Finland was chased away from sleep by a nightmare that took the form of a sugar cookie dressed like the grim reaper.
"FINLAND! THE LACK OF SLEEP AND UNHEALTHY EATING HAS FINALLY CAUGHT UP TO YOU! PREPARE TO DROWN IN THE LAKE OF EGGNOG AND BRIMSTONE THAT YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR YOURSELF!"
Finland woke up screaming "AIHH! No please! I was just trying to do my job and be a good Santa! Just let me live to see the end of this Christmas season so I can do my duty! Please, I swear by the gumdrop buttons on the gingerbread man I wasn't indulging for the fun of it!"
He stopped screaming when he realized that he was sprawled on the floor in the safety of his office. He sat up on his knees and breathed a sigh of relief.
Then he gasped as he beheld the pile of already wrapped presents in slightly singed packaging paper.
"Holy holly berries! How did this happen? I know I didn't have all this done before I went to sleep!"
A small black object slowly rolled out into the center of the room.
Finland squeaked in sheer fright and jumped straight up to the ceiling. He grabbed the light fixture and clung to it while shaking uncontrollably.
Then it clicked.
"Wait..." he stepped down from the ceiling to the top of his desk and peered down below at the small black sphere. "Little Magic 8 Ball, were ya the one who wrapped the presents for me?"
-Yah-
"Oh..." Finland wasn't sure whether to be grateful or terrified. He was kind of both. "Well that was very sweet of ya! I've had more work than I can deal with lately, so much that it has been affecting my health, so I really appreciate it."
-L'st I c'ld do aft'r...-
-…-
Finland blinked and turned his head to the side "After what Little Magic 8 Ball?"
-...aft'r sc'rin' ya.-
Finland would've smacked himself in the face with a Baltic herring had one been on hand. With a sad smile he stepped off of his desk and knelt down by the Magic 8 Ball.
-Pl'se f'rg've m'-
"Oh Magic 8 Ball, I should be the one asking forgiveness. I threw you off of Mount Halti, that wasn't very pleasant of me yah? And then I stuffed you in a closet drawer. And after all that you still helped me. I guess ya are a very sweet Magic 8 Ball after all."
-...-
"Magic 8 Ball, could we start over?"
-S'nds g'd-
"Alright then. Hello Magic 8 Ball! I'm Finland. I'm a friendly yet nervous country with a love of Christmas and a frightening talent with a sniper rifle."
-G'd t' m't ya-
"Since I'm Santa, it's my job to try and make everybody's Christmas wish come true. What is your wish Magic 8 Ball? I'll do my very best to try to make it happen."
-Hmm...-
-...-
-I w'nt...-
Finland cautiously assumed that the Magic 8 Ball was through with its saying-creepy-things-phase. It was acting pretty normal now; he really hoped it didn't make any awkward requests.
-...t' be y'r fr'nd.-
Hmm...that was a vastly more reasonable request than marriage. Having a Magic 8 Ball as a friend was a bit odd, but America was friends with an alien and England's friends were all invisible. So in relative comparison it probably wasn't all that weird.
-...'nd t' h'lp ya.-
Aww... Finland could feel his heart melt like ice on a salty sidewalk.
There were tears welling up in Finland's eyes as he picked up the Magic 8 Ball and clutched it to his chest. "Of course I'll be your friend Magic 8 Ball! That's so sweet of you. Nobody has ever made a Christmas wish asking to help me before! It really means a lot!"
-...-
"Sorry," Finland wiped the tears from his eyes "I get emotional when I'm overly stressed. Crazy, yah? It's just so nice to have someone who wants to help me out when everyone else is just expecting things from me."
-Mmm...-
"Yah, I know, I ramble a lot yah? Ha ha ha! Sorry, my friends all tell me I'm quite the talker. I hope it doesn't bother you too much Little Friend."
-D'n't m'nd.-
-Ya n'd m're h'lp w'th y'r w'rk?
"Well..." Finland rubbed the back of his head sheepishly "If ya really want to help I could use a hand because I'm barely meeting a lot of these Christmas deadlines… if I'm meeting them at all."
- 'f c'rse-
Sweden was quite pleased with life as he hopped down the hallway alongside Finland, who was no longer absolutely terrified at the sight of him.
Objective achieved: Relationship status with Finland upgraded to "friend"
Friendship = +600 Agility
Finland = Adorable
Happy = V'ry yah