Christmas in the Void: Part 1

1

Mimi, Mr. L, O’Chunks, and Nastasia were crowded around the circular dinner table located in the kitchen, having a lively dinner chat. Mr. L and Nastasia were debating the merits of different brands of vacuum cleaners, while Mimi was blabbering on about a boy she had a crush on, with O’Chunks not really listening at all as he daydreamed about a certain someone. Count Bleck had sequestered himself away in his study to supposedly do work, while Dimentio was out on a reconnaissance mission of some sort.

As the topics changed, as dinner conversation tended to do, they breached the subject of taking a break of some sort. “I’m tired of getting beaten up by that ugly old plumber!” Mimi complained. Mr. L snorted derisively.

O’Chunks said, “S’not like yeh did aneh better.” L rolled his eyes in response as Mimi went on. “I think we should get a break! I haven’t had any time to go shopping!”

Mr. L nodded. “I’d like to be able to relax with some video games for once.”

“En I’d like teh hev time fer sem sleep. I ent properly recovered from teh desert dere.”

Nastasia stood, bringing her plate to the sink. “The Count pushes you so hard because he knows you can do better. There’s no time for breaks with the heroes coming this way, k?”

Mr. L groaned, “Aw, come on Nastasia. I think we deserve it. It’s almost Christmas time!”

Mimi blinked. “…What’s Christmas?” Every one turned to stare at her. “What?” the green girl said, her eyes bugging out a little at the stares.

O’Chunks looked at her a little sympathetically. “Yeh never celebrated Christmas befer?”

“No? What is it?” she responded.

“Well…” Mr. L started. “Christmas is a holiday where you celebrate the people around you and give each other presents.”

Mimi perked up. “Presents? Like, totally free stuff?”

“Yes, but-“

Mimi cut L off with an excited squeal. “Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! This is the best holiday ever!”

“Lass, it ent all aboot teh gifts yeh know,” O’Chunks tried to explain further.

“I don’t care! What’s better than presents?!” Mimi practically shouted.

“Eh…Plenteh o things…” O’Chunks said.

“Well it doesn’t matter.” Nastasia interjected. “We simply don’t have the time for Christmas.” There was silence for a moment before Mimi said “What?!” so loud that it hurt everyone’s ears. Nastasia looked stern. “We’ve got too much to do. The heroes already have five Pure Hearts and we’ve barely slowed them down.”

“But-but-but…” Mimi said, looking incredibly dejected.

“C’mon Nassy, yeh kent go en crush teh lass’s dreams like dat,” O’Chunks said, not wanting to see the poor child cry.

“Yeah, come on. It’ll be fun!” Mr. L said with a smile.

Nastasia shook her head. “There’s just no time.”

Mimi sniffled a little, saying ““I’m gonna ask Count Bleck if we can have Christmas!” before suddenly darting off down the hallway.

“Don’t bother… the Count…” Nastasia tried to call after her. Mr. L and O’Chunks followed, hoping that they’d be allowed to celebrate the cheerful holiday. Nastasia sighed and followed behind.



Count Bleck fumbled the quill he was holding when the door to his study burst open with a loud bang. Scowling, he turned to see Mimi in the doorway, with O’Chunks, Nastasia, and Mr. L standing expectantly a little ways behind her. “Yes? May Count Bleck help you?” he asked.

“Um…” Mimi started, biting her lip a little. “Can we have Christmas.”

Count Bleck looked startled at the question, and the glow of his eyes dimmed a little. “Christmas… Why? You want to celebrate at a time like this?”

“Yeah…” Mr. L said hesitantly. “I’d be a nice break.”

“En I think we ced all use a liddle cheer.” O’Chunks said, rubbing the back of his head.

Count Bleck looked at them for a moment, frowning severely. Mimi gave him her best puppy-dog eyes, and the other two followed suit with imploring looks. Finally, the Count sighed and turned away. “You may celebrate Christmas,” he said.

“Yes!” Mr. L fist pumped. “Time to break out some decorations!”

“Decorations?” Mimi asked, following the two men as they left to go start celebrating right away. “We get to make the castle look pretty?”

The Count didn’t turn back until their voices had faded away. He walked out of his study and gestured for Nastasia to follow him. She did, an objection plain to see on her face, but he held up a hand to keep her silence until he was ready to speak. “Let them have their fun, Nastasia.”

“But Blu-Count, we don’t have time for such distractions!” Nastasia said, stumbling over her tongue and worriedly looking at her schedule.

Count Bleck shook his head. “This is a very difficult time of year for me…You know why... Just…,” he paused, and sighed. “Let them have their fun.”

Nastasia looked like she wanted to argue, but refrained from doing so when she noticed just how…deflated her boss looked. His shoulders slumped, and his eyes barely gave off any light. A deep-seated and long-held pain was resurfacing, and she wouldn’t hurt him further by throwing salt on the wounds. She nodded, following along beside him in silence until he reached his bedroom. Then, she gave him a short bow and left him alone, turning innumerable problems over in her mind and hoping that everything would turn out ok in the end.