Zazie
To begin, my dear friends, let's start with Zazie
Wasiolka at his side, both tired and queasy
Just returned home, from a thrilling long course
On the back of a fellow Bee steering an iron horse
To follow his idol? But a wish come true
His sentiments they visited, and his sister too
Back with presents and care, for his feline chums
For his dingo too, of course, why wouldn't she deserve some?
A mother with three kittens, enough love for the house to last
On her neck a green ribbon belonging to that of a young lass
In his stove a cooking supper, the scent rising above
Reminiscent of a memory; of a girl he came to love
And even for the vengeful boy, firing naught but bullets of malice
It's the dusk of the Holy Night; a peace filling his heart's empty chalice.
It came to pass that snowfall littered the outside of Zazie's parlor, the snow thickening upon the stairs to his residence as he returned from the Holy Night, his body quivering under the cold as his footing staggered, clumsily entering his home. As the hindering pile of snow piled the entrance, his weary self begrudgingly placing a reminder on his head to shovel it away the following morning, as he lazily stretched himself from the accumulated fatigue over the long journey.
Today was the Holy Night; and Zazie, like every other year, was in his Santa-like, Holy Night Messenger outfit over the original uniform, delivering presents and granting the wish of their recipients. Although Zazie wasn't one to enjoy the tradition of Holy Night as a Letter Bee, between "the uncool red outfit" and "how he dreaded this day every year", the fact that he was paired with Jiggy Pepper this year made it more than worth the hassle; to Zazie, it was nothing short of a dream come true, so he was exceptionally excited for the Holy Messenger work that day. Wasiolka joined him too, as dingoes were permitted for the delivery this year.
Somehow, watching his idol in the red outfit itself dissipated his original dislike of the festive, as he remembered being sent home from his motorcycle, where Jiggy had dropped him to walk home just a stone's throw away from the Bee Hive. The two had visited two stops for the day, one for a widow in Jose, whereas, in a rare moment of time, Zazie had the opportunity to follow Jiggy to Kyrie, to witness his usual pub and the church bell he funded, as well as visiting his younger sister, Nelli, in the Dead End Town. One out of little opportunities to learn of Jiggy's pasts from his efforts to his unwavering care for his adopted siblings, the tiring day was well worth his efforts. Zazie unconsciously blushed slightly as he thought of the older Bee's enchanting smile, locking the memories of the day's luxury within his heart.
Zazie smiled as he was welcomed by his cat and her litter of kittens all warm and cosy under her fur upon entering the front door, adorable mewing filling the snug little house, a fire crackling in the fireplace as they kept themselves warm near it. As he would always when he returned home, his feline friends were rewarded with a bowl of milk to help themselves from, whereas Wasiolka was rewarded with a bigger treat in the form of a slice of chicken that was sizzling in the stove, as she nibbled on it gratefully, purring under the warm caress of her master's hand. Taking two of the smaller sheets that sprawled upon the slight mess of the room, he kept his dingo and his pets all warm and congenial under the cold. His adoration towards felines was made obvious with the tender care he had towards his pets within the small, yet comfortable house, and although he originally thought he would have his hands full with his fellow alley cat, the extra company added great sentimentality and comforting company for when he had time for home.
Caressing his hand on the green ribbon on the mother's neck as she and her children happily indulged in their haven of warm milk, he was reminded of the girl with a past similar to his, the young lass who lived alone atop Jewel Snow Mountain — Sonja, the orphaned, innocently bright girl whose parents were murdered by gaichuu, akin to his own experience. He couldn't help but wonder who was addressed to her residence this year; did Lag or Connor get to her? He stood wondering if she lived a better life ever since her misunderstanding was resolved, wondering if he should have visited her; "Do you wanna head anywhere?" He recalled Jiggy asking him. Jiggy's motorcycle wasn't fond of steep mountains, nor did the thought cross his mind at the time, but there was now a slight longing within him of her sentiments they shared the year before.
The mouthwatering scent of supper sizzled on the stove as enticed Zazie's ravenous, empty stomach, taking him away from his silent thoughts. Having worked the entire day with little rest and refreshment, the strong desire to be nourished coursed through him as his mind thought of Emily, the girl he loved and ended. She was both a figure of his revenge and the warmth that opened room in his heart, an important lesson learnt in that one must not let hatred consume oneself. When was the last time his appetite hungered as strongly it did during his time with the blind girl? The memory with bittersweet in itself, as he hoped that she had found her rightful, tranquil place beyond his knowing after her departure, chuckling in the remembrance of the memory that changed his life forever. The state of his growling stomach told him that food never tasted that good under hunger after he had finished making it, each bite reminding him of the precious times he shared with the twelve-year-old in the hilltop hotel.
Though Zazie relished killing Gaichuu more than the main job of a Letter Bee, the peace of the Holy Night spread within his heart that contained only a purpose for vengeance, shown by the heat of the crackling flames and the gentle, satisfactory nudging and purring of Wasiolka and his cats cozily asleep beside the fire. His lip curved into a smile, revealing a feline-like tooth as he slumped upon the couch, drifting himself into dreamland; knowing that with his experience this year, wishes were things that could be granted, with a little faith placed into it.