Okay, this really should have been already up by the first of the New Year. I can probably launch a big investigation to find out why it wasn't up and point the finger at who or what is responsible, or I can use that time productively to finish Weapons and Redemption.

After stashing the Shy Guys in a corner tied up and gagged, the minions began to investigate the Toy Box looking for an entry point.

"They get very small in order to fit in," said Count Bleck, "but what kind of sorcery do they use?"

"Sorcery!" Mr. L slapped his fist into his palm. "Doesn't someone here have sorcery that can shrink us?"

"I know there's a Pixl with that power," said Tippi. "Not me, though."

"I believe I could manage to shrink one or all of us… with magic!" said Dimentio cheerfully."

"That won't be necessary," said Tippi. "My Pixl Powers show that this springboard here is used to propel a person into the toy box and shrink them in the process."

"Killjoy."

"Very well," said Count Bleck. "Let's get started."

"Wait a moment," said Tippi. "Shouldn't we free the Shy Guys before we go?"

"It would be in everyone's best interest if we freed them on our way out," he replied.

"Yeah, we don't have the best track record for that."

"New year. New start."

"Ah."

So, one by one, they propelled themselves into the toy box.

Shy Guy's Toy Box was a wonderland of colorful toys, games, and all forms of amusement. Every structure was built out of toy blocks, decorated with toys, and full of toys. Shy Guys loved to play more than anything. A large toy train ran through the box, depositing the now-tiny residents anywhere they wanted to go.

"Hey!" one of the Shy Guys at the toy train station called. "You guys aren't Shy Guys."

"No," said Count Bleck.

"What are you, then?"

"I'm not entirely sure myself, on some counts." He turned his head and looked. "What are you, anyway?" he asked.

"Are you addressing me?" asked Mr. L.

"We're looking for New Years Eve," said Count Bleck.

"Oh. Are you the armored car we ordered?"

Count Bleck turned around again. Then he turned back and said, "Yes, we are."

"Absolutely," added Tippi.

"Take the train to the Green Station and head west. First treasure chest you see."

"Thank you."

They all carefully piled on the toy train. There was just enough room for them all to be uncomfortable, but not crowded enough for open complaining. Fortunately it was quick for a toy train, and arrived at the Green Station before tempers could flare. Thank goodness for that, thought Count Bleck.

The train stopped.

"Pardon me," Count Bleck asked one of the station hands. "Which way is west?"

"There's no west in a toy box," replied the station hand.

"Nonsense, there's west everywhere," said Count Bleck. The Shy Guy didn't have a response for that, so Count Bleck tried a different tack. "Where are they holding New Years Eve?"

"That way," said the Shy Guy, pointing down one walkway of the toy box.

"Then that's west, you—"

"Blumiere, just drop it," said Tippi.

"Very well…"

They headed forward. There weren't any Shy Guys in sight, and Count Bleck wondered to himself whether or not that was a good thing or a bad thing. Before long they came across a treasure chest. A black Shy Guy with a gray mask and belt was sitting on top of it, glaring menacingly and adorably at anyone who dared pass.

"This must be it," he said. Then, out loud, he said, "Excuse me, is this New Years Eve?"

"Who wants to know?" he demanded.

"We do," said Count Bleck. "And a whole slew of Sammer Guys."

"Yeah, this is New Years Eve," said the Shy Guy, tapping the chest. "I'm Anti Guy, and nobody's getting in here 'cept the General. I'm guarding it!"

"Well, we're here to bring it back. New Years Eve belongs to everyone and can't be locked up in a chest."

"Says you! You want it, you'll have to fight me for it!"

"Oh, come on," said Mimi. "We can take him easy. He's a Shy Guy. Even Mr. L can take him."

"Yeah!" said Mr. L.

"He's just a no-good, low-rung, weak-limbed, silly-headed—"

POW!

Anti Guy zoomed across the empty space between him and the group and landed an acrobatic slam right on top of Mimi's head. She went down like a sack of wet sand. He did two backflips and landed back on the chest.

"Owwww…" she moaned. "You can't hit me, I'm a girl!"

"Who else wants some?" He struck a few powerful ninja poses. "You, tough guy?" he pointed at O'Chunks.

"Yeh'r jes' beggin' teh taste me chunks!" O'Chunks flexed his paper muscles and strutted over to the chest. He reached out to grab Anti Guy for one of his powerful patented throws, but Anti Guy jumped straight up over his hands and dove down on his head, knocking him four paces back before he fell over.

"Yeesh! This guy ain't lollyin' around!"

"Hey, I know!" said Mr. L. "Why don't we try that other thing we sometimes do? You know, the one the Count is always pushing… where we say things and they give us what we want without any punching."

Count Bleck applauded Mr. L. "This is exactly the kind of thinking I want to instill in all of you," he said. "Especially those last three words."

"What were the last three words?" Mimi whispered to O'Chunks.

"I dunno, somethin' about punchin'. On'y inne negative sense."

"Don't say 'negative sense,' O'Chunks."

"Would you like to try, since it was your idea?" Count Bleck asked Mr. L.

"Me? Um, no way, I'm not very good at all with the talking to others and having them, um, do things, you know, right?"

"Perhaps Luigi was not talented in that respect, but it just happens to be Mr. L's forte."

Mr. L put his hand to his chin and thought deeply. "Then I'll do it!" he declared after a small amount of thought.

He cleared his throat and stepped up to Anti Guy. "Hey, um, we're sorry that you never got invited to the New Years party. And, um, we're also sorry that we all sort of locked you in here a few months ago. Um, and we're also sorry about that other stuff we did."

"Really?" asked Anti Guy suspiciously. "Is King Sammer sorry?"

"Yeah. He totally said so himself."

"If he was so sorry, why didn't he come here to tell us?"

Dimentio clicked his fingers once and King Sammer appeared in the group.

"OH, GOOD GRACIOUS!" he cried out. "How did I get here all the way from where I just was? What's going on?"

"You're here to make peace with Shy Guys, apparently," said Count Bleck.

"I shall do no such thing!"

"See!" Anti Guy barked. "He's not sorry!"

"So what? You couldn't even be troubled to bring a dessert!"

"That's blackmail!"

"No, that's 'potluck.'"

"Wait, what?"

"Potluck," said Tippi. "It's when a lot of people get together, and everyone brings their favorite dish to share with the other people."

"Oh." Anti Guy thought for a moment. "Does lemon candy count as a dessert?"

"Yes, it certainly does," said King Sammer. "You can have all the lemon candy you want at a New Years party. If you agree to bring the dessert and behave yourselves, we can forget the damage you did."

Already drooling, Anti Guy hopped off the chest and shoved it over to King Sammer. "I'll be ready in a downbeat! Just gotta go update the General!" And he scurried off.

Dimentio clicked again, and King Sammer was gone.

"Don't do that again," Count Bleck said to him. Then, to the rest, "I'm very proud of you. Not one amusing mess-up. And it was you that agreed on it. Perhaps this really is a fresh start."

Later, they were back at the New Years party. True to their word, the Shy Guys had returned New Years Eve and brought enough lemon candy to make everyone forget that a few years ago they had wrecked the decorations. They were behaving themselves well enough this time, although some of the officials had to reel them in occasionally.

Then, soon enough, it was midnight and New Years Eve was about to happen. Since it had been returned, there was nothing stopping it. The giant clock on King Sammer's palace had been opened, and the countdown was ready to begin.

"I can't wait!"

"Look, it's starting!"

"Hurray!"

"Out with the old…"

"And in with the new!"

"Ten!"

"Nine"

"Eight!"

"Seven!"

"Six!"

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"ONE!"

Fireworks shot off from the palace roof and erupted in the sky. Cheers rose up from the crowd. Streamers exploded, noisemakers tooted, music started."

Count Bleck grabbed Tippi at the last count and planted a big kiss as close to her mouth as a Pixl had.

"What was that?" she asked after it ended.

"Just a little tradition I've always favored," he replied.