AN: In the world of Fanfiction all was joyful, for it was once again Christmas. This meant that all non-emo/trolling/overly-politically-correct sections were lit up with colorful lights, covered in snow, lined with pine trees, and bursting with crappy holiday fics not unlike this one.

In one small corner of this world rested a small house, and in this house sat a room with the usual decorations one associated with the holiday; a tree with lights and ornaments, various red and green knick-knacks, and red and green upholstered furniture. Scattered across the room however, were decorations that one could only find in a world such as fanfiction; fictional characters waiting about for their next chapter to be released.

"So what's been taking this asshole so long anyway?" Nydia asked, sipping her punch as she sat in one of the gaudy seats.

Sprx stretched himself out on the sofa. "Eh, something about school, sounds like he's lazy if ya ask me."

"Feet off the couch Sprx." Gibson swatted the red monkey, not diverting his eyes from his book.

"Honestly, I've told you five time and time again, you can't trust humans," Mandarin snorted.

Jeff sighed, leaning against a wall as Mandarin 2 continued his rant. "Does he have to act like we're not here?"

"Pretty much," Chiro deadpanned, standing next to him.

Mandarin 2 suddenly averted his attention to the far corner. "You! Boy! Why are you staring at me like that?"

James squirmed uncomfortably as he tried to shrink into the corner and minimize his presence.

"Gee, I don't know, maybe it's because you murdered him!" Nova rolled her eyes.

"He's back!" Everyone turned their attention to Ally, who was staring out the window.

"Really?" Jeff asked.

"Mhm," His sister nodded.

"Well, it's about damn time!" Nydia exclaimed.

The door opened and Katamariape meekly walked in, a backpack weighing him down. "Um...hey guys."

"What the hell took you, you bastard!" Marcel exclaimed as he nursed a cup of eggnog while lounging in a recliner.

"Yeah… sorry about that," Katamariape smiled weakly. "Lots of schoolwork."

Antauri opened his eyes and looked at the young author while remaining in his meditation pose. "While it is important to focus on your studies, you have been neglecting us somewhat."

Hyun Jae raised an eyebrow. "Somewhat Antauri? It's been over four months since he last updated us. I'm fairly sure this counts as authorial abuse."

"What are you planning on doing with me anyway?" Jinmay asked.

"Yeah, and why are you being so mean and making all of us so sad, huh?" Otto decided to join in, jumping up and latching himself on Katamariape's arm. "It's not very nice."

Katamariape closed his eyes in defeat as his characters, both original and those belonging to others, surrounded and began to accost him.

Yeah… Merry Christmas everybody! Here's a new update. Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me so far, especially Brown, Sniggy, Halloween Witch, lilanimefan247, starr1095, animefan018, and numerous other fans of this story!

Chapter 20
Du Flasche

TIME: 07:45 UTC+12

LOCATION: Wellington, New Zealand

Ugh… Why is my bed so lumpy?

Hyun Jae squirmed to try and get rid of the uncomfortable feeling.

Wait… I'm still in my clothes.

The Korean woman opened her eyes and looked around in shock for a few moments before her memories of the previous day returned.

Right…

Hyun Jae rose from the sofa she had slept on and slowly trudged into the shop's kitchenette, still wearing the clothes she had on yesterday.

"Good morning." A flat voice greeted her.

Hyun Jae quickly swiveled her head to see who it was. She was greeted by the image of …Jeff was it? sitting at a small table drinking what appeared to be coffee.

Hyun Jae was still too tired to be mentally translating people talking to her in another language out of nowhere, so she simply settled for a "hello" and hoped that it fit.

There was an awkward silence for the next few seconds, which Hyun Jae wasn't sure was due to a mistake in her English or the situation that had occurred last night.

Either way, Jeff broke the silence with an uncomfortable shrug and pointing at his mug. "Do you want some?"

Hyun Jae took a second to process the request before shaking her head. "Ah, no but thank you. I do not drink coffee."

"Oh um…" Jeff got up and looked about the kitchenette, not that there was much to see from Hyun Jae's point of view; just a stove top, a mini fridge, and a small counter with various containers strewn about that Jeff seemed to be searching through. "We have tea bags somewhere if that's your thing."

Hyun Jae was unable to understand the latter part of the sentence, but she didn't have to. "No, that is okay. I do not drink tea. I try to not have caffine."

"Well good for you, Lord knows I need the stuff now. I didn't get any sleep last night."

"Is she still in the room?"

"Last time I checked," Jeff took a sip of the dark brew before sighing. "Not that I think it matters. I mean, do you really think we could keep her here, if she didn't want to be here?"

Hyun Jae cast her gaze to the floor, He's right. After what she showed us last night… probably nothing short of calling in a SWAT team would be able to stop her; and by the time they got here she'd be long gone anyway.

"How do you think she sleeps?" Jeff changed the subject. "Or why, for that matter?"

"Maybe she fakes it," Hyun Jae suggested.

"She's a damn good actor then," He shook his head. "She looked exactly like Ally does when she sleeps."

"Where is your sister?"

"We have an apartment two blocks from here; she went back there to sleep."

"Um, hello."

The two quickly looked over at the entrance to the kitchenette. Standing beneath the arch awkwardly stood Jinmay, her hair still askew from her nap.

Hyun Jae sighed, partially in relief and partially in regret, and switched back to Korean. "So how much did you hear?"

"I really do sleep you know, or at least something like it," said Jinmay. "Whoever made me, they made me as realistic as possible."

Except for the pink hair and your skin turning chrome at will, Hyun Jae mentally added.

"You mean you don't know who made you?" Jeff asked.

"No," Jinmay averted her gaze.

Fortunately for everyone involved, the bell rang from the front of the shop, stopping another instance of awkward silence.

Jinmay looked back towards the store front momentarily, and then moved into the kitchenette so that she was no longer blocking the entrance.

Two seconds later Ally was standing where the pink haired girl had stood. "Hey guys."

"Hey, Ally."

"Hello," Hyun Jae nodded.

"Hi" Jinmay said meekly, barely raising her gaze to look at Ally.

"Sorry it took me so long," Ally said in an oddly cheerful tone.

Jeff raised an eyebrow. "You're awfully chipper. You… do remember what happened last night, right?"

"Yeah, my bags are back at the apartment. I didn't wanna lug them here."

Hyun Jae was mystified. I must have heard her wrong. I mean, my English isn't all that great.

"Ally, what in the hell are you talking about?" Jeff asked

…Or maybe her English was fine.

"Um, well we're going after Otto with her, duh," Ally stated as if it was as obvious as the sky being blue.

"Really?" Jinmay exclaimed joyfully.

"Well, yeah, Otto's my best friend."

Jinmay seemed just about ready to hug Ally before Jeff intervened.

"Hold it! Hold it!" The bald man exclaimed. "Ally, did you forget that this girl that you're talking to is an alien robot? And that's if she's telling the truth and isn't part of some kind of government conspiracy of something. I mean, everything we thought we knew about Otto is a lie."

"Oh shut up!" Ally snapped. "'Everything we thought we knew is a lie?' Jeff we didn't know anything about Otto in the first place! And besides, I think this makes a lot of sense."

Her older brother facepalmed. "A lot of - ? Ally do you have any idea what all of this means? This isn't just some adventure for you to go on like in those cartoons you watch! This is something for the military, not a twelve year old girl!"

"Why are you being so mean?" Ally shouted. "I've already thought about this all night so it's not like I'm rushing into this."

Jeff slowly collapsed into his seat and began kneading his forehead. "God, I should've made my coffee Irish this morning."

"But Ally, I don't where they are," Jinmay interrupted.

Reality seemed to catch up with the young girl. "Oh… right." She shook her head, almost as if that would change the facts, and looked at her brother. "But we have to find them! C'mon, Jeff, who knows what trouble Otto might be getting into!"

"Ally - " Jeff started. He was suddenly cut off by a loud ringing noise.

Hyun Jae quickly fished her phone out of her pocket. "Sorry." She flipped open the cell and put it to her ear. "This better be important, Jin Sang!"

"Um… yes. Did I interrupt something?"

Hyun Jae quickly peeked up at the three other occupants of the room before diverting her gaze. "I'll tell you later. Now what is it?"

"Well I'm pretty sure I've found another case but… it doesn't look to good," Jin Sang sighed.

"What do you mean, not good?" she said apprehensively.

"What I mean is that we have one girl named Nova missing who fits the same profile as Antauri and this Otto kid, as well as one girl with a concussion, one boy dead, but the corpse is missing, and one dead police officer."

TIME: 20:00 UTC +1
LOCATION: Munich, Germany

Gibson looked about the club, staring at the various flashing lights and gyrating bodies and wondered if Marcel would let him leave. After all they were both two-thirds of the way done with their drinks so -

"Wait just a moment!" The blonde exclaimed.

Marcel, who was just about to take another sip, looked over. "What?"

Gibson pointed at the cup Marcel was holding. "You're drinking!"

"…And?"

"Our promise?" Gibson reminded him.

It took several seconds for Marcel to process the statement. "Oh, right! I guess we both kinda forgot about that, huh?"

"Well, now I've remembered, put the drink down."

"Fine, you can have it," Marcel placed the glass in front of Gibson.

Gibson looked at the blonde with disdain, "How stupid do you think I am? I know what you're trying to do."

Marcel grinned impishly. "Is it working?"

"No! *hiccup*"

"Aha! It is!"

Gibson growled in annoyance. "Please the hiccu - *hiccup* The hiccups are caused by a spasming diaphragm, which itself is caused *hiccup* by an irregular air intake. Something much more likely caused by arguing with you than *hiccup* inebriation!"

Marcel could hardly stop himself from bursting out in laughter. "Whatever you say."

"That's it I'm leaving!" Gibson stood up and quickly made his way to the exit.

"Gibson, wait!"

Gibson, of course, paid no heed, and he was soon outside, where a shower had begun.

"Well, this is just fantastic." He muttered beneath the bar's awning, standing away from the two bouncers at the entrance.

He was soon joined by Marcel when he exited the building. "For god's sake Gibson lighten up. I was just having fun."

Gibson whipped around to glare at his roommate. "How many times do I have to tell you? Your idea of fun and my idea of fun are two completely different things, Sprx!"

Marcel tilted his head. "What did you call me?"

"What?" Gibson asked, still perturbed.

"You called me Sprx again."

"I… did?"

"Yeah."

Gibson became silent, bringing a silent gaze up towards the clouds.

Marcel, beginning to worry after about a minute of silence, decided to interrupt. "Gibson?"

Gibson took a few moments to respond, never taking his gaze away from the increasingly darker clouds. "Yes?"

"Are you alright?"

Gibson slowly looked at Marcel. "I'm not sure."