I own nothing, but had a lot of fun with this. :)

They went around through the back alley and a door that let them into a hallway. Michelangelo ran up to them there and shoved something green, red, and parchment colored into Raphael's chest. "Here Raphie, I found the perfect costume for you!"

Raphael's face wrinkled up and mouth opened wide to shout, "I am not dressing like an elf!"

"Of course you are, Raphie! After all, Sensei needs to be Santa Clause."

Usagi looked up at his friend to see Leonardo's eyebrows rise. "He agreed to that?"

"Of course." Michelangelo might have used words full of unconcerned confidence, but the stance he made, much like his pose for the statue of him that would go in the Hall of Champions in the Battle Nexus: hands on shelled hips, head thrown back, and large smile on his face, indicated to Usagi he was quite proud that accomplishment.

Raphael shouted again. "I don't need a costume! Everybody thinks we wear costumes already!"

Mikey's bottom lip began to quiver. His face crumpled up like a small, upset child's. Usagi's eyes widened. He had never seen such an expression on a warrior's face before let alone a Battle Nexus Champion's. He was like shocked by Michelangelo's tone too. The turtles pitch went high into a whine and trembled. "But ... turtles aren't Christmasy!"

Leonardo interrupted, his hands now on his hips. "We'll all wear them, Raph. See?" He grabbed what Michelangelo had thrust toward Raphael and put it on his own head.

Usagi peered up in curiosity. Now it seemed Leonardo had pointed ears and some kind of hat like a soft, long tail dangling from the crown of his head with something like a seed pod, circular and puffy, attached at its end. Was it supposed to be reminiscent of a lion's tail, a very thick, dark green, lion's tail?

Whatever it was, the kame, other than Raphael, didn't seem to mind wearing them. Donatello smiled, from beside Leonardo, at Michelangelo. "Where's mine?"

Raphael groaned.

. . .

In the end, Usagi also got a like costume to wear. Michelangelo prevailed upon them all. As the entered a large room, much warmer than Usagi thought such a large room could be with the weather outside he'd just run through, Usagi spotted the Battle Nexus champion wearing imitation antlers, Gennosuke in an outfit like his and the kame's, and Leonardo's father in a coat of red and white with a long, white, thick beard he'd not had before flowing from his chin. That must be the Santa costume. The rat also seemed to have a line of children before him.

Usagi looked up at Leonardo. The kame smiled down at him. "They believe Santa will give them toys they've asked him for if they've been good. Or they might be thanking him for toys they've already gotten."

Usagi smiled. "Ah, I see." His father also used to promise him things if he'd be good as had his nurse. Sometimes, he had succeeded in behaving so for them, sometimes not. The latter happened often enough he'd been amazed and very grateful at some of the things his father did end up giving him. It was a common way to try to gain the obedience of children when you had to let them out of your sight.

Usagi felt someone approach him. He turned to see a human child staring down at him quizzically. The human was just a little taller than him, a boy in pants like April and Casey's, who were also in the room, and a "sweater," as he'd heard the thick clothing covering most of the humans he'd seen from the waist to the neck and wrist called. The boy pointed toward his waist, causing Usagi to glance down at it and the belt wrapped around his own kimono there beneath the dark green garb that matched his new hat he'd put on. The boy asked, "Are those real swords?"

Usagi let his eyes rest on Willow Branch and Young Willow in their sheaths, before looking up at Leonardo to get some idea of the way he should respond. Leonardo's eyes were wide and intent. His mouth was tight like a pulled cord.

Usagi looked back to the boy. "Why do you ask?"

"Because it'd be cool if they were."

Usagi's eyes crinkled and own brow wrinkled. "I believe it is not only 'cool,' but quite cold outside. Yet, it is quite warm in here."

The boy laughed, turned, and walked away. Usagi watched him go and then looked back up at Leonardo. The kame was smiling now all the tension seemingly having fled from his face. "Good going, Usagi."

He didn't know what he'd done, but was glad Leonardo was pleased. Splinter called to the kame in blue. Leonardo went over to him. Bereft of one of his now usual companions, Usagi walked over to another. The big rhino in the earth-Christmas costume grinned down at him and whispered. "They have more food here, and even more presents. And that machine you refused to ride in the emperor himself doesn't have roomier, warmer, and safer transportation!"

He glared up at his companion. "And have you been conducting yourself as a guest should, Gennosuke?"

The Bounty Hunter shrugged. "Eh, most of the kids have gathered in front of your friend's father telling him lists of things they want and tugging on his fake beard. Or going up to that tall, Silver Sentry fellow. They did stare at me a bit and one said 'cool rhino costume.'" He winked. "I let them think that."

"Ooooooooohhh a bunny!"

Usagi turned to see a small girl shorter than him with long brown hair, golden-brown eyes, and almost like color speckles on her pale face. "You're so cute! Can I have your costume, when your done with it? I'd like to wear it, or maybe Tina can wear it, for Easter!"

He looked up at Gennosuke, who sipped something from a small cup a usual tactic for him when he didn't want to help. Usagi glared at him before letting the expression fall away as he turned back to the girl. "What and when is this 'Easter,' young one?"

She giggled and raised her arms. "It's the next big holiday silly, after New Year and Valentines Day of course." She put her hands under her chin and sighed while batting her eyelashes after her mentioning of this last holiday.

Usagi stared at her a moment, blinked, and then suggested, "Perhaps you could ask 'Santa' for a bunny costume of your own, for the occasion as a Christmas gift?"

She squealed. The high-pitched and sudden sound made him flinch slightly (he hoped no one noticed). Then she cried out "You're right," turned, and ran to the back of the line in front of Splinter.

Usagi looked back up to and glared at Gennosuke after she'd left. "You were no help, there, friend."

The rhino grinned unrepentantly back down at him. "You did quite fine on your own, friend. Who knew you could be so sneaky, Samurai?"

Usagi rolled his eyes. "I only made a suggestion to her Gennosuke."

"Best way to lie. Don't. Just ask questions and make suggestions, so the conversation goes the way you want it to." He winked. Usagi rolled his eyes again before turning and walking back toward Leonardo who was standing some ways beside his father.

He heard some muffled whispers and turned to see the girl who'd questioned him earlier whispering to a girl with the coloring of the great hero who also had a small crowd of children around him now. This other girl grinned and waved at him before whispering back to the first. "He 'is' cute! But are you sure its a costume?"

"What else can it be?"

"I don't know. I have my suspicions about the turtles and rhino and rat-Santa though. Haven't you heard of the rumors?"

"Shhhhh ... Don't talk that way about 'Santa!' At least not until after Christmas!"

Usagi hesitatingly raised a hand and waved back, which caused both girls to squeal together. Then he turned and began walking toward Leonardo again. The kame had looked the two girls' way at the sound they made, and then down at him. Leonardo gave him an apologetic smile. "Maybe we should go see if we can get more cookies and punch from the kitchen for everybody?"

A boy raised a hand from near the back of the line, "Oh, can I do that! If I give some to Santa, maybe he'll forget about the time I flushed my sister's toy down the toilet for annoying me."

The girl who'd spoken to Usagi earlier crossed her arms in her place in line right behind the boy and raised an eyebrow. "No, he won't Timmy."

Leonardo only answered with. "I guess that's up to Santa himself guys. But 'I'll' go get the punch and cookies." He began walking to a door in the far wall. Usagi followed close behind eager to get away. Who knew human children could be both so enthusiastic and confusing? Of course, he was in a strange land, so everything was strange, but trying to pretend to be something he did not even understand was proving quite the challenge already.

They passed a man Usagi hadn't seen before, who smelled slightly like the Battle Shell had. The man raised concerned eyebrows at them. "You two aren't leaving so soon?"

Leonardo stopped and gave the man a big grin. "No, we're just refreshing the refreshments."

The man waved his hands. "Oh, no, you don't have to do that. Let me. I'm the volunteer."

Leo smiled back more softly. "So are we, and from what my brother told me, you already did a pretty brave and good deed today."

The man smiled back. His voice came out warmer and louder. "It was your brother who did that."

Leo laughed a little and went through the door. Usagi followed on his heels. When they were in a large room with a tile floor, metal boxes and cabinets lining most of its walls, and a table-like structure, thick, long at a little above Leonardo's waist in height standing in its center, Usagi turned to his friend and asked "What were you and that man speaking of Leonardo san?"

"That guy is the driver, who tried to deliver the toys for the kids here that Mikey later "rescued," which started all this. I guess the guy drives the moving truck for a living, but often brings things for free here to help the kids out. This time though, he almost lost his truck for it. If it hadn't been for Mikey, I doubt the Purple Dragons would have returned it after selling the toys in it."

"And that man tried to stop the members of this band of thieves called 'the Purple Dragons' from stealing this truck filled with the orphans' toys?"

"Yes. He tried to talk them out of stealing 'kids' toys, particularly orphans' toys, on Christmas. But they wouldn't listen. Since he had no weapons or training in how to use them or just his hands and feet as weapons, he couldn't stop him. Mikey did though. He met him here at the back door we came in with the trick and gave it back to him along with the toys. The guy offered to have him meet the kids he'd made so happy, and Mikey then offered all of us tp to play with them too. I just helped a kid fly off of Santa's lap like one of his reindeer."

"Play with them?"

"Sure, kids like to be played with especially on the holidays. It's a time to spend and have fun with others. Sensei used to play with us after he came back from getting us stuff for Christmas." Leonardo was grinning as he said this and picking up a tray of "cookies."

Usagi glanced about. "Where is the 'punch' you spoke of? It is not an actual blow to the body is it?" Usagi had thought that would be strange. But there were many strange 'sayings' warriors from other worlds had he'd learned.

Leonardo shook his head with a smile, but his voice was merely warm, and did not shake with, laughter. "No, it's a drink for celebrations. It's non-alcoholic, so kids can have it and very sweet. A tray of cups filled with it is up here too. I'll come back for it later after I take out the cookies."

"I could carry it, so we only have to make one trip Leonardo."

The kame's eyes widened. "You sure? You don't have to and I kinda thought you wanted a break away from everybody else."

"I will be fine. And surely, if 'you,' a Battle Nexus Champion's son and brother, can carry a tray laden with cups of 'punch,' it would not be shameful for me to do the same. Unless there is some rule that I shouldn't I am unaware of?"

Leonardo shrugged. He put the tray of cookies back on top of the long, wide pillar rising from the floor and lifted off it a tray of small, clear cups. Usagi could see red liquid sloshing in them. The kame replied as he did so, 'Technically it's considered bad manners for a host to allow a guest to help with anything. Splinter taught us that when we first started having guests. But, he also insisted my brothers and I do things for April while we were staying with her, and Casey and April, when we stayed at Casey's grandmother's old farm house. So, basically, good manners on both sides looked like us insisting we do something, and April or Casey insisting we not, though that happened with April more than Casey, and one of us finally winning and doing something for the other."

Usagi's eyes went wide as he took the tray from Leonardo while the Kame stared straight ahead seemingly still thinking through his answer and going through his memories of such events. The Ronin replied with, "It sounds as if it may have taken a while for any task to get done during those times, Leonardo san."

What do you think?

God bless

ScribeofHeroes