Disclaimer: The following characters and settings of the Fire Emblem series are a belonging of Nintendo and Intelligent Systems. The characters (Mace, Wiz, Zoe, Adrion, Adam, Nicole, Trevor, Keri, Ben, Chelsea, and Mace of Kilvas and Mina of Kilvas) are the only belongings of the author.

Chapter 14: Black Christmas

-Melior Mall-

"All right, whenever you're ready." The maestro, in charge of the Christmas choir at the mall, instructed Rolf in front. Rolf and Keri were both in different choir gown. Rolf was in a royal blue and Keri was in a rose red. Oscar and Boyd were among the crowd, gathered to watch the choir.

Rolf cleared his throat, faced the microphone and yelled, "GLO-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-ORIA!"

His tone was so strident, it flinched the crowd. Everyone plugged their ears and shut tightly their eyes, even the choir, the maestro and Keri. Oscar, all of the sudden, joined Rolf in the chorus.

"IN EXELSIS DEO!" Oscar's voice added twice to the singing-resembling-the-screaming. Every window of every store shattered at that sound. The choir fell down the ice, and the crowd started jeering and throwing foods at the two brothers.

Minutes have passed since this fiasco, and the brothers and Keri were back at the food court.

"Why didn't you tell me that I couldn't sing?" Rolf cried at Oscar, "Boyd was at least honest."

"Yeah, but you didn't believe me." Boyd sighed.

"That's because you kept calling me peewee."

Boyd rolled his eyes. Oscar moped, "I'm sorry Rolf. I didn't know you were a bad singer."

"Wait a minute. I thought you knew." Boyd argued, "What was that comedy you did earlier about honest—OW!" Boyd was cut off short as Oscar pulled his ear hard and severely.

"Did you know about this Keri?" Rolf faced the valkyrie.

Keri held her hands up front, "I swear I didn't."

Rolf sighed, "Anyway, I guess singing is down the count. What's our next move?"

Oscar blinked, "What next move?"

"Our tradition, stupid!" Boyd sighed, "Why, weren't you the one who came up with that idea?"

"Ah yes. Thanks for this… rather lovely reminder." Oscar pulled out of his pocket a small plant attached to two tiny red ornaments the size of marble, "Check what I found."

The brothers and Keri glanced at the plant. Oscar continued, "Isn't this plant gorgeous. Now this tiny thing will be our one key to come up with a family tradition… Now shoot."

Boyd, Rolf, and Keri blinked, stared at each other, then back at Oscar, "Erm… Oscar?" Keri muttered to him.

"Yes?"

Keri pointed at the miniature plant, "That's a mistletoe."

Oscar blinked then stared at the plant, "It is?"

"Do me a favor Oscar and hold it above your head." Boyd smiled, "I think I'm coming up with an idea."

"Really?" Oscar smiled and held the mistletoe above his head. Boyd whistled from behind Oscar and a rather disturbing noise began to sound. Oscar turned around and saw a herd of women coming towards him. Oscar ran from the incoming herd while desperately screaming for help.

"Happy smooching, Oscar!" Boyd cried out, a mischievous smile on his lips.

Later on, Oscar rejoined the gang near the mall's bridge after barely escaping the girls.

"You're okay Oscar?" Rolf asked the paladin, whose face was covered in lipstick marks, "It looks like you didn't expected this to happen."

"Tee! Hee!" Boyd giggled to himself. Oscar shot a glare at him, "What's so funny? What you've done to me ain't funny, you know?"

Boyd cleared his throat, "I know it ain't funny." He then chortled, "It's hysterical!"

"Tee-hee." Keri giggled, "Boyd's got a point there. You need a tissue for your face."

Rolf cackled as well and immediately everyone began laughing. Oscar huffed, "All right that's enough you three."

The laughing stop and Oscar added, "Now, we still need to come up with a family tradition."

Boyd sighed, "Come on Oscar. Don't you think you're overreacting a little? I mean our tradition will come later than sooner. We can't expect it to arrive real soon."

"Hee, hee, hee. Looking for a tradition, kids?" An elderly laugh sounded from behind them. The brothers and Keri turned around and saw an elderly woman carrying a cane and dressed oddly in black. Her white ashen hair, accented in bamboo branches rested upon her shoulders.

"Why yes ma'am." Oscar responded, "Would you help us?"

"Why certainly." The elderly woman cackled, "By all that is dark, your tradition will make the other traditions look like charcoal. Hee, hee, hee."

"And may I ask who you are?" Boyd crossed his arms.

"Why aren't you the hothead one, young man." She replied, "Call me Niime. As you can see, I'm from a distant land, not from around here."

"So Madam, you can help us?" Rolf asked.

"Of course." Niime replied, "All you have to do is follow me."

The brothers and Keri followed Niime to the border of the mall. There, they stood at a large dark grotto shooting out smokes and flames. The writing at the top of the grotto was what really spooked the brothers out.

"Black Christmas?" Oscar read the writing.

"What do you think?" Niime smiled.

"Don't m-mean to rude," Keri pointed out, "but don't you think this is a little too… demonic?"

Niime felt shocked, "Demonic? Whoever gave you that idea?"

"The writing."

Niime scoffed, "No, actually it attracts customers and it's the perfect holiday tradition."

Coming out of the grotto were a Crimean family, their entire bodies, ashen in fear, shook continuously. The brothers and Keri stared at the family, feeling frightened. Niime giggled to herself, "Oh my." She watched, "It like they've seen a ghost."

The brothers and Keri stared at each other then at Niime. The elderly woman slapped their backs, "Well, good fortune to you all. Tee-hee." She then left as the grotto closed down behind the gang trapping them inside.

Keri giggled nervously, "You know what? I think I'm gonna take off."

"WHAT?" The brothers panicked.

"Keri, don't go!" Rolf cried.

Keri giggled again, "I'm s-sorry guys. I just remembered I have to help Mist for the Noel feast. Gotta go." With that, Keri cast Warp on herself and was gone. The brothers stared at each other then at their surrounding, shed in darkness with dim lights and no road ahead.

"I'm… s-scared!" Rolf wept.

"Now look what you have done Oscar!" Boyd accused his older brother.

"How was I supposed to know that old woman was up to something?" Oscar inquired.

"When she said 'by all that is black'? When she displayed 'Black Christmas' on that grotto entrance? When she CACKLED?"

"Okay, okay! I get it!"

"We gotta get out of here." Rolf proposed then a clunk was heard.

The brothers looked back and saw a mine cart rolling on tracks behind them. They screamed as the cart took them into a large steep hill then crossed a lava river, and even through a corridor with walls covered in spikes. They screamed, screamed, and kept on screaming until they entered a large void.

"THIS ISN'T A TRADITION WE'RE SEARCHING FOR!" Boyd screamed, "THIS IS TROUBLE!"

"WHY DID KERI ABANDONED US?" Rolf cried.

"NOW I'M BEGINNING TO THINK WE SHOULD HAVE STAYED AT THE CASTLE!" Oscar cried.

The roller-coaster and the screaming kept on going for a good while. The grotto opened up its exit again allowing the mine kart to zoom out of there and into the sky. The entire population gathered outside to watch the kart in flight and landing hard at the capital's square. Oscar and Rolf exited the mine kart, feeling unsteady on their feet and their eyes literally boggled in dizziness. Boyd however felt fine. He looked around and spread a smile, "AH-HA! COOL!"

The crowd murmured as soldiers and healers from the capital reached to aid the brothers. Boyd went to Oscar and Rolf and shook them back in reality, "Did you see that? Now that's what Christmas is all about! WHOO!"

"What?" Oscar shook, "Are you kidding? That was dangerous!"

"And 'dangerous' is my middle name!" Boyd smiled.

Niime reached the brothers as well, "Hee, hee, hee." She laughed, "How was 'Black Christmas'? Was it to your likings, young'un?"

"Liking?" Boyd ran to hug Niime, "It was the best tradition ever! Let's do it again!"

"NO!" Rolf and Oscar cried. "I don't think we're ready for another…" Oscar gulped, "…ride yet."

"Yeah. For a moment, I thought my life was flashing before my eyes!" Rolf exclaimed.

Niime's shoulders sunk, "Great." She muttered, "Another unsatisfying pair of customers."

"Hey wait a minute." Boyd complained, "I liked it!"

"But still…" Oscar countered. He then sighed and approached Niime, "Madam Niime. Although some of us find this to be… the best, I rather not spoil this tradition of yours every year… but we do have something else for you."

"I'm listening."

"How about we invite you to the Noel feast with us at the Melior Royal Villa? Mist is cooking." he proposed, ultimately giving up his idea of searching for his own tradition.

Niime licked her lips, "I'm very fond of authentic foods and since you've experienced 'Black Christmas', I'll experience yours."

NEXT CHAPTER…