Hatoralo: "We already saw the characters of The Owl House celebrating Halloween, but not Christmas."
godlessAdversary: "So we are fitting this Christmas special into the timeline."
Hatoralo: "And don't worry, Odalia will get run over by a reindeer."
godlessAdversary: "Have fun!"
Odalia Got Run Over by a Reindeer
by
Hatoralo & godlessAdversary
Christmas is a day not well known in the demon realm despite a Christian ruling over the Boiling Ilses for over 50 years. But Phillip Weatherbane was not a very good Christian or Person with his plans of genocide for the Demon Realm, wasn't he?
Luz Noceda and her mother Camila didn't expect much as they went over to the demon realm to meet up with their friends for the Christmas party they were preparing.
"Their first Christmas," mused Camila. "I wonder how strong the culture shock will be for them."
"Not that strong for some," argued Luz." Eda told me that she visited earth during Christmas more than once. She was more interested in the mulled wine than any Christmas traditions. That and Christmas cookies. Many Christmas cookies. King loves Christmas cookies very much too, he told me so."
Camila laughed happily, saying: "Ohoho! Then he will be happy about what I prepared."
Luz agreed happily with her mother. "Wait until he goes crazy with your buñuelos."
Camila replied proudly to that: "No kid can resist those."
This was also the first Christmas the Nocedas were going to spend with their new extended family. In previous Christmases the two celebrated on their own, or went to community events of Gravesfield, but it wasn't the same as when they celebrated with Manny.
"This will be the first time in a while since we have other people at home for Christmas," recognized Luz the Situation.
"Let's give them a Christmas they won't forget!" promised Camila and patted her daughter softly on the back.
The two Nocedas approached the Owl House, which surprisingly had some decorative lights, although they were a bit mismatched. This is what happens when a witch tries to decorate with non-magical electronics. There was even a plastic reindeer hanging from the cable of the lights as if it was an executed through hanging.
"Welcome sister and human mother!"
The two looked up to the voice and spotted King on the roof, dressed like an elf, green shorts with a black belt, green jacket with small Christmas baubles as buttons, green pointy had and all of it had white fluffy hem.
"I am a magical worker of the Man of Christmas, not a slave."
"That was a bit specific," noted Luz. "But I agree that presenting Santa Clause as a slave master is just a cliched premise and I don't believe that."
King produced something from a big sack he had with him on the roof. "Behold one of my greatest creations!"
It was an action figure of Luz in her Titan-Form, a very detailed one even. Luz was in seconds on the roof, gazing in awe at the small creation. "Incredible!" cheered Luz. "The colors, the clothes, they look so neat and are all correct in apperance!"
"They also come with several bendable joints," explained King further. "And they can speak with a press of a button."
King pressed the button and the action figure said: "Do not underestimate me, Belos, for I am the Good Witch Luz Noceda, Warrior of Peace! Now eat this, sucker!"
Camila had to laugh. "I loved that oxymoron with the Good Witch Azura already."
Luz was even more excited. "Yes, yes! Gimme gimme!"
"You will receive no mercy, Adrian Graye Vernworth!", spoke the action figure next.
"I never said that," said Luz."
Another button press let the action figure say: "Terra Snapdragon will end this day with a snapped spine."
Luz eyes went big in surprise. "That was a bit… Direct."
King pressed the button again and the figurine said: "Mason, I will force you to swallow your own wet cement and let it dry in your mouth, throat, esophagus and stomach."
"This is more psychotic than my Cariño usually is," commented Camilia with a worrying tone.
Another button press. "Vitimir, I will force you to drink your most poisonous potion."
"Not nice," was all Luz was able to say at that.
The next thing the action figurine of Luz said was: "Philip Weatherbane, I will rip out your heart, eat it before your eyes and will delight myself on your entrails while I keep you alive with healing magic."
"What the hell, King?" asked an incredulous Luz, arms stretched out and bowing down. "Why?"
"The marketing department says the toddlers love the more brutal lines," explained King. "Oh, wait I forgot the most important feature: Your Action Figure can use spells."
The press of another button made the action figure produce a piece of paper with the fire sigil which was then used. A fireball was fired from the hand and the paper of the little figure, went past over a shocked Camilas head and into a nearby pile of dry leaves which ignited and produced a small fire.
"That toy should also say "I am a lawsuit guaranteed to happen," was the deadpan reaction of Luz to this event.
"Can you put off that fire before it reaches me again?" asked the Owl House itself and King went to grab a fire extinguisher.
"Merry Christmas, Hooty!" greeted Luz.
"Merry Christmas Luz and Cami!"
"When did you started calling me Cami?" asked Camila.
"I think we are very close by now. Also, hold your hands up, I have a present for you!"
Hooty started to regurgitate something and out of his mouth and the hands of Camila came a block of unknown substances that looked kind of crispy as if it had been in an oven for too long.
"Thanks… I guess?" Camila looked confused by the burned eldritch block.
"Hooty, did you try to eat factory pieces again?" asked the youngest Noceda.
"This is my Christmas fruit cake for you! Merry Christmas again!"
"This doesn't look like it's made with fruits." Camila inspected the strange thing.
"It's mom, but not from Earth." was the serious answer from Luz.
"Now enter into me!" shouted the demonic bird. "Everyone is awaiting!"
Luz behold something Hooty didn't do for a long time: Turning himself completely into the door. The Christmas Wreath around his face became part of him and he opened his mouth wide, the insides illuminated already with Christmas lights.
"Is the Owl House his body?" asked Camila in surprise.
"A little bit," explained Luz. "But he can separate from it as you know, though that can be a process you don't want to watch."
Mother and daughter entered the home and were greeted in the living room by one of Luz friends.
"Greetings!", greeted Gus Porter the two, dressed like Ebenezer Scrooge and wearing the mask of a duck. "I am Scrooge, the Duck. The greatest threat to Christmas that ever existed in the human realm."
Luz tilted her head in confusion. "Hi, Scrooge. Why are you a threat to Christmas?"
"I hate Christmas because Elf School threw me out," explained Gus as Scrooge miserly. "Since then I created Starfleet, an army of Muppets who will use a powerful fleet of Mon-Cala Starships and many small Starfighters to destroy all that is Christmas."
Gus used magic to create illusions of outer space around them, outer space filled with a fleet of the ships he described with a frog commanding from the bridge of a Mon-Cala Cruiser, Ms. Piggy sitting in a X-Wing and Michael Caine as the Astromech Droid behind her.
Camila looked over to Luz. "Which version of "A Christmas Carol" is that?"
"None, I know of," answered Luz. "Scrooge, what about the three Ghosts of Christmas and Jacob Marley?"
"You mean the three ghosts who were summoned by Pennywise the Clown Scrooges old partner? These are the ghosts Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Past, Vlad Tepes/Dracula of the Present and Robert Underdunk Terwilliger Jr. PhD of the future, ready to fight Scrooge and his evil Christmas destroying plans."
As his next trick Gus created illusions showing the characters he just presented as glowing heroes, coming in with the coolest poses with a fantastic musical score and a great light show.
"Where do I begin where you are wrong with all of that?" started Camila. "First of all Scro-"
"Stop, I am not finished!" interrupted Gus the veterinarian. "There is also the part where I Scrooge the Duck and Grinch the Mask marry. We already combined our power to reach our goal of destroying Christmas but then we noticed how much we loved each other and-"
Gus was unable to stop Luz and Camila from leaving the room and entering the kitchen, not able to stand the stupidity of this story anymore.
"That was... interesting." was all Camila could say about what she just saw.
"Remind me to send Gus an essay pointing what Christmas is about." said Luz in a annoyed tone. "I have to inform him properly before his misinforms-"
"Hey, familia!" Eda appeared upside down, surprising the Nocedas. She was levitating with Owlbert and wearing a Christmas sweater, a mini skirt and stripped stockings."
"Merry Christmas, Eda!"
"Feliz Navidad, Mrs. Clawthorne."
"Merry Santa Jesus Day, but don't call me Mrs. yet, the wedding isn't until next year."
Eda dropped down from Owlbert and now that the Nocedas could see her closer her sweater has stitched on it the words "Top Naughty Girl of the List". After seeing this, Camila immediately covered Luz's face in a protective way.
"Mom!"
"Could you remove that sweater?"
"I have Raine's present covered, so can't do."
Luz removed her mom's hand and noticed that in the table there was Christmas food already prepared for everybody. There was a turkey, a bowl of mashed potatoes, a bowl of fruit punch, a Japanese Christmas cake and what looked like an octopus creature that had been prepared as a dish.
"Woah, Eda! You actually cooked a Christmas dinner!"
"Luz and I had already prepared food back home, but this is impressive."
"Yes, praise me!" Eda showed the smuggest smile. "I am a master chef when I am sober."
"Lilith helped you, didn't she?" asked Luz casually.
"Yes." admitted the Owl Witch with a face of defeat. "But I did make the cookies on my own."
Suddenly, screams were heard coming from the oven.
"Dios santo, que es eso?!" shouted Camilia while scared.
Eda opened the oven and took out an oven plate that showed gingerbread men with gestures of screaming in terror.
"Eda, what the heck?!" was Luz's response.
"Titandammit, they should have gained temporary life after coming out of the oven, not before!"
Camilia went pale for a Moment. "That can't be ethical."
"They weren't supposed to be still awake when we ate them," explained Eda. "Well, better I neutralize that spell before the Gingerbread men discover the Gingerbread weapons I- DUCK!"
Eda pushed Luz and Camilia to the ground and herself as well. They dodged the projectile of a bazooka at the last second.
"You baked functionally weaponry?!" asked Luz n shocked surprise.
"It was easy to do and it was easier to make them real baked weaponry than fake baked weaponry."
Angry Gingerbread man started to open fire with freshly baked pistols, crossbows, bows & arrows, machine gun, heavy stationary cannons and many more types of ranged weaponry.
"Get out, into the backyard, it is safe there!" shouted Eda over the incoming hailstorm of baked bullets. "Willow prepares the Christmas tree behind my house."
"You are sure you don't need help Eda?" asked Luz, already having several papers with almost finished symbols in hand.
"Nah, that is a minor problem," assured Eda while their cover was pelted by a baked grenade launcher. "No go, I cover you!"
Luz and Camila kept their heads down and made their way crouching out of the kitchen while the Owl Lady unleashed minor concussion spells but was then forced back into cover to avoid baked rockets coming from baked rocket launchers.
"My bakeware is a bit aggressive but my creativity regarding appearance and use can't be denied."
"Mom, there was no need to cover my eyes, Eda's sweater is not that shocking to me."
"But… You are still my little baby," argued Camila, sounding a bit yearning. "I don't want you growing up to fast."
"I have a girlfriend, mom and killed an evil Emperor who actually was a religious fanatic with brother issues."
Camila sighed as they entered the backyard. "I know but… But…"
"Also we already had "The Talk" as I hit puberty," added Luz. "Not to mention the giant Christmas tree."
They stood before the biggest Christmas Tree either of one had ever seen. Decorated with fake snow, colorful baubles some with intricate paintings on them others had engravings of sand. Other objects hanging from the tree were candy canes, little golden or blue bells, figurines of glass, lit white candles and other objects of different seizes, forms and coloration. Sever Christmas Boxes lay under it, perhaps filled, perhaps as part of the decoration. On the top of the tree was a figurine of the Titan holding a golden star in hands, a star which was shining bright.
Luz was in awe, one of the most wonderful Christmas trees she has ever seen and so was Camila.
"Absolutely wonderful," was the entranced reaction of both Dominican-Americans.
The Christmas Tree then suddenly presented a large carnivorous mouth in the middle, one it used to devour a flock of demonic woodpeckers who came to close to it, cutting their ambitions of pecking many holes into the tree short.
"Hi Luz, Hi Miss Noceda," greeted Willow who had been watering the tree until now. "Do you like my Christmas Tree? It is the most beautiful in these lands and first the Boiling Isles has ever seen. Not to mention the most powerful so it can deal with the Flora and Fauna of the Boiling Isles."
"Is every decoration in this house murderous?" asked Camila.
"Don't worry mom, unlike Eda Willow is actually careful with what she makes."
"Luz is right, I take every gardening project I choose with all the love and dedication I can. I used magical crossbreeding methods to get the desired results."
The giant Christmas tree started to slowly rotate and expulsed some ominous looking green gases.
"Oh no! Mom, cover your mouth!"
Luz covered her own mouth rapidly.
"Why Mija-Oh, it smells like peppermint."
"Yay!" was Willow's joyous response. "The Bliss Gasses actually smell good!"
"Bliss gases?!" shouted Luz with surprise and a bit of fear.
When Luz turned around she saw her mom looking very happy.
"Cariño, look at all the snow and candy falling from the sky!"
"Willow, you drugged my mom!"
"It's a temporary effect. After 3 minutes her body will adapt to the biochemical agent and it will be like smelling peppermint from Earth. Of course, the hallucination properties remained after getting rid of all the other predatory properties."
Luz groaned. "I think the concept of bioethics is alien to you."
"Luz! Luz! Luz"
Camila was hugging Luz tightly.
"I am seeing Jesus flying over the sky!"
"Mama, that's Hunter."
Hunter was flying over the area and throwing what looked like snow.
Luz looked with a deadpan expression at Willow. "First: If my mom is now addicted to the stuff, I will transform you into a locust, Willow. Second: Why is Hunter throwing a snow-like substance around?"
"For a better Christmas atmosphere of course!" explained Willow jovial. "We had issues with the snow though, it melts to fast in this region."
"This is artificial snow," guessed Luz. "Where did you get it? Also, how did Hunter got this snow?"
"Hunter got the snow on his own, you should ask him," suggested Willow. She then shouted: "Hunter, come down here!"
"Yes, I got the snow fairly easy," explained Hunter after landing. "Also other things to improve the Christmas quality of the Boiling Isles."
"What for example?" wanted Luz to know while her mother was using her nose to go through her daughters hair, complementing how good it felt to touch her daughter.
Hunter produced different things from his satchel like a CD with Christmas songs to play later, a few small bags of incense, long cables full of holiday lights and snow globes among other things.
"Not bad Hunter, even normal!" lauded Luz her friend happily. "Finally, one of you who deals with Christmas in a normal and harmless way."
"Yo, Hunter you are a good Jesus," congratulated Camila and went from Luz to Hunter to hug him. "Be a dear and heal my patients."
"Ehm… I can try? My healing magic should work on earths animals, I think."
"Oh, thank you Hunter Jesus," thanked Camila overexcited and shock Hunter's hand so strong he stumbled and let the gadget fall he used to disperse the snow onto the ground but Camila caught it. "Oh, sorry I caught your snowy-machine." Camila took a sniff at some remains of the white substance. "Hey, that… That…. OH, SANTA MIERDA!"
Luz who seldom heard her mother curse was even more surprised that her mother came down from her high so fast and starred at Hunter very seriously.
"Hunter, why do you use cocaine as artificial snow?!"
This was the perfect Moment for a record scratch. Luz starred in disbelief at her friend while Willow smiled but was confused about the situation.
"What is the issue?" asked Willow. "Hunter bought this pretty fake snow from some people in Russia."
"You bought cocaine from the Russian Mafia?!" shouted Camila in anger. "That is illegal!"
Hunter, who had no idea what was going on kept his cool. "Don't worry it was all legal, it is not like the stuff was Harilathmin, the most infamous drug on the Boiling Isles. Look how much I got."
Hunter pulled more of the "fake snow" out of a pocket dimension and presented it to his chosen family. He had many, MANY quadratic translucent packages of the white stuff.
"That is one billion in Stardust," recognized Camila deadpan. "How did you get your hands one billion USD?"
"No, I only paid the market price for artificial snow," explained Hunter innocently. "I took the fake snow and left behind 5000 USD and my address with a request to buy more from them."
Luz and Camila made contorted expressions of disbelief and horror, mouths agape, eyes wide open and the upper jaw stretching to the right and the lower to the left, with hands lifted in helpless question.
"You stole cocaine that is worth one billion from the Russian Mafia…" concluded Luz after slowly coming down from the shock. "Luckily, they will not be able to come onto the Boiling Isles so easily. Unluckily for you Hunter you can never visit Russia again if you don't want to be forced to fight Assassins non-stop."
"No worries," interjected Willow "If someone comes near my dear with murderous intentions I will crush them"
Willow said that with the happiest expression and tightly hugged a blushing Hunter.
"Now the only worry are the animals exposed to the cocaine," worried Luz "I don't want to deal with a drugged gryphon during Christmas."
"Mija, remember that Cocaine Bear is fiction," Camila sounded serious. "The real-life case was tragic for realistic reasons."
After getting rid of all the remaining cocaine with magical fire, the Nocedas and their friends went back into the Owl House in time to see Lilith sitting on a couch reading a book to King, Gus and Hooty and the three of them sat on bean bags (even Hooty) to listen to her tale.
"And then the old miser Donald Trump made a tantrum when the federal spirts rampaged through his mansion in Mar-A-Lago."
"Merry Christmas, Lilith." greeted Luz.
"Feliz Navidad." greeted Camila.
"Merry Winter Solstice/birth of a god day to you, Nocedas!" Lilith sounded cheerful during that greeting. "I am telling the kids human stories about evil rich people being haunted by ghosts that want to make them suffer because of their evil actions."
"Sounds great." was Luz's happy response.
Gus didn't look amused.
"I don't know, I think this is a bit inaccurate."
"I liked it when the Musk Lord got ditched by the Grime Lady," told King. "Girl can do better."
Lilith happily held up a book about business.
"I have a lot of writing material here! I even have a children's book contract."
"Is that material appropriate to read to kids?" asked Camila.
"Mom, children's books here touch very dark subjects, although not that kind of darkness usually."
Amity was in darkness. Total Darkness. She was not scared though because her situation was of her own design.
"The perfect present for Luz…", she whispered to herself. "Absolutely perfect, she will love it."
Amity had thought for weeks what she could gift to her beloved Luz, the Dominican-American from planet Earth. Amity was still unsure what a Dominican exactly was but Luz explained most of it to her pretty well.
"I am still carried… Just a few more seconds."
Her plan was perfect. She would be delivered to Luz with the instructions that Luz would open the box alone in her room. Nothing could go wrong. There was no way she would present herself to all of Luz friends and family when she came out of that box.
Then the current CEO of Blight Industries heard how the box was put on the ground and started to be opened. This was her signal. Amity took several breaths, there was no turning back now. She had been anxious the entire time but now it was getting especially bad. But she took all her courage instead of turning into ooze and pour away and stood up suddenly as the ribbon was removed and came out of the container like a Jack in the box.
"Feliz Navidad Mi Amor!"
A surprised seventy-four old woman saw herself confronted by a teenager who came out of a Christmas present that was delivered to her. A teenager with purple hair who also wore a Santa Hat and nothing else.
"Luz?" asked Amity nervously the old woman.
"I am Rosa Luz Alegría," explained the old woman in a surprisingly calm tone. "Former Secretary of Tourism and former secretary of the State of Mexico. Who are you?"
"Whoops, wrong address," was all Amity could produce with a face redder than the reddest tomato in existence before she turned into a pile of ooze and poured away under the door as fast as she could and out of the house of the old politician.
Now all Amity had to figure out how she would return from Mexico to the Boiling Ilses, completely naked, find Luz, still have a beautiful Christmas with her and eventually murder whoever delivered her to the wrong address.
Back at the Owl House, the Noceda's and their friends were chatting about random topics while waiting for Eda to be done with the dinner, or just be done defeating the gingerbread men.
"And then I threw her across the field," Willow flexed her arms. "That will teach her."
"I am surprised you went from a shy girl to the school's powerhouse in just a semester," noticed a smiling Luz.
"I am basically on the level of Amity."
"By the way, where's my girlfriend?"
Before Willow could say anything about that, everyone heard a loud fart.
"Que fue eso?" asked Camila confused.
"Oh, it's ready!" shouted Lily with glee.
The short raid haired woman went to a corner of the room and took out a strange wood log shaped crudely like a pig like creature.
"Grrrrrr..." was the simple response of this creature before it farted again.
"Just when I thought Lilith has done the least strange thing for Christmas," mumbled Luz. "Oh well, what is that little creature?"
"It's a Tio de Nadal. I heard humans feed a magical living wood log so it can defecate candy, so I went over to my father to ask him for help creating a palisman that I later enchanted to make its defecations edible," explained Lilith as if any of that was normal. Come on Wilbur, give us the goods."
The pig like creature squealed and then started to expulse small bits of something that looked like chocolate. This sight of this horrified the Noceda's and everyone else, except Lilith, King and Hooty.
"King no!" shouted Luz. "Don't eat that!"
"But it smells like burned sugar!"
Luz knew that Lilith loved to learn but that she had to learn that this certain old Catalan tradition of all things was something Luz wished she didn't learn.
"Why couldn't it be just a Pinata," sighed Camila. "Very cliché but less… Crap."
Luz had to suppress a burst of laughter at hearing that coming from her mother. "Mom, that was a good one but I don't want to laugh about this monstrosity."
"Let me eat the candy!"
"No!" shouted Luz and Camila in Unison, having stopped King continuously from eating while having their conversation.
"It is safe, I tasted them myself," tried Lilith to calm down the two.
"Then we say: We don't want to kiss you on the mouth right now Lilith until you washed it a few more times," made Camila quickly clear.
"I hope this was the last surprise for today," spoke Luz carefully. "Also where is Amity agaib?"
"Oh, there is one last thing," remembered Willow. "The best for last. I contributed the wood."
"I covered the infiltration," added Gus.
"I did most of the robbing," mentioned Edalyn with a devilish smile.
"And I prepared a legal defense, just in case," commented Lilith.
Luz gulped. "What did you do?"
A long-haired man was nailed to a cross, placed on the head of Titan.
"Santa Maria…" whispered Camila, shocked and kinda deadpan. "You… Did you kill somebody?"
"No, we robbed a human morgue," explained King casually. "Was not that difficult."
"But… Christmas is about the birth of Jesus!" blurted Luz out.
"Yes, but these nativity scenes are lame," groaned Eda. "This is cooler. Also, you humans worship him as an idol the cross, not as a baby in the crib."
"Our Christianity needs to reform that part," agreed Camila, thinking it would be better to pray to Jesus in the crib instead of the crucified one. "But… Why?"
"For the best possible Christmas mood," explained Hooty who was in his little portable house. "How do you two feel?"
Luz tried not to be mean. "It is… Creative?" Luz remembered she did similar gross things. Not to this extreme but… She put what she saw right now into perspective. "Next time get a human corpse the legal way please."
Camila was… Less nice. "You can't steal corpses and nail them to crosses! That is inappropriate and scary!"
"But we asked the owner," explained Lilith. "We summoned his ghost with Oracle magic. Ask him yourself, he is there with us."
The ghost of the crucified corpse appeared before Camila, making her take a step back in surprise. "Ehm… Hi?"
"I gave them permission," explained the long-haired ghost. "In exchange I am allowed to have a last few words with my loved ones before I went on my way to the final frontier. Also, I thought it would be very rad and it is even more rad than I imagined!"
At the same time, many miles away, Amity was riding an "ooze bike" across Texas. The design was something inspired by a game called "Persona" that Luz and Hunter kept talking about, but in general this machine looked kind of grim and was leaving an evaporating purple trail across the highway. To correct Amity's past state of nudity, she was currently wearing some Christmas dancer clothes she stole from a Christmas show, like a Santa hat, a Christmas themed corset kind of dress, a skirt and theme fitting boots.
"I am coming home for Christmas, Luz!"
Sadly for Amity, she was going at a speed faster than most normal cars or regular bikes, so a got deal of police cars started chasing her at some point.
"To all authorities, there's a teenage girl riding a strange purple bike on-" a police officer was reporting to others through radio communications before Amity started whipping the vehicles away with ooze but only to get them out of her way, not to kill them. "Good lord! We are chasing Ghost Rider!"
"Any idea when Amity will be here?" Luz sounded worried for her girlfriend. "I really wanted to see her today to spend our first Christmas together."
"I am sure she will be here soon, mija." Camila reassured her daughter. "If tonight's strange stuff has taught me anything is to expect the unexpected."
"Amen." agreed the ghost.
"Sir, I am still not comfortable being so close to you," explained Camila.
"Okay, mam."
The ghost floated a few feet away and at that moment in time appeared Raine and their group of bardic musicians.
"Greetings, everyone!" greeted Raine everyone and he threw a kiss towards Eda. "We have prepared a small Christmas concert for your entertainment."
"I wonder what would be their version of caroling." dreaded Camila, fearing the worst.
I'm a little star, hanging on a tree
See the little children dance around me
Tra-la-la, tra-la-la
Tra-la-la, la-la-la
Tra-la-la, tra-la-la
Tra-la-la, la
Mother and daughter were really surprised. This was a normal song, a completely normal Christmas song.
I'm a candy stick, hanging on a tree
See the little children dance around me
Tra-la-la, tra-la-la
Tra-la-la, la-la-la
Tra-la-la, tra-la-la
Tra-la-la, la
"Raine loves the Christmas music from earth," sighed Eda. "They wanted to keep them like they are. I wanted to add 50% more decapitation, blood and contrabass."
I'm a pretty angel, hanging on a tree
See the little children dance around me
Tra-la-la, tra-la-la
Tra-la-la, la-la-la
Tra-la-la, tra-la-la
Tra-la-la, la
"Raine is a beautiful singer," commented Camila. "I thought they were only using the violin."
"They can sing, they are a bard," made Eda clear. "They prefer instruments, they don't like the sing-talk part so much."
Luz didn't mind this either. "I think a bit normal Christmas can happen. It doesn't have to be a mix of Halloween AND Christmas all the time."
I'm a bright light, hanging on a tree
See the little children dance around me
Tra-la-la, tra-la-la
Tra-la-la, la-la-la
Tra-la-la, tra-la-la
Tra-la-la, la
A round of applause followed for the Bardic musicians as they finished the song "I'm a Little Star".
"Pretty nice, but not enough mention of death & despair," commented Eda. "What do you think, Luz?"
"Even I need a bit of regular Christmas," answered Luz, defending Raine. "I love the horrific and freaky stuff but sometimes it can be too much and it shouldn't happen all the time either."
"Since we got rid of Belos the horrors lessened here maybe a bit too much," added Eda, sighing. "Is it odd that I am too used to the horrors of the past?"
"Belos made everything worse, but now it is getting better," pointed Luz out friendly. "Which is good, better to get used to a good situation than a bad one."
"I really know nothing about how things were here before, but everyone seems happy with how things are now," commented Camila. "And even Vee has been coming here more regularly despite her preference for Earth and the bad past she had in the Boiling Empire."
"Speaking of the snake girl, where's she now?" asked Eda. "I thought she would be with you two tonight."
"She said she will come in an hour."
"Hoo boy!" was Luz's reaction and she smiled a smug smile.
Somewhere else, somewhere in Gravesfield, Connecticut Vee and Masha were cuddling while sitting on some pillows while a half-eaten Japanese Christmas cake laid on the table in front of them.
SOMEWHERE ELSE ON EARTH, Amity was crossing through Connecticut with 20 police vehicles chasing after her, including a helicopter. Her Christmas clothes looked slightly burned and her ooze bike was decorated with debris from vehicles and holiday decorations, like Christmas lights, a Grinch plushie, some plastic Magi, a menorah, a Mariah Carey standee, an atheist organization charity banner, a yule goat and a tiny Santa with an electronic voice.
"HOHOHO!"
"Shut up, Santa!" shouted Amity angrily before grabbing the tiny Santa and throwing it away.
The tiny Santa coincidentally hit Jacob Hopkins in the head, who was just doing a last minute Christmas shopping trip.
"Ouch! Who threw at me this Coca Cola propaganda machine?! Was it the aliens?!"
No one cared about the ramblings of this mad man as everyone on the streets of Gravesfield was seeing the current mad chase on the streets.
Odalia Blight was doing a séance, with candles, dimmed light and the other stuff one needs for that, starring into a large crystal ball and talking to a deceased person.
"Belos, I demand to know- Stop talking about being in hell and what you were not supposed to be there!" snapped Odalia angrily."
Odalia listened to more, wails of the damned in the background of the room whch even in the dim light looked rather shabby and cheap.
"Tell me where you hid your best spells. No, I do not care that you get kicked in the private area every day by every single Grimwalker you ever created."
The current domicile of Odalia was not a pretty one. In fact it was a flat, a social housing flat. Since her divorce with Alador she was not allowed back into Blight Mansion. Not to mention that she lost the company, the companies' resources and all her wealth to her (in her eyes) traitorous family, just because she supported Belos, knowing the truth of his plans and being stupid enough to believe him.
"Stop yammering about never-ending torment. Also tell me why a former business partner of mine send me three ghosts? I captured them all in crystals balls and they have something to do with a human holiday called Christmas. So tell me what is going on, Christmas came from your home world."
Indeed, on Odalia's pitiful table lay four small crystal balls, glowing angrily. All the fault of her family, in her mind that is. Usually, a court wouldn't take all the money from somebody but Odalia was so evil and so stupid she got the unique sentence of "lifelong poverty" the worst sentence a capitalist could receive.
"Drained every hour of all your life energy and forced to watch how your brother is happy with his wife in heaven? I don't care, tell me where you hid your gold you-"
A motorbike broke through the wall and drove over Odalia, knocking over her pitiful table which in turn threw the four little crystal balls to the ground where they broke apart in many small splitters of glass, who got strewn over the floor.
"Sorry!" shouted Amity on the oozy Motorbike she was driving. "I pulled at full speed through the portal, that catapulted me farther into the demon realm than expected and- Oh, it is you."
"Amity," hissed her biological mother. "Get of me with your bike and then pay for the da-"
"No, Odie."
Amity meant she wouldn't pay for the damages. Before she would do anything else Amity would drive away but not before doing a few round through the flat and over Odalia before leaving through the door, destroying it in the process.
Odalia, full of tire tracks groaned as she got up. She saw how her old business partner and the three ghosts passed her and flew through the hole to freedom, the hole Amity made. They simultaneously showed the former CEO the middle finger before flying away.
"Christmas can bite me!" screamed Odalia which loosened some debris in the room which then fell from the ceiling and onto her head, knocking her quickly unconscious.
Back at the Owl House, the gift exchange was underway, though not only the 10 dollar limit rule of the Nocedas was ignored, but also what exactly could count as a gift. Eda and Lilith's mom had brought very peculiar gifts.
"Thanks for the..." Luz wasn't sure what she was holding right now. "What is this?"
"It's an unfertilized kraken egg," was Gwendolyn's gleeful response and explanation. "I heard humans can do a lot with oils from sea animals. This egg has lots of yummy omega 3 acids."
"Oh thanks. I think my mom would like to cook this, right mama?"
Camila had a disturbed expression as she looked at the eldritch egg and nervously nodded. Nearby, King was already eating a kraken egg along with a dead gingerbread man.
"Have more eggs, grandma?"
"Sorry dear, but kraken mating season is coming closer."
Dell Clathorne on the other hand was getting wine drunk with his daughter and future son/daughter/non-binary child?-in-law.
"And then the little critter started to defecate all over my workshop," told Dell who was really drunk. "Why did I let Lilith convince me to help her with that project?"
"Pig shit happens," punned Eda before sipping more mulled wine.
"Isn't the Tio de Nadal eating your turkey, dear?" asked Raine curiously.
"Oh that son of-"
Eda chased the candy pooping abomination across the Owl House with her staff while more gifts were being exchanged, like between a certain boyfriend and girlfriend. Hunter was given a carnivore plant from Willow and looked nervous, awaiting Willow's reaction to the present he gave her.
"I hope you like it," were Hunter's words before giving a perfectly wrapped box to Willow. She quickly opened it and happily took out a patchy looking sweater.
"I know I need to practice with my sewing skills and that it isn't as cool as this carnivore plant you gave me, but-"
Hunter was tackled for a kiss and the carnivore plant he had been holding now was crawling out of its pot. It run around the floor for a while until it eventually entered a fight with the Tio de Nadal.
"No fighting in my living room!" shouted Eda. "Not without permission and not today at all!"
The chaos was grand but so was the happiness in the room. Luz family and friends were together and had a good time. Not necessarily a tranquil time but one of bonds, positive bonds that gave Luz a warm feeling in her heart.
"Just one person is missing…" noticed Luz. "The most important one."
"I tried to invite Matthew Mercer but he said he couldn't," told Eda the others with a gloomy sigh. "He was so good as Hayami in Zetman."
"I mean in a romantic sense," added Luz. "Where is-"
"Amity!" announced Hooty and opened himself. From her hands shooting like a beam of energy Amity oozed into the Owl House on a pathway of slime like Ice Man from the X-Men just with more purple slime than blue-white ice. She stopped to ooze in the middle of the room and jumped directly towards her girlfriend.
"LUZ! I AM FINA- UGH!"
Amity collided with Luz and because of the high velocity of the Abomination Master the two witches were turned into a fast rolling entangled ball that took a tour through the Owl House.
"Look at them go!" jubilated King Clawthorne, the last Titan.
The two girlfriends crossed the living room, the kitchen and later went to impact against Willow's mutant Christmas tree, which expulsed more of its strange gas and it stopped them from rolling. Luz took a bit to stand up, although a bit hurt from the impact and a bit dizzy because of the gas, but she somehow was okay and felt great since her girlfriend was close to her now.
Amity, in a sorrowful ton said: "Luz, I am sorry I ruined Christmas and-"
"It's okay... So pretty."
The hallucination gas was already kicking in and with the light of the Owl House behind Amity she looked like an angel to Luz.
"Who is the pwettiest angel? Si, eres tu! Eres tu!"
Luz didn't wait to start kissing Amity's face in the most affective way she could muster, making Amity blush almost as red as her Christmas themed clothes.
"Luz, Amity, estan bien?" asked Camila with worry. "Ay Dios mio, Amity cariño, are you really wearing that in this cold weather? Come inside where it is warm."
"Any second Mrs. Noceda, I just need to…" Amity looked from Camila to the very high Luz. "Deal with your daughter."
"Quitate la ropa," said Luz with a dumb grin during a short kissing pause.
"Willow, this tree has no aphrodisiac in its defensive measures, correct?" asked a worried Camila.
"No, Mrs. Noceda," assured Willow quickly who appeared behind Luz's mother. "Luz is a bit high but her feelings for Amity are unchanged or what she wants to do with her."
"Get in my belly…" asked Luz, nibbling on Amity's ear. "I want you in my stomach for a few hours, that will be so sexy. Don't worry, I will regurgitate you before you will be digested by my stomach acids."
Amity took Luz into a bridal carry and with a glowing red head she started to walk back to the house. "I fear she is also revealing some fetishes she likes right now and better I only hear them. I will wait until she is down from that high, I do nothing with her under influence I promise!"
The quick torrent of an explanation was believed by Camila, she trusted her future step-daughter to do nothing with her biological daughter without any consent by either party.
"Vorarephilia related magic is mostly practiced by the Beast Coven and-" started Raine to explain before Eda put her hand on her loves mouth.
"Stop Raine, please. I think humans don't talk casually about lovers swallowing each other."
Camila sighed deeply and witnessed Amity carrying her daughter up the steps to Luz old room. "I should ask what you Witches talk casually about in this world after the holidays, especially in regards to fetishes. Could be useful for New Years Eve…"
Eda and Raine looked in surprise at Camila.
"Eh, I mean for scientific research," suddenly claimed Camila nervously, looking quickly from one side to another. "As a veterinarian medical scientist person, I need to know that. Very important when it comes to treating animals."
Both witches looked at each other with smug smiles.
"Sure, we have so much to tell you, right Raine?"
"Of course."
Once the effects of the gas wore off, Luz spend half an hour cuddling with Amity in her former room of the Owl House.
"Te quiero mucho, Ami."
"Me too, Luz."
"You know, after all this year of strange stuff happening, part of me wanted to have a cozy Christmas to chill out, but once the initial shock of today went away I am thinking this is better than a regular Christmas."
"I really wanted to be with you earlier, but the delivery company got the wrong address and sent me to Mexico."
"Why were you trying to deliver yourse-ooooh!" Luz blushed in realization and so did Amity because Luz knew what would have happened "I am realizing now!"
Amity rested her head on Luz's shoulder.
"For a disastrous night, this feels like an earned reward," purred Amity with a kind smile on her face.
"And we don't need a plant from Willow to be romantic."
"What about this one?"
Amity held a mistletoe above them a little ooze tentacle.
"Oh, you did study Christmas traditions," commented the Butcher of Belos with a sleek smile
"Come here."
The mistletoe generated pink clouds of gas shaped like hearts.
"Amity."
"I swear it isn't an aphrodisiac, it just smells like peppermint."
After those two had their cuddling session and dinner was over, Eda and Raine prepared the final surprise for the night.
"Now Fighter! Now Slasher! Now Punisher and Catherine!" shouted Eda to the back of the house.
"On Meteor! On Barry! On Robert and Warrior!" shouted Raine next.
Seconds later the families all sat together in one gigantic sled with an even bigger bag behind them.
"Ehm, Raine I should probably steer the Brenndeer," suggested Gwen carefully. "I am a qualified Beast Keeper mage."
"But I wanted to do this since I saw the illustrations of Santa Clause on his flying reindeer sled," protested Raine.
"I agree with mother, Raine, please let the expert do this first," supported Lilith her mother.
"I can show you how to control them," was the friendly proposal of Gwen. "When the sled is safe in the air, I give you the reins."
Raine was accepting the deal and Gwen took the Reins.
Camila looked to the sky. "I wonder how fast we- AAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
The Brenndeer-sled took off with the speed of sound, creating a supersonic explosion. Camila feared she would fall out of the sled at this speed and clutched her fist around the edge of the sledge chair before her but it was not necessary because the magic Eda used on the sled ensured that everybody was practically glued to their seats.
Of course Camila was only told that after she screamed for a full minute and thought she would die any second now.
"Mom, calm down," Luz said as soothingly as possible, taking her hand.
"Sometimes I wish me back to the time when you just created taxidermic statues that barfed spiders," admitted Camila. "I know this isn't your doing by the way. Just a bit slower please!"
"This sled can fly with a speed of 1,236 km/h," shouted Eda. "Do not worry: The enchantments ensure we are not hit by air resistance, takes care of the safety and temperature of our bodies and it should adjust our bodies to the speed any second now."
And in the next second Camila didn't feel anymore like she was pulled along a turbine jet. She still had to puke over the edge of the sled for a full minute.
"Oh dios, there goes the dinner...," The veterinarian said after her stomach became empty
"There there, mama."
Now that Luz wasn't feeling the speed of travel anymore she noticed how monstrous the Brenndeer looked. They looked like mutant reindeer with feral faces, sharp teeth and burning hooves.
"How did you and Raine got these creatures?"
"I rigged a bet against Eberwolf," explained Eda casually. "Don't tell him, or Darius."
"Hey, Fighter, stop fighting Punisher!" shouted Gwen.
The night sky over the Boiling Isles was beautiful that night, with the clouds of steam down below the sleight and the bright stars over it. It was like one of those colorful backgrounds of fantasy movies, especially of the Christmas kind. This was also very romantic, and all couples on the sleight held closer together.
"Woah mija, the sky is beautiful!"
"Wait..." Luz looked carefully and noticed a very bright star in the sky, as if it was the Star of Bethlehem. "Eda, has that Star there been there before?"
"I don't think so, kiddo."
"I hope you all like my present!" shouted a disembodied voice everyone recognized, and some reacted with fear because of that familiarity.
After hearing that voice, everyone saw a flash of bright blue in the sky, followed by hearing the laughter of a kid. Said kid, the Collector, was surfing in the night sky and wearing what can be called an ugly sweater with the logo of KFC.
"Merry Christmas!" shouted the Collector, who was right now eating fried chicken.
"And a happy day of killing gods!"
"I got that reference." said Hunter with a smug smile.
"Feliz Navidad, Collector!" shouted Luz.
"Merry Christmas!" shouted King.
The Collector blasted some fireworks from his sleeves and signed his name in the sky with his trail of light.
"By the way, beware of the fat guy on the in the other sleight," warned the Collector casually.
Luz made an expression of pure joy after hearing these words. "Santa Clause is here?!"
"He called himself that," the Collector said casually, while flying on his bac. "As I asked him why he visits this realm he said he want to prevent anyone from kidnapping him to take over his holiday so he wants to bring the people of this realm the magic of Christmas so nobody here tries to acquire it via kidnapping him and doing his job. Mostly because this realm reminds him of another one."
"I need to hear the story connected to that explanation!" wanted Eda, sounding excited. "Sounds like a very thrilling tale!"
Gwen looked around while carefully steering the sled. "I don't see anyone. Collector where- Collector?"
The Collector was flying already away, a festive rainbow pulling behind him out of his shoes.
"Do not worry dear, the chances of colliding with the only other sled in the sky is minimal," assured Dell Clawthorne calmly. "My wives careful steering is all we need now."
"And I doubt Santa will suddenly cause a crash with hundreds of years of practice," added Camila. The revelation that Santa is real didn't impress her because after all she saw she was difficult to surprise.
"Where is that Titan?"
Santa Clause had a foldable map of the Demon Realm with him but this one was old, very old. He found this map in his archives but it was the type that was full of artistic interpretations of locations with sea monsters in the sea and some questionable geography. Not to mention he had no idea where he was in the demon realm.
"Rudolph, did you locate any usable fixpoint?"
"No, Santa," answered the Red-nosed Reindeer. "I only see the boiling sea."
Santa dug his head deeper into the map. "There has to be something…"
"Ehm, Santa could you steer us?" requested Blitzen. "We don't know what could us await in these skies."
"What is this supposed to be?" wondered Santa looking at the map. "Is that an archipelago or a single large island?"
"Santa, there is something on the horizon," informed Comet. "Looks like… Another sled?"
"What? No, has to be a bird," argued Santa, steering the sled a bit, still looking into the map. "One place has similar outlines to Italy."
"Boss, we are on the same course as the other sled," warned Prancer. "Maybe you could step on the gas too-"
Santa made the Reinder "step on the gas" and they raced away from the other sled. "This place has neither a south- or a north pole? How does that work?"
"We are getting away from the other sled, that is good," noticed Donner. "Now we just need to stay away from them and HURGH!"
Santa didn't notice that he dramatically increased the speed and massively changed the course of his sled very suddenly, as he read a certain name of a certain Island. "ISLAND OF THE HOLY OOGIE?! WHAT THE HECK?!"
"Chef, the other sled!" shouted Vixen. "We are on collision course with the other sled and we are incoming fast!"
"Oh, wait!" Santa shouted in visible relief. "That is another Oogie and not that villain that abdu-"
The Reindeer and the Brennder collided and so did both sleds with a loud crashing "CRASH" sound.
Santa, after all his years of experience, didn't have to deal with the small probability of colliding with another magical sled, but somehow he miscalculated since the Clawthornes and Raine had applied the same kind of time manipulation magic on their sleight, which is a scenario he wasn't prepared for. He knew how to dodge airplanes and missiles of the mundane kind, but not something as fast as his sleight, so now his irresponsible behavior of following outdated maps and not looking at the flight path costed him his sled.
"OHOHONO!"
Santa was able to save his sled by using his own emergency supply of magic to bring all the debris, toys and reindeer back into a safe position in the sky, but the other sled wasn't so lucky. Fortunately, Eda and Lilith were and are fast spellcasters and protected everyone from the kinetic force of the crash. The fall was something else and everyone had to find a way to keep themselves from dying from falling into the boiling sea.
"Madre mia!" screamed Camila. "We are going to die!"
"Mama, keep calm."
"Mija, now isn't the time to keep calm!"
Luz was freefalling in a comfortable position while her mother was flailing her limbs around in a panic. Around them, everyone else was freefalling in their own way. Eda, Lilith, their parents and Raine were holding hands like if they were professional skydivers, Willow was holding Hunter in a bridal carry kind of way, Gus and King were playing ukeleles, and Amity was approaching Luz and Camila with ooze wings.
"Ami, you can fly?!" shouted Luz with a smile. "I mean without using your staff!"
"I can only diminish the force of impact."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" was all Camila could say while still flailing around.
Once everyone passed the layer of clouds and the sea was getting closer, everyone used their own methods for falling safely. Eda transformed into her owl beast form and carried King, Raine took out a harmonica and played a melody to make the wind diminish his own fall, Amity grabbed Luz and Camila and created an ooze parachute and everyone else used their own Palisman to fly to safety, except Hunter who was still being carried by Willow.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
"Mama, you can open your eyes now."
Camila opened her eyes and looked at the large ooze-wings of her future step-daughter. "I need a drink. And then another one. And then a bottle of Absinth."
Luz chuckled. "Mom, it wasn't so bad."
Camila made uncertain noises, gesticulating into different directions until she pointed at Santa in the sky. "We- You- That- This- How- But- We crashed into Santa Clause!"
"A unexpected development," agreed Luz, smiling nervously. "But this doesn't happen daily here, I promise!"
Camila breathes in and out a few times to calm down. She really didn't want to say anything hurtful or judgmental especially on Christmas. She gave Luz a warm smile. "Not even half as bad as the time Belos tried to destroy this place. Don't worry you fit here, so I will love this place like I love you."
Luz made the most over exaggerated happy face in return. "Awwww…. I love you too!"
"Just don't love the town that serves as the self-chosen exile home of Belos remaining followers," requested Amity. "They see your daughter as…. I think humans call it the Anti-Christ?"
"I am gladly the Lucifer to my Luz," announced Camila proudly, followed by hugging her daughter with much heart. "I love my Anti-Christ."
Luz kissed her mother on the head and hugged her back. "And I love my Lucifer."
"Sorry Mister Clause," apologized Lilith in the name of everyone. "We didn't want to crash our sled into yours."
They had gathered before the Owl House after they had landed. Construction Witches were already on the task of repairing the sled of Santa Clause while Gwen kept the Reindeer calm.
"Well, I am not used to accidents and I was looking into my map instead of listening to my Reindeer…" Santa sighed. "They will not let me forget this one so easily."
"You can bet one that!" shouted Dunder, snorting in anger.
"I am sorry, my dear Reindeers," apologized Santa. "You get an additional bonus for the circumstances."
"We are about to start the main celebration," told Lilith Santa. "Maybe you want to stay with us."
Santa thought about this for a Moment. "Well, I have a lot to do but each year I stay for a time with the Christmas celebration of somebody and this is probably the right place this year, considering it is my first visit of the Boiling Isles."
"YEHAW! Santa stays with us!" shouted Luz excitingly while riding on Rudolph. She then noticed Santas surprised expression "Ehm… Sorry, Santa I couldn't resist. When do I ever get the chance to meet, pet and ride Rudolph?"
"I gave her permission Santa," explained Rudolph, and he was smiling. "She was an especially nice girl as you know."
"Very well. Oh, that reminds me! Luz Noceda."
"Yes, Santa?"
"I was going to deliver this to your home when you were asleep as it is tradition, but since you and your friends are already here it's also a proper time to give you this."
The jolly old man grabbed out from his magical bag a small wrapped box that was generating a bright light."
"Woah!" was Luz's curious response.
Luz approached to see what was in the box and her mom and friends leaned close to her, being curious themselves.
"Since the world slowly started to get connected after the industrial revolution the world has needed more hope than ever and it's during these cold and dark days that a reminder of light has to be brought to humankind. This is why in recent years I have been less strict with the nice and naughty list since kids don't know well to distinguish between good and evil until they mature properly and sometimes, they get negatively influenced by bad people."
"I can relate to that." expressed Luz bitterly.
"Same," added Amity with a sad expression.
Hunter just nodded.
"However, every once in a while, someone performs an act of great goodness, a action that goes beyond and above the call of duty and it deserves a reward even if they don't think they deserve it."
Santa Clause bowed slightly before the Butcher of Belos.
"Luz, you and your friends saved millions of people when you stopped Belos, and you even gave your own life to protect a child who mostly did bad things to you and your friends
"Hey!" the disembodied voice of the Collector was heard omnipresent by everyone. "On the other hand… Okay, you are right, Santa."
"This is why I give you this special present: the chance to talk with someone from beyond the veil that separates the realm of the living and the one of the dead."
Santa gave Luz an envelope, it looked ordinary but inside glowed something with incredible magical power, Luz was able to feel that.
"There is a very complicated magical formula and summon inside this envelope," explained Santa. "Just fill out the name of the person you want to see in the box and additional information in other boxes ."
"Hey, I can use oracle magic," interrupted Eda Santa Clause. "I can summon any dead person as a ghost and even into their body with the help of Healer magic."
"The difference," started Santa Clause. "Is that this magic can summon even people who have found peace, had nothing more that hold them back and were able to enter the afterlife. Furthermore this "Allsurection" spell can be used for any afterlife, religion is not a boundary.
Luz knew immediately who she wanted to summon with this. Her eyes became teary "Ergh… Can my mother be with me when I do the summon?"
Santa Clause stroked over his long white beard. "Well… You will be materialized in a special room for the encounter. Nobody can come with you. Sorry, this is something I can't bend."
Luz looked over to her mother, her expression one of massive guilt but her mother's face only expressed understanding kindness."
"Go, it is fine."
Luz didn't had the feeling like it was fin, she stood still.
"His death hit you harder than me. You need it more."
Luz nodded, the tears in her eyes becoming larger.
"Oh, this is getting too serious," observed Hooty from afar. "Need to lighten the mood. Ehm, everybody look at me playing harmonica!"
Luz filled the name out on the glowing form inside the envelope before she would or could decide otherwise. She was immediately enveloped by a warm light and prepared herself for a meeting she expected way later to have.
"And then you flew up, and pew, pew, pew and he so "bbbbccccchhhhoooo" and you then "BABUUUM!" and the body of the Titan "HMMHMMH" while moving and explosions! KRAWUMM!"
Luz expected a lot from this meeting. The last thing she expected that Manny Noceda, her father would turn out to be her biggest fanboy.
"You are so much cooler than the girl who befriended all these Amphibians," told Manny his daughter proudly in this serene room both of them were in. "That was in another Universe though but the parents of Sprig and Polly can't stop being proud of them. And I am proud that you are my daughter and I was already proud of you before you defeated Belos in your cool new form!"
"Aww! Thanks dad!"
Luz and Manny were casually sitting on chairs in a tea table in the middle of a grassland, but instead of tea they were drinking hot chocolate, in a casual manner of course.
"You know dad, there's a very dark isekai that has a similar kind of scenario to this one. Is this a prank, or is Satella the White Witch going to appear any time soon?"
"Of course I am pranking you."
The place turned into the kitchen of the Nocedas' home.
"I wanted to try the Uncle Iroh tea party scenario though."
"Dad, there's so much I wanted to talk to you about, but I don't know where to start."
Luz looked at her spiritual cup of chocolate with sadness before looking again into her father's eyes.
"When you died I felt lost, I felt like I didn't know where to go. Then I read the book you bought for me and felt like I finally had a light to follow."
"I get you, mija. Sometimes a piece of media means a lot when you are going through a rough time," explained her father warmly. "To be honest, my options were to buy you the first book of The Good Witch Azura, or a PS4, but we were already spending a lot of money back then."
"And I am still saving money for a PS5, but in all honesty you gave me one of the best presents a father can give to his daughter: Hope."
"Awwwww!"
Luz looked a bit ashamed to the side. "Sadly, I got obsessed with my idealization of a fantasy and you know how things went."
"I am very aware and I was very mad about how Belos tricked you into thinking everything that happened was your fault, mija," said Manny symphathetically with a clear hint of maliciousness towards Belos "When you shouted to your classmates the implication that you wished to never have been born my heart broke. My little girl shouldn't be feeling like that because of some pinche blanco racista."
This was the first time Luz had heard her father being angry since many years ago and the way he was expressing himself was as if he had been with her the entire time, which was true.
"Woah, papa!"
"I rarely get angry," stated (and believed) the dead man. When your mom let herself be persuaded by that asshole principal to send you to that camp I felt disappointed in Camila, but I understood why she felt she had to do that. When Belos started to tell you so many obvious lies I wanted to break from the afterlife and kick his ass, but I was not able to do so, yet I knew this was your story and I trusted you would know what to do."
Luz smile and felt nothing but warmth and love in her heart right now. "Thank you papa. Also how is the afterlife?"
"There are several, I am in the Abrahamic paradise," told Manny casually. "Most religions are correct more or less and they have individual afterlives, I visited a few others to broaden my horizon."
"No single Religion is right? Severa religions are real and right?"
"Or a single denomination for that matter," explained Manny further. "But some Religions are absolutely wrong like Scientology or Happy Science and their insane animes which are perfect riffing material."
Luz wanted to ask about these animes but there are more important questions. "Is Belos in hell?"
"Yes, mija. He will suffer for his sins for a long time before he even gets a chance for parole in Purgatorio. From what I heard he is in massive denial and thinks you and your friends somehow banished him to hell."
That wasn't directly untrue but Luz only killed him, she didn't decide where he would land in the afterlife afterwards. He brought his fate upon himself with his misguided fanatical religious beliefs and actions.
"It is a calming thought that God is not the merciless man certain people want him to be, like Belos wanted him to be" expressed Luz her thoughts. "Also, it is good to know that the other options are also valid."
"Also LGBT is part of his plan, all fine," added Manny with a smile. "One of my regrets is not to lead you to the altar when you marry Amity."
Luz blushed, looking to the side and spotting a tree with apples. She wondered if she was now with her father in the Garden of Eden but that would be a bit too much, probably just a decorative apple tree.
"Wait, you are the Tomboy, would only Amity be led to the altar by Alador?" wondered Manny. "But I don't know how weddings on the Boiling Isles are done. Maybe neither leads anyone to any altar? Whatever the case I just wish I could be there in flesh and blood that day, mija."
"Me too, Papa," joined Luz her father in his wish. "I just wish I could have brought Mama in her as well."
"Ah, it's fine I see her in three months anyway."
"Oh, that is-" Luz jumped from her chair in shock. "WHAT?!"
"Just a dark joke," was Manny's response with a grin.
Luz response was to tackle her father and started to wrestle with him.
"Oh, I get you for this!"
"Aye, not my best idea to challenge the Butcher of Belos, AYUDA!"
They playfought, they laughed, they enjoyed their time, they were father and daughter having daughter-father time. This was one of the few things Luz wanted more than anything else back since her father died. This may be just a short Moment but this short visit gave Luz the finality she needed and deserved.
"Love you Papa!"
"Love you Luz. Ouch, be careful with your elbow."
"Sorry!"
Luz came back from her visit with a lot of paper. If Manny couldn't meet his wife today he would at least send her a message through Luz. A lot of message.
"Oh….!" Was the impressed noise coming from Camila at seeing the mountain of messages. "And…. Did you get him my message?"
Luz nodded. "Yours was a lot shorter and then he wrote all down a lot on these sheets of papers they are written full with things he wants to say to you, Mama."
Camila came to tears. "Oh, Amado Manny…"
While mother and daughter talked about Manny the Witches of the Boiling Isles, a Basilisk and the Last Titan were setting the table. Partly with meals from the Boiling Isles but also much food from Earth.
"Humans can't eat most food from here, also I love Christmas Stollen," admitted Eda.
There was a mountain of stollen in the center of the table, perhaps enough to feed all inhabitants of the Boiling Isles.
"I want to give a toast," announced King while standing over a tower of books on a chair. "For family, friends and killing witch hunters!"
"Yeah!" was the unanimous response of everyone at the table.
"Mazel Tov!" shouted Gus before throwing a glass of grape juice against a wall.
"That's a different celebration, Gus." was Luz's annoyed response, yet she was unable to suppress a small smile. "Anyway, I also have a toast. I want to thank everyone for being a part of my life this year and I hope we stay together for many more years to come."
Everyone cheered at Luz's toast and gave their own toasts about what they were grateful for and what they hoped to accomplish in the future. For example: Hunter wants to start working at as Dell's apprentice once the newly planted trees of palistrom grew big enough; Willow is preparing for a flyer derby tournament; Gus is continuing his research on human culture, but cancelled bis plans to have diplomatic interactions with the giraffes. Lilith is excited about opening up the new museum section focused on the history of the evilness of Belos, which will replace all the propaganda Desplora had curated in the past; Vee wants to apply for a scholarship once Masha is done helping her forge the necessary documentation for an ID; Eda and Raine are taking a three month journey across Earth for some tourism; Gwen is waiting for when the sigils are finally removed so she can use alchemy to create potions for her own daughters and King wants to build a Lego Death Star.
As for Amity...
"I already have everything I want," she happily admited to Luz while holding hands with her below the table.
"Aww, Ami."
"This must be the weirdest Christmas you have seen, Santa," noted Camila.
"This was a strange Christmas, indeed, but not the weirdest one, and even my experience with Jack Skellington was just one of my usual adventures in the end."
"Oh."
"Things get WEIRD when there are five Santas from different universes in the same time and place."
Camila wanted to ask what this was about but instead said: "Can you eMail me the story? I read it later."
"Of course."
With all sitting at the table the feast was about to begin. If you want to ask why they eat a second time: The last meal was lunch, this feast was supper.
"Anyone having any prayers they want to speak?" asked Lilith suddenly. "Please no prayers to the Titan, King dislikes being worshipped as a deity."
"And no sacrifices either, virgin or otherwise," added King. "That cult that wanted to sacrifice Hunter to me recently was nothing but a bother."
"You can say that twice," grumbled Hunter who only allowed one person to bound him naked onto a stone altar .
As anything religious was taken care of Camila stood up. "I like the unusual and the weird as much as my daughter does."
"She wanted to stay with a witch who convinced her to break into a prison to get a paper crown bag," commented Eda with a chuckle. "She is more than just unusual."
"I thought she needed a reality-check," continued Camila regretfully. "I sent her to the Reality-Check Summer Camp." Camila laughed to everyone's surprise. "Instead I send Vee her there without my knowledge and she found people Luz would have easily fit in like Vee did. While I regret my decision somewhat Luz landing in the camp or the Boiling Isles would have led to the same result: Finding people she can call friends and that makes me happier than anything else."
Luz smiled a bit awkwardly. A weird way to explain what happened but they are all weird here.
"Luz told me about everything what happened on the Boiling Isles. Probably a bit too much happened here for and too a teenager and I can't deny I was not happy about everything what happened to her," admitted Camila. "Like that REALLY evil literally agent that almost killed her. Does anyone know what happened to him by the way?"
"He is in prison," informed Lilith Camila. "The escaped authors alarmed the guards and they charged him with many crimes before arresting him."
"Good, good," relief came over Camila and that was also heard in her voice. "Luz time brought her to many perils but also much growth. I am happy she didn't ran into a 08/15 Isekai scenario which would have made her into a chosen one and then ended with her having a massive harem."
Amity huffed a bit. The idea of sharing Luz romantic love with others made her a little angry even if she would be head concubine.
"All of it ended with my little girl ending the infamy of a man who wanted to kill everything that was different from him because he couldn't grow out of the mindset he was raised in, couldn't see how good this place was despite living for hundreds of years with the people here. My little girl became a hero via stopping him and became great through herself and not because of some prophecy."
Luz was proud of that herself. Proud enough to make her staff hover, jumped onto it and got into pose.
"The Butcher of Belos does need no prophecy! She only needs paper, a pencil and symbols."
Camilia continued after Luz came back from the staff. "And this Christmas, the first Christmas of the Boiling Isles, is special for many reasons. Despite the hardships this place is the best thing what happened to the Noceda family. Thank you all for being there for my mija. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Everyone at the table felt the heartwarming feeling of being bonded by the circumstances and decisions that made everyone be here at this moment of time. They knew their lives won't be the same if they hadn't met this girl from another world just as she won't be who she is now without them. For that everyone was thankful to whatever cosmic power that made the universe work. Not to mention rescuing all of them from certain death.
"And we thank you for having created such a wonderful daughter." congratulaed Eda.
"Amen!" added King.
Once dinner was over, everyone was either going to sleep on Eda's furniture, or they would fly away into the night, especially Santa, who still has a lot of work to do.
"Merry Christmas to all! HOHOHOHO!"
And to all a good night.
Okay, let's make the title of this story a reality.
Somewhere in the sky, a very drunken Odalia was flying around on her own staff and barely keeping her balance.
"Stupid children of mine... One would expect them to... Be extensions of their parents..."
As if delivering karma this Christmas, Odalia was hit by one of the monstruous reindeer of the Clawtrorne Clan sled and the impact threw her up in the air. She didn't have time to react and no time to rest since a few seconds later she was hit by Santa's sled like in a scene from Meet Joe Black.
"HOHOHOHOlLY SHIT!"
Odalia landed on a pile of honey of fire bees down below and you can imagine the rest.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
This funny accident would usually worry Santa, but he just shrugged and decided to actually go cause some mayhem towards the other evil doers of the isles. This isn't his jurisdiction, but hey, Belos' loyalists had been very naughty for too many years and without facing consequences.
Krampus meanwhile didn't gave a rats ass about jurisdiction already.
He underscored that as he beat up Adrian Graye Vernworth, Terra Snapdragon, Bill, Bosha, Principal Faust and Tibbles with a big stick and not a calm voice.
"From outside, from the Forest I come from
I tell you the merriment of Christmas is us upon
On all the tips of the firry trees you seeing
I saw golden lights light like lightning
But even with the Collector playing on the Heavens Gate
I pummel you like in hell you evil snakes!"
And with that merry scene we end our tale.
Eda, sitting in a Christmas decorated room before a burning fireplace closed the book.
"And so ends the tale of the first Christmas in the Demon Realm," ended Eda a tale nobody knew she had been telling so far to somebody. "I hope you liked it as much as I enjoyed experiencing it firsthand."
Edalyn Clawthorne waved to the audience.
"Good night and Merry Christmas!"
"Who are you and how did get in our home?" demanded Anne Boonchuy to know who was sitting with her human- and frog-family on the sofa.
END
Hatoralo: "I told you Odalia was going to get run over by a reindeer."
godlessAdversary: "This is one of our best Christmas collabs so far."
Hatoralo: "Indeed."
godlessAdversary: "Can we do one for Persona next year?"
Hatoralo: "I am not playing Persona 5."
godlessAdversary: "Okay."
Hatoralo: "Merry Christmas and Happy holidays, folks!"
godlessAdversary: "And a Happy New Year!"