Part 3 – Run Over by a Reindeer
Several days had passed, and they had all mostly recovered from Haruka's light show. Minako, though, was now preoccupied with another pending disaster, because she had apparently lost something very important.
"It's not here," she lamented, giving up rummaging through her school bag.
Usagi sucked green soda through her straw, then licked her lips before asking, "Are you sure you brought it with you?"
"Yeah," answered Minako as she grabbed a spoonful of Rei's ice cream. "I wore it all through Hideo-sensei's class. She thought it was cute, and you know how she likes cute." She sighed. "And it's the most important part of the costume, too."
"It's a hat," countered Rei, pulling her ice cream out of Minako's reach. "We'll get you another one. They'll never know."
"But it had those cute little red and green bows all around the trim," lamented Minako further. "I bet we won't be able to find another one like it."
"I can put bows on it for you," offered Makoto as she patted the baby's back trying to get a good burp out of him.
Minako smiled at her, grateful.
"So what's this costume for, anyway?" asked Makoto, figuring she should know if she was going to help reconstruct it.
"Charity event for the studio," answered Minako. "We're passing out presents to the kids at the hospital. I'm going to be Mrs. Claus."
Rei snickered. "Only if Santa is an old pervert. You guys should see this get-up." She stopped and thought about that for a second. "On second thought, maybe it's better if you don't."
Minako grinned. "But I look great in it!. And you haven't seen yours yet."
Rei's spoon came to a halt halfway between her mouth and bowl. "What do you mean I haven't seen mine yet? Why do I have a costume?"
"Aside from the obvious fun we can have," winked Minako, enjoying the way it made Rei blush, "you didn't think I was going to go do this alone did you?"
"It's a company sponsored event," returned Rei, stating what she thought was the obvious. "You aren't going to be doing it alone."
Minako waved a hand and made a dismissive sound. "They don't count."
Rei frowned at her.
Usagi scooted over closer to Ami. "Today's Rei is grumpier than usual," she muttered softly.
"I am not," snapped Rei, poking at her ice cream.
"Aw, Rei, come on," cooed Minako. She smiled prettily and tapped Rei's nose. "You know you enjoy doing stuff for the kids, especially over the holidays. The costume will make it even more fun."
"And everyone at the hospital really appreciates the effort," added Ami. "My mother said the entire staff looks forward to Santa and his friends visiting."
Rei sighed. "All right." Then she pointed her spoon at Minako. "But it's only for the kids."
Minako grinned widely. She was certain Rei would look adorable in her new elf costume, complete with latex Spock ears and red jingle-belled shoes.
Rei loved her car. Even with it a bit faded and a few worn spots in the paint, it was the perfect shade of red. The dullness in her chrome spoke of an experience in the world that translated to mostly smooth handling and a touch of excitement when they could get out of the city and open her up on an unencumbered road where she was less likely to stall out. The less than melodious hum of her engine and the soft wear of her upholstery was like sitting in the company of an old, very chatty friend.
Old being the key word this morning, apparently, because her old girl did not like the cold. She must also have not liked the idea of traffic in downtown, because right now, she was refusing to start.
Rei turned the small metal key one more time. "Come on," she implored over the choked mechanical refusal of her vehicle. "I really don't want to take the bus today."
Finally giving up, she let out a sigh, her head falling forward onto the steering wheel. The bells on her red and green Santa-style elf hat gave a merry little tinkle on impact. While it nicely matched the red cable knit sweater she was wearing, she wasn't thrilled that Minako had made off this morning with her cap and earmuffs, leaving this as her only alternative against the cold. She suspected Minako's logic went something along the lines of: Steal warm things → force Rei to put on elf hat so she doesn't freeze → Rei will like it so much she puts on entire costume → Minako wins! triumphant Sailor V sounds
A huff passed Rei's lips, her breath producing a tiny cloud. There was no way in hell that was going to happen. She'd sooner walk naked through the streets. Right now, the costume was safely tucked in her duffle bag. She'd put it on at the hospital, and as soon as they were done visiting all the kids, the thing was coming off.
A smirk formed. No time for that, though. She could revisit that later. Now, she needed to find a bus schedule.
Rei huddled into her wool jacket outside the bus stop. With every little impatient bounce, the red puffball on her hat slapped against her face, and the bells Minako had hot glued to her boots jingled. At least the red tinsel, also hot glued to her boots, was silent.
The entire route was running late this morning, due both to the weather and a huge do taking up an entire downtown block as a festive ad for one of the big department stores. She shivered. Making it worse was the day being entirely indecisive about being warm enough to melt the snow or cold enough to freeze it. The result was piles of dirty, wet slush mucking up the streets. She admitted reluctantly it was probably a good thing she hadn't driven this morning. Driving in this would not have been fun.
As her mental complaints about cold slushy snow and late buses continued, she began to hear a high pitched trill. Her mind stopped for a second - she knew that sound. Her eyebrow quirked as she contemplated…
Her phone!
Feeling supremely stupid, she began patting around her jacket trying to find the right pocket. She still wasn't sure why she'd let Minako and Ami talk her into getting the blasted thing. Their communicators were good enough. And free.
Not finding it in her outside pockets or in the zippered front of her duffle bag, Rei figured she must have stashed it in one of her inside pockets. She popped the large buttons to open her jacket and get to the pocket and her increasingly insistent phone.
Her regret was instantaneous as she found herself drowning in a dirty, icy wave of slushy water, courtesy a taxi that was zooming past to pick up a man several meters down from her. She froze, trying not to breathe in the grit as it cascaded down her face. Immediately it started soaking into her sweater and seeping through her jeans, droplets dripping from her bangs and off her jacket. At least her boots had kept her feet mostly dry.
A low growl echoed in her throat as she swiped a hand down her face. She shot a death glare in the direction of that bastard taxi. Not that it did any good. Its passenger slammed the door behind him as he climbed in, and off it sped, oblivious to her plight.
"Large coffee. Black."
Rei slapped the money down on the counter, not concerned with the change or the bewildered look on the barista's face. Some part of her felt a little sorry for the person who was going to have to mop up behind her drippy, muddy self. But damn it!
"Just leave it at the end of the counter. Please." Then she turned and headed into the restroom to change.
As she pulled the green and red skirted elf costume from her bag, she briefly recalled all the promises to walk naked through Tokyo before putting this thing on. She let out a long-suffering sigh. She hated it, but the green tights and leotard were better than her wet clothes and jacket. At least the material was a decent weight and quality, and the decorative red scarf with its snowflake tassels would keep her neck warm.
She pulled the hat off her head so she could undress. Somehow, the blasted thing had only gotten a few spots of murky water on it. She brushed off the bit of dried dirt from the plush surface. At least something was having a bit of good luck today.
Plus side, she really didn't stand out much given all the decorations going on downtown. Down side, she had to walk three more blocks to find the next right bus. With every step, the jingle bells on her boots reminded her that she was bordering on being inexcusably late. But she had made the bus, and was now heading in the right direction.
Though she was starting to question her luck in catching this particular bus. Several of the windows were stuck open, creating a cross draft that the heater couldn't conquer. Though from the sound of the engine, it was trying valiantly. She had finally given up what was left of her pride and put on the latex elf ears in an effort to keep warm. That had gotten her a few odd looks, including that of a small boy who had been staring at her for a full ten minutes, finger hanging from his open mouth and snot hanging from his stuffy nose. She made a mental note to pick up some extra vitamin C on the way home, then went back to staring out the window.
She got approximately five more minutes of peace before recognizing the sound of an overtaxed engine giving up on life. She sighed, her breath fogging over the window.
"Sorry folks," came the announcement as the bus sputtered and lurched to a stop as far to the side as the driver could get it. Horns blared angrily behind them, as if it was somehow their fault. Unphased by it, the driver went on, "Looks like we're getting off here. Recommend going two blocks north, then over one east. That's the next bus heading in the same general direction on this schedule."
A sea of sighs and grumbles accompanied the mass exodus.
Rei made it one block before realizing what they'd been sent out into. She made it another half block before being mistaken as part of the holiday show. And after more effort than she felt she should have to put into it, she was almost there - so close! - when she felt the first mental tickle. The hair on the back of her neck stood up as her consciousness instinctively zeroed in on the intrusion. Her eyes narrowed as she turned back to the Christmas crowd, the sound fading and the colors shifting…
There!
Ofuda in hand, Rei cursed as she started running towards an animatronic Santa sleigh with a full complement of electronic Reindeer. How in the hell had the department store been able to afford something this elaborate, anyway? She really needed to reassess the money she was spending on clothes at this place. Right now, though, she needed to stop this so she wouldn't be any later.
She saw the wispy form flit around the bright packages at the back of the sleigh, amuse itself by fluttering through the curtain of Santa's beard, then focus itself on the reindeer. She pushed through the crowd, getting a puff of red and green powder to the face from a popping clown balloon for her trouble, but never losing sight of her target. It zeroed in on Blitzen, started to attach itself, and she let the ofuda fly.
Something in her timing was off, though, and the little spirit had just enough warning to shift targets. Before Rei could get her next ofuda aimed, the thing had appropriated Rudulph and was pulling away from the animatronic team.
The crowd started to scream and run in the opposite direction, boxing her in as she tried to get to the sparking, evilly braying, way too red-nosed reindeer. She swam through the ocean of people as evil Rudolph took flight, his hooves knocking down strings of lights and oversized ornaments as he went. She could see its trajectory, though, and figured it was heading towards the band of human-sized nutcrackers making merry on a platform across the street.
Rei looked around quickly. Way too many people and not enough time to transform. She was going to have to improvise.
Coming up beside the Letters to Santa display with its ginormous Christmas tree looming in the background, Rei grabbed the waist-high North Pole sign from its stand. For lack of anything better, she snagged the bungie-like link of garland hanging from a lamp pole and quickly tied it to each end of the sign. She reached behind her for one of the long, wooden peppermint sticks decorating the tree, took a deep breath to aim and adjust for the horrid weight of her tools, then let her improvised arrow sail.
Her aim was remarkably true. The peppermint stick hit evil Rudolph dead center. The thing fell to the platform, electricity coursing along its open mechanical torso, and only taking out two of the nutcrackers on impact. The cheerful music wasn't even affected.
With a satisfied smile and a quick step, Rei was on top of the thing, slapping it with ofudas and giving it a swift kick for good measure. The little wisp of a spirit made an unhappy sound, then blinked out and back to wherever it had come from.
And Rei was out of time. She left the aftermath to the event staff and started sprinting toward the hospital.
Once she convinced the hospital staff that she hadn't come bursting through the doors as an overstressed patient in need of relief from too much Christmas cheer, Rei was led by a kind elderly volunteer to the breakroom the studio was using for setup.
"Oh my god, Rei! Are you okay!" Minako was on top of her, arms around her neck and near tears, before the door had even closed. "You're so late, and you weren't answering your phone, and…"
Rei hugged her back, a hand coming up to stroke Minako's hair. "I'm fine. Just had a little trouble getting here. The car wouldn't start, then the bus broke down. And my phone is in my duffle bag, which I also lost somewhere along the way, damn it. My favorite jacket is in that bag, along with those stupid elf shoes, which I am not paying for."
Minako stepped back, really getting a good look at Rei for the first time. She bit her lip, her worried tears becoming a mirthful gleam as she played with the snowflake tassels on the scarf. "So… naked in downtown Tokyo not your thing after all, huh?"
Rei rolled her eyes, but a smile formed on her lips. "Come on and just help me get this powder mess off my face before we have to see anyone else. We'll discuss the costumes more in depth later."
Minako giggled, kind of liking the red and green collage dusted across Rei's cheeks. Not actually wanting to antagonize her, though, she led her over to the sink. She desperately wanted to hear the story behind all of this, expecting she was going to find all kinds of entertainment and holiday cheer in it.
The next day came in sunny and bright against the snow covered landscape. Still half asleep, Usagi stumbled down the stairs and plopped into a chair at the breakfast table, wishing her mother hadn't opened the curtains quite so wide.
Across from her, her father sipped his coffee as he read the daily paper. His eyes suddenly widened a bit. "Huh. Well, that's definitely not something you see every day."
Trying to pour juice without spilling it in her hazy state, Usagi mumbled out something equivalent to, "What isn't?"
Her father folded the paper over and handed it across the table. This led to a minor tussle, because Chibiusa wanted to see, too. After a bit of light shoving and pushing, both girls settled and focused on the page.
And Usagi immediately spit out her orange juice in a surprised spray that covered Chibiusa.
There on the front page was a slightly blurry picture of an elf, in full Mars pose, hair flowing almost elegantly behind her with the tinsel on her rain boots waving like flames in the breeze, the entire image backlit by a majestic Christmas tree as she aimed a giant peppermint stick from a tinsel bow. Above the picture was the caption Mystery Elf Saves Christmas!
Usagi broke down in hysterical laughter. Oh, she was going to have a merry Christmas indeed.