Okay, this chapter was nearly all over the place, but I think it's good enough to post for today...
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers... if I did, Merrick and Alyssa would've gotten together for sure!-
Alyssa sighed to herself as she walked into the shop Taylor had explained with the yellow ranger in tow.
As they walked in, Alyssa was surprised to see Merrick talking to a worker.
"Hey, Merrick." The White Ranger walked up to the Lunar Wolf before Taylor could stop her.
"Huh?" Merrick blinked and turned to her, "Oh, hey Alyssa… what are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same." Alyssa replied kindly.
"Well, I did a little checking, and this is the only place that's selling anything for Nine Ladies Dancing…"
"Don't tell me you're looking for someone who's gonna get it." Taylor snorted, walking over.
"Well…. Sorta anyway." Merrick sighed, then frowned, "What are you doing here?"
"I came to buy something for Nine Ladies Dancing… and trust me, it's not for you." Taylor snorted.
She walked over and grabbed something that wasn't the music box, only to grab it and hand it to Alyssa behind her back.
The White Ranger smiled as she took it, before holding it behind her back too.
"Listen… we gotta go." The Tiger Ranger let out as she walked over to the counter with Taylor to buy the gifts so he wouldn't see them.
"Oh… okay…" Merrick frowned as he watched them leave the shop.
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"I feel bad for tricking him like that." Alyssa frowned.
"You've technically been tricking him for the last 9 days." Taylor reasoned.
"Yeah, but this is different." She sighed as she finished writing her letter and put it in the usual envelope.
"I'm just saying." Taylor shrugged, "But… do you think he's getting a little anxious?"
"We're three days from the reveal… he has a right to be." Alyssa replied.
Taylor shrugged again, "Good point."
"Mark that down as the first time you've ever said that." Max walked out as Alyssa finished packing the gift, "Hey, is that for me?"
Taylor slapped the blue ranger's hand down as he was about to reach for it, "No. Now, what do you want?"
"Well, I was really hoping for some Christmas Cookies… please?" Max looked at the White Ranger.
"I sat them on the plate…" Alyssa motioned to the plate by the stone stove… which was empty, "Cole!"
"What?" He jumped down from his tree, holding some uneaten cookies, "I was hungry."
Alyssa sighed softly.
"I'll deal with them." Taylor whispered, "You go."
Alyssa nodded before she took the gift, and the letter, before she walked off the Floating island.
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Merrick looked over his eight gifts, but his eyes lingered on the fourth.
He picked it up again and looked at it.
He kept it on the picture of him and Alyssa alone.
They were together… they were smiling… they were happy… they were… with one another.
"Three French Hen race probably won't make up for this…" He sighed softly.
Deeg barked, running from the front to his owner's room, causing Merrick to look back at him.
He frowned, put the gift down, then walked out to hear the knock on the door.
The Lunar Wolf walked over to it, waiting for a second, then opened the door to see the envelope addressed to him and a back with 9 on it.
He picked both up and walked back inside.
"Let's go to my room, boy." Merrick nodded to the rooms, which Deeg quickly followed the instruction of.
He practically bolted for his owner's room, causing the 3,018-year-old human to chuckle softly before he followed quickly after.
Alyssa sighed as she waited a few minutes… then shook her head and went inside anyway, "Merrick?"
"Bedroom!" He called.
Alyssa followed his voice to his room, where he was just about to open the gift, "Day Nine, right?"
Merrick nodded, "Yep… I don't get how they could've slipped by me so easily… but I guess it's what I get for being impatient."
"What do you mean?" Alyssa frowned as she sat on a chair next to his bed.
Merrick sighed, "In my letter… I asked her to show themselves on the 12th day… I should've known; being impatient wouldn't have worked…"
"The twelfth is only 3 days away though." Alyssa kindly pointed out.
"Still…" Merrick sighed, then looked up at her, "What brings you here anyway?"
Alyssa shrugged, "Guess I just wanted to see how you were today…"
Merrick smiled, "Thanks… and I'm fine…"
He moved his letter to the side before he opened the bag and pulled out a silver and white music box.
"Wow…" He whispered before he opened it.
Inside were nine ladies dancing to a flute playing the tune of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
"That's beautiful." Alyssa noted lightly.
"Yeah." Merrick agreed, "It is…"
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Once Alyssa left for the day, Merrick looked over his letter once more.
Dear Merrick Baliton, I hear you like to play the flute, so I thought of a way to combine today's gift with that love.
So, a music box that I personally customized to play a special Christmas song with a flute is what you have.
Signed, A Special Friend.
It was a beautiful gift, as Alyssa had said, and it combined his two new-found loves…
Music, and Christmas.
What made Merrick smile the most though, was how few people knew if his love for either.
Which narrowed his Special Friend list down to just Taylor, and the Princess…. And Alyssa.
He sighed, three more days and he'll know which one for sure.
But, it reminded him that he also had to get Alyssa for the Three French Hen event.
"Crap!" He cursed, put the letter down, and quickly ran out of the Roadhouse.
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When they got the Center of the Woods, where the event was happening today, the event was simply catching three French Hens.
One person would get one hen each before the two could get the third together.
Once the two easily got one Hen each, they easily caught the third together.
When they did, since they were the first to get that all done… and pretty quickly, they both got blue ribbons.
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Alyssa smiled happily as they walked back to the area before the Animarium.
"Thank you for doing this with me, Merrick." She let out.
"No problem." Merrick assured kindly before they stood in front of the entrance.
"I'll see you tomorrow, right?" Alyssa glanced back at him, feeling suddenly nervous.
"Of course." Merrick nodded.
With that, Alyssa stepped onto the Animarium.
Once she was out of sight, Merrick whispered, "On the Third day of Christmas my true love gave to me… three French hens… but not her heart forever and always…"
With that, he turned and walked away, shaking his head out of the thought.
"She can't possibly love me… these are just kind gestures… that's all…"
Can that remain true?
Find out Tomorrow!
In the meantime, please review... and please no hate!