Making Fantasia (KF Prequel): The Nightmare After Christmas

Chapter 11: I'm Naughty and I Know It

Chapter 11: I'm Naughty and I Know It

 The Marine Corps had transformed Jon into a heartless dog.

But it did nothing to prepare him for a Santa Clause take-down.

"Otherlanders...." Robin peered over the top balcony. "I hate Otherlanders."

Jon adjusted is IBE goggles. They'd been monitoring North from the topmost level, right above the food court. It was Christmas Eve, so the mall was relatively empty, save for last-minute shoppers and stragglers in Santa's line.

Although he was resolute in their quest, Jon quaked every time Robin described North's prowess. 

"Look at those hands." Robin rubbed his throat. "That's what you get from flying eight tiny reindeer. Monster paws."

Jon watched North kiss a baby. "He's Santa Clause. How tough can he be?"

Robin snorted. "He fought in the War to Give Fantasia. He's tough, I assure you."

"Tough cookie." Merida agreed. 

The mall's clock tolled six PM. Below, Dingle the Elf announced that visitation hours were over. It was time for Santa to head to the North Pole!

"Eighteen hundred." Jon jerked his rifle toward the stairwell. "Let's go."

"We'll meet ye down there." Merida kicked her leg over the railing. She aimed a cable-tethered arrow at the ceiling. "Ye've got about ten seconds before we create a distraction."

"Good luck." Robin held Merida's waist. "Whatever happens to us, get that snow globe. Merida – secret handshake?"

Merida released her bowstring. As the arrow went thunck, she and Robin executed their secret handshake, ending with a butt slap. 

Then, they dropped from the zipline.

Jon didn't bother with the stairwell. There was no point in being discrete when his team had just launched an air strike.  He shot down the escalator like a bat out of Hell.

Merida and Robin were already unconscious when he reached ground level; North had devoured them faster than a plate of Christmas cookies.

Jon attempted a counter-attack, but North had the clear advantage; while Jon's goal was to steal and not hurt, North had no problem knocking him out. Plus, he had Dingle the Elf on his side. It was two against one.

Jon scrabbled for North's pocket. He could see the snow globe gleaming. Lunging over Dingle, he seized the fur coat, but North met him with a gut punch. 

Jon's stomach lurched into his esophagus. Feebly, he groped North's pocket, but Dingle pulled him down by the helmet.

"You are barking up wrong Christmas tree." Menacingly, North advanced. Jon gasped as he unsheathed two sabers. "Tell me what is meaning of this before I –"

DOINK.

North staggered. Eyes rolling into his skull, he muttered, "Cannnnddyyyyy cannnnes" then collapsed on Dingle the Elf.

Both lay unconscious; and we can assume that 'visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.'

Panting, Jon pushed upright. His savior was standing over North, Dingle's Christmas bell held like a club over her shoulder.

"Titania?"

Titania dropped the bell. She looked shaken.

"This is messed up – " She offered a hand. "This is such a clusterfuck. I just assaulted Santa Clause for you!"

Jon rummaged over North. He noticed Titania's dressed was dotted with water.

"So you actually believe in Santa Clause now?"

"Shut up, I don't have to believe in anything to get court martialed."

She helped roll North, exposing his pocket. Jon dug the snow globe free and marveled for a moment; it felt alive, like a crystal jellyfish or a star about to super nova.

He exhaled.

"Okay...this is it...."

Checking that his rifle was secure, he looked at Titania. "Thank you for coming back. I wouldn't have gotten this far without you."

Titania's wings turned pink. "You're going to look so ridiculous when this doesn't work."

"Well, if it does..." Jon gently swirled the globe. "I need another favor. Can you check on Melody? She needed me at the party, but I left before...."

He thought of his father, pushing him from the pirate ship.

"Can you just check on her?"

The pink in Titania's wings faded.

"I mean, it's Christmas Eve, I'm sure she's fine. But..." Her wing gave an awkward flick. "Sure. I can do that. Not like I haven't helped you enough."

"Thank you." Jon ingratiated himself. "I owe you, Airwoman."

"You do owe me. In fact..." Titania held his neck. Gripping hard, she kissed him gently as a butterfly.

"Point for the Airforce." She fluttered away, wings red as poinsettias. "Get out of here, Jarhead."

Jon's expression changed. For a moment, he seemed appreciative, even affectionate, but it was short-lived. He wasn't ready to trust – his faith in love was lost with his father.

Emotions doused, Jon shook the snow globe. Snowflakes seemed to tingle over his palms as he said, "Bring me to Oogie Boogie's Crawloween Circus."

The air unzipped. The space before Jon warped into an iridescent tunnel, and magical sleighbells jingled from somewhere beyond the portal's edge. The snow globe whirled, and as Jon jumped, the contents consolidated into a pirate ship.