Mira's Christmas, Part 1

The first few months of living on Mira had been tough for the human race, as they struggled to adapt to their new environment and make use of the resources they were given. But now, in the winter season, humanity thrives, being able to overcome their greatest obstacles and end the war with the Ganglion.

Despite this, the humans have grown tired. Under BLADE, work has grown repetitive and does not bear the same fruit as it had before. Operatives live a life in repeat, doing what they can to help, but finding that their efforts, on their own, are almost unnoticed. Even the most highly respected BLADE, Elma, has grown weary of her work.

However, this would soon change.

Inside the BLADE barracks, Elma and Lin converse with each other. Lin's age does not alter Elma's vision of her; being a young genius has more benefits than drawbacks, and Lin has proven again and again that she is just as powerful and smart as the highest BLADE officers. Elma respects her, and is glad she could accept her into her team.

Lin hovers over the table, cutting vegetables into small cubes to throw into her soup, which is brewing behind her in a large pot. Judging by the smell, Elma knows that it will taste amazing once it's complete - then again, when isn't Lin's cooking less than perfection? Elma leans back into the couch cushions, her long luminescent hair draping over her pale shoulders.

"I've felt it growing colder outside. I'm beginning to wonder if Mira has seasons similar to those on Earth."

Lin swipes some diced tomatoes off to the side and continues to cut up more with her sharp knife. "Wouldn't be hard to believe. Mira rotates around a sun and on an axis, just like any other planet. But I guess it would depend on how fast either of those are."

Elma nods. "Seems like an interesting thing for BLADE to study. I'll have to bring it up with the Secretary next time I see him."

"Hey, Elma..." The Outfitter says, looking up from her work. "Do you think everyone will want to keep celebrating Christmas?"

That earns a small chuckle from the xenoform. "I don't see why people would stop celebrating it, or any of the other holidays. Remember, we celebrated Halloween."

"Right! That was super fun," Lin responds, "But, I was thinking...what if Santa never made it onto an arc? Who will deliver the presents if he's not alive anymore?"

Elma frowns. "Santa..."

She doesn't know if Lin means this as a joke, or if she still believes in the fictional being. It wouldn't be hard to believe the latter, given her age, but with her intelligence Elma had expected her to grow out of the childish belief. How was she to answer this question without saying that Santa isn't real?

"I bet he found a way off Earth," She reassures her slowly, "And he'll be delivering presents this year, just as he always does."

"Hmm...do you think he was on the White Whale? Since we were all in stasis, we couldn't celebrate Christmas..."

"I would say so."

Lin smiles as she finishes dicing the tomatoes, taking a small break to wash her hands in the sink behind her. "Looks like I've got to make my Christmas list then! I hope it's not too late..."

Elma gives her a soft grin, but doesn't say anything else. The barracks door opens and closes, and Elma turns her head to greet the newcomer. A BLADE donning a purple combat vest and black shiny jeans that may have fit a little too well, he's instantly recognizable by his pupiless indigo gaze. Some of his long black hair falls onto his nose, and he pushes it out of the way with a gentle touch of his fingers. Elma blinks, watching him come further into the room. "Welcome back, Pongo. How did the mission go?"

"Had to fight off a few insidias, but otherwise the Curators were able to reach their sample safely," Pongo tells her as he takes a seat next to her, letting his head fall back on the cushions. "They were so happy. And no one died!"

Lin frowns, turning back around. "That's awesome!" She grabs a bowl and begins to slide the tomatoes in with her knife. "Hey Elma, do you think it would be weird to ask for grosium cores for Christmas? We've been short on them for Skell development for a while."

Elma shrugs. "It's your list, Lin. Add whatever you want to it."

Pongo sits up, and Elma watches as he grows confused. "What is...Christ Imaz?" He asks, trying to pronounce the word right and failing miserably.

Lin gasps. "Wait, you don't know what Christmas is?! Where have you been?!"

"Lin, if this was an Earth thing..." He says quietly, looking down as he hesitates on what he says next. "Of course I would not know it."

She realizes why he's awkward about this and her shoulders slump. "Oh...right, sorry."

He notices how sad she looks and immediately regrets his actions, and he tries to brighten up the conversation by asking, "So what exactly is Christ Imaz?"

Elma laughs. "It's pronounced Christmas. And it's a religious holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus."

"But people mostly celebrate it because it's when Santa comes and delivers presents to all the good kids!" Lin continues, looking around for spices to throw into the bowl with the tomatoes.

Pongo frowns. "Santa...wait, who is Santa? Is he a BLADE?"

"Nope, he's the head of the North Pole - or he was, back on Earth," She replies, pulling out some jars of spices. "And he had a whole workshop full of elves that made presents to deliver on Christmas night!"

"...elves."

"Elves!"

"Like Legolas?"

Elma grins as he remembers the elf from the Earth book series she had introduced him to. "Not exactly. The elves have pointy ears, but they're much smaller and they specialize in making presents."

Pongo nods, taking in the new information. "So...are the elves BLADEs, then? And Santa is like their Secretary - wait, is Nagi actually Santa?!"

Lin laughs as she sprinkles a spice into the bowl. "No, but you've gotta admit - that would be awesome."

Elma sighs. "Your analogy was almost accurate. The elves work under Santa, but unlike BLADE, they don't have divisions, and they don't fight indigens."

"How on Mira do they not have to fight indigens?! How do they defend themselves?!"

"Back on Earth, there was nothing hostile enough for the elves to defend against. Mira is an entirely different story."

Pongo can't help but continue to look confused; his head tilts as he tries to grasp these concepts. "Well, could Santa defend them? If he is a Secretary, he must have been chosen for a reason...was it for his strength?"

Elma considers how futile it is to try and explain this, and she knows that even if he eventually understood it, he would believe in it, just like Lin. She couldn't break his spirits like that! "He was chosen for his skills in making toys. There's a whole legend as to how he came to be Santa Claus."

"Santa Claus? What is the difference between Santa and Santa Claus?"

...Wow.

Lin giggles, finding his confusion amusing. "They're the same person! Claus is like his last name, almost like how I'm Lin Lee Koo - but you just call me Lin."

"Ooooooh." Pongo coos. "So...Santa and his elves make presents...why?"

"To give to the good kids!" Lin explains.

"Why not all of the kids? And why not adults, too?"

"He rewards the good kids for their good behavior while the bad kids get coal! And the adults don't believe in Santa so they don't get anything."

"...Coal..."

"An Earth resource," Lin says.

"...and what if an adult believes in Santa? What happens then?"

Lin frowns. "Um...I don't know, really. I bet they would get some sort of gift, but that's Santa's call to make."

Pongo's eyes light up. "So if I believe, Santa could bring me presents?"

Lin nods a few times. "It could happen!"

Pongo stands up, fists balled up in excitement. "In which case, I will show Santa that I am the biggest believer, so I can get lots of presents!" He turns back to them. "So, where exactly is he?"

Elma sighs a second time. "Pongo -"

"No one has ever seen him in any day besides Christmas," Lin tells him, "He just...he knows if you've been bad or good."

"...he has special powers then?!"

"Yes?"

"Then Santa will surely see me being good!" Pongo announces, starting back towards the barracks door. Elma stands up, unable to stop herself from telling Pongo the truth.

"Pongo, can we talk outside?"

Pongo scowls, but he nods after a short while. "Sure!"

Lin continues with her cooking, and Elma is thankful that she doesn't seem skeptical of their actions. Elma follows Pongo outside of the barracks and stops him on the other side of the door, being quiet even though there's no need to be.

"Pongo, I hate to tell you this, but...Santa is a fictional character. He's not real."

Pongo still smiles. "...what."

"Santa is a fairy tale. Lin believes it because she's still young." Elma looks down as she continues to tell him the ugly truth, "Her parents probably brought her presents to keep her belief strong. But...there is no Santa."

His expression turns to one of hope to one of complete and utter shock. "But she spoke of him in such a way that he has to be real!"

"She knows what she knows because of all the stories she's been told," Elma explains, "Every other human has been told the same stories, and grown out of the beliefs. It's a harsh reality, but I don't want you to be considered strange for believing in something so childish."

At this, Pongo's brow furrows. "I am already considered strange as it is. One more belief could not change that."

"Don't say that. People look up to you."

"No, they make an example of me. There is a large difference between the two."

"And that would be..."

"If they look up to me, they see me in a positive light. But using me as an example, that indicates they only see me as a way to get others to improve. It implies that I am not strong enough."

Elma shakes her head. "Strange way to put it."

"Strange." Pongo repeats, "Strange way to put it. But in my case, strangely accurate."

She crosses her arms over her chest, staring straight into his gaze with a deep frown. "We're getting off topic. Just know that he isn't real; if you choose to believe it or not is up to you. But for Lin's sake, don't say anything to her about it."

There's a silence between them as Pongo contemplates this request. She grows anxious as she wonders if she should've stayed quiet, let him have this belief, and let him find out the truth on his own. But Elma understands that he's physically twenty two years old, far past the age of a child, and it would be the responsible thing to do to get him to act his age.

"What day is Christmas on?" Pongo asks quietly, breaking the silence.

Elma replies quickly, "The 25th. Christmas Eve is the 24th."

"And that night, Santa supposedly brings presents to the good kids."

"You're right."

Pongo nods, unblinking. Then, without any warning, he turns around and begins to head towards Armory Alley. Elma calls after him, but doesn't move to follow him. "Rook! What are you doing?"

He stops in his tracks, hesitating before he gives his answer, not turning around to face her directly.

"Lin has been a good kid."

And with that, he walks away.