(Happy holidays everyone! This chapter is not meant to be taken seriously.)

December is here, and with it comes the Winter Festival. As bjorked as the world of Old Man Chrom is, even our battered heroes and the Grimleal's totalitarian state take time off to enjoy this magical part of the year.

The forested area outside of Ylisstol, one of the few fertile areas left on the planet, has become a winter wonderland of pristine snow. Hidden away in this area of picturesque beauty is Cordelia's homestead, a safe haven for our protagonists to enjoy the holidays. The Winter Festival means many different things to different people, and all of our heroes have something they're looking forward to the most. Some enjoy the time spent with friends. Some enjoy the decorations. Some enjoy the peace and quiet.

One avarice driven young woman in particular is looking forward to the material things she's sure she'll receive.

Chrom, Ophelia, Caeldori, Tiki, Gaius, and Cordelia were gathered in the living room admiring the Winter Festival decorations, (Which are similar to but unaffiliated with Christmas decorations. Nintendo appreciates all cultures and holidays.) and Cordelia herself was busy putting the finishing touches on the tree. "There." She said proudly as she placed the star on the highest branch. "All done."

"It's beautiful." Tiki said with a warm smile, and almost everyone else nodded in agreement. Gaius seemed more confused, and he lowered his glass of eggnog as he looked around.

"No one is going to ask? I have to be the one to ask? Alright, I'll ask. How do you do that while blind?!"

"Years of practice." Cordelia replied as she slowly descended the ladder. "I remember it ended up in the fireplace a few times when I first lost my vision, but I have an excellent sense of balance now."

Caeldori nodded. "I remember those years. I spent a lot of Winter Festivals here with grandmother. It was nice, but now I'm glad we can be with so many close friends."

Chrom stood up and looked around. The familiar face of a pink haired mercenary was the only one not present. "Almost everyone's here, anyways. Has anyone seen Soleil."

"She was in her room working on her list last time I saw her." Ophelia answered.

"Her list?"

"For things she wants for the Winter Festival."

"Her presents, huh? Yeah, really looking forward to spending gold on those. My favorite part of the season." Gaius responded dryly as he finished his glass. "How long has she been working on this list? Why has she been gone so long?"

"She started it about a week ago."

"A week?!"

As if on cue, it was then that Soleil chose to enter the room. There was a skip in her step as she approached, and clutched tightly in her hands was a list about as tall as she was. "Good morning, everyone!"

Cordelia turned to her general direction. "Soleil, it's almost dinner time."

"Is it? Time sure does fly when you're having fun. Anyways, I finally finished my Winter Festival list!"

Caeldori scowled. "Why am I not surprised. Rupturing bunions, Soleil! How many things are on that list?"

"Oh, you know. Just the stuff I really need."

Chrom walked over, and Soleil happily handed him her written down materialistic desires. He took a step back at the size of it. "Gods above! There has to be a hundred things on here!"

Soleil shrugged. "I lost count."

Chrom began to read aloud. "New boots. A new arm shield. A new sheath. Armor polish. New gauntlets. A replica of Olivia's outfit?! T-That's a little inappropriate, Soleil!"

"Oh, but she could wear it in public? I bet it'd look good on me."

Gaius took the list and scrolled down. "A bronze sword. An iron sword. A steel sword. A killing edge. A glass sword. A raider katana. A levin sword. Can you even use levin swords?"

"I don't know, but they look cool."

Tiki took the list. "Wyvern clothes?"

"I think Minerva would look adorable in them!"

Caeldori took the list. "A replica of Lucina's tiara?"

"I think it's cute."

"A replica of Conrad's mask?"

"I think it's From the legends of Alm and Celica?"

"A replica of the Omega Yato? What even is that?"

"It's… I'll tell you later."

Ophelia took the list. "A kitten poster. Jewelry. Silk bed sheets. A gift card for West Valmese Trading Company products. Orbs for some kind of character collecting game. A Captain Grimleal action figure. A Nintendo 3DS. What is that last thing?"

"I'm not sure, but apparently we owe our existence to it. I thought it'd be cool to have one."

Chrom seized the list and handed it back to the mercenary in exasperation. "Soleil, this list is ridiculous! There's no way we're giving you that much stuff!"

"Well hold on." Tiki spoke up. "What about the Spirit of Winter? If Soleil is a good girl, he might give her some of those things."

Gaius snickered. "The Spirit of Winter? You mean the big, jolly man in the red suit with the white beard?"

"Yeah!"

Chrom shook his head. "Tiki, that's made up. There is no Spirit of Winter. It's a legend."

"Mar-Mar became a legend to your kind, and he was real."

"It's a different kind of legend."

"So it's just a tale people tell their larvae for fun?"

"Well humans don't call their children larvae, but otherwise, yes. If we wanted to give Soleil all these things, we'd have to buy them with our own money."

"I see." Tiki frowned. "It seems selfish to ask so much of your friends, Soleil. You're being a naughty larva, I mean child, I mean young woman."

Soleil crossed her arms. "Why are you all ganging up on me?! You asked me to make a list."

Chrom glared at her. "We asked you to think about a few things you would really enjoy getting. Everyone will give everyone else one gift. That's it."

"So I have to narrow it down to just six gifts from all of you? That's going to be hard."

"It's not about gifts, Soleil! At this point I'm not sure we should give you anything!"

"Huh?!"

"I'm serious! I'm very disappointed in you right now. You know, one of my earliest memories is celebrating the Winter Festival with Emmeryn and my parents when I was just three years old. I remember my father asked me what I wanted. After I asked for more than three things, he snapped and told me that the Winter Festival was about spending time with family. He also told me that Ylisse didn't have much to spare because of the war effort, but that's beside the point."

"I agree with Chrom." Cordelia said in a stern tone. "Not everything is about you, Soleil. Have you thought about what you're going to give the rest of us?"

Soleil's eyes widened as she realized the truth in Cordelia's words. She hadn't once thought about her gifts for other people. "Not yet."

Ophelia stepped forward and gave her friend a more sympathetic look than everyone else. "The Winter Festival isn't about receiving gifts, Soleil. It's about being with your loved ones. We give each other gifts to show that we care. To show that we're really thinking about someone's interests and hobbies. There's nothing like seeing the look on someone's face when they open that gift you just knew they'd love. Sure we then receive gifts from other people, but the spirit of the Winter Festival is about giving. It's about celebrating our friends and family, and gifts are just a part of that."

"Gifts for other people? Hmm."

Chrom pointed to Soleil's list. "I want you to do two things, Soleil. First, narrow down your list to just a few things you really want. Second, I want you to focus on what you're going to give to other people."

"Heh, does my smile count as a gift by itself?"

"Sure, if you're okay with only getting that in return."

"Point taken."

Ophelia smiled. "Come on, Soleil. Really think about what everyone might want. This is the best part about gift giving."

"What you really want, huh?"

Soleil took everyone's words to heart, and she spent the next several weeks working hard on finding the perfect gifts for everyone. On Winter Festival eve, just before dinner, Soleil surprised everyone by walking in with a big sack full of gifts, and she excitedly set them under the Winter Festival tree as everyone gathered around. For Chrom and Tiki were small packages. For Gaius, Cordelia, and Ophelia were medium sized packages. For Caeldori was a large, flat one. Everyone else had long since acquired their gifts for each other, but there was no disappointment in their faces as Soleil looked back to them. Chrom in particular looked proud of her. "Good job, Soleil."

"Ophelia was right. It was a lot of fun thinking about what everyone would want. I almost wish you could open them now. I can't wait to see you open them!"

Cordelia chuckled. "Don't worry, Soleil. You just have to wait one more day."

"I suppose it's just as well. I probably won't be back until tomorrow anyways."

Chrom looked at her curiously. "Where are you going?"

"And why is your sack still full of items?" Caeldori added. Soleil's sack was still comically oversized, almost as if she'd become the Spirit of Winter. "Did you buy all that stuff you wanted for yourself?"

"Soleil, you didn't?!" Chrom said with a frown. "We bought you some of the things you asked for, and we don't want our gifts to be for nothing. Besides, surely there's something better you can do with your gold."

"Give me some credit, guys! These aren't for me! These are gifts for the other characters."

"The other characters?"

"The other characters."

Soleil had really taken everyone's words to heart, as she hadn't just bought gifts for her friends. She'd taken the time to spread the joy of the Winter Festival to everyone. Even the morally ambiguous leaders of the Archanean Liberation Front needed some holiday cheer, as Archangel and her officers would soon learn when the smiling mercenary made her way to Belfire.

"Oh, it's you." Archangel stated in her commanding voice as she answered the door to her citadel. The Pegasus Knight turned Insurgent was without her heavy armor and wing harness, and she took off her flight helmet when greeting Soleil, but the faint purple glow that her eyes continued to give off still contributed to a rather menacing air about her. "I don't think we ever met in the main story. You're Inigo's daughter, right?"

"Yep! That's me." Soleil said as she hoisted her sack over her shoulder.

"I can't say I ever imagined your father having any children. I mean, I used to be more popular with women than he was. Anyways, why have you come before us?"

"To celebrate the holidays with you! I got gifts for all the important Arch Surg characters."

"... Excuse me?"

"It's not a trick or anything. I promise! Even you fops deserve Winter Festival gifts."

"You really expect me to believe you came here to bring us gifts?"

"Come on. I know you try to be this big, scary rebel leader now, but deep down I'm sure you're still that fun loving, hero worshipping Pegasus Knight everyone knew and loved. Don't you want to celebrate the holidays?"

Archangel crossed her arms. "Do you even know my birth name?"

"Sure I do. It's… uh… Catria!"

"No."

"Clair?"

"No."

"Subaki?"

"Stop guessing."

"Lucina?"

"I said stop guessing! You know damn well I'm not Lucina!"

"Alright, that one was a shot in the dark, but I really did think about gifts you and your insurgency besties would like. I even talked to Chrom and Cordelia about you!"

"And yet you didn't know my name?"

"Let's not get caught up on the details. I really do have some great gifts for you guys, and it'd mean a lot to me if you'd at least see them." Soleil quickly reached into her sack and pulled out a tall, thick gift for Archangel. "Here's yours."

"Know this, mercenary. I have not survived these past thirty years through weakness. I could end your life before you even finish screaming, so you'll regret it if this is a trap."

"Yeah, yeah. Scary dialogue. Just open it."

Archangel reluctantly complied, and she walked inside the building to set her gift on a nearby table. She tore away at the wrapping paper with her one and only free arm to find a stack of books, and her eyes lit up as she read the covers. "Shanty Pete and the Haunted Pirates. A Simpleton's Guide to Pegasus Care. Wyvern Wars: Terror at High Noon. Ribald Tales of the Faith War. The Princess Who… Fell Down the Stairs." Archangel couldn't quite remember where she'd heard of these books, but she knew they were familiar. "What is this? Why do I feel like this?!"

"Like I said, I talked to Chrom and Cordelia about your past. About your mother. These are all books she used to like. I thought maybe you'd appreciate them. To have some kind of connection to her."

And for a moment, an instant, Archangel was Cynthia again. "Sumia. I… I don't know what to say. You… went out of your way to learn about me."

"Happy holidays… Cynthia."

"You were just messing with me before?! Heh… ha, ha! You're alright, mercenary."

"Aaaww." The two women looked to see Vasto entering from another room. He'd apparently overheard everything. "You look like you're about to cry, Archangel."

"C-Cry? This heroine?! I am a revolutionary! I shall lead us all into a better world! I don't cry! Not me. No sirree, not this woman." Archangel hid her emotions behind exaggerated movements and mannerisms. "Now I shall be off to my quarters to plan the war effort."

"And to cry?"

Archangel scooped up her books and stormed off. "Silence, Vasto!"

Vasto chuckled to himself until he brought his attention back to Soleil. "Wait… why are you really here? Is this an attack? I don't actually have my axe. Hold on! Time out!"

"No, no! I have gifts for everybody. Really." Soleil reached into her sack and pulled out a package for Vasto. He opened it to find a knitting kit. "I heard about how your mother used to knit. I thought maybe you'd appreciate this."

"Alright! I used to love knitting with her." Vasto straightened himself as Keith and the other officers entered the room. "I mean, I don't like knitting. I like manly things like… titties… and bacon… and, uh, bacon titties."

"Quiet!" Keith snapped. "Why does this intruder still live?! Get rid of her!"

"Nice to see you too, Mr. Princess. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten you anything, but for some reason I did." Soleil handed Keith his gift, and he unwrapped it to find an articulated figurine of Lucina herself. "Ta da! Because you're so obsessed with her. I honestly couldn't think of any other hobby you had."

"I am an officer in a righteous crusade that will purge the corruption infecting our land and bring about a glorious revolution! Why would I-" Keith accidentally tapped the figurine's arm, causing it to move. He immediately became more interested in it. "Ooh, it's poseable!"

Soleil turned to Mustafa and handed him his gift. It was a young peach tree in a pot. "Henry said you used to give him peaches when he visited your family. I thought maybe this would remind you of them."

Mustafa gave a warm smile. "Ah. A young plant, just beginning its life. A great symbol of how life will always persevere, even in this desolate world. Thank you."

Soleil then stepped over to Algol and handed him a bolt axe. "Here you go, you crazy cultist you. I heard about how the Shepherds took a bolt axe off of you after you were defeated in Plegia Castle, so here's a new one."

"Alright! I can already smell the people I'm going to fry with this thing!"

Pheros looked between the other officers. "Is no one else realizing how significant of a security violation this is?"

Soleil reached into her sack and pulled out another gift. She tried to wrap it, but it was very obviously another axe. "Hey, I also got something for the three of you. It was expensive, and I couldn't decide who would like it more, so you'll have to share it."

Soleil held it out, but none of the Valmese generals stepped forward to take it, so she unwrapped it herself. Farber scowled as he watched. "Whatever your meager offering is, it cannot possibly please-BY THE EMPEROR! Is that what I think it is?"

Cervantes stepped forward to take the weapon in question as Pheros and Farber looked on. It was a replica of Wolf Berg, Walhart's personal axe. "I can't believe it, lass! You got this for us?"

"You three seem to idolize Walhart so much. I thought you'd like it."

"Thank you, my girl. I fine gift, that."

"You're welcome!"

Soleil left Belfire with a spring in her step, and the Arch Surg looked on in confusion and awe at her unexpected generosity. Everyone but Farber and Cervantes. "Quit hogging it!" Farber snapped as he tried to take it.

"I'm the one who reached out and took it! I'll let you see it later."

Pheros sighed. "Great. Now I have this to look forward to for the rest of the day."

Soleil made her way to Ylisstol, the official capital of the Grimleal, and travelled to the royal palace. After gaining access to the building, (guards made to work on the Winter Festival are easily bribed after all) she found the room where the Grimleal characters were having their own celebration and knocked on the door. Courtney answered. "What do you want, dyke?"

Soleil had to remind herself of the spirit of the holidays to not turn around and leave. "Nice to see you too, ya masked moron. I'm here to bring you all some gifts. You know, as part of the Winter Festival cheer?"

"What the hell? This is the antagonist Winter Festival party. You're a protagonist. Not sure why the author has you insurgents as the main characters, but that's just the way it is."

"Psh. That's easy. It's because I'm canon. I was written in Japan, the country that created Fire Emblem. You're just some character the author made up. You were written in America, and all that place contributes to Fire Emblem is… like… fan art."

"So that means I'm less important than you?!"

"Yes."

Courtney's rage was visible even through the tiny eye holes in his mask. "Look, kid. We antagonists work very hard. We don't need you ruining our time off."

"It's hard being evil?"

"Woah! We prefer the morality neutral term 'antagonist'. We work very hard to create conflicts for the main characters, and no one ever thanks us. No one ever cheers for us. No one leaves a review along the lines of 'I really liked that part where Courtney punched Chrom in the face'. We get no respect."

"Alright, alright." Soleil raised her hands in exasperation. "Look, I'm not here to fight. I really do have gifts for everyone."

"Get out of here! Grimleal characters only!"

"I was in the Grimleal army as part of my backstory."

"But you left."

Soleil looked past Courtney to see who was there. "Wolcroft got arrested for treason and she's here."

Lieutenant Wolcroft turned at the sound of her name while stuffing a shrimp from the catering table into her mouth. "Mph. She's got ya there, Court-neh."

"Ugh."

Soleil reached into her sack and pulled out Courtney's gift. "Maybe this will change your mind?" Soleil noticed that Courtney's prosthetics would make unwrapping the gift awkward, so she did it for him. "Here you go! A new mask!"

Courtney's new mask had a purple Mark of Grima emblazoned on it. "Oh. It's a bit generic, but I suppose I can wear it if I'm ever feeling really patriotic towards our empire. Thanks."

"So can I come in?"

"Sure. Why not. We ain't got nothing to lose."

Courtney let Soleil in with a shrug, and she happily skipped to the center of the room and set down her sack. She then looked up to see a number of weapons pointed at her. "Stop right there, criminal scum!" Thomas spat as she readied her bow. "You've committed crimes against the Grimleal and her people. What say you in your defense?"

"Woah! Come on! I have free stuff for you guys!"

"Oh… why didn't you say so."

"Happy holidays, everyone! I have a little something for all of you."

Soleil started handing out her gifts. SOG agent Semyonov was the first to open his, and he unwrapped the gift to find an English-Russian dictionary. "Huh?!"

"It always seems like you're having trouble with our language. I thought that might help you."

"это пиздец! Я ненавижу ваш язык."

"You're welcome." Soleil then handed Inquisitor Dartsmoth his gift, a receipt for an accent removal class she had paid for. "Same with you. This class can help make you easier to understand."

"What the bloody hell do you mean?!"

"You know, that accent of yours? It makes you hard to understand sometimes. You pronounce words differently, and you're always using expressions nobody else uses."

"I am not always using expressions nobody else uses! Now, I'm going to get me a beer. I'm dryer than a dead dingo's donger… I mean, I'm thirsty."

Soleil then gave Inquisitor Altman his gift, a planner. "Here you go. You're always busy with all kinds of nefarious tasks, so this can help you keep track of it all."

Altman had already started to write in it. "I assure you my organizational skills are not lacking, but I can always use another one of these."

Soleil then gave Inquisitor Thomas her gift, a letter. "I wasn't sure what to get you, but then I remembered how you were hunted by your own father after you turned to crime. How the Grimleal gave you a chance to be free of him."

Thomas scowled. "My father cares more about the family name than he does his daughters. I mean, he gave me and my younger sisters boy's names out of spite just because our mothers couldn't give him sons!"

"Yeah, there's a lot to unpack there. Still, he misses you. He wrote this letter for you to read. I know you hate him, but it's the Winter Festival. Not everyone has a father, you know. You shouldn't be so eager to get rid of yours."

Thomas slowly took the letter and looked it over. "D-Daddy?" She looked around to her more stern and emotionless comrades. "I mean, psh, whatever."

Soleil then handed Inquisitor Ascension her gift, a longsword. "Here you go. Now you don't have to swing that wooden club around anymore."

"I much prefer to crush the skulls of heretics with a club, but thank you, infidel."

Soleil then handed Deacon Sentzke, who'd been hiding behind Ascension since Soleil entered the room, his gift. It was a book of psalms. "Here you go. You're a religious crackpot, aren't you?"

"Thank Grima! Now I can make my sermons forty minutes longer! My record is five and a half hours."

"Uh, I got that for you, but whatever." Soleil then handed E-13, the brainwashed younger Lucina, her gift. It was a book titled "Brainwashing and You: How to Achieve Self-Actualization in the Face of Your Behavioural Conditioning". Soleil winked at her. "I think you could really benefit from this."

E-13 excitedly flipped through the pages, but she could only respond with a scripted phrase. "E-13 is ready for compliance?!"

Soleil then handed Dr. Kryczek, E-13's handler, his gift, a book titled "The Psychology of Happiness". "You're always so serious. You're a psychologist right? Maybe this could help you."

"The psychology of happiness? Ridiculous. Human life is expendable. Things like happiness are irrelevant in the pursuit of our new order. We do what we do for the good of everybody, and we don't require your understanding. We only require that you stay out of our way."

"Yeah… you should really read that." Soleil then handed Mother Margaret—leader of the Anointed Ones, who are tasked with taking care of the Hierophant's body—her gift, a loofah with a handle. "Here you go. I know Robin, or I'm sorry, The Hierophant can't take care of himself and they make you clean him. Now you don't have to touch so much of him with your bare hands."

Margaret smiled as she took it. "Oh, I'm quite desensitized to middle aged man junk at this point, but I appreciate the thought."

Soleil then handed Bernitz-Heimeroth, a leading engineer, his gift. It was a parasol. "I noticed that you always wear a thick suit of armor when you're outside. Are you afraid of the sun or something? Anyways, this could help with that."

Bernitz-Heimeroth was wearing that armor even now, and he clumsily took his gift. "My body is intolerant of sunlight. It could literally kill me. I don't think a parasol is enough to guarantee safety."

"Well… now you look more stylish." Soleil then handed Wolcroft her gift, contact information for a good lawyer. "I think this guy could really help you, Wolcroft, since you were turned into an unperson in the main story and all."

Wolcroft stopped eating the free food and hung her head. "Uh… thanks."

Soleil finally hoisted her sack back over her shoulder and made her way through the crowd to reach Gangrel and Aversa themselves. The two leaders of the planet glared at her, unsure of what to think. "Well, isn't this interesting." Aversa said with a sly smile. "Tell me, love, what grand act of heroism is this?"

"Why, mother?" Thallius responded sarcastically as he swirled his spiked eggnog around in its glass. "You're turning down yet more materialistic crap? You must be a changed woman. Next you'll tell me you're throwing away all those high heels that look so good on a sixty year old woman."

Aversa gritted her teeth as she turned to him. "I'm still in my fifties. Besides, what choice do I have but to use illusion magic to maintain my youth? I'd still have it if bearing a son hadn't stolen it from me."

Servillia walked over and slapped her brother in the back of the head. "Quiet, Thallius. We'll let you know if we need the opinion of a teenage drunkard."

Fulvia, the last of the High Inquisitor's children, moaned quietly. "Come on, guys. It's the holidays."

Soleil set down her sack in front of the four. "You all don't strike me as the happiest family. That's why I got you this. It's for all of you."

"All of us?" Servillia asked as Soleil handed her information for a therapist.

"I paid for an appointment with a therapist that specializes in dysfunctional families. I really think you guys should see him. Then you can all be a big happy family again." The four looked at each other uneasily as Soleil approached Gangrel's attendant. "And I have something for you too. I know you're always working so hard."

"Does the young woman fancy herself a patron of the working classes?" Gangrel's attendant responded in his usual emotionless tone. Soleil handed him his gift, and his expression actually changed somewhat as he realized what it was.

"It's a service that will send people to replace you if you ever want to take some time off. I paid for a few days worth. You just have to decide when to take your vacation."

"Oh. That's actually very thoughtful. Thank you."

Soleil then turned to Gangrel, who tried his best to look intimidating. "And why do you stand before me, the Mad King of Plegia, and the Emperor of all Humanity? Surely you realize how much hatred your friend Chrom has for me. I am the author of all his pain."

"Come on. It's the Winter Festival. Can't we leave all that behind for just a little while? I got you something too."

"There is nothing I can't have at the snap of my fingers. What could you possibly have that… I… could…" Soleil handed Gangrel baby clothes for his newborn daughter, named after the former Exalt. "Oh, it comes with a little bow. I… you got this for me?"

"I wasn't sure what you would want, but you care about your daughter. I'm sure she'll love it."

"I…" Gangrel rubbed his head. "And to think I came here to get away from my wife and daughter. Well… I could still use a break from the wife."

Soleil smiled as she picked up her sack. The spirit of giving truly was a wondrous thing, and she had still had yet more gifts to give.

"Well how about that!" Roy-Earle, a successful business owner and entrepreneur who has never been definitively connected to organized crime, smiled as he unwrapped a vintage bottle of brandy. "You're a devil after my own heart!"

"I'm glad you like it!" Soleil took out a brand new arquebus and handed it to Malc, an associate of Roy-Earle who is in no way a hired hitman and enforcer. The rough and intimidating man couldn't hide a look of bewilderment on his face.

"You're just giving this stuff to us?"

"Happy holidays! I noticed your old gun had half the barrel sawed off. Heh, you should be more careful with it."

"I did that on purpose."

"Why? Don't you want your guns to be nice and pretty?"

"That's not the point of a… whatever. I'll take it." Malc grabbed the arquebus and immediately began inspecting it. "Thank you."

"Aww, come on now. You might try to look like a big ol' meanie, but I bet you have a smile in there somewhere." Soleil gave a playful smile of her own and nudged Malc, but he just returned a snarl. Soleil was left awkwardly standing there until she finally gave up. "Ah, maybe next time."

Soleil then turned to find Anna, a legitimate merchant who definitely wouldn't sell anything to anyone, already standing behind her. "Surely you got something for little old me, right? R-Right?"

"Sure did."

"Gold-gold-gold-gold?!" Anna chanted to herself in a louder voice than intended. Soleil shook her head as she pulled out a letter.

"Anyone can give you gold as a gift. I wanted to give you something special."

"Oh." Anna immediately lost her excitement. "Yeah, well, I have a lot of work to do-"

"Come on! Give me a chance!" Soleil handed her the gift. "Open it."

"... Gold?"

"I already said… just open it."

Anna didn't expect much from the envelope, but she froze as she opened it. "Is… how did you…"

"It's a postcard, and all your sisters wrote you something inside of it."

Anna read over it. "All of them. Even the one… and the Anna with the… and the one who travelled with… how did you possibly do this?"

"They just had me deliver it to you. I know you can't be with your whole family, but they miss you. The holidays are about family. I'd give anything to have the chance to know mine."

"This is amazing. Thank you."

"Much better than gold, huh?"

"Well…"

Soleil skipped off, leaving the three entirely law abiding citizens stunned. "Well that was nice of her." Roy-Earle chimed.

Malc, already hard at work sawing off the barrel of his new gun, shrugged. "I'll make sure to remember it if anyone ever puts a hit out on her. She'll go quietly."

"And they say there aren't any gentlemen anymore."

"Hmm? A gift?" Corriveau of the Grimleal Rangers unwrapped Soleil's present to find a thick, hard covered book. On the cover was a depiction of a young woman holding a butterfly mask. It looked a lot like Lucina… if Lucina had gray hair and could spontaneously melt into butterflies. Lisia and Phoenix eagerly leaned over to look, and Ferguson watched nervously from a distance. "Oh, it's a book."

"What's it say?" Lisia asked excitedly.

"The Art of Fire Emblem: Awakening. What's this?"

Soleil smiled. "Merry Winter Festival! I think you all could benefit from reading this, since you're so similar to existing characters and all."

"We're similar to existing characters? I don't… huh?!"

"Just flip through that book, and pay attention to the artwork. You'll see what I'm talking about. I mean you're basically a girl version of a man I know, and I, heh, I think you're a lot cuter. Uh… are you doing anything later?"

"Uh…"

"Ah, I should get back to delivering these gifts. Anyways, I hope you all have happy holidays, even if you are grimmies."

Soleil skipped away as the three female Rangers flipped through the book. "What did she mean by similar to existing characters?"

Lisia pointed to something in the book. "Hey, this guy kind of looks like you, sis. What's his name? Chrom?" Lisia flipped a few pages. "Hey, this lady looks like me! What's her name? Li-"

Ferguson seized the book, hurled it to the side, and destroyed it with a fuse lit grenade. "Enough reading! I don't know what you people are on about! We are not simulacrums of men and women that lived thirty years ago! Absolutely not! Now come on. This cold weather is great for aerobic exercises."

Corriveau nodded. "Rangers should always stay in shape. That doesn't sound like a bad idea. Come on, Lisia."

Lisia moaned. "But it's the Winter Festivaaal! Mmm, I wanted to read that."

"Ghost stories?" Soleil had paid a visit to Tharja, and the spectral Shepherd now held, or rather levitated, the pink haired mercenary's gift. It was a book of ghost stories. "Because that's what I am now? This is funny to you?"

Soleil smiled wider than normal. "Well I wasn't sure what you'd want, but come on! That's funny! Huh?! Ghost stories for the ghost? That's hilarious! Are you smiling? I can tell if you're smiling."

Tharja did something she had yet to do in the main story. She altered her spectral form. Rather than manifest as a transparent mass with glowing red eyes, she revealed her ability to look like her younger self. Tharja was still somewhat see through, and her legs were missing at the thighs, but she now looked like a gray version of her normal, younger self, though her eyes still glowed. Soleil could see she was not smiling. "Do I look like I'm amused?"

"Well, I'm sure you'll get it later. You know, you don't have to spend Winter Festival by yourself. I'm sure Chrom and Gaius would be happy to see you again."

"Hmm. Maybe I could see them again."

"Really?"

"And maybe we'll recreate the Shepherds. Once again we'll fight for the forces of good, and light, and kittens, and cupcakes, and warm fuzzies."

"Ghosts can be sarcastic?"

Tharja finally did smile, though it wasn't reassuring on her transparent visage. She hovered in front of Soleil and ran her finger under Soleil's chin as she spoke softly. The two couldn't physically touch, but Soleil would swear she felt a tingle. "You're innocent. It almost makes me worry about you. Enjoy your little holiday, girl, but know that there's a storm coming. Maybe you shouldn't be in its path."

Tharja then phased through Soleil. She immediately turned around, but the dark mage had already faded away. "Huh, I don't think I've been turned on by a ghost before. This is a fun day!"

Soleil had given away almost all of her Winter Festival gifts, and now there was just one final gift to give. This present was for the character that made Fire Emblem: Awakening possible in the first place, but what do you get the god of death that has everything?

"Child of my foes, why have you come? I offer you no forgiveness." Grima, manifesting in the Hierophant's body, slowly stepped closer to Soleil. She smiled as wide as ever, but her voice came out rather cracked.

"Because it's the Winter Festival, you big abomination you! I, heh, I got you something."

Grima clenched the Hierophant's fists. "I may allow your kind these holidays, but I will not indulge in the customs of your pathetic race. Now why don't you turn and leave, and I may derive some enjoyment from watching your little mammalian feet try to run."

"Aww. Is someone a widdle gwumpy?"

The Hierophant's six glowing red eyes burned with intensity. "Begone you perverted, pestering, primate!"

"Wait-wait-wait! Just let me show you your gift! Come on, you don't have anything to lose." Soleil quickly took out her gift for Grima, an Einherjar card, and summoned an Einherjar of none other than Lucina. The Hierophant's fade twisted with fury. This wasn't just generic bad guy fury. Nay, Grima was so furious at the sight of its foe that it looked like it was trying to prevent the Hierophant from having a seizure.

"What is this?!"

"Ta da! I got you an Einherjar of Lucina!"

"Of… krrg… MMMPH… GAWRRG… BWARRGH… UNACCEPTAAAAABBLLEEEE! As much as your disgusting race has proliferated in both numbers and destructive capacity, this female adolescent is the one human I despise the most! She has evaded me at every turn. She even broke spacetime itself just to thwart me! Why do you think I would ever want to see her again?!" The Hierophant began muttering incomprehensibly with rage. "Naga's wench… princess… insect… inbred… bullying… plot armored… magic sword-"

"Hold on! Let me explain." Soleil motioned towards the Einherjar like a salesman might towards their product. "I know how much you hate Lucina, you big evil dragon. That's why I got this for you. It looks and sounds exactly like Lucina, but it's not really alive. You can do whatever you want to it, and if it dies, you can just resummon it. It's like a big stress ball!"

Grima thought about it. "I can do… anything I want?"

"Go ahead. Vent all that anger. Give it a try."

The Hierophant materialized a lightning bolt in its hand and drove it through Lucina's abdomen. The Einherjar recoiled in pain before falling over dead. Soleil then resummoned it, and Lucina reappeared good as new. Grima killed Lucina a second time, and again Soleil resummoned the Einherjar. Grima paused, and its voice seemed genuinely moved. "Human… this is the greatest thing anyone has ever given me. You got this for me? You thought about me this much?"

"Happy holidays, Grima. I don't think anyone's ever said that to you before, but everyone deserves a break."

The Hierophant nodded. "Thank you, human."

Soleil smiled wider than usual and walked away, leaving Grima to happily find new ways to torture and kill its new favorite possession.

Soleil finally made her way back to Cordelia's homestead, but it had taken her some time to deliver all of her gifts. It was now the day of the Winter Festival. Soleil entered the house to find everyone gathered around the living room, and they all rushed to her with concern. "There you are!" Ophelia said as she crossed her arms. "Why were you gone so long? We were afraid you wouldn't make it back!"

"I'm sorry. I guess delivering all those gifts took longer than I thought."

"We were all worried!" Caeldori snapped. Cordelia stepped forward, but she didn't have any criticisms for Soleil. She just smiled at her while gently grabbing Caeldori's shoulder.

"What's important is that she's here now. We've already opened our gifts, but you can still unwrap yours."

"You guys really did get me something?"

Chrom smiled as he walked up. "Of course we did."

"But… everything you said before?"

"That doesn't mean you don't deserve anything. Merry Winter Festival, Soleil. Now come open your presents. We all want to see the look on your face."

"I know you do." Soleil set her sack down. "I spent all this time delivering presents to other people, and now I know exactly what you meant, Ophelia."

The dark mage smiled. "You do?"

"It really is something to see someone open that gift you spent all that time picking out for them. More than that, it's not about the material things. It's about just being there for your loved ones. Caring about them and their interests. It's about appreciating the people in your life. Gifts are just a part of that, but I have to say. I can't wait to watch you guys open yours. Why don't you all go first?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Go ahead." Soleil hurried over to the tree and handed Ophelia her gift. "You go first!"

Ophelia smiled as her friend seemed to take her words to heart. Everyone gathered around and watched as she unwrapped her gift, a strange tome she'd never seen before. "A tome? How thoughtful."

"It's a special tome. Henry helped me get it."

Ophelia froze. "My grandfather?!"

Ophelia used the tome, and everyone in the room besides Soleil took a step back in shock as a spectral entity materialized in front of Ophelia. "Heyo, everybody! I told you the spell would work, Soleil." The entity slowly materialized into a white haired man. "So this is Cordelia's place? I can just picture the Spirit of Winter coming down the chimney. It would really soot him, ha!"

"Henry?!" Chrom exclaimed. Ophelia was still surprised, but a smile slowly appeared across her face.

"Grandfather, is that you?"

"Sure is. What, you think I can't take time off because I'm dead? I thought you guys would appreciate my presents at this party, nya ha ha! I like your tree, by the way. I don't think I'll fir-get it."

Soleil stepped towards the bewildered Ophelia. "Henry helped me get that tome. Now you can see him again."

Gaius scratched his head. "Wait, how did Henry contact you?"

"And why is Henry still dead if I came back for this chapter?" Cordelia added. Caeldori just patted her on the shoulder.

"Maybe we shouldn't question these things, grandmother."

"Soleil, I-" Ophelia looked between her friend and grandfather. "I don't know what to say. This is incredible."

Gaius was clearly moved by Henry's appearance, though he tried not to show it. "Gang's all here, huh?"

Soleil took another present from under the tree and held it out towards Gaius. "Got something for you, too."

"Well. Got me a present, Shrill?"

"Why do you call me Shrill?"

"I think your voice speaks for itself."

Soleil's smile faded. "Yeah, well, what if I called you… err… orange man!"

"Ooh, how will I get over that."

Chrom elbowed him. "Gaius, come on."

"Hey! It's a joke!"

Soleil tossed the present to Gaius. "Just open it before I change my mind."

Gaius unwrapped his gift to find a box of rare confections from all over the world. "Ha! Ah HA! You, you got this for me?! It has, and this, and that one there… you don't know what you're doing to me right now."

"Will you call me Soleil from now on?"

"Hell, I'll call you whatever you want. Thanks!"

Soleil then handed Cordelia her present, and she unwrapped it to find a book. "Oh, Soleil, it's… err… a book. How… how do you expect me to use this?"

Caeldori scowled. "Is this a joke?!"

"Wait, it's not a regular book. It's written in Braille. Cordelia can read it!"

Cordelia's face lit up as she ran her hand along the cover. "Make Him Fall For You In A Fortnight. I used to read this book. You got me a translation?"

"I know how much you liked it."

Cordelia flipped to a page and ran her hand along it. She suddenly blushed and held the book back to her chest. "Oh, I forgot how steamy this book could get. I-I'll read it later. By myself. Thank you, Soleil."

Soleil then handed Tiki her gift, and she opened it to find a small, red stone. No one else understood what it meant, but Tiki's eyes lit up. "This… this is a replica of a dragonstone." A warm smile appeared as she ran her fingers along it. "And it's not just a dragonstone. It's a firestone, and it looks so similar."

"It's a replica of the firestone used by your friend from when you were a girl. Uh, what was his name? Banter… Bantha… Banana? Anyways, he was a fire dragon. I had that made for you."

Tiki was genuinely moved. The firestone may have been fake, but it brought back innumerable memories all the same. "Bantu. He helped to guide me. To show me the world. Soleil, I almost feel like a girl again thinking about everything that happened. Thank you."

Soleil grabbed Chrom's present and handed it to him. "Your turn, old man."

"Oh, how thoughtful." Chrom never asked for much of anything, and he appreciated the chance to be with Soleil more than anything she could have given him. Still, he froze in place when he unwrapped his gift. It was a signet ring with the crest of House Ylisse. Everyone else thought Soleil had simply given him jewelry, but Chrom was so surprised he almost trembled. A tear even fell down his cheek. "Soleil… how… how did you…"

Caeldori looked to him. "What is it, Chrom?"

"This ring… it's…"

"It's a replica of his royal signet ring. Of course, the original is long gone, and I don't think anyone could find it, but they said that was an exact replica." Soleil answered. Chrom wiped the tear away and smiled.

"My father had that ring made to commemorate my birth. Ever since I was a boy, I thought about someday giving it to the woman I loved. I gave it to Maribelle when I proposed. She had it on her… when she died. I never thought I'd see this again. Even if it is a replica, this is wonderful, Soleil. You don't know what this means to me."

Ophelia and Caeldori gave a long and soft "aww", and Soleil nodded back to him before grabbing Caeldori's present. She then proudly handed it to her companion. "Wow, Soleil. This thing is big."

Soleil's present for Caeldori was pretty obviously a picture of some sort, but Soleil didn't care if everyone guessed that. Caeldori would never guess what it was a picture of. "Just open it, and do it slowly."

"Okay?"

Everyone gathered around as Caeldori opened the last of Soleil's presents. Soleil's gifts had made everyone very proud of her, but that feeling almost evaporated when they saw the painting. Henry pointed at it and chuckled, and Gaius burst out laughing, but everyone else just stared in annoyance or confusion. Caeldori's frustration was palpable.

Soleil had commissioned a painting of herself giving Caeldori the finger.

"SOLEIL!"

"Ha! HA! Got you! I so got you!"

"What happened?" Cordelia asked as she looked around. Ophelia filled her in, and she scowled. "Soleil! It's the Winter Festival!"

"Why do you always have to start something, Soleil?!" Caeldori fumed. "I bet this painting wasn't cheap! You spent all that gold just to do this?! That's it, I'm going to swear! You… you BISCUIT EATER! There, see what you made me say?! Why, Soleil?!"

"Why?"

"Yes!"

Soleil snickered. "I just wanted to see that look you have right now. Isn't that what I said earlier? I mean that pretty face of yours is always so stoic. I just wanted to see if you could emote."

"I can't believe this!"

"Wait, before you say anything else." Soleil snickered one last time before reaching into her sack and pulling out her last gift. Caeldori's real gift. It was a replica of the Wing Spear. "Here you go. I got you this too."

Caeldori wasn't quick to calm down, but she did look the gift over as she took it. "This… this is the weapon Caeda used. The weapon the wife of the First Exalt used. This is an extremely important symbol of the Pegasus Knights. That… was just a prank?"

"I know how much you worry about rebuilding the Pegasus Knights. I know you think you aren't up to the task. I thought that whenever you started to think you're not good enough, you could just look at that spear, and then you could think about those legends of the Pegasus Knights instead. It could inspire you."

Caeldori could only stand there, and her voice choked up as she answered. "I didn't even know you cared about me that much."

"I know we bicker a lot, but I'd like to think that we're friends, Caeldori. Merry Winter Festival, you big fop."

The Pegasus Knight smiled. "Merry Winter Festival, you slacking, skirt chasing sellsword."

With her gift giving finally over, Soleil had almost forgotten about herself entirely, but she still enjoyed the gifts everyone else had gotten for her. From Chrom she received a Levin Sword. She had no idea how to use it, but boy did it look cool. From Tiki she received adorable wyvern clothes for Minerva. The wyvern would be considerably less appreciative of them when the girls tried to put them on. From Cordelia she received an elaborate cape with symbols that represented her Ylissean and Feroxi heritage. From Caeldori she received a shiny new arm shield. Soleil considered it so pretty she didn't even want to use it in combat. From Ophelia she received a raider katana. Ophelia herself thought it looked like a weapon befitting a heroine of cursed blood. She almost talked about the weapon like she'd wanted it for herself, but she was considerably less enamored with it after Soleil informed her of its special property. Finally, from Gaius, Soleil received an exact copy of her grandmother's dancing attire. This got him dirty looks from Chrom and Cordelia, but Soleil herself loved it.

Later that night, after the festivities had ended and almost everyone else had gone to sleep, Soleil sat alone by the fireplace in the living room. She looked up at the sound of quiet talking to see Ophelia and Henry still up. "So do you think the Parallel Falchion itself could be modified with dark magic?"

"I don't see why not."

Ophelia sipped a glass of eggnog she'd made for herself in the kitchen. "Because I have so many ideas. I could give it serrated edges, and maybe have them move like a mechanical saw. Maybe I could have it bursting with radiance, and I could make it shoot concentrated blasts of dark magic. Maybe I could even give it a curse so that it draws from the wielder's life force. That would make it more powerful, but at the same time, you could only risk using it when the situation is dire. Now that would be a weapon for a heroine of cursed blood! Wait… the sword was Lucina's. Maybe I should honor her memory. Do you think she would mind from what you know of her?"

Henry thought. "Hmm, I never really knew Lucina that well, but I don't think she'd complain about a serrated, flaming, laser shooting sword that eats your soul."

"Oh, good. Good then."

"Does it also eat clothing?"

"N-No. This isn't that kind of sword."

"Okay. So that's just the sword you got for Soleil."

"I, uh, I really hope she only uses it responsibly." Ophelia turned as she noticed her friend sitting there. "Oh! Hey, Soleil!"

"Hey." She answered softly.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, you know. Just thinking about the day."

"Well I'm proud of you, Soleil. You really did think about what everyone would want. I know we couldn't give you everything on that ridiculous list, but did you get what you really wanted?"

"I did, Ophelia. Thank you."

Ophelia nodded as she and Henry left the room. Soleil smiled at her until she did, but it disappeared completely when she was alone. In truth, she hadn't gotten what she really wanted. What she wanted most of all had been at the very top of her list, but her friends didn't read it as their eyes had been drawn to the center of the long list. It was something she'd wanted her whole life, but she'd never gotten it. Deep down, Soleil knew full well that it was something no one could ever give her, but she still felt a little better writing it down. Soleil sunk into her chair and enjoyed the warmth of the fire as she thought about what she wanted more than anything.

A father.

(Just to let you all know, the next update will be the next recap chapter. This story probably won't recieve a major update until January. However, there is something you can do for me until then. Tell me who some of your favorite characters are, and I'd also like to know if there's any aspect of this story that you think could be better or that you'd like to change. Your answers would mean a lot to me.)