Chapter 26
Christmas Town
Whistling wind swirled around Hinata, making her flight up the mountain more difficult than it already needed to be. She squinted her eyes against the ridgid snowfall. The golden glow from the reindeer cabin lighted her way, beckoning her through the storm. She wanted to grumble to herself about how she got herself into this situation and even more unsavory things about Hermey in particular, but the prospect of getting a mouthful of ice kept it confined to her thoughts.
Her wings buzzed against her back, their movement only creating more of a breeze for the snow to get caught up in. Still, the chill of the cold wasn't hitting her as harshly as she expected it would. It was even more surprising given the lack of layers the magic drive dressed her in. Candycane swirl leggings and a short puffy dress didn't exactly spell out warmth, but somehow they did the trick to keep Hinata from being bitten by the frost.
The reindeer cabin began to take shape up ahead, though difficult to make out through the blizzard. It was built into the mountainside, much larger than it seemed from the ground. Hinata tried to make out its details, but decided to instead focus on the glow to light her way. She pushed forward, determined to get out of the snow. As she neared the mountain she noticed snowflakes landing on what appeared to be nothing but air. She tilted her head and slowed to a stop, noticing more and more snowflakes landing on an invisible dome right in front of her.
Reaching out her hand she tentatively touched the snowflakes and a shimmer of iridescent light rippled across the dome. With an excited flutter to her wings, Hinata flew forward. For a single moment a wet sensation covered her body. She gasped, blinking wildly before realizing there wasn't a speck of snow falling in front of her.
With a grin, she spun around and gently waved her hand through the dome barrier. The iridescent light sparkled around her fingers. "Magic, of course." She brought back her hand and rubbed her fingertips together. "I should have known."
Without the howling wind, Hinata could hear the crackling of a fire and the clop of reindeer hooves not far behind her. A spark of excitement ignited inside of her and she turned around, finally able to see the cabin in its entirety. Thick logs and panels made up its exterior, creating several buildings, each connected and decorated to the nines with garland and candy canes. In the center of it all appeared to be the landing platform. It jutted out with polished wood, reflecting the light of the fireplace further in.
Hinata made her way towards it, struggling to lower onto the platform itself once she arrived. A few of the elves inside paused their chores, watching amused as Hinata kicked her feet in an attempt to reach the floor.
"Calm down, calm down," Hinata muttered under her breath, coaxing herself to relax.
Her wings gradually slowed and she stumbled onto the platform. Clearing her throat, she stood up straight and smoothed out her dress, flashing a smile to all the staring elves. They chuckled before getting back to work.
Walking further in, Hinata went towards the fireplace. Handmade stockings hung from the mantle, each one embroidered with a different reindeer name that Hinata recognized from carols—except for two smaller stockings on the end that read Holly and Jolly.
"Even the reindeer get presents." She ran her thumb over the embroidery, smiling to herself.
"Sweet Jiminy Christmas!" A woman's heavily accented voice spoke up behind her. "Hermey told me we'd be gettin some help around here. Coulda told me it would be the Sugar Plum Fairy herself!"
Hinata looked over her shoulder, taking a moment to remember to glance down to see an elf beaming up at her. The elf seemed older than any of the other elves Hinata had seen, with a knitted shawl wrapped around her shoulders and gray hair done up in a bun with a pair of candy canes. Hinata's smile grew at the sight of her and she turned around completely before kneeling to be eye level with her.
Before Hinata could say anything, the elf patted Hinata's hand. "We are just so happy to have ya dear. Look atcha, done up like the princess ya are in the play."
"Thank you," Hinata quickly cut in before the woman continued. "But actually, you should know I'm not the fairy from the play. I look like her, but I'm not actually her. I don't want anyone to feel like they have to treat me differently because they think I'm the performer."
The woman blinked a few times. "Well that don't make a lick of sense."
Hinata stifled a laugh. "Fair." She mulled it over for a moment, before saying, "Well I suppose we'll just say, don't feel like you need to give me any special treatment?"
She pointed towards Hinata. "That I do understand. What should I tell everyone to call ya?"
"Hinata is fine. And you are?"
"Josie, or Granny Jo accordin' to the youngins around here that think they're funny." She shook her head and whispered, "They're not."
"Josie it is," Hinata replied with a laugh.
Josie chuckled and sent her a wink before turning around. "Well then, follow me Hinata. I'll show ya to Holly and Jolly."
Hinata found out rather quickly that taking normal steps would put her ahead of Josie, so she considerably slowed her pace and took the time to instead look around. Elves scurried past them, much faster than Hinata's guide, with stacks of hay and buckets of oats balancing precariously in their arms. Entering the adjacent building to the landing zone, Hinata finally got to see the reindeer for herself. They were thinner than she expected them to be—with twig-like legs and narrow heads—but still just as cute as she imagined. Each one had its own spacious stable, decorated with carrots done up with ribbons. Then in front of each door hung a hand painted sign with their name in calligraphy.
Past the stables they entered a cylindrical room. A staircase spiraled up along the walls, leading to ledges Hinata had to crane her neck to see. Cushions and piles of hay covered the floor, making it difficult to walk, and as Hinata went further in, she realized the walls were padded too.
"This here is where you'll be trainin the little guys," Josie said.
Hinata nodded. "This seems like the perfect place for it."
"Sure is." Josie sighed with a smile, then clapped. "Welp, I'll be seein ya. Got things to do."
"Oh"—Hinata glanced over her shoulder—"who is the elf I should be waiting for?"
"What elf?" Josie asked.
Hinata chuckled nervously. "The one that I will be helping train Holly and Jolly?"
Josie stared back at her as if something strange had crawled onto Hinata's face. A silence stretched and Hinata kept waiting for a reply, hoping Josie's old age gave her a momentary lapse in memory.
"It's just me…?" Hinata finally asked.
Josie crossed her arms. "See anyone else 'round here that can fly?"
Hinata sucked in her lips and blew them out with a pop. "I think there might have been a slight miscommunication somewhere—I'm happy to help, but I am not qualified, in any way, to handle this by myself. I don't know what Hermey told you—"
"He told me you'd try to get out of it," Josie interrupted with a cackle of a laugh. "Oh that old coot is usually a pain in my rump, but when he's right it's a hoot."
"I promise I am not trying to get out of it," Hinata quickly addressed. "All I'm saying is that I just learned to fly half an hour ago."
"You made it here!"
"Barely!"
Josie tapped her foot impatiently, a similar habit Hinata attributed to Hermey, but perhaps, she realized, should be more appropriately attributed to elves in general. "Why did ya fly all the way up here if ya weren't plannin on helpin?"
"Once again, I am happy to help," Hinata explained. "I just don't think I should be expected to train alone. Unless you for some reason expect your new upcoming reindeer to fly uncontrollably. Because that's what you will be getting with me in charge."
With a roll of her eyes, Josie waved her off and turned to walk away. "You're sellin yourself short, sweetheart."
"I'm really not!" Hinata called as a pair of wooden doors shut behind Josie.
The scrape of the doors against the floor grated against her ears. She winced from the sound, then found herself completely alone. Blowing out a breath, she backed up several steps until she was in the center of the room.
"Not the worst place to be left, I guess," she mumbled. "Should I just leave?" She craned her neck to see the higher platforms. "One of those has to have a way out…"
A way out…
The halls of Kamino flashed through her mind and with a sharp breath, Hinata wound her arms around herself. She shivered, swallowing thickly. Suddenly, even the vaulted ceiling seemed much too confining.
Hinata's feet lifted off the ground. Her entire body careened side to side, smashing into the wall. She gripped the extra fabric of the cushioned wall and steadied herself, only then realizing how loud her heart pounded in her ears along with her wings batting erratically behind her.
"Get a hold of yourself," she scolded under her breath, a lump choking her throat.
Even with the chiding, her wings continued, lifting her higher against her control. Then the doors scraped against the floor and a pair of fluffy reindeer trotted excitedly into the training arena. They were considerably smaller than the fully grown reindeer Hinata had seen earlier. Their coats were still fuzzy and their eyes large and innocent. They hopped around, their bleats bouncing off the walls as they searched for something, or someone. Hinata's grip on the wall lessened considerably. Her shoulders relaxed and her wings slowed.
"I'm up here," she called down to them, realizing her entire body was beginning to lower as her wings subsided. Kneeling to their level once she reached the ground, she giggled as both the reindeer immediately jumped into her lap. They were so soft, she thought. "Holly and Jolly, I take it?"
With a bleat, they both puffed out their chests, proudly showcasing the shimmering name tags fastened around their necks. Holly was just a bit smaller than Jolly, Hinata noted, and noticeably fluffier; while Jolly had a darker shade of fur.
"Well I don't have a fancy name tag," she said, "but I'm Hinata. I'm going to try my best to help you both learn how to fly."
They hopped out of her lap and sat like a dog would awaiting a treat. Hinata looked between them with an amused and curious smile as she stood back up. She brushed off the loose straw stuck to her dress and surveyed the room. The pinstriped stair railing caught her eye and she turned back towards her students.
"Alright, so, maybe let's start with seeing where both of you are at." She clapped her hands together in front of her, attempting to seem like she knew what she was doing. "Show me how far up the staircase you can fly and we'll go from there."
She watched their reactions, unsure how much they could understand. Jolly seemed to get enough of a jist as he stood up and shook his body, sending straw in every direction, much to Holly's dismay. Wiggling his tail, he readied himself before leaping forward. Hinata backed up, expecting a flight, but instead Jolly flopped straight to the ground.
"Ah," she realized. "So we're really new to this." Kneeling back down, she helped Jolly up then folded her hands in her lap. "Which is ok. I'm new to it, too. Maybe we can figure it out together."
Holly whined in such a way that it seemed like asking a question. Hinata looked at her and stifled a laugh at her tilted head.
"Yeah, I'm not a very experienced flier or teacher, for that matter," Hinata confessed with a lopsided smile and a shrug. "But I'm here and you two need help, so, let's figure it out."
Holly and Jolly awaited her instruction, or maybe they didn't have a clue what Hinata was babbling about and were entranced by the strange tall fairy talking to them. Both seemed equally likely in Hinata's mind, but she continued regardless.
"I'm not sure if your flight works the same way mine does, but from what I've learned, it's a special kind of magic. Rather than being an outside element you can draw on, it's rooted inside your heart." She placed her hand along her chest and closed her eyes. "If you focus, you can feel it there, faintly. It's like an echoing beat of your heart."
She peeked an eye open and was pleasantly surprised to see both of their eyes shut.
"Can you feel it?" she asked, grinning when both of them opened their eyes and nodded enthusiastically. "That's great! That's the magic that will help you fly. It's tricky to control, it's something I'm still working on myself, but that's the root of it."
She moved her legs from under her so she could sit completely and leaned forward, knowing now they could fully understand her. "Ok, so, the tricky part is that your emotions can interfere with it depending on how intense or sudden they are. That's something that will probably get better with practice and understanding. Intense emotions send you flying like crazy, calming down slows things—well, down. But to start, just focus on that beating magic and reach out to it. See what happens."
Holly and Jolly looked at each other, then shut their eyes. Hinata waited in nervous anticipation, drumming her fingers against her leg. Her wings batted against her back, but not frantic enough to lift her off the ground. A warm glow emanated from Jolly's coat. His fur fluffed as if air was being blown up from underneath him. Then his body raised off the ground, his legs hanging limply beneath him, until he opened his eyes and realized where he was. He cheered, kicking his hooves and prancing through the air.
Hinata gasped. "Yes!" she cheered along with him, flying up beside him without even having to try. Her wings glowed brilliantly behind her, along with her tattoo against her cheek. She hardly noticed between the sheer joy elating her heart and the sight of the tiny reindeer dancing around the room. "That's it, Jolly!"
A crash beneath them cut through Hinata's excitement. Looking towards the sound, she spotted Holly just a few inches off the ground, flailing her legs wildly, kicking straw and cushions across the room. Hinata swooped down and grasped Holly's sides, steadying her. Holly bleated with frustration, her entire body drooping.
"Hey, it's alright." Hinata cradled Holly in the nook in her arm. "You should have seen me the first time I realized I had wings—which admittedly was not that long ago.."
Holly whined, her body trying to rise higher, but Hinata held her in place. She could sense the magic emanating off of Holly's body. It felt different from Jolly's, which was warm and infectious with joy. Instead, Hinata sensed it was nearly identical to hers—uncontrollable like a whirlwind. Letting out a breath, Hinata lowered both of them to the ground, noting how much easier it was than before but she wasn't sure why.
Sitting quietly beside Holly, Hinata watched Jolly continue to fly above them. He kicked off the walls, twirling and dancing while continuing to cheer. The sound bounced off the walls and though it made Hinata smile, she couldn't help but notice how Holly only seemed to retreat further into herself from it.
"You've been having a hard time, haven't you?" Hinata asked softly. Holly let out a heavy breath and Hinata gently scratched the fur behind her ears. "I'm sorry."
Hinata wasn't sure what to say next. There were plenty of platitudes she could express, encouragement and promises that things would work out. But every time she thought of one, it wisped away with not being genuine enough. Though she was sure Holly's inner turmoil wasn't nearly as life altering as her own, even telling her she'd figure it out seemed wrong to say.
"You can't… let it control you," Hinata said finally. "That doubt and frustration. Even if it seems like nothing is working the way you want it to. The best thing to do is to keep moving forward. Find the silver linings that make it all worth it and focus on that." She looked up at Jolly and chuckled. "You know, I think that's exactly why Jolly figured it out so fast. His optimism overpowered any doubts he might have had." Holly peeked up as Hinata continued, "I noticed it myself when I got excited to see him flying. Before it was difficult to control my wings, but in that moment it happened without a second thought." Hinata grinned and lifted Holly up to be at eye level. "That's what we're missing—joy!"
Holly blinked several times, tilting her head side to side. With a giggle, Hinata placed Holly back on the ground and knelt in front of her.
"I know that everything seems overwhelming right now, but think of the happiest thought. Think about why you're doing all of this, why you want to fly and who you're doing it for. Think about the presents and Christmas and all of the things that make you forget the rest of the world is even happening."
Before Hinata even finished talking a warmth emanated off of Holly's body. Her fur fluffed up just like Jolly's had earlier. Hinata could nearly cry, her hands clasped together in front of her mouth as she watched Holly lift off the ground. Holly fluttered her eyes open, looking around frantically before she lit up and twirled through the air.
"You're doing it, Holly!" Hinata called out, jumping up and down.
Jolly immediately noticed Holly up there with him and flew over to celebrate. Hinata watched from below, a grin clear across her face. Her wings fluttered behind her back, glowing softly and allowing her to hover. Looking over her shoulder at them, she hummed with an understanding appreciation, then flew up to join the reindeer. The happiness in her heart resonated around her. She could feel its warmth, the exhilarating life it rushed into her movements. Her wings were an extension of her, not something she needed to fight to control. She spun and flipped with a whoop, laughing at her childish antics, but continued as Holly and Jolly followed suit.
They went higher and higher, reaching the ledges that seemed so daunting and far away before. It wasn't long until they neared the rafters at the ceiling and where the spiral staircase reached its end.
"We did it!" Hinata cheered, grasping the rafter as Holly and Jolly arrived seconds later.
"Ya sure did!" Josie yelled, startling the three of them.
Hinata looked over to see a room the spiral staircase led to. There she saw Josie, along with all the stable elves and grown up reindeer awaiting them. Decorated tables of cake and presents stood in the center of them all, along with a banner that read, 'Congratulations Holly and Jolly!', across it.
The two young reindeer looked between each other with the biggest smiles Hinata ever imagined a reindeer could have. They flew over and Hinata followed. She landed behind them, smiling graciously as the elves thanked and congratulated her while a plate of cake was placed into her hands.
"What did I say?" Josie asked, nudging Hinata's leg with her elbow. "You were sellin yourself short."
Hinata smiled, watching Holly and Jolly show off their new flying tricks to the other reindeer. "I guess I was."
The flight back to the main town went smoother than Hinata expected. She swerved through the air, the chilling breeze refreshing and exciting. Christmas Town glowed against the white blanket surrounding it. Lights of every color shined through the flakes of snow like stained glass, a spectacle Hinata hadn't noticed on her way up to the reindeer lodge. This time, every little detail seemed to feed a growing childlike excitement inside of her.
She spun around the top of the towering Christmas tree and then noticed Velcia walking along with one of the elves they'd seen shortly after arriving. They talked amongst themselves, occasionally laughing and looking through various letters. Hinata smiled and looked over the rest of town, spotting the bow factory. The vast paned windows glowed with warm golden light and Sam could be clearly seen, spattered with oil stains and a big grin as elves cheered around her.
Coming to the courtyard, Hinata landed and perfectly transitioned into a walk across the snowy cobble. She spun as she walked, taking in the magic of Christmas Town around her. A bakery down the road seemed to call out to her, but then a smell of something so much better hit her nose. It was a savory bouquet of everything a Christmas feast should be. She inhaled, sighing with appreciation as she tried to find the source of the smell.
Turning, she spotted the building she recalled Riku going into after they were given their jobs. And as luck would have it, the tantalizing scent seemed to be coming from that exact direction. So, without delay, Hinata made her way over and gave a slight knock to the double doors with the back of her knuckle.
"Oh come in, come in!" a sweet woman's voice came from the other side.
Hinata opened the door and peeked inside. All she saw was a hallway lined with multiple arches leading to various rooms, but the amazing smell of food rushed into her and she knew she found the right place. She shut the door behind her and took a moment to figure out where to go. Past the first arch to the right, she could hear the clang of pots and pans, along with sizzles and bubbling that could only mean it was the source of everything she was smelling.
"Supper's almost ready!" the woman called from further in.
"It's already smelling delicious!" Hinata replied.
Turning the corner, she found herself in a large kitchen. Marbled counters lined the walls and created a bar by the entrance with a few stools for people to sit and talk while the chefs worked. Riku stood on the other side of the bar, an apron tied around him as he worked on kneading some dough. He perked up at the sound of Hinata's voice, smiling when she came in. An older, plump woman worked behind him, tutting between the multiple stoves. She paused and patted her hands together in front of her, one of them covered with a poinsettia patterned oven mitt.
"Oh if it isn't Hinata!" she said. "Do make yourself comfortable dear."
"Thank you," Hinata replied, sitting on one of the stools in front of the counter. "Are you Mrs. Claus?"
"The one and only!" she said in a fun sort of way that made both Riku and Hinata snicker. She took off the oven mitt and placed it on the counter as she came up beside Riku and wrapped her arm around him even though she only stood at half his height. "Riku's been such a helpful young man."
Riku chuckled, still kneading the dough. "I'm glad I've been able to help get everything ready."
"Do you usually handle all of this by yourself?" Hinata asked Mrs. Claus.
"Depends on the occasion," she replied with a smile. "Sometimes Chef Claudia handles it, but knowing all of you would be here tonight, I told Hermey I wanted to." She motioned her head towards Riku. "With some assistance, of course."
"How did all of you know we'd be here?" Hinata asked.
"When you've been around as long as I have dear, you don't ask about the how anymore," she explained with a wink. "Santa knows these sorts of things. I gave up trying to figure out how a few hundred years ago."
"Makes sense." Riku smirked.
"Anywho, look at me chatting away," Mrs. Claus waved her free hand. "If I'm not careful the goose will get overdone and we can't have that. I'll let you two talk." She patted Riku's arm and then whispered to Hinata, "You chose well."
Riku's ears warmed but he smiled as Hinata giggled and replied, "I did."
Mrs. Claus sent a warm smile before she turned and got back to cooking.
"So, how did reindeer flight practice go?" Riku asked.
"Weird at first," Hinata laughed while describing it. "I sort of got left alone to train the new reindeer and that was daunting. But I think it actually worked out."
"You had to train them by yourself?"
"Right?" Hinata motioned towards him. "I am not crazy for thinking someone else would be there to help."
"No, you're not." Riku shook his head, chuckling slightly. "Who trained the other reindeer before you?"
"Cupids!" Mrs. Claus answered, hefting a large casserole dish until Riku rushed over and grabbed it for her. "Thank you dear." She dusted her hands over her apron. "It's been quite some time since we've had to train new reindeer. I doubt many elves would remember how we did it before."
"I'm sure Josie remembers," Hinata noted. "She said I was the only one that could train them since I had wings."
"It's true!" Mrs. Claus agreed. "Before you, we would have visitors from Valentine Junction handle it. They are the sweetest things, but do sometimes get carried away with their arrows." She tutted and shook her head. "So many babies that year."
Hinata snorted out a sudden laugh, catching herself.
"How were Holly and Jolly?" Mrs. Claus asked. She leaned her arms against the counter, resting her cheek in her hand while Riku worked further in the kitchen, picking up her work. "Those two are the most darling things. That poor Holly though, oh how I wish Hermey would be kinder to her."
Hinata nodded in understanding. "I did notice that something seemed to be bothering Holly. I wondered if it was because of Hermey."
"Oh my, yes, I keep telling Santa to have a long stern talking to with Hermey about it. He's the only elf in the entire North Pole on the Naughty List! Imagine!"
"I really can't." Hinata shook her head sagely, dearly trying not to laugh. "But you don't have to worry about them too much anymore, Holly and Jolly are both wonderful flyers now."
"OH! That is wonderful news!" Mrs. Claus patted her hands together excitedly.
"I don't mean to interrupt—" Riku said from behind.
Mrs. Claus jumped. "Goodness me, I did it again. Be right there!"
She and Riku switched places, while Hinata snickered. Riku got back to kneading the bread and placed it in a bowl to rise. Hinata watched him with interest, just happy to be there with him while he worked. He covered the bowl of dough and placed it in a special drawer before getting to work straining cranberries.
"Will the bread be done in time?" Hinata asked.
Riku shook his head, pouring the berries into a pot with some sugar and lemon juice. "It's for some sweet bread tomorrow morning."
"Oh," she realized, smiling to herself. "I knew you enjoyed cooking, but I guess I didn't realize the extent of it."
"There's just something, I don't know, relaxing about it?" he tried to explain. "It's been a good distraction tonight."
Hinata flicked her eyes up to his face, then back down to the food. The giddiness in her chest fluctuated. "Yeah, that makes sense. Training was the same for me. Though, not really the relaxing part."
Riku chuckled. "Somehow I'm not surprised to hear it wasn't relaxing."
The front door opened with a clatter and small, hurried footsteps clopped down the hall until Hermey turned the corner, his nose deep in his clipboard.
"I'm almost impressed, Hinata," he started without so much as a greeting. "I received word from Josie you actually managed to get Holly and Jolly to fly." He peeked over the top of his clipboard with a quirked up brow. "Though, she did mention your attempts to weasel your way out of it at first."
Hinata blew out a breath. "Hermey—"
"Regardless," he continued, "the end results are what matter. So, you know"—he motioned his hand towards her in a circular motion—"good job."
She stared back at him, contemplating what sort of tone she wanted to go with. Instead she shrugged and said, "You know, I'm going to accept that. Thank you."
"And Nutcracker," Hermey moved on, he glanced up at Riku. "I don't see you over the stoves. Are you really expecting an elderly woman—"
"Now you watch yourself, Hermey!" Mrs. Claus held out a wooden spoon threateningly. "Riku has been nothing but delightful. There is nothing for you to nitpick or whine about here in my kitchen, so you go find a seat at the table and wait for your food like everyone else."
Hermey took a deep, long breath. Hinata noticed his grip tighten considerably around his clipboard before he slipped it under his arm. "Of course, Mrs. Claus." Without another word, he turned and left the kitchen, heading into the dining room across the hall.
Seeing he was gone, Mrs. Claus nodded her head in approval and went back to work, leaving Riku and Hinata to hold in their laughter.
Platters of food covered the dining table, barely leaving enough room for everyone's plate. Mrs. Clause bustled around, making sure everything was absolutely perfect despite Riku telling her continually to sit down and he would handle it. Hinata sat down in her seat, per the woman's instruction, watching the commotion around her.
Velcia sat across from her, having arrived shortly before alongside Sherry, one of the elves Hermey had scolded when they first arrived. Sherry answered every one of Velcia's excitable questions about the town and Christmas itself. Their conversation was difficult to make out over Ben reenacting his and Jack's experience with the Christmas trees and the other judges; even with his tiny toy form, his voice carried across the room. If it weren't for the small wooden high chair clipped to the side of the table keeping him fastened in, Hinata was sure he would have been jumping wildly across the table. Hermey sat just a few seats further down from Hinata talking back to Ben with snarky comments but Ben was too excitable to notice the sarcasm and it only spurred the little robot further into his tale.
The only one they were missing was Sam, but it didn't seem like anyone particularly minded the wait. Even though nearly fifteen minutes had passed since the food was laid out, it still steamed and smelled just as enticing—no doubt yet another form of magic in the world keeping it perfect.
Riku pulled out his seat and sat down beside Hinata. Neither of them said anything, content to watch the excitement around them. Hinata warmed as Riku's hand wound around her own. She squeezed it gently, relishing the way her heart fluttered when he squeezed back.
Only a couple minutes passed before the doors to the hall opened with a burst of wind, sending a flurry of snowflakes in before the doors slid back shut. Sam turned the corner, grinning sheepishly as the room fell silent. Her hair and furry legs were fluffier than earlier and Hinata noted the distinct lack of oil stains she'd noticed through the window before.
"Heh, sorry." Sam lifted up a cloth satchel hung around her shoulder as she squeezed behind the seats to make her way to her own. "Figured I'd better clean up after fixing up the bow factory. I didn't realize you'd all be waiting on me."
Everyone assured her she was fine before the conversation picked up again just as before. Sam settled into her seat on the other side of Hinata, placing the satchel in her lap.
"It's about time you showed up," Hermey couldn't help himself from commenting. He crossed his arms and was about to continue before a shimmering bow made of ribbon smacked him in the face.
"You're welcome," Sam told him while he sputtered and grabbed the bow off his face. She reached into the satchel and pulled out more bows, handing them out to Riku, Hinata, and Velcia. "I wanted to test the machine after it was fixed soooo, I made these for you guys."
"You made one for me?" Hermey asked with piqued curiosity. "...Why?"
Sam sighed. "Because even though you're annoying as hell, you picked the perfect place for me to work." She glanced towards Hermey's red and green bow that perfectly matched his uniform, then looked up at him with a smirk. "So think of this as my way of saying thanks."
Hermey looked to his bow, silently admiring it while the others received their gifts.
"This is beautiful, Sam!" Velcia gushed, holding up her bow done up with various shades of green and gold.
"I didn't know you cared," Riku teased, holding up his arm defensively when Sam lifted her arm like she was threatening to smack him. He chuckled and motioned his bow towards her that matched the color scheme of Soul Eater. "But thanks, this is pretty cool."
"Seriously," Hinata agreed. She spun the bow in her hands, smiling warmly as she noticed all the little details: a ribbon with a sunflower pattern, another with sweet words of affirmation and holiday wishes, all done up with red and gold. "You're really good at this."
"Ah, it was mostly the machine." Sam shrugged. "But thanks."
"You still had to choose the specific ribbons and the design for it to do," Hermey piped in, clearing his throat when everyone looked over at him in unison. "What? She did."
Sam smirked but didn't say anything as she grabbed two more bows. She leaned over the table and stuck a tiny bow to the top of Ben's head. It was mostly silver with the design of cogs patterned over it. Ben oddly didn't say much in response, he seemed surprised that he received anything from Sam and instead ran his tiny tin hands over the ribbon. Jack, seated beside him, proudly puffed out his chest, displaying the blue and silver bow pasted to his collar.
"Oh, don't you all look adorable?" Mrs. Claus asked, her hands up to her cheeks.
"They do," Sherry agreed meekly from beside Velcia. She looked at Sam. "They are all lovely bows."
"Oh, thanks," Sam chuckled, ruffling the back of her hair. "If I had known both of you would be here, I would have made more."
"Don't fret at all, dear," Mrs. Claus assured her, finally getting into her seat and scooting in. She patted her hands together. "But now that we're all here, I think it's time we enjoy this delicious food!"
Everyone emphatically agreed and Riku carved the perfectly cooked goose in the center of the table, giving everyone a share.
"You should let me help with the dishes, at least," Hinata insisted. She stacked a couple of the emptied dinner plates from the table and was about to bring them to the kitchen before Mrs. Claus snatched them away. Hinata let out a groan mixed with a laugh. "Mrs. Claus, really!"
She could hear Riku's laugh from the kitchen while Mrs. Clause shooed her away from the dining room.
"Riku and I have it handled, dear," Mrs. Claus assured her. "Join your friends in your room and get some rest." She waggled a finger at her. "That's an order!"
"An order?" Hinata asked. "Don't you think Riku deserves a break too? I can switch with him."
"He insisted on helping me until everything was done," Mrs. Claus shook her head. "And Santa told me under no circumstances was I to make you work more than you had to." She gently nudged Hinata towards the door. "So off you scoot!"
"Ah, so he's to blame." Hinata stood in front of the door, crossing her arms. "Will we get the chance to see him while we're here?"
Mrs. Claus smiled warmly, her eyes twinkling as she nodded. "All in good time, dear."
Hinata smiled in return and let out a breath. "Alright then. I'll follow your orders and head back to my room."
"Good!" Mrs. Claus turned and continued bringing dishes into the kitchen, allowing Hinata to leave on her own accord. "Be sure to drink plenty of cocoa to keep warm!" she called from the kitchen.
"I will!" Hinata called back with a chuckle before leaving.
It didn't take her long to find her way to their rooms. The footprints of the others heading there were still fresh in the snow. Quaint homes lined the street on either side, each one nearly identical to the last with Christmas lights and a decorated tree shining through the tall paned window. Reaching the room she would be sharing with Sam and Velcia, she gently knocked on the door before going inside.
Warmth from the fireplace greeted her the moment she entered and she shut the door behind her. A wide bed filled nearly half the room, with enough space on the mattress for each of them to sleep comfortably. Sam sat on the edge of it, fiddling with a ribbon tied around a gift in her lap.
"Think fast." Sam tossed the gift to Hinata.
Hinata caught the shimmering square box and looked it over before looking back at Sam. "Did you make me something else?"
"It was under the tree when we got here, actually," Velcia told her. She sat at an oak desk, where she'd already set out several bottles of ingredients she gathered. In the center of the desk was another wrapped gift, rectangular in shape with curled ribbon. "We each have one, but we thought we would wait for you before opening them."
"Oh!" Hinata realized, holding up her gift. "It must be from Santa then."
"When did he have the time to get us these?" Velcia asked.
"They were probably here before we even showed up, honestly." Hinata chuckled and shrugged when Velcia sent her a questioning look. "He's like that. You get used to it eventually."
"Not to rush you guys buuuut"—Sam held up her own gift that seemed considerably heavier than both of theirs—"can we finally see what we got?"
Both the girls laughed.
"Ok, ok, let's open them." Hinata sat down on the floor, her present in her lap.
She tore off the wrapping and was met with a pearlescent box with gold intricate details swirled along the edges. The lid easily slid off and resting on top of the velvet cushioning inside sat a blue crystal pendant with silver metal framed around the edges. Hinata carefully picked it up, its chill tingling her fingers.
"I've seen this before," she muttered under her breath, tracing the silver detailing.
"You have?" Velcia asked, settling beside her with a book in her hands. Rather than show the book, she asked, "May I see it?" She hummed as she gently looked the pendant over. "It reminds me of my Papa's special potion bottles. The bottles held the more potent and unique brews. Although, I don't see a way to get the potion inside."
Hinata nodded. "Yeah, it feels like it has something to do with magic. Riku might have an idea what it is. He received something like it from Bedivere."
"Ah yeah, that summoning charm thing." Sam joined them on the floor and held out her hand for the pendant. "This seems like that, but Riku's had some sort of glowing orb inside."
"So perhaps it still needs to be activated," Velcia said. "But how, I wonder?"
"And who would it summon?" Sam asked, leaning back on her hands. "Better not be Hermey."
The girls snickered and Hinata said, "I don't think Santa would want to punish us."
Their snickers bubbled into laughter.
"Ok." Hinata wiped at her eyes, still chuckling, before placing the pendant back in its box. "What did you two get?"
"Oh! I was given this amazing book." Velcia held up a leather bound book with shimmering letters engraved in its cover that read, 'The Magic of Christmas'. She turned the book towards herself and flipped through the pages. "From what I have gathered so far, it explains different elements of magic within Christmas Town. Though, I would imagine it will not share all of the secrets. Sherry told me that even the elves do not fully understand Santa's abilities. But still"—she closed the book and ran her hand along the cover—"I look forward to learning what I can. It really is such a thoughtful gift."
"I'd love the chance to read it once you're done with it!" Hinata held out her hand for the book and flipped through the pages, seeing diagrams of reindeer and pies. "It seems like it will be a fun read."
"Santa really managed to get us the perfect gifts," Sam chuckled, taking her turn to skim through the book. She handed it back to Velcia before grabbing her opened box. Inside were multiple tools and various shapes of metal and cogs, all perfectly organized in a special carrier. The girls looked it over with interest as Sam explained, "Ever since my training with you guys in that digital Twilight Town, I've been needing to upgrade my arm."
"That's right," Velcia recalled. "Your crystal overheated during battle." She frowned. "I am still so sorry about that."
Sam shook her head with a breathy laugh. "It's fine, seriously. I didn't have all the parts I needed to really get the job done the way I wanted it. Like, it works, but there's been a lot more I've been wanting to do. And, now I can."
Hinata picked up one of the tools, having no idea how to possibly use it. "That's incredible. He knew exactly what you needed."
"Yeah." Sam chuckled. "It's a little creepy, honestly. But, it's also really cool." She put the tool back in its place and looked down at her gift with a solemn smile. "I feel bad for being bitter about him earlier."
Velcia tilted her head, not knowing what she meant, but didn't say anything as Hinata placed her hand on Sam's shoulder.
"I think he understands," Hinata said softly. "He wouldn't have left this here for you if he didn't."
Sam took in a deep breath, blowing it out slowly. With a nod, she half smiled at Hinata before standing up to put her stuff away.
"If it's alright with both of you"—Velcia also stood up, holding her new book close—"I would like to spend the night studying my book."
"I think that's a great idea." Hinata smiled towards her. "What about you, Sam?"
She looked over to see Sam plopped on top of the bed, face down. The cushiony blanket puffed up around her, welcoming her into its pillowy embrace.
"I don't plan on moving," Sam's muffled voice told her.
Hinata snickered. "Fair enough."
"Will you be alright, Hinata?" Velcia asked.
"Oh, yeah." Hinata smiled. "I was thinking of going to check out the Christmas tree lot. Ben made it sound incredible during dinner, so I wanted the chance to see it for myself."
"That sounds lovely," Velcia replied, sitting down at the desk and already opening her new book. "I hope you have a nice time."
"You too." Hinata patted Velcia's shoulder as she walked past.
She placed her gift on a bedside table, then made her way towards the door. The warmth of the fireplace beckoned her to stay, but with a look to her friends she bid them farewell and went out.
**Author's Note: Hello! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this chapter. I hope you enjoyed! Next chapter is already more than halfway done, so I'm hoping it won't be a long wait until it's done. There is a lot of discussion coming up. All the things about the dreams, where they are heading next, Santa, memories, everything! So put on your tea kettles and ready a cozy blanket for the next chapter.
Anyway, thank you again and hope you have a wonderful week!**