[Nexus] Thanksmasnewyearskwanzakkah 5: Now with Mall Santas!

[Shadowcaller]

[Right Next to the Thanksmas Throne]

"Ah... yes." The sorceress says as she promptly stops opening the present, she didn't realize it was so important, but she figures he takes his job seriously. "I guess we should wait for Santa to be less distracted then."

[Dark Elf Bard]

Near the Thanksmas Throne

Oh... I'm asking for parents and a place to live... The little tiefling girl is further enfolded in her coat!

[Meredit]

Meredit giggles. "I've had so much practice lately I could do simple cables now and talk to you at the same time and never miss a stitch!"

Then the little girl shuffles a little bit from foot to foot. Meredit recognizes a shy child working up the courage to speak and is quiet.

[Dark Elf Bard]

Near the Throne

Um... I'm Quiet. What's your name?

[lord pringle]

[Throneward]

Char extends her hand and loudly states, "I'm Char! Nice to meet you, Quiet!" Once again, Char botches her interactions.

[Dark Elf Bard]

ThroneWard

Quiet shrinks back slightly, and then extends a robe-folded hand.

[lord pringle]

[Close Throne Proximity]

Completely obliviously to the tiefling's nervousness, Char attempts to shake hands. While smiling like a crazy person.

[Meredit]

Meredit has to sigh a little. She offers a hand at shoulder level for support. Quiet looks too old to just be taken by the hand like a preschooler.

"Look!" she tells the line. "Santa is ready to see someone."

[lord pringle]

[Throne Vicinity]

((Could I get a description of Meredit?))

[Dark Elf Bard]

Near Throne

Quiet is shaken, and looks overwhelmed and ready to shrink into a little ball.

[Meredit]

"Excuse us," explains Meredit to Char and to the other grownup.

Meredit is just plain human. The only thing odd is that she's got pale Caucasian skin and Asian eyes. Ok, maybe spiked short hair is a little odd but where she comes from even body mods are normal and she hasn't got those. She's got leggings and a hoodie and that big knitting bag.

Meredit talks just to Quiet. She is clear but not very loud. "You want a home and I need one too. Let's go ask for one, ok?" She sort of scoops Quiet up around the shoulder and guides them both to Santa's seat.

[Dark Elf Bard]

Throneward

Quiet tenses and looks ready to burst into tears, but allows herself to be guided to Harnel/Santa.

[Lord Magtok]

The wolves finish their ham, lie down and yawn. The one that Mr. C rode on before bows her head in thanks. That was tasty. She'll let Mr. C ride on her back for as long as he wants.
They haven't noticed Magtok yet. This is but a temporary respite however. Also, Viima and Kullervo are approaching him.

Oh crap. Magtok's hand tightens around the lobster hidden away in his pocket, and he slowly starts moving away in the opposite direction. He doesn't dare run; running will just encourage those mutts to chase him, and then everyone will be looking at him, and this whole plan will be ruined.

[Morty]

Viima and Kullervo don't slow down, heading straight for Magtok. What's more, four of the cubs join them, meaning that six wolves are now closing in on him.
The cub that doesn't move is the one Mr. C is napping on. She doesn't want to disturb him.

[Halae]

[Thanksmas Throne]

Santa Harnel is still here, and now that there's a group of people approaching he turns towards them, and will invite the smaller of the pair up onto his lap. Of course, a certain Tiefling girl may recognize Harnel from the tournament...

"What can Santa do for you, hmm?"

[lord pringle]

[Moving up to the Throne]

Char starts whispering to Meredit, "Since you said that you two were looking for a home... Well, my dad is out of town on 'business'... Char's Brain tries to tell her to stop, but it's too late. And if you wanted you could stay at my house for a while... I guess you could. Then what she just volunteered to do kicks in and she squeaks out, If you don't mind demons.

[Dark Elf Bard]

[Thanksmas Throne]

Santa Harnel is still here, and now that there's a group of people approaching he turns towards them, and will invite the smaller of the pair up onto his lap. Of course, a certain Tiefling girl may recognize Harnel from the tournament...

"What can Santa do for you, hmm?"

This is her sister, though.

Quiet's eyes widen to see another red-skinned person!

She lets Meridet go first, though.

[Meredit]

"Thank you" Meredit starts to say. Then Char adds the important part.

It makes sense that demons are here and real. There are goblins. There are elves. There are wolves. There are little girls with skin that changes color. But Meredit holds her pendant tight in her fist. The goblin said that she was not dead. This girl does not feel evil. Why is she saying "demon"?

Meredit twists a round looking for help. Santa? A Santa is definitely not a demon. Except for that one icky story in her dad's old Weird Tales magazines.

"I" she said. She swallowed and started again. "This is my home now? I don't even know what it is. How to live. Where to live." Her hand is shaking bad enough for Quiet to see. "I used to know how to live. I had a job. I had a family and a home. Now I don't think I do. They're not here with me now."

"I, I think I can make friends. I can sell things and make money and rent a place to live. But I don't know if that still works here. Please give me a map or a guide or I don't know" Meredit is babbling.

[Halae]

[Thanksmas Throne]

Harnel sits quietly and waits for Meredit to finish. Santa is supposed to be patient, after all; may as well let her continue.

Once she's finished though, he says, "There's a camp near the city, cabins and such. They call themselves GLoG, take in people that don't have anywhere to go. You can probably stay there until you get back on your feet." He'll also give directions, if requested.

[Dark Elf Bard]

Thanksmas Throne

Quiet's quiet hand quietly grabs Meredit's hand, quietly.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Right Next to the Thanksmas Throne]

Boregard takes his job very seriously!
If she opened the present without both involved parties present, it would be a grievous breach of...some protocol or another!
He assumes so, anyway. It kinda makes sense. What if she decided it was such an awesome gift that she had to keep it to herself and Santa never saw it?

That'd be terrible.

"Yyyyyyyep! We'd better wait!"
And with that, he rather snappily clasps his hands behind his back and watches Santa work.
Fairly quietly, for a few seconds.

Dooo doo doo.
Dee doo.

"Doo dee doo doo doooooo..."

[lord pringle]

[Next to the Throne]

Char grabs Meredit's hand and looks her in the eyes. "Look. You can do all of that, and I can get you a map and a guide and probably point you in the direction of a job, but can you really get that all in a day?" She sighs. "If you need me to I could get the demon out for a night. I think he's practicing with his band anyway." She writes down a number using a pen and some paper from her pockets. "If you need anything, just call me."

[5a Violista]

Sitting on a Bench, alone

Harley Zorzo, confident that this is the book that she needs, shuts it and sets it next to her on the bench.

For a couple seconds, she looks very pensive. She even strokes her chin, wishing she had a beard. Beards always help people think more clearly.

Suddenly, she snaps out of her thoughtful state and pulls a pen out of her pocket. She commences to use her left forearm as a notebook, and makes a checklist. Anyone who spies over at her will notice her writing this:

☐ 0.5 kg of 11 karat gold (5:3 Ag:Cu) (mol)
☐ 1 Dragon Heartstone (red = black)
☐ 1 gal Mermaid Tears
☐ 1 Pewter Bowl
☐ 5.1g Phoenix Ashes
☐ 1 lb baby ♂ unicorn horn
☑ 1 tsp fair folk blood
☐ 1 thermometer accurate to ±0.07°F
☑ access to fridge

Then, she checks off the "Fridge" and the "Fair Folk Blood".

Harley seems satisfied. "Now, that's progress."

[Meredit]

"Thank you," Meredit says now that she's more steady. Then she turns and repeats it softly for Quiet.

"Thank you. I'll wait nearby if you like while you ask Santa if you want." She turns to talk to Char without upsetting Quiet.

I don't think I should describe my pendant or I might get another message. But it means I believed in demons and angels while I thought that elves and goblins were fairy tales.

"Yes. Please can we visit and stay for two nights? If it's too weird around with the"

Meredit stops for a moment. Then the kid sings "doo dee doo dooooo" and she has to smile.

"demon around or your dad doesn't like it, we can go and find the glog place."

[lord pringle]

[Throneways]

Char shrugs "Meh, the demon is a prick anyway. And the last time I went to GLoG, I nearly died of anaphylactic shock." She goes back to beaming. Just tell me when your ready to go. It's too cold for me here.

[Dark Elf Bard]

Thanksmas Throne

Quiet fidgets, not sure whether to let Santa speak first or not.

[Halae]

[Thanksmas Throne]

"Come on little one. Come sit on Santa's lap and tell me what you want." Harnel is all smiles and warmth, quite welcoming.

[Zefir]

Viima and Kullervo don't slow down, heading straight for Magtok. What's more, four of the cubs join them, meaning that six wolves are now closing in on him.
The cub that doesn't move is the one Mr. C is napping on. She doesn't want to disturb him.

It will need a while until Mr. C wakes up himself again, but if the wolf barks or otherwise gives Mr.C a sign he will wake up earlier.

[Dark Elf Bard]

Thanksmas Throne

Quiet looks terrified as she makes her way onto Santa's lap.

May I please have a family or a place to sty or Thanksmas?

[happyturtle]

Santa 2

Suddenly the Thanksmas magic that rules this place notices that the line is getting rather long. So with a sluuuuurrrrping sound, a 2nd Santa materialised on a 2nd Santa chair, complete with his helper.

The new Santa is dressed appropriately in the red and white suit, but it hangs rather loose on him, because Elias Claus is a 14 year old boy who is in that state of puberty where he suddenly shoots up in height faster than he can put on the corresponding amount of weight.

His helper, Hekta, appears next to him, complete with her own tektek.



Elias looks around at the crowd and winces. He is so not cut out for this. Finally, he forces himself to say "Ho, ho, ho, Merry Thanksmas."

((People can visit either Harnel Claus or Elias Claus.))