Christmas Eve Special - The Night Before Christmas...
December 7th, 2022 - Floor 3, Lyusulan Camp
''You know, it's nearly Christmas... you reckon there's an in game Christmas?'' - Jet stopped to think for a second. It wasn't exactly something that would've come up during the beta test... which ran in July. But then again, Jet doubted that Kayaba would've ignored something that important, given he seemingly wanted people to live their lives here... so he answered - ''Perhaps... but isn't it only the 7th today?''
''Yes, it's only 18 days away!''
''Please tell me you aren't one of those people who play Christmas songs in September, Koharu...''
''No! That's far too early... November, maybe.''
''Trust my luck to get a partner who loves Christmas...'' - Jet joked.
''Aww, don't be a grinch about it!''
''I'm not! I just... Christmas at home was always stressful. Six sisters, a brother, me, parents, grandparents... imagine the washing up afterwards!''
''What about when you were little?''
''Eh, I was neutral on the idea. Used to love decorating the house... and tracking Santa on radar.'' - Jet tried to mumble that last bit, but failed.
''I can just picture a tiny you sat there now... it's adorable!'' - She tried to hard to imagine a small Jet... it was difficult for her, given her reference was 6 feet tall, and towered over nearly everyone around them. The toddler version of Jet though... she felt like picking him up and talking to him in baby talk... what that said about her, she really wasn't sure.
''And I'm the only one of us who did embarrassing stuff as a kid, am I?''
''Nope... you're the only one who admits it though! Anyway, is there anything you want for Christmas?''
''Hmm, you?'' - Koharu went bright red, and began spluttering at Jet's teasing. - ''My two front teeth perhaps? Actually, anything'll do, except the Pogues. No Pogues.''
''You know, if you carry on like that, I might actually think you're being serious...'' - She gave her partner a wide smirk, knowing exactly how he'd react...
''Who says I'm not?'' - She was wrong. Jet swore he could feel the heat off his partner's cheeks... an achievement, given she was sat 5 feet away - ''But seriously, as long as I've got you, I'm sure I could take on the world. After all, I do have the best partner in the world!...''
''Buh... buh...''
''And I may have broke her. Go me.''
December 23rd, 2022 - Floor 4, Rovia
After the experience that had been the fourth floor boss fight, Jet having discovered that he wasn't much of a sailor, and nearly becoming a literal home run with Wythege, the pair had decided to take a few days away from the frontlines... it was nearly Christmas after all, and even if Jet hated the holidays... he was quite partial to the holiday bit. Especially the bit where it meant he could escape from the she-devil...
''Asuna's invited us to a party, you want to go?'' - She really was like Beetlejuice, wasn't she? The most obvious answer was no. Not because he knew he'd be in for an incredibly unpleasant experience... well, actually, that was the reason, but it wasn't like he could just tell his partner that.
''Who's party is it?''
''ALS and DKB'' - Any remaining chance, however minute, exited the window as fast as the acronyms came out.
''Solid pass on that. Last thing I need is them lot trying to make me look bad... I'm perfectly capable of doing that myself.'' - He wasn't wrong, and and he suspected that the leaders of the guilds still held a grudge with him for the fiasco on the third floor. For once, he wouldn't have blamed them if they did, if it hadn't been for Kirito and Asuna's quick thinking, and absolutely terrifying presence, respectively, he'd have filled the role of the match needed to blow them all skywards, well metaphorically speaking, anyway. Even if Kibaou had seemingly been a bit kinder towards them, after Jet had pulled their arses away from the fire, it wasn't all that unlikely that Lind still held that grudge anyway...
''I don't think they blame you entirely for that one... they'd be hypocrites if they did.''
''Yeah, I know... I don't really enjoy parties anyway. The ones I ended up at were always either so boring I felt like dropping off to sleep, or too much drink, booze and shagging, with no in between.''
Koharu smirked at her partner, and put on an innocent voice - ''Are you sure you aren't a time traveller?''
''Why?'' - Jet asked cautiously, not liking where this was going...
''You sound like a puritan...'' - Koharu fought herself, in a vain attempt not to laugh at her own joke.
''Har har, no. Plus, if I were a puritan, I'd have issues with the whole concept of fun. It's not like I have any moral issues with it, I just don't enjoy it myself. Big social gatherings are basically my worst nightmare. Oh, hang up, new message - It's Rain. She's asked us to come down to the Orphanage tomorrow, to help out with something.''
''She's okay then? Also, orphanage?''
''Yeah, there's an orphanage in the Town of Beginnings now, think it popped up just after we beat the second floor. Anyway, you want to go and see how she's getting on?''
''Huh... you really don't want to go to the party, do you?'' - If Jet thought he was being subtle by suggesting that, she could read him like a book... and he really wasn't.
Jet put on a mock offended voice - ''I am appalled that you would suggest such a thing... I'm just doing charity work.''
''Which just so happens to line up perfectly with the night of the big guild party, which you don't want to attend...'' - Jet looked away, like a guilty child. - ''Err, that is a bit convenient, I admit...''
''It's almost like you knew about that party in advance, because Kirito told you whilst he was looking for an excuse, and so, you asked Rain to help you find an excuse...'' - Koharu looked bemused, as Jet fought his own mannerisms not to give himself away.
''I plead the fifth.'' - Jet spoke, almost as if a lawyer had informed him not to incriminate himself.
''You know I'm not annoyed right, I just find it funny that you're going to these lengths to get out of a party, when you could just say 'I don't want to go'.''
''I didn't want to offend anyone.'' - Jet sighed resignedly, as Koharu rolled her eyes at her partner. - ''Plus, I kinda did want to check in on Rain, see how she's doing, so it kinda kills two birds with one stone.''
''I really don't understand you sometimes...''
''I don't either...'' - Jet admitted to himself, as Koharu left the room...
December 24th 2022, Floor 1, Town of Beginnings
For the first time in almost two months, the duo had returned to the Town of Beginnings, the town itself being far more lively, as fairy lights hung from most buildings, the lights reflecting off a star atop a Christmas Tree that rose nearly 8 foot tall, with a number of carol singing NPCs in the town. The weather had also changed, the usually mild climate becoming quite cold, with a light dusting of snow now falling on the town. To Jet, it felt like the type of scene you'd see on a Christmas card, rather than in reality...
''Wow... it's beautiful...''
''I don't even care for Christmas, but this is pretty awesome...''
''Don't be a grinch, Jet.''
''I wasn't... oh, never mind. Let's find the orphanage, shall we?''
Koharu pointed towards the large church like building, and the red haired girl stood in front of it, waving - ''Over there. I can see Rain waving at us...''
''And now, you see why I wore- wear glasses IRL.'' - Koharu suppressed a giggle, as the pair walked over to Rain..
''Privet.'' - Not for the first time, Jet completely butchered the pronunciation, and instead of saying 'hello', asked for a large hedge. Or temporarily became the Crazy Frog. Either of them works. Even Koharu, who didn't speak Russian, raised an eyebrow, whilst Rain was softly laughing to herself.
''Privyet, Jet, Koharu. It's good to see you both again!'' - Both of them were pulled into a hug by the redhead, and returned the favour.
''Glad to see you too, doing well, I hope?''
''Yep! The kids do keep us on our toes though...''
''Kids do, wait till you meet one of my sisters, she's... what's the nice way to call someone clingy?''
''There isn't one.'' - The two girls responded in stereo.
''So, what did you want our help with, Rain?''
''Oh, we're organising a party for the kids this evening, you know, give them a proper Christmas... or as close as we can, and well, we needed a Santa. I mean, we have a Sanya, so we're only one letter off, but...'' - Koharu looked towards her partner as a wave of realisation swept over him, and looked back towards a slightly confused Rain, as she herself fought back laughter... ''You-snrrk- got out of one party-snnnrrrkk- by becoming the main attraction at another! This is- bwhahahahahaha-this is amazing!'' - Jet shot a betrayed look at Rain, who was currently smiling innocently towards him... and suddenly it clicked!
''She set you up for this, didn't she?'' - Jet pointed at his partner, who was currently still in hysterics...
''I don't know what you mean...'' - Rain carried on smiling - ''and nope... Asuna did.''
''Damn that girl!'' - Jet seemed quite annoyed at Asuna for that one, but Koharu figured he'd forget by tomorrow morning...
''I'm not catching a break today, am I?'' - Both girls shook their heads at him in sync.
''Nope, I guess I'm not.'' - The now very thin, and surprisingly English for someone living in the North Pole, Santa Claus commented, whilst pulling on his beard. Of all the sensations that the NerveGear could replicate, did it really have to replicate the itchiness of a fake beard, or was Kayaba just that much of a sadist...
The girls looked over their Santa Claus, and came to one conclusion... ''He's not the most convincing of Santas, is he?''
Sarcasm dripping, Jet commented - ''Sorry for being 6 foot tall, and lanky...''
The girls overlooked his genetic indiscretion, and carried on dissecting their Santa as if he weren't in the room... - ''Forgiven. But still, how do we explain that to the kids?''
''Tell them Mrs Claus had him on a diet?'' - Koharu helpfully suggested, ignoring the deadpan look her partner was currently shooting her.
''As good a reason as any.'' - Rain admitted, lacking any better ideas herself.
''So, other than looking like a complete tosser, is there anything else you need me to do? Maybe sneak down some chimneys, or find a red nosed reindeer...'' - Jet had decided that today's emotion of the day was bitchiness.
''Well, if you're offering...'' - The smiles on the girls faces terrified him, far more than anything else he'd ever faced...
''Ho ho ho!'' - Jet died inside. He was never the most social person, and so it felt like a cruel joke that he was in fact, now the public face of the orphanage today, and currently sat outside, as children sat on his chair. Rain had been insistent that it be on his lap, and oddly insistent that she went first to test out his acting skills, but Jet had vehemently refused to let anyone else touch him, so a chair it was.
''Have you been a good girl this year?'' - Jet continued to die inside, but kept a smile up.
''I hope so!''
''So what do you want for Christmas?''
''I just... want to see my mommy and daddy!'' - The young girl burst into tears, and Rain went over to comfort her, but Jet decided to show a more human side.
''Hey, hey'' - 'Santa' materialised a tissue from his inventory, and handed it to the young girl - ''Everyone wants to, this year, and I'll tell you a little secret! Santa wants to, as well, and he's doing his absolute best to help clear this... game. But he needs something from all the little children here, can you help him with that?''
''I *sniff* guess?''
''He needs you all to be brave, to be the best you can be. To show that this world isn't going to break you, and with all of that, he can help everyone get home!'' - 'Santa' channelled his inner Doctor once again, as the little girl stopped crying.
''I can do that, Santa!'' - The no longer crying girl returned over to Rain, who gave her a hug, whilst she gave Santa a smile in gratitude.
''Ho ho - oh!?'' - 'Santa' sighed. Unfortunately, the next child was very familiar... and not a child. At least not physically, anyway.
''Aww... don't I get to sit on Santa's lap?'' - Strea smirked as her brother tried his hardest not to just tell her to get lost... no one other than a select few people knew she was his sister, anyway...
''Not this Santa's, she doesn't...''
''You aren't gonna ask me what I want for Christmas then?''
''Strea, I know you well enough to know that this, on camera, is what you want for Christmas. Now, I'll talk to you later, okay, there's a queue forming behind you.''
Strea walked back over to the waiting Klein, who'd been extremely confused when she'd decided to go and harass a Santa... ''Wait, Strea, was that...'' - It was only after she returned that he realised who said Santa was...
''Yup, and I've got it all on camera... free bartender, here we come...'' - Strea laughed maniacally. No one else laughed with her, and Klein instead took a few steps away from the cackling woman-child, and reconsidered his life choices. The things he did for romance...
Later that evening...
After Jet had finished taking the children's Christmas wishes, Rain had made her intentions for a pantomime incredibly clear, and had ignored Jet's suggestion that if she wanted to see a panto, she should go and watch a meeting between Kibaou and Lind... they were practically the same thing to him. Cue the 'Knight of the Wind' being stuffed into a suit of armour... a particularly uncomfortable suit of armour, might he add?
''Once upon a time, in a fantastical kingdom, floating in the air... there was once a brave and handsome knight'' - Rain started narrating, as Koharu appeared out on a very makeshift balcony, whilst Jet clinked his way onto the stage, the knight armour being more akin to a mobile prison for him... Somehow, Jet found this even more embarrassing than the Santa get up, and that was saying something! He decided that he must have pissed Rain off something fierce at some point, because there was no way she wasn't doing this to get even...
'' (muffled) Oh, fair maiden! Thou art the fairest maiden in this land...'' - Inside, every monkey at each typewriter rolled their eyes... they were monkeys, and even they could come up with something less clichéd than this!
''Most noble knight, you have come to save me from the evil dragon!'' - Fortunately for Jet, the metal bucket that they called a helmet worked excellently to conceal his face, and allowed him to roll his eyes. He made a note to remind Rain that pantomimes were musical comedies usually, not...whatever this was. Basically reality, now he thought of it...
''Ay, I have! Come out to face me, evil dragon!'' - An even more unhappy looking Sanya stepped out, and Jet suspected the death stare she was giving him was in fact, not acting, but a very real threat of death... he wouldn't blame her if it was! He'd been told to wear a suit of armour... whilst she got a dragon tail, and very oversized, and flared nostrils... thankfully for him, she couldn't see just how bad his corpsing was...
''I shall kill you, brave knight, and then, I shall have you!'' - ''Umm, Rain, just what exactly do you think passes for innuendo?'' - The knight thought to himself...
''I prefer my ladies without nostrils that you can park a car in, thanks...'' - Open mouth, insert foot. Which is exactly what was currently happening, as Sanya fly kicked the knight to the ground, surprisingly with a crowd of cheering kids... the bunch of little sociopaths.
''ARGH! SAVE MEEEEE! *CLANG* OWW!'' - The knight screamed, as a fist smacked into the bucket helmet, as the scene turned slapstick, with both Rain and Koharu jumping in to pull Sanya off him, whilst the kids screamed in delight at the scene unfolding...
Well, Rain's wish for a pantomime had certainly become a reality... although not in the way she'd actually planned for. In case you're wondering, the musical element, well, to Sanya at least, that was the screams of a certain arrogant knight getting a bucket slammed against his face... repeatedly. With vigour.
''How's your head?'' - The placebo effect was a terrible thing sometimes... despite not having any actual pain, Jet's body told him he had an almighty headache...
''Sore. That bucket hurt, you know!''
''Remind me never to annoy Sanya'' - Koharu shuddered, remembering how much force she'd put behind a kick to a very specific region of Jet's body, and thanking any god that there was a pain limiter in this game...
''Agreed. I'd take a peed off Asuna over that... at least all she does is glare at you, and point a sword at your throat!''
''I'll tell her you said that...'' - Koharu smirked at her still slightly wounded partner.
''And you wonder why I think the universe is trying to kill me when stuff like this happens...''
''You could've gone to that party, and none of this would've happened...''
''Yeah...'' - Jet tried to think of a rebuttal, but hadn't got one - ''-but, you just know that this is gonna be a story we tell our kids one day... that time their father got beaten up in a bucket!'' - All the blood in Koharu's body rushed to her cheeks...
''K-kids?! U-us?!''
''Huh? I mean, we're still gonna be friends then, right?'' - Jet realised exactly what he'd just said... and thought of the quickest way to backpedal that he could. He cursed his ability to say things that he really meant to keep in his head sometimes.
''O-oh! Yeah, of course, duh! Just friends! That's all you meant!'' - She relaxed slightly, but felt a slight tinge of disappointment at Jet's comment. Despite everything they'd been through, and all the hints she'd dropped, maybe he really did only think of them as partners - good friends, but nothing more... no matter how much she'd hope for it...
''Privyet, you two... Jet, can I talk to you for a few minutes?'' - Jet thanked a god he didn't believe in for Rain's ability to suddenly appear at random.
''Sure, see you in a few, Koharu.'' - Jet made a gesture resembling a salute towards her, as she opened a menu, and the messaging tab.
''Thank you, by the way.''
''Hmm? Oh, for today... It's not been too bad. Well, minus the getting beaten up bit. That sucked. How's Sanya, anyway?'' - He partially asked as a joke, knowing that she'd come away from their scuffle far less maimed than he had been.
''She's calmed down now I've shown her the script. I'm so sorry about that!''
''Nah, it's fine. I've had worse. Six sisters and a brother, remember? Play fights got... vicious, occasionally.''
''The kids thought it was hilarious though... don't know what that says about them.''
''Kids love slapstick. Probably didn't realise Sanya was actually going for me...''
''Still, I think they've enjoyed themselves! Most of them are asleep now, anyway... on that note, what about you two? You going to go back to the frontlines, or can we expect to see you here a bit longer?''
''I dunno, probably going to head back up tomorrow. Got to keep on moving up, right?''
''Yes, I suppose so. All being said, I think you've both done a wonderful job here...''
''Nah, just decided to act my age for once... cut loose, and stop acting like a Time Lord. Amazing what a difference it makes.'' - This was the moment she'd been waiting for, the moment in the story where the protagonist confesses to their love interest, they kiss, and well... maybe not the bit after that, actually.
Rain reached up, and kissed Jet on the cheek - ''I-ummm-I should go and help Sanya out!'' - The redhead took off at full speed, losing confidence in herself as she disappeared into the orphanage, leaving Jet to briefly wonder what had just happened. Which he did, until a metaphorical freight train hit a metaphorical him, scattering it the metaphorical obliviousness into not so metaphorical oblivion. - ''Huh. That happened.'' - Suddenly, a lot of Rain's behaviour made sense, now the context was added. ''I think I liked it more when I was completely oblivious.'' - Jet muttered, looking to the floor. Feelings were a complete nightmare of a minefield to navigate through, and he had yet to really face that nightmare.
Jet walked slowly, and deliberated with himself on the walk back to Koharu. He liked Rain, but that was as a friend, not in the way she liked him, and even he couldn't figure out why that was. Maybe there was something there, and he was ignoring it in favour of his feelings for Koharu, yet another problem that he really wished could take a back step for now, but that seemed hellbent on being in the foreground. Maybe it really was as simple as just wanting a friend, not something more. All he was really sure on was that all these maybes were going to take a toll on him if he didn't do something, or talk to someone. Eventually, the knight made his way back to Koharu, who was sat, still typing away. - ''Hey, I'm done now, so...''
Her heart rate leapt up, as did she. She'd thought she'd had a bit longer to do all of this, and that- wait, why did he have that face on? The one that he wore when something was bothering him. She decided she'd ask him later, once they'd gotten back to the Inn, and- ''Koharu? You okay there?''
''Oh! Right! Sorry, in my own world there... you want to head to the Inn?''
''Yeah, may as well. Call it a night, I mean, it's not like it's Christmas tomorrow, is it?'' - He left out the part where he planned to go straight to bed, and hopefully forget everything that had happened this evening. Chance'd be a fine thing, anyway.
''Thought you didn't like Christmas?''
''Eh, if I've got you, I don't mind it all that much...'' - Jet teased, as Koharu flushed red again, before taking off quickly, and wordlessly. ''Shit.'' - Jet thought, hoping he hadn't stepped over any boundaries, unknowingly. ''Damn it. Just what I needed. Well done, Michael, can you take your foot out of your mouth for just one moment!?'' - He huffed, walking aimlessly around the fountain, and ignoring the people giving him strange looks, and especially the purple haired girl, giving him the same look as a cat might have once it's caught a canary...
''Oh little brother...'' - ''Uh oh, it's THAT voice...'' - Strea spoke in a sing-song voice... which terrified Jet more than anything he'd ever faced, or likely would ever face. That was the voice of someone who wanted something... The supposedly ever courageous knight simply whimpered at the grinning girl... ''I saw your little dress up session earlier... I even recorded it, you know, to show everyone how much you love people now! Aren't I thoughtful?'' - ''The correct word is Scheming...''
''What do you want, Gabby...'' -
''I am offended that you'd think I want anything, but what I need is a bartender, and I know your cooking skill is quite high!''
''Do I get a say in this 'request', or is this an order?''
''Now you're getting it! Come on, else you'll miss the party! Oh, you'll need this!'' - Strea opened her menu, and sent a trade request. Jet begrudgingly accepted, and was now in most of a three piece suit, bar the jacket... - ''Perfect! Come on!''
''Just let me message someone, okay?'' - Jet looked slightly despondent. Not so obvious to everyone else, but to anyone who knew him well, the small sigh at the end of the sentence was an obvious tell that something was bothering him.
''Koharu, right?''
''Sort of, yeah. It's that obvious, huh?''
''Yes, you're also my little brother, so I can read you like a book. I approve, by the way.''
''Fantastic...'' - Jet commented, making sure his voice contained as little emotion as he could.
''Hey, you're family, and I'm not gonna let you make the same mistakes I did. Besides, you know as well as I do that mom and dad would rake me over the coals if I didn't act like an adult... they'll already do it for all this anyway, so no need to give them more ammo.''
''Sometimes, I think I'll see you in a new light... and then, you go back to how you've always been.''
''Eh, if it ain't broke...''
''You always were broke.'' - Jet quipped back. Surprisingly, the reporter didn't make all that much money, and it wasn't as if she had to pay rent either. She really was that poorly paid. Why she didn't just look for a job at another channel, he couldn't say.
''True, but at least I had my personality. Would've preferred the money, now I think of it.'' - If Jet didn't know his sister well enough, he'd have thought she was becoming more sour as her life went on.
''Any tips though?''
''Look at you, getting into the role!''
''No, not- You know what I meant!'' - Jet had to admit, that one was pretty well played on her part. He mentally applauded her for that one.
''Yeah, you like Koharu right... then tell her that. No speeches, no dropping any important bombshell on her. Just tell her 'I like you, would you want to go out with me?'. It really is that simple. Besides... I think she likes you, anyway.''
''How would you...''
''Call it a woman's intuition.'' - Actually, the more accurate description was that Koharu was utterly terrible at keeping her feelings secret, and Strea had sussed them out almost immediately. Honestly, the only reason her brother hadn't sussed them out was because he was absolutely clueless in that area.
''It's not the only thing though...'' - Jet admitted, as the siblings walked towards the Inn...
She wouldn't really admit it to anyone, but Koharu loved Christmas. Not the way her family celebrated it, but the idea of it. Peace, love, kindness and spending time with the people you love. All of that, and for once, the death game was outranking reality in that regards, giving her the chance to have the Christmas she really wanted! The snow in the Town of Beginnings, all of the lights, people coming together, no expectations from her father, the actually meaningful presents that people gave out of a sense of kindness... rather than obligation, and a chance to get her first kiss under the mistletoe. Sue her, she was a hopeless romantic, she thought...
Maybe she could even get Jet to enjoy the season... well, it's tradition to hope for a Christmas miracle, after all. Oh, and speaking of her wayward partner, he'd messaged her -
Hey Ko,
Been, uhh, commandeered by Strea, so I won't be back till late, or tomorrow!
Oh, and in case I don't get to say it by the time the clock strikes twelve... Merry Christmas!
Yours, Jet - xxx
She looked towards the window, and accepted that her confession would just have to wait until tomorrow then... it wasn't like she hadn't already waited, so really, what was a few more hours? And that was new, when did Jet include kisses in any message?
{Author's Comments}
Yes, I'm leaving this on a cliff-hanger... At least you only have 24 hours to wait for a resolve, rather than a complete week now!
Well, given the season we're in... Merry Christmas for tomorrow! Hopefully (I do upload this at midnight GMT, so it may still be the 23rd when you read this), you'll all be enjoying (or tolerating) this season, and so, I leave you on that note... and in anticipation for the actual Christmas Special!