"Uhhh… Da Vinci? Roman? That's a book."

"Why yes, Gabby. How very observant."

"Oh you- Gudork! You know exactly what I'm getting at!"

Though a tiny wave of mirth coated the Summoning Chamber, confusion mingled among them. Not just for the three servants, two humans, and their new master. No, the newly summoned entity was very much confused too. Maybe just as on guard as them, but certainly not as tense.

Long before the blinding light faded and the residual prana rained down like snow, the feelings and emotions of the air filled with all its colors to be gleamed… Or, in this case, their somber colors. For socially adept humans, hidden emotions could be seen and understood. There was no hiding anything from the new servant, especially not when it all assaulted her on the spot.

For Nursery Rhyme, the concept of fairy tales incarnate, emotions and feelings were loud symphonies of feedback, no matter how subdued.

Time seemed to freeze as the floating book grasped everything at once; Such was the prowess that encompassed the combined might of imagination and knowledge. The tension in the air was dreadful. Sadness, despair, frustration, anger… Wherever they were now, the voice didn't lie upon summoning: They needed Nursery's Rhyme's help.

But all was not lost. The rooting tendrils of renewing hope were struggling to gain ground. The beautiful palette of human determination, stubbornness, and defiance were a dull rainbow, but one that still stretched across cloudy skies. Maybe one day it'd stand blindingly vibrant across the overcast of despair. They could help with that.

The conceptual entity quickly shunned its own unease over the two stronger servants standing in the dark; The weaker third merely felt meek yet friendly. The inventor's intent was clear, and though both emanated with a sense of haughty pride and accomplishment, Nursery Rhyme picked up on their own sense of relief too. The voice again didn't lie: These were strange circumstances for a grail war to have allied servants… But were these three all? And if more, all under their sole master?

Finally, one more page flipped inside their glistening tome. The texts shifted and swirled fantastically. Once blank pages filled with imagery of heroic tales and optimistic hope. The fonts grew strong, yet inviting. Large and accessible. The pages filled swiftly to match the quickly accessed personality of their new master.

Hopeful, lenient, studious, determined, accommodating … 'A trusting master with a welcoming heart.'

And so their disembodied voice also grew a tone brighter, and far more open to match. "Hello! I'm Nursery Rhyme! It's nice to meet you, Master! There's a lot I'd like to know, but I've sensed your unease. Would you prefer I take a more comfortable form?"

"Comfortable…?" Gudao quickly asked as he stepped towards her and into the light. His uniform was about as clean as his quickly gleamed experience. Or mostly lack-thereof. "Nursery Rhyme, you said? Are you a… shapeshifter of some kind?"

"A concept as a servant… So Chaldea can summon those too." Tesla muttered with intrigue from the console.

Though she picked up on the mutterings to ask about later, the floating velvet-covered book stayed focused on Gudao. "Something of that sort! But if you'd prefer, I can take on a much more accepting look for you. Is there anything you'd like? Some sort of Fairy Tale that catches your interest?"

Gudao glanced back to the others with mild confusion, but after a brief pause, he'd quickly found an answer. "Sorry. I'm not too sure what you should be… What about you, though? Is there a look you prefer? You're more than welcome to choose that if it makes you more comfortable."

'What a welcoming heart indeed,' Nursery Rhyme thought, but his smile and words ignited an inferno. The flames rushed through unseen thoughts, triggering memories the book shouldn't have retained. But how bright they were… Experiences from a Moon Cell war, and her former master who'd lived such a painfully short life.

"Alice…?"

The mere thoughts of that time resonated powerfully. The emotions Nursery Rhyme felt… The need to keep Alice company and be the friend she needed after wandering so long as a net-ghost. Every little glimpse of happiness on her child master's face was more than enough satisfaction, but she wasn't here… Nursery Rhyme was the one alone now.

"Alice, are you okay…?"

'…But maybe…' Their thoughtful pause in that first hour had grown long, but the first words of a new tale were gently being penned.

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Fragment 110: My Own Little Fairy Tale

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A gentle hand on her lap broke a warm spell. "Are you alright, Alice?"

By the warm touch and voice, she finally returned from that memory, once upon a time ago. The warm glow of the Library's amber light glistened across the spines of well-worn and cared for books. The many festive decorations smiled silently atop shelves, the front desk, and reading tables. To her one side, the afternoon blizzard raged past in stark contrast to the warm presence at her other side.

Then came the emotions swirling in the room. The prestigious air and satisfaction of aged stories. The contentment of those that resided within. A warm happiness radiating from each soul in these nearest walls, marred only with a slight tinge of worry by the one at her side. Remembering where she was and what she was doing but moments before, Nursery Rhyme smiled sheepishly.

"I'm sorry. I was remembering my first day in Chaldea." It would have been rude to accidentally ignore the Arabian beauty any longer.

"Your book form?" Scheherazade asked after she placed her notepad back onto her lap. "Do you ever use it anymore?"

"Sometimes~! It's very handy in hide and seek, but it doesn't fool my sister anymore," Nursery Rhyme giggled softly while smothering it with her free hands. It further warmed the older caster's smile. "It's a cute form, but this one is definitely my favorite~!"

"You're even cuter than a Disney depiction. I'm uncertain what else you can be, but this is my favorite too."

As a living reality marble of sorts? Nursery Rhyme could be a lot. The power of children's imagination, including nightmares, was a very powerful force. She could have remained a floating book, and continued to be just an entity. She could be something else too, but nope! This was how it should be, or so the many possibilities within her agreed.

A plain youth. Her wardrobe changed every day, just like any other child's; Today she wore a royal white, frilly Victorian dress since those were her favorite kinds. Long ago, she would have had her doll-like joints on display, but they'd long been replaced with the organic sight of human joints. What better way to represent the young child master who touched her conceptual heart?

And with every passing month, there always seemed to be a new soul in Chaldea to add among her favorite readers. Today it was the most recent: A once perpetually terrified storyteller who couldn't even leave her room. Now she walked briskly through the halls to her destinations with more confidence. All thanks to that special necklace that sat beautifully on her neck to match her other golden Middle Eastern adornments and her white kaften's trim.

The warm comfort and slight eagerness in Scheherazade's eyes was definitely more fitting of Chaldea's tale! Nursery Rhyme giggled again. "You flatter me too much, Scher! I'm just another child."

"And my favorite… but please don't let the others know. I wouldn't wish to dampen their enthusiasm," Scheherazade requested with a gentle finger to her lips.

'They're definitely aware…' Nursery Rhyme didn't voice the thought. It was fairly obvious to anyone looking that Scheherazade took a stronger liking to the little caster, no matter how much she tried to hide it. But wasn't it expected? A storyteller should love the tales they read. "My lips are sealed~! …Or my covers are closed?"

They shared another small, quiet laugh as Nursery Rhyme picked up her notebook again. The special child hummed, "Where were we again…? Mmm… Mm~! A friendly ghost that can take the form of any cartoon character!"

"It doesn't have to be limited to just cartoons, no? Maybe novels too?"

"Would the boy be reading novels?" Nursery Rhyme picked up her fluffy feather pen and placed it to her mouth. It almost tickled her nose. "He's still young."

"Janna is trying to read through Harry Potter."

Nursery Rhyme remained unsure as she stared at the perfect sketches and notes on her lined papers. "Mmm… But Janna is still years older than our lead."

Scheherazade nodded. "I suppose, but I've read about some children picking up heavy reading at a very early age. Perhaps it would go well with how this child is a bullied outcast?"

"Tearjerker sympathy for the beginning hook… It would help with that," Nursery Rhyme mumbled again, then smiled sheepishly. "We don't even have a name for her yet."

"Everything comes with time," Scheherazade smiled as a cartoonish feather pen formed in midair to begin sketching on Nursery Rhyme's notepad. It drew the first gentle curves of their supporting character, the friendly ghost. "Their real identity is who they are, no?"

Nursery Rhyme could definitely agree with that statement. "Mhmm~! But I like getting ahead of myself~!"

Scheherazade's soft giggle was smothered by her own hand. "And you may. It's your story."

"Our first collaboration," the young caster corrected with a proud grin. "Hopefully we have it in time for my sister's birthday!"

"Wouldn't she rather have a stuffed animal? Jackie loves listening to stories, but..."

"It's coming from her favorite stories, so she'll forgive me," the caster winked. "And we could always couple it with… Oh! That's it~! What if the ghostie can turn into the boy's favorite stuffed animals so it can accompany them to school?"

Scherezade's eyes widened with surprise, beaten only be her flaring smile. "You're very creative, Alice."

The little caster giggled as Scheherazade affectionally reached over and rubbed her head. "I hope so. I'm the embodiment of childish imagination~!"

Their combined story took one further step just a day before Christmas Eve.

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With Scheherazade's break over, Nursery Rhyme left feeling accomplished. Sure, they'd made great headway on their collaboration, but that was another milestone. As one of the few that Scheherazade felt very comfortable around, the special caster's eternal mission was achieved: She'd brightened the day of another soul she spent time with.

It was the goal of fairy tales the world across every culture. Maybe they'd give lessons on morality too, and maybe it was her summoned disposition speaking… but her purpose was to entertain. To cheer up. To bring happiness to those in her presence, and that would never change for anything, homage to Alice or not.

But of course she loved that too. At some point, she'd acknowledged themselves and Alice as one in the same within Chaldea. To live and feel physically beloved by the other children. To be able to relish the warmth of a family and friends she'd only ever regaled from the pages of countless tales. As flawed and bumbling as humanity was, there was profound beauty to relish; No time more so than a truly festive season.

Clutching her notepad to her chest and Jingle Bells on her lips, Nursery Rhyme skipped daintily down the halls towards her room. Her sister would soon probably be done cleaning her army of cute plushies so they can help Janna with final Christmas preparations. It shouldn't take too long now that Quetzalcoatl and Altera became surprise helpers, so that likely meant more time to play with everyone later. Or, even better… a tea party!

"Good afternoon, King Hassan~!" Nursery Rhyme cheered merrily. She skipped by the silent guardian as he stood before the vault, armored and unmoving. Despite the strange sight, she didn't even glance twice at the fluffy reindeer antlers tied to his helm's horns: That was Yedda's doing. Probably.

After greeting a few robots and twirling past two newer employees, Nursery Rhyme soon found herself slowing to a stop as she neared the Summoning Chamber's entrance. Judging by the sudden pulse of energy that leaked through the heavily reinforced barriers, it was active. It clicked. 'Right... Gabby's Thronebook post. One final Pre-Christmas summoning session.'

Anyone was always free to walk in and watch a summoning… but that was usually just watching the masters fail to get much more than mystic codes and craft coins. The catalysts were the only real safe guarantees for getting a servant of some kind, but the warehouse was only full of questionable 'catalysts' that, when used… usually wound up giving more mystic codes and craft coins.

But what was the harm in taking a peak while she was here?

Merry tunes still on her lips, Nursery Rhyme approached the double doors. They beeped and slid open a moment later, revealing the ever-moody dim interior within. She walked in with a bright smile and wave, "Hi~! Any good presents for Christmas?"

"Hi, Alice! Yes! We have two so far!" Gabrielle's upbeat cheer quickly snagged Nursery Rhyme's full attention. The emotions of the room slammed into her quick, but jolliness prevailed over the small uncertainties and curious glows. Glancing around quickly, she found there was more than just the usual formally dressed Tesla, battleclad Da Vinci, or the uniformed masters. Skyler was here too, but she highly doubted he was summoning since that was a privilege unlocked with a master's confirmation.

There were a few other servants lingering around too, like Chiron, Scathach, and Cursed Arm, but her attention quickly snapped to the two mentioned presents. One of them was only now just walking with Gabrielle to join the other, who she quickly recognized from sitting in the Roman Theater for that singularity. At first, the little caster was hopeful for yet another childish friend, but with all her antics during the Agartha singularity, the white-haired girl kept doubt as a close companion.

"The first Chinese Empress has arrived? Wu Zetian?"

"I'd prefer Great Sacred Empress Zetian," the purple-haired servant responded with a sharp, royal tone. That was only to be expected from her, despite her young looks and bubblegum colored battle down. The sheer weight of haughtiness in her sharp eyes declared well how high she saw herself among even her fellow servants. Hopefully that'd tone down a bit… but judging by Nero, Gilgamesh, Ozymandias, Medb…

'…That list of I'm-better-than-yous just grew by one…' Nursery Rhyme sighed mentally as she stopped her listing short. "My mistake. Welcome to Chaldea, you two… Oh. You're the assassin who kidnapped Gabby."

"I don't think it'd be damn wise to kidnap her again," the muscular, very handsome assassin chuckled freely as he stopped a few paces away. They say great tattoos spun incredible stories, but the black-haired man's tale was already well chronicled. Despite his background, he stood fairly proud and confident, though Nursery Rhyme wondered if it was because Gabrielle was… as expected… not-so-subtly eyeing his muscular frame. "I guess I could try?"

"You wouldn't," Nursery Rhyme easily called him out. Even if he did, stirring over a hundred other servants was more of a hassle than an outright panic, really. "But it's nice to meet you, Yan Qing. Even better now that we're on the same side. I hope you'll behave yourself~!"

"You're going to trust an outlaw too, huh…?" the assassin smirked incredulously as the mirth shined in his eyes. "Strange lot of misfits you are. I guess I could take a liking to that."

"Don't just ignore my presence!" Wu snapped, making Chiron and Scathach share a contemplating but amused glance further behind. The small assassin's smirk still returned. "Or not. I guess I wouldn't want to associate with the rabble anyway."

"You'll be doing a lot of associating with them now that you're here~…" Da Vinci hummed, earning a judging glare from the assassin. The Director ignored it as she placed the last new saint quartz perfectly on its pedestal. She began her stroll back. "So how about one more to get the streak going? If we don't count Anishka's new Shinji doll, that makes two servants in a row~! Will three be a lucky charm?"

"You supposedly have hundreds of servants, and now me. Do you really need more?" Wu huffed proudly. At this rate, the new Empress was probably going to grate on Nursery Rhyme's nerves sooner rather than later, though she did have a point. Did they really need more servants with such a powerful host…?

Well of course they did. They needed more friends!

"Go for the last one, Gudao! Annie and I got two, so you get us tic-tac-toe!" Gabrielle commanded as Anishka walked over to greet Yan.

"I'm going to get black keys," he shrugged to seemingly jinx himself. Nursery Rhyme wished him luck anyway… at least enough not to get that weird, 'magically-potent' Mapo Tofu. "Here goes nothing."

Nursery Rhyme tuned out the Empress' grumbling to watch the system fire up on Gudao's throw of the lever. Truthfully, she couldn't get tired of watching it. It was magical; Literally, of course, but very fun to watch! Waiting for the appearing orbs of prana to signal the result was like untying the bow on a present.

Their bow turned rainbow in color, making Da Vinci whistle in surprise. "Whatever tweaks BB made yesterday… I'm impressed."

"Seeeee, Senpais~?" On cue, despite the beautiful crescendo of speeding energy before them, BB appeared from spirit form. Her white shirt was awfully oversized to hang off her shoulder and reveal part of her black bra. Her yoga pants were almost too tight by comparison; BB was a strange entity no matter the iteration. But her smirking wink was ever-eternal. "I can do good things too when you give me what I want~! So enjoy the fruits of a bigger summoning pool~!"

Gabrielle's eyes lit up brighter than the flash of heralding light. "Does that mean less-!?"

"More mystic codes and craft coins too~!" BB cheered, making the three masters groan. Tesla and Da Vinci boomed with laughter, but Nursery Rhyme was still wondering if it was a great decision for the council to let BB do some tweaks.

Whatever the case, she placed it aside as she stared towards the forming silhouette among the… Wait. "Ummm… Uncle Chiron? Is he one of your friends?"

Chiron stared curiously towards the towering silhouette, which was definitely not a human. At least not the bottom half. As proud, ancient armor took form on the human-like torso and arms, and vibrant plumes fell from the… horse head. Was that a plume or its mane? Now Nursery Rhyme was getting confused with what, or who, she was staring at.

"…BB, what did you do?" Gabrielle tossed with equal parts confusion and disbelief.

BB quickly pouted. "I was told make the system better, so I did! There are now more variable possibilities, including this horse apparently!"

"Horse?" The new servant's voice was remarkably smooth, but it immediately answered the first concern: This wouldn't be a repeat of Lobo. This… centaur? Whatever it was, it spoke clear English without hesitation and rather proudly. Like a honed warrior. It scoffed. "Maybe this form deceives you, but you stand before military might incarnate! I see whoever summoned me is a strong general to have so many other servants under their command."

"No one commands me!" Wu countered, but the newly summoned servant ignored her. Just like Nursery Rhyme was considering.

"Indeed. As expected of anyone who can summon me. So it shall be that the peerless I shall become part of your strength from henceforth! Your enemies shall tremble before the wrath of Lu Bu Fenxian!"

"…Annie, he said he's Lu Bu, but…" Gabrielle's quick whisper was instantly affirmed by every older Chaldean in earshot. Nursery Rhyme had seen and fought Lu Bu only once, but his form was consistent. This centaur was certainly not him.

"Maybe it's his true form?" Anishka whispered back curiously as the tall servant walked over to them with a trot.

"Now then, delay no further! Which one of you is in command?" 'Lu Bu' declared impatiently, only for Gudao to quickly jog up. His eyes quickly judged the smaller man, making him release a short snort from flaring nostrils. "Hm. Not very muscular. Fairly ordinary. I suppose you got other talents to make up for your lack of prowess?"

"I'd hope so to have gotten this far," Gudao smiled back, but then motioned for Anishka and Gabrielle to join him. Now 'Lu Bu' was far more surprised and confused as Gudao motioned to the other two. "We haven't done a formal introduction for Yan Qing either, but since you're the last guest to join us, we'll waste no further time. We are your Chaldean masters. Gudao Fujimura, Gabrielle Rutherford, and Anishka Sharma. Please rest assured, we will what we can to make your stay comfortable in exchange for your loyalty in the coming battles."

"Our stay? Is this a hotel?" Yan joked with an amused smirk.

"I'd relate it more to a resort town," Cursed Arm piped up beside Skyler, all while 'Lu Bu' sniffed the air curiously Chiron's way. The last summoned servant still glanced back, partially intrigued by the assassin's words. "You'll definitely feel welcome so long as you keep the peace."

"Welcomed? It better be a proper welcome indeed for my arrival," Wu noted smugly. Again, Nursery Rhyme's eye twitched.

"As Gudao said, we'll do what we can to see to your needs within reason," Anishka bowed with her generously respectful smile. Skyler simply watched in silence. "We're sure you'll come to like it here."

"Especially now because it's almost time for the big Christmas celebrations!" Gabrielle cheered. "So how about we get started on your tour of Chaldea? Gudao! You wanna give the introduction while I post a status?"

"Hey! You're not going to think about letting the cute little devil help cleanup, are you!?" BB yammered from the console, but anyone who knew her already knew she was going to run off anyway.

Ignoring the growing conversations and small interviews, Nursery Rhyme took a few steps away to look over the three new arrivals. It was only last year that summonings were this lucky and frequent, but it looked like it was about to kick into high gear again. Da Vinci and the council never said why, but… Whatever the reason, Nursery Rhyme had mixed feelings about it. She didn't know what to think or believe, so she simply squashed any nightmare fuel before they turned into big bad wolves for her mind.

It was Christmas. She wasn't going to squirm of what may be when there was so much fun waiting.

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Santa's temporary workshop was just a vacant supply room. So long as it had plenty of space for the foldable tables, it could've been anywhere secluded. Janna insisted on secrecy, though, so they were working swiftly and diligently. It brought back memories of when Jack and Nursery Rhyme helped Joan last year, except there weren't anywhere near as many presents as 2016's Christmas.

Not an hour into their swift wrapping session, the giant closet already looked like a bomb went off. Wrapping paper shredding was strewn all over the floor. Ribbon spools, empty and used, were scattered like caltrops. The giant pile of gifts with sticky notes, both Secret Santa or unrequested, had shrunk considerably. Yet there was still a fair amount of work left.

"Sis, can you pass the tape?" Not a second later, Jack tossed the dispenser like a dagger to Nursery Rhyme, who caught it without looking. "Thanks."

"Poyo?" Nursery Rhyme looked beside her, where Kirby was holding a brand new automated coffee dispenser box; Safe guess was it was for Naomi, if not one of the Vanguard's operators.

"I'll get to that in a second, Kirby. I'm still on this one." Nursery Rhyme pointed out as she carefully folded the last red wrapping flap over a sparkling flask set. Jing Ke was sure to love this. "Or maybe Jackie can do it."

"I'm free!" Jack called out from a little blue bean bag chair across the room. Kirby's eyes lit up, and it quickly waddled towards the comfy assassin. Snug in a black set of sweats, her sister gently put down a small present whose tag designated it for Anastasia. Jack's face winced. "Eeeeewwwww… Coffee."

"It's not so bad, Jackie~! Just bitter~!" Quetzalcoatl hummed in her outrageous wrestling Santa outfit. Happily seated at one of the tables, keeping Spanish Christmas music flaring from her phone's portable speaker. "Janna tried it. I wouldn't drink it in place of my favorite juices, but it's not so bad, si~?"

"I filled mine with milk so I can grow up nice and healthy," Janna replied contently from her own beanbag chair. Her battle attire's bells jingled as she nodded sagely with a prim smile. "It didn't taste bitter with milk! I learned it through internet articles!"

"Is that so?" Altera asked as she wrapped a present next to her. It was a giant stack of antique, but empty, journals. A tag written by Janna revealed the recipient's name: Sahara. One day, just maybe, Janna can say and spell the storyteller's name. "I don't like its taste. It's bad civilization for something so helpful to taste so bad."

"Robitussin is worse!" Jack made a face as she seemingly recalled an incident… but…

"Jackie, cutie, servants don't get sick. Why were you fooling around with Robitussin…?" Quetzalcoatl asked as she spun a new present on one hand perfectly while wrapping it with the other.

"She wasn't. It was Nightingale who thought she had a cold," Nursery Rhyme grimaced at the memory. As helpful and diligent as the nurse was now, those earlier months saw a lot more of her… unreasonable episodes… "She wouldn't stop crying for a few minutes. I don't blame her. It was gross."

"The taste didn't last as long for you, Alice!" Jackie pouted, and the older sister quickly deadpanned.

"Because I drank tea to smother the taste! You should've drank my tea!" When Jack grimaced more at her comment, Nursery Rhyme pouted. "I'll never understand your aversion to tea!"

"It's not juice! Juice is better! Juice is yummy!"

"Tea has healthier properties and is a sign of elegance and class!" Nursery Rhyme groaned. "I even make you sweeter teas and you still run off!"

"Tea parties are so boooooring!" Jack whined, making Altera and Quetzalcoatl giggle.

"They're not boring! Take that back! They're classy!" At least Janna was nodding in agreement with her.

"Boooooooriiiiiiiiing!" Jack sure wasn't. As always.

They'd fallen quickly into a little spat, which Altera and Quetzalcoatl only enjoyed. In truth, Nursery Rhyme did to some extent too. As much as they loved each other, the adopted sisters didn't agree on everything, but that was a good thing. One hundred percent agreement may not always be a good sign, and diversity and healthy conflict led to growth.

Which is exactly what Nursery Rhyme had been trying to help her sister with: Growth of character. The eldest was very well aware of the heartwarming mission and mindset the amalgamation of wraiths was living for the sake of the lost; It was unbelievably beautiful. But dammit if Nursery Rhyme wasn't going to instill some sense of lady-like class into the usually unruly, energetic former-orphan! She can't act like a cute child in every situation!

…Alright, so maybe Jack could and always did, but Nursery Rhyme was still determined! "Our Mommy likes tea parties! Don't you want new ways to spend time with her!?"

"No she doesn't! Mommy would rather jog! Just because Marie dragged her to a few sit downs doesn't mean she likes them! You made that up!" Dang. Jack called the bluff.

"What if I found you tea that tastes like cotton candy!? Like I've been saying I could do!"

"Nuh uh! Just gimme cotton candy then! It's fluuuuuffy~! Not hot!"

"You don't have to drink tea when it's steaming!" Nursery Rhyme groaned again as she placed aside the newly wrapped, oversized stuffed butterfly for Asterios. As she was about to continue their spat, she paused upon seeing the next gift Kirby held up. "…There's a gift for Lobo?"

That caught Janna's quick nod. "Mhm~! The council thought they'd give him one to feel better, but… I'm not sure if I can deliver it to him…"

"He still doesn't like being around people," Nursery Rhyme concluded, making the others in the room nod. Except Jack. Now Jack was pouting outright while half-glaring at her sister. The eldest groaned. "Jackie, are you still pouting about tea-"

"How come Lobo lets you approach him!? Huh? Why, why, why, why? I wanna pet the fluffy wolfy wolf! It's no faaaaaaair!"

And all of a sudden, a new little spat erupted between the siblings to fan the mirth of their companions.

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As a small break for her wrapping, Nursery Rhyme was given a task by Santa. Of course she wasn't about to turn it down: Janna was one of her best friends, and Nursery Rhyme appreciated her insistence on learning and growing. Plus, there was probably few others who could genuinely perform this task.

So, over a day early, Nursery Rhyme skipped merrily through Fantasia Forest like little red riding hood. Down a new branch of the main trail, she quickly came up to probably the easiest new addition to Chaldea next to the Ski Lifts. As foreboding and ominous as most caves were, the large maw of the entrance cavern looked far more beautiful with its glimmering stalactites and stalagmites. All it was missing were a few cute bats hanging around in the ceilings.

As she skipped inside, her footsteps began to echo. The trickle of water from a creek, fed from a spring deeper in the new Cavern System, echoed peacefully to scare away any unsettling silence. If she listened even more carefully, she could hear the gentle twinkle of dew on the natural rock sculptures like laughter of fairies. That got her thinking… 'Maybe it could use some mythical stuff like fairies?'

Whatever developments it may have, the cave network had been very easy to construct for obvious reasons. All Da Vinci had to do was tell Paul they needed expansion, and the berserker quickly went wild. Almost too wild. The casters did the rest with decoration, but that creativity was straightforward compared to an indoor faux-ocean with accompanying resort.

Through the winding caves, Nursery Rhyme wandered dutifully through well-worn rocky trails. Most would need a map, but she was special. The power of children's imagination was incredible, and for one reason or another, it manifested in different ways and means for her. In this case, it was a sense of direction unparalleled: Her heart sought a gift for a wounded soul, and so she would find him.

…Eventually, but guaranteed.

After two embarrassing wrong turns thanks to her sightseeing, she'd finally arrived at a special cavern. The large entrance was wreathed with comfortable firs and stalagmites, but also included a huge grassy welcome mat that had already shown use. On a sign above, both in animal tongue and old English, read the royal title of its owner. Within, she sensed and smiled at the glow of satisfaction emanating from its resident.

Content, Nursery Rhyme smiled, but gently, carefully walked to the entrance. It'd be her first time seeing Lobo's home after its completion days ago, but she was glad the wolf felt happier. Stepping up to a long stalactite, she fell at a loss of proper etiquette. So she did what came natural: She gently knocked on the rocky formation. "Hello? Mister Lobo, are you home?"

The content air shifted with uncertainty, yet only a brief flare of irritation. There was the muffled sound of rustling fur within, far quieter than it should have. Nursery Rhyme pegged it on the special bounded field she sensed: It probably masked sound for comfort. She knocked again. "Mister Lobo? I'm sorry if I'm bothering you... But I have a gift!"

Happy barking quickly caught her attention. Staring to the hidden turn ahead, Cavall II came rocketing around the bend. The puppy skidded to a halt, only to bump up against her while barking, tail wagging fiercely. Nursery Rhyme giggled as it jumped up to lick at her face. "Oh hi, Cavall! Are you visiting him?"

"Fou, fou!" It seemed Fou was too. Chaldea's most famous animal turned the corner almost royally and walked towards them. It barked gently to Cavall, but the puppy still excitedly played around Nursery Rhyme. She could've sworn she saw the little white creature roll its eyes. "Fou, fou…"

That's when the heavier paws approached. Nursery Rhyme glanced to the bend where the illuminating crystals lit up the gorgeous fur of the Wolf King. Lobo's studying gaze sent a shiver of uncertainty down her spine that thawed ever slowly. He didn't glare in his approach, but stared only with curiosity at the new visitor. A far better welcome than most ever got, indeed.

No doubt, Nursery Rhyme pegged it on her state of existence as a concept. It was a blessing she wouldn't take for granted. "Hello, Mister Lobo! Um… Sorry if I'm bothering you, and I know you don't celebrate human holidays, so I thought I'd give you your present early."

Lobo barked low, but gently. Likely confusion. The king eyed Fou, then Nursery Rhyme as she reached into her little side purse. Pulling out the far, far larger present was almost comical; Chaldea's special bags were wondrouss artifacts. "It's a present from the masters and the council. I made sure the wrapping paper had sheep so you can tear into it freely! You won't mess up the gift inside, I promise. It's very sturdy."

As she placed the square present down, which towered over her, Lobo took a step forward to sniff it strangely. "You'll like it! I promise!"

Lobo was sniffing at it still as Fou came up to inspect. Cavall was wagging his tail excitedly, but Fou was seemingly holding him back with directed barks. Nursery Rhyme watched their strange interaction, only for Lobo's head to snap up. Its eyes turned regal and sharp, but not hostile. A bit guarded, if anything, and Nursery Rhyme suspected it was another visitor or passerby.

Then the gentle clip-clop of horse hooves approached. Nursery Rhyme turned around and waited with the others. Before long, past a large illuminating crystal that marked a fork in a cave passage, 'Lu Bu' appeared from one of them, with hidden guarding observers likely nearby. He paused for a moment, stared down the cave, then smiled. "Ah! So I've discovered the lair of the Wolf King. And you're the young caster from before."

"Hello, Lu Bu," Nursery Rhyme greeted awkwardly. The name still didn't click with a sane, centaur-like being. Something definitely felt off about its identity, but the unique servant had been insistent, so… "Did you have a nice tour?"

"As pleasant as it could be with such cramped hallways," the rider noted as it approached. "The resort and these caves are far more comfortable. But nothing beats the battlefield for one such as I! Oh, so you're the grand wolf I've been told about. Your presence is mighty, King of Currumpaw. Avenger or not, it's even… comforting? I feel more comfortable around you than the others."

Nursery Rhyme was worried Lobo was going to start huffing and puffing, but upon turning to the king, she blinked. Lobo still stared in confusion, but any ounce of hostility was nowhere to be felt. 'Lu Bu' didn't seem to think anything was amiss. "I see you have a present, so I shall offer my own: An introduction to the peerless I, Lu Bu Fenxian, the great leader who sundered armies with undeniable charges!"

Lobo's gaze only turned more incredulous and confused. No hostility appeared even after introducing himself as a human, which quickly got Nursery Rhyme's pages turning in analyzation. Lobo's quick confirming sniff, followed by questioning barks, only further pushed her inquiry.

'Lu Bu' seemed taken back immediately. "…Oh? Why yes. I understand what you're saying. Shouldn't all servants?"

Fou quickly added something with its own barks, and now it was 'Lu Bu's' turn to fall confused. By now, Nursery Rhyme had fished her phone out to see if she could gleam anything from a few select servants. It didn't take long for her to see Amakusa had indeed made a post.

Amakusa Tokisada

Regarding one of our new servants.

We've discussed it with the masters and council before making it public. The Rider-Class servant introducing himself as Lu Bu is not him, but rather his famed horse Red Hare. True Name Discernment confirmed it, but we're currently at a loss as to why he believes he's Lu Bu without Mad Enhancement or Mental Pollution in any form.

We believe it's a delicate situation, so please converse with Red Hare in a respectable manner until we find more information.

Merry Christmas

Nursery Rhyme quickly put her phone away and glanced to Red Hare. The sheer confusion in his eyes as he talked with Lobo in their own tongue only grew in the past few seconds. Whatever the case may be, she hoped it wouldn't be a sudden pitfall for the holidays. It was something out of her league though, and best handled by someone else. Perhaps even Lobo, since he would likely relate to an animal companion better than most.

'That still doesn't explain why Red Hare's form is so strange…'

¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VI ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨

The rest of the evening passed quickly, and so too did the night. By the first rays from their sisters' Sunscape Window, Nursery Rhyme was already up and excited. Christmas Eve was going to be filled with lots of overflowing cheer, merriness, and some jolly fun in Salon de Marie all day long! Besides playing with her friends, and taking a break to enjoy Tea Time with Marie, it was bound to be a great day.

"Jackie! Jackie! It's Christmas Eve! Lots of fun today!" It was usually her younger sister who was giddily waking her up for an exciting day ahead, but today, Jack seemed sleepier. Waiting patiently beside the youngest's bed in her frilly nightgown, Nursery Rhyme gently shook the lump underneath the covers. "Jackie? Wakey, wakey!"

"…Mmmmmm…" The lump stirred, but Kirby was the first to squirm out of the blanket to greet Nursery Rhyme with a happy smile. As it began to fly around the room to stretch, Jack's messy hair poked out from the covers. Her sleepy face followed. "Alice…? Is it Christmas morning…?"

She giggled back. "No, Jackie. It's Christmas Eve! We get our presents tomorrow~!"

"…Oh." Nursery Rhyme blanched in disbelief as Jack simply plopped back onto her pillow and slipped back under the covers. "I'm gonna sweep more…"

"Wha!? Jackie, there's lots to do today!"

"No school and the fun-fun doesn't start until ten… It's too early…" A few hours, sure… but despite Nursery Rhyme's own enthusiasm, Jack had a fair point. It was still pretty early, and it was Christmas Eve.

Oh well. Maybe she's just a bit too excited for what possibilities were for today. Or maybe the overpowering emotions of hope and festive joy leaking through the walls colored her pages with impatient glee. "…Mm. Fine, you can sleep in. I'll be in the Salon if you change your mind though!"

"Okaaay…" The sleepy response made Nursery Rhyme smile. "Morning Alice… Save me food pwease…"

The caster gently leaned over and planted a kiss on Jack's head, making her squirm with a bit of joy. She then took a deep breath, silently chanted, and ushered forth tiny, unseen chimes to join her melody.

~~Twinkle, twinkle, little star.~~
~~How I wonder what you are.~~
~~Up above the world so high,~~
~~Like a diamond in the sky.~~

~~Twinkle, twinkle, little star.~~
~~How I wonder what you are.~~

Once her twinkling chimes ended for her shortened song, she heard the soft, comfortable breaths of her sister. She smiled. "Good morning, Jackie. Enjoy your little nap~."

Her job done, Nursery Rhyme quickly walked over to her dresser to pull out the clothes she'd chosen the night before. She already had Jack's blue-and-white snowflake sweater set laid out on her chair, but the caster liked to ensure no spec of extra dust landed on her own wardrobe before she donned it. As she opened her drawer and pulled out the frilly red and green Christmas dress, she gave one final check on Jack. The gentle breaths were all the indication she needed.

Even if there were sibling spats, Nursery Rhyme couldn't have had a better adopted sister for her life. They were one in the same: Two entities just trying to bring happiness to children, one way or another. With their growing family, they had more than enough means to do so and relish their peaceful lives.

Of course, the battlefield was where they could let their more ruthless and cunning sides come out, but those were stories best left at the wall. They weren't as cute. Or fluffy. Or warm.

After she got dressed and wished her parents a good morning, it would be time to add a new warm holiday to her mental album!

¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨

With gentle jingles from the bells of her Victorian dress cap, Nursery Rhyme wandered towards the doors of Salon de Marie's Ballroom. Judging by the soft mingling echoing from open doors, many others were awaiting the morning's breakfast in merry comfort. All events and gatherings for the day revolved around the most regal room in Chaldea, so there was little reason for a servant to leave. 'Now what to do first…? Is Scheherazade here?'

The caster slowed her pace ever so slightly as two people came into view. Withholding her own impulse to glare, she smiled and waved towards the distant pair when Delaqua waved down the hall. A robot waved back out of mistake, but Nursery Rhyme's attention remained split between the supervisor and her Amazonian friend. The pair in red workout clothes quickly disappeared into the salon, but not before Penthesilea sent the tiniest slither of an apologetic glance her way.

To her credit, the Amazonian Queen had been keeping her distance from the family ever since the event. The shame that emanated from her was so profound Nursery Rhyme couldn't ignore it long after the incident. There had even been a formal apology to the rest of their core family too, though it was met by a wall of glares. Even now, during this festive season and with all she could feel, Nursery Rhyme struggled not to glare at her, as justifiable and irrational as everything had been.

But love and passion merely made people unreasonable to the highest degree. Nursery Rhyme was no better.

Not wanting to crush her jolliness, she picked up her pace towards the doors. With one final glance out the windowed hallway, she smiled at the gently falling snowflakes for the day. Maybe they could go outside and make some extra snowmen around the new Ski Lifts? That'd depend on what her friends wanted though. She didn't mind staying in the warmth of the salon if that's what they desired.

A minute of strolling later, she'd walked through the doors. A pulse of expectation flew through the air, and her guard flew high. She instinctively glanced up, noticed the ambushing mistletoe in the same spot as last year, and calmly side stepped it. She was alone, but she wasn't taking any chances when Marie and Mata Hari were always so… predatory with their matchmaking interests.

Speaking of which, she spotted the pair giggling at her from the bar. Ignoring the smell of the growing breakfast buffet, she glided over with a cheery smile. "You're not getting me~!"

"You're too young to be ambushed~…" Mata Hari winked as she cleaned a glass in her strapless red Christmas gown. Nursery Rhyme giggled at how they weren't even trying to hide their shame. "Where's your sister?"

"Being lazy," she replied with a giggle as she gave Marie a warm hug. "Good morning, Aunties. Ready for a big day?"

"You don't know the half of it~!" Marie sang as she folded her arms back in the lap of her elegant crystal gown. It shimmered more grandly than Cinderella's dress. "I've already gotten a few presents, but I can't wait to see what Santa might have for us."

"As long as Quetz doesn't suplex one into our laps, I'll be happy," the assassin added, making the trio giggle. "Alice, dear, do you want to play with Paula? She's with Miyu and Mia at the other side."

"I'll be playing all day, so I can stay and talk for a bit," Nursery Rhyme smiled as she finally glanced over the ballroom. "You really went all out, Auntie Marie."

"Tis' the season," the queen winked as she stared over her grand room. From snowmen to reindeers and nutcrackers, no table was spared from the festive joy. A few menorahs remained lit. Snowflakes dangled from the ceiling. A tall evergreen, covered in custom made ornaments, stood proudly over the grand piano as Mozart continued to play some warmup songs with Erik. It easily beat last year's effort by miles, and the vibrant glee erupting within proved it.

Upon waving towards the knitting group at their usual spot, Nursery Rhyme considered walking over to play with Giovanni, By the looks of it, Raikou was already doing it, but the smile on the berserker's face was far more strained than she'd ever seen. That singularity's development was still clearly shaking her, even as she tried to hide it from others; She wondered if Elsa was now helping her like she was with Scheherazade.

Though she considered seeing how Raikou was faring too, she was stopped when Mata Hari suppressed a giggle. "Marie. We got some fun inbound~…"

Nursery Rhyme glanced to the doors as Joan and Dantes walk inside talking calmly. They were stopped only when Marie waved to them, covered her giddy smile with one hand, and pointed above the door. "You know the rules, Joan~!"

They'd long been teased about it, but today they certainly looked more like an item. Joan's silky black dress was short on the hem but long on the neckline. It was coupled with a silver fur scarf that matched the flower and mithril trimming on Dantes' black suit pants, collared shirt, and vest. They also shared an instant look of realization upon seeing the giddy matron.

Dantes looked up first as Joan stared in credulously towards the two gossip lovers and caster. Nursery Rhyme smiled apologetically as Joan glanced up then glowered at the offending mistletoe. The corrupted avenger shot an accusing glance to Marie, who only shrugged without shame. "Tis' the season~…"

"It's a tradition we can ignore, Joan. You remember from last year," Dantes waved off easily with a reassuring smile her way. "You'll just have to bear with the teasing. A simple inconvenience, for how often do we shoulder far wor-"

The room quickly fell dead silent when Dantes' occasional theatrical commentary was interrupted by Joan quickly yanking on his tie to bring his face closer. The move was impossibly fast, so much so most would have missed it; Too bad anyone within this half of Salon de Marie was already looking. A flushing, frustrated Joan, bubbling with an entire emotional palette that floored Nursery Rhyme… didn't seem to care many stared. She still did it.

She still pecked Dantes on the lips, then glared to Marie. "That counts, right? Good. You'll get no more, damn Queen."

That was way more than enough for Marie though. As Joan dragged a totally stunned Dantes further into the room by his wrist, she winced as the air cracked. Marie and Mata Hari's girlish screams and coos gushed from excited lips. "Oh my goodness, it happened!"

"She really did it! Gosh! Our phones! Why didn't we have our phones out!?"

"I gotta tell Ishtar! Oh and Jeanne! Ohhhhh she'll never believe it happened! Joan actually did it!"

Like teenagers, they gossiped and yammered on about what just happened even as Joan shot them an annoyed glare and her usual grumbled death threat. Moments after, the avengers were nearly to the couch as Nursery Rhyme stared in disbelief. Though not as silenced in shock as Dantes, she was pretty baffled. This certainly wasn't how she was expecting to start the day but…

That was one hell of a surprise gift indeed. 'Maybe it actually will go somewhere after all…'

But, no doubt, that was a warm fairy tale still being written.

¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ VIII ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨

Gossip got around quickly, and it was fun seeing Joan squirm and reconsider whether she'd made the right decision or not. Leaving her to the consequences of her impulsive act, Nursery Rhyme wandered over to join her friends. Breakfast would be served soon, but she was more than content to greet everyone merrily…

Well. Nearly everyone. "It's Christmas Eve, you scrooge! Can't you at least put on a fake smile and pretend to not be a pretentious pessimistic dragbag!?"

Rare was it ever that Nursery Rhyme ever let her more abrasive side out, but Hans would always be a glaring exception. That sulking stare had lightened, but it was still there. His words were curbed and withheld, but they still flew from his mouth like nails on a chalkboard. No matter the season, Nursery Rhyme would remain oil and water with him.

"Well good morning to you too, Alice. What shall we argue about today…?" Hans droned out monotonously as he stared deadpan at the pouting caster. Sitting there in a regular blue suit like it was just any other day, not even saying hi or… Gosh! He really grinded her gears sometimes! And just when she thought he was making progress on his own character development!

"Nothing, I hope! I don't want you setting the mood for the day to come!" Nursery Rhyme spat back as she stuck her tongue out. "So don't you go thinking you're going to ruin the ending to another fairy tale."

"For the last time, my depictions are how fairy tales are supposed to end!" Hans quickly glowered as several servants and staff looked over with growing mirth. "They're realistic! Reality is dark and unforgiving! Reality is a cruel mistress!"

"Then stop seeking for a mistress and find a beautiful companion! You only see what you're trying to see!" Nursery Rhyme stomped with an accusing finger. "For goodness sake! How can anyone be so uptight with so much cheer in the air!? You're a mystery!"

For once, Hans opened his mouth, paused, and shut it again. He didn't retort? He didn't retort! He only crossed his arms, huffed, and motioned for her to shoo. As much as that act fired her up more, one of her friends quickly approached and clasped onto her arm. "C'mon, Alice. Let's leave him to his own devices."

"I guess I'll have to," Nursery Rhyme huffed one last time to him.; After a dismissive raise of her chin and a quick turn, she quickly followed Mia towards the children and young teens' usual table. Upon seeing the other caster's silky crystal dress with elegant frills, Nursery Rhyme found her smile once buried beneath recent frustrations. "Oh! Is that a new dress, Mia?"

"Mhm! Big sis and Naomi made it for me!" she smiled back, but then paused and pulled her in to whisper. "Naomi said it was actually all my sister, but she doesn't want to admit it."

"She's still like that, huh?" Nursery Rhyme giggled back as they continued on their merry way. She waved to Touko, Shiki, and Fujino as they swiftly passed, then to Asterios and Euryale as the goddess instructed something. Not long after, Nursery Rhyme slipped onto a chair daintily to join their growing group. "Good morning and Merry Christmas Eve, Paula! Miyu!"

"Merry Christmas Eve. Did you sleep well?" Miyu asked in her ever-soft tone. It wasn't too unusual seeing her without Illya and Kuro within arm's reach these days, but it was still a rare sight. Nursery Rhyme nodded to the other caster, who looked pretty warm in her white turtleneck sweater.

"Jackie's sleeping better than me apparently… Illya and Kuro too?"

"Kuro is. Illya is wrapping presents last minute," she responded calmly. At least the once shy and distancing caster was being more open without her two sisters around. Nursery Rhyme knew their dynamic was deeper and more complicated than that, but she never pressed further. No one did.

Especially not Paul, whose face was currently buried in her tablet. By a quick glance, as expected, she was busy reading articles on Dezeen magazine, but her curious interests, likely driven by passion and mad enhancement combined, didn't snag anyone's attention anymore. They all had their quirks, but they all enjoyed times when they can act freely like children. That was safe to say, at least from Nursery Rhyme's perspective.

"I guess you're serious about joining Delaqua's growing team?" Nursery Rhyme asked.

"Building things is fun!" Her simple response was even more amusing considering the intricately and daringly engineered architecture she was currently staring at. "It's like Legos for adults!"

"Wouldn't it be, Legos is architectural construction but for kids…?" Miyu pegged, but Paul's smile didn't waver.

"Maybe. Making furniture to improve living conditions would be fun, but I hope I can build structural stuff too!"

"Or clear a forest or two…?" Mia asked jokingly, but Paul swiftly nodded her head in agreement. Nursery Rhyme sighed with exasperation; This certainly wasn't a conversation most kids 'their age' should be having, but whatever makes them happy. Between Miyu, Paul, Janna, and herself, they had some prim intellectuals in their cluster.

The rest just rounded them all out and kept them from going… well, too scholarly.

¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ IX ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨

The Christmas Eve celebration paled in comparison to Halloween's festival, but that wasn't the point. It wasn't a holiday about playing dress up or offering lots of stalls for fun games. Far calmer, Christmas Eve was about being with those you cared about in a far less hectic environment. It was about being grateful for what one had and being merry with generosity.

That's why Nursery Rhyme and her friends were more than content to spend their time in Salon de Marie. The only other scheduled holiday activities were at the arcade where they marathon-played festive games. Then there was Medb's adult party far later that night, but that involved alcohol and who knows what else knowing that raunchy queen. Nope, Nursery Rhyme was definitely content to stay here and add to the fun!

Now occupying two couches on the Ballroom side, the gathered children mingled and played with their assortment of games taken from the Arcade. A few picked up a rather heated game of Uno when Quetzalcoatl came over. Jack and Yedda were by the window happily enjoying one Nintendo game or another on their handhelds. That left four of them at the table… to enjoy some early tea time!

"Oooooooh~! Your magic is great!" Gareth praised with sparkly eyes as she watched a child-sized gingerbread man carefully pour her a cup of boiling tea. It placed the porcelain item back onto the silver platter, picked up the cup, and offered it to the knight. She took it a bit too eagerly, nearly threatening to spill it onto her medieval-styled navy maxi dress. "Can you make more, Alice?"

"As many as I desire, dear knight," Nursery Rhyme responded as she elegantly sipped on her own piping hot tea. Her back was perfectly straight on her summoned chair, and once childishly mirthful eyes now glistened with refined sophistication and regality. Even with Lily and Chacha here, the caster was a beacon of high-class even down to her now noble tone. "Aunt Boudica shall bring us some warm scones shortly. Until then, I do believe the biscuits will suffice, yes?"

"Chacha has no complaints!" The berserker agreed as she sipped on her tea from her spot. Elegantly knelt on the pillow beside the table, she reflected her own true mentality with ease; Many still saw her as a strange mix of child and babysitter, but she'd managed to find her own niche when amongst their group. She even found some new clothes to rival her beloved battle dress… even if it was just the same exact dress in different colors.

"Alice, can you pass the sugar?" Lily asked as she sat cozy on the couch in a cute light blue sweater. White knitted ornaments plastered it alongside swords and complimented her ivory skirt. Though she sat prim and proper, she lacked much of her older sister and brother's refined prestige; It remained cute and endearing. "And a napkin too, please?"

With a simple wave of her pinky, Nursery Rhyme ordered a waiting gingerbread man to action. Dressed like a butler, it quickly fetched the necessary items and offered them across the table to Lily. The young king smiled, "Thank you!"

The gingerbread man bowed silently, but its sugary face smiled. Nursery Rhyme nodded. "Now that we're all cozy, let's chat, shall we? Is anyone looking forward to the little Christmas Play Shakespeare has penned for our entertainment?"

"Oh? I heard there was some sort of play but I didn't ask about it…" Gareth quickly perked up as she sipped her tea. She winced, and the little tuffs of black hair on the blonde's head wiggled for a split second. Lily giggled beside her as the knight put her tea down. "Hot…"

"I heard it's a collaboration between the playwright and Lady Scheherazade. She will be supplying actors for his, dare I say… Lighthearted venture." At Nursery Rhyme's words, Chacha stared at her in outright disbelief. The caster only nodded in turn. "Skepticism is fair. I, too, am skeptical, but Lady Scheherazade teased that he was experimenting with lighter themes. I suppose we shall see shortly."

"Was it posted somewhere?" Lily pondered.

Nursery Rhyme nodded daintily. "Only at first light, so it's understandable it was missed. If I recall… Not-So-Silent Night?"

"Chacha hopes it's not too adult with a name like that…" the berserker mulled, and the caster quickly agreed. It best not go down that alley.

"If it received Queen Marie and the council's acceptance, then I believe it won't be scandalous or grating. No Taming of the Shrew, I pray. But Shakespeare is Shakespeare, so time shall tell this merry day." Nursery Rhyme sipped from her tea as her eyes lit up. Usually someone else would be leading the conversation, but among the more mature children, Nursery Rhyme always took point. "So what may be your plans for the evening? Will the knights gather? Shall the clan convene?"

"Auntie didn't make any plans!" How amusingly predictable of Nobunaga. "Chacha will just follow Auntie to the Japanese get together."

"France and New Camelot are getting together," Lily offered before she sipped on her tea. "It was Arturia and Jeanne's idea."

Ozymandias and Gilgamesh's booming laughter from the other side of the room made them pause. Nursery Rhyme nodded a second later. "…It appears so too shall Uruk and Egypt."

"Is Janna giving out the presents while everyone is here? Or is she sneaking them into their rooms?" Lily leaned in to whisper as Gareth followed suit.

The caster only shrugged softly. "I only helped wrap the parcels. The rest is Santa's secret agenda."

Slipping the presents into the room during dinner did seem like the likeliest possibility though. Everyone would be here, even the Clock Tower team. They were probably the only true 'sour lemons' in the whole facility since their attendance isn't exactly voluntary. Relations with the Clock Tower haven't exactly been improving either, but there was always next year, she guessed…

All she could wonder was if any of them besides Gordolf, Vernier, and Touko might get any presents besides 'coal' of some kind.

¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨(¯ˆ·.¸ X ¸.·ˆ¯)¨·..·¨·..·¨·..·¨

Sweets were handed out on platters. Eggnog was downed in droves. Somehow, the Christmas music still hadn't grown stale by week four. Dinner approached quickly, yet the plethora of unplanned activity continued to drive the warmth of the season's height home. When the Ballroom's Christmas tree lit up with brighter ornaments, a rain of magical snowflakes began to cascade gently from the ceiling.

Jack stuck her tongue out to try and catch one on her tongue, but it quickly vanished in a fizzle of prana. She pouted, but Atalanta's arms, wrapped around the little assassin, squeezed her gently in reassurance. In an instant, Jack's smile was beaming again, making the two giggle.

"Say cheese wheel!" Nursery Rhyme lifted her phone. A passing Medb, dressed like a stripperific Santa, winced instinctively as the shutter clicked.

She glanced at the preview. Their mother's red strapless Santa outfit fit her well. Jack looked warm in her snowflake-themed sweater set. Kirby was comfy in Jack's arms. Beside them, their father probably had the most truly festive attire among the four of them: One of the ugliest red, blue, and yellow Christmas sweaters they found. Not even the ornate patterns of sleigh bells and Santa hats could have salvaged it.

Still, his smile was warm like theirs. With his arm around Atalanta, he rubbed her bare shoulder as Artemis floated over with a new tray of milk and cookies. "I got more yummies, cuties~!"

"You're spoiling their dinner…" Orion mulled from her shoulder.

"Servants don't get full stomachs so I can spoil these wittle cutie patooties all I want! Hmph!" she pouted at the little bear while Nursery Rhyme giggled, yet again, at the sight of them. Artemis' strapless elf dress was far, far too small for her. By contrast, Orion's forced-Santa suit was far, far too large. But Nursery Rhyme supposed that was juuust right for her Godfather and Goddessmother.

"And I've got the adult drinks," Chiron added as he walked over with a tray of eggnog and wine. Jack made a face, making him laugh as he set the tray onto their table. "I checked with the Matron. They'll be sending the robots out for orders shortly. We won't need to get up."

"Good! It's cozy here!" Jack concluded as she shifted warmly in Atalanta's lap. Kirby did so in the assassin's arms too.

"And we won't have to bother your uncle," Achilles pointed out as he snickered and jabbed his free thumb to the adjacent Ballroom chair. A small snore escaped Hector's mouth as he shifted beneath the warm Alice in Wonderland themed blanket Nursery Rhyme conjured up for him. On the table beside him, three empty wine glasses sat used until the robots finally came to collect.

After smiling at Hector for a few moments, Artemis floated up a little higher to peer around the room. Her smile faltered a bit, but then grew. Upon her descent, Nursery Rhyme quickly guessed. "Worried about Penthesilea?"

At the name's mention, Atalanta and Jack's smiles wavered. Artemis nodded, but eased easily. "The Amazonians loved me, so how could I not worry over her too? Mm. I'll have to pay another visit, but she's fineee~… She's got a lovely group of friends to keep her company now!"

"Monopoly jail is oppression!"

"So is debt but you let yourself fall in that too!" After Leonidas' counter yell, laughter erupted from a table further away. Artemis giggled. Chrion and Achilles shared an amused smile. Though they were far from sympathetic, Atalanta and Jack didn't glower or glare. They only nodded in understanding as Nursery Rhyme sipped from her delicious hot cocoa.

"Leo, you've had too much to drink!" "Shakespeare! Don't spoil your own work now!" "Duck and cover! Nero's going to sing jingle bells again!"

Ignoring a slight sense of panic at another table, Chiron sat down beside Achilles. He smoothed his simple suit, then reached for a cookie. Jack swiped the one he was going for first, then playfully munched on it while eyeing her uncle. Chrion offered a mock, scolding glare, which was only returned by an accomplished squirm from Jack… One that grew in intensity as Achilles reached over to gently tickle her. "Uwaaa! Daddy! Not while I'm eating!"

"It's not nice to steal from uncle," he reprimanded softly. He winced as Atalanta reached over to poke his side. "Huh…?"

"Don't help Jackie make a mess," she scolded gently with an amused eye. Jack giggled in victory as Artemis took a seat on an ottoman beside Nursery Rhyme. Atalanta smiled to her, "So are you two helping Janna?"

"Nope~! Just Auntie Quetz and Altera," Nursery Rhyme responded as she sipped her warm drink. It prompted Jack to look around for hers, but Achilles was quick to hand it to her while he sipped on his own eggnog. "We're going to be as surprised as everyone!"

"Did you find gifts for everyone?" their mother poked again curiously.

"Mhmmm~!" Jack squirmed merrily. "But it was really, really, really, hard to match the best pa-resents we've ever had!"

Jack giggled as Atalanta squeezed her warmly. Artemis patted Nursery Rhyme on the head as she beamed. "You'll love them! We promise!"

"I wonder what the real best gifts are here," Chiron philosophized as he eyed the two sisters amusingly. They blushed in appreciation for their uncle. "I hope you'll enjoy mine, but I don't think anything I give can match what your parents are planning."

"Disney world! Disney world!" Their family laughed as Nursery Rhyme and Jack began chanting excitedly for a present still way, way too far away to be legal.

"Now, now, girls. Don't get too excited. We're still months away," Achilles reminded.

"Awww, but let them be excited! They're so cute when they're happy!" Artemis cooed as she leaned over to smother Nursery Rhyme in a hug. Before she knew it, she was picked up and having her cheek smushed against Artemis' own. "Isn't that right, Alice~?"

"Hey! Let the poor girl down!" Orion deadpanned. "And ease up on the eggnog."

"I'm not drunk! We're in public!" Artemis shot back incredulously. At least it served to put Nursery Rhyme back into her chair. "Don't start something on Christmas!"

"I wasn't doing anything except pointing out the obvious!" Their bickering grew, but was only met with sheepish stares from the three other adults. Hector slept through it all like a champ.

Together with the surrounding conversations, the simple scene mixed and melded into the growing memory. This Christmas might not be turning out to be truly spectacular, but it was still a story worth telling. Another memory to add to her scrapbook fairy tale. Another page written, hopefully gleamed by the Throne of Heroes as one more happily ever after.

Nursery Rhyme sipped on her cocoa again and relished in the greatest present she could've ever wished for. 'If only you could've lived this too, Alice.'