Disclaimer is in prologue.
+ indicates thoughts.
Rini in Toyland
Chapter 5 - Santa Claus is Coming to Town
"No!" Darien Be-Nimble shouted. "I've never stolen anything in my entire life!"
King Cole looked at Barnaby. "Diamond, you're making some very serious charges. Do you have evidence to back up your claim?"
"These are the lamb chops we found in Darien Be-Nimble's home!" Two guards handed Mr. Barnaby a plate of small pieces of meat and a collar that Rini recognized as Woolie's.
Queen Hearts gazed at Darien sternly. "Mr. Be-Nimble, is this true?"
Darien shook his head. "Hardly, your majesty. I've been watching the festival. I haven't gotten anywhere near the sheep's pen!"
"Is there anyone to back your alibi?" No one said anything. The King sighed sadly. "I'm afraid, then, that I have no choice. Darien Be-Nimble, I banish you to the Forbidden Forest. You can never return to Toyland Town."
"NOOO!!!" screamed Serenity Bo-Peep. She pushed past the guards and ran to the king and queen. "Please, your majesties, have mercy on him. He would never hurt the sheep. I probably left the gate open. I'll bet they're wandering around in the Sheep's Meadow. Darien's innocent, I tell you! You've got to believe me!" Serenity fell sobbing on Toyland's rulers. Mina put her arms around her as two guards threw Darien in a barred carriage and drove away.
Diamond put his hands on Serenity's shoulders. "Serenity, you shouldn't bother with that rogue. He's nothing but a thief and a coward. You should have a fine, upstanding citizen, not a slick sheep stealer."
"Well," muttered Jill, "she won't be marrying you, will she?"
Rini frowned. There was something suspicious about the lamb chops. She grabbed the mirror. "Mirror, let me see the evidence up close! Those don't look like lamb chops!" Up close, the meat was large and dark, not at all like meat from a sheep. + More like the steak strips in Ilene-mama's beef stir fry, + Rini thought. + That's it! That's not lamb. It's slices of beef! Lamb chops are smaller and have more bones. We used to eat lamb and rice in Crystal Tokyo all the time! +
Mary made a face. "Your majesties, not to question your judgment or anything, but why don't you take a look at the evidence? Those don't look like lamb chops to me!"
Rini ran out from behind the tree. "Your majesties!" She did a quick curtsy, stumbling a little over her snow boots. "Mary Quite Contrary is right. That's not lamb. It's beef. Take a look yourselves!"
"Why are you listening to this little brat?" snarled Diamond Barnaby. "She's a just a foreigner my overly soft brother hired to help Serenity Bo- Peep with her shepherding."
"Sapphire didn't say anything about hiring any foreigners," Emerald told him. "Or anyone at all, for that matter. He knows better than to interfere with the running of the family businesses."
"Quiet!" ordered Queen Hearts. "Santa Claus will be arriving any second. He'll settle this matter."
"Santa?" Rini asked. "I'm going to meet Santa?"
The sound of jingling bells and a deep, jolly "Ho, ho, ho!" answered her question. A small, elaborate sled appeared in the sky, pulled by nine small reindeer. The people of Toyland Town cheered as Santa Claus landed in a large space in the circle, near the tree.
Rini knew it was Santa. He had the beard and the red suit and the broad face. He even had the little round belly that shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly, just like in the poem. He smiled and waved to the crowd. "Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas, friends!" He climbed out of the sleigh with his sack and began to hand out presents to all the children clustered around him.
Rini felt shy. She never met the real Santa before. She stood away from the crowd, not knowing what to do. After all, she wasn't even sure if she believed in Santa, though he seemed to stand right in front of her. She didn't need any toys. She had Luna-P, who could turn into anything.
Santa, however, found her. He finished giving out presents and leaned over her. "Hello, Rini Shields! Why, this is the last place I expected to see you! You should be with your parents in Crystal Tokyo, or at least with Sailor Moon! What are you doing here?"
"You know who I am?"
"It's my job, young lady." He winked at her. "Didn't your friend Sailor Pluto tell you I've known her since we were both small? How is Trista these days, anyway? I haven't visited the Time Gate in quite a while."
Rini gasped. "Well, Puu, I mean, Sailor Pluto is fine. She's staying with some friends for the holidays."
Santa chuckled again. "Yes, I remember. She's helping to care for little Hotaru now." He cleared his throat and turned to the queen and king. He kissed Queen Hearts' hand. "Ah, Hearts, you're as lovely as ever." He gave King Cole such a slap on the back that the King toppled out of his chair. Santa helped him back up. "Sorry, Cole, I forget my own strength. How are you these days? How's Toyland?"
"Santa," King Cole explained as he rubbed his back, "we have a problem. I think I may have been a tad rash."
"He certainly was NOT rash," Diamond Barnaby sniffed. "A young man stole my sheep. We gave him the proper punishment."
"Yes," Rini insisted, "but you didn't look at the evidence close up!" She grabbed the plate and pushed it into Santa's gloved fingers. "Take a good look at this!"
Diamond Barnaby reached for the plate. "Don't listen to her, you old fool! She's just a child! What does a child know?"
"A lot more than you ever will, Barnaby," Santa pointed out. "Why don't you pipe down?" Santa poked at the meat. He sniffed it and shook his head. "Cole, you've made a grave mistake. If this is a lamb chop, I'm the Easter Bunny."
"I knew Darien would never steal!" Serenity exclaimed.
"Oh, dear," murmured King Cole. The queen glared at him and he turned the color of Santa's outfit. "I think I may have been a little hasty."
"A little?" snapped Jill. "Your majesty, you arrested an innocent man!"
"He's the one you should arrest!" Rini added, pointing at Rubeus. "Mary and I saw him prowling around the sheep's pen during the Festival. I'll bet Diamond Barnaby ordered him to steal his own sheep!"
Diamond laughed. "That's very funny, little girl. Why would I do something like that?"
"You want to marry my sister," Mina reminded him, "but she loves Darien Be- Nimble. You tried to exchange the mortgage on the shoe for her hand, but she still refused you."
"I'll marry her yet!" He motioned to Rubeus and Emerald. Rubeus grabbed Serenity and swung her over his shoulder, and Emerald snatched Rini. "If I can't wed Serenity Bo-Peep legally, I'll marry her by force!" He made a strange motion with his hand. "Dark Chocolate bats, take care of these idiots!" He bowed before the angry king and queen. "I must be going, your majesties. I have a wedding to prepare for."
The sky darkened, and Rini heard the rush of wings in the sky above her. A small, sleek brown creature swooped down. People screamed and ran to and fro, trying to escape the hoard of animals. The Barnabys and Rubeus hurried for the cover of their carriage. Serenity's kicking and screaming rose over the din. The king sent any guards who weren't busy with the bats after the wicked family, but they escaped.
Rini was busy swatting away a bat and didn't see the guards. She tried to get out of the way, but fell in the river instead! She knew how to swim, but it was difficult in her thick clothing and books. The frightened girl swam as fast as she could, but it was so hard.
She made her way down the river. It seemed to be safer there than on land. The water was as blue as the sky, and as clear as Crystal Tokyo. She passed many strange, colorful fish and river animals. She wanted to touch them or at least try to find out where she was, but they didn't acknowledge her. They even seemed to fear her. The river became wider, and the water got darker and colder.
She was getting more and more tired. Her muscles ached from pulling her heavy snowsuit-covered body. She had no idea where she was. She just wanted to stop and rest. She was about to give up when two gentle, soft arms led her to the glittering surface.
+ indicates thoughts.
Rini in Toyland
Chapter 5 - Santa Claus is Coming to Town
"No!" Darien Be-Nimble shouted. "I've never stolen anything in my entire life!"
King Cole looked at Barnaby. "Diamond, you're making some very serious charges. Do you have evidence to back up your claim?"
"These are the lamb chops we found in Darien Be-Nimble's home!" Two guards handed Mr. Barnaby a plate of small pieces of meat and a collar that Rini recognized as Woolie's.
Queen Hearts gazed at Darien sternly. "Mr. Be-Nimble, is this true?"
Darien shook his head. "Hardly, your majesty. I've been watching the festival. I haven't gotten anywhere near the sheep's pen!"
"Is there anyone to back your alibi?" No one said anything. The King sighed sadly. "I'm afraid, then, that I have no choice. Darien Be-Nimble, I banish you to the Forbidden Forest. You can never return to Toyland Town."
"NOOO!!!" screamed Serenity Bo-Peep. She pushed past the guards and ran to the king and queen. "Please, your majesties, have mercy on him. He would never hurt the sheep. I probably left the gate open. I'll bet they're wandering around in the Sheep's Meadow. Darien's innocent, I tell you! You've got to believe me!" Serenity fell sobbing on Toyland's rulers. Mina put her arms around her as two guards threw Darien in a barred carriage and drove away.
Diamond put his hands on Serenity's shoulders. "Serenity, you shouldn't bother with that rogue. He's nothing but a thief and a coward. You should have a fine, upstanding citizen, not a slick sheep stealer."
"Well," muttered Jill, "she won't be marrying you, will she?"
Rini frowned. There was something suspicious about the lamb chops. She grabbed the mirror. "Mirror, let me see the evidence up close! Those don't look like lamb chops!" Up close, the meat was large and dark, not at all like meat from a sheep. + More like the steak strips in Ilene-mama's beef stir fry, + Rini thought. + That's it! That's not lamb. It's slices of beef! Lamb chops are smaller and have more bones. We used to eat lamb and rice in Crystal Tokyo all the time! +
Mary made a face. "Your majesties, not to question your judgment or anything, but why don't you take a look at the evidence? Those don't look like lamb chops to me!"
Rini ran out from behind the tree. "Your majesties!" She did a quick curtsy, stumbling a little over her snow boots. "Mary Quite Contrary is right. That's not lamb. It's beef. Take a look yourselves!"
"Why are you listening to this little brat?" snarled Diamond Barnaby. "She's a just a foreigner my overly soft brother hired to help Serenity Bo- Peep with her shepherding."
"Sapphire didn't say anything about hiring any foreigners," Emerald told him. "Or anyone at all, for that matter. He knows better than to interfere with the running of the family businesses."
"Quiet!" ordered Queen Hearts. "Santa Claus will be arriving any second. He'll settle this matter."
"Santa?" Rini asked. "I'm going to meet Santa?"
The sound of jingling bells and a deep, jolly "Ho, ho, ho!" answered her question. A small, elaborate sled appeared in the sky, pulled by nine small reindeer. The people of Toyland Town cheered as Santa Claus landed in a large space in the circle, near the tree.
Rini knew it was Santa. He had the beard and the red suit and the broad face. He even had the little round belly that shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly, just like in the poem. He smiled and waved to the crowd. "Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas, friends!" He climbed out of the sleigh with his sack and began to hand out presents to all the children clustered around him.
Rini felt shy. She never met the real Santa before. She stood away from the crowd, not knowing what to do. After all, she wasn't even sure if she believed in Santa, though he seemed to stand right in front of her. She didn't need any toys. She had Luna-P, who could turn into anything.
Santa, however, found her. He finished giving out presents and leaned over her. "Hello, Rini Shields! Why, this is the last place I expected to see you! You should be with your parents in Crystal Tokyo, or at least with Sailor Moon! What are you doing here?"
"You know who I am?"
"It's my job, young lady." He winked at her. "Didn't your friend Sailor Pluto tell you I've known her since we were both small? How is Trista these days, anyway? I haven't visited the Time Gate in quite a while."
Rini gasped. "Well, Puu, I mean, Sailor Pluto is fine. She's staying with some friends for the holidays."
Santa chuckled again. "Yes, I remember. She's helping to care for little Hotaru now." He cleared his throat and turned to the queen and king. He kissed Queen Hearts' hand. "Ah, Hearts, you're as lovely as ever." He gave King Cole such a slap on the back that the King toppled out of his chair. Santa helped him back up. "Sorry, Cole, I forget my own strength. How are you these days? How's Toyland?"
"Santa," King Cole explained as he rubbed his back, "we have a problem. I think I may have been a tad rash."
"He certainly was NOT rash," Diamond Barnaby sniffed. "A young man stole my sheep. We gave him the proper punishment."
"Yes," Rini insisted, "but you didn't look at the evidence close up!" She grabbed the plate and pushed it into Santa's gloved fingers. "Take a good look at this!"
Diamond Barnaby reached for the plate. "Don't listen to her, you old fool! She's just a child! What does a child know?"
"A lot more than you ever will, Barnaby," Santa pointed out. "Why don't you pipe down?" Santa poked at the meat. He sniffed it and shook his head. "Cole, you've made a grave mistake. If this is a lamb chop, I'm the Easter Bunny."
"I knew Darien would never steal!" Serenity exclaimed.
"Oh, dear," murmured King Cole. The queen glared at him and he turned the color of Santa's outfit. "I think I may have been a little hasty."
"A little?" snapped Jill. "Your majesty, you arrested an innocent man!"
"He's the one you should arrest!" Rini added, pointing at Rubeus. "Mary and I saw him prowling around the sheep's pen during the Festival. I'll bet Diamond Barnaby ordered him to steal his own sheep!"
Diamond laughed. "That's very funny, little girl. Why would I do something like that?"
"You want to marry my sister," Mina reminded him, "but she loves Darien Be- Nimble. You tried to exchange the mortgage on the shoe for her hand, but she still refused you."
"I'll marry her yet!" He motioned to Rubeus and Emerald. Rubeus grabbed Serenity and swung her over his shoulder, and Emerald snatched Rini. "If I can't wed Serenity Bo-Peep legally, I'll marry her by force!" He made a strange motion with his hand. "Dark Chocolate bats, take care of these idiots!" He bowed before the angry king and queen. "I must be going, your majesties. I have a wedding to prepare for."
The sky darkened, and Rini heard the rush of wings in the sky above her. A small, sleek brown creature swooped down. People screamed and ran to and fro, trying to escape the hoard of animals. The Barnabys and Rubeus hurried for the cover of their carriage. Serenity's kicking and screaming rose over the din. The king sent any guards who weren't busy with the bats after the wicked family, but they escaped.
Rini was busy swatting away a bat and didn't see the guards. She tried to get out of the way, but fell in the river instead! She knew how to swim, but it was difficult in her thick clothing and books. The frightened girl swam as fast as she could, but it was so hard.
She made her way down the river. It seemed to be safer there than on land. The water was as blue as the sky, and as clear as Crystal Tokyo. She passed many strange, colorful fish and river animals. She wanted to touch them or at least try to find out where she was, but they didn't acknowledge her. They even seemed to fear her. The river became wider, and the water got darker and colder.
She was getting more and more tired. Her muscles ached from pulling her heavy snowsuit-covered body. She had no idea where she was. She just wanted to stop and rest. She was about to give up when two gentle, soft arms led her to the glittering surface.