Animal Crossing

The Jingle Express

Chapter 5

(Laina, Mrs. Jingle, Joy, Noel, Jangle and his Shadow Dogs, Karangle, Bangle, Durangle, Narangle, and Fandangle are © me, but Laina's player is Animal Crossing. All other characters are © Nintendo.)

With Jingle's warm emotions returned to his heart, the presents returned, and Jangle kept from causing anymore mayhem, Jingle, along with Laina and his family, began his Christmas delivery route and with plenty of time to spare. They quietly landed next to train stations of each sleeping town they arrived in and tiptoed from house to house with sacks of gifts.

Jingle and Laina squirmed down chimneys and placed the residents' desired gifts under their Festive trees and stuffed treats in their stockings hanging over the fireplace. Joy and Noel squirmed in cracked windows to help them into waiting houses without a chimney. Mrs. Jingle stayed in the train with Spike, checking off each house and town on her husband's list, and she always made sure there were cookies and hot cocoa when they returned.

After double-checking to see if they reached each house, the magical Jingle made his train lift up into the sky to fly off to the next town and let out a loud "Ho ho ho!" echo over the town.

It seemed like it had only been an hour, but they had delivered gifts to towns from Zyumil to Anjrin. It was getting close to midnight as they neared Laina's hometown, Anime.

The Jingle Express continued chugging along the sky flying over the clouds in front of the full moon,

Noel was sitting on the couch sipping a big mug of hot cocoa and having a nice conversation with Mrs. Jingle. Joy was curled up at the other end of the couch taking a nap underneath a warm blanket. Spike had been dropped off in his hometown of Bybeach earlier. Jingle and Laina had watched from behind the house when he was happily reunited with his mother. Jingle had left gifts of new clothes for Spike's mother and a model of the Jingle Express for Spike after they had went to bed.

Laina needed fresh air and she and Jingle stood at the back of the train cabin. She watched with her head lying in her crossed arms and listened to the story that Jingle told her about him and his brother, "So these Great Elders…they're responsible for the holidays?"

"More like responsible for who represents the holidays," Jingle explained, "Like Cupid for Valentine's Day and the Easter Bunny for Easter."

"And you for Christmas. I think I see now." Laina nodded, "Why can't I tell anyone that I actually know you? Bah, who am I kidding? No one would believe me anyone."

"That's because they don't believe enough," Jingle smiled, "The Great Elders are said to be stories along with me and the other holiday symbols and just because they have never seen us means they have no reason to believe that we are real. I think it would be best if we remained as stories anyway. It can summon up horrid ideas for the selfish and heartless if they knew we existed."

"But what about Jangle? What holiday would he be representing if he weren't so mean?" Laina felt her eyelids getting heavy.

Jingle crossed his arms looking up at the full moon, "He would've been working along side with me if he would've behaved in the past. The Great Elders don't tolerate those who act irresponsible and immature. Jangle thought being chosen by Them he could do whatever he wanted and get away with it, but the Great Elders showed him he was wrong and gave him control of days that are only noticed by the believers of bad luck. He takes his anger out on others on those days, which is why you were tripping over your own feet so much after your visit with the fortune-teller Katrina."

Laina blushed, "You saw that, huh? I always wondered that when I got the bad luck card. At least now I know it's not my fault. I kinda feel sorry for Jangle. Do you think he'll put his bitterness to the side and let you talk to him? Then maybe you and the Great Elders settle something out."

"Maybe, just maybe…but it'll be some miracle if he does manage to do that," Jingle looked down and saw Laina slink down to her knees on the floor staying on the railing, "Hmm, maybe you should go in and lie down, Laina. I'll wake you when we get to your town."

"I just hope Quetzal isn't awake," Laina walked back into the train cabin rubbing her head and flopped on the couch being careful not to disturb Joy. "Oh and before I forget," She reached in her inner jacket and pulled out Valerie's envelope which was crumpled and wrinkled from her earlier adventure, "This is from Valerie, one of my friend's nieces in Anime. She's staying the holidays with her Uncle Wolfgang and she was so excited about Christmas she forgot to send you her wish list. I know it's almost late, but you think you could go back to your workshop after you drop me off and get her Christmas present?"

Jingle took the enveloped, opened it, and tugged out the Christmas list written inside. He took his reading spectacles out his pocket and looked over it, then he smiled, "Ah yes, Valerie. I know this child. Straight A student in school and a well-behaved child, she is. I'll see to it she gets her present."

The jolly reindeer started to stay something else as he looked down at Laina. He smiled when he saw the girl had fallen asleep in her seat.

The Jingle Express quietly landed beside Anime's train station. Jingle was the first to step off the train carrying the slumbering Laina in his arms. Joy and Noel followed after him tugging the bag of presents for Anime's residents. Mrs. Jingle stepped off the train holding her coat around her and waved to her husband smiling.

The house they arrived was at Laina's two-story home. Jingle leaped up to Laina's roof with one jump and squeezed down one of the two chimneys. His hooves reached the floor and he looked around to find himself on the second floor.

Quetzal was still asleep in Laina's bed curled up at the foot. Jingle tiptoed over to the bed and laid Laina onto it, her legs draped the gray eagle's body.

"Rest well, Laina," Jingle smiled, removing the Jingle hat on her head and placing on the bedside table, "And Merry Christmas." He sneaked downstairs to the living/dining room and opened the door for Noel and Joy.

The two firefoxes walked in with presents for Laina and Quetzal's present and placed it under her Festive tree. After the last present was set back down, Jingle and his firefox helpers left the house and on to deliver presents to the rest of the Anime residents.

As they moved onto the next house, Joy asked Jingle, "Do you think we'll see Laina again next year?"

Jingle smiled and gently ruffled her head fur, "Maybe? Who knows what next Christmas will bring."

Laina felt her body being shaken until she finally opened her eyes. "Huh? Wh-what?"

"Laina, wake up!" She stared up at her boyfriend's golden eyes, "It's Christmas! Let's go see what Jingle brought us." He said jokingly.

As Quetzal rushed downstairs, Laina swung her feet to the floor and rubbed her head. She up at the window and saw the sky was a pinkish-blue and the sun was halfway over the horizon.

She groggily rubbed her head, "Man…what happened last night?" She looked over to see the Jingle hat underneath her lap. She smiled as she picked it up, "Oh yeah, now I remember."

She stood up and stretched as she headed downstairs placing the hat on her head. She giggled when she saw Quetzal crouched by the tree, grabbing one of his presents and putting it to his ear as he shook it, "Well, are you gonna open it or are you gonna wait 'til next Christmas?"

Without hesitation, Quetzal untied the bow, ripped away the gift wrapping, and opened the box. His mouth opened in a gasped, "Laina, how were you able to get these???"

Laina was confused at first until Quetzal pulled out a pair of large, three-toed silver boots with white wing symbols printed on the side of them, "Oh! The SilverWing Snow Boots he always wanted. Good ol' Jingle. He must've known."

Quetzal slipped his feet into the boots and wriggled his toes in the warm interior, "But how were you able to get these? They were out of stock at Nookington's and-" He didn't noticed until now that Laina was dressed in her Jingle coat, "And I thought you wore your pajamas to bed."

She looked down at her clothes that looked tattered and worn and nearly went into a panic, "Uhm…Quetzal..heh hehe…you see-"

Quetzal smiled at her stuttering and lifted a wing, "There's no need to explain. I see exactly what's going on here."

"You do?" Laina tried to smile her best trying to hide her nervousness.

The gray eagle put his wingtips on her shoulders, "Yes. After I went to sleep, you went traveling from town to town on the train to see if you could find a nearby shop that had one pair of these boots left. And I bet you had to fight off discount hungry customers to get them. That's why your coat and clothes are so messy, am I right?"

Laina wiped her forehead and put on a trustful smile, "Wow, you found me out, Quetzal. You really are smart."

Quetzal wrapped his wings around her, "You're so sweet to go through all that and just for me, Laina. That's why I love you so much. You have such a big heart."

Laina smiled and returned the loving hug to him. Then they turned their heads to hear gleeful screams from outside. Laina opened her front door and fell back in shock as the three young boys rode by her on their brand new bikes.

"Hey you guys! Wait for me!" Valerie screamed after the boys. Laina peered around the doorway and saw Valerie riding up on a pink mountain bike.

The happy wolf pup waved to Laina, "Hi Laina! Merry Christmas!" She leaped off the bike and ran up to her giving her a big hug.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Valerie!" She picked up her small friend in a hug, "I gave your letter to Jingle. Did he bring you what you wrote on your list?"

"Uh-huh! I got the dolly and the tea set AND an NES with Wario's Woods," Valerie had a big smile on her glowing face, "And Jingle left me a note. He said since I've been extra, extra good this year, he gave me a bike too!"

"That's excellent! Good to see you having a good time," Laina looked around, "Where's your Uncle Wolfgang?"

Valerie thumbed back toward his house, "He's hooked on Wario's Woods although I beat him 6 times in a row. He said he's 'training' for the next match so I decided to come outside and play. I'm gonna go now. We're gonna go bike around the wishing well."

"Alright then, Valerie. Have fun," Laina waved to her as Valerie ran back to her bike and pedaled off after the boys once again, "And be careful. The concrete's slippery after a snowy night."

Quetzal squeezed past her, "I'll be back, love. I'm gonna go check on my house and see if Jingle left me some more presents." He winked playfully at her as he headed to his house next door.

Laina shook her head, "If only he knew…" She started to close the door to stop the cold air from coming in until she heard flapping noises above her head. She opened the door and saw Pete landing right in front of her mailbox. He took out her mail and stuffed it in her mailbox, the blue warning tag flipping up and beeping, and he took off into the air without saying a word.

She walked up to her mailbox, took her mail out, and tugged the warning tag back down. She saw she had mail from her mother and decided to wait to open it last. The second envelope from Tan-Xui surprised her and she immediately opened it, reading the letter written on the Sparkly Paper:

To Laina

It's a miracle! My husband, Shu-Lin, has returned to me! Jingle found him living in a cave that was miles away from the village. He dropped him off before heading home. And I've see you've completed your job of getting Jingle's heart and the presents back. Good job! It's nice that Jingle has a reliable friend like you. Hope you have a Merry Christmas and many more in the future

From,

Tan-Xui

Laina smiled and giggled feeling happy for her new friend, "Now they can finally spend Christmas together like a family. Makes me wish I could go back home with my folks." She shifted through her mail again and got to the last one which was a gift from Jingle with an envelope taped to it.

She opened the envelope and read the letter from the jolly reindeer:

Helpful little Laina,

I'm not sure if I gave you my thanks. If I did, then I thank you again for saving me, my job, and the gifts for the good animals around the world. If it weren't for you and my family, I'd be another Jangle and bringing twice as much bad luck around the world. I'll return to my brother's home someday and hope to talk some sense into him. Anyway, I noticed that your clothes were ruined from your stressful adventure and Mrs. Jingle knitted you another. Hope to see you again next year and hope you'll tag along for another Christmas delivery.

Be good!

Jingle, the black-nosed reindeer

Laina returned back inside with the gift and opened the gift, pulling out a brand new Jingle shirt and coat. She quickly changed into her new outfit and walked back outside smiling as she looked up at the gray sky and beams of sunlight shined through them. She smiled up at a poofy cloud that took on the shape of Jingle's smiling face, "See you next year, jolly Saint Jingle."

END