Quite the Kaotic Kristmas (a Skylander Second Leaf story)

Prologue - Shorey, it's cold outside

The clock face read five after three, the dull clicking of its hands filling the dark room. Kaos rolled over, pulling his pillow over his head, trying to drown out the incessant noise. He had set his alarm for nine thirty, as per usual, but an alarm didn't do much good if you weren't asleep in the first place. Kaos had done everything in his power to coax himself to sleep - listening to the bedtime stories Glumshanks had recorded for him, drinking far too many glasses of warm sheep's milk, even taking a few sleeping pills he had snagged from Hugo's medicine cabinet. Nothing had worked. If anything, it had made him even more aware, leaving him to stare at the ceiling as the moments dropped past like molasses. Now, it was 3:10 in the morning and Kaos hadn't gained a lick of sleep; copper eyes bloodshot and brain lagging behind. Kaos breathed a heavy sigh, looking over to the clock. He watched the second hand tick once, twice, three times around before a new sound grabbed his attention.

A faint rap tap tapping against his window.

Kaos blinked, then rubbed his ear, double checking to make sure he wasn't hearing things. Sure enough, there it was again. The distinctful echoing clack of someone's hand against his tinted windowpane. Kaos sat up, squinting over at his window. Not wanting to leave the warmth of his he'd behind, he wrapped the blankets around himself before shuffling over to the glass, pressing his face against the chilled pane. Peering back were familiar yellow eyes, the rest of the features too blurry to make out. Kaos raised a brow, rubbed his eyes, then pushed the window open.

"Shoria. What in the fresh hell are you doing out here so-" Kaos yelped as webbed fingers wrapped around his wrist, pulling him out onto the windowsill. The blanket fell from his frame, leaving him in his pajamas and at the mercy of the crisp air outside.

"Sorry, sorry!" Shoria giggled, covering her shark-toothed grin with her free hand, the other arm wrapped around Kaos to keep him from falling. "I just couldn't help myself. I needed to show you something."

Kaos looked up at the fish that had pulled him outside, the blush creeping across his face downplayed by his deadpan expression. He couldn't deny, silhouetted against the sleeted sky, dressed in a fluffy cinnamon-colored coat and knit toque, she was absolutely stunning. Though, taking in Shoria's unparalleled (aside from his own) beauty could wait.

"What could be so important that you'd wake me up at this ungodly hour of the morning?" Kaos chuffed. Shoria didn't need to know he hadn't actually been sleeping, simply that he had been unceremoniously 'woken' by this intrusion.

"Follow me. I'll show you." Shoria smiled, brushing her seafoam green bangs out of the way before turning to climb down from the sill.

Kaos watched as she lowered herself onto an awaiting tree branch, offering her hand to Kaos so he could follow.

"Fishstick, not to be 'that guy', but perhaps we should take the stairs instead-"

"Kaos." Shoria chuckled, taking his hand and guiding him onto the branch. "The tree isn't gonna bite."

"I'm not scared of the tree!" Kaos exclaimed, shrugging Shoria off as he took the lead, climbing down onto the next closest branch. "It's just safer the other way. And I don't want you getting hurt."

"Sure, pancake." Shoria rolled her eyes, a kind smile on her face. "Whatever you say~"

Kaos grumbled to himself as he climbed, the grass crunching beneath his feet when he touched down. Immediately, a chill ran up his spine, goosebumps prickling across his skin. Shoria landed on the ground beside him, looking over to silently ask if he was alright. When the only response she got was Kaos rubbing his arms to warm up, she chuckled. Shoria took her scarf off, wrapping it around Kaos' neck. While it didn't help very much, Kaos mustered up a tired smile.