A Fractured and Burned Nagamas

by 111 Oats

Every year, the Nagamas spirit invades the halide of Ylisse and the Exalt decides to throw a party for his people. An Annually Updated Christmas Story involving the characters of Fractured and Burned.

2. Nagamas 2018

HO HO HO

As 2018 comes to a close, the time for another round of Nagamas comes a ringin'. This one is going to be a little different. Rather than focusing on good ol' Zach for the entire time, we get to see what the entire cast is up to when celebrating the most wonderful time of the year.

This is going to be an annual thing. Every year, a new addition to the series will come out on Christmas day just for all you Seeds. Ooh, actually, I don't like that. I won't be calling you that. Harvesters. That's better. Yeah. My harvesters.

Once again, nothing here is confirming canon events in Fractured and Burned. All hypotheticals, like a positive Murphy's Law. No, that's a bad example. Think of this as a possible timeline stemming from Chapter 25: The Worst Mistake. This takes place after then, but has no bearing on the canon plot of what will happen after then in the story proper.

Anyway, now for the 2018 installment of A Fractured and Burned Nagamas!

Robert:

"Put it on."

"I won't."

"Come on, just put the outfit on." I shoved the bundle of red and white clothes into Cordy's arms, hard enough to stop her walking and knock her off balance. "You can't have a proper holiday party without costumes and booze, and you're only halfway there at this rate." I patted her on the shoulder and continued past, pulling a bottle out of my pocket of my own Santa-like get up. What could I say? It was Nagamas!

"I'll see you at the party."

"Maybe," she hissed, turning away with the outfit tucked under her arm. "That's a big maybe."

"I'll see you there." I kept my eyes forward now, took a swig from my drink—no idea what it was, I'd just snagged it from the drink table in the main hall before slinking off to find Cordy. Like the ballroom and the main hall, most of the castle was decorated for the holiday season, with red banners and white streamers and shimmering ornaments decking every wall in every hall with the exception of the hall of records, where the portraits of Chrom's ancestors hung instead.

I gave little thought to the decorations themselves. My mind lingered more on the air that it all gave off. I missed holidays and happiness, so it was nice to see overwhelming cheer filling this castle for once, from the decorations to the people dressed up like Santa to the thrum of chatter and laughter echoing throughout the palace. This felt like home, like family.

Which meant gifts. And I had plenty for everybody. But none of them were under the tree in the main hall. All of them were hidden in my room using methods shown to me by Gaius and adapted to by Robin, then modified again because I didn't trust either of them not to abuse their knowledge and peak.

I took a sweeping glance of the hall around my room before unlocking it and slipping inside. I locked it again once I was inside and went to work.

The easiest gift to recover was the one hidden beneath my bed. It was painted over, with a carpet thrown over that. Even then, only one of the eight panels flipped up to reveal the gift. This one was for Vaike, because I knew his dumb ass could break in but he wouldn't be smart enough to find it.

The rest of the gifts were hidden in increasingly harder places, culminating in the least hidden: Robin's, Gaius's, and Cordy's. All three were hidden in my weapon cabinet, in a box behind where my sword and axe hung, locked with a custom lock for which the key was destroyed. Gaius taught me how to pick the lock, and under that, a ward that only Robin and myself knew to dispel. Normally, I wouldn't take so many precautions, but Cordy's gift was important to me, and I put a lot of work into it. Gaius's meant next to nothing—hiding his was more of a prank than anything else, and I knew he'd already fallen for it because when I opened the cabinet, the lock was picked.

I chuckled at the sight. It made my job easier, too.

As for Robin's gift… hiding it was at Zach's request, since it wasn't just mine I was hiding. He threw his in there just in case, and asked that it be kept safe. It was special, he'd said. I teased him at first, then when I realized he was sincere, warned him against it, but he insisted, so I went along with this, aware that I was an accessory to whatever plot he was cooking up.

I recited the Valentian spell she taught me and thought of the key to the ward: All I had to know was precisely what I was protecting, the loophole and entire reason I relented to Zach's request being that I wasn't protecting his gift, merely holding it along mine, so the ward came apart and I pulled the bag of gifts out before shutting it all. Afterward, I pulled five more things out of my desk: a quill, and inkwell, a large sheet of paper, some thread, and a wide square of cloth. With the knife looped on my belt, I finished my gifts and piled them on the cloth, then tied it shut with the rest of the thread.

I kept Zach's gift for Robin separate—this Santa was not taking credit for someone else's gift. I would hand it to him later so he could deliver it. At the moment, though, ol' Saint Rob was feeling curiosity well up in him.

I kept it safe, I figured, staring down at the small black box. This is just paying the due.

I flipped it open. Inside was… well, pretty much what I was expecting, and I could see why he was so stubborn about it being kept secret. After all this time, it looked worn and weathered. Yet he still wanted to give it to her? "Gah, what is he—"

A knock on my door made me jump. I clapped the box shut, slipped it into my pocket, and threw the bag of gifts over my shoulder. Whoever it was knocked again, and I opened the door with my free hand, prepared to utter a hearty "Ho, ho, ho", but I was struck silent at the sight awaiting me.

"Well I'll be damned." I grinned, and Cordy blushed. "You put it on after all."

The Pegasus knight stood in my doorway in a very much not war-worthy outfit. It was very similar to her usual flier outfit, but colored red and white, with fur-edged hems. There was no chestplate—absolutely unreasonable and NOT in the Nagamas spirit—but I had the foresight to ensure that a thick cloak covered the majority of her upper body.

"You look good."

"This is strange." She tugged at the high collar and pulled down the edges of the skirt. "It feels weird."

"Well, it isn't high-class material, but it's the best I could find on short notice." I shrugged, and hefted the gift-sack higher on my back. "The coat's cheaper, too. You could always just take that off and—"

"Can we get going, please? I don't want to be late." She spun around and started off. I stepped out of my room and closed the door behind me. No need to lock it this time.

"Sure," I said, hustling to catch up and settling to a brisk walk once I had. "I need to get these all set around the tree anyway." And, I added silently, mindful of the gift in my pocket, give Zach this box.

"Is there one for me in there?" she asked, pointing at the gift sack.

"What?" I made my voice sound strained, bared my teeth in fake exertion as I pretended to struggle with the bag. "Sorry, can't talk. Heavy." I grabbed with both hands, took heavy steps, almost stomping down the holiday hall. "Need to concentrate." She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. I dropped the act. "Of course there is. What do you take me for?"

"A scoundrel who makes me dress up for a party."

I frowned. "That doesn't sound entirely unreasonable. It's a party! You're meant to dress up, get drunk, have fun—especially on holidays. I know that's exactly what I'm going to do." I would not be satisfied tonight until I woke up tomorrow with a wicked hangover. I was going to make the most out of today. "And I hope you'll join me?"

"We'll see."

I laughed and patted her hard on the back. "That's good enough for me!" I took longer steps now, striding ahead of her and entering the room in which we would spend the remainder of the night. The ceiling, thirty feet high if I had to guess, was scratched by the brand of the exalt on top of the Nagamas Tree. Those banners and streamers from outside continued here, lacing over wall fixtures and statues and encircling the tree. Orbs and star-shaped ornaments hung from them and the tree's leaves. But that wasn't what caught my interest.

On the other end of the room, there were two large, long tables. One held bowls of candies and deserts and plates of real food. I snagged a chunk of bread and a few holiday themed candies before continuing to the second table for the second time tonight.

Booze! Bottles and bottles lined it from end to end from all our neighboring countries. Chrom mentioned having a bottle from every high-class winery in Ylisse and plenty from overseas. I was excited to try the Valmese and Chonsinese stuff, but I knew I would be sipping on the hard Feroxi drinks the most. Speaking of… "Hell yeah," I said, setting down my bag to pour myself a glass. "Thank you Flavia."

"Maybe we should get everything set up while you're still coherent," Cordy suggested, tapping my shoulder.

"Yeah, I should get them delivered now." I put the bottle down and pulled the bag in front of me. I worked to undo the tie and once I had, fished through its contents until I found the box I was looking for. "Here." I handed her the only present in here that I managed to wrap. The others were stock. "But promise me you won't open it until I'm around. Okay?" She nodded. "Alright. Have fun. I'll see you in a bit." I grinned and gave her a thumbs up. "Santa's got work to do."

She smiled back. "Don't take too long."

I hoisted the bag up over my shoulder again and left her to (hopefully) get hammered whilst I was busy doing Saint Nick's job.

I kept my eye out for my fellow Earthlings, doing laps around the entire room and crossing into the halls on occasion. Along the way, I found Stahl, Virion, and Ricken, whom I gave their gifts before returning to my trek. I found my first victim—er, lucky child—in a winged man brooding near the tree.

Dylan:

"HO HO HO," came a bellowing voice from behind me. I turned around just in time to have a box thrust into my arms and chest hard enough to make my breath catch in my throat. I caught a flash of torchlight reflecting from his glasses as Robert grinned. "Merry Nagamas, birdboy. How's your night been so far?"

"Decent enough, I suppose," I coughed, then cleared my throat. I inspected the box he'd given me—it was light, so I was tentative to shake it. "But it's only just begun. I'm sure I'll take off when everyone gets here, though."

"What," he said, throwing his sack of gifts over his shoulder, "you get social anxiety?"

I shrugged. "A little. But that's not why." I grinned. "I've got something planned, and I think you'll like it. Make sure you stick around until then."

He gave me a suspicious look, arching his eyebrows. "Now you've got me curious. Well don't worry, I have no intention of leaving early. I intend to make the most out of the night, so I'm looking forward to what you've got up your sleep."

"I think you'll enjoy it," I repeated as he walked off, searching for other to deliver his gifts, if his outfit was any indication. He waved over his shoulder and soon left my sight. I hummed. His outfit was amusing—all he was missing was the beard—but posed a problem. I would have to tell Chrom that he had some competition.

Now that the thought entered my head, I peeked out the window. The sun was almost set. The party would be starting soon and everyone would be arriving soon.

I put my hands in my pockets, waiting for my cue. The moment Robin let the party commence, I would leave so we could do some last minute finalizations.

Every once in a while, I heard Robert bellow his "ho, ho , ho" and the cry of surprise from whomever he got the jump on. Part of me was grateful I was first. Otherwise, I may not have gotten my present.

I lifted said gift to eye level. A plain black box that contained… something. It was light, enough to make me believe it was empty. I put my ear to it, shifted it from side to side at a gentle speed. At first, anyway. When I heard nothing but the sliding of something small along the surface, I shook it harder. This resulted in my immense disappointment due to the clinking of coins inside. "Money," I huffed. "Of course it's just money."

I was no longer glad to have been first. I was half-tempted to just toss it aside. Money. What else did I expect?

I sighed, straightened my hat and was about to put my back to the Tree and resume my watch when a hand clapped my shoulder. I turned and looked down to see Zach pulling on his own Santa hat.

Zach:

"Hey, have you seen Robert?" I asked, letting go of him to finish buttoning up my jacket. "He's holding something for me." I took a cursory look over the room to check if I could see him. No luck.

"Uh, yeah, he was here a second ago," Dylan said. "Did you just get here?"

"Yeah, I lost track of time." Half-true. I made the mistake of waiting until last minute to remind Calli that the party was starting soon, which compounded with my search for Robert. The healer and I'd split up, with her heading from the infirmary ward to her room to get her costume, while I went to my own for the same purpose. Afterward, however, instead of coming straight here like she presumably did, I scoured the numerous halls of this damnably vast palace for either hide or tail of Robert. No luck. "Anyway, where'd he go?"

Dylan pointed off into the growing crowd of Shepherds and other attendants. "Somewhere over there. I don't know where exactly. But I'm pretty sure he's handing out gifts, so just look for Santa."

I almost started to walk away, but stopped mid-step and turned on him with a disappointed scowl. "Santa? Dylan, all of us are fucking Santa!" I barked. "How is that helpful?"

The laguz shrugged and turned away. I swore I caught a hint of a bemused smile grace his face, however. Nevertheless, I growled and pushed my way into the red sea. I was a fair bit taller than plenty of the people crowded in here, but their hats rendered that advantage useless as little puffballs covered my eyes with a field of seasonably appropriate white.

I had to remind myself that it was Nagamas, and I was supposed to be cheerful, but it was difficult when I was this stressed. Anxiety and the heat of so many people in such close proximity made me irritable, as well.

I kept my irritation inside. Just because my Nagamas started out rough—and it would not remain this way, I promised myself—didn't mean anyone else had to suffer for it. This was just a test of my willpower; I hoped the reward befit the arduousness of the journey.

I caught sight of random Shepherds in the mix. In passing, I greeted them with a few words and a pat on the shoulder. Stahl was chatting up Panne, both of them stood close to the other. I saw little Ricken standing next to a lost and confused looking Lissa. Vaike and Sully dominated a presence, actually offering a little opening for me to slip through when I made it that far.

Despite this, I noted that several Shepherds were missing. I did not count Rob among them, as I heard a Christmas cheer that could have been no one else popping up elsewhere. It was my sole lead on his trail.

But Sumia was absent. Chrom was, as well. I didn't see Kellam—a given—or Miriel, Lon'qu, or Olivia. Krystal was nowhere to be seen, and actual Secret Seller was nowhere to be seen, her partner presumably along with her.

I came out on the other side without a sign, and a grown escaped me. Cordelia, who was standing by the tables of drinks and food, waved at me, and relief surged over me. Wherever the Pegasus knight was, Rob was certain to be near. I jogged over to her, putting the most pleasant smile I could muster on my face. "Hey, have you seen Rob?"

She shook her head. "Not since coming here. He ditched me with the food so he could deliver gifts." I muttered a curse under my breath. "Why?" she asked. "Are you looking for him?"

"Yeah, he's got something of mine. I asked him to look after it, but I need it now." I couldn't see the windows, but I figured it to be late. The chandeliers and lights were lighting now, growing bright as night began to descend, and the room was getting tight. Robin was going to make her opening speech at any moment now. I wanted to get to her right after that, before anyone else had the chance to steal her away.

"Well, I—Oh, speak of the devil," Cordelia said and looked over my shoulder. "There he comes."

"HO HO HO!" Robert bellowed the familiar chant. His voice cut above the other din. "There you are! I've been looking for you." The hand that wasn't clutching at a mostly empty bag flew to his pocket and dug around inside. I could see now what Dylan meant by "look for Santa".

"Likewise," I said. He pulled the black box out and handed it to me. This eased no small weight on my soul. Breathing got easier again. "Thank you for looking after it."

"No problem," he said, voice thick with holiday cheer, but it dropped away and he pulled me close. In a voice too low for anyone else to hear, he said, "But dude, I don't know if this is a good idea. You guys just got back on good terms. I don't think she'll take this well."

"I know why you think that," I conceded, "but I think it'll be fine. Better than fine, actually. It's kind of a symbolism, you know? To bring us back to how we were before, before I screwed everything up." I was confident in this. Well… as confident as I could get. He must have noticed; even though he frowned, he let go of me and waved me off.

"One more thing." He pulled a box out of his sack and handed it to me. "Merry Nagamas." I smiled, bright and rejuvenated. He tried to reciprocate. "If you see Krystal or Emile, tell them to come find me here if they want their presents. I'll be getting shit-faced."

"Sounds good." I reentered the crowd with a new skip in my step. Whenever someone greeted me, I responded with newfound gusto and cheer. Nagamas was good again!

I was in the middle of a fascinating conversation with a purple-haired mage over how he sold a disfunctional self-igniting pan and pot set with a matching ladel to a Plegian man when a voice spoke over us via magic amplification. All of us turned our heads up to the balcony. Standing and leaning over the railing was Robin, her snow-white hair let down from its twin-tails to freefall from under her red cap.

"Welcome, one and all, to the annual Nagamas Party! This year is no different from the last, in that after a few hours of mingling, we will distribute presents amongst everyone here, and after a short intermission, everyone will move over to the ballroom where we will finish the night with merry dancing and music from a band provided by the reigning Khan of Regna Ferox herself! For now, talk and have fun. Help yourselves to the food and drinks provided at the tables along the wall over there. Let the festivities begin!" She accentuated the point by taking her hat and flinging it over the edge.

We cheered, hooted, and hollered. The party had begun. Nagamas spirit had possessed us, and we were in full swing. In those last moments before chaos erupted and everyone let loose all of the pent up holiday energy, a tall, winged figure sneaking out through the door I came in.

Dylan:

I escaped just as the cheering came to an end. Those still attempting to make a late entrance paid no attention to the guy with wings as the commotion inside drew all of the eyes. I rounded a corner, remembering the map of the castle to find my way to our designated meeting place. Robin's speech was nice, but what we had planned was the real event.

I was not alone, however. As I rounded the second corner on my path, I saw a red-headed dark mage heading the same way, a few yards ahead of me. Normally, it would not have been my problem if someone was skipping a party. It was their choice, and if they had anxiety or whatever, that was fine, but this time, I had a role to play. And it was Nagamas! The time for family and togetherness and all that! The least I could do was check up on someone, especially if I knew them.

"Hey." It came out brusque, she jumped, and I winced. I needed to work on my tone, still, it seemed. I rested my hands on my waist and stood in the center of the hall as she looked back at me. "Where're you going?"

"U-um, well, uh," she cast a glance over her shoulder, both of which were slumped. "Parties a-aren't exactly my thing, so I was… just going to head back to my room and… yeah."

"Come on!" I said, throwing my arms wide. "It's Nagamas! You can't just seclude yourself tonight. There are gifts to be given, joys to be had, dances and kisses and romance to be shared!"

She smiled, laughed a little. "You seem to be in a good mood."

"Because it's Nagamas!" I leaned forward, my wings flaring open. "It's a good night. A great night. The only night like this all year. I can't help but seize the opportunity for wanton cheer. And you should do the same."

Her smile faded, and she shifted uncomfortably. It looked weird while she was standing. "I don't know. I don't really have any reason to go…"

"Of course you do. You have a gift waiting for you, after all." That got her attention. She perked up, stood straighter.

"What?"

"Ah, but that's for you to find out. Only if you go back inside."

She considered for a moment. I crossed my arms in wait. "And what about you?" She eyed me down, staring up at me. "Why are you out here? If you're so gung ho about Nagamas, then why aren't you inside?"

"I, uh…" She had me there. I couldn't expose my plan, yet. Part of my motivation for coaxing her back in was for her to witness the surprise I had planned with the others. She must witness my majesty. "You'll see. I promise, you'll see and you'll love it as long as you go back in. It's my own sort of present."

Krystal:

I was suspicious of the laguz. His eyes still unnerved me, and paired with his exuberant grin, I was left unable to completely concede. However… I did give in with a sigh. I didn't like the party-part, but… well, I was still hungry, and I had yet to receive a gift. Also, seeing him in such a good mood made me more lenient. His surprise must have been something, indeed.

"Alright. When will this surprise be?"

"Later," Dylan said, grinning wider. His wings folded as his composure returned. "For now, pass the time by visiting the banquet tables, where Santa is certain to be gorging himself on cookies and eggnog."

I frowned, but he marched past me without another word. I opened my mouth to call after him, but he was too fast. His long legs carried him down the hall at breakneck speeds. Defeated, I spun and took tentative steps back into the main hall. As soon as I swung one of the heavy wooden double doors open, bright lights and loud voices embraced me.

I did as Dylan instructed and made my way over to the admittedly inclusive banquet tables. As he predicted, Santa was here. Multiple of him, in fact, and I was more lost than before. At least I don't stick out, I mused. This outfit was a win on both accounts, in that it was less revealing than my usual attire and it matched every other person here.

"OH!" A panicked voice made the exclamation, and it was followed by a crash as one of the Santa's—the most faithful to the original, bag included—fell off of his chair and onto the ground, his fall cushioned by said bag of what I presumed to be gifts. He spun around onto his stomach and thrust a hand inside, rummaging around as he called out, "HO HO HO, stay right there, Krystal!"

I froze, and the red-dressed people between us separated. A blank space between he and I.

"Hello, Krystal." Standing at the fallen Santa's side was a crimson-haired woman with a pretty face. "Good to see you."

"Good idea, Cordy," the man still on the ground said, then began to crawl into the bag. His next words came out muffled. "Keep her distracted while I find her present."

Cordelia didn't do anything. As the Santa, who I assumed was Robert with the disdainful look the Pegasus knight flashed at him before smiling at me and shrugging, continued to hunt for the present Dylan promised me, the other party-goers that had witnessed the charade brushed it aside and resumed their previous conversations.

"Grab some food," she said. "This is probably going to take him awhile." Robert made a noise of protest. "It took him five minutes to find Emile's gift." A longer, louder groan thrummed from the bag and its half-consumed owner.

I grabbed a few cookies to munch on and took a seat beside Cordelia. "Has he been doing this all night?"

"Giving gifts to people? Yeah. He gave me this." She pulled a box, wrapped and adorned with a bow, out of one of her jacket pockets. "He gave me this earlier, but won't let me open it yet. I don't know why, but—" One hand popped out of the bag and waved a warning finger at her before returning to the task at, uh… hand. "Very frustrating."

"It did NOT take me five minutes to find Emile's gift," Robert said, finally popping his head out and looking up at us. He stood, an unwrapped, undecorated box in one hand and gave it to me. It was heavy. "It took me one minute at most. And that's because there are still a dozen gifts in here and they all look the same on the outside. Here you go, Krystal. Open it now, if you want."

I shared a look with Cordy. She smiled, and I shared it. "I think I'll wait."

The merc gave me a strange look, one eyebrow raised. "Why?"

"Well, you haven't even let Cordelia open hers yet. How can I open mine when she can't? That isn't fair." I set the box to the side and took a bite of another cookie.

"That's because… never mind, it can wait." He looked away, eyes sweeping over the entirety of the room. "And it will. I'm not done giving gifts. I still have to give Calli hers. Krystal, would you like to help me find her?"

"Um…" I looked to Cordelia, asked the silent question of whether or not she would be going with. She shook her head, so I looked at Robert and declined with a muttered apology. "I'm going to stay here for a while, I think." I could only repress the overwhelming presence of way too many people so far. Being near someone was a safe haven though, and I was loathe to leave it.

"Suit yourself. Let me know if you hear anything about Zach while I'm away. I'm waiting for the kid to get shot down." He pulled a second box from the bag and ditched the rest. "See ya, now—I mean, ho, ho, ho!"

Once he was gone, Cordelia sighed. "He left the bag of gifts." Was the glint in her eye mischief or a flicker of light from a nearby candle? "You know what that means." Her hands flew for the tied hem and I found that yes, I did know what that meant.

Emile:

"Here." I gave Anna the little cloth bag and watched her undo the green ribbon. "Not much, but I thought you'd like it."

She pulled the box out and opened it. No gasp, unlike what I was expecting. Instead, a devious smirk spread across her face. "Now this is a spendy-looking piece." She pulled the hairpin up by one of its blue wings. One of her eyes closed as the other placed its butterfly shape under intense scrutiny. "That's a real silver lining, too," she observed.

Pulling her attention—and her eyes—from the pin, she said, "I do hope you tried to bargain for this. It would cost you a pretty penny, otherwise, and wouldn't exactly be in the proper spirit. This entire gift-giving thing is kinda my family's idea, so not doing it right would be very disrespectful." She winked.

"Of course I bargained for it. Got it for half the price you cousin was trying to sell it for."

Now she gasped, and went for extra points. Her hands clapped over her mouth and her eyes went wide. "Oh my gods!" the merchant exclaimed. "I'm so proud! Over one of my cousins, no less?"

I nodded. "Your teaching has done me well."

She squealed, threw the hairpin into the air and jumped at me. It happened in a blur, and the next thing I knew, her arms were around me in a vice grip and she was saying how she knew I had it in me, and how she'd never been more proud, and that this was the best Nagamas gift she'd ever received. It was enough to make me blush.

"I'm glad you like it so much," I managed. Her hug was squeezing the air out of my lungs. She was showing no signs of letting go, however. I decided to return the favor. I had the advantage of strength, arm length, and height. When I gave her my own tight embrace, I lifted her up and spun her around, earning another yelp and some giggling.

I set her down, and she laughed again. "It seems I'll have to get you a present, now, doesn't it?" Her tone was weird, but I paid it no mind.

"You haven't already?" I asked, surprised that the most shop-savvy Shepherd had yet to buy a gift for her apprentice and partner. "This hardly seems fair."

She sighed, patted me on the shoulder. "Oh I have. I have it all planned out, trust me on that. I just sometimes forget that you can't take hints very well." I frowned. What hints? "Your.. gift… will have to wait. For now," she grabbed both of my shoulders and spun me around. "Why don't we feast on a little drama?"

With all the identical costumes and the people wearing them, I had no idea what she was talking about. After a moment, when my confusion became apparent, she grabbed my head and aimed it at a corner, where a white-haired woman with a stern look was talking to a dark haired guy with something in his hand—oh wait, I knew them. "It's just Zach and Robin." Why did she think there would be drama?

"Ugh," Anna rolled her eyes. "Sometimes you're a little too clueless, and it stops being cute." She got up on her toes and rested her chin on my shoulder to see from my point of view. "Look at how upset our fair tactician is. It's clear our friend Zach has done something to upset her. If I had to make a wager, I would put my money on that something being the necklace he's trying to give her."

"Necklace?" If I squinted, I could pick out a hint of a round shape dangling from the myrmidon's outstretched hand. "Huh. I'm impressed you could pick that out from here. That you could pick any of this out, for that matter. It's chaos."

She shrugged against my back. "A merchant's got to be able to read her crowd, be it for finding a sale or for passing the time. This is one of the latter situations." It was new to me, spending Nagamas spying on what Anna hypothesized to be a heartbreak pending between two of my friends. Not an activity I'd indulged before, much less in the company of a girl who could read both parties involved like children's books. If I had been the one being analyzed, I would have been scared with how easily she picked apart each gesture.

"Oho, now she's really mad," the merchant stated. "See the hands on hips thing? Yeah, that's no good. I don't know what your friend said, but he's royally screwed himself. There is no recovering from here."

Robin shook her head, Zach said something, then the tactician closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Even I caught on here. When she spoke next, her mouth moved at a slow pace to emphasize every word. They all appeared to hit hard, as he was stock still afterward. Even after she turned to leave, he did not move. It was not until a minute later, after she had fully merged back into the crowd, that he tilted his head up to the ceiling for a moment, balled the necklace up in his fists, and stormed our way, his head now hung low.

For a moment, I thought he knew we were watching, and rushed to push Anna off and turn away so I could act natural. The merchant stopped my scrambling with a whack to the head and shushed me.

Despite coming toward us, I realized, the myrmidon was not coming at us. Instead, he breezed past, muttering, "—were you thinking, you goddamn idiot?"

"Yeesh," Anna said after he'd gone out into the hall, door swinging shut behind him. "The necklace looked cheap but I don't think it'd cause something like that. What about you?" I shrugged, and she hummed. "I bet there was some emotional junk in the way. You think it was a romantic tragedy?" I shrugged again. I didn't know and didn't concern myself with it. I had already moved on, bent down to pick up the dropped pin and clip it into Anna's hair.

Robert:

"Couldn't find her," I announced, defeated.

I slumped down in the chair between Cordy and Krystal after my third fruitless lap around the massive room. "She's like a ninja."

"Who are we talking about?" Cordy asked, perturbed by me interrupting whatever they'd been talking about when Saint Rob arrived.

"Calli," I said, certain I'd told her the last time I passed by. The assuredness of the memory evaded me, but I cared not. My feet hurt after all this walking. I leaned my head back until it rested on the table behind me. "I've found everyone else but her."

"Are you giving up?" She sounded hopeful.

"No."

"Oh." Disappointed.

"But," I said, raising a finger. My eyes were closed, but I could tell that I caught their attention with the genius tactic. Saint Rob was a genius, even when exhausted. "I have found a surrogate. A little helper elf to assist me in my quest."

"So you've found someone to do your job for you, is what you're saying." Cordy was smug. Saint Rob would take no such blatant disrespect from one so clearly afflicted with a lack of holiday spirit! No matter how correct her statement was.

I shot upright and looked her in the eyes, my face an inch or two from hers. "You're on the naughty list for that, missy," I stated. "I should take your gift away for that remark."

"No!" She clutched the box to her chest with both hands and twisted her body to hide it from me. "You've given me one gift and haven't let me open it yet. The last thing I'm going to do is let you take it away before I can." I reached my hand out, pretending to take it. With a crack and a blur, her hand flew out to slap my hand to the side. I withdrew the sure-to-be bruised digits with a hiss.

"Alright, fine." I glared at her. Behind me, Krystal giggled. I sighed and returned to my lazing position. "I've technically given away all of my gifts, so my bag is empty. In spite of my reluctance to still let you, I'll keep my word. You can open your present now."

She gave me a bright smile. I had a hard time not suffering the same fate as a result. "Finally," she breathed. "Making me wait all night, this had better be good."

"Oh it is," I promised. "I swear, you're going to love me after this." I received a strange look for this, both from Cordy and the dark mage at my side, whose face went red a single shade. I watched out of the corner of my eyes as Cordy undid the red bow and tore away the white wrapping paper. She opened the box and peered in. Her mind took a second to recognize what lay inside, but when it did, she gasped.

"Robert!"

I grinned. "Pretty good, eh? Handmade, too."

She grabbed the necklace by the black thread and pulled the custom made, white-painted wooden Pegasus into view. Her name was inscribed on the back, made visible when she spun it around to get a good look at the front. "You made this?" I nodded. "That's amazing, thank you!" It wasn't easy, either, what with the lack to proper woodworking tools, but I made due with a knife and file. Still took me a long ass time, but seeing her smile was worth it.

"Merry Nagamas," I said. "Oh!" I leaned forward. "I forgot, your gift isn't over yet!" Before she could question it, a screech interrupted every single conversation and cut the room into silence. All eyes turned to the source of the sound, which just so happened to be flying by with a carriage tied behind his winged back.

"Is that…" Krystal muttered, squinting.

"Dylan?" Cordy finished her question, equally confused. I merely reclined once more. As always, Saint Rob's timing was impeccable.

The enormous balcony that hung off to one side of the hall served as a landing pad as the red-and-white colored hawk flew low, beating his wings to slow as a sleigh, not a carriage, pulled into view and slid to a barely safe stop. Dylan landed beside it as the final part of my gift and main man of the party arrived.

"HO HO HO." Chrom's booming voice made me frown. That's my thing, I grumbled. Still, I had to be impressed at his dedication to a role he was unbeknownst to. Like the rest of us, the Exalt wore the attire of Santa, but like me, he took it a step further. Two steps, rather, as while he had a sack of gifts, he also wore a gray, curling beard as he vaulted the edge of the sleigh.

"Merry Nagamas, Shepherds and Sheep!" Chrom-Santa said. "I am grateful that you could all make it tonight. I hope you all received gifts from your loved ones and lovers, and that you've enjoyed yourself accordingly. But know that the night is not done!" He raised his arms, cut-off sleeves baring his arms. "We've still the entirety of it left for us to celebrate this wonderful day! And right now, that celebration will move to the ballroom!"

On cue, the double doors leading to the larger, more well-lit round room opened. An orchestra began their first sonata. "Dance the night away, ho, ho, ho!" People flooded into the other room, taking their partners by the hand and beginning to dance to the magical, classical, strangely Earthly music. I recognized the tune of jingle bells in an orchestral style.

The superior Santa—a title I was forced to begrudgingly hand to Chrom—sprinted over, his hair stuck to his forehead with sweat. "Hey," he said, nodding to me. I returned it and gave him a handshake. "Seems I win this time."

"Seems so," I said.

He turned to Cordy, her face was aflame in an instant. "Seeing as the dancing has already started and Robert here is too tired to dance," the Exalt said, "may I take his place as your first dance of the night, Cordelia?" I played my part, collapsed into my chair and fanning my face with my hand. I winked at her, though, and mouthed a second "Merry Nagamas."

"I…" She turned back to Chrom, but her tongue was in knots. Thankfully, the Exalt was patient, and gave her a chance to collect herself. Come on, girl, I thought, get it together and take this man's hand! She took a deep breath, smile warmly, and placed her hand in his outstretched one.

Chrom escorted her away, she mouthed a "Thank you" my way, and I stopped fanning myself with a content sigh.

"There. I'd call this a successful night," I said.

Krystal mumbled an awkward, "Yeah."

I closed my eyes. I could have gone to sleep right then, had the night been later. "What about you? You have anyone you're going to dance with?" Most of the room was empty by now, with the majority of people dancing the night away with the people they came here with. That option was gone for me and, I supposed, for Krystal, as well.

"U-um, no, I don't think so." She shook her head. Her eyes shifted to the floor, her feet. Her face was red again. "I think I'm just going to go back to my room."

"What?" My eyes opened wide. "No, you can't do that."

She glanced at me, then rolled her eyes. "Why does everybody keep saying that? Just because it's Nagamas doesn't mean I can't do what I usually do, does it?"

I sat up. "No, but it's a time for family and togetherness." Was that a word? "It's when people can stay by one another all night without repercussion—unless you drink a lot. Then they come in the morning." The dark mage frowned. I noticed the black box still tucked under her arm and seized the opportunity. "Besides, you haven't even opened your gift yet."

She looked down at it and said, "Oh. Sorry."

"Open it now," I urged. I spun the chair around so the back was facing her, crossed my arms on that, and used them as a cushion so I could watch her reaction. I'd known how Cordy would react to her gift, but I'd never given Krystal anything. My money was on her getting red as usual, but I also had the feeling that she was full of surprises.

"Okay." Hers was unwrapped, so she popped the lid off and the gift was in view. "Is this…"

"A new Nosferatu tome, yeah." The silver-engraved design on the book's cover was as haunting as it was when I bought it. Krystal opened the cover and flipped through the pages, eyes bright and wide as they took it in. "I asked Cordy what you would want and she said you were talking about wanting to buy a new tome to read through, so I bought this one. Figured you hadn't read through one of these yet, since they're hard to come by, so—"

She wrapped her arms around me in as tight a hug as I assumed her slight frame could manage. The fact that the dark mage barely had to duck to hug me while I was sitting amused me. "Thank you so much," she said, her voice muffled by my shoulder. "I didn't expect in a million years that you'd buy me something like this."

"That's what Santa does, remember?" I chuckled, patted her on the back. "And you're giving me quite a surprise right now. Isn't this hug a bit brazen for your taste?" Immediately, she backed off. "Not that it was a bad thing," I murmured. I grinned. It was not her first reaction, but the blush was here now, and it was fierce. Her hair paled in comparison.

"S-sorry." Her hands fiddled with the hem of her skirt. "I j-just, you know, didn't know how to thank you. This is a lot, and I didn't get you anything, so…"

"It wasn't that bad." I dismissed her concerns with a wave. "But if you're really so worried about paying me back, I have an idea." I stood and offered her my hand. She looked at my hand, then stared up at me. "Like Chrom said, the night is still young. You can go back to your room if you want, but I would greatly appreciate if you did me the honor of favoring me one dance."

She was hesitant. I saw it in the way her eyes flicked from mine, to my hand, then back to my eyes. She chewed on her lower lip for the duration of her contemplation. Eventually, something swayed her decision in my favor. She smiled, and her hand fell into mine.

"Atta girl. Let's go." I led her by the hand. Then, once we were a safe distance from the table, I pulled a slick move and slid my arm through hers, lacing them together like everyone else here was doing. She made no complaints, to my pleasant surprise. The last thought I had before being engulfed in music and peace was, "Now I hope the others can join us."

Calli:

I was still getting used to the shortness of this skirt when Anna and Emile passed by, the lancer being dragged by his jacket sleeve into the ballroom by the over-excited merchant. Their cheer in this most wondrous holiday brought a smile to my face. It was extinguished, however, as I was once again met with disappointment in failing to find the man I was looking for.

I did find a lead, though. Dylan stood off to the side, putting on his coat and cap while speaking with Panne, who also deigned to indulge in the custom of dressing up. She asked him a question, and he responded with a shrug, saying, "I don't see why not," when I drew close enough to hear.

"Hello," I said. They greeted me in kind. "How goes your evening?" I found it my responsibility to ensure they were enjoying themselves on Nagamas. With Mister Libra running the chapel, I was the sole envoy of Naga's church present. To whom else would the responsibility fall?

They both responded with the same vague yet not altogether negative answer of "Okay." I paid that no mind. "I have a question, now: have either of you seen Zach? I've been looking for him, but have had no luck in finding him."

The shapeshifters shared a look. Panne shook her head, and my hopes suffered a hard blow, but Dylan had a different answer. "Why are you asking? Got a special plan for the boy?" He grinned. I rolled my eyes.

"I owe him a favor," I said, smiling back up at him.

"Ah," he leaned to Panne, "owes him a favor, she says. I see." He chuckled and I rolled my eyes again. "Yeah, I saw him head out into the hall earlier. Looked real bummed out. Could probably use some cheering up. Maybe you should ask him to dance." He elbowed Panne, but I didn't think she got whatever joke he was trying to make. "But yeah, he went that way."

"Thank you." I made to leave, but spun around at the last second and added, "Panne, I hope you have special plans for this boy. Maybe ask him for a dance."

"I already have," she deadpanned, and I laughed.

"Merry Nagamas," I said, heading for the hall. My eyes had to adjust to the harsh shift in lighting as soon as the doors shut behind me and the noise was dulled out. The only light outside of the two occupied rooms were scattered lanterns lining the halls, though they weren't bright enough to light everything, leaving shadows to dance over the spaces between. It was a kind of refreshing sight after being enraptured in the overwhelming holiday presence inside. I suspected that it was this urge of fresh air that convinced Zach to retreat to one of these shadows.

"Hello." My suspicion changed when he didn't react to my voice. I frowned; it changed to a confused smile as I sat down beside him, mirroring him with my back to the wall and my knees drawn up to my chest. We sat there for quite some time. I gave him time and the chance to respond. When he didn't, I spoke in a soft, friendly tone. "Zach? Are you feeling alright?"

He sighed. "I don't know."

"What's wrong?" I bit my tongue too late. It was the wrong question.

"I'm an idiot." His response was immediate. I winced.

"What happened, I mean." It was still an iffy wording, but this time, he put more thought into his response. I took that as a good sign.

"I fucked up my thing with Robin again. I tried to give her this." He put his hand out and dropped something cold into my lap. I picked it up and wrapped my hands around the brown sphere, letting the chain dangle. I recognized it.

"Ah. I can see how she wouldn't take too kindly to that." He hummed in agreement. I tilted my head to look him in the eye, but he turned away to prevent it. "But you know she won't be mad forever, right? She's probably already over it."

"Yeah, I know," he muttered. "I just… I feel like shit for it. I always seem to ruin everything. It makes it hard…"

I pause and look down at the amulet. It was worn and covered in scratches. How long ago was all that, when he'd first tried to give this to her? All kind of bad memories were connected to this pendant. With a glance at him, I knew they affected him just as much as anyone. In a spur of the moment, I undid the clasp on the chain and put it around my neck, then clasped it again so the brown orb hung just below my collarbone. "Thank you for the present," I said, smiling at him. "I'm eternally grateful."

He looked up from his knees, brow furrowed in confusion. Then his lips parted in protest, and I giggled. "I mean…"

"You gave it to me didn't you?" I had him there. "I think it's a gift, then. Since you haven't given me one otherwise."

"I suppose."

"And now I owe you one, right?"

"I…"

"I think so." I jumped to my feet and smoothed my skirt. "Come on, get up."

"What?" He looked up at me, eyes sunken.

"I said get up!" I waved my arms for him to stand. "Come on, we haven't got all night." It was still early, but I wasn't completely wrong. "We're going to the ballroom."

"What?" he repeated. "Why? I don't want to dance."

"You're going to anyway." I held my hand out, waited for him to take it. He just stared at it like a wild kitten, scared of the unknown. "Get up and dance, boy. What's still got you down?"

"Just… I don't know, tonight hasn't been good to me."

"So what?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips. "It's Nagamas! The Greatest night of the year. It doesn't matter if tonight's been bad so far, you still have the rest of it ahead of you. And this only comes once a year. Are you really going to waste it wallowing in heartbreak?"

Once again, I offered my hand. I was getting this boy to dance, whether he wanted to or not. I grinned now. His eyes left my hand and met mine. I stared into those blue orbs and willed away the negativity. We sat there for an eternity. I thought we would forever, long after the sun had risen and Nagamas was over. Instead, he broke the timelessness by saying, "I don't know how to dance."

I laughed. He lifted his hand and I seized it. He almost pulled me to the floor when I tried to pull him up, so he stood on his own. He smiled at my attempt. "Neither do I," I admitted. "But that's not going to stop me from trying." I fit his arm through mine and lead him back toward the main hall, through the doors, and into the ballroom.

"It's Nagamas. No one has to care. Tonight is about being together and being happy. No one here is going to judge you for missing a step to a dance no one knows. Do you understand, Zach?"

"I think so."

"Don't think." I shook my head. "Act." I put his arms around me, then mine around him. "Dance. Even just for one song. Smile, laugh. Have a merry Nagamas."

Merry Christmas, everyone! I know it's a few days late, but work had me swamped and I was exhausted. Either way, it's here, and it's staple. This one might not be as short and sweet at the last, but I have a larger cast to work with. Funnily enough, I still related it back to Zach quite a bit. Does that make me selfish? Regardless, here we are. I hope you all enjoyed and had merry Christmases or whatever holidays you celebrate this time of year.

Also, Christmas Eve is not a holiday, change my mind.

All of the Bells have Jingled out of the building.