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A KHristmas Story


Ragnell
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I wrote this for another site, but I figured I'd share it here as well. If you've never played a KH game, you'll probably be lost, but for KH fans I think it's a decent Christmas story. Also, it's not actually supposed to follow the movie A Christmas Story, the title's just a pun.

Feel free to just leave any feedback in this topic, I won't be making a feedback topic unless someone really wants one (since this first post is the whole story). And as usual, I strongly welcome all feedback, be it positive or negative.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or The Night Before Christmas

A KHristmas Story

Roxas slowly climbed out of bed and padded across his small, gray bedroom towards his mirror, straightening his long black coat. He surveyed himself in the mirror, quickly combed his spiky blond hair with his hand, and proceeded out the doorway into the hall, his feet dragging on the metal floor. As he sleepily made his way down the long corridor towards the Gray Room, he glanced in each of the identical rooms along the hallway. Above each room was a large, gray roman numeral, starting with the room to the left of Roxas' – numbered XIV – and counting down towards I.

As Roxas passed the door labeled VIII, he stopped and peered through the half-opened door at the dull contents of the room. There was a single bed inside, and a small window on the wall beyond the bed. But Roxas wasn't concerned with what was in the room; he was more concerned with who was in the room. Or rather, who wasn't in the room. Axel, it seemed, had already set off for his mission.

That was life in the Organization XIII: wake up, receive a mission, complete the mission, and return to the castle. Simple? Yes, thought Roxas, but it was the small things each day that separated out the monotonous 199 days he had been with the group.

Roxas entered the Gray Room at a brisk walk, but found that other than the sleeping form of Xigbar on one of the stiff armchairs, he was the only one there. Even Saïx, who always remained in the room to give orders and collect news, was gone. A single sheet of paper was taped to the ceiling-high glass that made up the far wall of the room. Roxas walked over to the sheet and quickly read it to himself

Attention all members,

For the next two days we will postpone all operations for a holiday vacation. Spend it however you wish. Activities will commence the 26th of December.

“A holiday?” Roxas mumbled in confusion. He had never heard the word before. What did it mean, he wondered. There was only one place to find out.

Roxas sprinted out of the room and down the hallway towards the castle library. Without breaking his stride he pushed open the twin glass doors of the library and ran down the first steel shelf of books, looking for a dictionary.

A cool voice spoke from around the corner of the shelf before he had a chance to find a book, “What fickle flitting of fate brings you here today, Number XIII? I would have figured that you would be off with Axel and Xion over the holiday.” Luxord strode lazily around the shelf and leaned against the tall wall opposite it. In his hand was a deck of cards, which he always seemed to keep on his person. Roxas wondered about that sometimes; cards weren't exactly the most practical thing to keep handy, especially seeing that most Organization missions were stealth operations.

“I...I don't know what a holiday is...” Roxas mumbled in response.

“You don't... ha!” Luxord turned away and chuckled briefly, then turned back to Roxas, wiping the emotion from his face instantly. “A holiday is a vacation that humans take on certain lucky days every year. December 25th happens to be a popular holiday known as Christmas.”

“Christmas? What's that?” Roxas asked in wonder.

“It is a holiday, nothing more. Simply a day off. There are just a few customs that people typically observe on that and the previous day.”

“Customs?”

Luxord sighed, “Yes, customs. Normally, people decorate their houses with lights and trees, and go out and buy special gifts for their family, or people close to them. Then, on Christmas day, they exchange those gifts, and hope without cause that the gift they got the person is 'just what the person wanted.' It is yet another useless waste of time to occupy the time and thoughts of the dimwitted and ill-informed average citizen of the worlds.”

“So, they decorate and buy gifts?” Roxas said, still processing Luxord's explanation.

“Are you quite sure that you are awake? Do I really need to explain this to you again?” Luxord was about to walk away when he turned back around and asked, “You are not actually going to go through with this, are you? For most people, buying the perfect gift is like rolling a dice. But for you, since the recipient would have no heart, they could not appreciate any gift. You are rolling a dice with all ones. Not a wise move for a gambler.”

“Yeah,” Roxas said, deep in thought, “I guess so.” He couldn't help but think of Xion. The past weeks he had really gotten to know Number XIV, and he couldn't fight off the urge to get her something to show his thanks. The two of them had been through a lot together.

Roxas turned and slowly wandered out of the library, leaving Luxord to his cards. He needed to know what people usually bought for their friends for this Christmas thing. The first person who popped into his head to ask was Axel, but he knew that Axel would just laugh at him. No, he needed someone else to ask, someone who was laid back, but wouldn't make fun of him. Roxas grinned. He knew just the person.

******

Demyx was sitting alone in his room, carefully strumming away on the long strings of his blue sitar. The mullet-headed boy lazily glanced up as Roxas entered the room, but returned to his music as if he hadn't seen the blond boy.

“Hey... Demyx?” Roxas started.

“Demyx stopped playing abruptly and answered without looking up, “Yeah, whaddya need?”

“I... I just heard that tomorrow is Christmas, and I... well, um, I need to know, well, you see... I need to know what people get each other for Christmas.”

“Christmas gifts, seriously? Oh, man, that brings back memories. I got my first sitar for Christmas, you know. Boy what a beauty that was. I loved that thing. I can still see it in my head. Then I composed my first song the next day. I can still remember the lyrics. 'If you love me, then don't leave me! Baby!”

“Demyx!” Roxas interrupted loudly. “That's nice and all, but I just need to know what to get for Xion.”

“Ooooh!” Demyx teased. “Got something for Number XIV?”

“I never said that,” Roxas said irritatedly. “I just want to get her a Christmas present. So what do I get her?”

“I don't know!” Demyx answered with a laugh. “Do I look like I know what a heartless teenage girl wants for Christmas? Just... uh, look around some stores and buy whatever catches your eye.”

Roxas glared at Demyx and jogged out of the room. Where was he supposed to go shopping? He was in the middle of a desolate castle in the World that Never Was. Last he checked, there was no Department Store that Never Was.

As Roxas stood outside Demyx's room, an idea hit him, and he sprinted down the hall and to the Gray Room. Inside the large room, Xigbar was still relaxing in a small, gray armchair. He had black and silver hair slicked back into a long ponytail, and his face was covered in scars. An eyepatch covered his right eye.

“Xigbar!” Roxas yelled, running up to his chair, “Can you make a corridor of darkness for me?”

The tall, thin man slowly opened his normal eye and turned to face Roxas. He sat up lazily and yawned. “What do you need a corridor for?”

“I need to go shopping for Christmas!” Roxas explained.

“Wait, what? ...Where do you intend to go?”

“To Twilight Town. There are a bunch of shops downtown there.”

To Roxas' surprise, Xigbar raised his right arm and summoned a swirling black cloud of darkness. “Normally, I'd call you crazy for buying presents... but I think I'd rather just smile and nod. Give my best wishes to Santa.”

“Wait, who?”

“... Big red coat, white hair... black boots... pudgy chap...zzz,” and then Xigbar was asleep again.

Roxas ran through the tall portal in confusion, still trying to work out what Xigbar meant about seeing this Santa person. For a second he was lost in the disorienting grasp of darkness, but then he emerged into the dim light of an alley in Twilight Town. Without pausing a second, he dashed out of the alley and onto the main street. Surveying the myriad stores, Roxas slowly strode down the road. As he turned a corner he ran smack into another boy, who was sprinting with a bag and three ice cream bars. Both boys flew back and landed solidly on the snowy ground.

“Oh, sorry,” Roxas apologized, rubbing his head.

“No problem,” the boy answered happily. He had short, wavy blond hair and camouflage pants, which matched his black t-shirt and his green jacket. “Hey, I remember you!” the boy said excitedly as he climbed to his feet. “You're that kid who was really good at Grandstanding.”

With a smile, Roxas remembered his last vacation in Twilight Town. That was when he had first met... Hayner, that was his name.

“Hey, Hayner.”

“So, you Christmas shopping?” Hayner asked, picking up the bag he had dropped and offering Roxas a hand.

Roxas grabbed the boy's hand and was quickly pulled to his feet. “Yeah,” Roxas answered anxiously, “I'm trying to find something for a girl I like. Do you have any idea what a teenage girl would want?”

Hayner laughed, “If only. I think that's what every guy struggles with. I'm just getting something simple for my friends.”

“Oh, well thanks anyway. I guess... I'll see you around...”

“Yeah, see you!” Hayner said, running off down the street with his bag and ice cream.

Roxas continued wandering through the town's crowd until he spotted another figure in a tall, black Organization coat. The figure turned around, and Roxas immediately recognized it as Xaldin. Actually, it was pretty hard not to recognize Xaldin, no matter where you saw him, Roxas thought. The elder Nobody was tall and very muscular with long, black dread locks, which were mostly pulled back into a ponytail.

Xaldin noticed Roxas and pushed his way through the crowd to the small boy. “What are you doing here, Number XIII?”

“I'm... Christmas shopping...” Roxas answered quietly, wishing he didn't have to tell the cynical warrior about his excursion.

“Fool,” Xaldin said critically, “Why, when you are gifted with being free from emotions, would you try to bring back that which you lost and chain your body down with a heart's useless burdens? Especially for such a meaningless event.”

Roxas quickly tried to process what Xaldin had said, and attempted to formulate an equally eloquent answer. Unfortunately, nothing intelligent-sounding came to mind. “I've never had a Christmas before,” he explained lamely, sighing after he realized how stupid it sounded.

Xaldin snorted and turned to walk away, not bothering to talk any longer.

“Wait, Xaldin, who is Santa?” Roxas asked at the last second, remembering what Xigbar had said before.

Xaldin turned around with a stunned and slightly sickened look on his face. “I dearly hope you are joking.” The warrior shook his head and walked away without bothering to answer the question.

Roxas watched him disappear around the corner, and returned to checking out all of the shops on the street, albeit with slightly less enthusiasm. As he scanned the shelves of each store he found seemingly everything that any girl, or indeed and person, could ever want. There were clothes, jewelery, perfume. And above each shelf was what Roxas decided was an eerily deceptive image of some attractive girl enjoying the item. Then there were games, and toys, and Roxas found an entire store devoted to nothing but candy and sweets. And all the stores were decorated with lights, just like Luxord had said. There was even one store just selling lights and trees. But Roxas couldn't help but feel that none of it was what Xion would want. There had to be something more, something better that he could get her. This was his one chance to show his appreciation for her friendship, and like Luxord had said, he had to find the perfect gift.

Tired and defeated, Roxas returned to the middle of the bustling city street. He was done; he had officially ruined Christmas. It didn't seem possible, but he had actually destroyed any hope of getting a good gift for Xion. For a moment he played with the idea of returning home and pretending like he hadn't been serious about Christmas shopping. But before a plan could form in his head, another Organization member emerged from the crowd. An ice cream stick sitting lazily on his lip, and his hands tucked away in his black coat pockets, Axel was slowly moseying his way down the street.

Roxas immediately tried to duck away from the red-head's gaze, hoping to avoid the older man's questioning and teasing, but Axel's voice quickly rang out over the chatter of the mass of people between them.

“Hey, Roxas! Roxas! What are you doing here?”

Not sure what exactly he was planning to do, Roxas spun and sprinted off the street and into the alleyway he had first come from. He knew that Axel was his friend, and he knew that there was no reason to avoid the man, but he didn't want Axel to make fun of him for getting Xion a present.

Roxas was halfway down the alley when a wall of flames exploded in front of him, blocking his path. Behind the young Nobody a plume of black smoke erupted from the ground, and Axel stepped from it. The tall, thin Nobody's spiky red hair was even crazier than usual, Roxas noted. It was obvious that Axel didn't even bother to try combing it on vacation.

Axel looked slightly offended, and his brow was furrowed in confusion. “Where are you going, Roxas? What are you doing? Why did you run away from me?”

“I-it's just... well, I don't want you to make fun of me.”

“Make fun of you?” Axel cried in disbelief. “Why would I do that?”

Roxas gulped. “Well I... I just heard that tomorrow's Christmas, and I... I... okay, all right.” His voice shook as he tried to gather up his thoughts up. He took a deep breath, finally ready to spit it out. “I'mtryingtofindaChristmaspresentforXion.”

Axel's eyes widened. “Sorry, didn't catch that, champ. Again, but slower.”

“I'm trying to find a Christmas present for Xion,” Roxas shouted.

“THAT's it? Ha! Hahaha!” Axel buckled over laughing.

“I told you not to laugh!” Roxas grumbled, his cheeks reddening.

“I- haha, sorry, ha... sorry.” Axel straightened up and let out a deep breath.

“What's so funny about that?” Roxas asked.

Axel grinned. “It's not so much that I think you buying Christmas presents is funny, I just think it's funny that you felt like you had to hide it. We're friends, we don't need to hide stuff from each other.”

Roxas blushed again. “Sorry...”

“No, it's okay. So, now, how much progress have you made shopping so far? I see your arms are... well, empty at the moment.”

“I haven't found anything good yet.”

“Then I sure hope you aren't planning on buying for all the members of the Organization, or at the rate you're going you'll finish by next Christmas. Who are you planning on buying for?”

Roxas shrugged. “Just Xion... and you,” he added at the last second, not wanting Axel to feel left out. “I've looked everywhere, but I can't find any good gifts. Nothing feels right. Luxord said you have to get the right gift-”

“Wait, Luxord told you that?” Axel interrupted. “Pft, ignore him, he doesn't know anything about Christmas.”

“And you do?” Roxas asked, somewhat skeptical that Axel would ever care about mushy gift-giving.

“Of course. You're missing the whole point of Christmas, Roxas.”

“No I'm not!” Roxas said angrily. He wasn't dumb, he had listened to everything that Luxord had said. “Christmas is about finding good gifts for your friends.”

Then Axel laughed an odd laugh that Roxas had never heard before. It sounded slightly amused, but also sad. Roxas felt his stomach drop as he looked into Axel's eyes, which reflected the same emotion of amusement and sadness. He hoped he'd never have to see that look again.

“Roxas, Christmas isn't about gifts. It's about appreciating your friends and family by spending time with them. The gifts are just for fun... a little something extra-”

“Icing on the cake,” Roxas added helpfully.

“Yeah, exactly. When you get someone a gift, it doesn't have to be perfect. Just make it something from the heart... or, in our case... well, just find something that you and Xion can enjoy together, as friends. Got it memorized?”

“What about you?” Roxas asked.

“Me? I don't need any Christmas gifts, just being with you guys is enough for me.”

“Hm... icing on the cake...” He couldn't help but remember what Hayner had said about getting something simple for his friends. Roxas suddenly smiled, an idea popping into his head. “I'm getting you one anyway, Axel. Oh boy, I've got some work to do.”

Roxas turned and ran from the alley back into town, towards a store he had spotted earlier. Behind him, he could hear Axel shouting something, but he didn't care. Christmas wasn't ruined after all.

******

Axel stepped quietly into Saïx's room, shutting the door behind him. Saïx was hunched over a pile of papers at his small metal desk in the corner of the room, a small lamp beside him illuminating his work.

“What do you want, Lea?” Saïx asked irritatedly.

“Jeez! What's got you all pissed off?” Axel asked, holding his hands up in the air. He could tell already that things were not going to go easily.

“Nothing. We have no hearts, and therefore cannot become 'pissed off,' if you'll recall.”

“All right, whatever. Here's the deal: Number XIII is suddenly all into Christmas, and-”

“Into Christmas? And what buffoon decided to tell him about Christmas?”

Axel could tell that Saïx expected that he had done it, but Axel decided to pretend it wasn't a loaded question. “Sounds like it was Luxord,” he answered, “but I'd bet my chakrams that Xigbar had something to do with it.”

Saïx shook his head. “That boy had better learn some focus if he ever wants his heart back.”

“So here's the thing,” Axel continued, “I was wondering if I could possibly get Roxas something for Christmas, just so that he gets his fill of the business and relaxes a little.”

“Don't give me false pretenses,” Saïx answered coldly, “you want to get him a gift just because – suddenly, for no reason – you seem to think that you two are friends.”

“Call it what you like, but I'd like to get him something.” Axel rolled his eyes. Why was everything a battle with Saïx?

“Why do I suddenly have to make all your decisions for you? If you want to waste your time, that's your own business.”

“Well, it's just...” Axel gulped; he had known all along this would be difficult, but even in his planning he hadn't imagined that it would be this hard to explain in person. “I'd like to get him something rather specific.” Axel pulled two folded papers from his pocket and handed them to Saïx.

Saïx glanced at the top paper for no more than a second before he looked back to Axel. “No. Absolutely no. If the Superior were to catch wind... You're out of your mind if you think I'm going to-”

“Yes, I do think you will. I've helped you; remember that business with Zexion and Vexen in Castle Oblivion. I've risked everything for you and your little plan, and this is nothing that bad.”

“No,” Saïx answered definitely again. “Trying to guilt me into it is not going to work, Lea; I don't have a heart any more. It's better to barter with something you haven't already given me.”

“Fine then,” Axel growled. He had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but he really had no choice. “If you won't help me do this one little thing, then our old agreement is done. It's obvious that you care nothing for our friendship anymore, so why should I help you?”

Saïx's eyes shrank in anger, but then his face slowly relaxed. “Very well. He pulled out a pen and quickly scrawled his signature across the bottom of the two papers. “I see you don't care much for your 'friend' the puppet, though. These are for you and Number XIII, aren't they?”

“No! They're for Roxas and Xion.” Axel looked away from Saïx's grin as he spoke. As much as he hated to admit it – even to himself – it was true, he hadn't even thought of Xion. He felt bad, since he knew that Xion deserved one too. He'd just have to let the two kids take the papers. Too bad he hadn't thought to make a third for himself.

Axel snatched up the papers and returned them to his pockets, heading towards door.

“Merry Christmas, Isa!”

******

Roxas stood smiling in front of Xion and Axel in a bare hallway of the Castle that Never Was. Both of his friends were curiously examining the corridor of darkness Roxas had convinced Demyx to make at the end of the hallway. A large paper bag was hanging at Roxas' side, his gifts sitting inside. He knew that Luxord told him that people exchange gifts on Christmas day, not the day before, but Roxas couldn't wait any longer to show his friends what he had done. And Luxord had been wrong about pretty much everything else, so Roxas figured that he might be wrong about the day as well.

“What's up, Roxas?” Xion asked, looking at him in confusion.

“I've got a surprise for you, for Christmas,” Roxas answered.

Xion looked questioningly to Axel, who nodded at her.

“Where are we going?” she asked, peering around Roxas at the corridor of darkness behind him, as if somehow looking at it would reveal where it led.

“I told you, it's a surprise.” Roxas turned and walked directly in front of the corridor. He stopped, looked back at his friends with a huge smile, and called out, “C'mon, let's go!”

Then he stepped through the corridor, and was whirled instantly across the world, emerging from the darkness at the very top spire of the Castle that Never Was, called the Altar of Naught. Right behind him, Xion and Axel also stepped out of the dark portal. Above the spire was the massive moon of Kingdom Hearts, a conglomerate of all the hearts the Organization had collected.

“Whoa!” Xion cried, looking around the tower, “did you-”

She was gazing in awe at the dozens of strings of glowing Christmas lights draped from every open surface on the tower and the massive pine tree sitting in the center of the tower, adorned with countless glass bulbs. The top of the tree was positioned in just such a way that, when viewed from their angle, the large heart-shaped moon of Kingdom Hearts seemed to rest on it, shining out onto the tower.

“It's-It's beautiful!” Xion said.

“My Christmas present to you guys,” Roxas said happily. He had spent all day buying lights and decorating the tree, but now he knew it was completely worth it.

Xion looked to Axel with concern, but Axel shook his head, his eyes widened in amazement. Obviously even he had not expected this.

“But that's not all,” Roxas said with a grin. “Here!” He reached into the bag he had carried with him and drew out two blue sea salt ice cream bars. “For you guys!”

Axel and Xion both gladly accepted the bars, but then something Roxas hadn't expected happened. Xion reached back into her coat pocket and drew out a small wrapped up ice cream bar.

“And this is for you, Roxas!”

“What? How did you know to-”

Xion smirked at him, “Axel may have tipped me off that you were planning on getting me a Christmas present.”

“Axel!” Roxas growled. “This is the last time I ever tell you anything!”

“It's okay,” Xion said, “now we can all have ice cream together.”

Roxas nodded and walked to the edge of the tower, climbing up on the ledge and dangling his legs off the side. Axel and Xion climbed up and sat down on either side of him, each with their ice cream in hand.

“Christmas is definitely my favorite holiday,” Xion said.

“Christmas is the only holiday you know,” Axel replied with a laugh.

“Yeah, but how could another holiday be better than this: ice cream with my friends and no mission.”

“And don't forget Santa,” Axel added with a smirk.

“Wait!” Roxas cried, “You know about Santa too?”

“Um... yeah?”

“Who is Santa? Xigbar told me to say hi to him, or something, and Xaldin just laughed at me when I asked him.”

Axel buried his face in his hand, laughing. “Who's Santa? Who's Santa? Ahahaha! He's... well, he's... ha... He's a big guy in a red suit and black boots. He's got white hair, and he carries a sack of presents around with him. Every Christmas he goes around delivering presents to all the people of the world.”

“To all of them?”

“Yep, every one.”

“How does he get to all of them in one night?”

“Magic.”

“What kind of magic?” Roxas knew for sure that he had never learned that type of magic.

“Just magic, got it memorized?”

Roxas glared at Axel, knowing that he was being left out of something. “Well, does Santa deliver to Nobodies too?”

“Um...” Axel looked a bit perplexed. “I'm... I'm not sure. I've never had a Christmas here before, so I wouldn't know.”

“Oh...” That made sense, but Roxas still felt like he was missing something. “... wait a second, how does Santa get into people's houses?”

“The chimney.”

“But I thought he was big. How does he fit?”

“Magic.”

“Just magic, right?”

“Yep. Just magic.”

“Oh.” Roxas screwed up his face as he tried to imagine a large man jamming himself down a skinny chimney. He gave up trying almost immediately; it didn't make any sense.

Axel suddenly leaped to his feet. “I've got it! Wait just a second.”

The red-headed Nobody disappeared into a corridor of darkness for a moment, and then popped right back out, a book in his hand.

“What's that?” Xion asked.

“It's The Night Before Christmas. It's a Christmas poem. It'll explain everything.”

Axel returned to his spot to Roxas' right and opened the book. Roxas noticed that it was a picture book, but Axel had turned in just such a way so that he couldn't see the pictures, unfortunately.

“Ahem. 'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; the stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there-”

“Wait a second,” Roxas interrupted. “Who's Saint Nicholas?”

“It's another name for Santa.”

“Oh.”

“Ahem. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads-”

“What's a sugar plum?” Roxas asked again.

“I don't know. It doesn't matter. Just listen to the story.”

“Oh.”

“Ahem. And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, had just settled down for a long winter's nap...”

Roxas was about to ask what a 'kerchief was, but he decided that it was wisest to hold his tongue. Axel continued on reading as Xion and Roxas tried to imagine everything that was happening in the story. It was a very nice story, but a lot of it was beyond the two Nobodies. At one point, Axel said something about a rain-deer, which Roxas didn't quite understand, but he assumed it was just one of those sugar plum things that everybody understood that no one understood.

The poem wasn't that long. Not more than a minute or two after Axel began he came to the last lines.

“... He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, and away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, 'Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.'”

Roxas felt something touch his hand, so he shook it slightly. In response to his shake, a small gloved hand clasped its fingers around his own. He turned to see Xion smiling at him, more warmly than he had ever seen her smile before.

“... Roxas, thank you. This is the best Christmas ever.”

Roxas almost reminded her jokingly that it wasn't Christmas yet, but he just smiled and responded, “Yeah, it is. Thanks for the help, Axel.”

Axel nodded, and all three Nobodies looked up to Kingdom Hearts above them, the moon's pale light drenching them in warmth.

And then:

“Hey Axel, what's a thistle?”

******

Xemnas stepped slowly out of the shower, his skin shivering from the cold and his muscles aching from all the work he had done that day. Why was it, whenever there was a vacation, he always seemed to have more work to do?

The tan, white-haired Nobody toweled himself off and pulled on his underwear and black pants, yanking on his black gloves afterwards. He stepped into his boots and reached for a ebony coat on the rack beside him, but his fingers only found the wall behind the rack. He looked to the side and spotted at least half a dozen of the coats in a heap on the floor.

He sighed deeply and opened a wardrobe in the corner of his private bathroom, yanking out a soft red bathrobe. He put on the robe to cover his bare chest and then pulled a bag from under his sink. Within a minute he had stuffed all the dirty coats into the sack and quietly left the bathroom, heading for the washing room.

******

It was nearly midnight when Roxas, Axel, and Xion left the Altar of Naught to get some sleep. Axel said he was headed off for the kitchen for a snack, but Roxas thought that he sounded a bit shady, like he was planning to do something else too. The elder Nobody's departure left the two younger Nobodies to head back to their rooms alone.

As they proceeded through the last hallway before the sleeping quarters, Xion was discussing a world she had visited before.

“So, everyone in the world is animal, and they're all adorable. There was little lions, and birds...”

But as the two rounded the corner, they both stopped dead in their tracks. Roxas could feel his jaw drop open and his eyes widen. In the middle of the hall before them, walking away from the fourteen bedrooms, was a tall figure in a red robe and black boots, a brown sack slung over his shoulder.

“It's-It's-It's,” Roxas stuttered. He looked quickly to Xion and saw that she was just as lost for words as he was.

“Santa,” the two Nobodies whispered together.

The white-haired figure paused and turned slightly, obviously noticing the two onlookers.

He let out a mirthful laugh, and said in his deep, albeit slightly disinterested, voice, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.” He waved his gloved hand and then he was gone around the corner.

“Santa did come!” Xion squeaked, her eyes the size of dinner plates.

“Maybe he brought presents for us!” Roxas shouted, sprinting down the hall and into his bedroom. A tiny wrapped box was sitting on his bed waiting for him. In all of ten seconds, Roxas had shredded the paper of the present and tossed the box aside, rushing out of his room to compare gifts with Xion. The two met in the halls and found that they were holding identical slips of paper.

Each read: “This Certificate Hereby Grants the User One Free Mission.” At the bottom of each was Saïx's signature, and smiley face drawn next to it in red pen.

Roxas looked up from his certificate and grinned at Xion.

“This really is a merry Christmas after all.”

Edited by Ragnell
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