Chapter Three- Christmas Tales

I had given myself an assignment, one that at the time I didn't think twice from concealing from Paper Boy. I thought what I was going to do was help, that I would take so much unneeded work off of P.B. but had I known what was going to happen, perhaps I would have held back. Perhaps I would have thought twice. All I knew, all I could FEEL, was that it was Christmas time and I wanted to bring the entire station joy.

I just never thought that joy could turn into calamity, especially when all things started so calmly.

The temperature in the station was warm, the complete opposite one would think for Christmas and it only made the girl think about what winter clothing she could dress in.

"Then that way I could be in the holiday spirit, twenty percent more!" she assured herself, giggling.

Keep focused, girly. Time to be a reporter!

"Excuse me." The girl said as she stopped a soccer player as he made his way across the station "Can I have a moment of your time-?"

"Sorry, I'm not ready to change religions."

The girl looked up in confusion, tilting her head to the side "….WHAT?"

Before Torvald could even consider what she had been told the man disappeared.

"Okay, maybe ONE got away but there are many, MANY others!"

A cat-boy came her way.

He dashed off when he saw a dog character.

Then came the mermaid, pulled in a bowl by her starfish helpers.

Something about getting her tail scales rebuffed.

Then the pilot.

Then the mushroom hunter.

Then the monster twins.

"Awwwwwwww, MAN!" the girl cried out "Is NO ONE in the holiday mood this time of year?"

She stomped over to a nearby bench, huffing and grunting as she sat down in a GRUMP.

"Phooey, louie, pooie! Never stopped to say hello or anythin' nice!"

"I hear ya kid…."

Torvald turned around quickly, a child-like character her age lounging on the bench, her metallic arms holding onto a cigar which she took a drag from, puffing out smoke rings.

"Hate slow days too!" The 'kid' character said, the peacock-like eyes on her arms looking DIRECTLY at Torvald.

The butterscotch racer smiled nervously….and ran off as fast as she could.

"Hmmph…" the character chuckled, taking another drag from her cigar "Kid characters these days. Just ain't got tha pluck in 'em!"

Well, THAT was weird!

"Maybe this is why P.B was so- So-!"

The girl shook her head in frustration, stamping her foot on the ground.

"Oh, there has ta be SOMEONE in this massive place that wants ta talk ta me!" she shouted "Ya can not tell me that not a single person cares about Christmas! Do I have ta reprogram everyone to THINK about Christmas in order ta get a story?!"

"Ouch, ouch, OOOOOOw….."

The girl turned, hearing a rather familiar tone of voice coming out of Street Fighter. To her surprise the voice belonged to a TINY figure, not that of a large fighter.

"Oooh, that's what I get for thinking that would be as easy as PIE."

"NICELANDER MARY?!"

The pink Nicelander nearly jumped a foot in the air, her head turning in all directions to find out who had called her.

"H-Huh?! How-?!"

"Over here!"

Torvald waved to the little woman, rushing up with lights in her eyes and a determined smile on her face, leaving the Nicelander still as if she had been spotted by a hungry lion.

"MISS MARY!"

Torvald came to a sharp stop, her hands CLUTCHING the plump woman by her arms, nearly knocking both characters to the ground.

"CAN I TALK TA YA?!"

A few moments later, the two found themselves in SUGAR RUSH of all places, both sitting in stools at the Candlewick Café. Candlehead was of course busy in the kitchen, humming and twirling about at the new customers in her store.

"La la la laaaaa!" she sang, wondering what delights she would make "Ooooh, I love it when tha others rope in customers for me!"

One could only wonder just what creators the racer had in store to thrust upon any visitors.

"This is what I get for being clumsy…." Mary sighed, her wrapping her little fingers in bandages.

"Um, C-Butt can get ya a Sweet Heal ta fix all'a those…" Torvald said, a little worried as to WHY Mary's hand was so cut up and red "Ya won't hafta deal with those cuts."

"Don't mind me, dearier. This is all the results of untalented hands."

"Untalented hands?"

Torvald took another look at the Nicelanders; she seemed so peeved, bothered, VERY unlike her usual chipper and bright self. Aside from the splinters and cuts on her fingers, Torvald spied a few droplets of what appeared to be PAINT on her clothing and face. Spying the tiny details, the girl's head went into full speed to figure out what they were.

"Oh, dear…." Nicelander Mary sighed, leaning on the counter of the booth "Still so much to go."

"Um, ma'am?"

Mary turned, noticing the curious look the little racer was giving her.

"Oh. Oh, I'm sorry dear. You've been so hospitable bringing me here and giving me all of this. I didn't mean to ignore you."

"Heh, don't worry about it. I mean you look so worried."

There was a bit of a pause, Mary looking off to the side and blushing.

"Is everything alright?"

Mary twitched, bringing her bandaged fingers together as she continued to look down "Y-yes, yes. Things are alright….but….."

Torvald licked her lips; she had never been on an investigative report like this and she wanted to know just what the little woman was thinking.

"Oh, froo it all!" Mary pouted, puffs of pixelated clouds popping over her head "I guess I'm just trying too hard to get things perfect!"

The racer moved back a bit, the woman's tone harsh.

"I know I shouldn't be this upset, it's CHRISTMAS!" the Nicelander said, going off without thought "The last thing I should be worried about is trying to get too materialistic with a gift but-!"

She stopped, shaking her head but then a smile began to appear. Torvald paid close attention, wondering what could have made the woman change her mood so quickly.

"I'm just being silly…" Mary said "Look at me acting like such a child. To make a certain Blueberry happy."

Blueberry.

Torvald knew that code-word.

"I should get going." Mary said as she hopped off the tall stool, heading for the door "But I want to thank you again for helping me. I DO feel a lot better and-!"

"Miss Mary, wait!"

"Yes?"

Be brave, Tori!

"Ma'am, there's a reason I brought ya here."

"Oh, and what would that be, young lady?"

"I'm…." the girl began, feeling so bashful for some reason "I wanted to record some stories for Christmas. Ya know, about sharing gifts an' all that good stuff. I just felt that in this time of year, people needed somethin' good ta listen to so they didn't feel all bothered an' stuff."

Mary looked at the girl, a little confused by her words "Really? And what do I have to do with this?"

"If there is anyone in this arcade who always has such warm, ooey-gooey tales…it's you."

Once more Mary felt her cheeks blushing, surprised to hear such a thing from the girl. It wasn't as if she were PERFECT and as the entire arcade knew, INNOCENT in her record.

"But-?"

"I mean, ya don't HAFTA do this if ya don't want to…." The racer said "It's just that I've been turned down since I started today and-!"

"You've been turned down?" Mary said in surprise "Not a SINGLE person would take the time to talk to you?"

The girl shook her head, the Nicelander crossing her arms.

"Well, if that isn't a fly in the pie! The nerve of them all! Not stopping for a moment to share one iota of Christmas cheer!"

Mary marched back to the girl, hopping right onto the cushion of the chair.

"Young lady, if you want a Christmas story I shall give you one!"

"Really?" the girl said, her eyes bright. Mary nodded before placing a finger to her lips.

"But you have to promise me one thing."

"Anything, ma'am!"

"Many of the details I am about to give? They have to remain a secret until Christmas! Oh, some of the things you can tell the whole arcade, I do not mind. But the rest-?"

Torvald nodded again, her heart racing.

"This is between you and I."

Torvald felt as if she had flown out of the arcade all the way to the moon. Never in her life had she felt such responsibility to handle a story like this and even if Mary had given her the okay to share some of it she knew it was only her duty to keep her end of the deal for the little Nicelander.

"Miss Mary? Ya have my word!"

Torvald then looked back towards the kitchen.

"Hey, C-Butt! Two triple whipped hot cocos an' two slices of your gingerbread brownie cake!"

In a flash the candle-headed racer arrived, placing the treats before the two characters before waving a friendly hand.

"Gotta dash! Have so many orders ta fill!"

Torvald knew that they would be kept in private for a while, nothing able to break Candlehead's concentration in cooking.

"Now Miss Mary. Let's begin."