Back at the Palace, Malcho was singing Feliz Navidad, his rich baritone voice echoing through the Main Hall as he and Mewtwo begin to set up the decorations, his Spanish accent only adding to the festive nature of the song. As Mewtwo telekenetically drove the tacks into place while he stood in the centre of the room with his arms folded over his chest, the great quetzacoatl happily arranged the lengths of fake evergreen garland and waited for the said tacks to hold one section in place before he went onto the next, never once missing a beat of the song.
A screech of tires from outside made him pause in mid stanza, pale green eyes darting to the nearest window in time to see the black convertible tear through the gates at breakneck speed. "Muchachos! The amiga's are back!" he called, his voice loud enough to be heard throughout most of the Palace. Another screech drew his attention back to the window in time to see the convertible slip on a patch of ice and begin to spin around in three hundred sixty degree circles as it continued towards the parking lot, and even he could hear the screams of the occupants of that car.
Seeing that they were about to crash, Mewtwo rose a hand and telekenetically straightened out the car, wincing when it ploughed into a snowbank, barely missing the rear end of the Silver Intrepid as it came to a stop. ~I'm never getting into a car with either of those two ever again,~ he muttered telepathically to Malcho as first Telca then Lashana staggered out of the car, both of them leaning on it heavily to keep from collapsing. The three from the backseat came next, Kadrith dropping to his knees in the snow to hug the ground in relief and thanks, barely avoiding Tvashtar as the other draconid stumbled free.
"I see that Telca was driving," Blackwargreymon commented as he joined the two at the window, staring out at the group for a moment before going to throw the doors open and heading out to help them with the numerous bags they were pulling from the trunk. "Are you alright?"
"That was so cool!" Nightcrawler beamed, grinning at Telca excitedly. "I loved how you took that turn out of the parking lot and how we slid sideways around it!"
"Thanks," Telca smiled. "I did my best."
"I think I'm gonna hurl," Kadrith groaned.
"Wuss," Tvashtar muttered as he grabbed a good dozen bags and started for the Palace, wading through another snowbank as he went.
"Me? I'm not the one who was screaming!" The older of the two brothers protested as he started after the other draconid, blinking when Telca shoved ten bags into his arms, then shoved him forward.
Grinning with leftover excitement, Nightcrawler grabbed as many bag handles as he could and teleported them all inside, startling Malcho. "Whoops! Sorry, dude. Wow, the place looks great."
Chuckling, Malcho bowed to the teen. "Gracias amigo. Though Mewtwo and I have just begun."
"And you've got your work cut out for you too," Blackie announced as he brought in the rest of the bags, adding them to the pile in a corner of the Main Hall. "Did you two buy out the entire store?"
"Pretty much," Lashana grinned as she hung up her coat in the closet, then ran her hands through her hair. "Brr, it's cold out there. Anyone hear from Wolvie and Zel? Did they find a tree?"
"Better yet," Telca added. "Do we know if they're still alive?"
Before Lashana could say anything to that, a ruckus from the kitchen drew her attention, tugging at her curiosity as she went over and peeked inside, grumbling when Blackie came up behind her and pushed her into the room.
"You can't put bacon on a turkey!" Diane frowned, looking from Duncan to the bird he was dressing in disgust. "That's not how you bake it!"
"See?! Remy told you it be wrong!" the Cajun boasted smugly.
"But it's an old recipe!"
"Gods, not again," the elf whispered as she rose a hand to her head in an exasperated smack.
"Oh for the love of...." Glaring at Duncan, Telca pushed past the elf and grabbed another turkey out of a portal, dropping it, and the pan it was lying in, in front of Diane. "Here. Have a contest or something. Just stop fighting about how to cook a dead bird!"
"Hey!" Duncan protested. "How come I had to go hunt for a turkey and you just hand one to her?!"
"Because she's my mother," Lashana reminded him with a smug look, sticking her tongue out at him when he made a face at her.
Diane sighed. "Now children...."
"Hullo?!" Wolverine's voice drifted from the Main Hall. "Anyone order a tree?!"
Grinning, Lashana darted around Blackie and ran out to greet the feral, clapping her hands when she saw the huge tree that Malcho and Mewtwo were setting up in the middle of the Hall, a good ways away from the fireplace to avoid any unpleasantness. "Wolvie, it's perfect! Wait.... Zel? What the hell happened to your pants?!"
The chimera grumbled. "It's the squirrels fault."
"What," Telca frowned. "The squirrels molested you?"
"Oh, that," Wolverine chuckled and jerked a thumb at a blushing Zel. "Squirrels got inta his pants. It was somethin' funny!"
"Shut up!" the chimera muttered, cheeks flushing as he stomped past the elf and headed upstairs to get changed, yelping when an Alaskan Malamute bowled him over as it ran down the stairs at breakneck speed.
"Logan?" Worried, Lashana knelt and beckoned the dog closer, sinking her hands into his thick velvety fur as he walked over to her and gave her a lick on her cheek. There was mistletoe attached to his collar, and she frowned as she tugged it loose, toying with the plastic decoration curiously. "What the hell?"
"Uhh..." Zel, who was still lying on his back from being knocked over, stared up at the mistletoe he was lying under. "Am I in trouble?"
"Under the mistletoe!!" Grinning madly, Xellos flew down the stairs and glomped the chimera, ignoring his cries and attempts to get free as he frenched him, then pulled back and licked his lips.
"That's just wrong," Telca muttered from the hallway to the kitchen, grimacing as she watched Zel spit and wipe at his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Yech! Whiskey! I need whiskey!" Coughing in disgust, Zel scrambled to his feet and ran for the kitchen, screaming incoherencies as he went.
Frowning, Blackwargreymon poked his head out of the kitchen. "Why is Zel chugging whiskey?" he asked, blinking when he saw Xellos smiling widely while Lashana's dog cowered behind the elf's legs. "Nevermind."
Xellos looked over at the Digimon, when grinned widely. "Under the mistletoe!"
"Oh no you don't!" Lashana yelled, opening a portal in front of Xellos and watching him fly into it. She made sure that the other side of it opened up in mid-town. "Pervert."
"Everyone watch out for mistletoe," Malcho said shakily, eyeing an annoyed Lashana worriedly. "Amiga, I don't suppose you can order....?"
"I already ordered him not to ruin Christmas. Ordering him not to be himself would be like telling you to dye yourself bright pink," she sighed. "It just ain't gonna happen. Anyway, let's just decorate the tree and finish off doing all the chores. The others will be showing up sooner than we think. Wolvie, if you want, get Kang to help you with the firewood, kay?"
"Sure thin' darlin'." Glad to get out of the Palace in case Xellos came back, he quickly headed out to the back where the huge logs rested, waiting to be cut into smaller pieces of firewood. "Kang! Get yer scaled arse out here!!"
Telca chuckled at Wolvie's yell and smirked at Lashana. "He's definitely one of ours."
"Yup. And since I hear my mother fighting with Remy and Duncan about stuffing, I'm forgoing venturing into the kitchen. So! Who wants to help me decorate the tree?"
Grinning, Blackie handed her a bag of decorations. "You know I will. Besides, you need someone to reach the top branches. Shorty."
"Keep talking like that and you'll be sleeping on the couch tonight," the elf retorted with a smirk, vaguely aware that Nightcrawler had grabbed a bag of outdoor lights and teleported outside as she started unpacking, smiling when Malcho and Mewtwo congratulated Telca on her choice of ornaments, the two digging through the bags eagerly.
Telca meanwhile turned her attention to the kitchen, rolling her eyes as she walked in on the middle of a fight between Duncan and Diane, the former losing in a spoon fight with the woman, his yelps loud as Lashana's mother smacked him on the knuckles with a wooden spoon. "Way to go, Diane!" she cheered, laughing softly as she walked over to Remy and slid her arms around his waist, snuggling into his chest. "Hi, Remy."
The Cajun chuckled and returned the hug as best he could, not wanting to dirty her clothes since he had been stuffing his turkey. "Hello, chere. Careful now, I have to finish de turkey, den we cuddle."
"Ugh," Duncan grimaced, yelping when Diane whacked him again. "Ow! Stop that!"
"Make me!"
"Now children," Telca smiled, grinning when Diane looked at her. "What?" Soft humming drew her attention to Kenshin as he went about folding some bread, and she curled a lock of her hair around her right index finger as she walked over to him, eyeing what he was doing. "Hey, Ken-chan."
Brilliant blue eyes turned to regard her as the samurai smiled. "Konnichiwa, Telca-dono. Are the preparations for tonight going well?"
"Considering what could happen, yeah, they're going well. I ought to warn you though, watch out for mistletoe. Xellos is feisty today."
He grimaced at that. "I'll becareful, that I will."
"Good. Though if he goes for you, feel free to beat him up a bit." She patted him on his shoulder, then turned to look at the other three. "Same goes for you guys, by the way."
"I can attest to that!" Zel moaned from where he was curled up underneath the small table, a bottle of whiskey in his hands.
"Yay for you," Duncan muttered. "I had been saving that whiskey since eighteen oh nine."
"I t'ink he be needin' it more dan you, mon ami," Remy pointed out, glancing over at the double ovens, then to Telca. "Chere, we be an oven short."
"Eh? Oh crap. Uh... just a sec..." Frowning, she opened a portal and stuck her head inside, peering around curiously before she hauled out a huge toaster oven. "Someone gets to be brave and use this thing."
"I'll take it," Diane volunteered. "I've cooked with worse before, that ought to be a breeze."
"Yeah, and it'll come out dryer than a twig," Duncan snickered, ducking the smack Remy aimed at him but not Diane's wooden spoon. "Ow...."
"Serves you right, that it does," Kenshin admonished him. "Diane is our guest. You should give her more respect, that you should."
"Thank you, Kenshin," Diane smiled, turning to stick her tongue out at Duncan afterwards.
"Oh yeah," Telca smirked. "We're just oozing maturity in here." Shaking her head sadly, she went and peeked out at the tree decorators, smiling in delighted surprise when she saw how well things were going. "Wow. That looks great!"
~Doesn't it though?~ Mewtwo said smugly as he took a step back and admired the groups work. The tree was a beautiful mix of gold, silver, deep red, cream and white decorations, some of the more expensive of the ornaments a mix of numerous colours that would shine brightly under the clear lights that had been strung onto the tree. ~We're almost ready to light the tree. Want me to get everyone in here?~
"Hell yeah!" Lashana grinned, the expression fading from her face when a red and orange portal opened up near the Main Doors, a black clad form falling through it to land in a heap on the floor. "Uh.... anyone order a vampire?"
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts from the harsh landing, Angel slowly got to his feet, then looked around, his eyes narrowing when he spotted one of the women who had stolen his car. "You!" Ignoring the others around her, he stalked forward and grabbed fistfuls of her shirt. "Where's my car?!"
Lashana smiled weakly. "It's safe," she hedged reluctantly.
"Where?"
"Um.... in a snowbank."
"What?!"
Tvashtar frowned at the elf. "You stole the car?! Lashana!"
"What? We needed the seat space!" she protested, smacking Angel upside the head to get him to release her, then straightening her tee shirt when he had done so. "Besides, Telca and I were gonna give it back....eventually."
Dark eyes narrowed even further as Angel glared at her. "Eventually?"
"Yes. Eventually. As in, 'not right away'," Telca said, speaking slowly so that Angel could get a clue.
"Besides, it's built really great! It didn't even get a scratch when we hit that telephone pole," Lashana added cheerfully.
Angel squeaked. "Telephone pole?!"
"Anyway, 'Two, call the gang and let's light this sucker," the elf smiled as she turned back to the tree, watching as her Bonded placed the star on the top of the tree. "Gods that looks perfect."
"Hey wait, what about my car?" Angel protested when he realised that the two women were now ignoring him.
"Well, you can't go get it now, dummy," Telca told him as she and the others from the kitchen gathered into the Main Hall. "It's the middle of the afternoon, you'd turn into a crispy critter, and I don't know of any spells that would prevent you from bursting into flames if you even tried to head outside."
"Ditto," Lashana added. "You're stuck with us till nightfall. Sorry, bud. Dad! C'mere!!"
Diane winced and scowled at her daughter. "Next time, just go and get him."
"Where's the fun in that?"
Kadrith rolled his eyes and added the last ornament onto the tree, stepping back to admire the eight foot tall wonder that they had made, glancing towards the doors when Wolverine and Kang trudged into the Palace, each carrying huge armfuls of firewood that they immediately dumped in the cedar bin near the fireplace.
"Heard the call. What's up?" the draconian asked, following Lashana's pointing finger to the tree. "Wow. Good job!"
"We know," Malcho preened, vaguely aware that Angel was now staring at him in slack-jawed shock. "The amiga's chose the ornaments well, don't you agree?"
"Oh yeah," Wolverine grinned, shaking snow off his worn leather jacket as he walked over and threw an arm around Telca's shoulders. "Ya did good darlin'."
"Did someone scream?" Pete asked as he poked his head out of the livingroom, meeting his wife's gaze for a moment before shrugging and walking over to join her. "She may get her driving from my side but she get's her lungs from you."
As Diane delivered a smack upside Pete's head, a cloud of brimstone smoke announced Nightcrawler and Beast's entrance, the two blue furred mutants covered in a light layer of snow. "Dude! We're almost done outside, what's the hold up?"
~The tree's ready to be lit up,~ Mewtwo told them as he twirled the cord in a hand. ~Who wants to do the honours?~
Lashana grinned over at the couple of Remy and Telca. "Telca should," she smiled, leaning back against Blackie as she spoke, hearing his low purr as he wrapped an arm around her.
Mewtwo smirked and held out the plug to Telca, who blinked a bit before taking it. ~You want a drumroll?~
On cue, Kadrith did a rough drumroll against the wall, grinning toothily when his brother rolled his eyes at him. Seeing Telca laugh softly, he repeated the sound, this time drawing it out as she took the plug in one hand and the extension cord in the other. "Five, four, three....."
"Two!" The group roared, everyone grinning as Telca brought her two hands closer together. "One!"
Yelling out with the others, Telca plugged in the tree, cheering loudly when it glowed brightly, accenting the rich tones of gold, silver and red and glinting off the garland that was tastefully wrapped around the tree. It was simply beautiful, and she smiled as she turned and hugged her Cajun, snuggling into his arms when he returned the embrace and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.
Grinning, Lashana looked from the couple to the tree, admiring it for a moment before glancing at Angel, who still had a sort of gobsmacked expression on his face as he continued to stare at Malcho in some sort of mind numbing shock. "Oh dear." Pushing away from her Bonded, she walked over to the vampire and poked him in the ribs, drawing his wide eyed gaze. "Malcho's the last of his kind," she told him, drawing the snakes gaze when she spoke his name. "He's a quetzacoatl, one of the legendary creatures of the Aztecs. Though he's far from being that old."
"Hola amigo." Smiling toothily, Malcho extended his right wing, the pinfeathers of his wing shifting to form a large imitation of a hand, his smile turning into a grin when Angel hesitantly shook 'hands' with him. "Ah, not to worry, amigo, everyone reacts the same upon meeting me for the first time. Señor Pete nearly fainted at the sight of me."
There was an indignant snort. "I did not!"
"But, ah, where did you come from?" Angel frowned curiously, still getting used to having a snake that looked capable of swallowing him whole with little trouble being so close to him.
"The rainforests of my homeland, of course!"
"No, I mean..."
Lashana smiled and lay a hand on Angel's arm. "I found him in a different dimension, there was no name for his home, none that we knew of."
Dark eyes turned to regard her. "A different dimension? Then, that portal back in Los Angeles...?"
"Oh yeah, Telca and I can open and close those things just like that," she snapped her fingers for emphasis, and grinned. "We're sorceresses, don't'cha know. We got big voodoo here, m'lad."
He frowned. "Now big?"
"Big," she grinned, her eyes flashing from blue to gold and then back again. "Very big."
Tvashtar walked over to her and threw an arm around her shoulders. "Lashana, quit trying to freak him out."
"Aww, ruin all my fun," she chuckled, elbowing her brother playfully, then kneeling to hug the Alaskan malamute that had ventured over to her and was nudging his head against her legs. "Yes, Logan. Big puppy." She grinned as he woofed at her then dropped to the floor and rolled onto his back, letting her scratch his pure white chest as his paws pushed against her arm, his tail wagging happily.
"Cute," Tvashtar laughed as the dog leapt to his feet then rose up to plant kisses along his muzzle. "Ugh, get off."
"We're headin' back out!" Nightcrawler waved as he headed for the front door, Beast in tow. "Three more strings of lights and we can come in for hot chocolate."
"We'll have some waiting for you," Kadrith promised, earning a knowing smile from Telca. Out of the entire Harem, it was Kadrith that was most protective of the young mutant, and while he sometimes got ribbed for it by the others, he knew that both Lashana and Telca approved of his paternal leanings. They weren't far behind him in the protectiveness factor either, not when it came to the young teen.
"Okay, we have the tree, the food is being cooked, the Main Hall is decorated, outside is almost finished...." Lashana counted the items out on her fingers, then paused and looked at Telca. "Is that it?"
"Almost. The presents...." she trailed off, then gasped in horror. "Oh my god! I didn't wrap my presents! Shit!"
Kang paled. "You're supposed to wrap them?! In what?!"
"Christmas paper," Blackie told him. "What? You didn't know?"
"No! You people tell me nothing!"
Telca cursed and stomped upstairs, raving madly. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! Got distracted by cheesy Christmas specials and didn't wrap anything! Kang! C'mon! I'll show you how to wrap presents. Dammit."
"My she's cheerful," Pete muttered dryly.
"This is toned down," Wolverine told him with a smirk. "Usually she's way more.... moody."
"I heard that, Wolverine!!"
The Canuck winced and rose a hand to rub at the back of his neck. "Right. Um.... Hockey?"
"Hockey," Pete nodded.
Black hesitated a moment before glancing at Lashana hopefully.
"Oh, go," she chuckled, shoving him towards the livingroom. "It'll keep you out of trouble."
"I resent that," he teased, pausing to ruffle her hair lovingly before heading after the guys.
Laughing, she headed into the kitchen and went to get herself a Pepsi out of the fridge, calmly swatting the reaching tentacles of the Thing aside as she grabbed a can then slammed the door shut. "I can't believe we're all done," she commented, watching Kadrith as he go the hot chocolate ready for Nightcrawler before turning her gaze to her mother and the other two cooks who had put their turkeys into the ovens and were now checking on them religiously.
"Under the mistletoe!!"
"Arrrruuugh!!"
"I think Xellos just got Wolverine," Tvashtar announced, mirroring Lashana's look of disgust.
"Better him than us," Duncan commented, ducking the thrown utensil from Lashana but not Kalamadea, who leapt from Diane's shoulders, and clamped onto his ponytail. "Owowowow!"
"C'mere, Kalama," Lashana snickered, opening her arms to the little dragon and hugging him when he flew over to her. "Having fun so far?"
::Yeah. I like your mother. She reminds me a lot of you.::
"But of course," Diane said proudly. "She is my daughter."
"That explains the insanity," Zelgadis muttered as he poured himself a cup of coffee, shaking his head sadly when Lashana smacked him, then cried out and clutched at her hand. "One-third golem, remember, Lashana?"
She scowled as she shook feeling back into her fingers. "I remember," she grumbled sourly, perking up when she heard the doorbell ring, then glancing down at herself. "I'm not festive!" With a snap of her fingers, her outfit changed into black boots, blood red jeans and a iridescent silver blouse, her hair loose and curling around her face as she boosted Kalamadea up onto her right shoulder then bolted for the Main Doors.
Grinning excitedly, she hauled the doors open and beamed at the waiting Tasuki. "Fang boy!"
"Elfy!" Having exchanged hated nicknames, he strode forward and enveloped her in a hug, then kicked the door shut and turned to hold her at arms length, studying her. "Ne, ya look wonderful. Life treatin' ya good?"
"Pretty much. You?"
"Same as always. Oh, I ran inta some others while I was waitin'...." he turned to look at the doors as they were pushed open by a certain Arch-Angel, the male rubbing at his face as he walked into the Palace.
"Thanks a lot Tasuki," Tempest muttered sourly as he tested his aching nose, glad to discover that it wasn't broken. Ever the gentleman, he turned and held the door open for his wife, Rebecca and his daughter, Eve before shoving it closed and gazing over at the elf. "Well, well, well. Haven't seen you around for a while. Your invitation came out of the blue."
"I've been busy," Lashana shrugged evasively, glancing at Tasuki as he threw a protective arm around her shoulders. Rolling her eyes, she pulled away and went to greet her friends, smiling at Tempest as she gave him a friendly hug, then turned to the other two women. "Missed you guys. Becca, you look beautiful as always. Eve, it's been a while, did you do something with your hair?"
"Eh? Oh, no, I just decided to let my hair down, that's all." Returning the elf's warm smile, Eve leaned forward and gave her a hug before studying her curiously. "You look good. A little tired though."
"And your aura's a little off," Rebecca frowned, eyeing the elf worriedly. "Anything you want to tell us about?"
"Ah, let's just leave it for now, hmm? It's nothing serious, just getting over a bad few months. C'mon into the kitchen y'all. Telca's up wrapping last minute presents and Blackie and some of the guys are watchin' hockey."
"I saw Nightcrawler and Beast outside," Tempest smiled. "They're doing a good job, the Palace looks great, as does the tree." He paused to admire the large decoration before returning to her side with a few quick paces. "Your folks here?"
"Yup. Dad's watchin' hockey and Mom somehow got herself into a turkey contest with Remy and Duncan." Chuckling softly, she held open the door to the kitchen and yelled into the room. "Everyone look lively! We got us some company!"
The kitchen turned into a confusing mass of people as everyone rushed to greet each other, and Lashana happily stood at the sidelines as she watched, content for the moment to just enjoy the little bit of peace she was being given.
Peace, however, was far from Telca's mind as she rummaged through the attic to retrieve a few rolls of wrapping paper before throwing them down the stairwell, smirking when she heard Kang yelp in surprise. Grabbing a bag of bows, she made her way down to rejoin the draconian, rolling her eyes at the glare he gave her. "Chill out, Kang."
"What is the point of wrapping things in paper?" he frowned as he followed her, the rolls of festive paper tucked under one arm.
"The point is that it's a Christmas tradition and because I said so."
He grumbled but didn't say anything, calmly following her back downstairs and to the game room, where she dumped the bows on the pool table, then started pulling things out of a portal. Still unsure, he set all but one roll onto the table, choosing one particular pattern that he liked most out of the choices.
"Gimme that one," Telca frowned as she looked around for the tape, eyes narrowing when he didn't hand the roll over. "Give it."
"No. I like it. If I have to wrap these things like you say I do, I at least want to choose a pattern that I like!"
"A gentleman would give a lady the roll of paper."
Kang smirked. "Lucky for me that you're no lady."
"Give me that damn paper!" Snarling, Telca lunged at him, the two vanishing into a dust cloud as he tried to grapple with her.
Hearing the racket and the sounds of numerous threats of bodily harm, Wolverine poked his head into the room and sighed at the sight of the two fighters, watching the battle for a moment before deciding to interfere. "Hey!" Wading into the fray, he grabbed a spare roll of wrapping paper and beat both of them over the head with it. "It's Christmas ya idiots! Behave!"
Rubbing at her head, Telca sent Wolvie an angry glare and huffed. "Figures you'd take his side. Hmpft. Men."
"Darlin', I ain't taking any side," the Canuck told her. "I jus' want ya'll ta stop this stupidity. Some of us 're tryin' ta watch the game!"
"The game," Telca grumbled. "Of course. The game."
Seeing an opportunity, Kang whacked her with the roll of paper, then snatched the tape and made a run for it, chuckling when he heard Telca's scream of anger.
Hearing the scream, Lashana walked
out into the Main Hall in time to see Kang race up the stairs, the draconian
taking them four at a time. Telca barrelled out of the game room moments
later, eyes wild and amber as she looked around.
"Where is he?" she demanded angrily. "Where is that two-timing scaled--"
"Dunno. Didn't see him," Lashana lied with a shrug. "I just heard you scream, everything okay?"
Telca sighed and reached up to brush her bangs off her forehead. "Yeah. Peachy. How's it goin' in there?"
"The three turkey cookers are at each other's throats, Tempest and co. think my entire family is nuts, and I think we're scarring Kadrith."
"So everything's normal then."
"Yup."
"Kewl." Grinning, Telca burst into the kitchen, arms wide open. "Chicken-boy! How are ya?!"
"Battle-axe!" Inwardly hating that nickname but still happy to see her, Tempest gave her a friendly hug. "You're looking well! I heard you and Remy officially became a couple."
"Yeah," smiling, she looked over at Remy, who winked at her. "Yeah, we did."
"Ah, young love," Becca sighed wistfully, smiling when Diane echoed her sigh. "They don't have a clue what they're getting into."
"When it comes to these two girls, I think they'll handle whatever comes their way," Diane mused, seeing her daughter lean up against Tvashtar's side and playfully nudge him in the ribs, watching as he laughed and returned the gesture while wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
Rebecca smiled and followed the other woman's gaze. "You know, I think you're right."
"There's a first," Duncan mumbled under his breath, yelping when Kadrith hissed and smacked him upside the head while Kenshin gave him a nasty glare. "What?"
Eve sighed. "Pitiful."
"He is, isn't he?" Remy smirked, enjoying the Immortal's plight and his inability to retaliate in front of all who were gathered.
"Under the mistletoe!!"
"Mraaaffffff!!"
"And Xellos claims another victim," Telca sighed, snickering at the look on Tempest's face. "What? As if you weren't expecting something like this to happen. It's Xellos. Actually, I was expecting a lot worse than this."
Tempest opened his mouth, then paused and closed it again, deciding not to tempt fate.
"It's true. Last year he showed up naked except for a single holly leaf that didn't quite cover all." Lashana shuddered at the memory and glanced up at Tvashtar. "Be glad you missed that."
"Oh, I am," he assured her.
"I think I am too," Tempest shuddered, grimacing at the bad mental image. "Either way, we'll be sure to avoid the mistletoe this year."
"Oh don't worry, love," Rebecca smiled at her husband, a rather predatory smile. "He won't get you."
As teasing catcalls echoed through the kitchen, Tempest fought down a blush, then glared at the snickering duo of Lashana and Telca. "As if you two should talk."
"We said nothing," Telca smiled innocently, swatting at Kadrith when he snorted. "Isn't that right, Elfy?"
"Nope. Not a word," the elf grinned broadly. "Not one word at all."
"You didn't have to say it," Eve laughed. "Your expressions were more than enough!"
"Damn," Lashana teased, "they know us too well." Grinning, she winked at Tempest, who chuckled and shook his head in return, obviously amused at their antics. Tvashtar gave her a gentle hug then before pulling away and heading out of the kitchen, and a quick telepathic conversation with Kalamadea sent the little dragon after him, drawing her mother's curious gaze.
"Something wrong?" Diane asked worriedly, seeing the look in her daughter's eyes.
Lashana smiled and shook her head. "Nope. Everything's fine. Just making sure Tvashtar's okay, he's been in the dumps lately, s'all."
"Why?" Eve frowned. "What's wrong with him?"
"We just passed the day when he was put into Serenica's service," Kadrith rumbled softly, tail lashing. "It still haunts him."
Diane frowned and looked over at Lashana, who had a dark faraway look to her. "Is this something else you haven't told me?"
The Elf glanced at her, then sighed. "Tvashtar is Immortal. He's been serving the Chaos Knights for over a millennia. Fifty years ago he went into the service of Serenica. It was bad enough that all of the Knights had treated him as an animal.... but she tortured him. Along with other things that I will not mention here. He still has nightmares about her." She paused, then glanced from Telca to her mother. "That's why I gave him asylum when he first came here, because I wanted to make sure that no one would do that to him ever again."
Diane stayed silent for a moment, then smiled slightly. "I always knew you had a big heart, Lashana. Despite your efforts to hid it."
"Stubborn as a mule. It's why I like her so much," Telca grinned. "She's just like me."
Kadrith chuckled and looked over at his Avatar. "I have to say, out of all the Gaia Avatar's I've been assigned to, you certainly are my favourite of the lot."
"Our sorceresses are unique, that they are," Kenshin smiled as he checked on the loaf of bread he was making using the breadmaker, a contraption that had been bought by his request. "That is what makes them so lovable, that it is."
Telca exchanged glances with Lashana. "We're nubbed."
"That we are," the elf smiled. "That we are."
"Under the mistletoe!!"
"Oh, no you don't! Chaos orb!"
"Fireball!"
Eyes wide, Lashana and the others inched over to the swinging door, peeking out into the Main Hall in time to see the two spells slam into Xellos, sending him flying. Two dark forms came into their line of sight then, one much bigger than the other, dark skin shining with an odd dark blue iridescence as pale blue eyes fixed on them, widening in surprise.
"Lashana, who is that?" Diane asked, eyeing the tall draconid.
"That is Rryslan. Tvashtar and Kadrith's father. That's another long story, so don't ask right now, kay?"
Smirking, Telca elbowed Tempest. "You remember him right? After all, you did fight him once, over something that was later revealed to be nothing."
"Nothing!" Tempest glared at the elf. "He insulted Rebecca!"
"It's not an insult if the one insulted doesn't take it personally," Telca pointed out with a knowing look to Becca. "Besides, there's no way in hell you two are decking it out today. You do, and I'll kick both yer arses from one end of the universe to the other. Twice."
Lashana grinned at Tempest nastily. "And I'll help." Doing a rapid mood shift, she smiled and walked out to meet Rryslan, rolling her eyes when he bowed to her. "Please don't do that. I've told you dozens of times that you don't have to do that, Rryslan. We're all equals here."
"Speak for yourself!" Telca huffed. "I personally think that people should bow to me all the time."
"In your dreams, m'dear," Diane chuckled, drawing Rryslan's gaze.
Tvashtar smirked and stepped forward, ignoring Kalamadea who was perched on his shoulder. "Rryslan, this is Diane. Lashana's mother." There was the sensation of hot breath against the back of his knees, and he turned to look down at the happy Alaskan Malamute. "And this is their dog. Logan, don't slobber on me."
"C'mere, puppy," Lashana said cheerfully, patting her thigh to draw the dog forward. "Wanna go outside and play in the snow? Yeah? C'mon."
::I'll keep an eye on him,:: Akhor said as he flew out of the living room and soared after her. ::Your father's watching hockey and it's getting all cult-like in there.::
She laughed at that and opened the patio door, wincing at the gust of cold wind that hit her head on as the dog and the dragon headed out into the snow. "Stay where I can sense you!" she called out to Akhor, who nodded as he flew past her. Shivering, she closed the door and rubbed warmth back into her arms. "Brr, I hate the cold. Give me Cancun any day."
"I like the snow," Diane protested. "Personally, I think a good twenty inches more would be perfect."
"No!" Telca and Lashana cried in horror, making Diane roll her eyes in exasperation.
"Lashana-chan...."
Hearing Xellos' voice but not seeing
him, the elf looked around her warily, seeing the others do the same. "What
Xel?" she asked, going very still when the sensation of lips against her
ear sent a shiver down her back.
"Under the mistletoe," he whispered, becoming visible as he spoke, eyes wide open and glittering like amethysts.
Horrified, she looked up, saw the damnable plastic decoration, then looked at her guests. "I'll be right back!" she yelled as she bolted from the kitchen, an amorous Xellos at her heels as she dashed through the Palace, screaming in horror and panic.
"I hope she outruns him," Rryslan said with a shudder, listening to the screams and explosions echo through the Palace as the elf tried to escape the Mazoku.
"She will," Telca told them. "Eventually."
"Should we not go and help her?" Kenshin asked curiously as a particularly terrified shriek was heard.
"She can handle herself," Kadrith shrugged, glancing at his brother afterwards. "Right?"
"Aaaiiiiieeeee! Fireball!!"
"Oh Gods," Tvashtar muttered as her scream echoed through the Palace, "I hope so."
"She'll be fine," Telca grinned as she walked over to Remy and hugged him, sighing happily when he wrapped her up in his arms. "She's handled worse."
"Like what?" Tempest challenged.
"Xellos on Viagra, Xellos at Halloween when he went as 'Lust', need I say more?"
"Ugh, no," Eve grimaced. "Please. No." Desperate to change the topic, she looked around the kitchen. "So! What else needs to be done for the supper?"
"Plenty!" Diane smiled, going to rummage through the drawers for a moment before handing her a potato peeler and pointing to a twenty pound bag of taters. "Start peeling."
Eve made a face. "I'm glad I asked,"
she muttered dryly.
TBC