Santa Claus
Chapter 28
Hinata raced between the trees. A rainbow of lights meshed together, whizzing by her peripheral. She turned a corner around the bakery, nearly spinning out of control into the window lined with freshly baked pies and one very angry looking elf who didn't seem to appreciate a race happening by his storefront. Hinata called out an apology amidst her laughter, but her voice was heard by no one but the wind as she ascended above the rooftops, her wings buzzing with enchanted life.
Her race mates weren't far behind. She could hear their hooves clicking together, mixed with the cling of the jingle bells dangling around their furry necks, but she didn't dare to spare a glance over her shoulder. The finish line neared ever closer. Smoke billowed from the kitchen's chimney, her friends' cheers and laughter filled the air. Hinata grinned, her heart pounding with excited adrenaline. With a flourished spin, she lowered to the ground, though she didn't quite account for her momentum and skid forward a couple feet when she landed. Snow sprayed over the others, completely covering a few of the elves that had decided to watch the race.
"How the heck did you go from being unable to even land to—that, in like a day?" Sam asked, helping wipe the snow off the elves.
"Ha, I don't even know how to explain it." Hinata waved her hand dismissively as she caught her breath.
"Magic?" Sam surmised, chuckling when Hinata nodded. "Of course."
Jingle bells rang behind her. Hinata turned to see Holly and Jolly panting as they reached the finish line. Even though Hinata technically won the race, an uproar of cheering greeted them. They beamed at the attention but then plopped on top of the snow in exhaustion, receiving a collective sigh of adoration from the elves.
"They really are adorable," Velcia said, watching all the elves fawn over Holly and Jolly.
"They are," Hinata agreed.
A nearby snowman wobbled and Ben's tiny tin form popped out of the snowy head. "You were amazing, Hinata!" he exclaimed. "Admittedly, I didn't see the whole thing, but the bits I saw were spectacular!"
Hinata snickered. "Thanks, Ben." She walked over to the misshapen snowman. "How exactly did you get stuck in there?"
"I–uh, might not have noticed him when we were rolling up the snow for the head," Sam admitted, ruffling the back of her hair.
"I thought things suddenly got quieter," Riku commented from his spot a few feet away from the commotion, leaning against a doorframe.
Everyone chuckled, Ben the loudest.
"That sure was some good racin!" Josie walked up to the group. "I betcha didn't think ya could do that, did ya?"
"Yesterday, no." Hinata looked to her wings, then her friends. She noticed Sam plucking Ben out of the snow, both of them snickering about her mistake. "Today? Things are different."
"Well, we sure are grateful to ya for trainin the little guys," Josie told her, backing up to give Hinata space as she knelt down to her level.
"It was an honor to teach them," she replied, before laughing. "Even if I thought you were crazy to put me in charge of it at first. So, thank you for believing in me."
"Of course, dear," Josie patted her hand. "Holly and Jolly sure took a likin to ya. And I'll admit I did, too."
Hinata smiled warmly. "I feel the same way. It feels almost like home here. I hope all of us can come back to visit sometime."
"You better!" Josie pointed her finger at her before waving to the others and walking away to gather Holly and Jolly for the journey back up the mountain.
Hinata watched her go for a moment before standing back up.
"Is everything alright, Hinata?" Velcia asked.
"Oh, yes." Hinata smiled towards her friends. "It's just that the way Josie talked, it's like she thinks we're leaving."
Velcia hummed with a nod. "Mrs. Claus sounded similar when she spoke with me and Riku before breakfast."
"We are leaving soon though, aren't we?" Sam asked, Ben perched on her shoulder.
"It's just weird to have everyone else know without you telling them, you know?" Hinata said with a soft awkward laugh.
Hermey cleared his throat, interrupting their discussion. Everyone turned, seeing him standing by the edge of the courtyard, his clipboard tucked under his arm. Light glistened off the bow pinned to his collar. "If you're all done with the race, Santa will see you now."
The group looked between each other with a mixture of excitement and confusion. Hermey didn't wait for their reply and turned to lead the way.
"That's it?" Sam asked, following first. "No snarky remarks about how noisy we were being or the mess we made?"
"I hardly find it fair to blame the commotion on all of you," he replied with a calmer tone than usual. "I know full well Josie was to blame for it."
"But that's never stopped you before," Sam pointed out, walking backwards in front of him. "You were on my case the entire time I was working in that bow factory and the moment we showed up here. What's changed?"
"I'm not even going to answer that," Hermey replied, sticking his nose in his clipboard.
"Oh! OOH!" Ben jumped up and down on Sam's shoulder. "Was it the bow Sam made you?"
Hermey's pointed ears warmed.
"Oh my God, it is!" Sam pointed at him and stopped, making him stop as well. "A bow did it? That's all you needed to be nice?"
Hermey lifted his pen and used it to move her hand away. He then walked around her, grumbling.
Sam put her hands around her mouth as he walked away and called, "It's ok to just admit you like us!"
"I am not admitting anything!" Hermey called back, his entire face red.
Sam seemed filled with cheeky pride until Riku playfully shoved her shoulder. "Lay off," he told her, blocking her attempts to shove back. "He probably isn't used to getting things."
"Mrs. Claus did say he was on the Naughty List," Hinata recalled. "Which did make me wonder why he was allowed here if he was, but then I realized it's probably because he makes sure things get done on time. Even if he's, well, rude."
"I'm just surprised something small like that was enough to do it," Sam said, crossing her arms.
"Well I'm not," Ben replied, sitting back down and opening a small compartment on his chest to pull out the bow Sam made him. "It did the same thing for me."
"It did?" Velcia asked.
"Well yeah!" Ben said, holding out his bow. "I've been so mad at Sam ever since…" His voice uncharacteristically trailed off and he traced his finger along the ribbon. Clearing his robotic throat, he placed the bow back in his chest compartment. "Anyway, I know how Hermey feels."
Sam swallowed hard and warmed as everyone stood silently and a bit awkwardly, waiting for her reaction. Hinata smiled softly and reached for Ben, placing him on her own shoulder.
"That's really sweet, Ben," Hinata said. "Let's follow after Hermey, before he decides to yell at us for not paying attention."
Ben snorted, then caught himself. "Hinata, he's a changed elf. Don't assume he'll go back to his old ways so quick!"
"You're right, you're right," Hinata laughed, walking after Hermey. She gently squeezed Sam's arm as she passed, allowing Sam a moment to herself while the others followed.
They didn't have to walk much further before they heard Jack barking, beckoning them towards a cottage. He hopped excitedly in the open doorway, golden light pouring out around him. Hermey reached him first and Jack licked his cheek, much to the elf's dismay. Despite his yelp of disapproval, Hermey patted Jack's head before heading inside.
"There you are, buddy!" Hinata jogged forward, bending down as Jack ran and jumped into her arms. "I was wondering where you got off to."
Jack whined as if telling her all about it, his tail wagging wildly. Hinata giggled, moving her face as he spotted her with doggie kisses.
"Wait a sec," Hinata pulled Jack back slightly. "Did you get a new collar?"
"He sure did!" Ben told her proudly, climbing down her arm and hopping onto Jack. "It was his gift from Santa."
Jack sat down and proudly puffed his chest, showcasing the midnight blue collar. It shimmered with silver and gold thread stitched into it like stars. Hinata lifted the golden token dangling from the front, admiring the etched calligraphy of Jack's name.
"It's beautiful." Hinata scratched behind his ears. "We haven't gotten you a new collar in ages."
"Don't ya want to know what I got?" Ben asked, leaning on Jack's head. Without giving Hinata the chance to reply, he blurted, "The oldest, rarest, finest jar of oil…" Ben sighed wistfully, rolling over and sliding down Jack's neck to his back. "It was the tastiest thing I've had in centuries."
"And I got to hear about it all night," Riku commented while he walked by.
Hinata snickered. "I'm glad you enjoyed it Ben. That sounds like the perfect gift."
"I still have some left if you wanna try it!" Ben offered.
"I think I'll pass," Hinata replied, standing back up and following after the others. "Oil isn't really my thing."
"Riku said the same thing," Ben lamented. "But oh well, more for me!"
Hinata and Riku shared an amused smile and Hinata linked her arm through his. They entered the cottage together, warmth from the fireplace greeting them instantly. A long coffee table sat in the center of the room, filled with plates of iced cookies, cakes, and a large steaming kettle with ornate mugs lined up in front of it. Velvet seats and couches were situated around the table, each adorned with pillows and a woven blanket.
"Make yourselves comfortable," Hermey told all of them. "Santa won't be long." With a nod, he turned and disappeared down the hall.
They looked between each other, unsure what to do.
"Do you think all of this was set out for us?" Velcia asked after a while. She tipped the lid of the kettle, smiling as its scent greeted her. "I'm sure of it now. This is Mrs. Claus' peppermint tea."
"Ooh." Hinata walked over and joined Velcia in getting a mug filled with the tea. Taking a deep whiff, she sighed and her shoulders relaxed. "We should get this blend to take with us."
"Agreed," Velcia murmured behind her mug, savoring the taste.
Sam chuckled at them. She moved a blanket off a seat and sat down, taking a moment to get as cozy as possible. "Forget the tea, I want this chair when we leave."
Hinata smiled as the others laughed and continued to talk. She walked towards the window, watching the snow fall. The mug of tea warmed her hands, the steam dancing around her face. Her friends' softened voices mixed with the sound of the crackling fire. Comfort washed over her and she took in a long, slow breath, savoring the feeling.
Riku walked up beside her, leaning against the window frame with a cup of tea of his own. He joined Hinata in watching the snow.
Resting her head against him, Hinata whispered, "I wish it could always be like this."
A hum rumbled in his chest. "Maybe someday it will be."
Hinata smiled at the thought, taking another sip of her tea. Then in the reflection of the window, a spot of unmistakable red and white appeared in the doorway leading to the hall. She turned around, her smile growing into a grin. Santa walked into the room completely, chuckling when the others stood up.
"Please, sit down," he assured them. "There's no need to be formal on my account. Besides, there is much for you to discuss and we all are very busy."
"Of course." Velcia sat back down. "We will be sure not to keep you."
"Well, yes I am busy, but Hermey keeps things moving at a nearly perfect rate," Santa replied, picking up a cookie. "What I meant was that all of you are quite busy. Between running from world to world, and then taking care of Christmas Town on what is supposed to be a time of rest." He nibbled on the cookie, then laughed. "Though I can only blame Hermey so much for that. I may have had something to do with your given jobs."
"I had a feeling," Hinata chuckled.
"Yes, yes, I knew all of you needed a distraction," Santa explained, settling into a seat across from them and allowing Jack to jump into his lap. "While they were things that could have been handled otherwise, I do appreciate each and every one of you stepping into your roles. The elves will talk of nothing else, and you even had an effect on Hermey! That is quite an accomplishment."
"Yeah, we found out he really likes bows!" Ben chimed in while he climbed onto an arm rest.
Santa chuckled. "Sometimes Ben, hearts forget what it's like to receive. In the end, it does not matter the gift, but the thought behind it that ultimately makes the difference."
Ben nodded sagely. "Spoken like the true Father Christmas." He tapped on Sam's arm. "Did you hear that?"
"Yes I heard, stop bringing it up, ok?" Sam replied with a grumble, averting her eyes from Santa as her face warmed.
"Thank you for all of the consideration during our stay," Velcia changed the subject. "The book you gifted me is just wonderful. And I know the others feel similarly about their gifts."
"It's all been exactly what we needed," Hinata agreed.
"I'm glad to hear it." Santa nodded, finishing his cookie. He wiped his hands together once it was gone, his smile faltering to be contemplative. "You all know much is ahead of you. I know it weighs heavily on your hearts, as it does on mine."
A silent tension fell over the room.
"Do you know how everything will turn out?" Ben asked.
Santa shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Nothing is ever for certain."
"But my gift"–Hinata walked forward–"it's an empty summoning charm, right? How do you know I'll need it if you don't know what will happen?"
The faintest smirk tipped Santa's mouth, nearly undetectable behind his beard. "I know who needs it, and they will always need it, regardless of what happens in the future." Hinata was about to ask more and he chuckled. "You'll find out soon enough. You should know more than anyone here that I never reveal all my secrets."
"I know, but if you could just tell me who–"
Santa shook his head. "Your heart will know when it's time. And that is all I will say on the matter."
Hinata blew out a breath. "Alright… I'll keep my heart open for it."
"I'd expect nothing less from you, Hinata," he replied.
"I understand not being able to reveal what you know of the future," Velcia said. "But may I ask what you are able to tell us?"
Santa pursed his lips and ran his hand over his long beard. "I have been thinking about that myself. I had planned on simply allowing all of you to remain here for a short stay and head on your way while I remained busy with my work."
"Then…why bring us in here?" Sam asked, warming when Santa looked over at her. She scrambled, "I–I mean, it's great to meet you and all, it just sort of felt official to be brought in here."
Riku exhaled sharply with a breathy laugh. "I don't think he got much of a choice." Everyone looked back at him. "Mrs. Claus probably pushed him into it."
Santa erupted into a sudden laugh, but then stifled it by clearing his throat. "Yes, well, she might have had something to do with it. She gave me clear instructions to give all of you a word of encouragement before you left."
The others chuckled, while Hinata strained a smile and gazed absently into her mug of cooled tea.
"Something bothering you, Hinata?" Santa asked.
Hinata looked up, blinking a few times. "I… no, I'm alright. Just lost in thought."
Santa hummed and picked up another cookie. "Is that right?"
He nibbled on the treat, content to not say anything. Hinata drummed her fingers along her mug, watching everyone look between each other. The silence stretched. Santa finished his cookie, Sam grabbed one for herself.
Letting out a breath, Hinata placed her mug on the table. The sound broke the silence, drawing everyone's attention, particularly Santa's, who seemed to be expecting it and almost amused.
"I don't think we need more encouragement," she admitted. "As grateful as I am to Mrs. Claus for caring about us."
He leaned back in his seat, threading his fingers together over his stomach. "What do you think you need from me then?"
Hinata gently grabbed her locket, running her thumb over the design as she thoughtfully looked around the room. Everyone watched her, waiting for her to speak up. "Direction, maybe?" she replied after a while. "From what I understand, you know our hearts. You know when we need things, when we do something good or bad. So…can you tell us anything about Thaanix? Maybe an idea of where she is, what she's planning on doing next, or maybe even a way to stop her." She walked around the couch and leaned against the arm rest, crossing her arms. "I know you don't reveal secrets that often, but this is, or at least it feels like it should be, different."
Everyone's attention shifted to Santa, no one saying a word between. He nodded, his brow furrowed in contemplation. "I can't say much. It's important I don't interfere more than absolutely necessary, but I agree this is a special situation. Especially after everything that happened in Halloween Town."
"Could you see the dreams?" Sam asked.
"Yes… I'm sorry I couldn't help. I can only watch dreams, I have no power to change them," he explained.
"Velcia and Sam came through for us," Riku said, giving a nod when they glanced over at him. "We made it out, that's what matters."
"They did," Hinata agreed.
"Those dreams did take a toll on all of you, but it caused a change in you in particular, Hinata," Santa got to the point. "And while it's understandable, it's important you see your Replica for who she is, rather than what you are painting her as."
"What is she then?" Sam asked. "Other than an irredeemable monster."
Hinata smirked with an exhale of breath.
Santa took in a long breath, before answering simply, "Keres."
There was a pause.
"What?" Hinata asked.
"Keres is the name she chose for herself," he explained.
"She…chose a name for herself?" Hinata asked slowly
"I recognize the name," Velcia said, her hand to her chin. "Growing up, I heard myths of spirits of the dead, called Keres. They were said to reside in the Underworld with Hades, coming up after battles to look for the dead and…" her voice trailed off, an uncomfortable expression covering her face. Taking a breath, she finished with a smaller voice, "...devour them."
"That's disgusting," Hinata muttered under her breath, getting up from her seat.
"I don't know, that's pretty fitting," Ben pointed out.
"Which is exactly why it's awful!" Hinata retorted right back. "It's like she's celebrating what she is."
"I don't think that's how she means it," Velcia said with a near whisper, her hands wringing in her lap.
"Could be a warning to stay away," Riku suggested.
Sam scoffed. "She wouldn't need a warning label if she just minded her business and stopped destroying every damn thing she touches." She winced, realizing she cursed in front of Santa. "Sorry."
Santa simply put up his hand with a smile, wordlessing assuring her it was fine as the discussion continued.
"I understand it might be difficult to believe," Velcia replied softly, her eyes still trained on her hands in her lap. "But when I was in her dreams, I spoke with her… and there was a moment I saw myself in her. She was scared, helpless, surrounded by darkness. There was part of me that wished I could wrap my arms around her and protect her."
Her voice shook as it trailed off. Hinata went back to the couch and sat beside her, placing her hand on Velcia's shoulder.
"As much as I understand how incredibly dangerous she is, I do believe there's more humanity inside of her than we initially thought," Velcia continued. "She's broken, angry, resentful, but also terrified and in immense pain from the darkness."
Everyone remained silent for a moment.
"I'm surprised you can say that after what she did to you," Sam said after a while.
Velcia shifted uncomfortably. "It's important we understand her."
"It is," Santa agreed.
Hinata squeezed Velcia's shoulder and stood up. She walked around the room a bit while everyone remained heavy in their thoughts.
"What if…" Ben started, tapping his chin. "Keres didn't pick out her name as a warning, but as something that belonged to her?"
"I've wondered the same," Velcia agreed.
"She shares Hina's memories of friends, loved ones, adventures, but they aren't really hers…" Ben continued, his eyes turning blue. "It makes you think… she must be lonely."
"Ben, please…" Hinata leaned her head back, her hands on her hips. "That isn't helping."
"But Santa said–"
"I'm supposed to lead us after her." Hinata put her arms out at her side, turning towards Santa. "And I finally feel like I'm ready for it. I'm ready to live with whatever I have to do to stop her. But if I'm supposed to do something else, I need to know! Because I can't just let her go, regardless of how scared she is."
"That's not something I can answer for you," Santa told her.
Hinata scoffed. "But you sure can make me feel bad about her! What am I supposed to do with that information? Thaanix, Keres, whatever she wants to call herself, murdered one of my best friends." She pointed to Sam. "Her own brother! And while I get she's troubled, I'm not about to just walk away. If we didn't stop her in Halloween Town, how long do you think it would have taken her to reach Christmas Town?"
"Out!" Hermey's voice shrilled from the hallway. He stalked into the room with a red beat face and ripped off the bow on his collar, throwing it to the floor. "No one talks to Santa with that tone and accusation! And after everything he's done for all of you, this is how you treat him!?"
"Hermey, it's alright," Santa stated calmly.
"It is not alright!" Hermey exclaimed. "You were under no obligation to answer their questions in the first place." He glared up at Hinata. "You asked him about Keres and he answered. What were you expecting after asking Father Christmas of all people how to destroy someone?"
"I wasn't–" Hinata cut herself off and turned around, running her hands through her hair. She noticed Riku watching her with concern and she turned away from him as well, her entire body warming.
"Hey, hey, everyone calm down, alright?" Sam placed herself between Hermey and Hinata. "Look, we've been through hell. Give her a break."
"I don't care what all of you have been through, she's being disrespectful!" Hermey yelled before turning to Santa. "I told you it was ridiculous to give them some of your time. It's just like last time. Hinata nags and nags, never taking no for an answer."
"Oh that is rich coming from you," Sam bit.
"Sam, please." Velcia stood and went to Santa and Hermey. "I understand the frustration, but please understand we meant no disrespect."
"You don't need to worry, Velcia," Santa assured her, before addressing Hermey. "Thank you for the concern Hermey, but I am able to handle an emotional outburst. I do deal with yours quite often."
"Yes well, mine are of a more professional manner at the very least," Hermey defended himself, readjusting his vest. He huffed out a couple breaths. "But really Santa, I insist we make them leave immediately."
"I'll leave if you need me to," Hinata said quietly, her back still turned to everyone. "I'm sorry I got upset."
Santa shook his head. "I know it is a hard subject to talk about. You don't need to apologize."
Hermey gawked up at him and Santa merely sent him a look. With a loud sigh, Hermey turned to walk away, making sure to glare at every one of them as he left. As his footsteps faded down the hall, Sam bent down and picked up the discarded bow she made him. She looked it over with a frown before placing it on the snack table.
"So much for having a positive effect on this place, huh?" Sam said, crossing her arms. "I sort of hoped we could help him turn over a new leaf."
"He'll come around," Santa replied with a soft laugh. "He always does."
"He wasn't wrong though." Hinata turned around to face him. "I asked and wasn't happy with the answer. I shouldn't have taken that out on you guys."
"It's alright," Riku assured her. "We get it."
"Plus, the amount of crazy outbursts you've dealed with from me give you a lot of free rides to freak out every once and a while," Sam told her, waving her hand flippantly.
"I shouldn't have kept pushing after you told me to stop," Ben added. He hopped up onto the back of the couch. "We'll figure this out together! Maybe there's a way we can stop Keres without destroying her!"
"Maybe…" Hinata sighed. "We just can't let her run wild while we figure that out. But, thank you guys." She walked past the group and went to Santa, kneeling in front of him to be at his level. "And thank you for putting up with my questions. I didn't realize how much I nag, but according to Hermey, it's pretty bad."
Santa chuckled. "I've never noticed."
"Oh I'm sure," Hinata laughed softly. "Thank you for the information you did give me about"– she paused, forcing the name out–"Keres. It's given me a lot to think about."
He smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Listen to your own heart. Believe in what it says, not what anyone else tells you. Even me. You share a connection with Keres within your heart and it will lead you where you need to go. You may find more understanding than you expect."
Hinata didn't reply, but nodded with a strained smile. Santa patted her shoulder and stood up, waking a slumbering Jack in the process. He said his farewells to the others while Hinata pondered his words. She stood up just as he disappeared in a burst of glittering smoke.
"Why am I not surprised he used magic to leave rather than walk through the fricken door?" Sam asked, getting a chuckle from the others.
"Should we get ready to leave?" Velcia asked. "I don't believe Hermey would appreciate us staying much longer."
"Probably." Sam stretched as she yawned. "We can keep talking about this stuff on the flight back to Twilight Town."
"Actually, I could use a breather before we talk about it any more," Hinata told them, getting a unanimous agreement from the others.
They placed their mugs back on the table and gathered a few treats for the trip. Sam and Velcia walked out of the building after Ben and Jack, while Hinata stayed behind for a moment, looking the room over with Riku.
"Everything alright?" he asked.
Hinata breathed in deeply and nodded. "I just yelled at Santa Claus."
**Author's Note: Thank you so much for taking the time to read! I hope all of you are doing well. We've finally finished our time in Halloween/Christmas Town. It's only taken a few years and ten chapters to do it. And now it's onto the next leg of the story.
Keres was such a surprise for me at first. I have been thinking about her name for months now, and nothing seemed to fit quite right. And then suddenly it felt like it was time for it. I went searching and Keres captured exactly what I needed. There are a few different ways it is pronounced, but in Ancient Greece, it was pronounced as Kee-resh. Another pronunciation I found was Key-ree-zee. For this story, I am going with the Ancient Greek pronunciation, but feel free to read it however it comes naturally to you.
Anyway, that's about it for now. I'm really hoping to focus more and more on getting this story finished. I wish I could say we are nearly half way or done, but… HAH. We're not. So that's great. I have the next four worlds completely mapped out. We will pray to the heavens that they will not take ten chapters each. But if you've been following me for any of the past 8 years, you know all things take longer than expected.
Lots of fun adventures planned though! Things I'm massively excited about and hope some of you enjoy them as well. Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!**