Author's Notes: Ah, can you feel the spirit of Christmas? Honestly, I don't feel it all that much… maybe making this fanfic would help me, ne? ^-^ This happens during the Dunan Unification War. Yes—during the thick of the war.
Disclaimer: I don't own Suikoden. I am just a Millie/Luc fangirl. As much as it hurts me, I actually think I am the only Millie/Luc fangirl in the whole wide world. Hehe… I guess you can say, I own all plots regarding this pairing. ^-^ Whee.
Carol of the Bells
Hark the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn king!"
Peace on Earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled…
Chapter 1: Christmas Shopping
"Christmas Eve tomorrow." Millie smiles brightly at Meg as she pulled out the leaf on the calendar that said December 22. All people think of now is the war with Jowy… They forget that life must go on, that time does not stop…
"Oh my!" Meg exclaims. "That's right! Oh no—I don't even have gifts for people…I-I, I don't even have a gift for you!"
"No!!" Millie cried. "It wouldn't feel like Christmas without opening a few presents!!" She brings up one finger against her lips, her eyebrows drawn together in thought. "I haven't gotten presents yet—but c'mon Meg, let's make sure we do get them!! Okay? Or else it won't feel like Christmas…"
Meg laughs. "Oh don't worry, I will get you a gift alright. I promise."
"Well…" Millie shrugs. "I suppose we should be starting now… to look for presents I mean."
"Yeah." Meg nods.
"Seeya Bonaparte," Millie hugs her pet then set it one her bed, wrapping it with her covers. "Be a good boy now."
"Stay here Gadget!!" Meg tells her robot. "I will be shopping for presents!!"
"YES MEG." Gadget opens the door for the girls.
"I don't suppose we can really shop for each other's presents together, can we?"
"No, I suppose not…"
"Well… see you later." Millie says as she went off one way.
"Yeah, later." Meg says and went off the other way.
Phew…Meg eyes drifted lazily down the hall. And now, what should I get for them…
Naturally, Meg headed for the shopping lane at the side of the Castle. "Hi, Miss Jeane!!" Meg says cheerfully.
"Oh, hello Meg." The rune mistress smiles at her.
"Do you have an idea what a good Christmas present might be?"
"A Christmas present??…" Jeane looked surprised. "You have come to the wrong place…" Jeane gestures at the Crystals on the shelves. "I sell magical weapons—tools for war. They do not make good Christmas presents."
Meg giggles uncomfortably. "Millie wouldn't like that—she believes Runes and Magic are not truly weapons, rather, it matters what the beholder uses them for…" The girl skips towards the exit. "Oh well, I must find her a present. Seeya!!"
Yes, what was I thinking, coming in a Rune Shop for Christmas Presents… Meg slaps her forehead. Silly…oh!!
"Hi Mister Lebrante!!" Meg called, running in the appraisal shop.
"Good morning, young lady," Lebrante says. "How may I serve you?"
"Wow, you're store has so many pretty things!!!" Meg exclaimed. "Will you sell me something?"
"I will be happy too," Lebrante replied. "But—you must tell me, why are you interested?"
"Well," Meg smiled. "I need a Christmas present for my friend, Millie!! I was thinking of getting her a lovely little plaything, and your store is full of pretty knick-knacks—"
"HOW DARE YOU!!!" Lebrante bellowed.
Meg's eyes widened. "Wha—"
"These things, these beautiful works of art—they are not children's toys!" His normally quiet voice boomed. "They were made by the most skilled of human hands and are endangered by violent wars that so frequently occur! They deserve the utmost care and are to be treasured!"
"Eh??" Meg feels a bead of sweat slide down her forehead. "It's not like, we will break them—"
"SILENCE!!" The appraiser approached Meg. Meg slowly stepped backward. "You fail to see the severity of the situation! You live without a care of the world around you, not realizing that so many lives are lost, so many wonders destroyed—great relics of this world—"
"That is NOT true!!!" Meg screamed back hotly. "I have seen two wars—I have fought in two wars!! I am a Star of Destiny and I am a part of this Gathering like you!! I know what is happening, but that doesn't mean I have to lose myself to—"
"ENOUGH!!!" Lebrante made a swift gesture towards the doorway. "Out! AWAY WITH YOU!!"
"NO!! No way!!" Came Meg's protests, but the appraiser all but shoved her out.
"That—that loon!!" Meg's eyes narrowed, practically burning holes at the bolted door. "YOU'RE A DERANGED OLD MAN, DID YOU KNOW THAT??!!!" Meg gave the door a kick that stung right through the pointy toes of her cute little boots before going away.
"Oh well," Meg mutters. "There's always the trading center anyway, let us see what travelers from distance lands have to offer!!!" She ran inside the store. "Mister Gordon!!"
"Pipe down, lassie." Gordon hushes her and hustles her in the door. "Now, now, what brings you here?"
"I am looking for a Christmas present—"
"Look no further!!" Gordon makes a flamboyant gesture towards his wares. "I have got things that would make a great present for anyone!!" He grins at Meg. "And this lucky recipient, tell me about this person, so Mister Gordon will know just what to pull out for you."
"Well, "Meg grins back. Finally, someone who understands!! " I am looking for a present for my best friend Millie!! She is a pretty, pretty girl—like me of course, and Tengaar-niichan. She is fourteen years old and she adores cute, things—oh, her taste is a little eccentric, by the way—"
"Ah, I have just the thing!!" Gordon hurries behind the counter and ducks under it.
"You do??" Meg leans over the counter, trying to see.
"Here it is!!" Gordon held out a crystal ball. It was filled with water and inside were miniature models of people, decorated pine trees, reindeers, sleighs, houses… Gordon gave it a shake and little shining flecks of white swirled around, before settling at the bottom. It looked very much like—
"Snow!!" Meg cried excitedly.
Gordon chuckled. "This is a snow globe. It's pretty, isn't it? I'm sure your friend will like it."
"Yes, she certainly will!!" Meg nods happily. She took it carefully in both hands.
"That will be ten thousand potch, please."
"WHAAAAAT??!" Meg nearly dropped the snow globe. She placed it on the table. "I-I don't have that much money!!"
"Well, that's too bad." Gordon says. He took the snow globe and placed his hands protectively around it. "Either you pay ten thousand potch, or you don't get it."
"Please, Mister Gordon!!" Meg says in a wheedling voice. "I just want the perfect Christmas gift for my best friend!! I'll give ten thousand potch if I had it, but I don't."
"If you can't pay for it, you can't have it." Gordon says.
"That's ridiculous!!" Meg declared. "No sane person will pay you that much for the snow globe!! What makes you think it's worth that much??!!"
"We're in a war, lassie." Gordon tells her wryly. "War makes the price of all goods go up. Especially luxury items such as this one. It is good for the trading sector. Ask Mister Shu, he knows about this things."
"You're thinking of profit at a time like this??!" Meg said angrily.
"That's the way of the world, little girl." Gordon said. "War and money flow go together."
"Oh that's awful!! Money-grubber, can't even spare a girl who just wants a Christmas present for her friend!!!"
"You don't understand," Gordon says, shaking his head. "You're just a little girl anyway. Christmas eh, bah—humbug!!"
"SCROOGE!!!" Meg yelled. She stalked off and headed inside the Castle. There has got to be someone who actually has something good…
"Hi, Meg."
"Hi Mister Flik." Meg waves. She joined the swordsman at the entrance of the tavern.
"Where are you off to?" Flik asks. "Hmm, where's Millie?"
"Well…" Meg grins. "We're shopping for presents, so we separated."
"Shopping?" Flik says puzzledly. "Presents??"
"Yes," Meg nods. "Tomorrow is Christmas Eve!! And after that, Christmas morning!! We all should celebrate!!!"
"Christmas, huh?" Flik smiles, an amused expression on his face. "Why yes… and we have barely even noticed… Christmas is coming…"
"You haven't done your shopping now, have you?" Meg frowns.
"I didn't remember," Flik chuckles sheepishly. "And even if I did, I don't really have the time to do it. We are fighting a war after all. I can't just request Shu some time off from training the soldiers and meetings so I can do some shopping."
"You do have the time," a voice behind Flik says. "You just prefer to spend it in my tavern slopping up alcohol."
"Hey!" Flik turns to Leona, his tone full of mock indignation. "Tavern time is necessary, it helps alleviate excess stress, therefore, heightens the physical and mental performance of the warrior. Besides, it's my time to catch up with the boys and do some 'bonding' as you women are so fond of calling it."
"Bonding," Leona lets out a delicate snort. "You use that word define staring at each other silently?"
"Words aren't always necessary you know." Flik says, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Oh yes, sure." Leona says wryly. She attaches something green and circular above the tavern entrance.
"Oh, how lovely!!" Meg exclaims. "A wreath!!"
"Of course," Leona said. "Others may make excuses to forget about the season but not I." She looks at Flik meaningfully.
"Don't look at me like that." Flik says, feeling a bead of sweat slide down his forehead.
"And before I forget…" Leona steps just inside the door and hangs some mistletoe over the entrance. She winks at Meg. "Probably the most important decoration of them all." Meg giggles.
"Geez Leona, preying on innocent customers." Flik shook a finger playfully at her. He stepped inside.
"Sir Flik!!! I finally saw you again!!!" A schoolgirl runs up to him.
"Oh, no…" Flik groans.
"She has been waiting for you since I opened up." Leona said, bringing up one hand to cover her smile.
"Hurray!!" Nina jumped and flung her arms around Flik's neck, clinging unto him very happily. [Millie Akhilliades: Whee, I have just defined a glomp!! ^-^]
"Hi Nina," Meg chirps. "Congratulations on finding the elusive Mister Flik. By the way, did you know you're both standing under some mistletoe?"
"NO WAY!!!" Nina squeals happily.
"Oh, no!!" Flik moaned, sounding distressed.
"You know what tradition dictates!!!" Nina bounced on her feet, excitedly. Leona and Meg stifled their giggles.
"Oh, I just remembered—a pressing engagement, I best be off!!" Flik dashes away.
"Wait, Sir Flik!!!" Nina dashes after him. "You owe me a kiss!!!"
"Hee, hee." Meg giggles.
"Well, do you want a drink, Meg?" Leona asked.
"Oh no, not now." Meg shook her head. "I am going Christmas shopping!!"
"You though of buying presents at a time like this??" Leona asked.
"Yeah, what's wrong about that??!" Meg says defensively.
"There is nothing wrong about it, I think it's sweet." Leona said. "We may be caught in a war, yet what we fight for—it's for peace, and joy. The fight loses meaning if we don't value the season of hope and happiness."
"That's right." Meg nods.
"Well, you and your friends better come by here for Christmas." Leona said. "I'll give you all the refreshments you want."
"Thanks, we will certainly stop by!!!" Meg waves as she skipped off.
Yes…Meg smiled. I am NOT the one with the priorities problem… I am the one who knows what truly is important…