The bed was soft, the gentle sheets covering the small figure that laid upon it. The light rays of the sun covered the sheets, allowing for a soothing warmth to further envelope the sleeping figure.
Then suddenly a weight was pressed on the bed. As soon as that weight appeared, it bounced. It bounced, and it bounced, and it bounced.
"Come on, Krismas!" Squeaked a young girl's voice. "Get up, get up!"
The figure laying on the bed, Kris, did not react to the intruder who was now jumping on their bed, and on them. In fact, in between the bounces Kris was slowly turning over to the opposite side so their eyes could be out of the sun's rays. The intruder's bouncing did not impede Kris's rest. As if they were successfully ignoring this interruption to their peace.
The bouncing ceased. It seems drastic measures were in order.
Pouting, the young girl stood up, towering over the sleeping Kris. Her eyes furrowed, a look of agitation spreading across her face as she determines her next course of action. She closed her eyes, lost in thought, and turned back towards the door. Without realizing it, she-
BANG!
-had gotten her hoof wrapped in the comforter, which caused her to fall off the bed as opposed to simply jumping off it. Now the girl was face-down on the wooden floor, slightly twitching from the pain that gravity induced.
"Hic…" As is common with pain, the girl was holding back tears. It wouldn't be long before the tears started to fall… unless someone were to intervene.
The sound of light steps hitting the floor went unnoticed by the hurt girl. Kris had risen from their slumber and made their way to the fallen reindeer. Kneeling down, Kris did the one thing that anyone would normally do in this situation.
"Fah?! Kris! Fahaha stop it! Fahahaaa!"
Kris had started tickling her. The girl squirmed and fidgeted at the unexpected touch, pained tears turning into tears of laughter. The laughter resonated within the room, replacing the silence that had befallen it before.
If it was Kris's intention to make the reindeer girl forget her pain, they had succeeded.
Once the tickling subsided, the girl took a moment to catch her breath. Turning to Kris, she showed off a small bracelet that was wrapped around her left wrist.
"Look Kris!" The girl's smile was bright. "Dess made it for me. It spells my name, see! N-O-E-L-L-E! Noe-elle!"
Noelle's smile was infectious, and partially made its way to Kris's face. Kris flashed a bracelet of their own, which spelled out 'K-R-I-S'. This bracelet was wrapped around their right wrist.
"Ohh!" Noelle squeaked. "Did Asriel make that for you?" Kris nodded enthusiastically. "That's great! Now we can be bracelet buddies!"
The two stood up together and faced the door. Suddenly, the respective arms that held their bracelets were stretched outwards, Noelle's left meeting Kris's right. Their hands made a finger gun expression, their index fingers pointed at the door. They simultaneously made the motion of 'shooting' their finger guns, as if they were a pair of outlaws.
Noelle could barely contain her laughter at what she and Kris had just done, thinking of how weird it must have looked to anyone witnessing the event. Thankfully the moment went unnoticed by the world.
"So…" Noelle whispered conspiratorially. "You ready?"
Turning to the whispering girl, Kris nodded in affirmation. They were indeed 'ready'.
"Alright, lets go! To the forest!" Noelle bolted forward, with Kris chasing from behind.
The two scurried out of the Kris's room, past the kitchen, nearly passing a large figure who was seated on the couch, watching the television.
"Woah there you two!" This figure had a deep, almost menacing voice. Despite the supposed menace, those in the know would know that they were in fact a gentle giant. "Where do you two think you're going?"
"Oh, hello Mr. Asgore!" Noelle greeted the figure. "Kris and I were going to head down to the forest. Um… would it be alright if we went?"
"Erm… well, uh…" Asgore scratched the back of his head, conflicted on what he should do. "Toriel would have my head if she knew I had let you two run off into the woods again…" Asgore looked down at Noelle, whose eyes were pleading to him. Then he looked at Kris, whose own stoic expression showed faint signs of begging. He hardened his heart, prepared to be the bad guy today.
"… but I suppose it wouldn't hurt anyone if you just pranced around at the outskirts of town." Asgore conceded, deciding that he will play the villain another day.
"Yay!" Noelle jumped in pure joy. "Thank you so much! Come on Kris, time's-a-wasting!"
The two rushed through the front door, and out into the world.
For two children bursting with energy, running through the entire town did little to deter their excitement. It wasn't long before they found themselves surrounded by trees billowing in the wind. They had reached the forest in record time, and they knew this because Noelle was keeping track.
"Ha.. ah.." Noelle's gasps could be heard. "You're fast, Kris. Almost beat you though!"
Kris stood over the hunched reindeer, posed as if they had just saved the day from an angry monster. Their breathing was stable, as if the run through down had no effect on them. Clearly, they were determined to win the race. And so they did.
"So!" Noelle was finally able to catch her breath, her breathing stabilized. "Which way do you want to go?"
Taking a moment to ponder the question, Kris pointed in a specific direction. Noelle followed to where the finger was pointing towards and nodded her head. Without saying a word, the pair started their trek through the forest, slowly. Noelle was still tired from running, and Kris acknowledged that fact.
The sounds of the trees bustling could be heard. The birds were singing, the flowers were bloomed, and the sun's rays were just barely shining through the leaves. It really was a beautiful day, one that anyone would hate to miss. The sound of fallen leaves being crushed were also heard, as the two kids continued with their silent trek.
Kris, bored at looking at the endless rows of trees, instead turned to their companion. A smug look could be seen, and Noelle had noticed.
"Huh? What are you looking at me like that for?"
For a moment a toothy smile could be seen on Kris's face. As soon as it appeared, it had vanished as if it had never existed. Unfortunately for Noelle, it had existed for her.
"I know that look, Kris!" Noelle challenged her friend. "I am not going to get scared this time!"
Mischief sparkled in Kris's eyes at that statement, deciding that such a declaration was a provocation. They turned their head forward, eyes half-lidded as ideas whirled around in their head. Ideas that, while not malicious, were certainly no good to have. Noelle, realizing her sudden boldness, shrunk into herself, knowing full well that her bravado was going to cause a reaction.
She could only hope that Kris would decide to spare her today.
After a small trek, the pair had discovered a small creek. The water gently flowed downwards, and the decision was made that this would be the temporary rest stop. Upon this unspoken agreement being made, Noelle sat beside the creek to watch the water flow while Kris sat on top of a small boulder so they could look out into the surrounding trees. The two sat like this, listening to the sound of water and trees respectively.
Eventually, the wind stopped blowing. The trees went silent, and Noelle turned to address Kris-
-only to realize that they were gone. Noelle was left alone, with only the sound of flowing water to accompany her. Noelle's eyes scanned the area, trying to locate her missing friend. Seconds turned into minutes, and fear began to rise inside her. It bubbled in her chest as her heart's beating started to accelerate rapidly.
"Uh… um… Kris?" Noelle called out. "Where did you… go?" She refused to move, deciding that the sound of the water was more comforting than the silence of the trees. Noelle raised her hands to her chest, taking deep breaths in an effort to calm herself down.
She was alone, and she was scared.
The sound of a rolling rock could be heard, catching Noelle's attention. The sound came from the boulder's direction… the boulder that Kris was sitting on before. Curiosity standing alongside fear, Noelle took slow, uneasy steps towards the boulder. Uncertainty filled her as she wondered if this was the best course of action to take at this time.
She reached the boulder, and now all she had to do was look on the other side. All she needed to do… was… look around the…
Nothing. Noelle peered around the boulder, and nothing was there. No Kris, no animal, no monster, nothing. Strange. Who made the sound then? Noelle contemplated the reasons, when suddenly she could feel air being blown into her left ear.
"Boo…"
"AHH!" Noelle screeched, diving forward, and crawling behind the boulder for protection. A moment passed before she realized that while she was shivering in fear, someone was giggling on the boulder's opposite side.
Her head popped over the boulder and saw Kris on the ground laughing at the scene she had created. Blushing from embarrassment, Noelle slid back behind her protective boulder to hide herself further.
"U-um… K-Kris, t-that w-wasn't f-funny!" Noelle stuttered out. She knew this was going to happen at some point! How could she not see this coming? Noelle's fists balled from the mixture of embarrassment and leftover fear, trying to steady her breathing so she could regain her composure.
Deciding that simply sitting behind a giant rock wouldn't help her, Noelle stood and walked towards the creek. Dipping her hands into the water, she splashed herself in the face. The coolness of the water helped her feel refreshed, helping her cool down and calm her emotions.
As she did this, Kris's laughter came to an end as they too stood up and walked over to the creek. Kneeling besides Noelle, Kris patted their friend on the back, as if to comfort her. Noelle took the prank and the ensuing embarrassment in stride, which Kris acknowledged with respect.
The two sat there for a moment, when Kris noticed something about Noelle. Her wrist… it was…
Shaking Noelle to grab her attention, Kris pointed at their own bracelet. Noelle, understanding the gesture, looked down towards her own wrist where her bracelet should be wrapped around.
Only to find that it was missing.
"O-oh no…" Noelle muttered. The loss of her precious bracelet broke her mood, sending her emotions on a downward spiral towards despair. "I-I can't have just lost it… it has to… it has to be somewhere nearby."
Kris stood up from their kneeling position and looked back towards the boulder. Perhaps Noelle dropped it when she ran behind it? Kris could only guess, so they moved towards the rock and looked around it. Nothing. No trace of the bracelet could be found. That would leave…
"The creek." Noelle's voice broke through Kris's thoughts. "The water must've snatched the bracelet somehow… Kris, do you mind if we went down further to look for it?"
Kris shook their head, saying that they will accompany her for the search for the lost bracelet. The two made their way down, further into the forest. The creek seemed unending, twisting and turning through the forest. Noelle, in her desperation, rushed ahead with Kris falling behind. Despite the time spent searching through the creek, the bracelet simply would not appear.
Noelle stopped suddenly, her ears twitching at something. Kris, not paying attention to what's in front of them, had bumped into her. Looking at the motionless girl, Kris became confused at the sudden stop.
"D-do you hear that, Kris?" Noelle asked. Her ears must have picked up a sound that didn't belong, causing her to worry. Kris tried to listen but could not make out the sound that was the cause of Noelle's new fear.
Noelle anxiously stepped forward, continuing her march alongside the creek. Kris obediently followed behind her. Several minutes passed before Kris was finally able to hear it.
"Lo ho, lo ho. Ho lo, ho ho, lo lo!"
Someone was… singing? Who could be singing out here, this deep into the forest? The thought disturbed Kris, who wanted to stop Noelle before they met this mysterious creature. But Noelle was determined to find her bracelet, and nothing, not even Kris could stop her now.
At least, until Noelle stepped on a branch, cracking it. The sudden sound caused Noelle to squeak in surprise, alerting the mysterious singer.
"Oh? Is somebody there?" The singer asked. "Please, feel free to show yourself. I don't bite, wa ha ha!"
That laugh… could it be? Noelle looked to Kris, and Kris looked to Noelle. Both nodded their head to the other, deciding that they would confront this person together as a team. Hands balled into fists; the two children pushed through the bushes.
"Oh, if it isn't Noelle and Kris!" The voice said jovially. "What a treat!"
The mysterious singer was none other than old man Gerson, the old turtle who taught at Noelle's and Kris's school alongside Kris's mom.
"Mr. Gerson!" Noelle greeted. "W-what are you doing here?"
"Hm, oh, I was just trying to catch some fish." Gerson answered. "The forest is such a peaceful place, wouldn't you say? Its nice and quiet, perfect for an old turtle like me."
"I see." Noelle said. "Um, Mr. Gerson… did you happen to see a bracelet come through here? I lost it in the water, and we haven't been able to find it…" Noelle looked down at the ground, sadness overtaking her normally cheerful face.
"Hm…" The old turtle closed his eyes, as he recalled his recent catches. "Why yes, I do remember seeing a bracelet flow down this here creek. Spells out your name, right?"
Noelle's face lit up brightly, a smile suddenly replacing the frown that had previously taken hold of her. "Yes! That's my bracelet!"
"Then here ya go." Gerson reached into one of his pant's pockets, and when his hand was taken out a bracelet could be seen wrapped around his fingers.
Noelle gladly took the bracelet from him. Though it was moist from the water, there's no doubting that this was indeed her bracelet. Wrapping the item back around the left wrist, a smile of contentment remained sprawled along the girl's face. That smile was replaced with worry however, when Noelle realized just how long they had traveled.
"Wait, Kris!" She turned to her silent friend. "Do you remember where we came from? H-how're we going to get home?"
Before Kris could answer, laughter could be heard.
"Wa ha ha!" Gerson had broken out into a fit. "Why don't you worry about that, dear. Follow this creek back from where you came, and it'll bring ya all the way back to town. You have my word."
Noelle's ears fluttered at that. "Wait, really?!"
"Of course, of course. How do you think I find myself here every week? Not a lot of cairns to follow around these parts…"
Gerson looked at the two youngsters that had given him a surprise visit. The young reindeer girl looked a little disturbed, perhaps not used to exploring forests very often. And the human looked… well, stoic.
"Say, were there any others with you two?" Gerson asked.
Noelle and Kris looked at each other, before Noelle answered, "No, its just us two this time. We wanted to explore!"
"Wa! I see, I see!" Gerson said. "So then, Noelle, where's Dess? Normally if I see you, she's not too far away."
"Um... Dess is busy with mom." Noelle replied. "Mom's been keeping her really busy lately…"
"I understand, dear. As you grow older, the list of your responsibilities grows with you. Take it from me." Gerson turned to Kris. "And where is ol' Asriel today? I find it hard to believe that you're currently not glued to him."
"Library." Kris replied. No other word was needed.
"Ah, the ever-working Dreemur, reaching for his dream." Gerson shook his head. "How about I tell you two a story? Maybe one from when I was closer to your age?"
The only response Gerson received were two heads nodding furiously. Gerson's stories were always appreciated by the children, he was rather famous in the town for his experiences.
"Alright then, sit and settle down. So, here's how it starts…"
Two people once existed at opposite sides of the world. One was basked in light high above the clouds, while the other hid in the darkness deep underground. The one who stood atop the light, the Angel, watched over the one who hid in darkness, the Knight. The Angel wanted to illuminate the Knight, fearing that they were blind in the dark.
The Knight did not fear the darkness like the Angel did. They found it comforting, a blanket where none shall be disturbed. Yet, despite the Angel's insistence that the darkness must be banished, the Knight could not come to hate the Angel. The Knight existed create worlds, while the Angel existed to destroy them. And the Knight knew that, so there was no need to hate someone for doing what they were born to do.
Instead, the Knight waited at the center of the world for the Angel to appear. The center is where the Knight's power laid, the power that the darkness was born from. This was the ultimate test that the Knight gave the Angel, for if the Angel destroyed this dark realm, then so too would the Knight be destroyed.
The Angel, finally catching the Knight, descended from the Heavens. This was the first time the two would actually meet, and yet despite this they considered each other great friends.
The Angel pleaded with the Knight, "Please, come with me! Leave this cursed darkness behind and allow the Light to guide you!"
The Knight replied, "Without Light, there can be no Dark. For there to be no Dark, then there can be no Light."
The Angel didn't comprehend the Knight's words, couldn't comprehend. All they know was that the dark was scary. That the dark was unknown. 'Why have a world that you couldn't know?' The Angel didn't know.
And yet, the Angel did not pierce the dark realm with light. They did not purge the darkness.
Instead, the Angel called out to the Knight as they ascended back to Heaven, "My friend, I shall fill this world with Light."
The Knight replied, "And I shall support this world of Light with my Dark."
""Then let it be so!""
"… And that's the end!" Gerson proclaimed, ending their tale.
"Woah…" Noelle muttered. "That was… which story was that again?"
Gerson scratched his chin before replying, "Hm, I don't believe you'll find this story in a book. This one's a bit lesser known, you know."
"Oh…"
"Right, well I think its time for you kids to head on back up." Gerson stood from his chair. "I'm sure someone" Gerson pointed at Kris, "will be looking for you soon. Best to be home before she realizes, eh?" Gerson winked at the silent human.
Noelle's eyes went wide at the thought of being caught out here. "R-right! Let's get going, Kris!" Noelle dashed up ahead, following the creek back to the town. Kris made to follow her, but Gerson called out to him.
"Kris, I got a favor to ask you." Gerson said. Kris turned to the old turtle and waited for him to continue. "You're both nice kids, even if you pretend you're not. But little Noelle isn't as er… tough as you, ya know?" Gerson closed his eyes, lost in thought.
Kris merely stared at him, patiently waiting for the turtle to continue.
"I've seen how some of the kids are. With you, with her. With each other." Gerson continued. "Kids can be cruel, was the same for me, so long ago…" Again, Gerson became lost in thought, memories of days long past returning to haunt him.
Kris continued their patient waiting.
"I suppose what I'm getting at is… look out for her, okay?" Gerson requested. "She's a stand-up girl, one of the kindest I've ever known. She's going to need a friend who's got her best interests at heart."
Kris nodded in confirmation. Standing straight and tall, hand placed over their heart, posing as if they were a knight.
"Wa ha ha!" A sagely smile appeared on Gerson's old, tired face. "Then I dub thee knight, young Kris." The turtle, with a hammer in hand, placed the hammer on Kris's left shoulder, and then moved it over to the right. "I'm counting ya. The world's a harsh mistress, even if she means well."
Nodding once more, Kris stared into the old turtle's eyes. Whereas Gerson's eyes were tired, Kris's were filled with…
"Oh Krismaas~!" Yelled a girl's voice. It seems Noelle didn't fully leave Kris behind in her dash. Kris's eyes widened in surprise before they turned and ran towards the girl, waving Gerson goodbye.
Gerson merely watched them run off into the forest, following the creek. He turned back to his chair to sit down and rest.
"Ah… to be young again."