The Christmas Spirit
A Naughty or Nice Story....
By Electric Fire
It was a few weeks before Christmas, and Artemis knew that the question was inevitable.
"Did you write your letter to Santa Claus?" Artemis's mother, Angeline asked. She was in a strangely good mood.
Something about the Christmas holidays always had this effect on her, but she was even happier this year, now that her husband was found alive.
Artemis smiled slightly; he had given up that childish belief years ago, but he still wrote the letter to please his mother.
"Yes Mother. It should be arriving in Father Christmas's mail box any day now!"
Angeline smiled and hugged her son tight, "This will be a great Christmas, Arty! Just you wait!"
The weeks went by, servants bustled about Fowl Manor, decking the halls and humming Christmas tunes.
Artemis had even caught butlers humming a few bars of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santy Claus." The bodyguard had gone bright red and insisted that it was only because, "That darned song is stuck in my head!"
Everyone seemed to be getting into the Christmas spirit, except Artemis. For some reason, the joyfulness of the season did not have that moving of an effect on Artemis.
So, he did not brave the crowds to buy Christmas gifts. Instead he bought them online by somewhat "questionable" means. He said that he "enjoyed this way of shopping" more than regular shopping and insisted being left alone in his room while he "shopped."
Truth is, he didn't want anyone to see the ways he was getting the items.
Very soon, it was Christmas Eve. The Christmas season had flown right by Artemis, and he was rather disappointed that he would have to return to school soon.
Butler had gone home a few days ago, in order to spend Christmas with his family, and Artemis felt strangely lonely without his faithful bodyguard. But that just meant he had to make extra precautions to insure that none of his "contacts" would attempt to "contact" him! (They all believed that he was spending the holiday in Atlanta, Georgia.)
As was tradition, Artemis and Angeline dressed in their best clothes and warmest coats, and walked to church.
After service, they took the long way home in order to pass by the large creche scene.
They admired the sight in silence. Angeline held her son's hand tight and closed her eyes in silent prayer. Artemis admired the details that the craftsman had put into the figures.
In a few minutes, the temperature suddenly dropped, and the two Fowls were forced to move on.
A little ways up the street, they saw a young mother and her child, begging for money. They were not dressed in rags like other mendicants, but one could easily tell that they were not well off,
The young woman approached Angeline cautiously, "Ma'am, would you kindly spare a few dollars, so that I may feed my child tonight? Surely you understand, being a mother yourself?"
Angeline smiled warmly and pulled some bills from her purse. The young mother's eyes lit up, when she realized that someone was going to help her.
"Oh! Thank you kindly, ma'am! Be sure that if I ever see you again, I will return the favor!" With that, the mother turned and went into the grocery store with her child.
"Mother, why did you give money to her? You will probably never see her again." Artemis was a firm believer that someone should earn their own money - just like he did.
"Arty, dear, its Christmas!" Angeline put her arms around his shoulders, "If we can make someone's holiday a little bit bright, its a great gift. There are to be no selfish thoughts today!"
Artemis thought about his mother's word. Perhaps, he thought, it isn't that wrong to help someone out once in a while - just not that often, and to someone who really needs it.
I think I've changed a bit, Artemis thought, since my father is back. But even if I have changed in a different direction, I am still determined to restore my family's fortune!
"Oh my! Arty, look!" Artemis followed his mother's gaze to a small group of teenagers up ahead.
One boy was holding a girls shoulders, while another boy was trying to pull a purse from the desperate girl's hands. The girl was screaming at them to leave her alone, but they just laughed.
Angeline looked worried, "Oh how I wish they'd leave that girl alone! Look how frightened she is, and its Christmas too!"
Sighing, Artemis strode forward. If he was going to do a good deed, it might as well please his mother.
He walked boldly up to the boy who trying to relieve the girl of her purse and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Waddaya want buddy? Can't you see we're busy?"
"Its Christmas."
Those two words had a powerful impact. If they were spoken by any other person, they would have been answered with a curt, "Ya, so?" But Artemis's piercing gaze and monotone voice chilled the boy's heart.
The thug looked at Artemis, than at his friend who had gone ghostly pale.
"Let's go.." the boy grunted and walked away; his friend dropped the girl to her knees and quickly followed in suit.
The girl shakily grabbed her purse and stood up. She mumbled a "Thank you", and was about to turn away, when she broke out in smiles.
Quickly, she walked over to Artemis and kissed him on the cheek, "Merry Christmas friend!" And with that, she was gone.
Artemis stood there for a second. Had he just helped someone and asked for nothing in return?
It was a strange feeling, but the boy shook his head. It was best to ignore it...
Angeline caught up with him, "That was such a brave thing to do, Arty! I'm so proud of you!"
Artemis shrugged as his mother hugged him once again.
After they returned home, the mother and son had a nice, quiet dinner, then each went off to their separate rooms.
Five years previously, Artemis would have been in bed by 7 o'clock. But times had changed, and Artemis had little time to think about Santa Claus and such, so he stayed up late into the night, typing on his computer.
He grew rather sleepy, and was very near to closing his eyes when the clock struck twelve.
His eyes flew open, and he stumbled over to his bed, full ready for a good nights sleep.
But fate wouldn't allow it, as it would seem, for fractions of a second later, there came a rapping at the window.
Artemis sat back up. Who could it be? Everyone and his mother thought he was in Georgia!
Putting that great brain of his to use, Artemis used his bedside tray as a shield, and a glass lamp as a weapon.
It was quite pathetic really, but Artemis was half asleep and even a genius needs rest eventually.
The window flew open, and a jolly voice rang out, "Oh ho ho! Come now, do you really think that is necessary, Artemis?"
Peeking over the tray and out the window, Artemis could see a plump little man in a red suit.
"The fireplace wasn't out, so I couldn't get in. Would you come downstairs and let me in?"
"How do I know you are really Father Christmas?" Artemis asked, his hand moving slowly to the button next to his bed that called Butler, hoping to trick the man.
"Now Artemis, don't you pretend to call Butler! We both know for a fact that he is with his family! Now lets see..." Santa pulled a list from his bag, "Juliet wants WWF tapes, and a new wrestling costume. Dom- I mean Butler, wants U2's new CD and those three romance novels he saw at Borders..."
Artemis was rarely surprised, and even if he was he would not show it. Tonight however, it could not be helped. His jaw dropped.
"Wh..what?" He shook his head to clear his mind of the images of Butler reading paperback novels, "What do you want?"
"What I want, Artemis, is to come in. You don't know how cold it is out here, even with a heated sleigh!" The round man laughed, "Ho ho! Now, are you going to let me in or no?"
"Not until you tell me why you are here!"
"I had a feeling you'd say that!" The man winked his right eye and he disappeared. Seconds later he reappeared in the room.
Artemis found himself speechless; he was on the record for doing strange things lately.
"If you really are St. Nicholas, tell me what I want for Christmas."
Nicholas grinned, "Of course! I know what you want. You asked for a new laptop, but that's not what you really want is it? No, no, what you really want is gold and fairy technology. I know that! Now the moment of truth..."
The jolly man dug through his bag and pulled out a long scroll.
"The naughty or nice list." Artemis said, "Interesting."
"It is, isn't it? This is just for show though. I have an automated version in my sleigh. Anyhow, let's see. This is the F-section....FA, FG, FL, ah here we are -FO...Foaly... He's a friend of yours right? He wants a new tinfoil hat for his collection - it seems something happened to his favorite one. Ah yes, where were we? Oh of course.... Fova, Fox...hmm...why! You're not on my list at all!"
Nicholas studied the boy up and down, "Could it be, that you are neither naughty or nice? Why in all my years, I have never heard of such a thing! The other Santa's warned me about it though!"
"Other Santas?"
"Of course! We have Santas all over the world, each assigned to different children! We have or universal naughty/nice list, but its up to us to deliver presents!" Nicholas shook his head, "How else do you think we do it? Why there's even a Santa's union!"
"It makes sense. What exactly does the union do?"
"Procures toys from companies and such, but its mostly to keep those low-grade department store Santas in check/"
"I see."
"Now, what to do with you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you're neither naughty or nice, so you are in between. Do you get your presents or a lump of coal? Lets see..."
Pulling a small computer from his pocket, he began typing. Artemis examined the computer.
"Fairy technology?'
"You got that right, kid! Some stuff is still made by elves and shipped up from Haven." Nicholas sighed, "The fiefs are outrageous at the North Pole, though. This is your gift, if I can find out wether you deserve it or not."
Artemis was suddenly much more interested on being on the nice list, "Why don't you judge me on the way I have acted recently? That should give you a good idea of my character."
Santa gave Artemis a sly look, but punched the command into the computer anyways.
"Let's see...your record shows you being extremely naughty most of the time, stealing and such, but there are a few major events that make up for that; reattaching Captain Short's finger and saving your father for instance."
"Some of these events cross themselves out, such as the Fei Fei incident. The cause was certainly nice, but the means were as naughty as they get!"
"So the end truly doesn't justify the means?" Artemis asked innocently.
"Nice try, but in not in the world of Santas, pal. Hmm... for all records, you end up pretty even... wait! What's this?"
Nicholas's eyes dance over the screen, and Artemis looked over his shoulder, "It says here that you helped out a young girl today. That puts your naught-nice ratio 49:51," The jolly man, shrugged and handed the computer to Artemis, who gratefully accepted the small device. Nicholas motioned for him to get in bed.
Artemis thought for a second. Helping that girl had paid off, who would have thought it? Maybe he should do that more often....
"Now, get back in bed, Artemis. When you wake up tomorrow, I suggest you go look a little closer at the creche, after all He is the reason for the season!"
"I'll try to remember that."
"Merry Christmas, Artemis."
The End
Merry Christmas Everyone!