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 15: How Oliver Stole Christmas?

-Tanas Villa-

Ike, Elincia, Soren, and Rhys stood at the front gate of the Tanas Villa, along with the mysterious monk Lucius, Reyson and Leanne. The Tanas Villa happens to be the private property of Oliver, former duke of Tanas and a possible Christmas thief. Through the gate was the inner garden where a small army of soldiers were seen patrolled there.

"Here we are." Lucius pointed out.

"What are we doing here?" Ike looked around, "this is the late Duke Tanas' Villa. I don't think we're at the right place."

"We are at the right place." Lucius corrected, "Some guy by the name of Oliver… he's responsible for this."

"Oliver?" Ike shuddered, "As in Oliver of Tanas? I thought…"

"Duke Tanas returned to the public not long ago, after fulfilling his years of therapy." Titania explained, "Yet, because of his tyranny, he was dismissed from his position has one of the Seven Senators."

"So the nitwit was at therapy huh?" Soren asked.

Titania nodded, "Exactly."

"I feel sorry for this man." Elincia sighed.

"So you think Oliver is responsible for stealing the Ornaments?" Ike asked curiously. He sounded more doubtful than ever.

"I saw everything." Lucius professed, "From the beginning until the end of this heinous crime. Duke Tanas stole the Ornaments."

"I can't believe this." Reyson huffed in disgust, "first, this magnate tried to enslave my sister and me, and now he stole the Ornaments and robbing Christmas from the world?"

"That is despicable." Rhys said.

"Well," Ike said, "I guess there's one way to find out."

The gang looked questionably into Ike's deep blue eyes as the young lord approached the gate and rang its bell. Ike faced the herons, "Reyson, Leanne," he said, "Let us be here. We'll take care of this."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Reyson ominously asked.

"Don't worry." Ike winked, "Elincia and I have a plan."

Elincia blinked in confusion, "we do?"

One of the soldiers approached the gate and opened it. The soldier sneered at whoever he saw at the gate, "Who are you supposed to be?"

"Oyo! Why we're guests of Sir Oliver." Ike spoke a gritty-nasally voice. Ike was fashioned in an aqua and snow-white puffed Santa suit, a white beard and hair running down his shoulders and an aqua Christmas hat in velvet resting upon his head. A large white cape was attached to the suit and trailed its end on the ground. What's hilarious about Ike was that he wore funny brown shoes that were flat and curved up. Elincia however was dressed similarly to an elf. Her hair was attached in a bun and hidden under her green Christmas hat and her green skirt reached her knees.

"What on Tellius are we doing Ike?" Elincia leaned to Ike and whispered harshly, "That's not the plan I had in mind."

"Just play cool." Ike leaned to her as well, still smiling at the soldier.

"Duke Tanas has not expected ANY guests." The soldier stared at the duo suspiciously. Another soldier—a mage—noticed Ike and Elincia and ran to them. "Wait a minute? We know you guys!"

Ike smiled, but Elincia forced herself to bring up a grin. The soldier looked at the mage, "you know those two?"

"Yeah!" the mage squealed of joy, "It's the great St. Nicholas and his helper elf! I've ALWAYS wanted to meet you! I'm your biggest fan since I've been nice all year."

"Really? Ike beamed from ear to ear. "Cause I'm your biggest fan at helping out the fat guy, since I never saw you on my big list I checked twice!" The mage felt offended at Ike's comments and left. Ike faced the soldier then, "Call me Santa. That's my common name."

"I'm sorry for this misunderstanding, Sir Santa." the soldier apologized and stammered, "Follow me. I'll take you to him."

The soldier escorted the duo from the front. Ike whispered to Elincia, "See, they're totally buying this."

"That is ridiculous!" Elincia complained, "I can't believe you're making me embarrassed in front of soldiers. Soldiers! I'm a queen and I have dignity. And not only that, you're making me wear this ridiculous costume that is too tight and not so fashionable!"

"Bah, stop complaining already." Ike smiled, "it's the holiday anyway. Well, it was…"

Ike and Elincia reached Oliver's suite. The walls upper edges were adorned in Christmas lights and at the corner of the room stood a Christmas tree covered in snow and decorated in lights and ivory ornaments. Playing in the background was the instrumental music of "Here comes Santa Claus," sang by a choir. Oliver entered his room, dancing and prancing on his toes.

"Duke Tanas," the soldier proclaimed, "you have visitors."

He abruptly stopped at the sight of Ike and Elincia, "Guard, who are those abominations? And didn't I tell you not to bring guests here at this time?"

"I thought you invited them Duke Tanas." The soldier said, "And please, show some respect. They're…"

"…Santa and his helper elf!" Elincia laughed and snorted after seeing Oliver's shocked look on his face, "that's right."

Ike grinned and spoke his nasal voice again, "Looks like somebody is in the Christmas spirit."

"Oh, Santa. In this spirit, yes…" Oliver resumed his dancing on his toes, "…forever and ever, HECK YEAH!"

Ike forcefully giggled and trembled uncontrollably. Elincia bumped him to keep him calm. Oliver continued, "Something awesome had happened before sunrise Santa, and it turned out to be my best Christmas gift ever eternal… by the way, what's wrong with your voice?"

Ike gnashed his teeth, pulled his sleeves up and approached Oliver. Elincia restrained him, "Ike!" she whispered, "Keep it cool."

"And what's with the shoes?" Oliver stared at Ike's curved up shoes, "it's like you're among a certain dork society."

RAAAW! Ike was about to jump on Oliver but then stopped short and cleared his throat, "Why I'll be taking a vacation soon," he formed his voice a little deep and jolly, "and besides, I'm getting a certain cold."

"Oh wow." Oliver breathed in worry, "I'm so sorry sir."

Ike nodded and Oliver quickly changed the subject, "So, what did you get me? I hope you got me what I wanted: A convoy full of fried foods, money, gold, and the sacred feather of that ancient heron."

Ike bit his lips, "before we get into this subject, let's talk about you." Ike gave a thumb up to Elincia and the queen made haste outside the room in response of the signal.

"I thought you knew a lot about me." Oliver raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Well then let's do it again. This time, over a cup of tea." Ike gnashed his teeth angrily and nervously, "So, you're… big and wealthy."

Meanwhile, Elincia wandered through the large hallway and came across a closed room that gave her suspicion. She threw a glance inside and noticed that the room was filled of gold and riches. She gasped, "My goodness. This is a treasure room."

"Let me ask you something Oliver." Ike leaned towards the duke and gave him a stern look, "Do you know of the legend of the Christmas Spirit of Tellius?"

"The Christmas Spirit of Tellius?" the duke was puzzled.

"Yeah," Ike replied, sounding more judgmental, "It comes around the holidays; it resides on top of the Serenes Christmas Tree and it happens to be what? Seven Crystal Ornaments?"

Oliver hesitated. Meanwhile, Elincia walked around the treasure room and came across a suspicious leather chest. She touched it once and the chest popped open. Inside reside the seven Crystal Ornaments. She breathed, "So it's true."

"Hey!" A voice bellowed from behind her. She turned around and saw three soldiers at her surroundings. She drew a sharp breath.

"What are you doing here?" the soldier cried, "This is a private room!"

Elincia took the chest and ran outside through the soldiers. "HEY!" the soldiers cried.

"I don't know what are you talking about?" Oliver argued, "Why, if you think I'm responsible for the disappearance of the seven Crystal Ornaments, you're so wrong."

"Oh so you heard the news."

"I know it through what's currently happening at Begnion."

"And the other countries."

"Look Santa," Oliver said, "Whatever you think, I'm the only one in this country to be in the spirit, I don't know why but…"

Ike grinned, Oliver continued, "…but I would never steal those Crystal Ornaments."

"SIR DUKE!" One of the soldiers cried in the hallway. Elincia ran inside with the chest and whispered to Ike, "We've got to get out of here!"

Immediately, the herd of soldiers began chasing Elincia and Ike around. Oliver cried, "What's going…HEY! THAT'S MY CHEST!"

"Sir Duke!" one of the soldiers approached Oliver, "They have your 'you-know-what'."

"Then don't you just stand there! GET THEM!"

The soldiers and Oliver chased Ike and Elincia around the halls. An excerpt of the music "Get that crazy Santa Claus" is playing on the background during the chase. Ike and Elincia ran down the stairs and into the throne room. There, Elincia took refuge, leaving Ike on the edge. The surrounded Ike threw the chest in the air and the soldiers gasped. Ike rolled in midair, caught the chest at his landing and ran off again. Oliver threw a cane on the slippery floor, hoping that will trip Ike, yet the lord (or the disguised Santa) jumped over it. Elincia caught up with Ike near the courtyard and took the chest from Ike. The duo separated, and the soldiers focused their pursuit on Ike. Elincia arrived at the courtyard to find Titania, Soren, Rhys and Lucius there. She threw the chest to Rhys who caught it. Meanwhile, Ike arrived at the villa's mess hall and jumped through the window. He quickly felt his cape caught up. He looked back and saw the soldiers trying to pull him back in. The cape eventually ripped, as well as the beard and the hair, exposing the lord's identity. Ike seized this opportunity to escape yet as he was about to take off and reached the company, he was immediately surrounded by mages and knights.

Oliver came at the scene exhausted, "S—stop right there, Crazy Santa C—Wait a minute!"

Ike smiled and waved, "Hi."

Oliver gnashed his teeth, "You're that Ike boy! Blast you! Where are my Crystal Ornaments?"

The army stared in shock at Oliver, and the duke quickly put his hand on his lips, realizing what he had said. Ike

"Oh so you're admitting that you're the thief huh?" Ike smirked.

"Who cares?" Oliver snarled, "Just tell me where you put my chest?"

Meanwhile, Titania, Rhys, Soren, Lucius and Elincia looked around searching for Ike. "Where's Ike?" Soren asked.

"Oliver must have taken him." Elincia looked around.

"It doesn't matter." Titania said, "Let's just get out of here."

As the company where about to leave, the gate closed shut. "Going somewhere?" They turned around to see Oliver approaching them along with Ike in his original clothes.

"Oliver, stop this." Lucius exclaimed.

"Stop what?" Oliver replied, "You blasted fools are trying to take my treasures from me and as punishment, you'll be spending Christmas in my villa's dungeon."

Elincia whimpered, "Ike…"

"Oh Elincia…" Ike sighed, "I think you should get rid of this costume now. We're wedged up now."

"Stop this treachery Duke Tanas." Rhys cried, "You're not only killing Christmas, but you're killing the joy this continent is experiencing!"

"No way!" Oliver exclaimed, "If I returned the Ornaments back to the Tree, that joyful moment will be gone anyway!"

"Yeah…" Soren replied, "For until next year and so forth!"

"Exactly." Oliver sneered, "But if I keep them, my Christmas will be everyday. It will never die on me! GAAAH! HA! HA! HA! Cough. Hack!"

The company watched Oliver coughing harshly from laughing hard. The duke faced Ike and sneered, "And you, thanks for fooling me, Santa."

"Well doesn't matter." Ike shrugged, "Cause you are now on my naughty list."

Oliver fumed, "Put him down!" he ordered the soldiers and they did so. He faced the company and pointed, "And take him and his fun people to the dungeon."

"Not so fast!" A voice called from behind, restraining the soldiers to approach the company. They looked back and saw Reyson and Leanne making their landing on the ground. Oliver smiled at what he saw, "Oh-Ho! Christmas loves me! Those herons Laguz are here! So, what do you want? Hmm? You two want to spend Christmas with me? We'll spend it everyday."

"Thanks for your invitation," Reyson replied, "but I'm not here for this." He looked at the company, then at Leanne and nodded. He finally glanced back at the duke, "Both Leanne and I are here to make a proposal."

NEXT CHAPTER…