TW: Slight Angst, Possible Implied Ships

Chapter I. Invited?

It’s Christmas. Well, almost, it’s a few days away. Everyone is preparing for the big Christmas party we have every year. It’s going to be held at the Jaffa factory this year, and I have been eagerly awaiting my invitation for days. It still hasn’t come. They should have been sent out weeks ago. Was it lost in transportation? . . .or was I just not invited?

I had seen Rythian helping with the preparations and heard Zoey talking about how excited she was to be going. They hadn’t gone to any of the older ones so them agreeing to attend this one would be a big deal. Was I not invited so Rythian would be more comfortable? But I was the only one not invited. Sjin is going with Sips. Rythian hates us both so wouldn’t Sjin be left out to? Why am I the only one?

I walk up to my telescope and redirect it toward Honeydew Inc. Everyone was there working together to get everything ready/ Sparkles and his band were practicing, Sips and Sjin are drunk, Zoey telling Rythian where to put decorations and Rythian looks happy. Zephos is supervising like every year. It was just like every year except I’m not there.

I wipe the water from my eyes before it has a chance to fall. I will not cry. There has to be a logical explanation even from this distance as to why I wasn’t invited, and I plan on finding out just what that explanation is. I grab my lab-coat, not having anything warmer to go out in, and make my way to the Jaffa factory.

When I am close enough to hear Xephos yelling his orders, I’m stopped by Sips and Sjin. It’s obvious they have had too much to drink. I can smell it on their breath, even from this distance.

“Where do you think you’re going, Google boy?” I ignore the nickname Sips has given me in favor of avoiding a fight. Fighting isn’t really in the spirit of Christmas after all. There’s also the extremely high probability that I would lose that fight. . .

“I came to help with the preparations.” I smile as pleasantly as I can in the presence of Sips and Sjin. They look at each other briefly before turning back to me. They are wearing grins that I don’t know how to describe. . .the only word that seems to fit is cruel.

I tense at the grins and they grow at my reaction. The pair circle and close in on me in a way that reminds me of wolves playing with their prey. I clench my fists, but don’t move. Sjin has made his way behind me and has placed his hand on my shoulder. I fight the urge to flinch away from his touch. Sips is in front of me and leans in so that he is only a few inches away from my face. His eyes are cold and cruel.

“Were you invited?” The question seemed out of place, as though he had already known that I hadn’t been. I don’t think on it long, wanting to get away from these two as quickly as possible. I simple answer the question with the reason that I hope is true.

“Well. . . no, but I’m sure it was just a mistake. It might have gotten lost on its way to me, or it was forgotten or . . .” I’m cut off when Sips starts to laugh. It’s an unnerving sound and if I never hear it again it will still be too soon.

“It wasn’t lost and it wasn’t forgotten - It was never made! You weren't invited because no one wanted you here! No one likes you!” I stare at him wide eyed while he laughs. I can hear Sjin chuckling softly behind me as well. They’re just trying to get a reaction from me. What they’re saying can’t be true . . . can it?

“You’re lying. You just want to upset me.”

No, you big dumb dumb. Xephos told up to keep you away from the factory. It’s our job. Upsetting you is just a bonus.” They laugh again and chase me a little ways away from the factory. I look back to see them flying over to Xephos. I get close enough to hear their conversation.

“Lalna showed up like you said he would.” Sips says as he lands next to Xephos. Xephos looks up from his clipboard and addresses Sips.

“And you sent him away?”

“Yep, and he won’t be coming back for a while.” It’s Xephos’ response that is the last straw before the tears finally break away and I quickly fly off in the direction of my castle.

“Good.”

Chapter II. Hot Chocolate

It’s cold in my castle, but I can’t be bothered to turn up the heat. I’m curled up in the biggest blanket I could find. It’s the dark blue one that Xephos gave me as a gift last year . . . at the Christmas party. I snuggle up into it more at the memories.

This was always my favorite time of year and I always looked forward to the party. This year was no different and the disappointment was overwhelming.

Why hadn’t I been invited? It can’t really be as Sips and Sjin said, can it? But what Xephos said . . .

I bury my head under the blanket and whimper. It’s pathetic, but it’s all I can think to do at the moment. I try to go to sleep but it is the middle of the day and the adrenalin from earlier hasn’t quite run out yet.

I get up and shiver at the loss of warmth the blanket provided and head for the kitchen. A glance around before grabbing a Sips Co. mug from the cabinet. It is another gift from a past Christmas party but I don’t have that many mugs to choose from . . .

I make some hot chocolate and pour it into the mug. I bow into it and watch as the steam floats up and warms my face. I take a sip on the way back to my couch and set the mug down on the small table beside it.

I return to my prior position of being snuggled up in the blanket and grab the mug again. I stare at it for a while, waiting for it to cool a bit before taking another sip. I sigh happily at the taste. At least this hasn’t changed . . .

I finish the hot chocolate and place the mug on the table again. Normally I would have returned the empty mug to the kitchen, perhaps even washed it out and put it away, but for now I just can’t find the energy.

I lie down on the couch, still wrapped in the blanket, and try to go to sleep again. I fail and sigh before getting up again, this time taking the blanket with me. I walk around my castle doing miscellaneous jobs to keep my mind busy, but I soon find myself at my telescope.

It is still pointed at Honeydew Inc. from the last time I used it. I debate looking again, curious to see how they are getting along without me, but also fearful that they may be doing better in my absence.

My curiosity eventually gets the better of me and I look through the telescope. Everyone is running around doing their assigned jobs just like before. The only difference now is that Xephos looks really stressed. They must be running behind. I glance around to see how everyone else is doing.

Martyn and Toby are still decorating the tree, Benji and Strippen are bringing in supplies on the railroads, and Zoey is yelling at Rythian to stop staring off into space and help her with something.

Rythian was staring at . . . me. Well not me, in the direction of my castle. He couldn’t possibly see me from that distance . . It looks as though our eyes meet and I see violet flash though his.

And then I see nothing. The telescope goes dark and I pull away from it immediately. I heard the cracking noise so I know what happened, but how it happened is another story. Had it been Rythian? No, that’s impossible. Not from this distance. . .

Regardless of how it happened, the lens to my telescope is now scattered at the base of my castle in a million pieces.

Chapter III. Merry Christmas Lalna

It’s Christmas. This time for real. It is the 25th and the party is to be held today. That is if they were able to get back on schedule. I have no idea if that’s the case though because Rythian broke my telescope. Well, I don’t know for sure if it was Rythian, but it feels better to have someone to blame rather than no explanation at all.

Why do I care if they finished on time or not anyways? I wasn’t invited. It won’t effect me in the slightest. I decide to clean up my castle to take my mind off it, finally cleaning the mug I left on the table the day prior. Washing the dish out gives me time to think again.

What if they hadn’t been able to meet their quota? What if the are delayed a day, or even two? The party has always been held on the 25th. It wouldn’t be much of a Christmas party if it wasn’t. What would happen if they were delayed until after Christmas? Xephos wouldn’t cancel it, would he? Everyone looks forward to this party. Even though I wasn’t invited this year I don’t want them to miss out too...

I grab my lab-coat, deciding to check on the others, only to remember that I will be sent away if I get anywhere near the factory. I pause at the door, debating if I should try anyway. If I could get even a glimpse of the party, it would reassure me that it was still happening . . . But I’m not sure I could deal with being sent away again...

My thoughts are interrupted by frantic knocking on the other side of the door. My eyes widen slightly in surprise as I look up at the door. I quickly recover and walk over to the computer in the windowsill. I type in the necessary command and walk back in front of the door as it opens.

I tilt my head to the side when I see Nielsy on the other side with his eyes closed still making a knocking motion on the now empty space. I clear my thoughts and he looks up stopping the motion as he does so. He looks nervous and he’s breathing hard as though he had run the entire way here. He tries to say something but it is too fast and muffled for me to understand.

“Calm down Nielsy, I can’t understand you.” I say calmly, lifting my hands and raising an eyebrow. He takes a depe breath and tries to speak again. It’s not much better but I get the jist of it.

“Machine exploded! Fire! Portable pool couldn’t put it out! Help!”

I quickly run back inside to grab Nielsy a flying ring before returning to the now hyperventilation boy. I hand him the ring and tell him to breath before pushing him off the cliff that is my castle door. He screams for about a minute before remembering the ring in his hand. He flies up to where I am waiting just outside my door and smiles awkwardly at me, one eyebrow raised.

After about five minutes of flying the Jaffa factory starts to come into view. Nilsey has managed to calm down somewhat on the journey, well he isn’t hyperventilating, at least. I sigh and pick up the pace for his sake, flying the rest in about two minutes.

I’m not stopped by Sips and Sjin this time. The chaotic pair are nowhere to be seen. . . actually I can’t see anyone at all. They must all by trying to put the fire out. I look around as we get closer to the factory. THe decorations look good and the tree is finished. . . it looks like the outside preparations are done so all that i left to worry about is the inside . . .and with a fire . . .

I land just outside the factory door, sighing as Nilesy trips and face plants into the ground. He quickly stands up again and we walk into the factory. I squint my eyes, trying to make something out of the darkness as Nilesy scurries to turn on the lights.

It doesn’t make sense. Why would the lights be off if everyone was panicking over a fire? And wouldn’t the fire itself give off some light? Soon enough Nilesy flips the lights on.

“Suprise!”

My eyes widen as light washes over everything. It was beautifully decorated and everyone was here and the smaller tree inside the factory was surrounded with presents. Everyone came up to me and patted me on the back, and we all laughed when Stippen’s pat makes me stumble a bit.

We drink and tlak for hours and though I was blushing like mad when Xephos said he may have told Rythian the only thing I wanted for Christmas was the Mage’s forgiveness, I was smiling the whole time the party was going on. I loved the party and the smile never left my face, but I think the thing that made me smile the most was what Rythian said when we were leaving.

“Merry Christmas, Lalna.”