"A toast to a new year and more butts to kick!" Ebony exclaimed, raising her scotch.

"I second!" Pandora exclaimed, raising her hot cocoa.

"Here, here!" Laura cheered.

I rubbed my temples as I sank into the chair. "I should've really considered the danger of bringing these three into the same room." Melissa laughed awkwardly and patted my arm.

Jango swirled his cocoa around and smiled. "It really is nice to be back. You thinking of inviting Diego and Chase on the next special?"

I sat up and shrugged. "Eh, maybe. Perhaps I'll think of something when the time comes." I smiled. "But we'll get to that later. For now, how's about we get around to the questions and see what our readers have to say?"

Melissa clapped. "Oh yes, I am looking forward to it. I am glad you invited me, too."

I patted her head. "I might as well make you a regular guest like Ryder and Laura."

"Actually, I just live here," Ryder pointed out.

"Can it, Ryder!" I clicked a button on my remote and summoned a printer from the floor. I activated it and printed out the first thing of questions. "We have a lot to cover, and I'm sure most of the readers are interested in hearing about the short stories and such." I pulled the paper out.

Lenny leaned over. "So, who's the first question from?"

"Let's see…aha! Here's a seasonal regular: mikepeashooter!"

Laura grinned. "Hey, hey, my pal, Cappy! Long time, no see!"

I smiled. "Always happy to hear from you, Cappy. Let's see what you got for us this year."

Heeeey there Brad! It's me from last year, back to seeing the good ol' android Laura again!

Now Laura, how ya doing so far? Excited to finally have your side story coming soon in the future? And also, i totally see you kicking some butt once you're in Ultimate Arena, considered you've beaten someone like Ryder (before he you know...came back up and...yeah)

Laura laughed. "Doing great, Cappy! And you bet! We get to see just how awesome I am and why I'm the best around, both as a character and as a butt-kicking machine. Whatever chump is being matched up against me, prepare for complete and total annihilation!"

"Err, not complete annihilation. We have a no-kill rule implemented for a reason."

Laura pouted. "Spoilsport."

Also Brad, super happy of seeing the future of the Ryder Chronicles series (i mean, if thats what its officially called. Heh). i hope these small stories bring in bigger excitement for the third main entry.

Anyway, thats all i got for now. See you whenever!

From, Cappy (a.k.a. Mikepeashooter)

I shrugged. "I mean, might as well call them the Ryder Chronicles…which isn't even technically accurate since Ryder only appears in one story. And hopefully we do get around to that third entry in the series. Compared to what I'm currently working on, it wouldn't take as long to write, though that is still a long way from now. Plus, technically it's a quadrilogy, so…"

Asher snickered. "To think this all started from a badly-told romance story turned high action adventure."

I rolled my eyes. "Haha, very funny. But seriously, it'd be nice to work on this smaller stuff on the side. Gives me a break…somewhat." I smiled. "Anyway, thanks a bunch, Cappy! Glad to be hearing from you again."

"Take care, Caps!" Laura exclaimed with a wink.

I set the paper aside and printed out a new one. "Alright, who's next? Ah, we got some questions from Fiction Realm. Great to have you with us, Fiction. And I see you're excited to see Jango back with us."

Ryder snickered. "Who isn't?"

Jango punched his shoulder lightly. "Oh, you're glad I'm back, too."

"True."

Here are my Questions:
Yo Jango! How you been?! I ain't seen you in forever! So anyways...how are things back home? Is your relationship with Amanda going well and are you playing catch up with Terry and his Family?

Jango smiled. "Great to be back, Fiction. Since Brad's been putting some time writing up Phoenix Knight's Path, he asked me to come on to celebrate it. I figured, why not, right? I'm excited to talk about it when we get to the session. As for how I'm doing, pretty good actually. Aside from my newfound responsibilities and some…minor slipups as of recently, things couldn't be better. Amanda and I are still going stronger—"

"How strong we talking?" Ebony asked, wiggling her brows at him.

Jango blushed and hid his face. "Err, no comment. Though, since she's a princess and I'm running the Royal Guard now, we often have to make impromptu dates. Still, I cherish every moment of them. And it's been great reconnecting with Terry and his family. They invited Amanda and I over for dinner a handful of times. Terry likes to brag he's on good terms with the city's princess. Like, a lot."

I laughed. "Yeah, that sounds like Terry."

"And, of course, I've got a new handful of Pokémon to deal with…but we'll discuss that later."

And Pandora, I was hoping to speak with Jason about this but...where did the whole Moniker of the Three Deadly Storms come from in Vridis? Jason and Alban I kinda get as they're Electric Types but how does Grim Dreadlock fot into them?

Melissa tilted her head. "Huh. Quite curious about that myself."

Pandora rubbed her chin. "Let's see. Well, they're known as the Three Deadly Storms because they're the three most wanted criminals in Virdis. Grim's rank 3, Jason's rank 2, and Alban claims the top as the most wanted man around. The way that moniker got around is based off the different accounts given by people who observed them, and they made that storm connection based off it.

"Jason, known as the Flash of Lightning, was noted to be so incomprehensibly fast that he's nothing more than a bolt of lightning whizzing by, striking down anyone without a chance to surrender. Alban, the Howl of Thunder, is someone I'm less familiar with, but they say he can create soundwaves strong enough to raze entire landscapes. The distinct howl of his attacks can be heard for several kilometers, and there's barely a soul alive to tell the tale. Grim represents the wind of a storm, the Reticence of Wind. While the others are flashier and more outrageous, Grim is said to come and go like the wind. Whenever the winds pick up and an ominous black fog rolls in, you know you're in the presence of Grim Deadlock. He's the wind that warns you danger's coming, but you can't outrun the storm he brings with him."

Melissa shivered. "Well, that is concerning."

Asher snickered. "I like this Grim guy's style."

I nodded. "Yeah, they're basically one giant, perfect storm of disaster. The speed, the power, the inevitable. Trust me, that's a trio of criminals you do NOT want to piss off, especially if they somehow join forces. Yeesh!"

Also For your story ideas, I wanna know more about Legend of the Forgotten? What is the overall plot for it?

"I did say I'm only answering two questions, but I suppose I'll talk a bit about Legend of the Forgotten during the story session later. Thank you for your time with us, Fiction Realm. I hope you have a wonder holiday." I set the paper aside and printed out the next one.

"If you want a real puzzler," Pandora started, "perhaps we should talk about why my boss insists on calling him the Fairy Knight!" Pandora snickered. "It's the dorkiest name I've ever heard!"

Lenny raised his brow at her. "Oh? Have you ever said that to him?"

"You kidding? He'd punt me off the fort if I dare say anything like that."

I pulled out the next set of questions. "Ah, another familiar face to our wonderful readership: Void Reader."

Ryder waved. "How you doing, Void? Always interesting to hear from you."

Melissa whined. "Please do not tell me this is another question about sexy maid outfits."

I patted her head. "Don't worry, nothing like that this time."

Glad to know that Ryder's Fear is gonna get some progress. I was gonna ask if that fanfic was already complete or what. Can't wait to see the final fanfic in your Ryder trilogy, I've got the Opening picked out for it. Almost forgot your Ultimate Area idea. That might be interesting. My first question; would your Ultimate Area be crossover with all your fanfics OCs?

"Yeah, after one recent review I got, I figured a mini update on Ryder's Fear was needed. I won't delete the story or anything, though it'll be worth reading it again for some minor changes when I get to it. As for Ultimate Arena, it's not much of a crossover and more of a celebration of my many different characters (even the submitted ones) by exploring their histories and feats, then having similar characters fight it out with each other. Like say…our first matchup soon to come."

Asher smirked. "Now who would that lucky pair be?"

I smirked back. "I think perceptive readers will catch the idea soon enough."

Second; Is the LITC rewrite still up for writing some day? I still want to read that. I get it's hard for u to write but that doesn't mean it have to be expected soon, just take your own pace at it. U started it, so try n finish it. Trust me, I know. Update soon.

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Look, even if I wanted to, I have too many other ideas I want to focus on first. BOTF is going to be a long running series, I'm still working on TSOTI, and I want to possibly focus on Phoenix Knight's Path next. Plus, there's the sequels for The Forest of No Light.

"The problem with LITC is that it simply doesn't mesh with my preferred style. It's not a matter of pacing myself or finishing it. I prefer to have a story in mind, but LITC…aside from maybe a plot that'll take a while to build up, doesn't really have a story to follow. The whole point of a possible rewrite just focuses on the number of contrivances I made in the beginning.

"At best, the most I can offer is a one-shot series with Diego, Chase, and everyone going on crazy misadventures. There'd be some heavy retcons, but…again, that's the best I can offer for the time being. And for the record, Void, some people just lose passion in something. Saying you know what's best doesn't mean much when I simply lost the spark for something that just doesn't work for me anymore. I'd just probably make the series worse if I kept adding on to something I don't care for."

Ryder frowned. "You get pretty bummed out whenever LITC's brought up."

I sighed. "I liked the idea, I really did, but it just wasn't something I could keep up with. Anyway, thanks a bunch, Void. Hope to see more of you." I set the paper down and rubbed my face. "I feel bad for Diego and Chase and the others. Maybe I could work something out for a one-shot series. It'd be better than writing an episodic series with barely a plot."

Melissa patted my shoulder. "It's okay. I'm sure they understand."

"Good grief. I can't tell who's the bigger saint, you or Gwyn."

Lenny walked over and grabbed the next set of questions. "How about we continue with this one? This sounds interesting. We got a fellow named 1NF1N1TE L1GH7 here."

I lifted my head and smiled. "Oh? Mind reading it out to us, Lenny?"

He shrugged. "Eh, sure, why not?"

Oh, ho, ho BOY! I can already tell that this Christmas special is gonna be the best one yet! Ultimate Arena and other side stories are finally getting some time in the spotlight and- HOLY CRAP, JANGO IS BACK! Jango holds a lot of sentimental value for me since TAATP was the first story I read from Brad on this site a few years back. Now let's try to forget about 2020 and get this show on the road!

I grinned. "Well, I hope to make this month worth your while, 1NF1N1TE. And I share your sentiments. Jango holds a special place in my heart, too."

Jango smiled. "Thanks a bunch, 1NF1N1TE. That means a lot. I'm glad to be back, too."

1. Ultimate Arena. Aw yeah, I've been waiting for this! Time for some BLOODSHED! (or not in this case, I guess. Brad isn't a fan killing his characters, see.)
In the last christmas special, you mentioned that you had one match-up "somewhat completed". Now you've already given me a small hint as to what it is in PMs, but I think we're all curious to know who these unknown combatants are. Who are they and will it be the first match-up in this new series?

Pandora laughed. "I told all of you Brad's a wuss!"

"Oh knock it off, Pan!" I sighed and thought it over for a moment, then smiled. "Well, I guess there's nothing wrong with talking about one of the fights in mind. Now granted, I haven't actually written the fight for these two, but I wrote up their analysis portions already. So, who here remembers when I mentioned a little something called "Elements of Malevolence"?"

Everyone looked around awkwardly. "…Can't recall," they murmured.

"Huh. Must've only told 1NF1N1TE the name. But yeah, that's the first name I came up with for this particular fight. A clever way of tying these two characters together. What characters do you suppose come up first when you think of it?"

Laura rubbed her chin. "Well, antagonists, obviously. And if we're talking Pokémon, probably something to do with wielding multiple different…" Her eyes widened. "Wait, you don't mean…!"

"Oh, I do."

Ryder glared. "Dark…"

"And Ivan Faust," Asher finished off.

I nodded. "Antagonists who wield great power across the spectrum of Pokémon typing and energy, while also showcasing the spectrum of their evil. Both wield different energy types, drain creatures of their power, want oppressed groups to become the dominant species, etc. The only thing different is the level of their morality. Like…seriously, Faust is a MUCH better person compared to Dark, and Faust basically had the planet under his thumb for a short while!"

"Huh," Jango gasped. "Never realized how much those two have in common."

"However, that feels more like a finale sort of battle than an introduction, so it won't be first."

"So, who is going first?" Jango asked.

I smirked. "Let's just say these two will be 'Stealing the Show'."

Ebony blinked, then looked over to Asher. "I got nothing." Asher shrugged.

2. How about we hear a little bit more about you, Brad? What was your favorite part of this year?...if any. XD

"Ooh boy, loaded question right there, haha." I tapped my fingers together and thought it over. "Well, I guess the best possible thing that happened this year was me graduating college. True, wasn't particularly spectacular because circumstances, but I do get giddy whenever I look at my diploma. Now that I'm working towards a masters, I'll be able to find better jobs for myself once things hopefully go back to normal. Can't say I've been in great spirits this last year, but I'm trying to stay positive these days."

Jango smiled. "Well, look at you. From amateur high school writer to basically a professional."

"Heh, I wouldn't say professional, but thanks."

Yeah, that last one felt kinda rushed, but I'll have other questions prepared next time. Other than that, Happy Holidays!

"Don't worry, we got one more session after this one." I waved. "Thanks again, 1NF1N1TE! You take care!"

"Be seeing ya!" Jango exclaimed.

I retrieved the next sheet of paper. "And next up, a long-time regular around these parts, austin . todd . 315! It's always a pleasure to see you around. Hope you're enjoying the holidays, dude. Now, let's see what we got here."

Oh yes, things to look forward to every Holiday: Family, music, presents, lights, food, and PM64 Christmas Specials.

Holy cow how's it going Jango?! I don't want to make you feel old, and I'm sure you know this, but it's literally been five years!

Jango snickered. "How strange considering I feel like I barely aged a day."

"Man, time here is weird," Pandora murmured.

I'm just now realising how bad of an idea it might be to let Laura, Ebony, and Pandora interact freely and now I'm starting to feel scared.

I looked at the trio of mischief makers who smiled angelically at me. "Trust me, Austin, I'm regretting the invite for every second of this session."

I'll start with Jango for questions: Since PM64 has literally created three different universes since your story finished, which one of them would you be most interested in living in? Not sure if your up to speed, but Mysto could really use your help right about now.

Jango smirked. "Well, Mysto would be up my speed. I don't think Virdis would appreciate a literal half-demon walking about wielding magic and hellfire."

Melissa sucked her lips in, then laughed it off. "Oh! Do not be silly! No one is going to…burn you at the stake or anything. Haha…ha…oh dear."

Pandora grinned. "Though, I would be interested in some of those demonic weapons you can summon."

"Bad Pandora!" Melissa yelled, smacking her with a paper towel roll.

Jango laughed. "Though, I suppose demonic practices aren't all that welcomed in Mysto. I'm their equivalent of a false witch, right? Even so, I wouldn't mind lending a hand. I've gotten a lot better with my magic."

I rubbed my chin. "Come to think of it, for Ultimate Arena, would Ryder vs. Jango be the top tier fight? Or Wes vs. Jango? Hmm…"

"He's getting ideas!" Asher yelled. "Move to the next question!"

For PM64: Out of all of your stories, which do you think have the best fight scenes? I find myself going back and forth between TSOTI's more grandiose battles and BOTF's more simplistic yet tactical approach, but the final fight of Tribe Of Fusions is probably my favorite overall out of the bunch.

"Hmm?" I shook out of my murmurings. "Uh, right, well…well, I have to admit, I like working on BOTF's fight scenes more. While I do enjoy the grandiose spectacle that comes with TSOTI, the more tactical fights are easier for me to write and carry a fun charm for different fighting styles." I sighed and slumped forward. "The downside, I come up with too many fun ideas to work with and I'm worried they won't get to see the light of day. Just yesterday, I came up with a character that uses a battle style revolving around Trump Card. Thankfully, I found a useful and much needed position he can fill.

"The low-powered stakes give me more to work with, surprisingly. TSOTI characters that use magic can take more hits, BOTF characters have to use their wits more often. Or at least, it's more critical to survive a fight."

Speaking of fights, looking forward to what you have to say about Ultimate Arena. And Phoenix Knight's Path because of the nostalgia, and I'm assuming Jango's going to have plenty of fighting to do there. Seriously Jango, if your looking for a rumble, Mysto is the BEST PLACE for you right now.

Jango laughed. "I'll keep that in mind. Just wait until Brad introduces the bearers I'll have to deal with."

"Wes vs. Jango…" I muttered. "By the end of Phoenix Knight's Path and Souls Tied by Fate, they would—"

"Ah crap, he's thinking again!" Jango yelped.

Asher jumped off the couch. "Thanks for your time, Austin! Hope to see you again soon!" Asher smacked me across the head.

"Ow!"

"If we left you alone to think, we'd be here for hours."

"You didn't need to smack me…" I grumbled. I snatched the next sheet and rubbed my eyes. "Phew, let's see…ah, my good pal, AvalonArrival. If any of you are as familiar with them as I am, you'll know we're in for some fun."

IT'S THE MOST, WONDERFUL TIME, OF THE YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR! Hey guys, wassup! :D Sorry I can't really say much to the rest of you, cause I don't really know you, but hi anyways! Suppose I should get to my questions now, so here they are!

Hello again Adorably Evil Growlith, remember me? I'm the guy who inflicted you poor souls with the alcoholic known as Ragger :D I got some more ideas for you this year though, and a question.

Pandora waved excitedly. "Hi, Avalon! Great to see you!" She snickered. "Oh yes, Ragger has been quite the handful around the base, though he makes for a convenient test subject when needed. Easy to persuade with my charismatic charm…and some ingredients for his brews."

Two items, four words: Compound Bow, Rubber bullets. Using a system of pullies on a bow, you can increase the velocity at which the arrows are fired by... Let's say a lot. And by using rubber or a similar substance, and a smaller amount of gunpowder, you can create none lethal bullets that Jason might approve! I personally advise trying to get this approved so you can put a hidden gun into Melissa's weapon.

Pandora already had a notepad and quill out, scribbling furiously. "Note to self, add modifications to Melissa's multi-weapon. Build one for Blitz, too."

Melissa smiled nervously. "Uh, Pandora? I know I asked you to build me something, but…should I be worried?"

Pandora smiled. "Oh Melissa, when have I ever made anything that should be cause for concern?" Melissa sank into the couch and quietly sipped her cocoa.

Now question: Hypothetically speaking, what's the maximum weight capacity of Fort Lucas? Like how do you keep that thing up there? Especially if Leon evolves into an Aggron one day, the guy is literally gonna weigh like 700 pounds.

Pandora twirled her quill around. "Well, Tank's the one who helped build most of Fort Lucus, so he could answer that better than me. Though, we are able to host meetings and ceremonies on one of our main platforms with all present Foresters, provided they aren't all jumping up and down at full force at the same time. Jason does typically recruit lightweight or smaller Pokémon since we operate with stealth. Even so, if it's a cause for concern, we have the resources to reinforce the fort for greater weights. So, I'd say several thousand kilograms or something like that. We're actually trying to use lumber from the Forbidden Forest's trees, because those things are DENSE. Takes a lot of force just to cut the bark."

Pretty sure that's everything I got for now, so I'll show myself out. Farewell till next year, My Adorablly Evil Future Empress! Happy Christmas Everyone! Merry Hanukkah! Avalon Out.

Pandora giggled evilly. "You've made your empress very proud, minion! Mwuahahahahaha! Also, have a happy holiday!" she added cutely.

I rubbed my temples. "Great, one other person I shouldn't have in the same room as Pandora…" I smiled. "But yes, have a happy holiday, Avalon! See ya later!"

Ebony whipped her scarf over me and snatched the next list. "Alright, which loser's next?" She squinted. "Someone named TheGrimReaper666. Super edgy."

Melissa pouted. "Ebony, that is very rude!" Ebony snickered.

"Give me that!" I snatched the paper away and sat back down. "Sorry about that, Reaper. Glad to have you here. This is your first time taking part in our little tradition, so I hope you enjoy your time with us. Looking forward to what you have to say."

Ah, we are soon approaching the end of the year. How exciting! Hopefully, 2021 will turn out a lot better than this grim and dark year. So this is one of your Annual Christmas Specials, eh? Considering of how recent I found your profile and how new I am to your stories, this will be the first ever one I will participate in.

And does it feel good to be here.

Hello to all the guests of Brad's that have came for this special. I am TheGrimReaper666, but you can refer to me as Reaper for simplicity sake. Nice to see you all here, especially you, Laura. Undoubtedly my favorite character in The Forest of No Light. I also was not expecting Jango here, but damn is it a pleasant surprise. Good to see you here, man!

Laura chuckled. "Someone else who appreciates how awesome I am? You have good tastes."

Jango waved. "Pleased to meet you, Reaper. As said, glad to be back. Hope you're enjoying the special so far."

As for the questions, there are two that do come to mind. You see, so far in BOTF, we have gotten to know the names of six kingdoms of the ten that inhabit the region of Viridis—Verde, Senbo, Echo Bell, Wick, New Chariot, and Umbra Clock. What are the names of the remaining three? And do they also have as bad of a reputation as New Chariot?

Pandora put on a pair of stereotypical, nerdy glasses and snorted. "Uh, actually, there's—"

"They already know, Pandora," I interrupted.

"Eh?!" The glasses slipped off her face.

I nodded. "Yep, just a little oversight on their part."

Pandora pouted. "Darn it! I have been waiting a whole year to do that to someone!"

I chuckled. "So yeah, I guess you already know about Subterra, Arcania, Algus, and Great Gate. In regards to reputations, that's an interesting case. I suppose New Chariot's the most ruthless, so not much can top them. Great Gate and Subterra probably have a close reputation to New Chariot's given they also deal in slave trade, though less brutally as we learned recently.

"Arcania, however, is barely a kingdom right now. All their land has been taken and they're hanging on by a single chunk of land being ruthlessly protected by their only active knight. Only reason it hasn't been steamrolled yet is because of how close it is to the Great Ruins, and no one wants to go near there."

So yeah, these are the questions I have. They are both just for curiosity sake, so they are not anything sepcial.

Hearing you talk about your side stories and your project has gotten me exited. And hearing the details of this 'Ultimate Arena' has me even more excited. Cannot wait to check it out when it comes.

Anyway, that is all I have to say. See ya in the next session! Have a great day to you and to all who have visited Brad on this special time of year!

I smiled. "I'm looking forward to when I can get those side projects out. And I just keep making more. Heh…I have a problem." I shook my head. "But yeah, I'm glad you've been enjoying the stories so far. Let's hope for a fulfilling new year in the coming future! Thanks a bunch, Reaper! Have a wonderful holiday!"

Ebony chuckled. "Nice guy."

"You called them edgy," Melissa reminded.

"I meant that as a compliment," she assured, downing another bottle of scotch. Melissa rolled her eyes.

Asher pulled the next set of questions out. "Next up, we have Drifter77."

"Hello again, Drifter," I said. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Hope you've been doing well this last year. Shall we get started?"

Hello again Brad. While 2020 was... interesting for all the wrong reasons, we did make some pretty neat memories and accomplishments. And your stories made some awesome inspirations for me, like a story I have cooking up in my head that has an Ultra Space setting, a concept used in sun and moon that was not utilized to its full potential. But this isn't about me; this about my questions that should be interesting to you:

I laughed, feeling my eye twitch. "Yes, very interesting. Heh, I think writing these stories has been my only means to keep sane the last ten months. And I'm glad you took some inspiration from my stories. That's pretty much why I do this: to bring entertainment into people's lives and give them ideas of their own."

Asher smirked. "I'm actually quite curious about this Ultra Space story of yours."

"Oh, same here!" I said. "I would actually love to read something like that. I considered incorporating it in "Tribe of Fusions", but felt like Ultra Space was its own…separate thing from the Pokémon Universe. Still, I would love to hear more about it."

1) How do the Foresters get their funding?

Pandora stirred it over for a moment, then said, "Well, we mostly just steal it. We target a lot of richer families solely because the impact of loss wouldn't affect them too negatively. It's something they could recover from like it was nothing. We steal a lot of gold, jewels, and anything that can't be immediately traced back to us, then we sell them on the black market."

"Wait, we have connections to the black market?!" Melissa shrieked.

Pandora deadpanned. "Melissa, we're thieves, of course we have connections to the black market. Or, well…I have connections who have connections to other connections that I exploit—look, the point is, we're not completely just!"

"Oh dear…" Melissa whined.

"Aside from that, we do try to make our own stuff. Most of the lumber we got from unoccupied forests and stuff. The Foresters have been around for a lot longer than the four years we've been officially active. We sometimes get donations from people we have more…legal contact with."

Melissa made small Buneary noises and curled up on the couch.

2) What was the context for the decision to turn Tony from his cool, collected persona from Part 1 to his drunken, volatile state in part 2?

"Ah yes, this surprisingly little turn," I said. "I suppose it's no secret I'm drawing parallels between Tony and his archnemesis, Aeternus. Unlike Gwyn and Griffin who have more personal connections with theirs, Tony and Aeternus barely know each other. However, Aeternus truly believes Tony could succeed him as a worthy mob boss and take his place in his gang. There's also the fact Tony's younger than the rest of his team. Believe it or not, he was 18 at the start of the series while Gwyn, the most naïve (and traumatized), was 19. Tony should be around 20 now since this technically all goes down in around two years.

"Tony's never dealt with loss before, and after what happened to Indigo, he basically shut down. I wanted Tony to go through his own personal arc, adopting more of Aeternus' sinister traits, then reflecting on his own rotten attitude about dealing with grief. Tony's the most emotionally charged despite how cool and collected he remains, and I wanted him to explore that side of himself so he can rise from this one loss. Will he be like this forever? Or will he rise up and go back to being the fun-loving thief we all love? Well, you'll have to wait and see."

That is all for now until the next chapter. Happy holidays!

"Thanks again, Drifter. Take care!" I reached for the next questions.

Ebony sipped down her scotch. "Yeesh, that Dewott needs a serious vacation."

Jango nodded. "No kidding."

"Alright, we got our next set here! These questions come from Shettipoo."

"Shettipoo, Shettipoo, Shetti…" Melissa mumbled off before smiling. "Oh yeah, I remember them. Hi, Shettipoo! Hope you are doing well!"

Yo! Merry Christmas! Congratulations on graduating! This year has been tough on everyone, that's for sure.

I laughed. "Yeah, but I guess it could be worse. Would've been nice to walk on graduation, but I suppose it's better than going through the same nonsense I did for high school. Good grief, graduation recitals take forever…"

It makes me happy to hear that the short stories regarding the Ryder trilogy, aren't on an indefinite hiatus. Too many good stories end up like that. And this series is something I hold dear to me. So thank you.

"Yeah, I figured this was the best time to get cracking on them since I have plenty of time. Not sure when I'll get 'Heart and Soul of the Machine' out, but I do have the first chapter written out. Koda's side story's going to take some time and planning. That one's probably going to be…the least depressing, haha."

I have only one question, and it's about how aura works in said series. Does everyone have a unique aura exclusive to them? Like a unique attribute/ability that only that individual can use. Or is it elemental based? Cause Pika seriously gives me Pyra/Mythra vibes from Xenoblade 2.

"Hmm, while it's not as refined as I hoped, the auras in Pokémon are more elemental based. Granted, a more refined version of it can be found in BOTF where it delves more into the different types instead of just giving other Pokémon an extra type essentially. Ryder can turn his aura into electricity, Jade can turn hers into air, and Oshawott…well, actually, he lucked out with more water. Maybe if/when I get around to the sequel, I'll expand on it more.

"Pikachu is a bit of an odd case, though that won't be explored for a while. And hey, another Xenoblade 2 fan. Sweet! I should really get back into that. I still haven't gotten all the unique blades yet. May want to do a New Game Plus sometime."

I'm excited to hear about the return of some of your old stories and new projects and I hope 2021 brings much more positivity to us all!

"Heh, yeah. I think we all could do with a little more positivity this time around. The world's just too darn hateful or conniving for my tastes. Glad to be hearing from you, Shettipoo. Have a wonderful holiday!"

"Bye, Shettipoo!" Melissa exclaimed, waving her hands.

Ryder rubbed his chin. "Now I'm just wondering what I could do with my moves if I was born in the BOTF universe."

I pulled out the next questions. "Ah, and now we have AllKorean, Leon Heathcliff's submitter for BOTF. Hope you're doing well, AllKorean."

Melissa laughed awkwardly. "Yes, and thank you for Leon. He has been…a joy to work with, haha."

Pandora smirked. "He still hates you, doesn't he?"

Melissa sighed. "I think we've moved on from hate to annoyed indifference."

"Ah, reminds me of my childhood."

This year went by way too quickly for my tastes, but I think it's for the better. Here's to a less chaotic 2021.

"Heh, no kidding. It can only go up from here, right? Heh…"

Ryder sipped his cocoa. "Keep telling yourself that."

The question I'm about to ask I'm pretty sure I saw on last year's special, but was never answered since it came after Session 3. However, I can't seem to find it while going back, so credit to whoever came up with the original question:

With how big the Foresters are there is sure to be difference in opinions on how it's run, how it deals with nobles and kingdoms, etc. Have there been any instances of foresters going AWOL or deciding to quit once they realize what they're getting themselves into? Are they allowed to return to their original lives and put under close surveillance so they don't leak any secrets such as the location or how to get into the Fort?

Pandora sighed and crossed her forelegs. "Well, aside from the hotheaded rookies who got themselves killed, there have been cases where some Foresters either quit due to stress or because of some issue with how we run things, saying we're not worse than the Freaks. And fair, considering who our leader is. It's not for everyone, and we don't expect everyone who comes to us to fully understand the weight of their situation.

"In some cases, we let them leave peacefully and make sure they don't go spilling any secrets. We also make sure any involvement with the Foresters is completely erased so they aren't hunted down. However, though this hasn't ever happened, we can and will kick out anyone who proves to be a detriment to the Foresters, such as mass killings behind our backs. Granted, I don't care, but Jason surely does. Unless your life is at stake or if someone's very existence spells disaster for us, we won't take another life."

I'm excited to hear about the return of some of your old stories and new projects and I hope 2021 brings much more positivity to us all!

I grinned. "You and me both. Let's make the best of 2021 and hope things turn out for the better. Take care, AllKorean."

"And remember to keep an eye out," Melissa said. "I heard Leon's going to get some spotlight soon enough."

I grabbed the next list and rubbed my eyes. "Phew, only three more to get through. We can do this." I held the list up. "Alright, we've got another familiar face, ThePyukumukuKing."

Pandora nodded. "Ah, the sea cucumber monarch. Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Lenny squinted. "I'm not sure that's his actual occupation."

"Whatever, I'm rolling with it."

I smiled. "Hope you been doing well, King. Shall we get started?"

I'm so glad that the Christmas special is back again this year! We can add this to the (short) list of good things to happen in 2020. This has been one crazy year, but these specials never fail to put a smile on my face.

"Ha! I'm glad I'm a part of your list of good things. I do want to try and do these every year when I can—"

"Especially after a three year hiatus," Ryder quipped.

"Let it go, Ryder!" I yelled. "I've been pretty busy with a whole bunch of stuff, not just the main stories. New ideas to look forward to. Maybe if I'm still doing this for ten more years, I'll have everything I want finished. Eh, then again, who knows?"

Unfortunately I haven't been able to catch up on your stories recently so in order to not waste anyone's time with irrelevant questions I'll keep my questions simple.

1. How much of a story do you plan ahead when you sit down to write it? I'm curious as to whether you think of all the details ahead of time or if you let things happen naturally.

I waved it off. "It's alright, King. Go about things at your own pace. Personal responsibilities and life should always come first.

"These days, I try to plan everything out in advance. When I first wrote 'For the Love of Pikachu' and 'The Assassin and the Princess', I realized my main blunders is that I didn't have a thoroughly planned out idea, which didn't mesh well with me. So, when I started writing 'Secret of the Idol', I made sure to list everything I wanted to do out. Future events, plot relevant details, etc. There's a go-with-the-flow aspect to the actual writing, but having these details planed out ahead of time keeps me on track. For example, I pretty much have a road map for BOTF set up for the late future. I even started making a calendar system for the events to keep track of how much time has passed."

2. Have there been any story arcs, ideas, or characters that you had to reject in any of your stories? It would be really interesting to hear about what didn't make the cut to be in your stories.

"I went over this a bit when I talked about the original conception of 'Secret of the Idol', such as remaking Jonathan Geno from the true villain into an unfortunate victim in the real enemy's scheme. Plus, turning it from a simple treasure hunting story into a lore heavy world of magic and personal self-discovery.

"One thing that was greatly changed, as mentioned before, was Laura's sentience."

Laura frowned. "Ah yes, how can I possibly forget that?"

"Laura was just a simple mecha being controlled by Meowth. You can see it in some of her behaviors during the first half to the story, though they are subtle. However, I liked the idea of her so much, I made her an autonomous android who really hates being called a robot. Probably the best decision."

"Yeah, no kidding."

"If there's one regret I have, though, it's Tribe of Fusions. The Fusion Hunters were supposed to play a larger role in the story, even confronting Gappei Village at one point, but it felt too cluttered with Ivan Faust's plot. As much as I wanted to do a scene with Tamara slicing a tank shell in half during a confrontation, I had to scrap that subplot out."

"Wait, Tamara was supposed to do what?" Asher asked.

"There's some minor stuff here and there, but those were the big ones. Nowadays, I make sure to work things out in advance. I often find myself expanding on minor stuff rather than scrapping it." I rubbed my chin. "I wonder if I could make a wiki for Bandits of the Forest…"

"A wiki?" Melissa asked.

"Yeah. I do one for a 'My Hero Academia' story I submitted to. Could be fun. Granted, I have no idea how to actually make a wiki, so…"

Sorry that these bland questions are all I have this year. The fact that you even take the time to make these specials means a lot, and I'm glad that you and your writing are around to make this year better. I hope I can catch up on your stories soon so I can enjoy it even more. Happy holidays!

I smiled. "Nah, they weren't bland. They were fun to talk about, actually. And I'm glad I do these. Feels like a personal way of connecting with the people who love my stories so much. Think of it as my end of the year present for all of you."

Melissa giggled. "Maybe next year, you should offer up this wiki idea."

"…" I looked up in thought. "Hmm…" I shook my head. "Err, never mind. Anyway, thank you very much, PyukumukuKing. Have a wonderful holiday!"

Ebony rubbed her hands together. "Alright, two more to get through! Let's go!"

I picked up the next list. "Next up, we've got TheLatiKing. Hope you're doing well. And, hehe, thank you for making this mercifully short."

Asher smirked. "He says that, but hasn't seen the last set left." Ebony snickered.

"Oh hush," I grumbled. "Now then—"

Phew 2020 was one heck of a year and you know I'll have some interesting questions for you.
1. How you think team Ravenfield would faire in mystery dungeon?( to make it fair for the regular mons they lose their magic)

"Well, I think we would know the answer to that if they did have magic, haha." I rubbed my chin. "I'd say they would fair well going through a mystery dungeon. Wes' adventurous instincts would allow him to get through any obstacle, Flint would help come up with plans, and Ella…well, she doesn't even have magic, and she has done some CRAZY things with just Psychic. Tony's skilled at stealing, and he could make good use of the materials found in dungeons, and Griffin's capable of fighting with just about anything he touches. Only one who might not do well is Gwyn since she's the most reliant on her magic. Maybe she could carry the wands and orbs around to make up for the slack."

2. How would team Ravenfield react to the fact that Pokémon is a video game series's and that they are just a story?

"If they were here right now, they'd be pretty accepting of it. In story, however? Early existential crisis. That's the best way I could put it."

"That's dark," Laura commented.

"Honestly, the only characters who wouldn't freak out are Valentine and maybe Basil. Existential dread doesn't mean much to them." I smiled. "Anyway, thanks for your time, LatiKing. Take care." I grabbed the last set of questions. "Last one, then we can start talking about side material."

"Exciting!" Jango exclaimed.

"And what better way to end off than with another familiar face of ours: Zlaxe."

Laura smirked. "Should we expect a visit from his other OCs, too?"

"That's the reason for the question limitations, haha. No offense, of course, Zlaxe." I held up the paper. "Now, let's get down to business."

Hello there!

Just me today... maybe... Anyway, I know it's been a while since I last commented/reviewed on anything you made. I have words on some scenes for the last few chapters of BOTF and TSOTI: P2. Still getting my degree, btw and oh yeah! Belated congratulations on graduating! *fires confetti cannon*

"Oh yeah, I think I remember you saying something about engineering. Well, hope you do well in school, and thanks! Not exactly the grandest of celebrations this year, but the kind words are appreciated."

Jango leaned over to the others and whispered, "Did he say maybe?" They just shrugged.

Okay, I'm a bit out of practice with asking story-related questions, so I'm going to ask what I intended to ask you at some point either at a BOTF review or through a PM. I've mentioned that I liked how each of your characters has combo-moves or move adaptations. I've... been writing something for the past several months now that revolves around those two. I'll tell you more about it through PM if you want but for now, my question is this; Does Jet have an ordinary combo-move outside of Endless Ocean, and what is it? I wanted to ask about Fabrice's or even Blitz's but I think that's leaning towards spoiler territory. *shrugs* Heck, if what I asked is a spoiler then I'll just wait for it.

"I would be interested in hearing about your idea, Zlaxe. I did mention earlier that I love coming up with combo moves for Pokémon. Maybe I can help spitball some ideas if you want. Trust me, I'm struggling not to insert every single idea that pops up into my brain!" My eye twitched. "I have a problem…"

Melissa patted my shoulder. "Brad? The question?"

"Oh, right!" I cleared my throat. "So, Jet's actually the most straightforward fighter of the Foresters. Kind of befitting for his character. He does utilize Razor Shell infused with Ice Beam for freezing slashes, and he can pressurize his Aqua Jet from the soles of his feet to increase his striking power. He might find better use from it if he were to evolve since he would, you know, have longer limbs.

"Fabrice is an interesting case. Being trained under Sidney, he learned how to deform earth with Dig and Dive, though can't harden it back up like her. We may get to see a little bit of his capabilities later on. However, he shines brightest when paired with Enora. Not only are those two hopelessly in love with each other, they're regarded as having the best synergy of the Foresters. If you think the Thievery Twins are an unstoppable pair, you have not seen these lovebirds in action at their best. Maybe we'll see more of that if I can find a convenient way to show off their teamwork.

"We won't get to see the full capabilities of Blitz' combos until Part 3, though I will say this much: Blitz can infuse his moves through his arrows, and he does possess that heat sonar we saw during the invasion on Snowbound Village. I will also say this: I've been watching a lot of Fire Force recently, and Blitz may take inspiration from a certain gun-wielding fireman in that show."

Going to get this out of my chest now... Pandora, if my abomination of a pokesona can exist in Virdis, I would love to see how you two will work together. He also creates things on the fly. From combo-moves and move-adaptations to battle strategy and dance choreography. Trust me, if you want to be a decent Overlord, choreographing your army is a necessity. An unchoreographed and unprepared army is the undoing of most overlords that came into power. *rolls eyes* Don't even get me started on a general's incompetence and hubris just because you chose them to lead your army.

Pandora scoffed and waved her paw. "Tell me about it. I swear, you try to find someone who looks like they can lead only to find out they let their pride lead the forces instead of an even head. I have to instill the responsibilities of such a role onto my minions before I can trust them with such a position. Perhaps I would be interested in meeting this abomination of yours." She smirked. "That could be a worthy use of my time."

I massaged my temples. "Okay, adding Zlaxe to the list, too…"

Anyway for my second question. Lenny... Does asking about your past a spoiler? Like seriously, power gauntlets!? I have several guesses as to what your past is, bounty hunter or treasure hunter comes to mind first... Hoe my gourd, is anyone in that village a retired something?! Oh wait not everyone. The Ciphers are still working businessmons. Phew.

Lenny spat his eggnog out and pointed at himself. "Wait, someone's asking me a question?"

I nodded. "Yep."

Lenny blinked, then touched his heart as tears glistened from his eyes. "I am honored—"

"Answer the question, you damn extra!" Pandora shouted, prompting Melissa to whack her in the head. "Owie!"

Lenny chuckled and scratched behind his head. "I may have done some bounty hunting in my heyday. Rustling up some scum, turning them in for a profit, and going about my business. But, I took a particular interest in brewing and decided to set up my own establishment in Quartz Plain Village. Who would've guessed I would be in the same village as a retired pirate and a family of powerful magic users? The gauntlets were a nice little something to get the edge over powerful targets."

Ebony grinned. "Ah, you brew your own stuff, huh?"

Melissa deadpanned. "And suddenly, I have a list with two people who should not meet Ragger…"

Welp, those are my questions. My questions for Ebony will be answered in a future story. The same goes for Ryder, Laura, and Jango. That reminds me... I may be a bit late on reading PKP because once the first chapter, or prologue, is out. Not only am I busy irl, but I may re-read TAATP again for a refresher on everyone in it.

Anyways, wishing everyone a very jolly holiday! And remember, "Unless it's your S.O., stay away from mistletoe!" Byez!

Asher smirked. "Now, why would I want to stay away from the mistletoe?" He held one up over himself and Ebony and wiggled his brow at her.

She smirked and pushed him off the couch. "Nice try, mob boss. Aren't you supposed to be dating a Lopunny-Zoroark or something?"

Asher picked himself up and snickered. "Well, nothing concrete yet…"

"I wouldn't worry about PKP, Zlaxe," I said. "It won't be out for quite some time. Maybe when I get enough chapters made, I'll start releasing them monthly. Looking forward to what you have for next session. Until then, take care and have a happy, jolly holiday yourself!"

"And we're done! Woo!" Ebony cheered, popping open the scotch.

I chuckled. "We had so many interesting questions there. Can't wait to see what everyone has to ask next session. That should be fun."

Jango crossed his arms. "So, you wanted to talk about side material, right?"

"Side material, future projects, stuff like that. Things I want to do and hopefully get around to doing." I leaned back in my chair. "I suppose I can talk a little bit about Legend of the Forgotten and Ninja of the Night, because those are the two least likely to get made.

"Legend's kind of different to everything else I've done. While it does follow the same supernatural formula you would find in Secret of the Idol and The Assassin and the Princess, the core focus is dealing with four dysfunctional brothers disillusioned by the world since they're the last of a race of god slayers. It's more slice-of-life than anything, except it has an actual plot to follow unlike LITC. One brother has become perpetually lazy, one's uncaring and cold like a machine, one isolates himself and deals with depression, and the oldest is making himself suffer trying to keep their little family afloat while they're in hiding. He works numerous jobs and rarely gets a break for himself. Kind of a sad tale, and it's very different to anything else I came up with.

"Ninja follows the similar adventure concept I go for, though I'm considering removing a lot of the supernatural elements I put in. Ever since I started working on BOTF, I've grown a better appreciation for what a Pokémon can do on its own. As for the story, a Froakie is a descendant from a ninja clan and fights crime at night. His best friend, a Pikachu, finds out his secret and is sworn in to learn under him. In some way, it's almost a buddy cop situation, but with ninja. Though these two stories would be interesting to do, I might not ever get to them.

"So, side stories. Little adventures joining in tandem with the main story without directly affecting the plot. Granted, they do serve a purpose, though not wholly necessary to read to understand what's going on. So, where to begin?

"Heart and Soul of the Machine is a good start. This pretty much digs into what makes Laura tick. We only get bits of that from the two stories she appeared in, but this is going into her grief and past. Laura reunites with her creator thanks to circumstances and now has to confront with the hard truth that she is just coding and metal with a self-adapting AI. It'll even go into her incessant hatred of being called a robot."

Laura sighed. "Still hate that word…"

"And we already have a good idea of Ryder's Fear, though the edits in question are to reinforce the fact Ryder is a danger to himself and others. Even if his friends are understanding, I suppose there needs to be hesitance towards accepting, especially since a few of them have witnessed his unstoppable rage.

"Now, Darkmon Region Road Trip is the comedic part of this little trilogy. Quite funny considering this takes place after the massacre of an entire species, but still. So, Koda, Chloe, and three unnamed Darkmon are traveling through Unova to catch up with Ash, Pikachu, Ryder, and the others all while going through their own misadventures. Avoiding the sun, the three Darkmon adapting to having actual emotion, and getting into hijinks you would find in a Saturday morning cartoon. Basically, trying to have a little fun with former monsters."

Ryder sighed. "Wonderful…"

"Onto Secret of the Idol, there's only one as of now: Team Shatter Star's Beginning. The origin of these colorful, explosive, high energy wackos and context to that little story they told in Chapter 90. So, why focus on these six? Because I like to think of them as what Team Ravenfield could've been if I thought up these guys first. They're sort of a counterpart to the main team with more diverse abilities, but simpler origins. Seriously, aside from Ebony, Team Shatter Star has had a pretty chill upbringing."

Ebony laughed. "Good times!"

"I figured covering them would be fun. Now, though I have no idea how much longer we have on Secret of the Idol, I am planning some material for the end. Think of it as The Secret Idol Miniseries. A collection of stories set after Secret of the Idol and more mundane, but entertaining adventures. A part of me wants to upload them earlier, but…major spoilers, obviously. I mean, if no one minds, then I could upload them, but read at your own risk if I do because some plot heavy stuff would be referenced. Trust me, there's quite a bit.

"Bandit of the Outlands: Sand and Toxin. Probably the one that some of you didn't expect. A story centered around Amos of the Blind Luck, that Gligar who had a particular hatred for women? Why would I do that? Well, there's a few reasons. One, I wanted to go further into the outlands that have been established, and Amos would be the perfect fit to deal with them. Two, this would be my attempt to delve into more…violent aspects of BOTF. You'll see what I mean in time. Three, there are some plot relevant details that will be expanded upon a bit more here.

"All in all, I wanted to do a fun side story with a former antagonist. Amos was meant to be a disposable character, but my brain wouldn't shut up once it got an idea. I wouldn't say it's necessary to read in conjunction with BOTF, but it could be fun. Let's just say Amos is going to be in for a ride.

"So, Ultimate Arena. A fight series where I pit two of my characters up against each and try to determine who would win a fight through deductive reasoning. I do need to specify a couple of things, though. I am no expert when it comes to the mathematical power of feats and techniques, with only general scale and implied destructive force to go with. For example, if a character can topple a building but the other guy can bisect a mountain, I'm going to rule strength to the mountain slicer. If they have generally the same strength output, like taking down buildings even if they're different, I am going to lump them in the same ballpark as equals. Really, the best I can do is look at mindset, personal advantages, and specific abilities of the characters for a general estimate of who could win.

"Secondly, some of the matches I designed utilize characters that haven't been revealed yet or haven't had much time to shine. Warp, the portal-using Frogadier introduced at the end of TFONL, is one such example of unexplained potential. All we do know about him is that he can travel far via his portals, which are a complicated story to how he acquired them. Then there's characters like the spirit bearers in Phoenix Knight's Path that'll be trained under Jango, none of which have been introduced yet. As you can see, Ultimate Arena isn't going to be updated a whole lot in the beginning with only a handful of fights I can honestly do.

"Now, all that said, there is an alternate way to work around this, but it does require some coordination. I am willing to utilize characters from other stories made by different writers, so long as they have enough information to work with and if I have permission from the writer. This is the partial reason why the "no death" rule was implemented in case I wanted to go along with this idea. There's plenty of Mystery Dungeon fics out there, so that would be fun to tackle to see the individual strengths of characters going down similar paths. Of course, I would need comprehensive information on the characters and the ability to fact check anything suggested so no feats are overexaggerated.

"It'd be kind of interesting. Battles involving all sorts of different characters, from the edgelords to the heroes to the comic reliefs and more. Plus, it promotes other stories, so it might be worth the thought. Still, like I said, it requires cooperation. If anyone thinks it's a good idea, let me know and I'll see how we can organize it.

"That reminds me, I may upload the first Ultimate Arena fight on New Years. I'll have the introduction up sooner, though I don't know when. Maybe Christmas once the final session for the special is up. Who knows?

"Well, with all that said, let's finally talk about The Phoenix Knight's Path."

"Finally!" Jango cheered.

"Phew, what to say? Maybe a little sampling of what to expect." I cleared my throat and leaned forward. "So, to put it simply, Jango has been adapting to his new position and life in Poketopia, finally finding a place to call home. Though, as you can imagine, having lived his whole life as an assassin has left him missing an old part of that life: the adventure. Naturally, Jango wants to find the next great thrill to satisfy his fighting instinct, but nothing much really happens in Poketopia."

Jango sighed. "I try not to say anything to Amanda, but it can get really boring."

"So, imagine Jango's surprise when life comes knocking at the door with opportunity. King Howlite, who I finally gave a name, and Amanda get into contact with a distant kingdom to discuss an alliance. However, they also learn this kingdom has delved into the history of demonic usage back when it was still more well-known. They wanted to surprise Jango with it, only to get a surprise of their own.

"The king of that land has noticed a recent, dangerous surge of demonic activity, an unfortunate ripple effect caused when Jango's demonic ancestry became apparent. How this is happening is unknown to him and the foreign king, but something needs to be done to contain it. So, the king proposes an offer to Jango in case of the worse.

"During these surges, four Pokémon were accidentally exposed to relics that contained spirits, an old practice for summoning and capturing spirits. Again, the king has no idea how these relics ended up in their possession, but these four strangers have been imbued with demonic power. Jango needs to help them control their abilities and get them ready in case the worst comes. And who are these four?

"Slade Karmic, a rebellious Froakie imbued with the Spirit of Death!"

"London Whisper, a quirky and inventive Ledian imbued with the Spirit of Judgment!"

"Viola Moon, an egotistical, but just noble Salazzle imbued with the Spirit of Time!"

"Nestor Laskos, a pessimistic, downtrodden Spinda imbued with the Spirit of Transportation!"

"These four will be under the care of Jango to prove their mettle as heroes! How will they fair? Only time will tell!"

Laura crossed her arms and smirked. "Really hyping it up, aren't you?"

"Hey, I can't help it."

Ryder sipped his cocoa. "I guess we know who you have set to fight Warp."

"Hehe, yeah." I stretched my arms. "It can't be helped. I do want to get to all these ideas when I get the chance, but it takes time and patience. Or maybe I can find a way to never fall asleep ever again. That would make life more productive. Hmm…"

"Brad…" Ryder started with a warning tone.

"Hang on!" I got up and dashed off set. "I have experiments to test out!"

Pandora threw her cocoa away and chased after me. "Allow me to help! I want to be a part of this experiment!"

"Sleep is for the weak!" Ebony bounced off the couch and followed after us.

Ryder facepalmed and groaned into his hands. Jango laughed. "Things never change around here."

"Come back here, you three!" Melissa yelled, chasing us down. "Sleep is very important for your health! Do not do anything stupid!"

Lenny looked around awkwardly, sipping on his drink, then turned to the audience. "So, uh…join us for the next session, set to come out Christmas Day. Take care!"