Here's a little story especially for Christmas day! Something touching and festive in the Mario universe that's a little out of the usual context. An interpretation of how the characters celebrate this symbolic time of year, and more specifically on the side of Bowser and company 😊
Of course, it's a continuation of my fanfiction "Sing for me".
Get ready, it's going to be merry! Happy reading!
I wish you a Merry Christmas
Somewhere above the Darklands, where few dared venture, floated a vast black mass of darkness. Sitting lazily amidst the clouds and black lightning of erupting volcanoes, Bowser's castle gravitated over his kingdom of ashes. Motionless, a hundred meters above the dusty ground surveyed by lost Dry Bones. Furrows of lava dug into the infertile earth, while a thick fog covered the traces of an ancient, dilapidated castle now inhabited by Swoopers. The distorted, charred trees created the sinister atmosphere that was the subject of stories told by the few survivors who had escaped the Darklands, making it the most inhospitable place of all eight worlds combined.
With this truest of reputations, the pride of its King, cries could be heard echoing through the valley from the depths of the gloomy castle. Not cries of fear, but cries of joy accompanied by children's laughter. Between these stone walls, the atmosphere was totally different from the world below. The Koopas soldiers were chatting happily among themselves, only half concerned with fulfilling their guard duty. Who would attack them at this very special time anyway? The winged Koopas were busy putting up the final decorations in areas inaccessible from the ground, stretching large silky red sheets across the ceiling to brighten up the dull stone. In the finely decorated corridors, the Koopalings pursued Bowser Junior in a game of cat and mouse, determined to win this round after losing two others to the wily young prince.
And amidst all this excitement, Cinder wandered peacefully with a contemplative smile. She'd never seen the castle so busy celebrating a holiday! And not just any holiday, either. Christmas was a tradition that had been perpetuated for generations, according to the books she'd read on the subject. A feast where a sort of truce was established between the Kingdoms. For two consecutive days, weapons were abandoned and replaced by red bonnets and other colorful trinkets. While the general atmosphere became much lighter and more childlike. Cinder could feel the joy and excitement in the air. With her arms folded behind her back, the thoughtful woman strolled through the long corridors, admiring the magnificent decorations dedicated to this strange holiday they all affectionately called Christmas.
Even Bowser.
If the fearsome King of the Koopas also honored this truce, then it meant that this time of year was particularly important to them. And from the joy of such a seemingly innocuous celebration, it was clear that everyone was looking forward to this festive time of year, so they could relax. All those smiles warmed her heart... But also gave her a feeling of sadness. For in all her life, Cinder had never had the opportunity to celebrate a single Christmas in the Time Kingdom. She'd only vaguely heard about it when two guards who guarded her "room" mentioned this holiday like no other and how much King Tick-Tock hated it, for reasons that are now obvious. Truce? Impossible. Yet even the greatest villains did it! It was as if nothing could touch his heart of stone.
Cinder heaved a discouraged sigh. Ever since she was a little girl, she'd dreamed of celebrating Christmas with the closest thing she'd had to a father figure at the time, evil Tick-Tock. It was something that had always been very close to her heart. Despite years of solitude at the top of the clock, imagining what the outside world was like, longing to discover something other than this boring Kingdom with its colors tarnished by time. But she was quickly disillusioned when she realized that she would never have the right to do so. Melancholy at this memory, the fiery-haired woman lost her radiant smile for a moment and lowered her head to the ground, her heart gripped by pain. Despite all the will in the world, there were certain memories she wished she could forget.
And yet, she never imagined that one day she'd have the chance to celebrate the holiday here in Darklands! Who would have thought that the terrible Bowser could soften up to the point of putting aside his differences to celebrate Christmas with dignity? Apparently, the King greatly appreciated this time of year, because not only were his Koopas happy, but it was also very important to his son. Another day of the year to spoil him! She had never seen Junior so happy, so overjoyed... The little turtle with the toothed bandana ran around the castle without ever running out of breath, narrowly missing knocking over guards and other creatures in his path. A real tornado! He kept asking when he'd finally be able to open his presents, while demanding cookies from the chef every ten minutes. With the help of the Koopalings, negotiations were short enough.
Returning to her thoughtful smile, Cinder brushed her fingertips along the green fabric of the window curtain overlooking the black clouds filled with electricity. Even the curtains were in the Christmas theme! Their delicately curved gilding and uniquely thick texture were most incredible... Soft beyond compare. Outside, she could see small snowflakes falling softly and mixing with the ash on the large windowsill before disappearing. Bowser had installed snow cannons on the roof so that Junior could have some fun in the snow. An installation that Cinder and Bowser Jr had immediately approved and paid for with hours of epic battles, snowmen and snow angels.
Fir trees had been scattered throughout the castle, with garlands hanging from their bushy branches, multicolored balls and stars on their tops. A decoration that contrasted sharply with the torches, armor and menacing chandeliers. If nothing else, it made the corridors much warmer. A delicious smell of gingerbread mixed with that of natural pine wafted through the air... Filling Cinder with vivid emotion. In just a few hours, they would be celebrating Christmas together! Excited, the Queen of the Koopas lifted her petticoats and started running towards the kitchens, her silver crown almost falling off her head in her haste. There was no time to lose. She was going to give Koopa Cook a hand in preparing tonight's banquet so that everything would be perfect before the arrival of the prestigious guests, in Bowser's own words.
Vegetable pies, squash au gratin with cheese, fried Cheep Cheep, pot roast, turkey stuffed with mushrooms, glazed carrot mishmash - dozens of resistance dishes were on the menu. Everyone was busy in the kitchen, making sure no one stepped on anyone else's toes. Winged Koopas, green-shelled Koopas, Koopa Cook and a strange creature were busy in all four corners of the huge kitchen. A distinguished guest, he had confided to her. A confused-looking chicken-like creature from another realm had come to the reception on purpose, along with Koopa Cook, his long-time friend. Wearing a white apron, Cinder lent a hand in spreading the pasta on the work surface, while Koopa helped her scatter the various foods.
Organization was drastic in this kitchen. Concentrating on their work, they didn't even notice the hasty entrance of Junior and the Koopalings, quickly followed by bursts of laughter as they circled the main counter. Dodging the young turtles, one of the Koopas almost knocked over a hot plate if he hadn't had quick reflexes. With a warning glance in the direction of the little rascals, the latter laughed at him and then tried to climb onto the counter in search of the succulent Christmas cookies just out of the oven. The smell made their mouths water! They came in all shapes and toppings. With the help of Morton and Roy, the two strongest, the rest of the gang climbed onto the counter to stuff as many of the still-warm cookies into their mouths as possible.
"Get out of here! Come on, shoo, we've got work to do!" A disgruntled Koopa Cook shouted at their intrusion, hands at his hips and wings flapping furiously.
"I want a snowman!" Junior suddenly exclaimed when the thought crossed his mind, deliberately ignoring the angry Koopa and his dark gaze.
"Let's go to the roof!" Ludwig said theatrically.
They loaded their arms with cookies in record time and ran for the exit, leaving a trail of crumbs in their wake. This attitude amused Cinder greatly, unlike Koopa Cook, who suddenly seemed exhausted. After all, it was already the fourth batch he'd started again... And if things kept going like this, he wouldn't even have any Christmas cookies left for the banquet! With a discouraged sigh, the flying Koopa hurried back to his ingredients, ruminating in annoyance about the incorrigible little turtles who were so lacking in education. Fortunately, the mood in the kitchen quickly brightened as they moved on to the desserts. Koopa Cook's favorite part, it seems, because he was soon smiling again. A reaction that made Cinder laugh, covered head to toe in flour.
As night fell and everyone changed for the festivities, the entire castle gathered in the reception hall. Located at the very center of the flying castle, this room was so large and had such a high ceiling that a huge fir tree had been placed at the top of the three steps at the back of the room. Its yellow star shone brightly, while red and silver garlands brightened its bushy branches. The multicolored balls reflected the lights of the sumptuous gilded chandeliers and candlesticks meticulously placed on the central table. It was long enough to fit many people around it. A thick red carpet made its way up the stairs to the impressive Christmas tree and piles of gifts of every size and color.
There really were a ton of them.
As they sat down to begin the Christmas Eve meal, all the greatest villains had been invited for the most special occasion of the year. Creatures most feared for their temperament and actions. King Boo, King Bob-omb, the Hammer Bro, Terry, Petey Piranha, a Whomp, Shy Guys, Goombas, Sumo Bro, two Dry Bones, Koopas of all kinds and of course the Koopalings, crazy as they were. Bowser at the end of the table with his son Junior on his right, then Cinder on his left with Kamek sitting on the other side. Opposite him was Terry. The Magikoopa had actually resented the fact that he wasn't allowed to have the place of honor next to his king. But after being subjected to his revered Master's glare from the very first argument, he'd quickly changed his mind and settled for the seat next to the Queen instead. He didn't want to incur his wrath on Christmas Day!
Whispers filled the room as Koopa Cook and his team of cooks entered through the main door with carts laden with a variety of foods. Dishes were quickly passed between the chairs, in a precise arrangement to ensure that everything was perfect. Impeccable. Dressed in suits and ties, the winged Koopas moved swiftly across the room to serve drinks to guests wearing immaculate white napkins on their arms. Moving back and forth between the carts and the table, soon all the steaming dishes were before the eyes of the guests, eager to begin the meal. King Boo was licking his lips with a typical laugh as the whomp at the end of the table squinted at the big roasted Cheep-Cheep caramelized with honey from the Kingdom of the Bees. His dumbfounded stare made the Koopalings laugh as they elbowed each other under the table.
"Hum hum ..." Bowser spoke, coughing into his fist to get the attention of the entire table. He had dressed in one of his finest suits for the occasion. Silver rings, black top hat and white satin jacket, his red hair slicked back with the help of Cinder, who had spent nearly an hour taming it. So once certain that he was the center of attention, he straightened up in his armchair with one crystal glass in hand, the other playing with his patterned green tie around his neck.
"My dearest friends, Koopas and other stuff, I welcome you all to my royal banquet. Today is a day of celebration. We're celebrating everything we've accomplished this year! So eat till you're hungry. Drink till you're thirsty! Sing and dance if you must. As honored guests, I command you to enjoy yourselves!" He summoned in his big voice as he put one foot on the table with a broad smile, making the silverware clink at his sudden movement. With his glass raised in the direction of the guests, he led everyone to follow his lead.
"Yeah!"
"Here's to King and Queen Koopa!"
"Can't wait for the presents!"
"Merry Christmas!"
"Yay, we're all going to throw up tonight!"
At this out-of-the-blue sentence, all eyes focused on Terry, who instantly lost his smile.
"Err what?" He shrugged, puzzled by all the bewildered looks. They were here to have fun, right?
"Can I have some too?" Bowser Jr suddenly asked, doing his puppy-dog look that had incredible powers of persuasion. At least, it worked almost every time! Shaking his empty glass from side to side at his father's once again seated muzzle, he waggled his red eyebrows with an adorable smile in the hope of making him give in. The big turtle simply looked at him out of the corner of his eye before snorting in disdain.
"No way!" He finally said after languishing his son for long seconds. He chuckled under his breath as he dropped limply back into his chair, chin raised to the ceiling and mouth wide open in despair.
"But uh! That's not fair ... I want to be like the big boys! I wanna drink too, I'm a big boy now. C'mon, Dad, just one drop! Please." The latter pleaded after joining his hands together in supplication.
At his unexpected politeness, Bowser's eyes widened slightly. Since when was his son polite?! Glancing suspiciously in the direction of Cinder and Kamek, he saw that both were hiding their faces behind their own glasses of fermented durian juice. His inquisitive gaze lingered for a moment on his sweet wife in her red and white Christmas dress, who was doing her best to hide her guilty smile. Obviously, who else could have been behind this improvement? There was only one person here capable of teaching his son good manners. Before, this kind of thing annoyed him, but now he found it rather pleasant... So Bowser grabbed the bottle of sparkling durian and, to his son's astonished eyes, poured out exactly the little drop he'd asked for.
Just as he was about to take the cup, Junior's beaming smile disappeared when his father took the opportunity to fill his glass to the brim with cinnamon orange juice.
"Bwahahaha!" King Koopa laughed with both hands on his belly. The look on his son's face was memorable! He was truly diabolical. Did he really think he'd get the same preferential treatment as the adults? Not even in his dreams.
Everyone laughed out loud as they helped themselves to the many appetizing dishes. Cinder took a piece of vegetable pie, her favorite, a piece of turkey gobbler, mashed carrots and some beans. To her left, Kamek had just put his napkin around his neck and was rubbing his hands over his well-stocked plate. That smell ... It was exquisite! Giggling with excitement after grabbing his fork to prick it into his juicy piece of meat, he licked his beak but stopped midway when something green landed on his plate. Splash. The broccoli scattered sauce all over his previously clean napkin and thick glasses, causing him to lose his smile and trade it for a frown at the pig sitting opposite him.
Junior would gobble down large amounts of food at once, then refill his plate without finishing what was on his plate or in his mouth. He would pick at anything and everything, amassing a large pile of food. And as soon as he came across something green and unidentifiable, he'd stick out his tongue and throw it randomly on the table. This didn't seem to bother Terry in the least, as he was content to eat without giving his greedy neighbor the slightest glance. Although after a while, he used the back of his fork to push a chewy thing away with a grimace when the plant next to him devoured it without knowing what it was originally. It was disgusting. He ended up drowning his dismay in his glass of sparkling juice as he stared wearily at his plate, making the Hammer brothers laugh.
Further down the table, the Koopalings behaved similarly to Bowser Jr. except for little Wendy, who ate cleanly using cutlery. The only girl in the group to be on her best behavior... Unsurprisingly. Her pink polka-dot bow had been replaced by a white one with shiny red and green circles to match the color of her nails. Glancing disapprovingly at Roy and Ludwig, who were having a hamster-cheek contest with brother Sumo, she snorted in disgust when Lemmy showed the others his mouthful of mashed potatoes. This behavior greatly amused King Boo, who performed pirouettes on his chair, food swirling around his almost transparent body.
Eating like a glutton, Junior finally got his father's attention, caught up in a discussion with King Bob-omb and his old argument with Peach. It had taken him a long time to pick up the pieces after his outburst! He'd had a grudge against the Princess ever since. As the discussion continued, Bowser leaned over to his son to cut his meat into small pieces, which he tried to tear off with his only visible tooth. Carefully, one by one, he cut off bits under the tender gaze of his wife and Kamek's relieved one. Little attentions which, even after all this time, still warmed the heart of the new Queen of the Darklands. A spectator of these father-son moments. But her attention quickly wandered to Petey Piranha and the Shy Guys who were trying to protect their plates from the huge, hungry planta.
For a lively meal, it was a lively meal!
More than an hour later, once everyone was full, Koopa Cook reappeared with his sidekick Cookatiel. They quickly cleared away the table and all the garbage on it. There wasn't an inch of clean tablecloth left. Letting out a dejected sigh, the turtle with the chef's hat snapped his fingers for his team to take the carts overflowing with dirty plates back to the kitchen to begin the long and perilous clean-up. No respite for them! The honor of the Koopa family was at stake. Grimacing at the trickle of drool that clung to his fingers as he retrieved what remained of Petey Piranha's plate, Koopa Cook bowed briefly before closing the massive doors in his wake.
Only to open them again five minutes later with the desserts.
"YES! The desserts! They're mine, MINE!" Bowser Junior roared while holding his round belly, tongue hanging out of the corner of his snout. He'd gobbled up kilos of food, but he'd find place for a whole cake! This was as close as he'd come.
As the guests looked on in amazement, the Koopas rushed to place the desserts on another table set with a golden tablecloth, at the bottom of the steps leading up to the tree. There were a dozen of them, each more appetizing than the last. The largest had a small firework display on top. Bob-Omb congratulated Bowser on his remarkable service, while rubbing his belly at the thought of devouring some of those vanilla profiteroles with melting hazelnut hearts. Layer cakes with cream decorated with sliced fruits, Christmas cookies, chocolate ice cream and delicious tarts... A variety of desserts that left no one indifferent.
Classical music was now playing in muffled tones from the gramophone on a small wooden cabinet in the corner of the room. Another bit of attention from Koopa Cook, who was particularly fond of this style of music and hoped it would have the same effect on the guests. Especially on the nerves of his King, who could easily be hit for any reason. Even with a few drinks up his nose.
"Let's get on with opening the presents!" Bowser declared loudly as the desserts disappeared in their entirety. Grabbing the edges of his satin jacket, he smiled smugly as the children cried out in delight at his long-awaited announcement.
Colored wrapping paper flew in all directions in big rips as Koopalings and Junior plunged into the stacks of packages. In search of the best. Sitting in his big velvet armchair by the window, facing the big fir tree, Bowser admired the scene alongside his wife who was sitting on the floor. Slightly leaning forward with a happy smile when Bowser Jr held up a gift, the young woman laughed heartily at his delighted expression when he discovered its contents. It was a remote-controlled airplane, something he'd always dreamed of owning. Above it floated King Boo, who had just ripped open his own blue package and pulled out another horrific painting. Another to add to his collection!
The Whomp sat down heavily, then laughed out loud after swallowing his gift whole. He didn't really understand the concept of a gift, but it was a good dessert! On the other side of the tree King Bob-omb sat in another armchair, with Koopas and Shy Guys at his feet, all of whom had received a gift without exception. The Bomb King had received a book on how to control his emotions in society, a work that combined usefulness with safety. As for Bowser, he received a new hat, a small bronze statue from Terry, the same sunglasses as his son, slippers and lots of other little trinkets. From Cinder he received a gold pocket watch engraved with his initials. In his eyes, it was undoubtedly the most precious gift with a special meaning, but he would never say so in front of his guests.
Even if his smile betrayed him.
Reemerging from the mountains of papers, Bowser Jr hurried over to Cinder's lap just as he got his hands on his mama's present. He didn't take his eyes off the box as he settled into the human's arms in the pretty red dress with the white trim. It was a rather large and heavy box, with a big red bow and green gift wrapping paper with a fir tree motif. Intrigued, the little turtle tilted his head to one side before beginning to unwrap his precious gift under Cinder's benevolent gaze. His expression turned to surprise the moment the top of the box pulled back on its own, as if something alive were inside. How could this be? Eyebrows raised in amazement, Bowser Junior's little black eyes widened at the little creature sitting innocently at the bottom of the box.
"Waaaah! A baby Bob-omb! Awesome!" He exclaimed, the lid falling.
Instead of giving him a new baby Chomb, which would grow up and try to eat him like that giant Piranha plant, Cinder and Bowser decided to give him something smaller and more docile. With the complicity of King Bob-omb, the latter laughed out loud at Junior's enchanted face. He knew this gift would please King Koopa's son! At his feet, the gift-buried Koopalings grumbled that they wanted the same thing as the young prince. To which Junior replied with a tongue stuck out in their direction. It was his present! And he was going to take very good care of his new pet. His father wasn't above lecturing him in front of everyone that he should change his litter box regularly and not leave him abandoned like his hundreds of other toys.
"Yeah yeah, I know daddy... No need to remind me." Junior replied, already playing with his new smaller companion, who was far too cute with his white eyes. He touched his lock with the tip of a claw, causing the little bombshell to squirm.
King Boo reappeared behind King Bob-omb to discreetly hang a Santa hat from the end of his massive crown. The big bomb took no notice, then ran his fingers through his well-groomed mustache, the ghost's mischievous grin being the last thing to vanish into thin air. Kamek was already trying out his new mug with the words "the best magician in the world" written on it. Slumped in his seat, his feet dangled as he sipped his hot drink with a toothy grin. Further on, Terry admired himself in a mirror after receiving a brand new gold chain. Cinder had even given him a ring with the Bowser logo printed on the inside, another superb addition to his villainous look. He was so cool!
However, the young woman noticed that there were still packages to be opened, and that no one seemed to have decided to do so. Hidden under the branches of the tree, the last presents were patiently waiting to have their contents unwrapped in broad daylight. The Koopalings were already playing with their new objects, the Whomp was eating paper with the Goombas, King Boo was invisible, Giant Bob-omb was dozing, the Shy Guys were fighting over the chocolates...
"Junior, why don't you go open your last presents? Look, there's more." Motivated Cinder with a little pat on his puff, causing him to take his eyes off his new friend for a moment. In return, he gave her a confused look.
"But, those aren't my presents? These are yours mama!" He replied in the obvious tone of a mocking chuckle as the human's face smoothed.
"My presents?" She repeated dazedly. All around her, everyone looked at her with a small smile. Bowser Jr. simply nodded his head before getting up to fetch the famous packages, which he placed in Cinder's lap, still in shock. She didn't think she'd get any presents either!
This party was definitely full of surprises.
The wavy-haired young woman unwrapped the packages carefully, one by one, under the curious eyes of the onlookers. A few strands of hair fall across her face, but she's so engrossed in her gifts that she doesn't bother to remove them or put her tiara back on. She received a make-up palette from Wendy, a stone from Whomp, a hammer from the Hammer Bros, a horrific portrait of her from Boo, her favorite chocolates from Kamek, ice skates from Bob-omb, a mask from Shy Guys and stuffed socks from the Koopas. But there were also four gifts from the Mushroom Kingdom. Glancing in Bowser's direction, he raised his eyes innocently to the ceiling, clearing his throat and crossing his arms.
"We received them this morning. One of our soldiers volunteered to pick them up." Announced Kamek, who was quietly sipping his hot chocolate, making sure everyone could see what was written on his mug. At the end of his explanation, a Koopa jumped into the air, shouting that it was him.
Cinder couldn't believe how spoiled and loved she was! She got rose perfume from Peach. Mario gave her a pizza-making kit, and Luigi sent her two T-shirts straight from Brooklyn. The last gift came from Terry's brother, Toad the Adventurer. It was a mini pocket grill so she could cook outdoors wherever she wanted, with a note saying he'd always be ready to go on an adventure with her.
"What a suck-up." Terry grumbled in the background.
Moved to tears, the woman covered her mouth with her hand, deeply touched by all these wonderful gifts. It was the first time. Everyone here had given her something to please her, and she would be forever grateful. She thanked them warmly one by one, stealing embarrassed smiles and a few blushes. She was the Queen of the Koopas, after all! But also someone with a big heart who had helped so many. For them, it was normal to thank her correctly. Behind her, Bowser cleared his throat again as he pulled a small red velvet box from inside his shell and held it out in her direction. Curiously, in the presence of the other big bads, the big spiny turtle seemed much more shy when it came to showing off.
After a brief moment of suspense, she opened the box to reveal a pearl. Round, perfect. Neither too small nor too large. Its singular pearly hue sparkled in the candlelight, taking Cinder's breath away with its beauty. She had never seen anything so magnificent... A true pearl, it was extremely rare. A priceless gift that she touched delicately with her fingertips to see that there were waves inside the pearl. It was a mesmerizing effect, something relaxing and fascinating at the same time. Beside her, Bowser smiled at her expression of wonder at the gift that had taken him over a year to find. He really wanted to give her a precious pearl, for she was as precious to him as he was to her; she was his jewel.
"My turn, my turn!" Junior hopped to his feet with a small package in his hands. His excited smile was contagious as he hurriedly placed the square box on Cinder's lap. The wait was unbearable as she tore open the wrapping paper to open the box and finally pull out the item inside.
"It's a snow globe! And inside, it's Daddy's castle! That way, no matter what happens, you'll always know where your real home is." Revealed the young Koopa, unable to hold his tongue any longer. Crossing his arms behind his back, he waited to see his mama's reaction absorbed by the pretty snow globe. A handcrafted gift he had made with Kamek's help.
The two of them had spent two weeks doing it. And there had been arguments.
Cinder admired the inside of the globe, where tiny snowflakes floated around a familiar, menacing castle. Small Koopas figurines had been placed at the towers to represent the three types of guards. The globe fit easily in her hands, not very large but big enough to allow her to see all the little details. Two Goombas and two Dry Bones were in the snow, while a Chomb moved in and out of what looked like a doghouse guarding the entrance. The replica of Bowser's head at the front of the castle was very realistic, reminding her of the real Bowser sitting in his armchair next to her. Not being aware of the existence of this gift, he had to admit that it was very successful for handmade. Kamek and his son had managed to make something together without killing each other, quite a feat!
"I wish you a Merry Christmas." Said an emotional Cinder tenderly as she grabbed the young prince to hold him close. The snow globe in one hand and the other on the green shell trembling with the joy that consumed Junior.
Later, when the party was back in full swing and most people were enjoying their presents, Cinder prepared a plate of Christmas cookies and then discreetly handed it over to a guard.
As Bowser decided to play the piano to accompany the gramophone's music, Cinder sang along. Laughter and song echoed deep into the castle. Almost all the rooms and corridors were deserted, except for the few guards who took turns making their rounds. But who would attack them on this festive day? Nobody. Two red-shelled Koopas chatted as they descended the long spiral staircase to the dungeons, plates of cookies in hand. Laughing at a memory, they reached the end of the stairs and made their way to the prison ledge, where geysers of lava danced below. Most of the suspended cages were empty, but one contained a dangerous specimen.
"What's with all the laughing?! What's going on up there? Oh, but isn't that my little star's wonderful voice I hear? I'd know it anywhere. And are those cookies?!"
Immediately stopping laughing at this annoying shrill voice, the two Koopas guards turned to the author of all these questions. Sitting at the bottom of his too-small cage with his long legs dangling in the void, the puppet dressed in an elegant blue jacket smiled exaggeratedly at the plump plate in the right guard's hand. The top hat leaning over his watch-head, where an ugly, deceitful grin could be seen. No longer had the splendor of its heyday. His white gloves, no whiter than before, gripped the rusty bars in a vice, his small eyes narrowing as if a Machiavellian plan were forming in his mind. Imprisoned in this unbearably hot dungeon, King Tick-Tock smiled broadly at the two turtles with helmets and spears, the smell of delicious cookies reaching his suspended cell.
Then, as if a realization hit him, his eyes widened.
"Is this a gift from my little darling star? Oh yes, I'm sure of it. Unlike her clumsy husband, she doesn't forget me! Woohoo!" Boasted the former King of the Time Kingdom with a ridiculous chuckle, swaying lazily in the air. He was bored to death in this empty prison... Unable to make conversation with anyone. However, at the lack of reaction from the two guards standing motionless on the edge of the precipice, he lost his patience.
"Give me those! They're mine! Obey me, you little minions, or believe me, one day you'll regret it! Do you know who I am? Or rather, who I was before I was imprisoned in this dark place? I'm bored here! I don't deserve to be treated like this, like a common puppet! How dare you disrespect me... The mighty King Tick-Tock." King Tick-Tock grumbled with a bitter sneer, his eyebrows furrowing at the anger pulsing through his wooden body. His knuckles cracked with the pressure he exerted on the bars, then in a split second, his terrified expression became malicious again as an idea occurred to him.
"What if I offered you a small contract that would make you powerful warriors? In exchange for my freedom, I'll make you rich and strong! You'll become my personal guards ... Wow, I'm already shaking with excitement!" Mimicking his words with gestures, Tick-Tock rubbed his arms, but the reaction of the two jaded guards was not what he expected.
"Did you hear something, you?" Asked the one on the left boredly at this umpteenth attempt to bribe them.
"No, nothing but whining." Replied the other while unclogging an ear with a claw.
"So, we're going back up?" Shrugging his shoulders in indifference, his teammate began to turn back towards the stairs, taking the precious plate with him.
"Going back up. I want to have some fun. But first, I'm going to taste the cookies because it would be a shame to waste them! This one looks really delicious." The Koopa licked his beak as he reached into the plate to put the cookies he coveted in his mouth, making sure the prisoner could see the whole scene from his cage.
A real torture.
"Hey! Come back here you cheapskates! You're not going to leave me here alone on Christmas Eve, are you? Those cookies are mine! Mine, I said! COME BACK!" Tick-Tock roared at the gate separating him from freedom. He glared at the two guards as they carelessly made their way up the stairs, taking with them his only comfort. How dare they ignore his cries of protest, the little vermin!
"I HATE CHRISTMAS!" Was the very last sentence that echoed up the stairs, widening the smiles of the two justice guards enjoying the cookies.
End
Yes, sadly, some people never change. The magic of Christmas doesn't work on everyone, unfortunately, and the consequences of actions always fall in the end. No matter what!
Stay close to the ones you love, have fun, stay healthy, and above all have a wonderful holiday season! Merry Christmas to all!
PS : OC Terry belongs to DemonKill
VP
