"It what?" screamed Katse at his communication viewscreen. "Fruitcake? You've got to be kidding me!"
The purple-garbed Galactor leader slammed his hand down in frustration.
"Damn you, Science Ninja Team!" he spat, "You beat me again! But just wait until next year…."
Two green-suited goons entered the room, dragging a bedraggled blond man with them.
"Where… where am I?" mumbled Jacques.
"Lord Katse!" reported one goon, "This man was found in Utoland City, screaming about turkey meccas to anyone who dared to listen!"
Katse turned his furious eyes toward the prisoner.
"So it was you who tipped off the Science Ninja Team to our plan!" hissed Katse. "That's why they were able to defeat us so quickly!"
Jacques shook his head in bewilderment. "Science Ninja Team? No… I was giving a cooking lesson…"
"A likely story!" snapped Katse. "Do you claim to be a chef, then?"
"Yes…" moaned Jacques.
"Then I know just what to do with you…" Katse gave a slow grin. Perhaps his holiday could be salvaged after all…
88888
The five KNT stood, hand in hand, looking at the smoldering remains of the turkey mecca.
Ryu stared at the burned remnants of the Snack J and their Christmas celebration. The dinner table, their tree, and their presents were all in ruins.
The Owl looked at the night sky and opened his mouth.
Ryu was singing!
"Dahoo dores! Dahoo dores! Welcome Christmas…"
Joe couldn't believe it. Had the Owl gone mad?
One by one, Jun, Jinpei and Ken joined Ryu in song.
The ninjas in Utoland
The tall and the small
Were singing!
Without any presents at all!
The mecca HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming!
It CAME!
Somehow or other, it came just the same.
Hearing the bird squawks, Nambu and Granny came stumbling back through the mess.
"Thanks for saving the day again, Team." Nabmu said. "I'm sorry all of your presents were destroyed."
"Except…" Hakase dug through the soggy, charred remnants of the Christmas tree and pulled out a sorry-looking package.
"For you, Joe." he said simply.
Joe stared at the Doctor. What the hell was this?
Gingerly, the Condor removed and discarded the blackened wrapping paper. It fell away to reveal his gift.
It was a new pair of wings. Joe caressed them reverently.
They were beautiful.
"Thank you, Hakase." he whispered, as he put them on.
And what happened then?
Well in Utoland they say
That the Condor's small wings
Grew three sizes that day!
At that moment, a slight breeze blew through the remains of the Snack J. The bell that hung over the empty doorframe jingled softly.
"Every time a bell rings, a Condor gets his wings…." said Ryu, gazing at the starry sky.
88888
Katse sat by a massive fireplace, holding a glass of red wine. He sighed.
He hadn't been able to defeat the Science Ninja Team, but there was a new year just around the corner. Anything could happen. The possibilities were endless…
He stretched out his toes toward the crackling heat. Aaaaahhh….
Muffled screams came from the gagged form of a blond man tied to a spit. A goon was slowly rotating the device. Katse would have his Christmas dinner… one way or the other.
Completing the mood, a chorus of men in green began to sing.
"Chef's nuts roasting on an open fire…"
Katse smiled to himself. This wasn't turning out too badly after all.
88888
The seven people around the table looked at each other, wondering how it had come to this.
The Science Ninja Team, Dr. Nambu, and his grandmother were all seated in a Chinese restaurant. It had been the only place open on Christmas Eve.
As the waiters began to sing their own, special, version of Deck the Halls, Joe smiled to himself.
A roasted duck, head and all, was brought out to a chorus of oohs and ahhs from the team. For some strange reason, it was placed in front of Joe.
What the hell? Shrugging, Joe picked up the large knife.
They had lost all their toys
And the food for their feast
But now he,
He himself,
The Condor, carved the roast beast.
Things actually hadn't turned out so badly, Joe reflected. He had a new pair of wings. He was rid of that hideous sweater, but could still enjoy the fact that Nambu's had survived the mecca encounter. He would not have to eat Jun's cooking.
A smirk curled across his lips as one more thought came to mind…
"Can you believe that the turkey mecca ate all of those fruitcakes?" asked Ryu.
"Oh, don't worry!" replied Granny, "I just happen to have one extra one in my purse! We can all share it after dinner!"
The Condor was not the only person to choke on their roast duck.
At Christmas, some things were just meant to be.