AN: Disclaimer: The night before Christmas is adapted from the work of Clement C. Moore. The author does not mean to infringe copy right, and does not take credit for this piece of work. She did not ask permission to the party holding the copy right, but they can be assured (if they ever read this) that she does not make money out of this. All due goes to the original author and publishers of this piece of work.
Thank you.
Ah, now that I have that over and done with (believe it or not, it is necesary) hi! My apologies for the time taken to put this up, i started trotting class again. (jippee). Take note, about six days has passed which would make this a Thursday (by my account), i jumped a bit because the week was very uneventfull. More AN at the bottom.
Chapter 14: The Night before Christmas...
T'was the night before Christmas,
When all through the house
Not a creature was stirring
Not even a mouse...
There was off course, some complications.
She could only decorate the few bottom branches of the Christmas tree.
Dame Skyla smiled from her vantage point by the door as her gang of kids fussed around the tall fur tree in the common room. Joanie wove in and out of the party, carrying Christmas balls, candles, streamers and popcorn strings.
There were only seven other students with her, four of her Skydancers and three other students who couldn't go home for Christmas. She had given her school an early Christmas present that morning by announcing that the cable cars, if not the road, were finally working again and, further more, she had arranged with most of the families to come and pick up their kids or organize last minute plane tickets for those living further.
The only students, other than her Skydancers, who was still around were two international students and a final year that couldn't go home due to personal problems.
Skyla felt sorry for those who had to stay at the academy against their will and intended to try and make Christmas as pleasant for them as possible.
The woman sighed softly and turned her attention back to the youngest. She was going to have to do something about Joanie, but she wasn't sure what. The girl had been with them for almost two weeks now and, although they weren't remarkable, the changes in her personality and even her physical appearance were noticeable.
The nervous, foul tempered kid had retreated to the depths of Joanie's demeanor and in its place was a silent, almost solemn child who liked to watch rather than interact, who started to watch her temper instead of letting it run amuck. She couldn't explain her frame of mind entirely but she couldn't help but feel that she couldn't let the girl go just yet. Despite herself, she was beginning to think of ways to stall Dr. Thompson's arrival.
When Joanie glanced up in her direction Skyla smiled at her. She was somewhat disappointed when the girl didn't smile back and rather move in behind the Christmas tree.
"How are things going here?" A voice asked behind her.
Dame Skyla gave a small start and turned around to face Breeze.
"Please don't sneak up on me." She requested. "Fine thank you Breeze. They're just finishing up with the tree then we'll carry in the table. Sonya told me that the food would be ready in about an hour. That gives us plenty of time."
Breeze smiled as he leaned against the wall. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed a redheaded student sitting in the corner with a book.
"Meg's still here?" He queried.
Skyla sighed softly and nodded. "She's spending Christmas with us." She said. "How was Joanie today? Is she tired or…"
Because of all the organization with her students Skyla had only seen the girl that morning at breakfast and when she had made the announcement to the students.
Breeze frowned slightly. "What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.
Skyla watched as Joanie listened to something Slam told her before she shook her head stubbornly.
"I was just wondering whether she's still getting along with all of you." The woman explained preoccupied.
The Indian boy shifted before he blew out a soft breath.
"She was a bit… distracted today." He admitted. "Her temper's been up and down. She also left us just after lunch; I think she went to her room with Whirl and Twirl. Jade found her there when she went to call her to help with the tree."
Skyla raised an eyebrow at the news. "Do you have any idea what brought it on?"
The boy shook his head and shrugged.
"I don't think the reason was any of us."
The woman didn't miss the undercurrent in his tone. "What do you think is the reason?" She asked softly.
Breeze grimaced and crossed his arms.
"I think that she…"
"I don't want to!" A commotion below interrupted their conversation.
The two blinked startled and soughed out the source.
Joanie had just struggled out of Slam's grip and was now glaring up at him, her posture defensive and bristling.
"I told you I didn't need a lift, I don't want to do the top of the tree okay? Why do you want to put the stupid angle up there anyway?"
Slam held up his hands in defense.
"Whoa, Joanie." He said quickly. "I'm sorry squirt. I just wanted to give you a boost up…"
The girl shook herself and stepped back, totally oblivious to all of the people staring at me.
"I don't want you to give me a boost." She snapped. "Why can't you just leave me alone huh? I helped you decorate the stupid tree, I don't want to stuff the bloody angle on it was well."
She threw down a string of popcorn and headed for the door, leaving a stunned crowd in her wake. Jade quickly moved to intercept her by making a grab for her arm.
"Joanie what's…" The girl jerked away before she could finish her sentence.
"Get off my case." She snapped and stormed up the steps and past Breeze and Skyla.
The two stared after her shocked, their previous conversation forgotten.
Skyla frowned and motioned for Breeze to stay where he was.
She was going to get behind the sudden change of Joanie's attitude.
AN: Okay, just a little time line. I now worked out that Joanie has been at the academy for 12 days if i don't count the saturday which she snuck into the van. Chapter 13 was set on the friday before this. By rights, the students have been on holiday since then. I didn't put in any chapters that deals with these past days purely because i couldn't think of anything exciting to happen. (feel free to give suggestions). Joanie's attitude has been the same as it has been in 13. She's starting to interact with the students, she goes for Piano lessons with Skyla and the dogs think that she's the cutest thing since sliced bread. So, yes, Joanie's change of attitude is suppose to be completely out of the blue, nothing happened to set her off - not even Slam touching her was the real reason - i'll give an explanation in the next chapter. (If you're lucky it will be up by friday. Sigh, my holidays were too short. Anybody want to swap lives for a bit? Ag toe? You'll have a ball, i swear.)
;-p
Take care now.
Alys.
"Never be irreplacible. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted."
Thank you.
Ah, now that I have that over and done with (believe it or not, it is necesary) hi! My apologies for the time taken to put this up, i started trotting class again. (jippee). Take note, about six days has passed which would make this a Thursday (by my account), i jumped a bit because the week was very uneventfull. More AN at the bottom.
Chapter 14: The Night before Christmas...
T'was the night before Christmas,
When all through the house
Not a creature was stirring
Not even a mouse...
There was off course, some complications.
She could only decorate the few bottom branches of the Christmas tree.
Dame Skyla smiled from her vantage point by the door as her gang of kids fussed around the tall fur tree in the common room. Joanie wove in and out of the party, carrying Christmas balls, candles, streamers and popcorn strings.
There were only seven other students with her, four of her Skydancers and three other students who couldn't go home for Christmas. She had given her school an early Christmas present that morning by announcing that the cable cars, if not the road, were finally working again and, further more, she had arranged with most of the families to come and pick up their kids or organize last minute plane tickets for those living further.
The only students, other than her Skydancers, who was still around were two international students and a final year that couldn't go home due to personal problems.
Skyla felt sorry for those who had to stay at the academy against their will and intended to try and make Christmas as pleasant for them as possible.
The woman sighed softly and turned her attention back to the youngest. She was going to have to do something about Joanie, but she wasn't sure what. The girl had been with them for almost two weeks now and, although they weren't remarkable, the changes in her personality and even her physical appearance were noticeable.
The nervous, foul tempered kid had retreated to the depths of Joanie's demeanor and in its place was a silent, almost solemn child who liked to watch rather than interact, who started to watch her temper instead of letting it run amuck. She couldn't explain her frame of mind entirely but she couldn't help but feel that she couldn't let the girl go just yet. Despite herself, she was beginning to think of ways to stall Dr. Thompson's arrival.
When Joanie glanced up in her direction Skyla smiled at her. She was somewhat disappointed when the girl didn't smile back and rather move in behind the Christmas tree.
"How are things going here?" A voice asked behind her.
Dame Skyla gave a small start and turned around to face Breeze.
"Please don't sneak up on me." She requested. "Fine thank you Breeze. They're just finishing up with the tree then we'll carry in the table. Sonya told me that the food would be ready in about an hour. That gives us plenty of time."
Breeze smiled as he leaned against the wall. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed a redheaded student sitting in the corner with a book.
"Meg's still here?" He queried.
Skyla sighed softly and nodded. "She's spending Christmas with us." She said. "How was Joanie today? Is she tired or…"
Because of all the organization with her students Skyla had only seen the girl that morning at breakfast and when she had made the announcement to the students.
Breeze frowned slightly. "What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.
Skyla watched as Joanie listened to something Slam told her before she shook her head stubbornly.
"I was just wondering whether she's still getting along with all of you." The woman explained preoccupied.
The Indian boy shifted before he blew out a soft breath.
"She was a bit… distracted today." He admitted. "Her temper's been up and down. She also left us just after lunch; I think she went to her room with Whirl and Twirl. Jade found her there when she went to call her to help with the tree."
Skyla raised an eyebrow at the news. "Do you have any idea what brought it on?"
The boy shook his head and shrugged.
"I don't think the reason was any of us."
The woman didn't miss the undercurrent in his tone. "What do you think is the reason?" She asked softly.
Breeze grimaced and crossed his arms.
"I think that she…"
"I don't want to!" A commotion below interrupted their conversation.
The two blinked startled and soughed out the source.
Joanie had just struggled out of Slam's grip and was now glaring up at him, her posture defensive and bristling.
"I told you I didn't need a lift, I don't want to do the top of the tree okay? Why do you want to put the stupid angle up there anyway?"
Slam held up his hands in defense.
"Whoa, Joanie." He said quickly. "I'm sorry squirt. I just wanted to give you a boost up…"
The girl shook herself and stepped back, totally oblivious to all of the people staring at me.
"I don't want you to give me a boost." She snapped. "Why can't you just leave me alone huh? I helped you decorate the stupid tree, I don't want to stuff the bloody angle on it was well."
She threw down a string of popcorn and headed for the door, leaving a stunned crowd in her wake. Jade quickly moved to intercept her by making a grab for her arm.
"Joanie what's…" The girl jerked away before she could finish her sentence.
"Get off my case." She snapped and stormed up the steps and past Breeze and Skyla.
The two stared after her shocked, their previous conversation forgotten.
Skyla frowned and motioned for Breeze to stay where he was.
She was going to get behind the sudden change of Joanie's attitude.
AN: Okay, just a little time line. I now worked out that Joanie has been at the academy for 12 days if i don't count the saturday which she snuck into the van. Chapter 13 was set on the friday before this. By rights, the students have been on holiday since then. I didn't put in any chapters that deals with these past days purely because i couldn't think of anything exciting to happen. (feel free to give suggestions). Joanie's attitude has been the same as it has been in 13. She's starting to interact with the students, she goes for Piano lessons with Skyla and the dogs think that she's the cutest thing since sliced bread. So, yes, Joanie's change of attitude is suppose to be completely out of the blue, nothing happened to set her off - not even Slam touching her was the real reason - i'll give an explanation in the next chapter. (If you're lucky it will be up by friday. Sigh, my holidays were too short. Anybody want to swap lives for a bit? Ag toe? You'll have a ball, i swear.)
;-p
Take care now.
Alys.
"Never be irreplacible. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted."