"Shoot. Shoot!" Wolverine, Tasuki, Blackie, Zelgadis and Pete yelled at the TV in unison as the Ottawa Senator's put up an offensive on the opposing team, the two hockey fans cheering their team on even though the Sens couldn't hear them.
Just as the second period ended without their team getting a goal, a white haired blur burst into the room and attached herself to Blackwargreymon with enough force to send him, and the chair he was sitting in, crashing to the floor. Eyebrow arched, Pete glanced over the back of the couch at the couple. "Lashana, what are you doing?"
"Hiding from Xellos!" she cried as she burrowed into Blackie's arms, hampering his attempts to get up. "He caught me under the mistletoe and I've been running from him for the past half hour! Didn't you people hear me screaming?!"
"We were kinda caught up in the game," Blackie said apologetically as he slowly got to his feet, then righted the Lazy-Boy chair, cradling her in his arms as he sat down again and sat her sideways across his lap.
"Oh no you don't," Pete frowned, reaching over to pull his daughter away from the Digimon and then making her sit on the couch next to him, sending a warning glare at Blackie as he did so. "Hands off my daughter."
"Dad," she groaned as she got back up and went to rejoin her Bonded. "For Gods sake, you bloody well know that we're a couple."
Pete grumbled under his breath but didn't say anything, not wanting to let it be known that he still thought of her as his little girl. Instead he turned back to the game and scowled, at least he did before Lashana whacked him with a pillow. "Don't start something you can't finish."
"I don't think that's an issue with her," Tasuki chuckled.
She snickered and leaned against Blackie, resting her head back on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her waist, being very careful since he was constantly under Pete's gaze. As the next period started, he got to see how much of a hockey fan she truly was, and he chuckled softly as he listened to her cheer on her favourite team, even going as far as to out cheer Wolverine and her father.
"You know, I was coming here to comment on the testosterone, but it seems that plan's gone awry," Eve commented as she walked into the livingroom with Kadrith by her side, rolling her eyes when the draconid grinned at the sight of the game on the TV and vaulted over the back of the couch to land in the empty spot next to Pete. "Lashana, is there a reason you're in here?"
"Safe from, Xellos," the elf smiled as she snuggled back against her Bonded, hearing his low protective rumble as he tightened his hold on her.
"Yes, well, Nightcrawler and Beast want you and Telca to come look at the lights outside."
She paused in mid cheer, then sighed and nodded, pulling away from Blackie with a quick kiss to his cheek. "I'll come check out the game before supper, if I have the time," she promised as she headed after Eve, pausing to grab her coat before going outside, laughing when she saw Akhor and Logan playing around out front. Seeing her mother and the others gathered a little ways away, she walked over to them, then turned to look at the Palace, her breath leaving her in a gasp of joy when she saw the lights that decorated the building. Around every window and every roof's edge, there were white lights mixed with a rainbow's range of colours. A great green wreath hung glowing over the main doors, a red bow made of lights adding to it's beauty, and she couldn't help but go and give both Beast and Kurt great hugs. "Guys, it looks beautiful!"
Telca grinned as she nodded, going to hug Beast as Lashana extended a bit of her coat around a slightly shivering Nightcrawler, trying to warm him, though if one could tell by his smile, he didn't feel the cold at all. "As beautiful as this is, let's all head inside for some hot chocolate."
Tempest nodded eagerly. "When do we eat?"
"Stop thinking with your stomach, love," Rebecca chuckled, playfully elbowing him. "We'll eat soon enough."
"Very true, my dear, but I believe that a nice hot cup of cocoa would be much appreciated," Beast smiled. "Even with this fur, the wind still carries a chill."
"That reminds me," Diane said, pausing at the doors. "Logan! Come boy!"
When the dog didn't heed her call, Lashana turned and planted her hands on her hips. "Logan! Don't make me go out there!" Almost faster than one could blink, there was an Alaskan Malamute sitting in front of her, with a small white dragon perched on the top of his head. Smiling, she looked over at her mother. "I have more practice at getting my way."
"Do tell."
She shrugged with an embarrassed grin. "What can I say? It's a gift."
"Not to interrupt on your boasting," Telca smirked. "But where the hell did Angel get to?"
"Oh my God! Angel! I completely forgot about him!" Throwing her jacket into the closet, Lashana turned to look at Telca. "I'll go check upstairs, can you look around down here?"
"Sure thing! I just hope Xellos didn't get to him!"
"There's a scary thought," Tempest shuddered.
"I know!" Lashana agreed as she spun and bolted up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Already she had contacted Korin, who had been sleeping after gorging on chocolate, and as the little dragon telepathically scanned the Palace for the vampire, Lashana reached the second floor and started searching through all of the rooms, growling in annoyance when she uncovered nothing.
Sighing, she headed to the third floor, repeating the search with the same results. She was just about ready to start pulling her hair out when Korin relayed the information that Angel was in the library, the message making her grin as she bolted up more stairs, this time with a real purpose.
The small dragon met her at the doors, and she paused long enough to let him land on her right shoulder before she pushed the heavy doors open, her gaze cutting across the room before settling on Angel, who was just about to open one of her Chaos spell books. "Angel! No!" Knowing that the wards on the book would probably fry him, she dashed forward and snatched it out of his hands just as golden black power started to expand from the books pages, searching for the intruder that had dared to try to read from it. "Some of the books in here don't like being read by strangers."
::That's putting it lightly,:: Korin smirked as Lashana replaced the wards on the book, the golden lightning that had been playing over it's cover fading in her hands as she returned it to the shelf.
"Giant snakes, portals, books that attack...." Angel shook his head and sent a baffled look at her. "What are you people?"
She shrugged. "Interesting?" At the look he gve her, she sighed and leaned against a bookshelf, folding her arms over her chest. "The short rundown is this. Telca and I are Avatars, we have two Immortal Guardians, and the rest of the Guys here are our friends, come together from a melee of various dimensions. My turn. How the hell did you find the library? No newcomer ever finds their way to the library without some sort of help."
"The snake--"
"Quetzacoatl."
"Whatever. Gave me the nickel tour."
"Did he? Nuts. Where'd he go?"
Angel shrugged. "He said something about having to meet with 'Tvashtar'."
A pure white eyebrow arched at that. "Did he now. Hmpft. People are planning things behind my back. I don't like it when they do that."
::I'd think that you'd be used to it by now,:: Korin sent to her, falling silent when she glared at him. He had, however, now gained the attention of Angel, who was gaping at him in shock. ::Yes, I'm a dragon. Take a picture, it'll last longer.::
"Manners aren't his forté," Lashana said by way of apology. "Now c'mon. It's Christmas, and there's no way you're spending it up here in the Library. I'm sure Beast could whip up some sort of blood protein something for you to drink. Or do you eat? I can't remember."
He still wasn't over that whole Avatar thing, so he actually answered without thinking. "I can, a little."
"Good. Supper's almost ready anyway. And it's sunset, you'll be able to go dig out your car soon."
His eyes widened. "Dig out?!"
"I told you it was in a snowbank, didn't I?" she said flippantly as she grabbed his arm and started to drag him out of the library, yelling out to Kang as Korin relayed that the draconian was in his room. "Kang! Supper's gonna be on soon! Hurry it up!" Ignoring Angel's baffled protests, she opened a portal and pulled him through it, emerging into the kitchen. "Found 'im. Almost got himself fried by reading one of my spellbooks."
Kadrith frowned at the vampire. "Don't you know that snooping around and reading warded spellbooks is dangerous?"
"I didn't know they were warded!" Angel protested, jerking his arm out of the elf's hold. "This place is nuts!"
Telca rolled her eyes. "Well duh."
"Now Telca, don't freak him out more than he already is," Diane scolded her lightly, she being one of the only people who could scold the other sorceress and not get blasted for it.
"Ruin all my fun," Telca muttered sourly.
"Now Telca, tis the season," Beast reminded her as he sipped at his hot chocolate, thanking Kenshin when the samurai handed him a Twinkie. "Besides, the poor lad looks positively shell shocked."
"What book was he looking through?" Rebecca asked curiously as she handed out hot chocolate to everyone.
"The one with the Giga Slave in it," Lashana said flippantly, ignoring the looks of horror from Eve, Tempest and Rebecca. "Luckily I stopped him before my wards opened a small portal inside of him and portaled his heart into that demonic dimension."
Tempest sweatdropped. "Couldn't you just have a basic locking spell?"
Lashana blinked. "Where's the uniqueness in that?"
"Okaaay...." Shaking her head, Eve turned her attention to the three cooks who were keeping a close eye on the turkeys and watched as Diane opened the monster toaster oven and basted the bird. "Oh, that smells wonderful!"
"You wait till you taste de turkey dat, Remy, made," the Cajun boasted. "It be better dan anyone elses!"
"Fat chance! " Duncan shot back.
Nightcrawler sighed and shook his head, glancing over at a smirking Tempest. "You're lucky, you get to leave. We have to live with him."
"Hey! I resent that!" the Immortal protested.
Telca sighed and rose a hand to massage her aching temple while Kadrith went to check on the potatoes that were being cooked in a huge pot, soon to be turned into mashed taters. Baby carrots and peas were cooking in two more separate pots, simmering nicely. "How long till we eat?"
"About twenty minutes," Rebecca answered as she gathered utensils then followed Lashana into the dining room, helping the elf to set the huge table. Cloth napkins were set out with the good silver, beautiful white candles lit and the good china taken out of the hutch to be used for the meal, a centrepiece of holly and poinsettias taking it's place between the two candles. Kenshin brought out the freshly baked loaf of bread moments later, the thick slices of bread smelling wonderful as he set the two baskets at either end of the table, along with two small glass bowls with cuts of butter in them.
It had already been agreed that Pete
would carve the turkey that Diane had made while Wolverine would take over
the cutting of Duncan's bird. The Cajun, it had been decided, could be
trusted not to maul the turkey with a blade. As Kadrith took on the task
of mashing the potatoes, Lashana spooned the baby carrots into a large
bowl, then repeated the procedure with the peas, bringing both bowls to
the table afterwards.
Word of supper being readied had already spread through the Palace, and various people had already begun to mill into the dining room and take seats, Pete sitting at the head of the table while Wolverine sat at the other end, and Telca smirked at the sight as she ushered Eve and Tempest into the room, letting them take whichever seats they pleased, though it was full knowledge that the seat on Tempest's right belonged to Rebecca.
Knowing that the two sorceresses had planned for everyone to have a nice glass of white wine with the meal, Nightcrawler bamfed down to the basement, where the large walk-in freezer was built into a wall. Humming a cheerful tune, he yanked the door open and headed inside, looking around for a moment before locating the bottles that had been bought specifically for this meal and quickly grabbing them.
A glint of ice drew his gaze then, and he frowned as he turned to look at the odd sculpture that was in the middle of the freezer, the opaqe ice looking eerie in the bright light of the room. Shrugging, he turned and walked out into the warmth of the Palace before kicking the door shut and teleporting himself back upstairs, handing the bottles to Telca. "Did you guys order an ice sculpture?"
"Ice sculpture?" she echoed "Nooo. Why?"
"Well, there's this weird sculpture downstairs in the walk-in-freezer. It looked kinda weird."
"What's this?" Lashana frowned. "A sculpture?"
"Yeah," Kurt told her. "I could have sworn there was a cape frozen inside of it. Like Count Chocula."
Lashana and Telca exchanged horrified looks. "David!" Frantic, Telca threw open a portal and dove into it, Lashana at her heels as the two emerged in the basement, the former of the two throwing the freezer door open to revel their sculpturesque friend frozen in a thick layer of ice.
"When was he supposed to get here?!" Lashana asked as she put her shoulder against the side of the cube and shoved, sliding David out of the freezer and out into the basement.
"I don't know! Maybe two hours ago?" Worried, Telca conjured up a fireball and started melting the ice, quickly growing impatient and merely expanding the spell until it encompassed the entire block of ice, melting it rapidly. It wasn't until the defrosted David slumped to the floor that she banished the spell, moving to help Lashana pick him up as she opened another portal, the two of them carrying him into the kitchen where Beast was already waiting with a cup of hot chocolate and a thick blanket.
Knowing that Beast had medical training that they didn't, Lashana gently set David down on a chair then stepped back, letting Beast check his vitals as everyone in the kitchen stood still, waiting worriedly for the mutant's diagnosis.
"Uuuhhh, what hit me?"
The disoriented groan brought cheers from the group as David slowly blinked light blue eyes at Beast, then turned to look at the two sorceresses. "Am I late for dinner?"
~*~
"So, tell me," Rryslan said to Tvashtar as they took seats at the table, waiting for the three turkeys to be brought out. "Why is your Avatar so enamoured with this holiday?"
"I dunno. Probably because it's a holiday where family and friends get together and celebrate. She's always liked festivities like that." Tvashtar replied, looking up with a smile when the topic of their conversation joined them and sat next to him. "Heyla, kelestra. Everything okay?"
"Everything's perfect!" she grinned excitedly. "David's thawed out, the turkeys are ready, everyone's here.... it's perfect!"
"Yeah," Tasuki added. "I gotta admit, Elfy, you and Telca sure know how ta throw a party!"
Her grin widened at that, and she looked at Blackie happily as he took his seat beside her, his hand immediately darting under the table to take hers, his thumb rubbing against the back of her hand in a tender gesture, and she glanced at her father to make sure he wasn't looking before she rose up to give her Bonded a quick kiss, returning his smile when he purred at her lovingly.
Telca and Remy joined the group then, the couple linked arm in arm as they moved to sit across from Blackie and herself, Remy pulling out the chair for Telca before returning into the kitchen. When Malcho had finally joined them, the large quetzacoatl curled up in the far corner but well within the reach of the table, Diane, Duncan and Remy brought out the turkeys, receiving appreciative claps and hoots from those gathered at the table.
Everyone waited until the three had seated themselves before everyone rose their glasses in a respectful toast, Telca's voice rising above everyone elses.
"To friends and family forever. May we all annoy each other and grow old together!"
"Here here!" Kang grinned before everyone clinked glasses against their partner's glasses. "Now let's eat!"
The three carvers stood at that, taking mock bows before picking up knives or in Wolverine's case, extending his metal claws.
Mass chaos ensued.
"Yo! Pass the bread!"
"Rryslan, stop hogging the mashed potatoes!"
"Can someone pass the gravy?"
"Yipe! Watch the candles! Watch the candles!"
"NO! Don't put the flames out with the wine you idiot!"
"Lovely. I guess the carrots are going to be 'a la flambé."
"They're only a little singed."
"Good thing we never use this tablecloth."
"Hey! Can we get some turkey down at this end?"
"Why does this turkey taste like bacon?"
"See? See? Remy told you dat puttin' de bacon on de turkey was a bad idea!"
"Oh shut up!"
"Don't you tell my Remy to shut up!"
"Telca, don't throw your fork at, Duncan."
"Stay out of this, David."
"Lashana, don't encourage her."
"But mom, all I did was smack, Duncan!"
"Definitely from your side of the family."
"Shut up, dear."
"This is the family you've been adopted into?"
"I never said it was a normal family, Rryslan."
"Hey, Tempest, isn't you eating turkey some sort of cannibalism?"
"Oh, har har har, Kang. Veeery funny. Eve! Stop laughing!"
~Malcho! Don't eat half a turkey!~
"But amigo! There's plenty left for all of you!"
"Not if Kadrith keeps eating all those mashed potatoes."
"But they're good!"
"Some of us would like to try them then!"
"Lashana! Don't you dare feed the dog at the table!"
"Me?! Hello? Dad? Who's been sneaking him table scraps since we started eating?!"
"She's got you there, Pete."
"Lashana! Get Kalamadea out of the peas!"
"Ack! Korin! Get your own drumstick, this one's mine!"
::I sunk my teeth into it first, Blackie.::
All in all, it was a festive sort of controlled mayhem. Jokes were told, stories about past Christmases shared, and by the end, when everyone was full and happy, a burping contest was unofficially called, most of the women grimacing in disgust. That is until Lashana won the contest. One small step for an elf, one big leap for women-kind. Not.
In the end, Telca magicked up a fire-whip and made all the males clean up the table before she joined the poker game that Rebecca had started, the women snickering at the groans that came from the men as they cleaned up and did the dishes. Though the game didn't last long. After the fifth hand that Telca had won, the rest decided to give up while they were still partially ahead and retired to the Main Hall, where chairs and sofa's had been set up near the tree and fireplace.
Angel, who had just seen that it was dark outside, immediately bolted for the front doors, pausing only long enough to grab a shovel out of the closet before throwing himself outside, calling out to his car in a loving tone as he started shovelling in a random snowbank, fully prepared to spend all night digging for his beloved convertible.
"Poor guy," Lashana murmured, glancing over at Telca. "Think we should tell him what snowbank his car is in?"
Telca leaned back in the sofa and peered out the closest window. "Nah. He's already digging in the right spot. He should hit paydirt in a few more shovels."
True to form, two minutes later a loud 'clang' was heard, followed by an whoop of joy, and Rebecca chuckled at the sound. "You two are terrible."
"I taught this one well," Diane smiled as she hugged her daughter, who chuckled softly.
"Are we allowed to join you or are we still on dish duty?" Kang asked as he poked his head out of the kitchen, eyeing the gathered women warily.
"Well that depends," Eve said. "Is the kitchen clean? Is the dining room?"
"Yes to both."
"Hmm. Well, I dunno.... whatddya think, Lashana?"
"Gee, I'm not sure...."
Annoyed, Tempest shoved Kang out of
the way and glared. "This, is not funny."
"Not to you, dear," Rebecca chuckled. "But you're free. Come sit down."
"Finally," he muttered under his breath, walking over to them and dropping down next to his wife, huffing slightly. The rest of the males, seeing that he had gotten free without a bludgeoning, followed suit, milling out of the kitchen and joining the women. In the end, Lashana chose to sit on the floor with her Bonded, her back against his side as he slipped an arm around her to hug her to him. Nighcrawler, Kadrith and Wolverine had one couch, Tempest, Rebecca and Eve another, and Diane, Pete and Rryslan the third. The rest of the group had either dragged chairs out from the dining room or had gone native and chosen to sit on the floor.
"So," Tasuki said after everyone had settled themselves. "What now?"
"Sleep," Lashana mumbled, leaning against her Bonded and smiling when he purred and rubbed his hand over her back.
"No. Not sleep," the bandit smirked, chuckling at the face she made. "What's for dessert?" When half the people gathered groaned in mixed horror and disbelief, he huffed and folded his arms over his chest, leaning back in the chair as he slouched.
"Well, we could do gifts," Nightcrawler suggested.
"No. Gifts are given out on Christmas morning! Not before," Telca said sternly, leaning back into Remy's hold as he put an arm around her shoulders, his fingers toying with the collar of her blouse. Smiling, she tilted her head back and murmured his name, nearly purring when he leaned down and kissed her.
"So are we to lounge about and bask in the afterglow of our gorging?" Beast asked teasingly, blinking when Wolverine pulled out a stogie and said that his idea was a good one. "I was merely jesting, Wolverine."
"I wasn't," the feral grinned, reaching over to use the fireplace to light his stogie.
"Seriously," Diane frowned. "What do we do? Small talk?"
"Sure," Rryslan smirked. "I always wanted to know. How did you manage to raise such a child as that?" And he pointed to Lashana, who glared and started to get up to whack him, only Blackie held her back.
"Patience. Lots of patience," Pete answered fondly.
"She was the most stubborn thing I had ever seen," Diane added.
"Um, excuse me," David hedged. "Was? No, no. Is."
Lashana glared. "Hey! I resemble that remark!" Muttering sourly, she slumped back against her Bonded, only lessening her glare when Logan walked over to her and snuffled at her hands, his tail wagging happily as he dropped to the floor and wriggled closer to her, begging to be petted.
"That dog has no shame," Kang smirked as he watched Lashana reach over to scratch Logan's belly and chest, her fingers vanishing into his thick white fur.
"Can ya blame 'im. Lookit the attention he's gettin'," Wolverine chuckled. "Hey Kang, mebbe if ya threw yerself to tha floor Lashana'd scratch yer belly."
"Not on your life," Blackwargreymon growled dangerously, eliciting snickers from Tempest and Rebecca.
Diane chuckled and was about to tease Blackie a bit more when an odd sound caught her attention, making her sit straighter as she strained her hearing, vaguely aware that Logan had flipped to his feet and was growling lowly as he faced the fireplace.
Reacting to her dog's change in attitude, Lashana got to her feet and approached the fireplace, pausing when she saw soot raining down upon the fire. "Everyone get back!" she ordered, glad to see that Tempest and Rebecca had taken charge and ushered everyone away while she and Telca stood before the group, ready to defend against anything. She just hoped it wasn't another demon come to Challenge her for the position of Chaos Knight. Having to fight like that in front of her parents on Christmas Eve was not something she wanted to do.
Tensing as the sound of something grating on the walls of the fireplace was heard, Telca reached into a portal and pulled out her battle-axe, seeing Lashana copy her as the elf drew her sword out of her own storage portal, the two of them dropping into fighting stances, both of them ready to attack the moment they had a target.
An avalanche of soot smothered the flames and sent a cloud of dust into the Main Hall then, blinding the worried onlookers as both Lashana and Telca let out war cries, the sound of a struggle making Tempest blindly run into the fray to help his friends as David, Zelgadis, Eve, and Rebecca readied magickal spells with which to defend the large group of people behind them.
In the end it was Diane that wove the wind spell that cleared the dust from the air, clearing everyone's sight and revealing a rather startling sight.
"Oh my god!" Nightcrawler cried, looking
at Lashana and Telca in horror as he pointed to the limp form on the floor.
"You killed Santa Clause!"
TBC