Different Smashers covered in each chapter; all different takes on the meaning of Christmas, but they're all connected. Enjoy! :)

~Variegated Christmas~

~Pink~

It was no secret that the fighters in the Smash Stadium treated the holidays just a little bit differently from one another. Some were fully in the spirit, plenty were grumpy as usual, and many didn't even know what the season was for. All they knew was that there was suddenly a tree in their midst and decorations spontaneously decked the halls.

And that's when Peach swooped in.

She was already perky enough during the regular months, being one of the few Smashers to keep a smile plastered on her face even in the midst of battle, but it's like she became extra obligated to be happy when the holidays rolled around. When the end of November transformed into the beginning of December, she was already writing cards, humming Christmas tunes, and of course, throwing herself into her life's dedication of baking treats. Peach was the one person you couldn't complain about being overly cheery; her singing voice could cure the deaf and not one person had a bad thing to say about her cooking.

She also made it her mission to spread cheer to those who couldn't spread it to themselves. Whether it was because they hadn't a clue about the traditions or because they took longer to get into a festive mood, it didn't matter to Peach. Each and every day of the month, Smashers would have a gift waiting outside their rooms, ranging from sugar cookies to small worthwhile trinkets. The reason Peach did so was because it guaranteed a smile, no matter who the Smasher, and who pouted about free stuff?

None entirely understood Peach's methods, but that was perfectly fine with her, although she was secretly upset that her petition to get a pink tree had fallen through. Only Kirby signed it, and it had been a rather chicken scratch signature. Still, that never deterred her, and she found herself incorporating her favorite color into something much more important: icing.

"Princess, it's Christmas time," she'd been asked, watching as Peach covered various cookies and cakes with her pink frosting. "Wouldn't red be a more suitable color?"

Peach huffed at the ignorant question, but her smile didn't falter as she finished her batch and began to arrange them on the plate.

"…anyone can do that," the princess finally retorted. "Red and green is so overdone…pink frosting is how I put a bit of me into my treats, you know? It's how I make them special."

And no more argument was needed.

Although, Peach didn't do it for the presentation; she liked watching the looks of joy as Smashers bit into her creations and got that sensation of flavor just as much as she liked making them. After all, where's the joy in crafting if no one appreciated it? But beyond that, since she knew everyone liked what she brought to life…there was nothing she enjoyed more than giving them away. Christmas time was the only time when she could do that without being questioned on her generosity, though it baffled Peach why being nice was only so important once a year…

But that was why she loved it so. For her, Christmas meant pleasant unexpected surprises, and as she passed off one of her fresh baked cookies to a bypassing Jigglypuff, Peach had a feeling this holiday wouldn't be too much different.

. . .

Jigglypuff wasn't too big on the holiday herself; she did partake in the receiving of gifts and the plethora of activities, but what made the holidays special for her…was how she got to sing to her heart's content.

Everyone was aware of Jigglypuff's affinity for song- but unlike Peach, hers had the unfortunate side effect of putting many to sleep, which always upset the pink Pokemon. In battle it was a good thing, but Jigglypuff was seldom chosen to participate. Thus, she wandered the halls of the stadium quite often, belting out her tunes in hopes someone would hum along like many did with Peach…only to find them collapsed in snores at the sounds or sprinting away like their lives depended on it.

All Jigglypuff wanted was for someone to listen…

During the holidays, she learned of this tradition called "caroling", where one went around sharing a few verses of classic Christmas carols, and those chosen to listen HAD to out of respect. This was more than what Jigglypuff could hope for, so once Christmastime rolled around, she was already prepping her voice for the occasion. Finally, she'd be able to share her gift of song like she longed for!

Her start…had been rough. She went around everyone's room, waiting until someone answered and simply began to sing. Naturally, everyone acted as they did normally, and Jigglypuff was acquainted with many doors to the face. Jigglypuff was hurt, but she wouldn't give up. She'd find a way.

And she did…in the form of a Christmas choir.

Joining the group was risky, seeing as she feared that those nearly complete strangers would flee at the sight of her, but once she showcased her voice for the angelic sound that it was, she found herself welcomed with open arms, and no one had fallen asleep. Overjoyed, Jigglypuff practiced day and night to perfect her song, as there would be a recital in only a few days' time…

When the day came, Jigglypuff was perfectly calm, and not the slightest hint of nervousness showed on her features. She was far too happy for any negative emotions, and her reflection beamed back at her in the mirror as she properly adjusted her festive pink flower on her head. When she felt she was ready, she drifted out of her dressing room and into the cold night air, where her fellow choir mates were already in position. A small crowd had gathered in the few chairs that had been set up- fine with Jigglypuff. Any audience would do. Once everyone and everything was in place, the conductor rose his baton, and the choir began to sing.

While Jigglypuff couldn't articulate the words to the song, she knew the melody by heart, and could recreate its pitch, speed, and tempo exactly. She sang her little heart out like never before, putting her all behind every note she belted out. Jigglypuff wanted all present to know just how much singing meant to her, and if Christmastime had to be when she could express that freely, then she would make every moment count.

As she came down from a solo and the song ended, Jigglypuff took a graceful bow, although it wasn't met with the uproarious applause she'd been expecting. Glancing up, she discovered that the choir itself had dozed off at their own song, along with the conductor and all the patrons…!

Tears welled up in Jigglypuff's eyes with the fear that no one would ever appreciate her talent…until she glanced into the front row, the weak sound of soft clapping in her ears.

The only one still awake in the audience was Kirby, who was clapping his stubby little hands together as he gave her a much deserved standing ovation.

. . .

People mistook Kirby's love of Christmas for a love of its food much too often. Okay, yeah, Kirby LOVED the feast that usually came hand in hand with Christmas and its eve, but that's not ALL Kirby cared about. He was slightly more competent than that.

Kirby was aware that not everyone led a happy life, and therefore wouldn't be nearly as pumped up about the holidays as others. People had lost family and been robbed of happy holiday moments with them, others simply had more pressing issues to worry about than decorating a tree or buying presents, and even Kirby himself wasn't ALL sunshine and rainbows- fighting demonic bloody eyeballs or being betrayed by devious creatures seeking personal gain could ruin anybody.

Kirby was special in his ability to remain ignorant.

His sometimes rival sometimes mentor Meta Knight had seen many tragedies of war, and not even during the holidays could he bear to shed the burden and let himself smile for once. Samus remained stoic as always, if not a touch colder than usual, because the holidays reminded her of lost parents. Robin himself was constantly fretting over how Ylisse was faring in his absence, although he tried to mask his anxiety.

Kirby attempted to get them, and those like them, to just let go during the holidays. Not forever, but just long enough to let themselves be happy for even a few moments…like they deserved.

But Kirby couldn't exactly do much. He tried giving out cards once, but him writing words on paper was like trying to get Meta Knight to take off his mask. He tried passing out candy canes…but he got hungry and ate them before even giving away the first one. He even tried crafting some paper snowflakes to be festive, but alas, scissors only came in "Left-handed" and "Right-handed"…and not "For Kirby".

But Kirby was too optimistic to let a lack of fingers stop him. For him, Christmas was when everyone could be ignorant of their problems temporarily, in return for having a time where everyone could smile at the same time. Preferably at the dinner table, but Kirby wasn't picky.

The sources of sadness he came across were just so varied, though! Kirby was unable to do general small things, yet there was no way he could cater to each and every individual issue. Others being sad also made Kirby sad, and when Kirby was sad, his thoughts weren't nearly as colorful and fun as he wanted them to be. He pondered this carefully as he watched some of the less spirited Smashers drift by, trying to rack his brain for any solution…yet inspiration wasn't smiling on him that day.

It wasn't until he heard crying did anything change. Alerted to the sound, Kirby darted from his seat and hurried towards it as fast as his feet could carry him. Eventually, the search took him to the foot of the staircase, where he found Lucina dabbing at her eyes. She'd been trying to hide this fact from the others, but after seeing Kirby, a few more tears leaked down her cheeks. Lucina was reeling with the fact that this would be another time spent away from her father; another time spent away from family…and coming from a forsaken future already eclipsed her of that. Here she was dealing with it again.

Kirby stared at her blankly, knowing that he couldn't magically make Chrom appear or whisk Lucina home for the holidays…but there was one thing he knew he could do to even vaguely attempt to make her feel better, and he definitely didn't need hands for it.

He bounced over, wrapped his stubby arms around her, and gave her a hug.

That small moment of comfort was more than what Lucina could have asked for, as she quickly returned the gesture and briskly thanked Kirby for it before heading off to properly dry her eyes…with a reassured smile. And suddenly, Kirby knew just what to do.

Anyone who bore witness to it would claim that there was pink ball rolling around the halls of the stadium and radically plowing into people for no reason. But there was a reason, and there certainly was a rhythm to it. Anyone who'd been even the least bit sad earned a comforting hug from Kirby, as that was all he could give…but that was all they needed, whether some realized it or not.

Robyn, having the same concerns as her male counterpart, practically melted in Kirby's pink embrace once it was offered. A grouchy Samus by the fire had become a defrosted woman who was no longer feeling lonely after receiving a hug. Even Meta Knight, who was a bit stunned to find his occasional apprentice and consistent sparring partner actually showing affection, couldn't help but return the gesture. He wasn't exactly skipping down the halls after that…but knowing that someone cared had uplifted the knight's spirits considerably.

Kirby couldn't have asked for better- he was working magic with these hugs! He even handed one to Shulk, looking surprisingly downcast himself, and carried on his merry way. Finally, Kirby had found a way to get people to smile, without a need for material objects or anything remotely fancy. Sometimes all we needed was an unexpected hug from those we care about.

Actually, Kirby realized that he needed those hugs for himself too.

. . .

Shulk was a rather friendly guy, having plenty of excellent teammates who he bonded with back home, and making plenty more during his stay in the Smash Stadium. And yet, his tendency to be a bit of a shut-in came back full swing during the holiday season, as he threw himself into several books to hopefully familiarize himself with the concept of "Christmas". His preferred learning method was to read about the topic at hand, and he certainly liked his research!

Shulk found himself laughing, crying, and gasping in awe at a variety of classic seasonal tales; some about snowmen, some about reindeer, but all of them having a different take on the specific holiday in question. The wielder of the Monado stroked his chin thoughtfully- just what WAS this Christmas Spirit? Could it be defined? Was there a concrete meaning behind it? Shulk had to find out.

He borrowed many books on the subject from Zelda and spent huge amounts of time trying to discover his answer. Many knocked on his door and tried to get him to come out, but Shulk's quest for knowledge kept him glued to the books. Yet the pages of words and paragraphs never gave him a solid verification- a time for giving? Good will toward men? When commercialism hit an all time high…?! Was it everything yet none of that at once?!

A few Smashers started to get a little worried about Shulk, as his answerless question was beginning to drive him a bit batty. Some even claimed to find him twitching as he slurped down hot cocoa. This was eventually rectified when Shulk had shut himself in once again, and the Smashers had sent in a secret weapon to go in after him.

Riki.

Shulk hadn't even heard the door open, but when Riki's Biter clamped down on him, he REALLY felt that. Yelping and springing out of his seat, he rubbed his arm and glowered curiously at his Nopon friend, who was shaking his fists and puffing his pink little cheeks out.

"What is Shulk doing?!" Riki boomed, almost like he was going to explode. "Riki not know much about this "Christmas", but even Riki know it's not a time to be alone…!"

Shulk's eyes softened a little at Riki's words; he was right…

In all the books Shulk had poured through, one thing had been absolutely consistent…and that was the fact that not a single person had been alone for the holidays. Whether it was pictures of large groups or two people spending time together, it was clear to Shulk that it was definitely a time to be spent with other people…and something to be experienced, rather than simply read about.

Suddenly experiencing a change of heart, Shulk unexpectedly scooped Riki up off the ground and coddled him –"Heropon Riki is not cuddly doll! Down, friend Shulk!"- and bolted out of his room, hoping that it wasn't too late. Shulk tried to make up for lost time by blessing every friendly face with a "Merry Christmas!" or "Happy Holidays!", but the majority were simply pleased that Shulk was out and about again. Mario asked Shulk if he wanted to join in on a snowball fight that was happening, and Shulk was more than happy to agree.

The Christmas Spirit…was just something you had to feel. And finally, Shulk was really feeling it.