well, Skeletor perhaps there's a way to use their celebration against them." Evil-lyn said slyly.

"What do you have in mind?" Skeletor asked suspiciously.

"Are they not throwing a ball tonight in honor of that wretched Earth tradition?" Evil-lyn inquired.

"Yes... yes, they are. Perhaps we can use this to our advantage..." Skeletor sat down on his throne and laughed manically.

I had meant this to be a one-shot. But then it seemed a little anticlimactic. So maybe a two shot. But Merry Christmas and Happy New Year if it doesn't get out before Christmas.

If you haven't noticed I specialize in 80's He-man. If it's too cartoon-y for you, I apologize. I prefer the old nostalgic stuff of yesteryear.