(A few hours before/Mymoma Playhouse, Fonsa Myma on Uraya)
"To my partner, Mythra?", Cole echoed in astonishment.
Pyra nodded her head. "That is, what had been written on the name tag."
They both knew, what that meant. There had only been one person ever to call Mythra his 'partner'.
"But Malos?", Cole said still not able to believe the unbelievable. "Why should he give Mythra a present for Christmas?" Another thought followed this one instantly. "How possibly could he even know about Christmas?"
"Mythra had asked for a silk scarf like this from Addam", Pyra said with a sad smile. "They had been alone then, but Mythra could have sworn there had been a man standing in the shadows of some cargo boxes."
"You mean…" That was hard to swallow for Cole. "Malos had been there? Spying on our Christmas Party?"
Pyra did not answer. The answer was obvious.
"But", Cole tried desperately, "if so, then why didn't he attack us?"
"Because", Pyra replied sounding sad, "this would not have been… fun."
True, Cole thought. Malos had been like that. Fighting, destroying had been fun to him. But he had not been the stealthy spy-type. If it had truly been him, then why had he been there and why… how…
"How could he have possibly known that you would celebrate Christmas this year?" Cole just didn't want to believe it. "After 500 years…"
"Adenine got the idea", Pyra said. "She is one of Rex's blades and she had gotten the idea from a book..."
"A book?"
"The book", Pyra confirmed. "I have no idea how Malos might have gotten hold of it. I did not even know he had an interest in books… but it's the same book and Adenine just got it from a delivery Nopon from the Argentum Trade Guild. I asked her about it. It was a delivery… free of charge, sender unknown. And I know for a fact that the boss of the Argentum Trade Guild had some business connections with Torna and thus with Malos."
She came to a halt. Cole did still look at her in disbelieve. He simply could not accept what he had just heard. He did not want to believe it, because, why… why should Malos do anything so… sentimental?
"I don't know why he did it", Pyra said as if she could read his mind. She looked determined. "But I want to repay him. For the sake of… Christmas."
It took a moment for Cole to get what she was implying. "You want to give Malos a gift for Christmas?"
Pyra nodded. "I do."
"But", Cole was still trying to catch up with her. "Where will you send it to? Malos, the Aegis – Torna Headquarters – Postalcode unknown?"
Pyra giggled at his wording. "No", she replied. "Actually I want him to come and get it himself."
Panic rose in Cole and obviously showed on his face, for Pyra hurriedly added: "No, not here. Do not worry. But there is a place I can put the gift and leave the lights on, and the door open for Malos. He will know. The rest is up to him."
Cole opened his mouth and closed it again like a stranded fish gasping for air. Then he cleared his throat. "Well… then… you seem to have made up your mind", he said. "So, what is it that you actually want from me?"
Pyra smiled. "If you happen to have some leftover wrapping paper, the one with the golden stars, maybe? And a ribbon?"
This was way crazy, Cole thought. But maybe this was the miracle of Christmas, that even someone like Malos should get a present on that day.
"Well… I suppose I have something left, indeed", he decided, getting up. "But tell me… I am curious… What exactly are you going to give to Malos?"
Pyra's smile widened. "Oh. I found just the thing for him."
