Like Father, Life Daughter: Omakes
Disclaimer: I do not own SVTFOE or any of its elements.
Chapter 09: Coming to Town
It was Christmas Eve at The Diaz Household, and they were having a small party. Friends and family gathered to celebrate the season. The Diaz family had gone all out to decorate their home and have plenty of food and snacks. There was a reason for everything. It was Seraph's first Christmas.
The whole family was dressed in horrible Christmas sweaters. Seraph was sitting by the tree chomping on a candy cane and couldn't help but stare at the decorations and the shining lights. Her eyes fell to a small red ornament with a picture of a baby Marco and the phrase 'Marco's First Christmas'.
Janna wasn't much for Christmas. She liked the presents and the food and wasn't a Scrooge, but she couldn't really get into it, well not since she was small.
Still though, she wasn't going to ruin this for Seraph.
Janna plopped herself down next to Seraph.
"You ready for today?"
Seraph blinked, "Yeah!"
Seraph was excited, just like any kid during Christmas and that alone managed to get a smile from Janna.
"So, I guess you peeked at your presents."
Seraph turned to a particularly alluring gift wrapped box with her name on it.
"No, I can't remove the wrapping until tomorrow."
"Let your mama Janna show you a trick." Janna plucked one of the presents.
"Janna! No opening the presents until tomorrow!" Marco scolded Janna from the other end of the room.
Janna glanced over to Marco who was standing next to Hekapoo in an ugly red and white sweater as she ate a cookie.
Janna rolled her eyes, "Don't worry, I'm not." She quickly turned back to Seraph, "Okay, focus up. There are some tricks; you can't just open the present. I mean, you could get the right kinda blade and cut the tape off. It's petty easy when you get used to it, just make sure you save the paper so you can re-wrap it, but that's too easy and this is much more fun."
She held up the present before Seraph, "Okay, first you check the size and weight of it." She shook it a bit, "Don't shake it too hard; you don't to end up breaking it before you even open it. I wouldn't worry to much about it though." Janna sighed and checked the package. It was from Marco, "Yup, this is from your pops which means he probably bubbled wrapped everything twice before wrapping it again. Marco makes it so hard to figure what he gets you." Janna put back the gift and picked up another one, hoping this present would give her a chance to show off her skills.
They spent the next several hours talking and just having fun playing reindeer games. Mostly, games involving her horns, Seraph had gotten it into her head that reindeer games were games you needed horns for.
Anyway, Seraph was sitting down with Janna as they were eating some cookies. Seraph got an idea, "So, Janna what did you ask Santa Claus for?"
Janna blinked. She hadn't asked for anything. She had long since given up on believing on Santa Claus. When she was small, she really wanted a certain gift and sent a letter off to Santa. Then she waited up all night Christmas Eve and didn't get it come morning. After that, she realized Santa wasn't real, which was saying something from someone who believed very strongly in all things supernatural.
"Oh, I don't know. I guess I'll be good with anything."
Janna might not have believed, but she wasn't going to ruin it for Seraph.
"What about you?"
Seraph's eyes sparkled, "Oh! I want a lot of stuff!"
Seraph in a very fast pace began to list off all the things she wanted. Janna was worried about how many of those things she'd end up getting, but still she knew Marco wouldn't let her down and that he'd probably sneak down later and hide a few extra presents under the tree.
The party eventually ended but during the whole thing Seraph and Janna had fallen asleep on the couch. As they finished cleaning up, Marco brought over a blanket and placed it over them not wanting to wake them up. Angie made sure to call Janna's mother to tell them she was staying over.
The girls slept soundly as Seraph dreamt of what wonders awaited her. Though something came along and woke her. Seraph had a small talent for sensing magic, and she was sensing something. She snapped her eyes awake although groggily, she sees someone at the fireplace. With her mind still half asleep, she assumed there was an intruder and without thinking she formed a flame sword and lunged towards them.
She moved to slash when suddenly the intruder grabbed her sword with one hand without bothering to look at her. The heat radiating off her sword didn't affect them, then the heat and flames all vanished in an instant.
"Huh? What?!" Seraph let out unsure of what was happening. She blinked and then realized who was standing there. "Oh my god! Oh my god! OHMYGOD!"
Janna snapped awake and jumped at Seraph's yells. "…What?"
She had a very different reaction.
"Janna! Janna!" Seraph jumped up and down, "Look! Look! Santa Claus!"
"What?" Janna repeated trying to take it all in.
Yeah, there was an older guy with a white beard, red and white outfit, huge bag, belly like a bowl full of jelly.
"But-but- Santa isn't real."
"But he's right here." Seraph pointed out the obvious fact.
Santa chuckled giving Seraph a pat on head right between her horns. "I'm very much real. I would have imagined after everything you've seen and done in the last year you'd be more open minded."
"But-but-" Janna looked around confused, "But if you were real why didn't you get me what I wanted when I was a little kid?"
Santa looked over Janna, "Janna Ordonia, you been on the naughty list for years."
"I couldn't be that bad."
Santa just purely pulled out a scroll of paper and let is unravel, "This is just the naughty things you've done to Marco. To be more exact, just the list of things you've stolen from him."
"Borrowed." Janna corrected
"No, borrowing implies the intention of returning the items." Santa corrected her right back. "not to mention all the other mischief and pranks you pulled on everyone else." Santa fixed his glasses, "That's not even going to the fact that I would never give a child what you wanted."
"I just wanted a doll."
"You wanted a working voodoo doll and a book of magic on how to use it. The Loa being some of the more reasonable deities in this world aside; you were planning to delve into the darkest shades of magic. You had no qualms about the dangers or the responsibilities that come with magic. Honestly, you'd have been a perfect target for the Krampus."
"Wait, the Krampus is real too?"
"Yes, though for the last few years he's actually been distracted by someone during this time of year."
Janna cringed. She knew of the stories about the Krampus and that seemed like a less than a pleasant experience.
Santa sighed glancing at Seraph, "That's not to say that you haven't gotten better. I've noticed, others have noticed too, you've grown. You are taking on responsibilities in caring for those that need it. You can be better, and I think you sense that. And you are doing good because you truly think you should."
Santa turned to Seraph and smiled, he pulled out a large gift wrapped box and handed it to Seraph, "You've been very nice this year. You've made a few mistakes, but you've tried to do better. I hope to see you on my nice list next year."
Seraph took the gift, "Thank you, Mister Santa! I'll do my best."
He smiled, "I'm sure you will, don't open that until the morning. I know your father is eager to share the moment with you."
Seraph gave him a nod. He turned back to Janna and held out a hand; he closed it and opened it again showing a piece of coal.
Janna slouched her shoulders before plucking the coal out of his hand.
"Merry Christmas." Santa told her, "You can be mischievous and still be nice. I don't expect people to be saints, but I do expect them to be better and just be good for goodness' own sake. Be better next year, and I know you can be. Be the person she sees you as."
He smiled at the girls before tugging on his hat. He and his bag turned into brightly colored mist and went up the chimney.
Seraph merely waved goodbye, soon they heard hoofbeats on the roof and the sound of bells in the air.
Janna frowned at the coal in hand, "So Santa is real and he called me out on my behavior… it's like my last parents-teacher meeting with Skullnick."
"Hm," Seraph placed the gift under the tree, "What is the Krampus?"
Janna pocketed the coal, "I wouldn't worry about it if I was you. Let's get you to bed."
Though she did wonder what was keeping the Krampus busy during the holidays.
0000
Somewhere else on a small stag, music began to play. It was festive music befitting of the holiday.
There was a man wearing a blue coat and a blue Santa hat singing into a mike.
"I'm feelin' awfully' icky about the really naughty stuff I do. (I'm so ashamed.) After a beatin', I'll find myself repeating Say hi to the wife and kids. Don't forget."
A demonic looking man with hoofed legs moved closer to the man, his grizzled fur making him look menacing… His fang filled mouth spread into a grin as he held out another microphone. "I always get emotional at Christmas time. Undoing so much good cheer. Whether 'm poisoning punch or setting dolls on fire, I try to fill the world with grief and fear. What fun to send each family a big surprise as gruesome as it can be. I might infest the boughs of holly with bugs from outer space, or slide the local toy store into the seas."
The gathered group watched as the odd pair sang as they shared in Christmas food and games. Together the pair sang, "I laugh, I cry, I totally lose my cool. Oh me. Oh, my. I'm yuletide fool~!"
Years ago when the man with the coat had a run in with the Krampus that lead to an epic fight. The next year Krampus returned to finish the job but that didn't go so well, and at some point he just started spending the season with him enjoying games and festivities and maybe giving a some of the worst children a scare.
It was nice. It would been nicer of either them had some singing talent.
But alas, that is Christmas, and there was joy to share even for two people Santa considered rather naughty.
Author's Notes: Hi and Merry Christmas, barely getting this out in time. Thanks to my beta from LFLD Grey to doing some clean up with this one. And nothing much to besides leave a review and enjoy the holiday season.
