𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕤𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕠𝕟 || 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺𝘧𝘪𝘤

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕖𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆

"Small group this year, Mr. Conductor." Ananya jumped as a deep voiced elf spoke to the Conductor.

"You know how it is, Simon," The train conductor shrugged. He took his hat off to run a hand across his balding head, before placing the hat back on. "They're getting harder and harder to find these days."

"I know," Simon said mournfully. He, much like all the other elves, wore a red shirt-dress-thing, with green leggings. Now that he was up close, Ananya could see he had a name tag that read, 'Simon: Wrapping Hall'. "We make less and less gifts everywhere because less and less children believe."

"That's so sad," Ananya cut in; the Conductor and elf didn't seem to mind. "What happens if no one believes anymore?"

"Well," The elf took a deep inhale and exhale, giving her a pondering look. "No one really knows for sure. The most agreed upon theory is that Santa, and by proxy the North Pole, would cease to exist."

"No!" Jolly Boy cried. "There can't be Christmas without Santa!"

Simon turned to him now, stroking his beard with long fingers. "It would certainly change Christmas. But you, children, have to understand that Christmas isn't about the gifts Santa brings. Or even about Santa himself. Christmas is about joy; joy that comes from being with the people you love, joy that comes from giving rather than receiving. Christmas is not reliant on Santa Claus, it's reliant on children. And people with good hearts."

The kids all dutifully nodded at Simon's words, and the elf smiled at them slightly. The Conductor tipped his hat towards him as he left before turning to the children.

"Important lessons, children." He said with a curt nod.

"Mr. Conductor, is there anything we can do to help?" Ananya asked, completely serious and genuine.

"You can't force other people to believe, child." The Conductor shook his head. "But, you can always make sure you never lose your belief. I've known Santa for many years, and I can say with utmost certainty, that as long as one child still believes, he'll be there for them."

Ananya was going to respond but she was cut off by the Know It All kid. "What's that sound?"

All of the children fell quiet to listen, and Ananya heard it. She knew almost immediately just what that sound was because it sounded like the joy of hearing Let It Snow by Frank Sinatra–her favorite Christmas song– being injected into her veins, warming her from head to toe, despite the falling snow.

"Jingle bells," She gasped, her breath visible in the cold. "They're so beautiful."

"I'll never forget the first time I heard that sound." The Conductor looked lost in his own memories, his brown eyes distant. "The best part of every year is being able to hear it on Christmas Eve."

"It's like angels singing," Jolly Boy added with a toothy smile and dreamy eyes.

And then it stopped.

"Wait, where'd it go?" Cheerful Girl asked.

"They're standing still, waiting for their cue to enter the Square." The Conductor explained. The reindeer come out first, and then the jingle bells. And then, of course, Santa Claus."

"We get to see the reindeer?!" Jolly Boy was quite literally bouncing on the balls of his feet.

The conductor nodded and the boy positively squealed with excitement. Ananya saw the Conductor give him an exasperated smile.

Ananya turned to a tap on her shoulder. Indian Howl Pendragon was standing there, his hand outstretched.

"I'm Aadrik Ahuja." Despite being caught off guard by the boy's abruptness, Ananaya turned to shake his hand.