Home Alone in Pure Heart Valley

Chapter 14

Back down in Pure Heart Valley's town areas at night, Adorabat was flying towards a particularly decorated shack. She was able to make it to the shack's front door where a dressed lady Sweetypie was currently closing and locking up, being literally about to leave. "Excuse me," she said to the grownup, getting her attention. "Is the Gift-Saint still here? It's really important that I talk to him."

The lady pointed Adorabat to the street across from the shack. "He's about to get in his car. If you hurry, you can catch him." Adorabat nodded and thanked her before taking off for her target destination.

Next to a car that sat at the curb, an adult male Sweetypie heavily dressed in showy robes had just about opened the driver door of his car. He was thinking a jolly tune to himself when he noticed Adorabat coming up to him. "Excuse me!" Adorabat called to him. "Mr. Gift-Saint?"

The guy closed his car door. "Yeah, kiddo? What can I do for you?"

Adorabat was about to tell him when her eyes trailed down to the robe he was wearing for a moment. "Nice outfit," she complimented. "You look like a really jolly man."

The guy dressed as the Gift-Saint smiled back. "Why thanks. Tonight's been a good night. At least there's no sheriff around to give out parking tickets at this time of the year."

Adorabat frowned a little at the way the guy talked about Mao Mao, but let it pass since he didn't say anything remotely disparaging. However, she was curious. "He gave you a ticket before?"

He was rather nonchalant. "Eh, he gave me a ticket just last week just for parking in the park, but I was just making my landing for the pre-Eve dance. Getting a ticket for something so small but nice, what's next? Rabies shots on Spring Sweets Week?"

Adorabat decided to ignore the guy's miniature rant to get back on topic. "Well, that's hard. You got a minute?"

The Gift-Saint man replied to her, "Sure, but do make it quick. Gift-Saint here has a gathering he's gotta make it to on time."

"Okay," Adorabat began, "First up, I know you're not the real Gift-Saint."

The Gift-Saint man raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"

"I'm old enough to know how it works," Adorabat explained, but continued before the guy could say anything else to further bring down the mood, "but I also know that you work for him, so I just want you to give him a message for me."

"Lay it on me," the guy told her invitingly.

"Okay," Adorabat began. "This is extremely important, so please listen. My name's Adorabat and I live at the Sheriff's Department HQ just out of town. I like you to tell him that instead of presents this year, I just want my family and friends back. Mao Mao, Badgerclops, my dad Eugene, and my classmates Chubbum, Ketchup, Plippy, Kevin, and if he has time, Lucky too."

The man slowly nodded as he took in the bat's request, surprised that the girl is connected to the sheriff he just complained about. "Okay...I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks," Adorabat told him, but before she could leave, she was stopped by him calling her.

"Wait, hold on," he said to her. He hurriedly shuffled a hand in one of his pockets to look for something. "I usually hand out candy canes, but I gave away the last one a little while ago." He fished out a little tin box of tic-tacs. "I hope you don't mind these."

"That's okay," Adorabat politely tried to refuse.

"No, no, don't be silly," the man jested, "every kid should get a little something when they see the Gift-Saint." He gently took Adorabat's wing and sprinkled a few tic-tacs onto it for her to grasp. "Here you go. Happy Snowfest to you. Just don't spoil your dinner now." He winked to her as he said that.