Author's Notes: This Christmas story is a direct sequel to my 2010 Christmas fic 'Dance of the Nutcracker'. As such it might be a good idea to read that story first before reading this one. You don't have to but it might make it a little easier to understand.
This fic is loosely based on the ballet 'Die Puppenfee' or 'The Fairy Doll'. I wasn't originally going to write it as I couldn't figure out how I was going to do the story to make it work with Gourry/Sylphiel. But after a year of mulling it over this is what I came up with.
This and all my Gourry/Sylphiel related stuff goes on my Gourry/Sylphiel shrine first:
relmw . com / gs (just remove the spaces for the link)
The Fairy Doll
By Relm
One year ago in the snowy town of Candlyson Sylphiel Nels Rada, the mayor's daughter went on a magical journal to the Candy Kingdom. She met a toy version of the man of her dreams, saved his life and watched him beat a horrible foe. At her journey's end Sylphiel went home and finally got what she wanted most for Christmas. The affections of her dear Gourry Gaberieve, the toymaker's son.
Since that time Sylphiel and Gourry began dating and had been inseparable. And so was the Nutcracker and the Fairy doll. After dating a few months Sylphiel finally told Gourry about her Christmas adventure. She assured him it must have been a dream. However the transformation of Xellos' doll made a strong case for the tale being real.
Gourry thought about the Fairy doll and the Nutcracker as he worked on some new dolls for the Nels Rada annual Christmas party. Since Gourry was more confident in his toy making abilities he offered to help his father make the dolls this year. And Gourry's father was more than happy to let him help. Especially since Gourry fashioned his dolls off the people of the town just like he did. Gourry had already made a ballerina that looked like Filia and a dragoon looked like Xellos. He was just doing the finishing touches on a fairy princess doll when his father came into the room.
"Well Gourry you're definitely a chip off the old block. These dolls are fantastic!" Gable Gaberieve beamed as he looked at Gourry's creations.
"Yours are still better." Gourry replied sheepishly.
"Don't sell yourself short son." Gable picked up the doll Gourry just finished. "I see you've made Sylphiel into a fairy again." He mused looking at the doll.
Last year Gourry made a fairy doll for Sylphiel that he fashioned to look like her. That doll had been dressed in silver and white. The doll he made this year had the fairy dressed in white and frosty blue.
Gourry blushed as he looked at the newest doll version of his girlfriend. "Well I was going to make her into a princess like Cinderella but it just didn't seem right without the wings."
Gable had to laugh at that comment. "How true that is! You know this the third time Sylphiel has been made into a fairy doll."
"The third?" He prompted his father.
"Yes. When you were younger I was commissioned to make a fairy doll. I was having so much trouble making that doll, I just couldn't get her face right. That was until Erik stopped by the toyshop. This was before he moved to Candlyson and he was just visiting some of his relatives. Well he brought little Sylphiel into the shop with him to pick out a toy. When I saw Sylphiel I just knew the fairy had to look like her. Except I didn't dress her in blue and white. No she wore icy purple and white."
Gourry thought back to the time he saw the dolls come to life. He remembered how they danced together. Gourry had convinced himself it had just been a crazy dream before, but now... "Around that time... didn't you also make a prince doll too?"
"Yes that's right! Do you remember what that doll looked like?"
Gourry shook his head. His memory was never the greatest on the best of days but for the life of him he couldn't remember exactly what the dolls looked like. He remembered the clothes they wore for sure but the faces were just too blurry. "No. Why?"
"Because I modeled that prince doll after you Gourry."
"You did?"
"That's right!"
Gourry thought about how the fairy and the prince danced in his fuzzy memory/dream. Even at that time it seemed like he and Sylphiel were meant to be together. "What happened to them?"
Gable looked at his son in puzzlement. "What do you mean? The families that bought commissioned them came and picked them up. Anyway I'm going to be out for a little while. Going to help Phil finish up fixing the old Smith house. We're going to be getting a new neighbour in town." He explained as he walked out of the room.
Gourry looked at the fairy doll while thinking about that time when he was a kid. 'I wish I could remember more.' He let out a sigh and started working on another doll. This one he decided was going to look like Lina. 'So what am I going to make Lina look like? A devil maybe?' He chuckled evilly.
...
Later that night Gourry was still working on making dolls. He was working so hard on them that he lost track of time. As the night went on he found himself getting progressively more tired. Till eventually he just nodded off all together.
Ten years ago...
It was late at night and almost everyone in Candlyson was already tucked away happily in their beds. Only a few night owls were awake burning the midnight oil. One of those people was Gable Gaberieve. The toy maker was working on hard on his current project, a fairy doll for a customer. Gable had been commissioned by a visiting family to make the doll for the youngest member, a little four year old girl. She wanted not only a pretty fairy doll but the prettiest fairy doll in all the world! It had been a lofty request that Gable took very seriously. Because that's what Gable Gaberieve was known for, making any child smile with the toys he makes. But up until recently Gable had been having trouble with this request. He just couldn't get the face right. However he already overcame that hurdle and now it was just a matter of doing the final touches on the fairy's outfit.
"There! You're all finished." Gable said to the doll. He put her down and looked at her admiring how the cold purple hues brought out the green in her eyes. "I'll put you with the prince doll so he can protect you until you go to your new home." Gable put the fairy doll right down next to her Gable's other recent creation, a prince doll that looked exactly like his second oldest son Gourry. "Goodnight Prince Gourry and Fairy Sylphiel." Gable chuckled to himself as he left to go to bed. It was late after all and everyone else in his family had long since gone to bed.
Well that was supposed to be the case. But as Gable left his workshop to head up the stairs he passed his eight year old son Gourry whom had been spying. Gourry knew he should be sleeping, but Christmas was getting so close! And Gourry always loved to watch his father work. Even though he knew his father wasn't Santa Claus there was a part of Gourry that wanted to believe that his father really was Kris Kringle. The toys his father made where better than any ones Santa Claus could ever give. (Though Gourry would never tell Santa that!)
Though Gourry wanted to venture into his father's workshop he chose not to. He wasn't supposed to be awake much less snooping looking at his father's work. Gourry was a good kid after all and just a little swayed by temptation. So he looked but not touched. And his father's newest doll was the prettiest doll ever! She had long beautiful black hair, emerald green eyes and dressed in white and a frosted purple. Gourry wanted to touch her; he wanted to pick her up in his hands to admire her closer. But Gourry didn't. He continued to stare from his hiding spot making his presence completely not known to the toys in the shop. If he had then perhaps Gourry wouldn't have seen with his two eyes what magical thing he was about to see.
Inside the shop all the dolls and toys started to move. Dolls, stuffed animals and wooden toys all moving on their own as if they were waking from a deep slumber.
"I am Prince Gourry. And who might you be?" The handsome prince doll dressed in blue and gold said to the emerald eyed fairy sitting next to him.
"I am the Fairy Sylphiel. It's a pleasure to meet you." The fairy spoke in a very soft and pleasant voice. It was like each syllable that came out of her mouth sounded like a musical note.
"Might I have this dance?" Prince Gourry offered his hand to the Fairy Sylphiel as he stood up.
"Dance? But there is no music." Fairy Sylphiel looked up the prince in confusion.
There was a twinkle in the prince doll's face as he looked to an ornate jewellery box that popped up. There a little ballerina twirled around as music played filling the shop with it's soft melody.
Fairy Sylphiel giggled as she took Prince Gourry's hand and the two of them danced around the room. The other dolls and toys paired up and danced as well. The whole room turned into a grand ball just for toys.
From his hiding spot little Gourry couldn't believe his eyes! The toys were alive and dancing! He had to clamp his hand over to his mouth so his own voice wouldn't betray him. If he made a noise he would surely spook the toys.
For what seemed like hours the toys all danced and talked with each other. All of them were so keen on getting to know the newest doll. They switched partners for each dance so everyone would get a chance to talk with the Fairy Sylphiel. And Fairy Sylphiel was greatly enjoying the company. All the toys in the Gaberieve toyshop were all so nice and friendly. But even though they were all so nice there was one toy that Fairy Sylphiel enjoyed the company the most. And that was the first toy she met, the Prince Gourry doll. He was charming, handsome and had a beautiful warm smile.
"So who where you made for?" Prince Gourry asked Fairy Sylphiel after he finally got pared up with her again. He himself was counting the songs before he got the chance to have the beautiful fairy doll in his arms again. Prince Gourry wasn't one to be swayed by beauty alone but this doll was something special. It wasn't just the angelic way she moved but it was the way she talked and how she'd smile and laugh. She was enchanting.
"Made for? What do you mean?"
"We're all made for someone. That's our purpose in life, we're supposed to bring joy to the children we are given to. I'm going to a boy that's leaving in a couple days." Prince Gourry explained.
Fairy Sylphiel couldn't help but pout. "So that means you're going to leave?"
"We all leave eventually." A tin soldier with a snow white beard named Rotamis piped up as he danced with a marionette.
"But I don't want to leave!" Fairy Sylphiel exclaimed feeling very much cheated. She got to meet all these lovely toys and become friends with them and she would have to leave them? It wasn't fair.
"It doesn't work that way." Prince Gourry explained.
"Well why can't it? I don't want to go; I want to stay here with everyone!" Fairy Sylphiel stated rather forcibly.
"You can't." And angel doll named L sang to the Fairy Sylphiel. "That's why you must enjoy all the time you have together. Each moment is precious."
Though the angel doll's words were soothing they still didn't completely quell the ill feelings nipping away at Fairy Sylphiel.
...
Gable Gaberieve woke up early that morning despite going to bed so late. Though he was tired he was eager to get back to work. Christmas was so close and he still had so many toys to make.
Going down the stairs humming a Christmas song the toymaker was in for a surprise as he got to the bottom. Laying down hiding under the stairs was his second son asleep.
Seeing this sight made Gable chuckle. "Gourry, wake up!"
Present Day...
"Gourry wake up!"
Gourry woke with a start to find himself him in his father's workshop with his father standing over him. "Huh?"
"Looks like you fell asleep working on toys last night." Gable explained. "I must say that's happened to me more than once. C'mon, your mother has breakfast waiting for us."
Gourry stretched before following his father to the kitchen. On his mind was the dream he had of himself as a child watching the dolls dancing. Had it been a dream all along or was it a memory he happened to dream about?
...
After breakfast Gourry was back to making toys. That's all Gourry did those days leading up to Christmas. He would work on toys and only stopped to eat and sleep. The middle son of the Gaberieve family was so consumed with his work that he lost track of time all together.
"Hello?" A small melodious voice called out proceeding a light knocking on the door.
Gourry broken from his spell looked up to see his girlfriend, the lovely Sylphiel Nels Rada standing in the doorway. "Sylphiel!"
"Your father told me I could find you here. Looks like you've been busy!" Sylphiel exclaimed as she joined Gourry in the workshop. "Look at them all! They are all so lovely!" She exclaimed picking up one of the most recent dolls Gourry made. It was a butterfly doll that looked exactly like the youngest Sailune girl, Amelia.
"Yeah well there's still so much to do." Gourry mumbled feeling a little bit embarrassed. "Oh no! I didn't forget something did I? Was I supposed to meet you for a date? Did I forget? Are you mad?"
Sylphiel shook her head. "No. And even if you did I wouldn't be upset. I know how busy you and your father are right now."
"Oh that's good!" Gourry sighed with relief. "So what brings you here?"
"I just wanted to see how you were doing and I wanted to bring you something." Sylphiel fished out a silk handkerchief wrapped bundle tied with a purple ribbon. She undid the bow to reveal four decorated gingerbread men cookies.
"You made me cookies?" Gourry exclaimed with his mouth already watering. His stomach rumbled in agreement.
"Yes these are for you." Sylphiel flashed him a warm smile.
Gourry returned that smile and leaned in to give Sylphiel a kiss. It was a bit awkward given he had all his materials and toys in between them.
Sylphiel giggled as Gourry knocked a few things over but gladly kissed him back. Even though it was just a few days short of a year for them it felt like it was just yesterday he kissed her for the first time. "You know you don't need to wait for me to go, you can eat them now." She prompted him once he broke the kiss.
Gourry smiled sheepishly before wolfing down the cookies in just a few bites.
"Oh my Gourry! Did you forget to eat lunch?"
Gourry blinked in confusion. "Lunch? Why would I be having lunch right now? I just had breakfast a little while ago."
"That's a late breakfast."
"What do you mean?"
"Gourry-sweetie it's 4 o'clock."
Gourry's eyes were wide in surprise. "It's 4? Really? Is it that late? Wow I did skip lunch. I never skip lunch."
"Well why don't we take a break and go get you something to eat?" Sylphiel suggested.
"Okay I just want to finish this last little thing." Gourry said while putting the finishing touches on the butterfly doll.
"Oh that's a pretty one! That looks like that girl Amelia who moved here last Christmas. I see you're making the dolls look like people in town just like your dad." Sylphiel said with a laugh. She looked around at all the dolls Gourry had made and her eyes naturally fell upon the doll that shared her likeness. "Oh you made another fairy doll that looks me?" She squealed in delight as she carefully picked up the doll.
"Yeah well... it just didn't seem right without the wings." Gourry replied sheepishly.
"Well she's just as pretty as the one you made last year."
"Of course she's pretty. She looks like you." Gourry smiled with his face red with a blush.
Sylphiel giggled blushing herself.
...
Sylphiel stayed for quite a while and even helped Gourry after dinner with the toy making. Gourry still did most of the work but Sylphiel did what she could. Gourry greatly enjoyed the company as he would have otherwise been all alone working. With his father still busy helping Philonel Sailune, Gourry was pretty much on his own making the dolls at the moment. Not that Gourry minded he was the one that offered originally anyway.
Even as it got nearer and nearer to the time one should be sleeping Gourry was still working on his dolls. But unlike the previous night Gourry wasn't working in the workshop. No Gourry chose to take his work with him upstairs to his room. That way if he happened to fall asleep like he had before he would at least be in the comfort of his own bed and not a hard chair.
Gourry knew it was late, and should turn in for the night but he just couldn't help it. The more dolls he made the more he wanted to keep going. Tick tock goes the clock...
As Gourry was doing the finishing touches on a particular doll's face his head started to droop. Within seconds Gourry was out like a light with that doll still in his hands.
Ten years ago...
Gable had tried half-heartedly to wake his sleeping son but Gourry failed to stir. Truthfully Gourry was sleeping so peacefully that Gable really didn't want to wake him. So Gable just continued on and went to his workshop to work.
About a half hour later Gable's wife was next to come down the stairs that early morning hour. And she was just as amused by the site as her husband had been. "Gourry you silly little thing."
Gourry whom had been sleeping woke up to see his mother Ester looming over him. "Hi Mommy." He said sheepishly.
"Good morning sweetie. Now will you please tell me what's so nice about sleeping under the stairs that it beats your bed?" Ester asked teasingly as she scooped her middle son up.
"I was watching Daddy work." Gourry explained in a feeble voice.
"But sweetie your father went to bed hours ago. It's already morning! In fact your father is already up and working. Why would you stay? Did you fall asleep before he finished for the night?"
Gourry shook his head. "No it was after."
"Well why on Earth did you stay there for?"
"I was watching." Gourry responded cryptically.
"What were you watching sweetie?"
"The dolls." Again Gourry wasn't being too forthcoming with his details.
"Why were you watching the dolls for?"
Gourry shushed her and motioned for her to lean in close. "It's a secret."
"I won't tell." Ester promised him.
"At night when they think no one is around the dolls come to life." Gourry whispered to her.
God did Ester want to laugh at that moment. Gourry was always a delight with his imaginative stories. But she couldn't laugh otherwise Gourry would be offended. He was being very serious after all. "What do they do?"
"They play music and dance!"
"It must be fun to watch."
Gourry deftly nodded.
"Alright then promise me, next time take a blanket and a pillow with you. It's cold and the floor is very hard. I don't want you to wake up sick or with sore muscles." She sagely advised him.
Gourry nodded again. "Can I eat breakfast now?"
This time Ester did laugh. "I'm sorry sweetie I was just coming down to make breakfast when I saw you."
"Oh." Gourry frowned in disappointment. "If I help you will it get made faster?"
"Yes it would and I would love some help."
"Okay let's go!" Gourry wiggled his way out of his mother's grasp and ran towards the kitchen.
Ester laughed some more. Oh how she loved her little Gourry.
...
As per his mother's advice Gourry grabbed a couple blankets and a pillow for his nightly stake out. He had wanted to bring his teddy with him but he was sure Teddy would betray him to the other toys. Toys do stick together after all.
When Gourry got down the stairs to his hiding spot Gourry found a mug of hot cocoa and a plate of gingerbread cookies waiting for him. There was no note but Gourry knew it was from his mother. Gourry was all smiles as he settled in for the night.
In his workshop Gable had to try very hard not to laugh. He was aware of what Gourry was doing but not the reason why. His wife knew but since she had promised not to tell anyone Gable was in the dark. He did know he had to pretend that he didn't know Gourry was there. He hadn't known the previous night but did know now.
Since the family business in any family was supposed to go to the oldest Gourry's older brother Aaron should be the one to take over next. But Gable had a feeling that he'd be passing down his toy shop to Gourry instead. Gourry was the one most interested in making toys. It really made Gable swell with pride that his son was so passionate about the family business even at such a young age. 'Maybe I'll ask him tomorrow if he wants to help me in the shop.'
Gourry impatiently watched his father move around working away. Ordinarily did like to watch his father work but not when it made him have to wait for something like toys coming to life. Time just wasn't going by fast enough for Gourry.
Gable hummed a Christmas tune as he put his tools away for the night. He pretended not to see Gourry as he walked by. He wanted to say goodnight to his middle son but he knew he had to refrain. 'Yes I'll get Gourry to help me tomorrow.' He decided as he climbed the last few steps.
Under the stairs Gourry held his breath as he waited. Time passed and nothing seemed to happen. Not a toy or creature stirred, not even a mouse! Gourry was about to give up hope when some of the older toys came to life and wet to greet the newer ones.
Fairy Sylphiel introduced herself to the new ones while looking for the ones she met the previous night. She found the faces of those she was most looking for but some of the others weren't there. "Where's Miss L and Sir Rotamis?" Fairy Sylphiel wondered as she looked around.
"If they aren't in the toy shop up front then they must be home." Prince Gourry answered as he pulled Fairy Sylphiel close for a dance.
Fairy Sylphiel both blushed and frowned. She was flustered that she was close to Prince Gourry but still a little frustrated with his answer. "Home? Isn't this home?"
"Home is where your child is. We aren't home till we're picked by the girl or boy who will own us. Their home is our home. The toys that stay here in the shop are the newly made or especially made for a special child. Unless the toy is broken they don't stay here in the back for too long."
"But what if we don't want to get picked?" Fairy Sylphiel mumbled.
"What do you mean?" Prince Gourry as he dipped her.
"If we get picked we don't get to see each other again. So if we don't then we wouldn't have to say goodbye." Fairy Sylphiel explained. "Though we didn't get to say goodbye to Miss L and Sir Rotamis. They were taken away while we slept."
"Children often play together with their toys. You'll still be able to see them again."
"No I won't. And neither will you." Fairy Sylphiel got teary eyed thinking about it.
"That's not true!" Prince Gourry insisted.
"You're going to a boy that doesn't live in town. He's leaving so will you. And I'm going to a girl that also lives in another town. I overheard it." Fairy Sylphiel explained.
"Well maybe your girl and my boy live in the same town." Prince Gourry suggested.
Fairy Sylphiel shook her head. "No they live in towns in opposite directions. Once they come for us tomorrow we'll never see any of our friends here or each other ever again."
Prince Gourry frowned. In the back of his mind he knew that he was going to taken away from all the people he met but in some way it just wasn't real. Plus it a toy's duty to bring joy and happiness to their child so that should be more important. But hearing Fairy Sylphiel say these words just made things that much more real for Prince Gourry and he realized why Fairy Sylphiel was so upset. He didn't want to leave his friends. And most of all he didn't want to leave Fairy Sylphiel. "Our children could move, and maybe we'll see each other again." Prince Gourry said with as much hope as he could muster at that moment. It was all he could do from letting the sadness swallow him up whole.
Fairy Sylphiel wanted to believe that especially when she looked into Prince Gourry's puppy dog blue eyes. They were filled with fragile hope that Fairy Sylphiel didn't want to break. "That could happen I suppose." She lied of course, knowing full well once she left the toy shop that would be the end of things.
Prince Gourry let out a sad sigh. He might have known Fairy Sylphiel for too long but he could tell she didn't believe what she said. And if she thought they wouldn't see each other again then she was probably right. "Well what could we do? How could we make them not want to take us home?"
Fairy Sylphiel thought about Prince Gourry's question as he twirled her around the dance floor. An idea came to mind that was crazy enough that it just might work. "I do have an idea. But we'll need help. Like some of the tin soldiers-" Fairy Sylphiel went to leave Prince Gourry's embrace but found herself being pulled back in. She looked at him in confusion.
Prince Gourry blushed. He wasn't normally a forward sort of a guy when it came to the mushy stuff but he just knew he couldn't let go just yet. "In case it doesn't work... Can't we dance just a bit longer? I'd like my last memories of this place to be of... well you." He was so nervous that he couldn't look her in the eye.
Fairy Sylphiel blushed. "What sort of memories... did you want to have?" She dared ask him also not able to look him in the eye.
"I've never... um... well I... never mind." Prince Gourry muttered to himself.
This peaked Fairy Sylphiel's curiosity. "You never what?" She gently touched his chin lifting his face up to look her in the eye. Both them were bashful and blushing feverishly.
"I've never kissed anyone." Prince Gourry mumbled.
Fairy Sylphiel's eyes went wide in surprise. "Wow... um... you want to kiss me?"
Prince Gourry nodded feeling ever so foolish ever saying anything. 'Of course she's going to say no. Why would she say yes?'
"It's so sudden... yes." Fairy Sylphiel closed her eyes and waited.
There in the middle of the makeshift dance floor Prince Gourry leaned forward and kissed the Fairy Sylphiel in front of everyone.
Present Day...
When Gourry awoke he felt very strange. The memory of watching the Prince doll that looked like him kissing the Fairy doll that looked like Sylphiel was very fresh in his mind. The dream had been so vivid he felt like he was the Prince doll himself.
The dream made Gourry think about that first kiss he had with Sylphiel in her house last Christmas. It had been the first time he had ever kissed a girl. It had been special and magical for him. But after that dream Gourry had to wonder if he had been the doll too in some way meaning he had already kissed Sylphiel long before.
Sylphiel had admitted what she did at the end of her magical adventure the previous Christmas. That she kissed the Nutcracker that looked like him. Even though Sylphiel insisted the adventure had just been a dream Gourry could have been very upset about hearing his girlfriend kissing another man. But that other man had been a doll version of him. And Gourry had to wonder if the Nutcracker and the Fairy doll were sharing their own little romance. It always seemed that the two were tied to each other.
All this thinking made Gourry's stomach rumble so he knew he had to get downstairs to eat something. Except as he was about to hop out of bed he realized he was clutching something in his hands. It was the doll he had been working on the previous night. A doll that looked exactly like him but dressed in a white and gold prince's uniform. The strangest thing was that Gourry didn't even remember making it.
"Was this the doll I was working on last night?" He asked himself. Thinking back Gourry couldn't remember what the doll looked like. It didn't matter though he probably would have made a doll that looked like him eventually. What was important was his empty stomach and filling it.
...
It was Gourry's turn to work in the front end of the shop manning the register and helping customers. Since he had spent so much time working on toys Gable and Ester had insisted that their son take a break from it. Gourry had already made so many that they had more than enough to give away at the Nels Rada Christmas Eve party. Anything Gourry made from this point on would just be extras for the shop.
Sitting alone in the shop Gourry yawned. Though Christmas was so close the Gaberieve Toy Chest hadn't gotten a huge rush of customers. One might have been concerned with this from a business stand point but this happened every year. Everyone would be so crazy running around doing everything needed for the holidays except buy the gifts. It seemed to be customary in Candlyson for the townspeople to wait till the last possible moment to shop. Sure the shop got the occasional customer every now and then but for the most part it was slow.
Gourry was just itching to work on more dolls but he knew he had been forbidden. He had to stay in the front end and help any customers and not do any other work. To make himself feel better Gourry took some of the dolls he had made for the party with him to the front end to look at. There was something very satisfying about looking at everything you've made after spending so much time working on them. Naturally he didn't bring them all; just three of them but these were the three he was most proud of. One of those was fairy doll he made of Sylphiel, another was the butterfly Amelia and the last one was the one he fell asleep making, the doll of himself as a prince. He kept the dolls under the counter so only he could see them. The last thing he wanted was someone coming in to buy a toy and wanting to buy one of those. They were meant for the party after all.
Though Gourry had his little pretties to look at it did little to abate his growing boredom. He kept looking at the door hoping someone would come in so he could at least have something to do. But the chimes on the door never rang and Gourry found himself getting sleepier and sleepier by the moment. Every so often his head would drop as he started to drift off just to be snapped back up trying to force himself awake. He kept fighting to stay awake but soon it was just too much for him and Gourry nodded off.
Ten years ago...
Gourry excitedly raced his father to the front end of the toy shop. Today he would be helping his father run the front end of the business selling toys at the Gaberieve Toy Chest. Even though he was just a kid his father asking him to help really made Gourry feel like a grown up. He grinned from ear to ear beaming with excitement.
"Okay Gourry go turn over the sign to let people know we're open and I'll get the cash register ready." Gable asked his middle son.
"All done! We're officially open!" Gourry announced as he bounced right over to his father behind the counter.
"Good, now all we need to do is wait for the customers to come."
"And they'll be here any minute!"
Gable shook his head. "Not likely. It can take some time before anyone comes into shop. That's why we pass the time cleaning and rearranging things." He placed a big box on the counter for Gourry to see.
"What that?" Gourry leaned over to peer into the box to see its contents.
"All the new toys I've made in the past few days."
Gourry frowned. "All of them? So there's nothing left in your workshop?"
"No, they are all here ready for the public. This is why I make the toys Gourry. To bring happiness and joy to all the little children. Now help me set them up."
Gourry felt a bit sad as he put out all the new toys to be displayed. For the last few nights he had been watching the toys dance around after everyone had gone to sleep. If they were going to be in the front end then that meant there would be no late night balls.
"Gourry's wrong? You seem a little sad."
"I'm okay. It's just all the toys... they're all going to be separated." Gourry mumbled looking at the Fairy and the Prince dolls.
"Ohohoho! Gourry you always so imaginative! Toys don't have feelings and even if they did I'm sure it would be their greatest joy to go home with the girl or boy that chooses them. That is every toys' purpose in life, to make children happy." Gable tapped Gourry on the nose and pulled out the Fairy and the Prince doll and put them on the shelf behind them.
"Why are you putting those there?"
"Because these two dolls are special and for two very special children. They both should be coming sometime today with their parents."
Even though the Fairy doll and the Prince doll were both just placed on the shelf it appeared that they were holding each other's hand.
...
Time passed in the toy shop and Gourry eagerly helped each customer that came into the shop. It wasn't a particularly busy day but the shop was making a lot of business. But that was because the adults that came in the store to buy toys for their kids were charmed by the little salesperson helping them.
Going into the Gaberieve Toy Chest customers expected to have Gable or his wife Ester there to help them with their purchases and not little Gourry. It was both novel and adorable. And Gourry was a natural salesperson. Who better to ask what a kid would like for Christmas but a kid? So Gourry made all kinds of suggestion and the customers bought most of it.
Gable was beaming with pure pride as he watched his son sell toys. Gourry was doing so well. Though one thing was strange, Gourry wasn't suggesting dolls to the customers.
"Thank you and have a Merry Christmas!" Gourry waved and smiled as the most recent customers left the store.
"Wow Gourry you're sure doing well as a salesperson." Gable ruffled his son's hair affectionately.
"Gee thanks!" Gourry blushed.
"But Gourry why are you avoiding suggesting the dolls?"
"They were shopping for a boy though!" Gourry protested referring to the last customers he helped.
"Yes that sled you suggested was a good idea for them but there are several customers you could have sold a doll to. Why didn't you?"
Gourry didn't answer but looked guiltily at the Fairy and Prince dolls.
"Silly boy, those dolls don't have feelings."
"I know." Gourry mumbled looking down.
The doors chimed as a tall burly man and a little girl walked in.
"Welcome to the Gaberieve Toy Chest!" Gourry greeted them.
"Ohohohoho! You must be one of Gable's boys!" The large man patted Gourry on the head.
"Yes Phil, this is Gourry my second oldest son." Gable introduced his son to Philonel Sailune.
"Well this is my little Amelia." Philonel introduced his youngest daughter.
"So this is the special little lady that I made the fairy doll for?" Gable knelt down to talk to Amelia on her level.
"Yes sir." Amelia said very politely.
Gourry felt a knot in his throat formed. He spied a look at the Fairy doll on the shelf knowing that she was going to be gone soon.
The doors chimed again as another man and a young boy walked into the shop.
"Porison! Come in come in! You must be here for your son's prince doll!" Gable welcomed the newcomers.
"Yes Gable I am. This is my son Posel." Porison Tarforashia introduced his son. "However most of his friends call him Pokota."
Pokota didn't say much he instead chose to hide behind his father. That could have been because Philonel was so big and tall that he frightened the little boy. Pokota however seemed to be interested in Amelia as he occasionally spied looks at her.
Gable chuckled. "Pokota reminds me a bit of my youngest one Silas. Very shy and quiet. Well it's good timing the both of you coming in as you have. I can get you both your custom orders." As Gable went to reach for the two dolls on the shelf behind the counter things started to go crazy. All the toys that played music started playing and whirling about. The toys soldiers' guns shot their cork tops at people in the toy shop while the ones that could move nipped them at their feet. The planes flew around nearly hitting everyone in the head while the dolls that could talk started babbling on and on.
"What's going on?" Gable looked around in confusion.
"I'm scared!" Amelia cried out clinging to her father.
"Are the toys mad?" Pokota wondered as he too clung to his own father.
"Not mad." Gourry answered. "They just don't want to be separated."
With that statement it seemed to calm the chaos.
"They who?" Gable asked his son.
Gourry pointed to the shelf. "The Fairy and the Prince. They are afraid if they are taken away from the shop that they will never be able to see each other again."
"Gourry we've talked about this before." Gable chided while shaking his head.
"Perhaps there is merit to the boy's words." Porison mused. "All those toys coming to life on their own at the same time by chance seems too unrealistic."
"Daddy I don't want to take the fairy away from her prince." Amelia mumbled with tears forming in her eyes.
"I don't want to take the prince away from his fairy either." Pokota mumbled to his own father looking just as teary eyed.
Philonel and Porison looked at each other helplessly and then at Gable.
Gable didn't look impressed one bit. "Amelia, Pokota dolls do not have feelings. They are just dolls that I made with my own two hands. Now your fathers asked me to make them for you so they can't go to just any child out there. They are meant to go home with you. You have to take them with you in order for them to fulfill their destiny as toys." He plucked the two dolls from the shelf and handed them to Amelia and Pokota.
Both children were still sniffling but they took the dolls anyway.
"My Amelia, such a sensitive soul." Philonel gushed feeling just a tad misty himself.
"It is nice to have children so concerned with the feelings of others." Porison concluded.
"So true." Philonel agreed. "Thank you Gable and Merry Christmas! Come along Amelia, we have a long ride home."
"We have to be going to. Say goodbye Posel." Porison prompted his son.
"Goodbye." Pokota mumbled clutching his doll very tightly.
Gable waved goodbye as both pairs left the shop.
Outside on the street Amelia was about to follow her father towards their carriage when she felt a tug on her jacket. She turned around to see Pokota standing before her looking shier than ever. "Yes?"
"Hi." He spoke in a very shy voice.
"Hi." Amelia responded smiling.
Seeing the smile made Pokota blush and he had to look at the ground in embarrassment. "If the toy man was wrong... if they do have feelings... I think we outta promise something."
Amelia looked down at her fairy guilty and then back at Pokota. "What?"
"Promise we'll see each other again?" He posed that question as more of a hopeful request.
"But I live that way." Amelia pointed in the in direction she her father would be traveling. "Very far."
Pokota nodded and pointed in the opposite direction. "Yeah I go that way. But when we're big, we'll come back. So they can see each other again." He held up his prince doll.
Amelia smiled and giggled. "When we're really big!" She held up her own doll in agreement.
"Posel let's go!" Porison called out to his son.
"I gotta go. Bye, and Merry Christmas!" Pokota exclaimed cheerfully.
"Merry Christmas!" Amelia replied before giving Pokota small kiss on the cheek and scampering off to her own father.
Present Day...
The sound of the door chimes stirred Gourry from his slumber. He had fallen asleep slumped over the counter. Whipping the drool from his face he looked up to greet the customer. "Hello and welcome to the Gaberieve Toy Chest!"
"Hello Mister Gourry!" Amelia Sailune said cheerfully as she bounced her way over to the counter.
"Oh it's you... um..." Gourry fumbled over his words as he tried to remember the girl's name.
"Amelia. Remember I moved here last Christmas?"
"Ah right!" Gourry smiled sheepishly. He hated his poor memory, it was always so embarrassing. But as Gourry thought about he could forget Amelia's name so easily the dream he had just had popped into his head. The little girl in his dream had been named Amelia too. Was this the same girl? 'Nah...' Gourry quickly wrote it off. "So what can I do for you today? Is there a child you're looking to shop for? I can make suggestions for any child that will surely bring them delight!"
"Well to be perfectly honest I'm not here shopping for anyone. I know this might be a strange request but does your shop just sell toys or do you offer toy repair service as well?" Amelia wondered with hopeful eyes.
Gourry frowned. "Yes we can fix toys, but wouldn't it be nicer to have a newer toy instead?"
Amelia was quick to shake her head. "No, no this toy of mine is special. She can't be replaced. And I know my father bought her from this shop so I hoped that either you or your father could fix her for me."
"Her? What sort of a toy is it?"
Amelia fished around her velvet purse and produced something wrapped delicately in white tissue paper. It was a doll with raven hair and green eyes. Though her hair was the same glossy colour the paint of the eyes had faded some hiding some of her previous sparkle. And one of her wings was broken as was her left arm which was pointing in an odd direction. "Her arm is stuck and her wing is broken." Amelia explained handing the doll to Gourry.
"Her eyes could use some new paint too." Gourry mused looking the doll over. Yes the doll didn't look quite as it had in Gourry's dream, but he was sure of it. This was the Fairy doll. "I can fix her. Just come back in an hour."
"Oh thank you thank you!" Amelia grinned from ear to ear. "I'll be back." She twirled her way out of the shop while humming cheerful Christmas tunes.
After Amelia was gone Gourry compared his father's Fairy doll and his own fairy version of Sylphiel. The clothing was different but it looked exactly like Sylphiel. Gourry wanted to show his dad as he knew his father would get a kick out of it. However Gable was still helping Philonel fix up a house so Gourry knew his father would be busy. In hindsight Gourry realized he shouldn't have promised to fix the doll himself. This was a doll his father had made and therefore Gable really ought to be the one to fix it. But a promise was a promise so Gourry went to work.
Time passed as Gourry worked hard on fixing the doll. He was so focused that he almost didn't hear the door chiming. "Oh! Welcome to the Gaberieve Toy Chest!"
The customer that walked in was a teenager with long purple hair dressed in regal looking clothing. He had an air of quiet refinement that made him look dignified but not snobby. "Thank you." He responded in a very polite voice.
"You don't look familiar to me. Are you here on vacation?" Gourry wondered really wishing he could remember things better. 'He'd better not be from town or he's going to be really offended with me.' He realized.
The man shook his head. "Oh I'm not vacationing. My father and I just moved into the neighbourhood."
Gourry inwardly sighed with relief. "Well welcome to Candlyson! I'm Gourry and this is my father's shop. And what brings you in today?"
"A blue eyed girl..." He mumbled to himself.
"Huh?"
"I'm sorry I'm being rude. I'm Pokota." He offered his hand out to Gourry.
Gourry took it and gave it a good shake. That dream drifted back into Gourry's thoughts again and he had to wonder, was this the boy? "Pokota's not your real name is it?"
"No it's Posel. Funny that you should know that. I've only ever been in this shop once." Pokota admitted.
"Your father bought you a prince doll." Gourry prompted him hoping that information was correct.
"That's right! Wow you must have a really good memory!" Pokota exclaimed.
Gourry blushed with embarrassment. Very rarely was he ever told that. "So this blue eyed girl...?"
"Right." Now it was Pokota's turn to blush. He pulled out the very doll he had gotten from the shop ten years ago to show Gourry. "Hey that's funny, he looks like you."
"Dad likes to do that." Gourry admitted sheepishly.
"Well anyway back when I got the doll there was this girl with big blue eyes and the prettiest smile ever. She was getting a fairy doll that I'm pretty sure my prince doll was in love with." Pokota felt very silly saying those words out loud. It was a ludicrous suggestion that Pokota was sure he would be mocked for.
Gourry however didn't think it was silly and believed it very much himself. The prince was modeled off him and the fairy was modeled off Sylphiel. And it was always the case that any Gourry was destined to be any Sylphiel no matter if was a doll, person or a dream. "That makes sense. That fairy was modeled off my Sylphiel, who was destined to be girlfriend. And I love her lots."
Pokota sighed in relief and went further in his explanation. "We promised to meet other again. So I figured when Father announced we'd be moving to this town that this is the place I'll find her again."
The doors chimed and Amelia came bursting in the toy shop like a breath of fresh air. "Mister Gourry is my doll-" Amelia started to say until she noticed the purple hair guy in the room. "It's you!"
"I was right! It's like it was fated to be!" Pokota exclaimed. "I'm Pokota."
"I remember. I'm Amelia. Did you bring your doll?" Amelia asked bubbling with excitement.
"Yes." Pokota held it up for her to see.
"Mine is-"
"-fixed." Gourry finished off Amelia's sentence producing the Fairy doll.
"Oh she's just like she was when I got her!" Amelia gushed holding the doll tightly. "Thank you Mister Gourry! What do I owe you?"
Gourry shook his head. "Nothing. Call it an early Christmas present."
"Thank you so much!" Amelia beamed. "Pokota you didn't just come here to see me did you?"
"No, I'm moving into town." Pokota explained.
"Oh you must be the family moving into that house my father and Mister Gable is fixing up! This wonderful! We'll get to see each other every day!"
"And our dolls will never be apart." Pokota added while blushing.
Amelia smiled while nodding remembering their promise. "How about I show you around town? You must be hungry, we'll go have lunch!"
Pokota nodded. "Sure that sounds great."
"Let's go!" Amelia grabbed Pokota by the hand and the two of them smiling ever so bright.
Gourry smiled and shook his head while he put his doll repair stuff back in his box.
The doors chimed once more as Sylphiel herself stepped into the shop with a look of confusion splashed across her fair face. "Since when does Amelia have a boyfriend?"
"Since ten years ago." Gourry responded very cryptically.
Sylphiel looked at Gourry suspiciously but chose not to ask. "How have things been today?"
"Boring. I'd really like to be making toys right now even though I'm not supposed to. I've got an idea for a doll though what looks good paired up with a butterfly?"
Sylphiel pressed her lips together in though. "The only thing that comes to mind is a dragon fly."
"Yeah that could work. Thanks Sylphiel."
Sylphiel leaned in give him a kiss and noticed the dolls Gourry had hidden. "Ah so you made one of you huh?"
"Well it's there's a doll you there has to be one of me too." Gourry replied blushing.
Sylphiel giggled. "I think that's a good rule."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Merry Christmas to you and all the people you love!