12/24/05

Surprise!!! I’ve wanted to write a Holiday story, so heeere it is! :D This is a one shot story-within-a-story and I began writing it on December 13th. Though it features POF charries, it stands alone from it. In this story, Kuja and co. know that Sepoña is the Small Huntress, and everyone knows Kuja’s the Princess. Also, there’s no twubble with Fairies- as I said, this one stands alone. And btw, Jesus is still human in my stories- I was always sure of that, hee. :P Also, there’s one “Phantasy” reference, so... yep, the usual disclaimer. XD

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from me and all my POF charries!

Love,

Tesh : )

Christmas in Felinia

December 22nd

Sixteen-year-old Hakkana Ember sat on the window seat in the living room of her apartment, watching fat white flakes drift down onto the city of Whoburn. She grinned excitedly, counting down the days in her mind. Three more days!

She slowly slid off the window seat and went to join her roommate and legal guardian Seraph Avalon, or “Sissy” as Hakkana called her, in the kitchen.

Seraph’s kind bronze eyes with golden flecks were scanning down a long list of people for whom she was to send Christmas cards to. She was multitasking- writing messages in the cards, licking stamps, and addressing envelopes. She looked a little frazzled, and her cat ears and tail were perfectly still.

“Don’t worry, Sissy, you’ll get your cards done,” Hakkana said reassuringly.

“Mmmhum,” Seraph murmured, a little distractedly. Then the phone rang. “Kana, could you get that?”

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Sixteen-year-old Kuja of Felinia, who was staying at her boyfriend’s home in Etenia, called one of her dearest friends on the phone.

“Hello?” Hakkana asked.

“Hey!”

“Oh, hi Princess!”

Kuja laughed. “There’s no need to call me Princess, Kana.”

Hakkana laughed as well.

“So... three more days,” Kuja said excitedly.

“Yep. When’re you, Ince, and the guys comin’ to the apartment?”

“Sometime in the afternoon.”

“Awesome.”

“Oh and Sepoña’s coming around the same time, with her mom and Mrs. Atalanta.”

“Great! Well, gotta help Sissy with her cards... see ya on Christmas!”

The friends hung up. Kuja then went to see Frewin Karin, his slightly younger brother Favian, and Ince Hugh in the living room. They were all watching TV; Favian with his arm around Ince’s shoulder and Frewin sprawled out on the floor. Mr. and Mrs. Karin were in the room as well.

Kuja sat next to Frewin and leaned against him. She still couldn’t believe that she was with him for the holiday. My parents must be finally letting up, she thought. King Medwin and Queen Cassandra certainly did change a lot ever since Kuja’s enrollment at Moonlit Dragon Institute of Martial Arts.

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Little Sepoña Atalanta’s wings fluttered as she flew home from her best friend Alana’s house. They both still had tinsel in their hair, having celebrated the Winter Solstice yesterday. It was a wonderful time for the Seda clan.

Sepoña was excited. She was going to Miss Hakkana’s apartment with Miss Kuja, Miss Ince, Mr. Frewin, Mr. Favian, Mr. Jason, Miss Seraph, her Mama, and her Nana to celebrate a holiday that she had never heard of before- Christmas.

“Christmas is great,” Miss Hakkana had said. “It’s a time for family and good friends, and to celebrate the birth of my Savior.”

Sepoña had never heard of a holiday where people received presents, other than birthdays. She already had the gifts for her friends ready. She was looking forward to opening her presents too.

She arrived home to have her parents, the Huntress and Jalen, greet her. Jalen was going to be at his parents’ home to further celebrate the Solstice. The Huntress would accompany Sepoña to the Huntress’s mother, Sari Atalanta, and then go to Miss Hakkana’s apartment down south in New Felinia.

Sepoña couldn’t wait.

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December 24th

Hakkana’s excitement grew, because Christmas Eve arrived. She and Seraph set up the Christmas tree in the small living room, listening to holiday music as they decorated it and the rest of the apartment.

When everything was perfect, Seraph put the turkey in the oven; it would be ready for tomorrow morning. Hakkana helped prepare the potatoes, stuffing, veggies, and desert- chocolate cake.

The roommates then went to bed, dreaming of Santa and silver bells and tinsel and being together with friends.

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Kuja, Frewin, Ince, and Favian watched Christmas specials on TV all day on Christmas Eve. Then they had a nice dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Karin. They chatted the whole time and sang carols.

Later, Ince fell asleep over hot chocolate, and that was everyone’s cue to get to bed.

“G’night everybody,” Favian said, after gently poking Ince awake.

“G’night!” said Frewin.

“Good night,” said Mr. and Mrs. Karin.

“G’night,” said Kuja, smiling. She and Ince went to the guest bedroom in the Karin home, and the brothers and their parents went to their respective bedrooms.

Kuja and Ince chatted in their pajamas, both of them very happy.

“I don’t think I can sleep!” Kuja exclaimed.

“Me too!”

The two friends talked all the way up to midnight. “Santa’s coming,” Kuja said, grinning. For some reason, that made them both crack up, and they had to grab pillows to muffle their laughter.

Finally they fell asleep, looking forward to the day ahead.

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The Small Huntress and Alana could be found at Alana’s home on Christmas Eve, eating fresh bell-shaped cookies that Alana’s mother Althea just baked. Yum.

“Have fun tomorrow, Oña,” Alana said cheerfully.

“Thanks, I will!”

The best friends talked about the cool older girls in Sepoña’s life. There was the strong Miss Hakkana, the quiet Miss Ince, and the Princess, Miss Kuja. The two nine-year-old girls couldn’t wait to get older so they could be just like them.

Finally, night fell. Sepoña wished Alana good night and flew home. Her mama and papa were waiting for her.

Sepoña and her parents got ready for bed, and Sepoña and the Huntress got their belongings together- they would transport themselves magically to Sari Atalanta’s home, and then transport to Whoburn, New Felinia.

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December 25th

“Kana, wake up!” Seraph cried excitedly.

“Mneh?” Hakkana mumbled.

Seraph, who was in her pajamas, climbed onto Hakkana’s bed and started bouncing. Well, that certainly woke Hakkana up.

“Merry Christmas!” Seraph said cheerfully.

“Mewwy Chrisssmas,” Hakkana murmured. She rubbed the sleep from her deep blue eyes and grinned. She climbed out of bed.

There was a small stash of presents under the tree.

“Woot!” Hakkana exclaimed. “But, I’ll wait till everyone gets here to open them.”

The pair ate a big breakfast and then changed into their favorite holiday sweaters and jeans. Hakkana’s had a Christmas tree on it.

Ding-dong!

“I’ll get it,” Hakkana said. She opened the apartment door and was engulfed immediately by a pair of strong arms, receiving a warm kiss on the lips.

“Merry Christmas,” said Jason Barrett.

Hakkana laughed and said, “You too.”

Jason greeted Seraph and the three of them waited for the others to arrive.

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“Eeeeee!” Kuja squealed, leaping out of bed. “Ince, wake up!!” She shook Ince’s shoulder.

“Mmmn,” Ince mumbled.

“It’s Christmas!” Kuja cheered happily. She grabbed her bag with her belongings and pulled out her necklace with a circular bell. She jangled it near Ince’s yellow and pink cat ear.

“Aye yeeeee! I’m awake!” Ince moaned. Then she remembered what day it was. “Oh yeah! Hooray!!”

The two friends got dressed and bounded downstairs. Their boyfriends and their parents were awake as well.

Frewin wrapped Kuja in a tight embrace, stroking her vivid, short red hair.

“Merry Christmas, Princess,” he whispered.

Kuja smiled warmly.

After a breakfast of Felinian toast, they all hopped into the Karin beige station wagon. Mr. Karin was going to endure the long drive to New Felinia.

“Thanks, Dad,” Favian said after he was settled next to Ince.

“No problem, everyone,” Mr. Karin said. “Ready?”

“Yep! Onward!” Kuja cried. Everyone laughed.

Mr. Karin started the ignition and they were off.

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“Ready, Sepoña?” the Huntress asked. Her daughter nodded.

The Huntress kissed her husband and both mother and daughter wished him goodbye. Sepoña grabbed her sack of Christmas presents.

Sepoña and her mama held hands and closed their eyes, and then they began to glow in a jade-green light (Sepoña’s wings glowed as well). A minute later, they opened their eyes and they were in the warm living room of Sepoña’s Nana, Sari Atalanta.

“Merry Christmas!” said the Huntress and Small Huntress.

The lines around Sari’s eyes crinkled as she smiled and wished them a Merry Christmas as well.

“Ready, Mom?” asked the Huntress.

Sari looked a little nervous; she had never traveled by magic before.

“No need to worry, Nana,” Sepoña said reassuringly.

Grandmother, mother, and daughter held hands and began to glow again. An instant later, they were looking up at the tall brown Sunset Apartments in Whoburn.

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Ding-dong!

“Coming!” called Seraph. She opened the door. “Well, look who’s here! Hi, Sepoña!”

“Hi, Miss Seraph,” Sepoña said quietly. “Hi, Miss Hakkana!”

Hakkana grinned and said, “Merry Christmas, Oña!”

“C’mon in, Huntress and Mrs. Atalanta,” said Seraph.

Hakkana hung up her guests’ coats and ushered them into the living room. She said, “The others are arriving soon.”

“Yay!” Sepoña cheered. Hakkana laughed.

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“Ohhh, ninety-nine bottles of ‘nog on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of ‘nog! Take one down; pass it around, ninety-eight bottles of ‘nog on the wall!” Kuja and her friends sang loudly as Mr. Karin drove.

Several hours later, they were singing, “Seven... bottles of ‘nog... on the wall, seven bottles... of ‘nog. Take... one down; pass it around... six bottles of... ‘nog on the... wall.”

“Ah, forget it,” everyone said together. Then they all laughed.

“Are we there yet, Dad?” asked Frewin.

“Almost.”

“Phew,” said Kuja. She looked out the car window. It had begun quietly snowing.

At last, they pulled into the driveway of Sunset Apartments in Whoburn.

“Have fun,” Frewin and Favian’s father said. “I’ll come pick you up when you call my cell.”

“Thanks, Mr. Karin,” said Kuja and Ince.

“You’re welcome, girls. See you soon!”

And with that, Mr. Karin drove back to Etenia.

They went up the elevator, down the carpeted hall, and around the corner to Room 707.

Ding-dong!

Hakkana answered. “Kuja! Guys!” She gave them all hugs.

“Hi guys!” little Sepoña exclaimed, floating over to them (she still had her Fairy wings out).

“Merry Christmas!” they all said as one, and then laughed.

“Time for dinner, and then presents!” Seraph called cheerfully.

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“Mmmn,” Miss Hakkana sighed, rubbing her stomach. “That. Was. Good.”

Sepoña, who was equally full, nodded.

“Time for presents!” Miss Seraph said.

“YAY!!” everyone cheered.

Everybody had a grand time exchanging and opening gifts. Sepoña's favorite gift was a silver flute from Miss Kuja.

Miss Hakkana taught the Small Huntress the lyrics to one of her favorite Christmas songs- “Silent Night,” and Sepoña's mama pulled out her sepoña.

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Savior is born
Christ, the Savior is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

Everyone clapped, and a wide-eyed Miss Hakkana said, “Wow... You should seriously be on ‘Felinian Idol’ or something.”

Sepoña blushed.

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Together, they celebrated. Together, they laughed. Together, they opened gifts. And together, their hearts all glowed.

Later, Mr. Karin picked up Kuja, Frewin, Ince, and Favian to bring them back to the Karin home.

Sepoña, her mother, and her grandmother transported back to their respective homes.

Jason went home to spend time with his family, and kissed Hakkana goodnight.

Hakkana’s face was buried in her new Phantasy novel- Memoirs of a Geisha from Ince. She carefully marked her page to help Seraph clean up.

Hakkana sat on the window seat again with her new book in her lap. Another one of her favorite holidays came and went. She smiled and prayed that everyone’s Christmas be filled with light.

-Christmas in Felinia, The End-

Happy Holidays!!