Kids in America
Part 1
by Julia MacGregor
December:
Of the cold and ice. . .lies the heat of a new day.
Christmas comes but once a year. In the Green‑Bier
house there, was no exception. In the front room of
Green‑Bier flat was done up in the traditional English
style with the hanging of the green and holly. The
Christmas tree was carefully decorated with old family
treasures. The two wall out of the four walls in the
front room were covered in painting and photos. A
bookcase was built into the third wall. Homemade
decorations were used as book ends or used to fill up
empty spaces. The fourth wall was a fire place with a
mantle. It was covered in tiny holly branches, fine
pastel clear tinsel and tiny family pictures in mini
silver frames. The furniture was old fashion in
style, two high backed chairs the 1920's and an old
plump sofa from the 1930's sat in the middle of the
room.
In a second room which served as a kitchen lay
controlled chaos. A thin, white man with shoulder
length, black hair dressed in a white shirt and brown
pants was standing near the kitchen sink. He was
letting his cup of coffee cold on the counter. His
long face was set in a worried look. His worry was if
his niece was going to make it for her bell ringing
job in town.
The snow outside clung to the kitchen windows. Across
the room stood a high chair with
a light skinned, black baby who was playing with a
spoon. She had the tip of the spoon down on the high
chair's tray. She was racing it back and forth in an
effort to make her spoon into a saw. She was playing,
acting out in her own little world.
The man heard foot steps coming towards the kitchen.
A young white girl with long, curly, chestnut hair and
hazel green came sailing into the room. She was
dressed in double layers of pants and turtle‑necks.
The girl went over to the kitchen table. Reaching for
the radio which sat in the middle of the table, the
girl turned up the volume. The baby started to squeal
the noise. Then, began to bang away with the spoon at
the tray. The man winced at the noise. He tired to
yell above the din,"RIO. . . KEEP THE SOUND AT A
REASONABLE LEVEL!"
The girl yelled back, never stopping to look at the
man,"WHA?"
"RIO!" the man shouted back the girl. The din was
hideous. He clutched his fists. He tried to remain
cool. He wanted to have at least one morning without
noise. There was no way around the hubbub of having a
teen living under the same roof with him, his wife and
baby.
The girl yelled for a second time,"I CAN'T HERE YOU,
UNCLE ZIGFIELD!"
Rio's Uncle Zigfield marched over to the table. He
hit the power button. The noise was halted. Uncle
Zigfield faced his niece named Rio. He raised a finger
at Rio's face. Uncle Zigfield said quietly with a hint
of anger,"Now look. . .I want you to be a reasonable
girl. No goofing off."
In her Uncle's mind, Rio was growing up too fast. Rio
rolled her eyes. She had heard all before. She hated
to be punished for something in her mind was really in
her mind a small detail. Rio smirked a little as she
sighed,"You're losing your cool, Uncle!"
Uncle Zigfield bit the inside of his lower lip. How
dare she use an offhand statement like that. She was
like her father, William with her sharp remarks. Rio
was pulling on his chain and he knew it. He sighed out
frustration. He finished his statement,"I know today
si the last day of bell ringing, but I don't want the
whole block to know!"
Rio felt the cold hand of reality shaking her down.
She pouted,"Oh, Uncle!"
Then, she stamped her right foot.
He rebuked with his own pout at her,"Don't act like a
child! You are nearly an adult!"
She turned away. Now Rio felt lousy. She wanted to
party until Christmas night, but she had to fellow the
rules in her Uncle's house no matter what. Uncle
Zigfield was treating Rio like an adult. He was merely
pointing out the idea of the noise level wasn't
acceptable in the real world.
Rio moved towards the frig. She was going to make him
eat his words by getting her own breakfast. "A kid. .
.eh! We see about that!" Rio's thought huffed in her
brain.
A voice came from the hallway,"You better listen to
your Uncle, child!"
The voice was mix of African and English. She knew
who it was as she mumbled,"Great!"
Uncle Zigfield turned to see his wife Olivia standing
in the hallway. She was not only Uncle Zigfield's
wife, but she was the mother his only baby girl and
Rio's Aunt. She was a model in her younger days.
Olivia had light brown skin, long cat‑like face and
light copper eyes. She was used in the very
extraordinary and unusual jobs. When the baby was
born, she turned down the modeling life to be a mother
both girls.
She looked like an other morning person with her
light blue robe and slippers. She walked into the room
with a glamours stance of a former model.
Rio reached up at the top frig form the tin that held
spear change. Uncle Zigfield watched his niece's
actions. He wanted to question her. The baby swivelled
in the high chair. She began to gurgle loudly. Aunt
Olivia walked over to the high chair. "What are you
doing?" she asked Rio.
Aunt Olivia beat Uncle Zigfield to the punch. Rio
said,"Moving Aunt Olivia."
Rio pulled the tin off the frig. She shook the tin to
see of there were any one pound coins. "I'm getting
some extra dosh for my break," Rio said as her left
hand flipped open the lid of the tin.
Aunt Olivia asked her husband,"Is that it? What a
greeting!" She gave a little chuckle. "Hi, Olivia!"
"Maybe," amused smile played on Uncle Zigfield's
lips. He was trying to soften his mood to suit his
wife's appearance.
A shaking rattle filled the kitchen. Rio was two one
pound coins. "Fab. . .a couple of bob," Rio smiled.
She reached in the tin for the cions.
Aunt Olivia asked Rio,"Morning Rio. . .did you eat?"
"Yea. In a few minutes. I am waitin' for the bus to
pick me up!" Rio pocketed the coins in her coat.
"If you did already eaten. . .then, take something a
little extra. Are you warm enough?" Aunt Olivia patted
the baby on her head. She worried about her niece's
eating habits.
"Yea. See double layers," Rio pulled out the second
turtle‑neck sleeve.
She replaced the tin to it's spot. Then, Rio opened
the frig. She was taking her Aunt's advice. Pulling
out a plate full blueberry scones and a mini bottle of
strawberry juice, Rio sighed. She couldn't wait for
the day and the partying at her Grandfather's to
begin. She moved like a well trained dancer. Avoiding
the door as she went to the table. She placed the
bottle and plate on the table. She move swiftly back
to the close the door.
She dashed back to the table. She pulled two of the
smaller scones to eat. Rio placed the scones on a
clean appear napkin which was laying on the table.
There was a knock on the door. "I'll get that," Rio
said.
"No, I'll get that," Uncle Zigfield said. He walked
over to the kitchen door. The door was flung open. Two
snow covered figures stood in the doorway. Rio knew
who there were. She told them to get in before all the
heat leaves the house. Rio began to shake up the
bottle of juice.
After two minutes of foot stomping at the doormat,
the two figures ambled into the kitchen. Both figures
began to undo the heavy hoods and scarves which
protected the winter weather from them. One of the
figures was a young girl with long red hair, green
eyes and an elfin face. The other was a girl also, she
had a slightly around face, blue eyes and rope like
dread‑locks. The redhead was name Stephanie and the
blond was named was Charlotte but, went by the name of
Charlie.
Charlie smacked her lips. Then, she said,"My lips are
chapped."
"Yea, I'm just cold!" Stephanie shivered.
"Can you tell where we be stationed at this time. I
forgot," Rio said, looking at Charlie and Stephanie.
"In front of Victoria station?" Charlie asked. She
tried to remember where they were going.
"No, that was two days ago!" Stephanie shaking her
head.
"Have you eaten?" Aunt Olivia asked the two new
comers.
"If you can call two large salads and three large
teas. . .breakfast. Then, you can breeze through
without breaking down for a chocolate bar," Stephanie
snorted with a grin. Stephanie was ribbing Charlie
about her vegetarian eating habits.
"Then, what did you have?" Charlie glared at her,
wagging a finger.
Stephanie turned with a jerk and smirked,"None of
your bee's wax!"
Rio munched on the scones quickly. She didn't want to
wolf down her food as she tried to play beat the
clock. She did wake up late and had a talk with her
Uncle Zigfield. She to grab a protein bar for her
break. She had forgotten where she had put it. "I've
got to find something," Rio sighed, shaking her head.
"Hurry up! The van to pick you lot up would be gone
by the time you find it!" Uncle Zigfield sighed,
hoping to make the girls stop bickering.
Rio walked over to the frig. She opened it and peered
inside. Moving things about on the shelves, Rio became
worried. She brought a box of high energy bars last
week. It was a quick snack for her. She directed a
question in jest to the baby,"O.K. Gloria, did you eat
my last bar?"
Gloria gurgled her answer. Then, smiled.
Rio found the bar in the back of the frig, ice cold
and hard as a rock. She instantly pocketed the bar
into her coat. Uncle Zigfield thought that Rio had
flipped. He sighed,"Rio, Gloria is too young to eat
one of those bars. She beerily gums her food!"
Gloria slapped the tray with her spoon.
"I'm joking!" Rio shrugged her shoulders.
Gloria cooed.
Uncle Zigfield was going to tease his niece a little
so there wasn't any hard feelings. "I thought you ate
it!" he joked.
"No," Rio said, her forehead was now crinkled into an
odd expression of surprise.
"I also. . ." he began to say. Unfortunately he
couldn't finish his statement. Charlie and Stephanie
heard the van.
Aunt Olivia asked,"Rio, I saw you eat those scones.
Why the bar?"
"Yea, Auntie, I need that bar when I feel tired," Rio
said, closed the door.
"Don't they feed you?"
Charlie said quickly,"Yea, in a way!"
"How?" Uncle Zigfield asked, becoming concerned about
his two nieces eating habits.
"We get a food card from a local café and that's our
lunch," Stephanie said.
"But, we need some extra food. . .because we burn up
a lot of energy just by shivering to death in the
cold!" Rio added.
"Aren't you inside?" Aunt Olivia asked. She was just
as concerned for the girls as her husband was.
All three girls sighed out disgust,"No."
"Why?"
"Some places wouldn't let us in. . .they say freedom
of religious expression. That's why we are out in the
cold," Charlie snapped. She and the other two girls
hated the very idea of being out in the cold because
of the organization that they were working under
didn't get fair treatment.
The van horn beeped. Rio panicked a little. She
always waited to the last minute to get ready. "Ack!"
she gasped. "I didn't get me boots on!"
"What?" Stephanie groaned.
Both Charlie and Stephanie knew that Rio got panicky
she was hopeless. "I'll tell the driver to wait!"
Charlie said, turning her heels. She opened the door
and threw her hood over her head.
Rio ran to the doorway where her boots stood. She
jammed one foot in the right boot. Then, she jammed
her left foot in the left boot. She hobbled around
like she was a cripple for a minute. Finally she
grabbed her coat from back the chair. Stephanie huffed
in annoyance,"Yahoo!"
"Come on," Rio running out the door. Stephanie
followed her cousin.
The door was slammed shut behind the girls. Aunt
Olivia smiled,"Good luck girls!"
"Make lots of money for the army!" Uncle Zigfield
praised the girls in their efforts.
"Bye!" All three girls yelled at the door.
In an other place in the world, some time later. In a
house in Kurashiki, Japan, the Masaki house hold was
getting ready for Christmas. Tenchi Masaki was
clearing off the path leading up to the house. While
Sasami was throwing rock salt on the cleared path. The
little cabbit named Ryo‑oh‑ki was perched on top of
Sasami's head.
Mihoshi and Kiyone were trying to hang a wreath on
the front door. Mihoshi held the wreath. While Kiyone
hammered in the nail somewhere on the door.
Ayeka, Ryoko and Washu were bring out the Christmas
ornament boxes from the attic. Yoshou (Tenchi's
grandfather) and Nobuyuki (Tenchi's father) were
trying to make the Christmas tree in the middle of the
living room.
It seemed to the most quiet Christmas that Tenchi
remembered. Ayeka and Ryoko weren't fighting (not
yet). Washu put off doing her experiments for another
time. Mihoshi and Kiyone had time off for the
holidays.
Washu walked over to the table holding the box of
ornaments. There was some dust on top of the box.
Washu wiped the box clean with her sleeve. Slowly the
lid to the box was popped opened. Red, blue and green
balls gleamed. While silver star burst and gold sun
bursts shone up at her. This was another turning point
in the lives of this miss‑matched group.
Ayeka walked over to a chair which was off to a side
of the room. As she sat down, she blew off the dust
off the lid. She smiled at the little picture of
Christmas trees that her little sister, Sasami drew on
the lid. Ayeka was dazzled by the content of the box
as it was opened. Homemade miniature donkeys, sheep
and cows were nestled between hand carved Mary, Joseph
and baby Jesus. She remembered the people who lived
down in the village. They were a Christian missionary
group. They gave the miniatures to Tenchi. It seemed a
little odd at first to be giving such a wonderful gift
as this. It was the fact that Yoshou was a Shinto
follower and trained to keep order of the Masaki
shrine. The group from the Masaki household learned to
appreciate the small set as understanding fo a
person's faith.
Ryoko brushed off the dust. She quickly opened the
box. Gold garland and miniature tree lights were
staring back at her. She chuckled a little. The lights
brought back a memory for her. The lights wouldn't
work last Christmas. Washu had every light pulled out
of the set. She was checking them over with her
computer to see which one was burnt out. Washu was
sitting front of her monitor when she was visited by a
little stranger. The cute little cabbit, named
Ryo‑oh‑ki watched as Washu tried to replace the lights
after their were tested. Ryo‑oh‑ki thought that the
lights were tiny carrots. With a stealth paw, the
cabbit swiped a couple of lights at a time. At first,
Ryo‑oh‑ki tried to eat one and found it not to her
liking.
After biting down on one, Ryo‑oh‑ki felt the shards
of glass cutting her mouth. She cried,"YOWL!"
"Hmm?" Washu raised an eyebrow.
"Yowl!" Ryo‑oh‑ki cried again, this time a little
softer.
Washu shifted herself in her chair. She rolled back
the chair. As she bent down to get a better look at
the noise maker, a paw shot up form underneath the
desk. She was surprised to see Ryo‑oh‑ki pawing at her
mouth. A glint of broken glass on the floor caught
Washu's eye as well. The broken glass was from a
Christmas light. She saw Ryo‑oh‑ki mouth bleeding a
little. "Ryo‑oh‑ki, was that you?" she asked.
"Mew!" Ryo‑oh‑ki groaned a little. The little cabbit
slowly padded over to Washu.
"Have you been eating the light?"
Ryo‑oh‑ki nodded her head. Washu picked up the
cabbit. She patted Ryo‑oh‑ki on the head,"Now, let's
see about that mouth of yours!"
Ryo‑oh‑ki mewed gently.
Ryoko smiled as Washu and Ayeka were taking out the
contents of their boxes. Ayeka was unwrapped the
tissue paper from the figures. Washu started to pull
out the decorations from the box. She checked for
hooks. If there weren't any hooks, Washu had a packet
of them in her vest pocket. Yoshou and Nobuyuki
finally had the tree up, ready to decorate.
Tenchi, Mihoshi, Kiyone, Sasami and Ryo‑oh‑ki came in
from the cold. The snow was brushed off if their
jackets, stomped off their boots and patted off of the
gloves.
Yoshou went to the kitchen to make some tea. While
Nobuyuki went up to the attic to find the star to
place on top of the tree.
Ayeka glanced over to see Tenchi hanging up his coat
rack. Sasami quickly hung up her coat. Ryo‑oh‑ki
hopped off of Sasami's head. Kiyone and Mihoshi were
talking about the snow. Mihoshi remarked with a
smile,"It really pretty outside!"
"Yea. It's looks like someone painted the snow!"
Kiyone said with a tiny bit of a starry eyed look on
her face.
Sasami and Ryo‑oh‑ki walked over to the tree. They
viewed the tree with an eye of a child. Sasami was
very excited about Christmas. She hoped for set of a
pocket mangas called Solider Girl. She sighed.
"Ryo‑oh‑ki. . .I hope to get that set I saw in the
book store the other day. I love Soldier Girl!"
"Meow!" Ryo‑oh‑ki said. The little cabbit understood
what Sasami was talking about.
"Yea, Kimmy Kikuko is of my favorites," she turned to
face to smile at Ryo‑oh‑ki. "I know what you want!"
"Meow!"
The two of them knew what pleased the little cabbit
more than anything in the world. "A big bag of
carrots!" Sasami raised a finger to tap Ryo‑oh‑ki on
the nose gently.
"Meow!" Ryo‑oh‑ki squeaked, she began to hop around
Sasami. Sasami giggled at the little cabbit's
movements.
In a small tea shop in Tokyo, a young woman was
closing an outside door. Her long brown hair played in
the cold breeze as it slipped out from the crack for a
couple of minutes. A young girl with long, black hair
stuck head out of her bedroom. She was hoping that the
young woman with the brown hair didn't see what she
was doing. The young girl with the black hair quietly
slid the door shut. The girl through,"Now at last, I
can wrap these gifts without anyone nosing in!"
A male voice called out from the hallway,"Hey Bell,
did you see the scotch tape?"
Another voice remarked,"No. The last time I saw it. .
.was in two days ago in Urd's lab!"
"Great! I've got this poster to make and there is no
tape!"
"Don't worry. It will pop up somewhere!"
The girl with the long, black hair was cutting a
sheet of gift‑wrap on the floor. She had a box of
gloves sitting on the floor right next to her. She was
going to a friend. Sitting on top of worktable was a
bottle of daisy perfume. She was going to give that to
her big sister, Belldandy.
A set of glass beakers for her other sister, Urd sat
near the perfume. A set of four thick notebooks were
for Keiichi. He was still in college and it looked
like he would be need some extra paper for his
studies.
Taking her time with each gift, the girl remembered
something special about the person who was going to
get the gift. Belldandy was the girl's middle sister.
She was very kind and gentle. That was her nature. She
was the peacemaker of the Goddesses. She was a Goddess
First Class. Next was Urd. She was a testy and quite
annoying. She was the mix of the family of the Goddess
family tree. (Her father being a demon and her mother
a goddess) She was a Goddess Second class. She was
trying to interfere with people's love lives. Then,
the making of medicines in her room was the cause of
hours of talk between the other three. Keiichi was a
human who was trying to get hold a of local restaurant
to send him some noodles and dumplings. He mistakenly
dialed the wrong number, which in turned got the
Goddess Help‑line. He got Belldandy who could grant
him anything that he so desire. He joked that he would
like to have someone like Bell to be his friend. His
fate was sealed when Belldandy filled his request of a
girlfriend. Skuld liked Keiichi at times. Others, she
was under the impression that Keiichi was going to run
off and marry Belldandy.
The girl was done with all of her gift wrapping.
Footsteps went past her room. She quickly took the
gift and placed them into a box that she had under her
bed. She heard someone call out her name,"Skuld. . .
supper!"
The girl was the Goddess, Second class, Skuld. She
was the master of the robot and the lover of ice
cream. Urd thought that Skuld was a brat. Belldandy
loved her little sister for whatever she did. Keiichi
believed Skuld was a pest.
Skuld gently kicked the box underneath her bed. She
was ready for Christmas.
Serena and Reenie walked home in the snow covered
streets of Tokyo. They took their time. Reenie had
bought a very special lamp Hotura. While Serena got
Darien a set of water colour paintings. Then, she got
Seiya a book on American Football.
The two girls came to the house, quietly. They didn't
want get caught by their moon kitties, Luna and Diana.
They were about to climb up the stairs when they head
a voice coming from the foot of the stairs. "And just
where do you think you are going?"
Both girls cringed at the voices. Serena
winced,"Busted!"
Reenie agreed."Hmm!"
They knew who that voice belonged to. Serena glanced
over her shoulder. The two cats, one a black cat and
other a grey kitten with crescent moon spots on their
foreheads stood at the foot of the stairs. "Oh, hi. .
.Luna. . .Diana. How's tricks?" Serena tried to bluff
her way past Luna's had edged stare.
Diana and Luna looked at each other. Luna noticed the
shopping bags in the two girls' hands. She asked,"Were
you Christmas shopping?"
Trying to hide the fact that Serena and Reenie were
shopping, the girl moved their bags behind their
backs. Then, Serena blushed,"What's it to you?"
Reenie came to the defense of Serena's spending
habits,"Yea, these gifts are not for you!"
"I didn't mean that. I just hope you two didn't spend
your money foolishly," Luna's eyes were now closed.
She didn't want to show the upset state which Serena
and Reenie were dragging Luna around in.
"For your information, I didn't buy this stuff on a
foolish whim!" Serena snapped, before marching up the
stairs.
"Mhh!" Reenie agreed before following Serena up the
stairs.
Without saying another word, Luna and Diana were now
shaking their heads.
Serena dove into her bedroom. She locked the door
after she heard Reenie going up to her bedroom. She
went to her bed to place the bags on her head. Then,
she took off her coat. She laid it on the foot of the
bed. She bent down to pull out a box which was full of
Christmas gifts. She was finally done with her
shopping. All was to be done was the gift wrapping and
Serena was finished for another year.
Reenie went to her room. She kicked the shut. The
lamp that she had bought was too heavy to be carried
by one hand. Reenie took her time with each step as
she walked up the stairs.
She make up the stairs. Reenie walked over to her work
table. Gently placing the lamp in the middle of the
desk. Reenie smiled,"Hotura will love this lamp!"
Giggling softly, Reenie back away from her table. She
studied the lamp for a minute. It was a smoky purple
colour, circle with a silver base and neck. Now she
was thinking of the right gift wrap. She took off her
coat and padded over her clothes closet. After she
fished out a hanger for her coat, she hang up it with.
Silver paper would be nice to wrap up Hotura's
gift,"she thought as Reenie placed the hanger back on
the clothes rack with coat.
She came back to her desk. This was going to be her
first Christmas with Hotura and Diana together. Reenie
was very happy.
She glanced at her bookshelf at the head of her bed.
She felt a pang of sadness. Her thoughts turned to
someone very special. From time to time Reenie had the
same thought which ran in memory. She wasn't going to
spend Christmas with that someone special. She sighed
glumly,"Helios!"
A tiny kitten voice mewed,"Small Lady!"
"What?" Reenie sniffed. She turned around to see
Diana standing at the top of the stairs.
Diana cocked her head to one side. She saw Reenie sad
many times. This was a different kind of sadness.
Diana said trying to sound cheerful,"I saw the door
your room was opened and I came in. Mama doesn't know
I'm here. What's wrong, Small Lady?"
Rubbing her eyes, Reenie sighed,"It's you, Diana!"
"Yea! Why are you crying?"
All three Moon Kitties had human feedings. Luna,
Artemis and Diana could express sadness, joy and anger
unlike their earth‑bound cousins. They acted human
like in their roles as guardians to the Sailor Senshi.
Diana didn't like it when Reenie was sad. Her whiskers
were drooping a little as she asked,"Who?"
"Helios!" Reenie sniffed again.
"You really miss him?" the little grey kitten asked.
"Yea! This is going to be a very special day and
tomorrow is going to be an extra special day!"
"Is tomorrow Christmas?"
Reenie nodded her head. Then, she said with a sad
smile,"I just wish that Helios was here to help me
celebrate!"
The tiny grey kitten trotted over to Reenie. Reenie
held out her arms. The little kitten leapt into
Reenie's arms. It was a sign that Reenie was till
loved by everyone. She got caught up in her memories
of Helios. How noble and princely he really was to the
Sailor Senshi when the Dead Moon Circus was trying to
take over the planet.
Late Christmas eve in Salem Ohio, Vachon and Nick
were getting off of a case. Salem was an agreeable
little town. No one asked who they were, when they
came here or the fact that they were really vampires.
Christmas was a strange time for them. As room mates,
Nat and Nick didn't want to share the house with
Lacroix, Vachon and Tracy, at first. They were hoping
for something small and quiet. While Vachon and Tracy
wanted a place to hang their hats for a minute before
leaving for another place. Lacroix wanted nothing more
than his old place back in Toronto. Unfortunately,
Lestat was firm as he wanted the sins of a misguided
father to be cleansed. Nat, Nick Tracy and Vachon were
now sharing a place with Lacroix. What really
irritated Lacroix was that their next door neighbors
were Alex, Armand and Arika. Sam as Devon lived about
four houses down from everyone else.
The idea of Alex, Armand and Arika living next door
didn't faze the other four of a minute. It seemed like
this miss‑matched community of the un‑dead were
getting along quietly, after the chaos of Toronto.
The snow was coming down slowly. The flakes swirled
heavily as the wind drifted around the city streets.
Nick was driving his Caddy while Vachon rode shotgun.
They were coming back from a call in the west side of
town. Vachon watched as the busy Christmas shoppers
were carrying their last minute buys.
Tracy was at the house, doing paper work. She,
Vachon, Nick, Alex and Armand had opened a detective
agency until their houses were settled. Sam worked the
dinner‑theater route. Nat got a job with a local
hospital in the pathology‑coroner's department.
Lacroix looked around for an idea for a job. He found
that his last two jobs as a bar owner and night time
talk show host were his only choices. His chances on
the job market were slim.
After a month of looking for a job, Lacroix decided
to open a night club in the neighboring community of
Youngstown. In the warehouse area of former steel
town, Lacroix had bought a building in very good
condition for a song. He had some money saved up.
Then, he asked Lestat to back up in his request. He
told the father that needed the money for a least a
year. He hired local contractors to fix up the place.
He was going to have his own place. For years he
wanted something that he could call his own. Now
Lacroix's wildest dream was coming true.
When the night came for the opening of Lacroix's
night club, the others were surprised to see the name
of the club. Nick turned to smirk at Lacroix before
stepping in,"The Raven!"
Lacroix let the personal jab from Nick pass. He still
missed his old haunt. He purred softly,"Yes, I miss
the old club and the people!"
Tracy asked with a raised eyebrow,"Why?"
He smiled wistfully,"The name grew on me!" He still
remembered Janette. The lost of his only daughter fell
heavily on his heart.
Vachon nearly forgot Tracy's Christmas present. He
stroked his chin with a finger. He groaned,"Oh, man!"
Nick glanced over at Vachon for a minute. He
asked,"What's wrong?"
"I forgot to buy something for Trace!" he moved the
hand that he was stroking his chin with out towards
the dashboard.
You forgot to buy what for Tracy?" Nick asked with a
knowing smile and a raised eyebrow.
"A Christmas gift. It totally slipped my mind,"
Vachon sighed. His right hand began to tap
out a rhythm on the car door window.
Nick knew how much Tracy meant to Vachon.
He said,"We are near a jewelry store! I'll just pull
up to the curb. You can hop and get something!"
"Are you sure? It looks like it's closed
up," Vachon was unsure of the idea.
Nick shrugged his shoulders. Then, he
said,"I just know she would be happy to see you and
whatever you get her!"
"Are you sure!" Vachon repeated his
statement.
"Yea," Nick breathed a little, trying
to reassure Vachon. The Caddy pulled up in front of a
local jewelry store named Crolls. As Vachon opened the
car door, he took in a lung full of are and hope! He
swung his legs out the opened car.
The window of the store was brightly
decorated with red and silver ribbons, jewelry
displays and decorations. He walked over to the store
avoiding the snow drifts were piled up from the day's
snow fall. Vachon looked at the displays in the right
window. They were the typical Christmas trapping. They
were a bit too much glitz for Tracy's taste. After
living with her, Vachon found out what she liked. He
walked to the door. Then, something caught his eye. He
opened the door to step in.
The consistent scent of pine and holly berry hit
Vachon's nose. The greenery which hung from the
display tables hung from the lamps and counters. The
store made Vachon think of Christmases past. He moved
past two students were looking at a tray of lower
priced earrings. An older sales woman watched as
Vachon looked at the display cases. He scanned the
dozens of rings, earrings and bracelets. He took off
his gloves, he hoped for a question.
"May I help you?" the sales woman asked. She walked
up to Vachon.
"Hmm?" Vachon half asked. He was in a daze. He was
blinded by the gold and silver. He tried to remember a
ring that stood out in the display window outside. It
was a simple ring with two clear diamonds with little
diamond chips. He knew it was something that Tracy
would wear. It wasn't flashy. Tracy was a simple girl
who didn't make a big fuss. He gulped as he said,"I
would like to see the ring in the display window!"
"Which one?" she asked.
"The one in the middle of the whole display case,"
Vachon, all people was turning shy. He was a vampire.
A creature who was feared by people. He stuck dark
cords in to the very fabric of people's souls. Now
Vachon was changing into a light headed, blushing
teen. Nervously, he balled up his gloves in his sweaty
hands.
The sales woman's grey eyes stared through a pair of
thick glasses. Smiling, she said,"The
one in middle is from out latest line for the new
millennium collection!"
"Uh! Yea. . ." his voice trailed off.
The sales woman was an expert at the awkward
monuments of the very expensive purchases. She turned
to walk down the Ilse way behind the counter. She took
out a row of keys from her jacket pocket. She undid
the lock to the display window. She fished out the
velvet pad that the ring sat on. She came back with
the ring. It sparkled as she held it out between two
fingers. Vachon goggled at the ring. He dropped his
gloves onto the counter. His mouth began to get dry.
He managed to squeak out the words,"How much?"
She nodded with an accuracy of a well‑trained
business woman,"About four hundred and forty five
dollars!"
Vachon had to get something for Tracy. She never got
a proper wedding ring. This would be a nice way of
making up for the loss. He gapped,"I'll take it!"
"Good. Would that be cash or credit?"
He was brought back to earth the saleswomen's
statement. Vachon blinked for a minute. His mouth was
a tad dry. "I'll pay in cash!" he uttered.
Nick had the radio turned on the Night Crawler. The
show was another part of Lacroix's personalty. The
deep liquid voice filled Nick's Caddy. "To my Children
who are listening this night. . .Christmas is a time
of good cheer. It is a time of reflection. . .of lost
dreams. . .of missing loved ones!"
Vachon opened the car door. He stepped in. Closing
the door, Vachon brushed off the snow from his bangs.
He caught some of what Lacroix was conveying. Not sure
of what to make of Lacroix's speech, Vachon smirked
in a puzzled look,"He's gotten sad lately!"
"He misses someone! The time of the year is always
the hardest for him," Nick sighed out of sympathy for
Lacroix's loss of Janette.
"Let's talk about it later!" Nick started up the
Caddy.
Tracy with help from Alex, Sam and Arika had the
Christmas tree up. The lights white glowed, the silver
tinsel shimmered and the red balls were hung neatly in
rows. Now Tracy sat alone in the library, waiting for
Vachon. She watched the fire in the fireplace. The
warm scent of pine filled the room. Tracy was curled
up on the sofa. A glass of cow's blood was in her
hands. She had with Nat and Sam nearly threw up at the
first taste of it.
Tracy took a small sip. She heard the back door slam.
She also had to get use her extra sharpened senses.
Nick's voice coming from the back. "Look, I'll do the
paperwork and you take care your special task at
hand," he said, understanding what Vachon was facing.
Vachon remarked rather nervously,"I hope she likes
it!"
Tracy stared at her glass for a minute. She thought
to herself,"Likes what. . .who's she?"
Vachon called out from the back,"Tracy, are you
home?"
Tracy got up from the sofa. She was curious about
Vachon's actions. What was he up to?
She placed her glass down on the coffee table which
stood in front of the sofa. She walked to the doorway.
She said, loudly,"I'm here. . .in the library!"
"Oh, O.K.!" Vachon replied.
"Don't worry!" Nick reassured Vachon.
Within minutes, Vachon appeared in the hallway. He
held a small brown paper bag. Tracy's curiosity was
peeked a few notches. Vachon was trying to keep the
large butterflies in his stomach from leaping into his
throat. He started to say,"I have. . ."
Then, his tongue got tied up.
Tracy's left eyebrow shot up. She thought,"What do
you have?"
The bag was shaken very clumsily. Vachon slowly
breathed,"It's in here!"
"What?" Tracy asked. She was getting tired of playing
around.
"Please," Vachon thought. "Don't go down that road,
stupid. I want to give you this present, Tracy!"
Then, Tracy noticed a red rose in Vachon's other
hand. Tracy switched moods to one of complete
surprise,"Is that a rose for me?"
"Yea!" Vachon gulped. "You want to got the library.
Tracy shyly nodded her head. This was the first time
that anyone had given Tracy, a red rose as a present.
She was very excited. Vachon was trying to cover all
the bases with his Christmas gift to her.
Vachon and Tracy sat on the sofa in the library.
Vachon held the bag on his hands. He was trying to
choose the right words to say. He didn't want to mess
up. Tracy looked at Vachon. He uttered softly,"Tracy?"
She replied with a smile,"Yea."
Her smile was innocent and sweet. She knew how to
ease Vachon's fears. He wanted to
make it as to romantic evening as he could. He shifted
himself onto the floor,"I. . .let me get down on the
floor. Here, I'll kneel on the floor."
"Why?" Tracy giggled a little. She didn't know what
to expect form him now. "You were fine as you where!"
"No, it doesn't seem right if I don't do it on bended
knee!" he was started to get more nervous.
"What?" Tracy rolled her eyes. She grew tired of his
playing around.
"I. . ." Vachon began to say. Then, he took the bag
in his hands and ripped it opened. He fished out the
box from the ripped bag. It fumbled to the floor.
Tracy watched as Vachon groped around for the box.
Then, he groped underneath the sofa. Tracy without
speaking moved her up into a cross‑legged pose. He
banged his head against the edge of the sofa. He
grunted an 'ow' sound as he clutched at his head.
Tracy's reactions were mixed. She felt sorry for him.
He went out his way to buy her a special gift. Then,
she wanted to laugh at his antics. He dropped the ring
box and banged his head against the sofa. "Stop before
you really hurt yourself!" Tracy laughed a little with
a touch of concern in her voice.
"O.K." Vachon glanced up at Tracy. "I got you a
Christmas gift!"
"What?" Tracy softly. "You. . ." There was that smile
again. She liked Vachon when she was a human. She had
a twist as a vampire. Her love for him grew.
Unfortunately, she proved to be a really handful for
him. Tracy was the one now sneaking up on Vachon. She
was the one who tried to hypnotize some innocent
person. He tried to teach her things that he picked up
along the way. She needed to keep away from sun‑light
and garlic. To avoid crosses and holy items. The
importance of being alone in the world. . .which meant
to leave everything that a person knew from the human
life and never look back.
They were trying to make a new start. Both of them
were never being married, until now.
"Ah," Vachon said. "I found it!" His right hand was
now under the sofa. He reached the box with his finger
tips. He stretched and stained as the ring box
scrambled into his hand.
"What?" Tracy's eyes were sparkling.
"This!" The ring box was pulled out.
Tracy was now surprised. She gasped,"Vachon!"
"Close your eyes!" Vachon uttered shyly.
"Why?" Tracy looked concerned.
"Just do it!" he winced. He breathed quietly, trying
to gather up all his courage. He turned the ring box
in one hand. Tracy closed her eyes. She was told to
hold out her hands. She giggled a little. She brought
out her hands. He placed the box in her hands with one
hand. While with the other, pulled back the lid of the
box to reveal the ring. Tracy felt something small
resting in her hands.
Vachon said,"You can open them now!"
Tracy opened her eyes to the ring. At first, Tracy
was surprised. It threw her off guard to see the ring.
She moved the box slightly. The lights from the tree
glinted in the cuts. Her smile grew even deeper.
Vachon bit his lower lip a little. He hoped that the
ring was going to make up for not having a proper
wedding ring for Tracy. They acted like a married
couple. They had their ups and downs like most married
couples do. Nick and Nat were in they same boat, but
they knew each other a little longer. It didn't take a
long time to make up when they got into quarrels.
Lacroix was happy with the club and the local spot on
the radio. He observed people's affairs from a safe
distance. It was almost the same set up like Toronto.
He didn't have to worry about Nick for now. The
responsibility of a son was taken away from him the
night he tried to kill off his only son. Armand saved
Nick, making his second son. Lacroix was given a new
life.
Now Tracy was looking at the ring. She asked
sweetly,"Is this my?"
"Yep! I want you to have this as a symbol of my love
to you, Trace!" Vachon blushed shyly. Then, he thought
to himself,"How corny can I be!"
"I'm your wife?" her eyes were amused.
"Yea! More or less. I hope it's more!" he smiled.
"Oh, thanks. . .I don't know what to say," Tracy
placed a hand up to her mouth.
"Say you'll be my?" he implored.
"Yea. What wait. . .I don't have anything for you!"
Tracy was busy with her own case. It slipped her mind.
She wanted to get something very special for Vachon.
"Here. . ." Vachon pulled out a black cord from his
neck. On the end of it was a ring. The ring appeared
to be just old as Vachon himself.
"Where did you get this?" Tracy asked him.
"From my many trips."
"It's beautiful." Tracy placed the ring box on the
sofa. Then, she reached out to touch the ancient band
of gold.
"This can be your wedding ring to me. . .I never wore
it," Vachon said, a little sadly. "I never got a
chance to."
Tracy snorted with a grin,"You do now!"
Vachon took the cord between his teeth and bit down
on it. He worked on the cord until it snapped in two.
The ring thudded to the floor. Tracy and Vachon both
dove for the ring. As the two scrambled for the ring,
they banged heads together. They both groaned an 'OW'
together.
Then, Vachon found the ring next to Tracy's shoes. He
grabbed for the ring and got Tracy's foot along with
the ring.
"That's my foot!" Tracy snickered.
"Oh, O.K." Vachon removed his hand from Tracy's foot.
He was teasing her. "Here!"
The ring was placed into Tracy's hands. She held it,
making sure that she wouldn't loose it. Then, Vachon
said,"Here is a rose. . .for my wife."
He handed her the rose.
Tracy asked in a curious tone,"What about the rings?"
"We can do that later. . .after the room stops
spinning," Vachon said, he reach up to touch his
forehead. He was a little light headed. It was caused
from his heart racing with mixed emotions for Tracy.
Tracy giggled a little as she placed her hands on
Vachon's cheeks. "Fine," she smiled.
"Nice touch!" thought another voice. A person stood
near the library. It was Nick doing a little
eavesdropping. Vachon had his Christmas wish granted.
Sam was talking to Al in Sam's dressing room. The
room was a plain white room with a large mirror and a
row of flood lights. Al was dressed in a tan suit. Sam
was dressed in a white shirt and a pair of dark blue
pants. He was playing one of the leading roles of a
revival of Life with Father. "Why I haven't leapt
yet?" Sam questioned Al, as he put on a blue vest.
"After Halloween, Ziggy can not give any reason. Is
like you are stuck in some sort of limbo. There is
nothing outside of the possibilities of the normal
events that might caused you to leap. Ziggy has tried
to break into the limbo. . .but, there is no way out!"
Al said, looking at his computer.
"You are saying that this is a bubble in time and I'm
caught in it?" Sam was shocked. This idea of a bubble
in time was always a theory in quantum science. Sam
had figured it to be true. To actually be in one was
another situation altogether. Ziggy and Sam had to
come up with something.
Al nodded his head.
"Have you tried any of the synopsis that I gave you?"
Sam asked.
"Yea, every time we do. . .Ziggy has come up short
with solutions."
A voice called from the hallway,"Five minutes to
curtain!"
"That's my cue!" Sam said, straightening out the
cuffs of his shirt. "Just keep on working!"
"Nope!" Al grinned. Al knew what the next day was.
"What to do you, nope?" Sam was a little bit puzzled.
"Tomorrow is Christmas and we have the day off. I'm
taking Tina over to her mom's for dinner."
"You are kidding?"
"Nay. . .check the date on the newspaper and see," Al
began to egg Sam on. Sam's mind was having a time
laps.
Sam walked over to the dressing table. He had bought
a copy of the Salem News. He picked it up. He unfolded
it to glance up at the top of the front page. The date
was December twenty‑fourth. Al was right. It was
Christmas. Actually Christmas eve. Sam uttered in
shock,"It is Christmas after all."
"Yea, Sam," Al looked down for a minute.
"Three minutes!" called out another voice.
Sam tried to call out," I'll be there." The words
seemed to stick in his throat.
"Merry Christmas. . .Sam," Al said with a touch of
remorse. He knew Sam wasn't going to be there for his
family on his special day.
"Same to you," Sam was equally remorsefully. Sam's
heart grew heavy as a tiny memory of Christmas at the
farm he grew up on flashed in his mind.
In Tokyo, the snow fell heavy. A hand was scooping
up a pile of the fluffy white stuff. It was formed
into a snow ball. It was prefect. A dark haired young
man was scanning for a target. His jacket was stained
with the remains of a couple of smaller snow balls. He
sucked in a lung full of air. There was a shadow with
a glimmer of white hair that peeked from behind a
wall. The dark haired man shouted at the figure,"Hey,
Little bro!"
The silver haired figure was instantly smacked in
the face with the snow ball. He began to clean off
his face. His hissed acidly,"Baka‑san!"
A taller figure with brown hair, wearing an old army
jacket asked,"Yaten‑san, do you need another one?"
"Yea. Toss me one!" Yaten spluttered, finally wiping
the snow from his mouth.
"Here," snorted the figure in the army jacket. Yaten
was hit with another snow ball in the chest this time.
Yaten quickly brushed the snow from his chest. He
uttered in an angered tone,"You're just as bad as
Seiya. . .Taiki, are you out to get me too?"
"No, I just want to see your face!" Taiki said with a
big grin on his face.
"I'm going in and locking the door. So, two you guys
can't pelt me with snow ball," Yaten growled as he
jabbed a finger at this middle brother's chest.
The dark‑haired figure head his name mentioned as his
brothers were talking. Then, he heard his cel‑phone
ring. He pulled it out from his jacket pocket. He
glanced at Yaten and Taiki. Without a word, Seiya
raised a hand to silence the two. He
said,"Moshi‑moshi!"
Yaten and Taiki saw their older brother talking on
the phone. They stopped yelling at each other. After a
few minutes of talking, Seiya said,"Hey. . .you two.
We nearly forgot the Christmas party at Lita's."
Yaten and Taiki were suspecting that Seiya was
pulling a fast one. They wanted to head for the door
to the complex before they got it from Seiya. Seiya
went back to his conservation. Seiya said,"Yea, we're
outside. . .throwing snow balls in the parking lot.
Yaten got it twice. Ooh, those two. . .they are behind
a wall near the outside door."
Yaten started to back away from the wall. He grumbled
under his breath,"Let's go before we get it!"
"Eh, give him a couple of minutes. Then, we attack!"
Taiki gave Yaten an evil smile.
"Oh, is that your thinking," Yaten said, coyly. A
little bit of revenge flashed in Yaten's green eyes.
"Yep!"
"I like your thinking!"
"Hey, two you," Seiya said, replacing his cel‑phone
back in his jacket. "We better get ready to go.
Serena, Reenie and Chibi‑chibi were on the phone and
they are going to the party in an hour."
"Are you sure?" Yaten asked.
"Remember those hand made invitations that Reenie and
Hotura did. . .we got in the mail three weeks ago."
"Yea. . ." Yaten glanced at Taiki.
"I started to believe his not lying. I remember that
invitation of the snow man. . .it looked like Reenie
is advancing in her art classes," Taiki said.
Seiya started to walk towards the outside doors. He
had to get those two into the flat for the party.
Yaten watched Seiya as a grin spread across his
face,"What's this party about?"
"Baka. . .you know. It's like all of the other
parties we've been to," Seiya sighed, rolling his
eyes.
A catty expression was now on Yaten's face. He bent
down to scoop up a mound of snow. After he stood up,
Yaten handed it to Taiki. Then, he bent down for
another mound of snow. He chuckled,"Just checking."
"Let's go. I want to check before going," Taiki said.
"Which kind?" Seiya asked.
Yaten stood up slowly. He watched his older brother's
reaction as he and Taiki started to shape the snow in
to spheres. Seiya thought that Yaten and Taiki were
going to throw the balls at him. He quickly reclined
as Seiya watched as Yaten's eyes darted towards the
wall. Taiki turned on his heels as he spoke,"Snail. .
.I've got a letter from the states."
Yaten nearly dropped his snow ball. Seiya eyed his
younger brother with a shocked glance. Yaten quizzed
Taiki,"You too? Seiya, did you get a letter in the
mail?"
"Yea, from some American youth group," Taiki was
headed for the door. He was quietly shaping the snow
into a prefect ball.
Seiya sighed, glancing down at the snow covered
parking lot,"I got the same if it's the same thing
that Taiki had received."
"I wonder what is going on?" Yaten's voice sounded
edgy as he questioned the idea of a group from the
states sending them letters.
"We find out soon. I want get in before I freeze!"
Taiki quipped as the cold began to nip away at Taiki's
demeanor.
"O.K." Yaten said, as his feet scrapped along the
frozen sidewalk. Then, he asked Seiya,"Seiya. . .are
you completely unarmed?"
Seiya's face narrowed into a suspicion stare. He
asked sharply,"Why do you say that?"
"Oh, nothing. . .nothing like this," Yaten threw the
snow ball at Seiya. Taiki watched as Seiya started to
chase Yaten around the parking lot. Seiya was
screaming at Yaten to stand still for a minute. Yaten
ducked behind a car as he refused to give in. Taiki
propelled his snow ball at Seiya's back.
In the Three Lights' flat, Seiya sat on the sofa in
the living room. He was bent forward with his two
first fingers resting on his lips, deep in thought. He
was dressed in a red sweater and black pants. The
letters that each of the Three Lights had received in
the mail, what were those letters about? Taiki was
dressed in a blue sweater and grey pants. A towel hung
loose around his neck. He said,"The shower is free."
Seiya's concentration was broken by Taiki's
statement. He looked up at Taiki as he was drying his
hair with the towel. "Hmm?" Seiya sighed.
"Hello, is there anyone in there?" Taiki asked.
Seiya's voice sounded half there as he spoke,"I
wouldn't know until open this letter."
Then, he shrugged his shoulder.
Yaten came out of his bedroom. He quickly changed
into black pants and a white sweater. He was combing
out his hair with his left hand. He hoped that Mina
was going to be happy with her Christmas gift. He saw
a crystal rose pin in an antique shop. The way it
sparkled in the light reminded of Mina's smile. It was
very old. He brought it without even thinking. He
carefully wrapped it and put it away from his two
older brothers. He carried the gift in his right hand.
Taiki laid the towel across his again. He saw his
little brother and the gift to the special girl in
Yaten's life. He asked with a quizzically
smile,"That's for Mina?"
"Yea, I hope she likes it!" Yaten said shyly. Then,
he glanced over to Seiya staring at the letters on the
coffee table. "What's up with him?"
"Those letters," Taiki said as a concerned look
crossed his face. "Look, we've got all day tomorrow
to worry about those letters. . .Tonight let have some
fun."
"O.K." Seiya uttered as his mood changed to a one of
happiness.
Yaten was a little curious. What did his two brothers
brought their girlfriends. He asked Taiki,"What did
you get Ami?"
"A book on eighteenth century poets," Taiki
brightened up.
Yaten and Seiya exchanged a confused glance at each
other. Then, at Taiki. they both groaned,"Great!"
"It thought it was a wonderful gift for such a girl
who's not your normal giggling ogler," Taiki sighed.
He had a slight crush on Ami. He never showed it. He
was thinking of her when he bought the book. He hd it
gift wrapped at the store in light blue paper, Ami's
favorite colour.
"What did you get Serena or shall I say Odango,"
Yaten asked, trying himself towards his big brother.
He teased his brother a little bit.
"Nosy aren't we. . .I got her a necklace with a blue
topaz charm. It is in a heart shape," Seiya appeared
wishful. He bought the necklace at a small store near
where Serena lived, it reminded him of her blue eyes.
The phone rang. Seiya got up to answer it. Taiki said
softly to Yaten,"I want to open my letter after the
party."
"I want to open it now!" Yaten said with a regarded
look on his face.
Rio dashed into the warm living room. She threw her
coat on the coat rack. She could smell dinner coming
from the kitchen. She checked the clock on the VCR.
She had only an hour and a half to eat and change for
church. She was going to at least three different
churches before going her church for a candle light
mass.
The radio played Christmas music. Rio's Uncle
Zigfield came walking into the room. He was reading a
newspaper. Rio declared as her mouth chattered,"Hi,
Uncle."
"Hi, love! Your supper and a cup of warm tea are
waiting in the kitchen," he nodded as he folded the
paper.
"Great! What is it?"
"Beef hot pie!"
"Not again!" Rio groaned. She had the same thing for
the last three days. "It's Christmas eve! I can have
something different?"
"Nope! Now eat. You are going with Stephanie to your
Uncle Anthony's farm for Christmas day. Christmas
night you are spending something with you Grandfather
Wills."
"O.K." she smiled. Then, she sighed, hoping for a
special meal. . .a special gathering of family. She
asked to see if there was any mail for her. There was
a letter for her waiting in the front room. She had to
wait after the Christmas services were over.
Rio rushed into the kitchen. Uncle Zigfield needed to
keep on his schedule. He was a father of a baby who
had her own ideas of time.
She sat down at the kitchen table. Her plate was
still warm. She flipped around on the radio dial.
Instead of music it was turned to a station which was
playing an old radio show. George Burns and Gracie
Allen were talking about their Christmas tree.
Before she dove the knife into the pie to cut cooling
slits, Rio thought to herself,"Funny George was Jewish
and Gracie was Catholic. Wouldn't they be talking
about Chanukah. Suppose they wouldn't have thought
about it. Were a lot of Jews out there in the
nineteen‑forties."
"Hurry up, Rio," Stephanie shouted.
Stephanie and Charlie were waiting in the living
room. They were ready for Christmas. Rio dashed in the
room with her curly hair not combed out. Rio grabbed
her coat from the coat rack. She started to rummage
through her coat pockets. She found a hair pick. She
quickly combed out her hair. Besides her hair, Rio
looked pretty. Her dark green pant suit was rather
striking. Rio said with a grin,"I hope Dusty is
there!"
I want Steve or Terri for my Christmas present!"
Stephanie sighed with stars in her eyes.
"You can't make up your mind!" Charlie said her eyes.
"i just want to see Jamie!"
"So, what did you get Dusty?" Stephanie asked Rio.
"A tape of the rock opera Tommy by the Who!"
"The Who?" Stephanie started to rib Rio.
"Who?" Charlie added.
Rio knew right away that she was being teased. She
gripped,"Will you guys stop!"
The Masaki house was quiet. The Christmas gifts were
mostly opened. Tenchi and Yoshou had given a special
offering at the shrine. It was a pine log burnt as an
offering. *(I don't know what they do in Japan for
Christmas at the shrines. . . I'm making it up)
Sasami and Ryo‑oh‑ki were sleeping on the floor. They
had opened their gifts early. Ryo‑oh‑ki was jumping
around in circles when her gift from everyone was
opened first. Sasami giggled with delight,"Look!
Ryo‑oh‑ki. . .what you did get?"
A one pound bag of carrots was laying on the floor.
Ryo‑oh‑ki was in heaven. "Meow!" squeaked the little
cabbit.
When Sasami her gift, she became excited. She held in
her arms a boxed set of Soldier Girl mangas. She went
over to Ayeka and gave her a hug. Washu said after
Ayeka and Sasami broke from their embrace,"It's not
only Ayeka who gave that boxed set."
"No?" Sasami asked, shifting her head to one side.
"It's from everyone," Washu grinned.
"Yea. . .even Grandpa?" she pipped.
"Yes, little Sasami. I wanted to see you
happy,"Yoshou chuckled.
"Ryo‑oh‑ki is happy too!" Sasami pointed out as
everyone watched as the little cabbit tried to open
the bag of carrots.
Ryoko who sat next to Sasami, said,"Here let me
help!"
"Meow!"
After a few carrots, Ryo‑oh‑ki watched as the others
exchanged gifts. There were poems from Ayeka. Washu
made floating nebulas in glass jars. Kiyone and
Mihoshi had made scrapbooks of the past year. Ryoko
craved wooden name signs. Sasami had made jams. Yoshou
gave a special blessing. Tenchi gave the girls
dairies. While he gave Nobuyuki and Yoshou a copy of
his first term paper when he was in Tokyo. Nobuyuki
gave everyone a blueprint of their dream houses. It
was the most meaningful Christmas because the gifts
were not bought from any store. . .They were made from
the heart.
"Tenchi," Yoshou spoke in his calm way.
"Yes. . .Grandpa," Tenchi said as he watched Sasami
as she began to read the first volume of Soldier Girl.
"There was a letter for you in yesterday's mail! Did
you get to open it, yet?"
Tenchi shrugged his shoulders,"No. I was busy."
Yoshou slowly stood up. He said as he made his way to
the desk in the other room,"I'll get it. . .In fact
there are letters for the girls as well."
"For us too?" Ryoko raised the question the Yoshou.
She looked up from her pile gifts. "Who would be
writing to us. I don't know anybody else. . .outside
of you guys."
"That's funny. . .my parents don't even know that I'm
back, here on planet Earth," Ayeka uttered loudly as
her eyebrows began to knit in a confused state.
"My letter might be from a group of intellects who
can see I'm such a genus!" Washu smiled happily.
Yoshou came back with the letters. He started to hand
out the letters to the girls. Tenchi opened his
letter. After a few minutes of reading the letter,
Tenchi looked up. Ayeka asked,"What is the letter all
about, Tenchi?"
"It's a young group in America. They want me to. .
.Let me read some more of it."
"O.K." all the girls said in unison.
Tenchi read the letter. He found a bit of trouble in
the middle of the letter. The girls watched as his
face changed from surprise to disbelief. Yoshou and
Nobuyuki had puzzled expressions on their faces.
Yoshou asked,"Tenchi, what does the letter say?"
"The group wants me to come to America to study
there!" Tenchi gulped nervously.
"What?" the girls gasped loudly. Everyone's Chiasmas
was ground to a halt. They stared at Tenchi. Then, at
the letter. Finally at themselves.
Then, Ayeka stood up. She was instantly in the edge
of blowing a fit. She screeched,"No way. . .Tenchi is
in the U.S. to study! Ryoko is this one of your sick
jokes?"
Ryoko glared at Ayeka. She bellowed, half
shocked,"No, Miss Prissy Princess. . .it's not of one
my so called sick jokes."
There was dead calm for only two seconds. Ryoko
shouted,"That's not right. It was really bad when he
went to Tokyo!"
Sasami stood up from her spot on the floor mat and
cried out, her eyes were now slightly damp with newly
formed tears,"Don't go, Tenchi!"
Kiyone and Mihoshi were now speechless. Washu
uttered, shaking her head,"I don't believe it!"
Yoshou smiled quietly. Nobuyuki gasped with his hands
clasped on an over joyed feeling,"My son is going to
America to study!"
He started at his son for a minute.
"Meow!" Ryo‑oh‑ki howled.
After what seemed to be the longest three minutes in
entirety. Tenchi said with a nervous giggled,"I
haven't taken their offer. In fact, it starts the
beginning of next year."
He rubbed a spot on the back of head.
Washu was using her genius mind to work on this
situation. She said after a minute of heavy brain
work,"This is December twenty‑fifth."
"Tenchi you have a week to decide," Ryoko said,
making her statement sound like a death sentence.
Ayeka was some what happy for Tenchi. More studying
makes for a better person in the royal house of Jurai.
"Ryoko. . .you are making it sound like Tenchi's going
to die!" she huffed in disgust. She rung her hands in
over rot emotion. "You are not dying, Lord Tenchi? You
are just going aboard to study?"
Mihoshi, her eyes were agog with fear,
squeaked,"Tenchi!"
Yoshou was calm in his thinking. He knew the future
appeared to be very bright for everyone. He couldn't
pin point the future. He just recognized his grandson
as going to have adventure in America. "Don't worry. I
have a feeling that everyone will work out for the
best," he said with a small smile.
"What do you mean, Grandfather?" Ayeka as a puzzled
look swept past her face.
"Read your letter," he pointed at the letter that
Ayeka as still holding.
Ayeka was skeptical at the letter as she slowly
opened it. She read it and found out that she was
going to America. She was overjoyed to read the news.
Trying to keep her expression down to a minimum, Ayeka
was trembling. She hoped that she was going to stay
with Tenchi in the same town. Ayeka asked as she
flirted with Tenchi,"Tenchi, where are you going?"
Tenchi was surprised at Ayeka's statement. He glanced
down at his letter,"The town where I'll be staying at
is called Salem!"
"Salem, Where is Salem?" Washu asked with her head
tilted to one side and her lips puckered. She never
heard of such a town.
"My letter says here," Ayeka pointed out. "It's in
Ohio."
Everyone else in the room stood up and bowed.
"It's a state in America," she groaned with one
eyebrow cocked. "You can sit down now!"
"Oh," everyone said as they took their seats once
more.
"It's spelled O‑H‑I‑O?" Ayeka asked. She was trying
to compare her letter to his.
"Where are you going?" Tenchi questioned Ayeka
innocently.
The other girls, Ryo‑oh‑ki, Yoshou and Nobuyuki were
freaking out. Ryoko didn't want Ayeka to be alone with
Tenchi, when they were under the same roof. Now they
were going faraway in a new place to start a whole new
life. To top it all off, they were going to be alone.
"Why. . .you! You set this trip!" yelled Ryoko. She
was now standing and pointing a finger of blame at the
princess.
Ayeka was flabbergasted. She pouted as he mouth
didn't utter a single word.
Ryoko was still verbal blitzing the Princess,"You are
nothing but a spoiled brat!"
The statement stuck a raw nerve with Ayeka. She
growled,"I'm a spoiled brat as you would call me. I'm
going to say this about myself. I'm the Princess Ayeka
of the planet of Jurai who is kind, sweet and
graceful."
"Don't make me laugh!"
Tenchi interrupted in a weak way by saying to Ayeka
and Ryoko,"Stop it. . .before someone gets hurt. .
.namely me!"
"How about reading your letter, Ryoko," pleaded a
small voice.
"Who said that!" Ryoko asked as she looked around the
room.
"Me!" Sasami said with pleading eyes. "See what your
letter says. I don't want Ayeka or Tenchi to go."
"They are going to be in faraway place. . .it's like
the time Tenchi went to Tokyo for his studies. Washu
could make up a porthole and we can visit them anytime
when we want to," Yoshou said calmly.
"Is that so?" Washu questioned the elder Masaki with
a sly, but goofy grin on her face.
"Yea! You are such a genius!" Ryoko said, trying to
make her way with some free rides through the
porthole.
"I'm a genius, but not a Baka! Do you remember what
happened? We drove Tenchi crazy!" Washu uttered as her
hand went up to her forehead. She was trying to get
herself out this predicament.
"Oh!" Ryoko was now crestfallen. "Yea, right. We did
drive Tenchi nuts!"
"Besides that! I'm going to be so happy. We might
even get married. Under the laws of Jurai of course,"
Ayeka smiled devilish at Ryoko.
Sasami threw her book down. Her eyes were now wet
with quiet tears. She shouted out of anger and great
sadness,"Just open the letter!"
Everyone was thrown for a loop by Sasami reaction to
the letters. Yoshou said quietly,"Sasami?"
Ayeka said in quiet disbelief,"That's not how a
princess should act."
"I'm sorry," Sasami whispered, wiping the tears away
from her face.
Ryo‑oh‑ki howled out disbelief,"MEOW!"
Mihoshi was trying to remain calm through the ordeal.
She said fiercely,"Yea. . .quit beating around the
bush!"
Without saying another word, Ryoko opened her letter.
She glanced at it for a minute. Then, she leapt up and
started to dance around the room. The others stared at
her in disbelief. Ayeka knew something was up with
that blasted space pirate. She gasped a little bit
miffed,"What on earth are you doing?"
"Tenchi are you going to a house or a flat?" Ryoko
sang out loud.
"Uh?" Tenchi asked, nearly passed out.
"Oh!" Ayeka vented in shock before she screeching her
protest.
"I love to hear where you two going," Ryoko was
winding Ayeka up. Her eyes were lit up like the lights
on the tree.
Tenchi's jaw dropped. The world was starting to cave
in. Washu, Sasami, Mihoshi and Kiyone were by
themselves. They were getting the idea that Tenchi,
Ryoko and Ayeka were heading for the same town at the
same time. Yoshou and Nobuyuki were hoping that Ayeka
and Ryoko were not going to blast the house into bits.
At Lita's flat, the Christmas party she was giving
was quiet. The Sailor Senshi were in the living room,
retelling stories of what happened to them that
previous year. Serena waited until everyone was done
with the story telling. She had surprise for everyone.
It was a letter from someone who was special to the
Sailor Senshi.
"Hey guys!" Serena smiled. "Guess what I got in the
mail today!"
"What?" Lita asked. She turned her gaze at Serena.
Rei giggled at the expense of Serena,"I bet it's a
bad test score!"
Serena ignored the personal jab at her poor
performance at her studies. She growled,"No, it's a .
. ."
"A book?" Ami asked who never took any real time to
goof off like Serena did.
"No," Serena groaned. She placed her right hand up to
her eyes. She rubbed one of them in gentle
frustration.
Sensuta came to Serena's rescue. She asked trying to
make Serena feel a little better,"Well, what?"
"A letter from. . ." Serena started to say.
"Santa Claus!" Reenie said with a sly grin. She knew
that there no such a person. She was teasing her
future mother.
Serena was about to blow a gasket. However she had
appeared to be calm. She was gripping the letter
trying to control her feelings. "No, it's not a letter
from Santa Claus. . .It's a letter from Rio!"
Everyone because excited when they heard that Rio had
written a letter to Serena. "A letter?" Hotura said,
her face was lighting up.
"What does she say?" Lita asked with a smile.
"How is Dusty?" Rei asked as she remembered Rio's jet
pilot, boyfriend.
"And that Jerry," Taiki snorted. Jerry was easily
remembered because of his quietness.
"Let me open it, first," Serena said in a sisterly
voice.
After the envelope was opened. Serena read the letter
out loud,"Hello Serena, Are you O.K.? I'm fine. How is
everyone else? I miss them a ton. School is O.K. I'm
trying to reach my O and A levels before the winter
quarter. Everyone is busy with the Christmas holiday.
I, Stephanie and Charlie are ringing bells for the
Salivation Army. I'm not a cold weather person, but my
Uncle Zigfield wanted me to work. He told me it's time
to take responsibility into my own hands and out of
the house."
Everyone laughed. They knew that Rio was always busy
with both of her uncle's businesses. Seiya turned to
Mina and said,"When she is not busy?"
Michiru who sat next to Haruka said,"Work is that
girl's trouble. I bet she never took a vacation in a
long while." Then, she shook her head.
Ami asked,"What else does she say?"
Serena read the letter for a second,"She's going to
the states to study!"
"Oh, lucky!" Mina sighed as she patted Artemis's
head.
Serena continued,"I couldn't wait to tell you lot
first. . .but, I had to my folk tell about it. I'm to
it during the Christmas party at my Grandfather
William's house. So, Serena. . .my uncle is telling me
to go to bed. I've got to get up early. Those bells
can't wait. Yours Rio."
"It sounds like she's up to her neck with her
family," Darien said.
"Yes, typical Rio," Luna said as she hopped off of
Reenie's lap. Luna sat on Reenie's lap through out
most of the party.
"She's a bell ringer!" Yaten giggled a little. "She
get her wings!"
"Yea, the trip sound like Rio would go for!" Huruka
said.
"She's fantastic. I hope she does not get sick!" Ami
said.
"A girl who had everything else," Seiya said.
"And you know. . .she doesn't act like it. . .at
all," Rei said turning to Setsuna.
"It's her Uncle Anthony's up bringing!" Setsuna said.
"He can be strict at times."
"I never met her Uncle Zigfield. . .so, I can't make
a comparison," Ami smiled.
"I bet he's the same way with her as Uncle Anthony in
the rasing department,"Mina said.
"I hope she's happy," Rei said, regrettably. They
knew that Rio wasn't coming over to see them in Tokyo
when her Uncle Anthony was on his latest business trip
to Tokyo.
Chibi‑chibi felt the sadness in the room. She was
quiet as she waited for the others to be done. She
wanted to change the expressions on their faces. She
squeaked,"Hey, let open gifts!"
Everyone was floored by her statement. They stared at
the littlest of Sailor Senshi. They gapped,"Uh?"
Seiya quickly regained his senses, asked,"And where
did you learn that young lady?"
"Chibi‑chibi!" Chibi‑chibi smiled as she reached up
with both hands. She pulled down Seiya's face to be at
eye level with her.
"Bell, that was the best dinner I ever had in years,"
Keiichi smiled.
At the Morisato house hold, Christmas was winding
down. The gifts were exchanged. A Christmas movie
played on the T.V. Belldandy cooked a wonderful
dinner. Now the three goddesses and Keiichi were
sitting around the kitchen table, chilling out on the
feeling of the season. Urd sighed as she pulled back a
strand of her hair from her from forehead,"Yea, sis. .
.you really out did yourself!"
"I had too much fun stuff to do in the way of
Christmas. We as Goddesses never had a day
like this!" Belldandy giggled. Then, she raised her
glass of water to her lips to take a sip.
"I did the outside lights. Everyone can see our place
now," Skuld pipped in. She was very handy with
robotics and electrical equipment.
"I had the wreath and green hanging just right over
the shrine," Urd sighed. She didn't let her sister all
the credit for this day.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't help with the extra stuff.
I was really busy with my homework," Keiichi said.
"That's all right. You need to past your studies. I
want to be proud of you!" Belldandy blushed.
They were now talking about what happened them in the
past year. Then, the focus was turned to the letter
that Keiichi received in the mail. "I have a chance to
go study in America," Keiichi said, trying to appear
as casual as possible with Belldandy.
"Is that what your letter said?" Belldandy gasped.
The words hit her like a slap in the face. The two
other Goddesses saw their sister became shocked with
great sadness. Then, Belldandy sighed with a heavy
heart,"Why?"
Urd who loved to tease Keiichi in his education
stifled a laugh. Then, she spoke,"They want you?"
"I don't know if I want to take it or not!" Keiichi
blushed hotly. He saw how badly Belldandy was taking
the news.
"Sure?" Urd asked. She was becoming a little point
blank in her old age as a Goddess.
"No, I have until the end of the month to choose,"
Keiichi was waving his hands in mild protest. He
didn't want to leave Belldandy alone. He grew to love
her. She remained quiet.
"You will write if you go?" Skuld asked, hoping the
pest called Keiichi did leave and Belldandy would back
to normal.
Belldandy finally snapped. She was instantly overate
with deep feelings for Keiichi. She did want him to
his succeed in his studies. But, it meant leaving her.
Then, there want a choice for him. He had to stay.
"No, I didn't want to believe it," she said, standing
up. "I wouldn't let you do it!"
"But, I haven't really gotten a chance to think it
over!" Keiichi cried out. He was being backed into a
wall. He needed the time. He saw the shocked attitude
on Belldandy's face. He was
now hurting Belldandy's feelings. He didn't want to do
it on Christmas day.
Then, the phone rang. It seemed to break the heated
tension in the room. Urd stood up from her chair. She
looked at the group for a minute. She walked away from
the table as she uttered,"I'll get it!"
Belldandy gasped with pleading eyes,"Why? Keiichi. .
.why?"
"I don't know. . .I'm not sure of it, myself,"
Keiichi declared gently, gasping at straws.
The words seemed to ease a little of the tension in
the room. Keiichi hadn't left the country yet.
Belldandy was starting to calm down. Skuld perceived
the two as she went to Keiichi's defense. "O.K.? He
isn't going just yet, sis. Give him a little while to
think."
"Hmm," Belldandy hummed.
"Oh, my. . ." the words came form the other room like
a thunder bolt. Urd was talking to her boss, the
Almighty, himself. She was trying to make small talk
with him. He was to the point as Urd heard the words
left her mouth. She stammered."Yes. . .We are going
where?"
A sharp click hit Urd's ears. She hung up the phone.
The Goddesses were now reassigned to a new location.
A dazed Urd came back into the room. The other three
threw strange glances at her. She took the chair that
she was previously sat on and plopped down. She had an
odd exasperated look
on her face. She didn't want to fight with the
Almighty. That wasn't in the Goddess's nature no
matter who they maybe. Skuld, Belldandy and Keiichi
were puzzled. They didn't want to say anything at the
moment. They didn't want to say the wrong thing at the
wrong time.
Finally, Urd said with a great deal of surprise,"I
just got done talking with the Almighty!"
She was coming back to her senses.
"What?" Belldandy gasped. He mind was now racing. She
hoped that they didn't have to go back to heaven. She
wanted to stay with Keiichi as long before he chose
his lot on life.
"Did he say anything?" Skuld asked her eyes were
agape.
"You wouldn't believe it. . .even if I'll tell you,"
the words seemed to fall out Urd's mouth.
"What?" Keiichi uttered, rubbing his face with his
hands.
Belldandy and Skuld were frozen in dismay. What was
going on? Why did the Almighty call on them. Urd
turned to Keiichi and asked,"Where are you going? I
mean what school?"
He tried to remember the school's name, mentioned in
the letter,"It's . . .uh. A place called Salem in a
state called Ohio!"
"I think that's were the Almighty wants us to go!"
Urd's eyebrows shot up in panic. This was too weird to
explain at the present moment. Urd had to take time to
think and recall the Goddess hotline from more
explanation.
"You are kidding?" Belldandy, Keiichi and Skuld
vented in astonishment.
"Nope!" Urd shook her head, gasping at the last
pieces of a normal Christmas.