Twelve Years Ago

Family gatherings were the least pleasant of tortures. Very little actual pain, relatives loud and in your space, being forced into other territories, weapons often seized at the door. Even at the age of 10, Wednesday Addams felt exposed and under scrutiny.

Wednesday's only joy this particular reunion was that it was being held in Japan at the Nishikino mountain camp. Where she would have access to a hidden garden of rare poisonous plants, although the Nishikinos referred to it as their healing garden. But healing and harming were very often just one more drop apart.

Ditching the party after greeting the hosts and catching up with Uncle Fester, Wednesday found herself free. The garden was a short hike and once past the border, she crept up on a rare variant of Japanese yew, white berries against green needles, she had been unable to acquire in the States. But here it existed, in Japan, just waiting for Wednesday to reach out and take a clipping, brush off some needles into a jar, dig the seeds out of berries, small tastes of poison for her latest experiment.

And then a hand covered hers. Wednesday glanced up to see sharp purple eyes watching her.

"Nishikino-san."

"Wednesday." Nishikino Maki held out leather gloves, "Papa says you are welcome to anything in the garden but you have to wear these."

Wednesday accepted the gloves. The very distant cousins nodded greetings, not displeased to be in each other's company.

"Mama expanded the wisteria wall to the northeast since your last visit."

Exciting news. The Nishikinos were a distant branch of the family known for healing and ancient wealth, a reputation that protected them and allowed them access to inventory not available to persons less privileged.

"I prepared the laboratory for experiments," Maki was ever the perfect host, even at 10 years old. "Papa also says there is a new branch of wolfsbane, easier to grow from seed, that you might be interested in."

Maki's calm when mentioning one of the few dangers to werewolves was an indication of how much she trusted her cousin.

Wednesday's pallor brightened to grave, "Let's gather some samples."

###

The experiments had gone well. Some had been left overnight. Dinner had been served. Maki and Wednesday had taken desserts out to a bonfire. Maki leaned back, the stars absorbing her thoughts; Wednesday watched the fire, calculating when the next chunk of log would collapse into ember and spark.

"I wonder what Santa will leave us."

"That's not the fun question, Maki. Do you think anyone's been bad enough to for Belsnickel to whip?

Maki, one eyebrow showing a cynicism bolder than her years, glared at her cousin. "I don't know, Wednesday? How have you done at making the naughty list this year?"

"Pugsley should keep his mouth shut." Wednesday grumped.

"He wanted tips on how to heal bruises and burns quicker. And he didn't want to tell your parents."

Wednesday was impressed by the filial loyalty, "I have been putting in extra efforts the last few years but still Santa visits."

Maki nodded. "Maybe it has to be murder. Or arson. Or both."

Wednesday's excitement increased at that thought. She hadn't gone that far. Yet. And attracting a Krampus or Belsnickel would be an impressive feat.

"But not here." Maki stared Wednesday down. Adding in a growl, her fingers lengthening into claws, "Do not touch my piano."

"Of course."

Maki leaned into the full werewolf change since Wednesday was one of the few relatives who treated her the same in either form. The three quarter moon shimmered, stars brilliantly set in the darkness and Maki howled her appreciation of the sharpness and beauty.

"Do you think Santa's immortal? Like a vampire?" That would make him more interesting, Wednesday had decided. What a tedious way to spend an eternity, bringing smiles and cheer, encouraging civic virtue, bribery on a global scale. But the man with the bag had an annuall PR and marketing push the Belsnickel lacked, whose presence was whispered about in dark corners, whose leering, looming shadow caught only a few eyes in this modern era of false abundance.

Maki, russet with cream highlighted fur, shook herself. Wednesday read that as a shrug. Maybe it was more like a job, with someone taking the mantle after you get your golden retirement snowglobe. That made more sense to Wednesday than one man suffering eternal cheerful torment. He was probably an American, they'd do anything for cash money. And companies would want to keep the gifts flowing and the stocks winning.

Maybe Wednesday could convince Maki to set a trap. There were fewer escape routes out of the Nishikino great room than the Addams'. Wednesday had never even caught a glimpse, although Maki claimed to, swearing her cousin to secrecy.

Present Day

Wednesday Addams stretched. Home for winter break with Enid Sinclair, her werewolf fiancée. Enid had wolfed out sometime in the night, curled into a blonde furry nest Wednesday had become the center of. Something had woken Wednesday? Was Pugsley up already and plotting? His habit was to blow up at least one holiday brunch.

A flash of gunpowder sizzled above her bed. Enid instantly awake, nostrils grabbing all the sense information there was, then Enid leaping, a large candy cane ribbon striped heavy parchment envelope in her maw. Vivid enough to make Wednesday reach for anti holiday filtered lenses, turning the whole scene black and gray, although somehow Enid still managed to keep a lavender pink aura.

"Give me that, Enid," For a heartstopping moment, Wednesday could see a future fear where the envelope exploded in Enid's mouth, sheering off her lower jaw. Wednesday grabbed it harshly, pushing the werewolf back with one hand.

"Hey, that hurt." Enid added puppy dog eyes and a whine as she became human.

Wednesday had the envelope to her ear, listening for any kind of clockwork mechanism.

"It's just paper." Enid smacked her lips. "Cocoa and minty paper. A friend?"

Wednesday shook her head. If it was Eugene, there would be a honey smell, if it had been a family member, there WOULD have been a bomb, and any of their Nevermore clique would have addressed it to both of them, usually using terms like The Gloomster and Cotton Candy or Murderbot and the Fluffy Pillow Assassin. So the source was unknown. Wednesday had received a mystery as an early Christmas present. She lay it gently on the bed, out of Enid's immediate reach.

"Hey, aren't cha gonna open it?"

"In my lab." Wednesday's lip corner did a cheerful curl at the thought of the lead apron, the mask, the gloves, the surgical tools.

Enid knew that look and zipped into her pink tracksuit. "I'm going to see what Pugsley's up to."

"Bring me bitter."

"Of course, my love." Enid air kissed in Wednesday's direction, not wanting to break her fiancée's concentration with physical demands. Wednesday smelled deliciously distracted and excited by the eccentric message. Letting Wednesday steep that mood had always been rewarded later, in Enid's experience.

###

Nishikino Maki loved this season. Her family left the city, heading for snow country and time away from business. Usually colleagues and friends would stop by, her parents' moods were generally upbeat, and Maki reveled in all the seasonal activities: cookie eating, cocoa drinking, snowboarding, preparing presents, sending and receiving cards, staring into a warm fire, outside of course. No fire 'til after Santa's arrival, unless there was an emergency. And as the fire died, Maki would tilt her head, maybe shift, howl glorious gratitude at the stars sparkling just for her, her werewolf senses taking in all the natural majesty of the mostly untouched Nishikino mountain camp. Then inside, bare skin under flannel and wool, scratchy and warm and cocooning as snow drifted and her senses picked up every barometric nuance of upcoming storms. Then there would be joy, Maki flying into winds with each leap, snowflakes dusting her coat, the thrill invigorating like nothing in a city ever had been.

A pop and a sizzle and her werewolf reflexes threw up a paw protecting her face, a claw snagging a heavy parchment envelope so it dangled in midair taunting her empty stomach with gingerbread notes.

Maki transformed, sniffing. Some small taint of Christmas cracker gunpowder, was it a riddle? Had her parents set up a scavenger hunt? Maki slid the envelope open, candy cane ribbons falling to the bed. Inside was a mistletoe ransom note, in cut out letters from Christmas cards.

"Can you save Santa?
There will be no Christmas
Unless you reach
The North Pole
By sunrise on Christmas Eve.

Tell no one."

###

Wednesday frowned at the note, dark eyes glittering.

"Will the naughty go unpunished?
There will be no Christmas unless
You reach the North Pole
By sunrise Christmas Eve.

Bring your warm heart and trusty right hand."

The gold foil lining the envelope had separated from the paper, showing the tip of a compass rose. Wednesday pulled it back to reveal a very loosely sketched map on thin vellum that sparkled like Enid's aura when Wednesday let herself be pulled in.

The map had dark masses of mountains and trees and some snowflakes, intricately drawn. There was a route marked, between the mountains and the trees, with eight words written along it, nestled next to drops of bright green ink.

Start
Strain
Decide
Meet
Weather
Rescue
Danger
Choose

Was it a spell? It was certainly the most curious start to a day.

###

"The bitterest espresso with a splash of apricot kernel shavings." Enid had a tray with two cups and a plate of silver dusted cookies. "How's your mystery?"

"I think someone may be playing a joke but I have found no clues."

"Maybe it's Christmas magic." Enid curled up in a chair, whipped cream topped cacao glistening on the end of her nose. She jumped when Wednesday laughed.

"My cousin, Maki, would believe you. Maybe it's a werewolf thing."

"You never mentioned a werewolf cousin?"

"We rarely see them. They're based in Japan. Healers. Not a branch most Addams visit."

"You sound fond of Maki. Or are you just weak for werewolves?" Smirk was too good a look on Enid, Wednesday decided.

Wednesday shrugged. "We both know that healing and harming are just a matter of measurement. I saw her briefly at a wedding five years ago. She played the piano." Wednesday closed her eyes, remembering the grace with which Maki dominated an entire ballroom, the pieces she played dazzling, lifting and leading everyone's mood. "She decided to follow her Muse."

Enid had finished her cocoa and snuck in to grab the invitation while Wednesday was distracted by the memories and sensations. "I think I need to go with you."

Wednesday opened her eyes, finding Enid much closer. "My warm heart."

"To keep my cold front safe." Enid kissed the end of Wednesday's nose, "And Thing too. He can chaperone us again, just like Nevermore."

Wednesday's fingertip pressed against Enid's lips. "Don't give Thing or my parents any ideas," she whispered.

Enid claimed Wednesday's hand, kissing the back with a wink, and a bow. "I was hoping to give you a few, my winter midnight."

Wednesday's hand settled Enid's curls on the shoulders of her dressing gown, enjoying the luxury of sweeping through the fine lilac and sakura tipped strands. "Patience, my heart."

"Always." Enid kept hold of Wednesday's fingers, pulling her up out of her chair "Now let's eat before Pugsley blows up the buffet."

"Hungry like the wolf" Wednesday intoned.

"You will never be rock and roll," Enid sighed.

"Good."

"Maybe Death Metal."

Enid laughed and broke into a run, dragging Wednesday in her wake.

"Buzz."

"No quoting Halestorm lyrics we might have to explain to your parents."

"Yes, my heart."

###

Yazawa Nico groaned. Too close to Christmas so no extra help for shifts. Just keep the coffee on, sandwiches warm, and the gas pumps flowing. And throw in a few Nico Nico Nis to get those precious smiles from lost and rushed travelers. And let the radio station continue to broadcast Christmas songs, with occasional commentary and Nico Ni originals.

Her phone buzzed. Nozomi Tojo, once her college roommate, with a cryptic text.

Nz: Keep an open mind, Nico-chi.

N: [:(]!?

Nz: The cards promised adventure.

N: Nico doesn't need adventure. Nico needs generous tippers.

Nz: Could happen. Just …

N: What?

N: I don't have time for this, Nozomi.

Nz: Trust the Christmas magic.

Nz: And wear your good boots.

Nico tossed her phone. Trust the Christmas magic and wear your good boots sounded like a parody Elf Army recruitment ad her sister Cocoa would have laughed at for a half hour. Nico did not have the time for Nozomi's cryptic mischief. But she did grab her good boots.

A/N:

December has been crazy hectic exhausting but I'm doing this. Maybe three chapters, some of the rest already written. Ah, for those of you new to my writing and moon friendly, welcome and a different take on werewolf Maki can be found in my Casual Lunacy.