Summary: Somebody has a very cruel sense of humor when it comes to Christmas gifts... Pity Cloud and Tifa! PITY THEM!
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I don't own the song in its original form. I do, however, own this new version of it!
Queen's Quornor: (grins) You will like this one. Finally, something useful that isn't tied up!
Day Six
On the sixth day of Yuletide, someone evil sent to me...
By the time Yuffie was finally caught, the materia were already gone.
The ninja was captured in a very unorthodox way. When she went racing past Marlene and Denzel's room, which was currently occupied by the Turks, Reno stuck his foot out the door. Yuffie went sailing down the hall, allowing Cloud and Loz time to catch up with her and sit on her. Yazoo tied her hands and legs, then gagged her when she started bitching. Currently the ninja was chained up on Tifa's bed, mummified in metal. Even then, it wasn't guaranteed that she would actually stay put.
Tifa, exhausted by the ordeal of chasing after Yuffie all day and irritated that the cookies she, Kadaj, and Yazoo had worked so hard on had been blackened in the oven during the chase, had conked out on the foldout couch-bed downstairs for the night. As expected, she had been joined by the three latest additions to the 7th Heaven family, but with one unexpected bedmate. Reno had snuck down the stairs after Tifa dragged her blankets and pillows down to the foldout, and crawled in on Kadaj's other side once the Remnents were asleep.
The presence of the drunk redhead was not the reason Tifa was still awake, however. For some odd reason, she just couldn't get to sleep.
Suspicion as to why was provided when she heard a soft scuffling at the front door. A quick glance at the clock revealed that it was currently 1:31 pm.
It's him!
Or her.
Whatever.
Careful not to wake up her bedmates, Tifa got out of bed and padded to the front door, heedless of the cold wooden floor against her bare feet. She was reaching for the knob when a hand landed on her shoulder.
Her surprised shriek stifled only just in time, she whirled around to see Kadaj standing behind her, watching her with innocent blue-green eyes. "What's wrong, Mother? Why are you out of bed?" he asked quietly.
Tifa breathed a sigh of relief. "I think the same person who sent you and your brothers to us has just left us another 'gift'," she explained in a hushed tone. "I'm just checking to see if my suspicions are correct."
"Want me to check for you?" the youngest Remnant offered.
The martial artist's heart melted at that, but she shook her head. "It could be dangerous, Kadaj. You stay in here until I say it's safe."
He pouted, but nodded his acquiescence. That obedience to his mother-figure truly came in handy sometimes.
Tifa opened the door slowly and peeked outside, searching for a new package.
They were there, as expected. But it was not quite what she had thought might be showing up next.
Six weapons shone in the moonlight, laid out on the front stoop with obvious care. As with all the others, there was a ribbon somewhere on the weapon, but no tag this time.
Masamune, Cerberus, Rufus Shinra's shotgun, Reno's EMR, Yazoo's Velvet Nightmare, and Souba, all tressed up like Yuletide chocobos.
"How did..." Tifa shook her head, deciding not to question exactly how these weapons had ended up in the unidentified giver's hands. She already had more than enough questions about this person to ponder as it was. "Kadaj, will you help me get these inside?"
The youngest Remnent scurried outside at her call, stopping short when he saw the latest offering. "I thought Souba was lost," he murmured, reaching down to pick up the double-bladed katana. "I had it with me when Big Brother..." He looked up at her, his eyes huge and questioning. "How, Mother?"
"I don't have an answer, Kadaj." Tifa reached for Cerberus and the Masamune confidently. She had handled it once before without self-inflicted (or magic-borne) injury; there was no reason she couldn't pick it up now. Carrying them inside and setting them down on her bar, she went back outside for the shotgun and EMR. Kadaj followed her back inside, Souba and Velvet Nightmare in hand. "I have no idea how he or she managed to get any of these weapons, especially Cerberus."
"Maybe Big Brother will know," Kadaj offered, laying his sword reverently down on the bar next to its six-foot long cousin.
"Maybe he will." Tifa reached for Kadaj's hands and chaffed them softly between her own. "Come on, let's get back to bed. Your hands are freezing!"
"All right, Mother." Kadaj followed her back to the foldout, not even glancing at his old sword. Back in the bed, he curled up beside Tifa and put his arms around her, nuzzling her sleepily. "Good night, Mother."
The martial artist smiled and returned his embrace. "Good night, Kadaj."
...six stolen weapons, five mastered materia, four Shadowfoxes, three Remanents, two drunk Turks, and a clumsy little thieving brat.