Chapter Six : Merry Christmas
Despite most of the characters of Soul Calibur belonging to religions other than that of the Christian faith, they celebrated Christmas that year regardless. Yes, even the evil undead people and Charade did! Necrid... no... because... well...
Necird died in an unfortunate realty accident.
Oh well.
Anyway, the Three Musketeers (Xianghua, Kilik, and Maxi) were gathered around some brightly-wrapped presents on Christmas day, as they were all sharing the merriment with each other.
"Merry Christmas, Kiliku!" said Xianghua like Aya Hisakawa, handing Kilik a big box. He opened it, to find another box. Opening that one, he found yet another box, and this cycle continued until he got down to a very small box that looked like it couldn't hold anything except...
"Oh... how thoughtful," he sighed, looking at the television remote from several angles. "Umm... not to burst your bubble, Xianghua, but... we don't have a TV."
Xianghua's face fell. "I knew I forgot something!"
Maxi cleared his throat. "Well, I didn't know what ye liked, so I forced that little girl with the braids to make you cookies. Enjoy the gift that keeps on giving," he said, handing them both baggies full of cookies.
"Thanks, Maxi," said Xianghua. She gave him a present. "And this is for you!"
He opened it, then gave her an odd look. "Buttons?"
"Look, that jacket's not providing you with any warmth and someday, somewhere, you'll need those buttons," she said, and Kilik snapped his fingers like a ghetto woman to back her up.
Then he handed them each a gift. "Much like Maxi, I, too, did not know your preferences, so I just... I just put gold in the boxes," he admitted.
"Well, well, well, that's gotta be the best present I've gotten all year!" chuckled Maxi, shoving the money into a pocket.
"Yes, thank you, Kiliku," said Xianghua, doing the same, even if she doesn't have pockets.
Then Maxi opened a bottle of champagne and they drank the night away.
Meanwhile...
Hwang had gotten Christmas off and was at the Seung Dojo with Yunsung, Han Myong, and Seung Mina.
"Well, during my travels and time defending our country," he said, "I could not afford to carry packages with me. So I got you all decorative greeting cards from Hallmark's."
"How... thoughtful," said Han Myong, taking one.
"Golly gee, this is the best Christmas ever," said Seung Mina sarcastically.
"..." said Yunsung, because... well, I couldn't think of what he could potentially say. I don't really like him all that much...
"Before any of you ask, yes, I did get you all coffee mugs," said Han Myong, taking several colorful mugs out from behind his back and presenting them to everyone in turn.
Mina looked at her "World's Greatest Little Zanbatou Weilder" mug with an arched eyebrow; Hwang sighed, looking at his mug with mixed feelings; again, Yunsung didn't say anything.
"I got Hwang a new pair of pants," said Seung Mina, handing the pants over. "And for Yunsung, I got him a hat." She put the hat on Yunsung's head and pushed it to the side a bit so it would be level. "Daddy, I got you... a coffee mug!" She gave her father a "Greatest Daddy Ever" mug.
Yunsung sighed. "Well... I'm sorry, but the only thing I knew you all liked was food... so I forced Talim to make you all cookies." He gave them all a tin of cookies each.
"Oh, Yunsung!" said the others, then they shared a hearty chuckle.
Meanwhile...
"WORMS!" shouted Astaroth. "WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW WHAT I GOT YOU FOR YOUR HOLIDAY SEASON?"
"Don't tell me it's another one of your--" started Nightmare, but Ivy elbowed him in the face, causing him to fall to the ground in shock. "Ah!"
"Yes, Astaroth, we would," she said coolly.
"WELL, I GOT SPINNY A NEW BOTTLE OF EYEDROPS FOR HIS VARIOUS EYES AND SOUL EDGE'S EYE," said Astaroth, presenting the eyedrops to Nightmare, who took the bottle and shoved it in an imaginary pocket. "AND FOR YOU, TALL LADY, I GOT YOU A BOOK ON THE HISTORY OF WHIPS AND LEATHER."
As Ivy took the book, she smiled. "Why, thank you, Astaroth. How kind of you. Spinny, what did you get us?"
"I got you both dictionaries," he said, shrugging.
"THANK YOU. NOW I CAN..." He looked up a word. "'EXTEND' MY VOCABULARY. HA! IT'S ALREADY WORKING!"
"Gee, you shouldn't have," sneered Ivy.
"Well, then, give it back," snapped Nightmare. "You know, if you really hate it all that much--" But before he could say anymore, Ivy shoved a package into his arms. "Oh, for me?" He ripped it open, to reveal a picture of the three of them (which had been clearly doctored, in his opinion) together. He almost felt a tear well up in his eye.
Almost.
"And I got the same for you, Astaroth," said Ivy, handing the golem a picture as well.
"HOW TOUCHING."
"Yes, don't you think?"
They both laughed, while Nightmare thought of how foolish they both were.
Meanwhile...
"I made you all cookies!" said Talim, skipping into a room with a tray of cookies haphazardly sitting on her arm, as her other arm was bundled around various small present. "I hope you like them! They're chocolate-chip!"
"Thank you, Talim!" said her mother.
"And here's your present, Mom!" Talim gave her mother the gift.
This process was repeated until all of Talim's family had presents, because the author is lazy.
"Merry Christmas!" they all cheered, giving each other hugs and being happy and generally a big, happy, hugging family.
Meanwhile...
"Sophitia, Merry Christmas!" Cassandra said, giving her sister a present.
"Oh! Oh... what is it?" asked Sophitia, somewhat confused.
"...It's a new set of armor..." her little sister replied as if it was obvious.
Sophitia smiled. "Thank you, Cassie. It's very considerate."
"For Pyrhha, I got this," said Cassandra. She gave a box to her neice. "Then, for P... you, I got this." She gave a box to her nephew.
"Oooh! Thanks, Aunt Cassie!" they chorused, the neice holding an Athenean Barbie and her nephew holding a plastic sword.
"You're welcome."
Rothian looked a little disappointed and expectant. "Hey, what about me?"
"Oh, yeah." said Cassandra, then left it at that. He looked hurt. "Nah, I'm just kiddin', Rothian! Brighten up!" She gave him a neatly-wrapped package.
As he opened it, a look of happiness crossed his face. "It's a new... a new hammer!"
"Yes, I noticed that the other one was looking as if it would fall apart at any moment, so I got this for you," replied Cassandra.
Sophitia gave Cassandra a small pile of gifts, each one labled from somebody in the room that wasn't Cassandra. "We all got you something too!"
"I couldn't possibly open all of these in the limited space we have to take up!" her sister said, laughing.
Then they all laughed together for a while.
Meanwhile...
"Well, since we're the only ones left, do you think we should celebrate as well?" asked Mitsurugi. He, Taki, Cervantes, Charade, Yoshimitsu, Rock, and anybody I might have forgotten were standing around like noobs.
"Umm... NO," replied Rock.
They all chuckled warmly.
Several hours later...
All of the characters were all standing in a snow-covered field with warm clothing (scarves, jackets, sweaters, etc...) on.
"God bless us, everyone!" said Cassandra.
Then they all engaged in caroling.
"Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way!
Oh what fun it is to ride in a oooone hooorse ooopeeeen sleeeeiiiiigh!"
The End