In the darkness, Cindy Lue's eyes opened. Excitement filled her, and her heart beat faster. It was Christmas night. She had waited all year for this opportunity. Tonight was the night she was finally going to meet Santa.

Creeping quietly, the six year old stepped into the bare moonlight that lit the smallest portions of her home. She stared eagerly at the fireplace. Hours had passed, but she had not given up. Looking away and losing faith were how bad little girls missed out on Santa. That was why, though sleep tugged at her tired little eyelids, she had refused to go to bed. Down the hall, her parents snoozed softly, content in the knowledge that Cindy was asleep. She stepped back into her hiding place behind a sofa.

The fireplace remained still. Slowly, Cindy's heart began to sink. She looked up at a clock. The hour hand was just to the left of the rising twelve. Her eyes returned to their vigil, but a spark of doubt had crossed into them. Where was he? Perhaps she should just leave…

CRASH!Cindy's head whirled to face the source of the sound. On the floor, outlined by the crisp moonlight, was a brick. Her gaze traveled upward to catch sight of her window. Cracks ran through the glass, spider webbing around a gaping hole. A hand fit through it, then opened it up to the world. A boot slid through, lifting a slim figure into her house. Standing against the moon, crimson robes flaming, he looked nothing less than an angel. He was saying something.

"- told you, I'm not climbing down a damn chimney." He stepped down into the house, glaring as he did so. Cindy stared, amazed. Peeping out from her hiding place, she noted that Santa was a good deal thinner than he was commonly portrayed as being. His hair, while silvery, did not appear to be the hair of an old man. He actually looked kind of… cool. Her squealing instincts roared, but she fought them with all her heart. Now was not the time to make a noise.

Her front door creaked open. An elf walked through, a miffed look on his face.

"I'm not arguing with you on that point, Zero, but the front door was open." Cindy stared at the elf for a moment longer. Here, at least, the tales seemed to be true. He was short, and his ears were pointy. A stupid grin spread to her face. She had been right. Santa was real. Her eyes glided back to him. He was gone. She fell back in shock. Her head hit flesh.

"Hello there," came a calm voice. She turned slowly. Staring down at her, icy fire in their core, were a pair of violet eyes. Silver strands of hair waved gently in the still air. "Aren't you up a bit late?" Steel cut through her soul. She blinked, but did not respond. Zero glared harder.

"I said, aren't you up a bit late?" Still, she did not respond. Zero's stance became death. "Why won't you say anything?!" Again, the girl blinked.

"Mister, I can't speak Japanese. I'm French" That was a slap in the face to the young hunter.

"Then why did you just speak to me in English?" he asked.

"Cause most the readers can't speak French or Japanese." Zero nodded. It was true. He turned to Dilly, and then decided to give an attempt.

"Nous est les pommes. Vous allez a ma chat, et demander un arbre." The girls' eyes widened. Zero stepped back. Dilly grinned.

"We is the apples. Go to my cat and ask for a tree."

Zero cursed. "French never interested me all that much. It doesn't sound angry enough when spoken. German though-." Dilly sighed, and closed the distance between himself and the girl.

"Vous couchez, s'il vous plait." The girl glared, and shook her head.

"Je ne veux pas -." " Can we just go back to all inexplicably speaking English?" interrupted Zero in an exasperated tone. The other two nodded. Sighing, Zero readdressed the girl.

"Alright, so, we're going to have to wipe your memory clean. You're not supposed to have seen us." Cindy stared, tears welling in her big eyes.

"B-b-but -."

"Don't "but" me. I lived with Yuki Cross for a damn long time. I'm familiar with puppy dog tactics." The girl stared for a moment, assessing Zero's weaknesses. Finally, she sighed.

"Fine. What are you going to do to me? Do you have some kind of magic fair dust that wipes memories clean?" For the first time that night, Zero smiled.

"Suuuuuuuure we do," he said. The last thing Cindy saw before she blacked out was the butt end of a gun coming for her head.

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"Zero!" roared Dilly, anger spicing his voice. Zero looked up, his smile gone.

"What? She'll wake up in a few hours. What else was I supposed to do?"

The sound of Dillys' gnashing teeth threatened to wake the house. "How about using this magic fairy dust that wipes memories clean?!" He presented a small, plastic bag. The shining substance within it lit the dark room.

Zero eyed it for a moment, and then shrugged. Oh well.

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Short.

I thought this would be the chapter he met Yuki in, but the author's section of my heart needs more substance.