With that, she hung up and exhaled slowly.
“That’s going to be interesting,” she mumbled aloud as she turned around to the awaiting company of three who had watched her so far. Her eyes first turned to Doodle. As if the previous minutes hadn’t happened, she turned to a business-like tone and pointed over at Zithra. “Christmas magic turned him green and made him a poet. Why?”
“Well boss, I can’t say for absolutely certain. But you read those Christmas tales, in many cases a Christmas influenced antagonist in need of a change of heart tends to be a thing. Maybe the Christmas Spirit sensed this dude needs his heart to grow three sizes?” Doodle guessed.
“Sound’s unhealthy…” The injured man chuckled before becoming annoyed in realization, “Wait… am I supposed to be some sad discount grouchy Suess hermit!? Is that what this forking green is about!? Feck’n heck…”
Shida also tilted her head.
“A manarian who left the cast system to live among humanity and even cares for their children more than his own safety…I’m not sure how much more a heart can grow in a lifetime,” she said before turning her head towards Zithra. “Felt any strong need to tear down lights or steal trees or yell at children singing songs recently?”
Initially flattered, Zithra’s expression shifted to a shade of sly guilt.
“I mean… I’ve had to shoplift quite a lot… and the noise human children can make can be the most annoying thing I could ever conceive of at times.” he admitted, “I will say I’ve been really indifferent with human holidays outside things like Halloween. I can actually have some fun walking around then. But… yeah since this little coloration change the idea of Christmas has increasingly pissed me off for no discernible reason. The music kinda physically hurts my ears now too, sometimes all the way in my tower I could somehow… hear it clearly from the town. Irritating, sure. But it’s not like I want to vow vengeance or ‘Keep their Christmas from coming!’.” He mimicked the tone and mannerisms of a well known actor in his quoting.
Doodle rubbed his chin in thought.
“Well… it’s not like the Christmas spirit would want to shrink your heart first… unless… No… no that’s ludicrous… or…is it?” For the first time the cocky elf’s eyes filled with dread.
“What?” Zithra asked, not liking that face at all.
“There’s… another side to the Christmas spirit…” Doodle mumbled, “Christmas is supposed to be a time of gifting and promoting peace on earth. But what recourse is there for those who don’t abide? Coal, traditionally. But those who really disgrace the sanctity of Christmas? Well… that’s often out of Santa’s hands. That’s uhm… I’m not really sure if I’m allowed to say its name aloud…”
Shida exhaled, recognition sparking in her brain.
“Krampus,” she suggested after a moment, garnering her very confused looks from everyone around her. Shrugging, she explained, “Humans are obsessed with demons. They fling their names around like nothing else. This is one of the more famous ones.”
Doodle had pulled his jingling hat over his face at the mention.
“Yeah… I think I’ve heard that name before.” Zithra nodded, “They made a few horror movies about it. I think maybe one was kinda good?”
“Is it something that will get in our way?” Chak asked the room.
“Santa and… it… are like super-strong opposing magnets. They can’t normally cross into each other's domain because they exist diametrically opposed within the magic itself. But that’s when Santa is doing Santa’s job. If it deems that Santa is deserving of recompense… I don’t know if that would even be possible, unless that’s the way the Christmas Spirit checks-and-balances itself!? I don’t know! What if the domains are crossing into each other!?” Doodle panicked, practically hyperventilating.
With a crackle, Shida reached into her sleeve, pulling out a familiar piece of paper.
“I guess…that might explain who sent me this…” she said, turning her eyes over at Zithra again. “Which in turn led me to you…Might be a huge coincidence, but…Any murderous thoughts coming up?”
She was mostly joking, but still, the lines of coal spelling out Mary’s name on the page did make her think. Santa had the list. But apparently, the ‘naughty’ part didn’t fall into her domain. So why exactly would she have been sent this single part of it, if not on purpose?
Doodle stared up at Shida with a single exposed eye in the shape of a perfect circle, before collapsing to the floor onto his side.
“No…” Zithra said as he drew his pitied gaze off the elf and to Shida, “But I’ll let you know if I ever do. I’m a pretty -as the humans say- ‘chill dude’. I hunt for a lot of my meals, but I stick to actual wildlife and dumpsters. I’ve scared a good number of hikers though, I will admit. Sometimes even on purpose.”
“With all this magic business, I wouldn’t overlook coincidences.” Chak pointed out as she got a good look at the note, perhaps staring at it a bit too long from the uneasy feeling rising in her chest.
Suddenly, she stepped back, nearly falling over in a jolt seeing the flash of something forcing its way into the forefront of her mind, leaving an echo of a vague horned visage staring right into her very being. It didn’t ‘say’ anything or leave a message to impart. It didn’t even feel like a warning, or a threat. Just a presence of the natural order and its being.
Blinking, Chak curled her hand together to her chest. She felt like she should be scared, but she wasn’t. Just… shaken.
Seeing the others' reactions, she focused on Shida specifically.
“I’m fine.” she assured calmly, “You don’t… sense that? It certainly wasn't the ‘Christmas’ I’ve been experiencing.” she asked.
Shida shook her head.
“Nothing on my end,” she said, before looking to her side. With a sigh, she put away the note again, before crouching down to the panicking elf, gently patting his shoulder. “Come on, buddy. I need you to breathe, even if you don’t have to. Remember that you’re immortal, huh? Tied to the Christmas spirit. No matter what this thing is, it literally can’t do anything to you, so calm down. If anything, it’s after me.”
Demons now as well, huh? Well, at least this sounded like it wouldn’t go after Chak. If Shida was the only one not feeling its presence, it should be pretty clear where its intentions lied.
While still somewhat comforting the elf, Shida looked back up at Chak, and also briefly glanced at Zithra.
“Though maybe that means I shouldn’t leave you two alone together. No idea if Zithra is…I don’t know…the opposite of Rudolph here or something, but if you’re fueled by opposing magic, maybe you should not be together without supervision…unless maybe they cancel each other out…though I highly doubt that,” she said, beginning to ramble for a second before she re-focussed. “Well, it’s not like you’re a fan of being one on one with a Manarian under the best of circumstances.”
She smirked at Chak, trying to lighten the mood a bit. But still, she would have to leave soon. Maybe she should take one of them along. Or would that be too dangerous?
“Well… we both know how far gone I am so far, and I just felt almost nothing when you said ‘Rudolph’… That feels like a positive change? And… I think the encoding is actually a good thing in this circumstance. It’s like a constant instinctual reminder of my sense of reality. I’ll gladly feel a bit uncomfortable over completely losing myself to a curse.” Chak admitted, “I don’t know yet about ‘canceling out’ each other, but he’s definitely reminding me who I am.”
“No clue if I’m going to start speaking in constant rhymes and adopt a dog companion, but I’m on board with some supervision. I feel no different being around you all. And diner food that isn’t out of a dumpster sounds amazing.” Zitha noted with a shrug, before instantly regretting it from his still fresh wounds, “Ah…heh… ouch. At least I’m not in the condition to be a big threat to anyone anytime soon either.”
“Need to get you a fresh change of clothes then,” Shida said with a look over at the sack. “I guess we won’t figure out the deal with Krampus in an hour, so I guess we can do that after…I suggest you two go in before me, take a place, and just wait. I’ll come in later so people don’t see us enter together. Makes sense? You can just stand by while I talk to the Sheriff. If I need backup, I’ll let you know. Chak, remember your gun.”
She then looked down again.
“Are…are you holding up alright, Doodle?” she asked carefully. “Want to stay here for a bit to calm down?”
“Y-yeah boss. I think I’ll do that. But just say my name and snap your fingers if you need me. You’d summon me right to ya.” he said before waddling over to the attic door.
Chak nodded at Shida.
“That’s a great approach. We’ll be right there for you.” Chak agreed as she visibly hid her weapon to show that it would be on her person.
“I wonder if Dagon has a spare shirt I could borrow… I mean my pants are mostly not stained.” Zithra.
-
“That sack of yours has a real sense of humor, doesn’t it?” Zithra said as he slowly lowered himself into the diner booth with Chak’s helpful assistance.
“It’s a nice jacket! My fiance has a few leather ones too.” she complimented before sitting across from him.
“Does she have jackets that say ‘Bat Boy’ with a big bat-wings pattern on it?” he sarcastically asked as he picked up the lunch and dinner menu.
“No… but she’d certainly want one for our son…” Chak giggled.
“I feel like a spinoff superhero’s sidekick… I mean, our wings don’t even resemble bats’. Much more accurately like a pterosaur.” the man pointed out.
“Well.. you do share their noses to a degree. And funny you would mention that, our son has these adorable dinosaur pajamas.” Chak said as she picked up her own menu.
“Pterosaurs aren't dinosaurs. But cute.” the man absentmindedly corrected before a waitress came and set down full glasses of ice water.
“Can I get drinks for ya?” the woman asked.
“Coffee would be amazing.” Zithar said, loving this whole experience.
“You got it, sugar.” the waitress winked back with a smirk.
Chak has to force herself to not gag at recalling the taste of the terrible brew.
“Is… there other caffeine options?” she inquired.
“Do you like Iced tea?” the waitress counter asked.
“Oh… sure!” Chak quickly accepted.
“Alright! Do you know what you want food wise while I’m here?” the woman checked.
“Actually yes!” Zithar replied real quick, “I’ll have the steak and baked potato, with two sides of the garlic bread. And if it’s not too much trouble can the chef drench and I mean drench the steak and potato in garlic butter.”
Writing down in her notebook the waitress nodded.
“Can do. But someone’s gonna have to deal with your breath later…” she warned tilting her head jokingly to the woman across from him.
“Oh, we’re not… Uhm…” Chak began to correct before dismissing the effort, “I’ll take the lasagna, and a baked potato side? Oh! And a side of steak fries!” she ordered, not wanting to miss out on more kinds of potatoes while giving this golden chance, “Oh! And -sorry- a small cinnamon hot chocolate. I know I already have tea but I must try that.” she added.
“Live your truth, girl!” the waitress acknowledged before scribbling all that down, “I’ll be out with those drinks soon.”
Chak bounced excitedly in her seat, causing the man across from her to chuckle. He’s certainly glad to not be the weirdest individual in an Earth setting for once.
As the drinks were brought and set, Chak peeked up as her disguised feline friend entered the establishment. Trying to not look like she was constantly staring she focused on her hot drink. Taking a light sip, she has a perfectly opposed reaction to the coffee. Sweet and wholesome to her very core.
Opening a disposable hazelnut cream cup, Zithra lightened up his dark brew before taking a hefty sip. Although his hearing senses were severely cut back in this form, he had an edge to it that was enough to keep constant focus on his new feline ally.
Shida leaned back in her booth, looking out the window through newly acquired shades -ones that actually fit her ears for once- while her hair was mostly covered by a thick, black driver’s cap. The anonymity this outfit provided was of course not at all impenetrable, but at least it would fit more into the image the Sheriff would most likely have of her.
Hearing the waiter approach her without turning around, she waited for the woman in the oddly colorful uniform to stop. Glancing up at her reflection in the window leading outside, Shida spoke up before the lady could greet her,
“I’ll take the steak. Surprise me with the sides. Water for me, and the Sheriff will join me in a minute, so if she has a usual order feel free to prepare it for her. She’ll definitely want coffee.”
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The waitress looked at Shida in surprise and a bit of disapproval, but began writing down the order anyway.
“Thank you very much,” Shida added after a moment of wait, bringing her tone into a more conversational area. Then she watched as the waitress left again. Only very briefly did she glance over at Chak and Zithra, who sat a few tables down from her, and she made sure not to let her gaze linger on them for any longer than it did on any of the other guests.
Then she waited for the Sheriff to arrive. As the time passed, she wondered if her disguise would make problems. If it was necessary, she had brought the powder so she could dismiss and reapply this human form on short notice if she had to.
She also paid very close attention to the diner’s surroundings, keeping her eyes open for anything that would feel suspicious or out of place. After all, she had nothing but that woman’s word that this place wouldn’t be swarming with police or other thugs any moment now. And how much could she really trust some backwater’s law enforcement that had no quarrels shooting first and asking questions later.
After a bit longer, she began to rhythmically drum her short, human nails, that the disguise had painted in a matt black, on the table in anticipation. Soon after, her food was delivered.
Looking up at a clock on the wall, she checked the time. The Sheriff was late. Not a good sign. But she was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt for just a bit longer.
Should the woman arrive, she would keep an eye on the situation for a bit before going to introduce herself. But for that, she would need to step through that door first.
Coming in a bit of a rush, the Sheriff came through the front door coated in fresh heavy flakes of snowfall and breathing heavily as though she had been running like crazy. As she said she would, she wasn't wearing her standard uniform. Instead dressed in a poofy winter jacket and corny snowman beanie. Looking around she didn't spot anyone who clearly screamed ‘alien’ to her, let alone the figures seen in the hospital footage. But as directed she stood awkwardly in place to wait.
Shida observed the scene for a while, while also still keeping her eyes peeled for a trap. As nothing happened after a few minutes, she decided that it was time.
Waiting for the Sheriff to turn away from her for a moment as the woman nervously looked around, the feline smoothly got out of her seat. Despite the human body, she still moved with a good bit more silent grace than the average primate, and thus she was easily able to quietly approach the tense lady. Stepping up to her from behind, she leaned in closely to the womans’ ear, before quickly letting out a deep, rumbly chuffing sound, that she luckily managed to produce even with these human vocal-folds no problem.
The feline sound instantly made the Sheriff shoot around in shock, now coming face to face with the disguised offworlder, who grinned at her from behind mirroring shades and a cap that was pulled low into her visage. The still overgrown fang of the feline glistened slightly from under her lips as Shida nodded into the direction of her booth.
“I took the liberty of ordering for you,” she informed after giving the Sheriff a long moment to gawk at her in peace. “Come on, it’s getting cold already since you arrived so late.”
Then, she smoothly turned to glide back into her seat, picking up her cutlery like nothing happened.
Red faced with eyeballs practically sticking out of her face, the Sheriff nodded and slowly sat herself down. Her hand holding up the vulcan salute the entire time.
“S-sorry, I was held up a bit. There was another incident with officer Bell at the station. He.. got violent when he was told he couldn’t leave. Not like him at all.” she explained.
Shida cut off a large piece of the meat with her knife and gently placed it in her mouth before speaking up.
“I told you he’s unstable. It’s this darn Christmas magic. Messes with everyone’s heads,” she said while laboriously chewing, becoming very annoyed at a human’s narrow throat as she did. “But that at least answers my first question already. My second would be: How’s the kid? He recovering alright?”
Then, with a look at the Sheriff’s hand, she pointed towards the hand-gesture with her knife and added,
“That’s offensive by the way. Not all offworlders are Vulcans.”
The Sheriff clenched her hand into a fist and leaned forward in shock.
“Vulcans exist!?” she whispered utterly flabbergasted before shaking her head, “Oh. Right, the boy. I don’t know how you got him there so dang quick, but it’s a good thing you did. He should be alright from what I was told. Thankfully the state will cover the medical expenses too. Thank goodness, I don’t think his living situation could handle that kind of debt.” she said as she took off her hat to reveal her wavey sandy blonde hair.
“That’s good to hear. And your men have the gall to call me the villain,” Shida chuckled in response and swallowed the meat, feeling it heavily go down her throat and slightly coughing immediately after. “Darn human gullet,” she briefly complained while reaching for her water, taking a few sips to sooth the pain, before clearing her throat and re-focussing. “Well, since none of them appeared on my naughty-list in the meantime, I guess they were all on there to begin with. So I probably shouldn’t be surprised.”
She let the whole Santa-angle hang out quite heavily, feeling that might be a good way to get this Christmas-obsessed town onto her side. Who’d want to argue with the guy-or gal in this case- that organized the thing you loved so much?
“So Bell was right…” the Sheriff said before leaning in to whisper again, “You ‘ended’ the real Santa? Why? Did he even go to other planets? Does he still look human when he does or does he just change into whoever lives there? Does that mean Jesus visited all the other worlds too!?” she questioned, as her mind became more and more blown as the ramifications kept stacking.
Shida sighed and put her cutlery down so she could bring her hands together.
“Listen, I had no steering and he was going 600 miles a second. He ran into me,” she explained very slowly and looked into the Sheriff’s eyes through her shades in hopes to make her actually listen. “I’ve heard about Santa yesterday for the first time in my life and I still have absolutely no idea who this Jesus guy is. I got pulled into all of this by complete accident, and it was neither my fault nor my decision, but I still got stuck with this curse as a result. If it makes you feel any better, the old ‘Santa’ came to this town to end it all anyway. Apparently he was looking to retire permanently, and he needed a successor. And it seems like he found one. However, he couldn’t drive for crap, so I ended up with the gig instead. And since I’m not looking to leave this life already, I’m looking for a way out.”
“Wait… so like that Tim Allen movie?” the Sheriff said but didn’t wait for an answer, “Well it makes sense to me then. I mean… to be honest that whole premise creates a lot of questions, like what happens to the old Ms. Claus? Anyways, I think I’m understanding your predicament now… and a lot of dots are connecting. Wow… it’s like I’m living in a movie! Uhm, do you know who Santa intended to pass his magic to? If it falling to you was an accident, maybe it will accept the ‘rightful’ person if that makes sense. Oh! Sorry, I gotta ask,” seeming to have gradually exchanged her nerves for awesticken investment she leaned forward even closer, “Is the probing thing real? What’s the point of it?”
Shida exhaled slowly with her fingers pressing against her forehead.
“No, the ‘probing thing’ is not real. However, if it was, I’m sure you’ve had a biology class at some point of your life during which you would’ve used a probe as well. That would be the same purpose. However there is very little reason for anyone to experiment on random people from a not yet star-faring planet. And once a planet is star-faring, they likely also conducted plenty of research into their own biology already, that they can share with us once we made contact,” she explained, trying to be very diplomatic here so she wouldn’t sully her chances as basically getting something akin to an escort through this situation. “Anyway, that is apparently not how the magic works. The elf that came with the old Santa has apparently been serving him for ages, and according to him, the magic only passes on after the departure of the former Santa or through bloodline shenanigans, neither of which are an option for me. Therefore we have to think out of the box. Problem is, the magic fueling this whole debacle is apparently pretty volatile when not used in its 100% intended way, and it’s causing a whole bunch of problems for everyone. It is adamant that we ‘save Christmas’, even though I still have absolutely no idea what it even needs saving from. But despite not telling us what its problem is, it has no quarrel with making it everyone else’s problem as well.”
She paused and sighed for a second, taking another drink of her water.
“A good friend of mine got pulled into this as well. The Santa thing is…annoying but I could deal with it. However the magic has really been getting to her. It’s…scary, quite honestly. Trying to take away her mind and free will. I don’t know what you’re celebrating here, but knowing humans, I would assume that’s not part of it,” she added after a moment, staring outside.
Leaning back, almost appearing offended, the Sheriff seemed conflicted and confused.
“Well that’s not very Christmas-y… That’s goes against… well… the whole point. Stealing someone’s bodily autonomy and mind? That can’t be right…” she said with a slow shake of her head, here eyes landing on her snowman hat.
To Shida and the peeking duo, there’s a visible sparkling occurring around the disturbed woman.
“It’s about love’n one another. What you’ve said, that’s definitely not what I celebrate. But… if Santa’s real, and that’s his magic… then… is Christmas even worth saving?” she uttered as the sparking started to darken and drift away like ash, however it held on to the woman by a thread. Fresh sparks still stubbornly maintained their presence, as if refusing to let go of the final grip it had.
Shida’s hands clenched.
“No, it’s not,” she said decidedly. “At least this ‘spirit of Christmas’ isn’t. I don’t care about your holiday, you can celebrate it and have fun as much as you want. But this magic that steals people’s identities, forces them to work for it against their will and turns apparently good men into wildly shooting psychopaths? Everyone’s better off without it. But…”
She briefly glanced over to where Chak was sitting. This was why she originally didn’t want to take her here. But it didn’t matter now.
“But sadly, I have no choice on the matter,” she said after gathering her resolve. “My friend is slipping more and more. Each moment that passes might be her last as herself. But if I ‘save’ Christmas, and really get control over all this magical nonsense as ‘Santa’...I might be able to reverse that. Set her free and pick some…random beast of burden to take her place. I don’t care if Christmas deserves saving or not - she certainly does! And I will not leave anything untried to achieve that…And tearing it all down would simply take too long.”
The remaining sparkles died off and the after image around the Sheriff appeared, but before it can be clearly seen it is rendered asunder as the woman leaned forward through it, her hand gently but firmly landing on top of Shida’s.
“Stop that.” she lightly scolded, “Doing what you can for your friend is admirable, but how does she feel about that plan of yours? Does she get no say over her life? Would you free her just to have her live with the fact that the cost was you? You clearly care very much about her, but how would you feel if she just gave into that magic if it somehow meant freeing you first?” The woman lightly squeezed Shida’s hand, “Listen hun, what if that’s exactly what the magic wants you to do? To cement yourself as ‘Santa’ and make you think of any justification to do it. What if… in different ways your freewill is also being affected? I mean just ask yourself who’s making these weird specific yet contrived rules? The very magic that has a seemingly manipulative self interest in continuing to exist? Hun, I’ve seen my fair share of people being manipulated and gaslit in all sorts of terrible relationships and situations. You do have a choice, it is your life. I think this ‘magic’ is scared of you, because it’s dependent on you staying with it. This isn’t Christmas, and it shouldn’t be saved. It’s trying to use you and your friend. For all you know, even if you save it, it will hold your friend over you until there’s nothing left of you to use. You understand what I’m saying?” the Sheriff implored with a steady certainty.
Chak stood herself up, looking directly at Shida in a mix of emotions.
Shida pulled her hand away from the Sheriff, and a single tear could be seen running down her face from underneath her shades.
“She’s got two kids and fiance waiting for her back home. And I promised that-” she began to say, however she stopped short as if the words got stuck in her throat. A strange conviction filled her to get those words out. As if her entire self suddenly protested against the stopping of her sentence. However, exactly that was what made her pause. Since when was she so convinced of this?
With incredible effort, she forced her teeth together and her lips shut. Suddenly she felt like she had been hit in the face, and she brought a hand up to her forehead to combat the sudden headache as she swayed in place.
Suddenly, an echo of a voice rang through her mind.
“Watch out for her, and bring her back alright,” it said in a low, raspy and feminine tone. It echoed through her mind clear as day, over and over, however…she remembered that moment. And she remembered it differently.
“Stick close to Shida. And make sure you comeback alright, okay, hun?” was what it actually had said. And it had not been addressed to Shida. The large redhead had leaned down to the Cali, hugging her tightly and kissing her on the head while giving her those parting words.
“Watch out for each other. And promise me you’ll make it back to us, okay?” another voice had said to her then, before a kiss had been planted on her own head as well.
“...I promised that we’d make it back-” Shida forced out through her clenched teeth, focussing her entire willpower to defy the sentence of ‘I promised I’d bring her back’ that her own mind was seemingly trying to force onto her.
And before she had even finished the sentence, there was suddenly a burning pain searing into her arm. Yelping out in surprise and agony, Shida immediately dug her hand down her sleeve, feeling the burning sensation as her fingers closed around something incredibly hot, before she violently tossed it aside.
Breathing heavily, and clenching her hand around her burned forearm that was now covered by the dark, signed remains of the knitted sweater she wore and melted fake leather from her jacket, she stared down at the note, that had suddenly began to glow white hot as she spoke. Now that it lay discarded and thrown to the ground, the paper began to combust, going up in a tiny flame that left a thick, pitch-black smoke as it burned away the material.
Chak hurried to Shida’s side, taking hold of her shoulders from the side as if to protect her from the burning note that started to blacken and crack the tile beneath it.
“We need to get away from it.” she said, once again feeling the presence press against her mind. With her Terran strength she helped her hurt friend up from the seat and backed away from the note.
“SHUT UP!” a blood-curdling scream roared out from behind them. Now standing and clutching the sides of his head Zithra staggered as if people were continuously screaming into the sides of his head.
“I SAID SHUT UP!” he screamed again before remming his head against a framed photograph of the diner from years past, shattering the glass and making the other patrons recoil and panic, “SH- AHH! OH THE NOISE! THE NOISE, NOISE, NOISE!” he screeched, though his voice didn’t quite sound like his own in cadence. In another effort to silence what he was hearing he slammed his head once more against the already busted glass, “A-AND THEY’LL SHRIEK! THE SQUEALS!” He said as his consciousness blinked in and out as he fell backwards.
Looking back and forth between the two very distressing occurrences happening to her companions, something caught Chak’s attention. It was somehow already dark outside. And in that darkness was a small glowing red light. It bounced up and down as it grew in size.
Without thinking, Chak dragged herself and Shida over the stool seating near the viewable kitchen. Just as she did so the large glass window exploded inward as a massive antlered beast busted straight through in a wrathful bellow. Shards of glass joined its already existing wounds of a terrible crash. But outside the momentum coming to a tumbling crash, it remained undeterred as it steadied itself on its dark hooves. The red light adorned on its nose sparking into a surrounding flame.
The Sheriff, now prone on the floor, pulled out her gun and started unloading into the animal from hell to no effect, despite the bullets sinking deep into the flesh.
With her own pistol drawn and at the ready Chak took aim over the counter and fired a maxed out pulse shot almost point blank. The demon reindeer screeched and dissipated from the shredding impact as though it were constructed of paper. Instead of faltering however, both Chak and Shida felt the very same message be imparted to the both of them before the torrent of immaterial escaped into the dark night in a spiraling gust of hellish wind:
‘Naughty’
Her eyes flashing in recognition, Shida immediately pulled herself loose from Chak. With determined steps, she stamped over to the burning note, still holding her singed arm in the process.
The red, darkly smoking flame waved up at her as if in a taunt, its appearance mimicking the red light on the demon’s face.
With a sharp, hissing exhale through her teeth, Shida lifted her leg and stomped down on the thing with all her force, dispersing the charred remains of the paper and snuffing out the embers of fire between her boot, grinding her sole across the ground with a crunchy noise for a few moments to make sure that it was really gone.
“Bite me, you prude,” she hissed out, pushing her weight into the ground even more for a moment, before stumbling back a moment, with her legs failing her a moment later, forcing her to her knees as she pressed her injured arm against her body, as the only way to combat the burning pain appeared to be to force a different kind of pain onto her by constantly putting pressure onto the wound.
Still, it seemed to have worked, as the ominous air around them dissipated, and the day slowly began to light back up.
Jostling her a bit, Chak knelt down by her and held her tightly not saying a thing, but expressed her loving care all the same.
Zithra gasped and heaved his breath in sweet relief as he seemed to be freed from the incessant things he was hearing, though getting up off the floor didn’t seem like a priority as he swam in sweet euphoria.
The Sheriff staggered up with minor cuts from stray glass, still gripping her firearm tightly she beheld the carnage. Just processing the sheer nightmare she had witnessed.
The dozen of other patrons and staff felt very much the same, as their ashy afterimages of dead spirits lingered like ghosts in their original positions.
Keeping a vice-like grip on her own arm, Shida managed to gather enough willpower to stand up despite the pain after a few seconds.
“Friggin’ cheap-shot,” she complained, much more angry about the way that she was injured than about the injury itself, as she began to peel the melted material off of her skin, only to realize that it, in a way, wasn’t actually there. With a snap of her fingers, she dispelled her disguise, making the magical clothes disappear with it and leaving her with her santa costume instead, that luckily didn’t adhere to her skin. Her arm was still very badly burned, but without the molten plastic constantly irritating her skin, the pain was a lot more manageable. “First it goes after you and then this. All the magic in the world and it can’t even face me head on. Cheap trick after cheap trick.”
She had to regain her focus multiple times as her mind kept drifting towards the agony she was in, but her mind began to steer in the right directions.
“At least it really didn’t like what we did there,” she mused while looking around at the destruction. She had gotten that note right after they had stripped the first person of their Christmas spirit. And now that they had done it again, it helped Shida snap out of her own funk. “And it’s scared.”