Bernard walked through the large workshop and watched the goings-on of all the different elves building toys. It was the middle of November and they were slightly behind schedule but the elves were all determined to get ahead within the week. Bernard couldn't help but grin at the fact, as he had been the one to get them into liking being ahead. When they were ahead that meant they finished early, and that gave them time to have an end-of-the-year party. That had also been an idea of Bernard's, that Santa had agreed to whole heartedly.
But the thing bugging Bernard that prevented him from enjoying the grin he wore was the fact of how they had gotten behind. He knew it had happened when he had left to check up on a few kids in Africa that had been on the naughty list the last few years and had finally gotten back on the nice list in April. He had been checking to make sure that they didn't get put back on the naughty list again. He had been forced to leave Curtis in charge as much as he hadn't wanted to. He had only just gotten back the night before and Bernard was looking for Curtis so the number-two elf knew that he was back.
Bernard turned a corner when Judy came rushing up to him from the kitchens. She had a look of mixed anger and worry on her face that in turn caused Bernard to get worried. Little to nothing could get Judy angry, a little miffed maybe, but rarely angry.
"Judy, what's wrong?" Bernard demanded of the elfess in charge of the kitchens. She gave a frustrated sigh in reply.
"It's Curtis! He's in the kitchens trying to tell me how to run things! Right now he's telling everyone that the cookies are short sprinkles and the gingerbread cookies aren't 'gingery' enough! It isn't the first time either, he's been after us since you left!" Judy said angrily. Bernard sighed. He had figured something like this would happen but he had hoped that it wouldn't. Just as he was about to go to tell Curtis to lay off, Quinton rushed up from behind Bernard looking even more pissed than Judy did, which was quite an accomplishment.
"Bernard! You need to talk to Curtis! He's tried to tell me that the computer games aren't 'computery' enough! Computery isn't even a word! And he's broken two entire cartloads of Play station Two controllers, setting us three months behind!" Quinton then pulled one of said controllers out and showed it to Bernard. The wire was frayed and all the buttons were either cracked or missing. Bernard felt his anger rising, as it took them a while to make controllers that actually worked the way they were supposed to.
Bernard once again sighed and tried to make his way to the kitchens where Curtis was said to be, when the head of the tinsel department walked up to Bernard looking seriously ticked off. Less than Quinton, but more than Judy. Bernard held his finger up before he could say anything.
"Lemmie guess: Curtis broke something, told you to do something differently that was already being done fine, or has just been an all-around nuisance?" Bernard asked. The tinsel elf nodded silently. Bernard rolled his eyes and muttered something along the lines of 'figures' and went off to the kitchens before anyone else with a grudge against Curtis came along.
Bernard entered the kitchens and found that it looked like a war zone. It was covered in flour with Curtis and the Chef elves throwing cookies, flour, and other miscellaneous objects at each other. Later on, Bernard would swear he saw a rolling pin go flying before Curtis mis-aimed a bag of flour and hit him in the head and knocked him unconscious.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Bernard groaned as he sat up and rubbed his head before opening his eyes. He found that he was no longer in the kitchens, but instead found himself laying in his bed in his room. At his side was Curtis, looking very frightened on one side, and Mrs. Clause on the other.
"Bernard, before you say anything let me tell you that everything I did was for the good of the workshop." Curtis said quickly. "It isn't my fault that they were doing everything wrong."
Now typically Bernard is able to hold back what little anger and frustration he had, but that was the last straw. Before Curtis had achieved the position of Number-Two elf the workshop had been working fine and sometimes Bernard would go as far as saying perfect. But as soon as Curtis had come into his position the workshop had started having tons and tons of problems. At first Bernard had attributed it to bad luck, nothing to worry about or give a second thought to. But now that he actually thought about it he could see the little links to Curtis that had been carefully covered.
"You! It's all your fault!" Bernard yelled, jumping out of his bed and chasing Curtis out the door, completely ignoring Mrs. Claus' commands to calm down and ignoring the fact that he was now only wearing a pair of pants and nothing more.
Bernard chased Curtis out into the workshop, causing all the elves to stop what they were doing and watch.
"Bernaaaard! You need to calm down before you do something you'll regret!" Curtis yelled as he ran. Bernard ignored it however and put on a burst of speed. He quickly caught up to Curtis and knocked him down onto his stomach. Before Curtis could get up and continue going many of the nearby elves jumped up and held the number-two elf down for Bernard to catch up.
By now Mrs. Claus had gotten to Santa and the two had gotten to the workshop. They quickly found Bernard, who was giving Curtis... lets just say a piece of his mind... with many elves joining in and helping out.
"Bernard, what is going on here!" Santa demanded. Bernard turned to look at the only two people that could give him orders and only just realized that he only had on his pants. Needless to say his face turned a bright shade of red. Thankfully Judy and Quinton spoke up.
"When Bernard went away for a few weeks Curtis went through the workshop and started telling everyone that we were doing our jobs wrong." Quinton started.
"Which, might I add, some of us have been doing longer than he's even been alive." Judy added, looking pointedly at Curtis who was taped up with duct tape. Many elves nodded.
"He's set the entire workshop behind at least two months, three in some cases." Quinton finished. Bernard stepped forward, finally finding his voice.
"Uh, the point they're trying to get across is that we think Curtis just isn't right for the job of Second elf." Bernard paused when Curtis started struggling again and trying to talk. Santa stepped forward and carefully took the tape off of Curtis' mouth.
"You can't fire me! You can't, you can't, you can't! Where will you find another elf to take over!" Curtis demanded.
"Well, we do work in a workshop FULL of elves." Quinton said.
"And you wouldn't be fired, Curtis. Only put into a less stressful position." Bernard said. "We do need someone with your ... talents ... in housekeeping." Bernard said, trying not to laugh or grin. Santa, sensing another outburst from Curtis, quickly put the tape back onto said elf's mouth before he could start yelling again. Many of the elves that could hear Bernard could be heard snickering and laughing into their hands.
"Bernard, are you sure about this? It does mean you'll be responsible for the entire workshop again until you appoint a new number-two elf." Santa asked. He and Bernard had talked quite a few times about how Curtis was taking his many responsibilities ever since the Toy Santa incident.
"Yes, Sir. I did it before and I can do it again." Bernard nodded.
"Well then, I don't know how this is supposed to be done, but Curtis, you're no longer Bernard's second. You're to report to housekeeping and they'll put you where you're needed in their department. Bernard ... go put a shirt and some shoes on?" Santa winked and Bernard nodded sheepishly before going off. Everyone else left, leaving Curtis standing there covered in tape.